leadership quizzes

Follow this link and take one of the free leadership quizzes.

Then come back and report.

• Which quiz did you take?


• How well did you score? (Be honest.)


• What is your assessment of the test?


• What would you have done differently?
  

http://www.coachingandmentoring.com/quizzes.htm

Summaries

Now that you have researched mysterious phenomena, give us a summary of a specific incident regarding your phenomenon of choice.

Write one paragraph telling us

• What
• Who
• When
• Where
• How

Unit 75: Mysterious Phenomena

Hello, Class.

Here is what I would like you to do: Research a mysterious phenomenon. It can be anything. Write your opinion about this mystery.

• Do you think it could be for real? If so, why do you believe it? What gives you faith in this phenomenon?


• If you don't believe it, why not? Then give a more rational explanation.


• Is it a hoax? If so, why do you think the people made it up?
  Is it a delusion? If so, why would people delude themselves into believing?

Here is a partial list of mysterious phenomena to choose from:

aliens

Area 51

Crop Circles

ghosts

haunted houses (Check out the Whaley House in Old Town, San Diego)

haunted ships (Check out the Star of India, also in San Diego)

The Flying Dutchman

past life regression (check out the case of Bridey Murphy)

possession

blessings and curses

Bigfoot/ Sasquatch

Yeti/Abominable Snowman

The Loch Ness Monster

Angels

Sightings of the Virgin Mary

Speaking in Tongues

Being Slain in the Spirit (check out evangelist Benny Hinn)

Faith Healing

Near Death Experiences

Out of Body Experiences

Mediums

Magic & Witchcraft

Seances

Astrology (Greek or Chinese)

Reading Tea Leaves and Coffee Grounds

Palm Reading

...and so on.

Happy Hunting :)

Unit 74: Extra Credit

All over the world, there are festivals of Storytellers where professionals and amateurs gather to spin yarns.


Stories such as "The Boy who cried 'Wolf!'" teach us valuable lessons about life. Ghost stories delight and scare us. Our families' stories give us a sense of belonging and teach us who we are.


To listen to some of these stories, go to


http://www.youtube.com/


and search for storytellers festival

Or you can go to www.thisamericanlife.org and listen to something there. However, this is an hour long radio program. You don't need to listen for the entire hour, but most of the shows are composed of multiple stories centered around a theme. So you can pick and choose as you like.


Find a story that interests you, then come back and tell us about it.

1. Who told the story?



2. What was it about?



3. What devices did the teller use? (music, rhythm, visuals...etc.)



4. How well did the teller engage your attention?

Enjoy :)

Culture Shock Writing Assignment

Write about an experience of culture shock, an experience wherein you were shocked by another's behavior -yet it would be considered normal where he comes from- or you shocked someone else by doing something that is considered normal in your culture.

• How are the two cultures different?
• Did you learn anything about your own culture in the process?
• Could you adjust yourself to the new culture, or is it something you could never get used to.

For example, on a ferry traveling from England to Europe, I struck up a conversation with a man from Ghana, Africa. In Africa, people dont' like to raise their voices and they don't feel uncomfortable being physically close to one another. So this man spoke in a low voice and sat with his shoulder touching mine. At first, I leaned away, feeling uncomfortable being so close to a total stranger. Then I remembered how it was in his culture and decided to try it his way. We sat shoulder to shoulder talking about politics and literature. We didn't talk about anything deeply personal, but the conversation had an intimate feel about it and we always knew that we had each other's undivided attention. By adjusting myself to his culture, I realized how Americans can seem loud, abrasive and cold in comparison to softer-spoken Africans.

HW: Try...

Here is you homework for tomorrow:
Make a list of 5 guidelines using "try + infinitive" and "try +gerund".
Your guide can be for someone who is visiting your country who needs to get around,
or you can advise an incoming student to EF San Diego.

In your advice, give them things to do, see, visit and eat. Include both daytime and nighttime activities.
For every suggestion that you make add "because...".

Koozebane

For your Friday project, you are going to write a cultural etiquette guide for the culture of Koozebane.



To get a taste of what this planet's culture is like, go to

http://www.youtube.com/

and search for "Koozebane".

Unit 73: Extra Credit

Here is a a link a website that lists a variety of anecdotes in which an advertisement didn't quite translate into another language or culture.

Enjoy.http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/335ARTIC/CULTCOMM.HTM

Which one was your favorite? Why?
Do you have any to add? If so, tell us about it here.

Radio Programs

In the days before television, in the early 20th century, people used to huddle together listening to their radios. These radios delivered much more than the news and the latest popular songs. They told stories. Voice actors played their parts. Musicians played music in the background.

But the key players were in charge of sound effects like footsteps, squeaky doors opening and closing, gun shots, train whistles ... etc. While the radio provided the sounds, our imaginations filled in the rest.

Radios gave us comedies, mysteries, soap operas and chilling tales of suspense. Many of these radio programs are preserved on http://www.youtube.com/. Go there and search for radio dramas.

Fibber McGee and Molly Radio: Light comedy about a married couple in a small town in New England and their friends. The show was used as propaganda to sell war bonds during WWII.

The Life of Riley: William Bendix played a humble and not-too-bright family man just trying to get ahead in the world.

The Jack Benny Radio Show: A cast of likable entertainers poke fun at life in show business.

The Bob and Ray Radio Show: A couple of comedians play off each other in multiple jokes, stories and sketches.

The News from Lake Wobegon: America's favorite story teller, Garrison Keillor, spins clever yarns about life in a small town in Minnesota.

X minus 1: This was a science fiction show full of mystery. They imagined that such things as space and time travel would be normal, yet they never imagined anything as crazy as the internet or cell phones.

The Weird Circle: These were strangle tales with a twist at the end.

The Shadow: These were tales of suspense. The voice of the shadow always came out of darkness to terrify the guilty.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama about a "fabulous" freelance insurance investigator "with the action-packed expense account."

Flash Gordon Radio: This swashbuckling adventurer travelled to distant worlds in a space ship, then battled aliens with swords as he fought the evil emperor, Ming the Merciless.

Once you have listened to your selection, come back and tell us

• what you listened to
• what the story was about
• what you could see in your mind's eye while you were listening

Unit 72: Listening to Story Ballads

The following artists are master storytellers thru song.
Songs which tells stories are called "ballads".
Go to http://www.youtube.com/

Here is a selcetion of artists and their ballads.

Kenny Rogers: The Gambler, Coward of the County, Graybeard, Lady, Ruby
Harry Chapin: Cat's in the Cradle, WOLD, Shooting Star
Arlo Guthrie: Alice's Restaurant, Motorcycle Song
Peter, Paul & Mary: Puff the Magic Dragon, Greenland Whale Fisheries
Charlie Daniels Band: Devil Went Down to Georgia
Weird Al Yankovic: The Night Santa Went Crazy
Loyd Taylor: The Ballad of Big Joe
Susan Vega: Tom's Diner

You can also type in "ballad of" and search for something interesting. There's quite a selection.

Listen more than once. Then come back and report on the ballad you listened to.
What did you listen to?
What was it about?
Did it have a happy ending?
What was the moral of the story?

Small Claims Court

Small Claims courtrooms have become a daytime television phenomenon.
Truth is often stranger than fiction and you won't believe some of the characters who appear in these courtrooms.

Go on http://www.youtube.com/ and search for some of the following shows:

People's Court Judge Milian
People's Court Judge Wapner
People's Court Ed Koch
Judge Judy
Judge Joe Brown
Judge Mathis
Judge Jamie Kennedy


Look for segments that are at least 9 minutes long. Then come back to the blog to discuss.

1. What was the case? (Who was suing whom and for what)
2. How much money was involved?
3. Who do you think was right?
4. What was the judge's ruling?
5. Do you think the judge ruled fairly?

Family Law Essays

The following is due Monday in class.
Unit 71: Essay Topics for Family Law

Write a short essay (5 ¶s) on one of the following topics. Don't just paint with broad strokes. Good papers use a particular case as a profile of a wider issue. In the best papers, the author is personally invested in the issue.

1. What are “Children’s Rights”? What are a child’s legal options if these rights are violated? At what age do you think should a child be able to make these decisions?

2. What are “Parental Rights and Responsibilities”? When are parents overstepping their authority and how can they lose their rights as parents? Most people agree with spanking, but what about a belt? What about verbal abuse? How many chances should unstable parents be given to get their children back?

3. Where’s the line? When should a child be re-united with his/her birth parents and when should they not? What if a mother abandonned her baby, but later changed her mind? What if the parents have gone successfully thru their rehab program? What if the children don't want to be re-united?

4. Custody Battles: Who gets custody of the kids? Does a mother necessarily make a better parent? What factors should a judge consider when making this decision? Do the courts lean to one side? Do they lean too far?

5. Adoption: What factors should an agency consider when choosing adopting parents? Should single people adopt? What about same-sex couples? Should the birth-mother stay in the picture or disappear? (On this question, research Open Adoption, an arrangement in which a birth-mother has visitation rights with her child.)

6. Same-Sex Marriage: Should same-sex couples have the same rights and privileges as married couples? Does this include the right to adopt children? Is marriage just about love and companionship, or is it about raising a family? There was a gay trio that went to the courthouse for a license. Is this going too far?

7. Polygamy: Can you have more than one spouse? Can a child have more than one mother or father? Should governments recognize such arrangements? If a state makes it illegal, doesn’t that conflict with religious freedom? If all parties concerned are consenting adults, why shouldn’t it be legal?

8. Mixed-Race Adoption: The National Association of Black Social Workers opposes the adoption of black children by non-black families stating that black children feel more comfortable, loved and nurtured when they are raised by people who look like themselves. Are they right or wrong? How important is it that children resemble their parents? How does this contribute to a child's sense of identity?

9. Early amnesty from parents: Can a child grow up quickly, faster than his/her peers? Can a child become an adult sooner if they are ready and willing to function as adults, earning their own income and attending to their own needs? When is a child ready and able to take this step. Under what circumstances should a child seek early amnesty to end his parents' rights over him?

10. The Big Decision: Who has the right to make decisions for those not capable of speaking for themselves? If a spouse, child or parent is on life support, who has the right to "pull the plug"? If the patient is a child, which parent should decide if they disagree? The patient is a parent, which child would make the best decision?  (For information on an actual case of this nature, google "Terry Schiavo." What should have stayed a family matter became a national media circus.)

 
If you have an idea for an essay not covered on this sheet, be sure to clear the topic with me, first.

Unit 70: Controversial websites for debate

The following are links to controversial web sites. It must be absolutely clear that neither EF, nor I, endorse the content or views of any of these sites. I have posted these links to show the potential benefits and pitfalls inherent in freedom of speech. The purpose of this exercise is for you to educate yourselves in preparation for Friday's debate.

The firstset are websites that could get you into big trouble if you logged on from a computer in China or Iran.
http://newton.uor.edu/Departments&Programs/AsianStudiesDept/china-rights.html
http://www.iran.org/
http://www.faluninfo.net/
http://www.underminingdemocracy.org/iran/
http://www.freetibet.org/

This link is an article about an operation that was shut down because of its content.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-511969/Snuff-movies-website-shut-Mail-Sunday-probe.html

The following are articles that -one may argue- should be shut down because the ideas are potentially dangerous to society. One may also argue that they are expressions of the freedom of speech and that true tolerance must by definition include viewpoints which are offensive.

http://www.normemma.com/arhemloc.htm
http://kkk.com/
http://www.americannaziparty.com/about/index.php
http://www.nambla.org/

Unit 70: Web Page Critique

Hello, Class.Here are links to web pages to organizations in San Diego.
Choose any 4 that you think might interest you and critique them.

Consider the following:

1. Is it easy find the information you are looking for?

2. Is it visually interesting?

3. Is it too plain or too busy? (By "busy" I mean too much for your eyes to take in at one time.)

4. Do you want to explore it further?

5. If you wanted to remember the url, would you be able to remember the name and find it again easily?

6. What does each site need to improve?

• http://www.sdmaritime.org/

(This is a museum featuring historic ships and submarines, family events and education programs.)

• http://www.ieallaboard.org/
  

(This is a company of mimes offering fun and educational shows for schools. Their site features numerous videos of their work and television appearances.)

• http://www.jazz88.org/

(This is a public radio jazz station operating out of City College and maintains a calendar of local jazz productions. Live broadcasts can be heard on-line.)

• http://www.nps.gov/archive/cabr/home.html (This is a local historic landmark, Cabrillo National Monument/Park and is a great place to go hiking, whale watching and fish in the tide pools.)

• http://jyotibihanga.com(This is a vegetarian restaurant that sports a peaceful, meditative atmosphere. They call themselves "enlightened" whereas others call them a cult. See what you think.)
  
• http://goaztecs.cstv.com/ (This is the sports page for San Diego State University.)

• http://www.cultureshockdance.org/ (This is a hip-hop dance troupe with shows, classes and education outreach to schools.)

Once you have perused these web pages, add your comments on the blog.

Having work done

For a few examples of people who have "had too much work done" google images of the following people:

Goldie Hawn
Joan Rivers
Bette Midler
Donatella Versace

and just to show that men are not immune from such vanity, you can also see

Michael Jackson
Kenny Rogers


Look for some articles about plastic surgery. What are people having done and why? Then come back to the forum and comment. Post a link to the article and give your opinion.

Covering Letters

Your project for this week is to write a covering letter for your resume.
Make it a job that you are definitely interested in and qualified for.

To that end, here are some web sites that give tips for writing a professional cover letter to go with your C.V.

This one gives general tips and information.
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml

This woman gives very straight-forward, step-by-step guidelines using a single cover letter.
http://www.writing-cover-letters.com/

This site has samples of letters that students used successfully to secure interviews.
http://www.csuchico.edu/plc/coverltr-ex.html

Happy Hunting.

Unit 68: Relgious bios

Here are the guidelines for your biographies.

• 1.5-2 pages typed and double-spaced
• Choose a religious figure (such as a saint) or an important figure who lived by religious principles (such as Abraham Lincoln)
• No two people can choose the same person. Register your choice here on the blog. Read everyone else's choice first. If someone else has claimed your first choice, make a second choice.
• Use five of the verbs that we learned for indirect speech.

As to content, I am looking for the following:

• Who was this person?
• What was the shape of the world that X lived in? (eg ML King grew up in a country that talked about freedom and equality, but denied it to many of its citizens.)
• What ideas did X live by? (eg Gandhi believed in the principles of Satyagraha, non-violent resistence to oppression and turning the other cheek when hit.)
• How did X put these ideas into practice? (eg Mother Theresa identified with the poorest of the poor and she dedicated her life to helping people that no one else would touch.)
  What did X have to sacrifice to follow his/her principles? (eg When Reb Shlomo was seen coming out of a church, he was fired from his job as a Jewish rabbi.)
• How is the world better or worse because of X? (Because of Osama bin Laden, thousands of people died horribly and extra security measures are needed in the airports. Many people no longer feel safe when travelling because anyone could be a fanatic.)
• Why did you choose this person?

Thank you. I hope this is clear enough. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in class.

Unit 67: The New Gizmo

Describe the features of a techno-gizmo using 5 adjectives, three of which should be compound adjectives.

Info-mercials

Many new inventions are marketed on paid-for television shows called "info-mericals".

The king of info-mercials is the inventor, Ron Popeil, inventor of Super Glue, Veg-O-Matic, Rotissiere Barbecue and bald-spot hiding hair-spray.

Another is Dyson, an engineer who re-invented vacuum cleaners and other machines.

Search for these guys on http://www.youtube.com/ and see what comes up. Then report back.

• What did you see?


• What were you impressed by?


• What looked like a useless piece of junk? (One gadget can scramble an egg inside the shell.)


• Would you or did you buy any of their products?

Unit 67: Creating a product prototype

Google the phrase "creating a product prototype" and follow a link that interests you.

Look for this information:

• What is the process for marketing a new product?
• Who gives the clearest, step-by-step guidelines?
• What are the obstacles and pitfalls of new product development?
• How does one generate interest in a new product?
• What is a "must-have" and what is just a gadget? (Who needs to watch tv on their phone?)

Please report back which websites you looked at, which were the most helpful and which were the least. This information will be useful for your project on Monday.

Dream Interpretation

There are many websites for dream interpretation including:
Dreamota,
The Dream Dictionary,
dreams according to Freud and Jung,
and dream interpretation for different religions.

So your assignment is to google "dream interpretation", pick a web site, look up the meaning of an image, then come back to the blog and relate what you have learned.

DO NOT CUT AND PASTE YOUR ANSWER!

If you do, I will not give you credit for the assignment. Rather, you should read the material, and relate what you have learned in your own words. Let us know where you got your answer.

Kid Fears

The following is a music video for the song "Kid Fears" by the Indigo Girls.

1. What's going on in this video?


2. What are the dangers? What are they frightened of?


3. Where do they find safety and comfort from the dangers?


4. What images did you find the most compelling?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwSiAOWCdB0&feature=related

Unit 66: Fears

Respond to the following questions:

1. What are you afraid of?

2. How do you react when you are confronted by the things that scare you. (eg. Whenever I see spiders, I curl up into a ball and scream.)

3. Have you ever avoided doing something because of your fears? (eg. Because of my fear of flying, I always take the train or I just don't go on the trip.)

4. Do you ever do anything that's a little risky because you enjoy the thrill, like sky-diving or bungee jumping? (eg. To overcome my fear of clowns, I joined the circus.)

5. What do you think of daredevils (people who do dangerous things)?

6. Do you have any remedies for your fears, or can you suggest remedies for other people's fears?

Writing your review

I found a good website that talks about how to write a film review well.
Check it out.http://essay-paper.net/film_review.html

Here are some guidelines for writing your film review:

You can write about Ed Wood, a movie that you see this weekend or your favorite film of all time. It can be an American film or one from your own country. It doesn't matter to me.

Include 3 participle clauses (eg. "Starring Johnny Depp in the title role, Ed Wood....)

Hit as many different aspects of the film as you can: story, dialogue, acting, directing, music, cinematography, choreography, set, costumes, special effects... etc.

Use 6 different vocabulary words from p. 12.

Now you don't have to say it was thrilling if it wasn't. You might even say, "it was less than thrilling" or better yet, "It could have been more thrilling if...."


Structure:
1. Facts

2. Summary of the plot (but don't give away the ending)

3. Impression

4. Recommend for whom?

If you would like to watch some of the real Ed Wood's movies, you can go to YouTube and search for Glen or Glenda, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Pull the String! or The Haunted World of Ed D Wood Jr.

Good luck.

Unit 65, summary of a movie

Write a short summary (1 paragraph) of a movie that you know well. You can google it first for information.

1. What is the title?
2. What is the rating? Why does it have this rating? (nudity, violence, drugs ...etc.)
3. Who stars in this film?
4. What is the plot? What happens in this movie?
(DO NOT CUT AND PASTE! THIS MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS)
5. How many stars would you give it? Why would you give them?

Start the first sentence with a participle clause. (eg. Based on a true story,... Starring Charlie Chaplin as the Tramp,... etc.)

If you have never used this blog before, you will need to create an account. Follow the steps to do so. When it asks you to create a blog, sign out and sign back in with your username and password.

Unit 75: Mysterious Phenomena

Unit 75: Mysterious Phenomena
Hello, Class. Here is what I would like you to do: Research a mysterious phenomenon. It can be anything. Write your opinion about this mystery. Do you think it's a hoax or a delusion? Why? If so, give a more rational explanation.
Do you think it could be for real? Why? What gives you faith in this phenomenon?

Here is a partial list of mysterious phenomena to choose from.
aliens
Area 51
ghosts
haunted houses
haunted ships
The Flying Dutchman
past life regression
possession
Bigfoot/ Sasquatch
Yeti/Abominable Snowman
The Loch Ness Monster
Angels
Sightings of the Virgin Mary
Speaking in Tongues
Being Slain in the Spirit
Faith Healing
Near Death Experiences
Out of Body Experiences
Mediums
Seances
Astrology (Greek or Chinese)
Reading Tea Leaves and Coffee Grounds
Palm Reading
...and so on.

Character Profile

Write a character profile, about 1 paragraph. This character can be a person, animal or even an alien or a fantasy creature. Your character should be one of the following.

HERO. This should be the main character of the story. The hero can save the day, or try and fail. He doesn't have to be completely good or noble. He can make some very bad choices, but he should never give up trying.
eg. Peter Pan, Luke Skywalker, Don Quixote

HEROINE. She is usually the hero's love interest. She can be the lady in distress who needs to be rescued, or a strong woman who takes matters into her own hands. She can also be smarter than the hero and the one who saves the day in the end.
eg. Wendy, Princess Leia

SIDEKICK. This is the hero's best friend and confidant. The sidekick admires the hero and stays by his side.
eg. Tinkerbell, Robin, Sancho Panza

VILLAIN. The villain is greedy, selfish and hungry for personal gain. It can be the villain's motive to defeat the hero or to have his own goal that the hero feels he must stop. He must let nothing stand between him and his goal.
eg. Captain Hook, the Joker

VILLAINESS. She may be the love interest to the villain or a competitor to the heroine, vying for the affections of the hero. Like the villain, she must let nothing stand in her way.
eg. Harley Quinn, Cat Woman, Tinkerbell

LACKEY. This is the villain's sidekick. He may admire the villain or simply fear him. But he stays by his side. Unlike the sidekick, he might leave or betray the villain if he thinks it's in his best interests.
eg. Smee to Capt. Hook, Renfield to Dracula

GURU. This is someone older and wiser who teaches and advises the hero. Maybe he was a hero in his own day. But now he can only look on and drop pearls of wisdom.
eg. Yoda, Batman's butler Alfred

Once you have chosen what kind of character you have, you must decide several things.
1. What does he/she want?
2.What obstacles stand in his/her way?
3.What is he/she willing to do to get it?
4. What is this person's defining characteristic? (think adjectives: brave, honest, selfish, afraid...etc.)

relative clauses

Put what you just learned about relative clauses into practice. Write 1 paragraph describing someone or something using 2 defining and 2 non-defining relative clauses.

Example:
Our dog, Cubby, which is a yellow labrador, is a rambunctious wild beast. When I take him for a walk in the evenings, he wants to chase all of the little wild rabbits which come out at night. I thought that this dog, who weighs almost 40 kilos of pure muscle, was going to yank my arm out of its socket. Yet Cubby is my dear friend who always greets me with happy barks and wet kisses and I love him dearly.

which is a yellow labrador: non-defining
which come out at night: defining
who weighs almost 40 kilos of pure muscle: non-defining
who always greets me with happy barks and wet kisses : defining

Try...

Here is you homework for tomorrow:

Make a list of 5 guidelines using "try + infinitive" and "try +gerund".
Your guide can be for someone who is visiting your country who needs to get around
or you can advise an incoming student to EF San Diego.

In your advice, give them things to do, see, visit and eat. Include both daytime and nighttime activities. For every suggestion that you make add "because...".

Culture Shock HW

Write about an experience of culture shock, an experience wherein you were shocked by another's behavior -yet it would be considered normal where he comes from- or you shocked someone else by doing something that is considered normal in your culture. How are the two cultures different? Did you learn anything about your own culture in the process? Could you adjust yourself to the new culture, or is it something you could never get used to.

For example, on a ferry traveling from England to Europe, I struck up a conversation with a man from Ghana, Africa. In Africa, people dont' like to raise their voices and they don't feel uncomfortable being physically close to one another. So this man spoke in a low voice and sat with his shoulder touching mine.

At first, I leaned away, feeling uncomfortable being so close to a total stranger. Then I remembered how it was in his culture and decided to try it his way. We sat shoulder to shoulder talking about politics and literature. We didn't talk about anything deeply personal, but the conversation had an intimate feel about it and we always knew that we had each other's undivided attention.

By adjusting myself to his culture, I realized how Americans can seem loud, abrasive and cold in comparison to softer-spoken Africans.

Unit 73: Extra Credit

Here is a a link a website that lists a variety of anecdotes in which an advertisement didn't quite translate into another language. Enjoy.http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/335ARTIC/CULTCOMM.HTM

Which one was your favorite? Why?
Do you have any to add? If so, tell us about it here.

Family Law Essays

The following is due Monday in class.
Unit 71: Essay Topics for Family Law

Write a short essay (5 ¶s) on one of the following topics. Use a particular case as a profile of a wider issue.

1. What are “Children’s Rights”? What are a child’s legal options if these rights are violated? At what age do you think should a child be able to make these decisions?

2. What are “Parental Rights and Responsibilities”? When are parents overstepping their authority and how can they lose their rights as parents? Most people agree with spanking, but what about a belt? What about verbal abuse? How many chances should unstable parents be given to get their children back?

3. Where’s the line? When should a child be re-united with his/her birth parents and when should they not? What if a mother abandonned her baby, but later changed her mind? What if the parents have gone successfully thru their rehab program? What if the children don't want to be re-united?

4. Custody Battles: Who gets custody of the kids? Does a mother necessarily make a better parent? What factors should a judge consider when making this decision?

5. Adoption: What factors should an agency consider when choosing adopting parents? Should single people adopt? What about same-sex couples? Should the birth-mother stay in the picture or disappear? (On this question, research Open Adoption, an arrangement in which a birth-mother has visitation rights with her child.)

6. Same-Sex Marriage: Should same-sex couples have the same rights and privileges as married couples? Does this include the right to adopt children? Is marriage just about love and companionship, or is it about raising a family? There was a gay trio that went to the courthouse for a license. Is this going too far?

7. Polygamy: Can you have more than one spouse? Can a child have more than one mother or father? Should governments recognize such arrangements? If a state makes it illegal, doesn’t that conflict with religious freedom? If all parties concerned are consenting adults, why shouldn’t it be legal?

8. Mixed-Race Adoption: The National Association of Black Social Workers opposes the adoption of black children by non-black families stating that black children feel more comfortable, loved and nurtured when they are raised by people who look like themselves. Are they right or wrong? How important is it that children resemble their parents? How does this contribute to a child's sense of identity?

9. Early amnesty from parents: Can a child grow up quickly, faster than his/her peers? Can a child become an adult sooner if they are ready and willing to function as adults, earning their own income and attending to their own needs? When is a child ready and able to take this step. Under what circumstances should a child seek early amnesty to end his parents' rights over him?

10. The Big Decision: Who has the right to make decisions for those not capable of speaking for themselves? If a spouse, child or parent is on life support, who has the right to "pull the plug"? If the patient is a child, which parent should decide if they disagree? The patient is a parent, which child would make the best decision?  (For information on an actual case of this nature, google "Terry Schiavo." What should have stayed a family matter became a national media circus.)

 
If you have an idea for an essay not covered on this sheet, be sure to clear the topic with me, first.

Listening

This week is all about listening and developing better listening skills.

Below are links to websites with listening activities. Find one that may interest you, then come back to the blog and rate it.

:) :) = recommend highly

:) = recommend

: = not bad

:( = avoid this one

But don't just make a face. Explain why the site received this rating from you.

1. http://www.esl-lab.com/

2. http://esl.about.com/od/englishlistening/English_Listening_Skills_and_ActivitiesEffective_Listening_Practice.htm


3. http://www.wittcom.com/listening_quiz.htm


4. http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html

Controversial Web Sites for Debate

The following are links to controversial web sites. It must be absolutely clear that neither EF, nor I, endorse the content or views of any of these sites. I have posted these links to show the potential benefits and pitfalls inherent in freedom of speech. The purpose of this exercise is for you to educate yourselves in preparation for Friday's debate.

The firstset are websites that could get you into big trouble if you logged on from a computer in China or Iran.

http://newton.uor.edu/Departments&Programs/AsianStudiesDept/china-rights.html

http://www.iran.org/

http://www.faluninfo.net/

http://www.underminingdemocracy.org/iran/

http://www.freetibet.org/

This link is an article about an operation that was shut down because of its content.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-511969/Snuff-movies-website-shut-Mail-Sunday-probe.html

The following are articles that -one may argue- should be shut down because the ideas are potentially dangerous to society. One may also argue that they are expressions of the freedom of speech and that true tolerance must by definition include viewpoints which are offensive.

http://www.normemma.com/arhemloc.htm

http://kkk.com/

http://www.americannaziparty.com/about/index.php

http://www.nambla.org/

Unit 70: Web Pages

Hello, Class.Here are links to web pages to organizations in San Diego. I would like you to critique them.

Consider the following:
1. Is it easy find the information you are looking for?
2. Is it visually interesting?
3. Is it too plain or too busy? (By "busy" I mean too much for your eyes to take in at one time.)
4. Do you want to explore it further?
5. If you wanted to remember the url, would you be able to remember the name and find it again easily?

http://www.sdmaritime.org
http://www.ieallaboard.org
http://www.sdrep.org
http://www.jazz88.org

Once you have perused these web pages, add your comments on the blog.

HW for Wed.

Write 3 things that you wish you had and what you should have done about it.

eg. I wish I had a fuller head of hair, so I should have hair plugs inserted into my scalp.

(If you think you're perfect the way you are, make something up.)

Cover Letters

Here are some web sites that give tips for writing a professional cover letter to go with your C.V.

This one gives general tips and information.
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml

This woman gives very straight-forward, step-by-step guidelines using a single cover letter.

http://www.writing-cover-letters.com

This site has samples of letters that students used successfully to secure interviews.

http://www.csuchico.edu/plc/coverltr-ex.html

Happy Hunting.

Religious biographies

Here are the guidelines for your biographies.

1. 1.5-2 pages typed and double-spaced
2. Choose a religious figure (such as a saint) or an important figure who lived by religious principles (such as Abraham Lincoln)
3. No two people can choose the same person. Register your choice here on the blog. Read everyone else's choice first. If someone else has claimed your first choice, make a second choice.
4. Use five of the verbs that we learned for indirect speech.

As to content, I am looking for the following:

• Who was this person?
• What was the shape of the world that X lived in? (eg ML King grew up in a country that talked about freedom and equality, but denied it to many of its citizens.)
• What ideas did X live by? (eg Gandhi believed in the principles of Satyagraha, non-violent resistence to oppression and turning the other cheek when hit.)
• How did X put these ideas into practice? (eg Mother Theresa identified with the poorest of the poor and she dedicated her life to helping people that no one else would touch.)
• What did X have to sacrifice to follow his/her principles? (eg When Reb Shlomo was seen coming out of a church, he was fired from his job as a Jewish rabbi.)
• How is the world better or worse because of X? (Because of Osama bin Laden, thousands of people died horribly and extra security measures are needed in the airports. Many people no longer feel safe when travelling because anyone could be a fanatic.)
• Why did you choose this person?

Thank you. I hope this is clear enough. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in class.

American Megachurches

Here is a link to a short video about the American Megachurches.
If you are finished with i-lab and would like some extra credit,
watch these and leave a comment about your impressions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a7Fen1bz7Q&feature=related

Here is another regarding tent revivals. These are services held outdoors in a circus-style tent and are held in the evenings. The intention is to "re-vive" (bring new life) to the faithful and encourage people to make a greater commitment to their faith.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXjmWE7mWPc&feature=related

Also on Youtube, you can watch an evangelist named Benny Hinn. He claims to be a vessel of the Holy Spirit who delivers people from the Devil. Others call him a liar and a con-artist. Watch him and tell us what you think.

Unit 67: Gizmo w/ adjectives

Describe a techno-gizmo using 5 adjectives,
three of which should be compound adjectives.

Dream interpretation

There are many websites for dream interpretation including 

Dreamota,

The Dream Dictionary,

dreams according to Freud and Jung,

and dream interpretation for different religions.

So your assignment is to google "dream interpretation", pick a web site, look up the meaning of an image, then come back to the blog and relate what you have learned.

DO NOT CUT AND PASTE YOUR ANSWER! If you do, I will not give you credit for the assignment. Rather, you should read the material, and relate what you have learned in your own words. Let us know where you got your answer.

Unit 66. What are you afraid of?

What are you afraid of?

Write 1 paragraph about what you are afraid of using 5 adjective phrases, 1 with each preposition.

What are you afraid of?
What happens to you when you are confronted by the object of your fear?
What happened to you in the past to make you afraid of this?

Writing your review

Here are some guidelines for writing your film review.

You can write about Singin' in the Rain, a movie that you see this weekend or your favorite film of all time. It can be an American film or one from your own country. It doesn't matter to me.

Include 3 participle clauses

Hit as many different aspects of the film as you can: story, dialogue, acting, directing, music, cinematography, choreography, set, costumes, special effects... etc.

Use 6 different vocabulary words from p. 12. Now you don't have to say it was thrilling if it wasn't. You might even say, "it was less than thrilling" or better yet, "It could have been more thrilling if...."

1. Facts
2. Summary of the plot (but don't give away the ending)
3. Impression
4. Recommend for whom?

Good luck.

Unit 65, Writing a Film Review

I found a good website that talks about how to write a film review well.

Check it out.

http://essay-paper.net/film_review.html

Unit 65, summary of a movie

Write a short summary of a movie that you know well. You can google it first for information.
1. What is the title?
2. What is the rating? Why does it have this rating?
3. Who stars in this film?
4. What is the plot? What happens in this movie?
5. How many stars would you give it? Why would you give them?

If you have never used this blog before, you will need to create an account. Follow the steps to do so. When it asks you to create a blog, sign out and sign back in with your username and password.

Unit 75: Mysterious Phenomena

Hello, Class. Here is what I would like you to do. Research a mysterious phenomenon. It can be anything. Write your opinion about this mystery. Do you think it's a hoax or a delusion? Why? Give a more rational explanation. Do you think it could be for real? Why? What gives you faith in this phenomenon?

Here is a partial list of mysterious phenomena to choose from.
aliens
Area 51
ghosts
haunted houses
haunted ships
The Flying Dutchman
past life regression
possession
Bigfoot/ Sasquatch
Yeti
The Loch Ness Monster
Angels
Sightings of the Virgin Mary
Speaking in Tongues
Being Slain in the Spirit
Faith Healing
Near Death Experiences
Out of Body Experiences
Mediums
Seances
Astrology
Reading Tea Leaves and Coffee Grounds
Palm Reading
...and so on.

cliff-hanger

If you would like to get a senseof what a clif-hanger is, the 1960's BATMAN series was famous for these.

Go to www.youtube.com and type in "The Purrfect Cliffhanger"which shows a fun, campy little game of cat-and-mouse between Batman and Catwoman.

Unit 73: Cultural Miscommunication

Here is a a link a website that lists a variety of anecdotes in which an advertisement didn't quite translate into another language. Enjoy.

http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/335ARTIC/CULTCOMM.HTM

Unit 72

This is a great website to listen to various radio programs.

In the time before television and video games, people listened. They sat huddled around the radio for news of the war. But they also needed to be taken out of themselves and into worlds of imagination.

You can hear comedy from Jack Benny, Amos & Andy or Fibber McGee & Molly.
They also have the adventures of Tarzan and The Lone Ranger.

Sit back, listen and let them take you on an journey.

http://www.oldtimeradiopage.com/masterpage.htm

Unit 71

If you finish the unit work early, here are some links to some televised courtroom dramas.

These are not scripted scenarios with actors, but real people in small claims court, a court in which the cost of the settlement is too small for a lawyer to trouble with. So the plaintiffs and defendants handle their own cases before a judge and all the folks in TV-Land.

http://peoplescourt.warnerbros.com/

http://www.judgejudy.com/

http://www.judgejoebrown.com/

http://judgemathistv.warnerbros.com/

http://www.judgehatchett.com/

Unit 70, Web Pages

Hello, Class.

Here are links to web pages to organizations in San Diego. I would like you to critique them.

Consider the following:
1. Is it easy find the information you are looking for?
2. Is it visually interesting?
3. Is it too plain or too busy? (By "busy" I mean too much for your eyes to take in at one time.)
4. Do you want to explore it further?
5. If you wanted to remember the url, would you be able to remember the name and find it again easily?

http://www.sdmaritime.org

http://www.ieallaboard.org

http://www.sdrep.org

Once you have perused these web pages, add your comments on the blog.

Unit 69- Plastic Surgery

This week, we're talking about plastic surgery -among other things. So I thought I'd give you a link to some images of someone who has definitely had too much work done. Her name is Joan Rivers, and she's a very witty comediane.

new inventions

When you finish i-lab for this week, here is a little internet field trip that you may go on. The inventor is Ron Popeil and he peddles a wide variety of products on his infomercials. Check out his products on this link:

www.popeilfamilystore.com

Check out his infomercials on YouTube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDl3-S3aAzQ

There is also a parody-song of him by satirist "Weird Al" Yankovic.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g2AhIKyIGc

Enjoy.

phobias

Here is a link to a site about phobias and how to get help with them.

http://phobias.about.com/

Opening Scenes

Write the opening scene of a film, one that you would like to write, not a movie already made.
It can be any genre or style. Pay attention to the following:

Lighting (light or dark, soft or harsh. What is the light source? Are there shadows? ...etc.)
Sound (traffic? sirens? crickets? breathing?)
Music (What kind of feeling do you want in the music? What kind of instruments?)
Color (If we see green, is it bright emerald, dark pine or like a swamp.)
People (What do they look like? What are they doing?)
Place (Where are we? Is it clean or dirty, city or country, safe or dangerous...etc.)
Time (What do you use to indicate the time? Cars, clothing, newspaper headlines, weapons)