Friday 21 December 2012

I wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy everything else!!!





Just for the record
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year Happy Holidays and finally Happy axilial  Tilt or in similar terms Happy winter Solstice.

Alright Mayan's!! Where is it?

File:Caana Caracol.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Today as most people know, it's the end of the world but if you haven't noticed we are still here. So what went wrong? Well, as it turns out the Mayan calender doesn't actually end it just restarts. So, happy Mayan Millennium......
So, in closing and since I will not to be able to use this toast anywhere else, I raise a glass to the end of the world. Long may the profits be wrong!!!!

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Question of the week


File:Johansen Viggo - Radosne Boże Narodzenie.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Where did Christmas trees originate?

A. England

B. France

C. Germany

D. unknown

Monday 17 December 2012

Count down to Christmas Break


File:Fireworks cholmes75.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/


>53 hours to go until break.

Thursday 13 December 2012

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! 
Charles Dickens 
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/charlesdic105775.html#sc2mxPEUt2lkvq4m.99 

Marc's 50 things and Counting Before I Croak

File:Carisbrooke Castle well house 4.jpg





http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

File:DjoserIMG 0953.JPG1. Get a pilots license.
2. Visit the Smithsonian's....do it all!
3. Build the most powerful PC in the world.
4. Visit the monuments of Ancient Egypt. 
5. Drive a Steam Locomotive
6. Display a painting I made in a gallery.
7. Own at least one thing thing that is 500 years old or older.
8. Stand in the hall of 100 columns.
9. Visit France.
10. Visit the British Isles.
File:Douglas DC-3 Aigle Azur Palas Jet 1953.jpg11.Live on Cape Briton Island.
12. Fly a DC-3 
13. discover a ruin.
14. Ride a Brough Superior SS100 (motorcycle)  
15.Drive a tank.
16. Find gold.
17. See something impossible.
18. Draw something perfectly.
19. Build a car from scratch.
20. Make an award winning pizza.
File:Brough Superior of T.E. Lawrence.jpg21. Be requested for a lecture.
22. Win a ridiculously big prize.
23. To pay off my parents mortgage.
24. To help my sister to be more self confident.
25. To be a professor in the University...I would like to teach history.                                                        
26. Rewrite history...
27. Write a good creative book.
28. Go one year without anything overwhelmingly stupid or bad happening to anyone I know. 
File:The Hall of Supreme Harmony.jpg29. I would like to do a deep sea diving expedition that includes exploring at least 10 different shipwrecks.
30. To ride a world class roller coaster. 
31. Complete a scale model perfectly.
32. Bring a forgotten object back to life. 
33. To recognise somebody who calls me out at random.
34. Visit the forbidden city in Beijing.
35. Drive a Duesenberg Model J.(1929-1937)
36. I would like to own a 68 Firebird.
37. I'd like to be requested to do a tour at a museum.
38. I'd like to live long enough to have my vision restored to perfect 20/20 sight with no problems.
39. Punch someone in the face who deserves it!!!!
40. To have a game with a user friendly log-in screen. 
File:1933 Duesenberg J Weymann Speedster - fvr 2.jpg41. Organize and lead a group of people.
42. Have something so good happen to me I pass out.
43. Fly a De Havilland Beaver.
44. Visit Peru and tour the oldest civilizations in north America.
45. Have my name in a text book referring to me. 
File:De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver (N130WA).jpg46. Eat a meal at a 3/3 star restaurant.
47. Would like to visit an aircraft carrier.
48. Would to tour a retired sub.
49. Learn to shoot a bow.
50. To find something that has not been seen in centuries. 




Wednesday 12 December 2012

A Good Xmas Movie





http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/


Oh what can I say I'm a sucker for the classics. Well written, enjoyably unrealistic, and generally well done. 
Every time I watch this movie I find it enjoyable. Even though the slap stick is what keeps psychos like me coming back this is entirely a good movie. Kevin as a character is fun , he's a bit selfish but then again he is also in elementary school. His innocence as a character is truly fun to watch. The character of the mother is equally enjoyable going through what could only be described as vacation hell with absolutely no-body understanding the predicament. I would probably have to say my favorite part of the movie is the scene with the fire crackers and the gangster show. And as for the slapstick well, it is pretty unrealistic. Quite simply Marv and Harry should not have made it into the house conscious. But that's the fun of it! In closing home Alone is a good movie with great execution and one of the best Xmas classics of modern time. 

Monday 10 December 2012

Christmas Food



When it comes to Christmas food my family traditions are a little strange. They include fondue and croissants and of course Buche de Noel. Arguably my favorite cake.
http://0.tqn.com/d/frenchfood/1/I/N/K/-/-/chocyulelog1.jpg

It's Christmas!!!!!!!

File:12242008 ChristmasEve00028.JPG


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Well, it's not Christmas yet....but that's not going to stop me from throwing up a whole boat load of Christmas related comments, quotes, questions and anything else I can think of. 

Answer to Question of the Week

File:NarmerPalette-CloseUpOfNarmer-ROM.png


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/

A. Menes

Although written records are sketchy at best, it is believed that the first Pharaoh of combined Egypt was Menes. He ruled the country sometime in the thirty first century B.C. that is more than 5 thousand years ago. 

Twitter Post Reading Reflection

Everest book 2: The Climb (78),The story is progressing steadily and I find it to be just as engaging as the other Korman books I read.


The characters are still surprisingly in tact giving the amount of trouble they have experienced.  havoc#RR11

Friday 7 December 2012

Quote of the Week


 I put up my thumb and blotted out the planet earth.

Neil Armstrong


Yeah, I probably should of put this quote up in September but it is interesting to think that from the moon the earth appears so small that you can block it out with your thumb.That all of human history everything we are can be hidden behind your thumb from the closest object in space.It sort of makes you feel small doesn't it.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Writing Reflection #10


So far half decent the assignment went better than expected and I found the twitter format to be more of a nuisance than a problem. The story I created was on par with others that I've come up with, more on that later, perhaps....

Despite some early set backs I found the story flowed freely and easily and required only mild tweaking to fit the format well enough. I especially enjoyed the multiple tweet story format. I found it allowed for greater story complexity and plot in general. In genera,l however, I found the idea of twitter fiction to be interesting. The idea that some body could use the series of apparently random tweets to create a story that can be seen from not just one perspective but multiple perspectives at once. This is what I believe is the strength of twitter fiction. It multiplies the perspective and do to its nature these perspectives can be expressed in a relatively small sample of writing. If done right it can also create very diverse and well flushed out characters without the need for complex back stories and character insight. The whole tweet is an insight of what the characters think of one event and if enough tweets are compiled it paints a very clear picture of the characters point of view, likes and dislikes, weaknesses and strengths and so on. In my opinion this is the true strength of twitter fiction. To use a social networking system to convey the opinions of characters in an event as opposed to being explained the event by the story. It is up to you figure out what the person is saying. As a result, a twitter fiction is a more active and can be a dynamic story if done right. This is what makes a twitter fiction good, my only regret is that I did not understand this principal at the time I  invented my story.

The main issue I see with the technique is it creates a story that is difficult to follow and highly complex. For a casual reader it would probably be a irritant. For a reader looking for more of a challenge it would present a truly unique experience and would probably be an intellectual  test to keep up with the story. Another minor fault with this story pattern is the challenge of writing in personal biasness. It should be impossible to get the full true story from any one character. As for me the issue I have with my personal twitter fiction is the use of the standard short story format with adaptations for twitter were I to write it again I would personally try for something more along the lines I have described above. Another issue i have with my twitter fiction is the clunky,chunky dialogue.  Do to a lack of experience in writing and a difficulty in holding a conversation myself the dialogue pieces in my story are at best clunky and at worst  irritating beyond belief. More practice in this aspect of writing is necessary for me to create a story that I would actually want to read. This to me is the main reason i took this class in creative writing. To learn the skills and techniques necessary to write a story that i would actually want to read.

As for the other twitter fictions I have read, well, how do you think I got the idea for the format above. I realized the value of this literary technique when going through the story written by Elliot Holt. Although, I did not read another completed twitter fiction I still found the pattern laid down in her story to be a good bench mark for how to use twitter in a new and creative way to write a story. Instead of doing what I did and using it like a under powered word document. This style of writing is best suited for twitter because it uses the twitter info-structure to its advantage. By creating multiple twitter pages for multiple characters and amalgamating them on to one central page the effect of a unique and diverse points of views is achieved.

In closing I find the twitter fiction format to be a unique and diverse writing style that is well deserved as a surprising complex way of writing. I would personally love to see a book written in  a similar fashion. As for myself the process of writing a twitter fiction has given me respect for the sight and the idea but has not taught me anything that I did not already know. To reinvent a statement that I have made many times before not just in this articles but others the format is not the issue. I did not take this class  to use different formats in fiction but to just simply learn how to write fiction.

MarcVallee



Monday 3 December 2012

File:Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade A.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

Well, it was inevitable, I had to put this movie on sooner or later. As far as the Indiana Jones movies are concerned this is my favorite in virtually all aspects. The adventure is fun, the characters are well.... the characters from Indiana Jones. It doesn't get much better than that. I especially enjoyed Sean Connery's performance as Indiana Jones' father. The contrast between the two characters is not only fun but hilarious at times. Perhaps one of the best throw away gags in the movie is X marks the spot and the book stamping librarian. If you don't what I'm referencing by this please watch the movie again, I know you have already seen it. In closing I would probably have to say that Indiana Jones movies are the best movies I have seen from Lucas Film including the Star Wars movies. This one is my favorite of Indiana Jones' and I don't think it is difficult to see why.

Question of the Week

File:Sesostris III Sphinxkopf.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Who was the first Pharaoh of Egypt?

A. Menes

B. Khufu

C. Tutankhamun

D. Seti

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Answer to question of the Week

File:Arado 234B 1.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

The correct answer is B. The Arado 234.

Entering service in September 1944, the Arado was the first purpose built jet bomber ever to come into service with a maximum speed of 450 miles per hour the Arado was all but uninterceptable. Fortunately only 210 were manufactured before the end of the war and these two few too late to have any impact.
Hill Climber

by Marc Vallee

Like a demon's tail the path meandered down the mountains.At its height it rose to over 6000 ft. from its base.

To Wayne McDonald, Forktail Pass was a personnel challenge. Its steep grade and rocky surface seemed to tease him. 

It had been 35 years since he had last seen the face of this pass. 35 years of gnawing and teasing. 35 years since that day in 1911.

It had been a warm day for northern B.C. in October.

After 2 months of driving the cars had finally made it to their last obstacle in the mountains.

From this point the roads were all down hill. The last hill climb in the event was the worst. Forktail Pass rightfully deserved the name. 

Carved by glacial run-off each year, the pass was steep and at times completely impassable.

Fortunately by this point in the year there was no runoff. This didn't change much! There was still no road to speak of. 

Never the less, the cars lined up at the bottom and one by one they took their shot. 

The Rockies road trial was supposedly the most diabolical yet devised.

Almost a 1000 miles of terrain so difficult it would give a jeep headaches. 

For the competitors this test of automotive endurance was unlike any in the world. This included Wayne.

For a native of Western Ontario the Rockies were like nothing they had seen before.

Their towering peaks stood silent witness to the power of nature and their rugged beauty left mixed feelings in the mind of the drivers.

In total there were eleven drivers and ten navigators, as well as their cars.

There was Martin Wendals, and his co-driver James Stevenson who represented Rolls Royce. They were the favorites...no doubt about it.

In terms of talent and experience it was difficult to find a better team than Cody Jackson and Will Carter. Their car was an Oldsmobile.

Another Canadian entry was Devon Sinclair and Ellen Frey. This Regina based team would be competing with a Model T.

As for Wayne his co-driver would be Alex Williams. Williams, a childhood friend of Wayne, was also a great driver and an excellent mechanic.

The base of the pass was relatively flat and open. The teams took their time checking to ensure their vehicles were ready for the challenge.

Alex lifted the hood on their Buick to reveal the cars four cylinder engine. He began his inspection.

"Blasted! The cooling line slipped again!" said Alex.

"Wasn't my fault! I'm not taking the blame for those knuckle heads in Flint." retorted Wayne.

You're the only knuckle head with flint in his head!! As I recall you broke the original and got this piece out of your shed." snapped Alex.

Wayne's response to this was as typical as the black stains on his driving gloves. "And you could have done better?"

"Actually yes..."Retorted Alex.

"I would have clamped it and told you, besides you're driving would have knocked it off anyway." stated Alex with a calm arrogance.

"Then why did you agree that I should drive?" hinted Wayne.

"I didn't agree you won the coin toss." stated Alex.

Wayne didn't answer, he changed the subject.

"So hows Molly? Did you get another letter?" asked Wayne.

"Not yet." answered Alex as he pulled out the oil can.

"I still can't believe you're going to marry my sister." stated Wayne with a creeped out look on his face.

"Well you have six months and three days to get used to the idea. after that, call me brother." stated Alex with a grin.

Preparations were being made by all the teams to face the climb.

Everybody had their tricks, their own techniques, their own way of doing things.

Just after lunch the drivers met to finalize the preceding.

After much debate it was decided that Cody and Will should go first. They had arrived first.

Then it would be Devon And Ellen's turn with Martin and James being third and finally Wayne and Alex.

Promptly at one o'clock the engines started. One by one the cars drove off to take their places at the base of the canyon.

With a light rumble Cody drove off gradually picking up speed until he reached the base of the hill. 

First, the front then the rear wheels hit the thirty degree incline, the car lurched forward slowing to a crawl.

The low rumble of the engine grew to a roar as the four over sized bicycle tires fought for grip on the steep loose terrain.

With a snort and a a rumble Devon Sinclair's Model T plowed forward toward the hill. It slipped, skidded and wormed up....

It finally froze half way up the hill.

Almost comically Devon got out and began pushing while Ellen tried coaxing a few extra Hp's out of the engine.

After a few minutes of not getting anywhere Devon chalked the rear wheels and began stringing a pulley at the top of the hill.

The trick was simple, attach a pulley at the top of the hill and tie it to the rear wheels.

By doing this the car will pull itself up the hill with the aide of the pulley and not the wheels.

With the ropes in place Devon tried again. This time the Model T lurched its way to the summit.

With two cars up Wayne walked over to the Rolls Royce idling just ahead of him.

He addresses Martin Wendals with the standard line, "If you quit now. No one will think you're a chicken!"

Martin Wendals laughed, "I'm not a quitter so, come hell or high water I'll make it up that hill!"

"Well then best of luck to you." said Wayne with an encouraging tone.

"Best of luck to us both." was Martin's answer.

By now he was concentrating on the road ahead.

When he jumped off the running board and walked back to his car as the Rolls Royce started up.

With Martin's eyes fixed at the top of the hill as the car reached the incline.

Its doubled up rear wheels shooting gravel back as it plowed up.

With astounding swiftness the car reached the landing and struggled to make its enormous length across the sharp turn.

That only left Wayne and Alex waiting....

Wayne stared at the top of the hill. His eyes focused on the landing.

Breathing slowly he attempted to clear his mind to be prepared to face the challenge ahead.

Alex said nothing, he knew what was passing through Wayne's head.  Being a driver himself he knew the importance of being mentally prepared.

After one of those minutes that feel like an hour Alex turned to Wayne and whispered, "Ready."

Wayne shifted into first gear and pulled the throttle back. The clicking of the engine grew louder and faster.

As the car pulled away a low end whoosh blended with the now droning click of the valves.

Then a pause....

Second gear....

The car accelerated down the gravel path. As it reached the base of the hill it rocketed up with an impressive speed.

Twenty feet.

Thirty feet.

Fifty feet.

Pause....Wayne down shifted into first gear and pulled the exhaust pin.

The low whine of the engine became a loud roar as the car fought to keep its momentum.

Sixty feet....

The car was travelling barely ten miles an hour.

With the slips of rubber some people would call rear wheels fighting for traction.

Wayne battled with the steering. The car kept a straight line for the top.

100 feet.......120 feet.  The car was more than halfway up.

The smell of exhaust filled the air as the thick white grey smoke belched from the open exhaust beneath their feet.

Still the car kept climbing faster and faster, 150, 160 feet, almost there.

CRASH!!!!!!

When swerving to prevent the car from hitting the rock Wayne ran the drive line over another one.

The engine revved wildly. The car shuddered from impact.

The vibrations traveled up the frame through the seat and into Wayne's body like a chill travelling up his spine.

The shuddering hit Wayne's head like a freight train. His concentration broke....

Sweat poured from his head as he struggled to regain control.

The car rolled back faster and faster.  Wayne slammed the brakes with all his force!! Nothing!

SLAM!!!

The rear axle hit a rock and the car began to come around.

Wayne screamed, "Jump!!!" the two cleared the car just as it began to roll.

And roll it did, all the way down the hill, coming to rest in a crumpled heap at the base.

The smell of fuel emanated from the base of the ruptured gas tank.  The seats crushed, the frame bent, and the wheels broken off.

Wayne stood there paralyzed. The terrifying thought passed through his mind.

If I wouldn't have jumped, I'd be dead....the shock slowly turned to anger.

All at once he screamed, "This isn't over! I'll take this hill someday!"

"You mean we will take this hill!" came a voice from behind him.  Alex limped over and said, "You can be sure of that."

In the years that followed, Alex and Wayne continued to race and trial cars, eventually building quite a reputation of excellence.

But one thing still haunted Wayne, the large rocks and steep grade of Fork Tail Pass.

Finally thirty five years later he was there, Wayne Macdonald at the base of the pass.  Unchanged despite the decades that had passed.

A pity Alex couldn't see this. Remembering his friends and brother in law's near fatal accident a few weeks earlier.

This was why he was here to do it for both of them. The straight six howled through its open exhaust as Wayne focused.

All at once Wayne screamed, "READY!!!"

The car took off towards the hill......


MARC VALLEE





  


  

Thursday 22 November 2012

Quote of the Weeek



"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and i am not sure about the former."

Albert Einstein

It's hard to imagine that the man who gave us the theory of relativity, the blue print for modern physics, has such a good sense of humor.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

This Week in History



File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-W0506-316, Russland, Kampf um Stalingrad, Siegesflagge.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Day 3 of Operation Uranus the encirclement of the German 6th army on the nineteenth of November the Red Army counter attacked the German positions in the city of Stalingrad. This event not only changed the course of the battle it changed the course of the whole war as one of the first major reversals to take place.

File:Torch-troops hit the beaches.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Operation torch , November 8, 1942, the first major joint allied landing operation of the second world War. Ceasing the french colonies in Morocco. The operation opened a second front in North Africa and all but ensured an allied victory there.


Question of the Week

File:A-20 Havoc.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

What was the fastest bomber aircraft in the second world war?

A.The Martin Marauder

B. The Arado Ar 234

C. The De Havilland Mosquito


Monday 19 November 2012

Answer to question of the week


File:T-34-76 RB8.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

The answer to last weeks question is B. The Battle of Kursk. 

With more than two and a half million soldiers in combat as well as more than seven thousand tanks and thirty thousand artillery pieces the Battle of Kursk is undoubtedly the largest tank confrontation in history maybe even the largest battle in history.

Writing reflection number 9





To begin with I have to say this is the first assignment I really gotten behind wholeheartedly. I really enjoy coming up with ideas and incorporating them into the story.The longer format also helps allow me to better flush out my story and not miss any details I would rather keep. Progress is unfortunately rather slow. I have completed roughly half of the story at the very least. At most I've completed two thirds of it. Overall I find writing the filler details to be enjoyable, easy and fun. Writing these parts of the story is by far the most simple part of the process. The ideas just roll off the top of my head and a mental picture develops of the scene that allows me to portray a realistic depiction of what I am thinking of. The big challenge is writing the dialogue. I find this is my achilles' heel in writing because my dialogue is quite chunky and uneven. the speech is probably quite odd as realistic talk. I figure the main reason for the lack of good dialogue is the fact that i have limited experience with conversations myself.

The tweet format is not as severe a handicap as I originally feared. It didn't take to become used to counting letter and spaces. By the time the editing process began fixing over sized tweets was as simple as splitting them up. Even the dialogue sections were simple to put down on paper and once modified were easy to follow. In closing i have to say that is the funnest assignment in this class, it is challenging but not overly so and it allows for a great deal of freedom in the assignment.

.....I'm sorry i don't have the pictures right now....they will be coming soon.....

Friday 16 November 2012

File:Hunchbackposter.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Hunchbackposter.jpg

File this one away under what children's movie to not show your six year old. That being said this is arguably Disney's best all around movie from the 1990's. The animation is great, the story is well told but ultimately what makes it great is just how dark it is. But then again when you have Hunch Back of Notre Dame as your source material you can't expect light and fluffy. I especially liked the villain. Maybe that's not the right way to put it. Frollo is a despicable sociopath with no compassion yet he reasons his despicable deeds by claiming them to be in the name of God. Another aspect that i like about the story was it's un-disney like ending. Quasimodo does not end up with the girl. My only complaint is the gargoyles, they clash with the tone of the movie and they are real. I think they should have been imaginary. it would have made them more realistic and actually gave them a purpose other then take away the seriousness of the story. Ultimately this is a great movie, it's only rival is Beauty and the Beast but that's comparing apples to oranges.




Tuesday 13 November 2012

Question of the Week

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101III-Groenert-019-23A, Schlacht um Kursk, Panzer VI (Tiger I).jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

What was the largest armoured battle in history?

A. The battle of the Bulge

B. The Battle of Kursk

C. The Battle of  El Alamein

Answer to Q of W


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

The answer is A. The Canadian Corp ended the first World War in the city of Mons. Having captured it only hours before the war ended. An interesting fact is that the only reason the Canadians were ordered to capture the city was to pay back the loss of the city to the Germans in 1914.

Thursday 8 November 2012

Quote of the Week

"I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head."

Theodore Roosevelt 

I chose this quote because I always wanted to put a quote from
Theodore Roosevelt and I found this one was the best example I could find. I found it amusing but also a good statement of his character when I find another good one from Roosevelt I will probably use it as well.

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Question of the Week

File:Amiens the key of the west.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

Where did the Canadian Army end the first World War? 

A. Mons

B. Ypres

C. Amiens

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Answer to Question of the week


The answer is is A.
File:Up Capitals Limited express on the ECML at Wymondley, south of Hitchin 2282866.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
In 1938 the A-4 Pacific Mallard set a speed record of 126 miles per hour. To this day no steam locomotive has gone faster.

Monday 5 November 2012

Writing Reflection #4


Newspaper Blackout Poetry

The process I used to create the newspaper blackout poems was to start by identifying interesting words that didn't necessarily  go together. Once I have completed the article I than looked at my list of interesting words  and I began to arrange them in such a way as to make them coherent. Once they were coherent I than went through the article to find the words necessary to complete the poem. Once the poem was complete it was simply a matter of blacking out the rest of the article and joining the dots. The main challenge of this form of writing is creating a coherent idea from what amounts to be a garbled mess. The rest of the assignment came relatively easy.

I found the assignment more difficult then my original expectation. Especially the creative portion of the assignment. Everything from choosing the article to connecting the dots was not as straight forward as it seemed. This assignment absorbed a surprising amount of time and simply put it wasn't really much fun . The best way to describe this assignment like the one before it, is that it makes a better exercise then format. ( a chosen method of writing.)

I have yet to do enough forms of writing to make a proper comparison. If I had to choose between this and the six word memoir I would probably choose the six word memoir. Another large issue I have with this form of writing is the lack of coherency and structure the poems have. A large number of the poems were difficult to read and even more difficult to follow including my own.

This assignment has simply shown me that I work better with the the more standardize format and when I am not limited to what is in front of me. By standardize format I mean a linear organized structure where one doesn't have to flip flop around the page. I found the assignment to be difficult and not comparatively rewarding.


Reading Reflection

Reading Reflection #6


Book: Everest book 2
Author: Gordon Korman
Pages Read: 9-13

For a short chapter it certainly packed a lot of information including the long awaited introduction of Ethan Zaph. The thing I found interesting in this book is just how people react when they see Dominic. Being the youngest one there and short for his age most of the characters who have met him so far have been surprised. Despite this initial reaction I found Zaph to be a relatively down to earth person. At least when no one else is around. Another interesting element of the meeting is the venue. They met at a Buddhist temple in Kathmandu before leaving for Everest. What makes this location interesting is the statement that Sir Edmund Hillary had gone there before his ascent. The first to be successful. I wonder if this statement is true or not?   Another aspect of the encounter was the way Ethan finished it, stating, " Go slow and be honest with yourself about when it's time to quit." This statement and others that  Ethan makes through out the meeting are a clear indication that Ethan Zaph does not believe Dominic will make it to the summit. I wonder how this belief will change as the rest of the story progresses.
 If I was asked to name the character I am most like that would probably have to be Perry. Like him I have a fear of falling from heights. Like him my hobby is something most people would consider a vertigo inducing experience. Unlike Perry I actually enjoy flying airplanes. Another similar aspect is a sort of to ones self book worm demeanor. I would love to write more about what I have read but chapter 2 was rather short and the only other reference was to Sammi going rollerblading down the streets and hitting a yak.

Thursday 1 November 2012

File:Road to el dorado ver3.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/Road_to_el_dorado_ver3.jpg


Really!!!!How did this movie fail? I know it is not the best by far but the animation was decent, the plot though predictable was a welcome change from most of the other pieces in this genre in this period. But really the thing that sets this movie apart are the characters, more specifically the interactions between the characters.I especially enjoyed the way that the plot revolved around an interlocking series of cons. One character scamming the other while being used by somebody else or so the other thinks. This movie, though not technically good in most regards it is very enjoyable and extremely fun. Certainly worth every minute it ran.

Quote of the Day

If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn't thinking.
George S. Patton

Here's a case of a great quote from a famous person. I never knew Patton had a sense of humor and I still don't believe he did. Still this quote is pretty witty and really speaks the truth.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Question of the Week

File:TANGMERE at Salisbury Platform 4.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/TANGMERE_at_Salisbury_Platform_4.jpg

What was the name and class of the fastest steam locomotive in history.

A. Mallard, of the A-4 Pacific class

B. Duchess of Sutherland of the Coronation class

C. Thornbury Castle of the Castle Class

Monday 29 October 2012

Answer to Question of the Week



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/LZ_1_Manzell_1900.jpg/800px-LZ_1_Manzell_1900.jpg
File:LZ 1 Manzell 1900.jpg


The is true.
Do to cost over runs Zeppelin built his first air ship shed on Lake Constance.
This shed floated and was anchored in such a way as that it would always point into the wind
making it idea to launch air ships.

Reading Reflection

Reading Reflection #5
Everest book 1 Chapter 12 to 19 and Everest book 2 chapter 1
Author: Gordon Korman

Well, it took more than a month but I managed to grind through the first book. The last chapters certainly didn't disappoint. To begin with, they announced the list of people who have made the team and to my initial surprise Dominic or Tilt were not on the list. However, this turned out to be a red herring and just like I predicted Dominic made the team. Though, initially,Tilt didn't make the team. To me this smelled like another red herring. He is the main antagonist of the story and it wouldn't be right just to drop him a third of the way through. So, it was no surprise when he was picked as the replacement for Bryn after her accident. This also removed any doubt about Tilt being naturally irritating. In boot camp you could of argued that he was just being competitive trying to have an edge over his competition. Here on his way to Everest his attitude continues and it shows no sign have having diminished.

Bryn's accident, also didn't come as a surprise. It was already well established that she slept walked causing damage. Combined with the theory that Tilt was not finished yet it was easy to come up with the idea that something was going to happen to her as a result of sleep walking before they reached Everest. The abruptness of the incident was not expected. For a moment I truly believed that she might have been a casualty. Then I remembered the pro-log specifically stating the death was on Everest. My question changed from did she to how did she survive? A question I pose to myself is how did she survive a 40 foot drop into an ice crevice, and how did Dominic mange to get down there when none of the others could. Bryn may not have been Tilt's size but there probably was a chance that if Dominic could make through another person could.  Whether or not they would have been effective in this situation is still anyone's guess.

So far I have addressed my main feelings about the first book. Now on to the second one. I found the prologue interesting not only does it reintroduce Tilt but it reconfirms that somebody will not be coming home. As for me, it is either Tilt because of his attitude and demeanor, or Perry because of his lack of experience and fear of the very sport he is partaking in. I'll probably have a final prediction on this on the beginning of third book if I get that far. A question I do ask myself is what about Zaph. The last we heard of him he was signed on with another expedition going to Everest. Will his character play any further part in the story. I hope so, we have never had him present so far, and I would love to see what Korman would do with him. Overall the book and the story has progressed by leaps and bounds since that first chapter of Dominic looking for a V.  

marc vallee

Friday 26 October 2012

this week in history






second Battle of Passchendaele 
Oct-26 to Nov-10 1917 
File:Second Battle of Passchendaele - wounded.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

On October 26,1917 the first assault of the Battle of Passchendaele began. This battle finally broke the jugger knot of the German defence around the town. By November 10 the Canadian army captured the town and had down the impossible "again". This battle was the largest action the Canadian army had yet fought in the war and had prov en among the bloodiest.

Second Battle of El Alamin 
Oct-23 Nov-4 1942
File:2 Battle of El Alamein 007.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons

Seventy years ago today the German army launched a counter attack on the British army that had opened the second battle of El Alamein on the October 23, 1942. By October 26 the offensives had been bogged down in mine fields. the German army mounted a counter attack that lasted for several days but eventually petered out. The German line broke in early November forcing the Africa Corps into full scale retreat, with the British  eighth army hot on its heels. The picture above shows the actions of the British and German Armies on October 26th.

The Battle of Santa Cruz
Oct-25 to Oct-27 1942 
File:USS Enterprise-Bat Santa Cruz.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons

Today in 1942 the main action of the Battle of Santa Cruz took place in the South Pacific. This battle was the last carrier action of 1942. It ended with one American carrier sunk and one severely damaged.  On the Japanese side two air craft carriers were disabled. this battle was a Japanese tactical victory but left the imperial navy with no more operational ships left to face the Americans and even they reserve of pilots was gone. As for the US Navy the surviving carrier enterprise was back in service within 2 weeks and played a important part in the defence of Guadalcanal.  

Thursday 25 October 2012

File:Flyboys Final1Sheet2.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/85/Flyboys_Final1Sheet2.jpg

Overall a fair movie, especially considering the competition in recent years. I found the characters to be engaging and the struggles to be realistic. I also found it to be interesting that all the characters are based   loosely on real people. As a result it makes the film as a historical fiction more realistic. that's not to say that this movies doesn't have it's problems. Perhaps, the most annoying stylistically is the Fokker DR1's complete adoption of the standard German Fighter considering that it should not be in service for a another 6 months at the end of the movie and only 320 were ever manufactured. apart from this the plot varies from strong and interesting to weak and some what annoying. 

What i did like about the plot was the character development and understanding the pace of action compared do down time. another impressive feature of the movie was the visuals, they were spectacular. Especially the scenes of aerial combat. One more good thing was the music, its tone and pace just added a certain amount of fantastical feel that just sums up the way flight was seen at the time.

In closing I think the best thing they could of changed about the plot to make the movie better would of been to spend even more time developing the characters and seeing their struggles and slightly less time developing the romantic sub-plot. Of course that being said I did enjoy the refreshing way they ended the sub-plot. This was a good movie but not great, I would suggest watching it if your taste is war movies but it isn't the greatest. 



Newspaper blackout #2


Newspaper Blackout #1


Tuesday 23 October 2012

Question of the Week

File:LZ 2 Flug 1905.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

True or False

The first airship was built on a lake.

Monday 22 October 2012

Answer to Q of W.

The answer is D.The Antonov 225 at a maximum take off weight of 1.1 million pounds the airplane is longer then the the Right Brothers first 3 flights at Kitty Hawk and had 6 engines to power it through the air. It was originally built to carry the Russian space shuttle but has since been rebuilt as a cargo plane.

Writing Reflection 3


If I were to use my blog as a tool for university promotion I would almost definitely post a picture of my honor plaques and other awards on it. I would also include a picture of myself in cadets and another picture of myself volunteering at the Western Canada Aviation Museum. I would include these pieces in order to further emphasise my academic achievements and loyalty to commitments. There are probably many more ways that I could achieve this with my blog but these are the ones that are the most doable and the least braggy. Considering that my long term goals are to eventually hold a PHD in history a little self promotion is not exactly a hindrance in the long run. In closing although I have no plans to actually include these items in my blog they are still worthy additions and I may reconsider adding them later on.

comment 1: http://howdhreads.blogspot.ca/2012/10/personal-addition.html#comment-form

comment 2: http://www.samscreativethoughts.blogspot.ca/2012/10/surprised-at-how-exciting-it-is-to-see_764.html#comment-form

comment 3: http://taylorperistyblog.blogspot.ca/2012/10/life-big-question-1.html#comment-form

The first comment I posted was on a hockey poster for the lock out. I chose to write on this because unlike most people that I know I believe that if anyone is entitled to the bigger cut it's the players. Especially not the league or the teams in the south that are already on life support. Honestly though, I think the money gap should be used to make hockey games more accessible especially those in Canada who want to watch it. In the end it is just my opinion and I hope the whole mess gets settles soon.

The second comment I discussed was on Sam's blog. Like Sam, I am truly fascinated of the variety of page views I get and find it to be one of the more enjoyable things about having a blog. My only wish is that more people would leave comments to give me an idea of how I'm doing and to provide suggestion and criticism. So please leave comments !!!

The third comment I made was on Taylor's blog and the depth of it truly surprised me. I find questions like those intriguing and definitely worth asking even if you disagree with those who say it , it is always nice to see some one speak their mind, especially with big questions like this.

Overall I find the characteristics of a good comment is intelligence, the comment must provide some insight or some thought into the topic at hand. It should be creative and insightful and make the author of the original post as well as any other person who comments. The characteristics of a bad comment is threats , inappropriate use of language and non constructive criticism. These comments  are irritating to the writer and if anything detract the value of the post and irritate the poster possibly even to the point of hiatus. Please don't leave posts like this.   The main benefits on commenting on other peoples blogs are directly linked to benefits of receiving comments. Posting comments provide you the commentor with the valuable  ability to voice your opinions and receive answers directly from the original source eliminating confusion and harmful interpretation. As a recipient of comments they provide the poster with important insight into the opinions and  interpretations of their readers allow the writer to discover what  works and what doesn't to improve where possible.

Thursday 18 October 2012

File:ToraToraTora1970.png


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1a/ToraToraTora1970.png

This movie is probably one of the all time greatest war movies ever made. It's double story and attention detail combined with convincing acting on both sides and outstanding sets give the feeling of realism to the movie. Some of the interesting facts about the movie is that the main set for the Japanese filming was a pair of full scale mock ups one of a battle ship the other of a air craft carrier.For its time it was probably one of the best war movies ever made and to this day the analytical way in which the movie over views the battle is in direct contrast to the way war movies are made today.More based around telling the story of a character then telling the story of the battle. Although this makes the movie less character driven it still in my opinion the best war movie ever made or at least one of the best and certainly worth at least a watch.

Tuesday 16 October 2012

QofW

File:B-29 in flight.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

what is the largest aircraft in the history 

A.The Boeing 747

B. The C-5 Galaxy

C. The Airbus A380

D. the Antonov An-225

answer to QofW

the to last weeks question is B. The I-400 class submarine

Monday 15 October 2012

The decision to go with this design was a simple one because the characters in the book are all climbers. It makes logical sense to have a picture of a mountain on their cell phone case.

Friday 12 October 2012

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Atlantis_The_Lost_Empire_poster.jpg

This movie is one that is both under rated and under appreciated. The cast is perfect, the animation is the best in any 2-D animated movie I have ever seen. The sound and music to the movie is outstanding, the plot is good although thin at times and the only real problem with the movie is the lack of original or entertaining villains. As a result the story relies on a very well developed cast of main characters. I wouldn't say they make up for the lack of entertaining villains but they make up enough of the lost ground to make this movie one of my favorites. 

Wednesday 10 October 2012

I chose these apts because they would probably be beneficiary to a climber as well as being relevant to the story. for instance the first apt is for the expedition itself and is based on the fact that the team has all important web-sight for which the expedition is rather proud of. I would assume that where this story would be written now there would probably be a summit quest apt rather than just a web sight. The second apt is suppose to be a weather service for Nepal. Because Mount Everest is in Nepal it is easy to assume that you would want a weather forecast for Nepal. There is also an apt for e-books completed with the published biographies of the expedition leader because the main character is obvious a fan of him as well as a mountain guide for climbing facts about mountains.

Quote of the Week

If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves. 
Thomas A. Edison 
 http://www.brainyquote.com
File:IJN I-10 in 1942.jpg



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/IJN_I-10_in_1942.jpg
What was the largest conventionally powered submarine in history?

A. USS Nautilus

B. I-400

C. Surcouf

Answer to QofW #3

The answer is A.
Although USS Langley was the first of the ships to be commissioned she was not converted into an aircraft carrier until the 1920's. As for Furious she was commissioned a year in advance of Argus but was not a flush deck carrier until a conversion was done in the 20's. This leaves HMS Argus as the first flush deck carrier.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Quote of the Week


"I was at the movie but alas I had to leave when the film broke,which was about three seconds after I ripped it from the projector. And I would have been here sooner but I had to stop and except the applause of the entire audience."

Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third

Here is another case of; I saw it, I liked it,  I posted it. This time it is a quote from one of my favorite shows, Mash. In this case the character of Winchester is referencing the fact that the unit had received the movie, "Sahara" three times in the middle of summer. Naturally every one in the unit was fed up. Let's just say the distributor got an ear full when they brought it back. I would probably have done the same thing would I been stuck watching something really bad.


Tuesday 2 October 2012

Question of the Week #3


HMS Argus (1917).jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org


What was the name of the first air craft carrier to have a complete flight deck?

A. HMS Argus

B. USS Langley

C. HMS Furious