Ryan's Blog

Tim O'brien Essay

2012-02-09T16:29:00.000-08:00

Tim O'brien tells stories of the war in Vietnam. He starts off with the death of Curt Lemon. Curt's best friend Rat, writes a letter to his sister telling her how great of a man he was. After no response he calls her a dumb cooze. O'brien goes on to explain how Curt died. Rat and Curt played a game they call yellow mother, where they threw a smoke grenade back and forth until one of them chickened out or it went off. Who ever had it last was the yellow mother. Rat threw the smoke grenade to far and Curt ended up stepping on a booby trap and blowing up. His body landed up in a tree. So a couple guys from the platoon had to climb the tree and retrieve the body parts. O'brien combats the gore of the scene by covering up how terrible it really was. He says how it was almost beautiful because of the sun rays coming down through the trees.

What I ended up taking away from this was soldiers at war see a lot of bad things, but when they come back and/or tell the stories they end up not telling the whole thing, or make it out better than what it was. That the soldiers invent some of the stories or at least parts of them. Basically that it is hard to distinguish between the true war experience and story telling.

2012-01-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

1) My mom crashed her car into a tree.
2) Air bags deployed, hot coffee landed on me, and my ferret flew to the front seat.
3) Mom, Brother, Ferret, Neighborhood kid, and I.
4) Jumped out of the car screaming and swearing.
5) Person
6) Pissed off.
7) Yes I was aware, but it was just my reaction.
8) Kid drove away really fast and my mom thought i had a brain injury.
9) No I think I would probably react the same way.

Summary of a Paragraph from "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

2012-01-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, "Wait." But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"--then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience. You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us consciously to break laws. One may well ask: "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all."

Martin Luther King Jr. states in the above paragraph from a Letter from a Birmingham jail that, Negros have waited long enough for rights they should have been born with, they have been waiting far too for the simple pleasures that every human being should be granted. Even after segregation had been outlawed it still exists and is controlling the rights of colored people. Eventually if there is not change there will be chaos if there isn't change.

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King Jr.]"

2012-01-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

Situation/Issues

Support from the church
In jail because of a peaceful protest/nonviolent
Church publicly criticized him
Upset at inaction
Segregation

Who is the intended audience?

Church
Public Officials
Critics
Clergy men
White Moderate/Fence Riders
Segregationists
Oppressed

Whats his message?

Peace, Brotherhood
Equal Rights
Disgusted w/clergymen and Church (inaction, criticism)
Rare to find justice in the world

Purpose

Call to Action
Warning
Persuade
To explain/inform

Persona/How does he communicate his message?

Frustrated/Angry
Formal Letter
Doesn't lose his composure
Humble/Polite
Forgiving/Apologetic
Cordial

Why was he successful?

Clear, effective communication
Composed throughout/kept control over his emotions
Sound arguments
Explores both sides of the argument
Honest
Intellect
Appealed to his audience (emotions before logic)
Organization of the letter

2012-01-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

Who I am!

Comical
Not serious
Sports
Air Force
Law Enforcement
Outdoors
Hunting
Fishing
Four Wheeling
Trapping
Football
Basketball
Track and Field
TV
Family Guy
Hockey
Simpsons
Rob & Big
Fantasy factory
Sons of Guns
Dual Survival
Survivor Man
Animals
Bears
Dogs
Wolf
Friends
Facebook
Twitter

The Best Movie EVER!

2009-01-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Today i will be reviewing the Youtube movie Jack Eagle and the Hostage. There were many great actors in this movie including, The Ryans, Chuck, Halie, Stefan, and Jake. I felt like each of them was well suited for their parts. One example of this is in the opening scene. Chuck is acting as Jeremy Law. He is playing video games, like every normal teenage boy. My second favorite scene was the car chase. I like the special effects and high speed. But the best part of all you have to be the final battle scene between Billy Heist (Jake) and Jack Eagle ( Ryan). It is played out very well, especially the part when Jake gets shot and dies. This movie reminds me a lot of something Bruce Willis would act in. One thing i found supprising was that all the filming was done with a digital camera, not a video camera, but one that is made to take pictures with. I would have to give this movie a 5 star, two thumbs up, 1o out of 10, or whatever us big movie critics rate with.

NEXT BLOG

2008-12-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

Details for the script:

The main characters name is Ace Ventura. He is wearing a tutu. Ace acts crazy. The way he walks. How he talks. His hair is styelish. He has a fake sister. He is obsessed with football.

Details added in direction:

Ace goes to Shady Acres. Ace's tutu is pink. He is wearing a dotted shirt. He has brown hiking boots on. He is wearing a silver watch. He has plad shorts. Ace gets the old people to dance. He pretends he is playing football the whole time.

The Seasons

2008-12-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

WINTER

Snow, on my cold face.
Melting as steam goes up.
Aaahh, winter, is great.

FALL

Hunting, deer and grouse.
Be still or they will see you.
Bang, food on my plate.

SUMMER

Cool cool breeze feels good.
Melting ice cream, kids swimming.
Here and gone, miss it.

Ace Ventura Holiday!

2008-11-18T16:29:00.000-08:00

My new holiday would have to be Ace Ventura Day! The date i would be on is Aug 17. Everyone dresses up like Ace and acts like him for the whole day. The normal Ace Ventura apperal consists of: engineer boots, stripped pants, a wife beater, and a hawaiian shirt. One thing that is celebrated on this holiday is all the animals in this world. If u didnt know Ace is obsessed with all animails. One tradition is to give all of your pets a day at the spa. You send them there so they feel good about themselves. Decorations include pictures of animaila and Ace every where. Some people put up christmas ligths and stuffed animals all over. If your not an animal love thats ok, you can still dress up. I mean come on, who doesnt want to be like Ace. If you like animail in a different way, like hunting, thats fine too. Every one is entitled to celebrate this important holiday in their own special way. If you dont really know who Ace Ventura is I suggest you watch the movies Ace Ventura pet detective and when nature calls. Everyone should celebrate this vital holiday!!!

Brog

2008-10-29T19:08:00.001-07:00

Scientist discovered a new animal! They named it Brog. Its scientific name is Hyla Anas. It's half duck and half frog. Brog has emerald green eyes and waterproof feathers. It lives in the mud at the lake. It burrows down in it just like a normal frog would do. During the winters it migrates south, to the sunbelt. It eats anything on the bottom of the lake. It also has a long stretchy tounge to catch flies out of the air and to grab minnows underwater and drag them into its mouth. It can make two different sounds. One like a duck for mating. The other is like a frog for just anytime it wants to here itself make noise. You can now buy them in pet stores nationwide! So get to it! You know you want one. Who wouldn't?

Angel Wings

2008-10-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Angel Wings

Yes folks, they are now avaliable! Angel wings are the transportation of the future. Get places quickly and effeciently without paying a cent. Top recorded speed of these babies is 150 mph (do not attempt). The wing span is 14 feet and they weigh approximitly twenty pounds; depending on the user height and weight.

Top 11 reasons you (and everyone you know) NEED angel wings:

Inexpensive
Effecient
Comes in pink or white.
Safe
Reliable
Money Saver!!
So easy a CAVE MAN can use it.
No licesense/permits required for usage
Low maintenece
High Quality
And Chuck Norris uses it, I mean if Chuck Norris has it you have to have it. If Chuck Norris has it you know it kicks ass!

(I'm Chuck Norris and I approve this message.)

Only twenty easy payments of $99.95 plus shippping and handling. With a price like that no one can resist! People in debit (can and will) buy this product! It will make your life easy. No expensive gas prices. No repairs. Just easy transportation. But wait theres more! If you order within the next 15 minutes you will get an extra set free! I just cant believe it, we are handing out one extra pair for free! (YOU WILL BUY THIS PRODUCT OR I WILL SICK CHUCK NORRIS ON YOU. TRUST ME YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN!!!!)
Must be 18 years of age or older to order. Batteries not included.

MADE IN CHINA (Oh, God.)

(Caution; this product contains lead, small parts, and fast moving objects, may be hazardous to small children.)

#3

2008-09-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Looking at this picture makes me hungry. It reminds me of a resturant I used to go to.It was called Poncho and Lefty's. It was one of my favorite resturants ever. I love mexican food!! Basically, i love anything that is hot or spicy. MMmhhh. This is the perfect plate of nachos. Look at the mountains of cheese with spicy jalepeno pepers sinking in. Imagine taking a bite of this scrumptious appetizer. Biting the chip with a loud "chrunch". The cheese melting in your mouth. Jalepeno, like eating a little ball of fire. The cold crisp lettuce and sour cream soothing your mouth like a blast of cold mountain air. The bitter taste of green peppers hits your tounge like a baseball player on steriods. YUCK!!!!!! That is so gross. I'm not hungry anymore.

#2

2008-09-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

http://http://www.talk-sports.net/nfl/sucks.aspx/Tarvaris_Jackson

I'm Tarvaris Jackson and i play for the MN vikings. A lot of the mn vikings fans think i suck as u can see on the website posted. I try to keep my head up cuz i get a lot of negative comments. Its hard to play for a state and team that doesnt really want me there. I can also say i havent been doing my best this season. I need to step it up.I have to do good this coming game against carolina, otherwise i fear i will loose my career or my starting position with the vikings. There are a lot of comments that really dicourage me. Like, "-2 the jackson saga continues,ok coach when do you say enough is enough? you better make your change soon or you will be on the outside looking in with your failed qb. " All everyone does is critizize. There is like one positive comment for every 5 negatives. Wow, i am looking at my stats online right now and i just realized something. I really suck. I never knew I sucked that bad. Geez the vikings just suck in general. Look at the guy tackling me in the picture. I know who that is Brian Urlacher, man he has really got it going good for him. Why cant I be more like him?

# 1!!!!

2008-09-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

Peers

This is the ugliest dog in the world! It won the 2008 worlds ugliest dog competition. My dads friend actually knows who owns this dog. I'm not sure what else to say cuz the picture pretty much says it all!

Harry Potter Fanatics

I think that if they come out with another harry potter, that this dog should be a character in one of the movies. He should be like Voldemort's talking dog. The dog could do like all of his dirty work. I just think it would be hilarious.