All Quiet on the Western Front Post 2

As you come into the novel you meet a young soldier in his early twenties in the German army. The soldier is named Paul Baumer and is stationed in a base on the western front of Germany. All Quiet on the Western Front is told in first person by Paul. The novel starts off by introducing each one of the soldiers in Pauls squad. There are eight men in his squad, but eight were also lost in the previous battle. Paul talks about the hardships they have to deal with and how fortunate they are when his squad recieves double rations of cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco. I really felt like I was a soldier stationed at his location in these first couple of chapters by how Erich Remarque, the author of the novel, goes so far as to describe the language they use and how their "parents and school teachers would have been astounded at the language they used but it was soldier talk and thats how they spoke. The food rations and the way the soldiers eat is also depicted in very vivid detail. When the cook makes an amount of food that is double what is needed the soldiers jump on the idea of getting a double ration, for they are hungry constantly and, as Paul describes, on their shifts they sometimes go two weeks on almost nothing except spoiled meat and moldy bread, which still barely even quenches their hunger. Right now in the book I still have a couple questions. The first being, where exactly are they stationed. Currently in the novel Remarque has made no notion as to where Paul and his fellow soldiers are stationed except that they are stationed somewhere on the western front of Germany. The second being, how far into the war are they? Has it just started or have the Americans already invaded Normandy. I am really excited to keep reading this novel one, because its a war book, and two because it is told from the perspective of a German soldier which could provide some further insight on what the war was like on the German side of things.

Quantum of Solace

Two weekends ago my friends and I went to go see the new bond movie at the AMC Southdale movie theater. Going into the movie I was super pumped and ready for a good action packed classic-bond type movie which included awesome gadgets, sweet killing manuvers, great action scenes and some smoking hot babes. The movie opened with an intense car chase scene involving Daniel Craig and the "villan/bad-guy" car chasing after him. The whole chase was filled with awesome manuvers, and high flying action but it was confusing which I didnt really like because I was not able to identify any of the villans. But at least one of the aspects had been filled; great action scene. Then the action shifted to Haiti where Bond was assigned to look for some man who may contain crucial evidence. This is where the smokin hot babes aspect comes into play. We are introduced to a new character named Camille who is played by Olga Kurylenko an absolutly stunning sight. Like Vesper in Casino Royale she to sort of plays both sides of the spectrum getting involved with both Dominic Green and James Bond. So theres the second aspect of my expectations filled but I am still kind of lost and am not liking how there is no plot devolopment yet. As I sat there in the movie theater I thought to myself wow James Bond has really just turned into a Jason Bourne film. Now dont get me wrong I LOVE Bourne films but the difference between Quantum of Solace and a Bourne film is that the Bourne films actually had some character and plot development where QOS was lacking that important aspect. When I left the theater that night I thought to myself wow I payed to go see a Bond movie but instead I ended up paying for a Bourne like movie. I am really dissatisfied with what Bond has come to, which is basically non-stop action, no plot development, and a lot of confusion. So whoever is producing these movies should start watching the classic bonds with Sean Connery and Roger Moore to really get a good view on who bond is really supposed to be.

Outside Reading Post 1

The book I have chosen to read for outside reading this quarter is called All Quiet on the Western Front. I chose to read this because it is about war and I have heard that it has a lot of action in it. Now I need a book that will make me want to keep reading and a book that I wont want to set down. I also chose this book because my mom told me she had read it when she was my age. She said that she loved it and reccomended that I read it if I wanted a good book. I am really excited about reading this book because it is something new and by an author I have never heard of; Erich Maria Remarque. All Quiet on the Western Front is a book about a German World War I veteran telling about the horrors of war and the detacthment soldiers felt after returning to Germany. This book sounds really great because it is told from a german soldiers point of view. This pov will provide a whole new look at WWI and I believe it can enlighten me on looking at the war in a whole new way and will let me see the Germans side of things. I am really looking forward to reading this book and I dont think I will be dissapointed.

The World Series

Wow. How dissapointing. First Scott Kazmir. Unbelievable last game. Getting pulled in the fifth??? What the heck. This not the juggernaut pitcher we saw during the regular season. Walk after walk he struggled, while being able to maintain the phillies two run lead he still was a huge dissapointment. Secondly, Evan Longoria??!! Ranked in the top twenty players in the MLB, and going 0-16 coming into this game!!! What is he thinking. I know every baseball player, all ages, goes into slumps because I am one of them. But in the most important series of games of your life?? Ahh I dont think thats the best time, sorry Longoria, whether its changing your socks, rutine, or changing your bathroom schedule, you better think seriously about changing your current way of playing, and fast. No better was Carlos Pena. He's been at the top of the lineup for the whole year and is part of the backbone of the team and he as well has gone hitless in this world series. UNBELIEVABLE! I have never ever seen a team with this much talent and potential go into the seven most important games of their life and play like this. Now for those of you reading this dont get me wrong, I am still a huge rays fan and have been cheering for them the whole season but I among the other many rays fans, am very frusterated in their playing. I just think Joe Maddon better get his players in shape for this next game and better pump them up and get them situated more than ever before. This game is a must win and I have faith in the rays, I always have. So good luck rays and lets beat THOSE PHILLIES!!!!!

Rays win.

Alright. I know a lot of people have been saying that anybody who wanted the rays to win is just jumping on the bandwagon. BUT I AM NOT. Ha but seriously. I still cannot believe they won the game and the series. After watching them lose in the first game to the sox 2-0 I was absolutely extatic when I watched them absolutely inialate them three games in a row. I know it may sound cruel but it made my two days to see redsox fans on the verge of tears when they were defeated 9-1 and 13-4!! It was unbelievable, something I dont think anyone saw coming. After those two games my heart was actually up in my throat October 19th after the sox had just won two straight. The sox definitly had the momentum coming into game 7 and hopes for the rays were definitly not up for most rays fans. It was the first inning and Dustin Pedroia stepped up to the plate. With a 1-2 count Pedroia blasted a fastball delivered by Matt Garza to deep left field. It was only the first inning and the rays were already in the whole. But as the game progressed Matt Garza just shut down in a total of seven innings pitched he had 9 k's, only 1 ER, and only allowed two hits. He seemed unstoppable. He wasnt the only one though holding up the team, with scores in the 4th and 5th inning and a homerun from Willy Aybar off of Jonathon Lester the rays had taken all pre game momentum from the sox and transfered onto their team. Its the ninth inning and all the rays had to do was get three solid outs, and Price did just that. He closed the game out to give the rays a very solid win to win a very tough played ALCS.

No Country for Old Men

I am currently reading no country for old men for my outside reading book report. It became widely known after the Coen Brothers made a movie based on the book. Its a story about a low income couple living in Texas, Llewelyn Moss and Carla Jean. One day while hunting Llewelyn comes across a very disturbing and astonishing site. Their are ford pickups everywhere shot up and a handful of dogs and men lying dead. When he walks up to the scene he discovers loads of heroine, and two million dollars. Not really knowing what to do or where to go, Llewelyn does what he will later regret, he takes the money. But it doesnt stop there. The money and heroine belong to one of the most dangerous drug dealing psychopaths ever known to man kind. He is a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to get his money and drugs back. Llewelyn takes his wife to go stay with her mother and Llewelyn is on the road running for more than just his safety, now its his life thats on the line.
No Country takes many unexpected twists and turns with constant action. Cormac McCarthy does a great job of portraing each character and not letting you want to set it down. It is a must read for anyone interested in gun fighting, high speed action, mystery, or just looking for a great novel.

Vikes Pull It Out

It was there second monday night game this season. They were 1-3 and Gus wasn't playing all that bad, he just really didn't have anyone to work with except for running backs Chestor Taylor and Adrian Peterson. Ten minutes before gametime the espn guys took their picks on who was going to win the game. The Vikings recieved all but six votes; seven people had voted. So if you could do some rocket science here that left us with a grand total of one vote. Well as the bible says, "the first shall be last and the last shall be first", I doubt anyone had a ton of faith that the Vikes would win the game. But anyways, four minutes into the game Drew Brees rifled a pass to wide reciever Deverie Henderson in the endzone to put the saints up on the board. It seemed that all hope was lost until at about six minutes left in the first quarter Antoine Winfield shows gave some light to what seemed to be a dark turn out. As the Vikings defensive line got their hands up and blocked the field goal attempt the ball flew backwards right into the hands of Winfield to give the Vikings their first score of the game. But neither the Vikings nor Winfield was about to let down now.
The second quarter had just started and the saints had the ball. Brees dropped back into the pocket but Winfield had his number ever since the snap, Antoine bolted outside the saints tight end coming around and pummeling Brees. You can call what happened next luck but I think the football gods were watching down on Antoine that day because when he sacked Brees the ball just sorta rolled right into the hands of Winfield once again. Winfields big play lead to another score for the Vikings putting them on the board once again. The rest of the Second quarter just resulted in big play after big play. From Chad Greenways missed facemask call on Reggie Bush resulting in a turnover, to Ben Lebers amazing interception. The Vikings definitly had the upperhand going into the second half.
But not all hope was lost for the saints, it was demonstrated with three minutes left in the third quarter. Reggie Bush was back for the punt return, he recieved the ball and just booked it down the field dodging everything the Vikings put out for him, Bush hit a top speed of TWENTY ONE MILES PER HOUR, it was olympic like speeds. And just like that the saints were back in it.
The fourth quarter came with many surprises and poor play calling. The Vikings were forced to punt once again with Reggie once again back to recieve it. Now this is where the poor play calling comes in. What Childress should have had Longwell do is just boot the ball as far as humanly possible and give the saints a touchback, but no they decided to kick it right into the hands of Bush, and boy did he capitalize on it. Bush litterally jumped through and over defenders to plow his way to another SIXTY FOUR YARD TD! He became the first guy since nineteen eighty four to have two punt returns in the same game. This punched a huge hole into the Vikings level of moral. But they werent about to give up yet.
With seven minutes left to play in the game Feorotte dropped back and launched one down the field to what at first appeared to be an incomplete pass, but Bernard Berrian somehow worked some magic and came up with the ball for a score to tie the game at twenty seven a piece. Then with a missed field goal by the saints the Vikings had one last shot to give it all they had to try and get a huge "W" on the board. After a huge mistake on the saints part by recieving a pass interference penalty on Bernard Berrian the Vikes saw the opportunity to prove everyone wrong. Longwell got the snap and kicked the field goal to score the final points of the game, a huge win for the Vikings.