Last blog for Fall 2013

In recent years school districts across the U.S. have engaged in an array of incentive programs to encourage attendance among high school students. In some cases perfect attendance led to having the student’s name placed in a weekly raffle for prizes. In others, all seniors who attend class the entire week received a $50 Visa gift card; underclassmen earned $10 for each week of perfect attendance.

Attendance programs have achieved varying levels of success and have received  a great deal of controversial reactions.

What is your opinion? Please state why you approve or disapprove of these sort of attendance incentives for high school students.

Blessing or Curse

Government officials in Switzerland are considering a law that will provide an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss Francs ($2,800) per month to all adults.

If this sort of law was passed in the U.S., what are potential benefits and problems it would create?

More on the story at the link below:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/04/us-swiss-pay-idUSBRE9930O620131004

Soc Fest Fall 2013

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?

Kicks Causing Chaos

Shoppers from coast to coast were arrested in pursuit of a new pair of Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords shoes. There were arrests in Georgia for violent outbreaks, and a woman who left her young children unattended as she tried to get the coveted shoes.

Why do you think that a pair of shoes can cause so much chaos?

Below is a link to the story:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/story/2011-12-23/air-jordan-north-carolian-shopping-fights/52189240/1

The Way of the Woolley Mammoth

An article from the New York Times suggested in the world of Facebook, texting, online dating sites, sex apps, and other electronic applications to arrange evenings and outings that college campus bars are losing their appeal.

Do you think that “college” bars and clubs are on the track to extinction? Please state your reasons for why or why not.

Norms, Deviance and Beauty Pageants

Greetings! Last year a transsexual made a case to be allowed in the Miss Universe Pageant. This year’s Miss America Pageant had its first contestant, Miss Kansas, with an exposed tattoo. Last week a California transgendered student was crowned Home Coming Queen.

Some say these examples show openness to individuality and equality for participants. However, others use blogs and Twitter to render hateful messages about contestants.

Our textbook notes that behaviors are only deviant if a society deems them out of the norm. What do you think should be the norms for beauty pageant? (Examples. Born female, cross dressers, natural hair color, cosmetic surgery, inclusion of casual wear-jeans, intelligence test, think across any existing category or consider new ones).

PLEASE NOTE, this is not a question about the concept of pageant, if you agree with them, like them or otherwise. Our purpose here is to discuss cultural norms for pageants in the United States, from Home Coming Queen to Miss America.

Who wears short shorts?

A dad in UT wears “Daisy Dukes” in an attempt to teach his daughter a lesson.

Do you think this sort of action teaches a lesson on modesty or one on embarrassment? Before you answer think it through, why is it embarrassing for a middle aged man to wear short shorts, and yet females from preteen to middle age wear them every day, in all sorts of settings from coast to coast.

Link to more on the story:

http://dadshortshorts.com/the-real-story-behind-the-short-shorts/

Ain't That America!

Greetings!  Which one of the places below best captures the essence of America? For example, if a friend from another country could only visit one (1) while in the United States, which one would you recommend?

Please state the reason for your selection.

The Golden Gate Bridge, California

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

The National Mall, Washington, D.C.

The Las Vegas Strip, Nevada

Times Square, New York

Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota

Disney World, Florida

Crime, punishment and gender change

Chelsea Manning, better known as Bradley Manning, the Army Private who released classified information to wikileaks, was recently sentenced to 35 years at Fort Knox for violation of the Espionage Act. Manning has announced a desire to live as a woman and wants to begin hormone therapy immediately.

A precedent has been set in the civil system of law whereas courts have decided that NOT providing hormone therapy to inmates is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of Constitutional rights. This is not the case for the US military system.

What is your position with regard to whose responsibility it is to provide hormone treatment, therapy and surgeries as related to gender reassignment in the Manning case and/or others?

Here is a link to a related story:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/22/214516215/chelsea-manning-testing-the-military-on-transgender-issues?sc=17&f=1001

 

1st post Fall 2013- Doggie CSI

Dogs are a very popular pet in the U.S. However, many people refuse to pick up after their pooch when walking in public areas. This has become such an issue in some condos and subdivisions that the home owners associations have taken drastic measures.   They want all canines swabbed to put their DNA on file. When messes are found on property the doggie dropping will be tested to find the person who failed to clean up after her/his dog. Fines are set to follow when discovered.

Do you think this is acceptable, extreme or just plain weird? 

Feel free to share experiences in your neighborhood.

Below is a link to a related story.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/boston-south/dna-testing-used-in-doggie-doodoo-whodunit/-/9848842/21346862/-/13ua7l3z/-/index.html?absolute=true

Hair for every body

In the Gender chapter our textbook discusses the notion of feminine traits being shaped by cultures and societies.  Mainstream practice for women in the US is to shave their legs and underarms.

Some male athletes shave, but why is this not a commonplace expectation for men as it is for women?

Related story at link below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paloma-goni/i-dont-shave_b_3568790.html

Cowardice or Commonplace?

Perhaps more as a consequence of societal trends than an ease of communication, texting has moved into the mainstream mode of communication for many. For some time now, folks have used texting as a method to inform supervisors of absence from or lateness to work. Employees have texted their resignations as well. In the story found in the link below, an employer turned the tables and fired someone via text message.

Do you think this is an act of cowardice or an acceptable means of transmitting information in today’s society?

Link to story:http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/florida-restaurant-fires-employees-text-message-144320874.html

What's N a word?

Celebrity Chef Paula Dean recently lost contracts for television shows, books and more due to her use of the “N” word. She lost her currency as a positive “image.” Her supporters point to comedians and people in the music business who routinely use the “N” word to create their “image.”

It appears there is a double standard in the entertainment industry with regard to image. Why is that okay?

Soc Fest Summer 2013

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?

 

Stream Cheating

Harris Interactive conducted a survey for Netflix and found that fifty-one percent (51%) of people watched a show without waiting for their significant other (who also wanted to see it). Twelve percent (12%) said they would watch the show again with their significant other and pretend it was the first time.

1.      Would it bother you to have your partner watch a show without waiting for you?

2.      How would you respond if you learned your partner lied to you about something as trivial as watching a show without you?

National pride and cultural heritage

Last week an 11 year old boy sang National Anthem prior to the game 3 of the NBA finals in San Antonio, TX.  The Mexican-American boy’s performance led to raging debates on social media because he wore a Mariachi outfit for the performance.  Some people feel the Mexican cultural apparel was inappropriate. Others suggest comments about the young man’s clothing are racist.

What is your opinion in this debate? 

 

Links to the story:

http://ktla.com/2013/06/14/mexican-american-boy-sings-national-anthem-again/#axzz2WZ0mQErR

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/14/us/mexican-american-boy-encore

Are you prepared?

There are television shows, movies, websites, books and lots of merchandise related to surviving a Zombie Apocalypse.  This is not just a catch phrase, many people believe in the possibility of flesh eating, living dead beings bringing about the end of humanity.

Do you believing that zombie preparation is prudent or extreme?

This link is to the state of Kansas Ready website: http://www.ksready.gov/default.asp?PageID=9

1st blog Summer 2013- The Internet and Interpersonal Skills

Some people contend Facebook is simply a way to stay in touch with family and friends and share photos. Yet, a recent survey revealed 40% of respondents would avoid people in REAL LIFE who unfriended them on Facebook.

Do you think that social media, online communities and Internet dating are compromising people’s face-to-face social skills?

SocFest Spring 2013

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?

Handwriting: A Disappearing Art

A vast array of tech devices are available to help teach and learn in industrialized countries.  Given K-12 students are the second tier in the technology generation, should public schools make the move to have all assignments (reading, writing, etc.) be digital?

What are the benefits and consequences of moving away from pencil and paper in the classroom?

Great News! Good Timing?

Hundreds of babies a year are born HIV positive in the U.S. This week the medical field made a major announcement that a child born, 2 ½ years ago, with the AIDS virus has been cured. Researchers note there is still “signal” of the virus in the child and are cautions about the long-term prognosis.  With that said, and given the global magnitude of this issue, is it too soon to make a “cured” announcement, or does the announcement have positive benefits for research?

Below is a link to the story:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324539404578338300521959748.html

Right to death?

In the 1990s Dr. Jack Kevorkian brought the medically assisted suicide discussion to mainstream American. Since that time many states have voted on the issue, and it is legal in Montana, Oregon and Washington. Last year a NPR poll showed 55% of people in the U.S. supported the process for terminally ill people who have 6 months to live.

This issue is tightly bound to many religious traditions.  However please respond from a “functionalist” sociological perspective, and name at least one advantage and one disadvantage of medically assisted suicide.

Link to the NPR story:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/12/27/168150886/americans-support-physician-assisted-suicide-for-terminally-ill?sc=tw

Cyber Spies

Investigators have alleged the Chinese government may have sponsored hackers who have stolen information from companies around the world, including American defense contractors.

How do you think the United States should respond, if this is true?

 

 

link to story:

http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/19/17015064-report-chinese-army-tied-to-widespread-us-hacking?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1

 

Make a new cultural celebration

What a week!  Tomorrow from Savannah, GA to New Orleans, LA millions will indulge in hedonism for Mardi Gras. Then, Orthodox, Catholics and Protestant Christians worldwide will somberly observe Ash Wednesday. Thursday brings a time to acknowledge relationships on Valentine’s Day, and then we go into Presidents’ Day weekend.  Wow, cultural, religious, personal and political occasions all back-to-back.

If you could institute a brand new holiday (your birthday doesn’t count J), what would it be?

Feel free to add how it would be celebrated. For example people eat King Cake for Mardi Gras, have ashes place on the forehead for Ash Wednesday, exchange cards for Valentines and fly the American Flag for Presidents’ day.

Be creative and have fun!

What Makes Wrestling Successful?

Professional Wrestling’s WWE Raw broadcasts live from Atlanta Monday, February 4. Many people ridicule wrestling referring to it as “fake.” Wrestling is allotted little to no space in the sports section of newspapers or on ESPN.  Wrestling promoters make no secret about the fact that in ring activity and commentary are all scripted.  Even so, professional wrestling continues to draw big crowds to live events, and huge ticket sales for pay per view events.

In your opinion, what accounts for the continued success of professional wrestling?

Women in Combat

The US pentagon has confirmed the “Ban of Women in Combat” will be lifted. What are some key concerns (pro or con) related to this issue?