ELS Autoblog

The only two documentaries I can recall seeing prior to the Errol Morris films we saw in class were “Fahrenheit 911,” and “Super Size Me.” Errol Morris kind of opened my eyes to the complexities involved in producing such a film. While I found both “Fahrenheit 911,” and “Super Size Me” to be very interesting, and entertaining, I can also understand now that while they are all classified as documentaries, there are monumental differences in the way all of these film makers choose to go about expressing their message, and point of views. Both Michael Moore, and Morgan Spurlock seem to center their films in many ways around themselves. In Spurlock’s case, in attempting to prove that Fast food (McDonalds in particular) was unhealthy, he involved himself in an experiment for a month I believe, where all he ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was McDonalds. […]

Original post by ellie

I knew I’d finally come full circle back to the Heart of Darkness. Anyway, after finishing Portrait of Jennie, I stopped at a couple of sections that reminded me of the the visual, and exterior motifs we as a class discussed after reading (and watching) The Glass Key. I’ll cut and paste 2 parts to compare these two:
“The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint, and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked, with gleams of varnished sprits. A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness. The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding […]

Original post by elizabethomas

My friend sent me this – I thought it was funny
“Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you’re really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I’ve got a few missing. It’s ok though, because I’ve got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation.. so when I meet someone who’s an 8-color type.. I’m like, “hey girl, magenta!” and she’s like, “oh, you mean purple!” and she goes off on her purple thing, and I’m like, “no – I want magenta!”

Original post by Ashley

Curriculum based education was a hot topic Thursday night. Should schools adhere to a curriculum or should they turn laissez-faire and let the students frolic? I have some personal insights to throw out. But first let’s whip out the dictionary. There are two etymological roots for “curriculum” listed at dictionary.com:

Origin: 1625–35; < L: action of running, course of action, race, chariot, equiv. to curr(ere) to run + -i- -i- + -culum -cule2
Latin, course, from currere, to run; see current

Our two common denominators here are “course” and “running” as in a track course that one would run on. Reconnect this with curriculum based education. Should we systematically train students on a track course or should we let them run free on the open terrain? If the conceit of running to learning is accurate, let the student run in every way. Train it on the track and follow it through the […]

Original post by humanisticmystic

For the Democratic presidential debate on Monday night, the candidates will be asked questions sent in via YouTube. The Republican candidates will also participate in the same CNN-YouTube debate on September 17. I think this is a really interesting idea – anyone can film themselves asking a question, send it in, and have the chance to see their issues brought up in this important debate. I think it is great that the people who have valid questions and issues for the candidates to answer can submit them in such a personal way. The article points out that it will make the debates more personal to the public than the journalists can. The only problems brought up is that since YouTube content is completely user generated, it might not be right to have an editor decide what is a good or bad question. Some […]

Original post by Ashley

After our FTC day, I decided to do a little reasearch about male and female roles in the cinema, when I came across this interesting article.
According to studies, male roles dominating female roles is on the rise, or at least it is in children’s movies. Children are at an important stage where they learn their values, and I’m sure this has some impact in the future decisions they make.
I also came upon this artcle in the Washington Post that wonders why all the main characters in Pixar movies are male.
It’s an interesting conflict when you discuss children’s films. In class we talked about the impact of children’s toys, but we didn’t mention the movies they watch. Are films like the ones mentioned in the articles above going to perpetuate the gender stereotype found in movies for adults?

Original post by khusband

I’ve been keeping my eye for the past few weeks on the new Facebook polls. They have been interesting at best, and utterly ridiculous at worst. However, the latest one was a little different:
“Who do you look up to the most?” (CHOICES: Politicians, athletes, businesspeople, artists, or scientists)

I think part of what makes it interesting is how abstract the question is in relation to former questions. (i.e. “boxers or briefs?” “Is global warming a concern?” “What’s your favorite burger joint?”) What do they mean by “look up to”? Admiration? Respect? Most valuable to society? Most interesting? Closest to matching personal goals? Stereotypical, desirable personality traits associated with each career path? Successfulness? (As measured in happiness or monetary gain?)
Has this abstraction of query affected the results of the poll? Let’s take a look at the responses.

Ok. So at first glance it appears that–on average–Facebook users look up to artists the most, […]

Original post by arynna

These facebook applications are so cool! Tonight I downloaded the booze application, where you can send drinks to your friends, and your friends can send you drinks back. You can see your drinks in your own mini-bar. Fun stuff. Too bad they’re not real! hahaha Well, you can actually redeem drinks that your friends have sent you, although I’m not sure how to do that yet. I must do some more research. There is also a really neat one about amazon. You can download the app and send your friends real “gifts” from amazon.com. So, for instance, when Harry Potter 7 comes out tomorrow night, I could send someone the book on facebook through that application. I think I’m becoming obsessed with this facebook stuff, but whatever, it will make my project more fun!

Original post by Ashley

All the talk about gender in class today reminded me of a book by former LA Times columnist Norah Vincent called Self Made Man: One Woman’s Journey Into Manhood and Back. It’s about the 18 months she went undercover as a man named Ned in order to see the difference in how people treated her. It ended when she suffered a nervous breakdown.
While participating in a bowling league, she had to opportunity to observe the way the guys on her team would treat their sons. She weighed in on the matter during an NPR interview:
There is a toughening process boys have to go through [where] emotional expression is beaten or laughed or teased out of them…The only emotion left to them is anger.

I can’t say that’s been my personal experience, but I can see how she might come away with that view. I do think there is truth in the […]

Original post by crain2mn