Can Steroid Use be Stopped?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-03-15-steroids-mlb-cover_x.htm

This article talks about Professional Baseball player and how some continue to use steroids.
"We need to understand the dangerous cycle that perception creates....
College athletes believe they have to consider steroids if they're going to make it to the pros; high school athletes, in turn, think steroids are the key to getting a scholarship. It's time to break that vicious cycle, and it needs to happen from the top down."
If the steroid use continues the only way people can make it in professional sports is to use steroids. Anyone with real, true talent will just be over looked. Congress is attempting to get into the problem and stop it, which many players think will be helpful. There is no real number of players found to be doing steroids, only speculations. So is there really anyway for us to stop steroids in the major leagues and be sure of it?

When your a little kid and your watching your favorite player on television you're wanting to be just like them. Hit homeruns like them, throw that deep ball for the game winning touchdown, or even hit the ball 350 yards straight down the middle. What kids are not thinking of is maybe there favorite player is taking steriods before the game or even after the game. Some kids would do anything to be like their favorite player and make it to the big leagues even if that means taking steriods. Its not just the professional athletes that that are making kids look towards using steriods, its even coaches the people that the student athletes look up to as if they were their second parents.In this era people are looking to be the best at any cost and steriods is becoming a problem with our professional sports and our highschool teams. Many kids have died because of using steriods and many kids look the other way and still use them thinking that will never happen to me. Kids need to learn that its not right to cheat yourself and even your life to be the best,because if you work hard and work the right way then you will succed and be the best.How come kids think they have to take steriods to be the best athlete they can? Will steriod use ever end in sports?

NFL Player Gets 30 Days For Manslaughter

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/16/sportsline/main5091566.shtml

"Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is going to serve 30 days in jail after pleading guilty in Florida to a DUI manslaughter charge."

I can't believe this. I think this goes above and beyond absurd. Serving only thirty days in jail for killing someone is ridiculous. I can only manage how this poor man's family feels. What does this extremely unharsh punishment say about their family member? I would feel like the person I loved wasn't important, that their life was worth thirty days in jail. Is this justice?

"Police say Stallworth was drinking at a hotel bar before the March 14 crash that killed 59-year-old construction worker Mario Reyes. Tests showed Stallworth's blood-alcohol content was .126."

Brown's alcohol level was really high. He was very intoxicated and therefor negetively influenced. To be that drunk and to get behind the wheel is completely irresponsible. I belive that being a pro football player has a lot to do with Brown's sentence. This is just an example of how athletes recieve special treatment. It's one thing to get a few extra perks, it's another to get away with murder. I find this situation repulsive. The criminal gets a break, while the victim is left with no justice.

"Stallworth also reached a confidential financial settlement with the Reyes' family." I guess the saying is true, money can buy everyhting. If you have money and power you can get away with...... murder.

What are the reasons pro athletes recieve special treatment?
Thirty days for a life. Can this be justified?

Miller players disciplined for hazing

http://www.pe.com/sports/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_hazing_28.3ea74a2.html

The 10-15 football players from Fontana Miller High are being disciplined for hazing many underclassmen. The players were punching and kicking the younger players. None of the boys were seriously hurt. The school is still giving out punishments and the players could be charged by the police.

I feel that the players should get suspended but not charged for a crime. Most of the underclassmen did not care about what happened because none of them were seriously hurt. The school made the right move to suspended the players.

Why are most of the hazing articles about football teams? Don't other sports do the same thing?
What happened with team? Will they just have to play without 15 players?

Crazy Parents

http://drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/2343/?id=2343&slide=0&showID=462&preview=&versionID=

...my link In this article there's parents who have an 8 month old baby boy named J.J(because it sounds like a good sports name) and they are already pushing him to love sports. They admitted that if when J.J was older and he came up to them and said he didn't want to play sports or didn't like them that they would be disapointed and very upset. "I'm a strong believer that children have to have other activities besides academics," Mark says. "If JJ did not want to be in sports, his mother would be devastated. I would be disappointed."She and her fiancé have been exposing JJ to sports since he was in the womb, by reading NBA magazines to him, and JJ's is almost always wearing a sports-related outfit. When JJ is older, Charlene wants him to play flag football, basketball and soccer. "I've selected toys to gear him up for sports." She and JJ are also enrolled in a Mommy and Me and a tumbling class to help JJ develop his muscles and motor skills. "We do exercises just to get him coordinated," Charlene explains.I think that these parents are going way to over board with wanting him to play sports. My parents loved sports and hoped I would as well but I learned to love them on my own. They encouraged me to try all different types of sports but also many different activities. They have always told me if I wanted to quit that all I would have to do was tell them, and that's how it should be. You need to decide what you like on your own, being open and trying new activites is always good but if your child doesn't like it, don't force it on them.Will pushing those children into loving and playing sports will they just rebel? Will they lose the love of the sport and just want to quit because they played it too much?http://drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/2343/?id=2343&slide=0&showID=462&preview=&versionID=...my link In this article there's parents who have an 8 month old baby boy named J.J(because it sounds like a good sports name) and they are already pushing him to love sports. They admitted that if when J.J was older and he came up to them and said he didn't want to play sports or didn't like them that they would be disapointed and very upset. "I'm a strong believer that children have to have other activities besides academics," Mark says. "If JJ did not want to be in sports, his mother would be devastated. I would be disappointed."She and her fiancé have been exposing JJ to sports since he was in the womb, by reading NBA magazines to him, and JJ's is almost always wearing a sports-related outfit. When JJ is older, Charlene wants him to play flag football, basketball and soccer. "I've selected toys to gear him up for sports." She and JJ are also enrolled in a Mommy and Me and a tumbling class to help JJ develop his muscles and motor skills. "We do exercises just to get him coordinated," Charlene explains.I think that these parents are going way to over board with wanting him to play sports. My parents loved sports and hoped I would as well but I learned to love them on my own. They encouraged me to try all different types of sports but also many different activities. They have always told me if I wanted to quit that all I would have to do was tell them, and that's how it should be. You need to decide what you like on your own, being open and trying new activites is always good but if your child doesn't like it, don't force it on them.Will pushing those children into loving and playing sports will they just rebel? Will they lose the love of the sport and just want to quit because they played it too much?

Steroids in the NHL

http://www.theiceblock.com/hockey/entry/steroids-and-the-nhl/

This article explains the use of steroids in the NHL. Professional hockey players have never had a reputation of being steroid users, and most still believe this true. In the article a former NHL player wrote a book about using steroids and how there is a problem with it in the league. He talks about players using stimulants to enhance size and toughness. It explains the use is more for big defensive guys, and no cases of skilled offensive players. He says they do not help you play better hockey, they just make you bigger tougher and stronger. Reactions of current players denied a problem with steriods in the NHL. Ex Blue Kelly Chase said " There may be the select few who take them for size and believe they will help as there are in every sport, but there is not a problem".

I don't believe there is a problem with steriods in the NHL. Of course there are going to be individuals who take them for personal reasons such as height or to beef up, but they do not make you a better hockey player. If skilled players take steroids, it can negatively affect their play as their body can't handle the muscle and size. It could slow down their hands and shooting accuracy. Personally I do know hockey players my age how have taken steroids to get bigger in hope that height and size will improve their chances of making it to the NHL. But as far as those who made it to the pros, there is no benefit from taking steroids. Considering this, do you think it is acceptable for kids who want to grow and beef up to improve chances of making it to the pros to take steroids or growth hormone?

Charles Barkley Busted

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1231081barkley1.html

DECEMBER 31--Following his arrest earlier today for drunk driving, Charles Barkley told Arizona cops that he ran a stop sign because he was in a hurry to pick up a girl who had "given him a 'blow job' one week earlier," which the former NBA star described as "the best one he had ever had in his life." According to a Gilbert Police Department report, a copy of which you'll find here, police asked Barkley where he was going at the time of the 1:26 AM traffic stop in Scottsdale. "You want the truth? I was gonna drive around the corner and get a blow job," answered Barkley, who is pictured in the below mug shot. A cooperative Barkley also joked with a civilian police employee that, "I'll tattoo your name on my ass" if it would get him out of the DUI charge. Barkley, 45, was busted after failing field sobriety tests, and had blood drawn so investigators could establish his alcohol content. Barkley was cited for a misdemeanor charge and released at the scene, thus avoiding a trip to the Maricopa County jail. Barkley, now a basketball commentator on TNT, was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame in 2006. His 16-year career included an MVP award and a spot on the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball squad, the so-called Dream Team that captured the gold medal. He has several prior arrests, including a 1997 aggravated battery bust and a 1991 assault collar.

I think that its kinda funny that something as simple as running a stop sign at ten miles an hour busted all this. But besides that, people do that kind of stuff a lot under the radar so it doesnt make charles any different. He was just living his life. Not very smart but it was his decision.

Athletes and Steroids

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=10809

I think that athletes are looked upon in so many ways. They have their own personal lives that shouldnt interfere with society but when they are using steroids and drugs to preform better, i think its cheating. No matter if that is on the outside it should still be looked at because its not fair to the other players. Depending on your role in the world some get by with whatever they do wrong and others get a punishment thats so harsh.

Jiale Sun, Sports in America

http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/students.htm
Charts of American students' daily time spend on.
Highschool student has fewer time spend on sports than College student does.

Not intersting at the most popular sport in here is one of my biggest barrier for making friends. My life really haven't many things to deal with sports, and I think the only adventage of doing sport is to keeping my body healthy.

I don't know the reason is about ethic of not, but most Asian is definite not born as a a athlete. Some of my relatives just told me that if I want to become a part of this society, then I have to starting watching baseball and football. Those are the most useful talking resources in this country.

So what are the other things that people pay attention about?

Little Game League erupts in Fight, 911 Call in Nashville

http://www.wsmv.com/news/16784155/detail.html

A summary of this article basically, that during a 7- and 8-year old championship baseball game was going on, a fight erupted from a few people who believed the umpire's call was unfair and they got angry. They were at it for about 22 minutes, until the police finally arrived at the scene of the incident. Luckly no guns were pulled, or people majorly injured. The fight occured in front of the children. When the police finally arrived the fight ended and most children went home without trophies.

My reaction basically is to this post if you're going to fight take it somewhere were people don't have to hold the game for you and the person you are fighting. Also if you can't work it out just move away from them don't create a scene. Connections would be how if they believe something to be wrong they'll fight for it.

Why was it, it took the police 22 minutes to arrive at the scene when in the South Nashville area it only takes about 13 minutes.

Leonard Little's First Drunk Driving Charge (1998)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/thenetwork/news/2000/01/27/cnnsicomprofile_little/

"Ninety nights of shock time, to be spent in this St. Louis work house, comprise part of the sentence Little received after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter last June. He's completed about a third of that to date and part of 1,000 hours of community service a judge also ordered him to perform. If he finishes both, after four years of probation, his record will be cleared, leaving no legal trace of so many shattered lives"

After killing a woman while intoxicated, Leonard Little only recieved sixty days in prison. After searching, I found that the normal time spent in prison for involuntary manslaughter is 2 - 4 years. We also have to take into effect the fact that Little was intoxicated at the time, speeding, and running a red light. Adding all these up we should ask, How did Little get off with 60 DAYS???

I do not agree with this obvious special treatment of an athlete. I don't think that it is fair that someone guilty of three traffic violations and involuntary manslaughter gets off with only 60 days and some community service. If I commited the same crime I would be punished to the full extent of the law.

Is this right? Should athletes be able to get lesser charges for crimes?

Multiple Incidents of Sports Hazing

http://espn.go.com/otl/hazing/list.html

The article gives many, many examples of sports hazing over the years. They range from milder initations to extreme induction rites. In every case, police and court authorities became involved.

I thought they were all very interesting occurences, and some of them were absolutely wild. I believe that sometimes people go to far with their 'traditional rituals,' including performing crude sex-related acts and causing bodily harm to themselves. It seems like the seniors are taking revenge on their previous 'alphas' on their younger mates, maybe even making it worse and worse.

Should police get involved in these hazing rituals? Or do the initiatee's hold the power to keep these things from happening to them? Is it impossible to say no?

http://www.naso.org/sportsmanship/badsports.html

Roger Bratcher, a father of a T-ball player was briefly jailed after an outburst against an umpire during a game involving 5- and 6-year-olds. The accused threatened to beat the umpire moments before walking onto the field and starting a fight with Eddie Smith, who was officiating the game, according to the criminal complaint. A girl who was playing in the game suffered a minor injury when she was struck in the face during the scuffle. (July 2003)

I find this to be quite funny, in t-ball there are heardly any rules and a guy of a 5 and 6 year old game gets up and starts a fight with a ump. Really that tells you that parents are really over zealous of the kids game, the main motto for baseball is to have fun and remember its just a game. While here the parents think that there child must do the best at all costs. I think the parent here was the type who was over competive and hated to lose, some people are like that, I could see this happen to a high school or college game but, at a 5 and 6 t-ball thing no way.

What happen next, what charges were made?

What was the real reason for the outcome?

Hazing/special treatment

http://espn.go.com/otl/hazing/list.html

"Four players pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of hazing for sodomizing a teammate with a bottle. The assailants were ordered to apologize and were sentenced to perform 80 hours of community service, serve one year of probation, and pay the victim's counseling fees up to $2,000."

This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard about hazing. What the hell are these boys thinking? I can almost be certain that this was not a "ritual" and if it was it is the worst thing I've ever heard. Eww.

Also, the special treatment. These boys got got community service, probation, and had to pay counseling fees? That's horrible. They sodomized a fellow teammate, they deserved some worse punishment.

If this happened in our school do you think these boys would have gotten off as easy as they did? And how much of a problem does hazing need to become before it is taken serious enough?

Northwestern Women's Soccer Team Suspended After Hazing

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/sports/soccer/16hazing.html?ex=1305432000&en=0cd2921c4726b822&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

Members of the women's soccer team at Northwestern posted photos depicting hazing incidents on a student file-sharing network. The photos...

"showed women's soccer players wearing only T-shirts and shorts or underwear. Many of the players were covered in marker, and some appeared to be drinking beer. Other photographs showed players giving lap dances for what the captions said were Northwestern men's soccer players. The captions said the dances were a punishment.
In some photographs, the players are in lines blindfolded, their hands bound behind their backs."

In response, the soccer players were suspended and banned from participating in athletic events.

I think the university's response was appropriate in this case. The junior members of the team were forced into sexually demeaning situations by the senior members...a particularly offensive form of hazing. Even when this stuff takes place off campus, the team still represents the university. The university I attended as an undergrad harshly punished hazing by Greek organizations...my sorority, for example, was prevented from allowing members to use the terms "Mom" and "Kid" because of the suggestion of authority or power over the new member. Athletic hazing should be taken just as seriously.

I wonder whether the women subjected to the hazing welcomed it as a traditional "rite of passage" for the team?

The American sit-com: gender roles

Blog your thoughts in response to the episodes we viewed in class and gender roles, relationships... you may address some of the discussion questions provided in class.

Invisible Children

Use this space to blog your reactions to Invisible Children.

Now that you've had time to process your thoughts and some of the thoughts shared by your peers in class, what do you think about the issues raised in the documentary?

Hotel manager asks workers to change names...

Follow the link below to an article about the hotel manager who recently asked some of his Latino workers to Anglicize their names. What do you think about the controversy that's ensued? Blog your reactions.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/26/national/main5422261.shtml

30 Days: Muslims and America

Use this space to discuss your reactions to the episode of 30 Days: "Muslims and America"...

Profanity in the Classroom?

Follow this link to an article about a recent controversy at St. Charles West HS:

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/chas-beat/schools/2009/09/the-st-charles-west-high-schoolnwa-controversy-what-do-you-think/

...after reading the article and public reaction, what do you think? Who do you side with? Does profanity have a place in education? Explain.

Illuminated Pleasures

"Illuminated Pleasures"

This painting is "Illuminated Pleasures" by Salvador Dali, published in 1929. This painting is displayed in The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, New York. Salvador Dali is known for his Surrealism paintings his most famous "The Melting Clock". Some can argue that Salvador Dali was the father of the Surrealism Movement going on at the time.
Almost all of Salvador Dali's painting are done using Surrealism. Surrealism is distorting figures almost to trick the mind. Often times trying to connect with the subconcious mind. Salvador Dali made a quote regarding to this painting. Someone asked why do all your paintings potray violence or sex. Salvador simply said "Well quite frankly that is my life". When Dali was starting out his styles of painting were looked down upon by critics but later was praised by those same critics an were considered some of the greatest art of the modern era.
Are all these things put together to represent a bigger picture or just thrown together just because? Why are majority of his paintings all have very similiar backrounds: sun fading, few clouds, dirt ground?

John Coplans Self Portrait

John Coplans is known for his black and white, nude self portraits. This photo may turn heads at first and just been seen as a naked man. It caught my eye because of the age of the man in the photo. Clearly, the man is older but I still find the picture beautiful. Coplans doesn't show his face which helps the viewer not focus on a specific identity or person. The camera lingers over every imperfection, such as the wrinkles, skin spots, sagging skin, and splotches of hair.

This picture also shows Coplans use of humor and wit but also his intelligence and passion.

He makes himself more brilliant and beautiful than modern pictures that show men and women with their "perfect" bodies.

In Josef Sudek's work most of his photos show some type of landscape and the tree is the main object that stands out why do you think he does that? The land that the trees are on dosent look well taken care of and the trees look like that as well. Could this be a city that has a lot of pollution considering the river looks to be dirty or is it fog? If you take a close look at the photo you can see the buildings look to be an older model? where do you think this photo was taken? Why do you think the photo has no color? In my own opinon I like photos like this because no own really looks at them from different perspectives and sees the meaning of them.

I am a Camera by Van Renselar

I really like this picture because of how abstract and colorful it is. It brings up a lot of questions for the observer to answer.Things like, Who or what is taking the picture? Why did he use those colors? Why is the girl closing her eyes?

Study for Sculpture (Coke and Marilyn)

Study for Sculpture is a screen print by Clive Barker. Barker used one of the most iconic images of Marilyn Monroe from the film Seven Year Itch. This print brings together two of the most iconic symbols of that time, a Coca-Cola bottle and Marilyn Monroe. It is "emphasizing similarity between marketing and pop culture." That's saying that people were starting to use iconic figures, such as Marilyn Monroe, to help sell their products. I think because she is inside the coke bottle, it tells the viewer she was also a product just like Coca-Cola. She became an American icon just as much as Coke did. Once all of her 'use' of an icon was used, or she was passed in the pop culture era, she died. This print caught my eye because the background is very dull and it makes Marilyn and the coke bottle stand out.

The Colossus By Francisco de Goya

The Colossus by Francisco de Goya*

The painting the Colossus was painted between 1808 to 1810. It depicts a scene of terror as a massive giant rises from behind a hill as a large caravan passes by. This painting was created to represent the giant as the defending guardian of the nation of Spain against the Napoleonic threat. One can tell by the scene that the travelers are instantaneously terrified by the beast's presence. Although, the beast doesn't care about the people and does not view them as a threat, thus turning his back on them.

Viewing this painting, many questions arose that seemed to be unanswered. Where is this painting taking place? Why has the beast been summoned? Where has this giant come from? Is this giant a god? Is he good or evil? Why does the beast have his fist clenched? Where were the people traveling to? Why has the giant turned his back on the people? These unanswered questions add to this enigma of painting and add to what is unknown.

*Recently, a great debate has arose on whether Francisco de Goya truely painted this painting. The final answer was decided that he was not the creater of it. The true painter of this masterpiece was in fact Goya's main assistant, Asensio Julia. This sudden change was brought upon by the discovery of the intials "AJ", etched in the top left corner of the painting. This was found during restoration of the painting and brought forward more investigation. The painting was the x-rayed and studied deeply. After further study, art historians discovered that many other facts could contribute to this painting not being made by Goya. Other clues found along with the intials were improper brushstrokes and miscoloring. Art historians say that the brushstrokes in the painting were unlike Goya and his perfect painting style. Along with that they agreed that Goya would not use the coloring elements used in the painting. This proved that Goya was not the true creator of the famous Colossus painting. After the decision was made, art historians changed the painting to show the new true artist's name.

With the orginal painter being discovered, more questions arise. Why would Goya "steal" his assistant's work? Will the painting still be famous even though the artist is unheard of? How will art critics view Goya now after this ordeal?

This painting has changed the viewpoint of many regarding it's true origins, and it will most likely remain mysterious just as it was meant to.

Gardenia 2

Sandi Fellman is the photographer who took this picture. She used this picture for the cover of one of her books. She takes pictures of a lot of different things, but this picture is the one that caught my eye the most. I don't know why that this was my favorite out of all of her picures. Margaret Loke from New York Times talked about Sandi Fellman and said "photographs that transform the humble into amazing objects of desire." I agree with this because this Gardenia is something that is just not as important as other things, but she makes it to where it could be someones desire.There are different ways that people could say that this could be like someones desire. I really don't know why, but i have ideas. I think that it might be because it is so close up to the middle of the gardenia and you can't see the whole thing. Or could it be because it is not in color, and its more of a sepia color? I think that could be it too, because it makes it more mysterious because you don't know the exact color of it. Is it like a desire because of the shadows? I think that it could be because of the shadows because it is also somewhat mysterious. This picture is mainly just mysterious because you don't know anything about it, just that it is a Gardnia. I want to know where this picture was taken. Is this the only flower, or ir there more surronding it? Also, when was this picture taken?

"Marilyn Monroe" by Andy Warhol

This painting by Andy Warhol titled "Marilyn Monroe" is considered one of his best. It is a screenprint of Marilyn Monroe with bright and exuberant colors made in 1967. There is also a painting consisting of four of the exact same picture of Marilyn Monroe but in different colors.

Warhol has painted other famous people and politicians the same way such as John Wayne, Jackie Kennedy-Onassis, Queen Elizabeth II, Ronald Regan, Annie Oakly, Judy Garland, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Carter and others. Andy Warhol also created the famou painting of the Cambell's Soup can.

This painting really caught my eye mainly because of the bright colors in it. I guess I'm sort of like a small child, only responding to bright colors. But it caught my eye. And I knew who Andy Warhol was and I like a lot of his art. I really liked this because of how he took a regular picture and just made it weird in a very simple way. I am also a Marilyn Monroe fan. This is something I would hang in my house. I really like all of Andy Warhol's paintings because they are pretty much your basic run of the mill pictures just with extreme color in places where extreme color doesn't need to be.

Because this is a screenprint, many people might not consider this an actual 'painting' because It's pretty much a giant picture that Andy Warhol just colored in. I don't know if anyone else thinks it's art. I know that a lot of people think Andy Warhol is overrated.

Blythburgh, The Estuary

Roger Fry was inspired to paint this picture the summer him and his friend visited Blythburgh in 1892. Blythburgh is a small village on the River Blyth. Fry loved to paint scenery. I'm not to sure what really pulled me into this picture. But it really caught my eye when i first looked at it. I like how he used the dark colors in the foreground with the trees and the river but then he lightened them up in the background with the clouds and the sky. It just seems so relaxed and calm to me. The painting almost makes me want to go and visit Blythburg. But the trees look almost unreal to me. They are super tall and skinny with all the leaves bunched up at the top. The whole thing looks kind of unreal. I wonder if this is how he saw it in his eyes? Because the River Blyth looks really run down. And not as beautiful as in his picture. Why do you think he made it look so good in his painting when it really doesn't look all that great in real life?

Judith Slaying Holofernes

This picture was done by Artemisia Gentileschi in 1612-1613. This picture is one of Artemisia's most recognized and contervercial paintings. She did many paintings displaying Judith and her maid. All having to do with the killing of Holofernes. Holofernes was an Assyrian general. And the two women that are attacking him are Judith (in blue) and her maid (in red). It is said that part of what influenced her to make this painting was that she was raped by a guy named Tassi, and through this painting it shows her femanist views and hatred toward men. Tassi saverly hurt Artemisia's artistic career. The trial against Tassi for raping her was publicly humiliating for Artemisia.

This Picture also displays the scene from the end of the Book Of Judith in the Old Testament. This is only one of her paintings that Judith killed Holofernes in. There are two other paintings in which he died. Judith Beheading Holofernes and Judith And Maidservant With The head of Holofernes.

I believe that this painting not only shows her femanist beliefs but also her religious views. This picture is of a story in the Book Of Judith in the bible. I believe it shows the strength of women. Because it is a woman killing a strong army general who has had training to kill people and has used it many times. So I believe it shows that women are just as strong as men.

In this photo by Ansel Adams you see the beauty of nature. I'm intrigued by many of his photographs just for the fact that it is something that you don't really see everyday. My interpretation of this picture is that it is very symbollic of life. That it may have its twists and turns but sooner or later you'll be on top when it is all over. Also the clouds overhead may mean something too. Such as how in the picture they look real dark and may insist that there may be rainy days or bad days but then in the distance you can see how it is clearing up which tells how rainy days come and go such as bad days come and go.

The balance in this picture is really good too. The way it has the mountains in the center and then the smaller hills on either side is very cool looking. It's almost surreal looking. Unless you live in Alaska or Colorado, you would never be able to see something so awesome. This type of photography really appeals to me because this could possibly be some place that I would want to visit or see during my lifetime.

"helmet, kindling, and deer feed" by: Collier Schoor

This piece was created in post wall germany, a time when artists were pressing the limits after so much restriction in government, the times were booming moving past the tesnsion after such a repression of personal identity.

I have several thoughts on this piece

*that the pinecones are the masquline force{they are spiny and more, well obviously woodsy.}

*the apples are feminine{they are more vunerable and "life givers".}

*i find it interesting that the "men"{pinecones} are seperate from the "women"{apples} and that the men are in the helmet, possibly symbolizing that the men are going to war and the wemon will have to wait for them.

*it could also symbolize the pinecones as the force of the enemy that they are seperating themselfs and crying for order, as is typical with germans of the time. the apples in this case would be the berliners, totally vunerable to the force of the army sybolized by the helmet

*it is also interesting that the background is so crystal clear in focus when the forground is not, does this mean that the militant strategys are known, crystal clear ,if you will, but where the line crosses to the humanity of it, it becomes blurred?

*another question is am i looking too far in to this, is the picture only supposed to be pleasing to ones asthestics, with the fall colors and asymetry, it is pretty, striking even but, is it more?

The Holy Family

The Holy Family

Artist: Allan D'Arcangelo

Media: serigraph



D'Arcangelo is a pop artist best known for his art work focusing on the highway, this print called The Holy Family is just one of the many. The image that this peice depicts represents the values of a steryotypical religious family. I noticed that the highway the car is driving on has three lanes, there is a yeild sign in the middle of the road, and there are pure white baby boots hanging from the mirror. The car that I asume is driving down this road, seems to be driving down the central lane, which represents the belief that a christian family is orderly, balanced, and sticks to a safe path. The yeild sign that appears to be in the middle of the road is a symbol of the idea that a religious family is focused on being concerned for others and that they are very cautionate of their surroundings. Lastly the baby boots that are hanging on the mirror represent a few things. They represent the idea that many religious familys have that the right path to take in life is getting married and having children. The color of the shoes, white, represents purity. The images representing a holy family in this peice of art can be seen in a positive or negative light. It could be pointing out the positive atmosphere of a religious family, because the picture is pleasant to look at, or it could be mocking the ideals of a christian family because the three lanes and the yeild sign in the middle of the road are somewhat absurd.

La Nona Ora

By: Maurizio Cattelan

This picture is of Pope John Paul II being struck down by a meteorite. In the forground we see glass strewn across the ground and in the background we see the Pope laying on the ground with a meteor on him. This artwork was all clay figures except for the glass.

From what I intake from this piece of art, I clearly notice the Pope being crushed by the meteor. This makes me think that the artist was going against the church or thought that the church was perhaps corrupt.

I also notice that the entire floor is red. To me this is a symbol of blood. Maybe stating that the Pope should be removed or killed.

A couple questions I have is why the artist
would choose to do a piece of art like this, and
if he was going against the church, why was he going
against it?

The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters

The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters by Goya is a very dark piece of art. I see it as in your dreams the things you try to hide find their way out of the dark corners of your mind and surface in your dreams. The animals mean different things like according to the Art Book Goya the bats are symbols of " filth and lust becoming ever more menacing as they circle the dreamers head." and the cats have always been a symbol of witchcraft. That is only one interpretation though. I think the bats are a symbol of everything evil the person has ever thought about consciously or unconsciously. The cats if you look there are two of them and they might be a symbol of white and black magic but I see them as the two sides of a person the white one being good and the black one being evil. I didn't see the black cat at first because he is hiding and the white cat is more apparent I think this symbolizes the fact that everyone has two sides good and evil and one is always more visible than the other in this person it's his good half that is more prominent. Still the dark side of him is there lurking in the shadows trying to make them do dark things. I also noticed that everything on the person is white except for his head this shows how all the dark thoughts come from his mind everything that he has dreamt up all the animals come from his restless mind. I was attracted to this artwork because it was so dark it reminded me of when my mom would read me poems out of this massive Edgar Allen Poe book he was her favorite poet and since then Edgar Allen Poe is still nostalgic for me it reminds me of my very early childhood. Not only because of the art itself but the title really caught my eye The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters as the Art Book Goya explains " The imagination abandoned by reason produces impossible monsters..." I think that most of us as we grow older lose our imagination and replace it with logic and reason. Your no longer imaginative your creative. You don't play with your imaginary friends anymore, you don't pretend your a princess or a solider anymore, and you don't play with dolls or action figures anymore. We lose that innocence as we grow older we know the world isn't filled with rainbows and butterflies and around every corner there aren't sugary sweets waiting for you. We know the reality is that it's a cruel world out there and you have to make of it what you can. So maybe that's the meaning of the dark head you've now lost your innocence and your head is desolate because your imagination has left you. You know that there isn't a one eyed one horned flying purple people eater. The grass can't be pink and cows aren't purple. That's illogical, so now that you have that reasoning the real monsters come out. The ones that make you realize that the world isn't like a big fluffy cloud.

Diane Arbus

"Identical Twins, Roselle, N.J., 1967"

This picture really interests me. Their creepiness imagine just makes you want to dig deep into the roots of the picture. Whenever I first glanced at this picture, they're two identical twins but they're not the same. They're around seven or eight years old. They're wearing matching outfits: white tights, corduroy dresses, and thick white headbands in their dark hair. The girls stand shoulder-to-shoulder, their light eyes looking straight into the camera, straight at us. And the more you look back at them -the more you stare -the more you realize how different they are from each other.

Photographer Neil Selkirk, who has been printing Arbus' photographs since her death said, was fastinated by this picture and said, "Just look at the set of their mouths," he says. "They're different people looking at different worlds and yet they might be the same person." Makes me think, what's behind their eyes that they're looking at "2 different worlds"?..what are they seeing?

Diane captures photographs of people who live on the edge of societal acceptance, as well as those photographs depicting supposedly "normal" people. Her subjects appear to be perfectly willing, if not eager, to reveal themselves and their flaws to her lens. Arbus biographer Patricia Bosworth says Arbus was involved in the question of identity. Who am i and who are you? The twin image expresses the point of that vision: normality in freakishness and the freakishness in normality. That's what this represents. This is just a picture yet the more you look the more in depth the picture goes and it's like an optical illusion. This is America and this picture represents just people, you may not get what you see when you first look at someone, especially "freaks" at first glance. You look at the world differently...

Tennis Serve (Gussie Moran)

Tennis Serve (Gussie Moran) (1949)

This picture is of a tennis star named Gussie Moran serving the tennis ball. It was created with high speed multiple flashes. It is almost mesmorizing just because of all the different rackets, how the girl appears to be a ghostly figure because of all the white, and how there are a lot of tennis balls in the picture due to how fast his camera was taking the pictures. It depicts 33 tennis reackets and there is also 33 tennis balls! This picture is definitly one of my favorite pictures I've ever seen due to the detail of the tennis shot and all the different motions in her serve. Edgerton was known for helping athletes out with their technique all because he could take pictures like these that could basically analyze every detail of the athletes technique. This picture really brought me in with how it doesn't even look like a tennis shot because of all the different things going on. How did Edgerton create this masterful picture? Where did he develop the technology for his camera to take this?

crazed little boy

Diane Arbus

Child with toy hand grenade in Central Park, N.Y.C. 1962

My first response to this picture was giggles. I then proceeded to assume this picture was a response to the rapid changes entering Amerca during this time period; that the young generation of America was straying away from the conservative ways of the 50's and would eventually end up in social revolution.

What drew me to this picture was the little boy's face and his scronny body. Looking closer I noticed his hands: clenching a toy grnade in his right and his left, firm in an almost open grasp. Also noticing that his jumper is hanging off his left shoulder, I wonder if his jumper was just too big for him or he was doing some stranious activity, or if it's something more than that and it represents another underlying factor? The contrast in the picture, the shadows, and aperture all leading to the little boy, make the people in the background blurred, thus removing their identities. I wonder if Arbus did this on purpose or not.

To me the little boy represents the past and near future America was about to be thrown into. The past being the 1950's which was associated with the "American Dream," and the future being the drawn out Vietnam war and the beginning of counter-culture lifestyles.

Questions

Where are the little boy's parents?

Why are all the people in the background blurred?

What was making the little boy make that face?

Do the the two trees behind the boy represent anything?

my daguerreotype

This isn't the photo that i origionally chose. Yet like the one i chose its a daguerrotype (an early photograph produced on a silver-covered copper plate). Now that i have a new photo, i haft to think of new things to say.......

To me this picture represents freedom to do, and dress however you want, no matter if your a clown, or a business man. Just to be yourself and have fun no matter what.

DREAM GARDEN by HENRY ROUSSEAU

DATE AND LOCATION OF PAINTING UNKNOWN.

1. in this painting it looks like in the jungle and the guy is playing some kind of insturment and is riding a tiger and the tiger is eating the flowers which all of them have alot of colors the guy looks calm not like in real life if we road a tiger we would be pretty frighten for the most part

2. i like this painting because it has alot of colors that stand out it is very random that a guy is on a tiger in the middle of the jungle playing music i think this art was made when music was very popular because the guy is still playing music even though he is on a tiger an that would freak most people out. in the reading about this painting it says that the painter love to paint wild cats that alot of is paintings where about aniamals and the out doors. i think the tiger is friendly because it is just eating does not care if the guy is on his back or not the guy is very brave to be on a tiger. some other things about this painting is there is a lion in the bushes in the right of the painting between two paintings it is a very good painting in my opionion.

In Their Own Words

This Photograph is named In Their Own Words, and it is by Jay Maisel. He is recognized as one of the top natrual- light color photogropher in the world. He most emphasizes on light and form. Over the years, Maisel has inspired countless photographer. Jay started his career of being a photgrapher in 1954 Jay Maisel is now 78 years old and is still currently living in New York. During his career of photography he won sevrel awards, for example, Life Time Achievement Award, PPA, 2003 Life Time Achievement Award, ASMP 1996 The Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame, The Art Director’s Club 1995 Infinity Award for Applied Photography, ICP 1987 Gold Medal Award for Photography, Art Director’s Club of NY 1986 and 1987 Photographer of the Year ASMP 1986 The Newhouse Citation, Syracuse School of Public Communications 1979 Outstanding Achievement in Photography, ASMP 1978 Saint Gauden’s Medal, Cooper Union, 1977.

This picture makes me really happy. Only because i love horses and have grown up with them all my life. In the picture, I think it represents society because of the horses in the background faded out and then you have one horse that sticks out. This relates to society because people think everything is all about them but you have to realize there are other people in the world and society too. Jay Maisel has a special quote for this picture and it is,

"If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you're not out there, you'll only hear about it." - Jay Maisel

Retroactive

What i think is interesting about this painting is that it was painted in 1964, the year after J.F.K. was assassinated So, for me, that puts a whole new perspective on the painting. And after doing some research on the artist, I learned that he deeply respected Kennedy and this was just one of six paintings that the artist painted of him. First, i think that the black smudge is very symbolic of his death. It represents that something dark is looming over him. But the in the center of the smudge there is a white spot. So to me this means that within his death we can find hope. Also, Kennedy's pointed finger is also very symbolic. I think the artist is challenging the country. Challenging the country to pick up the pieces and move on and celebrate the great things that he did during his presidency. On the bottom right there is a red section that looks like an explosion. I think that symbolizes how quick and shocking his death was to our nation. And then in the top left there is an astronaut and that represents hope and dreams of the future that Kennedy had. And that we, as a nation, can carry out his legacy. Below the astronaut there is a yellow section that looks like balloons. I interpreted this as that we should celebrate the life that he did live.

Hip Hop

You've read the lyrics to Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y."... this song was popular when it was released in 1993. Would a song like this be equally appealing and commercially viable now? Why or why not?

Many view this song as a direct response to the violent, misogynist lyrics in Dr. Dre's influential album The Chronic... do song lyrics even matter, though? If people sing along with a hook, what are they saying? Do you think people think about what the lyrics mean when singing along with them?

Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau

1897. Oil on canvas, 51" x 6' 7" (129.5 x 200.7 cm). Gift of Mrs. Simon Guggenheim

Here is a link to the Museum of Modern Art's short biography of Rousseau and explication of his painting: www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80172

I have loved this painting ever since my best friend from high school and I visited New York as college freshmen and saw the actual painting at MOMA (the Museum of Modern Art). I even wrote a cheesy sonnet about it when I was a sophomore in college--I'll spare you that lovely work of art.

This painting, for me, illustrates an ideal life of freedom, whimsical wonderlust, music and open spaces. At first, I believed the lion to be the gypsy's pet--standing guard over her while she sleeps, but now I'm not so sure. Perhaps he's a dangerous animal who has stopped to inspect the gypsy--and her carefree attitude somehow protects her from what might be dangerous during the daytime.

The primitive colors and the flat shapes underscore the simplicity of the painting and the gypsy's life. She has all she needs: walking stick, pillow, jug of water (or wine?) and the moonlight. In her painting, human meets animal; sky meets sand and mountain; sleep meets waking.

What do you think of the painting? (FYI: it was also featured in a Simpson's episode where Bart wakes up in the painting with the lion licking him.)

"Consuming Kids: By Any Means Necessary"

Explore a virtual world that's popular with kids or a website where kids gather: Nicktropolis, PBSkids.org, or Discovery Kids are examples.

Spend some time looking around the site, then respond to the following in a blog post:

• describe any examples of advertising or product placement you see
• analyze how you think this kind of marketing might affect a child who visits this site

Alcohol advertising & young adults: article

Take a few minutes to read the brief article found here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080604120039.htm

Blog your reactions. What do you think about issues raised in the article?

Checklist for a Good Blog Post/Comment

1. Spend some time THINKING about what you will say.

2. Use complete sentences, understandable grammar--and make an attempt to spell words correctly. While this isn't a formal paper, you want to be understood by fellow posters.

3. Do give your fellow posters the main gist or idea of what you are trying to say in a few sentences at the beginning of your post.

3. Use specific examples from the film clip, art work, poem--or whatever--you are responding to help your fellow posters understand what you are trying to say.

4. If you disagree with a fellow poster, or see another angle--do so in a polite, non-threatening way. It's o.k. to disagree--as long as you still respect others' opinions. Always remember: WE ALL DESERVE RESPECT.


You might end your post with a question that would allow for responses from others.

Example of a Blog Comment: Take the second Swat clip we watched through a particular lens.

The second Swat clip involved a car chase through a city neighborhood. If one looks at this clip throught the lens of race and culture, several stereotypes become apparent. For one, the chase scene makes it seem that every city neighborhood is dangerous and crime-ridden. It's the typical "ghetto" scene where ONLY crime and destruction are apparent. Also, mean dogs are pictured--as if people only have dogs in this environment to protect territory. Stereotypically, the perpetrator of the crime is African-American, and he's wearing a purple jump suit. His costuming plays into the common stereotype that "pimps" dress in flashy colors. The Latino woman is portrayed as "crazy" or "loco",which is also a common stereoptype. She's protective of her man, throws a skillet--could be violent.

The S.W.A.T. Team, however, has mixed race people in it. Are the filmmmakers saying that the SWAT team sees beyond race?

Take a look at these advertisements. Apply ONE lens to the advetisement--then post your reactions through that lens..

Who are the advertisers trying to sell these products to? In other words, who is their TARGET AUDIENCE?