Week 8 Blog Post

Topic 1:

                There are long lists of books that are complained about each year either for being in libraries or in schools. There were a few that were challenged recently that I knew of like “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Looking for Alaska,” “The Hunger Games,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”  Some of the reasons that these books were challenged were for offensive language, sexual content, and racism. Many of them were deemed unsuitable for the age group of the school I assume they were being read in.

                I think that though the content in question may be iffy for very young people, banning books is not the answer. If someone has a ginormous problem with one of the books being presented at a school, they should talk with the teacher and get an exception. But everyone has different beliefs and limits, and restricting content from everyone because of one set of opinions is nonsensical. I understand that not everyone wants their children or themselves exposed to explicit or foul language, as I am not entirely fond of either in excess myself. But if there is content I don’t want to read, I simply don’t read it. I believe that people should be given the option and access if they wish. Everyone is going to be exposed to these things at some point in their life, and though it’s good for parents to be protective of what their children see, most of the time kids in those school systems will have already seen much worse. People would miss out on incredible literature if they were denied some of these works because someone somewhere got offended by a cuss word or two.

Topic 2:

                Visitors in my home would find a huge variety of books and authors. Some of my favorites would be in my room – authors like Ted Dekker, John Green, Frank Peretti, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Frederick Douglass, Bill Meyers and Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s actually very hard to narrow down now that I think about it – the list could go on and on.

                At this point in my life, the books that most appeal to me are mysteries/thrillers and romance, either fiction or non-fiction. Inspirational biographies and autobiographies are amazing, as well. Learning about people and their adventures is one of the most entertaining things to me. I’ve tried to be well-rounded in my reading through the years, and have purposely expanded my interests to include many genres. Dramas, religious books, comics, poetry books, journals, and satire were some of what I read. As a kid, I would read encyclopedias and dictionaries because my love for words was so great. Slave narratives, short stories – I even poured over dog training books when I got my first puppy. Being homeschooled allowed me a lot of freedom in the literature I studied, and I learned from so many great sources. I even have read books on how to write books. And I keep them all. They’re my companion, my escape to another place, and my own writing inspiration.

                In his book “The Fault in our Stars,” John Green writes: “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” And it’s so true. Stories are such powerful things. My collection has really come from all over - Amazon and Barnes & Noble have provided me with more than a few. The Christian Bookstore sold me many of my favorites, and I have also had many classics handed down from my grandma.

                I honestly don’t think that I could make a transition to an e-book for any other purpose than it being educational. So much of reading is about your imagination – and when it becomes digital like everything else, it just makes me think there will be more distractions. One of the huge things about reading being interesting is that you engage with the material. So if there were popups on every page, I would find it hard to concentrate on the characters. This concept is, however, a plus for learning. If schools could harness this idea, it would be very beneficial for the “uninteresting” material. All in all, there is a balance. I think that both ways of reading have their positives and negatives, and that neither should be completely done away with.

Blog Project #2 – Movie Review of "Gone Girl"

                I watched the movie “Gone Girl” as soon as it came out on DVD, as many of my friends were raving about it, and the trailers had seemed intriguing. I had seen it appear in the news, heard of the actors, listened to the buzz about the book, and all that I was hearing was that it was a well-made, chilling mystery. With no bad reviews, I thought why not? 

                At the very end of the trailer the main character asks if his interrogator has ever heard the expression “The simplest answers are always the correct ones” to which she responds, “Actually, I’ve never found that to be true.” That is what hooked me. It’s a glimpse of an unopened mystery box within the movie that is sitting there waiting to be discovered.  It turns out that box was bursting with countless surprises.

                The plot of “Gone Girl” was originally from a book by an author named Gillian Flynn. She worked tirelessly with David Fincher in order to adapt it to the masterpiece it is now on film. There were many well-known actors and actresses, the main characters being played by Rosamund Pike, Ben Affleck, and Neil Patrick Harris. According to IMDb, Rosamund Pike was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (for the Academy Awards), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (for Golden Globes), and Best Leading Actress (for BAFTA Awards). David Fincher was given a nomination for Best Director, and author Gillian Flynn was nominated for Best Screenplay.

                The movie begins on the fifth anniversary of Nick and Amy, when suddenly Amy is nowhere to be found. Questions and accusations soon begin to pummel Nick and he struggles with the unrelenting attention from the media. As each secret of his is brought to light, it seems more and more a possibility that he killed his own wife.

                So far according to “The Numbers,” “Gone Girl” made $368,562,331 in the box office world-wide, and $19,861,927 in total video sales.

                David Fincher has directed for a wide variety of shows and films including “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Social Network,” “House of Cards” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” While being comfortable in more than one genre, I would say he has been most successful in thriller/suspense movies – a category that “Gone Girl” happens to fall under. I would say it is far superior to other movies of its type. At times, thrillers can get boring or confusing if there are too many plot twists, but “Gone Girl” placed just enough clues that the viewer could keep following without unraveling the entire mystery at once.

                I think this movie is important to culture because there are still very few movies that really depict women as truly having the same, or even superior, capacity for evil as men. Some seem to believe it is actually a somewhat warped push of feminism. In an article for “The Ranger News” by Krista Skweres, she makes the point that in this particular movie, all the strongest characters are women. Nick’s wife Amy, the Sheriff, and even the reporter, all assert huge amounts of authority and power. Though the story may indeed be perverse, you cannot find weakness in these women. Link to full article here: http://trnonline.org/2014/11/06/gone-girl-pro-feminism-in-its-own-twisted-way/.

                Gillian Flynn, the author of the original story had an interview in the New York Times in which she asserted: “Of course, it’s not misogynistic. Women shouldn’t be expected to only play nurturing, kind caretakers. That’s always been part of my goal — to show the dark side of women. Men write about bad men all the time, and they’re called antiheroes.” When asked if she was surprised when people had the reaction they did, she further noted “I had about 24 hours where I hovered under my covers and was like: ‘I killed feminism. Why did I do that? Rats. I did not mean to do that.’ And then I very quickly kind of felt comfortable with what I had written.” Link to full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/arts/talking-with-the-authors-of-gone-girl-and-wild.html?_r=0.

                I believe the author was speaking to a younger generation, but also the general beliefs of this culture. In both the book and the movie, the goal was to show something that hasn’t really been shown before, because maybe it’s something that people haven’t grasped yet. She says of the plot, “A theme that has always interested me is how women express anger, how women express violence. That is very much part of who women are, and it’s so unaddressed. A vast amount of literature deals with cycles of violence about men, antiheroes. Women lack that vocabulary.”

                I think the movie is incredible. The characters are all extremely fascinating, and the viewer’s curiosity is held until the very end. Because it was based on a true story, it makes you wonder if the events taking place in the movie happen more often than we think. I would say it’s one of David Fincher’s best movies, and the actors and actresses did exceptionally well depicting such dark and shadowy personalities. I think it will be remembered because of the message of the story – it’s so different than what culture is used to being portrayed.

                As far as reviews go, on “Rotten Tomatoes,” 88% positive feedback was given, the consensus being: “Dark, intelligent, and stylish to a fault, Gone Girl plays to director David Fincher's sick strengths while bringing the best out of stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Link here: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gone_girl. In a review from “Vanity Fair” (watch out for spoilers!) the following is written about the movie: “Smartly shot, detailed (the opening and closing credits have a ghostly simplicity to them that gave me chills), and performed, it’s a designer-made studio film that dares to be about big, difficult stuff. It’s also often very funny. But that doesn’t mean you’ll leave the theater with a bounce in your step.”

                Because of the movie, I am now very interested in the book, having not read it before, and also the author, who seems to have a knack for mysteries. I love this genre in media, and I look forward to reading Flynn’s work, as well as watching the subsequent creations of David Fincher as time goes on. Several in my family have already watched the movie, and they are just as happy with it as the friends who recommended that I first watch it. If you are one who enjoys a good thriller, I would recommend it to you as well. 

Week 6 Blog Post

Topic 1:

                I would read or buy a newspaper if they truly implemented some of the ideas that were tossed around in Jacek Utko’s TED Talk. I absolutely adore the fact that he said that he treated his newspaper like a piece of music. Fluidity is so vital to whether or not a bit of reading is pleasant for me. Without a certain flow, you have people who just read small parts of the paper and skip over the rest, and some like me, who are just not picking it up at all. I love the way content and design can work together and make something truly beautiful. It wasn’t just words, it was art. As a creative, artsy type, I always appreciate imagination and originality in any sort of manuscript. There is an abundance of ways to relay information – I appreciate it when it’s not all the same! What if newspapers involved kids? Not just comics, but interactive games for kids and their parents. What if they started a story and the readers could finish it? I guess it’s about looking at newspapers like a piece of art. That’s what would interest me.

                I really think it is important for newspapers to be online. Everything is moving onto the internet, and if the news stations are smart, they will as well. Another thing is that they should collaborate – let other people write the stories that they’re best at, and link it. Just like Jarvis said, not everyone needs to write about the exact same thing. It would be more helpful if they just did what they did best, and linked the rest. We talked about this some in class, but if newspapers want to have relevant things to say, they need to focus on the things that are happening within their own community, and make it more personal.

TOPIC 2:

                I found a particularly interesting Media Blog Project post from Cole’s blog. I noticed it at first because it was about Michael Jordan. I used to love watching basketball, and that man was truly a legend. The commercial is pretty good – it tells us not to make excuses, but actually put in effort and work hard for greatness. The commercial was made strong by the fact that he was the one speaking – it put power to his message. He’s really one of those people that everyone looks up to.

                There are a lot of things that he has inspired his audiences to do. In a website about Jordan (http://addicted2success.com/motivation/5-motivational-lessons-michael-jordan-taught-us/) it emphasizes those qualities he reiterates in all of his ads. Take action, find a solution, use teamwork, practice and always improve. Along with the “Maybe it’s my fault” advertisement, I have seen a few other commercials that use his voice and talent to promote their products, as well. These are some of the best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TRY6_paIpw. 

Week 5 Media Blog

TOPIC 1:

                After watching the TED Talk interviewing Edward Snowden about WikiLeaks, I think the actions taken can be very valuable. As he said, when there are secrets within organizations and government like that, it can have great potential to be helpful information. I believe that we deserve to know what our government is doing and not doing. I do not think the activities of Snowden so much reckless as they are enlightening. Even though there will be continued negative responses to WikiLeaks’ moves either from people who think it only sheds the worst light on mostly good groups, or ones who become terribly offended that the world has seen what they were “not supposed to,” information like that will help keep the public informed. I do not think that there would be so much of a continuous flow of information if people did not feel in some way that it was right to do so.

                In many regards, I am happy with the current state of free speech and freedom of expression. As an individual, I am lucky to live in a place where I can enjoy the religion I choose and act on my own beliefs. I get to say what I want to say, and do what I want to do for the most part. There are instances in which I feel many people have been upset by government interference, like the recent issues of whether or not customers receive gay or anti-gay messages that they want on their cake. In those situations, the rules seem to constantly change, and the public accommodations almost seem to contradict individual rights. If a business owner cannot exclude certain customers, as a consequence of the pursuit of “true equality,” is that not violating the owner’s rights?

TOPIC 2:
                The First Amendment (freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government) means a lot of things to me. Obviously, it protects advertising and the press in a huge variety of ways we are learning about in this class, but also allows the me to act on any belief if I want to, even permitting the burning of the American flag as protest. For me, the most important example of how I exercise my rights is in religion. I can talk about my belief in God in my speeches on campus, or pray in public places if I so desire. In other parts of the world, inhabitants are not so fortunate.

                There are instances all the time of people taking their rights to the extreme, like neo-Nazis proclaiming that they were going to parade down the streets of Holocaust survivors with swastikas. Or extremists brandishing signs with messages like “Thank God for dead soldiers” at memorial services for our troops.  Undeniably, this world is one that is enthusiastic to cause offense. Whether the threat, or extreme behavior, is pointed towards a minority or the majority, I don’t think that getting the government involved in limitation is necessarily the right thing to do. The government is no more perfect than we are, and they would be acting out of their own interests, just like we are. The people who advocate for limitation would most likely end up unhappy, as those in command would be just as, if not more, fickle. On all the large issues like religion rights, abortion rights, and gay rights, the government has supported each side of each argument on numerous occasions. Yes, there are threatening protests, campaigns and demonstrations, but I think the suggestion that government should control more of the things we say or act on could undoubtedly produce more of a grave situation. We need to be able to express our own ideas. After all, if there is no controversy, would it really be America?  

The Sixth Extinction: Extra Credit Write-up

               On February 2nd, I got the chance to see Elizabeth Kolbert, a Heinz Award-winner who is very passionate about the topic of global warming. She has written a couple of books, but she was discussing her most recent. During the speech, she made several shocking and valid points. Firstly, she said that in the extinction taking place, humans are the asteroid.

                There are three things that are contributing to this extinction. In the atmosphere, there have been huge amounts of climate change, with the temperature rising very quickly which we call global warming. Last year, we thrust ten billion metric tons of carbon into the air. Since this is a greenhouse gas, it collects and traps heat. The places being heated up the fastest are in the arctic regions. Always, the effects of huge climate changes such as these will be most devastating in the tropics. In the ocean, there have been ginormous amounts of acidification. The CO2 forms acid, and when placed in contact with the living creatures at the bottom of the ocean, they can no longer reside there. Elizabeth stated that since the beginning of the Industrial Age, the ocean has absorbed 1/3 of the earth’s carbon emissions, and the water (and life within that water) is being greatly disturbed.  She also stated that reefs would be the first major ecosystem to become extinct. The third and last major point Elizabeth talked about was regarding invasive species. It is not a foreign concept these days, as many of us have pets that were not originally from our specific location. Numerous animals have been introduced in many areas that were not prepared to receive them. Her examples included New Zealand, where previously they had no rats. What they did have, however, were birds quite unaccustomed to flight, as there were no predators in the area. When the rats were brought over, they began to eat all the flightless birds that essentially had no defense against them. They also had intentionally brought over some rabbits, but since there were no predators to this species, they began to reproduce (like rabbits) and had lots of tiny rabbit babies that got way out of control. To try and regulate the situation that was rapidly getting out of hand, people brought stoats over, with the thought that they might go after the rabbits. Instead, they also went after the poor flightless birds. There were many other examples of species being transported across great distances, and fungus being carried across lands at lightning speed, as well as the great destruction that has been left in human’s path. Each day, 10,000 species are moved around the world.

                The statistics Elizabeth provided during the entirety of her discourse were truly appalling, and left me nearly speechless by the end. However, I thought it was very well-presented and found it to be extremely relevant to the life I am living now. I cannot agree more that humans are indeed just as much of a threat as the asteroids were long ago.