Reflection 05: I Feel Pretty—Attractiveness in America

As Americans, we are all told that "beauty is only skin deep," and that "real beauty lies on the inside." We are told that, but the realities of our culture tell quite a different story. Beauty, as it turns out, is not only celebrated in America, but rewarded. Good looks can land a person preferential treatment at restaurants, on airplanes, even in court. It's almost as if beautiful people are allowed to live in a bubble. What do you feel are the benefits of being attractive in American society? Are good looking people treated more favorably than the general population? Finally, what, if any, downsides are there to being beautiful in America?

Include at least two of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Study: Attractive Men Fare Best in Gaining Venture Capital" (MIT News)
• "Calling Miss Congeniality: Do Attractive People Have Attractive Traits and Values?" (ScienceDaily)
• "How Much is Being Attractive Worth?" (Smithsonian)
• "Good Looks Will Get You that Job, Promotion, and Raise" (Psychology Today)
• "10 Pleasures and Pains of Being Beautiful" (PsyBlog)
• "You’re Not Beautiful, and There’s Nothing Wrong with That" (Daily Princetonian)

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be only one full page in length
• Must include a works cited page

Due: We 04.09

Week 10: Mo 31/We 02

New Haven, Connecticut

Week 10: Mo 31
Cesar Chavez Day—No Class 

Week 10: We 02
Readings: SHOUTIN’—“1: The Widow’s Mite” Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lectures—“On the Fringes: Subcultures in America”and “Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 04

Upcoming:

Week 11: Mo 07/We 09
Read: SHOUTIN’—“2: Lies to My Mother”
Class: CLOSE READING; Reading discussion; Multimedia
presentations;
Due: REFLECTION 05

News from Around America 03.27.14

• CALIFORNIA - Runner in tutu gives Self magazine permission to use her image, then gets mocked in the following issue (KNSD-TV)  
• USA - These colleges have the most drug and alcohol-related arrests in the country (Huffington Post) NORTH CAROLINA - Shoddy 146-word essay from a UNC athlete shines spotlight on student athletes after it receives an A- (Slate)  
• VIRGINIA - Girl allegedly told by her Christian school that her hairstyle is too masculine (Washington Post)  
• CALIFORNIA - LAPD cracking down on hippie drum circles on Venice Beach (Vice) 
• ARIZONA - Pastor famous for praying for President Obama's death, now urges females to stay quiet in church (AlterNet)

Week 09: Mo 24/We 26

Phoenix, Arizona

Week 09: Mo 24/We 26
Spring Break—No class

Upcoming:

Week 10: Mo 31
Cesar Chavez Day—No Class

Week 10: We 02
Readings: SHOUTIN’—“1: The Widow’s Mite”
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations;
Lectures—“On the Fringes: Subcultures in America”and “Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 04

News from Around America 03.19.14

• NORTH CAROLINA - Schools bans boy's My Little Pony backpack because it encourages bullying (USA Today)
• MINNESOTA - German restaurant hosts Nazi-themed dinner party (Gawker)
• USA - Hotels set their sights on Millennials (HotelChatter) 
• NEW YORK - What happens when students stop attending school dances? (CNN)
• CALIFORNIA - Latinos now the largest ethnic group in the state (PRI)
• USA - Hollister faces backlash after it features an emaciated model (Business Insider)

Week 08: Mo 17/We 19

Las Vegas, Nevada

Week 08: Mo 17/We 19
Readings: PERFECT—“Seven: Love Me Tender” – Epilogue
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“The Fundamentals of Rhetoric”
Due: PERSUASIVE

Week 09: Mo 24/We 26
Spring Break—No class

Upcoming:

Week 10: Mo 31
Cesar Chavez Day—No Class

Week 10: We 02
Readings: SHOUTIN’—“1: The Widow’s Mite”
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations;
Lectures—“On the Fringes: Subcultures in America”and “Constructing a Research Paper: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 5

Reflection 04: Did You See That?—When History Unfolds on Television

Sometimes, history plays itself out in real time and we are afforded a front row seat. Whether what we see inspires or terrifies us, historical events on television often captivate Americans. In fact, we often bond as a nation over these moments. For this reflection, watch excerpts from two of the following historical events. As you watch, consider why these events were significant for Americans, even if it did not pertain to us directly? And which historical events have you see played out on television?

Write about two of the following events:

• The Launch of Sputnik 1 (1957)
• The Assassination of President Kennedy (1963)
• The Assassination of Dr. King (1968)
• The Apollo 11 Moon Landing (1968)
• The Apollo 13 Splashdown (1970)
• The Resignation of President Nixon (1974)
• The "Miracle on Ice" (1980)
• The Attempted Assassination of President Reagan (1981)
• The Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana (1981)
• The Live-Aid Concerts in Philadelphia and London (1985)
• The Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion (1986)
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
• The OJ Simpson Murder Trial (1994 - 1995)
• The Funeral of Princess Diana (1997)
• The Attacks of September 11th (2001)
• The Inauguration of President Obama (2009)
• The Memorial of Michael Jackson (2009)
• The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunamis (2011)
• The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (2011)
• Boston Marathon Bombing (2013)
• Pope Francis Elected Leader of the Roman Catholic Church (2013)

Requirements:

• Be in MLA Style
• Be two full pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: We 03.19

News from Around America 03.12.14

• NEW YORK - On The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon and Jon Hamm photobomb NYC tourists (People) 
• CALIFORNIA - Affirmative action's potential return to the California college admissions process riles Asian-American groups (KPCC)
• USA - Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg joins forces with the Girl Scouts to launch the "Ban Bossy" campaign (ABC News)
• OREGON - Family terrorized by aggressive 22-pound cat (NPR) 
• CALIFORNIA - Eleven "true" stereotypes about the Bay Area (Movoto)
• USA - Filmmaker asks 20 strangers to kiss for the first time (USA Today)

Persuasive Essay: Reining In the American Wedding

Americans spend some $40 billion on weddings annually. Luckily for us, we have a well-oiled wedding industry only too eager to help us spend our money. And while they readily offer us all the accoutrements for our special day, what they really sell is dreams. Thus, the rise of the "Fairytale Wedding" in America has coincided with ever more lavish and elaborate ceremonies. Everyday brides, once simple and demure, have changed, too. The so-called "Bridezilla," is now given broad license to demand and demean in pursuit of her dream day. The contemporary American obsession with weddings has led to ceremonies that emphasize status over substance. But can the American wedding be reclaimed? Can Americans forgo the trappings of status and refocus on the sanctity of a couple's union? In a concise persuasive essay, outline the ways in which we can rid the American wedding of excess consumerism and commercialization. Cite exclusively from Rebecca Meed's One Perfect Day to support your thesis.


Requirements:

• Three pages minimum
• MLA Style
• Parenthetical citation
• Works cited page

 

Due: Wed 03.19.14

Week 07: Mo 10/We 12

Little Rock, Arkansas

Week 07: Mo 10/We 12
Readings: PERFECT—“Four: The ‘Oh, Mommy’ Moment” – “Six: God and the Details”
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4

Upcoming:

Week 08: Mo 17/We 19
Readings: PERFECT—“Seven: Love Me Tender” – Epilogue
Class: Writers workshop; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“The Fundamentals of Rhetoric”
Due: PERSUASIVE—DRAFT 1: BRING 1 COPY

Week 09: Mo 24/We 26
Spring Break—No class

News from Around America 03.04.14

• CALIFORNIA: The Oscars' Pizza Guy get $1000 tip (CNN)
• NEW JERSEY: Dove pulls ad calling New Jersey the "Armpit of America" (Los Angeles Times)
• OHIO: Principal suspends 10-year-old for pointing his finger in the shape of a gun (Columbus Dispatch)
• COLORADO: Couples incorporating Cannabis into weddings (ABC News) 
• CALIFORNIA: LA City Council votes to snuff out e-cigarettes (Slate)
• USA: Tech survey—11% of Americans believe HTML is a sexually transmitted disease (Time)

Reflection 03: Which Fork Do I Use?—Table Manners and You

Directly or indirectly, we are all taught that a certain protocol exists during meals. Every meal is accompanied by long list of dos and don'ts, some of which we may be conscious of and some of which we may not. How would you rate your own table manners? What do you do well and which areas could use some work? How important is the etiquette of those with whom you are eating? Do you have any pet peeves about your eating companions? What bothers you about other people's manners at the dinner table? 

Include in your discussion at least two of the following:

• "Quiz: Do Your Table Manners Measure Up?" (Jacksonville Business Journal)
• "Put a Fork in It" (Slate)
• "A Man’s Guide to Dining Etiquette and Proper Table Manners" (The Art of Manliness)
• "Confronting Bad Table Manners" (Crucial Skills)
• "Mealtime Common Etiquette Mistakes & Dining What-If's" (The Huffington Post)
• "Setting a Table" (MarthaStewart.com)

Requirements:

• Be in MLA Style
• Be two full pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: We 03.12

Week 06: Mo 03/We 05

Athens, Georgia

Week 06: Mo 03/We 05
Readings: PERFECT—“One: Weddings 101” – “Three: Inventing the Traditionalesque”
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“On Wordiness”
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 07: Mo 10/We 12
Readings: PERFECT—“Four: The ‘Oh, Mommy’ Moment” – “Six: God and the Details”
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4

News from Around America 03.01.14

• USA: Taco Bell takes on McDonald's with new breakfast selections (Bloomberg)
• NEW YORK: Jason Collins' Brooklyn Nets jersey is the top seller on the NBA's website (CBS Sports) 
•  WASHINGTON: At Hot Cup of Joe, have your coffee served up by shirtless male baristas (ABC News)
• CALIFORNIA: Entrepreneurial Girl Scouts sells cookies outside of a mediical marijuana clinic (Slate)
• IDAHO: "Ag-Gag" law goes into effect, troubling animal rights activists (Al Jazeera America)
• USA: How the American Dream ceased to include home ownership (Washington Post)