PowerPoint Presentation Sign-Ups, Sec. 5

Here are the slots for PowerPoint presentations this semester. In order to choose a date:

1. Click on "Comments" at the end of this post.
2. In the "Post a Comment" box, leave your name (first and last), your topic, and the preferred date.

Example: David Cortez, LA Street Food, Tu 11.19

Remember, you topics must be related in some way to American culture. Dates and topics are first-come, first-served.

Anyone that has not chosen by noon this Friday (Sept. 3rd), will be assigned a topic and date.

UPDATE: Those of you who did not respond or responded past the deadline were assigned topics. Also, if your submission was vague or too broad, I may have refocused your topic.

WEEK 4: LIFE AND DEATH IN AMERICA

Th 9.16
1. Brittany, "American Funeral Traditions, Now and Then"
2. Nicole, "The Summer of Love: A Retrospective"
3. Carolina, "The History of UFOs in America"

WEEK 5: COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA

Tu 9.21
1. Laura, "The High School Homecoming"
2. Davey, "The History of American Hot Rods"
3. Sanyo, "The New York City Punk Scene in the 70s"

WEEK 6: COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA

Tu 9.28
1. Jonathan, "An American Visionary: P.T. Barnum"
2. Tsung, "The Zoot Suit Riots" 
3. Andrew Black "America's Classic Skyscrapers"

WEEK 9: FAMILY IN AMERICA 

Th 10.21
1. Jovanna, "The History of Broadway"
2. Rheanna, "The American Roller Coaster"
3. Andrew Bradshaw, "An American Icon: Annie Leibovitz"

WEEK 10: FAMILY IN AMERICA 

Tu 10.26
1. Chandler, "Three Original American Styles of Dance"
2. Vanessa, "An American Visionary: Thomas Edison"
3. Jordan, "The History of Obscenity on American Television"

WEEK 11: RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.2
1. Anson, "Three American Technological Advances to Watch For"
2. Julia, "A Look at American Dating Rituals"

Th 11.4
1. Nicole, "The History of Marriage in America"
2. Regyna, "Interracial Relationships, Now and Then"

WEEK 12: RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.9
1. Rae Ann, "Homegrown Faiths: Mormonism and Christian Science"
2. Yongxiang, "The Ivy League: An Overview"
3. My, "Baseball: The Early Years"

WEEK 13: SOCIAL CLASS IN AMERICA 

Th 11.18
1. Ruben, "Life During the Great Recession"
2. Jessica, "An American Icon: Barbra Streisand"
3. Rafael, "Great American Novels: J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye"

PowerPoint Presentation Sign-Ups, Sec. 20

Here are the slots for PowerPoint presentations this semester. In order to choose a date:

1. Click on "Comments" at the end of this post.
2. In the "Post a Comment" box, leave your name (first and last), your topic, and the preferred date.

Example: David Cortez, LA Street Food, Tu 11.19

Remember, you topics must be related in some way to American culture. Dates and topics are first-come, first-served.

Anyone that has not chosen by noon this Friday (Sept. 3rd), will be assigned a topic and date.

UPDATE: Those of you who did not respond or responded past the deadline were assigned topics. Also, if your submission was vague or too broad, I may have refocused your topic.

WEEK 4: LIFE AND DEATH IN AMERICA 

Th 9.16
1. Lac, "The Columbine High School Massacre"
2. Paul, "Sexting in America"
3. Crystal, "Things We Love: Horror Films"

WEEK 5: COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA 

Tu 9.21
1. Katie, "Turning 21 in America"
2. Linda, "Classic American Novels: To Kill a Mockingbird"
3. Solomon, "Things We Love: The Super Bowl"

WEEK 6: COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA 

Tu 9.28
1. Samantha, "American New Years Traditions"
2. Colbie, "Turning 18 in America"

WEEK 9: FAMILY IN AMERICA 

Th 10.21
1. Steven, "The American Educational System: An Overview"
2. Tanner, "Rebuilding the World Trade Center"
3. Catherine, "The History of Motown"


WEEK 10: FAMILY IN AMERICA 

Tu 10.26
1. Paul, "Sexting in American Today"
2. Jeffrey, "The Challenges of First Generation Americans"
3. Neal, "The History of Fast Food in America"


WEEK 11: RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.2
1. Robert, "Alcohol and Drugs in America: An Overview"
2. Jessica, "Tattooing in America: An Overview"
3. Drake, "Classic American Novels: Huckleberry Finn"

Th 11.4
1. Laura, "American Icons: Andy Warhol"
2. Anson, "American Icons: Superman"
3. Hadeer, "American Icons: Ralph Lauren"

WEEK 12: RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.9
1. Christina, "American Proms"
2. Lilly, "Black Friday"
3. Hannah, "History of the Oscars"


WEEK 13: SOCIAL CLASS IN AMERICA 

Th 11.18
1. Monica, "The Youth Vote in Contemporary Elections"

2. Gavin, "The Creoles"
3. Dennis, "American Icons: George Carlin"

Council on American-Islamic Relations Releases Ads to Counter Bigotry

By Adelle M. Banks, Huffington Post
Sept. 1, 2010

A Muslim advocacy organization has released public service announcements -- including one featuring a Muslim firefighter who responded on 9/11 -- as part of a campaign to fight recent anti-Muslim bigotry.

"Muslim Americans were among the victims and also Muslim Americans were among the first responders," said Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations at a Wednesday (Sept. 1) news conference at the National Press Club.

"We also should acknowledge that 9/11 hit us all hard and we should not allow those who seek political and religious division in the United States to win," Awad said.

One of the public service announcements features Hisham Tawfiq of the New York Fire Department, tearfully recalling how he learned his firefighting colleague was missing after the attacks on the Twin Towers.

"I'm a New York City firefighter and I responded to 9/11 and I am Muslim," he said in the ad.

Awad was joined by other Muslim organization leaders who decried recent attacks on Muslims and protests of a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero and mosques in other parts of the country. They urged greater local police protection of Muslims in their communities.

Imam Mahdi Bray, executive director of Muslim American Society Freedom, said his organization is working with civic and religious leaders in Gainesville, Fla., to counter a local church's plans to burn copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, on Sept. 11 by holding community service projects that day.

Journal 1: Hi there, I'm American

For your first journal, you'll explore your Americanness. Specifically, explore the type of American you are. Where do you fit on the spectrum of America? For example, are you hopeful or apathetic? A saver or a spender? A conformist or an individualist? Active or lazy? Inquisitive or unquestioning? Political or apolitical? Native-born or immigrant? Create a profile of yourself as an American.

Requirements:

• MLA format (See Writing Resources for MLA format guidelines)
• 2 full pages

Due: Thursday, Sept. 2nd

Americans are watching less live TV

By Samantha Murphy, TechNewsDaily

August 30, 2010

The allure of live TV isn’t what it used to be. With the growing accessibility of online video, on-demand cable and recording services such as TiVo, Americans are putting live broadcasts on the backburner. 

In fact, according to a new survey of 1,000 consumers by market research firm Morpace, only 52 percent of Americans' viewing time is spent on live TV compared to other alternatives.

Viewing DVDs makes up the largest share of how people invested their TV time (14 percent), followed by DVRs at 12 percent and "on demand" at 6 percent. Online programming makes up 9 percent of total content viewed.

More than one-half (51 percent) of consumers surveyed said they view at least some video programming online, while 23 percent use a streaming video source such as Netflix. About 16 percent of respondents said their television is connected to the Internet to allow the viewing of online content.

Not surprisingly, young consumers are watching live TV less than older consumers. Consumers age 18 to 34 are watching live TV only 41 percent of the time; consumers 55 and older are watching live TV about 64 percent of the time.

Desktop and laptop computers are the most commonly used devices to view online media but mobile video consumption is increasing, with nine percent of Americans reportedly watching video on a mobile phone.

Week 2: Writing Fundamentals

Tu 8.31

In-Class: Introductions; Sample PowerPoint presentation; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I”

Th 9.2
In-Class: Presentation sign-ups; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. II”
Due: Journal 1

UPCOMING:

WEEK 3: LIFE AND DEATH IN AMERICA 

Tu 9.7
Read: GUY—p. 1-43
In-class: Diagnostic essay

Th 9.9
Read: CR—“Margaret, and mystery” by Rick Bragg, “Delivering Lily” by Phillip Lopate
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Comparative analysis essay
Due: Journal 2