The podcast I chose to listen to was Radiolab's "An Ice-Cold Case." I chose this mainly at random, but the name was also slightly intriguing. It implied a mystery, one that may have laid dormant for years, or perhaps it was literal, and there was some sort of crime committed where temperature was important.
My initial reaction to the podcast was of confusion. I had absolutely no idea about what the format of the show was, or how it was going to be presented. A few minutes after listening, and I still had no idea. People were talking about seemingly nothing, only having a conversation on the phone. There was no explanation as to what they were doing. It took a while for me to understand the premise of the show, but I got it after a while.
This episode talked about a man found frozen under snow on the side of a mountain by a couple of hikers. Initially, the police were called to investigate a recent death. However, when they examined the body closer, they found that the man hadn't died recently, but rather 5000 years ago. The man had been perfectly preserved for thousands of years due to the constant freezing and thawing of snow every year. Researchers examined the man's body to figure out who he was, and why he had died in the spot he did. Eventually, they found that the man had been frantically running away from something before he died. They were able to track his whereabouts throughout this journey from the pollen in his body. Some types of pollen were only found in some areas, and others in other areas. This also gave them a season of the year, as this type of pollen only came out during early summer. Researchers even found that the man had come to a point of peace before his death through the perfectly preserved food in his stomach. He felt safe enough to slow down and cook a meal in the middle of running away. After his meal, it was concluded that he was shot in the back with an arrow and hit in the head with a rock, killing him. He laid in the same spot throughout history until only a few years ago when he was found.
Albeit confusing at times due to its constant back and forth between people's explanations, I found the show to be quite enjoyable. Not only was it an interesting thing to listen to, but it was produced very well. The sounds in the background sneakily mimicked the story that was being told. The sounds felt frigid, a though the listener should think they are on the same mountain as the frozen man. I say these sounds were sneaky because they felt extremely natural. I was somehow aware they were there without realizing that I was listening to them. It was a great way to experience this podcast.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Blog Response (Narrative): Parks and Recreation
Having already seen a few of the later seasons of Parks and Recreations, I thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at how the show started, and the subsequent development of the characters. I chose the pilot episode of this show to watch because pilots are notoriously raw and unrefined, giving me better insight on what I wanted to find out.
The first ten minutes or so of the episode gives the viewer a very clear idea of what the show is about. An overenthusiastic government worker in the Parks Department, Leslie Knope, sets out to please the idiotic citizens of Pawnee, Indiana by doing the small scale tasks they ask for. She takes great pride in this, too much so for the jobs she has to do, comparing herself to the most powerful women in the government. Her coworkers and boss are more characters who seem out of place in their job. Her boss, Ron Swanson, says outright that he does not like government, and wishes for it to be abolished. The other workers seem to not take their job seriously, and are generally lazy.
The plot of this episode started with a public forum where citizens could talk about the problems of their town in hopes of getting them fixed. A question is brought up about a giant hole next to someones house where their boyfriend fell in, breaking both of his legs. Leslie promises to fix the hole, but needs permission from her boss. As explained before, Ron doesn't like the government and doesn't want anything to get done. He denies Leslie the job. After a few very vague exchanges between a few characters, Ron eventually gives in.
This show has taken a huge leap since it began. It has been running for 5 seasons and has refined its style of comedy immensely. The characters now have their own personality that is easily identifiable, and the overall feeling of the show is much more upbeat. The pilot episode, like so many others in the past, was very dry. There were a few funny moments, but altogether it wouldn't seem like a very interesting show. The pacing was way too slow, with conversations lasting way too long with only a very subtle hint of humor being exchanged. However, this is very understandable. Pilot episodes are meant to explain the show, and don't really have a chance to show its true potential. Had I started watching the series from the first season, I honestly don't know if I would have continued. The comedy was too bland and was much too slow for my taste.
The first ten minutes or so of the episode gives the viewer a very clear idea of what the show is about. An overenthusiastic government worker in the Parks Department, Leslie Knope, sets out to please the idiotic citizens of Pawnee, Indiana by doing the small scale tasks they ask for. She takes great pride in this, too much so for the jobs she has to do, comparing herself to the most powerful women in the government. Her coworkers and boss are more characters who seem out of place in their job. Her boss, Ron Swanson, says outright that he does not like government, and wishes for it to be abolished. The other workers seem to not take their job seriously, and are generally lazy.
The plot of this episode started with a public forum where citizens could talk about the problems of their town in hopes of getting them fixed. A question is brought up about a giant hole next to someones house where their boyfriend fell in, breaking both of his legs. Leslie promises to fix the hole, but needs permission from her boss. As explained before, Ron doesn't like the government and doesn't want anything to get done. He denies Leslie the job. After a few very vague exchanges between a few characters, Ron eventually gives in.
This show has taken a huge leap since it began. It has been running for 5 seasons and has refined its style of comedy immensely. The characters now have their own personality that is easily identifiable, and the overall feeling of the show is much more upbeat. The pilot episode, like so many others in the past, was very dry. There were a few funny moments, but altogether it wouldn't seem like a very interesting show. The pacing was way too slow, with conversations lasting way too long with only a very subtle hint of humor being exchanged. However, this is very understandable. Pilot episodes are meant to explain the show, and don't really have a chance to show its true potential. Had I started watching the series from the first season, I honestly don't know if I would have continued. The comedy was too bland and was much too slow for my taste.
Blog Response (Documentary): Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Jiro Ono is the owner of a small shushi restaurant stationed on the bottom floor of an office building. He works tirelessly from morning until late at night, when he goes home to sleep and prepare for work the next day. Jiro is unlike many business owners of today. He is old, at 85 years, and still works his fingers to the bone, trying harder each day to improve his craft. He doesn't work for the money he makes, only for the pleasure of serving the finest sushi.
The film is separated into a few parts starting with an overview of the restaurant and how Jiro runs it. The viewer gets an excellent example of Jiro's work ethic here as it is described in the film as ceaseless, yet pleasurable. Jiro works with his sons and a few apprentices as the meticulously select and prepare fish to be made into sushi for customers. In this section, the viewer finds out how great this restaurant is from a writer who tells about how Michelin awarded the restaurant three stars for its quality, something unheard of for such a small business. There is also a short segment where a man comes in to find out about reservations to eat there. He is told that reservations must be made at least a month in advance, and that the price would start at about 30,000 yen (roughly $200). The price may be steep, but each interviewee explains that it is worth every cent. Jiro takes his craft seriously, and does not cut any corners.
Quality is a big concern for this restaurant. In the next section the viewer gets to see how each piece of food is selected. The only vendors they trust to find them quality food are ones that are experts in their field, selling only one specific item. This ensures that they know enough to select only quality cuts. Many of the vendors explain that they select the item for sale based on how they feel Jiro would like it. If it is not up to his standards, they won't sell it to anyone.
The next section shows a meal being served. Jiro works quickly, yet delicately to prepare each piece of sushi for everyone seated around his workstation. Altogether, he creates twenty pieces per person. It is explained that he has refined his craft so much that he has a specific order for serving his food. As one man explains it, it is like a symphony, with different movements for your pallet. After the dinner service is over, Jiro has a short talk with the customers and tells them how he decided to prepare and place his food. For women, he makes smaller portions so that everyone can finish at the same time. He even takes note of the customers dominant hand so that he can place the sushi down closer to it.
The last section explains the future of the restaurant. While Jiro has no inclination to retire any time soon, should anything happen to him, he feels that the restaurant is in good hands. He has taught his son for many years, and feels that he would be an excellent person to take over the restaurant. The final shots of the film show how his son manages the kitchen already, showing that he has a very skilled demeanor and a great work ethic, much like his father. The viewer is left feeling the same as Jiro, as though the restaurants quality will be preserved for the future.
Overall, this film was fantastic. The creators did a great job finding the personality in everyone in the film, and expressing that to the viewer. Throughout the film, it is explained that Jiro has changed very little since he was younger, and that is easily viewable. Although he is very disciplined in his work, and takes it very seriously, he has a very playful attitude, making jokes, and laughing at things he finds funny.
Another thing the viewer is able to experience is a slight tension because they are unsure of what will happen to the restaurant in the future. Jiro is old, as explained before, and he is said to be the best at what he does. One man who was interviewed said that even if his sons take over, and if they are just as skilled as Jiro was, that the business might not succeed. Jiro was so respected that others might not want to eat sushi that wasn't created by him. However, this tension is relieved at the very end where, as explained, the viewer is comforted by how well the son seems to be taking care of the restaurant already.
This was a seriously excellent film. Although documentaries are not something I typically watch, and I have no interest in sushi, I would recommend this film to anyone. I was entertained the entire time, forgetting that I had no previous interest in any of the topics. This proves how good of a film this was.
The film is separated into a few parts starting with an overview of the restaurant and how Jiro runs it. The viewer gets an excellent example of Jiro's work ethic here as it is described in the film as ceaseless, yet pleasurable. Jiro works with his sons and a few apprentices as the meticulously select and prepare fish to be made into sushi for customers. In this section, the viewer finds out how great this restaurant is from a writer who tells about how Michelin awarded the restaurant three stars for its quality, something unheard of for such a small business. There is also a short segment where a man comes in to find out about reservations to eat there. He is told that reservations must be made at least a month in advance, and that the price would start at about 30,000 yen (roughly $200). The price may be steep, but each interviewee explains that it is worth every cent. Jiro takes his craft seriously, and does not cut any corners.
Quality is a big concern for this restaurant. In the next section the viewer gets to see how each piece of food is selected. The only vendors they trust to find them quality food are ones that are experts in their field, selling only one specific item. This ensures that they know enough to select only quality cuts. Many of the vendors explain that they select the item for sale based on how they feel Jiro would like it. If it is not up to his standards, they won't sell it to anyone.
The next section shows a meal being served. Jiro works quickly, yet delicately to prepare each piece of sushi for everyone seated around his workstation. Altogether, he creates twenty pieces per person. It is explained that he has refined his craft so much that he has a specific order for serving his food. As one man explains it, it is like a symphony, with different movements for your pallet. After the dinner service is over, Jiro has a short talk with the customers and tells them how he decided to prepare and place his food. For women, he makes smaller portions so that everyone can finish at the same time. He even takes note of the customers dominant hand so that he can place the sushi down closer to it.
The last section explains the future of the restaurant. While Jiro has no inclination to retire any time soon, should anything happen to him, he feels that the restaurant is in good hands. He has taught his son for many years, and feels that he would be an excellent person to take over the restaurant. The final shots of the film show how his son manages the kitchen already, showing that he has a very skilled demeanor and a great work ethic, much like his father. The viewer is left feeling the same as Jiro, as though the restaurants quality will be preserved for the future.
Overall, this film was fantastic. The creators did a great job finding the personality in everyone in the film, and expressing that to the viewer. Throughout the film, it is explained that Jiro has changed very little since he was younger, and that is easily viewable. Although he is very disciplined in his work, and takes it very seriously, he has a very playful attitude, making jokes, and laughing at things he finds funny.
Another thing the viewer is able to experience is a slight tension because they are unsure of what will happen to the restaurant in the future. Jiro is old, as explained before, and he is said to be the best at what he does. One man who was interviewed said that even if his sons take over, and if they are just as skilled as Jiro was, that the business might not succeed. Jiro was so respected that others might not want to eat sushi that wasn't created by him. However, this tension is relieved at the very end where, as explained, the viewer is comforted by how well the son seems to be taking care of the restaurant already.
This was a seriously excellent film. Although documentaries are not something I typically watch, and I have no interest in sushi, I would recommend this film to anyone. I was entertained the entire time, forgetting that I had no previous interest in any of the topics. This proves how good of a film this was.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
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