"The Elements of Style"

While reading "The Elements of Style" I found many things that I wish to incorporate into my writing, as well as many things I would like to change.

"16. Use definite, specific and concrete language"

I often times find that my writing is hampered by vagueness. I don't know if it is laziness or lack of consciousness towards this lack of concrete language, but I feel this change could improve my writing greatly both in journalism and creative fiction situations.

"17. Omit needless words"

I think my tendency to use needless words ties in to my problem with vague writing. Often times because my writing is vague, I feel the need to "spice it up" with needless adverbs or adjectives. This hurts the quality of my writing as it sometimes makes it difficult to decipher the real meaning in a paragraph or section of my work.

Notorious

Just in time for the newly released "Notorious" here are the top 10 Notorious B.I.G. rap lines, according to theboombox.com

http://www.theboombox.com/2009/01/16/top-10-notorious-b-i-g-quotables-no-10/

The Critic as an Artist?

Oscar Wilde presents a very intriguing argument in "The Critic as Artist." The main points of his argument revolve around his theory that, "To the critic the work of art is simply a suggestion for a new work of his own, that need not necessarily bear an obvious resemblance to the thing he criticizes." He argues that the way in which the critic uses other materials, other creations of art, to create his own art is no different than painters, writers or musicians in that they also draw on other inspirations. He uses Shakespeare and his use of mythology as an example of this. He asserts that an actor himself is a critic of the the play he acts in and a musician is a critic of the music he plays. Within each criticism, therefore, is art.

Further, he argues that it is from the critic that art receives its meaning and beauty. He contends that most of the meaning and beauty behind art is not from the original creator's intentions, but from the personal emotions and ideas others draw from it. It is through this art is given its eternal life and ability to evolve with the times. Great works of art will always have a meaning to someone no matter what era it is viewed.

Wilde uses a structure in which two people, Gilbert and Ernest, talk about the role of critics and their criticisms. Gilbert explains his theory to Ernest as Ernest plays somewhat of a devil's advocate. I think that this structure works well for Wilde's argument in that he is able to convey his own arguments and beliefs while also using them to combat, what he anticipates to be, opposing arguments of his theory.

Wilde's argument for the critic as an artist was very convincing and one I had never quite thought of before. I would agree that the critic who interprets art by "intensifying his own personality" in the works of others should indeed be considered both an artist and a driving force of art. If a critic truly gives a work his own meaning through his own inner thoughts and feelings, then he is doing the exact same thing as someone like Bob Dylan does when he writes songs like "The Hurricane." Just as Dylan used his own inner feelings toward an external person and event, an African American boxer unjustly convicted of murder, to create his art, so does the critic use his own inner feelings toward an external work to to create his.

Cultural organizations looking at little kids for funding?

A growing trend in Detroit, as well as the rest of the country....

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090124/METRO/901240379

New Movie Studio in Southeast Michigan?

Here is an interesting article about the possibility of a 'very large' movie studio opening in southeast Michigan.

http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/011109/loc_20090111003.shtml

Real Life 'Slumdog Millionare'

Here is an interesting little video for anyone who has seen or plans to see 'Slumdog Millionare." A rickshaw driver who won over a million rupees on a game show.

http://video.aol.com/partner/cbs/the-real-slumdog-millionaire/43TqgS4rtK0_7o_XHN74nTEMrp_Q83b6/?icid=VIDLRVENT02

"Taxi to the Dark Side" an Effective Look at what 'American Justice' has Become

“One by one the terrorists are learning the meaning of American justice.”
-George W. Bush, 2003 State of the Union Address

Newly inaugurated President Barrack Obama’s executive orders to close the Guantanamo Bay Corrections Facility has rekindled a debate regarding the meaning of “American justice” that former President Bush was referring to in 2003. Since its inception following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the “War on Terror” has led to a transformation of certain aspects of the American justice system that many believe defies the very ideals our forefathers strived for. Alex Gibney’s Academy Award winning “Taxi to the Dark Side” is a thorough investigation of this evolution of “American justice.”

Based around the story of an innocent Afghani taxi driver who was tortured and murdered while in United States’ custody, “Taxi to the Dark Side” delves deeper into the underlying issue, becoming a comprehensive study of the United State’s torturous interrogation techniques of the past fifty years.

Gibney does an admirable job in his attempt to examine every facet of the subject. From explanations of the torture techniques, inside looks at facilities, insightful interviews and an effective exploration of the politics behind it all, “Taxi to the Dark Side” gives the audience an in depth glimpse of the occurrences prompting President Obama’s first set of executive orders. Although not always pleasant to the eyes, heart or patriotic spirit, “Taxi to the Dark Side” is a must see documentary.

“Taxi to the Dark Side” incorporates a multitude of interviews from seemingly every slant of the issue including the implicated soldiers, families of the victims, Washington insiders, experts within the psychiatric field and even the lawyers of the detainees. The interviews with Washington big shots, such as Senator Carl Levin, make this documentary a legitimate, journalistic exploration of the issue while an interview with the family of the victim allows it to touch the audience emotionally.

Gibney skillfully interchanges video clips from speeches and news programs to compliment the diverse array of interviews and give even further perspective. For instance, he shows Vice President Dick Cheney on “Meet the Press” advocating the United States to get “mean, dirty and nasty” while glorifying the work of the United States on the “darker side of intelligence.”

Both the cinematography and soundtrack in “Taxi to the Dark Side” are outstanding for a documentary of this nature. From the clean transitions to the “shock of capture” scene, the cinematography offers a visually appealing break from the often times difficult to watch footage.
The soundtrack’s somber tone did an exceptional job at adding to an already solemn mood.

“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a thorough investigation of a very significant subject that blends information, media and cinema in a way that encapsulates elements of both journalism and art. With President Obama’s recent executive orders, its relevance cannot be understated, but as long as there is war in this world and detainees in these wars, “Taxi to the Dark Side” will remain a valuable American documentary.