Ranking War Films:

Most war films contain questionable material, whether it is the actions of a single solider or the commands for a whole group. While watching a war film I must ask myself did the writer add some of this information just to keep the audience interested. As you check the film clips below, ask yourself do men response this way under the pressure of war. I have placed the most believable one at the top of the list and continue down to the most unbelievable one last.






















#1 The Big Red One (28 May 1980 France) Written and Directed by: Samuel Fuller
Stars: Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill and Robert Carradine
This is a about story of a sergeant and the inner core members of his unit as they try to serve in and survive World War II. The first strange thing in this film is that the sergeant will visit a place and encounter the enemy on the same site in both wars. The main four men under this sergeant never get shoot or wounded. For three years these men never went home or were reassigned different from the others. The sergeant does get shoot but survives and regroups with his four remaining men. When they came ashore on French soil, the French attacked them for awhile until the French were being defeated then they surrendered but were told to join the American troops.


#2 Full Metal Jacket (26 June 1987 USA) Director: Stanley Kubrick Writers: Gustav Hasford (novel), Stanley Kubrick (screenplay)
Stars: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey and Vincent D'Onofrio
A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow Marine recruits from their brutal basic training to the bloody street fighting set in 1968 Hue, Vietnam. The drill sergeant pushes a recruit referred to as Gomer Pile to far. This soldier after passing basic training kills the sergeant and himself. This movie shows some soldiers being sent by helicopter on which the gunner is shooting at any person on the ground he sees. He did not care which side they were on.





















#3 Saving Private Ryan (24 July 1998 USA) Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Robert Rodat
Stars: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon and Tom Sizemore
Following the Normandy landings, a group of US soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. The unbelievable thing, after several soldiers have been killed trying to find Ryan, he refuses to leave his post. He disobeys orders causing most of the platoon stays and dies defending the bridge that he refused to leave. Ryan does survive, while the tough Lt. dies.


#4 The Thin Red Line (15 January 1999 USA) Director: Terrence Malick Writer: James Jones (novel
Stars: James Caviezel, Sean Penn and Nick Nolte
This film focuses on the conflict at Guadalcanal during World War 2 where the Japanese held a strong hold. The unbelievable part, after most of the men were killed by the Japanese hiding under the huts, the remaining soldiers were told they could go back behind the lines. They chose to attack the rock fortress known as the elephant. They did over take this point and defeated the Japanese.




#5 We Were Soldiers (1 March 2002 USA) Director: Randall Wallace Writers: Harold G. Moore (book), Joseph L. Galloway (book)
Stars: Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe and Greg Kinnear
This story of the first major battle of the American phases of the Vietnam War and is the account of Colonel Harold G. Moore of the soldiers on both sides that fought. The colonel was always comparing his battalion to General Custer. The amazing thing was that the soldiers were dropped into enemy held territory in groups of 60 men and it would take at least 30 minutes to get more soldiers there. They did not know the number of enemy soldiers in the area until they captured an enemy soldier. He told them there were over 4,000 soldiers in the nearby mountain. Col.Moore had a total of 395 men under his command. When the Colonel was order out without his men he defused. He had told them he would be the first to set foot on enemy soil and the last to leave which he proved. The Colonel went back to Vietnam a second time for a term of 235 days. During the days of this war his wife took on the task of delivering the western union telegrams to the wives and families of the soldiers killed.





















#6 Hamburger Hill (1987 USA)
The unbelievable thing that stands out was why they were trying to obtain this Hill 937. Over 70% of the soldiers were killed, and the battle took 10 days. This film showed footage of American soldiers being shot by our own men in helicopters. They used maypom to set fire to the top of the hill but it show how the enemy had caves dug into the hills to protect them. It seems we could have surrounded the bottom of the hill and waited until their supplies ran out.






















#7 To Hell and Back (18 October 1955 Japan) Director: Jesse Hobbs Writers: Gil Doud, Audie Murphy (autobiography "To Hell And Back")
Stars: Audie Murphy, Marshall Thompson and Charles Drake
This is a true story about Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in U.S. history. This film was hard for me to believe because Audie was only 19 years old when he received his medals. He was discharged because he had been wounded. As a soldier he seemed to take chances, while tell the other older soldiers to stay down. They thought they would need to protect him from being killed but he ends up being the hero. He even captures an enemy tank and uses it against them.

In closing I would like to suggest if you have not seen any of these films to do so because I could not rank them according to my favorite because they were all good. You may rank them differently.

Computer Systems Analysts

To make a career choice you must begin by understanding what the job entails. Knowing what a computer systems analyst does is important part in being prepared. What leads me to making a decision about my future was a job layoff. When ask if I had any desire to try a new line of work the area of computers seems to have a large choice. There are several different fields dealing with computers. The one with medium pay range was called compute systems analysts. The information I received was that this field could be entered after only a two year degree. After learning that it makes take longer than I thought it will become a long term goal.
A systems analyst must be willing to do research on the project he plans to pursue even before doing the actual job. He must know hardware and software used in the computer fields. The analyst gives advice to the uses about which software or hardware devices would work the best in some cases the analyst helps with the development of a new system. There are four talents person that does this work develops and fine tunes throughout his career. First he need to understand the companies and what is its purpose. With technical skills comes an understanding of the potential and the limitations of information technology. An analyst develops management skills to be able to perform projects, manage the resources, and handle risk he must take in the choices he makes. Lastly he should work well with the system users and other personnel.

Systems analysts may act as liaisons between vendors and the organization they represent. They may be responsible for developing cost analyses, design considerations, and implementation time-lines. They may also be responsible for feasibility management. Basically a systems analyst performs the following tasks. Interact with the customers to know their requirements, interact with designers to convey the possible interface of the software, interact /guide the coders/developers to keep track of system development, perform system testing with sample/live data with the help of testers, implement the new system and prepare high quality documentation.(Cashman 1) Some aspects of those working with computers can be confusing. There are those who study computer science but enter a different field like designing or upgrading the hardware used in the systems. There are areas of networking that overlap the computer analysis job, but he does not need a degree in that field. There are more general titles or names used to fit the exact job, all analysts do not use that title.

When a system is approved, systems analysts oversee the implementation of the required hardware and software components. They coordinate tests and observe the initial use of the system to ensure that it performs as for computer programmers to follow; then they work with programmers to “debug,” or eliminate errors, from the system. After the system has been implemented, tested, and debugged, computer systems analysts maytrain its users and write instruction manuals. Because they are responsible for both programming and systems analysis,these workers must be proficient in both areas. As this dual proficiency becomes more common,analysts are increasingly working with databases, object-oriented programming languages, client–server applications, and multimedia and Internet technology. (US Dept. 1)
The outlook for growth shows that the industries which use technology are growing faster than any other. This growth is forecasted through 2014. Many analysts are moving into the field of specialized consultants. A computer systems analyst should specialize in businesses that depend on information technology to keep growing. An analyst must keep himself update in their skills. Now we will look at the education and training needed for this career. Business enterprises generally prefer individuals with information technology, business, and accounting skills and frequently assist employees in obtaining these skills. Employers usually look for people who have broad knowledge and experience related to computer systems and technologies, strong problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to think logically.
Instead of a degree, some employers other job qualifications vary greatly by employer, but generally include. Knowledge of a specific computer system, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, good interpersonal and communication skills, background in the employer's industry, empathy for the financial bottom line, typical experience required is two years or more. But, some employers accept advanced degrees instead,while others offer entry-level jobs and internships that require no experience. Certain systems analyst jobs require a security clearance, such as those at government agencies or corporations that serve the government on contract. (Niznik 1) One reason for wanting to enter this field of work is the working environment. Many jobs must be done working with the weather. Some people work outside in the rain, heat, cold and in the snow. The people you work around also effects the way you feel and on how you perform. This tells the drawbacks to working with computers. Computer systems analysts work in offices or laboratories in comfortable surroundings. Many work about 40 hours a week, but some work more than 50 hours a week. Some analysts telecommute, using computers to work from remote locations. Injuries in this occupation are uncommon, but computer systems analysts, like other workers who spend long periods typing on a computer, are susceptible to eyestrain, back discomfort, and hand and wrist problems systems analysts vary depending on the job. (US Dept. 1)The job duties change according to the business of the company. On the most part the analyst keeps the system updated and working to meet information technology needs. Sometimes revamp a system to do a new task or networking computer systems. The coordinating of information with programmers, network-security specialists and software engineers is a part of the job. The employment of an analyst and advancement are important to those who are willing to work their way up higher.
Career advancement for computer systems analysts with leadership skills includes promotion to middle-management positions, such as project manager or manager of information systems, or even executive positions such as chief information officer (CIO). (Niznik 1)
Computer systems analysts held about 532,200 jobs in 2008. Although they are employed in many industries, 24 percent of these workers were in the computer systems design and related services industry. Computer systems analysts also were employed by governments; insurance 30,300 computer systems analysts were self-employed in 2008. (US Dept.1)

Employment of computer systems analysts is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for these workers will increase as organizations continue to adopt and integrate increasingly sophisticated technologies and as the need for information security grows. (Niznik 1)
The topic that will be shared is the salary of those that are using skills as analysts. Some have different titles but they all link with Information technology.According to Robert Half International, 2005 starting salaries for systems analysts ranged from $61,500 to $82,500. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 2005 starting salaries were from $44,417 to $62,727, depending on the degrees .(Niznik 1)Systems Analyst in 2009 earned from $67,500 to $93,250. In 2010 the projected earnings were $ 65,250 to $ 92,250. CRM Business Analyst earned $65,250 to $ 90,500 in 2009. Data Warehouse Analyst earned in 2009 was 8100,500 to $108,750. E-Commerce Analyst earned $ 66,250 to $96,250. (Messmer 10 -11)

NASA-funded game

From www.digg,com I was sent to the following website http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/07/nasa-funded-game-aims-to-make-science-more-appealing.ars. It contains an article about how NASA has started backing and making video games about space which could increase the interest in true science. I think this is long over due. Space has been turned into a science-fiction story. The real facts are after you leave the ground your life could suddenly end. Movies have made space seem like normal life down here on earth. I have not played the game but hope it shows the danger when something could go wrong like the “Apollo 13 Mission.”The first game is called Moonbase Alpha. I f it catches on the next game will be Astronaut: Moon Mars and Beyond. There is a free download at the site.

New Bond Movie Shelved

This is about a movie that MGM has shelved, because MGM has 4 million dollars of debt. The movie is a James Bond movie called” Bond 23”. Most of the talk around this article was about should they quit making Bond movies? The world of a spy seems to no longer exist in the minds of most people. Viewers watching Bond movies can almost believe they are real. Other movies make the hero unbelievable, whether by their strength or their talents. These made Bond dull to watch because he is predictable. This article made a reference to the character, of Jason Bourne, who has abilities greater than a normal man. We want an adrenaline rush from the beginning to the end of each movie. The site was http://theweek.com/article/index/204868/should-mgm-kill-james-bond

15 Quotes Out of Order

A link at dig.com led me to another web site which I have never visited ..Www.womansday.com/articles/family-lifestyle/ where there was an article titled “15 Most Memorable Movie Quotes”. This article had movie clips just in case you have forgotten or never seen the quotes. I watch a lot of movies and had seen all of these. I think they were in the wrong order of popularity. I would like to suggest that maybe you visit this site and decide for yourself, which quotes should be at the top. It was funny that people could remember these quotes.

A Writer’s Recovery

An article from www.digg.com titled “the writer who could not read” attracted my attention. A Canadian writer woke up one morning and could not understand the words on his newspaper. It was later learned, he had suffered a stroke that disabled a part of his brain. The article went into detail explaining how he relearned to use another part of his brain to take the read and write. Although part of his brain is still damaged he can carry on a normal life.

Boeing 787

An article caught my interest this week about a new Boeing airplane. The article is found at wired .com. This was a new test airplane that was struck by lighting which showed no damage. I have always believed that anything that was not grounded would not receive a lighting strike. The plane being struck makes me think maybe it is not a good idea to fly in bad weather. I have also believed that rubber acts as insulators like wheels on a car to protect it during a storm, but I could be wrong.