Rendering week 11: pollution: "U.N. Report Calls for More Environmental Protection in Wartime"

The article, which was printed 20, November in New York Times, carries a lot of comment on a report by the United Nations Environment Program and the Environmental Law Institute calls for stronger international laws to protect the environment during times of war. It's called "U.N. Report Calls for More Environmental Protection in Wartime".

Speaking of this situation it's necessary to note that strengthening, enforcing and clarifying existing legislation could help protect "natural assets" during wars. Analyzing the situation in this sphere it's necessary to emphasize that "existing legal instruments should be adapted to reflect the predominantly internal nature of today's armed conflicts", said Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary general.

Giving appraisal of situation it's necessary to point out that the need for laws to protect economically important ecosystems like aquifers, agricultural lands, parks, national forests and habitats of endangered species. It's very likely that humanitarian organizations agree that something must be done. "Destroying and damaging the natural assets and ecological infrastructure of a country or community should be an issue of highest humanitarian concern," said Achim Steiner, the United Nations Environment Program's executive director. It's an open secret that "the loss of fresh-waters and grazing lands to croplands and forests undermines the survival, the livelihoods and the opportunities for people to recover during and after a conflict", added he.

It's necessary to point out that "destruction and damage to natural resources is not only among the causes of armed conflict, but also presents major problems for civilians trying to cope with the impact of war," said Florian Westphal, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

There is a general feeling to believe that "research has shown that it costs much less to prepare communities for disasters than it does to repair them in the aftermath of such an event," said Zoe Chafe, a senior fellow at Worldwatch.

The reporter, Pete Browne, doesn't give his personal attitude to the problem, but I think that any war is the worst what could be. Not only people suffer from war conflicts, but also nature. Any war will be finished one day, but it will take you decades to reconstruct the nature. 

Rendering: week 10 – Pollution.

Rendering: week 10 – Pollution.

The article discusses the situation of loss of wheat in Europe as a result of pollution from America. It was published on 31^st, January 2012 by Rob Waugh in ‘Daily Mail”. It reports at length taht man-made air pollution from north America causes Europe to lose 1.2 million tones of wheat a year.

Speaking about this problem it’s necessary to note that ozone pollution, produced by coal fired stations and cars, travels between continents with the help of wind much more easily that thought. Dr. Steve Arnold said that air pollution plays a significant role in reducing global crop productivity, leading this situation to an international level.

Analyzing the situation in different continents it’s necessary to emphasize that major crops such as wheat, maize, soy, cotton, potato and rice are damaged by pollution. It’s very unlikely that the wheat loss in Europe is the biggest worldwide.

There are indications that ground-level ozone is harmful to humans as well as plants. It’s an open secret that there are lot’s of people who suffer from different illnesses caused by this environmental problem.

On the one hand, the pollution could endanger the security of the food supply in future. But on the other hand, Dr. Lisa Emberson suggests us to be taken more seriously to this global problem as a threat to food security. She believes we are to reduce emissions of ozone forming gases across the globe.

Giving appraisal of the situation it’s necessary to point out that Michael Hollaway used a computer model to predict reduction in global surface ozone. He and the research team were able to predict impacts on staple food crops.

There is no mention about the author’s opinion, but I can say that this problem has been unknown up to recent experience. But it’s very impotent nowadays. Personally I think that we have to reduce pollution, not to harm nature. The Earth is not our planet, vise were, we are its guests. That’s why we do all our best to protect it and help it to rebuild resources and e ecosystems.

If  you don't think about the future you will not have it.

J.Galsworthy

p. 458 – 544 Summary “The Portrait of a Lady” by Henry James (The book is over)

Mr. Ralph Touchett and Miss Henrietta Stacpole become friend, as they se each other very often. Henrietta offers him to guide him to England, because his health is getting worse day by day. Also Mr. Caspar Goodwood is eager to do the same with the sick person. The Boston’s friend promises Isabel to keep her cousin.

 

By the way, Caspar believes that Isabel’s request is to escape from him. Before the departure Mr. Goodwood makes a declaration of love for Miss Osmond. Miss Stacpole also wants to marry both Americans. She declares Isabel to go away from her husband – Mr. Gilbert Osmond. At the same time the reporter doesn’t think that Pency will get married. Though Lord Warburton is a good party, but the little girls strings align with her stepmother.

Madame Merle is a supporter of Gilbert. Her relationship with Miss Osmond becomes colder. Gilbert has married Isable because of her money. He is blamed by Madame Merle that he has spoiled her.

The Countess Gemeni visits the Osmodns. She was waiting for the invitation for a long time. Amy (this is the name of the Countess Gemeni) and Isable are going to see ancient sights of Rome. While Pancy and her aunt are claiming to Coliseum Miss Osmond meets Mr. Edward Rossier. He reports that he becomes wealthier, because he has made an auction in Paris and sold there all his things. He receives about 50 000 $, and now he is ready to marry Pency, who suffers from their separation.

But the father doesn’t want that man to get married on his daughter. That’s why Mr. Gilbert Osmond is thinking to send his daughter to the convent. Gilbert supposes that Pency is tired from a society and she needs time to be alone to take thought. The Countess Gemeni believes that her brother is going to do, as he wants to limit Isabel’s attention to Pency and not to allow the daughter marries on Mr. Rossier, who impresses Amy greatly.

Mrs. Touchett sends a telegram which reports that Ralph is dying. He asks Isabel to come to Gardenkort. It’s Henrietta’s praise that they arrive to England and finally Ralph falls ill. Mr. Osmond doesn’t believe the news, from his point of view the cousin is always near a cemetery. The husband doesn’t let her go.

Amy needs to win a battle against Gilbert. She reports that her first daughter-in-law doesn’t have any children: Pancy has appeared immediately after her death. Mr. Osmond makes up a myth that the wife has died during the childbirth, but, truly speaking he has betrayed his first wife. But he hasn’t married on his lover, as she is poor. Her name is Madame Merle.

Isabel decides to go. Before the departure she is going to visit Pancy. The convent is a prison for Miss Archer. There she meets Madame Merle who opens her a secret - Ralph has asked his father to make Isable wealthy. Isable doesn’t want to see her any more. Miss Osmond promises to come back as soon as possible and to take Pancy away.

Miss Stackpole meets Isabel in Paris because Isabel asks her to do it. Henrietta is going to marry Mr. Bantling, whose sister – Lady Penzel – sends an invitation to her asking to come. Henrietta has been waiting for it for five years. Isabel can’t go to Gardencourt immediately. She has to stay at Miss Stacpole apartments.

The day Miss Archer comes to Ralph’s house is memorable. For our heroу seems there are not any changes in the house. Ralph’s mother – Mrs. Touchett becomes older. She wants to send some questions to her: does she feel sorry not to marry Lord Warburton and does she still like Madame Merle. Her answers are negative. By the way Lord Warburton is going to be a husband of Lady Flora, who is a representative of a very famous family in England.

Ralph can talk with her only on her 3^rd day of her presence. He is sure that, having given her money, he destroys her life. But she can’t take his words. She loves him very much, as a cousin. He died finally and that evening Mr. Caspar Goodwood tries to make her wife last time. He kisses her and this kiss is a symbol of destroy of all her life, which is made by Gilbert.

Other day, when Caspar wants to see his beloved he comes to Gardencourt, but Isabel isn’t there. Then a Boston’s gentleman goes to Miss Stacpole house but she reports him that Isabel has gone to Italy.

Rendering week 9: "No Need to panic About Global Warming”" - the article from The Wall Street Journal

The article which was published in “The Wall Street Journal” called “No Need to panic About Global Warming”. It reports at length that “there’s no compelling argument for drastic action to ‘decarbonize’ the world’s economy”.

Speaking of the oft-repeated claim that nearly all scientists demand that something dramatic be done to stop global warming, it is necessary to note that it’s not true. Besides they do not agree that drastic actions on global warming are needed.

It’s necessary to emphasize that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ivar Giaever, a supporter of President Obama declared: “We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases beginning now”. But there is a question: is the evidence of global warming incontrovertible? The most inconvenient fact is the lack of global warming.

There is every reason to believe that large number of scientists share the opinions of Dr. Giaever. It’s very likely that the reason is a collection of stubborn scientific facts. Analyzing the situation, the author gives us an email, called “Climategate”, of climate scientist Kevin Trenberth. There is a general feeling to believe is that “we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment”.

It’s an open secret that the lack of warming for more that a decade suggests that computer models have greatly exaggerated how much warming additional CO2 can cause. Also the fact is that CO2 is not a pollutant but a colorless and odorless gas and a key component of the biosphere’s life cycle.

The other example of scientist is Dr. Shris de Freits who dared to publish a peer-reviewed article with the politically incorrect (but factually correct) conclusion that the recent warming is not unusual in the context of climate changes over the past thousand years. Finally, as a result of his work, he was removed from his editorial job (he was the editor of the journal Climate Research), but was able to keep his university job.

It’s necessary to point out that the issue become so vexing because there is so much passion about global warming. Anyway a good place to start is the old question “cui bono?” or its modern counterpart “Follow the money”. There is no compelling scientific argument for drastic action to “decarbonize” the world’s economy.

There are a lot of comments on that economist William Nordhaus showed that nearly the highest benefit-to-cost ratio is achieved for a policy that allows 50 more years of economic growth unimpeded by greenhouse gas controls. We can see a so-called proverb in the article: the better we understand climate, the better we can cope with its ever-changing nature. It’s necessary to note that much of the huge private and government investment in climate is badly in need of critical review.

As you see from the first paragraph of my rendering you can understand that there is no author of the article. But I have to say, that it has been signed by 16 scientists:

Claude Allegre, former director of the Institute for the Study of the Earth, University of Paris; J. Scott Armstrong, cofounder of the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting; Jan Breslow, head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University; Roger Cohen, fellow, American Physical Society; Edward David, member, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences; William Happer, professor of physics, Princeton; Michael Kelly, professor of technology, University of Cambridge, U.K.; William Kininmonth, former head of climate research at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Richard Lindzen, professor of atmospheric sciences, MIT; James McGrath, professor of chemistry, Virginia Technical University; Rodney Nichols, former president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences; Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne; Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator; Nir Shaviv, professor of astrophysics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Henk Tennekes, former director, Royal Dutch Meteorological Service; Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva.

According to their thought the author gives his/her personal opinion concerning this problem in the last paragraph – every candidate should support rational measure to protect and improve our environment. Though it makes no sense, there are lots of very expensive programs.

p. 382 - 458 Summary: “The Portrait of a Lady” by Henry James

Mr. Osmond has a talk with his wife – Miss Isabel Osmond (Archer, before weeding). He is sure that Isabel does all her best not to marry Pancy on Lord Warburton. The husband believes that Isabel supports Pancy follower – Mr. Edward Rossier whom Mr. Osmond doesn’t let to communicate with his daughter. Mr. Osmond’s main evidence is that one day Isabel has refused to get married on Lord Warburton and for him it means that she wants to stay the Lord unaffected.

The husband and Madame Merle want Pancy to be a wife of the Lord. In his turn, Lord Warburton starts to visit the Osmonds every Thursday. Pancy is really interested in him, but not more. The Lord is a nice man to discuss anything. He is a globetrotter. Consequently he has lots to tell. Mr. Osmond thinks he is a good party for his daughter.

One day Isabel and Pancy go for a dance. There are a lot of upper-class ladies and gentlemen there. Among them there is Mr. Rossier who can’t dance with Pancy, as Mr. Osmond bans it for her. That’s why the young fellow has to stand in the doorway, looking how Pancy dances with others.

That evening Isabel is eager to discuss with her former follower, Lord Warburton, Pancy’s future with him. Miss Osmond cares, there is no reason to make Lord Warburton and Pancy’s weeding. Isabel is sure that Pancy doesn’t love the Lord and he himself doesn’t love her too. Besides, Mr. Edward Rossier is going to marry Osmond’s daughter, because of that, Lord Warburton has to escape. Before departure he wants to send a letter to Isabel’s husband, in which the Lord has it out with Pancy to get married.

But actually Mr. Osmond doesn’t receive the letter and it makes him nervous. But when he realizes that the Lord is brought out to England on business the father falls into a passion. He blames Isabel and, as a result. Their relation becomes ca\older and colder. By the way, Miss Isabel Osmond’s meetings with her cousin – Mr. Ralph Touchett, who can die in any minute, add fuel to the fire.

It’s a boom that all main heroes start to arrive. Miss Henrietta Stackpole becomes a friend of the Countess Gemini. They are going to visit Osmond’s house. Miss Stackpole comes from America with Mr. Caspar Goodwood. Isabel can only see him from the cab one day, but she doesn’t have a chance to talk with him.

p. 314 – 382 Summary: “The Portrait of a Lady” by Henry James

Mr. Ralph Touchett doesn’t want Isabel to get married. He believes that her fellow isn’t a good party to her. Though Mr. Gilbert Osmond isn’t a famous person and, by the way, his name isn’t renowned in the Italian society, Miss Isabel Archer accepts his proposal to Mrs. Osmond and a stepmother of Pancy, his daughter. On knowing that, Ralph leaves Rome to London to pack a luggage to have winter in hot countries, because of his sickness.

Isabel’s wedding isn’t colorful. There are a few guests on it. Except the bride and the bridegroom, the wedding is attended by the aunt – Mrs. Touchett, who is going to visit American after the ceremony, and her son – Ralph. Madame Merle apologizes that she can’t be there and sends a very nice letter wishing them a good life together. Isabel’s friend – Miss Henrietta Stackpole isn’t so polite as Madame Merle, because the American fried doesn’t share Miss Archer’s opinion concerning her future husband. Henrietta takes the same position as Ralph though usually she tries to make the other opinion that he. So Henrietta doesn’t come and goes to a trip with her old friend Mr.  Bantling to Spain. During it she manages to creat best her works which have approval in the ‘Interviewer’. There is a little guest at the wedding. She attracts Isabel. It’s Pancy. Also her aunt – The Countess Gemini is there.

Pancy grows up. She becomes a beautiful Italian lady. Many people are interested in her. Usually Osmonds make a treatment in the Palazzo Crescentino every Tuesday. There are lots of guests among them is Pancy’s philanderer – Mr. Edward Rossier. He is a young, brave and acutely infamous person. Though it doesn’t disturb him to make money for good living. He is ambitious but he doesn’t think that to marry Pancy will be difficult to do. Mr. Osmond doesn’t suppose Mr. Rossier to be a good man for creation a family. Pancy can’t go against a father’s will and asks to wait a little longer. She advices Edward to ask what to do Madame Merle.

That woman has reliable reputation in Osmond's house. She does all her best to cross Isabel’s and Gilbert’s roads. She becomes a tutor to Edward. He pursues all her steps. But he wants to be with Pancy imidiatly and his out of patience makes big mistakes. Mr. Osmond bans him to visit Palazzo Crescentino except Tuesdays, when others come. The father forbids Edward to speak with the daughter if he doesn’t want to lose her forever. It is a great trial for the young man. He tries to seek comprehension in Mrs. Osmond sight but Isabel can’t make decisions on Gilbert’s behaviour. And also Isabel is astonished because Lord Warburton and Ralph are in Rome, after four years.

Her cousin doesn’t follow his plans. He faces winter in England what makes his health worse. His friend, Lord Warburton, visits Ralph and helps him. He is the bodyguard of Ralph’s health. Ralph is nearly death when they are in a train but the idea of seeing Rome in a day makes him in mind. That is first mews which Lord Warburton tells Isabel. It makes her life happier. Though she loses a child six months before their arrival she isn’t in mournful any more. She is waiting for a moment to see Ralph.

His condition is not good at all. He even has to give up smoking. All days round he is lying on a sofa speaking with his English friend. It is an open secret for both of them that a purpose of their visit is to fight for Isabel’s heart.

 

At the same time, Mrs. Osmond and Madame Merle make a plan to marry Pancy on Lord Warburton. They can have a good party, lose Lord Warburton’s attention to Isabel and at the same time give up Mr. Rossier.

Review of the film "Rendition "

Rendition (2007)

Director: Gavin Hood

Genre: Thriller

Movie Type: Political Thriller

Themes: Terrorism, Crisis of Conscience

Lead actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, and Peter Sarsgaard

Release Year: 2007

Country: US

Run Time: 122 minutes

MPAA Rating: R

Plot:

The director of the Academy Award-winning 2006 crime drama Tsotsi returns to the helm with this tale of a Middle East CIA operative who begins to have doubts about his latest assignment after witnessing the interrogation of a suspected suicide bomber by secret police. When Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi mysteriously vanished on a routine flight from South Africa to Washington, his wife, Isabella, embarks on a frantic international search for her missing husband. At the same time, a CIA analyst arrives at a clandestine detention facility outside of United States. As the interrogation of El-Ibrahimi gets under way, the CIA analyst is profoundly shaken by the unorthodox methods used by the man’s captors, and quickly begins to reevaluate his assignment.

Main characters:

Douglas Freeman – A CIA analyst

Isabella El-Ibrahimi – a pregnant wife of Anwar El-Ibrahimi

Senator Hawkins – a boss of Alan Smith

Alan Smith – a friend of Isabella and Anwar El-Ibrahimi who works for Senator Hawkins

Anwar El-Ibrahimi – an Egyptian-born chemical engineer

Abasi Fawal - a high-ranking police official

Khalid – a terrorist and a boyfriend of Fatima

Fatima – a daughter of Abasi Fawal

Corrine Whitman – a CIA hotshot and a boss of Douglas Freeman

Direction:

Personally I think the director of the film – Gavin Hood has chosen a specific way, I would say a very specific way, to tell the story. It’s not new for the cinematograph, but it’s a modern way to viewers to see films. I meant that the whole movie is based on flashbacks, which help us to determine what a certain hero of the film thought thinks and will think.

Actually I’ve never seen other movies, directed by the same person, that’s why I can’t compare them. But I’d like to say, that to my mind it’s a good serious film. You should be a brave director to make such a movie.

Writing:

I dare say it seems to me very inventive and unpredictable. I can’t imagine what will happen next second. It can be explained because of flashbacks. They usually appear in a moment when you don’t wait them.

The words of all characters look very credible to me, as each personage illustrates an idea, proved by his/ her words in which he/she believes.

But words also are nothing without emotions. You can control your tongue, but you have to be a professional secret agent to control your body-language. It’s seen especially from the behavior of the suspect – Anwar El-Ibrahimi.

Editing: Speaking about editing I have to say that the movie is choppy, with the help of flashbacks. Peaceful scenes are changed into scenes with explosion or with picture of inquisition.

The film was made no to amaze us of using of lightning and other ambient effect, but to attract our attention to a certain problem. But at the same time effects have a reasonably good level.

It’s an open secret that today most of movies have computer-generated graphics. So our film isn’t the exception of the rule. But, on the one hand, they don’t look realistic, though on the other hand, they fit in with the rest of the film. I must repeat once again that the scene with the explosion is to be in the film, but its quality is under the big question. In the Kino the accent is given to show emotions but not a beautiful picture.

Costume design: From my point of view the clothing choices fit the style of the movie. They fully show us the poor region Middle East. By the way there is an opposition between ordinary people, their clothes, homes and things and Abasi Fawal and his interior, as he is a wealthy person. They absolutely contribute to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it.

Set design: The setting of the film influences other elements too. For example in prison there is a since of horror, in streets of the Arab world – chaos and in the cabinets in the USA is the stretch atmosphere. In this case there are two parallel lines between societies. I like movies which are filmed in a real place, especially when the location is well-chosen.

Background music: it works with the scenes, making prognoses to the future. It’s not over-used or will be not a film but a musical. It is suspenseful as the genre of the movie is thriller. So in this film I like music very much. It works well with all over named aspects.

As for me, I like this movie. It impressed me greatly. I didn’t expect that the final scene of the film would me that one. It’s extraordinary. By the way there are lots of big problems, which are hidden in the film.

One of them is that if you are under torture you can say what they want to hear, even if you don’t do so.

The other one is that it can be when a person, a member of the big system, rolled by the government, goes against it, because of his believes.

All in all the film is great. I like it very much. It will be better to make more such films with such ideas, but they won’t be popular as they are against the ideology of the country.