L’Italia è un dei pochi paesi al mondo dove qualcuno può rubare due alberghi sotto gli occhi di tutti senza che nessuno muova un dito.

Vi chiederete come questa sia possibile, leggete la cronaca di una truffa annunciata (articolo tratto da http://fallimentareroma.wordpress.com)

La Costa Blu S.p.a  era una società  con sede legale a Roma, con soli due soci, coniugi residenti nel comune di  Orosei, in Sardegna,  proprietari di due strutture alberghiere costruite tra il 99 e il 2002. I coniugi e la loro famiglia è stata ed è tuttora oggetto di minacce e ripercussioni personali da parte di ignoti.

CALA VIOLA RESIDENCE CLUB (oggi Playa Esmeralda)  e  RESIDENCE NATURA PARK (www.calaviola.it).

Nel 2005, la società viene fatta fallire dal Giudice Delegato Dott.ssa Chiara Schettini per un debito inesistente e contestato giudizialmente di euro 30.000 (importo increbile per una società proprietaria di beni immobili del valore di 10 milioni di euro) su istanza della sedicente Dottoressa Bagnari Vittoria di Roma (stretta collaboratrice della  Delta Banca i cui dirigenti sono stati recentemente arrestati con accuse gravissime tra le quali, riciclaggio di denaro sporco, false fatturazioni e truffe ai danni dello Stato, Usura), consulente aziendale non abilitata (al periodo) alla professione e neppure laureata nonostante si spacciasse per Dottoressa. Successivamente durante le udienze del processo di opposizione al fallimento il debito non solo è risultato essere inesistente ma è emerso un credito di circa 1000 euro.

La COSTA BLU SPA è stata dunque fatta fallire per un credito e non per un debito.

Nel sito web della Signora Bagnari (alla data di aprile 2009)  www.cisefinternationalsrl.it risultano beffardamente elencate quali accreditati clienti, non solo la COSTA BLU SPA che ella ha fatto fallire ma anche avvocati e professionisti inesistenti o che non hanno avuto a che fare con lei.

Vittoria Bagnari ha sede legale in Viale Parioli 59 a Roma.

Naturalmente le cattive intenzioni di Maga Magò Bagnari sarebbero cadute nel vuoto se non fosse che  il GD Chiara SCHETTINI (per conoscerla meglio visitate questo LINK e leggete a pagina 36 del documento.) prontamente accoglie  la richiesta di fallimento  senza alcuna indagine preventiva sullo stato della società, e liquida, non prima di aver commesso numerosi abusi, tutti gli immobili in meno di 18 mesi ad 1/3 del valore reale usando una perizia falsa.

Ecco alcuni squallidi retroscena della vicenda:

Nell’anno 2005, durante la stagione estiva ormai già iniziata,  il curatore Don Luigi Braito invia un suo delegato, Dott. Centomini,  negli alberghi oggetto del fallimento. Egli, per circa un mese  impiega il suo tempo a prendere il sole in piscina assieme a suo figlio e alla sua compagna, oltre ad alloggiare,  mangiare e bere a sbaffo. Per questo duro lavoro egli ha percepito un compenso di circa 30 mila euro, a carico della società fallita.

La perizia di stima redatta dal CTU Ing. Edmondo Tordi (unico Ingegnere al mondo a non saper fare somme e moltiplicazioni)  è piena di errori matematici, omissioni di intere parti di fabbricato e di ettari di terreno, superfici  errate  e prezzi a metro quadro dimezzati. Il valore di stima, nonostante tutto,  è risultato essere di quattro milioni e quattrocento mila euro circa. La Perizia giurata di Parte, calcolata con valori di stima e superfici corrette e senza banali errori di calcolo, invece è risultata essere di 10 milioni di euro.

La perizia del Ing. Edmondo Tordi  è stata consegnata il giorno 6 giugno 2006, il 7 giugno 2006, il giorno dopo,  il Giudice Chiara Schettini ha già indetto la prima Asta. Le prime tre aste indette nell’arco di 1 mese e mezzo (a ridosso delle ferie di agosto 2006) sono ovviamente  andate deserte. Dopo 2 mesi di silenzio tombale e incontri ravvicinati del terzo tipo, nonostante le varie opposizioni e reclami degli avvocati della Costa Blu,  i due alberghi CALA VIOLA e NATURAPARK vengono “S”venduti ad un asta, indetta all’ultimo momento sotto le feste natalizie del 2006, per 3 milioni e mezzo di euro, cifra appena sufficiente a pagare i mutui bancari (il più consistente quello di una banca del Gruppo Delta, alle cronache per i recenti arresti con gravi accuse tra le quali più di dodicimila casi di usura vedi link) qualche centinaio di migliaia euro di costi di procedura tra consulenti, commercialisti,  tasse, periti, avvocati, curatori, interessi e quant’altro. Un vero affare per tutti tranne che per i legittimi proprietari e per i loro 30 dipendenti che hanno perso il lavoro.

Durante la procedura, dal tribunale fallimentare vengono “smarriti” vari importanti documenti, verbali e atti riguardanti il fascicolo della Costa Blu Spa. (no comment)

Unico partecipante nonchè acquirente è una società costituitasi pochi giorni prima dell’asta e denominata Residenza Orosei srl con sede a ROMA.

La stessa Residenza Orosei srl si aggiudicherà pochi mesi dopo  anche i beni mobili delle due strutture. Questi beni che comprendono tutti gli arredi e corredi di 40 appartamenti, due bar, due lavanderie, un ristorante 240 posti, arredi esterni, due piscine, un furgone, per un valore di almeno 600 mila euro, vengono  periziati e venduti  alla vergognosa cifra di 90.000 euro. Ma non è finita qui, la metà di quei beni (ovvero tutto ciò che riguarda il residence CALAVIOLA) sono in realtà di proprietà di un altra società SRL che nulla ha a che fare con il fallimento della COSTA BLU la quale  ne usufruiva con un regolare contratto di comodato d’uso. Vani sono stati i reclami, le opposizioni e le proteste degli avvocati di parte, il GD Schettini, facendosi beffa delle leggi e dei diritti,  ha venduto pure quello che non era della società fallita. Quali potranno mai essere i motivi di tanta fretta e determinazione?

I beni mobili del Residence Cala Viola sono andati perduti nell’alluvione che ha colpito Orosei nel novembre 2008. Beni che se fossero stati restituiti al legittimo proprietario avrebbero avuto ben altro destino. Beni che Residenza Orosei srl ha pagato circa 45 mila euro e per la quale, c’è da scommetterci, chiederà un indennizzo ( a carico della Regione Sardegna) ben più sostanzioso.

Il socio di maggioranza della Residenza Orosei srl con sede a Roma è MEDIA & PROJECT srl , società di organizzazione  grandi eventi di proprietà di una certa  Letizia Proietti e Marilena Proietti.  leggete il dossier

Letizia Proietti è stata indagata nell’ambito della inchiesta “poseidone” di Luigi De Magistris, assieme a tanti altri nomi illustri:

http://www.avvenimentionline.it/content/view/163/.

Letizia Proietti è ritenuta essere vicina al segretario dell’ UDC, illustre indagato nonchè deputato della repubblica Lorenzo Cesa leggi wikipedia – Indagato per truffa – Corriere della sera

Media & Project SRL è società “vicina” alla famiglia Cesa, ed è stata oggetto di indagine anche per altri reati, vedasi i seguenti articoli reperibili nella rete:

Articolo L’espresso cito ultima riga dell’articolo: “A Largo Chigi non appare la targa di Campanella, ma quella di una società vicina alla famiglia Cesa: la Media & Project. L’affitto? Lo paga Cesa.”

Articolo global media

Doc 1 indagine Luigi De Magistris

Letizia Proietti è stata  fino all’Aprile del 2008 Amministratore Unico della società Global Media Srl, società anch’essa ritenuta appartenente all’on. Cesa Lorenzo oggetto di alcune inchieste, tra le quali Why Not e Poseidone dell’ex PM De Magistris e del “presunto” scandalo e giro di squillo in Parlamento.

Riporto alcuni articoli che si trovano liberamente sul Web e sui maggiori giornali Italiani:

“Cesa sarebbe stato socio di una società di grafica pubblicitaria, la Global Media Srl, proprio con R.F., la sospetta maitresse che avrebbe organizzato il presunto giro di squillo.”Corriere della Sera.it Link all’articolo

“..Le carte processuali poi riportano le visure relative alle società che facevano capo al politico e alla donna. E qui un legame c’è. Una società a responsabilità limitata, la Global Media, che si occupa di eventi e comunicazione, e vede gran parte dei suoi 20 milioni di lire di capitale sociale divisi proprio tra R.F. e Cesa. La prima intestataria di quote per otto milioni, il secondo per 11 milioni.

I due erano dunque soci. E, va detto, la Global Media non è un’azienda ignota alle cronache, anzi. Fondata da Cesa quindici anni fa, quando il segretario Udc aveva lasciato la politica, la Global Media era già finita sui giornali, un paio d’anni fa, quando su quella società si concentrò l’attenzione della Procura di Catanzaro, che commissionò una perizia sui flussi bancari in entrata e in uscita. Cesa, che nel frattempo aveva ceduto le quote ai familiari, aveva fatto lavorare bene la sua azienda, che a quanto accertarono i periti fatturava quasi 7 milioni di euro l’anno, vantando clienti importanti. La stessa Udc (per conto della quale Global Media ha anche organizzato un congresso), Enel, Finmeccanica, Lottomatica e altri: in sei anni, tra 2001 e 2006, la società avrebbe incassato oltre 30 milioni di euro.” copiato da  IL GIORNALE.IT 30 Giu 2009 Link dell’articolo

Inoltre la Global Media viene citata in documenti di indagine e articoli di vario tipo:Catanzaro, La stampa ecc, se volete fare una ricerca sul Web, ne troverete a centinaia.

Ma torniamo al caso in questione, nel 2006, immediatamente dopo l’acquisto, la Proietti affida  in custodia  le due strutture alberghiere ad un ex Maresciallo della Finanza in pensione, tale  Angelo Pisanu residente in una casa abusiva nelle campagne di  Orosei.

Il referente, o responsabile che dir si voglia, per conto della Media & Project srl in Sardegna è invece tale Attene Mario, ex Sindaco di Silanus attualmente  presidente del consorzio GAL Mari e Monti con sede a Nuoro, nonché esponente di spicco (candidato e trombato alle regionali 2009) della neonata lista sardista ROSSOMORI in Provincia di Nuoro.

Nell’anno 2008 il Residence CALA VIOLA con sede a Cala Liberotto – Orosei, viene aperto al pubblico attraverso una società di gestione vicina alla Proietti, ma senza avere le licenze e le autorizzazioni adeguate. Il Comune di Orosei emette ordinanza di chiusura per esercizio abusivo dell’attività.

Noi del blog seguiremo questa come tutte le altre vicende e combatteremo al fianco delle persone truffate finché non verrà fatta giustizia.

Finisco citando il Dr Antonio Giangrande presidente della ASSOCIAZIONE CONTRO TUTTE LE MAFIE:

“Basta fallimenti truccati promossi dal sistema di potere, che distruggono aziende sane. Basta caste professionali, che gestiscono con arbitrio la svendita dei beni per arricchirsi alle spalle dell’indifeso cittadino imprenditore”.

I am happy to report that as of 10am EST, Monday, August 17, 2009, that I have successfully completed the requirements for my Masters in Education Media and Design Technology from Full Sail University. It has been a long road and journey but one that I am bittersweet about the conclusion. I’m excited to embark on new journeys that will ultimately result in me pursuing my doctorate degree but sad that I will miss the weekly and sometimes daily interactions with my professors and classmates.

While the program is still growing in its early stages and there were some hiccups along the way, I leave Full Sail knowing that I received a good education that when the opportunity presents itself, will be applied to help foster greater learning success whether it be in the public schools K-12 or possibly corporate and adult training.  Either way, the result from my hard work and efforts has paid off at least in the sense of accomplishment in a program that I believe will pioneer and bring about change to education and learning everywhere.

Thank you classmates, Course Directors, Laura Monroe, and Dr. Ludgate for the guidance, support, and most of all, the belief that all students learn differently and taking a stand and designing a program that caters to students of multiple intelligences.

Sail On Class of August 2009!!!!

Photo by Laffy4k

Part 1

We have come to the last project in EDM613. I intend to show you what I have learned throughout this wonderful journey in this course. However, much of what I have learned in this course was not so much much about the software or the various uses in order to complete specific tasks.  I came with a lot of skills in various software programs into this course so the majority of what I have learned has been centered around presentation and the actual content of my media project.

Photo by Poolie

One thing I learned was how simple it is to find compelling content to integrate into my lessons without breaking the law. Using sites like Flickr’s Creative Commons makes it simple for educators to use other’s content by using simple attribution to the author and keeps content usage legal according to copyright law. Like many others, I once just linked to an image on the internet without providing a link or credit to the author. Flickr is just one of the ways educators can use copyrighted content without always having to seek out permission.

Photo by danpeerflix

Having my own blog site hosted on WordPress has been quite an experience but has proposed some problems when it comes to uploading my own content. WordPress, being a free service, offers additional space and abilities to integrate audio podcasts and videos for an additional fee. Using podcasts was something I have wanted to do as it could cut down on the time it takes me to write out my posts. I actually sprung for the extra $20 and 5GB storage increase so I could integrate podcasts ( dear_students MP3 podcast) into this blog. I learned that I do not like the option because all it does is provide a link to the file instead of actually integrating an actual player into the window for the user.

Using streaming video is another way that WordPress makes money by charging the user $59.99 per blog for the ability to use streaming video. As an educator, cost weighs heavily on the mind when it comes selecting services. One way I have learned to get around those costs was to actually link to the videos on services like YouTube to stream the video and have them cover the bandwidth costs while still providing viewers with access to the same videos I would upload personally on this site.

The biggest growth I have made when it comes to the software has been finally selecting a web editor to present my media project. I always though learning complex software showed the student’s ability to master difficult tasks but learned that the final presentation and appearence is what is important. While I could have selected Dreamweaver to create a site from scratch, I sincerely doubt it would come to the level of quality that iWeb produces with such great ease.

On the video NLE front, the goal was to find the easiest solutions that would enable teachers to integrate digital storytelling in their classrooms with the best possible quality. Applications like Final Cut Pro are expensive and generally out of the scope of traditional classrooms and are more geared towards film and TV Production classes, I have learned that it is best to focus on a couple easier apps that do not have the extreme costs invovled, such as iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Adobe Premiere Pro CS4.

Part 2

Photo by Racum

As we near the end of this course, a lot more has become clear to me. Not just as an educator and the importance of using media in our classrooms but also as a designer when it comes to presenting information for learning.

With the rough draft of my thesis finished and ready to be submitted, I feel secure enough to say that I do not foresee any major changes or revisions needed so that will free me up to focus solely on designing my media project these last few months before graduation.

I wondered earlier in this class whether I should go with Dreamweaver or iWeb as my selection. I recall being concerned that if I took iWeb’s approach that I would be looked at as taking the easy way out instead of opting to learn more in depth Dreamweaver CS4. Then my professor commented in feedback stating that presentation is king and trumps all. The only major downside I see with this is that I will not be able to use streaming Flash which I have become to honestly love. Not the FLV (On2) flavor but using H.264 as my codec choice. But honestly, with all the templates Apple provides in iWeb, I would probably better be served with a quicker design process that allows me to spend more time focusing on the actual content than the overall design of the site. The site is merely an access vehicle to my thesis findings. I need to remember that its the actual tutorials and information that I am providing that will help  educators offer video in their classrooms, not how “pretty” my site looks.

The video below is from a YouTube user that shows users how they can link podcasts on WordPress to iTunes.

In today’s post, I will be discussing the different options available to today’s educators when it comes to creating digital stories in their classrooms. I will do my best to break it down in easy to understand terms in reagrds to effectiveness, features, and my personal experiences with the software. I will also try to cover the costs associated and who the product is intended for.

First up is Final Cut Pro. FCP is part of the Final Cut Studio suite offered by Apple. With it comes not only a non-linear video editor (NLE), but also comes with Motion 3 for motion graphics, Soundtrack Pro for audio enhancement and editing, and DVD Studio Pro for authoring of DVD video discs. FCP can have a steep learning curve especially for someone who is brand new to video editing and digital storytelling. It’s interface can be daunting at first and even more frustrating if coming over from competitor apps I will discuss later on.  Final Cut Studio 2 (FCS2) is for those that are serious about using top flight professional software to make some of the most engaging content seen anywhere. There is a reason it is a staple in most production houses and in the  independent film industry. Costs: It is not cheap. Even with Apple’s academic discount, you are still looking at $699 and that does not include the machine which should honestly be a Mac Pro system ($2500 and up).  And this is just for the teacher’s machine. We haven’t yet started to consider student workstations and licenses. Below is a video by a YouTube member that created a demo reel that was made in FCS2.

Most schools that have Mac systems, tend to have iMacs for student workstations. In this case, Final Cut Express would be a much more affordable solution. While it may not have all the bells and whistle that accompany FCP, it does provide a quite bit more than most NLEs in its competitor’s price range. Being able to color correct is a major benefit and it provides educators and students a simple preview and allows them to become proficient editors before moving up to FCS2 later on. The only down side is that it doesn’t provide all the cool things you can do with apps like Motion. If I had a choice, FCE would be my choice if NLE was my only need in my classroom to support digital storytelling. The video below was created by a YouTube user using Final Cut Express 4.

Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 is another potential solution. Unlike FCP or FCE which are tied to Mac only systems, Premiere Pro CS4 can be used on either Windows or OSX environments. Premiere Pro CS4 is Adobe’s flagship NLE though it not as heavily used in professional productions. The nice thing about Premiere CS4 is the native file formats that it works with such as Photoshop documents and AVCHD cameras while providing nice integration with the other Adobe apps such as After Effects CS4. While not cheap, can be had by itself in the Production Premium CS4 suite at an academic discount for $599. With this you get Photoshop CS4, Flash CS4, After Effects CS4, and Encore CS4. For those educators that require a more sophisticated photo app to edit and create, you cannot go wrong with this suite.  The only drawback again is that a license is required for each workstation for student use and for edcuators that do not make regular use of digital storytelling, may be a bit overkill. Below is a video from David Tubener showing how Premiere CS4 can be used to create a green screen effect which is very popular with students.

iMovie 09 is a part of the Apple iLife suite that comes installed on computers. This is probably the most economical choice for teachers in classrooms with Mac computers. While previous versions were limited, the basic principles of video editing still remain the same regardless of software used. iMovie 09 now provides precision editing and students can use the voice over function to provide narration to their digital stories. Andy Piper created an informational video on iMovie 09 that covers some basics of iMovie 09. See the video below.

Windows Movie Maker comes as a default installed program for Windows systems (XP and Vista, will be additional download for Windows 7).  Windows Movie Maker provides very basic functionality in regards to video editing. It provides simple transitions and allows import of AVI videos and graphics to help create a digital story as well as importing music to provide a background audio track. While it lacks much of the features found in paid applications, its important to note that it can be used for digital storytelling in the classroom.

Summary

Above are just a few of the solutions out there that educators can use to include digital storytelling in their classrooms. While some provide major bells and whistles, all are more than capable of being used in any classroom to help students succeed. Perhaps what can better assist teachers is getting more training in how to create compelling digital stories so that the technology used to create it is not as important.  Technology does not create creativity, it merely provides more ways in which creativity can be explored.

As I began the process of writing my thesis rough draft last evening, I couldn’t help but think further about my media project and how I will present it. Deciding to use a web interface, naturally I will have to design a website to house the videos and tutorials combined with the information. iWeb offers a simple, “what you see is what you get (WYSIWG)” approach to web site design. iWeb makes it simple to place graphics and text anywhere on the page that a user would like. In Dreamweaver, element placement is more difficult and the user must know the actual controls or code to manipulate images and placement.

The biggest drawback I see with iWeb is the inability to embed Flash video which I feel would be the best delivery format in consideration of bandwidth and overall user experience. The problem is that Dreamweaver is a much bigger program and can be complex if the user is not familiar with coding of HTML. iWeb makes embedding of videos a simplified process however I have found from my personal experience that the Quicktime video format can be slow to load and play back if quality is the goal of the video instead of speed for delivery.

One area of concern I have is that if I choose iWeb, will it be looked at as me taking the easy way out with design? Is it more important to keep the process simple and quick to design or will it be looked more favorably if I choose the more difficult route. I believe that the most important design goal is if the presentation meets the interest and keeps the audience and viewer engaged. I believe both software packages can provide this possiblity but time and ability will most probably impact my decision on the web solution I decide.

The past several days, I have thought long and hard about how I want to present my media project and the best way to go about it. I still have not decided whether I will present in person to the committee at Full Sail University or I will elect to present in an on-line environment. Both has its advantages and disadvantages. By presenting in person, I will be able to address any potential confusion in my project yet there is the stress of facing a group of people that will ultimately determine my fate in this program. By presenting on-line, I will be able to remain in my comfortable surroundings but lack the ability to address the committee face to face and demonstrate the passion I feel with my topic. What should I do?

Regardless of the decision I make in regards to presentation location the fact still remains is that it is all about the presentation. Presenting the information in an interesting and potentially unique way is one sure way to captivate those decision makers. Nonetheless, presenting videos on the importance of using videos in the classroom is difficult to be unique in presentation other than using my own personal voice.

Some of the ideas I have been seriously considering no longer seem feasible. When I came up with my topic, my vision was to go to a local school and talk with a teacher and have their students use video cameras to create a digital story of a lesson or act out and record their interpretation of literary work of art and determine if using videos provided an easier way to assess a student’s learning but as we near the end of the school year in many parts of the country, it doesn’t seem feasible. At least not this late in the year. Those that are teaching knows that most students have already begun to pack it in for this school year. Most students already know whether they have passed or failed a course and surely the only ones whose efforts will make a difference in the last month of the school year are those on the fence. Relying on those students solely would greatly impact and bias the research.  There’s always the possibility of doing the same thing with students who have to enroll in summer school but then again, those students need all of the remediation they can get and I doubt any teacher would be willing to take on a project like this during crucial credit retrieval months.

The possibility exists to explore other avenues for the media project. Naturally it will be presented in a web interface environment. Some ideas I have are showing examples of how easy it is to integrate video in the classroom for educators. The one problem area I have already seen in my research is that most if not all teachers will need some training when it comes to using video. Many teachers as noted in earlier entries here are digital immigrants in today’s media culture whereas today’s students are digital natives. Sadly, the students would enter this type of learning ahead of the curve and more prepared than those that educate them.

More goes into video than just picking up a camera and shooting something. I typically spend 50% of any production in the planning phase, 25% in production, and 25% in post production. Planning is essential to ensuring less problems to an overall project or assignment. Training and planning are essential in the key winning the war, not just the battle.

On the site, my goal is to provide video tutorials showing teachers how use digital storytelling. Before they can expect their students to perform these tasks, educators need to understand the task itself so they can answer and address any questions or problems that arise during the project. After teachers learn the basics of digital storytelling, they will get tutorials in collection and gathering of their media. Without the media, the story will have no voice or representation of the story. Next, tutorials of demonstrating how to get their media into a non-linear video editor (NLE) will be shown using various NLEs. In today’s environment, educators use either Windows or OSX as their operating system. Without risking leaving the educator out who is on a different operating platform, I intend to use videos from both platforms to ensure that platforms will be agnostic to integration. In next week’s blogs, I will break down the different NLEs and provide my thoughts on each one and their feasibility in the classroom.

I also want to include sample lessons and potential curriculum plans so that teachers who cannot acquire the training for this will be able to view my videos and immediately implement it in their classrooms until such time they can receive more in-depth training.

“THE PANIC” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtdDhr2Y2us

Artist Statement

I envisioned “The Panic” to be adrenaline-pumping and slightly frightening – enough to convey the mood as panic and instill some level of anxiety in the viewer. However, as I filmed it, I realized I possessed neither the equipment, location, or actors for the fulfillment of vision. But despite the casting of total amateurs and a few improved scenes that were not in my original script, I am relatively pleased with the end result. I believe that through the use of some “point of view” shots, a few key close-ups and appropriate meeting, a mood similar to panic is established. Though, I am not quite sure exactly what mood is created, it is much more along the lines of anxiety or fretfulness or apprehension. Regardless, “The Panic” is a quick pursuit sequence that through the use of key shots and audio attempts to show to frightened young man chased by an unknown and mysterious group or force and I believe the short film conveys their apprehension and anxiety as they flee down familiar streets that have suddenly become hazardous.

Post-Production Notes

       I originally set out with a very idealistic vision; I planned this spectacular short zombie film with the premise of conveying the total and utter panic experienced by the human prey of said zombies.  I believed it to be the best idea and immediately began planning it.  I planned everything quite early, camera shots and angles, dialogue, music, transitions – everything.  However, while in production, while shooting, I encountered a myriad of problems and it probably shows in my piece, but, I have learned greatly from this experience and I believe I know have a further understanding of the film making process, from screen writing to post-production. 

            I began normally with a vision, an idea, and a script-writing word processor (“Final Draft”).  I typed and conjured up the script over a period of four days and as it progressed I was quite optimistic.  That was at least until I got on location.   I thought my location was perfect; the downtown area of my hometown tends to be really quiet and I figured by 11:00 PM it would be perfectly still and calm.  However, 11:00 PM on a Friday night also means that people from the nearby bars are leaving.  This caused two problems.  First, two alleyways that I really wanted to use in the piece were unavailable due to pedestrian traffic.  Additionally, people began to make their way to the main street we, the cast and crew were on.  So, the script could already no longer be followed perfectly.

            The second obstacle was the actors.  My two protagonists were totally inexperienced actors that had never done a play, musical, film, or anything.  Furthermore,  the actors portraying my zombie-like pursuers, left after about thirty minutes of shooting for a party, due to the cold.  It was understandable as the temperature was in the thirties, but it was frustrating nonetheless.  I had to rethink several shots because of this and change a few lines of dialogue.

            As far as the quality of acting, there was really no way to overcome that, I just had to shoot everything at least three times and then, just use the best, even if the best was not even really that good, such as the first dialogue in the alley, where both protagonists are (unfortunately) visibly smiling.  Fortunately though, their acting did improve as shooting progressed and they began to get into their roles more.

            Another actor-related and script problem occurred after the initial shooting.  I had just finished editing for hours only to realize that the piece was only one minute and fifteen seconds long.  Now, that still fit into the parameters of the assignment, but I wanted more. I added to the script and then called my main actors and asked if they could shoot again the night after.  One said yes, the other was called into work and could not make it. I could have found another person but then I would have had to reshoot the entire piece and that would have been utterly impossible.  I just had to deal and that is why, at the end of the piece, only one protagonist is shown.  To compensate for the lack of my second protagonist, I decided to keep the camera really tight on the one guy, Zack.  By keeping the shot tight on Zack, I make room for the possibility that the other man is there, just out of the frame.  In the end it does cause a continuity issue, however, at least I left it open for interpretation rather than just visibly showing that a character had vanished.

            Despite all these setbacks and unexpected obstacles, I am fairly pleased with my work and I am proud of my piece.  It may not be exactly what I wanted, but it still ended up with the style and atmosphere I wanted.  It may not portray panic all that well, but I still think that a mood of fearful apprehension is illustrated and I think it also does a good job of showing a human’s flight response when in a pursuit situation and fairly accurately displays their physical responses to a scary environment.  Yes, there are a few continuity issues and a small audio glitch, and the acting does leave something to be desired, but overall I think it is a competent piece of short cinema and I am proud of it.

Ed Comeau over at Campus Firewatch is doing some amazing things to raise awareness on campuses across the country about fire safety. He is leading an effort called The Campus Firewatch Media Project that provides an opportunity for students across the nation to write fire safety-related articles for publication in Campus Firewatch.  An article will be selected each month and the winning submission will receive $500.  Or go to Campus Firewatch for more great information on keeping it safe.

The goals of this project are to:

* Encourage students to learn more about fire safety and write articles from their perspective
* Provide an opportunity for journalism students to get published
* Develop content for Campus Firewatch from a student’s perspective on the fire safety problem/issues

Suggested initial topics include (but are not limited to):

* Fire safety, why students don’t seem to care
* The challenges of finding a fire-safe house off-campus
* How to reach today’s Millennial students about fire safety
* Providing fire safety to disabled students
* What should students know about fire safety, on-campus, off-campus and on vacation
* What is fire, how does it start, grow and spread
* What does fire do to me?
* Why are students disabling the smoke alarms

This video speaks for itself.

Do you want a free fire safety inspection, go here.

This article discusses the struggle that Turkey has with the PKK [a reorganized Kurdistan Workers' Party]. The PKK are based in Iraq. The PKK are considered terrorists, and they fight with Turkey, each side killing many of the people on the other side. It tells us that the U.S in unsure whether to help Turkey militaristically, or to try and convince the two sides to come to a peaceful standstill. Though the PKK had been defeated once before, it has resurged with new hostility, and people are surprised that it is as strong as it is now. The fight between Turkey at the PKK has killed over 40 thousand people in the last twenty years. Though the U.S considers PKK a terrorist group, it is unwilling to help because before, when the PKK leader was captured, Turkey promised to do something about the Kurdish issue to ease the hostility, but it did nothing.

The author shows some bias against Turkey, because it shows all the reasons why the US is unwilling to help them, and what they did wrong when dealing with the PKK before. However, they also seem biased against the PKK because they establish them as terrorists and tell what a threat they are.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JF03Ak03.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/JF05Dj02.html

This article tells us about how Iran has many untapped resources, however, Western influences have prevented these resources from being tapped. Iran is among the top three countries with the biggest oil and gas reserves. However, while there is demand for the resources in their own country, it imports most of its gas and oil for the people in their own country, and domestic demand has risen. The Energy Information Administration also reports that Iran has not been able to effectively produce as much oil since 1979, because of wars, decline in the oil fields, and investment, but before this, Iran was able to produce up to 6 billion barrels a day. It is stated that the lack on investment is due to the Prime Minister, and the arguments the U.S is having with Iran about nuclear issues.

The author seems biased in the fact that he says the West is keeping Iran’s resources away, which is a bad idea. They also seem to disapprove of the fact that Iran imports the gas that it’s people use when they have so many resources in their own country.

On May 12th, a horrible earthquake hit China, particularly affecting the mountainous Sichaun Province in the southwest. One area, Dujiangyan, was the site of several school collapses. Over ten thousand schoolchildren were killed in the earthquake, leaving many parents questioning why it is that the schools so easily collapsed. Many of these parents peacefully protested in the courthouse square in Dujiangyan, carrying pictures of the children they lost and asking that the government investigate the shoddy construction of schools around China.  However, rather than listening to their grievances, the government has been attempting to stifle the protests and media coverage of them, and to convince the parents to stay quiet. On the day of the protest, policemen dressed in black uniforms forced reporters on the scene into the courthouse. The police then surrounded the parents and asked them to go to the petition office next door, and a government official asked the parents to remain calm as families who had lost a child would receive ”financial compensation”. The police even forcibly picked up mothers who had sad on the ground and were crying, and dragged them to the petition office. Eventually, the parents relented the pressure of the police and left the courthouse square. On May 25 Sichuan officials began to investigate the construction of the school buildings, finding that many of the schools had design defects and were obsolete  buildings, and national education officials in Beijing have promised to institute stricter standards for school buildings. However, in Dujianyang, the parents of the deceased have not received any information about the investigations and continue to feel wronged by the government. This article helps to demonstrate the extreme censorship that is going on in China. These parents were simply asking that for an investigation into the school buildings, they were not directly challenging the government in any way, and were just simply looking for answers. However, the the government still attempted to silence them and treat them harshly when they were grieving the terribly unfortunate loss of their children. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/world/asia/04china.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=asia

A volcano has spewed ash in 60-mile radius and water sources are deemed unusable, agriculture is failing, and  livestock is dying. Santiago has been evacuated, including any area 30-miles around the volcano, due to around 15 inches of ash above ground. There seems to be no lava erupting from the volcano, however there is some lava at the basin of the volcano. It was very unusual because this particular volcano has not erupted for around 2,000 years. Unfortunately, the ash makes the soil unable to produce crops for a long while. This will most definitely effect the Chilean economy, because it is primarily agriculturally based.

This is devastating to  Santiago and its surrounding areas not only because of the amount of animals and crops dying, but what effect it will have on their economy. The biggest problem agriculturally based economies face is weather. Plants depend on the weather to survive; unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable, therefore it is hard to really solely on something that is unpredictable.

In Gorkha, the original point that expanded to become Nepal over 250 years ago, the tradition of a monarchy where the king was second only to the Gods might be wiped cleanly out of society. Changes from a new national anthem to broken statues to changes in airline names and currency have taken place, and the Parliament voted last December that the country would become a federal democratic republic. Many feel that the throne was taken unfairly after a palace massacre in 2001, and some say that they supported the monarchy before Gyanendra took power. Gyanendra’s pictures have been torn down in many homes and offices, and most people polled recently in Nepal do not support his rule. He took emergency rule in 2005 and vowed to defeat Maoist, who have recently dropped violence and taken to politics. An election will be held soon where people will vote either to keep the monarchy or eliminate its long history entirely by removing the king.
The author of this article seems to agree with the general population that the monarchy should be wiped out, though at times it seems that the author is sympathetic of the king’s current situation and lower status in society. This could potentially evoke civil unrest in the near future, and with Nepal’s borders next to China, we could possibly see further problems down the road with the Olympics, especially while problems are already seen with Tibet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/world/asia/03nepal.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

            Zimbabwe Opposition Reunites reports on the reunification of the formerly divided factions of Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (otherwise known as the M.D.C.). This unison gives them control of the parliament for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe. The party has also demanded that president Robert Mugabe concede the recent election. The unity of the two faction’s ends the two year feud between them however is does no clear up Zimbabwe’s disorderly political state. Unofficial results from the recent election had Morgan Tsvangirai of the M.D.C. with 50.3 percent of the votes. However a runoff is very likely. Mr. Tsvanagirai is very optimistic and believes that M.D.C. will certainly win the election; he believes that the majority of Zimbabweans share his dislike for President Mugabe. President Mugabe does not however seem to be standing down and letting this happen. Reports suggest that he has taken extreme measures to prevent the M..D.C. from taking power. These measures include attacks against M.D.C. supporters as well as jailing party workers. Last Friday armed police officers raided M..D.C. headquarters and arrested many party workers as well as victims of rural violence who had sought shelter in the capital. Of the arrested about 200 remained incarcerated despite court orders for their release.  

            I am not an expert in the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe. However it seems as though Mr. Bearak talks of these attacks on members of M.D.C. as though they were completely unprovoked yet he never once actually says it. I would be very interested to see if Mr. Mugabe’s party had an explanation for the attacks. Also Mr. Bearak seems to make Mr. Mugabe’s party out to be very unpopular, yet they still managed to obtain 50% of the vote. Mr. Bearak may have a bias predisposition against Zimbabwe’s government, seeing as he had been held earlier this year in Zimbabwean prison for what seemed to be false charges.      

     http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/world/africa/29zimbabwe.html?_r=1&ref=africa&oref=slogin

Myanmar was hit by a catastrophic cyclone this weekend. The death toll is nearly at 4,000, and it is showing no sign of stopping. Analysts project that the total number of deaths could exceed 10,000. This would make it the largest death toll from a natural disaster in all of Asia since the tsunami in 2004. Those who survived the cyclone still have a lot to worry about, as over one hundred thousand people have been left homeless and without any clean drinking water, or food. Mr. Horsey from the United Nations acknowledges that we are “dealing with a major emergency situation, and the priority needs now are shelter and clean drinking water,” (1). Myanmar is very seclusive and regularly denies any foreign aid; however, it has been reported that the government has granted the UN permission to send in emergency aid. The government has decided that they are going to let the country vote on whether or not the government should increase the military’s power during this chaotic time. Many believe however, that the governments response to the disaster will influence peoples vote. People throughout the country seem to be generally unimpressed and angered with the governments slow response to the cyclone: “These people [millitary/government] were so active in September killing the monks, but where are they now?” (2).

There seems to be a bias towards the current government system that is in place in Myanmar. Seth Mydans, the author of the article, gives the reader additional information on Myanmar that seem to denounce the government. For example, when he explains that Myanmar has been under military rule since 1965, he adds that they suppress political opposition, “The pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years,” (2). Another example is when he talks about the Burmese economy: “The Junta that rules Myanmar… has closed the country off from the outside world and maintained its grip on power through force, while its economic mismanagement has driven the country deeper into poverty,” (2). He flat out blames the economic woes on the government. While all of this may be true, it is unnecessary for this article and takes away from the important part of the article, which is to raise awareness about the catastrophe that has recently taken place in Myanmar.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/world/asia/06myanmar.html?hp=%26pagewanted=print

Nicholas Sarkozy, the newly elected president of France, had a “vague resemblance to the look of George W. Bush on his Texan ranch” as he posed for pictures, described a French newspaper. Sarkozy is openly a fan of America – he loves Ernest Hemingway, Steve Mcqueen, Sylvester Stallone, and “America’s strong work ethic”. Sarkozy has frequently spoke of his fondness for America and his will to put an end to any conflict between France and America. Nicholas Sarkozy is very much like President Bush. He admires him and imitates him in some ways. Washington is very pleased with the presidency of Sarkozy and his views that are in many ways parallel to America’s. Of course there will still be issues at time, but overall it will be much easier for France and America to now collaborate. Many people believe that Sarkozy will be a great benefit to America. In the past France has showed an extreme hatred towards America, but with the arrival of Sarkozy, it is believed that all that will change. Although Sarkozy agrees with Bush and America, he still says that  he would not have sent French troops into the Iraqi War. Elaine Sciolino, the author of this article, seems to, if anything, have a positive attitude towards Nicholas Sarkozy. She does not mention any negative opinions on Sarkozy. I am glad to hear that France and the U.S. will potentially have better relations because of Sarkozy. However, I wonder how he will be as a president if he is a lot like Bush, who has not been a very successful president in the U.S. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/world/europe/08france.html

This Thursday an American missile killed one of Al Qaeda’s top operatives, Aden Hashi Ayro. American officials attributed the success of the attack to the “free reign granted to the Pentagon” in attacking Somalian territory. Mr. Ayro was believed to have killed a BBC journalist in addition to planning numerous suicide bombings and defiling an Italian graveyard.
America has been under scrutiny for such attacks because of the large numbers of civilians killed; however, there was “no evidence to suggest that any civilians had been wounded or killed” in this attack according to Major Sherri Reed. In addition to anger from human rights organizations, America will also suffer from East African outrage over the many attacks in their homeland, according to Somalia scholars. This sentiment was agreed upon by an American official who said that the many attacks would be a “major recruiting tool”.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/world/africa/02somalia.html?_r=1&ref=africa&oref=slogin

The article, “Angola Allows Chinese Ship to Dock, but Not Unload Arms for Zimbabwe,” written by Celia W. Dugger is about the decision of Angola to no longer let the Chinese ship, An Yue Jiang, that supplies the Zimbabwean government with weapons dock and unload weapons in the Angolan capital. This decision shows that the Angolan government is no longer an ally of Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe. Mugabe will not let the results of the election be announced and has called for a recount, although it is almost certain that the opposition won. Since the election, the government has been instigating attacks on followers of the opposition, so they will be afraid to vote for the opposition a second time. The announcement about the prohibition of the Chinese ship to unload weapons in Angola was on Angola’s news website placed next to a picture of the Angolan president shaking hands with America’s top diplomat for Africa. This diplomat just had declared that the opposition won. Although the Justice Minister of Zimbabwe denounced this statement, it represents the withdrawal of Angolan support from Mugabe’s case.
Since Mugabe has lost Angolan support, he may realize that his reign is finally over and announce the outcome of the election. He also could continue to resist, which would be detrimental for the people of Zimbabwe because the violence would increase against the opposition. If the violence against the opposition increases, it could cause the opposition to retaliate more frequently, which would make Zimbabwe a very dangerous, violent, and unstable place to be. Angola may become an ally of Zimbabwe again when Mugabe no longer rules it, since Angola has withdrawn support of Mugabe. The author does not seem to be biased and does not share her point of view.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/world/africa/27zimbabwe.html?_r=1&ex=1366948800&en=53ae5495f647fcf9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc

=rss&oref=slogin

For many Latinos, living the American dream is becoming harder and harder. Now that the US has become harsher on illegal immigration, it is becoming harder for many Latino immigrants to get jobs. Last year, Latin American immigrants sent over 45 billion dollars in remittances back to their families. However, because of the decreasing number of employers who will employ illegal immigrants, they are not making as much money and therefore not sending money back home. They need the money for themselves in America. For example, in the first quarter of 2008, money transfers to Mexico dropped 2.9 percent from last year’s first quarter. Considering how much money is sent back to families in Mexico, this was a significant decrease. Since finding a good-paying job, something that was once very easy, has become more difficult, many Latino immigrants are considering returning to their native countries. They say that they would live better lives since many are living on the bare minimum in the United States.

The author of this article, Julia Preston, just reports the facts and does not put her own opinion into the article. Most of the information is either statistics or quotes from immigrants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/us/01immigration.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26refQ3Damericas&OP=42787954Q2FilaXiQ5DQ3CVG8Q3CQ3CQ3BDiDQ7EQ7EpiQ7E-iQ7EWirGiQ7EWYQ3EQ3EYQ5E81Q3BYQ3CLxgQ3BQ3E5 

This article deals with the issue of al-Queda’s presence in Iraq. Musab al-Zarqawi, who has been dead for two years, made a mess in Iraq by trying to create a civil war between Sunnis and Shiites. Now, the focus of al-Queda is to create a unified Islamic movement to fight against the “far enemy”, which is the United States. Also, by uniting Sunnis and Shiites, Shiites would no longer look to take over surrounding areas. The plan is to take power after the US pulls out of Iraq, and hope to unify Iraq under a Sunni rule.

Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Hamza al-Mujahir are leading players in this movement, and they believe that the US in Iraq has been a major failure for the US, and they will soon be moving out. In addition to uniting Sunnis and Shiites, these men have had to focus on uniting all the Sunnis who had lost belief in an al-Queda ran society. Both of these men have given speeches, each correcting or going hand in hand with the other, to try to convince people that a Sunni ran government would be the best for Iraq. However, to the author, this is nowhere near ready to occur, because too many people have lost their trust in al-Queda.

The author seems to be against al-Queda’s presence in Iraq, and explains how their ideas are unreasonable, while not fully explaining how they could work.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JE02Ak02.html.

In urban Guandong, China, hundreds of factories and mines are producing hundreds of thousands of products everyday to be shipped to the the wider world. Unfortunately, the production of these products is not fair for the workers–not only because they are constantly in poor work conditions, but they are not being payed and being held as slaves. The most horrific part of these unfair situations for the workers is the fact that they are child slaves, displaced from their homes and families from farther than 600 miles away. More than 150 boys and 50 girls have so far been found, and there is suspected 1,000 more child slaves working in South China alone. Surprisingly enough, a few children who were rescued refused to go back to their homes and families, due to the “hardships of their home village”. 

It is very interesting to see how even today there can still be slavery in one of the most economical and profitable nations in the world. Slavery, in the eyes of most throughout the globe, is immoral, unjust, and inhumane. After reading the article, it personally made me think about all of the products that we have here in America (made in China), and that from the simplest toys to the most technologically advanced devices (such as computers), many things or maybe even everything made in China could be produced by slaves.