Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: Sprawling From Grace

Date of movie watching: Feb. 11, 2012

Vania's comment: It is about the danger the sub-urbanization may lead to us in United States. The movie director suggested us to abandon the custom of driving cars too much. I think we really should drive less car. I wish our government can develop places that are close to where we live and we can shop and work. It demands the re-structure of our cities. And it is a very tough problem.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: The Betrayal

Date of movie watching: Jan. 28, 2012

Vania's comment:

Very touching movie. I think about how Unite States could have betrayed the people of Laos who helped American in the Vietnam war. Also it let me think of the difference between capitalism and communism. Actually neither of them is truly good or bad. I recommend this movie to everybody.

About the title "Betrayal", there are several betrays in the movie. Obvious the Unite States government betrayed the Laos people, though it was not an intensive betrayal. But the US government did abandon them after the war. And the title also refers to that those original royal Laos soldiers might have betrayed their people since they directed the US force to bomb on their own land. But these royal Laos soldiers were doing what they believed the right things at the mean time. By this mean, it is hard to say they really betrayed the nation. And in the movie there is also a husband who betrayed his wife. Most importantly, the title refers to the family leaving Laos for America. They were thought by their nation as the betrayals.

About capitalism and communism, really I like neither of them. Instead I prefer to a form which is a mix of them.

About human right, we should pay more respect to these who are forced to leave their own nation. No matter what they have done, they deserve to be better treated for having insisted on what they believed the truth.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: Crossing Arizona

Date of movie watching: Jan. 21, 2012

Vania's comments:

I think we should allow the immigrants in. This country was founded by immigrants. Few people now in America whose ancestors were not immigrants. It is wrong not to let the immigrants come.

About how to stop the illegal immigrants from making damage to the ranches they pass, we should make some routes for the immigrants to pass. The routes should avoid being close to the ranches. Therefore we can prevent the living stocks from being hurt by the immigrants.

About the people who want to stop the illegal immigrants, we should persuade them. This is a nation of free speech. But we should tell them that we cannot eliminate those immigrants' right of looking for better life by designing some laws ourselves. They are illegal only because we do not welcome them, but not due to they are bad persons. So it is us who should be questioned instead of them.

Two Documentaries watched in the end of the year 2011

The End of the Line (Dec. 30, 2011)

The Cove (Dec. 31, 2011)

Dad's Questions:

1. Which documentary do you like better? And why?

Vania: I like The Cove better. It is very exciting. It is like a mission impossible has been done.

2. What have you learned from The Cove?

Vania: One city of Japan (Taiji) is killing dolphins. I think we should help, somehow, to save dolphins from being killed. Apparently Japan loves fishing and we have a world-wide problem because of it.

3. How do you think of The End of the Line and what have you learned from it?

Vania: We have over-fished the ocean a lot and it could be an ocean without fish by 2048.

4. What can you do to prevent our future of being without fish in ocean?

Vania: Whenever we buy a fish, ask first where it comes from and if the species is in danger. If the species is in danger, say no to buy the fish. The government can regulate the hole size of the fishnets so that the young fish can survive.

Daughter's questions:

1. Which one is your favorite movie?

Dad: I love The Cove better too because it is a mission impossible. Moreover, the people showed their great courage to against a power much greater. This type of courage is what all of us need to have.

2. Why do you think the IWC did not protect the small whales like dolphins?

Dad: Because there are only few nations that are really concerning this issue. And among them, Japan is the most powerful and richest country. And therefore Japan can use its money to buy the votes and eventually pass the regulation that favors its situation. So IWC is not really a place that the truth can be spoken loudly and sound.

Recent weekend documentaries watched

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

The Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Christianity-the first two thousand years (part 1 and part 2)

Vania's comments:

1. I will never go to Walmart again!

2. I like Mary Magdalene.

3. This documentary is so good. It talks not only the history of Christianity but also the history of western civilization.

Poem for Mrs. Caputo at Christmas

This is the poem written by Vania for Mrs. Caputo (her 5th Grade teacher in Pueblo Del Sol Elementary School.

Teacher

Thoughtful, appreciative

Understanding, loving, helping

Teaching in classroom, sitting before her

Working, learning, listening

Curious, talented

Student

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: Made In China

Movie watch time: 10/29/2011 evening

Dad's questions:

Q: What is the theme of the documentary? Why is it titled "Made in China"?

Vania: The movie is about a guy searching for his father's past in China. The title is because his father was born in China.

Q: How do you compare the contemporary China to the old China in movie?

Vania: The contemporary China is more wealthy. More people move to live in big cities. The old China has more problems such as the Japanese bombing.

Q: Comparatively, you are "Made in America". How do you think of the Chinese heritage in your blood?

Vania: I am fine of being made in America. I have not thought a lot of my Chinese heritage.

Q: What is the most impressive scene in the movie to you?

Vania: How the movie director has dedicated to the mission.

Daughter's Questions:

Q: How do you rate the movie?

Dad: I like the movie. It contains many pictures and videos of the old China. I feel I have learned a lot of the past of my own ancestors.

Q: How do you like the new China?

Dad: In new China people certainly have lived much better than in old China. But still, people do not have much freedom of thinking. Most importantly, many contemporary Chinese do not even know that they are taken off the ability of free thinking by the education system. This is probably the saddest side of the contemporary China.

Q: How do you compare China to America?

Dad: China has much longer history than America. Chinese people often think things more throughout than Americans. But due to the same reason Chinese people are less creative than Americans because creation often means take more risk and make more mistakes.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: E2 the economies of being environmentally conscious | PBS

Movie watch time: 10/16/2011 -- 10/23/2011 A series of 6 episodes

Dad's questions:

Q: How do you think of the renewable energy comparing to the traditional fossil fuel after watching this documentary series?

Vania: Renewable energy is good for environment. We must try to have more renewable energy replace the use of fossil fuel.

Q: Which type of the renewable energy do you think that fit best in Arizona?

Vania: Solar energy. In Arizona we have a lot of sunlight all year long.

Daughter's Questions:

Q: How do you rate the series?

Dad: The series is illuminating. It shows us how the renewable energy has gradually entered our regular life and becomes part of the mainstream economy. I think we shall have our house installed the solar water heaters. It will be good for the environment and saves us money.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: 2 Million Minutes

Movie watch time: 10/7/2011 evening

Dad's questions:

Q: What do you think of the way you are studying after watching the movie?

Vania: I have studied sloppily.

Q: What do you think of the students of China and India? What will you learn from them and what will you try to avoid being like them?

Vania: I need to work harder. But I do not want to work so hard that I have no time for the other things, such as piano.

Q: What do you think of the two American students in the film?

Vania: I think they should work harder. They may need to pay more concentration on their studies.

Q: How is Basis Tucson? Tell me your feeling of this school after watching the movie.

Vania: It is a very good school. But I am not jumping to the final conclusion yet. I'd like to go to the school to see it myself.

Q: What are the questions you would want to ask these six students from America, China, and India if you might get a chance?

Vania: how hard do they think they studied? Were they studying willingly themselves or were they forced to study hard by their parents?

Daughter's Question:

Q: Who do you think study the hardest among the Indian, Chinese, and American students?

Dad: I think it is the Indian students. They started the study at 5:30 AM. It was very hard work.

Q: Who do you think study the least among them?

Dad: I think it is the American students. At the same time, however, the American students have done a lot of part-time jobs. I believe this is very valuable for the fostering of individual personalities.

Q: How do you think how hard I should study?

Dad: You must work much harder than you are doing now.

a haiku I made:storm

Hard winds blow astray
As clouds swirl around each other
Making day the night