CLASS CANCELLED (AGAIN), 9.16.10

My son's stomach bug finally caught up with me, so I must regrettably cancel class for tomorrow (Thursday). I'm very sorry for the inconvenience. Keep your papers until Tuesday. If you have a presentation, I'll reschedule next week. Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

Have a nice weekend.

Do Americans Want to Extend Tax Cuts for Wealthy?

By Paul Steinhauser, CNN
Sept. 14, 2010

Washington (CNN) – Should tax cuts for the country's wealthiest income earners be extended?
It's a raging debate right now between Democrats and Republicans here in the nation's capitol and on the campaign trail across the country. The White House and many Democrats want to keep such tax cuts in place for those in the middle class but roll them back for the wealthiest Americans. Republicans say the tax cuts, introduced by President George W. Bush in 2001, should be kept in place for everyone.

So what do Americans think?

A new Pew Research Center Pew Research/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll indicates the public's divided, with 29 percent saying tax cuts for all Americans should be extended, an equal amount saying tax cuts for the wealthy should be repealed but kept for everyone else, 28 percent saying roll back the cuts for everyone, and 14 percent didn't know.

The survey suggests a partisan divide, with 47 of Republicans wanting to extend tax cuts for all. That number drops to 30 percent for independents and 16 percent for Democrats. Forty-percent of Democrats questioned say that tax cuts for the wealthy should be repealed. That number drops to 28 percent for independents and 22 percent for Republicans.

The Pew Research Center/National Journal poll was conducted September 9-12, with 1,001 adults questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.
So what do other polls indicate?

A Gallup/USA Today survey conducted late last month indicates that 37 percent want to keep tax cuts for all Americans, with 44 percent saying they should be rolled back for wealthy Americans and 15 percent saying that the Bush tax cuts for all income earners should expire.

According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll conducted in early August, three in ten said that the Bush-era tax cuts should be continued for all Americans, with just over 50 percent saying those tax cuts should be continued only for families who make less than $250,000 a year, and nearly one in five believing the tax cuts should expire for all Americans.

Fifty-two percent of people questioned in a Newsweek poll conducted in late August said that tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans should expire, with 38 percent saying they should be extended.

A CBS News survey conducted in mid August indicates that 56 percent of the public says the tax cuts for families making over $250,000 should be rolled back, with 36 percent saying they should be made permanent.

According to a Ipsos/Reuters poll also conducted last month, 49 percent say tax cuts for all should be extended, with 31 percent saying they should expire for the wealthiest Americans and 15 percent calling for an end of the tax cuts for everyone.

And an AP-GfK survey from August indicates that 45 percent want the tax cuts extended for all Americans, with 38 percent saying they should expire for the wealthiest Americans and 14 percent saying they should expire for everyone.

Comparative Analysis Essay

Prompt:
How do the ways in which we are born in America differ from the ways in which we die in America? What do the two milestones share and what do they contain that is unique? And what do these practices reveal about us as a nation? For example, what do they illustrate about our national values, priorities, and traditions? In a concise essay, compare and contrast birth and death in America. Cite specific evidence from at least four of the articles in the "Life and Death" section of the reader, plus “Business of Death” from This American Life in the eR.

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Cite from at least four of the articles in the "Life and Death" section of the reader, plus the eR:
• “His Sperm, My Choice” by Alicia Montgomery
• “Margaret, and mystery” by Rick Bragg
• “Delivering Lily” by Phillip Lopate
• “The Love of My Life” by Cheryl Strayed
• “On Being a Cripple” by Nancy Mairs
• “Findings and Impressions” by Stellar Kim
• “His Wide Mouth Home” by J. Augustine Wetta, o.s.b.
• “Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain” by Jessica Miford
• “Business of Death” from This American Life (eR)
• 2.5-page minimum
 

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt
• Have a concise thesis
• Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence, highlighting similarities and differences in the ways we are born and die
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of your points
• Be in proper MLA Style

Due: Thursday, Sept. 16th

Updated PowerPoint Schedule, Section 5

Here is the updated PowerPoint schedule for the semester.

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 8: GENDER IN AMERICA

Tu 10.14

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 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"
3. Tanner, "The World Trade Center Attacks"

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

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"

Updated PowerPoint Schedule, Section 20

Here is the updated PowerPoint schedule for the semester. 


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 8: GENDER IN AMERICA 


Th 10.14
1. Lac, "The Columbine High School Massacre"
2. Crystal, "Things We Love: Horror Films"

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 America"
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"

Week 4: Life and Death in America

It's not that I'm afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens.

—Wood Allen, Without Feathers (1975)

Tu 9.14
Read: CR—CR—“His Sperm, My Choice” by Alicia Montgomery, “Margaret, and mystery” by Rick Bragg, “Delivering Lily” by Phillip Lopate, “The Love of My Life” by Cheryl Strayed, “On Being a Cripple” by Nancy Mairs; eR—“Business of Death” from This American Life (1997)
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Comparative analysis essay; Watch—The Business of Being Born (2008)

Notes:

• The course readers will be available from Maple Press after 12 PM this Monday (Sept. 13).
• All This American Life episodes are located in the eReader (to the left of this column). Remember, these are audio files, not articles; choose "Stream Episode" to listen.

Th 9.16
Read: CR—“Findings and Impressions” by Stellar Kim, “His Wide Mouth Home” by J. Augustine Wetta, o.s.b., “Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain” by Jessica Miford
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations
Due: Comparative analysis essay 


UPCOMING:

WEEK 5: COMING OF AGE IN AMERICA 

Tu 9.21
Read: CR—“Go Carolina” by David Sedaris, “Field Trips” by Stuart Dybek, “Masks” by Lucy Grealy
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

Th 9.23
Read: CR—“Auditorium” by Caroline Kettlewell, “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie, “Refresh, Refresh” by Benjamin Percy; GUY—p. 1-43
In-Class: Essay discussion; Watch—“Binge Drinking Mom” from 30 Days (2005)
Due: Journal 3