Schindler Scene Analysis

The discrepancies between the film Schindler’s List and factual events that took place are apparent. When scrutinized it is obvious that the events that take place in the movie are in no way factual events that really took place. The possibility exists that some of the events portrayed in the film, or events similar to those portrayed in the film, really did take place, but, very few of the events in the film are supported by actual evidence. Yes, Oskar Schindler employed Jews who would have otherwise been kept in concentration camps, and yes, Oskar Schindler had many reasons to dislike and oppose the Nazi Regime. Although general concepts such as these were followed in the making of the film, the specific events that take place throughout the movie more than likely did not take place. In the last scene of the movie where Oskar Schindler is shown weeping for example. There is no evidence to support any event similar to this ever occurred, it is simply utilized to improve the film with an emotional, dramatic conclusion. Or the scene that takes place on top of Lasora Hill overlooking the ghetto as it is liquidized. No evidence exists, at least in the Schindler readings, that this event took place. Chances are it could not have due to SS security in the area. The truth is, the scene was the brainchild of someone involved in creating the film, it should not be believed as a true event that took place, as there is no evidence to support it. This film was not intended to be a biography of Oskar Schindler, but the “based on a true story” description can be misleading. This film should be viewed as a slice of cake with Hollywood frosting. The movie’s core is based around general true occurrences and ideas, but Hollywood added bits and pieces of zest in order to make it a good entertainment movie, not an informational film

Acid Reflux

I was just sitting down to write my Schindler Scene analysis, and i had a poptart and some milk to snack on while i wrote it. And i suddenly feel like im dying. ugh. i had acid reflux the first time i can remember roughly a year ago. i thought it was just something that happens to people sometime. But i started to get it  more often recently =/  I take medication for it now which helps most of the time. I just hope it kicks in soon. It's an aweful feeling...

So what is everyone taking next semester??

I have:

Intro to Pysch as a Social Science
1130-1245 Monday & Wednesday
Michelle Leonard

Composition 106
300-415 Monday & Wednesday
Charlie Meyers

Precalculus
350-540 Tuesdays & Thursdays
Masudar Quabili
 
and
 
Western art from 1400
1130-1245 Tuesdays & Thursdays
Wilkinson

Portfolio

Ok first off i have a question. I cant remember what our quick writes have been. I know the one we wrote most recently in class, but i cant recall the others or remember if some of my blogs were or weren't quick writes. So if anyone could let me know thatd help alot. thanks.

And second, I just got home and set up a folder on my desktop on this computer, and found all the papers from this class and the one from Lunn's, and copied them all into that folder. Then I either made a basic outline (for my business letter, table of contents, etc.) or just in notepad saved a small notepad of what i have to still do (get the 3 blogs, 3 quick writes, etc,) and saved those in the same folder. So this has made it alot easier for me to organize all of my things into one place and work on them as i need to. For anyone having trouble and feeling a little overwhelmed like i was id suggest doing this too.

Sorry for the spelling ive been staring at this screen for a while. haha.
See you all tuesday

WOW!

One more day in Mr. Lunn's class! How exciting. haha

So all semester long...

...Comp class has kinda been kickin my @$$. A lot of work and stuff, my only class i have more than once a week, and my first class of the day. But this class has the best group of students out of my 4 classes and the professor i find easiest to talk and relate to. And if it wasn't for this class i probably wouldn't have met Rachael =]  Who i've been seeing for a little while now and things are going really well. (she's kinda making me write this *cough cough*) hahaha. Not really. She just made a suggestion. But we went to see Ninja Assassin today, which was pretty cool, and we had a really good time. Just don't let my Soc professor know i skipped t go see it. And if she does find out... blame Rachael ;]

haha, later

SO MUCH TO DO!

I have...

POL 101:
1 Major paper
1 Final exam

SOC 200:
1 Presentation
1 Book to read
1 Final exam
various other things

LIBS 120:
3 (approximately) movie summaries to write
1 Major paper

And plenty more to do in this class...
And 3 weeks to do it all.
phew...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know I'm a little late but I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. This has been the best week I've had in a very long time =)

If anyone reads this before tmrw...

... I couldn't stick around to finish Patton in Prof. Lunn's class last week, and I'm not sure if we are just writing a paragraph like with the previous films or if it's different this time like it says on the syllabus, so if you stuck around till after the movie and could let me know if it's different or not that'd be great.
thnx.
Ross

Parkour/Free Running Club

I've gotten a lot of interest from my sociology class about parkour and I really want to start a club here. I don't know the procedure and what not for starting one but I'm looking into it. It won't take off until the spring when it starts warming up anyway, so I'm going to use the off season to plan and prepare. Anyone who's interested just let me know. I'd like to exchange phone #'s and other information before the end of the semester.

Thanks

Ross

My brother shot a unicorn

November 10th was opening day for rifle season. My little brother just got a .243 caliber Remington 700 rifle and on opening morning shot what he though was a spike. After the kill he discovered that the deer was missing an antler on the left side. So he killed a unicorn.

Ch.4 Strategies from Writing Analytically

I wrote this a while back after I ordered the correct Writing Analytically book, but I can't find that I ever posted it. Better late than never.

Uncovering assumptions and binary reading.

Stealing food for the children of Molching. On the surface Liesel, Rudy, and the other young thieves steal food to eat because they are hungry. But it is obvious these children enjoy the excitement of stealing as well. They form a social bond with eachother and Liesel and Rudy can't resist accompanying the other thieves on new assignments. For Liesel and Rudy stealing also works as a form of rebellion and even vigilante justice. After everything they have lost, they can steal some things back. But overall stealing is not just for the food, but for the children, and their friends, as they share their bounty even when they have no obligation too.

FDR - The Four Freedoms

FDR's Four Freedoms Speech addresses the basic rights that people are obligated to have. Freedom of speecg and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. His overall thesis in my opinion is that everyone deserves these freedoms. He is simply the messenger in a sense, as he says "...we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms." Calling them "essential" gives these freedoms the description of being not only necessary, but basic. These aren't radical ideas, just the "essential" rights human beings deserve. FDR uses past events and opinions to prject his predictions for the future, which I think really helps him develop his thesis. Coming at the topic through not only emotion. but logic, gains him an arguement which is hard to oppose.

About the youtube account

I've never uploaded to youtube before and I think I did it right, but I'm not positive. So if there are any problems let me know and I'll redo it.
thnx

Quick Write - The White Rose

I find it very hard to imagine myself in the place of the members of the The White Rose Resistance. To openly oppose the Nazi regime in Germany during the time was suicide. I find the methods that The White Rose Resistance used extremely honorable. Using non-violent resistance, and accepting their fate after capture is something I could not have done. Similar to the Jews in hiding during the time, I would have rather fought back in combat than be driven crazy in a small, dark attic for months straight. To lose control of my own freedom is something I would be unable to do. I would rather fight and die a free man, than hide and be imprisoned. As Hans cried out before his execution "Long live freedom!" I simply do not have the patience for non-violent resistance. To sit and wait hoping for others to hear my message and accept it. To hide in an attic and wait for liberation to come, knowing that I could be found at any minute. Many answered the call for resistance in a different way, The Partisans for example, I find extremely interesting. At the moment, I believe I will choose The Partisans for my research paper. I am a hunter, and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. If I was forced to give up the right to bear arms I would feel defenseless. I would feel like a prisoner to the government. People have not only the right, but an obligation to oppose a corrupt government. As The Partisans did, people need to fight their country. Because it is their country, just as much as Nazi Germany was Hitler's, Germany belonged to each and every Jew who lived there. And those who chose to conform or hide are cowards. They let the Holocaust happen, they let The White Rose Resistance be executed, they accepted Nazi Germany, when they should have fought back.

Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel's "Unniversal Lessons of the Holocaust" and chapter 2 of "Night" share some very familiar lines about Wiesel's experiences in a camp. I just read Jon's post about this topic and I really like his mention of how we are losing survivors who lived in these circumstances. Work like Wiesel's needs to be kept and maintained as we will soon run out of sources of this information. We must preserve what information we can for future generations to learn from the mistake made in the World War II era. I have just recently discovered that I have a relative who is a survivor of a concentration camp, and others who were victims of the camp. He never talks about it and I do not wish to disrespect him by talking about it, but finding this out has added a whole new emotional aspect to this topic. I'm finding it easier to relate to those who were affected by the Holocaust, and seeing Elie Wiesel's strength to talk so much about the issue when others are simply unable to, is an astounding feat. This lesson needs to be passed on so nothing like this ever happens again.

Paranormal Activity

I went and saw Paranormal Activity friday after a got home from class at the 10:40 showing, it was definitely worth the $5 I paid for the ticket, but I haven't had a good nights sleep since. haha. If you like scary movies GO SEE IT.

Midterm Evaluation

Last year at Edsel Ford High School I took AP Literature for my English class. I believe that class did a pretty good job preparing me for college writing in most aspects. However, I am learning that there is still a fairly big gap and many differences between the high school writing (even AP) and college level writing. One rule that I learned in high school that I am still having trouble getting over is the use of "I" in an essay. For four years, if not more in my pre-high school years, I was taught to NEVER use "I" of "me" in a paper. I never really understood why but after following the rule for so long I'm having trouble breaking free of it when I write formal papers. Even in just the short amount of time I've been in this class I have learned a lot about, and improved, my writing skills. Some specific things I have learned are analyzing literature more in depth, how to argue my opinions and support them, and I have learned about blogging. A few things I really like about this class, that I did not expect before we started, are The Book Thief, which was a story I really enjoyed, and also just how much we learn about WWII. In the past English classes were always about writing and reading... not really learning anything... just writing and reading. In a few months in this class I have learned more about writing and WWII than I have in years of other classes. So, overall, this class has been a very fluid transition for me, and I don't really have any complaints about it at all.

Fight Club

To anyone that has never, or has not within a good amount of time seen the movie "Fight Club," I strongly encourage you make the investment to. If you don't mind, or at least can hold out, through a few R rated scenes. Theres a decent amount of blood and a sex scene, coupled with some other stuff the squeamish may turn away from. But the overall idea, story and concept are fantastic in my opinion. Guy's will definately take more away from it as one line says something along the lines of "...we live in a world raised by women, I wonder if another woman is the answer we really need." But at any rate it's a great movie. My very favorite. I'd recommend checking it out.

later.

Paper Topics

I sat down last night and finished a first copy of my paper, and I had sveral topic ideas to pick from. Here are a few I didn't use if anyone is scrambling to think of something.

- Death haunted by humans (last line of the story)
- Death hating death
- Relationship between Liesel and the accordion
- Rudy and the teddy bear
- Michael Holtzapfel's life and death
- A sympathy with Liesel and Rudy that makes Allied bombers seem like "the bad guys"
- Death's emotions
- A world without words

Those are some topics I considered trying to form into a paper but I decided on another. So feel free to use, tweak, or modify any of these for your own papers.

Good luck.

Whitetail Season

Deer hunting season has began in Michigan. I don't know if there are any other hunters in the class but I'm excited to get out there. I could be wrong but Frank, you look like a hunter with that camo hat. lol. Let me know if I'm right, and good luck.

Later

Exile for Nazi Guards

Last time I wrote about this topic I supported the side of mercy for the guards in a comment on Mrs. Stewart's original post. So now I will take the opposite position.

I believe these men should be sent back to Germany. These "soldiers" were enemies to the United States for a number of years. They fought against your grandparents and their brothers and sisters. If it wasn't for men like these millions of lives could have been saved, the bombing of Pearl Harbor may have never happened, and the Jewish people would not have been punished and murdered. These men are not soldiers, they are criminals. They did not kill soldiers shooting at them, they murdered innocent men, women, and children. These men risked American lives, fought to end our nation, and then come to live here some years later? Does that make any sense? These Nazis who love Germany enough to murder children, should go back to their beloved country and be lucky they aren't tried for their crimes against a race of innocent human beings who did not deserve what these men condemned them to; they do not deserve to live on American soil with Jewish people and Americans who's family members died to stop their mass murders.

Liesel not Jewish

I found another part that leads me to believe the opposite of my earlier post. On page 161, in the beginning of the chapter called "Tricksters," there is a short discussion of how "...Liesel Meminger had it easy." followed by a statement saying "...anything was better than being a Jew."

This statement leads me to believe that Liesel is actually not Jewish.

Comment with your opinions supporting or opposing this claim.

Winston Churchill

On June 18th of 1940, Winston Churchill ended a speech with a quote I find absolutely brilliant. The moral boost this quote must have given the soldiers who heard it is almost unimaginable.

This speech was given to the House of Commons, Prime Minister after a series of events in Europe that leave Britain seemingly solitay against a Nazi Germany war machine that has, so far, steamrolled all who oppose it.

After bringing many events and future predictions to the attention of his audience, Churchill ends his speech with a small phrase that to this day is recycled and used very commonly with little knowledge that it was the infamous Churchill that first said those words. The words are as follows:

"...Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

This quote guarantees the brave British men that entered battle, thereafter, a place in history as the finest of their entire nation. The moral boost acquired from those words must have been enormous. Also, as I mentioned before, the words "finest hour" have been recycled in movies, tv series, and even video games like Call of Duty: Finest Hour. A military shooter based on WWII in Europe.

With an almost endless number of quotes by Winston Churchill, this remains one of my favorites.

A Jewish fist fighter

I just finished the part of The Book Thief where Liesel fights the kids at school, and it reminded me of a part I read earlier. On the bottom of page 5, there is a list of six things marked with an asterisk, the second from the bottom being "A Jewish fist fighter." Is this forshadowing Liesel's fight? Which would make her Jewish. Or maybe another part of the story I have yet to get to?

Introduction

Hello,

My name is Ross Bass. I am a freshman at the University of Michigan in Dearborn. I am new to blogging, and will begin by introducing myself. I graduated from Edsel Ford High School in 2009, as well as DCMST (the Dearborn Center for Math, Science, and Technology). Prior to high school I attended O.L. Smith Middle School and Nowlin Elementary. My father attended the University of Michigan in Dearborn, and my mother attended Henry Ford Community College, and has recently returned there in pursuit of new career options. I have two brothers, my older brother also attends Henry Ford Community College, and my younger brother attends middle school. I chose U of M Dearborn, primarily, due to its proximity to my home, as well as scholarships and other factors. I am still undecided as to my degree and future career choices, but plan on attending U of M Dearborn for at least four years.

Besides my academic career I am currently unemployed, besides occasional work for my dad's landscaping company, and I am currently focusing on my transition to college and succeeding thereunto. In my spare time I am a "traceur." A traceur is someone who practices or trains in the art of "parkour." The word parkour, as well as traceur, are French in origin. The Americanized version of parkour, "free running," is often referred to as the cousin to parkour, as it is in many ways similar, but varies in philosophy. Although no distinct line is dawn between parkour and free running, and the differences are often disputed. Some say free running is just parkour in English; while some draw large distinctions and even look down on free running. I myself, not saying I am right or wrong, learned that free running was more based on acrobatics (front flips, back flips, etc.), while parkour, or l'art du deplacement, is a physical discipline, not a sport, in which practitioners train to overcome physical obstacles (walls, buildings, trees, cars, etc.) as quickly and efficiently as possible. Parkour is primarily practiced in urban environments, but is in no way limited to them. Things like rock climbing or extreme hiking would be fantastic training locations for traceurs, and free runners alike. You can find loads of information online about parkour and free running, and hundreds of incredible videos. That is just a brief description off the top of my head as I am very often asked "What is that?" And for anyone that wants to learn more, I started a local crew (parkour slang for group or team) with some friends from high school, and we are always looking to expand, teach, and welcome new members. Contact me at GuerillasParkour@yahoo.com