Review of my English lessons

For me, it is quite difficult to evaluate my own progress. However, it seems to me that I speak English better now. On Saturday, when I spoke to my school Spanish teacher (Lucas, Spanish-speaking man), I answered "yes" insted of "si", and had some other difficulties, although my Spanish is much, much better then English.    I learned a lot not only about language, but also about different other things - culture, science, etc.
I enjoyed different taksks, for example oral speaking and blogg assignments (^_^). The most difficult for me were writing assignments, especially the second one.
My main goal for the second half of the semester is to improve my total mark. The thing is that I realized only in October that we had been getting grades during all the month, and I also got 0 of 2 two times because of being at a clinic and forgetting my HW piece of paper, which I remembered perfectly, but didn't try to class. As a result, I have 82,5% as a total mark, and I do not see the way to get 95%+, which I consider a "normal" grade.

What's going on here?

For me, Russia always seemed to be a political paradox. I had never understood how such, mhm-mhm, strange people can remain in power here. I'll skip our previous "sovereigns", and I'll talk only about our XXI-century politics.
Our actual president came to power in spring, 2000. Even the elections were odd - he was selected mainly because of the fact that Yeltsin said he is the best candidate; it was a nonstandart case of continuity of policy. Nobody knew who is this bald-headed, short, but surely imposing man. In the beginning of his first term, V.V.(strange contradiction with famous Wachowsky's film's main hero*) seemed to be a normal politician, but then some weird facts started to be out of tune. Short review without chronoligical order:
-"bump off in toilets", about bombardment of people in Grozny
-"come to me, banderlogs" - the only thing V.V., according to his works, could say to oppositions. In other words, he considers himself as python Kaa and members of opposition as stupid, cowardly, and clamorous monkeys. [All in all, demsotrations are useless here. Famous Russian XX-th century writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote that the main part of success of any manifestation is publicity, in other words, support of public opinion. It turned out that this main part is not utterly inadequate.]
-Mikhail Khodarkovsky's case
-Putin-Medevedev exchange of power
-"Pussy Riot" case
-the Russian Orthodox Church case
-V.V. prolonged the time of presidency from 4 to 6 years, which is already anti-democratic, and then changed the maximum quantity of presidency for one politician from 2 to 3 [no comments here]
-the famous 146% case and all the other ballot riggings
etc. etc. etc.
No conclusions, think it all yourself.





*P.S There are some interesting parallels in our real life with this film. Europeans and Americans watch it as a fiction movie, but we consider this flim more futuristic than fantastic. 

Maybe it's time to relax and stop thinking for some minutes

I think everyone has a place which is especial for him and which reminds him people, feeling and events from the apst. For me forest is such place. There is no definite word to explane my feeling when I am in a wood. It could be nostalgia, but joyous and not bitter.
The woods are not just a lot of trees that grow in the same place. It also includes animals, mostly little, that leave in it, its sounds, trills, cawing, jugging, its smells - wet grass, libing plants, needles, its tactile image - the relief of tree's rind, earth... All of this creates a complete sense of being really alive; it makes us understand that all our career, family and personal problems are not so important as we usually think they are - only the fact that we are alive and we can breath, see and sense gives us the opportunity to be happy.
If you think your life is terrible, if you are depressed - maybe it's time to get that all of that we usually consider the most important in fact doesn't matter. You can lie down on the grass and just look at the sky, realize its infinite and eternal beauty, take pleasure in being lost in the endleness. 
                                  

Erich Maria Remarque's Spark of Life

Surprisely, some authors are more popular in other countries than in their native land. For example, in Russia people revere Ernest Hemingway (which only 1 of 15 young Americans know) and Erich Maria Remarque.
This time I'd like to tell you about my favourite Remarque's book that is Spark of Life. It seems strange, but this book is rarely read hardly known even by people who are reputed to be literature-lovers. If you ask to somebody about Remarque, you will probably hear about Three Comrades, the Black Obelisk, Arch of Triumph, All Quiete on the Western Front and, possibly, Shadows in Paradise (that is the same book as the Promised Land, by in other edition). However, I think that the Spark of Life is one of the greatest books ever. Although it includes some commoin for all Remarque's books ideas, it is quite different and makes a great impression (I don't mean his other books do not - all of them are great, but some are greater than others - I liked less Gam, the Night in Lisbon and an other book that I think wasn't edited in English, it's name can be translated as Borrowed Life (Geborgtes Leben))
The plot of the book tells us about the life in German concentration camp in the last months of the 2nd World War. Main hero doesn't have name - only a number, 509. It can be understood as a sign of that any of us could be on his place or maybe that during this terrible time people lost their previous life, their beliefs, their identity and even their names.
 I don't want to tell the whole detailed story because I think that some of you would like to read this book and I can't ruin such a great impression that, for example, I had when I read this book for the first time.

American History X

Hi!

My blog has no general subject, so I'll touch different parts of life from culture to politics.

Now I'd like to talk about a very interesting topic for me, that is cinema.

Some people believe that there are no more genius films since the years 70-80 of the previous century, although this opinion is not extended much. I agree that there were some really brilliant films like "12 Angry Man", "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane", but I believe that the contemporary filmmaking is not worse. I was impressed by such movies as Forrest Gump, Shindler's List, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, City of God, Memento, Fight Club, etc.

American History X, Tony Kaye's film, also occupates a high position in my top of watched films. This movie is quite cruel and it's related to a very burning social topic - contemporary fascism. In Russia it was even prohibited, as I was told, because it was considered pro-fascist. I do not agree with this opinion and I was very suprised when I first heard about it - I believe it's anti-fascist.

The main role is played by Edward Norton, who played also in Fight Club with Brad Pitt. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for this film, but lost to Roberto Benigni for Life is Beautifu, another great film of this time. However, critics and public appreciated American History  X, and now it occupates the 35th position in imdb top  with a rating of  8.6 (on 16.09.2012). 

The title of the film is related to the school composition which school director asks to do to Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong), the young brother of Derek Vinyard (Norton). In this work Danny has to write about his brother and about the events which made him and Danny become fascists. It happens the same day Derek is released from prison, and Danny realises that his brother changed his opinions and tries to understand them. They visit the neofascists' party although Derek has to escape to save his life after he hits the fascists' leader and his old mentor Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach). While the brothers go home they talk about the past and about Derek's life while he was in prison. Danny gets to know that the life differs from wyhat he was told by fascists, and Derek convince him of the falcity of the racist ideology. When they come home, Danny remembers that their father was the one who first said to them that black people are worse than white and had an influence on their world-view. The next day, Derek sees his brother to the school and he seems to be nervous about his ex-friends revenge. When he goes back, he notices a car going behind him, but it turns out that there is nothing dangerous. In the same moment, a black teenager kills Danny because he outraged him in the beginning of the film.

I think my exposition is not ideal and I advise you to watch the film. I believe its main idea is that racism has no right to existence but it doesn't matter that the people with other color of skin can't be cruel and heartless. All in all, it's a very hard film to watch as it includes some brutal scenes and has dual morality, but I think that it is worthy of to be watched.

My strange medical experience in Turkey

This summer, i went on holiday to Turkey with my friends. I hoped it would be the best rest after a long year of preparing for exams, which I passed succesfully. However, when we were playing basketball on the 3rd day of our holiday, I caught on the net with my 4th finger and broke it. That's why I had to go to the clinic where I was told that the operation is needed and I can either do it immediatly in Turkey or come back to Moscow - of course, I didn't want to miss 11 days, so I decided to accept doctor's offer and do the operation. A nurse put me to sleep and I woke up only after one hour and a half. When I looked at my hand, I noticed that my finger is plastered. However, I had a strong feeling of nervousness as if something was going wrong. Suddenly, I realised what was disturbing me and first couln't believe it is the truth. The thing was that a healthy finger was plastered and the broken one was not! I still do not know what has happenned. I had to suffer another operation after which I got both fingers plastered. Even now I can't tell you what was the matter of such a strange action. It is really my most stupid and inexplicably experience.