NICE WORK

Nice work is the story written by David Lodge.

It shows two different worlds: industrial and literary; where Vic Wilcox and Robyn Penrose try to make sense of each others worlds.

Vic Wilcox is a representative of the so-called industrial world - the world of machinery, engines and traffic; the world without soul, feelings and emotions. Wilcox works and worries hard. His favourite motto is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone has to pay; and money is the biggest power. It feels like Vic does not care of anythinf else in his little materialistic world except for his luxurious house with four toilets at home and a new type of engine for the machinery at work.

Where is people in his life, I wonder?

Vic has a family but he is so deep in his work that sometimes he can be compaired to a machine himself. He works, eats and sleeps, that's all! At home he almost does not speak to anybode, he exists there.

"He rolls away from Marjorie..", "Vic gives her a rude shove.", "Don't bother...", "You are a foll, Marje!". Moreover, his conversation with Marjorie about their children is limmited to two words just to fill in the gap of silence in the morning which in the end makes Vic irritated. It is clear that he is tired of his life and his family, thus he wants to change it but he does not know HOW...

At the same time, Vic is a soft and kind man, though deep inside. He likes to listen to slow tempo, jazz-soul by female vocalists such as Jennifer Rush and Sade, who sing about love. Love is something Mr. Wilcox misses.

Roby Penrose is a temporary lecturer at the University and her specialism is the 19 th century industrial novel and the role of women in literature. Robyn is highly intelligent woman who has to shadow Vic at his factory. She critisezes Vic's treatment of worker and his way to rule at the factory (he allows naked women posters to hang on the walls which is unacceptable for Robyn ). Why does she actually care for all these things? Robyn stands for justice and she does not like when people are treated differently; all has to be respected: women, men, immigrants.

On the contrary, Vic Wilcox would never bother for such things as Robyn does. Even the idea that some people (in the text an immigrant) losing their jobs stay without food doesnot bother him. he would probably say: "That is all the matter of business!"

Robyn Penrose has no family and she never tydies up her apartment. These are not so important as her research work "women in literature". Such a thing as a fine house wiht "four toilets" is materialistic and means nothing to her. Her nature is spiritual and is devoted to literature but at the same time she does not believe in love. Although she has a free relationship, she explains it as a physical phenomenon.

It is obvious that after Vic met Robyn, he has become a more rounded and thoughtful person; he's even begaun to read more books and started to attend Robyn's lectures.

But what has happened to Robyn? Has she changed somehow? At least something?

She hasn't bought a bigger house; she still doesn't believe in love and even more her previous realationship is over, and no feelings to Vic has come.

Maybe Robyn has not gott any industriaöized influence of VIc Wilcox, or maybe her literary world is complete in itself and it doesn't need any affection...

Has the industrial world become richer or better with the help of literary world?

I think that eachof them, Vic and Robyn, has become transformed into a different and more complete persen: Vic - into more thoughtful and decisive, Robyn - into more realistic, soft and trustful.

Robyn has learnt to trustother people and the reality, she understood that everything has its meaning and coct; while Vic has found the inspiration and start for the better future in his new business.

Thank you for visiting and reading my blogg:::)))))

Regards

THE STORY OF STUFF

First of all, I enjoyed waching "The Story of Stuff" and I really found that film fantastic! The whole animated presentation, the choice of words, facts and actions made one understand things Annie was talking about better.

Understand better, you may ask? Does it mean that you never been bothered by the situation that we meet every day, that damages us, society, and the whole world?

The answer is how can anyone be calm when people, that is we, firstly, destroy natural resources that are given for our living, clean and fresh, plus when we have wasted all of the extraction we possessed we want just more and more and we force others ( ex The Third World Coutries) to give us that "more" to make us happy and to continue with "evil doings " leaving behind people without their homes, food and land. We do understand that but we kind of do not think about it so much as we should to because it does not concern us directly, it does not happen us... Are you still calm?

Ok, secondly, now we have our resources, and we want to produce things.We use much more energy than it needed supplied by chemicals (fast we are aware of other sources of energy) and we use toxic materials to produce goods which in its turn becomes toxic as well. ..

And workers, of course, are being toxicated that leads to illnesses..

After a while we complain why I have such a terrible headache? Or something worse, like cancer, athma..:( I am not mentioning environmental problems, pollution...

These things are not new for all of us and we are concerned ( I am)about the damage WE people do to ourselves, to our planet.

At the same if we produce goods directly from natural resources without any other elements in it, how expensive they are going to be, will we be able to afford to buy such things... For example, in "Konsum" all of us might have seen food called "ekologiskt" and the price is sagnificantly higher than for the rest of food. So, good quality - good price!

I never buy such food yet, maybe only for my baby as there is baby food that is also ecological. I cannot just afford it, that's all. Is it fair?

I also want to be healthy and at the same time be a part of making our planet better, not only by shopping eco food, no... I mean that sometimes people do not have a chance to do "right things" not only to speak about the problem and future.

As for me, even if I am not involved in any programme solving the world or something like that, being a teenager gilr I stopped throughing things at the streets, started recycling and sortering, changed to lightbulbs and what is more now I carry my own mug to work (:) and my bag to the shop (sound ridiculous:)) etc. And I feel that that can help at least a little bit, and it feels good:)

However.....

Unfortunately, there are those who simply do not care about anything in the world ( and they would not care even if the land is going down under their feet).

Why? Why don't we care?

Most of them want money(power), from their production or consuption or whatever.. And we, socity, we are used to them doing that, and we are eager to buy those goods and services, plus we buy often (not second - hand as we should be, according to Annie Leonard) as we are dependent on shopping, all new that ads show us on TVand buying makes us happy, satisfied untill those things we' ve bought are in fashion. That is the way our society is built and it is difficult to change the direction of that circkle... We need help... I for example cannot imagine me stop shopping. I want to be beautiful, we all want it and we have to buy .. or Aren't we already beautiful by nature? Do we need not extra to this?

I am sick and tired of discussing these dudious issues, it feels like I never find the right way and still I do the same thing each day: go to the shop, buy something, watch Tv, newspapers, go to work and after that go to the shop...etc. I absolutely agree with Annie about this cirkle and it's terrible.

As I have alreday said, we talk a lot about the environmental problems, about "no-future" and consequencies, even about different types of way out but WE JUST TALK!

During the last decades there were founded many Green organisations and fonds and organised meetings, and we have reached some progress that now all of us get the problem, the next step is to start changing and doing something.

In my opinion, if every single being on that planet does at least one of those "10 another way by Annie Leonard" it will help. But may be not all of them or?

SNOOPING BOSSES

To start with I'd like to point your attention to your own computer, mobile phone or mobile camera. You never know whether you've been snooped on or not.
Snooping has recently become a regular occasion. It appears to be in different spheres or forms and concerns not only security agencies, police monitoring traffic, firms controling employees productivity and work rates, terrorists and organised criminality, but also the whole society - you, me, your family, neigbours...
It is no longer possible or secure to protect personal information. It was about two months ago when my home computer detected the tresspass on some data of mine (it even showed the address of those who monitored my computer). I do not know if there was someone who wanted to have fun or someone who was after the information like credit card number or account or ID, or something else. The thing is that after this situation you feel like "Virtually nothing you do both at work or at home cannot be monitored".
You may say that I should report the tresspass to the police, give them the address and start the so-called "spying case" in the court. Do you really think I can win on a right - of - privacy claim? Not a chance! The explanation to all will be very easy: "Ads on-line!"
Of course, privacy is very important and I think noone has a right to interfere into our private lives. However I cannor disagree with those who supporting the usage of increased surveillance with the purpose of preventing severe criminality say that "the privacy must be sacrified in aid of solving crime".
At the same time, "solving crime"?
There is something that tells me that the law claimed surveillance would probably increase crime and terrorism through the computers, internet and other telecommunicators. The control would be lost forever! Moreover, sacrified privacy of the whole society would destroy it: noone could ever trust anyone again.
So, in conclusion, what to choose: the "no-free" society without any rights for privacy but with "maybe-stopped" crime, or the society with existing criminality but keeping our private lives for ourselves?
It is difficult to give a one way answer. Even if we find a balance between surveillance and respect to the citizens' rights, "massive social and technological" changes of the few decades will continue to progress providing all individuals with new opportunities and challenges.

Thank you for your attention:)

Best regards

Tatiana Sheremet

Heeellooooo!

Hi and welcome in:)
Hope you are feeling well!

I do not know who my groupmates are yet but I suggest that later on we can exchange the emails in terms to communicate (maybe in msn or smwh else)about different english assignments sent by Andy and of course our project work in the end of the course.

Thank you for visiting my blogg. I appreciate it and I wish you all luck and success at work or in your studies:)

Best regards,

tash