Movie Review: Transformers 2

I went to go see Transformers 2. Now I hadn't gone to see the first one a few summers ago when it came out but the previews for this looked like I couldn't pass up this franchise any longer. It looked like a legit action movie with some funny parts to it. Overall I think the second movie did its job in the franchise, it was a transition movie to a mores serious plot point and while it seems that earth is truly endangered you always feel like they will find a way to win and that the threat isn't terribly great like in the first movie. In the first movie there a lot of unknowns about what will happen next. This time around the story line seemed to mesh with the first one and made sense. When Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) goes off to college he attempts to have a long-distance relationship with Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) this leads to mistrust on her part when he misses their first internet date. This is just the beginning of the trouble as we learn that the Decepticons have transformers all over the world. The clean-up of them ensues and Optimus Prime and the Autobots team up with US Special Forces in an attempt to corral up the evil Decepticons. The plot is somewhat shaky and hard to explain but you don't watch action movies for the plot or intellectual script, especially sequel action movies. For what it was, a sequel action movie, it got the job done. It has some great action sequences and allows the viewers to get a better feel of the first movie and understand some of what happened in it. You also learn along the way the history of the Transformers on Earth and why there are Decepticons and Autobots. We learn that Optimus Prime has a long legacy and he is the natural leader of the good guys. The evil guys of course come after the main characters and their friends, this sequence plays out over Egypt and the pyramids and that there is an ancient evil weapon in one of the pyramids. In the end, Sam give Optimus Prime a second life and saves mankind in the process, and of course he gets the girl in the end. This movie is worth watching if you are a fan of the first or just want to know more about what happened and why in the first movie. I definitely don't recommend it if you haven't seen the first or really disliked the first. It is an action movie with lots of action and a decent enough script to get by. It gets dull sometimes but overall I'd give it 3 and a half stars.

Newspaper Article #4

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britain-biggs8-2009aug08,0,7700104.story

This article details how one of Britain's most famous criminals has finally been released from custody. Ronnie Biggs has become a British Legend after being a part of the "Great Train Robbery" back in 1963. He was captured and sentenced to prison for injuring the driver of the train but he escaped from jail and fled to Brazil where he lived on beaches and relaxed in a "playboy and luxurious lifestyle". He repeatedly flaunted his fortune and easy lifestyle in Brazil. The Brazilian government refused to extradite him to the British Authorities and his rebellion in full view of the British government led to him being a "cult icon" in the British Isles. He decided to return to Britain and was arrested immediately. He spent the past few years in prison and is no longer capable of taking care of himself. The British government released him being that he is no longer a threat to society.

I think what he did was wrong but his story is humorous, he stuck it to the British government repeatedly and I find it funny just from a personal perspective. I think what they did was right and humane.

Newspaper Article #3

http://www.sj-r.com/news/x2121671158/Springfield-VFW-post-put-in-jeopardy-by-legalized-video-betting

This article from the State Journal-Register is about the new video gambling law that was enacted in Illinois. The purpose was to provide legalized, money payout video gambling in bars, restaurants, and veterans establishments. The end goal of this new program/law was to provide much-needed funds to pay for the capital construction program that is in progress currently. However, in this budget crisis there was an absence of money for the program. The general infrastructure around the capital needed some much needed improvements. The legislature was looking for a way to pay for this plan and the end result was taxes from legalized video gambling. The issue that has arisen from the new law is that bars and veterans halls were already using video gambling to help keep their business afloat. They were taking money for it and paying out under the table and using the revenue to stay in business or for the veterans halls, stay open. This will be an issue to keep an eye on as businesses struggle with the new laws and cuts of their profits are sent to the state. I think that while illegal, in the tough economy it wasn't hurting anything to keep them open with under the table payouts.

Real World: Cancun Blog #3

So I just got a chance to check out Episode 6. It was alright. Just tons of drama. There were two main story lines for this episode, Joey potentially being fired for missing work which means he would have to leave Real World and Jonna and her boyfriend having trust issues along with her kind of playing him. The whole get Ayiiia out of the house project by CJ and Joey doesn't pop up except for them to reiterate that the problem hasn't gone away. Joey just has authority issues and doesn't like rules. He skips work and gets put on probation after a long drawn out decision is made by the leaders of where they work, Student City. Jonna has her boyfriend come and stay for a little bit and they seem great and happy and then once he leaves she finds a guy on spring break that she likes and they hangout and they sleep together without doing anything and she doesn't tell her boyfriend but expresses her concerns over some of his downsides and weaknesses. This season is shaping up to be as drama filled as all the others.

Hell's Kitchen Season 5 Blog #3

Alright back to the blog grind. I just finished up Episode 3. That was a doozy. Lots of yelling and screaming but man is the Head Chef taking an axe to the Cooking Instructor's confidence. He constantly berates her and she's always messing up. She's lucky Gi saved her on the woman's team's only elimination. The challenge was won by the men who correctly named and place cuts of meat. They got to go on a wine tasting and steak house dinner flown there on a private jet while the women had to eat cow insides (not meat hint hint) and butcher the meat to get the cuts for the next night's dinner. The punishment was disgusting to watch and they were all puking as they ate intestine, heart, liver, tongue, and a whole host of things that should never be consumed. If that's not motivation I don't know what is. In the service challenge their was two parts, serving and cooking. The men cooked first while the women served and the men had a horrendous time trying to keep it all together. You knew right off the bat when they tried to send out dessert first that it wasn't gonna go well. They had a chef from a steak house cooking the meat and he messed it up. How does that happen? This challenge should have been a walk in the park but they got cocky and were tripped up. The woman absolutely destroyed both parts and they won fairly easily. Although with the Head Chef constantly watching it's never easy. It ended with Charlie going home after Seth gave a massive speech to the Head Chef. The rest of the team was disappointed Seth would be coming back. I really hope he gets kicked off soon, I'm sick of listening to him speak. ON TO EPISODE 4!

Hell's Kitchen Season 5 Blog #2

Well I just finished up Episode 2 and I must say I really am beginning to dislike the two whiners on the ladies team. They can't hack it, bottom line. I don't understand why he doesn't send them both home with muzzles. However, that's TV so I can live with it I guess. It's just they're so annoying and they talk back to the Head Chef. Seriously they need to realize he's not joking and he will tear them apart mercilessly. In this episode, he wake them up at the crack of dawn with two snare drums and a cymbal. You can't make this up, he takes them outside to receive their shipment of fresh scallops and then has a contest to see who can shuck the most scallops to his standard, which is perfect if you haven't figured that out, the guys win in a narrow 35-34 contest and win a trip to a beautiful island to ride on a glass bottom type boat. Meanwhile, the girls team has to get the raw bar ready by shucking and prepping all the shellfish for the raw bar. Lacy the team whiner and lazy incompetent one decides she doesn't want to and lays in her bed all day until service opens. She then kicks up her skills and actually shows someone how to do something! Amazing! The girls end up losing and instead of sending home one of the incompetents Gi volunteers because she is injured and unable to compete. On to the next episode.

Hell's Kitchen Season 5 Blog #1

Alright for my second reality tv show I decided to try Hell's Kitchen because I had never watched it before but I knew that I liked Bravo's Top Chef show. I absolutely love this show. Hard to believe right? Big guy likes a cooking show. Not the reason I like it, most of the food looks disgusting. This definitely makes me wanna watch the new season that just started. The Head Chef is just funny to watch. I wish it was uncensored because he just rips on these chefs in an English accent which multiplies the funny factor by at least 10. I watched Episode Number 1 and this is where he picks the chefs and has them cook their best dish. Pure classic quote from this? "I definitely intend to prove to the Head Chef I can cook better than this." Don't you think your SIGNATURE DISH should be the thing you can cook best. Just a thought on that. Of course this is the lady who cooks buffet style for mid-level executives. How she made the show I don't know. Another classic comment was "most people think I'm the pretty girl trying to cook, but I can cook" ok lady which is why you're cooking for a buffet. You say you've never cooked in a restaurant so what makes you think you have the chops to cook in the best chef in the world's restaurant? Anyways back to the show, the first challenge ends up with the men's team going down in flames after a total disaster of a night at the kitchen. The reason the girl's won? They boozed up the clients when they messed up the food. Awesome strategy and you have to give them major props for the waitress/cook to think that up. Wil gets sent home because he decided he should. Why would you ever put yourself up for elimination and not fight for yourself? Great show and I'm gonna go watch Episode 2 now. Stay Tuned.

Real World: Cancun Blog #2

Alright well first off, a big thank you to MTV for pulling over half their online content making a summer assignment just that more difficult and aggravating. Anyways back to the show. I just finished up watching Episode 5 and no longer want to watch. This show just got ridiculous. This chick keeps cutting herself and balling her eyes out. Where are the producers to step in and get her help that she quite clearly needs. Especially since she does a PSA after the show is over about cutting. Wouldn't that actually give the show, oh just a tad bit of legitimacy. She should not be in the house and she should be given help. Instead the master of aggravation and getting to people has taken up the cause of making her leave the house by making her feel bad. Great plan. The whole episode is about this back and forth crying and cutting vs. the the guys wanting her to leave. Bottom line, she plays the victim in everything and is always yelling" it's not my fault" and "I didn't start it" while clearly she makes snide comments or starts drama. The guys finally get sick of the charade and go off on her in a clearly deserving rant. Awesome, let the showdown begin. Her response to the rant? Crying hysterically to every single roomate one at a time. Really? She shows she just wants attention and then when everyone leaves her, she cuts herself. Attention grabber much? So the episode ends with the battle still brewing but not a full out war going. We'll see how this plays out.

Real World: Cancun Blog #1

Ok, so for my first reality tv show of the summer I went with Real World: Cancun. I don't know why it seemed like a decent choice at the time. I hate watching the dating/talent/singing reality shows so MTV was a last resort. I watched episode number one tonight on the internet and it was nuts. Typical Real World stuff except crazier this season apparently. Here's the short rundown. It's four guys and four girls this season. They go out and party the first night and party way to hard. One of the guys passes out in the hotel lobby and another pukes on his roomie. Nice way to start it off guys. The second night the punk band guy finds this girl at the club and makes out with her while the muscle man in the group makes out with her mom. Seriously dude, find a hot chick you're in Cancun hooking up with moms? Anyways Punk Rock man is the first one in the house to bring a chick back and get tail. Congrats. Real World is officially in season now. Oh almost forgot had the first breakup too. That was awesome listening to everyone give their two cents because the dude snuggled with someone. So of course post-breakup he does what every other guy would do, get dreads. Right? Yeah this season really should get better as that was the first two days.

Newspaper Article #2

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x639778452/University-of-Illinois-president-describes-culture-of-influence

This article describes how the University of Illinois is under investigation for admitting under qualified candidates because they had political clout pushing for them to be admitted to the University. The governor has a special commission set up to investigate just how far the dirty politics has spread to the Board and to the admissions department. Under Governor Blagojevich potential students were admitted to the University and its Law School who were under qualified but admitted because they were related to politically powerful people. The current University President who inherited the problem four years ago is regretful he didn't pursue this aggresively when he came to office but is trying to correct the issue now and so far evidence says he wasn't involve but people are calling for the Admissions Board and University Board members to step down from their positions as they were put in place by Blago. It's pretty obvious at this point that everything Blago touched in office is completely tainted by pay-to-play politics.

Newspaper Article #1

http://www.sj-r.com/news/x592697392/Churches-church-groups-slated-to-receive-millions-from-state-capital-plan

The newly passed Illinois state budget now includes provisions to give millions in tax payer money to help churches and religious organizations. In the state budget approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor, there are several churches that are slated to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for unspecified "general infrastructure" this clearly violates the Illinois Constitution which in three separate instances saying that there must be a separation between church and state. The argument being made is that these funds help with secular programs offered to the public that will assist citizens with different problems they face. However, the general infrastructure term is disturbing many who feel that their taxes should not be spent to help tax-exempt churches. When these churches need help in maintaining structures especially this year when the state has had sever issues with its budget and deficit. There have been lawsuits threatened and this issue will be watched closely by many.