Three Favorite Movies

Quarantine - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1082868/

The first time I viewed this movie, I thought that it satisfied almost everything I'd ever wanted to see in a horror-survival theme - A closed, constricted area, with no escape. Limited fire-arm use, and running. The camera work is supposed to be guerilla-style, much like the Blair Witch Project, so it involves a lot of running and jerky shots.

A lot of mystery surrounds the entire film. Even when it's finished, it may take another rewatch to take in all of the hints and details that are presented. Going into the movie, you know that the main character is a news reporter, interviewing a small group of firefighter/paramedics. After a few minutes, they're called into an apartment complex to investigate a loud, blood-curdling scream. Upon entry to Mrs. Espinoza's apartment building, they find that she's been infected with what appears to be a modified strain of rabies. She brutally attacks them, and they manage to subdue her after she bites one of the firemen. Bleeding profusely and requiring medical attention, the firefighter is rushed to the exit, only to find it securely welded shut and bolted, as they've been locked inside by the government, who's desperate to keep the entire incident covered up. Some very interesting camera angles are used to capture their running, more notably when they're on the stairs.

The rest of the movie goes on, as little by little, everyone becomes bitten as the outbreak becomes out of control, the wounded fireman reverting to a primal, feral state. It's revealed that a man in the attic is an activist extremist, who has concocted a disease that spreads rapidly upon contact. As the news reporter and her camera man try to escape the infection, they're forced further and further up the building and into the attic, where they meet their fate. The movie ends.


The Adjustment Bureau - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385826/

The movie is centered around a New York politician, who, at the start of the film, fails to make the latest poll election. Shattered, he prepares to make his speech to his supporters, when he meets a beautiful girl in the men's bathroom, hiding from the building's security. The two begin to talk, and soon find that they're in love with each other, as they have an intelligent conversation and realize that they share most of the same opinions on things as well. She wishes him good luck, and runs off, the hotel security close behind her.

He goes on, with new-found courage, to give his speech. He delivers an exceptional one, and is pushed into the lead with votes for the next upcoming election, for which he decides to run again for. However, he's unable to stop thinking about the girl he met, but continues on with his efforts to be a politician. They meet again by complete chance, and that's when it becomes apparent that there are strange, dark, powerful forces, that will do everything in their considerable power to make sure they can't be together. The forces are represented by humans, wearing suits and special business hats that allow entry to any locked door, along with the ability to take a door to anywhere in the world. They say that, due to the predestined path designed for everybody, the two are strictly not to be together.

It's revealed that she was "adjusted", so that her path would lead her to meet him in a chance situation, in order to boost his confidence, so that he would go on to eventually become president of the United States. She, on the other hand, would go on to be a famous dance choreographer. If they were to be together, than neither of those futures would ever happen.

It's a somewhat original love story, filled with decent camera-work, special effects, and good acting.

Gurren-Lagann (Anime) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948103/

Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann is set in an alternate universe, and follows the travels of Simon, Kamina and Yoko as they break free of the oppressing laws that state that they must remain underground, in large caverns that house full communities of people. Simon is a hand-drill miner, and his job is to dig underneath the village and expand it further, to avoid earthquakes and the risk of a cave in. It's made clear that he's the most skilled digger in the village, yet he's young and weak, and often made fun of. He often goes off to dig by himself, losing himself in thought as he drills his way through the ground. One night, he discovers a small robot deep underground, a cockpit on the top of it, and a face on the front. Kamina names it Lagann.

Meanwhile, the older Kamina, Simon's self-proclaimed "Bro", once more attempts to break free of the underground life he's confined to. He's always longed to live on the surface, as when he was younger, his father left for it, leaving him behind as he was too scared at the time.

Suddenly, a massive armored mech-robot drops in through the roof of the village, bright sunlight streaming in through the ceiling. Not long after, a girl named Yoko arrives, toting a large 50. Cal energy rifle that she carries and fires effortlessly, despite her nimble frame. She fights the robot for a while, as Simon makes the scene with his new fighter, which he barely knows how to control. In the end of the episode, Kamina, Simon and Yoko destroy the enemy, Simon's mech sprouting a drill through it's head, to which they use to break through to the surface.

The rest of the series goes on, battling their way across the barren, desert-like land as they make their way towards the Spiral King, the man who issued the command to force everybody underground. After they prevail, a time-lapse takes place, which cuts to a 19-year-old Simon. The rest of the series involves upgrading Lagann with larger mechs, as it's revealed that using the drill and connecting to other mechs forcefully, the smaller Lagann can actually consume the machinery, in a way. The entire anime isn't supposed to make too much sense, and is mostly a parody of other Mecha animes. By the end of the series, Lagann has been upgraded to Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, a vast machine that spans the length of 100 thousand Light years of distance.

For being an unrealistic anime, it certainly has some moments that are heart-wrenching. A tragic death occurs, inspirational lines are spoken, and absolutely ridiculous scenarios take place. I thought it was immensely enjoyable.

Prison Song - System of a Down

This song depicts the dreadful situation that the United States of America is currently entrenched in, along the lines of the number of incarcerated prisoners. System of a Down, more specifically some of their newer work, has been focused on the corruption that is the US politics. In this song, they talk about how drugs have became available to anyone, how easy it is to obtain them, along with prostitution as well. They also complain that there are far too many prisons in America, along with the amount of minor drug offenders that fill them, instead of real criminals.

The song begins with a quick thrash of an electric guitar, equipped with System of a Down's (SOAD) signature distortion. Drums also accompany it, along with a soft whispery voice a few seconds later, starting with the line "They're trying to build a prison..." The guitar thrashing continues, along with the beat laid out by the percussion. The bass joins as well.

SOAD's unique vocal capabilities also prove to be used to the fullest extent in this song, like most of their music. The high range of low grunts and throat singing, along with their high squealing and singing that Serj Tankian can produce. The song could be considered metal - A mix of singing vocals, and harsh vocals.

He continues to sing, as they hit a breakdown, in which he explains that all of the successful drug policies show that treatment should be increased, while eliminating mandatory minimum sentences. System of a Down is somewhat of an activist group, and in fact, they filmed an entire music video while marching during a protest that took place. They took quotes from leaders in the protest, and used them as lyrics in the song.

A Little About Me

My name's Alex, and I've lived in Goderich my entire life. I have 3 siblings, all of younger age, and two loving parents. I spend most of my free time researching cutting edge technology, and staying up to date with world news and happenings. Someday, I hope to be computer-savvy enough to start a hardware business, along with providing technical assistance.

I also like to stay up to date with the newest games and software, as I hope to be a retailer of those as well. I'm an avid PC gamer, attached to such classics as Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike:Source, and Half-Life. I dislike the plump "cash-cow" that is the Halo and Call of Duty series.

Among the lines of music, I enjoy anything that isn't run-of-the-mill ear candy. My musical tastes could be classified as obscure - I like symphonic-metal, or any kind of Scandanavian/European music.

That's about all I can think of disclosing.

Scooter - J'adore Hardcore (EXTENDED VIDEO MIX)(Official Video HD)

1980's Famous Musician

Some say that Black Sabbath was one of the most influential metal bands of the 70's. They were crowned second in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", and defined the 70's rock scene. With over 15 million records sold in the US alone, you'd have to have been living under a rock to not hear about them.

It started when the band's founding members, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward left their previous band, Mythology in 1968. The pair recruited bassist Geezer Butler, and singer Ozzy Osbourne. Butler and Osbourne had been in a band previously, called Rare Breed. Together, they formed the first version of Black Sabbath, called The Polka Tulk Blues Band. Obviously, their style of music was headed in a different direction at that time, as they had another guitarist (Jimmy Phillips) and a saxophonist (Alan "Aker" Clarke). Eventually, the band's name became simply Earth.

Upon noticing how much money people were willing to spend to see horror films, the band got an idea - They decided to try for the same direction that horror films move in, but with music instead. Darker tones, heavier riffs, and horror lyrics were the focus now. Upon discovering that an English band with the same band name existed, they decided to change the name yet again, to the name of the movie they saw people paying to see. The movie was called "Black Sabbath", and the band adapted the name for good.

Finally, they signed to Philips Records in 1969. They released their first single as well, titled "Evil Woman". It failed to hit the charts, and they were given two more days to record their debut album. Deciding to record the album live to save time, they breezed through the songs they had written with minimal retakes.

Their first album, Black Sabbath, was released on Friday the 13th, February 1970. It peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, gaining similar popularity on the US and Canadian boards as well. Quickly, they returned to the studio that following year to record another album, one that they had originally planned on calling "War Pigs". However, since the Vietnam War was taking place at that time, they decided to change it to Paranoid, fearing backlash from supporters of the war.

The album hit number 1 in the UK, and reached number 12 in the US. Some cited it as "One of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time", but it received negative reviews as well. The Rolling Stones dismissed the albums as "Discordant jams with bass and guitar reeling like velocitised speedfreaks all over each other's musical perimeters, yet never quite finding synch."

Each album that they released continued to sound better and better, and garnered more and more praise from the critics. One of their memorable breakthrough's include Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, one of their first albums to gain huge success in 1973. The album was the band's fifth platinum selling album in the US.

But not all was well within the band. While in Toronto, Canada, recording Never Say Die!, substance abuse and alcohol ran rampant through the group. "It took quite a long time," Iommi said. "We were getting really drugged out, doing a lot of dope. We'd go down to the sessions, and have to pack up because we were too stoned, we'd have to stop. Nobody could get anything right, we were all over the place, everybody's playing a different thing. We'd go back and sleep it off, and try again the next day." Critics called the album "A perfect reflection of the band's inner workings, the tense personal problems, and the drug abuse."

Due to pressure from the record label, Tony Iommi made the decision to dismiss Ozzy. Mostly, it was due to his heavy alcohol addiction, along with coke abuse as well. Ronnie James Dio was drafted to replace him.

Black Sabbath is a band that defined the genre of Dark metal. Time Magazine placed Paranoid on their Top 100 Albums of All Time, noting that it was "The birthplace of heavy metal." Black Sabbath went on to release several more albums, each of them gaining more attention than the last. Paranoid went on to become Platinum certified by both the RIAA and the UK's BPI.

1970's Famous Musician

Possibly one of the best adult contemporary artists in existance, Neil Diamond has defined a generation of music unlike any other. Infact, when it comes to the Billboard, he ranks only behind Elton John and Barbara Streisand, both of which are just as talented. His success not only spans through the 60's, but through the 70's, 80's, 90's, and onward. He still tours today, and maintains a large fanbase.

 Born in 1941, Neil grew up in New York, where he was born into a Jewish family descended  from Polish and Russian immigrants. Although moving houses a few times, he attended Abraham Lincoln High School, and participated in the All City Choir (Coincidentally, with Barbara Streisand.) He was active in fencing, specializing in épée. Even today, before going on stage, he's always sure to warm up with a few fencing exercises, as he maintained the swordsmanship into his adulthood. In school, he studied medicines as he wanted to be a laboratory biologist. Fueled by the passing of his grandmother, he desperately wanted to be the one who found the cure for cancer, but as time went on, he was made an offer he couldn't refuse. During his senior year in New York University, a music company offered him $50 a week to write music, which inevitably set him on his course.

In the 1960's Neil began recording under the label "Neil and Jack". It comprised of himself and high school friend Jack Parker. After releasing two unsuccessful singles, "You Are My Love At Last" and "What Will I Do",

1960's Famous Musician

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Presley was debatably the most talented individual to come out of the music industry in the 1950's. Moving to Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 13, his talent was recognized quickly by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips. After realizing his potential, Elvis was signed into a two decade contract with Colonel Tom Parker, who managed most of his career.

Recording his first single, "Heartbreak Hotel", in 1956, it was widely considered a hit. Presley quickly became the new sound of rock, proceeding to release chart-topper after chart-topper, appearing on national television, and becoming famous world-wide. His association with African American music, along with his unmatched style quickly made him popular.

In 1958, Elvis was enlisted in the military for mandatory service. Accompanied by fans and press, he told the recruitment officer that "I don't wanna be treated any differently than any other soldier here." A short two years later, and he was back in the studio, recording songs and albums.

In the 1960's, his agent suggested he took a stab at the movie industry. His movies were moderate successes, but not one of them is particularly noted as a 5-star classic film. Finally, in 1968, he hit the stage once more and went on some more tours, up until 1973 when he aired a broadcast via satellite. It was viewed by about 1.5 billion people across the world, as satellite broadcasting was still fairly new.

Aloha in Hawaii, the concert's name, was the most expensive production for it's time, costing about 2.5 million dollars to put together. The ticket fares were non-existant - Viewers were asked to pay what they could, all of the proceeds going towards the Kui Lee Cancer fund. In total. $75,000 was raised for the fund.

It was noted that by early 1977, "Elvis Presley had become a grotesque caricature of his sleek, energetic former self. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopoeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts." For years, Elvis had been abusing prescription drugs. It should also be known that upon meeting Richard Nixon, the current president at the time, he took the opportunity to voice his out-spoken contempt for the pot-smoking, LSD-tripping hippie community. Because he was getting his drugs from a doctor, he didn't view himself as a dirty junkie, getting everything off the street.

Then, on August 16, 1977, he was discovered on the floor of the bathroom in his hotel, unresponsive. He was announced dead upon arrival to a hospital. Many symptoms could have attributed to his death, such as glaucoma, high blood pressure, an enlarged colon, and liver damage.

Lianne and Alex's 9-11 Documentary/Interview

Song Analysis

A genre of music that people here may have never heard before. However, in a different part of the world, it's embraced as a part of culture and artistic style. It's usually portrayed as a heavier metal grind, with brass instruments and woodwinds backing the sharp metal tones.

The song "Dark Chest of Wonders" is a perfect example of symphonic metal.

The song starts off with a soft voice, that quickly transitions into a heavy metal guitar riff, with a keyboard providing orchestra hits in the background. More guitar follows, a vocal choir joining in as well.

Nightwish, the Finnish Symphonic metal band, specializes in this different style of music. This song in particular is one of their best, which is why I've chosen to write about it.

Dark Chest of Wonders, in comparison to some of the other songs Nightwish has produced, is relatively short. Some of the scores extend for up to 10 minutes in other songs, this song only about 3-4 minutes.

Upon listening, you'll probably be able to tell that it isn't exactly normal music that everybody listens to. It contains a lot of elements that aren't really in modern music. Opera vocals are sung by Tarja Turnenan, only the backing vocals being emulated by the keyboard.

The lyrics definitely apply a fantasy setting to the song, which is fitting for the type of music. There are plenty of songs that make reference to different Scandinavian legends and lore, some more than others.

The drumming is nothing too different from modern metal beats - Prominent, sharp double kick-pedal thumps, hard snare hits, and good technique. The guitar as well emits a common metal riff.

Nearing the end of the song, woodwinds join in as melody, accompanying the guitar riffs, giving the song much more of an epic feel. In the last few seconds of the song, the keyboard delivers a few more orchestra hits, before bringing the song to a close.

Music Quiz Questions

Around how much money were the earlier bands making?

Did a large majority of the profits go to the record companies like they do today?

How has the music industry changed since the 1950's?

Can you see the music industry changing in the future, as much as it has in the past 50 years?

How have musical instruments, such as the guitar, drums, or vocal-recording devices, changed and improved since the 1960's?

Why don't we see the same type and style that we did in 1960, as we do now?

How have the general population's musical tastes changed?

With the introduction of new equipment, alongside the rapidly changing musical tastes, has the recording and song-writing process become easier? Harder?

What style of music do you think will continue to remain popular?

How has the concert experience changed? Is there better lighting and sound?

1. List three shows that you like.

2. Explain one reason each why you like each show.

3. List three shows you do not like or watch.

4. Explain one reason each why you do not like or 

watch each show.

5. Estimate how much you watch TV in a regular 

weekday and then a weekend day.

6. Quickly do the same for your parents. (1 each)

7. WHY do you like the shows you chose? Be very 

specific and try to think about what attracts you to 

the shows you like.

Matt and Alex's product - E-Tip iPhone Gloves

With winter just around the corner, iPhone users nation-wide will face more or less the same dilemma. You might not know it, or you might not have realized it yet, but the iPhone/iPod Touch's screen relies on heat sensitivity, not pressure.

Ever try using a pencil eraser to unlock your device? Well, that's a prime example of the heat sensitive touch screen. It simply won't work. So what do you think happens when you're standing out front of your bus-stop, waiting to go to work or school on a cold winter day? Well, chances are, you're bundled up for the weather, wearing your favorite gloves, coat, and hat.

So imagine one's frustration when the iPhone user must either take off his or her gloves to activate the phone, or simply wait until they're some place warmer. That's where E-Tip gloves come in.

E-Tip gloves contain new, revolutionary technology. Mending traces of silver into the fingertips of the gloves, the tips of the gloves can stay warm enough to emulate a human finger, therefore completely eliminating the need to take off the gloves to use the phone. But that's not all.

Using bluetooth receptors built into the palm of the glove, you can wirelessly establish a connection between the hand-wear and iPhone/iTouch. However, the glove still flops and bends just like a regular glove, so there's no worry for breaking or damaging the components inside - You won't be able to tell the difference between our E-Tip gloves and regular gloves.

The E-Tip gloves will be selling for about $50 CND a pair.

Our campaign strategy would most likely involve marketing this product to people who own an iPhone - We would be buying ad places on websites that involve mobile phones in general, or any apple related devices. That way, we're more likely to catch the attention of any techies who are looking for new iPhone gear.

We would try to increase ad placement around Christmas, maybe renting out a kiosk in a mall in hopes of advertising it further, and letting customers try them out before purchasing. The only problem with our product (Something the general public may not even realize) is that it's a seasonal product - Gloves are most commonly worn in the winter, when it's cold. Right around this time. Once summer hits, there's a good chance people won't use the gloves as much as they did.

As I said previously, this product would most likely be aimed at people ages 17-40, along with technology sites that involve mobile phones.

***Start Script***

[male narrator] Tired of your iPhone's screen becoming unresponsive in the winter?  Maybe you're looking for a new way to sync your music and bluetooth?

M&A Corporation has finally found the answer to the inconveniences of winter. Don't let old Mother Nature get in the way of using your favorite piece of technology. Now with the E-Tip gloves, synching and typing in the winter is a snap.

By simply synchronizing the glove with your home computer, you can keep all of your music in check. The glove is Wi-Fi compatible, BlueTooth enabled, and tight and snug like any glove should be. The wireless capabilities allow the glove to charge the device as well, as long as you're holding it in the palm of your hand.

Now available at all Apple stores and major electronic departments.

***End Script***

Ad Analysis - Bioshock

The ad analysis I have chosen to do is a study on a magazine ad for the PC game "Bioshock".

Right off the bat, you notice the largest size of font on the top of the page. "MASTERPIECE". It draws the eyes right away, along with the smaller text underneath of it reading "-Game Informer", which implies that a critic has said this about the game.

There are many other one liners that the critics have said, such as "It's one of those rare games that comes along every five or ten years, sucks you in, knocks your socks off, and haunts you for years after you've played it."

Any gamer that has played video games before can relate and name several cases in which video games have done this to them. The ad is trying to tell the reader that this is one of those special games, the games that gamers love so much.

Below, it shows the title of the game, with the text underneath reading "A genetically enhanced shooter." Right away, this sparks interest. The idea is original, fresh, and intriguing, and is powerful enough to make people want to buy the game. Next to it, it shows the game box packaging for both the PC and Xbox 360 versions, the M for Mature rating directly below it.

The background portrays two of the most common enemies in the game, only a silhouette. The larger figure is bulky, huge, and has a drill coming out of his hand, which would be enough to make any gamer wonder just how formidable the foes will be. Gamers like a challenge, and I think the ad is trying to tell the reader that they'll get one.

Next, the ratings. All 10 out of 10, and 5 out of 5, all from very credible review websites. Wired, PC Gamer, Yahoo Games, Game Informer, and GamePro, all well known by gamers.

In the end, I think they did a very good job of marketing this game. The graphics are fresh and exciting, along with refreshing to look at as an alternative art style.

Devin Scully Leads First GDCI Student Walkout

Today, Devin Scully announced that he would be taking action against the unfairness and injustice he's been seeing in our school. Spreading around petition sheets and sneaking into the office to say a word or two over the intercom, he's finally decided that the best course of action would be a full-student walk-out.

"I know that it's drastic, but at the moment, it seems to be our only choice." Devin said when questioned about his actions. "We have to let the teachers and staff know that we mean business, and we're willing to go out of our way to make our school a better place."

He proposes that at a set time, every student wishing to make a difference is to stand up, leave the classroom, and meet at Tim-Hortons for complimentary bagels and coffee.

Devin Sculley Takes Action

Recently, speculation has been raised that some of GDCI's locker numbers themselves could be offensive. Student Devin Scully commented that numbers like 69, 666, and 420 don't belong in a school, and should be removed. "The next step of action? Eradicate the offending digits from their very home! The text books!"

Devin thinks that some of the students might feel offended upon spotting such numbers thrown carelessly on lockers (More so, the younger students.). He also noted that some students have a firm religious belief, and so seeing a number such as 666 (The number of the beast.), they may feel frightened. In fact, there's actually a satanic ritual written on the inside of the locker. "I command thee, Lucifer, to rise."

It also appears that some fellow classmates have helped to destroy the numbers, going as far as placing an extra 0 on the end of the 69 locker. "I'm glad to see other students such as myself are taking action against the injustice we see here every day at school, and I continue to support our cause."

GIMP Assignment 3

GIMP Assignment 2

New Hungarian "Chainless" Bicycle Launched Today

Hungarian bike enthusiasts have been searching for years to find a new way to drive a bicycle forward, without the use of easy-to-fall-off, greasy chains. Two months ago, they found their answer.

What they designed required a complete overhaul of how a bike normally works. Instead of chains, the usage of steel wires have been implemented. This drives the bike further forward, with even less effort then it took with the original model.

Some other positive effects the wire design allows is the fact that the rear tire can now be removed effortlessly, whilst before, several different components needed to be removed before this was possible.

Some people have raised speculation that this new bike may be in fact more difficult to assemble or modify. Róbert KOHLHEB, one of the bike's three original inventors, assures that "Even though the bike design looks complicated, it's very quite simple to operate and use. As a matter of fact, I'm confident in saying that people won't even notice a difference (while riding it)."

Along with Oliver and Gabor, his partners, he hopes that people will be intrigued by the fresh, futuristic design, and be prompted to purchase one. At the very least, they'll give it a try.

Although everyone's still very unsure of whether or not the new bike will catch on, one thing's for sure. If it does, the age-old dilemma of bike chains falling off will be a trouble of the past!

Law Abiding Engineer

1.  What makes a newspaper different from other printed media?

 

A newspaper distributes information to a large group of people, such as a city, town, or a country. 

2.  What role did the Industrial Revolution play in expanding the readership of newspapers?

 

The industrial revolution allowed more people to make newspapers, and in larger quantities. When only 10000 or 20000 could be made in a month, the start of the Industrial Revolution let people make 10 million, or 20 million in the same amount of time, using machines to do the work for them.

3.  What kind of relationship did Pullitzer and Hearst have with each other?  Why?

 

They were both friends, and they were both journalists and writers for a newspaper. They were the ones who were submitting the lies that were taking place dow

4.  What is meant by 'Yellow Journalism?'

 

"Yellow Journalism" means that the journal article or newspaper article isn't credible. Yellow Journalism is usually applied when the writer wants to make their story more exciting or interesting, but at the cost of staying honest to faithful readers.

5.  When was the Spanish-American war?  Who was involved?

 

5.  Including at least one picture, cartoon, or news story in your answer, explain how yellow journalism help initiate the Spanish-American war.

6.  What is meant by the term 'Sensationalism' ?

 

Sensationalism means to over-hype or over-dramatize a situation, either for attention or for other reasons. 

7.  Would you mind telling a small lie if it meant making a sale or a bit of extra money for yourself?

 

Yes, I think that morally, I would be unable to do so.