Literary Theory [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]

• Literary Theory [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]

  • we find an early attempt to theorize the position of African-Americans  within dominant white culture through his concept of “double consciousness,”  a dual identity including both “American” and “Negro.” Dubois and theorists  after him seek an understanding of how that double experience both creates  identity and reveals itself in culture. Afro-Caribbean and African  writers—Aime Cesaire, Frantz Fanon, Chinua Achebe—have made significant early  contributions to the theory and practice of ethnic criticism that explores  the traditions, sometimes suppressed or underground, of ethnic literary activity  while providing a critique of representations of ethnic identity as found  within the majority culture
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  • Formalism and New Criticism

     

    “Formalism” is, as the name implies, an interpretive approach that emphasizes  literary form and the study of literary devices within the text. The work of  the Formalists had a general impact on later developments in “Structuralism” and  other theories of narrative. “Formalism,” like “Structuralism,” sought to  place the study of literature on a scientific basis through objective  analysis of the motifs, devices, techniques, and other “functions” that comprise  the literary work. The Formalists placed great importance on the  literariness of texts, those qualities that distinguished the literary from  other kinds of writing. Neither author nor context was essential for the  Formalists; it was the narrative that spoke, the “hero-function,” for  example, that had meaning. Form was the content. A plot device or narrative  strategy was examined for how it functioned and compared to how it had  functioned in other literary works. Of the Russian Formalist critics, Roman  Jakobson and Viktor Shklovsky are probably the most well known.

  • Formalist adage that the purpose of literature was “to make the stones stonier”  nicely expresses their notion of literariness. “Formalism” is perhaps best  known is Shklovsky’s concept of “defamiliarization.” The routine of ordinary  experience, Shklovsky contended, rendered invisible the uniqueness and  particularity of the objects of existence. Literary language, partly by  calling attention to itself as language, estranged the reader from the familiar  and made fresh the experience of daily life.
  • so designated as to indicate a break with traditional methods, was a product of  the American university in the 1930s and 40s. “New Criticism” stressed close  reading of the text itself, much like the French pedagogical precept  “explication du texte.” As a strategy of reading, “New Criticism” viewed the  work of literature as an aesthetic object independent of historical context  and as a unified whole that reflected the unified sensibility of the artist.  T.S. Eliot, though not explicitly associated with the movement, expressed a  similar critical-aesthetic philosophy in his essays on John Donne and the  metaphysical poets, writers who Eliot believed experienced a complete  integration of thought and feeling. New Critics like Cleanth Brooks, John  Crowe Ransom, Robert Penn Warren and W.K. Wimsatt placed a similar focus on the   metaphysical poets and poetry in general, a genre well suited to New Critical  practice. “New Criticism” aimed at bringing a greater intellectual rigor to  literary studies, confining itself to careful scrutiny of the text alone and the  formal structures of paradox, ambiguity, irony, and metaphor, among others.  “New Criticism” was fired by the conviction that their readings of poetry  would yield a humanizing influence on readers and thus counter the alienating  tendencies of modern, industrial life
  • regard bears an affinity to the Southern Agrarian movement whose manifesto,  I’ll Take My Stand, contained essays by two New Critics, Ransom and  Warren. Perhaps the enduring legacy of “New Criticism” can be found in the  college classroom, in which the verbal texture of the poem on the page remains a  primary object of literary study.
  • focus on the representation of class conflict as well as the reinforcement of  class distinctions through the medium of literature. Marxist theorists use  traditional techniques of literary analysis but subordinate aesthetic  concerns to the final social and political meanings of literature. Marxist  theorist often champion authors sympathetic to the working classes and  authors whose work challenges economic equalities found in capitalist  societies.
  • in that Euro-American imperialism and colonization in the last four centuries,  whether external (empire) or internal (slavery) has been directed at  recognizable ethnic groups: African and African-American, Chinese, the  subaltern peoples of India, Irish, Latino, Native American, and Philipino,  among others. “Ethnic Studies” concerns itself generally with art and  literature produced by identifiable ethnic groups either marginalized or in a  subordinate position to a dominant culture. “Postcolonial Criticism”  investigates the relationships between colonizers and colonized in the period   post-colonization. Though the two fields are increasingly finding points of  intersection—the work of bell hooks, for example—and are both activist  intellectual enterprises, “Ethnic Studies and “Postcolonial Criticism” have  significant differences in their history and ideas.
  • the forefront of the theoretical scene first as feminist theory but has  subsequently come to include the investigation of all gender and sexual  categories and identities. Feminist gender theory followed slightly behind the   reemergence of political feminism in the United States and Western Europe  during the 1960s. Political feminism of the so-called “second wave” had as  its emphasis practical concerns with the rights of women in contemporary  societies, women’s identity, and the representation of women in media and  culture.
  • Feminist gender theory is postmodern in that it challenges the paradigms and  intellectual premises of western thought, but also takes an activist stance  by proposing frequent interventions and alternative epistemological positions  meant to change the social order. In the context of postmodernism, gender  theorists, led by the work of Judith Butler, initially viewed the category  of “gender” as a human construct enacted by a vast repetition of social  performance.

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Study Vocabulary Unit 9 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 9 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Essay prompt

Should we be more aware of people's honesty? Write a five body paragraph essay.

Study Review Words January 7,2012 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Review Words January 7,2012 - Free Study Guides Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 8 (revised)

Study Vocabulary Unit 8 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 8 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 8 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 7 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Study Vocabulary Unit 7 - Free Study Guides | Word Dynamo

Day 3 Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park is a small national park next to Banff and Kootney. Although Yoho is only 1313 kilometers squared , the park is filled with scenic wonders. One of the highlights in my Yoho trip was Takakkaw Falls. This natural waterfall has a freefall of 254 meters. That makes Takakkaw Falls the third highest waterfall in Canada.

The word Takakkaw comes from the stony native expression, "it is wonderful". The Falls is wonderful. Even more amazing is that visitors are allowed to walk to the bottom of the falls. You can feel the water splashing in your face. You can also feel the cold water from the falls.

Yoho National Park's other highlight is Emerald Lake. Emerald lake is the largest of Yoho's 61 lakes and ponds. This lake has a 5.2 kilometer hiking trail. This lake like many of its brothers and sisters was formed by the damming effect of a eleven thousand year old glacial moraine. This moraine is located where the Emerald Lake Lodge now sits. The trail goes around the lake's perimeter, therefore, there is no  real need to hike the whole distance. The first European to discover this lake was Tom Wilson. Tom Wilson discovered  another lake which he gave it the same name. However, that lake is now Lake Louise. From a nature observer's point of view , you can enjoy the peaceful beauty of the lake. You will really enjoy the rock-flour colored lake for it evokes a happy memory. The mountains surrounding Emerald Lake are the Presidential Mountains. It is also surrounded by Mount Burgess and Wapta Mountain.

Another popular lake in Yoho is Lake O'Hara. This lake is located directly across the Continental Divide from Lake Louise. However, you will need a reservation in order to be taken up to the Lake. You could also hike up to the lake. It is just a fifteen kilometer hike. It would probably take you a few hours, but if you have a lot of time, then do it.

Choose the Canadian Rockies over Colorado

The Canadian Rockies consist of Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootney National Parks. Even though the Canadian Rocky  mountains are not as tall as the ones in the states, the Canadian Rockies have a scenic beauty that is incomparable to anything on Earth. From Edith Cavell's Angel and Cavell glaciers to the majestic Lake Louise, you can feel the harmony with nature.

Columbia Icefield

The Columbia Ice field is the highlight of the whole road. It is the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains. It is approximately 200 kilometers squared. The people who work with the national parks will take tourists up to the Columbia Ice field for a price. The price is worth it . You can stand on the ice , but it is slippery. Also, remember to bring your sunglasses. When the sun shines on the glaciers, the glacier will reflect a lot of UV rays into your eyes. Those UV rays are harmful to your eyes.

According to the tour guide, some of the trees in the alpine and sub-alpine regions are over three hundred years old. However, the trees are really small. The soil on the alpine region of the Columbia Ice field is not fertile. Therefore, the trees cannot grow to be as tall as the evergreens in New Jersey.

Over millions of years, snow has accumulated and melted. However, due to Global Warming, the past decade has been the fastest decline in glacier ice. When the glaciers melt, it leaves a moraine. By definition, a moraine is a deposit of boulders, gravel, sand, and clay left on the ground by the glacier.

Jasper Acronym

If you have been to Maligne Lake, then you know that Jasper is Just another way to extract revenue.

That is from the tour guide, Guy. He is a  French Canadian. He has a little accent, so you can always ask him to repeat his previous statements. He has a good sense of humor.

His best story is at the end of the tour. So you should listen carefully. It is a hilarious story.

Lake Louise Photos

Hey Guys,

I am going to post some photos of the beautiful and awe-inspiring Lake Louise.

Moraine Lake

Before heading out to Lake Louise, you should also stop by Morine Lake. Morine Lake has a deep dark blue color due to the refraction of light off the rock flour. The rock flour is continually deposited into the lake. You can hike up a little hill and get a good view of the entire lake and its surrounding mountains. You should be careful because there is a section where the trail gets very steep.
Take a look at the pictures I took while I was at Morine Lake.

Day 2 at Banff National Park

Before heading out towards Lake Louise Village, you should visit the Bow River Falls. It was at the Bow River Falls that Marilyn Monroe filmed her movie. The film was called River of No Return.

Cute Chipmunk on Sulphur Mountain

At the summit of Sulphur Mountain, I took a picture of a Chipmunk eating a nut.

Fairmont Chateau and Lake Lousie Photo

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Jasper Tramway

The Jasper Tramway takes you up Whistler mountain. However, it only takes you half-way up. The rest of the way requires some hiking. The hike is both long and steep. Therefore, tourist who have bad legs might want to take more rests on the way. At the summit, you should take plenty of pictures because the view is terrific. You can see a beautiful mountain range with glaciers. The hike is about two hours to three hours. It might only take one hour if  you are a track and field athlete.

Also , watch your step for the trail is not paved. There are lots of rocks and the trail is very steep. So watch your step, put away your camera, and look down at your feet. Whistler mountain is one of those mountains where  people fall off of when they come down.

From the summit you can also see the town of Jasper. It is a small town located in the Valley. Every body know each other and Jasper's only industry is Tourism.

Lake Maligne

Maligne in French means wicked. However, the view is certainly not wicked. It is a magnificent lake with glacier capped mountains surrounding it. It also has small islands. One of the islands is Spirit Island. You probably seen some of the photographs in Quebec and Ontario. Spirit Island is near the end of Maligne Lake. People who have visited Spirit Island call it the meeting place of the Gods.

Lake Maligne is pronounced as Mal-LEEN. This lake has a guided cruise from one end to the other end. The tour guide explains the history, culture, and geology of the lake. When the boat reaches Spirit Island, the tour guide gives everybody on the boat ten minutes to take pictures. You can either hike up and get a broader view of the end of the lake or you can make a left turn when you get off the boat. The narrow trail gives you a lower perspective of the nearby islands.

The tour guide shows his or her audience the old forest fire on the right hand side of the lake. He said that the mountain ecosystem on the right side is healthier than the mountain on the left because the sunlight can penetrate the forest floor. Since the mountain on the left hand side has not had a fire for 200 years, the trees are so dense that the sunlight cannot reach the forest floor. Therefore, many trees on that side of the lake are dying. Animals have to get to a higher altitude in order to survive.

Some of the animal sightings include grizzly bears and black bears. The difference of these two bears are simple. Grizzly Bears have a huge hump on their backs. That hump is pure muscle because they have to be able to swim from one side of the lake to the other side. Grizzly Bears also have claws while the Black Bear does not.

Bear Sighting near Johnston's Canyon

My Pictures from Jasper, Banff , and Yoho National Parks

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Johnson's Canyon part 6

Johnson's Canyon part 5

Waterfall at Johnson's Canyon

Johnson's Canyon part 4

Johnson's Canyon part 3

Johnson's Canyon part 2 Banff National Park

Johnson's Canyon

Banff and Jasper national Parks

Jasper National Park

Italy VS Europe - The Comparison

Angel Glacier and Mount Edith Cavell

When you arrive in Jasper National Park from Banff on the Icefields parkway (Route 93 or 93A), you will have to hike up Cavell Meadows loop and the Glacier loop. Mount Edith Cavell was named after a British nurse during World War one. She is honored by the Canadians for saving soldiers  from both sides of the war front. However, she was executed by the British for treason. She helped some 200 Allied Soldiers escape from German occupied Belgium.

Angel Glacier is one of the glaciers on Mount Edith Cavell. The Glacier is shaped like an angel and that is where it gets its name. Every summer, the melting glacier's water goes to the lake beneath. Walk down to the lake and have a picnic. Enjoy the great photographic moment with your family.

The ice sticking out of the water remind me of pictures of the Arctic Circle. You can also walk on the glacier to take a look at the cave that was formed from the ice and glacier.

The temperature will drop rapidly, so dress in layers. The temperature in the Rockies can change dramatically. It is like there are three different seasons.  However, due to Global Warming, the climate has changed dramatically. Edith Cavell no longer has as much snow as 50 to 100 years ago. Hurry to the Canadian Rockies before all the glaciers melt.

The Cavell Meadows loop is a one to two hour hike up the mountain and down the mountain. From the top , you can see the Angel Glacier. You can also see some wildlife such as the Golden striped Squirrel and a huge rat like creature that eat berries all day long. Remember to bring mosquito repellent for the mosquitoes stick to humans like chewing gun. Mosquito are everywhere. I have about 10 mosquito bites after the trip.

If you have poles, then bring your poles for the hike down. The hike down from Cavell Meadows can be both long and treacherous. There are no paved trails at the Cavell Meadows. There is also no restaurants at Edith Cavell. There are only restrooms. Those rest rooms have no running  water. Remember to bring sanitizing wipes to clean the toilet seats. You should also buy your lunch from Robinson's Grocery Store before heading to Edith Cavell. They have a excellent Delicatessen. You can buy salads and sandwiches to Edith Cavell.

The glacial lake gets its color from the rock flour that come in from the melting glaciers.

Schedule for Tourist travelling to Canadian Rockies Page 1

From Newark International Airport, you take Air Canada to Calgary International Airport. Upon arriving at Calgary, rent a car without a GPS system. Bring your own portable GPS. Do not go with a Tour bus because the tour company only skims the basic places. By travelling your own rental car, you have more freedom and thus more time to explore and photograph. Drive to Banff's town. First, you should go to the gondola at Sulphur Mountain. Ride the Gondola by buying a package. The package includes the Columbian Icefield, the Gondola at Sulphur mountain,  and the cruise at Lake Minnewaka. Give yourself plently of time to climb to the summit of Sulphur mountain. The view is beautiful compared with the other places. The climb can be arduous for older climbers in their 60s and 70s, but it is relatively easy compared with Whistler Mountain at Jasper.

At night, you can watch the stars while at the Hot Springs which are next to the Gondolas. The Hot Springs is a therapeutic method for curing different skin problems. It is a family friendly hot springs. Remember to bring your swim wear and your towels to the hot springs.

After the hot springs, you can stay at hotels on the main street. I reconomend the comfortable beds at the Inn of Banff. That is not the Banff Inn.

Air Canada flight to Cargary

Cargary is one of the few international airports near Banff and Jasper national parks. Air Canada is one of the only airlines to fly to Cargary in Alberta, Canada. However, Air Canada is treated in Newark and JFK as a domestic airline, therefore, be prepared for long lines at Customs in Cargary. Also, bring your own pillows, blankets, and headsets for they cost money on the plane. Remember to eat before you get on the plane. With the exception of beverages, all food items are not covered by the plane ticket.

Whistler Mountain

I climbed Whistler's mountain's arduous trail to the summit. I first drove my rental car up to the parking lot. Then I rode the Tramway up to a midpoint level. From the Tramway station on the mountain, I began my climb up the long and steep trail. The view is wonder , but you need to bring your camera filters for the DSLR and SLR. Bring your warming, polerizer and color grad filters for the best results. Also remember to bring your hiking boots for the trail is unpaved and there are unexpected twists and objects.

Johnston's Canyon

In Banff National Park, there is a canyan that was formed in last 8000 years. This canyan is called Johnston's canyan. It is a one and a half mile hike up from the parking lot. There are seven waterfalls. Remember to use the TV mode on your DSLR camera to photograph the waterfalls. The hike is so easy that even a child can do it.

Iceroad Parkway or Highway 93 and 93A

The Ice road Parkway is a highway that connects Banff with Jasper. This parkway is one of the most beautiful parkways in the world. What makes this road so beautiful? The Glacier capped mountains and the glacial lakes define this parkway as one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The clear lake and sky make the area look like heaven. However, the real beauty is two hundred miles away from Calgary. The lake is called Maligne Lake.

The Columbia Ice field is on the border of Jasper and Banff National Park. From the visitor center, you purchase tickets to go on the largest glacier south of the Arctic circle. The tour  guide drives you by bus to a ice truck center on the mountain. Then he moves everybody to the big machine that will take you to the glacier. When you get to the glacier, you should be extra careful not to slip on black ice. Even worst than black ice are the hidden holes. These holes are hidden underneath the thinnest layer of ice and snow. The huge machine can travel safely because it has five foot high tires. These tires are also one meter wide. When you take photographs, remember to watch your step. It is human nature to take a step back to focus the camera. Before you take that step back, look at the ground before stepping. It is crucial that tourist watch their step. Sometimes people can get carried away with photography that they forget about common sense.

One more thing, the tour guide will mention the terminal moraines. The Terminal Moraines are piles of rocks. These rocks were left behind by glaciers that had melted away.

You can also hike to the ice field; however, the trail is long and treacherous. It typically takes an experienced hiker five to six hours to hike to the top. An inexperienced hiker could take as long as twelve hours to climb up. They could take as short as seven seconds to come down. Beware of avalanches.

Lake Louise Village Travel Diary Day 4

Lake Louise is a one hour drive from the industrial town of Banff which is part of Banff National Park. I canoed through the lake. The lake is beautiful from upclose and from far away. It is beautiful because of the glacier covered mountain. I ate lunch at the Fairmount hotel which has a good view of Lake Lousie. The waiter gave me the window  view of the lake. While eating, I can enjoy the glaciers and the rock-flour covered lake. Afterwards, I rented a canoe for one hour which proved to be not enough. If you plan to enjoy the lake and paddle from one side to the other side, then you need a two hour rental. After I finished canoeing, I hiked up to the Lake Louise viewpoint. From the view point I got a good picture of the lake and the hotel. The viewpoint is a thirty minute to an hour walk. The trail splits into two trails. The right is to the viewpoint. The left is to the tea house. The Tea house is farthur away, but you can get a better view. If you have lots of time like two weeks in the Canadian Rockies, then you can walk. However, if you only have one week like me, then you should focus on other details.

There are a good restaurant at the Lake Louise village that serves Chinese, American,and  Canadian food. Behind the restaurant is a small stream, where you can take pictures of the rolling water. After dinner, you can relax in the picnic area.

From Lake Louise, you can head north to Jasper national park. Jasper National Park is the most beautiful place in the Rockies. Therefore you should arrive in Calgary to Baniff not from Edmonton to Jasper. Save the best for last. Jasper does not have many good hotels, so it would be nice to live in a Bed and Breakfast. The house I lived in has a very good host.  He is a good cook for my breakfast. He gave some very nice suggestions about where to head off. For example, he told us about Mount Edith Cavell. He said that Mount Edith Cavell has a meadow at the summit and a huge glacier called the Angel Glacier. He said that you should walk up the meadow first then come down to the glacier lake.

Banff National Park , Yoho National Park Day 3

Yoho National Park is the second park that I visited on monday August 8, 2011. Yoho has a large lake called Emerald Lake. The lake and the mountains make a great photographic moment. However, there are lots of mosequitos. Remember to bring Mosequito repellent to your trip. Also , remember to wear hiking boots. The next place on my agenda is Takakkaw Falls. The Takakkaw Falls is an enormous waterfall. I climbed up near the falls. I could have climbed higher; however, the rocks on the ground are unstable. It is unsafe to climb because I was afraid to fall. The water coming down from the falls is good enough to wash your hands. The Falls is the third largest in Canada. It has a free fall of 254 Meters. If you are looking to take good pictures of the water fall, then turn your DSLR Camera or SLR camera's mode to Time Priority aka TV. It might be useful to bring a tripod for you will be taking pictures at a low speed. You might also want to bring an umbrella and a lense cloth for the water will splash onto your lens.

Welcome to Banff National Park Day 1 and 2 post 2 out of 2

DAY 2 at Banff National Park: The First Canadian National Park

On my second day of exploration, I explored Lake Morine and Lake Louise. Lake Louise. On the bank of Lake Louise, I can see the snow capped mountains. On the left side of the lake has less trees than on the right side. On the bank of the Lake is the Fermont Hotel and Restaurant. The Restaurant has good prices and it has a  good view of the mountains. After I ate lunch, I rented a canoe to go sightseeing on the lake. The Lake has a clear, greenish-blue color. It looks very refreshing and comforting. The best part of the lake is that I can canoe and hike. Canoeing gives me one perspective of the lake, while hiking gives me another. Even though the trail to the overlook tower is approxiamately two kilometers, it is worth the walk. There is a steep incline that may be challenging for some of the older folks. Remember if you want to canoe to the end of the lake, make sure to buy the two hour package. You cannot make the whole thing in one hour without going to overtime. The mountain and the hotel make a great photographic moment. Remember to bring your camera.

If you really love hiking, then you should hike to the tea house which is about 4 kilometers away from the bottom.

At night, there is a mall where they shave the best restaurant in town. After dinner, I took a walk behind the mall. There is a bridge where you can take photogrpahs of the mountain and the flowing water. The water flows from Lake Lousie.

Tomorrow I will wake up nice and early to get a good photograph of Lake Lousie at Dawn for that is one of the best times to take pictures.

Thanks for reading

Welcome to Banff National Park Day 1 and 2 Post 1 out of 2

I am currently at Banff National Park in Canada. It is the first National Park in Canada. It is part of the Rocky Mountain Range. It is one park out of four national parks on the Rocky Mountain range. On my first day at Banff National Park, I visited several sites including the Hot Springs and a long hike. The hike is to smaller summit compared to the rest of the Mountain Range. The Hot Springs is a must go location because the naturally occurring springs is known to have therapeutic effects. However, staying in the water for too long is bad for your heart. The difference in temperature between night and day is very big. In the early morning, it is 7 degrees celesius and the highest it can reach is around 75 degrees celesius. The hot springs is on the Sulphur mountain. The temperature of the hot springs is both relaxing and comfortable. It helps people keep warm from the harsh Rocky Mountains' temperature. Once I got out of the hot springs , I wanted to get right back in because of the cold wind that had hit me. I suggest that you guys go into the hot springs at night to relax from a day of hiking, canoeing, and photography.

Before I went into the hot springs, I did two things. I rode the Gandola up one of the mountains. I continued to hike to the top. The view is wonderful. It is like a dream. Some of the peaks have snow and ice which makes a good subject for cameras. The walk path is very bumpy and very rugged. Do not put too much focus on your photography for your life is more important.

Afterwards, I also took a lake cruise of Lake Minnewaka. The cruise is a guided cruise with a tour guide. He explains the history, the geography, and the ancient Native American stories. First he gave us a memorable story about the Lake monster. Native Americans once did not go on the lake for one hundred years because one family went out on a boat singing. Then the lake monster that is half human and half fish. It is like the Little Mermaid, except its less pretty. The monster grabbed every one in the boat except one person. The one person told the story to the tribe and every body stayed far away from the lake as possible. That is where the name Minnewaka come from.  It means Lake of the Lake spirit or monster. On both sides of the lake, there are lots of trees. The right side of the Lake  has more than the left side side of the lake. The Left side of the lake experienced a huge forest fire. The Canadians put out its first forest fire and its last forest fire by burning one kilometer of land to burn out the fire. A little bit past the end of the lake is the farthurest point and the end of the Rocky Mountains. The mountains surrounding the lake has Elk, Moose, Wolves, Black Bears, Grizzy Bears, Cougars, Deers, and Sheeps. Although Mooses and Cougars are rare, they have been spotted. The tour guides the whole boat a photgraph of a Cougar biting the neck of a Mountain Sheep. The Moose is a rare animal because the  Elk has a bateria in its stomach that kill Mooses. Elks and Mooses stay as far away as possible in the Rocky Mountains.

By the end of the day, I am exhausted and I quickly fell asleep.

Banff National Park Photos at Frommer's

Banff National Park Photos at Frommer's

Banff National Park Attractions

Banff National Park Attractions

Facts About Banff National Park

Facts About Banff National Park

Be Amazed at the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is a library and a museum for visitors to explore. The library is three buildings. The Madison building , the Adams building and the Jefferson building are all part of the Library of Congress. The most popular exhibit is the first world map drawn in the 16th Century. It was given to the LOC by the German Chancellor in 2007.This map was drawn by a skilled cartographer. It was the first time that North and South America was drawn on a map. The Library of Congress was built in 1800 by Congress and the library was housed in the Capitol for most of the 19th Century. After the War of 1812, Jefferson sold his entire collection to the library after the contents were  destroyed.

The Jefferson building is the only building open to tourists. It is also the largest. When you set inside, you can feel the building uses Ancient Greek and Roman designs. There are carved statues in the building which are symbolic elements in US history.

There are three levels to the LOC and visitors can view everything except the reading room. There was a separate room for Jefferson's donated books. He had a wide arrangement of books from many different places. There was also a place for the Constitution exhibition.

AP US History Vocabulary

AP US HISTORY - Ultimate Study Guide

Philadephia Museum of Art: The Last Renoir

The Philadelphia Museum of Art was first established in 1928. The museum is on higher ground because the land that it is on was once a reservoir that supplied drinking water to the city. In later years, the reservoir became polluted due to the industrial factories that had opened during the Industrial Revolution, so they drained the reservoir and build this fabulous museum. The museum’s architectural design was based upon ancient Rome and Greece’s buildings like the pantheon and the aqueduct. I knew that the building had to be based upon ancient Greek and Roman architecture because of the ionic columns in the buildings exterior and interior. The statue of the Greek and Roman Goddess Diana also symbolized that they cherished Greek and Roman culture. The architecture is something to marvel at, but this summer I visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the Last Renoir exhibition.
The Last Renoir is an exhibition that showcases Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s last three decades worth of artwork. The exhibition has most of the artwork, but it may be short one or two paintings or sculptures. The museum’s exhibition pamphlet shows a picture of Gabrielle Renard, who is his children’s nanny and their long time friend because she is Renoir’s wife’s cousin. This showcase of Renoir’s artwork taught me that his artwork influenced many other artists during his time and after his time. One of those people was Picasso. Picasso was upset that he did not get the chance to meet Renoir, so he attempted to create his own version of Renoir’s girls. Although it was still a little bit off, Picasso did learn a new way to paint the same picture. The last three decades of his life, Renoir started to stray away from his original paintings of impressionism and started painting pictures with nudes and paintings that depicts the life of his family and his friends’ families. One of my favorites is his two self portraits and the two photos with Gabrielle in it. (One was the side painting of Gabrielle and the other was Gabrielle with Jean or his elder son.) I took about one hour to two hours in the exhibition rooms because I want to learn more about this artist’s work, life and family. Visiting this museum is a wonderful opportunity to understand a once famous artist that I have rarely heard about.
Not only did I see the Last Renoir, but I took a public tour to the European Art 1500 to 1850. This collection of art is very full of rich culture and history. There is just so much to learn and so much to see because there are Knights and their weapons and there are paintings and furniture from that time period in different countries. Some of those countries include the Netherlands, France, England, Italy, Germany, and the United States. Each country had its own unqiue form of art. For example, England has a room with furniture and paintings, and sculptures from the house of William Penn. They moved the entire room to the museum for people to see a section of an old English home. From that room we can infer that the owner is pretty wealthy by looking at the fireplace and its design and by looking at the painting of him and his wife. His wife was wearing a very long and puffy dress that had a very vibrant color. We can infer that the dress was probably made from a very expensive material like silk. That room also had a couch from that time period and it was the original. That couch was made by a famous designer that wrote a book with his designs and his designs travelled to most of Europe and landed in the colonies. That would be the reason that in America, we would have a similar couch.
This museum is very unique and the museum price for general admission is free on the first Sunday of every month and they have a very big collection of art. It is a place that I intend to visit again when a new travelling exhibition arrives.

The West Lake in HangZhou , China

The West Lake is one of the biggest lakes in China and it is one of the most famous lakes in Chinese history. Many emperors have enjoyed the scenic view of the West Lake and have added their own scenary to the view. One emperor added the three islets that sit in the lake. The three islets are part of the outer West Lake, the site is well landscaped, creating an impression of "an islet in a lake and a lake on an islet." There are three pagodas built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) rising from the lake, each with five openings. On moonlit night, the pagodas release shafts can release candlelight on the night of the Moon Cake Festival in mid-autumn, when the moon is full. To travel to different locations on the West Lake, I brought boat tickets that allow me to travel to an island in the middle of the lake. The lake has great scenary that are meant to be in nature magazines, so bring your cameras and camera filters.

World Expo 2010

The World Expo is a great vacation destination for the summer and it is an even better place to see the people of China. Out of all the visitors that pass through its gates at the Expo Axis or other side entrances, most of the visitiors are either Chinese that live in China or the Chinese people coming to China to visit their extended family. The people are generally very nice and friendly, but there are a few people who were nasty and rude. For example, I was waiting in line to get on an Expo Bus to move to the European pavilions , when an old man and his family charged to the front of the line. They were behind me and they charged to the bus pretending that they were the the royal family and everybody else was unimportant. More importantly, they pushed someone off the bus just so that they can bring the old lady onto the bus. The volunteers were looking at the line; pretending that nothing happened.

The old man thought he had an excuse by saying that they were one family and they need to stay togeather. He failed to notice that everybody was with their families enjoying the Expo. When he grabbed his family and charged onto the bus, it was like that was the last bus and no more busses were coming. They ruined my day with one incident because I got furious and shouted at them. They were shaming their nationality with their unacceptable behavior that might have some people look down on them and other races of people would have been shocked to see a Chinese person act like that.
Just be a aware of these people when visting the pavilion because they they still have the old agricultural mind. They want to be fast because they experienced a time that was extremely harsh and there was not food and people had to be forceful. However that is no excuse to charge to the front of the line.

The First meeting of the CPC

The building that stands in Puxi today was the old clandestine location of the first meeting of the Communist Party of China. It is now a museum that offers free admission to learning about the history of Shanghai, the Nationalists Party of China and the Communist party of China. The museum offers artifacts that have been rarely seen in other museums and it offers a glimpse at the profound effect that the CPC had on China today. However the museum did inaccurate create a model of the meeting by putting Mao Zedong as the leader and everybody looking to him. The leader of the meeting could not have been him because he was only twenty to thirty years old.

I learned a lot about how the Communist Party of China formed and who was at the first meeting and Why they created the meeting. They created the meeting because the Nationalist Party was weak and failed to create a unified central government that tended to the needs of the common people. People were starving in China under Chiang Kai Shek's rule because his government was very corrupt. The degree to the corruption is extremely corrupt compared with the current government of China.

Expo 2010

The popular World Exposition Fair started in England during the Industrial Revolution for countries around the world to showcase their new technological advances. England set a precedent for other world expos to be held in developed countries, but this year we broke precedent and held the world exposition fair in Shanghai. Shanghai is China's largest city and it is one of China's most technologically advanced cities. Shanghai encompasses both Pudong and Puxi on the Huangpu River. This city has flourished and boomed because of Western occupation and Chinese workmanship. This city's skyscrapers were built by migrant workers, but the design came from successful Chinese architects. The World Expo is an example of migrant workers handiwork and Chinese Architect's creative designs. These pavilions at the expos were gorgeous, but there are just too many people. In the two days that I was at the expo, I have seen ten pavilions and experienced a heat wave that would make Americans cry and long lines filled with mostly Chinese people. Each pavilion has its own unique style, but I really enjoyed the united pavilions of Chinese provinces, the Spanish pavilion and the pavilion of the future. These pavilions are my favorite because they had short lines, gorgeous exterior designs and their interior material is worth seeing.

The United pavilion of the Chinese provinces is worth seeing because their lines are short and fast and each pavilion has a unique style. Some of the pavilions like the Jiangsu pavilion and the Hebei pavilion are worth seeing because they connect their province's most famous cultural possessions and their current technological and scientific advancements. Jiangsu province has a huge jade statue that looks exactly like a Chinese cabbage. It was unique because the color was chosen very particularly and the shape was shaped so precisely. Then there was a second floor that included the Jiangsu combs and the old Jiangsu tea room's interior look. Each comb had a unique design that is extremely difficult to make because of the complexity of the design and the precision of the colors. There would be a mountain water design and a wind and water design on the combs. The Hebei pavilion had artifacts that were uncovered from their province. There are old Chinese scientific discoveries and inventions like alcohol and the old Chinese telescope for looking at the stars and planets. Then they have the current space exploration technology and advancements. They also offer a model of a future city and a movie on a future city. It was like the old cartoons except the technology seemed feasible. The province pavilions are only a small part of the Expo’s total 5.28 square kilometers. Another one of my favorite section of the Expo is the European sector.
Out of all the European pavilions, my favorite was the Spanish pavilion because it had a theme that taught me about Spain’s people. It started with a 360 degree show that showed women dancing a traditional Spanish dance. While she was dancing images would appear on all sides of the screen. They would be images of the Spanish land and people because there were groups of horses on the dry land running at a very rapid pace. The movie would be synchronized with the rhythm of the women dancing and it was hard to see what she was dancing because there were too many people in front of me. Then in the next room they would show baby faces and pictures of Spanish families. The pictures were arranged on a wall and they were all together and they formed a picture. It was like all the families are united as one. Then the final room showed a gigantic baby that moved and cried, but we knew that it was not real. The Pudong side had the national pavilions and the Puxi side had the theme pavilions. To get to that side, you can ride an electric motor car or you can ferry over to the other side.
The Theme pavilion that I enjoyed was the pavilion of the Future because it was so new and unique, but the designs were all very feasible. The Pavilion starts with a movie about a futuristic city that motion picture directors would have made. Then there was a room that was filled with ideas from different scientists, engineers, architects, and mathematicians about how to make a city life better. They wanted to make city life better because in the next fifty years, more and more people will be moving towards the city. They want to make life better, but still keeping the same things that we have now. One of the quotes in the pavilion said, “We need to reinvent the wheel again”. That simple quote hit me and I thought it is impossible, but there are people that can do that in ten to fifty years. This pavilion had a sculpture that was made from trash, but it looked like a modern city. That was creative and fun to examine. Each continent had pitched ideas about what they are doing and what they will be doing. The pavilion was just so unique that I could have stayed in there for two hours and just looking at their inventions and ideas.
Whether you are staying in Shanghai or just going to the Expo, remember three pavilions are a must to see and remember that elderly people can have one person accompany them on the express line to some pavilions. This is a unique Expo and being placed in Shanghai is the best because Shanghai is more convenient than New York. The subway system connects Hongqiao and Pudong together by subway. It is easier and cheaper for many commuters coming from other parts of China or from other parts of the world.

World Expo 2010 in Shanghai

The popular World Exposition Fair started in England during the Industrial Revolution for countries around the world to showcase their new technological advances. England set a precedent for other world expos to be held in developed countries, but this year we broke precedent and held the world exposition fair in Shanghai. Shanghai is China's largest city and it is one of China's most technologically advanced cities. Shanghai encompasses both Pudong and Puxi on the Huangpu River. This city has flourished and boomed because of Western occupation and Chinese workmanship. This city's skyscrapers were built by migrant workers, but the design came from successful Chinese architects. The World Expo is an example of migrant workers handiwork and Chinese Architect's creative designs. These pavilions at the expos were gorgeous, but there are just too many people. In the two days that I was at the expo, I have seen ten pavilions and experienced a heat wave that would make Americans cry and long lines filled with mostly Chinese people. Each pavilion has its own unique style, but I really enjoyed the united pavilions of Chinese provinces, the Spanish pavilion and the pavilion of the future. These pavilions are my favorite because they had short lines, gorgeous exterior designs and their interior material is worth seeing.

The United pavilion of the Chinese provinces is worth seeing because their lines are short and fast and each pavilion has a unique style. Some of the pavilions like the Jiangsu pavilion and the Hebei pavilion are worth seeing because they connect their province's most famous cultural possessions and their current technological and scientific advancements. Jiangsu province has a huge jade statue that looks exactly like a Chinese cabbage. It was unique because the color was chosen very particularly and the shape was shaped so precisely. Then there was a second floor that included the Jiangsu combs and the old Jiangsu tea room's interior look. Each comb had a unique design that is extremely difficult to make because of the complexity of the design and the precision of the colors. There would be a mountain water design and a wind and water design on the combs. The Hebei pavilion had artifacts that were uncovered from their province. There are old Chinese scientific discoveries and inventions like alcohol and the old Chinese telescope for looking at the stars and planets. Then they have the current space exploration technology and advancements. They also offer a model of a future city and a movie on a future city. It was like the old cartoons except the technology seemed feasible.

A lesson on discrimination - A Class Divided

Walt Disney Pictures Alice in Wonderland (2010)

I stepped into AMC Theatre 4 on a rainy day. The day was perfect for watching a movie because it is very dark and wet and there's nothing to do. Watching this movie in the morning got my mind working because it was funny, creative, and entertaining. There were great actors, great special effects, and awesome visual effects.

Alice and Wonderland is from a classical novel that every American should read. It is wonderful book and now a wonderful movie. This movie could be used as a teaching tool to help students understand the novel, the time period, and the general setting. The movie also showed Alice's emotions and feelings really well. It is understandable to be scared of a nightmare and a place like Wonderland. Wonderland is weird, strange, surreal, and sometimes hard to understand. It is created by a Englishman because the movie is about dethroning a monarch and saving a land. England was a monarchy , so it knows a lot more to getting rid of bad monarchs or dictators. The Red queen resembles a dictator that is power hungry. She wants the kingdom and got it by force. The classical tale and the movie has landed a place in my memory. Her relationship with her sister is a classic sibling rivalry because the youngest always get everything. The oldest sibling is always the one that is left unsatisfied and jealous. Even the battle is about the rivalry between two siblings because the younger one , the white queen, got the kingdom. So the older sibling, the queen of hearts, believe that the older one is more responsible and thus she should get the land. However, the queen of hearts has no friends or council, because she created allies using fear and power. The White Queen used that to her advantage and got Alice to slay the queen of hearts' most powerful beast. Without that beast, every body is free because she no longer has the power.



This movie also gave us a history lesson on a family of monarchs. When the older brother ascends the throne, sometimes the younger brother would use force to get rid of his blood brother. This fact is true because humans have a nature to want power and they always want more. The story also tells us that with great power comes great responsibility. The Queen of hearts had all that power , but she took no responsibility. She created hatred among her people because the people believes that she is enjoying too much time in her castle. She eventually became oblivious to what was going on in wonderland. She believes that everything is perfect and protesters should be decapitated. It shows her irresponsibility in following what her people want. This happened a lot in medieval England, ancient china, medieval France, and the Ottoman empire. This means that this story, movie, and book showed us the time period that it was written in and the historic activities going on. It also hints that the story takes place before the Opium war because it was mentioned that they wanted to find a shorter route to China. All movies have stories, some of these stories could hint at the past, the present, or the future. Avatar hinted that we might discover a new planet and ruin it all together. The Hurt Locker hinted on the past Iraq war and what happened. This story hinted on a medieval fugue with two monarchs facing each other.

Alice in Wonderland also tells us about a childish dream. It shows us that we all want to travel to a place where we can enjoy the moment without pollution, crowds, or pressure and stress. It tells us that we all want a place to think, relax, and "flush out" our thoughts to someone trustworthy. The time spent in Wonderland helped Alice understand her dilemma in the wedding ceremony. When she climbed out, Alice knew her future as clear as day. She also became happier because she understood more about herself and others around her. For example, she made the connection of the two fat boys with two girls. Those two girls were her friends and they knew what would happen that day and they would also "fight". The connection is similar to the connection that Dorothy made at the end of The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy said, " I had a dream and you were in it". It just explains that the author of the Wizard of Oz had read Louis Carroll's books.

This movie's connection with Louis Carroll's novel, Through the Looking Glass and Alice in Wonderland is very precise and very informational. The three dimensional effects were awesome, but that was not the most important part in the movie.

However I have mixed feelings about this movie. Some parts were dull, some parts were exciting, and some parts were sad. This made me think twice about the rating of this movie because it was not consistent. I feel that this movie has too much dialogue and some of the dialogue could be cut out. I also found listening to their British accents annoying. Also , the movie started out to be very confusing. They did not introduce everything clearly. Although this movie has faults, I still love Alice in Wonderland. Watch it in 3D and you will not be disappointed. It has great visual and special effects, but incomparable to Avatar. Watch the movie in theatre because they have comfy seats and screens. Also, watch the movie in the morning because movies are cheaper in the morning than the afternoon.

OSCAR Night Who won? Is there personnal bias?

The Academy Awards have been a prestigious award for eighty two years. How has the procedure for choosing a winner changed and what are they doing differently? I believe that the academy is trying to keep awards from the rightful owner and giving it to someone else. James Cameron is the best director because he wrote the screenplay for Avatar, produced Avatar, and directed Avatar. Without James Cameron, there would not be a movie because he did the crucial work. However his team did the a lot of work too, but under his supervision.

James Cameron has won dozens of awards and have millions of dollars. The Academy hates James Cameron because Cameron has everything. Cameron has the awards and the money and the fans. They want to give the award of Best Picture and Best Director to Kathryn Bigelow because the audience least expect that to happen. But I ask the Academy , If Kathryn Bigelow would spent 15 to 16 years of her life for making a movie. Avatar is still better than the Hurt Locker because the story is more original, the picture quality is better, and the technology is newer. The new technology to film 3D movies was introduced by James Cameron because he wants the audience to pick up a bow and fight along side the Na'Vi. His dream became reality and everybody in the world accepts that. Not only is the technology amazing, but the worldwide audience reaction is even greater. The Amazon natives are using the movie as an inspiration to face the developing companies. The Palestinians are using Avatar as an inspiration to fight the Israeli. James Cameron made a excellent point when he said, " It doesn't matter if I win a award or not because I broke my own box office record, I received excellent reactions from the world, and I already have dozens of awards. This is just a big celebration for me. I just want to celebrate the success of my team and my movie. " My belief is supporting James Cameron's statement to ABC cameras and E News cameras. This also supports the fact that Avatar is still a great movie and the Academy is very bias and near minded.

A computer generated movie can win best picture because change is coming to the motion picture department. We have seen too many movies like The Hurt Locker because everybody wants to capture the Iraq War details. Compare it to Avatar, The Hurt Locker falls behind because Avatar is an epic movie that has romance, environmental cause, action, adventure, and science fiction. Nonetheless, The Hurt Locker has never captured my attention because it looks more like a news channel than a movie. I never even finish the movie once because I felt it was boring and only portrayed the soldiers as heroes. I understand that these soldiers are heroes, but to some of the natives , western soldiers have been a threat. Avatar portrayed the side of the natives very well because the Na'vi saw the soldiers as terrorists and land stealing aliens. Avatar has also portrayed the western soldiers as heroes. Avatar has moved me emotionally and physically. I was deeply touched by the natives' willingness to fight for their homeland. (They want to keep their planet fresh and without pollution.) I was also touched by the way a small team and an entire native population can defeat the powerful imperialist power. (It shows that natives can go up against the people with guns. ) I will ask Kathryn Bigelow and her "Hurt Locker" team, if their movie can be as touching to the world as Avatar has.

17 Again

For most people, they wish that they can turn their whole life around, if they became 17 again. Michael O'Donnell lived an mediocre life with a separated wife and two unloving children. He is forced to live at his best friend's house and strange things occurred. This interesting movie left many people feeling sad because they felt the nostalgia with the vivid details of turning seventeen again. This is an interesting movie that captured my attention with its humor because our lives would be very different if the parents were that same age as their kids.

Michael O'Donnell noticed that as a father he knew absolutely nothing about his kids, but he learned more about them as he turned seventeen. An old man or an angel turned back the clocks and Mike went back to his seventeen year old self that had abs and good looks and cool basketball style. The transformation was unusual, awkward, and scary at first, but the funny part was when his best friend did not recognize him. Then his best friend acted as his father to enroll him into high school again. Then the romance part started to form. His best friend tried to get a date with the principal, he tried to get along with his wife, his daughter tried to get a boy to marry her, and his son tried to date the girl that he has been crushing on. The whole story revolves around romance and family connections. He ended up being his son's best friend that helped him with basketball and dates. Then the funniest part is when he danced with his wife, but he's still seventeen. Then the whole story goes DE jax vu.

The director did a great job resolving all the conflicts in Mike's life by turning him seventeen again. He got his wife back and he knows more about his children and his best friend got a second date. The whole movie is worth watching, but rent it. Don't buy it.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

This weekend was a historic weekend with a record snow accumulation in the mid Atlantic states.This movie has a record food accumulation of Italian foods,American fast foods, and a Las Vegas styled buffet. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs was an entertaining movie for a rented movie. In this animated movie, the actions and inventions seems very unrealistic because food falling from the sky and rat birds. You would have to merge the DNA of rats and birds and that would cost billions of dollars. However this is only a kids animated movie and so the movie is for a one time watch. This movie should be rented at a Red box for a buck because there is nothing too special. Even though there was nothing special, I was intrigued by the creativity of the creators because we need a creative spark.

In the midst of the Great Recession, People are more worried about the rising cost of food and basic needs, so many people don't even think about being creative because they want to keep their good paying jobs. watching a creative movie alleviates the stress and pressure of work, school, and thinking. I really liked how a hamburger just landed perfectly in the people's hands. The funniest person was the mayor because he got so fat and still wants to eat more. He is a good representation of the obesity level in America. People are eating too much junk food and this movie teaches children a lesson about not eating too much McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.When I saw food falling down and piling down in a dam, I knew that the movie was also about telling America that they are wasting too much food. Americans throw away half eaten foods everyday. The scientist was a genius ,however he needs to know that success is 95% failure and 5% success. He was lucky that he met a girl that can match him wit for wit. As the adventure continues, the hero is a team of citizens.

This movie also tells about the state of nature of humans. Humans are naturally greedy and evil. This movie shows how desperate the people are after the tourists left. These people were poor and some were in complete destitute. The people became greedy that all they want is for him to let food come down. The mayor represents the selfish,mean, horrible leader, and very parsimonious aristocrats. He wanted the scientist to drop food because he wants his people to have everything , but in the midst of the crisis he took no blame at all. Even though he was the one that got the machine into overdrive and overloaded the machine. The scientist could have fixed the all problem with a switch, but the mayor had to be selfish.

The meatball part was that the machine is wrapped in a cocoon that was the size and shape of a gigantic meat ball. The adventure of going into the meatball was dangerous because there was hot, and greasy oils that were boiling. There were headless chickens walking. Even though the movie was unrealistic, I believe you should watch the movie any way because it is creative and fun for the whole family. It also teaches the lesson of never waste food.

Julie and Julia

Renting a movie at Red Box is cheap, easy and very convenient. This weekend, I rented the movie, Julie and Julia. The story goes back and forth from past to present and runs parallel from each other's story. Julie Powell's story is in relation to Julia Child's life. She mentioned, "I was a government secretary and Julia was a government secretary. She's loves to cook and I live to cook". She makes the connection that she is similar. This point in the movie is the turning point and the definition on the movie. Julia Child's story begins at the beginning because it acts a introduction for the movie. The best actress in Julie and Julia is Meryl Streep because she added the third ingredient to being a good actor. She made her personality the same as Julia Child's personality. Compare her voice with Julia Child's actual voice and you can see no difference because she is the perfect actress for a part in this documentary and non fiction movie. The movie portrayed Julia Child's life extremely well because it showed how Julia Child influenced the world. The movie tells us that if a person can influence another person, then it can influence the entire world. It showed how She influenced Julie Powell into enjoying cooking. Julie Powell was able to accomplish a goal and write a book and had fans. The movie is not a summary of Julia Child's life,instead it is about what are achievements were and how she took a stand in society and what happened in her lifetime compared with Julie Powell's life.

Julia Child told us that society at that time was very complex about race and communism and that France was famous for its food and culture. Joesph McCarthy was mentioned in the movie and how he would interrogate people in the state department. He was ruthless by locking them up in a room with no windows for three days. Julie Powell told us about how society was after the terrorist attack on 9/11 because she was handling these person to person relationships.

For most people, cooking is a tedious task that people do all day because their family needs to eat. However Julia Child influenced Julie Powell about having fun with cooking and if you fail then keep on going forward. Julia Child's cookbook showed her how fun cooking can be because she was doing it as a hobby. Julie Powell tried it as a hobby and she became less stressed out to a happier mood. She changed her entire mindset about cooking and life. Have fun in cooking and you will enjoy it more. Some people say how do you have fun while cooking? I told them that you should improvise on some recipes. Julia Child improvised and Julie Powell improvised as well. Recipes can be changed accordingly to your personal eating habits. Some people like more oil and some people like less oil. Does it matter? No it does not because improvising is a way of being creative and thus having more fun.

I believe that through Julie Powell we learned the influence of Julia Child in the world today. Now cook for fun! Enjoy your weekend with a fun filled dish!

The Spy Next Door

Recently, I watched "The Spy Next Door" at AMC theaters. Since I watched the movie in the morning at AMC, the ticket price is only $6.00. Twenty years ago, that was the price of general admission in the afternoon. The movie starred the "old" Jackie Chan, George Lopez , and Billy Ray Cyrus. Jackie Chan is the dominant role in this action packed comedy. Jackie Chan is always in action packed comedies. My favorite action packed adventure comedy is Rush Hour 1 and 2 because they were able to fluently bring together three kinds of movie genre. The Spy Next Door makes a good third best action, adventure comedy because the story has been used before, Jackie Chan is getting old, there is no new use of technology, however it made me laugh spontaneously.

Not only is watching movies in the morning cheap, but it gives me a wake up call. I love a good laugh in the morning because it makes me happy throughout the day. The Spy Next Door was able to make me laugh spontaneously because the humor is not "squeezed" into the movie. Comedy movies like the Pink Panther 2 had nose pinching laughter because they forced us to laugh. The humor was tickling humor. Tickles are usually forced and the humor in The Spy Next Door allowed us a second to think and laugh. There was no forced laughter or bad comedy acting. I enjoyed Billy Ray Cyrus' funny southern accent and southern phrases funny because people do not normally talk like that. Jackie Chan's Chinese American accent was funny because he talked normally and tried to be fluent. Playing a part in a major movie is good for his resume, however this movie will hurt him. He can sing and act and be funny in a spontaneous way. Billy Ray Cyrus is a Television show actor , so he has no experience with motion pictures. He has played as a father in the 2009 movie, Hannah Montana The Movie, however he was horrible. I think he was better in this movie, than that one. George Lopez is a television host, so he's not good at acting in this movie either. He played a double agent and a traitor to the Central Intelligence Agency. He was not funny and acted mediocrity.

I am not saying that this movie is good because the story has been used by "The Pacifier". A secret agent goes to babysit a family of kids that he wants them to like him because he likes their mom. Then villains go after him and the kids that he babysits. The villains act too friendly in this movie because the movie is aimed at kids. In my opinion, this movie deserves a C for mediocre because Jackie Chan has played a part in many movies like this. He has acted in the Rush Hour trilogy, so he deserves a better movie to be in. Rent the movie, don't buy it.

China's Uygurs — National Geographic Magazine

China's Uygurs — National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic is talking nonsense about Han majority coming into the province of Xinjinag. Xinjiang has been part of China for thousands of years. This land has always been ours and the Uigurs are part of the Chinese family. However family don't kill other family members. That is wrong on all levels. Xinjiang Uygurs are miniorities that purposely kill people and destroy public property. They sent buses and cars on fire. They killed hundreds of people. This is a terrorist attack. If they want to get a message across , then they can submit emails, phone calls or peaceful protests, but not by violence. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only love can do that. Hate cannot be driven out by Hate, only love can do that"(Dr. martin Luther King Jr). You cannot fight fire with fire because the end resault is a bigger fire that rages on from both sides. The Central government only ended the fire by calming the Han majority and the Uygur minority. They did not contribute the violence in any way. I will reiterate that they did not contrbute to the violence in any way. The fault was in the Uygurs.