COM 117

On Wednesday, November 20th, Syracuse University’s Students of Sustainability held a showing of the “Do The Math” documentary in the Watson Theater. The film followed environmentalist, reporter, and author Bill McKibben on his crusade to end the burning of fossil fuels in America. His mission is to educate Americans about the damage that the burning of fossil fuels causes to our planet and the atmosphere. The documentary also provided warnings of what we can expect in the future if we do not stop destroying the Earth with pollutants. He founded 350.org, which is a site devoted to teaching people how they can take a stand against corporations and practices that are virtually destroying our ozone layer.

According to McKibben, 2012 was the warmest year on record and also the most extreme weathered. This isn’t due to chance, it is due to the destruction of our ozone layer by humankind that is ruining our environment.  Bill McKibben truly believes that we are running out of atmosphere to put waste products directly because of the mass amount of pollution caused by humans. He hopes that Americans can take innovative actions to stop the use of fossil fuels and discover an alternative, as it is becoming increasingly necessary. Unfortunately, McKibben claims that this innovation is prevented due to the enormous power of the companies that use fossil fuels daily. Experts believe that humanity is facing the need to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint, especially in wealthy countries. In McKibben’s book called “The End of Nature,” he warns that the atmosphere rises two parts per million in CO2 every year. Also, he states that the atmosphere is five percent wetter than it was five years ago. This is because as we add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, it traps heat and causes an increase in global temperature. It is alarming, also, that we’ve already burned enough fossil fuels to raise the temperature of the earth one degree, with two degrees being the safe amount of degrees to allow the Earth’s temperature to raise. Half of the entire polar ice cap is missing due to human negligence. At this rate, we will surpass the safe amount of CO2 to be added to the atmosphere in fifteen years.

McKibben was very passionate about how untouchable big businesses are when it comes to receiving consequences for littering our planet with pollutants. He emphasized the importance of taking on the fossil fuel industry to and forcing them to make the necessary changes to improve our planet. Any individual can get fined for littering, but the big companies that pollute the air daily pay no fines for their indiscretions. BP polluted the gulf of mexico and, when exposed, spent a little bit of money to appear more planet friendly when, in reality, they made barely any changes at all. These companies are careless about the damage they do to our planet and pick it apart at their leisure, searching for more fossil fuels. They are literally tearing apart the earth to look for the last bits of gas and coal.

There is, however, actions that people can take to make a difference in this important matter. It’s only when as many people as possible involve themselves that there is any hope. People must show civil disobedience to protest investments that promote the expansion of fossil fuels. In order to have any effect on the industry at all, people need to be made more aware of the dangers of burning and using up these fossil fuels and then join the fight against it. Churches and large organizations have the power and influence to get more people involved, but they choose not to take advantage of it. That needs to change.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie showing and the following panel discussion that I attended on Wednesday. It was extremely informative and motivated me to take part in any movement that I could find that would help to protect our planet. After watching the documentary, I am disgusted by the way that people are trashing and destroying the place in which they must live. More people need to be made aware of this issue and take action to find alternatives to fossil fuels that are safer for the environment. I felt that “Do The Math” was incredibly inspiring and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the future.

Judy Smith, founder of Smith & Co. and author of Good Self, Bad Self, spoke to Syracuse students Monday about her life as the “Real Olivia Pope.” For those who are unfamiliar with the ABC primetime show Scandal, Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, is a powerful, prominent crisis manager for top-level politicians. “A fixer,” as the show calls it. Smith, through her hard work and success, is the prime influence of this show’s creation. Smith’s discussion of the ins-and-outs of her job, and her role in the creation and development of Scandal was truly informative and inspiring.

One of Smith’s major talking points was to be proud of the “power in being yourself.” She emphasized that she values hard work and ethics and this plays into her work every day. She begins a case by spending a good deal of time debating the ethics of the case – can she actually help them, can she “move the needle,” does taking up this client make sense are all questions she asks before committing to taking on a client. Smith also emphasized the value in hard work. She stated that there is “tremendous power in doing hard work so you never feel as if you have to prove yourself or your work.” This holds true in Smith’s business especially. 97 percent of Smith & Co.’s clients are through referrals.

Smith’s work centers on solving issues and crises; it’s no doubt many would become disillusioned or disheartened in this field. Yet, Smith shared that she enjoys helping people, especially when they make a mistake. She said that “everyone makes mistakes, the big difference is that ours aren’t in the paper.” She shared her belief in forgiveness and second chances. Yet, with this mercy comes a necessity for honesty. Even in a storytelling career, where one could easily manipulate and distort facts, Smith values critical analysis of what the singular truth is. Smith also noted that this leaves work for her client to truly be contrite. In the case of Michael Vick, Vick made an example out of himself and partnered with the humane society to now make a positive difference. Smith said that in cases like these, the American public can sense if acts are genuine or insincere.

Smith concluded her discussion with sage advice. She encouraged the audience to try different things, and then pause and reflect. She said it is more valuable to be specialized instead of a “jack of all trades.” Finally, Smith said power, persistence, and preparation were the keys to her success. With each of these, she shared an anecdote about how each specific trait related to succeeding, truly encapsulating the application and importance of each value.

Smith’s presentation truly inspired me. It showed that aiding public figures in their transgressions is not necessarily unethical or requires manipulation of the truth. She uses her role to genuinely improve an individual and provide an opportunity for growth and reconciliation. Clearly her role and hard work in society has led to her incredible success today.

For my Spanish class we had to watch “El Laberinto del Fauno” or in English it’s translated to “Pans Labyrinth.”  I had never seen this movie before, but was excited to because it was a movie created by Spanish director Guillermo del Toro in 2006.  Before you read about it in my post watch the trailer here: El Laberinto del Fauno Trailer.

The beginning of the story starts in the underworld, in which it talks of a princess that escaped. Her father (who is eventually the faun) waits for her to return in another soul.  The setting of the movie is in fascist Spain in the 1940’s.   A girl named Ofelia and her mother go to live with a general who is part of the fascist movement .  Ofelia is obsessed with reading fairy tales and lives in a fantasy world.  Her fantasy world comes to life as one day a ‘fairy’ brings her to ‘el laberinto’ where the faun awaits her.  She is then assigned tasks from a magical book to prove that the her soul is the same as the princess’s of the underworld.

Along the way, Ofelia faces the negative influence of her step father, the general.  When Ofelia’s mother finally gives birth to her little brother, she dies instantly after.  After the shock of her mothers death, Ofelia finishes the tasks of the faun. The final task given by the faun is to bring him the blood of an innocent one.  Ofelia brings the faun her little brother.

I don’t want to spoil the movie — so you’ll have to watch the ending to see what happens from there.  This movie was wonderfully written and directed.  I loved that this movie was made and directed in Spain too.  There are a lot of underlying meanings in this film as well.  It asks the question of what the after life is, and shows the severity of the Spanish civil war.  Warning:  It’s a pretty graphic movie! Enjoy!

Joining the Peace Corps has always been on my mind.  When I learned that there would be a lecture from two returned service members, I was anxious to go.

The Peace Corps is a well known government agency that trains volunteers to go to countries around that world that ask for assistance.  The goal is to send volunteers for a 27 month period, in order to immerse themselves within the culture of the assigned country.  Each volunteer endures an application period and when they are accepted either under a specific “program sector”, including:  Education, Health, Community Economic Development, Environment, Youth in Development and Agriculture.

Each of the women talked a little about their time in each country. The first was placed in Moldova, a small village in Russia.  The other was placed in a small village in South Africa.

Before arriving in Moldova, the first speaker went through 2 months of intense language training (and general training).  She had to learn both Russian and Bulgarian, because in Moldova they speak a mix of the two.  She stayed with a host family the entire time, who ended up being an elderly woman.  Her assignment was in Community Economic Development.  The first speaker talked a little about this:  “You kind of had to be self-motivated to finish your work and get involved with the public.  Once they drop you off, it’s your job to begin your project.  But first, I had to convince the community I wasn’t a spy.”

When the second speaker was asked how her integration into the African village went, she said they welcomed her with open arms.  They even killed a goat for a dinner for her, which is huge honor because her village is very rural, and very poor.

Another aspect both of the speakers touched on was immersing themselves in the culture.  One woman was, in America, openly gay.  “When I got to Moldova, I knew it was taboo.  I had almost go back into the closet, ya know?  But I reminded myself that my job was to immerse myself in their culture, and help them step by step.  It wasn’t my job to push my culture on them.”   The other talked about being Indian, and going to the small African village.  ” They didn’t know what I was.  They couldn’t figure out if I was black, or white. So they just came up with the fact that I was a mix. They just had never met anyone like me before, and they don’t have technology or anything to where they could have seen someone like me.”

Something the speakers both talked about was that it was a hard experience.  They had to spend 27 months in a foreign country, nearly alone.  Maybe with one or two other Americans.  However, each worked on development within their villages.  The second speaker, who went to Africa talked about one of her projects teaching the villagers to make Shea Butter.  Once they made the Shea butter, they taught them how to market and sell it.  When each of them talked about their experience, they acknowledged  that it was difficult, but so worth it.  Both of them stated they would do it again in a heart beat.

It was extremely eye opening to hear two first hand experiences of being in the Peace Corps.  It would be a hard experience, but one that could shape a person for the rest of his or her life.

On Thursday November 14th I attended the screening, and talk session of the movie “Shattered Glass”. “Shattered Glass” is about 24 -year- old Stephen Glass, who fabricated countless amounts of magazine articles for The New Republic, that were all supposed to be completely factual. In most of the film Glass is highly respected by all of his co-workers, and friends. He even has an extremely close relationship with his boss (editor), and it is evident that this man has put a lot of trust into him. Although Glass is extremely liked and talented, he is constantly under pressure to create astonishing articles. Glass created a remarkable article about a youth hacker who hacked into a massive company, and made the company have no choice but to have the kid work for their software security. Forbes magazine got a hold of the article and found out that the people, and company that Glass talked about were non- existent. This unfolded an investigation, which resulted in Glass getting fired, among many other disastrous events. The film makes it obvious that Glass’s only dream was to be a renowned writer, but instead he is known as the abhorrence of journalism.

After watching this film I was extremely surprised at how far Glass was able to continue his lie. It seemed as though Glass worked harder on maintaining his lie, than he would have just creating a factual article. It’s also unfortunate that Glass had such a supportive group of peers, and in the span of a weekend, he destroyed his relationship with everyone who had gained his trust, and cared for him. Even when it was obvious that Glass was in the wrong, his friends continued to support him. It’s also unfortunate, because Glass has created a new era where the simple notion of trust is no longer thought of, and now every writing piece is under scrutiny in regards to its level of accuracy.

Although I don’t have any interest in journalism, as a TRF student this still is an important subject. Because the media business is so competitive, people tend to take shortcuts, which end up in the detriment of his or her career. It is the right of the media user to be able to know when something is factual, and when something is not. As someone who is part of a new era in the world of communications, I have a duty to give truth when it is supposed to be given. By lying, we are hurting ourselves because we can never know our full potential in creating something that is actual truth.