*~ bLoG XI ~ *

Angelina Jolie as 2008 President

Angelina Jolie would make a suitable president for 2008 because of many factors. She is self-determined, head strong, and an achiever. She is successful in everything that she puts her mind to from becoming an actress to a popular superstar to a heroine. For five years now Angelina has dedicated herself as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. And they didn’t call her but she called them for the support. She has visited many international countries and donated much to them such as $1 to Afganistan. In September 2006 Jolie announced the founding of the Jolie/Pitt Foundation which made initial donations to Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders of $1 million each. Donating money to the needy is not enough for Jolie to consider herself helping out; she adopts three children from three different countries and shelter and love them as her own. She is capable of doing all this herself and still able to keep her own life together with Brad Pitt. With three kids adopted, she also gave birth to a daughter. Therefore, Angelina Jolie would make a great U.S. president for next year because of her ability to focus not only her life but also the world and be successful in them.

*~ bLoG X ~*

Strong Response: Darwin's God


I agree with Robin Henig for three reasons. First, the Darwin theory. Second, people believe in God more back than then now because of brain development. Lastly, eventhough we are here on earth does not really mean we have a purpose eternally. To think about it, people back than uses God to explain everything that happens like how Zeus create thunder and lightening or how apollo creates night and day. As we know today that it's science that create the changes. Our brains have developed and advanced over time and therefore there are atheists out there now who contradict the idea of God. We are more advanced now than before; therefore we think deeply than, as before, just accept what our culture provided to us. We all learned science and have been exposed to the idea that we evolved from monkeys. Science has proven this to be true through biology and how genes have come about. Darwin explains more clearly of evolution- selctive reproduction, survival of the fittest, and population thinking. From that idea maybe we ought to reconsider our existence on earth.

*~ bLoG IX ~*

Night At The Museum

"Night At The Museum," is a friendly, pro-family film that anyone would be able to enjoy. The movie is about a Ben Stiller trying to find a job to make money in order for him to be able to continue seeing his son. When he finally found a job, to his surprise, it was not an ordinary one. His position was supposed to be a night guard in a museum, but after one night he found out that his position was more than that. Instead, he has to guard the museum when everything comes to live and also has to protect his own life.

This movie interests me for it is a totally different story from the rest. For instance, most horror films have the same basic theme like a huanted house but just with different characters and lines. Most family movies have family issues to solve towards the end. This movie has a family issue with Stiller needing money but it is not the theme of the movie. The theme is actually for Stiller to make a difference, saving the museum and making his son proud.

*~ bLog IIX ~*

Vietnam the Ally

As most would know, the US and Vietnam were at war in 1975. This is the period when no Viet can be trusted. However, the trauma is slowly fading as time passes by. Many US enemies during the war are not working together with the Americans. One former Viet Cong Nguyen Thanh Trung, for example, is now the head chief of the Vietnam Airline and is proudly announcing his first entrance to the US airport. Another former enemy Ton-Nu-Thi-Ninh is now a member of the National Assembly and vice-chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; "For a country [like Vietnam] that wants to escape from poverty... to build its place in the sun, in peace, this is the opportunity of centuries, of millennia and we've got to grab it" she said. Henry Nguyen is a former US enemy's son, who was raised in the US, is now investing in Vietnam. He said,"Vietnam... doesn't want too much influence from China and, at the same time, tries to balance out with the US and vice-versa." With Vietnam and the United States letting go of the past and start over is economically beneficial for both countries. Vietnam is economically advancing quickly, such as the the rapid growing American food industry like Mcdonald's, Taco Bell, Popeyes, and etc. that have been spreading. Other US influences are fashion, broadcasting, etc. Likewise, the US is also improving economically by Vietnam is advancing by a different thinking.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/5169638.stm

*~ bLoG VII ~*

Art Response

The art piece called "Hector and Andromache" was painted in oil on a canvas in 1918 by Giorgio de Chirico. This painting caught my eyes because of the the bright neutral multi-colors and shapes that the artist used. Not to mention, the two figures in such graceful gesture also something that interested me. The picture shown above was actually painted in 1917, which is not the finished one. The one that I witnessed had more bright but not gloomy colors like that one and had more details. When I first viewed the art piece, I saw the two figures first. Their gesture seemed to be gracefully and romantically leaning against one another as if they were in love. As I looked more, I noticed that there were two buildings that were on either side of them. These buildings were quite different in stucture,designs, and colors. Therefore, I concluded that Chirico must intended to capture a love scene of two different people from two different worlds like the story of "Romeo and Juliet." After a short research, I found out that "Hector and Andromache" were actually characters from the story The Iliad by Homer. Mainly, the story about those two were about Hector had to leave for war, leaving his wife Andromache and his son back. This artwork is defined as a surreal piece, which means to "disrupt our normal way of seeing things by accessing images that lurk in our subconsciouness" (handout). I also found out that a famous artist, who appreciated Chirico's artwork, is Picasso. He is known for his "cubism" artwork, which is "An art style developed in 1908 by Picasso and Braque whereby the artist breaks down the natural forms of the subjects into geometric shapes and creates a new kind of pictorial space. In contrast to traditional painting styles where the perspective of subjects is fixed and complete, cubist work can portray the subject from multiple perspectives" (www.lithokrome.com/s-47-glossary.aspx). This would explain the reasons for Chirico's choice of art; he wanted to capture the love scene of "Hector and Andromache" but also wanted for his viewers to see deeper into the scene than the general idea that everyone has at first instinct; that is why he used the cubism method for his surreal piece.

*~ bLoG V ~*

World Crisis

Italy currently is in a volcanic alert in the island of Stromboli. This volcano has been active for about 2,ooo years already and now it is starting to spread its lava. The last eruption in 2002 caused a tsunami. Although, this situation is life threatening, however, there is no evacuation.

This is a situation where I believe America should react and send people over for aid. The president should send people over to Italy and announce an immediate evacuation because if not than it might be too late once the lava really spreads in the island and it might also cause another tsunami.

We, as the role model nation, should not only inform the evacuation but also to let the Italians be sheltered in our sheltered homes because the last thing we want to know is our ally dying from liquid fire and drowning to death.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6401701.stm

*~ bLog IV ~*

Movie Review

WHERE THE HEART IS

Sometimes, we are touched most by a simple story well told; such is offered by "Where the Heart Is". Natalie Portman plays Novalee Nation is pregnant in the movie. In a world of confusion and cynicism where young women are so often brought down by pregnancies , Novalee achieves her success by her head-strong and determination with an innocence that seeks the best for people around her. Everyone she knows, even those who have betrayed her, are touched. Novalee, however, does not view herself the same way as others. In her own being, she is full of doubt about her worth.

Novalee leaves Tennessee in an old car with her handsome, white trash boyfriend (Willy Jack played by Dylan Bruno) on a trek to California. They are, however, not going to Hollywood or the beach, but are headed for Bakersfield, a central California farm town. The thought of living with Novalee and taking responsibility for the child are just too much for Willy Jack. He abandons Novalee at a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma. In order to survive, she stays in the store every night. James Frain ,Novalee’s friend Forney is a librarian who has to take care of his mentally disturbed sister. He takes part in Novalee's life by smashing through the plate glass window of the Wal-Mart in order to get Novalee to the hospital to deliver her baby, Americus. The critical element of the story is for Novalee and Forney to find a deeper love for each other, but they have to communicate and overcome their lack of self-confidence since they are good friends.

"Where the Heart is" is not a fairy tale. It comes from the heart of a white, trailer trash, unwed teen mother who ultimately transforms her life and that of others by the purity of love and innocence that conquers cynicism.

*~ bLog III ~*

MOVIE REVIEW

Curse of the Golen Flower

"Curse of the Golden Flower" was directed by Zhang Yimou, who also directed "House of Flying Daggers". According to critic Scott Tobias, Zhang is " so wrapped up in the stunning décor and choreographed ritual that he loses his grip on the nuts-and-bolts labor of plot and character development". I would have to disagree with Scott. With no doubt, Zhang did focus greatly on the exotic scenery but he, however, did not lose his grip with the story.

The story is based on an empress who tries to seduce her step son, while he is having an affair with his unknown half sister. The emperor tries to mentally damage the empress, which leads to her betrayal with her real son in trying to destroy him.

It is well understood that the characters of the narration are in actual fact messed up. Maybe this is a reason for Scott to believe that Zhang lost it with the narration, but in fact it is not the narration but just the how the narration is difficult for not-so-open minded audience to accept because it is not common.

Overall, "Curse of the Golden Flower" is very much similar to "House of Flying Daggers" because both have vibrant colored sceneries and shakespearans narration. Therefore, this new film by Zhang is another hit for me.

http://www.avclub.com/content/node/56892

*~ bLog II ~*

Album Review

Tu Quyen: Trong Em Tinh Van Sang

I am diverse in many things and music happens to be one of them. Although I listen to a variety of different music from different cultures, vietnamese is my favorite language to listen to. The one particular viet singer who has always been my all time favorite is pop female artist Tu Quyen. I started admiring her back in 1998 when she still looked youthful and was still very energized; most of her songs were lively and up beat. In 2001, her CD "Trong Em Tinh Van Sang", which means in me love is still bright, came out and grabbed me even more. Although, the song was not up beat like her usual songs but the lyrics and the rhythm of this song was very warm and heart touching.

In "Trong Em Tinh Van Sang", Tu Quyen was trying to express that even though her loved one had to leave, her love for him would always stay strong. The meaning of this song can relate to a myriad of people in the world. Unfortunately, a myriad of people would not be able to understand the song in the world since it is in vietnamese. Therefore, it would not be as meaningful to non-viet speakers, but however, the warming rhythm of the music itself would still have a deep affect towards them. One other country that the song was translated in, which was also popular in during the time, was China.

Tu Quyen also has songs in english in some of her CDs; therefore, for those who are not viet speakers would be able to enjoy not only the music but also the lyrics of these songs.

*~ bLoG I ~*

Music Review

"Britney Spears' Greatest Hits: My Prerogative"

"BRITNEY SPEARS", who has not heard of her? Those who are optomistic and not bias would agree with the fact that she is an attractive female pop artist who is very unique with her work. She is one of a few artists who made her own music category pop popular. According to critic Andy Battaglia, however , one of Britney's newer album " Greatest Hits: My Prerogative" is more "decorative" than "declarative". This statement is not entirely true; if Andy actually listens to the lyrics to the two songs that he has such a hard time with "My Prerogative" and "Toxic", they are quite similar by stating how the singer has grown. Although those two songs were not written by her, but one was actually written for her, she used them as her own words by twisting them with her voice and music to fit her stage of life, which clearly stated that she was declaring how she has changed. Even though she is not labeled unique when it comes to her using someone else's words, but the fact that she was able to use them to make them her own statements is the unique of it. Andy also criticized that her older albums were "creepy" while her new ones were "plain crazy". This just clearly states that he is a so call "hater". If her old albums were as Andy stated "creepy", than how could Britney have made it to the top list.

Just like any singer or, to be more general, any star, she has develop and change throughout her life along with her work. This is the explanation for the reason her music as Andy thought has changed. The lyrics have totally changed from happy-go-lucky like "Baby One More Time" and "Drive Me Crazy" to facing difficult things in life such as "My Prerogative" and "Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman", which can relate to mostly everyone in the world while growing up. Therefore, there is no reason for Andy to give such labels towards her albums, and although her lyrics have changed, her music still managed to stay the same, which is the reason why her audience still loves her music. Overall, Andy Battaglia is, clearly, not a pop fan and dislike Britney as a person, which is the reason for his negative comments towards her music.

http://www.avclub.com/content/node/15736