Pop Culture Biography

Jennifer Lawrence: Award to the best actress and best attitude

She was born on 15 August, 1990 in Louisville, Kentucky (United States). She has English, German, Irish, and Scotch ancestry. She had a difficult childhood, because she was not allow to her to play with other girls, because she was "too hard". She was a sport fan since she was young. She played basketball, hockey and softball in boy teams. She worked as as nurse assistant at the summer camp for children of her mother and this experience opened her mind to become a doctor. She initially became famous at fourteen years old,  when she moved to New York City to spend her holidays and she was discovered by a photographer while she was walking with her mother in the street. She acted in many advertisements and  the producers were remaining unimpressed with her performance. She made a compromise with her parents: She only might act if she was finishing the school.  She graduated two years after in Kammerer Middle School (Louisville). 

She began her career as an extra and star invited in television programs as Cold Case and Medium and later in The Bill Engval Show personifying one of the daughters of the family Engval for two years, until the producer Troni mcburger, obtains work in the series Into the welch-fields. In 2008 her filmography started with her performance  in some films like “The Poker House" with Selma Blair, “Garden Party” or “The Burning Plain” directed by Guillermo Arriaga. 

In 2010, she led the acclaimed movie Winter’s Bone (the second film of Debra Granik) with John Hawkes and Garret Dillahunt that  treats on the search of a teenager (turned at the top of family, of her father, newly gone out of the jail). Her work is recognized for by the critique and Film was rewarded by international prizes as the Detroit Critics Society Award and the Stockholm International Film Festival, beside nominations received to the Prizes Oscar, SAG and Golden globe to the best principal actress. 

A good year for this recognized actress was 2011, she performed “The Beaver”, a comedy film with Mel Gibson and she interpreted Mystique in the movie “X-Men: First Class”. She also acted in the film “The Silver Linings Playbook” with Bradley Cooper and for her world choice in this movie she won an Oscar to the best actress. Jennifer was becoming a nabob for her great gift for the performance. 

The maximum level of her fame started with her performance in the movie ‘“The Hunger Games” (2012), interpreting Katniss Everdeen, cinematographic adjustment (when you take a book and try to do a film based on it by your point of view) of the popular saga of Suzanne Collins's novels (it takes place in an unspecified future time in a dystopian post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, in the ruins of North America. The country consists of the wealthy Capitol located in the Rocky Mountains and twelve (formerly thirteen) poorer districts ruled by the Capitol. As punishment for a past rebellion (called "The Dark Days") against the Capitol wherein twelve of the districts were defeated and the thirteenth supposedly destroyed, one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, between the ages of  twelve and eighteen years old, are selected by lottery to participate in the "Hunger Games" on an annual basis. The Games are a televised event with the participants, called "tributes", being forced to fight to the death in a dangerous public arena. The winning tribute and his/her home district is then rewarded with food, supplies, and riches. The purpose of the Hunger Games is to provide entertainment for the Capitol and to serve as a reminder to the Districts of the Capitol's power). This movie turned into the most popular tape of the history of the cinema. In 2013 She acted in the second delivery of the series (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire). In the same year she took a secondary role in the film American Hustle. She won the Golden globe to the Best Actress of Distribution, the prize BAFTA to the best actress of distribution and a third nomination to the prize of the Academy.

In 2014, she replaced Angelina Jolie in the film “ Serena”, with Bradley Cooper. She returned to world choice Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past,this movie was very successful and she acted in the first part of the third part of “The Hunger Games: Mockinjay Part 1”. 

In 2015, she will be in the big screen performing Katniss Everdeen in the movie “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” and Joy Mangano in the film “Joy”, both movies will be released soon.

Jennifer Lawrence is such a good actress. Since she was a child she was destined to act. I like her attitude because she inspired me, she fight for her dreams and she fulfilled them with her courage and bravery. She is a funny person who is always trying to make people laugh and she gives the best of her in every movie she acts in. During the filming of some of her movies she had to train to record difficult scenes, for example in the movie Winter's Bone, she had to learn to skin animals, to cut wood and to fight and in the movie The Hunger Games, she had to train four times with an Olympian archer to be prepared for her role. For these reasons I think that Jennifer Lawrence deserves the Award to the best actress and best attitude. She has worked to hard and this must be rewarded. Vote for Jennifer Lawrence! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ozsFvWFos 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfmrPu43DF8

By Patricia Tauroni 

My thesis about Should animals be used for medical testing?

For a long time, animals have been used for medical testing ( mice, rats, rabbits, primates, cats, dogs, and other animals…) when there is a need to find out what happens in the whole, living body, which is far more complex than the sum of its parts. There are different  reasons why animals are used in research: To advance medical understanding, as models to study diseases,to develop and test potential forms of treatment and to protect the safety of people, animals and the environment.  They are crucial for allowing scientists to learn more about human biology and health, and for developing new medicines. Some people argue — or simply claim — we need to harm other animals to learn about them even if we cause suffering and then kill them in the name of science, but other people think that is a cruelty. Should animals be used for medical testing?, there are different opinions and ideas to give about this topic. In my opinion, using animals for medical testing is a savagery, because we have to take care of animals and protect them and do not kill them for our needs or satisfaction . 

There are a lot of reasons why it’s not human to use animals in medical testing: Many animals are used for experiments and then they are killed, it is expensive to use model organisms as the animals must be purchased and then fed, housed and cared for, some people will consider using animals in the laboratory to be immoral, there is no need to cause pain and suffering to animals when sophisticated computer systems, mathematical models, human tissue and cell cultures and more focused clinical studies can also show us what happens to our bodies during disease.

More than 100 million animals suffer and die in cruel chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics tests as well as in biology lessons, medical training exercises, and curiosity-driven medical experiments at universities every year. 

Some people have an opposite opinion about this. They said that using animals for medical testing is a good  trials? This helps to reduce side effects and human fatalities.

Maybe there are more reasons  in favor of using animals for medical testing that in opposition to it, but I still think that there are not reasons you validate to do it, because how I have just said in the cons of using animals as models in laboratories, actually we can use technology and new computer equipments which help us to discover more about human body and health such as cells cultures. 

Peta’s extensive worldwide campaign to expose and end the  use of animals in experiments is increasing. With the help of their members and supporters they push government agencies to stop funding and conducting experiments on animals; encourage pharmaceutical, chemical, and consumer products companies to replace tests on animals with more effective non-animal methods; help students and teachers end dissection in the classroom; find humane non-animal research; publish scientific papers; and urge health charities not to invest in dead-end tests on animals. Their staff is working on these issues to prevent animals from being locked in laboratories every year.

In summary, I think that we have to do something to fight against this cruelty. Unfortunately laboratories still use animals as models for their experiments. We have to support campaigns which are trying to stop animal’s medical testing, such as Peta which is becoming bigger thanks to all the members of this worldwide campaign. All the cosmetics used by women, they have been tested in animals (your shampoo, your lipstick, your eyeshadow...) Do you think that is a good idea? Who they are in my side shouldn't remain without doing anything while animals are dying every day. Now is time to change. 

CITATIONS

“Should be animals used in medical testing?”. Yourgenome Topics. 19, January, 2015. Web. 

Murnaghan, Ian. “Animal testing-the facts. Planet Science. 8, July, 2015. 

“Animal Testing 101”. Peta org. 6, October, 2012. 

DIRECT QUOTATIONS 

"After enduring lives of pain, loneliness and terror, almost all of them will be killed", remarked PETA'S campaign. 

"Eventually, it should be optional to use animals in drug testing", said Yorgenome Topics. 

"We would need alternatives to animal testing, which could safely test drugs without harmful consequences for humans", affirmed Ian Murnaghan. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E3lxIacTwg

By Patricia Tauroni 

Patricia's cake recipe

My recipe includes the following ingredients:

To do the base of the cake:
1) A great helping of love and sympathy.2) 2 tablespoons of sweet memories. 
To do the dough of the cake:
3) 8 cups of happiness.4) 2 cups of rebelliousness. 5) 5 cups of bravery.6) 3 books of The Hunger Games. 7) 4 L of music.   8) A gallon of Spain. 9) 6 cups of my favorite movies.10) 10 cups of hard work. 11) 10 cups of trips to amazing places. 12) 2 L of family.13) 2 L of good friends.
To do the frosting of the cake: 
14) 4 cups of beauty.15) 2 cups of money. 

BRAVERY is an important quality of myself, because if you are coward you won’t get your goals or you won’t fulfill your dreams. Life is about being brave, there are so many obstacles on our way  we have to jump and go ahead. In my life I have done I never thought I would do for fear of falling and don’t know how to get up, but if you keep trying and giving the best of you without caring what others think you will achieve all your purposes. When my parents were divorced when I was four years old I had yo be brave, I had to assimilate it and keep going, because if you keep standing idly or without fighting for it , you will feel lost. Many times I had to try new things that I was scared to do, but I thought that the best way to overcome my fears is to face them and I will manage to overcome them. Bravery also includes the courage which means willpower can possess a person to carry out an action despite obstacles that surround us. People who are addicted to something like drugs or alcohol have to have enough courage to stop smoking or drinking, they have to be brave and have willpower to get what they want to get. When there is a problem in my family or between my friends I have to be brave and I am the one who has to resolve it despite what I suffer from the situation. People who are not brave for cowardice have to change their minds, they have to wake up one day and say “We can do it, because we are strong and brave”, that is what the way they have to think and live their lives. 

TRAVELING is one of my favorite hobbies. When I take a plane and it takes to another country with other cultures and different things to learn about life there I feel free and in my maximum state of happiness. In my life I have been to many different places in Europe and beyond like Italy, Caribbean Islands, Croatia, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, USA, Poland… Each place has its magic and different ways of living, population of diverse skin colors, languages and beliefs. That is why I like traveling, because it is not monotonous, you find different things to do and try. This year I have been in an exchange with my school with french people, first they came here and they visited some important places in Spain such as Madrid, Cordoba, Sevilla, Toledo… and two weeks later we went to France, our french mates lived in a town called Bordeaux and it is located 500 km from Paris. We visited many specific places of that city and small towns which surround it. One day we went to a haunted town called Oradour-Sur-Glane was destroyed, when 642 of its inhabitants, including women and children, were massacred by a Nazi Waffen-SS company, that was an amazing experience in which I could learn the importance of loving our people and not destroy for reasons unimportant as money or win a nonexistent war. This trip was important for me, because despite of having made new friend it was a journey of friendship that link our class and  helped us  to be more united and to know each other better. 

MUSIC is all for me. When I am sad I listen to music, when I am happy I listen to music, when I am excited I listen to music… I listen to music every time I can! It motivates you to do in a better way all things and it sweetens your life. My favorite group of music is ColdPlay, they are great and make good music, each song is different to the others, but there is something that unites all of them. In many occasions I feel depressed or sad because of something wrong that had happened to me or to a person which is important for me, nothing can cheer me, but suddenly I hear a melody that replays in my head and all my mind starts toto relax and forget about problems. That is the effect that music causes on me. Music is a language that everyone can understand (Chinese people, Russian people, German people, Italian people, Spanish people, African people…) Music somehow unites us and helps us become better persons. Music manages to convey different feelings that other art forms can not be. 

FRIENDS? How to define the word friends? I can only assure that if you don’t have friends, you don’t have anything and I am not talking about having a large group of friends who do not even know some of them, I am talking about those three friends that change your life and your point of view. It is comforting to have people which support you and help you to become a better person. A good friend is who is always with you through thick and thin. A good friend is that one who goes running to your house because you are sad about something and is holding a chocolate mint chip ice cream in his hand. A good friend is that person who understand you even you are no talking to him directly. I have a lot of friends, but only three of them really know who I am. I am lucky because I have people who will never leave me and I will not fail me. Friendship is not about interest or a hobby, it is about helping the people you love, is about having the best experiences of your life with them, is about escaping and do crazy things in a place that you don’t even know. Friendship can be crazy, stupid, exciting and all the qualities you can imagine except fake. And the reason which explains why I chose this quality in the recipe of myself is because friendship is something essential in our lives, and those people who are with us the most part of our lives are priceless. 

By Patricia Tauroni 

My recipe and my traditional Spanish dish

Patricia's cake recipe

• Ingredients:

To do the base of the cake:

1) A great helping of love and sympathy.

2) 2 tablespoons of sweet memories. 

To do the dough of the cake:

3) 8 cups of happiness.

4) 2 cups of rebelliousness. 

5) 5 cups of bravery.

6) 3 books of The Hunger Games. 

7) 4 L of music.   

8) A gallon of Spain. 

9) 6 cups of my favorite movies.

10) 10 cups of hard work. 

11) 10 cups of trips to amazing places. 

12) 2 L of family.

13) 2 L of good friends.

To do the frosting of the cake: 

14) 4 cups of beauty.

15) 2 cups of money. 

Paella 

• What is it?:

It's a traditional Spanish food which has its origin in the region of Valencia. It consists of white rice, seafood (prawns, clams, mussels, cuttlefishes...) and seasoning such as saffron and rosemary, that is the original recipe, but there are others types of paella such as chicken paella served with vegetables (pepper, onion, asparagus...). In Spain people often eat this plate when they're celebrating a family party. In my opinion, Paella is my favorite Spanish dish, it is really tasty and zesty , because there are a lot of ingredients, so there are a lot of different flavors. My little trick to enhance his flavor is to add a pick of lemon and it will be delicious. 

• Ingredients:

-250g prawns
-1 squid or one sepia
-1 kilo of mussels
-200 grans of clams
-1 red pepper
-1 green pepper
-2 tomatoes
-parsley
-5 black peppercorns
-2 or 3 garlic cloves
-salt
-Some saffron
-Round 2 cups of rice, pump
-5 glasses of water or seafood or fish broth
-Food coloring
-Extra virgin olive oil

• These are the steps to get a good paella: 

1. Fist we have to peel the prawns and the mussels, then we start to cut peppers into regular pieces and also the cuttlefish. Then we wash calms with cold water. We have to save some unpeeled prawns and a few mussels in their shells. 

2. We take a special pan of paella and we put a great amount of olive oil, then we add the peppers, salt, the garlics, parsley and saffron threads. We mix all the ingredients and then we add grated tomatoes. Two minutes laters we add the cuttlefish and the clams and we continue to saute until clams get open . 

3. Then we add the rice, the mussels, the prawn. Then we pour hot water or broth, a little bit of food coloring and we mix. 

4. We distributed over the surface unpeeled prawns, a few mussels in their shells.When the broth starts to boil, we lower heat slightly and let cook about 20 minutes. When this time has elapsed cover with a cloth and let rest about 4 or 5 minutes.

ADVICE! --> Add a pick of lemon to get a better flavor.  

And we will have a delicious paella... 

Rosa Parks

Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee (Alabama), one of the most difficult states in which a black person could live in the 50s. Since she was young she was against the unfair rules through that the people had to live as her, of black skin.It was not allowed to black people enter to bars, canteens, cinemas or public places that there were frequenting the white American  people or white people. She had to bear discriminations and humiliations until one day in which she begins to form a part of the history. Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat of the bus to a white man. It was

 considered to be a violation of the law, by what she was arrested, but a new revolution had begun. 

Her revolt gave place to a wide campaign of protest, led by Martin Luther King who was the secretary of a Church, leader of the Federation Christens of the south of The United States and defender of the human rights.Together organized a boycott in opposition to the bus company. Black people said “If the bus company does not treat us with comity, let's not spend our money using them” 

One year later the Supreme Court passed that the bus company had not acted in agreement with the Constitution, now black people were allowed to sit on the buses or even drive them. After this happened she became a godmother of the movements by the civil laws. 

Rose continued with her activism, reacted opposite to the disturbances of Detroit of 1967, consulted members of the movement "Black Power”. She continued fighting the injustice of discrimination and gradually his bit was becoming bigger. 

Because of his great work for fighting against  the racism Rosa Parks received diverse prizes: she was included in the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1983 by her achievements in the progress of the civil laws. She received the Golden medal of the Congress of the United States in 1999. In 1980, in the celebration twenty-fifth of the anniversary of the Boycott of the bus, they granted the ' Prize of the Peace to Rosa Parks. She died to the age of 92 years on October 24, 2005 in Detroit (Michigan). 

This woman inspires me because she fought against the racism and for the laws and rights of black people. She was brave and she achieved her goal. She began a revolt that inspired thousands of persons and thanks to her and to others as Martin Luther King black people are treated as persons and no as animals. If you  want to change the world, start helping those closest to you. Though Rosa Parks has died the memories of her fight and her rebelliousness always will remain in our hearts. Thank you Rosa Parks for changing the world. 

CITATIONS:

“Each person must live their life as a model for others.”

“People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in”. 

“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free.”   

By: Patricia Tauroni 

Biography

Rosa Parks

• Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee (Alabama), one of the most difficult states in which a black person could live in the 50s.
• She became a godmother of the movements by the civil laws.
• On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks begins to form a part of the history to refuse to yield her seat of the bus to a white man. It was considered to be a violation of the law, by what she was arrested.
• Her revolt gave place to a wide campaign of protest, led by Martin Luther King who was 26 years old. 
• The movement, which always was a pacifist, led, one year later, to the abolition of the laws of segregation on the part of the Supreme Court.
• She received diverse prizes for fighting against the racism and for her hard work. She was included in the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1983 by her achievements in the progress of the civil laws. She received the Golden medal of the Congress of the United States in 1999.
• She died to the age of 92 years on October 24, 2005. 
• I inspired by this woman because she fought against the racism and for the laws and rights of black people. She was brave and she achieved her goal.She began a revolt that inspired thousands of persons and thanks to her and to others as Martin Luther King the black people are treated as persons and no as animals. 

 By Patricia Tauroni 

My Outdoor Adventure

Last summer my mum and I went to the Caribbean Islands. The plane journey was long and boring because we had to make a transfer but finally we arrived. We stayed in a hotel overlooking the sea.
The hotel's swimming pool was like a lake because it was very long and it encircled the hotel.
We were so excited and nervous because we had planned all the days.
We went to bed early because we expected a great day tomorrow.

The first day we decided to go to the beach because the weather smiled at us. The beach was like the heaven, its clear waters were as bright as diamonds. The wind was whistling hard, the waves were dancing in the sea and clouds were like cotton. It was a beautiful scenery. We could see different species of birds flying over us.
When I got into the water it was like staying in a spa. I felt so relaxed and quiet.

Next day we decided to look for extreme sports like surfing, hiking, rock climbing, paragliding...
We finally decided to try to do scuba diving because we thought that it was the most exciting one.
We had to get on a boat to get away from the seashore and suddenly we immersed ourselves into the deep ocean.
I opened my eyes and I could see marine wildlife. The sea was as deep as a well. I saw different species of fishes and other marine animals like octopus, jellyfishes, squids, sea stars, clams... I swam with them and I felt like a mermaid.

One day we decided to go hiking so we put on our hike equipment and we go on. We climbed a mountain which was located in the eastern of the island, it was a giant. The landscape was gorgeous and we were surrounded by nature and wildlife. Flowers were smiling us on the mountain grass and the branches of the trees were like spider legs. I could breath fresh air and I felt in connection with the environment.
The climb was hard but finally we arrived to the top of the mountain. The views were incredible, it was like having the whole world in the palm of my hand. I could see the sea at the background and a big forest around the mountain. People climbing the mountain were like ants, it was so funny. Our effort was worthwhile, I am sure about that. It was such an exciting adventure.

During this trip I learned different cultures and customs and I learned also some idioms like "no pain, no gain" or "life wild or die", they are totally true. I think the best way to spend the time of your life is discovering new things or new adventures that make you feel alive because it you don't try new challenges, you won't discover the true meaning of life.
So let's travel the world, it's beautiful.

By Patricia Tauroni