“The heightening of a speech and performance by the choice of a dramatic camera angle; the use of light and shadow in the "War Room" so that it seems an endless subterranean world where footfalls echo ominously; the maintenance, in true American film-making tradition, of a sense of narrative action through the plane that deposits the bomb triggering world destruction;-all this buttresses his comedy with good old melodramatic interest”(Richardson 252). This quote from Richardson does show what the movie portrays. I noticed that when it got to the scene in the war room it was much more dramatic than all the other scenes. He made it seem like they were the only important people on Earth. In another quote by Richardson, it stated, “He is not concerned with the small, well-perceived insight, though beautifully capable of it, unless it can be matched, added, and linked to what he considers an inclusive statement about the fate of man on this planet at this time” (Richardson 253). The author was definitely more concerned about the fate of men. He made sure that men had enough women to keep them happy and be able to prosper as much as possible if need be. Women were not involved in anything.

In the article by Stillman, it says, “Keen-eyed observers have already pointed out that Miss Scott (Tracy Reed), the well-spoken Pentagon secretary under the sunlamp displaying (for the time) ample navel, also pops up as the centerfold in the Playboy magazine being admired by Major Kong in the cockpit” (Stillman 491). This quote probes even more that the women are used as sex symbols more than anything else. The woman did not even know what the individual was saying on the phone when she answered it. As a secretary, I would think that she would at least know a few of the terms but there is no knowledge. Further in the same article it states, “We should not overlook the significance for Kubrick of this device of the hidden photographic revelation, as he was later to use it with devastating effect for the final revelation of the true nature of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) as a reincarnated axe murderer in The Shining (1980), through the use of his look-alike in the old Fourth of July party ballroom picture hanging in the haunted Overlook hotel” (Stillman 493). According to this quote, the importance of photography is very relevant to. It became apparent to me through the movie that the ability to have their huge screens in the war room was what made all the difference. Without having the ability to see the planes coming and going, they would have had no idea how much time they had to cancel the attack.

I am not a huge fan of this movie. There are many reasons as to why this movie does not fit my personal liking. First of all, I do not think that there were enough intense shots with lighting. When the men were in the war room, the lighting was extremely dark and almost to the point where I could not tell what people looked like. Also, when it was lighting was bright, sometimes it was even blinding. Also, the score was not that impressive. I liked that they had a war song while the planes were in flight but there were some many more songs that they could have played as well and the audience would still feel the same way in that scene. Furthermore, having Strangelove not be able to control his arm was very frustrating to me. I was trying to pay attention to what he was saying but I could not. It would have been affective if it happened once or twice but not more than that. Another thing was the set design, I thought that it was pretty affective for the time being but since there are so much better set designs now, I was not impressed. Lastly, the costume was about the same as the set design. Since costumes are so much better now, I did not like how they did them. I believe that there were many ways that the movie could have been improved. If I would have seen this movie when it first came out then I might have liked it then. However, if it were a choice of mine to watch it again, I would not.

Kubrick, Stanley, dir. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the

Bomb. 1964. Columbia Pictures, 2009.

Stillman, Grant. "Two of the MaDdest Scientists." Film History. 20 (2008): 487-500.

Web. 17 May. 2010.

Richardson, Jack. "'Strangelove' and 'the Silence.'" The Hudson Review. 17.2 (1964): 250-255.

Web. 17 May. 2010.

Childhood Obesity

Struggling With Obesity? Here Are Resolutions

An obese child sitting and barely able to move because of the size of his body.

Are children in America overweight? Are they obese? To answer these questions there needs to be further studies and research. I have researched that there are many reasons that cause obesity in children. Furthermore, obesity is on the rise and Americans are battling many issues with it. One issue is their cost of living. The problematic occurrences of obesity are so high that something needs to be done in order to fix this crisis. If American’s made a routine of eating family dinners, cut back on watching the television and gaming time, and got a good night’s sleep, then obesity would be a lot less common.

Reasons for occurrence

There are multiple reasons as to why obesity occurs. In one study, by Biotech Business Week editors titled “Obesity; New Obesity Data Have Been Reported By Researchers At University Of Yamanashi, Medical Department” stated, “children whose mothers skipped breakfast were likely to become overweight” (Biotech Business Week 1). Furthermore Biotech Business Week states, “maternal sleep duration of less than or equal to 8 hours a day negatively affected childhood overweight” (Biotech Business Week 1). In these two quotes it shows that not eating breakfast or getting enough sleep could make the child overweight in their childhood. Mothers can manage both aspects of obesity; when mothers find out that they are pregnant, they only need to manage these two attributes for nine months in order to save their child(ren) from childhood obesity. These two aspects can be managed in a few ways. First of all, mothers should make sure that they are eating a balanced breakfast. Also, when mothers are tired then they need to go to sleep or take a nap as soon as possible so that the baby can develop. Making sure that you go to bed by a certain time to receive more than eight hours will positively affect the baby. They will be less likely to have childhood obesity by doing these small routintes.

This child is so obese that he can barely do a push up.

Issues with Obesity

There are numerous issues with obesity ranging from genetics to the environment. A few of the issues can be supervised in order to prevent a child from having childhood obesity and/or even diabetes. After a recent study by Community Pharmacy they made an article titled, “Childhood Obesity: A Public Health Problem.” It said, “studies of twins and adopted children suggest a genetic link with obesity. Adult identical twins have extremely similar adult weights even if they are reared apart, while fraternal twins differ much more” (Community Pharmacy 1). Later in the same article it said,

“the common sense view is that children get fat because they eat too much. Yet there is accumulating evidence that excessive food intake is not the only, or necessarily, the most important factor for childhood obesity. Studies have demonstrated that if both parents are obese they are more likely to have children who are overweight than parents of normal weight” (Community Pharmacy 1).

When parents can acknowledge that they are obese then they can help their children. If a parent does not know that they are obese then they can go to the doctor to find out. Then, the doctor and the parent(s) can figure out what meals to eat in order to stay as healthy as possible. Once the parents are eating well then when the children are growing up then they will also be eating healthy food. Also in the article it states that, “environmental factors also have a role in causing obesity; many studies show that obesity is influenced by lifestyle and eating habits. For example, obesity is rare among the populations of developing countries, where dietary fiber intake is high” (Community Pharmacy 2). Since this quote brings up fiber, parents are able to realize that they need to place more fiber in their diet. Fiber is shown on the Nutritional Information on most foods. Having a high fiber will help the children’s metabolism so they eat less. Also, fiber makes you feel full so the children will not have to eat as much which keeps the children away from overeating.

In another article called “Obesity And Diabetes; Highmark Provides Pediatricians With Resources To Combat Childhood Obesity” prepared by Drug Week editors states,

“childhood obesity causes lifelong illness, leads to serious health complications in young adults and can lead to premature death in adulthood due to medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. In addition to its significant human toll, childhood obesity alone costs the nation's health care system some $14 billion annually” (Drug Week 1).

Many American’s do not know that obesity causes all of these health issues. If American’s want to know more information about what kinds of illnesses that obesity can cause, they could do research or go to their doctor and see if they can prevent any of the illnesses. However, even the individuals that do know that obesity can cause all of these issues still are not willing to change their diet in order to prevent these horrible illnesses. In another part of the article it stated, “data shows that children diagnosed with obesity are two to three times more likely to be admitted to the hospital than non-obese children, making health care costs for obese children about three times more expensive than an average-weight child” (Drug Week 1). Hospital bills are very costly and many times they are not covered by their insurance companies. If children are not obese from the beginning then they will not have the possible bills that could occur from childhood obesity.

Sadly, in an article titled, “Child Of Three Dies From Being Obese” by Helen Puttick, it states,
“a three-year-old child died from heart failure brought on through obesity, it emerged today. Ministers and food industry chiefs were facing mounting pressure after a damning report condemned them for failing to tackle Britain's obesity epidemic. The Commons health committee warned that obese children could become the first generation to die before their parents” (Puttick 5).

Knowing that a three year old child died from heart failure due to obesity, is hopefully impactful enough that parents and caregivers will make sure that they’re children are healthy. Further in the same article by Puttick, she states, “Dr Sheila McKenzie, a consultant at the Royal London Hospital, also told of four children who required ventilator assistance at home for sleep apnea. She described them as "choking on their own fat"(Puttick 5). These children are so overweight that they are not able to breathe on their own. It has gotten to the point that they need ventilators in order to keep them alive. If children keep eating this much food then they probably will not be able to ever breathe on their own.

This is an obese child eating McDonald's, part of a family routine.

Number of occurrences

It is important to know the amount of people that are affected by childhood obesity to understand how much of a concern it is. In an article titled “National League of Cities; National League of Cities Commends First Lady's Work to Reduce Childhood Obesity More” by AIDS Weekly editors, states that, “more than 12 million children and adolescents are considered obese, putting these children at higher risk of developing serious health problems later in life” (AIDS Weekly Editors 1). This quote does not even tell you how many children will probably be affected by childhood obesity in the future. However, it is a large enough number for people to recognize this dilemma and that there needs to be a solution.

This child has been obese most of his life and now it has taken control of his life.

Childhood Obesity Managed By Routines

A promising solution is stated by Nadja Popovich in the article “Fighting Childhood Obesity Should Be Part Of Family Routine.” Popovich asserts, “kids who make a routine of eating family dinner, cutting down TV and gaming time, and getting a good night’s sleep are 40 percent less likely to be obese than those who practice none of these habits, a new study finds” (Popovich 1). Furthermore, Popovich argues:

“even after the researchers adjusted for other factors, such as race and ethnicity, maternal obesity, and household income, the results remained pretty consistent. For Popovich, this means that these routines may have the opportunity for universal impact, not just in one group” (Popovich 2).

The results of this recent study could impact all Americans. These three solutions are very manageable and extremely beneficial. A few ways to implement these routines are to have a family meeting and discuss them or talk to a dietary specialist. Having a family meeting will help because the family can discuss times that are available for family dinners so that it happens every night. Also, there could be restrictions put in place so that there is a certain amount of time that the children can watch television or play games. Then, once that is in place, the family could discuss when everyone should go to bed so that each person gets a better night’s sleep. Another thing the family could do is discuss their meal plans with a dietary specialist. The specialist would be able to discuss the foods that the family should and should not eat while still incorporating foods that the family likes.

Childhood Obesity Caused By Adult Obesity

Although obesity could be managed by eating family dinners, cutting down TV and gaming time, and getting good nights sleep, there are other approaches to overcoming obesity. An article called “Obesity; Data On Obesity In Women Discussed By Investigators At Menzies Research Institute” by Drug Week Editors took a study on men and women aged 24 to 34 that were obese. “The researchers concluded: ‘The proportion of adult obesity attributable to childhood obesity was 6.4% in males and 12.6% in females. Obesity in childhood was strongly predictive of obesity in early adulthood, but most obese young adults were a healthy weight as children’” (Drug Week Editors 1). This study shows that obesity can start young and predict what will happen in the future. Focusing on this attribute will help the children of the future and their weight.

Conclusion

Through this article it is obvious to show that childhood obesity is a growing problem. However, there are many solutions to take in consideration when trying to conquer obesity. Some of the best solutions entail, better sleeping habits, knowledge of eating tendencies to know what to change, and paying attention to your environment. Parents need to acknowledge if they are obese and to take care of themselves and their children so they do not end up with horrible health problems down the road. Knowing the risk factors Americans should take control of their lives. Together, we need to know what our family history is. We also need to have better food available that is high in fiber and low in fat. Furthermore, children should be weighed yearly at school to make sure that they are not becoming overweight or obese. However, if they are on that path then they need a special regimen set in place to lose the weight they need to lose and be a healthy individual. There should also be more recess and physical activity in schools to keep them as active as possible. This physical activity should last all the way throughout grade school. Most grade schools stop recess at fifth grade but still continue with physical education. If recess is still not going to be in place after fifth grade then the physical education classes need to be longer and more rigorous. If Americans were to step up and take control of their weight and their family then we would be in a much healthier country. It is time for America to get fit!

Alien Alert!

Alien on the human.

Ridiculous Reproduction Technique
While reading the article by Mulhall, I was quite intrigued by a quote that was describing how the Alien reproduced. The quote said, "For, in order to reproduce, it must insert a long, flexible member into the host's body through one of that body's orifices, and deposit a version of itself within its host's torso where it develops to the point at which it must force itself out again" (Mulhall 5). I liked this quote because it really showed the weird aspect of the alien. This part also makes you recognize that in order to create one life you have to take away another.

The crew.

Wages worth it?
"The characters are divided into two classes, the specialized officers and the working class support crew, bickering over wages" (Thompson 3). I thought this was an important aspect of the movie. During a few parts they focus on the monetary value of the expedition. You could easily tell that the specialized officers didn't care about the monetary value. They focused on more on the exploration. As for the working class support crew, they found it very important to go on the mission and get back as soon as possible to receive their reward.


Ash making decisions.

Kind or Heartless?
"Ash's decision to open the hatch might be seen as a gesture of mercy-as Dallas points out, Kane could well die as a result of the delay" (Thompson 6) This point of the movie was very interesting to me. Ash knows the rules about the ship but he shows that out the movie and becomes more concerned with his friends health instead. On the other hand, he could have just been thinking about the benefit he could receive as a result of watching the effects of the alien on the human. Was Ash being kind or heartless?

Score and Cinematography
The movie had an interesting score to it. There were many times that there was a lot of excitement in the movie. During these times the music was more high pitched. However, when something bad was happening, the score had a lower pitch or there was no music. It was nice that sometimes there wasn't any music because I felt that it made it more suspenseful because the music didn't pick the mood you were supposed to feel. As for the lighting, I liked the way this was worked into the movie. When they were trying to fight off the Alien, it was really dark. Also, many of the times there was fog added. Then, when they were just eating or working on the ship, there was a lot of lighting. I didn't think that there was very much influential cinematography. The only thing that I could tell was when the camera was angled at Ash the camera looked up at him. This way the audience could see how the other crew saw Ash.

Works Cited

Mulhall, Stephen. “Kane's Son, Cain's Daughter.” On Film. London: Routledge, 2002. 12-32.

Print.

Scott, Ridley, dir. Alien. 1979. Twentieth Century Fox, 2009.

Thompson, Kristin. "Alien." Storytelling in the New Hollywood. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1999.

283-306. Print

Pan's Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth was not a movie that I would pick to see but it was an interesting movie. Since I am not a person that enjoys fantasy movies very much it was difficult for me to get into that part of the movie. However, I respected the details that they put into the fantasy part. For example, even though Ofelia was experiencing a different realm, she still had to listen to the elder and there were consequences for things that she did wrong. I believe this helped her in the real world as well. The part with Ofelia not being allowed to eat the food was teasing her and it isn’t right to tease an innocent child. I didn’t think that was fair. As for the Captain, I liked that he was so assertive because it kept his troops in line. However, it made his maid and doctor betray him because they realized that everything that he was doing was wrong or rude.

I enjoyed the fact that the set was very well put together. A lot of times the set can make or break a movie. In this case it was very helpful. For example, you could tell when Ofelia was in the fantasy world compared to the real-world pretty well. The set score was appealing to me most of the time. For example, when Ofelia was running away from the monster after she ate two grapes, the music was extremely intense and kept building up until she was safe. As for the editing and cutting, I thought the movie was just about right. If it would have been any longer then I would have lost interest. The cinematography was done in a pretty good manor. I thought that seeing exactly was Ofelia saw in different scenes would have been more effective.

“Del Toro tilts down from the tub to show her descending the fantasy staircase to the Faun’s lair, once more in a single shot. This technique of the masked cut is vital to the fluid texture of the film: the camera is always tracking behind tree trunks only to emerge unexpectedly in another place, another time. Sound bridges serve the same purpose” (Smith). I agree that the technique is very effective. It is good to feel like you can actual sense what the director is trying to do. Using this technique should be used more often. “The coming-of-age journey by the child heroine is particularly appealing because of the perceived double vulnerability of both age and gender” (Edwards). I appreciate this example because Ofelia has to go through some very tough times and I believe most people don’t realize that children her age have to actually do those types of things. She did a great job handling her brother and being the sister that her mom would have been very proud of.