When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/12/media-misrepresents-black-men-effects-felt-real-world

The headline of the article I have read is “When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world”. The article is published in “The Guardian”.  It is written by Leigh Donaldson. The article is devoted to a negative influence of mass media on an image of black men. The author starts by telling the reader that the lives of black men in the US is affected by negative public perceptions. They are often turned away from jobs, regularly treated by police as dangerous suspects. The article goes on to say that all of these negative portrayals not only help create barriers to advancement within our society, but also “make these positions seem natural and inevitable”.
 Further the author reports that he made a study of two metropolitan Detroit dailies’ coverage of the 1967 urban riots. He make conclusion that the print media misrepresentations of facts and poorly substantiated claims about particulars of acts of violence towards people of color. He remarks that since the 1970s the treatment to black people hasn't exchanged. 

According to the article the stereotypes of African-American men such as drug-related crime, unemployment and poverty are represented in the media. Too often a spectrum of human qualities are very limited. Prowess in sports, physical achievement in general and musicality are emphasized inordinately. Common role models depicted by the media such as rap or hip-hop stars and basketball players imply limited life choices. Many important dynamics that affect black lives don’t often make it to the presses or the screens.

All of these media misrepresentations influence the black people and create problematic attitudes in audiences. People who have never interacted with a black people trust what the media tells them. But the most negative impact is upon black individuals themselves. Black boys and men actually internalize biases and stereotypes and, through their behavior, reinforce the misrepresentations. The author consider that such people become victims of perception. Also the fact that perspectives of African-American male population worsen cultural division among all people, for example, it enables companies to deny jobs, banks to decline loans and the police to shoot indiscriminately, is stressed.
The author comes to the conclusion that the media can and should choose words, images and news angles that give a fuller, more nuanced image of African-American men, as well as black history, culture and life in America, as a whole. People of color are individuals, not types.

I found the article rather interesting and useful. Firstly, such misrepresents influence the attitude of the Russian people to black men and to people of other race. Such problem exists not only in the English-speaking countries but also we have it too. Secondly, such stereotypes violate rights of people of other nationalities and colures. Finally, both America and Russia try to build the democratic state. And the author touches upon the one of the most important issue of the present. Mass media can help but at the same time can do much harm to the society. Moreover, I found this article useful because the author offers solutions of this problem.

Do you trust to mass media? Does such problem exist in your country? What solutions of this problem do you see?

Santa's real workshop: the town in China that makes the world's Christmas decorations

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2014/dec/19/santas-real-workshop-the-town-in-china-that-makes-the-worlds-christmas-decorations

The headline of article I am going to review is called “Santa's real workshop: the town in China that makes the world's Christmas decorations.” The article is written by Oliver Wainwright. It is published in “The Guardian”.The theme of the article, which closely connected with title of the article, is  Christmas decorations. The article is about the Chinese city of Yiwu, which has 600 factories that collectively churn out over 60% of all the world’s Christmas decorations and accessories.

The author starts by the description of workshop, which looks like “Anish Kapoor has been let loose with his wax cannon”. It means that red colour is everywhere. The factory workers in Yiwu put in long hours in less-than-ethical working conditions, often dealing with toxic chemicals that have the potential to cause lasting damage to their health.  Further the author tells us that Christmas isn’t made by rosy-cheeked elves hammering away in a snow-bound log cabin somewhere in the Arctic Circle. It is made by mainly migrant labourers, working 12 hours a day for a low salary a month. But they don’t imagine what Christmas is. For example, 19-year-old worker Wei works long days in the red-splattered lair and making 5,000 of the things every day. They both get through at least 10 face masks a day, trying not to breathe in the dust, and his father wears a Santa hat, in order not to be dirty with paint from head to toe in fine crimson powder. From the article we learned that the Yiwu International Trade Market is a pound shop paradise, where you can find things, which you even don’t need- artificial flowers and inflatable toys, then come umbrellas and anoraks, plastic buckets and clocks. At first it was the “largest small commodity wholesale market in the world”. But now this massive complex now losing out to internet giants like Alibaba and Made In China, because these markets are much easier to use. Although, according to Cai Qingliang, vice chairman of the Yiwu Christmas Products Industry Association, domestic appetite is on the rise, as China embraces the annual festival of Mammon. In the end the author tells that the beaming sales reps of Yiwu market are satisfied with their life sentence of eternal Christmastime, because they are sure- “Sitting here every day, being able to look at all these beautiful decorations, is really great for your mood.”

I found this article fascinating, because this article told me the interesting fact about New Year's sceneries and the markets of their sale. Inside the ‘Christmas village’ of Yiwu, there’s no snow and no elves, just 600 factories that produce 60% of all the decorations in the world.

Summing up the article, I can make a conclusion, that art and hard work of workers at factories gives to people pleasure and fantastic mood. I consider, that they must get higher salary not only because their long working day, but their ability to present New Year's mood and pleasant efforts.

Have you ever thought what country makes scenery which you bought? Is it important to you?

The article is headlined "As smoke clears, tobacco company opens lounge". It is written by Monica Davey and published on 19 January, 2006 in "The New York Times". (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/19/national/19smoke.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). The article is about a lounge for smokers that was opened in Chicago as soon as the smoking was banned.

The author starts with the description of this lounge. He says that it is a glamorous room with vintage ashtrays, delicate lighters and other things for smoking. The article goes on to say that this ban doesn't hurt tobacco business because this lounge exempts category of a "tobacco retail store" and sells alcoholic drinks, cheese plates and espresso drinks. Then the author reports about worries of antismoking advocates. For example, Bronson Frick, associate director for Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, says that the opening of this lounge makes smoking seem desirable, attractive, like a secret club. The article also includes some predictions and opinions for spreading of such lounges. For instance, Mr. Fahey consider that no one is going to stop smoking because a ban, and more and more places like this are sure to open up. William V. Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, supposes that glamorizing tobacco use will encourage young people to continue smoking or to begin doing it. But Richard A. Daynard, a law professor, says that this business won't develop. In conclusion, there are words of a citizen of Chicago, mr. Kittrel, who says that this lounge is a very good place where he can drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and read papers.

I found this article interesting because it shows that even a law can't stop smokers on their ways of ruining their health and tobacco companies on their way of earning money. What do think about about smoking ban and this lounge?

Learning holidays for teenagers

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/may/17/learning-holidays-for-young-teenagers


     The headline of the article I’m going to write about is “Learning holidays for teenagers”. It was written by Joanne O'Connor and was published in “The guardian” on the 17th of May, 2013.
     At the beginning of the article the author says that young teenagers can spend their holidays, gaining experiences that improve their CVs and university applications. The author describes eight interesting activities which teenagers can do during the holidays. She offers them to become a PGL instructor in Shropshire, mentioning that such courses can be a useful step into the world of work or further education. Joanne O'Connor introduces the Ocean Youth Trust, which offers courses for young people to work as crew members. She adds that on most sailing trips there is a mixture of teenagers and young adults from mainstream backgrounds, alongside those who have been disadvantaged in some way, whether by illness, poverty, bereavement or family problems. The third activity which is given by the Youth Hostel Association, allows young people to follow interests ranging from performing arts to watersports. The author touches upon National Trust Youth Discovery Holidays, which lets teenagers do conservation work around the UK. Also, she outlines an international summer camp, which can be a great way for young people to improve their language skills in France or Switzerland and make friends from other countries. Furthermore, Joanne O'Connor tells the reader about an opportunity to help protect coral reefs and mangrove creeks in the Bahamas. And participants learn how to identify fish species and study their behavior and take measurements while snorkeling. The author characterizes a social enterprise Global Vision International that supports conservation and community development projects around the world. Teenagers have a chance to travel to destinations from Asia to Central America, combining volunteering with cultural and adventure activities. And the last exciting activity, which Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees South offers is the opportunity to combine learning to surf with teaching computer skills to school children in the Eastern Cape.
     In conclusion I want to say that British teenagers have a great chance to spend their holidays usefully. They can make their lives more impressive and exciting, but at the same time, they have an opportunity to improve the world. There is a big choice for all tastes. And that’s why I’d like to ask. What, in your opinion, is the best activity which is described above?

The artical is headlined "Russia mocks Britain, the little island". It is written by James Kirkup and published on 5 September, 2013 in "The telegraph" (http://vk.com/away.php?utf=1&to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworldnews%2Feurope%2Frussia%2F10290243%2FRussia-mocks-Britain-the-little-island.html)
The main topic of the article is resistance between the British Prime Minister and the Russian president. Mr. Cameron has backed calls for military intervention is Syria after the Assad regime allegedly used chemical weapons. Mr. Putin has opposed intervention and questioned western claims about the attack. According Dmitry Peskov, Putin's official spokesman, britain is now diplomatically irrelevant. In the interview that followed Cameron rejected and stated that Britain would be one of the leaders in bringing forward plans for a peace process for Syria.
But in practice it is Russia that helps Syria to return to peaceful life, fighting the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Besides, it is Russia that provides the population of Syria with medicine and all the necessary things for their well-being. And I support this policy and I'm proud of my country.
And what do you think about it?
Выполнила: Арсеньева Анастасия

The article is headlined "Parents defend school's hands-behind-back walking policy". It is written by Sally Weale and published on 5 November, 2015 in "The guardian" (http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/nov/05/parents-defend-schools-hands-behind-back-walking-policy)
The author of the artical tells as about the parents' attitude to the new measure introduced in one of the primary schools in central London. The measure was to make the children walk around corridors with their hands clasped behind their backs. The opinions of the parents were sharply polarized.
Some of the parents described the new measure as "dictatorial" and others found it helpful in reinforcing good behavior . The first group of parents insisted that the schools was losing its identity. While others didn't see any problem with it. So there was a mixture of views from the parents and carers. But still they came to the conclusion that children should learn how to conduct themselves appropriately and we want them to develop pride and good judgment of what is acceptable behavior.
In my opinion children shouldn't walk with their hands clasped behind their backs, because it abuses them and violates their rights.
And whose opinion do you share?
Выполнила: Черных Дарья

Peter Magubane’s best photograph: a girl and her maid on a ‘Europeans only’ bench.

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/nov/12/peter-magubane-best-photograph-white-girl-black-maid-apartheid-south-africa

The headline of the article I have read is ‘Peter Magubane’s best photograph: a girl and her maid on a ‘Europeans only’ bench. ’ The article is written by Sian Cain. It is published in ‘The Guardian’. The article is about Peter Magubane, a black photographer who was in apartheid South Africa. The article is written in the first person. The author starts by telling the reader that it was difficult for him to get a shot openly; he had to improvise: hide his camera in a loaf of bread, a half-pint of milk, even a Bible. Although moving to another country was not included in his plans; he just   wishes for destroying apartheid. Peter writes that his editors wanted the pictures and he dreamed to become one of the greats. Peter Magubane’s best photograph was taken in 1956. On this photo a little girl and her nanny were on a bench with inscription “Europeans only” .The author pointed out that these labels – “Europeans only”, “Coloureds only” – were on everything, by order of the government. Nevertheless, the photograph was published worldwide: for a lot of countries, apartheid was the news of the day. Because of his creation Peter was arrested many times and in 1974 he was put in solitary confinement for 586 days. According to the text towards the end of 1975 Peter Magubane was released and he did not stop working despite the ban. The author came to conclusion that because of his photos, the entire world saw what was happening.

I found the article interesting and important.   Apartheid was a serious violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Under apartheid, the rights, associations, and movements of the majority black inhabitants and other ethnic groups were curtailed and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained. I think it was an injustice and a crime against human dignity.
The problem of race relations is one of the most difficult and painful side of humanity. In my opinion, people can’t humiliate and harass a person only for the color of his skin, where he is absolutely not guilty. However, this problem is relevant in our day.

What is attitude to other races in your country?