Journal # 4: Brief Screening Roport

Around 34 minutes and 45 seconds into the Coen brothers’ remake of the 1969 classic “True Grit” there is a very important scene. Mattie Ross, played by Hailee Stienfeld, wakes the morning after Rooster Cogburn, played by Jeff Bridges, has agreed to help her find her father’s murderer, to find that he has gone back on his word to take her with him and instead left without her.  Instead of giving up, she heads out to find him and go with him whether he wants her to or not.  Mattie finds Rooster already across a river that is large enough to require a ferry to cross.  When she attempts to ride the ferry across to meet Rooster, she finds that he has paid off the ferryman to prevent her from doing so.  Again she will not be deterred.  She breaks free of his grip and rides her horse head long into the river.  As she and the horse struggle across the river, the camera shows a shot of Rooster’s reaction to this display of true grit.  From his facial expression, it’s obvious that he is impressed and, in my opinion, even inspired.  The camera then switches back to a shot of Mattie and her horse still struggling across the river, as seen from Roosters point of view.  The shot is a wide camera angle as if to further enforce how large the river is and how daunting the challenge of crossing it is.  Mattie still has not wavered in her drive to be a part of this man hunt.  This scene not only demonstrates Mattie’s character type, but also introduces the inspiration that leads Rooster to demonstrate his true character later on in the film.

Journal #5: Black and White

In the article "Our 'white people problems' problem : why it's time to stop using 'white' as a pejorative" by Noel Murray, I have to agree with the author's statement, "the use of 'white' as a tag of shame has the inadvertent but real effect of reducing 'non-white' elements to mere ornamentation". If someone says that a movie looks very "white", than that means that any "non-white" character is meaningless to the story and is thus only there for looks, like a lamp or a couch. This might not be the intention of saying that a movie looks very "white", but it does very effectively illustrate how slippery of a slope racism is. A good example from the opposite end of the spectrum would be to say that the movie "Roots" is a "black" movie. That would mean that the "white" characters in the movie did not play an integral role as slave traders and owners. I would have to say that the "white" characters in the movie played a very integral, albeit negative, role. I'd be willing to bet that there are more than a few African-Americans that have strong opinions about the role that the "white" characters played in the movie, which would make them more than mere ornamentation.  We need to be careful about how much of an influence we let race have on our lives.

Journal # 3 : Lonesome Dove

    "Lonesome Dove" is not technically a movie, but is my favorite "western" of all time. It is a mini series about three former Texas Rangers who decided to drive a herd of cattle into the untamed west. It depicts the hardships of the endeavor and the unbreakable moral code of the cowboys. It is this moral code displayed throughout the story that speaks to me. These men know what they stand for and won't be persuaded to think otherwise, no matter what the situation.
    There is a scene in "Lonesome Dove" that illustrates the unbreakable moral code of the former Texas Rangers marvelously. To fully comprehend the magnitude of the scene, you must first understand the relationship between the three characters. The bond that these men have from there time as Rangers together is stronger than oak. They've been through the hardest times that life could throw at them and made it through together. They are family in all but blood. Throughout the story, one of three falls in with a bad crowd who end up stealing horses from innocent cowboys. When the other two Rangers cross paths with the horses thieves and their friend, they do what must be done according to their moral code. They hang the horse thieves along with their friend. When it comes time to hang their friend they say their good buys and before they can do it, he does it himself. Even though it means killing himself, the former Texas Ranger sticks to his moral code.

How To Do Your Laundry At Home

How To Do Your Laundry At Home

Have you ever turned a white shirt pink in the washing machine, or shrunk your favorite sweater in the dryer?  Don't worry, you're not alone.  Too many decent articles of clothing have been lost due to improper laundry procedure.  There's more to doing laundry than just tossing a pile of clothes in the washing machine or loading the dryer and pushing start.  If you stick to the following simple steps to doing laundry, you'll never have another laundry mishap again.

In order to successfully complete a load of laundry, there are a few "tools" you will need during the process.

Tools:

Washer - Machine that spins and cleans loads of laundry

Dryer - Machine that spins and dries loads of laundry

Laundry Detergent - Cleaning agent that, when added to the water of the washing machine, cleans the clothes

Optional Tools :

Fabric Softener - Chemical solution that is added during the wash cycle in order to make your clothes feel softer and make the load of laundry more aromatic

Dryer Sheets - Fibrous sheet that is added during the dry cycle in order to reduce static and make the load more aromatic

Downy Ball - A tool that is used to apply fabric softener to the load of laundry.  The ball is filled up before the wash cycle starts and is placed in the drum with the load of laundry.   When the washer begins to spin, the ball opens and its contents are released into the water within the washing machine. 

Step 1 : Sort your clothes by darks, whites, and delicates.  Darks include jeans and anything that is more than 50% of a non-white color.  Whites are usually made up of cotton or anything that when washed in warm/hot water would not get damaged.  Silks, suits, and even dress shirts are considered delicates because these are articles of clothing that you might damage if washed by yourself.  A dry cleaner wouldbe a better option for these.  While sorting, check your pockets to ensure that they are empty.  Something as small as a tube of Chapstick could ruin an entire load of laundry.

Step 2 :  Place your laundry into the washing machine.  Make sure you don't overload the machine.  This could break the machine or cause your clothes not to come out as clean as you may want. 

Step 3 : Add detergent to load.  One cup of liquid detergent per medium sized load is a good amount.

Step 4 : If you're using fabric softener, now is the time to measure it out using the Downy ball.  There should be a fill line on the ball.  Close ball tightly and place into washer.

Step 5 : Close the lid.  This may seem insignificant, but some washing machines have safety measures that prevent them from starting if the lid is open.

Step 6 : Now it's time to select your settings.  For this tutorial we are using a medium sized load of darks.  The recommended setting for dark clothes is cold/cold, meaning the clothes will be washed in cold water and also rinsed in cold water.  For a load of whites, a warmer tempurature is acceptable because you don't have to worry about colors bleeding out.

Step 7 : Once you have selected the tempurature, you will need to select the load size.  This tells the machine how much water to use based on how much clothing is in the load.  With a medium sized load, the "regular" setting is selected. 

Step 8 : With your washer loaded properly, the settings where they are supposed to be, deteregent added, and the lid closed, starting the washing machine is as simple as pulling the dial out slightly.  Listen for the sound of water being pumped into the machine to ensure that you have properly started your washing machine.  Most loads will take 35 to 60 min. to run through the entire wash cycle.  During this time, what you do to occupy your time is at your discretion.

Step 9 : After the wash cycle, it's time to dry your clothes.  To start this process, simply transfer your wet clothes to the dryer.

Step 10 : If you're using a dryer sheet it's now time to add it.  Dryer sheets are important for reducing static cling, adding a pleasant aroma to your clothes, and leaving them snuggly soft.

Step 11 : Once the dryer is loaded, close the lid. Much the same as the washing machine, your dryer likely has a saftey measure that prevents it from starting if the lid is open. Missing this step is a game ender. Don't let all of your hard work thus far be in vain.

Step 12 : Now you will need to select the proper setting for the dryer.  For a medium sized loads of darks, a "high heat/maximum amount of time" setting will provide optimal drying conditions.

Step 13 : Start your dryer.  This is a highly technical process of pushing the "start" button.

As you can see there is a lot more to doing laundry than meets the eye.  Once you break down into simple, individual steps, it is a lot easier to ensure that you ar not going to shrink your clothes or have them come out in a different color than they went in.  You have now officially joined the elite community of people who can do their own laundry. 

Authors:  Andrew Alesauskas, Matt Schulz, Jacob Bailey, and Jessica Drew.

How to do laundry Outline

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How To Do Your Laundry At Home
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Introduction
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Have you ever turned a white shirt pink in the washing machine, or shrunk your favorite sweater in the dryer?  Don't worry, you're not alone.  Too many decent articles of clothing have been lost to improper laundry procedure.  There's more to doing laundry than just tossing a pile of clothes in the washing machine or loading the dryer and pushing start.  If you stick to the following simple steps to doing laundry, you'll never have another laundry mishap again. 
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Body Steps in the Process
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Step 1: Sort your clothes by darks, whites, and delicates.


Step 2: Check your pockets to ensure that they are empty. Something as small as a tube of chapstick could ruin an entire load of laundry.
Step 3: Add laundry to washing machine. Make sure that you don't overload the machine. This could break the machine or cause your clothes not to come out as clean as you may want.


Step 4: Add detergant to load. One cup of liquid detergant per medium sized load is a good amount.


Step 5: Close the lid. This may seem menial, but some washing machine have safety measures that prevent them from starting if the lid is open.


Step 6: Now it's time to select your settings. For this tutorial we are using a medium sized load of darks. The recommended setting for dark clothes is cold/cold, meaning the clothes will be washed in cold water and also rinsed in cold water. For a load of whites, a warmer temperature setting is acceptable because you don't have to worry about colors bleeding out.


Step 7: Once you have selected the water temperature, you will need to select the load size. This tells the machine how much water to use based on how much clothing is in the load. With a medium sized load, the "regular" setting is selected.


Step 8: Once the dial is in the proper position, starting the washing machine is as simple as pulling the dial out slightly. Listen for the soung of water being pumped into the machine to ensure that you have properly started your washing machine.


Step 9: Most loads will take 35 min. to 60 min. to run through the entire wash cycle. During this time, what you do to occupy your time is at your descretion.


Step 10: After the wash cycle, it's time to dry your clothes. To start this start this process, simply transfer your wet clothes to the dryer.

Step 11: Now it's time to add a dryer sheet. Dryer sheets are important for reducing static cling, adding a pleasant aroma to your clothes, and leaving them snuggly soft.


Step 12: Once the dryer is loaded, close the lid. Much the same as the washing machine, your dryer likely has a saftey measure that prevents it from starting if the lid is open. This makes closing the lid to you dryer a pivotal step.


Step 13: Once the lid is closed, you will need to select the proper setting. For a medium sized load of darks, a "high heat/maximum amount of time" setting will provide optimal drying conditions.


Step 14: Start your dryer. This is a highly technical process of pushing the "start" button.
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Conclusion
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As you can see there is a lot more to doing laundry than meets the eye.  Once you break it down into simple individual steps it is a lot easier to ensure that you are not going to shrink your clothes or have them come out a different color than they went in.  You have now officially joined the elite community of people that are capable of doing their own laundry.

How To Do Laundry Intro

       Have you ever turned a white shirt pink in the washing machine, or shrunk your favorite sweater in the dryer?  Don't worry, you're not alone.  Too many decent articles of clothing have been lost to improper laundry procedure.  There's more to doing laundry than just tossing a pile of clothes in the washing machine or loading the dryer and pushing start.  If you stick to the following simple steps to doing laundry, you'll never have another laundry mishap again. 

How to Clean an M-4

To properly clean an M-4, you have to first properly take it apart.  After you have it disassembled, it is a matter of knowing what to clean and how.  Carbon is an M-4’s worst enemy, so the first thing you have to do is wipe down all the parts to get any carbon and dirt off that you can with a rag.  Unfortunately simply wiping it down is not enough.  A lot of the carbon hardens and sticks to the parts making it necessary to scrape the hardened carbon of with a scraping tool.  Once you have all the carbon and dirt off of all the parts of the M-4, it’s time to put it back together.  This is an extremely important part of cleaning an M-4, because if you don’t put it together exactly right it won’t function.  In order to ensure that you put the weapon back together properly, the last step of cleaning an M-4 is the function check.