TOW #19: "Olympic Winter Games have damaging effect on Sochi's environment," Geert Groot Koerkamp

Every 4 years, the most talented athletes from all around the world unite in one city to fight for the most prestigious titles in their sport. Whether it is summer or winter, these strong competitors will give the games all they have in order to get gold. This year, 2014, Sochi, Russia was given the incredible honor to host this inspiring event. To make this year as memorable as possible, the Russian government put in loads of money and energy, the most expensive Olympics to date. Money was not the only cost the games created though. The consequences that this extravagance had on the environment proved to be even worse. The arenas, stadiums, and training facilities that are constructed every four years truly take a toll on the surrounding areas. In the article, "Olympic Winter Games have damaging effect on Sochi's environment," the author Geert Groot Koerkamp uses elaborate imagery and juxtaposition to explain the wildlife preserve that was diminished by the construction for the Olympics. "Behind the sign is a large pond with ducks and other water birds, surrounded by bare terrain with sparse, recently planted vegetation. On all sides it's surrounded by residential areas built to host athletes and journalists. If anything, this ‘ornithological park' is reminiscent of a large urban pond." Following this statement, Koerkamp goes on to describe the piece of land as it once was, "a mixture of agricultural land and wetlands of great importance to birds and rare plants." By using the words "bare" and "sparse" the author is able to create a desolate atmosphere and tone for readers. The later mentioned "agricultural land" of "great importance" contrasts sharply with the previous idea. Later in the article, Koerkamp uses an anecdote, provided by a woman who lived near the construction, named Tatyana. She was not happy with the destruction of her home, nor with the lack of consideration that was paid to her. By including this authentic story, the author makes the article easier to relate to and more genuine. The opinion of Tatyana supports his claim, that the construction for the 2014 Olympics has deteriorated the environment. The purpose in writing this article was to inform audiences that money is not the only cost of the Olympics. While these competitions are a wonderful presentation of talent and friendship, negative factors are involved that people should be aware of.

http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/sports-olympics-2014-sochi.htm

http://www.dw.de/olympic-winter-games-have-damaging-effect-on-sochis-environment/a-17449525

TOW #18: RENT poster

Among the list of great contemporary musicals, one stands out as potentially more authentic and meaningful. That musical is Rent. Rent is a musical about a group of friends living together in New York City in the early 1990s. This show addresses heavy issues, like AIDS/HIV, homosexuality, and poverty, among others. The poster for this show highlights the eight leads, Angel, Collins, Mimi, Roger, Benny, Maureen, Joanne, and Mark. All of the characters have their own picture (except for Maureen and Joanne) that seems to give them a sense of characterization without any words. Angel is dressed in bright colors, and surrounded by red to show her brightness of expression. Mark's image is tinted blue to give a sense of loneliness to the picture. He is also holding his camera to represent how he video documents everything, which is one of the main plot points of the show. These little boxes create separate personas for the characters that come together to form a collage of color and personality on the poster. "RENT" is written on the poster is all caps, block lettering. This is straightforward and clear, not meant to be pretty or swirly. The title of the show is the most crucial part of the poster, and the font that was chosen says a lot about the show. The spray painted effect adds to the appearance of authenticity the show holds. Also, it tells audiences that the actors and directing team will not be sugar-coating anything. It is meant to be clear rather than vague. Rent is one of my favorite musicals, and I believe that this poster truly embodies the spirit and feel of the show. It gives off a casual but intense vibe, a difficult balance that is hard to accomplish. I do not believe in judging a book by a cover (or in this case a show by its poster) but I do think that good, realistic first impressions can only help a show, not hurt it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent_%28film%29

IRB Intro Post: 3rd Marking Period

For my independent reading book this marking period, I chose Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I chose this book because it was made into a movie a few years ago, which I really wanted to see. The movie stars Julia Roberts, who is one of my favorite actresses, which made me want to see it almost as much as the trailer did. I never did have the opportunity to see the movie though, and I am hoping that after I read the book, I will find the opportunity. This book seems to continue my trend of novel-like non-fiction, which is good because I find those books interesting and easier to relate to.

http://filmcrithulk.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/hulk-watch-eat-pray-love-for-you-assholes/

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TOW #17: "Essay: Philip Seymour Hoffman, an actor of moments big and small," Ann Hornaday

Today, the entertainment industry, and the whole world lost a great talent. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, an award-winning, iconic actor was found dead in his New York apartment. Many people will want to comment on the cause of his death, why he felt the need to overdose, but while that is important, it is also important to remember the great accomplishments and celebrate his life. In her essay, "Phillip Seymour Hoffman, an actor of moments big and small," Ann Hornaday does an impressive job of doing just that. Rather than writing an article about the drug overdose or the problems leading up to it, she wrote a beautiful memorial that showed the true character of Hoffman. Hornaday used examples of Hoffman's work, such as older films, like "Hard Eight," Oscar-winning ones, such as "Capote," and much more recent ones, like "The Ides of March" and "The Master." By giving a list of a few of the movies Hoffman has starred in, Hornaday creates a feeling that the actor was capable of any role. He could go from a quiet, soft-spoken man to a crazy cult-leader from movie to movie. The range of movies that he did show his versatility as an actor, and also shows that he was a part of many films in his career. When the author does touch on the drug overdose issue, she does so briefly. She compares his situation to others, saying "the same rhetoric swirled around Heath Ledger when he died in 2008, and Cory Monteith upon his death last July. The same myth has attached to such writers as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Eugene O’Neill..." Many other great and talented humans have looked to drugs or alcohol to find peace, which has ultimately killed them. The artists that the author has listed, like Hoffman, were very talented and put so much good work into the world. Hornaday's language was beautiful throughout the peace. One of the most powerful lines was when she stated that, "someone willing to take the psychic, emotional and even physical risks necessary to shape-shift into another individual, over and over again — leads them to seek numbness, whether to quiet the voices in their heads, heal their primal wounds or help the sensory and creative juices to flow..." The comparison of acting to shape-shifting really put into perspective, at least for me, the grating damage that career choice can have. In the next paragraph though, it is obvious that even though Hornaday is sympathetic, she will not romanticize the "tortured artist" image. I thought this was an extremely touching article of the life Phillip Seymour Hoffman led, and it really made me think about the consequences of fame.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/essay-philip-seymour-hoffman-an-actor-of-moments-big-and-small/2014/02/02/f43b2aba-8c51-11e3-95dd-36ff657a4dae_story.html