What is an individual life worth? Do our lives have equal value? Struggling with these questions led me to my belief.
After Sept. 11, I confronted the challenge of placing a value on human life by calculating different amounts of compensation for each and every victim. The law required that I give more money to the stockbroker, the bond trader and the banker than to the waiter, the policeman, the fireman and the soldier at the Pentagon. This is what happens every day in courtrooms throughout our nation. Our system of justice has always been based upon this idea — that compensation for death should be directly related to the financial circumstances of each victim.
But as I met with the 9/11 families and wrestled with issues surrounding the valuation of lives lost, I began to question this basic premise of our legal system. Trained in the law, I had always accepted that no two lives were worth the same in financial terms. But now I found the law in conflict with my growing belief in the equality of all life. "Mr. Feinberg, my husband was a fireman and died a hero at the World Trade Center. Why are you giving me less money than the banker who represented Enron? Why are you demeaning the memory of my husband?"
My response was defensive and unconvincing. At first I gave the standard legal argument — that I was not evaluating the intrinsic moral worth of any individual. I was basing my decision on the law, just as juries did every day. But this explanation fell on deaf ears. Grieving families couldn't hear it. And I didn't believe it myself.
I was engaged in a personal struggle. I felt it would make more sense for Congress to provide the same amount of public compensation to each and every victim — to declare, in effect, that all lives are equal. But in this case, the law prevailed.
Last year, however, in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings and the deaths of 32 victims, I was again asked to design and administer a compensation system, this one privately funded. And I realized that Feinberg the citizen should trump Feinberg the lawyer. My legal training would no longer stand in the way. This time all victims — students and faculty alike — would receive the same compensation.
In the case of Sept. 11, if there is a next time, and Congress again decides to award public compensation, I hope the law will declare that all life should be treated the same. Courtrooms, judges, lawyers and juries are not the answer when it comes to public compensation. I have resolved my personal conflict and have learned a valuable lesson at the same time. I believe that public compensation should avoid financial distinctions which only fuel the hurt and grief of the survivors. I believe all lives should be treated the same.
- -by Kenneth Feinberg
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Summary:
He believes that public compensation should avoid financial distinctions which only fuel the hurt and grief of the survivors.
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Vocabulary:
1.compensation
2.wrestled
3.represented
4.intrinsic
5.engaged
6.resolved
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Useful Words:
1.circumstances
2.demeaning
3.evaluating
4.grieving
5.declare
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2008年5月26日 星期一
2008年5月16日 星期五
I Am Not My Body
I believe I am not my body.
Every day, we see images of perfect bodies we can never have, and we become convinced our bodies are who we are. Passing through puberty, into adulthood and now into middle age, I've wasted a lot of time lamenting the size of my hips, the gray in my hair, and the lines in my face. Finally, as I approach my 50s, I believe my parents were right all along: I am not my body.
I was born in 1959, at the tail end of the baby boom. Unfortunately I arrived without all my body parts fully intact. My left arm is a short stub with a small hand and three fingers, reminiscent of a thalidomide defect. To my good fortune, I had superb parents. They were fighters who struck "I can't" from my vocabulary, and replaced it with "I will find a way." They believed the development of the mind, heart and soul determine who you are and who you will become. My body was not to be used as an excuse; instead it was a catalyst.
My body was not neglected, though. It endured surgery; it was dragged to physical therapy, then to swimming, and finally to yoga. But it was not the focus of my life. I was taught to respect my body, but to remember that it was only a vehicle that carried the important things: my brain and soul. Moreover, I was taught that bodies come in all shapes, colors and sizes, and that everyone was struggling in some way with their physical inadequacies. Infomercials have convinced me this must be true, although through adolescence I found it difficult to believe the cheerleading squad had any self-doubts.
In my alternately formed body, I have learned lessons about patience, determination, frustration and success. This body can't play the piano or climb rock walls, but it taught all the neighborhood kids to eat with their feet, a skill it learned in the children's hospital. Eventually it learned to tie shoes, crossed a stage to pick up a college diploma, backpacked through Europe and changed my baby's diapers.
Some people think I am my body and treat me with prejudice or pity. Some are just curious. It took years, but I have learned to ignore the stares and just smile back. My body has taught me to respect my fellow humans — even the thin, able-bodied, beautiful ones.
I am my words, my ideas and my actions. I am filled with love, humor, ambition and intelligence. This I believe: I am your fellow human being and, like you, I am so much more than a body.
- -By Lisa Sandin
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Summary:
Unfortunately she arrived without all her body parts fully intact.
Some people think she is her body and treat her with prejudice or pity... It took years, but she has learned to ignore the stares and just smile back.
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Vocaulary:
1.puberty
2.lamenting
3.stub
4.reminiscent
5.thalidomide
6.therapy
7.inadequacies
8.prejudice
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Useful Words:
1.intact
2.defect
3.fortune
4.development
5.neglected
6.endure
7.ambition
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The writer's body has alittle disabled, but she did't abase herself. Although she has something different from other people she did't shut herself in a small circle instead, she . She try her best to do everything.
Actually many people who was disable in the accident or inbred, they don't like people to have pity for them or to feel sorry for them. They don't like the feeling that they are different from others, instead, they are desirous that people can treat them as man in the street not to take exaggerative compassion on them. Although their body is imperfect, they don't think it is deplorable. Because it can't represent anything. The most imporant are their motive power to do everything, their emotion, their wisdom to deal with the problem, their honesty, and their goodness of human nature.
Every day, we see images of perfect bodies we can never have, and we become convinced our bodies are who we are. Passing through puberty, into adulthood and now into middle age, I've wasted a lot of time lamenting the size of my hips, the gray in my hair, and the lines in my face. Finally, as I approach my 50s, I believe my parents were right all along: I am not my body.
I was born in 1959, at the tail end of the baby boom. Unfortunately I arrived without all my body parts fully intact. My left arm is a short stub with a small hand and three fingers, reminiscent of a thalidomide defect. To my good fortune, I had superb parents. They were fighters who struck "I can't" from my vocabulary, and replaced it with "I will find a way." They believed the development of the mind, heart and soul determine who you are and who you will become. My body was not to be used as an excuse; instead it was a catalyst.
My body was not neglected, though. It endured surgery; it was dragged to physical therapy, then to swimming, and finally to yoga. But it was not the focus of my life. I was taught to respect my body, but to remember that it was only a vehicle that carried the important things: my brain and soul. Moreover, I was taught that bodies come in all shapes, colors and sizes, and that everyone was struggling in some way with their physical inadequacies. Infomercials have convinced me this must be true, although through adolescence I found it difficult to believe the cheerleading squad had any self-doubts.
In my alternately formed body, I have learned lessons about patience, determination, frustration and success. This body can't play the piano or climb rock walls, but it taught all the neighborhood kids to eat with their feet, a skill it learned in the children's hospital. Eventually it learned to tie shoes, crossed a stage to pick up a college diploma, backpacked through Europe and changed my baby's diapers.
Some people think I am my body and treat me with prejudice or pity. Some are just curious. It took years, but I have learned to ignore the stares and just smile back. My body has taught me to respect my fellow humans — even the thin, able-bodied, beautiful ones.
I am my words, my ideas and my actions. I am filled with love, humor, ambition and intelligence. This I believe: I am your fellow human being and, like you, I am so much more than a body.
- -By Lisa Sandin
－ － － － － － － － － － － －
Summary:
Unfortunately she arrived without all her body parts fully intact.
Some people think she is her body and treat her with prejudice or pity... It took years, but she has learned to ignore the stares and just smile back.
－ － － － － － － － － － － －
Vocaulary:
1.puberty
2.lamenting
3.stub
4.reminiscent
5.thalidomide
6.therapy
7.inadequacies
8.prejudice
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Useful Words:
1.intact
2.defect
3.fortune
4.development
5.neglected
6.endure
7.ambition
－ － － － － － － － － － － －
The writer's body has alittle disabled, but she did't abase herself. Although she has something different from other people she did't shut herself in a small circle instead, she . She try her best to do everything.
Actually many people who was disable in the accident or inbred, they don't like people to have pity for them or to feel sorry for them. They don't like the feeling that they are different from others, instead, they are desirous that people can treat them as man in the street not to take exaggerative compassion on them. Although their body is imperfect, they don't think it is deplorable. Because it can't represent anything. The most imporant are their motive power to do everything, their emotion, their wisdom to deal with the problem, their honesty, and their goodness of human nature.
2008年5月15日 星期四
Movie - - Iron Man
He speeds into battle in a fiery flash, laying waste to all challengers. That's not just "Iron Man" but the film's likely box-office outcome too.From a surprise sneak peek at July's Comic-Con convention through its teaser trailer launch in October and TV spots during February's Super Bowl and "Lost" premiere, "Iron Man" has been assembling a towering wave of momentum. But is it a tsunami? When the first meaningful audience tracking surveys rolled in early last week, Paramount and Marvel Studios had to say "Iron Man" sure was looking like one.
Movie studios and exhibitors are desperate for a hit, with 2008 attendance down more than 6% compared with a year ago and last weekend's total grosses down almost 20% versus the same weekend in 2007, according to the research firm Media by Numbers. Several of the year's higher-profile releases, including films from George Clooney ("Leatherheads"), Will Ferrell ("Semi-Pro") and Jodie Foster ("Nim's Island"), all faltered. Relief from some of the summer's biggest guns -- "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" and " Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" -- won't come until mid- and late May.
But when "Iron Man" hits theaters on May 2, it may single-handedly launch what is Hollywood's most important (and profitable) season and help lift the business out of its doldrums.
As is the industry habit, both Paramount and Marvel are trying to manage expectations downward. They note (accurately, as it turns out) that Iron Man is hardly as popular a comic book character as Spider-Man or Hulk, that almost all school-age kids will still be in classes when the film opens and that this weekend's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and May 2's "Made of Honor" will grab some of "Iron Man's" harder-to-get female patrons.
Movie studios and exhibitors are desperate for a hit, with 2008 attendance down more than 6% compared with a year ago and last weekend's total grosses down almost 20% versus the same weekend in 2007, according to the research firm Media by Numbers. Several of the year's higher-profile releases, including films from George Clooney ("Leatherheads"), Will Ferrell ("Semi-Pro") and Jodie Foster ("Nim's Island"), all faltered. Relief from some of the summer's biggest guns -- "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" and " Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" -- won't come until mid- and late May.
But when "Iron Man" hits theaters on May 2, it may single-handedly launch what is Hollywood's most important (and profitable) season and help lift the business out of its doldrums.
As is the industry habit, both Paramount and Marvel are trying to manage expectations downward. They note (accurately, as it turns out) that Iron Man is hardly as popular a comic book character as Spider-Man or Hulk, that almost all school-age kids will still be in classes when the film opens and that this weekend's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and May 2's "Made of Honor" will grab some of "Iron Man's" harder-to-get female patrons.
That said, some rival studio executives and producers -- having looked at "Iron Man's" strong tracking numbers ¡X are now saying the film could be one of the summer's top hits, especially since Paramount and Marvel have spent only 30% of their advertising dollars so far.
Directed by "Elf's" Jon Favreau, "Iron Man" stars Robert Downey Jr. as arms manufacturer Tony Stark. Captured by Middle Eastern guerrillas who force him to build a missile, a wounded Stark instead constructs a protective iron suit that allows him to escape. Once free and back in Malibu, Stark secretly refines his design, turning himself into a more peace-minded crusader. His about-face might worry longtime assistant Pepper Potts ( Gwyneth Paltrow), but it really ticks off business partner Obadiah Stane ( Jeff Bridges). Before long, Stark's Iron Man faces a very bad boardroom revolt.
Because the character resides in the middle rungs of Marvel's superhero ladder, below not only Spider-Man and Hulk but also X-Men and the Fantastic Four, equivalent movie comparisons are problematic. "X-Men," which helped launch the modern comic-book revival, premiered with US$54.5 million in 2000. Two years later, the first "Spider-Man" opened to US$114.8 million, followed a year later with "Hulk" at US$62.1 million. In 2005, "The Fantastic Four" opened with receipts of US$56.1 million.
Directed by "Elf's" Jon Favreau, "Iron Man" stars Robert Downey Jr. as arms manufacturer Tony Stark. Captured by Middle Eastern guerrillas who force him to build a missile, a wounded Stark instead constructs a protective iron suit that allows him to escape. Once free and back in Malibu, Stark secretly refines his design, turning himself into a more peace-minded crusader. His about-face might worry longtime assistant Pepper Potts ( Gwyneth Paltrow), but it really ticks off business partner Obadiah Stane ( Jeff Bridges). Before long, Stark's Iron Man faces a very bad boardroom revolt.
Because the character resides in the middle rungs of Marvel's superhero ladder, below not only Spider-Man and Hulk but also X-Men and the Fantastic Four, equivalent movie comparisons are problematic. "X-Men," which helped launch the modern comic-book revival, premiered with US$54.5 million in 2000. Two years later, the first "Spider-Man" opened to US$114.8 million, followed a year later with "Hulk" at US$62.1 million. In 2005, "The Fantastic Four" opened with receipts of US$56.1 million.
Still, there's telling strength hiding inside "Iron Man's" audience surveys, box-office experts say. While some "Iron Man" doubters worry that the film's female appeal is too far behind its male interest to yield a true, all-demographic blockbuster (men are almost twice as interested in "Iron Man" as are women), a close look at the numbers tells a different tale.
The film's female interest is roughly comparable to where it was for "Hulk," "Transformers" (which opened to US$70.5 million last July) and the R-rated "300" (which grossed US$70.9 million in its premiere in March) two weeks before those films hit theaters.
And with the acclaimed Downey and the Oscar-winning Paltrow in leading roles and mostly favorable reviews expected, "Iron Man" should also draw strongly among more discriminating ¡X older, put less diplomatically -- moviegoers. There's little, in other words, to hold it back.
Paramount, which is marketing and distributing the movie that Marvel paid for as its first self-financed production, notes that only two non-sequels ("Spider-Man" and "The Passion of the Christ") have ever grossed more than US$80 million in their first three-day weekends. Even if "Iron Man" (which cost US$135 million to make) grosses US$50 million in its first weekend, it will be headed toward profitability and have everybody at Paramount and Marvel beaming.
Ads for "Iron Man" say "Heroes aren't born. They're built." And Paramount and Marvel have constructed their own box-office behemoth. Don't be surprised if it takes in as much as US$70 million on opening weekend.
The film's female interest is roughly comparable to where it was for "Hulk," "Transformers" (which opened to US$70.5 million last July) and the R-rated "300" (which grossed US$70.9 million in its premiere in March) two weeks before those films hit theaters.
And with the acclaimed Downey and the Oscar-winning Paltrow in leading roles and mostly favorable reviews expected, "Iron Man" should also draw strongly among more discriminating ¡X older, put less diplomatically -- moviegoers. There's little, in other words, to hold it back.
Paramount, which is marketing and distributing the movie that Marvel paid for as its first self-financed production, notes that only two non-sequels ("Spider-Man" and "The Passion of the Christ") have ever grossed more than US$80 million in their first three-day weekends. Even if "Iron Man" (which cost US$135 million to make) grosses US$50 million in its first weekend, it will be headed toward profitability and have everybody at Paramount and Marvel beaming.
Ads for "Iron Man" say "Heroes aren't born. They're built." And Paramount and Marvel have constructed their own box-office behemoth. Don't be surprised if it takes in as much as US$70 million on opening weekend.
- -By John Horn, Los Angeles Times
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Summary:
The team which make the film - Iron Man - spent time, effort, and money to accomplish a popular movie. A rate of ticketing is higher than many movies. Compared with other movies, Iron Man gain much more profit, because it is top-grossing in the America even in the whole world. Iron Man is a box-office big movie.－ － － － － － － － － － － － －
Voabulary:
1.sneak2.towering
3.momentum
4.versus
5.patrons
6.rival
7.guerrillas
8.boardroom
9.premiere
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Useful Words:
1.desperate
2.captured
3.expectation .
4.protective
5.assembling
6.executive
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Few weeks ago, My friends and I went to see the movie - Iron Man - in Miramar cinemas. It has a special attraction for me. The story of a play is tautness.
The story is talk about there is a person who has a hundred million personal wealth. He is an enterpriser and inventor. his company has a high prestige in the world. One day he grasped on both sides by the arms and he have no choice but to make a destructive weapon. He make a weapon and make an iron covering simultaneously, he is not only make a living to hisself but also assist many people who need help. Above-mentioned is a little plot of story.
I learned something from this movie is that maybe our brst friend or our partner for the sake of fame and wealth and sacrifice friend. And Iron Man is really great man he always try his best to help people, I think I should help people as possible I can.
2008年5月14日 星期三
A Musician of Many Cultures
I believe in the infinite variety of human expression.
I grew up in three cultures: I was born in Paris, my parents were from China and I was brought up mostly in America. When I was young, this was very confusing: everyone said that their culture was best, but I knew they couldn't all be right.
I felt that there was an expectation that I would choose to be Chinese or French or American. For many years I bounced among the three, trying on each but never being wholly comfortable. I hoped I wouldn't have to choose, but I didn't know what that meant and how exactly to "not choose."
However, the process of trying on each culture taught me something. As I struggled to belong, I came to understand what made each one unique. At that point, I realized that I didn't need to choose one culture to the exclusion of another, but instead I could choose from all three.
The values I selected would become part of who I was, but no one culture needed to win. I could honor the cultural depth and longevity of my Chinese heritage, while feeling just as passionate about the deep artistic traditions of the French and the American commitment to opportunity and the future.
So, rather than settling on any one of the cultures in which I grew up, I now choose to explore many more cultures and find elements to love in each. Every day I make an effort to go toward what I don't understand. This wandering leads to the accidental learning that continually shapes my life.
As I work in music today, I try to implement this idea — that the music I play, like me, doesn't belong to only one culture. In recent years, I have explored many musical traditions.
Along the way, I have met musicians who share a belief in the creative power that exists at the intersection of cultures. These musicians have generously become my guides to their traditions. Thanks to them and their music I have found new meaning in my own music making.
It is extraordinary the way people, music and cultures develop. The paths and experiences that guide them are unpredictable. Shaped by our families, neighborhoods, cultures and countries, each of us ultimately goes through this process of incorporating what we learn with who we are and who we seek to become. As we struggle to find our individual voices, I believe we must look beyond the voice we've been assigned, and find our place among the tones and timbre of human expression.
I grew up in three cultures: I was born in Paris, my parents were from China and I was brought up mostly in America. When I was young, this was very confusing: everyone said that their culture was best, but I knew they couldn't all be right.
I felt that there was an expectation that I would choose to be Chinese or French or American. For many years I bounced among the three, trying on each but never being wholly comfortable. I hoped I wouldn't have to choose, but I didn't know what that meant and how exactly to "not choose."
However, the process of trying on each culture taught me something. As I struggled to belong, I came to understand what made each one unique. At that point, I realized that I didn't need to choose one culture to the exclusion of another, but instead I could choose from all three.
The values I selected would become part of who I was, but no one culture needed to win. I could honor the cultural depth and longevity of my Chinese heritage, while feeling just as passionate about the deep artistic traditions of the French and the American commitment to opportunity and the future.
So, rather than settling on any one of the cultures in which I grew up, I now choose to explore many more cultures and find elements to love in each. Every day I make an effort to go toward what I don't understand. This wandering leads to the accidental learning that continually shapes my life.
As I work in music today, I try to implement this idea — that the music I play, like me, doesn't belong to only one culture. In recent years, I have explored many musical traditions.
Along the way, I have met musicians who share a belief in the creative power that exists at the intersection of cultures. These musicians have generously become my guides to their traditions. Thanks to them and their music I have found new meaning in my own music making.
It is extraordinary the way people, music and cultures develop. The paths and experiences that guide them are unpredictable. Shaped by our families, neighborhoods, cultures and countries, each of us ultimately goes through this process of incorporating what we learn with who we are and who we seek to become. As we struggle to find our individual voices, I believe we must look beyond the voice we've been assigned, and find our place among the tones and timbre of human expression.
By Yo-Yo Ma
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Summary:
He grew up in three cultures, everyone said that their culture was best, but he knew they couldn't all be right.Rather than settling on any one of the cultures in which he grew up, he choose to explore many more cultures and find elements to love in each.
He work in music today, In recent years, he have explored many musical traditions.
He believes we must look beyond the voice we've been assigned, and find our place among the tones and timbre of human expression.
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Voabulary:
1.infinite
2.longevity
3.commitment
4.implement
5.extraordinary
6.incorporating
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Useful Words:
1.struggled
2.unique
3.realized
4.passionate
5.heritage
6.generously
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I like to linten the music very much. Such as, Piano, violin, flute, trumpet, guitar, and so on. My parents buy some CDs many years ago, the CD contents are many music from Yo-Yo Ma. When I listen that CD, I feel comfortable and it can clam me down.
This article's main idea is CULTURE. I think different cultures have different feature and prerogatives, they have no definite "the best" or "the worst". Different cultures should communicate with each other instead of having antagonism.
I like to get in touch with the different cultures in many ways that I can widen my knowledge, enrich my experience, and broaden my horizons.
I love the culture in many country, city, and state. If oneday I had ability to touch in many cultures, I hope the way I get touch with is that I could travel around the world and to experience different cultures.
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