Russia's Cartoons are Literally the greatest

I chose to compare Russian animated films, some that were from the 1990's onward, and others that were older. (1940's-1980's). The movies I watched were Tale of Tales, Hedgehog in the Fog, The Old Man and the Sea, and two excerpts from Little Long Nose, and Mowgli.

One of the similarities I saw comparing Tale of Tales and The Old Man and the Sea, was the use of animals. They seemed to use the animals as innocence. In Tale of Tales the animals get mad or sad when war rips their human friends away. They don't understand why. In The Old Man and the Sea, the old man catches a giant swordfish which he calls his brother. He says several times that he wishes he could be the fish in the water instead of up here. I think it also seems to be a part of Russian folk culture to use animals. In everything I watched there were animals.

I feel like the youth culture was very sad. In Tale of Tales, a boy is eating a green apple which symbolized life, hope, and potential, (according to the filmmakers)  and is dragged away dropping his apple to become a mini soldier. His mother seemed resigned, almost hopeless. Meanwhile, the youth culture in The Old Man and the Sea made the Youth Culture more independent. The young boy fed the old man, and wanted to spend time with him learning from his wisdom.

I loved how the animation in most of the films seemed like a painting come to life. Sometimes like in The Old Man and the Sea, the characters were a part of the moving painting. While in other times like in Vinni Pukh the characters seem to walk along the art while they themselves look different.

In Hedgehog in the Fog and Tale of Tales, both made during the Soviet Union, I feel like there was more music then action. In Tale of Tales, there were no words, and Hedgehog in the Fog had very little. Both seemed very dark and sad.

In Tale of Tales everyone just seems so depressed from the dancing couples whose husbands get taken away for war, to the letters they grab. The couples meet up again, when the husbands die from war, and the wives died from bombing. The war was very hard on Russia, they lost a lot of people.

Little Long Nose made in Russia in 2003, was so westernized it wasn't funny. It looked like it was made in America by Netflix. Also it didn't really have any big dramatic mood music. It was a fun fairy tale film. The earlier films were more about art and color, their animation styles changed dramatically.



The Old Man and the Sea. (1999)


Don't you hate it when you grab a golden map, and it turns out to be a baby? The worst. Tale of Tales or The Little Grey Wolf will Come. (1979) Under Soviet Union



Hedgehog in the Fog. Must I say more? (1975) Under Soviet Union



Vinni-Pukh is is the Russian version of Winnie the Pooh. This guy is so cute.

The Modern 21st Century war

War. a just war? Those two words don't seem to go together. Even though a dictator may have committed terrible crimes against people, the number of people who die overall in a war is much greater. I don't think killing groups of innocent people to get at the few mass murders is right.

 I do believe there can be a war of liberation for another people group. It happens all the time. Afghanistan was an example of this. We fought for the women and children who were being put down. If a women was a widow and had no men relations she was still not allowed to work. This caused starvation and problems for them.

There are many reasons why a government would want to go to war. One reason is the spread of a certain type of government. Another would be crimes against the people and governments wanting to help end the people's suffering. Governments might also want war because of the gain of land, power, and money. Governments may also want to stay out of a war is cost. Wars cost both money and lives. Governments may also stay out of wars because their people do not support the cause.

 The media can really have a strong influence to encourage the war and sway the public's opinion of a war. President Bush received several messages that Iraq didn't have any mass nuclear weapons, while he also got two reports completely opposite saying they did. While he and his yes men were pondering which to believe, the Wall Street Journal caught wind of it and publicized that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Making that their scrape goat, Bush decided to believe that they did have those weapons, even though none were ever found.

There are a few people who benefit from a war. Some companies will have military contracts so they will benefit. Sometimes the people who are oppressed and are the victims get liberation and more freedoms from a war. There are also many losses from war, lives, money, ways of life in general.

In the Iraq war our president Obama replied that "We won!" But did we really? After so many lives, the cost of the war, and ending up just withdrawing, it doesn't seem like a very good victory. Obama made the promise that if he was elected president, he would end the war, a promise he kept.

The average citizen, besides watching the news and the internet, basically ignores if we are at war or not. Unless a direct family member is fighting in the war, most people don't care because the war isn't directly bothering them. Pretty selfish if you think about it.

Today, people gather their intelligence by people, social media and the interwebs. But my understanding of war is limited because I'm not directly impacted by it so I can't really tell you what it's like.


President Obama, America's first black president.



President Bush




Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, was sentenced to death because of his horrible crimes against his own people




Unlike the WWII times of rations and victory garden, the people of today could probably not tell you if we were at war or not.

Youth Culture in the 21st Culture

There almost seems to be three different generations in the 21st century.There are college students, high schoolers, and middle schoolers.  The college students look at what the high school students are into and cannot relate. It is like all three came from different generations.
The adults of the 21st century realize that the internet is the end to any privacy.  Young girls used to write in their diaries and get upset when people saw it. Now girls post their secrets on social media and get mad when people don't see them.  I don't think the internet is the end of privacy.  I don't know, in some ways, it is because we put so much out there.  A lot of people are careful though with what info they put on.
Student loans are at a higher rate than ever, causing more people to move in with their parents and save money, as much as they can.  The students who move back in with their parents are often criticized.
In the past, if people were into a certain type of music, they would try to dress like the artist. So if someone was into punk, they would try to dress like a punk rocker. Before, you had to go out and get your album from the store and it was costly. A pair of jeans cost a lot, everything was just expensive. Now you can get an entire outfit for $20 or under and buy songs for $1.99 or less. Everything is instant now.  Some of the movies and shows that are important to me are Sherlock, Merlin,and Dr. Who. Concerning fashion, I am confident in what I wear, and I wear what I am confident in. Music and books are life.  I wish I could listen to music 24/7 and books are fun.
A lot of people's bedrooms often hold things they think are cool or gifts that they received.  People are expressing themselves, their likes and dislikes and a bit of their memories. Their bedroom expresses who they are.
Because there is global youth population swelling, everyone wants better education and equality.  I think this population swelling could be good and bad.  There are more people for the workforce, but then maybe less jobs. Depending on how the economy is doing, there may not be enough school, jobs, and food to go around.
Young adult novels are becoming box office hits because the young people want to feel like a young adult, the prime of your life.
I think my generation is lazy and hungry and when something comes along that someone in our generation is into, we all want to do it. Being "lazy and hungry" is the cool thing to do. We just want to care for our own needs. I do think that we can stand up and be responsible leaders when we put our minds to it, especially when the subject matter is something we care about.  I also feel that adults belittle our generation even though we are hard working. My generation goes each day mostly by emotion.




The Hunger Games (September 14th, 2008)



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (July 21st 2007)



Social Media FTW



Metroid Prime Hunters (2002)



Portal 2 (2011)



Pokemon Emerald Version (2005)


Napoleon Dynamite (2004)



Finding Nemo 2003 (Above) and Avengers (Below) 2012



Some 21st century fashion

Nelson Mandela and South Africa

Afrikaner nationalism is a political idea that started in the late nineteenth century among Afrikaners. Afrikaners are a South African ethnic group that are descendants of the Dutch settlers that first tried to colonize South Africa. Their main language is Afrikaans. There was a ton of tension between the Afrikaners, especially during the Boer wars. The South African Border War took place from 1966 to 1989. The South African Army invaded Angola in the 1970's . 

Nelson Mandela attended primary school in Qunu, where his teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave him the name Nelson, because of  the custom of giving all schoolchildren “Christian” names. He completed his Junior Certificate at Clarkebury Boarding Institute and went on to Healdtown, a Wesleyan secondary school. Mandela began his studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University College of Fort Hare but did not complete the degree there as he was expelled for joining in a student protest. On his return to the Great Place at Mqhekezweni the King was furious and said if he didn’t return to Fort Hare he would arrange wives for him and his cousin Justice. They ran away to Johannesburg instead, arriving there in 1941. There he worked as a mine security officer and after meeting Walter Sisulu, an estate agent, he was introduced to Lazer Sidelsky. He then did his articles through a firm of attorneys – Witkin, Eidelman and Sidelsky. He completed his BA through the University of South Africa and went back to Fort Hare for his graduation in 1943.

Nelson Mandela

South Africa Cape Town

I'm pretty sure these pictures explain everything you need to know about Rugby. 

A Bosnian's everyday life in the 80's

Here's a map so you know what I'm talking about.

Here is a quick overview of their history. The Bosnian's are incredibly tied to ethnic and religious identity. Most Bosnian's are Muslim and their culture greatly resembles that of Turkey. Bosnia has a long history of peace among their main three ethnic groups until Milosevic rose to power in 1989. He was an extremist politician who stirred the people up for trouble and filled them with distrust. In 1992 when Bosnia declared Independence the government began campaigns of ethnic cleansing leaving millions dead, wounded, and homeless. 

 Bosnian food has been influenced by both Turkish and Eastern European traditions. Grilled meat is very popular along with cabbage-based dishes. "Bosanski Ionacis" a cabbage and meat stew. "Cevapciciare" are lamb sausages that often are eaten with a flat bread called "calledsomun." Desserts in all different flavors can be found all over. "burekandpida" which is a meat pie layered with cheese, "zeljanica" a spinach pie, and "sirnica" a cheese pie, are served as main dishes. "Baklava" is a Turkish pastry made of "phyllo" dough layered with nuts and honey, it is a popular dessert, just like the apple cake called "tufahije." "Kefir" is a thin yogurt drink which is very popular. Another popular drink is the Turkish coffee and a kind of tea called "salep." Homemade brandy called "calledrakija" is a popular alcoholic drink. People now do not use Alcohol much because of the Muslim influence, it even goes as far as being banned in some parts of the country!

he current generation of children has witnessed unspeakable atrocities. Children were a prime target of snipers, especially in Sarajevo. Survivors suffer flashbacks, nightmares, andsevere depression; in one survey, 90 percent of children surveyed in Sarajevo declared that they did not want to live. The country will be dealing with the effect of the war on these children for years.

Education is free and mandatory for children between the ages of seven and fourteen. There are Muslim schools where students study the Koran and Islamic law in addition to secular subjects and where boys and girls are taught in separate classrooms.

The educational system has been hard hit by the war. Schools were common targets of Serb mortar attacks, and many were forced to close. Some makeshift schools were organized in homes, but many children were left with no access to education. Since 1995, many schools have reopened.

The current generation of kids in Bosnia have been through horrible things. In Sarajevo, Bosnia, kids were the main targets of snipers. That generation suffers from flashbacks, nightmares, depression, and 90% of children in Sarajevo declared that they did not want to live. The country will be dealing with the effect of the war on these children for years.

Education is free and mandatory for children between the ages of seven and fourteen. There are Muslim schools where students study the Koran and Islamic law in addition to secular subjects and where boys and girls are taught in separate classrooms.

The educational system has been hard hit by the war. Schools were common targets of Serb mortar attacks, and many were forced to close. Some makeshift schools were organized in homes, but many children were left with no access to education. Since 1995, many schools have reopened.

A kid plays while wearing a United Nations helmet.

A scenic view in Bosnia.  

East berlin

The people in the Soviet always had a want for normal things that people today have easy access to. Things like denim jeans, and oranges. Another thing they didn't have that they have today are DJ's. Sounds funny, I know, but people would wait in lines for hours trying to get a ticket to go to a "concert."

Jeans in Russia were the unofficial symbol of a democracy in fashion. Anyone who had a pair was coveted be anyone who didn't have a pair. To get a pair you would have had to go to extreme length to get a pair. The people in Russia got their first pair of jeans in the 1950's when Moscow hosted the World Festival of Youth and Students. From then on jeans represented everything the Russia needed. At first jeans were banned from Russia, which meant that you could get fired from your job, or worse you could be expelled. Jeans were first really worn by sailors or diplomat's kids. They brought them in from other places. People would often go to jail because they would try to smuggle jeans in from across the border.

In a radio interview talking about the relationship between West and East Germany it brought up the trust between them. The common everyday people had to trust each other. In East Germany the people didn't have the rights to allow them to host a radio show telling whatever they wanted, so they needed help from the west side. After recording what was happening on their side, the people on the east side would smuggle the tapes to the other side, which the people would then radio broadcast. There had to be trust between the two of them that the west wouldn't edit everything out, and the east were actually doing what they said they were doing.

What a strange way to live your life, not even being able to do normal everyday stuff freely. It would be interesting to know what the Russians thought of East Berlin. They would seem to relate to each other.

Berlin Wall



Jeans were to die for! (Sometimes literally)


Oranges were an exotic not seen very much fruit in Russia in the 80's.



A dairy store.



A bus station.

Back to the Future!

In the movie Back to the Future, Marty McFly goes from 1985 to 1955 where the town is looking quite different. From 55' to 85' I feel like they lost innocence but gained more rights. An example of this is the movie theater in 55' gets turned into a pornography show. The film seemed to be right about racism in the fifties. In the fifties, black people pretty much had the worst or lowest jobs.
The mayor of Hill Valley was working in the ice cream parlor when he was a teen in 1955. When he thought running for mayor sounded good, the response was, "A man of your color! No way!" In the 80's, his color did not stop him from being mayor. Other differences were that the kids were more aware of the dangers of smoking and drinking in the 80's compared to the 50's. The teens in the eighties seemed more mature.

In 1985 they talked about the future. Now we don't seem to care about the future beyond two years. The only thing we look forward to in the future is movies coming out soon. (AKA Star wars, Sherlock season 4, and others.)  It is like we gave up the hope of flying cars and such because either the fuel is too expensive or other problems. Marty gave me in 2016 the "new" idea of the open, unzipped vest, as he wore it in 1985.

Marty McFly is a hopeful musician who is dating a girl name Jennifer Parker. He lives in Hill Valley, California with his dad George McFly, who gets bullied by a man named Biff, his mom Lorraine, who is overweight, depressed, and an alcoholic, his brother Dave, who works at the local Burger King, and his sister Linda, who is complaining about not having a life or meeting any boys. When Linda complains and brings up boys, Lorraine reminisces about how she met George, he was "bird watching" in a tree and fell, right in front of her father's moving car.


A "flying" car!




Movies to look forward to.




The clock in Doc's time machine to tell you the destination time, present time, and coming from.



The time machine works to the amazement of Doc and Marty.




The poster for Back to the Future.