Month: November 2012

Skyfall

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

This weekend, I went over to my friends house. Friday night we got our nails done, Saturday we went shopping. It was so much fun, and the perfect weekend. It felt amazing to get off campus, even if it was just for a little while.

But on Sunday, we spent hours trying to figure out what to do. We wanted to go to Ventura to see a movie, but there was no one to drive us.

So we ended up going to the Ojai Playhouse instead, to see the new James Bond movie, Skyfall.

Skyfall is different from the other James Bond in that the characted is flawed. Bond is not the super-hero agent, invincible and undeterable, but instead has a hinderance, which repeatedly gets in his way.

Instead of ruining the Bond character, this flaw instead made him more relatable and personable to the audience. Bond went from the unattainable “perfect” human being, to one of us with mad spy skills.

Another great aspect of the film was the bad guy, Silva. He plays an almost Joker-like character. He was also incredibly smart, and creepily evil. It would not surprise me to see him appear in a little kids nightmare.

The film focused more on the characters within, and creating personalities for them, instead of using an outside issue, which can be both good an bad.

For one, it makes the film a bit more believable. On the other hand, one may wonder if they are perhaps running out if ideas for the legendary 007.

One more aspect of the movie which I will point out are the opening credits. Normally when they appear on the scene I groan, and get antsy. Although I did do this at first, my attention was quickly captured by what was playing before me.

They used the setting so perfectly in the opening credits, and the transition went so smoothly from the first scene, that it seemed almost as if it were an extension of what had just taken place.

The pictures fade in and out, creating a sense of mystery, intrigue, and danger. The occasional provocative woman’s body reminds the viewer of thee famous, and possibly even infamous, Bond girl. The opening credits were remarkable.

All in all, Skyfall was a great movie, one that I highly recommend you watch.

The Outbreak

displacedlocalLeave a comment

Subject 0 noticed his first symptom on November 5, 2012, A pinching feeling in the area of the brain stem. He thought nothing of it, this was his first mistake.

He was a large man who looks as though he had given up; the people of the town he lived in, Romero, referred to him as “genetic garbage.” An ironic nickname for the person who would be the downfall of that community.

His fever progressed quickly. It didn’t help that he was a cook at the most famous restaurant in town. Every cough, every sneeze spread the disease. It spread like wildfire. 90% of the people in town had gotten the bug when it became active.

It was like the collective life force of every person in town just decided to walk out. A soul on strike.

For 3 hours and 6 minutes they were proclaimed dead. After that point a sudden electrical pulse went through their inner brain and the brain stem. They were “alive” again. The survivors of the initial infection went out to embrace family members only to be surrounded and devoured alive.

Piece by piece, bit by bit they were ripped apart. It was gruesome and sickening.

As a doctor I was in the epicenter of the danger. I had subject 0 in my operating room at the time, cut open and currently being autopsied. when his eyes opened I jolted backwards nearly cutting myself with a scalpel.

He started pulling himself up, his entrails sliding out of his recently opened stomach. I stood there, awestruck at the giant man whose heart was still beating through his bare ribcage. He charged at me dragging his organs behind him. I took my scalpel and dug it into the right eye of the brutish beast.

He fell immediately as his brain was no longer functioning.

I heard a scream from the hallway.

I decided it was time to leave the hospital.

I exited out the only window in the room and managed to make it to a store nearby.

I fortified my little shelter with boards on the windows and building up what food stores I had in the convenience store I decided to stay in. There was a ladder to the top of the store and I decided that it would be a good idea to check it out.

I pulled myself over the top of the ladder and looked out over the town.

I was shocked. There were mobs of the zombies in the street, people were screaming across town, and the military had set up a barricade on the major street out of town.

I decided to get some sleep after a long day.

On day 2 I had a… rude awakening. There was a crash of glass at the front of the store as a huge hoard of zombies crashed in the front door. They were upon me nearly immediately. I ran for the back door as the filthy monsters shambled directly behind me.

I grabbed the door handle and gave it a firm twist.

A feeling of dread moved through my entire body as the handle refused to move. I stepped back and dove towards the door.

As I was charging at the door, it swung wide open. I fell flat on my face and saw a small blond woman laughing at me, slicing the head of the next zombie with the katana by her side.

“Hey dummy! get up and do something will you!” she yelled.

I jumped to my feet and she yelled “follow me!”

We ran through the alley to a small door in a wall.

I asked her who she was.

“I’m the person who is going to get you out of here, I am a journalist that is a master in 10 different types of martial art. I saw you on the roof of that store when I flew over in my helicopter.”

“I would have settled for a name,” I said.
“I’m Senior Aria Ellett editor-in-chief of On The Hill newspaper and you are going to have to follow me.”

She led me down a dark hallway to a set of stairs and we climbed up them.

She opened the door at the top of the stairs to a helicopter.

She said “Get in we don’t have much time.”

I hopped in and she started it up.

I now noticed the military personnel crowding the building. One of the soldiers fired a heat-seeking missile at our helicopter. It was speeding towards our helicopter. It would kill both of us it it collided with us. While it approached she fired a signal flare out the side and diverted the missile.

We were now out of range.

We had escaped.

But I couldn’t get rid of this slight pinching in my head.

Propositions, Elections, and Other Doozies

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

Well, I suppose its time for me to go off on the elections.

First of all, well done America. You did the best you could in a two party system (there’s  always Jill Stein though).

But (and this is all aimed at you California), what the hell.

Okay, I might need to quickly remind voters that you should research what you’re voting on before you actually vote. This is so you don’t just read the little blurb on the ballot and make a quick decision.

Let’s talk props.

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Dreams.

eternity1030Leave a comment

I’ve been hiding from my dreams day by day
Just in case they don’t step into my way
But I never know
I am never told
That they could be rotten in the clay

After the nightmare I’m awake
Can’t find any excuses to make
Dig them out underground
To cure my severe wound
I wish to do whatever it would take

To give the reality a strike

Nick>Vick

backinphillyLeave a comment

It’s only halftime in the Eagles-Cowboys matchup today, I don’t wanna take the chance that something negative happens before I write this blog. I wanna actually speak about the replacement of the Eagles’ quarterback.

Before halftime, Michael Vick took not one, but two consecutive shots to the head. After further evaluation, he’s down for the count.

Vick suffered a concussion today. While I hope the man can recover and get healthy again, I’m somewhat relieved as an Eagles fan.

C’mon guys. We all knew that as long as Reid is coach, Vick would never be benched in favor of a rookie. Something needed to happen in order for the fans to be pleased. We wanted Nick Foles, the phenom rookie quarterback during the preseason. He looked solid then, and so far today, he hasn’t looked bad at all.

He’s performed relatively well. Has he scored yet? No. Has he thrown any game breaking passes? No. But most of the plays that Foles has been in for have been handoffs to LeSean McCoy. He has thrown a few passes and they’ve all looked solid except for one that was almost intercepted.

Give him a break. He’s just a rookie.

As we all know, he won’t get much room for error behind our offensive line. However, the line hasn’t looked completely useless today. Does that mean they’re playing well?

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Typeracer

displacedlocalLeave a comment

I have recently been shown a website called Typeracer.
This website is essentially a game that improves ones typing speed. The game works like this. You join a random race, you are paired up with people from around the globe, or you can join a friend’s game. Once you have joined the game, a countdown starts and you are shown a passage. When the counter hits 0 The race begins.

You have to type the paragraph with the fastest and your words per minute is measured. My average is 40 words per minute, but the top typists have averages of 180. A feat I could never even hope to accomplish.

There is another mode called “Instant death.” This mode is significantly more difficult because it requires you to never make a mistake because if you do get eliminated immediately.

Why have I spent so much time on a typing game you ask?

Since last year I have been working on my typing speed. This is because I feel as though when I am taking notes in class I can’t effectively get my ideas on to paper.

I tried various courses and programs to improve how fast I could type and I never could. I found them tedious and ineffective.

With Typeracer I have fun and I have become a much better typist altogether.

Desert Island

smackyjackjack1 Comment

In one of my last blogs I mentioned one of my Desert Island albums. Desert Island albums are the albums you would take with you if you were stranded on a desert island and only had a record player (for some reason).

Firstly, there are a couple of rules. You only get six (I don’t know why it’s six. Why not?), and you can’t take any greatest hits.

Well, you’re reading this post so I’ll tell you what my five would be.

1.   Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys (1966)

Everything about this album flows. The harmonics are perfect, as well as the instrumentals. The first time you hear it, everything on the track just sounds like ts one beautiful voice. Then you listen to it a bit closer and realize how much of a genius Brian Wilson is because there are honks, rattles, squeaks and all sorts of other noises that rocket this album into my desert island list (little side note, track number two is in running for the greatest song of all time).

2.   High Voltage, AC/DC (1976)

Well, first of all, there are no words for how much I love AC/DC. So we’ll just leave that at that. If this album were a book, it would be a bible of some sort. Every single song on it just oozes rock and roll. These guys get it. All of it. Seriously, they aren’t leaving anything out. If you claim to love rock and roll and don’t have this album dipped in gold and set on your mantle piece…you crazy.

3.   Super Blues, Bo Diddley/Muddy Waters/Otis Spann/Little Walter (1967)

Right there, in big yellow letters, on the front of the album-“JOIN FORCES”. Well, they certainly did. And in a big way. Four of the biggest names in 60’s era blues decided one day that they wanted to try and bring an end to space and time by creating the greatest blues album in the history of…well, everything. They almost succeeded. Luckily, someone had the balls to tell them that they should split their tremendous talents into two albums (See Super, Super Blues). This is another one of those must have albums. It’s blues at its finest. Go get it. Please.

4. Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones (1972)

Did you go get Super Blues? Good. Well, if you’re done trying to figure the album cover to “Exile” out, you can stop. You never will. Besides being the sound track for every awesome movie ever, the songs on this album are timeless (in that, they will never be unappreciated). Rocks off, Ventilator Blues, Rip This Joint,  Happy, Shake Your Hips…you’ve all heard these songs. How could you not? Anyone with a brain loves the Rolling Stones and this is their greatest album (sorry all you beggars)

5.   The White Album, The Beatles (1968)

I’m fairly sure I don’t have to say anything to justify this.

6.   De Stijl, The White Stripes (2000)

Lastly, and most controversially, is De Stijl. I’m sure this is kind of an edgy pick and that there are plenty of better albums out there, but hey…it’s Jack White. And, as we all know, he’s just the best. He brings everything to the table. He manages to take hundred year old blues songs, new punk songs he’s written, new blues, new rock, new country and just make it work. Other than being one of my favorite musicians ever…..I’m not really sure how to end that sentence. He’s simply the best. And hey, Meg can hold a tune too. In her own way.

Okay, those are my picks. What are yours?

Nine One One

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

It was just a regular sunday night until it wasn’t.

I was sitting at home with a friend enjoying some pizza after playing Madden 13 when all of a sudden my sister bursts in the door yelling.

I was sitting at the table and she rushed in telling me that there is a huge fire right behind a property that we rent out.

She said that she drove by and called 9-1-1 and told them that there was a very large fire and told them the location.

After finishing dinner my Dad and I decided we should probably make sure our property was not on fire and that our storage was ok.

After we had determined our stuff was in no imminent danger and had a talk with our renters we wanted to check it out.

We walked down a long stretch of driveway to see a house engulfed in flames, making loud popping noises like something was exploding, and a firetruck parked right in the middle of two trees.

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Visualizing the Venture

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

This past week I have completed my 3rd time working with a film crew producing a fashion show for a major shoe company based in Santa Barbara, CA.

My father works for a local Carpinteria company called Venture Visuals. It is a small company in Carpinteria, CA, specializing in branded entertainment.

They do work for Specialized Bicycles, local musician Dominic Balli, and many other local and non local people and companies.

I have worked for VV many times, usually just as a Production Assistant, but I have been given the opportunity at a young age to operate cameras on a few of the shoots.

This is a career I have looked into, but I do not think it will be the one for me.

I really do enjoy working in the filming industry, but it isn’t a stable career for the most part, and I have first hand experience of this.

My Dad, when I was younger worked in what most people would call “Hollywood,” but it wasn’t really in Hollywood.

He worked on many movies such as Welcome to Collinwood, The Contender, Mimic, and Cherry Falls.

He also worked on TV shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as the line producer, and on CSI:Miami as the head producer.

While he worked life was great, we lived large, and had enough money that we didn’t have to worry, but when the jobs were over, there was often a dry spell, and it was always up and down.

My mother tells me a story of a day when she didn’t have money to buy a coke at the gas station, but the next day we had more money than we knew what to do with.

So while I won’t be pursuing it as my life career it is something I can work on through college for money, and right now.

I have started early and am learning quickly.

This past week I worked at the Bacara Resort in Goleta, CA at the fashion show as a PA.

Here is a video of last year’s fall show.

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Vick Doesn’t Use Protection

backinphillyLeave a comment

I have finally found one of the many issues surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles. Aside from the porous defense, the Eagles appear to have signed 5 members of PETA to block for Michael Vick.

For those living under a rock the past few years, Vick killed dogs. It was kinda hard to miss. That’s the joke people.

In all seriousness, the Eagles line has been completely unacceptable this season. Vick has given the ball away and been taken to the ground more than any other quarterback in football. I don’t want to see my quarterback bite the dust whenever he drops back to pass.

This offseason, the Eagle offensive line looked rather strong. Center Jason Kelce, who had a strong rookie season last year, accompanied by All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters, veterans Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans, and weak link Danny Watkins made up Vick’s protection.

During the offseason, Peters torn his Achilles tendon TWICE, ending his season for the most part. The team has stated repeatedly that they hope Peters will return sometime this season. I find this highly unlikely.

Ok, while Peters is the best we got, losing one guy won’t render us useless. The Eagles then went and signed Demetress Bell to fill the void left by Jason Peters. He’s not bad so I guess we will still be fine.

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