Update on the essays

So apparently there's a limit on how long a comment can be;
Sorry about that.
So instead of posting it as a comment,
Just go ahead and e-mail it to me,
And I'll post it on the language and literature page [link].
Which means you'll have to go there to read everyone else's essays and study off of them!
Ciao. :3
Seewah

New Deal Projects, Agencies, etc.

I was thinking about how I still don't know all of the acts; very sad story. D:
Soooo, I went and searched and looked at these websites:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/new_deal.htm
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/greatdepression/tp/new_deal_programs.htm
http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/money_13.html

I found it interesting; weird. I'm hoping the social science group will post the actual acts that we need to know, though. How many did they say there was? ..15 or something like that. And do we need to know the federal agencies too? I shall find that out.
Anyways, have a good 4-day weekend!

Yay for Four Day Weekends!

I'm sorry, I just HAD to add this picture.
It's Aizen from Bleach!
Pfft!

Now we get to sleep all we want, right?
Don't forget to do my homework though! Again, a here a [link] to the blog you have to post your homework on.  I'm postponing the due date to midnight between Saturday  and Sunday.  Anything late [that starts 12:01 am on Sunday, November the 14th!] will get 5 points reduction for each day.  The homework is worth 35 points (I know I said 50 to some of you guys earlier-- I changed it, okay?).




Right-o. Well, the real reason why I wanted to blog was because I saw some interesting parallels to Acadec-ish related information in some stuff I was browsing through.
First, a quote:

"Wit makes its own welcome, and levels all distinctions. No dignity, no learning, no force of character, can make any stand against good wit." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

What does Emerson have anything to do with the Great Depression?  The novel!  You know, the theme, the Over-Soul? Yeah, Steinbeck got that from Emerson!
I'll be going over themes post-scrimmage, so... too bad if that's going to be on the scrimmage tests, you should just read the entire Lang & Lit section from the test.

Ummm!
Oh, yes.
Second: videos.
Okay, so here's Vigilante Man by Woody Guthrie, which I played for you guys at the end of Tuesday's lesson.  If you remember, Woody Guthrie did the "So long, it's been good to know you" song from the CD.

I played this video because of the reference to Jim Casy in the verse around 1:50.

Here's the new video I wanted you to watch:

For those who didn't know, university students in England were protesting new government policy: a rise in tuition by nearly three times, and a reduction in government funding by 40%.  Mr. Callahan brought it up during Econ class, for those in his period 5 gold class.  Here's the [article] I got this video from.

Can you see the parallel I'm trying to make?  If I were you, I'd spend some time reflecting on whether or not strikes are "good", etc.  You never know, could be one of the essay topics.  Also, spend time reflecting on the role of strikes and how they have shaped our society today, and whether or not they are as effective today as they were in the 1930s.

And lastly, because I put on Woodie Guthrie, I just GOT to put on his son, the beloved Arlo Guthrie.  I grew up with this guy-- friggin' hilarious :)


It's a three-part video.  You gotta watch all of it, 'kay? ^^
Funni, funni stuff xD
Once you watch it, you will get half of my humor when I start speaking in funny voices during Pre-Calculus class...

Next Week's Presentations: Postone for Scrimmage practice?

Ok, so Ms. Kelly wants to know if you guys want to do tests from Demidec to practice for scrimmage.

This would mean that we would give up all lessons next week and do tests instead.

I'm willing to do this, since really you guys should have the basics,

Rebecca (art) says that she and Emily haven't presented all the basics yet but they're not presenting this week anyways so what does it matter.

What about you guys?

I've sent out e-mails to group leaders.
Please answer ASAP because Ms. Kelly needs to know if she's going to make copies!

Danks

Old Lang and Lit HW: The One Due 09 Nov 2010. Answers.

So, only 8 or so people turned it in, which makes me really disappointed.  It's really not that much.  Here's an answer that got full credit:

The Grapes of Wrath portrays humanity as part of a universal soul.  People must be unified in order to be strong.  Industrialization seems to dehumanize people, as it pits man against man for a steady wage and replaces people and animals with machinery.  The migrants' wrath is justified because it was brought about by the "evil" companies that took away everything that the migrants had.  The migrants bring about revolution by unionizing and demanding their rights.

That's only five sentences.  I graded based on clarity, effort, understanding, and whether or not the questions were answered.
Because such a small percentage of the class actually did their homework, please expect me to be harsher in grading the next homework assignments.

Below, I've given some examples of pretty okay answers to the questions.  They're paraphrased, so bear with the choppy grammar.  I'm also not done grading, so not everyone's awesome answer has been included.  I'll edit this post some more later... probably on Thursday.

How does Grapes of Wrath portray humanity?

"Humanity as something that is based on how we act in accordance to changing times... Casy leads the strike...to preserve human values... possibility of machines overtaking the human race because we acted as slaves to the machines... how easy it is to become inhuman through the hardships..."
-Richie

"Humanity as naturally holy... connects to the concept of the Over-Soul... when you connect to the natural world, you connect with humanity... people as at first good but then later corrupted by society and dehumanized... migrants are able to sympathize with each other because they know how the poor around them feel... the Over-Soul and holiness can only be reached when people gather together in unity... society not united and unable to reach holiness."
-Tsina Bing

"Humanity is portrayed as the quest for the Promised Land... and also the Garden of Eden before the fall of humankind...."
-Delia-chan!

In what way is industrialization at odds with this view of mankind?
"Industrialization leads to dehumanization... [people] become meaner to each other and choose to themselves.  They are already disconnected to the Over-Soul and choose to continue to be disconnected..."
-Such.A.Rita.Yellow.Prada

Is the migrants' wrath justified?
"[Yes] because it was brought about by the "evil" companies that took away everything that the migrants had."
-Bikachu

"... justified because they were treated like crap... noble and justified because their wrath is a good anger that inspires them to change things for the better."
-SY (again)

Just watched "V is for Vendetta" and now feel like blogging.

Now I know what people mean when they say that movie is a classic.  I mean.  I mean.  Like WOAH.  It was so good, I nearly cried (no nasty jokes).  I don't know if I can focus on my homework anymore.  Thank you, Mr. Eayrs for telling us to watch it for homework!  And thank you, Nancy, for lending it to Rebecca and me!  I am forever indebted to you!

Here, a gift:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW6HbZXI9Y0&feature=related

I would embed it in the blog, but all clips have disabled embedding.  WHY?!?

Anyway, to somehow tie all this to Academic Decathlon...

1. Don't forget to do my homework.  Here, a [link] to the exact blog that I assigned the homework in.

2. Read Studs Terkel's Oral History excerpt in the USAD guide.  See my previous blog post for the video I posted.  Please watch it; that guy says a lot of great stuff.

3. A thoughtful rant from me....

So, reading about people in the USAD guide, going to that lecture at SacState, watching documentaries and interviews of everything, and all of the other things that I've been doing to prepare for the Academic Decathlon has really been getting me thinking that this was the era where truly inspiring people formed from the mire.  Frank Lloyd Wright, Studs Terkels, Billie Holiday-- these are all people that have really shaped society.  After they were seen, known, acknowledged by the public, our world was really never the same.  But this isn't something spectacular-- lives are changed everyday, without us even noticing.  There are so many amazing people, that it's nothing special.  That doesn't mean the world is dull, mundane, exaggerated.  No, this is an understatement of just how wondrous our world is.  I guess I'm just noticing this because I watched this video on vimeo about how certain people influence society and create trends.  It really doesn't have anything to do with what I'm saying, but I guess I'll post it here for the hell of it:

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

Anyway, the point of all this was: when you read the USAD guide, when you complete Academic Decathlon homework, when you watch related documentary, don't treat this as if it was just information.  Information that's going to be tested on.  Information that you think has nothing to do with your life, is inapplicable, and that you just have to memorize to win a medal so that the colleges will be impressed when they see your resume.  There are lessons, concepts, universal truths to be learned here.  Think with a broader perspective.  Embrace the knowledge with your mind, heart, and soul.  I know this sounds super corny, but I think we students at SECA really need to learn that.

So, get cracking, have a wonderful night full of homework, and if you haven't watched V for Vendetta-- what are ya waitin' for? Get to it!

Studs Terkel

Check your guides for more about him. As you (should) know, he won the Pulitzer Prize and is also well-known for his oral histories.  We look specifically into the oral histories of Caesar Chavez and EY Harburg.
He actually died recently (2008).
Here's a few pictures of him:

This one's in the guide.

Anyway, this is just a preview for tomorrow.  Ben will be presenting, so listen closely!  Read the excerpt from the Oral History, and the info from the guide.

Finally, a Youtube vid:



Don't forget, homework due tomorrow!  Other assignment due later on this week!