Unit 3 Project: Slow Down Freight Train

Hey everyone! In today’s post I’m going to analyze a painting I saw the other day at Ackland Art Museum, the art museum on campus here at UNC. The piece is called Slow Down Freight Train, and was painted by Rose Piper in 1946. In Slow Down Freight Train, Piper is able to manifest the struggles African-Americans felt during the early and middle 20^th century by creating a feeling of sorrow through her use of neutral colors and abstract figures.

The painting is oil on canvas and is about three feet by two feet in size. Overall the scene depicted in Slow Down Freight Train is rather simple and includes few points of interest other than the African-American man taking up mostly the left side of a train car. He was clearly painted to appear abstract rather than realistic. He is sitting or crouching faced toward the viewer but his elongated neck is turned away. His face appears to be looking outside toward rolling green fields. His skin is a brownish-green and his hair black. The man is wearing a red shirt and black pants, and his left arm is holding onto some sort of tall object in front of him that hides the right side of his body. The face of the man seems mostly empty, but it could be because of the angle his head is at.

The man is in a train car with what appears to be light-colored wooden floors with boards that run vertically. On the right there’s an opening in the car, and rolling green hills and power lines can be seen. The back wall behind the man is black on either side, but in the middle there are six horizontal sections that from the top to bottom fade from a dull yellow to a dark, ugly brown. This is an interesting addition to the painting and seems a bit random and out-of-place.

The balance in Slow Down Freight Train is interesting. The man is close to the front of the scene on the left, and it looks almost two-dimensional. However, there is a more spatial and three-dimensional aspect on the right side, with the hills and power lines being the most apparent. Piper probably did this to make the struggling man the focal point of the painting.

Piper makes great use of abstract shapes and lines in Slow Down Freight Train. I feel like cubism could have inspired Piper to some extent as these elements dominate the image; she really has her own very unique style. Almost all lines seem to flow, especially the ones that make up the man. They are the only curved lines in the entire painting. These seem to represent quietness or sadness, whereas the rigid lines and hard angles of the room surrounding the man represent some type of stress or anger. This could be described as a very geometric painting, as all lines make shapes that represent shapes. What I really like about this painting is that it is abstract, but only to a degree where it is easy to see what is occurring. Some works are so abstract it can be hard for a viewer to detect what the painting depicts.

Another major element that really sets the tone in this piece is the choice of colors Piper chose to use. With the exception of the man’s shirt, all colors used are dull, neutral hues that express a sort of sadness or longing feeling. Green seems to represent growth, health, and rebirth, but because it is dulled down it seems to mean the death and despair. I described earlier how there was a section of yellow that faded downward into an ugly brown; to me this is a representation of how the man’s happiness and joy has diminished. All these colors surround the faceless man in his bright red shirt. The shirt contrasts with the dark background and his black leg contrasts with the beige floor, making him stand out from the rest of the painting. I think the red in his shirt shows an inner-anger or frustration the man has, or perhaps even love and longing for his family, as he is on the train alone. Maybe both!

It isn’t hard for the viewer to recognize that Piper created this work for a reason. Before knowing any background information one can see that it displays helplessness or sorrow. I personally like the painting; it is simple yet clearly has a deeper meaning to it. There is also an element of mysteriousness to it; it causes me to think when I see it. However, there are a few components of the piece I don’t understand or that seem random. The fading yellow rectangles is one of them; it just doesn’t please my eye and seems out of place. It could be a representation of an idea or emotion, or just simply put there because Piper didn’t know what to do with the extra space.

Overall I think that this painting is a representation of how African-Americans were treated in the early and middle 20^th century. They were given very few rights in comparison to whites at the time. The man’s red shirt and the rigid lines of the inside of the car convey a strong sense of frustration and angst, while the softer, curvy lines of his body and the neutral colors of the room express sorrow or tenderness. I do think there is a more specific meaning to it though; the title seems to encourage that idea. Piper wanting the freight train to slow down could by symbolic of something—perhaps the train is speeding into the future and the man is scared of what is to come for his family or something of the sort. Either way it makes sense in that Piper was an African-American living in the United States at this time. It’s almost like she created this piece as an SOS. The meaning of Slow Down Freight Train is surely rooted in the African American experience.

Art is a very powerful way to convey a message. Piper kept action to a minimum in her work; she was able to express her ideas through mostly just color, shape, and line. Slow Down Freight Train helps us understand how African-Americans felt at this time in history without using a single word. If you’d like to take a look and see what you think about it, look just below this post! And remember all art museums contain cool and interesting pieces, so check out your local museum sometime!

-Jake

What was Jacob Lawrence's Goal?

A piece of art does not always consist of one single painting. It can consist of multiple paintings that come together as one single piece. A piece of art can also consist of additional parts such as words and labels. Jacob Lawrence wanted to tell a complex story of a man’s life so he used multiple images and text to emphasis the complex nature of John Brown’s story. Jacob Lawrence, a twentieth century well-known African-American painter, created a series of twenty-two series of screen print paintings named The Legend of John Brown. John Brown, a white abolitionist, became a famous American figure for his lifelong strive to end slavery in the nineteenth century. Brown believed he was an instrument of God. He felt as if God had chosen him to eliminate slavery. Brown believed God was directing Brown lead attacks, fights, and killings in order to put a stop to slavery in America. These details of Brown’s life are evident in Lawrence’s artwork. Jacob Lawrence’s goal is to document John Brown’s life story through a string of paintings that show Brown’s struggle to please God’s desire for Brown to abolish slavery.

Jacob Lawrence’s The Legend of John Brown is very unique in that the piece does not consist of just a single painting, but a series of paintings as well as a written story. Each painting consists of a caption and a number as part of the medium of the art. The caption helps to emphasize the story that Lawrence is telling through his art. The text also often includes setting, such as the exact place and date, to emphasize the true historical meaning behind the art. For example, painting number 19 states “Sunday, October 16, 1859, John Brown with a company of 21 men, white and black, marched on Harpers Ferry.” Numbers are included with each painting to increase clarity. The numbers give the series of paintings an obvious timeline.

Lawrence’s medium of silk screen prints that consist of “large flat forms, bold diagonals, pure colors, and [little of detail]” that add to Lawrence’s artwork’s clarity. Lawrence’s use distinct lines and colors in all of his pieces add to Lawrence’s apparent and understandable illustration of Brown’s life. In addition, most of the frames concentrate on the figure of John Brown. Lawrence succeeds in maintaining the focus of the paintings on John Brown’s life story. There is no question in what he Lawrence is trying to depict in each of his paintings. These repeated themes of style create a recurring pattern that links all of the episodes together into one single piece of artwork.

The first piece in Jacob Lawrence’s series is labeled “John Brown, a man who had a fanatical belief that he was chosen by God to overthrow black slavery in America.” Lawrence wanted his artwork’s audience to know right off the bat that John Brown felt as if he was an instrument of God. Although this is stated directly, it is shown in the artwork itself. A man, John Brown, is nailed by hands and feet to a distinct black cross. A bold flow of red color, representing blood, comes from his ankles where he is pinned. The image is extremely similar to the famous image of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on the cross. On the other hand, viewers could interpret this image as Jesus Christ himself, not John Brown. Regardless, the audience is initially aware of the influence of the Christian religion in Brown’s life. His painting sends the message that Brown will take any action in behalf of God, even bloodshed and death, to please and follow God’s plan for him to end slavery. The image of the cross is evident throughout the series of paintings to remind viewers of John Brown’s motivation.

The paintings continue to describe John Brown’s life story. They illustrate John Brown reflecting and praying about God’s wishes, as shown in painting numbers two and four. The reoccurring theme of the black cross in these paintings puts an emphasis on God’s influence on Brown. The paintings continue to tell the Brown’s story by showing Brown discussing his plans to abolish slavery with others, as shown in painting numbers five, six, and seven. The art’s viewers would not completely understand this concept without the captions to explain this. The story of John Brown is apparent through Jacob Lawrence’s captions as well as the prints themselves.

Painting number fourteen also demonstrates Lawrence’s goal to a large extinct. It continues the theme of solid lines, clear points, and distinction so that the viewers have no doubt on what he story he is telling. The John Brown figure is clearly the focal point of the piece. Brown is in the heart of the painting, with three definite walls surrounding him. The wall on the left shows the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. This displays the innocence of John Brown’s actions in the beginning of journey to put a stop to slavery. The image of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is shown on the wall on the right. This, again, shows John Brown’s willingness to sacrifice himself in order to abide by God’s wishes. It gives the viewers a sense of foreshadowing that he will in the end die for this pursuit to end slavery. The center wall is painted a bold blue, to keep the emphasis on the figure of John Brown. John Brown is holding out his over a small table with a few coins as if to ask for money. His wide eyes show that he is pleading for the financial support from others. It shows his passion and his hope his strive to end slavery. The religious images on each side of him emphasize his religious driving force in his actions.

The paintings to that follow painting number fourteen illustrate John Brown’s continuing voyage to terminate slavery. Jacob Lawrence focuses on the raid of Harper’s Island in the last few paintings of the series. Paintings numbered fifteen through eighteen show Brown planning and organizing his raid, while paintings numbered nineteen and twenty show the actual Harper’s Island raid. The Legend of John Brown concludes with the death of John Brown in the painting number twenty-two. The foreshadowing of his death in the painting number one and number fourteen is confirmed. Painting number twenty two displays Brown being hung by a rope by his neck for his illegal raid on Harper’s Island.

Through his twenty-two series of paintings and captions, Jacob Lawrence tells a detailed story of the historical legend, John Brown. Lawrence successfully achieves his goal to document John Brown’s endeavor to end slavery by the direction of God. As mentioned previously, his use of distinct lines and bold colors make his images clear and easy to understand. In addition, the detailed description underneath the actual print gives the viewers an exact timeline of Brown’s life, leaving no room for uncertainty. With the help of your parents, look online to view his paintings! Do you think he is successful in his goal?

Fun Links

The Legend of John Brown, by Jacob Lawrence. 1977. http://www.arts.wa.gov/public-art/legend-of-john-brown/index.html

-Anna Perez

Feeder 3.2

Hey everyone! Today I’m going to compare an interpretation of Pablo Picasso’s famous painting, Guernica, to that of my own. Sometimes art is very straightforward and easy to interpret, other times it is deeper and has symbolic and/or metaphoric meanings to it. Unless the artist says what he or she means in the painting, nobody can truly know. Guernica is an interesting painting that tends to have several different interpretations.

In the article “Visual Analysis: Pablo Picasso, Guernica,” Nathan Beaver takes into consideration several aspects of the painting such as the scene that is depicted, the colors used, the size of the painting, and the lines and shapes present.

Overall Beaver is able to summarize the painting using the words “mayhem” and “destruction.” Even by taking a quick look at Guernica one can come to a similar conclusion. The injured horse, the dead soldier lying on the ground, the weeping mother holding her dead child in her arms, among others make this pretty indisputable.

He continues by explaining that the entire painting is “dark with cool colors and really no sign of warmth.” Considering the fact that the painting is black and white, I must disagree with the statement about the colors being “cool.” However, the painting does seems “dark” due to the amount of pain and overall negativity of the image. Beaver also states that through Picasso’s use of shading he is able to create the feeling of “space” between the figures. To me, though, the figures still seem jumbled, regardless of how Picasso shaded them.

Beaver continues by adding that the use of curved shapes and lines adds a sense of “unity” to the image. This aspect of the painting is hard for me to decide on; I feel that the lines and shapes could potentially symbolize unity, yet the context of the painting seems to contradict any sense of unity. To me the overlapping shapes and lines add to the “confusion” and “mayhem” Beaver talked about earlier. Some figures are hard to distinguish because they are overlapped and it can become quite confusing. Either way, both are plausible in my mind.

Also, according to Beaver the painting is very big (eleven feet tall and twenty-six feet across. He says that the sheer enormity of the painting made him feel engulfed by it and that it added to the power of it. I’ve only seen the image on my computer screen, and it even that was able to move me. I would agree that seeing the painting up close would make the viewer feel as though he or she was in the scene.

Overall many of the claims made by Nathan Beaver are plausible, though when interpreting paintings there is no right answer unless the painter explains the meaning behind the piece. Picasso rarely told the public the meanings behind his paintings, believing everyone should have their own opinions. Take a look at the photo below to decide what you think, and if you want to read Nathan Beaver’s full interpretation click the link below!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/770405/visual_analysis_pablo_picasso_guernica.html?cat=2

Also, HERE is a link to a picture of the painting.

-Jake

Hallways as Art?

Did you know that art can consist of the way a room or a hallway is set up and painted? Gregor Scheider, a controversial German artist, displays a very dark tone in his work. His artwork does not usually consist of paintings, rather constructed rooms, making him one of a kind. Due to unique, dark, and mostly colorless style his artwork has a large emotional impact on those who view them.

Gregor Schneider’s recent artwork presents viewers with a creepy atmosphere. For example, his artwork named Dead House, which is set in an empty hallway, uses grays, blacks, and whites to create a colorless and dreary atmosphere. White Torture also displays his dreary style. White Torture, a colorless piece of work, is set inside a prison. Schneider changed the visitor’s state of mind when they entered this scene. The prison scene shocked the audience and made them feel isolated. The bare room he designed, without the use of color and without scars or bloodshed, conveyed this message. “Anxiety, fear and [panic]” describe the feelings that the exhibit conveys, says David Ebony.

Another piece his work utilized hallways to portray these feelings. With the help of Julian Heynen and Brigitte Kollle, Gregor Schneider transformed Schneider’s entire basement into hallways. The hallways were described as “painted wood and metal with identical sliding doors.” The way they staged the hallways, they seemed endless. The endless hallways seem to represent endless doom, never finding one’s way out of isolation and misery. Some of the hallways led the viewers inside small rooms. The small rooms only had a steel toilet, and only had enough room for one visitor at a time. Again, this atmosphere emphasized this sorrowful mood. The single toilet and confined rooms increased the viewers feeling separation from society and all happiness.

Many of the visitors of this museum claim to experience feelings of loneliness, worry, and hesitation as soon as they entered Gregor Schneider’s basement. Schneider’s work greatly contrasted the rooms outside of his scenes. The corridor was painted completely white and was lit by white fluorescent fixtures and low ceilings. The basement was mostly silent with “distant noises of sliding doors and scuffing feet,” as described by David Ebony.

In addition to the isolated, hopeless, and dreary feelings, the scenes that Gregor Schneider creates also give a feeling of confusion. Some of the doors along the hallways are locked and some lead into other rooms. On becomes “frustrated” as they find themselves finding more and more doors that are locked. But finally, at the end of one’s journey through the hallways and side rooms, there is a staircase, the last glimpse of hope. It leads to a metal door that opens up to a colorful park and pond away from the entrance to Schneider’s museum. At last, the visitors feel free.

Gregor Schneider was able to create a piece of art by creating a scene of hallways and rooms. With the attention to detail such as locked doors, lighting, use of color, and space Schneider gave his audience an emotional rollercoaster that they will most likely never forget. What feelings would you undergo if you entered his artwork?

Fun Links
517 West 24th, by Gregor Schneider. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images_445_105659_gregor-schneider.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artnet.com/artwork/423879789/445/gregor-schneider-517-west




Gregor Schneider at K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, by David Ebony. Art in America, December 2007

-Anna Perez

Unit 3 Project by Devin Cooney

John Brown felt that he was chosen by God to put an end to slavery in America. “The Legend of John Brown,” an exhibit by Jacob Lawrence, shows Brown’s struggle with getting rid of slavery. Brown tried to overthrow slavery by raiding the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Lawrence uses historical events as inspiration for his paintings. The story of John Brown shows the link between religion and history. For this reason,and the religious symbols Lawrence puts in his exhibit, Lawrence’s aim was not directed at depicting Harpers Ferry. Rather, he used this moment in history to show Brown’s relationship with God, and the sacrifices made by people who walk in faith.

The very first painting shows the link between Brown and God. It illustrates Jesus being nailed to a cross. It has a very dark background. The sky is a dark, yet vivid, blue. There is also blood coming from Jesus’ feet. A man has his back turned to the scene, potentially showing that the scene saddens him. The historical significance is that Brown was chosen by God to get rid of slavery in America.

Many of the other paintings illustrate Brown’s plan to conquer slavery. In painting two, Brown prays with his friends. I am guessing he is thinking about the terrible condition of the slaves. Once again, Lawrence uses vivid colors. Guns hang in the top left corner on bright yellow rungs. My eyes focused on that part of the painting first. I feel this was done on purpose to show the importance of the guns. The guns are obviously an important component in the raid on Harpers Ferry. In addition, a Bible sits in the center of the table. This was also done on purpose because Brown’s life revolves around God. It being in the center shows that God was the main thing driving Brown.

Many of the other paintings show Brown’s connection with God. For example, the fourth painting in the exhibit shows John Brown’s struggle with poverty. In this painting, the wall has a cross on it. I feel that the painting could be a reference to the Bible and its view on impoverished people. Many Bible verses speak about the riches the poor will reap in Heaven if they are obedient. Versus such as Matthew 20:16 “the last will be first, and the first will be last” and Matthew 5:5 “the meek shall inherit the Earth” speak about the benefit that those less fortunate will receive in exchange for their faith.

In painting 14, Brown collected money from sympathizers and friends to carry out his plans. The first thing that I focused on in the painting was the look in John Brown’s eye. It almost looks as if he is begging. Change fills the table in front of him, which I think means that he begged to get money for his cause. All of the things that he does revolves around his relationship with God. On the walls next to him, the Virgin Mary is on the left with baby Jesus, while on the right a Crucified Jesus is shown. I think that his birth being on the left and Jesus’ death on the right is shown to be somewhat of a timeline of Jesus’ birth and death. This could be a connection to Brown himself, considering his death.

Brown collects money and convinces blacks to fight alongside him. This culminates in picture 18, which shows a barnyard full of guns and ammunition that he stockpiled using his money. It looks like he is ready to attack the institution of slavery.

Picture 20 shows Brown and his company of men shooting. It shows the attack on Harpers Ferry. They held their ground for 12 hours. On one of the rebel’s backs, there is what looks to be a sword, but could also be viewed as a cross. This can be a reference to God being with Brown as he fights for the removal of slavery, which makes sense considering Brown felt that God called him to overthrow slavery.

However, picture 21 shows his ultimate defeat. He was captured and put to trial for treason and murder. However, his faith never faltered. This is evident in him holding a cross in the painting. God’s love is forever with Brown, even in his death.

Finally, in picture 22, it illustrates Brown’s hanging. He died for his crimes on December 2, 1859. I feel that the last painting being Brown’s death means something. The connection between Jesus and Brown is finally realized. In painting one, Jesus hangs from a cross for his crimes. In the last painting, it shows Brown being hanged for his crimes. Ultimately, the start of the exhibit as well as the end, shows two people dying in their attempt to help people. Both did it in different ways. Jesus was strictly a peacekeeper, while Brown had a violent plan to overthrow slavery. I think the point in showing the difference between their viewpoints was to highlight how sometimes violence is necessary in preserving justice and the actions that are motivated by religion.

A counter claim would be that Lawrence, due to his love for history, just wanted to depict Brown’s struggle to overthrow slavery. Lawrence painted many artworks with historical contexts. He could have just wanted to show Brown’s historical importance, not his relationship with God. However, it is hard to ignore God’s influence on Brown’s life, and in illustrating Brown’s struggle with overthrowing slavery, you have to focus on Brown’s relationship with God.

Overall, the exhibit left me thinking that Lawrence wanted to convey a message that Brown walked with Christ. Many of the paintings in the exhibit point to this fact. While he depicts the raid of Harpers Ferry, I feel that it is just a way to show the actual message of Brown’s connection with God. However, paintings present many different viewpoints. Lawrence could have just been looking at the historical context. It all goes back to your own opinion. What do you kids think? Go to the Ackland Art Museum and check it out!!!

Fun Links!!
http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/2010/jacob_lawrence/

Feeder 3.2 by Devin Cooney

I am not sure about you guys, but for me, the art that I like makes people think about different issues. If the artwork makes me think, it will have a lasting imprint on me. Jean Michel Basquiat made people think about his paintings. In his painting, Per Capita, he displays the economic struggle of the African-American man. Using Per Capita as an example, Basquiat's claim to fame comes from his amazing ability through his art to stimulate debate and encourage discussion. I feel that this ability helps artists gain lasting fame in the art industry.

Jean Michel Basquiat, a painter during the 1980’s, had a rugged style. His graffiti-like paintings made him an icon during this decade. However, the thing that impresses me lies within his ability to arouse discussion with his paintings. His paintings convey a message. His ability to show people the inequalities people face everyday makes people think about his message after they finish looking at the painting.

Per Capita, while looking extremely disorganized and jumbled, comes back to a common theme. In the top left corner, it has the Per Capita income of different states. Per Capita shows the amount of money an average citizen of that state makes per year. I think this message points towards economic unfairness because the large difference between Per Capita incomes amongst the states. Many of Basquiat’s paintings center on unfairness, whether racial or economic. This painting finds a way to mention both in a way that would encourage debate between many different people.

Basquiat also finds a way to encourage racial debate. The focus of the painting seems to be the black man in Everlast shorts, which could be a boxer. He has a halo above his head, which gives off a holy impression. Basquiat finds many ways to highlight the struggles of the black man in his paintings. For example, “Untitled” by Basquiat, according to Michael Dragovic’s article “Basquiat: An Analysis of Nine Paintings,” points to the fact that in the painting, a black man is being beaten by two white cops. Right next to this image, a loan building stands, suggesting the depiction of an urban area. This can point to Basquiat’s other paintings displaying the struggles of the black man.

Because the painting focuses on economic struggle, the black boxer in the painting could have been in trouble financially. Joe Louis could have been this man. Dragovic also points out in Basquiat’s painting, “St. Joe Lewis Surrounded by Snakes”, that “a haloed boxer not unlike the one [seen] in Per Capita is surrounded by greedy trainers and managers, represented by…floating faces hovering behind Joe Louis, who eventually left Louis financially ruined by misleading him….” This could be the same message he is portraying in Per Capita. This boxer shows how someone else’s greed can leave you in financial ruin. He carries a torch also. This could be a reference to the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes what this country represents; a country fighting for the equality of Americans. This painting symbolizes the fight for equality that all Americans strive for. It is funny that a boxer carries the torch because he fights for a living.

As you can see, Basquiat does a fantastic job of using images and words that will lead to heated debate and discussion. If artists get their viewers thinking about their painting, they have done their job. The fact that Basquait conveys messages that spark debate points to the reason for his decade long success. I challenge you kids to find a painting that interests you, and find some things about it that make you think. We are almost at the home stretch, kids! Just one more post, and this semester-long journey will be reaching its end. I have had a great time teaching you guys.

FUN LINKS!!
“Basquiat: An Analysis of Nine Paintings" by Michael Dragovic: http://www.umich.edu/~historyj/docs/2009-winter/dragovic.pdf

The Bias of Art by Devin Cooney

Today, we will be switching gears from behavioral science to the humanities. Many people view the humanities as an opinion-based subject. Using two opinion articles concerning artist Jean Michel Basquiat, you can see that one person’s opinion can catapult them to superstardom while what another person sees would have probably destroyed him.

The first article that I chose was the article “Artforum, Basquiat, and the 1980’s”. This article argues that Basquiat’s elevation was mainly due to Artforum’s 1981 review. His “packaging of ethnicity, street background, and artistic style matched seamlessly with Ingrid Sischy’s agenda of art, culture, and race…” This means that they used his style as a way to promote their own ideas. This shows that one group’s opinion could shape art and culture.

Because of Artforum, an art community staple since the 1960’s, and their review of Basquiat, people automatically hopped on the bandwagon. While Artforum began as a traditional art magazine, Sischy aimed to change the magazine’s focus. Her own personal opinion on what art should be changed the landscape of art during the 1980’s. She interwove art and popular culture. She saw Basquiat as a medium to portray her own personal view. This highlights the bias of art.

Sischy’s personal agenda, combined with the importance of art writers to propel an artist to stardom, put Basquiat on the fast track to fame. Art writing generates exposure for the artist that you would not see otherwise. Artists such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci became famous because writing generates “recognition, prominence, and longevity.” If no one writes about or analyzes a piece of work, no one is talking about it, and more importantly, no one is buying the artwork. The fact that Artforum was the main magazine for art made it so that the platform that they pushed for was the one that was recognized. Because of this, Basquiat’s career was “launched into orbit.” The article that did this launching was “The Radiant Child.” Rene Richard compared him to Vincent Van Gough, and at the end of the article pegged him an “art star.” Within two years of this article, he became a superstar.

Richard’s review opposes the opinion of Time Magazine’s writer Robert Hughes. In Hughes’ article “The Purple Haze of Hype,” he opposes Richard’s claim of Basquiat being a superior talent and a superstar. Rather, he says he “just scribbled and jotted, picking up stylistic pointers from older artists he admired, among them Cy Twombly and Jean Dubuffet.” He argues, “Basquiat was made a cult figure by a money-glutted, corrupt and wholly promotional art-marketing system.” This goes right in line with the claim that Artforum made Basquiat into a star because of him fitting their own personal platform. However, he sees this as a negative, showing that he would have viewed Basquiat differently than Artforum.

Using the two differing reviews as examples, it becomes obvious that art writers can positively, and negatively, shape the career of an artist. If Robert Hughes wrote for Artforum, who knows how Basquiat’s career would have turned out. What do you kids think? A picture of one of his works is displayed for you. Different people can see it in different ways. How do you see it?



























FUN LINKS!!!
“Artforum, Basquiat, and the 1980’s” by: Cynthia A. Gadsden: http://etd.ohiolink.edu/send-pdf.cgi/Gadsden%20Cynthia%20A.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1217965257

“The Purple Haze of Hype” by: Robert Hughes: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977017-2,00.html

“Untitled” by Jean Michel Basquiat: http://www.askart.com/AskART/photos/SNY20070515_4211/15.jpg

"Guernica" by Pablo Picasso

Hello everyone! Today I’m going to talk about a very controversial painting. It is called Guernica and was painted by Pablo Picasso, a very famous artist that died in 1973.

The painting is a black and white, long-ways rectangular canvas painted in oil. There are several very abstract figures and random objects jumbled throughout what appears to be a room full of violence and chaos with an open end on the left. Near this open area there is a very eerie-looking bull standing over a woman that appears to be mourning over a dead child who she is holding in her arms. Near the middle there is a horse that seems to be falling and in pain. It looks like it was stabbed with some sort of sword or spear. Under the horse there is what looks like a dead or dying man holding some sort of long object, maybe part of a human arm, with a tiny flower sprouting out of it. At the top center of the painting there is a light bulb of which the lampshade is in the shape of an eye. At the top right a woman who appears scared of the scene she is seeing is holding a torch or candle in an outstretched arm close the light/eye. It looks like the majority of her body is outside of a small window on the far right. Underneath her is another woman who looks confused and is looking up towards the candle. I also noticed small sharp objects that are in place of the tongues of the bull, mourning woman, and horse. The painting is very jumbled and there are several unidentifiable shapes in addition to what was described above.

I read two articles that have two different opinions on what this work represents. The first analysis by John Berger believes it is an anti-war message, particularly in response to the bombing of the town of Guernica, Spain, by Germans and Italians that occurred during the Spanish Civil War. There were hundreds of casualties, mostly civilian. This would make sense in that the painting is entitled Guernica. In his thesis he states that “Bombs kill and mutilate, and they also murder the meaning of homes. Picasso’s Guernica was and is an accusation against all such murders.” In addition to this he explains how it is “one of the most potent examples of an artist drawing from deep compassion to create a masterpiece of universal meaning.” I fully agree. Picasso, being Spanish, naturally was upset at the bombing of his country by another. The amount of chaos portrayed in Guernica seems to fit Berger’s interpretation well.

A different yet more interesting and metaphorical interpretation is that of William Proweller. In his thesis he states that “Guernica represents a secular and savage corollary to the traditional scenario of Christian Sacrifice.” This is a bit confusing, so I’ll put it in English for you. Proweller is saying he believes it represents a less religious but more violent example of a Christian sacrifice. In case you didn’t know, sacrifice is the killing of any living being as an offering to a god or gods. He reached this conclusion by comparing the figures in Guernica with other works of art, and many appear similar to ancient Christian works, such as Sacred and Profane Love by Titian and Matthias Gruenwald’s Isenheim Altarpiece. After looking at both of these I was able to note several strange similarities. In Sacred and Profane Love there is a stone well that has many similar figures jumbled in very similar positions. In the Isenheim Altarpiece there are several figures that are in the same positions as those in Guernica. In addition to all of the chaos and suffering in the Altarpiece, a woman is mourning over a dead or dying Jesus laying in her arms, very similar to the baby in the woman’s arms. While Proweller takes a much more interpretive approach to his analysis, it is still a plausible one.

Both arguments were good ones, but I think the first interpretation by John Berger seems more agreeable, simply because Guernica was painted soon after the Guernica bombings in Picasso’s home country. While Proweller’s deep and more metaphorical approach seems possible, it fits the situation less than Berger’s approach. However, both make believable arguments, and if you want to read both and decide who you think has a more accurate interpretation, check out the links to both articles below!

-Jake

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.33

http://www.jstor.org/stable/775486?seq=5

Gregor Schneider's Art

Sometimes it is difficult to talk about controversial topics. One of these topics includes an artist named Gregor Schneider. He has various types of artwork including paintings, sculptures, and room set-ups. Two different authors wrote articles on Schneider and how they believed Schneider wanted his work portrayed. Jennie Yabroff writes that Schneider’s artwork is aimed to shock its audience. In contrast, James Welling writes that Schneider’s artwork was intended to bring cultural peace.

Jennie Yabroff supports his claim by describing various controversial exhibits of Gregor Schneider’s work. For example, he starts the article telling about a time that Schneider’s artwork was turned down because it was too controversial. Schneider wished to display his artwork of dying patients. Gallery owners quickly rejected his idea. They did not allow this disgusting piece of artwork to be seen at their exhibits. Although many were very opposed to showing Schneider’s work, many of the art community wanted his artwork to be shown. This created great controversy within the art world. Many artists believe that artwork falls into the category of free speech. The artists said that Schneider could paint anything he wanted. But Yabroff believed that in reality, Schneider just wanted to disturb those who viewed his work.

James Welling opposes Jennie Yabroff’s perspective on Gregor Schneider’s work. He focuses on one piece of Schneider’s artwork, the black cube. The black cube is a large structure that is simply a large black cube. He states that Schneider’s inspiration for the black cube is very simple, “he just feel in love with the black cube.” People come to the cube to find peace. Even Schneider has attended Friday prayers with Muslims and then brought them the cube afterwards to find harmony. His artwork is very simple. He allows everybody to create their own meaning in his artwork.

Jennie Yabroff and James Wellings’ articles were very different. Yabroff focused on the controversy that Schneider’s artwork brings to the community, while Welling focused on the positive aspects Schneider’s artwork brings to the community. Overall Welling’s article is more convincing then Yabroff’s writing. Although Wellings only focuses on this one piece of artwork, his article is very clear. It is at times difficult to understand Yabroff’s position on this “controversial artist” because she uses a lot of outside opinions in her article. She also compares Schneider to other controversial artists such as Shvart. Yabroff gives examples of this artist’s controversial art, which sways readers to think even more negatively towards Schneider. Welling focuses on the specific contributions his black cube has made to specific places. He even states how the city that it was located in, Cue Hamburg, was named after this sculpture.

Although it is believed that one argument is more convincing than the other, both Jennie Yabroff and James Welling tell about the large impact Schneider’s art has had. While there is controversy, his artwork can only be evaluated by his artworks viewers. It is left to the imagination of those that look at it. Take a look at his artwork and decide how you stand on the message that it brings.

Anna Perez

Fun Links:

Art Aimed to Shock, by Jennie Yabroff http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=4&sid=8b0fb102-2d0f-4676-ae77-070e721ce2e8@sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=31845171

The Black Cube, by James Welling http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&hid=4&sid=e5dcb8c9-dabc-4fee-a0ad-46c93d9185bb%40sessionmgr13

Cussing Experiment Results by Devin Cooney

The Result of the Stretching Experiment

Feeder 2.2





Unit 2

Cursing Podcast Episode 1 by Devin Cooney

What is your Hypothesis on Stretching?

ENG102 Feeder 2.2 by Jay

ENG102 Unit2 Project (Jay)

Depression and Methods to Cure it

Contrary to what most people think, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a very common condition. Depression is the condition that causes certain people to feel sad and less interested in things they previously were. It tends to be diagnosed in primary care settings, which are usually used for physical health issues rather than mental health issues like depression. It occurs in around 6% to 14% of all people. For these cases usually just over half of those with depression are prescribed medications (usually antidepressants). There are usually three different ways that behavioral/mental health providers work with primary care providers to treat the patients in primary care with depression. These are coordinated, collocated, and integrated. Coordinated care is when there is simple communication between the mental health and primary care providers. Collocated is when mental health and primary care providers are located in the same office area, with frequent communication. Integrated is when there is team effort and both actually develop a plan to help treat the patient. Scientists have found proof that collocated and integrated mental health care works best for those with depression. Let’s find out why!

Collocated works well because there is clear and efficient communication between the two types of health providers. This is much better than calling, e-mailing, or faxing information, because this is sluggish and time is usually an issue. Integrated works well because both branches actually work together to design a treatment plan for those in need. Since physical health issues usually cause more immediate stress than mental ones, a patient can come to the doctor and also speak about his or her mental health issues and be diagnosed for that on the spot as well!

To find this out, scientists conducted studies on 12 participants that have shown signs of depression, even though they already are on antidepressants. These participants were receiving treatment from a basic family medicine clinic but reported little or no success. All were diagnosed using the coordinated method and were receiving no type of therapy. Through experimenting with collocated and integrated methods and providing ten therapy sessions over four months, 75% of participants reported at least a 50% improvement of symptoms!

This is proof that different ways of diagnosis can actually change the outcome of the treatment, and also that medication is not always enough. Through being diagnosed through a more efficient way and attending therapy sessions, the majority of the participants were successfully treated for their depression!

-Jake

The Behavior Modification of PTSD Victims by Devin Cooney

This week, we are shifting gears from Natural Sciences to Social Sciences. To start this transition, I wanted to talk about something in social sciences that interests me. My father works as a psychologist for the government. A psychologist studies behavior provides help people how need to change negative behaviors. Since my dad works for the government, he specializes in the area that I want to talk about today, posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, deals with a constant remembrance of a certain negative event or events, such as war. These recollections can be in the form of dreams. This disorder has a big impact on the people it affects. Their ability to connect with the outside world decreases a lot. Relationships between these soldiers and their loved ones have decreased because of this disorder. Other symptoms include trouble sleeping and memory trouble.

Most of research done concerning PTSD focuses on war veterans. Researchers have argued on the exact number, but some studies say PTSD affects 25% of war veterans while some have estimates as high as 40-60%. Scientists hypothesize that the level of combat time increases the likelihood of PTSD. Social support, or comfort from a friend or loved one, helps this disorder occur less frequently.

A study conducted by Barrett and Mizes sought to prove this hypothesis with veterans of the Vietnam War. They hypothesized that those with high combat time would have more PTSD symptoms than low-combat veterans. In addition, they thought that veterans with higher levels of social support would show fewer symptoms than veterans with low levels.

They tested this hypothesis by interviewing 13 veterans from four different experimental groups. They sorted them by High Combat- Low Support, High Combat-High Support, Low Combat-Low Support, and Low Combat-High Support. They questions that they asked fit into four different scales. The Figley’s Combat Severity Scale is the most commonly used scale to measure PTSD. The researchers also developed two scales, the social support scale, which measures how much support the veteran received during his trip home, and the Premorbid Adjustment Scale, which measured if they were involved in other activities that could have triggered the PTSD. The last scale they used was the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, which also helps to measure levels of PTSD. Some questions they asked the veterans included:

Do you sometimes feel that you should have died in Vietnam?
Do loud noises irritate you or do sudden movements or noises make you jump?
Do you have dreams of specific war-related experiences?

They used these questions, and others, combined with their levels of support to see whether social support led to lowered levels of PTSD.

As they predicted, veterans who had high combat levels reported more PTSD symptoms than veterans with low levels of combat did. In addition, as predicted, veterans who had high levels of social support reported fewer PTSD symptoms than those with low levels of social support. Their study confirms other studies previously done. These researchers entered a debate that to me seems pretty one sided. The evidence that they used to back up their study all seemed to show the same information that they concluded from their study. The backward search of his resources seems to confirm these researchers original prediction.

I am glad I can share with you something that really interests me. PTSD is something that affects many veterans as well as their families and loved ones. However, using this study as an example, it looks like social support can lead to lowered chances of PTSD showing up in veterans.

Fun Links:
Combat Level and Social Support in the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Vietnam Veterans by Terence W. Barrett and J. Scott Mizes. http://bmo.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/12/1/100

How Parents Affected Our Eating Habits

As kids we often refuse to eat certain foods. Is it because we did not enjoy eating food? Were we stubborn? Bored? This problem varies among different children. Some are even diagnosed by doctors as having a feeding disorder. This causes them not to be able to gain weight, lose weight, or gain nutritional needs. Some of these children just turn down solid foods and have to get all of their nutritional needs met through various liquids. Others are just picky on what they eat. For example, they only consume soft foods, which could cause them not to get the right vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy diet.

It is believed that this food refusal is due to the actions of the parent or caregiver. The author believes that when the parent or caregiver stops asking their child to eat when they start disruptive behavior they continue this bad behavior. The way the caregiver gives attention are used to determine why a child has inappropriate mealtime behavior and why parents respond to this inappropriate mealtime behavior as they day.

One way to characterize how these interactions encourage inappropriate mealtime behavior is through a descriptive examination of the interactions between the parent and child during mealtimes. This is when meal schedules are changed and then the researcher studies the changes in their behavior.

Another type of study is called descriptive observation. This is when observers just watch parents feeding their children. In this study six children and their parent participated. Parents would first give the children attention during their meals and then would give them escape, by not asking them to eat anymore. In 2 out of the 6 cases, giving the children attention resulted in inappropriate behavior.

An important part of this study was the different types of attention and escape. For example a form of attention could be asking the child “why did you stop eating” or “are you okay you are not eating any of your food.” Examples of escape include taking away their spoon. These different forms of attention and escape change the intensity of the child’s good or behavior.
Fisher found that escape was a reinforcer for bad mealtime behavior most frequently (9 out of 15 cases in his experiment). But positive reinforcement in the form of attention was a reinforcer in almost as many cases (8 out of 15 cases in his experiment). This further proves the statement that different forms of attention change the effect of the parents’ actions on the child.

Do you remember the forms of attention that your parents gave you when you were at the kitchen table as a child? Did they change your eating habits? According to the Behavior Modifications article, they most certainly did.

Fun Links
Behavior Modifications by Julia N. Woods, John C. Borrero, Rinita B. Laud and Carrie S. W. Borrero http://bmo.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/34/1/35

Anna Perez

Do Humans and Primates Have the Same Mental Process? by Devin Cooney

When mammals first came into existence, we were herbivores. This means that we only ate plants. Don’t you think that something had to change for mammals to start eating meat? Well, this change can be explained by the theory of evolution. You see, evolution explains why we have changed over the years into more complex animals. The theory revolves around natural selection. Natural selection means that we have kept the traits that help us survive and thrown away the ones that do not. However, Charles Darwin, the scientist responsible for the theory of evolution, has tried to show how related species have like mental traits as well as physical ones. Frans B.M de Waal agrees with Darwin’s theory in his article “Darwin’s Last Laugh.” He states that since monkeys and other similar animals kiss, hug, or groom their opponents after a fight, they must see the world and communicate much as humans do. However, studies have also shown that closely related animals cannot perform the same tasks that humans can. Humans display traits that other similarly structured animals do not, including a sense of fairness, the ability to imitate complex sounds, and the skill to interpret non-verbal cues. These traits highlight a downside in de Wall’s argument: similar physical traits do not always imply similar mental traits.

Darwin’s theory of evolution leads to scientists looking for similar mental abilities that end up not existing. An example, found in Johan J Bohuis and Clive D.L Wynne’s article “Can Evolution Explain How Minds Work?, centers around monkeys being able to see what people consider fair and unfair. The way scientists tested it interested me. Scientists thought that since one monkey showed sadness when not given an equally nice reward for doing the same task, they could sense fairness. The sad monkey received a cucumber instead of a grape. However, when the better reward was placed in a cage without a monkey, it was still upset. This shows that the scientists cannot automatically assume that monkeys have a sense of fairness.

Humans and primates do not share many mental processes. Language, for instance, separates humans and primates a lot. Language, as you know, helps humans complete most every task. Being able to communicate with other humans makes everything that much easier. The same article I mentioned before, “Can Evolution Explain How Minds Work?”, highlights this difference. The article argues that in order to have language, you need to mimic, or recreate, sounds that come from someone else. Primates cannot do the task that humans depend so much on. However, many parrots and songbirds can mimic others very well. The fact that unrelated species have similar skills as humans, but closely related animals do not, further shows the wide difference between the mental processes of men and primates.

Another example that shows humans and primates differ revolves around the “object choice” task. The object choice task concluded that chimpanzees could not use communication to complete a task. The object choice task starts by a person placing food under cups so that the chimpanzee does not know underneath which cup the food is located. The person then uses a social cue, like pointing, to lead the chimpanzee to the correct cup. While a human could perform this task, the chimpanzee cannot use these clues to find the hidden food.

As long as we try to assume mental abilities between humans and other related animals, I feel we will be making too many conclusions based on assumptions. I think that making these assumptions leads to humans not being able to fully understand or appreciate what makes humans and primates different. I think if we took the time to study both animals separately and see what each are capable of, rather than just assuming they are similar in mental ability because similar structure exists, we will be more successful in understanding what makes each animal special.

Fun Links:
Darwin's last laugh by Frans B. M. de Waal http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v460/n7252/full/460175a.html

Can evolution explain how minds work? By Johan J. Bolhuis1 & Clive D. L. Wynne
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7240/full/458832a.html

From Nonhuman to Human Mind: What Changed and Why? By Brian Hare
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118000095/PDFSTART

Is Animal Testing Truly Beneficial?

The US Food and Drug Administration states that during the year 1952, 3,145 people died due to polio disease in the United States. About two-thirds of these deaths included children. Scientist found the treatment for polio in 1955, but before they distributed this cure they ensured that it was safe by testing it on animals. Scientists and researchers still frequently use animals to complete research and test objects such as soaps and medicines to ensure their safety for human use. But some scientists are still questioning the ethics of animal testing. The magazine called Nature recently published an article arguing that the United States needs to strengthen their policies on animal testing and that the government should reduce and possibly do away with animal testing completely. However, animal testing ensures the safety of humans as well as animals. Since we cannot reproduce the accuracy and benefits of this research, animal testing will remain necessary.

Animal testing is accurate form of study due to the fact that animals are so similar to humans. In fact, Thomas Dixon states that “human beings share about 99% of their genes with chimpanzees.” This means that these animals’ bodies will most likely react the same way as ours would. Due to this fact, animal testing is a very accurate way to learn the effects of substances on the human body. According the American Medical Association, 99% of all active physicians in the United States believe that animal research has improved medical procedures.

Almost everyone around you has benefited from animal testing in some way. Without animal testing and research, people who have survived many illnesses would probably not be alive today. The length of a person’s life in the United States has improved greatly. In 1900 the average age of a human was 49 years, but in 2001 the average age was 67.6 years. The medicines responsible for extending people’s lives could not have been developed without animal testing.

As mentioned in the previously, these illnesses include polio. Through animal testing scientists discovered a vaccine that cured the polio disease. Other vaccines that were discovered from animal testing include mumps, measles, rabies and hepatitis. In addition, the treatment for diabetes was discovered through animal testing. This treatment is called insulin. Insulin makes sure that there is enough sugar in the body. Without the discovery of insulin through the use of animal research, many people would not be able survive this disease today.

Humans are not the only ones who benefit from animal testing. Animals also benefit from the testing. The research completed can also improve the lives of animals through the discovery of treatments and cures just like with humans. Animals and humans have similar health problems. Some of these problems include allergies, cancer, heart disease, measles, and much more! Have you ever heard your mom talk about heartworm medicine for your dog? This medicine was discovered through animal testing. Without animal testing this medicine that has saved many dogs’ lives would not be available.

The author of the Nature article above argues that animal testing is painful and uncomfortable for animals. Although this is true, the benefits of animal testing outweigh these drawbacks. These animals help scientists make discoveries that could possibly change human lives. Thus, they need to be treated with as much care and respect as possible. Scientists and researchers are striving to make the experimenting safe and just as well as causing little pain and discomfort as possible.

In order to make sure that the testing is, in fact, as safe as possible for the animals, there are many rules and regulations set by the government. The people that are in charge of these rules and regulations often complete surprise inspections on the facilities where the testing takes place. Even veterinarians are used in order to inspect and make sure the proper actions are completed in order to ensure the animals’ safety. Some of these numerous laws and regulations include Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and State Certification for Animal Research. For example the Animal Welfare Act sets standards of care and treatment to be provided to animals that are used in research. The Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals is responsible for providing training to investigators who inspect the facilities where animal testing takes place. State Certification for Animal Research requires companies to have certification in order to practice their research.

While the author of the Nature article is right to point out the safety of animals subjected to these tests, we should not stop these tests altogether. Animal testing benefits our lives as well as the lives of animals greatly. We need animal testing as a part of our country’s scientific research in order to ensure our safety as well as animals’ safety! After reading about all of the facts and benefits of animal testing, do you think the benefits of animal testing outweigh the drawbacks?

Fun Links

Against Vicious Activism, by Anonymous http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v457/n7230/full/457636a.html
Animal Testing Pros, by Ranjan Shandilya. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/animal-testing-pros.html

Animal Experimentation, by Dr. Thomas Dixon. http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=7

Development of Polio Vaccines, by Bonnie Maybury Okonek and Linda Morganstein http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/CC/polio.php


Identification of irritation and corrosion hazards to skin: an alternative strategy to animal testing, by D. A. Basketter, E. Whittle and M. Chamberlain http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6P-478BY2W-82&_user=130907&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F1994&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000004198&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=130907&md5=50780acdcd4eeb434ed1edefd5ab7056


Kids 4 Research, by Anonymous http://www.kids4research.org/kids/

Life Expectancy in the United States, by Laura Shrestha. http://aging.senate.gov/crs/aging1.pdf

Tireless polio research effort bears fruit and indignation, by Byron Spice http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05094/482468.stm#ixzz0h2sldhgK

Anna Perez

Censorship in Turkey

Did you know that censorship could protect peoples' privacy? If you don't know what censorship is, I'll explain it to you! But to start with, I’ll let you know how it relates to what I’m going to talk about today. A recent issue has occurred in Turkey (the country, not the animal!) that deals with this. The people of Turkey, a country located in a region far away called the Middle East, see religion as very important. The Turkish government recently censored an article in a science magazine dealing with Charles Darwin, the guy who came up with the theory of evolution. Evolution says that all living things evolve, but in more simple terms it differs from what one would learn in church about Jesus and God. By "censored" I mean that the government demanded the editors to take off the picture of Darwin and delete the article just before the issue went on sale. This is because, like I said earlier, Turkey is filled with lots of very religious people.

The article I read about the situation stated that the censorship isn’t right. It argued that scientists were outraged and that government interference shouldn’t be allowed. These two claims can be correct, but there are several points and details the author failed to mention.

Of course scientists were angry when they found out what happened. At first it does seem unfair that the government could do such a thing, but on second thought it doesn’t seem so unreasonable. Very few people believe in evolution compared to creation because of such a religious population. Another article I read stated that only one in four Turks believe in the theory of evolution. The problems that would have been caused if it were published wouldn’t have been worth the trouble. Extreme religious groups would have likely thrown a fit, and by this I don’t mean a hissy fit. In the Middle East, religious groups often riot when upset, damaging property and sometimes hurting and even killing people.

While the magazine is scientific, the editors must understand that the government reserves the right to alter it. They have the highest power in the country and, as unfortunate as it seems, the editors of the magazine have no say in the situation. The attempt to publish an article like that proved a mistake, especially with the very extreme religious views of the area.

Many would say that the Turkish government crossed the line, but since it pleased the majority of the population, the censoring is acceptable. The government isn’t trying to force any religion upon anyone; it is simply saving the population from chaos.


“Turkey Censors Evolution”, by anonymous. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7236/full/458259a.html March 19th, 2009

“Darwin in Turkey”, by Daniel Steinvorth http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,613768,00.html March 17th, 2009

-Jake

unit 1 final project

We can represent this winter as disaster. Do you know why? because, many people suffered coldness during this winter. In Seoul, almost thirty centimeters (11 inches) snow covered the city, the first time since 1910. The eastern U.S.A had 40 inches snow few weeks ago. Many people could not do anything because of the disastrous winter.
I think you all have heard about “Snowgeddon”. Not only in the eastern U.S.A but in South Korea, which locates far away from the U.S., many people suffered the disastrous winter. What and who caused this phenomena? Well, although people say many different reasons, factories, made by human beings, emit too much CO2, which causes the climate change. Before we start with a serious topic, let’s take interesting examples. Kobe and Shaq, Jordan and Pippen, and also Eminem and Dr. Dre… What can you imagine by seeing those guys? Yes! They are very famous in the world. However, those guys became famous, because they co-work together. No matter what we do, we have to help each other. For the climate change, many nations need to co-work. Many nations already tried to make corporation, such as Kyoto protocol in 1997, but the 1997 negotiation did not help climate change a lot. In 2009, at Copenhagen, many nations had a conference to make a climate treaty. Compared to the 1997’s treaty, the 2009’s treaty looked much more hopeful than the 1997’s treaty.
According to the 2009’s treaty, many countries, including Norway, Indonesia and the European nations, decide to cut off the amounts of CO2 emission. Additionally, the U.S. has started to establish reduction CO2 law for the first time. However, we cannot see the important country, which would lead the world’s economy for the next few decades: China. I will talk about China later. For preventing further climate change, wealthy nations and developing nations should co-work together. In other words, unless the wealthy nations offer financial supports to the developing nations, further CO2 reduction will not happen; the supports are the key to achieve the environmental protect. Last but not least, also, we need to have the time and perseverance for future.
I cannot accept the article about 2009’s treaty, which looks hopeful, because of China. Chinese quick growth makes many people think that China would lead the world after few years. According to “Economist React: China’s Growth Quickens, But So Does Inflation” in Wall Street Journal, it tells the Chinese quick economic growth. Will China give up on their quick growth to preserve the nature? I guess not. Let’s take an easy example. Suppose that one will have huge salary in the future. Will he or she give up on the salary? It is safe to say that no one would give up on the salary, no matter what will happen. So will China. In addition, I think wealthy nations, such as the U.S., would not give financial supports to developing nations. We have to look over, what happened in China at last February: Google case in China. In China, we could not find sensitive words in the Google, such as Tiananmen Square massacre. Why does this happen? It shows one of the communism countries’ features, so the Chinese government wants to unite their citizens by keeping their citizens from knowing sensitive and inhumane cases. Therefore, the Google said that they would stop working in China, unless they eliminate the web filtering. I really wonder that the Google, the current icon of the U.S., really care about the Chinese human right. Many people starve in the U.S., or many people suffer the racism or unfair treatment in the States, but why does Google care about other country? “To weaken Chinese power and growth.”The Google and America try to distract China and Chinese; they want to scatter the power of Chinese by making issue of the web filtering case.
Taking all these things into accounts, I want to ask; will wealthy nations give financial aids to developing nations for preventing further climate change? No! That will never happen. Therefore, the intergovernmental action will never happen.
Then, what should we do? Well, it seems that we have a very sensitive and tricky question. Many scholars and politicians tried and have tried to find solutions for the climate change, but no one has found the clear answer. These days, some people insist that we have to deal with CO2 emission by money. For example, if one firm wants to make factories, which cause the emission of CO2, a firm first has to purchase CO2 emission tickets from the government. Yes! It looks similar to stock trading in financial markets. However, I think this would cause other financial crisis in the future. Well, we can mention long and complicated reasons, but in brief, some guys’ greedy cause the financial crisis, mostly about dealing with bonds and stocks. We have to find the wisest and most beneficial solution for both human beings and the nature.
I like baseball. Do you know why? Because, unlike basketball, football or soccer, both teams have equal opportunities in a baseball game, since time limit does not exist in a baseball game. Like the rule of baseball, I think all nations should have equal opportunities in this world. Therefore, in my opinion, we should give developing nations opportunities to develop until specific numerical value. For example, we generally use GDP, Gross Domestic Products, to gauge economic values. Let’s take China and the U.S. examples. Currently, the U.S. produces 14204322 millions of dollars, the first in the world. China produces 4326187 millions of dollars, ranked fourth in the world. Let’s make China develop their economy, until they reach close to the U.S. It would not take long for China to catch up the U.S., because China has rapidly grown up. Then, if we make proper regulation, after developing nations catch up wealthy nations, it will not be too late.


http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7267/pdf/4611027a.pdf

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/01/21/economists-react-chinas-growth-quickens-but-so-does-inflation/?KEYWORDS=china+economic+growth

Feeder1.2

Why do we eat? Why do we have to fill in gases for moving vehicles? Or even now, what makes your PC work? The answers of all questions are “Energy”. As you see, the energy is very important because we cannot do anything without the energy. Currently, the energy issue is very controversial in the U.S. They are arguing between the defense against the climate change, which is reduction of greenhouse gases, and the energy security. Well, most of you do not know the definition of the energy security. What is the energy security? Well, different people have different opinions when it comes to the energy security, but I think it means enough possession of the energy not to make people frustrate from energy shortage. Which one looks more important between the energy security and the reduction of greenhouse gases? Yes! Both of things are very important for us. Then here is a question. What do we have to do for keeping both things? From now, I am going to tell you opinions of those who advocate the energy security and those who claim to cut off the greenhouse gases. Most importantly, I will tell you what should be needed for both the energy security and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
People, in general, talk about energy security; some people argue that securing stable energy supply is very important, while others claim that cutting off the amounts of CO2 is more important than the energy security. The U.S. largely depends on fossil fuel, cheap oil and gas and also easily access to those resources. They mostly import fossil fuel from other countries such as Eastern Middle Asia. However, oils in Eastern Middle Asia countries are very price sensitive because of political unstable at those countries. I bet you all have heard about the war and bringing peace into the Eastern Middle Asia, whether it is in a movie or new. Those phenomena refer to the political unstable. Additionally, demands from other Asian countries, such as China and India, have been increasing and large amounts of oil use will be moved from America to Asian countries. Some people strongly suggest that America use the domestic energy. It sounds simple and easy but it would be economically burdensome because many amounts of fossil fuel is located on Alaska, which means the government have to invest lots of money into equipment. Therefore, the U.S. has to find other countries to import oils such as West Africa, Europe, Russia or Latin America. What else should they do? Also, international cooperation is another way to keep the energy supply stable, because most of oil export countries, Middle East countries, are hostile to the U.S. For example, there would be military intervention, 1991 Gulf war. This shows the importance of foreign policy or international cooperation. The international cooperation and negotiation among developing countries look very important. Now, let’s talk about the reduction of the greenhouse gases, which are mostly CO2. The amounts of CO2 in the U.S. are the second largest in the world, which is 21%. Fossil fuel, that largely causes the climate change, is the main reason of CO2 emission. Although people know that they should reduce the emission of CO2 for further climate change, only two third of Americans think great deals have been done for the climate change. Moreover, half of them think that more strict policies should be done for the climate change. Then what do we really have to do for the effective policy? Of course, I would say human beings’ effort is very important. Specifically saying, making laws and policies, which involve votes, are very important to control the energy policies.
To make effective policy, co-working and agreement among house of representative, senates and the president, because the energy policies hugely depend on interest group such as politicians and lobbyist. Does it look complicated? Why do I say the interest groups such as lobbyists and politicians? Because, the world and business are much more complex than you think. For example, let’s say that the government decides to remove coal from the electrical source. Then, those who work at coal would be fired and mine workers will lose their jobs. Additionally, coal industry and the business which relate to coal industry will be down. This is why the role of the interest groups and business are important. Do you somehow understand? Then, let me talk a little bit deeper. Although the Democrats won the election in 2006 and made the law for the energy save, the policy was not effective because some interest groups, whose interests were not close to the law, were still against the law. Also, during Bush administration, new policy about the energy was enacted, which was mainly about alternative fuels, such as electric cars because they want to catch both things: Economy and the nature. However, the policy was not as effective as people thought because of the interest groups.
In conclusion, to resolve current energy issue, which are the energy security and cutting off CO2 emission, our effort is very important! It is our ground that we have lived and we have to preserve for our future generation! In the future, you have to choose the party or group that cares both the nature and human beings; in other words, we have to choose and support the party who could both take care of the energy security and the preserving of the nature. Remember one thing! Nothing is more important than other thing! Keeping both the energy security and the defense for the climate is important!

1. What are two energy issues that the U.S. face and why are these things important?
2. Why are the roles of political institutions and interested groups important in terms of making the energy policies?






http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6V2W-4VV1BD3-2-1&_cdi=5713&_user=130907&_pii=S0301421509000718&_orig=search&_coverDate=04%2F30%2F2010&_sk=999619995&view=c&wchp=dGLbVzb-zSkWb&md5=af203386e3945e563ba1f8f67e1999ec&ie=/sdarticle.pdf