We begin our internet journey with a site called “The Bioscope, Reporting on the World of Early and Silent Cinema.” I am a big movie buff myself. However he starts out his latest post discussing the Japanese pre war cinema. I know a little but I’m clearly not in his league on that topic. What caught my attention was the mention of the film, Wings. This is the first Academy Award winning film and it is still a masterpiece.

This is what he has to say –

And so to the finale, perhaps even a climax; the full live orchestral presentation of William Wellman’s Wings (USA 1927), featuring the Photoplay print, and the Orchestra Mitteleuropea conducted by Mark Fitz-Gerald playing the Carl Davis score. It’s one of his finest, I think, that great March as the main theme, some nice leitmotifs reappearing throughout as appropriate … very effective.

And, what with all the sound effects of the battle sequences having to come from the orchestra, I would imagine a nightmare to play. Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, they nailed it. It’s a powerful film – not just the legendary flying sequences, or the breathtaking battlefront climax … but the subtle underplaying of emotions, too … sometimes Clara and Buddy go slightly over but Arlen, and particularly Henry B. Walthall convey the suppressed emotion just beneath the surface to great effect.

But it is famous for those war sequences, and deservedly so; on the big screen you get to see so much more of it; on a small screen you don’t see the aircraft growing from the smallest dot to ambush the pontoon bridge, or the staff car … you don’t quite see the battlefield extending right to the horizons … and you’re involved, you’re in the air, or in the mud, with them. And did the shot of the white crosses covering the whole landscape inform the similar shot in Attenborough’s Oh! What A Lovely War? I would just hesitate from calling it the perfect WW1 film; for that we would need a little more Gary Cooper, a little less El Brendel, a good deal fewer animated bubbles in Paris … with the latter, a nice idea that was way overused … actually, that applies to El too. And I struggle to quite see how anyone with Clara living next door would pursue the rather more watery charms of Jobyna Ralston. However much an advantage being from The City conferred. But this is nitpicking; you sit back, let the film and the orchestra take you to a time past; either WWI, or the days in the twenties when such presentations were daily occurrences in the larger cities …

Here is the actual film. If you want to begin a good film education, this is an excellent film to begin with.

We now travel to the world of a journalist in training. The web site is Newshookperez’s Blog.

Here’s a quote –

The fall season is definitely here with the beautiful colors, crunchy leaves under your feet and, oh wait, elections. Signs line the edges of the road boasting who has the better standing and what name you should mark on the ballot come voting day. I cannot help but to think how boring and unimaginative politics really are; however, today in class, I was pushed back in my seat and forced to quiet myself.

For me, the problem comes in with thinking journalism is the cliché job; writing in a cramped cubical for a newspaper, or sitting behind a desk in front of a camera reading the daily headlines. As close minded as it may sound, especially coming from a journalist, I have just never been a fan of politics; ever.

Interesting stuff, but the author doesn’t have that much up yet, but that may change. If the development of a new journalist is interesting, you might want to have a look.

Now, we’re in India with the web site, Gunjanpriya’s Blog. He reviews a book by a very famous Indian Industrialist. I’ll let him intro the book.

One of the Pioneers of Textile industry in India, Dr Rajaram Jaipuria, proudly anounced recently his autobiography “Textile Legend Unravels” which can be called as an ideal textbook for todays young entrepreneurs. Also, the simple description of commercial complexities, with add of humour and satire makes the book equally interesting for common readers.

It’s a good book review but a little long to fit conveniently in web travel log. So let me put up a concluding paragraph. –

Mr Jaipuria’s life-story is not just a story of father, mother, son and their dog, rather it is a review of the industrial development in India, transforming through technological renovations; glances over administrative controls, laws and envy and unequal competition, which not only Jaipurias, but all Indian industrialists went through in British era. While describing business developments the writer includes some of very big events of Indian political history in such a diplomatic and honest manner that saves him from any political controversy.

The gentleman has worked as a private tutor while attending college. The blog discloses little else about him. (I wish he would fill out the “about” segment of the blog.) Nevertheless, he’s thoughtful and well education. I like his style of writing. Of course, he isn’t as full of indignation as I am, but then again, who is?

“EFL Triple Action by Guillermo LopezOssa” is our next stop. He discusses business issues. His current post details the six ways we want to be treated in a business relationship based on John Maxwell teachings on leadership.

I liked number five best.

5. We want to be understood.

Charles Kettering said, “There is a great difference between knowing and understanding. You can know a lot about something and not really understand it.” Likewise, we can know a lot about a person and still not really understand them or why they do what they do.

But the desire to be understood is so strong that many disagreements can be resolved simply when one party (or both) gets the sense that they’ve been understood.

Understanding others means extending yourself and meeting them where they are. You must put the burden of connecting on yourself, not on them.

That’s nice.

Well, that’s our trip for today.

Best Wishes, Happy Electronic Traveling!

James Pilant