Chinese Cultural Revolution Photos

When Chairman Mao was attempting to regain power, one of his plans was to rally the people against the "Four Olds"; old culture, old habits, old customs, and old ideas. People were told to revolt against the Four Olds, that it was the biggest battle yet. A group called the Red Guards were created to help enforce the struggle against Fourolds. And it worked. People were up in arms about anything that could be considered "Fourold", attacking store signs, unfit clothing, and even people who were deemed "old-fashioned". This picture depicts one of countless instances of citizens in the street forming together to attack a fourold, in this case, a sign.

Ji-Li bears witness to this kind of behavior many times in her experience. She remembers the first time people came together to attack a sign. They put more and more force on it trying to break it, kicking it, stamping on it, even smashing it into the ground. Eventually they bring out an axe and chop it into pieces. After that, public destructions of fourolds become commonplace. Red Guards run rampant through the streets, attacking anything they see unfit. The schools introduce the "Red Successors" so that even Grade School kids can get in on the red power.

GPA College Blog 2

Looking back at my GPA from last semester, I remember how horrified I was when I discovered that it was less than the 4.0 I had expected. But now that my GPA has dropped to a 3.5, my previous fear over having a 3.75 doesn't seem so bad. Not that I'm shocked with my new grade at this point. 3.5 is perfectly reasonable considering the B+ I have in Math/Physics, and the completely abysmal B- I have in Spanish (and even that doesn't seem so bad when it used to be a C). The fact that it is even so high is primarily contributed to the combination of my current GPA with last semester's, which was significantly higher. Without the combo, my grade would be residing closer to the 3.33 range. Clearly, the 3.3 has got to go if I want to get into any sort of respectable school.

I was at odds against my first and second schools (USC and CalArts respectively), getting opinions from both sides about which one I should do. It was really tearing me apart until I realized that I could simply go to one after the other. I never really cared about that third school. Anyway, my plan is to first go to USC (rockin' film school there) and then go to CalArts (best animation course in the world). This way, I get double the education, and don't have to make such a tough choice.

I can't really reflect on my past answers for this question, because they were contextual to the current situation I was in. In more general terms this time, I basically need to improve all of my grades, especially Spanish, which is currently at an abysmal 81%. I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS. So I'm going to need to do very well on the upcoming project, or else I have no hope of getting it up to something reasonable. I should also work on getting my Math grade from a B+ to an A, and just overall improving my Humanities grade.

Suheir Hammad & Marjane Satrapi-Part 2

In her Def Poem, Suheir Hammad says, "Smoke where once was flesh". Here she is signifying how humanity is the ignition of revolution. The flesh of life is set aflame by the revolutionary ideas of free thinkers, and as the revolution comes full circle, the self-destruction of the revolutionaries themselves burns the flash, leaving nothing but the smokey remains of humanity. She also says, "Thank you to the woman who saw me blinking back tears. She opened her arms before she asked 'Do you want a hug?'" Here she uses her experience during the dark times that surrounded the Crisis on Terror, to show that even in humanity's worst times, where hope seems all but lost, those who give their hearts out, who invest in people during their moments of weakness, who accept those for who they really are, and reject the social values set by society, these few people are able to find a silver lining in the chaos.

Suheir Hammad & Marjane Satrapi on War

Today in class, we listened to one of Suheir Hammad's incredible poems. While the entirety of her presentation was very inspiring, a few lines in particular stuck out to me. First off, there was the line"I will not dance to your war drum". This signifies that despite the government's propaganda, their lies and their trickery, despite all of the things that they say, she will not give in to it all and support the violence.

Next, she says "I will not hate for you, nor will I hate you", which shows that her choice is not binary. Just because she does not support her country's decision to go to war, she will not turn her back on it either. The last interesting line here is, "We cherish corpses". Here, she is deconstructing the concept of martyrs, saying that they have been so overblown with importance, so infused with sacredness, that in some cases a dead boy is valued more than one who is still living.

Suheir Hammad & Marjane Satrapi both have very similar opinions on war. Both parties wish to stay away from violence, war, and overblown nationalism and stay relatively neutral within their boundaries. Despite this, they still love their country, and do want to remain supportive of its non-repressive endeavors. They despise how the martyrs are treated, and how all who oppose the country are considered enemies of the war and executed. All in all, both Suheir & Marjane do not wish to get wrapped up in the crazy political turmoil their country has created.

Islamic Holidays

Islamic New Year marks the beginning of the Muslim calender. People gather in mosques and pray. Ashura is the tenth day of the Muslim calendar. It commemorates the martyrdom of Mohammed’s grandson, Hussein. Reenactments and plays are performed in memory of him. Some Muslims beat and flog themselves. Mawlid an-Nabi marks the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. Muslims focus on life and teachings of Mohammed. Some consider it to not be a holiday. 

Laylat al-Miraj is a holiday that celebrates Mohammed's night journey, where he ascended to heaven and met with the other prophets, before finally negotiating with Allah so that Muslims only had to pray 5 times a day. It is the most important holiday for Muslims. It is celebrated by telling children the story of Mohammed's Nightr Journey, as well as a feast of treats. 

Laylat al Baraat is a day of preperation two weeks before Ramadan. It is known as the "Night of Emancipation". Ramadan is the longest holiday in the Islamic Religion, spanning the entire ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. During this holiday, all who are of able physical and mental condition are required to fast during the day for the entire month. At the end of the month, Eid ul-Fitr, a huge three-day celebration takes place. Kids go door to door asking for treats, people visit each other, and everyone asks for forgiveness.

Current Events-Iran

Iran is a country out in the Middle East. At  1,648,195 sq km, it is the 18th largest country in Asia. That's roughly the size of Alaska. The government is a theocratic republic, where most of the power is given to religious figures. Almsot the entire population of the country are Muslims, with a staggering rate of 98% Muslim. The majority of the populace speaks Persian, and roughly three-quarters of the country is literate.

In other news, the Iran Government is being criticized for its increased usage of the death sentences. Critics accuse the government of using the death sentence as a threat to the populace, and even abandoning due process in trials. It seems their allegations are at least partly true, with over 150 executions last year and already 67 this year, totaling about  

2 per day at this point.

Street Art....?

1. I noticed that the artists incorporated a lot of personal things in their work. For example, Invader was always posting Spce Invader tiles all around the city. The artists also used a variety of different styles. While Invader mostly used tiles, Banksy used spray cans and posters to convey his messages.

2. I was amazed by how "Mr Brainwash" was able to get his art so loved and recognized despite that fact that he was....not exactly an artist. He was a total dumbass.
He didn't know anything about art- hell, he actually HIRED people to do the art for him. He just came up with some basic, stupid concepts. And yet, somehow, everyone bought into it. Un-freaking-believable.

3. All of the artists used their craft to convey their message in different ways. For example, Banksy had the "Elephant in the Room" exhibit for his first art show. He painted an elephant like the wallpaper in the room to convey how people can often miss things. I too can use art to convey a message.

Political Cartoon

This is a cartoon about a possible scenario that may have occurred in the creation of the "Handicap System" seen in the short story Harrison Bergeron. It shows what I think is one of the many problems with the system: It is clearly a bad idea, but anybody who is smart enough to realize this is handicapped, and thus unable to think of a solution. It is a vicious cycle of the worst kind. It also uses the classic humor element of exaggeration. After all, the earphones in the story went off only every 20 seconds, but here the guy is getting cut off by it after every word. Exaggeration can also be used to prove a point about something.

What is a Political Cartoon?

A political cartoon is a comic or cartoon drawing that brings about a social or political message. It's purpose is to convey a theme or idea in a way that is "entertaining" and "funny". It does not do this very well.

The Metamorphosis Chapter 3

1. In Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", Gregor Samsa, our protagonist, is transformed into a giant bug. We all know this. But what was Kafka trying to tell us by turning the hero into a big bug? First, it was to emphasize what we discussed in Chapter 1's review, that Gregor was being dehumanized by his family and peers. Next, it is to show how we are often scared and unaccepting of new things, especially if we do not understand them. Once Gregor becomes a bug, he is treated as lesser, even though he is still the same person inside. Kafka is also trying to demonstrate how citizens of society, once they are deemed "unsuitable" in any way, are immediately outcast, and eventually forgotten. Society has given up on these people and forsaken all hope of them ever getting better, just like Gregor's family. And just like Gregor's Family, once they realized that they have destroyed a life, they just ignore the consequences and more on.
Hopy shit, that was really philosophical.

2. Sure, it might be interesting to consider how "The Metamorphosis" would have been different if Gregor had been transformed into something like a frog, I don't think that it would have actually ended up in the story. I don't think that any animal other than a cockroach was ever in consideration for Gregor's new form. There wasn't some big list of ugly, hard-to-manage animals that Kafka was narrowing things down from. My guess is that from the moment he had the idea, it was always "Cockroach." His real considerations in writing were mainly things like "How will this Metamorphosis affect Gregor and the people around him?" So the sentence "One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous amphibian" would never have even crossed his mind, let alone his pen.
White text is fun.

The Metamorphosis Chapter 2

Family is a big deal. It's probably one of the most important parts of your life. But, of course, Families don't always get along. While the occasional squabble is fine and, dare i say it, almost healthy for a family, it's definitely important to make sure that this isn't an all-too-common occurrence. So I've put together a couple of rules for families to follow to help them all get along:

1: Family Comes First. Sure, other things like school or hobbies are important, but they should never get in the way of your family. It is your Number 1 priority to make sure they are okay. After all, if you're not there for them, how can you trust them to be there for you? Gregor's Family is...okay at this. While Gregor and his sister are both reliable, their parents aren't too good at this kind of thing. All they do is take and take from Gregor, never giving anything back. I'd give the Samsas a B- on this one.

2. Think About Others: Sorry guys, but a family isn't just your own big pack of servants. There are other people here with their own ideas and dreams, and you have to acknowledge those. Parents should not think of their offspring as a way to live vicariously, and children shouldn't think of Mom and Dad as nothing more than glorified butlers. This is one of the bigger problems in the Samsa household. Gregor's father forces him to give up being a stock broker just so that the family could have a more apparent source of income, and barely acknowledges Greta's violin skills. In this case, they get a D.

3. Communication Is Key: It's easy for families to grow apart. One day you're closer than ever and the next it seems like you're not even related. One great way to stop this from happening is to communicate with each other. There are many great ways to facilitate communication; have dinner together at home, going out for a little trip, even playing a board game every once in a while can help keep the family together. Gregor's family is a little hard to grade in this category. While it seems that Gregor and his parents don't speak much, we never see what goes on at home without him, so it's hard to gauge how much or how little the rest of the family talks. I'll go with a B on this one.

4.Be On Their Side: Your family is not the enemy. They are your friends. Try to treat them that way. This means encouraging people to follow their dreams, consoling them when they have a bad day, and having their back when they get picked on. Basically, provide them with Emotional Support. The Samsas are, big surprise, not very good at this. Even though he's earning their bread and butter, Gregor's parents don't really support him in any way. They used the shower him with praise for all his hard work, but as it all turned to routine, the adulation gradually faded away. Even worse, once Gregor undergoes his horrible transformation, his father immediately disowns him and only keeps him around at the request of his mother. The Samsas get a C- for this, bringing their grand total to a C. Better Luck Next Time, Guys!

The Metamorphosis Chapter 1

Even before he is transformed into something definitely not human, Gregor Samsa has been feeling dehumanized for quite a while now. The troubles start at home. For a while now, Gregor has been used by his family as a tool. They are having him work to pay off their own debt, since they lack the mental capabilities to go out and work for themselves. They have him work like a dog to pay off the debt that he had little or no part in. Despite all this work Gregor does for his family, his father never treats him with the respect he deserves.

The mistreatment continues at work. Every day, Gregor has to work ridiculous hours, and is never given any lenience in his schedule. Every day, he has to "cope with the problems of travelling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships, which never come from the heart." He is constantly put on the spot by his boss. And to top it all off, no matter how hard he works, he can never satisfy the management. It seems that cockroach or not, Gregor Samsa is never given the dignity he deserves.

Of Mice and Men Part 4

When a book becomes adapted into a film, changes are bound to happen. There’s no perfect adaption of any one media to another. The same can be said for the movie version of the book Of Mice and Men. While the changes in this adaption aren’t as wild as some other adaptions out there, they are still there. First of all, the movie begins not at the clearing where the book begins, but back in Weed, when Lennie and George have to evade the law. This begins the story at a more exciting point, but robs it of its bookending nature. It also seems to be a way to pad out the movie a little bit, which is why it seems so strange that we never hear the full story about Lennie and George’s Place.

In addition, the scene in Crook’s room cuts out Curley’s Wife and Candy. This gives us a more time to develop Lennie and Crook’s characters, moving character development for Candy and Curley’s Wife to other scenes. The film also makes Curley’s Wife a more sympathetic character than in the books. This makes her eventual death seem more tragic than satisfying. Finally, the film ends a lot sooner than the book. George shoots Lennie a lot sooner than in the book, and the book’s last few pages aren’t even in here, with the movie pretty much just ending once Lennie kicks the bucket.

Dear George

First of all, I am very sorry for what you had to do. Yes, I said "had". You were justified in Mercy Killing Lenny at the end of your book-I mean, uh, adventure at the ranch. I know as well as you do that Lenny didn't mean that woman no harm, "I didn't mean no harm George, she was just so little..." but the other guys wouldn't have understood, and you know what Slim said: "Curly...hates big guys. He's always pickin' scraps with big guys." Naturally, once word got out that a big guy killed his wife, there's nothing that could've stopped him 'sides a bullet to the brain...actually, that could've worked too...nah, then you just get into more trouble and it's just not worth it. Anyway, regarding Lennie...

Lennie was doomed the instant he snapped that poor girl's neck, and you knew that there were only two ways he could go; he could die after being hurt, tortured, and humiliated, all without his best friend there to comfort him, or he could die happy, hopeful, and with his best friend. Clearly, you made the right choice in picking the latter for him. And while Curley's killing would have been done in meanness and spite, yours was more like a Mercy Angel, coming from the sky to put poor Lennie out of his Misery. And did it need to be you? Absolutely. You were the person closest to Lennie. You were the one that knew him best. You were his only friend, so it's fitting that you were the one to do the deed. Just like Slim said when his dog was euthanized, "It shoulda been me, George. I shoulda been the one to do it."

And don't feel bad about Lennie...









He's prob'ly up there in Heaven right now tendin' the Rabbits.

Of Mice and Men Part 2

Lennie is afraid of the ranch because he's not used to this kind of treatment. He's not used to being hated, "He hates big guys. He's always pickin' scraps wit' big guys..." he's not used to being flirted with, "Nobody can't blame a person for lookin'..." and he's just uncomfortable with how the people here treat him. He's only used to the vitriolic treatment he gets from George and the caring he used to get from his Aunt. He's also uncomfortable with all these new things he's having to take in all at once. New bed, new people, new job, it's all a lot for a guy like Lennie. Sadly for him, Lennie will just have to try and deal with all of these new circumstances.

Of Mice and Men Part 1

1. Lennie is dependent on George because he is so slow. The guy can't even remember anything for more than a couple seconds! Living all alone smack dab in the middle of  the Great Depression would just be impossible for him. He can't think for himself, he can't make normal conversation, he can't even handle a mouse without killing it! Without George, Lennie would be doomed. Plus, I think Lennie likes George. Even if he could live on his own, I don't think he would.

2. I think that the reason George does not abandon Lennie is because he kind of feels sorry for him. He's seen the Lennie can't handle himself out there, and doesn't want him to get hurt. He may be a bit of a jerk, but he's not heartless. It looks like they have a bit of a history together, so that may also play a part in it. George may not even be planning to stick around with Lennie forever. He may just be trying to find a good place for him before he sets out on his own.

Speak Partner Interview

Interviewees Name: Kirk

What do you predict will be the symbolism between Melinda and the tree?

   I predict that she will grow in both her social position and how she interacts with people as her tree grows. I have read type of thing this in other books, and I'm sure that either this was inspired by those stories, or inspired those stories.

Are schools really this place that is isolating or is it just the student that isolates him/herself?

  Well that depends on how the students act. Sometimes a student will isolate him/herself, but other times it will be his/her peers that isolate them. It's not the school's fault, but it's not always the student's fault.

If Melinda's parents were more involved, do you think her relationship and feelings toward them would be different? Also, would her attitude in life be more positive?

   Possibly. I doubt it would have much impact if they currently started to be better parents than if they were always good parents. However, this doesn't mean they shouldn't try. 

What do you think of the book so far? Even though it may be a bit dramatic, is it far from reality?

  I don't like the book so far, and I don't think it's overly dramatic. It's not really the kind of book I like to read, although it is fairly realistic because this kind of thing happens all the time, mostly because teens aren't being given the support they need from parents and school systems.

I'm College Bound

When I discovered what my Grade Point Average was, I was disappointed. My original anticipation was about a 3.9-4.0, but it turned out much lower than that. At first I was shocked, considering my straight-A average just a few weeks ago. But as I looked through my Powerschool page I discovered a few major points that contributed to my lower-than-expected grade. First was the “Show Don’t Tell” paper. I couldn’t really do much about this one because everyone got an F on this assignment. Next was the Sound blog post and the Touch blog post that I for some reason both got B’s on, without any criticism. I wasn’t even reviewed by the person at my table that was supposed to. In addition, there were some small parts in Chris’ class that I let slip.

The first school I’m considering is the University of Southern California, which my mom went to. I hear that it has a great academic program and a great film production program. To get into the school, you have to submit an Application Essay, Letters of Recommendation, Standardized Test Scores, SAT Scores, and your

Academic GPA. The average GPA most students submit to the school is 3.75 or higher. The average SAT scores are between 1270 and1470.

Next is the California Institute of the Arts, an art school set up by Walt Disney. It is a very well known and popular Art School; it is the Alma Mater for many current Pixar employees, and has many great animation and film production classes. When considering admission, the school looks mostly at the admission essay and the applicant’s talent. Since the school does not look at GPAs or SAT scores during admission, neither of these are listed.

 

Finally, there’s the Art Institute of San Francisco. This is another great art school, and this one is in one of my favorite cities of all time. I would love the opportunity to spend my college years in San Francisco. Admission requires an essay, an interview, a review of talent, and Letters of Recommendation. Like CalArts above, Grade Point Averages and SAT scores are not recorded.

 

Despite knowing that many of the schools I want to go to do not take Grade Point Average into account, I will still attempt to boost my grade up in the following months. First of all, I will pay special attention to the Electrical Problems in Physics class. I have been neglecting to check my answers with a friend and this is causing my grade in Chris' class to slip. I need to make sure that I check every answer to keep my grade at a steady pace.  In addition, I need to work on my sensory writing in Diana’s class.

Sensory Writing: Touch

The anticipation grabs at me like a Psychotic Serial Killer trying to tear my ribs out. I wait and wait, and the waiting is harassing me, tempting me with the gratification of discovery, only to pull it away from me at the last second. Finally, I feel my hand grabbed and forced into the jar and the sludge that resides inside it. The first thing I notice is that the stuff is cool, like toilet water clean from a flush. The next thing I notice: It’s Sticky. I feel like my hand has been engulfed in the flesh of a decomposing whale washed up on shore. As I move my hand through the intestine-like material, I wonder what it could be: Gelatin? Cold Vomit? Pureed Meerkat? The stuff sticks to my hands like a small child clinging to its mother. I rest my hand in there, pondering what this material could possibly be. Eventually, I draw it out, and let the cool water wash off the sticky stuff.

Sound is Art

Link

The sound has a strange rhythm, like an otherworldly techno song. It clicks and chirps like an enormous insect making its was across the world. Faint whistles echo in the distance. An indistinct tune crawls slowly over the rest of the sound, almost as if coming from a dying radio. A pulsating electronic tone occasionally rises up like the excited squeals of a robot hoping to sing along the odd tune. The pace is zippy, never resting too much on one sound or another. A tapping noise, like the frantic typing of Morse code, is always present in the sound. A short piano tune occasionally escapes over the clamor of other noises. The way every sound works together (or in some cases, don’t) is what makes this work. Taken all together, the sounds could be interpreted as many different things; an enormous computer efficiently typing out messages to all of its clients; a platoon of soldiers attempting to decode a password and escape the enemy fortress as sirens blare at them; a group of astronauts communicating with an alien race as their vessel floats around in the vast space around them; a rat attempting to force its way through a futuristic laboratory. This sound is a beautiful hodgepodge of taps, whistles, squeaks, and many other sounds.