hackers won again

Most of us must have heard about Sony's computers being hacked. It might seem ridicuolus that another stupid, and surely fictional movie, cannot be released because of threatens of hackers. But the issue doesn't seem to be ridicoulus, it turnes into political and international issue, commented in many countries. 

The movie's about two guys who go to North Korea and fictinally kill a korean leader. I guess it's one of those movies like "Hangover", not really serious or with a strong political topic. But in the end of november there was an hacker's attack on Sony's computers, which caused data deletion and stealing some important information and password that nobody was suposed to know. What is more, the hackers threatened with an attack similar to 11-S if they will if they company won't cancel the premiere of the movie.

So it's natural to think it was the North Korean attack, which was supose to stop showing a movie that is refering to the regime and killing the leader. After the investigation the FBI concludes it was the North Korea behind the attacks.

My knowledge about the world political issues is not really deep so I don't want to analyse or investigate. I just think I'm torn when I hear the news about that - on the one hand, we shouldn't give way to hackers and the regime which is trying to hide the truth and forbid the others talking about that, although it's obvious. On the other hand, I think that it would be not really deep movie, so it's not that much about freedom of speech. And if there is any risk of an attempt where people can die - then there is no place for a discussion. Anyway, all that thing is a little but depressing. 

that's gonna be a christmas post

That might be the most boring topic of that time, but I find truly disturbing the fact that we still talk about not going crazy about presents, but do nothing about that.

It's the most present topic in churches and media, and social media - don't buy expensive presents, just spend time with your family and friends, or at least be creative and prepare some handmade gifts. Well, I supose the most of us (including me) will agree that Christmas is not about shopping centers and ho-ho-ho craziness...

We're not supose to concentrate on material stuff. We all know that but we keep buying, and worrying about prices, and good manners - should I buy a present for my boss or for that friend of my friend? Consumerism is all over, especially on the West. I think getting rid of that attitude is not that hard, it's about trying and changing our habits. Also it's important to do it by little steps, like thinking about good presents earlier, and trying to enrich them with our personal accent.

Here I put something that looks really tasty. I can't make it, but it still looks great:

And it's December 17th, I have some ideas about my presents, but actually my friends/family members told me what would be great for them, and that's what I am going to buy. I'm not sure if that already is a good step...I failed this year too, because I did think about all christmas stuff earlier, but I didn't DO anything concrete. 

Also I'm not sure if Iwill have time to put some personal accent in those presents. Maybe at least some kind of cards... Well, if I do that, I surely will write that down HERE! So somebody could be a little bit proud of me. For example me.

Interstellar - not sure if like it or not

Hearing so many positive opinions about "Interstellar" movie made me go to the cinema, and I don't go to do cinema often. I also got convinced that another movie of that director (Christopher Nolan) would be an interesting piece of art to see, and it might be better to see it on a big screen. So I went. 

Below you have a trailer of Interstellar.

I don't think it's a proper moment to describe whole action, all you have to know is that the effects of global warming (I assume it's because of it) are getting worse and worse, so it's obvious that people on the earth are losing a safe place to live. Randomly turns out that NASA is exploring space so they can find another planet to live (a main character and his daughter find a secret NASA station). And then...mostly we're floating in a space with Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey.

While watching a movie, I had mixed feelings, and I am torn right now. It's hard to say if I liked that movie. Well, I can say it was interesting, whole the plot was absorbing and also moving. Well, my problem is that I cry a lot at every movie that is at least one bit moving, so that's another thing. So generally, it was a well spent money.

On the other hand, it was so not real, I mean it could be real, the future of our planet etc but the whole thing, when dad and his daughter find a NASA station and it turns out that daddy is the only pilot on the earth that can lead that mission, it's incredible, almost funny.

I expected it would be awesome, and it was just a fine way to spend evening. And one another thing: I remembered mostly how much I was fighting for a comfortable position...The movie lasted almost 3 hours and now I think that I might be too old for sitting in a movie theater for so long, and instead, even if the movie requires a big screen, I will watch it at home, have breaks whenever I want, etc. This is the lesson I learned thanks to that movie.

being a reporter

I would like to write a little bit about something that is occupying my mind recently quite a lot, which is a profession of reporter/war correspondent. I was always a huge fan of Ryszard Kapuscinski's books and i read next one last month, and it really bothers me, how interesting person he was and how amazing books he wrote.

The first reportage of Kapuscinski that I read was 'Lapidaria' (different parts), a mix of his thoughts and very short descriptions of some experience, many times accompannying by very apt reflexion.
Then I read 'Heban', 'Imperium' and 'Wojna futbolowa'. These are extremely interesting and also quite depressing books - you realize how different worlds are other continents, for example Africa and Southern America. Also you realize that you would never be so brave and desperate to know other cultures like Kapuscinski and other reporters were/are. When they heard about another war in Kongo (Kapuscinski and his friend from Chech Republic), they organized a rapid trip to Africa to be A PART OF IT. They weren't worried about their lives, their families, their health, the beastly temperatures or bugs of all type. That is what I am afraid of when I think about a possibility of going to Africa, and their only problem was to get there as soon as they could.
I think this is something you have to be born with - extreme interest that won't prevent you from going anywhere.

Another quality a reporter has is a respect. It seem to be something that every human (at least should) has for other humans, but certainly we know it's not always working. It is about something bigger than normal respect, it is, ata least for me, once again extreme. Kapuscinski watches cruelties of african tribes, and he is NOT JUDGING. Not at all! He is just observing and trying to understand and explain, why they are who they are and this is what impresses me the most, because when I see violence I'm getting really angry about 'why they killing themselves all the time'?
But not Kapuscinski - he knows that, although they seem to be cruel and kill others without a proper, higher reason, they must have been formed this way by some circumstances.

That reporter was purposely getting into the worst kettle, wars and adversity, to discover and understand how world works, how politics affects random people and their lives. I think I would be very bad reporter. And, therefore, I'm very grateful that Kapuscinski left us books that can change our way of seeing things, at least it worked for me.

The most beautiful kiss

I would like to describe a painting that I consider to be one of the most beautiful I know - it's a work of Gustaw Klimmt and it's called The Kiss. Below you have a painting:

 

The Kiss is one of the most famous paintings of Gustaw Klimmt. It was painted at the beginnings of the twentieth century and belongs to vienesse secession. It is said that the painting was created in the "Golden period" of his career, when he was mesmerized by the gold.

At first blush the work seem to be a multiple warm and deep colours, without any concrete shapes. But if we look closely at it, we see shapes emerging from a picture. At the centre of it there is a man and a woman in a passionate clinch. They are standing at the edge of a meadow full of colourful flowers and both wear robes with different patterns: a man's robe is yellow with black and white rectangles of different size, and the woman's robe, also yellow, has oval shapes of different colours. The couple wears some kind of a crown made of flowers.They are very close to each other, a man is holding a woman's head in his hands, like he wanted to keep her right to him.

The colours of the cloths are extremely warm and similar to each other, light yellow of man's robe turns slightly into dark yellow robe of his, as we can assume, beloved. The background, though, doesn't seem to be as bright as a couple. The warm shade of yellow cloths converts into almost brown tint of the background, at some places punctures tiny glaring lights, like golden stars.

Generally speaking, the painting reminds mosaics and illuminated manuscripts, because of it's sensual and opulent shapes reflects the spirit of the times of fin de siecle and the decadence.

Although it's a very famous and known painting, I still think it's my favourite. I'm not a specialist if it comes to an art, but certainly I don't enjoy watching classic paintings of great painters, although I understand that those are masterpieces. What I always enjoyed were surrealstic paintings of Salvador Dali and works of Gustaw Klimmt. They always make me think what they mean. And the painting I just described always makes me feel warm and almost jelaous of love I see at the picture ;-) I don't only admire it because it is so bright and sensual, but also its technique, because I can't imagine myself painting such a masterpiece.

Happy Easter

It's incredible how I enjoyed my Easter this year. I like spending some days with my family every christmas and every easter, but it also turns into fights, discussions and there's a moment when you can't stand the noise.

This year it was a wonderful time. Of course we were fighting a bit and doing some other stuff that families usually do, but i feel so much better! A fiancee of my sister came to spend easter with us, actually, we were travelling home with him on his car with some other friends. It was a trip like from a movie - we were laughing all the time and talking about Russia and war, and even politics, and we didn't got in a fight.

Then I spent three peaceful and calm days with my family, we were eating, meeting my aunts and uncles, taking rest, and playing Scrabble. I won twice, so it's a miracle. We also found out my aunt is pregnant - which is amazing! I really cross my fingers - she is 44 and had some problems with having a baby earlier, so it's quite dangerous pregnancy. Anyway, we all are really happy to get a new baby in our family:)

I don't know what is the key to rest deeply during holidays at my home - to spend maximum 3 days, or have a great weather, or maybe win scrabble, or visit my village? Maybe all those little things contributed to spending that time so well. I also have to admit that without my computer, and facebook, and all the problems, I felt so relieved and free... It's normally quite hard to avoid the use of the computer, but I believe that when christmas/easter is coming - the feeling of resting is stronger.

Now I would say I wait for Corpus Christi weekend, but during this weekend I have an oral exam, so it's ruined. High five to UAM!  

There are so many movies and life is so short

Today I wanted to share my true enjoy after watching the movie American Hustle. It got about 10 nominations to Oscar award, and won many different awards, which is understandable, because the movie is really good.

I usually don't know what happens in Hollywood and all the world of movies, I never look what movies won Oscar and who is the best actor of the year. But this weekend I was so sick that the only thing I could do was watch some movies, so I remembered that my friend told me about American Hustle, its nominations etc. So I watched it -and I loved it!

Although it was suppose to be some kind of criminal story, it happens to be really funny. The caracters are just so well planned, the main protagonist seems to be a young man, but his hair tell us other thing. He and his lover and partner (Amy Adams) are fraudsters, that's what do they in their lives but they both have their individual stories. I think that I liked the most the way the actors were playing their roles: Jennifer Lawrence, as always extrafunny, also Bradley Cooper with his curly hair. 

And I loved the outfits - I used to think that fashion from 1978 cannot be nice, but at the movie (I know it's  a movie, so it's not that realistic) is just perfect. I love the dresses (although women are not used to were bras) and funny looking trousers. 

Whole the plot has that something that makes it interesting, and it's good, because the movie lasts 2 hours...

Anyway, I'm not surprised that it became so famous. I wish I had more time to see films like that.