Finding Stevie

Finding Stevie

Stevie Pointer went suddenly missing today in the UWSP library. He could be on any of the six floors in the library. Follow us through our adventures through the LRC.

 

The first clue led us to the first floor and more specifically the shark in the lobby which next led us to the museum of Natural History.

The Pacific Golden Plover egg gave us our first letter, which was A.  

The next clue led us to the third floor where we found the CDs. The first letter of the artist name on the CD was R for the Rolling Stones.

FREE THE BOUND PERIODICALS was the phrase we had to repeat on the second floor in order to recieve the next letter which was E.

 The next clue was on the fifth floor. We had to locate the purple paw which led us to the answer and letters SI.

 

While many other classmates stood around trying to figure out what "scanning the books" meant, we found the clue near a pile of Charlie Chaplin books on the fourth floor. The letter C was our second to last letter that we needed to unscramble the location where Stevie Pointer is.

 

 

We had to find out which World Champion dog show had the logo of a Pointer. The Westminster gave us our last letter which was V.

 

Finally we got to the point where we unscrambled the letters and discovered Stevie Pointer went missing in the archives.

 

 

It was there where we found a sad old Stevie Pointer head.

 



Journal #6

Journal #6 : The Walking Dead Series, Not My First Pick

The Walking Dead is a newer Television Series on cable. With only three seasons under its belt, it is doing better than most shows. What attracts people to this show? The answer is one that has been rising in our everyday lives; Flesh Eating Zombies.

This does not look entertaining to me..
http://screenrant.com/the-walking-dead-reviews-kofi-85345/

The recent obsession with zombies and the zombie apocalypse has taken over movies and society the past couple years. Could the obsession come from the allegations that the world is going to end or the fact that people are just getting so bored with their lives? I do not understand society's recent attraction to zombies and I frankly do not care to. The whole article, the author, Zach Handlend is talking about the newest season and how exciting it is compared to the last one. I have seen one episode of The Walking Dead and despised it, however, my family loves it.  I hated seeing blood and gross deformed humans trying to eat and attack other humans. I also do not like the fact that the main characters turn on each other and end up hurting or even killing each other.

This article is great for those who are up to date with the TV series, but for those of you like me who disapprove of such shows, the article will be hard to understand and not worth your time. I would love to hear about what others have to say about the show since it is so popular. To read more go to ... http://www.avclub.com/articles/when-the-dead-come-knocking,88466/

Brief Screening Report

Brief screening report

Into The Wild

I believe the opening scene is among one of the most important scenes portrayed from the film Into the Wild. It starts the movie off in what is presumed, a couple seconds later, to be the dream of a mother. In the dream, a dark blurry young man is saying “mom” repeatedly in a dark room until suddenly the scene changes to a dark room when the woman wakes up in terror crying. This dream must have been reoccurring because the woman says “I wasn't dreaming this time, Walt”, Walt being her husband and the father.  She continued to shake and cry saying “I heard him, I head him, I head Chris”. This is when I realized the young man in the starting was most likely the main character. This scene is important for the character because in future scenes you see he is alive and the film is ultimately about his life. This beginning told me that either the man in the film is lost in the wilderness somewhere… or dead. The mother continues to say she heard him and wasn't imagining it. The last piece of dialogue in that scene was “I know Billie”, this is when I realized the mothers name is Billy.  You can tell that this scene is also important by the way it abruptly starts the film and then all of a sudden switches over to a scene with the main character. 

Realism vs. Anti-Realism vs. Verisimilitude

Realism vs. Anti-Realism vs. Verisimilitude

Realism described in the readings, is sort of an illusion of the real world. It goes off our combination of senses and our understanding of how the outside world works. An example of a movie conveying realism is the movie Rent because the characters, scenes and everyday lives of these characters are revealed as real and true to the audience. Anti-realism, just as it sounds is the opposite of realism and conveys the non-real, fanatic aspect. A movie / show example of anti-realism is SpongeBob Square Pants. We all know that a sponge and starfish cannot be best friends under the sea and live in a realistic like community. Verisimilitude is when a movie has fanatic or unreal characteristics but appeals to the audience as true and it sort of “tricks” us into believing that what is occurring in the movie could actually occur in life. An example of a movie with verisimilitude is inception. I believed that we could enter another world through dreaming while watching the movie, but my experiences in the real world override this fantasy like thought.

The majority of movies in the genre of horror depict a theme of a scared civilian vs. psychopath. When I think of horror movies, I think of a crazy person with some kind of weapon, usually a knife, striving throughout the whole movie to catch and kill somebody or somebodies. These movies get to us through realism. Because horror movies portray real people in real like situations, people often feel some type of fear off these movies. The women in these movies are often the alone helpless victims, often with a low cut shirt or sex appeal. The men in these movies are either the killer, the person brutally murdered, or the savior. The man who saves the day in movies are often seen as sexy, strong, and brave. The psychopathic killer is often looked at as creepy. The man who gets brutally murdered in the movie is often a wimpy, insecure, and typical “first to get killed” looking characters. The scenes in these types of movies are often associated throughout the genre. The dark stormy night is almost always portrayed in these films. Another scene associated with horror is the creepy mansion in the middle or nowhere that victims get caught. The typical “my car won’t start” or “the car is out of gas” let me go find help, is often a line heard in these movies as well. Wheatear it be the character type, or the scene, horror movies are generally easily distinguishable. 

Journal #4: Peculiar Parade

Journal #4: Peculiar Parade

One of the many strange "acts" at the parade

While scrolling through articles for over a half hour, my eyes and attention stuck to one title in particular; Stoners, Segways and some Horrible, Horrible Nudity. I thought to myself, what could this article possibly be about?

The article was about the obscure and bizarre crowd of fans gathered at a parade that was held on Halloween in honor or the Giants World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers. I was not even aware who was in the World Series prior to reading the article. I was also unaware of how peculiar Giants fans are and the ways they celebrate.

The "Pope" even attended
the event!

Katie Baker, the author or the article, attended the parade and her article encompassed all things weird that she experienced. The title of the article mentions only a few of the abnormalities present at the parade. Other abnormalities include Political signs supporting baby mutilation and prop 37, a pope drinking beer, a dude and his parrot, and “Gangnam Style”.  You could tell Baker was just as annoyed with the crazy crowd as she was weirded out.

If the Brewers won the World Series, I do not believe Milwaukee would be as chaotic as San Francisco was on Halloween. There would probably be a lot more alcohol, a lot less marijuana, and a lot less strange people. However, if this was football I believe dedicated Packer fans could maybe scale up to Giants fans. California has different laws than Wisconsin including Medical marijuana, which would not be as openly smoked here in WI than in CA. I believe the author was rather harsh on the word “stoners” in the title, because of the fact that marijuana is acceptable “medicine” in California

Nothing says "Go Giants" like a Tomato Fish

The author should have considered adding the fact that US Election Day was less than a week away. This would explain the political factors that were present at the parade. Prop 37, a proposition in CA on GM foods, was expressed by two men holding a big sign with a “tomato fish” and a face hole in the middle of the fish so you could enjoy a picture while routing for your favorite baseball team.  Although I strongly support prop 37, I find this just as strange as Baker.

The crowd was getting antsy and somewhat rude while awaiting the Giants arrival. Swears and chants of “where are the players” lined the streets in the mouths of those willing to make an ass of themselves . After not so patiently awaiting their arrival, the players were carried through the streets in convertibles to shouting drunken fans.  The article ended with a beautiful picture of the mess of garbage left by the fans. 

To read the article yourself go to: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8579371/view/full/stoners-segways-horrible-nudity-year-sf-giants-victory-parade

Journal Entry #3

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Pop Culture Journal #3 

Heath Ledger

The Movie Cover Page

My favorite movie is a movie called the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I love this movie because of a number of reasons. One of these reasons being, it was the last film Heath Ledger was in. I had a crush on Heath growing up and he died while shooting the film. The director incorporated three more actors, two being Jude Law and Johnny Depp, after Heaths death to play his role as a man who changes appearances through time in the “imaginarium”. I loved the fact that the director didn’t cut Heaths parts out, but instead cleverly thought of a new way to keep all his scenes in and still keep the main character in the film. Another reason I love this movie is because of how strange and mysterious it is. Strange and mysterious is a bad way to sum up the movies vibes because it releases so many thoughts and vibes throughout the duration of the film. I respond to the art design specifically in the film because all the scenes “in the imaginarium” were all scenes from famous paintings. Each scene is so different and unique; it keeps me entertained throughout the whole film. I love the special effects too, it blows my mind. It opens up a whole new imaginary world in my head and brings out the child in me all while bringing out a new way of thinking.

This movie is so hard to describe, you just must watch it. I love this movie because it brings out a new view and world in my head. I respond more to the formal elements of a film. I request everyone who enjoys strange mind-blowing films to watch this one. However, I am warning you if you watch this movie once, you will have to watch it at least one more time to fully watch the movie. 

Up Keeping the Halloween Spirit in a Delicious Way

Up keeping the Halloween Spirit in a Delicious Way

Ingredients

Pumpkin

Vegetable Oil

Garlic Salt

Salt

one large bowl

Bucket

large digging spoon

Pumpkins at the pumpkin patch!

Going to the pumpkin patch can be one of the most exciting adventures a child can experience. Not only is carving a pumpkin a good way for a child to express their creative side, it’s also very fun. The excitement and happiness that children share while getting ready for pumpkin festivities is enjoyable for most parents. Then, bam! Once that orange cap is off, there is highlighter colored orange gooey innards, guts and seeds all over! While the kids are having a ball digging out the innards and squeezing the orange goop, the adults are focused on the goopy orange mess left on the surface. The parents’ once enjoyment of watching the child carving the pumpkin is over. If carving pumpkins is not done right it can be messy, but not to worry if you follow this process, you will surely get things done in a fun, organized and even delicious way.

All kids know that great feeling of enjoyment they get while walking around their sprawling neighborhoods on Hallows eve going trick or treating. Illuminated Jack-O’-Lanterns often sit and watch, as dressed up children admire their spooky faces, on their way to candy bowl. The tradition of the carving of the jack- o’- lanterns extends back to 1700’s Ireland where the local Irishman had a common folklore of a man named Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack made a deal with the devil that he didn't have to go down to hell, but when he died the doors of Heaven would not let him in. So, he had to wander the Earth for all eternity with only a candle. Thus, this tradition was started on by the locals and brought on to America with the Irish immigrants. Carving pumpkins is a wonderful past time and it’s an exciting tradition to uphold to the new generations. There is nothing better than seeing the enjoyment of a little kids face after completing his first jack-o’-lantern. So, learn how to complete and keep a wonderful seasonal tradition alive by carving and utilizing the wonderful seeds of the beautiful pumpkin this fall.

Me picking out the perfect
 pumpkin!

The pumpkins I purchased at a pumpkin patch

The first step in carving a pumpkin is: getting the actual pumpkin! It is one of the most exciting parts of the process. Look up a local pumpkin patch. Some pumpkin patches have pre picked pumpkins for sale, and others give you the thrill of physically going to pick out a pumpkin from the field. Once you have picked out the perfect pumpkin and paid, you can load it into your car and head on home. Once at home, put the pumpkin outside your house until you are ready to carve it! In the meantime imagine the face or picture you want to see on your pumpkin.

John, Jack and Paige and the
 Pumpkin without its cap

 When you are ready to begin the fun of carving the pumpkin make sure you have all the materials needed. If your pumpkin has been outdoors for a while, then let your pumpkin thaw out for 10 minutes at room temperature just to make the carving process simpler. Carving the pumpkin outdoors eliminates the mess that may stress some parents out, but carving the pumpkins indoors is a commonality upon many.  Wherever you are carving, make sure you have a bowl for seeds, and a bucked for goop. This will eliminate the sorting process later. The first step is analyzing the pumpkin and picking the side which will make your creative face look the best! The next step, with a large knife, preferable a special pumpkin carving large knife, cut a few inches around the stem, leaving a circle at the top of the pumpkin. Leave the cap of the pumpkin to the side. Next, use your hands, or a digging scoop to get all the goop. Put goop into one bucket and any loose seeds you find on the way into the seed bowl. Once the pumpkin inside is completely hollow and free of seeds, it’s time to carve! Wash the outside any gooey threadlike goo on the outside of the pumpkin off. After the pumpkin is dry, all you need is your imagination and a marker!

Jack with Jack

Think of what you want on your pumpkin. You can stick with the classic Jack-O-Lantern face, like our example, or attempt to incorporate a more modern, intricate design such as a spider web. After you have decided on your design, you can map out and draw it on the dry surface of the pumpkin with a sharpie or permanent marker. Once the super scary face is drawn in black on the pumpkin, use the medium knife to carve out larger features like the mouth, and use a smaller knife to carve out more detailed features like the eyes. Make sure to pop out the pieces after carving each one and add it to the guy bucket. To dispose of the guts of the pumpkin in a proper and environmentally friendly way you can add them to your compost pile. If you have one, or you can throw them in the woods since pumpkins are compostable. Once the face is finished, there is one last step before perfection.

The final product

Finally, you have successfully accomplished carving out your Jack-O-Lantern. To complete your work and make it look even better, wipe off your pumpkin with a cloth to remove any dirt or residue from the pumpkin. Illuminate your face and make it stand out by placing a lit tea candle inside the hollow pumpkin on an even surface. Lastly, display your decoration on your porch or driveway for others to enjoy throughout the Halloween season!

Gold brown look is what you
              want means the seeds are done

After adding the finishing touch of a candle to your pumpkin, it’s time for the delicious part. Rinse off the separated seeds in a colander in cold water, making sure no bright orange pumpkin goop is remaining on the seeds. Let the seeds dry out on a paper towel for about five minutes. While the seeds are dehydrating, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Depending on the size and genetics of the pumpkin, seed amounts vary. To be safe, use one tablespoon of vegetable oil per cup of seeds yielded. Dust a cookie sheet pan with vegetable oil prior to laying the seeds down in a single layer fashion. Shake the pan back and forth or use a spatula to turn over the seeds in effort to coat each seed with a layer of vegetable oil. Next, shake about ½ teaspoon of garlic salt and ½ teaspoon of table salt over the seeds on the baking sheet. At this point, the seeds are now ready to be put in the oven. Set a timer for 45 minutes on your oven. On a separate timer, set an alarm to shake or turn the seeds over every 7 or so minuets in order to prevent burning. Each time that you check your seeds, look for the perfect golden brown hue in the shell of the seed. Once the golden brown color is achieved, remove your seeds from the oven and allow them to cool. Once your seeds are cooled off, you are almost ready to munch! Just lay the seeds on a decorative plate and enjoy your Jack-o-lantern masterpiece visually, as well as orally.

Carving pumpkins is such an amazing tradition that we should cherish and share with the generations to come. Everybody can enjoy this wonderful and relatively simple process each and every year. There is no better sight then walking down the street and seeing all the houses lined with decorations and the classic jack-o’-lanterns. This fun and festive activity is a great way to spend time with young children while they learn to express themselves and their artistic abilities. The joy and sense of accomplishment can be seen on a child’s face when they view their bright pumpkin and munch on their yummy seeds. Is truly an amazing and scrumptious activity that only takes a few steps, but the memories you make is priceless.