Spring Registration

Class registration for the spring semester seems to be a hot topic lately. Students all around campus are trying to get into classes that are needed for their major but, unfortunately are closed. They are doing everything to try and enroll in these vital classes. I personally, did not have any trouble registering for classes, I even got an online course. But it seems many students got the short end of the stick, like this NIU student. http://www.northernstar.info/article/1505/

What should NIU do about the students that cannot enroll in the courses that they need?
Should the school offer more sections, or should the school think of a new way for class registration?
What do you think NIU should do about this growing issue?
What do you think should be done?

Cuss Words

Kids always copy what their parents do and say. When the parents of these little kids are cussing the little kids go to school cussing and getting in trouble. I think parents should be a little more cautious with what they say and how they word things. I know people thinks its funny but these kids are getting themselves in trouble at school by saying bad words and slanders that some of their are using around them. The link is funny at first but if you think about the parents are encouraging him to cuss and a say probably the worst cuss word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS2BFzK_Pmw&feature=related

On Turkey and Consumer Culture Protest Movements

Every year, around this time, my thoughts turn toward home, family, and...the destructive potential of the American market economy. As Americans, we are expected to gather around our tables, give thanks to whatever higher power we may believe in, and enjoy the fruits of another year's harvest together with our families. Then, the day after, we are expected to make a pilgrimage together to a mall, or Wal-Mart, or some other Temple to Cheap Consumer Goods, and pay homage to another god. And every year there is at least one news report of devotees to the dollar trampling one another in the early morning rush to buy.

So, every year, I feel the need to take a step back for a moment and consider what effect my own purchasing habits have on the rest of the world. Certainly, I'm not trampling anyone to grab a coffee at Starbuck's. Nor am I kneeling at the CD racks within the hallowed halls of any capitalist temple by downloading an album on iTunes. In fact, most "Black Fridays" I don't even leave the house. Sometimes, I count myself among the few participants in the annual social protest event known as "Buy Nothing Day." The Buy Nothing Day website calls for a "24-hour moratorium on consumer spending." I can do that. I'd rather not be at the mall on Black Friday anyway. I'm more than happy to sit at home, watch some football, and feast on leftovers.

But, every year I wonder...is this really an effective form of protest? Would it, in reality, be better for me to go out and spend a few bucks for the people who have to work on the day after Thanksgiving in order to afford a decent holiday season? Is my ability to stay at home and comfortably enjoy a hot turkey sandwich and a football game really just symptomatic of the degree to which I am immersed in our consumer culture? Another blog post I found on a fashion blog site through Google makes a similar point. These bloggers suggest that "there needs to be a more sound concept where everyone could bind together and help causes instead of hinder businesses."

Is Buy Nothing Day an effective form of protest? Is Black Friday even a day worth protesting about? Are there other, "more sound concepts" out there for one who is critical of consumer culture, but also skeptical of forms of protest that seem a bit too "easy"?

Racial Stereotypes

This week in class we discussed stereotypes becasue that was an issue in the episode of Cavemen that we watched. In that eposide it was said that all cavemen look alike and that also is a stereotype said about several other races. What are some stereotypes that you often hear that you think are true or not at all true?

Cavemen!!!

On the episode of cavemen, Cash was the substitute teacher. When he found out that the mascot was a caveman, do you feel that Cash was taking the situation with the mascot thing too seriously? If so, why? Should the principal have acted more upon his request to abolish the tradition? http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/cavemen/

Wikipedia

How reliable are online sources? An online source that many people use is wikipedia.com. The problem with this web-site is that anyone can edit any article. Because of this, the articles may contain false information. An example is Nathaniel Hawthorne. Some had changed the article so that it said that the author wrote pronographic material for sailors. The people in charge of wikipedia.com found this problem and fixed it. However, this took quite some time so many people may have used the false information. Because of situations like this,do you believe students should be allowed to use wikipedia as a valid source for information and research?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne

The Effects That American Myths Have on Society Today

If there was not a such thing as American Cultural Myths, would America be where it is now, or better/worst? There are plenty of cultural myths floating around America; some are said to be true, and some are wished to be true. But have you ever sat back and thought about what if the American Myth of the American Dream was never a myth? Would we all still have this same dream? Or would it actually be into existence. Here is a link to a cite that lists a few American Myths. Have you heard of any of these? http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends.htm. Did they have an effect on the coming up of America?

advertising and myths

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZeQUxSjHwU
The link above is a Clorox bleach commercial that enforces a few of the cultural ideas and myths that we have been talking about in class. These ideas include gender,family, and education. The commercial shows the woman in one family, learning how to do the laundry from one generation to another. This commercial re-enforces that the idea that women are the one that should be doing the cleaning, cooking,etc. What do you think about the commercial and how it applies to the cultural ideas and myths that we have today. Or what are your views on any type of culture myth?