Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Void (band)

The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to (slilence) develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.

The Void, is one of the most powerful tool that authors musician can use to keep things exciting and or mysterious. Adding a void makes people guess in suspense or think hard about what's going to happen. If an author does that, it makes the reader continuoslly reading. The Void creates tension and is almost always used.

A composer can build a piece up to where it begins to become very powerful but then suddenly stops, giving the effect of tension and finishes the long or short slience with a strong ending to give the release.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The Black Spot

1) Black Spot, it should be called this because the black spot was repeated many times and was very crucial to the stiry. The story seems to be making the black spot it's main character.

2) I thought someone with the black spot would die or leave town, while reading I noticed that everyone was nervous and afraid. People were hoping that they or their friends and close ones were not picked. There is also a sense of tension.

3) I knew that it was meant to keep the reader guessing, thinking and wanting. It worked. This story really uses "The Void".

4) At first, I just thought that we were going to reenact the story. But when I red the sentence written on it, I was thinkng of hundreds of different things that could be in it.

5) I was still guessing what were we going to do and what were to happen to the people who got the black spot.

6) I still don't understand the consequences of getting the black spot in the village. I'm guessing that people throw stones at you and all but that sounds unreasonable for a really strict tradition to be silly.

7) My predictions were not entirely correct but I knew that something bad was going to happen. Even though I knew there was something wrong, I still did not stop guessing.

8) Maybe to give someone better prediction, the author should have wrote a sentence saying something about to people talking about what happened last time and what happened to them but without giving the story away.

9) So the reader wil keep reading, "The Void" is a tool that would be seen in almost every book, movie, etc.

10)
a. Makes the reader look for the title and wonder why there isn't.
b. Makes the reader want and jump to the conclusion as quickly as possible.
c. The reader will keep thinking throughout the book as it gives clues piece by piece.
d. Students ask one another and themselves what is about to happen.
e. Questions popping into minds, flooded with guesses.
f. Trying to wait for 5. Not knowing what happened. These all keeps me gessing.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

“unexpected, the moment of serendipity.”

Steve McCurry, one of the best photographers in the world, has an exquisite and unique taste for pictures. Born in Philadelphia, in 1950, he graduated from the College of Arts and Architecture at the Pennsylvania State University. He had been working for newspapers for two years but then left for India to freelance in photography. This is when he started taking pictures of conflict. His work reflects the ethics of everything; his photos are sometimes happy but often they show sadness. He travels the world searching for the “unexpected, the moment of serendipity."

This picture shows more than a woman, it shows a woman in the dark streets. You might think that there is nothing special about that. But imagine all the men that are outside in the light and freedom. The Shadow is a symbol of loneliness while the light and the green door represents happiness and freedom. Unfortunately, this woman has to live in darkness. Maybe because she is an outlaw, maybe she doesn’t have money, maybe she doesn’t have anything.

His pictures have meaning. And that is what makes him so famous for all the years. He has many pictures to do with real life situations, fun, culture and life. If a picture tells a thousand stories, Steve McCurry’s pictures tell a million.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Jason and The Argonauts

Cartoon version:
I would have to say...it was played with, messed around, dialog changed, events changed. BUT, definetely makes it intresting, for kids. I guess some of the parts of the real Jason and the Argonauts would be considered PG 13 (Adult supervison needed) But I'm okay with that.

As fun to watch as it seems, not really accurate. I guess they wanted more viewers, more sells more money. And I can't blame them for trying to raise their financial needs. Anyways back to topic. Accuaracy is about 70 percent right, for example Jason should have died in the end in stead of tuning into a great king. Another example is the 'extra powers', even myths aren't that crazy to have transforming into a dragon or growing swords using willpower.

Character changes too, I don't really know much about how they look so I wouldn't argue with that. But about the way of speech the producers made them talk. Not because it should be in another language, but it should be more accurate. Seriously, when I heard the way Atlanta talk, it really shows the way she functions. She talks in uncomplete sentences, with a little 'dumb' accent. I know it is a kids show and the way people talk are crucial to the character's mood and intelligence. However I would be hurt if I were Atlanta right now. And not just her, look at the wind brothers, look at the way they talk, act and react. Really going down the accuaracy chart by doing that.

Overall, not a bad idea of Jason. Sure some bits have been exagerated and some have been 'propered'. But if I only had to learn from this one video, I could make discussions with mythologist talking about this here myth...almost. My opinion: Definetely better than watching a movie about a guy talking about Jason and The Argonauts all the way. That would be boring. Even though I have lots to debate and argue about, I would have to give thumbs up to the people who made it.

The Jason and The Argonauts video, with that guy talking about Jason and his journey (sorry don't know what it is called):

Possible to be real, maybe. It's so accurate that it has made me think about the myth. But I just have to say, really, really accurate. That's what I have to say. I mean, that guy, who'm I like to call Peter for some reasons that I don't know why...Weird. Anyways Peter (the Guy) travelled all the way to Greece and find actual facts about the myth to support the believe 'Jason and the Argonauts have a high chance of being real'. He went to the Iron land, as foretold in the myth, and found iron but amazingly, the iron is replacing the sand. No wonder it's called Iron Land. Peter and his crew made lots of dicoveries such as; Jason's boat, his magical oak used for his ship. It really does exist. Sure it's not magical but I think it's called magical beacuse it is used to build the ship, by bending it! They really can bend those trees and it really can float.

However, I have to say that it was boring. Not to offend anyone who like these kind of stuff. But in my opinion, it was really boring. No action, little excitement, all about facts. Peter talking about facts. Him spending more than an hour talking to a camera about facts. Some parts are exciting, but just 1 suggestion to the producers. There are kids who watch this. But it's fine with me. It is very detailed and I can see hard work put into it. I'd have to respect that.

Conclusion, if you are in need to know more about Jason and The Argonauts, then watch this video. But, if you wan't to watch something for fun and little education purposes, I suggest you watch the cartoon one and not Peter's video.

Just a little side note. It would be a blockbuster if these two directors (The Director of The Cartoon version and The Director of Peter's version) would join to make one movie that would be accurate and fun to watch. Imagine that, the movie would get 'The Best movie of the Year' Grammy. But then... The two directors would fight for the Grammy... Nevermind then.

Oh and to Ms. P, it took 3 hours and many resources and ideas to make this essay. I hope you like it. I know my writing changed by a spec, but this type of writing (Voice writing) helps me and motivates me to do long essays or texts. If you have any problems with this essay's writing. I'm okay with changing it.
Thanks for reading.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

"The roots that clutch" T.S Elliot.
All myths have a common element whether it is fire, creation, power etc. These common themes or elements are what keeps myths intresting. Strangely enough, countries or regions that did'nt know the other exist thought the same way. For example, in the Chinese story Phan Ku, the myth began with Chaos as did the Inuit creation myth started. Another example is the Inuit and Maori myth, both share the element of perfection. There are countless elements such as oneness, religion, death, good versus evil and more. Some myths might be different from another but the main idea is the same. Myths come from curiosity. What made the world? Who or What made us? What's the reason for...? Those are usually the answers asked by man. Myths are not just stories by man's imagination, they are capable of showing how the people from the area thought. There are millions of myths, question is, which one is closest to reality.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Pandora, the Greek myth and Orphan Boy, the African myth both proved curiosity can be bad or dangerous. In Pandora, curiosity doomed the world while in Orphan Boy; curiosity ruined the Old Man’s life. However, curiosity could lead to inventions, answers and more good. So why did the two myths say it is a bad thing

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

My name

My name has long complicated stories in it, stories that would fill a hundred paged book. So I'll make it brief. My name is very descriptive and simple. It means blessed, happy and curtious. A name adults ask me to live up to.

Muhammad is the most common name in the world. It is a prophets name and it is very special even though it's very common. It sounds good, fits me and I do except it as my name.

Zarif is quite a common name too. It means happy and or lively. My easiest name to follow. It's short and sounds strong, I love it.

Finally, my most uncommom name Imran. Meaning curtious, it is the name which my friends and parents call me. I try to be curtious, but it's impossuble to be ALWAYS curtious.

My name which is all Arabic is fine eventhough I'm mostly Malay. I don't have a grudge against it, it's not a stupid name and I definitely am okay with it. But to me a names just something people call you...