December Doings

This time of year many families and groups engage in a variety of cultural traditions. Some examples include hiding elves around the house, driving to view holiday lights, baking, singing Christmas Carols, sending cards, attending parties and spending time with friends and family.

What is your favorite tradition and why?

End of the Trend?

Given record breaking sales for Black Friday, Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday can we make any statements about a possible end to the recession?

Thanksgiving

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving! This distinctly American holiday is known for a time of giving thanks, over-eating and spending time with family.

What will you do?

Race and Religion

Yes, there are MANY integrated and diverse religious traditions as well as places of worship? However, in the United States racial groups tend to cluster along color lines?

Speculate on why we remain separated by race within worship?

Election Day

It’s election day. We have city council members and mayors to elect. There are issues like Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for education and the sale of alcohol on Sunday on the ballots.

As luck would have it, we are reading about politics and economy in our course. In this day of Political Action Committees, Special Interest lobbyist and large corporate donors do you believe that our government is still “of the people and for the people” and that every vote counts?

Romance or Playboy

Romance novels tend to include ideal gender roles and graphic depictions of sex. In our culture these book are marketed toward and appeal to a predominantly female audience.

Playboy and other adult magazines tend to include ideal gender roles and graphic depictions of sex. In our culture these magazines are marketed toward and appeal to a predominantly male audience.

Both genres of entertainment perpetuate stereotypes of females and males. Knowing what we do about exploitation and sexism; how is it that these materials not only maintain a place in our society and marketplace, but continue to increase in popularity?

We Are the 99

The Occupy Atlanta continues in the face of growing political resistance. The Occupy Movements around the country promote issues that affect all of us.

1. What is your opinion on the method the Occupy Movement is using to promote change?
2. Do you think the Occupy Movements will lead to real and lasting social change?

You can follow this link to learn more about Occupy Atlanta:
http://occupyatlanta.org

Soc Fest III

Greetings! Namaste! Chao! Saludos! Merhaba! Howdy!

What did you find most interesting about Soc Fest? Was it the display or story of a classmate, or was it information you discovered about yourself and your culture as you worked on the project?

Deviant, Disruptive or Down Right Polite

California High School teacher, Steven Cuckovich, has deducted 25 points individually and on the whole class in response to students saying, “God bless you” after a classmate sneezes.

Many of us understand using this phrase as a cultural norm. Others of us see it as polite behavior. For many, saying God bless you following a sneeze is so ingrained that it’s difficult to not to do it.

Religious connotations aside what are your opinions on a public school teacher placing a penalty for following societal and cultural norms?

You can read more by placing Cuckovick’s name in your favorite search engine or following this link:

http://www.news10.net/news/article/156829/2/Vacaville-teacher-wipes-Bless-You-from-classroom

Til Death Do us Part

Pat Robertson holds a tremendous amount of social clout in this country as a long time religious broadcaster with the 700 Club and as a political pundit. Last week Robertson proclaimed to viewers, "Divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's disease is justified."

What's your take on this highly controversial statement?

How does Jerry keep going?

The Jerry Springer Show celebrates twenty-one years of broadcasting this year. The show and its host have been heavily criticized in the media and in public, yet both continue to do well.

When asked, individuals claim not to like the format and not to watch the show. Still the show remains in high demand. It gets syndicated into three (3) time slots in the Atlanta area alone.

What you think accounts for the shows popularity and staying power? This not a question of whether you like the program or not, just speculate on how the Jerry Springer Show holds strong in the face of so much criticism.

Research Project Part Two

2010 showed growth for Facebook (1.1 Billion) and Google (6.67 Billion) in revenue. Both cite advertizing as a stronghold for the companies.

Albeit not scientific, the data collected from last week’s blog provides solid information from a cross section of people on advertizing usage for Google and Facebook. Please review all the responses, collect the data, analyze it and make a statement (or hypothesis) about both Google and Facebook based on your findings.

Research Project Part 1

Google and Facebook provide a number of services for FREE. Presumably these two Internet giants make money from advertising.

Please answer the following questions:

1.       Have you ever clicked on an advertisement from a Google search, blog or web page?

2.       Did you purchase the product?

3.       Have you ever clicked on an advertisement from a Facebook page?

4.       Did you purchase the product?

Star Power?

Forbes released its World’s Most Powerful Women List. Coming in at number 11 is twenty-five year old Lady Gaga, while her fellow entertainer, twenty-nine year old Beyonce Knowles  landed the 18^th spot. The following link gives the entire list.

http://www.forbes.com/wealth/power-women#p_1_s_arank

Do you think young singers belong in the company of these renowned world leaders in business and politics? Please state for case for why or why not?

1st Blog for Fall 2011 Term

Laws curtail and create traditions. One presidential candidate is proposing changes to the United States Constitution.  Thinking about the Bill of Rights alone, are these ten hallowed laws outdated? Though well written, do they apply to a diverse, technologically advanced and ever changing society such as ours? Certainly, the Supreme Court interprets these laws, but could the United States benefit from a legal over-haul?

State your answer and your reasoning of why any portion of the Constitution should or should not be changed.

Money for the Movies

In the past three years we have heard daily talk of debt and recession. Our economic situation regularly gets compared to the Great Depression.  During this same period of time movie goers have flocked to theaters in record breaking numbers. A variety of genres from Batman: The Dark Knight (2008 over $533Million), Avatar (2009 over $760 million), Toy Story 3 (2010 over $414 Million) to the current Harry Potter (2011 over $318 Million and going strong) have racked in extraordinary amounts of money.

How does this jive with our financial crisis? Is this just a sign that we need an escape every now and then, or do people in this country set entertainment higher on their priority list than other items? Perhaps it’s something entirely different.

What’s your opinion?

Socially Unacceptable Sagging

Hampton became the latest in a string of Georgia cities to put in place an ordinance against “sagging” pants.  According to the new law people can be fined for pants or shorts lower than three (3) inches below the hip line and only if they also expose skin or underwear. Considered disorderly conduct, a first offense carries a $50 fine, $100 for a second and up to $200 for a third.

Many people find the “sagging” fashion statement to be offensive; however visible undergarments differ from public nudity.

Do you think the city of Hampton’s “sagging” law falls within their bounds to regulate how clothes are worn? Please explain your position?

Cell phones- Hers, His or Ours?

Cell phone privacy has become a major issue in relationships. Is it ever appropriate to check calls or text messages on your spouse or significant other's phone without that person's permission?

Give your reasoning for your response.

Boys behaving badly

A recent report from the Josephson Institute provides these results: Among boys (across race) 42 % of high school age and 32% of middle age young men believe it is okay to hit or threaten a person who makes them angry.

In your opinion, where or how is this behavior learned?

What are possible consequences?

1st blog of Summer Term- Public Schools Getting Personal

When registering new students in some California school districts the application asks "How was your child delivered, C-section or vaginal birth?" Currently, there is no scientific evidence for the behavioral performance or academic achievement of one birth method over the other.

Please speculate on why a public school system might ask such a question.

Nursing or Nudity?

Forest Park, GA, recently passed an ordinance making it illegal to breast feed a child over two years in age in public. City officials say it is part of the process to control public nudity. Some suggest if that is truly the case then all public breast feeding would be prohibited, regardless of age. Is this an institutional attempt to stop prolonged breast feeding, or truly an attempt to control public nudity?



What do you think?

Sociological Phenomenon

After twenty-five years Oprah Winfrey brought her award winning and overwhelmingly influential talk show to an end. For a quarter of a century Winfrey has addressed every societal issue imaginable. How is it this one woman managed to cross gender, age, race, class, ethnic, religious and socio-economic boundaries to have a major impact on this country and the world?

Please note, the question is not whether you like Oprah or watched her show. It is: How is it this one woman managed to cross gender, age, race, class, ethnic, religious and socio-economic boundaries to have a major impact on this country and the world?

Soc Fest II

Greetings! Namaste! Chao! Saludos! Merhaba! Howdy!

What did you find most interesting about Soc Fest? Was it the display or story of a classmate, or was it information you discovered about yourself and your culture as you worked on the project?

Humans vs. Nature

Sociologist Herbert Spenser (see chapter 1) coined the term “survival of the fittest.” With that in mind, think about the flooding situation of the Mississippi River. Nature created the flood and humans opened the Morganza Spillway. This put around 25,000 people in harms way rather than the 800,000 of Baton Rouge and 1,300,000 of New Orleans.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

To Ride or Not to Ride: A question of Cost, Convenience or Class?

Considering an ever growing environmental consciousness and ever increasing gas prices, how is it Clayton County’s public transportation, C-Tran, ended service last year, while Gwinnett and Cobb Mass Transit systems along with MARTA continue to struggle?

The War on Terror

The most wanted man on the planet, Oussama Ibn Laden, has been killed by military forces. Now that the leader of al-Qaida has been removed, do you see the situation with terrorism getting better or worse? Please give your reasoning.

Please keep your comments focused on terrorism and not on Islam. We have many Muslim students in this course and at our college.

Prince Envy

Regardless of your own opinion, why do you think Americans are so fascinated with the Royal Wedding of William and Kate?

Public or Private

In current practice it is commonplace for schools, employers and scholarships to request a resume and references from applicants. Do you think it’s fair for schools, employers and scholarships to request access to social media (My Space, Facebook and Twitter) accounts? Please give your reasoning.

Do You Believe?

Roswell, New Mexico has taken the subculture of UFO conspiracy theorists and turned it into a marketing brand. Much of the town’s tourism centers around an alleged alien landing in the 1950s.

A memo recently posted on an FBI blog has stirred the extraterrestrial beehive, yet again. Talk of life beyond our planet stirs a wide array of emotions in people from fear, to curiosity and a host of religious concerns.

What’s your take on alien life and UFOs?

For more information follow this link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110411/od_yblog_upshot/ufos-in-fbis-vault

First Blog for Sociology- Spring 2011

If you were to have dinner with a well known person--entertainer, politician, athlete or business person, who would you choose? Why would you choose that person?

You must make a choice, and remember to include why you selected that person.

Roadway Hazards

Most of us know Atlanta has terrible traffic. Did you know that according to a national driver's test survey, roughly 18 MILLION of the currently licensed drivers in the U.S. would fail a state driver's test if they took it today?

Should we require a re-test each time to a renew person’s driver's license? Why or why not?

TVs for Tots

What is an appropriate age for a child to have a television in her/his bedroom?

Atlanta Icon

This is from a story on NPR. “Many cities have statues of icons that represent the spirit of those towns. New York has the Statue of Liberty. Metropolis, Ill., has a statue of Superman. And, of course, Philadelphia has statues of Ben Franklin and Rocky Balboa. Detroit's thinking of getting a statue, too: of RoboCop.”

If we were to place a new statue in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park, what should it be and why?

Soc Fest

Greetings! Namaste! Chao! Saludos! Merhaba! Howdy!


What did you find most interesting about Soc Fest? Was it the display or story of a classmate, or was it information you discovered about yourself and your heritage as you worked on the project?

I have included a link to (too many) pictures below.

https://picasaweb.google.com/drtlp1101/SocFest1101#

Booze in the Bible Belt

For years legislators have talked about allowing alcohol sales on Sunday. Last week a proposal to do just that got a stamp of approval from a State Senate committee. Now the bill is off to the Senate rules committee.

If passed by the full legislature, the bill will give local governments the right to let the public decide if they want Sunday sales in their community.

What’s your opinion of alcohol sales on Sunday?

Socially Acceptable?

I conducted a non-scientific survey about children who leave the table with their families and roam around restaurants unattended. I found the following results: an overwhelming majority of diners at restaurants (in the Outback genre) claimed unattended children (ages 4-10) had a negative impact on their dinning experience. Nearly all the women in the study noted a concern for the well being of unattended children in restaurants.

Allowing children to leave the table appears to be a growing social trend so much so that many restaurants have posted signs prohibiting the behavior.

What factors contribute to parents and families to allow children to mill about restaurants unattended?

Separation of Church and High School Graduation

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C. pressed the Cherokee County School Board to find a venue other than First Baptist Church of Woodstock to hold graduation ceremonies. The School Board voted to continue as normal.


Our course will address Education and Religion in Chapter 13, but why wait to enter this current debate.

What is your position on public school graduation ceremonies being held in a church?

Celebrating Dr. King

We have norms for celebrating holidays and most families tend to add little nuances. For example: Valentine’s Day has the basics of chocolate, flowers and the color red. St. Patrick’s Day has shamrocks, corned beef and cabbage and the color green. Halloween involves candy, scary images and the colors orange and black. You get the point.



What norms exist for celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day?

Guns or people with guns?

The second amendment of the United States Constitution grants the right to bear arms. Given the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona many have suggested the horrible ordeal wouldn't have happened if firearms were not readily accessible.

What is your position in this volatile debate?

Ringing in the New Year

Greetings and Happy New Year! People from countries all over the world have peculiar New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traditions. Some include wearing a particular color of clothes, sharing a kiss at the stoke of midnight and eating collard greens and black-eyed peas.

What is your favorite New Year’s custom AND why?

If you don’t have a New Year’s tradition, which one do you find interesting AND why?