​There seems to be a general consensus that pictures play an important role when it comes to information. Certainly, whether it is “The New York Times”, “Newsweek Magazine” or “The Huffington Post” website, most means of communication give a significant space of their pages to images so that they can be used to support articles and stories. Also, they often become largely famous and are rewarded for being an outstanding piece of work. However, people generally divide their opinions on this topic. Whereas some consider photographs to be indispensable, others believe that they are neither accurate nor relevant to the story.
            It is undeniable that an image can be considered the evidence of an event. Since cameras have the power of freezing the moment, photographs are arguably the proof that something happened. In addition, one might have extra information by seeing them, because they depict details that words sometimes do not reach, such as emotion and other senses of the context.  Take the iconic picture in which a little girl runs with her bare body and open arms after her village has been bombed, for instance. All despair, sadness and cruelty of the Vietnam War are there. Furthermore, when well executed, a photograph becomes a work of art as well, which was the case of this image that has also won the Pulitzer Prize.
            On the other hand, the frozen moment does not show exactly the whole situation. It actually portrays part of it, as it is impossible for the camera to capture everything that is happening or every angle of a particular scene. Therefore, the result conveys only one point of view, which is likely related to the photographer’s subjectivity. This is how bad intended people manipulate reactions, for example. When combined with caption, titles and statements, a photo can easily lead to misinterpretation of facts, so the true moment remains unrevealed. Mass media does that all the time, especially on the cover of newspapers and magazines. Although words are at times insufficient to express feelings, the usage of images is likewise inappropriate. In some cases, privacy is invaded and permission for publishing personal images are not even asked. This brings up the issue of sensationalism over information, as well as questions regarding Ethics.
            Despite my strong interest in photography, I believe that articles and stories are capable of sustaining themselves without pictures. There are magazines like the American “The New Yorker” or the Brazilian “Piauí” which prioritize the text rather than image, and the quality of information is even higher than in other vehicles. In my opinion, if both - texts and photographs - were worked separately, they would do fine, and if somebody quoted the famous line “a picture is worth a thousand words”, I would make sure to add “to some extent.”

​There are arguably many innovative filmmakers nowadays whose movies generally stand out either for having good references –  like Tarantino’s – original screenplay – the Coen Brothers’ movies – or for having a famous cast playing desperate characters – which is mostly the case of Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography. However, one of my favorite movie directors from present day is Wes Anderson. This is because of his style, which is considered unique by the critics. Some of his characteristics include a photography marked with symmetry and warm color palette, stories about people’s relationships and often pop music from the 1960s or the 1970s. 


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​There seems to be a general consensus that in Brazil the only sport people play is soccer, the favorite type of music is samba and that everyone lives on the coast, close to paradisiacal beaches, where one can enjoy the summer breeze after a hard day of work. Indeed, Brazil has its largest part located in the tropical area, which contributes to overwhelming beaches alongside its extensive coastline. Also, it is true that many restaurants, bars and clubs have Martinho da Vila playing as the backgroung music and that soccer stadiums are generally full during games regardless of the region. However, Fernando de Noronha, Zeca Pagodinho and a “Fla-Flu” game cannot be taken as a single and reliable portrait of Brazil. The country has many other special features to show to the world, starting with its cultural diversity. Since Europeans, Africans and Indians were part of Brazil’s origin, the outgrowth of this mixture is absolutely rich. While northeast region eats “acarajé”, the central area has “feijão tropeiro” in its restaurant’s menus, as well as the south states offer delicious typical dishes with “pinhão”. Moreover, the same is true for the music and landscapes. There is nothing like dancing “forró” listening to Luiz Gonzaga in João Pessoa’s hot summer, or riding a horse in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, feeling the winter’s cutting wind. So, no matter what your first impression is, if you give Brazil a chance, it will make all the stereotypes you have in mind fall apart.

​The screenplay is an adaptation from a 1929 British play called "Rope's end", written by Patrick Hamilton, which in turn is based on a real-life murder. The case involved two University of Chicago's students (Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb) who murdered a 14-year-old boy as a demonstration of their intellectual superiority (to kill and not being caught). They wanted to prove Nietzsche's theory "supermen", which says that some unusual individual have superior intellects and capabilities that allow them to rise above laws.

Hitchcock's interest was adapting the play considering the length of time of the original story. Since the series of events took place in one single set, he decided to shoot the movie in a long continuous take, without cuts and editing. However, due to the 10-minute film reel limit, he had to fractionate it in 10 shots, whose running time is: 9m34s, 7m18s, 7m09s, 9m59s, 8m35s, 7m50s, 10m06s, 4m37s and 5m40s.

​The walls of the set were on rollers and could silently be moved out of the way when the camera and actors needed to pass. Plus, prop men had constantly to move furniture and other objects in the set and then ensure they were replaced in the correct location. Moreover, actors performed choreographically, using many cues so the action would not be interrupted. 

​Recent reviews claim that the leading characters held a homosexual relation, even though homosexuality was a highly controversial theme for the 1940s. Ath that time, movies were banned and Rope made it past the Production Code censor.

Alfred Hitchcock called Rope "an experiment that didn't work out."

​Really? I wonder if it had.

​If you have, at some point of your life, parked a car on the streets of Curitiba, you have certainly seen a person gesticulating and pointing at a spot, asking to look after your car in exchange from cash. This individual is what Brazilians call "flanelinha", or car-watcher. Since the job is not regulated, people tend to see these tips as a kind of extorsion. As a result, the City Hall has proposed a bill regarding the installation of parking meters, bringing to an end the service of at least 650 “flanelinhas”. The problem is that many families are supported by the money coming from the streets. In this essay I will outline the social implications of parking meters and how the government closes its eyes to these informal workers. 

There seems to be a general consensus that when it comes to calcium, people instantly think about milk. Indeed, a 200 ml glass of milk contains about 250 mg of calcium, which is a quarter of the daily dose recommended by nutritionists. However, there are other healthier and more natural sources we can take advantage of. Tofu, for instance, is a soy derivative that contains 159 mg of calcium for every 100 g. Plus, it is high in protein, phosphorous and magnesium, the minerals responsible for energy transportation in our blood and for the muscle contraction. The same applies to broccoli, which is also source of vitamin A and C, and to spinach, the green leafy-vegetable most remembered for its iron content. These are good alternatives for people allergic to milk, as well as for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. Why not give it a try?