Hola Humanitarians! Sorry for no post yesterday, but I hope you survived the test. Last test until finals...that is crazy! How are we almost to December?!
Today we started our last mini-unit of information with a brief exploration on one of the most influential and important religions in the world, Islam. We quickly detailed the basic tenets of Islam, including the life of Muhammad and the Five Pillars of Islam. In case you missed it, these would be...
Declaration of faith
Prayer
Charity
Fasting during Ramadan
Hajj
The fifth member of the Humanities team, John Green, also made a helpful video to outline an overview of Islamic beliefs. We watched some in class, but if you want the whole thing, have at it!
We'll continue our study of Islam, its empires, and Islamic art and science next week to give Islam more of the due it deserves, but tomorrow is the OLYMPICS. Don't forget that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is due tomorrow, even if your group's event doesn't present till Friday! Wash your sheets, break out the togas and the epic poems, we are READY! It's on like Donkey Kong!
I found this picture of Mr. Stanton in college.
We're also getting to the end of the semester, so you know what that means...Humanities Experiences! In case you need some last minute ideas that aren't the DMA, here are some cool happenings this weekend:
The Texas Ballet Theater is performing the Nutcracker. Here come all of the holiday performances, check other local ballets and theaters as well for performances of the Nutcracker or The Christmas Carol if this one is too far for you guys!
The Crow Collection downtown has a pretty sweet ceramics exhibit, Clay Between Two Seas, including some sweet Islamic art that we will explore next Wednesday!
Have a rocking Wednesday friends. Enjoy the beautiful weather :)
Welcome back friends! I hope that your break was filled with all the mashed potatoes and cranberries and turkey, but more importantly, that you were able to take some well-deserved time with the people you love...and that crazy uncle that always shows up for Thanksgiving.
Wake up from your carbohydrate comas, because it's back to the grind! Tomorrow we have our Classical Test. And yes, I said test, as in a massively important chunk of your grade that I know you are planning to study for tonight. Right? Got it. Today in class, after our last SAQ, we answered some of your questions from the Google Doc and important terms you didn't understand. In case you missed, here are some of the study guide terms confusing people:
city-kingdom
monasticism
Upanishads
shamanism
Classical ideal
Sassanid
Achaemenid
latifundia
Zarathustra
If you still have any questions that didn't get answered today in class, stop by tutorials before school tomorrow at 8:15 in the big Humanities room (2035/6). Come with questions...or we'll just stare at you while we sip on our coffee. And that's awkward.
Just a tip as you study, make sure that you know all of the terms on your study guide, but can you use them to explain some of the bigger concepts? A good way to study is to come up with your own test questions. Grab some friends (who you can actually study with) and see if you can answer each other's questions. Or try explaining concepts to a little sibling or pet that will sit and listen to you...although that's not likely. What five year old wants to hear what a latifundia is? Unless they're just cool like that.
My book for the week, in case you are already making your Winter Break reading list (maybe that's just me), is Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. I'm a sucker for a book about books, but really this book has gotten rave reviews for its story of a mysterious bookstore that holds more within its walls than appearances show. It's super whimsical and endearing so far...read along with me?
Welcome to the Humanities blog - Thanksgiving edition!
You really can go "baroque" feeding everyone at Thanksgiving! Woo!
Quite literally, this is my motto on Thanksgiving.
This might be a picture of Siddiqui
You payin' attention to this Garafola!?
This is my greatest fear at Thanksgiving. FOOD SHOULDN'T TOUCH.
Someone really needs to manufacture this shirt. They'd make millions.
Okay, okay... that's enough with the lolz.
As much as we love, love, love all that food, we do hope that you also have plenty of time to express gratitude for all that you have in your life. We also hope you have time to relax, hang out with friends, and spend time with those wacky people you call "family." One bit of advice... given our current climate, I'd skip the political conversations this year. No one wants to read about someone getting beaten to death with a gravy boat. Save that rage for Black Friday.
We wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!
Some Thanksgiving food based advice...
Here's some good advice from your friends at the Food Network - TURKEY
For those of you who've made the choice to go vegetarian, here's some ideas for you - VEGGIE
Of course, we all could use some advice if you're hosting the big meal at your house (like I am this year) - HOST
Soundtrack of the Week
Where do I even begin with our final artist of the week? Let me just say this. You have to see this group live. I mean that in all sincerity. YOU HAVE TO. They are an experience that defies description. I am, of course, talking about Dallas's own, The Polyphonic Spree. Yes, there are about 20-30 people in the band. Yes, they have a full chorus as well as a cello, French horn, flute, and various other instruments. Yes, they all wear choir robes and dance like crazy people. Yes and yeas and yes! They do an annual Christmas concert every year here in their hometown. It is magical. Get information HERE.
They really rose to national awareness from a single on their first album that was used on the soundtrack for one of the greatest movies ever The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That single is "Light and Day."
I also want to include some footage of them from a live show. Just to try and give you a taste of the madness. The Spree does a legendary cover of Nirvana's "Lithium." Here is a video of that performance. I actually saw them on the tour in this video. SO GOOD. Enjoy.
Today's blog is brought to you by Young Joe Biden... smoldering!
It's also time for our daily dose of the feelz! More supes-cute engagement pictures!
This is the end... beautiful friend, the end...
I'm going to have MAD PROPS for anyone who gets that musical allusion.
Look! I recently discovered a new historical document that sheds an amazing new light of Roman history...
This is probably correct.
Now that we've completed our journey through the Classical Age, we sincerely hope that you see a pattern emerging. Hence the reason we went through that blueprint. Does every Classical Empire have every element we discussed? Of course not. But, they do have enough.
These empires have fascinated people for millennia because during their zenith, they represented the highest aspirations of these societies and cultures. Imagine looking around and thinking "This is it! Literally, we cannot do better than this!" Well, right about the time most people felt that way was when things started to head south. That's the other reason we still look so intensely at these empires. You know the saying "those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it." This is something we'd all like to avoid repeating.
Awkward...
Empires rise... empires fall. That's the way it works. It even has a formal name: Course of Empire. Does this mean we're all going to wake up in a week and be Canadian? No.
That's why we learn this stuff. To put our own lives and communities into the larger context of history. Pretty cool, huh?
Coming at ya!
Tomorrow is your Olympics work day! Come with a plan; come prepared; come with the materials you need to complete that plan. DO NOT come empty handed or clueless in what you want to get done. Like Rupaul says "You better work!"
Soundtrack of the Week
I hope you are penciling in this week's selections for your concert calendar.
Today we're going with what I believe is the best band, pound for pound, you can see live. I've seen these guys 4 or 5 times, and every show is amazing. The energy, commitment, musicianship, song craft... it's all perfect. It is inspiring and a darn good time all in one. It helps that they are one of my favorite bands in general.
I give you TV on the Radio (who I just saw live last Saturday) with "Caffeinated Consciousness"
Here an empire; there an empire... everywhere an empire!
Have you recovered from the "WHAP Reading to End all WHAP Readings?" Hopefully you actually headed our advice and broke it up into some nice manageable chunks. Or, even better, started it early before we even assigned it. I was keeping my eye out today to see who had the biggest pile of paper that was their notes. Some of y'all killed some trees!
Please remember... it's great if you wrote down key ideas, terms and people, And, then you back and cross-referenced those notes with the vocabulary from the reading guide. But, we really hope you can analyze and compare these individual empires with other civilizations both from this time period and others. This why we gave you that "blueprint" yesterday. A great idea might be to take those 8 characteristics down one side of a chart, and then the Classical Empires down the other side. Then... you know what's next... fill it in! In fact, as you may have noticed, we kinda started that today. WHOA. IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
The Roman Empire is so fetch.
So, you're saying there's more?
In class today, we had quite a few questions from you that seemed to stem from a desire to know more details about sme of these empires. In my opinion, they are all fascinating. I can see why you'd like to know more. We cannot dedicate too much time to get into all the nitty-gritty details on these empires. We do, however, encourage you to learn a little more about the ones you found most interesting. All of them created amazing inventions, breath-talking works of art, and really battles and stuff!
This is another reason to learn about these empires... so YOU don't make the same mistakes.
The Week Ahead
You're so far away... doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore? Anyone? Not a lot of Carole King fans out there I take it. Well, guess what isn't far away? THANKSGIVING BREAK!!
If you listen closely, you can actually hear my waist expanding.
Before we get there though - you have another reading due tomorrow (Thurs.) and then you are going to come to class on Friday ready to do work son! Don't forget that you've got a Current Event tomorrow as well. Finish Strong!
This has nothing to do with anything, but they look so cute that it had to be posted.
Soundtrack of the Week
We are still rollin' strong with our live performances themed week. We started out with one of the most anthemic bands you can ever see, Arcade Fire.
Let's switch gears a bit and slow things down. I sincerely hope that you've heard of Norah Jones. Not only is she an immensely talented super awesome musician and a multiple Grammy award winning artist; she is a Dallas native! Yep. She grew up here and went to Booker T. Washington School for the Performing Arts. It might not seem like it from her music, but she puts on a fantastic show. It is personal and intimate but still fun and light. She is a natural performer with a natural command of an audience. You should definitely get out and see her sometime. Here is Norah Jones with "Chasing Pirates."
I bet Jesus would have had a wicked Twitter account
So, are you enjoying our reenactment of eons of religious history?
Apparently, we Humanities teachers missed our calling and should have gone to seminary. Because, we have this stuff on lockdown!
I imagine that Moses like his coffee STRONG.
Keep in mind as we have been discussing this stuff that we are looking at these religions through the lens of HISTORY. Sure, we've gotten into some of the miracles and religious ideas, but that is because of the impact these ideas and practices have on the societies in which they form. Regardless of your own religious beliefs, you must acknowledge the profound impact all of the major world religions have had on so much of human history.
We also hope we're helping clear up some common misconceptions you've had about some of these religions that we're talking about in class. People have asked some great questions! Keep them coming!
Oooooo... that's gotta hurt!
Today in your class we should have covered Jesus's crucifixion. I'm not wanting to dwell on a horrific subject, but several people wanted to know more about this preferred method of punishment and civic control used by the Romans.
Here's a good overview from the Catholic Church's education website. Remember, this was NOT a nice thing to do to people. So, proceed at your own risk as far as the description goes on the website. I found it pretty fascinating that it was probably the Persians who invented the whole idea and then passed it to Alexander the Great.
Wanna learn more?
There is a museum here in Dallas dedicated to biblically themed art and artifacts. It is the creatively titled, Museum of the Biblical Arts. The museum focuses on art and artifacts with Jewish or Christian themes or relevance. It would definitely count as a Humanities Experience if you're interested. Here's a picture! Here's a link to their website: BIBLE.
Soundtrack of the Week
While attending a concert this weekend, a friend asked me a difficult question - "what is the best concert you've been to?" I answered that this would be like picking my favorite child and thereby impossible. But, it did get me thinking, which I enjoy doing.
So, in honor of that question, and Ms. Virdin's inability to actually attend live music shows, I thought I'd share music from some of my favorite bands to see live. I don't think I'll necessarily post actual live performances as these can often not translate too well with a video. I will just tell you that you need to make it a priority to see these bands live at some point. Sure, I love all these musicians and their music, but they all do something in a live setting that transforms their music into something much more.
Let's kick this off the right way. I'll break my own parameters right away and post a video of a live performance. This is a video of the band, Arcade Fire, performing their anthemic classic "Wake Up" live at the reading Festival in England in 2010. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, seeing this band live, and seeing them perform this particular song, is a transformative experience. You will lose your mind in the best possible way. Please notice how every one of the seemingly millions of people in the audience is singing out every word as though their lives depended on it. That's the way the entire concert feels. I have never been so exhausted and energized at the same time. ENJOY.
Today we continued our notes over Judaism, and some classes made it to Christianity. Here are some key things to take away from class so far:
Abraham is considered the founder of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and while the three share some similarities, they do break off in their respective narratives
Abraham established a covenant with God, creating a relationship that transcends through his descendants
The Jews were living in Jerusalem until the Romans destroyed Solomon's temple, causing the Diaspora, where Jews moved to other areas such as North Africa and Europe
Below you'll find my favorite song from The Prince of Egypt, an animated movie from 1998:
We hope you make your way through your lengthy WHAP reading this weekend!
Some Internet funnies for your weekend:
So awkward...
Amiright?
Seriously. Why so dark!
Presidential goals.
If some of you felt suckerpunched by the reading check yesterday (periods 5-7), here are some Humanities Experiences to try out soon:
Check out some cool pottery at the Crow Collection
Check out the Sistine Chapel exhibition at the Women's Museum if you missed it at the State Fair
Watch a production of Jacob and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a retelling of what we're learning in class - the story of Jacob and Joseph - at the Art Centre Theater in Plano
We finally wrapped up election coverage in class today. I don't anticipate CEs on this topic until Mr. Trump is inaugurated in January. Hopefully we answered any questions you had about how voting works (which seemed to be the basis of your inquiries) and also made you feel safe to express yourself constructively in the classroom. And if you ever want to chat one-on-one, we're here for you!
In class today we reviewed your reading over Judaism and Christianity. One student asked an interesting question about why there was more material over Christianity than Judaism in the text - and the answer to that is two-fold (1) there's just more doctrinal information over Christianity to process and (2) Dr. Cunningham (the author of our illustrious Humanities textbook) is a practicing Christian at the University of Notre Dame. He's a pretty cool guy - we corresponded via email once.
Some classes began taking notes in class - the Powerpoint has been shared to our website, however, our use of text is rather limited, so if you missed class, it might be in your best interest to look at some other people's notes or to come to tutorials.
How the sacrifice of Isaac probably went down
From one of Mel Brooks' greatests - History of the World
Here's some light Biblical humor:
Moses...so hipster
Have a great Thursday evening and try to get started on your WHAP reading due next Wednesday!
So...spoiler alert...Donald Trump is our next president-elect! We'll discuss the election in class tomorrow with our 9th CE. As this was an emotionally charged election, we ask that you be mindful of your words over the next few days - whether they be positive or negative. We are a respectful community here and truly believe that everyone has a right to their own opinions. If you were anything like me, you got little sleep last night because you kept refreshing your Internet browser until late at night trying to keep up with the election results. Below you'll find the election results by electoral and popular votes:
You can also check out more details about voting (ex. votes by county) here.
A couple of other things happened election-wise last night:
Pramila Jayapal was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, making her the first American Indian female to do so
Catherine Cortez Masto was elected to the U.S. Senate, making her the first Latina to do so
Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate, making her only the second black woman to do so (the first was Carol Moseley Braun in 1993)
Tammy Duckworth made waves as she moved from Representative to U.S. Senator in Illinois, upsetting Republican incumbent, Mark S. Kirk. Duckworth is descended from a Chinese mother and a Vietnam veteran father and lost both of her legs serving in Iraq
And lastly, regardless of how you or your family feels about the election results, I leave you with these words by Hillary Clinton as she conceded:
"Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. We don't just respect that. We cherish it."
Anyway, so in class today we wrapped up our study of Oedipus Rex. If you were unable to complete today's in-class assignment, you'll be able to find the instructions on the website. Make sure to turn in your group's work tomorrow at the start of class if you weren't able to do so today! If you thought Oedipus was kinda nuts, then wait until you have to read Antigone, the third of Sophocles' plays. I had to read that in college.
Just a friendly reminder that your Humanities reading over Judaism and Christianity is due tomorrow! We'll be discussing the origins and basic of the first two Abrahamic religions over the next three days.
If you're tired of all things election related, here are some videos to watch:
Normally two posts in one day wouldn't happen, but my 7th had SO many questions about the CE, so I thought I'd link some info here!!
Question 1 - What the heck happened in Waco??
The Waco siege was a siege of a compound belonging to the religious group Branch Davidians by American federal and Texas state law enforcement and US military between February 28 and April 19, 1993. The Branch Davidians, a sect that separated in 1955 from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was led by David Koresh and lived at Mount Carmel Center ranch in the community of Elk, Texas,nine miles east-northeast of Waco. The group was suspected of weapons violations, causing a search and arrest warrant to be obtained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The incident began when the ATF attempted to raid the ranch. An intense gun battle erupted, resulting in the deaths of four government agents and six Branch Davidians. Upon the ATF's failure to raid the compound, a siege was initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the standoff lasting 51 days. Eventually, the FBI launched an assault and initiated a tear gas attack in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians out of the ranch. During the attack, a fire engulfed Mount Carmel Center. In total 76 people died,including David Koresh.
Much dispute remains as to the actual events of the siege. A particular controversy ensued over the origin of the fire; an internal Justice Department investigation concluded in 2000 that sect members themselves had started the fire. The events near Waco, and the siege at Ruby Ridge less than 12 months earlier were both cited as the primary motivations behind the Oklahoma City bombing that took place exactly two years later.
this is the picture i remember
David Koresh
This was followed by...What is a cult?
There is apparently no legal definition of a cult either at local or federal levels. Generally cults are offshoots of legitimate religions, but the ideas of the religion are bent by a charismatic leader who wants to gain fame and or fortune. The people who are drawn into a cult are cut off from family and friends, are brainwashed by the cult leader and usually give them all their financial resources. Many times, cults end in tragedy, most notably, the Jonestown mass suicide.
Jonestown:
"Jonestown" was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project formed by the Peoples Temple, an American religious organization under the leadership of Jim Jones, in northwestern Guyana. It became internationally notorious when on November 18, 1978, a total of 918 people died in the remote commune, at the nearby airstrip in Port Kaituma, and in Georgetown, Guyana's capital city. The name of the settlement became synonymous with the incidents at those locations.
A total of 909 Americans died in Jonestown, all but two from apparent cyanide poisoning, in an event termed "revolutionary suicide" by Jones and some members on an audio tape of the event and in prior discussions.
While some refer to the events in Jonestown as mass suicide, many others, including Jonestown survivors, regard them as mass murder. All who drank poison did so under duress, and more than a third of victims (304) were minors.
This is where the phrase "drinking the kool-aid" comes from.
Question 2 - What was up with Elian Gonzales?
Elián González (born December 6, 1993) is a Cuban student who, as a young boy in 2000, became embroiled in a heated international custody and immigration controversy involving the governments of Cuba and the United States, his father, Juan Miguel González Quintana, his other relatives in Miami, Florida, and in Cuba, and Miami's Cuban American community.
González's mother, Elizabeth Brotons RodrÃguez, drowned in November 1999 while attempting to leave Cuba with González and her boyfriend to get to the United States. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) initially placed González with maternal relatives in Miami, who sought to keep him in the United States against his father's demands that González be returned to Cuba. A federal district court's ruling that only González's father, and not his extended relatives, could petition for asylum on the boy's behalf was upheld by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. After the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, federal agents took González from his relatives and returned him to Cuba in June 2000.
Elian being removed from Miami and sent to Cuba
Elian at Disneyworld
Elian with Fidel Castro
Question 3 - um Unabomber???
Theodore John "Ted" Kaczynski, also known as the "Unabomber", is an American domestic terrorist, anarchist, and mathematical prodigy. Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski engaged in a nationwide bombing campaign against people involved with modern technology, planting or mailing numerous homemade bombs, ultimately killing a total of three people and injuring 23 others.
In 1971, he moved to a remote cabin without electricity or running water, in Lincoln, Montana, where he lived as a recluse while learning survival skills in an attempt to become self-sufficient. Seventeen years after beginning his mail bomb campaign, Kaczynski sent a letter to The New York Times on April 24, 1995 and promised "to desist from terrorism" if the Times or the Washington Post published his manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future (the "Unabomber Manifesto"), in which he argued that his bombings were extreme but necessary to attract attention to the erosion of human freedom necessitated by modern technologies requiring large-scale organization.
The Unabomber was the target of one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's costliest investigations. Before Kaczynski's identity was known, the FBI used the title "UNABOM" (UNiversity & Airline BOMber) to refer to his case, which resulted in the media calling him the Unabomber. The FBI (as well as Attorney General Janet Reno) pushed for the publication of Kaczynski's "Manifesto", which led to his sister-in-law, and then his brother, recognizing Kaczynski's style of writing and beliefs from the manifesto, and tipping off the FBI. When it became clear that his pending trial would entail national television exposure for Kaczynski, the court entered a plea agreement, under which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole (he's currently in prison in Colorado).
drawing of Kaczynski & actual Kacyznski
Question 4 - What is Whitewater??
The Whitewater controversy began with an investigation into the real estate investments of Bill and Hillary Clinton and their associates, Jim and Susan McDougal, in the Whitewater Development Corporation, a failed business venture in the 1970s and 1980s.
A March 1992 New York Times article published during the U.S. presidential campaign reported that the Clintons, then governor and first lady of Arkansas, had invested and lost money in the Whitewater Development Corporation.The article stimulated the interest of L. Jean Lewis, a Resolution Trust Corporation investigator who was looking into the failure of Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan, owned by Jim and Susan McDougal. Lewis looked for connections between the savings and loan company and the Clintons, and on September 2, 1992, she submitted a criminal referral to the FBI naming Bill and Hillary Clinton as witnesses in the Madison Guaranty case.
David Hale, the source of criminal allegations against the Clintons, claimed in November 1993 that Bill Clinton had pressured him into providing an illegal $300,000 loan to Susan McDougal, the Clintons' partner in the Whitewater land deal.Clinton supporters regarded Hale's allegations as questionable, as Hale had not mentioned Clinton in reference to this loan during the original FBI investigation of Madison Guaranty in 1989; only after coming under indictment in 1993, did Hale make allegations against the Clintons. A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation did result in convictions against the McDougals for their role in the Whitewater project. The Clintons themselves were never prosecuted, after three separate inquiries found insufficient evidence linking them with the criminal conduct of others related to the land deal,and Susan McDougal was granted a pardon by President Clinton before he left office.
Question 5 - What is Watergate (speaking of Presidential scandals with the word "water")??
Watergate was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s, following a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. in 1972 and President Richard Nixon's administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement.
The term Watergate has come to encompass an array of clandestine and often illegal activities undertaken by members of the Nixon administration. Those activities included such "dirty tricks" as bugging the offices of political opponents and people of whom Nixon or his officials were suspicious. Nixon and his close aides apparently ordered investigation of activist groups and political figures, using the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, articles of impeachment,and the resignation of Nixon. The scandal also resulted in the indictment of 69 people, with trials or pleas resulting in 48 being found guilty, many of whom were Nixon's top administration officials.
The affair began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering into the DNC headquarters at the Watergate complex on Saturday, June 17, 1972. The FBI investigated and discovered a connection between cash found on the burglars and a slush fund used by the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), the official organization of Nixon's campaign.In July 1973, evidence mounted against the President's staff, including testimony provided by former staff members in an investigation conducted by the Senate Watergate Committee.
After a protracted series of bitter court battles, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the president was obligated to release the tapes he had made in his office to government investigators, and he eventually complied. These audio recordings implicated the president, revealing he had attempted to cover up activities that took place after the break-in and to use federal officials to deflect the investigation. Facing near-certain impeachment in the House of Representatives and equally certain conviction by the Senate, Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974. On September 8, 1974, his successor, Gerald Ford, pardoned him.
a short video about watergate
OH THE 90'S!!! Let me know if there are any other questions I can answer!
We hope that you enjoyed (?) this version of Oedipus Rex. We love it. If your class didn't have time to answer any questions you may have had about the storyline, we will definitely have time tomorrow, when we work with the opera a bit more. Bring your viewing guides to class - completed or not!
If you're still confused, here is Oedipus with Vegetables (warning: veggie sensuality)
honestly, why wasn't this more of a tip-off???
On Thursday, we transition to focus on more religions, so don't forget to finish your humanities reading on Judaism and Christianity. Those of you who don't have a book, it's posted online as "Judaism & Christianity Reading".
Also, don't forget to PLAN YOUR LIFE! Hum reading, WHAP reading, more WHAP reading, Olympics, watching the votes being counted tonight THERE IS A LOT GOING ON, so get it together friends. If you need help, we are here!
This day in history, for the last time until almost exams!
1889: Montana became the 41st state.
1892: Former president Grover Cleveland beat incumbent Benjamin Harrison and became the only president to win nonconsecutive terms in the White House.
1923: Adolf Hitler attempted, and failed, to seize control of the German government in the Beer Hall Putsch. Since Adolf Hitler memes really aren't that funny, instead I bring you the dance scene from Charlie Chaplin's Great Dictator, which makes fun of Hitler and IS funny!
1960: John F. Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon for the presidency of the US.
Have a great Tuesday! Siddiqui will be back tomorrow!
It's Siddiqui's week, but she's in Boston until Wednesday, so I'm pickin up her slack.
Today we started Oedipus Rex, an AMAZING Italian/Japanese version of the Sophocles' play. We will finish it tomorrow and then answer any questions you may have about plot/people etc. Remember, although not a grade, your viewing guide is there to help you. In case you didn't jot it down here is a handy character mix:
Oedipus: King of Thebes
Jocasta: Queen of Thebes, Oedipus' wife
Creon: Oedipus' brother-in-law, brother of Jocasta
Laius: dead former king of Thebes, Jocasta's dead husband
Tiresias: blind seer/prophet
Chorus: citizens of Thebes
O & J's daughters: Antigone & Ismene
I'm sure you were reminded in class, but the reading load is about to get big! On Thursday you have pages 139-140 (hum book) due on Judaism & Christianity. Then you have a 40-ish page WHAP reading due the following Wednesday and a 7-page WHAP reading due the next Thursday ... basically, time to get your butt in gear! The study guide for the WHAP reading was posted this morning, so no excuses!
Worried? Think you may need a humanities experience? Check some of these options...
TONIGHT for a mere $7, you can go see Julius Caesarat Wild Detectives in the Bishop Arts District.
Check out As We Lie Still, a musical set in the early 1920's.
the DMA is always an option! If you went last 9-weeks, then you can't go to the general collection again this 9-weeks - however you can go to the exhibit.
This day in history:
1874: The Republican party was first symbolized as an elephant in a cartoon drawn by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly magazine.
1917: Vladimir Lenin's forces overthrew Alexandre Kerensky's government in Russia's Bolshevik Revolution.
1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt won a fourth term in office, defeating Thomas E. Dewey. After this is when the law limiting presidents to two-four year terms went into effect.
1967: Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt died in New York City at age 78.
2000: The US went to the polls to choose between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The outcome of the election wouldn't be known for more than a month because of disputed votes in Florida.
y'all missed a ton of hanging chad jokes. so many
2016: Janet Reno, the first woman to hold the position of attorney general of the United States (during the Clinton administration) died from complications of Parkinson's in Florida.
