now here's a treat for end of term

http://www.sonnyradio.com/swanlake_0001.swf it's a huge file, so if it stops and starts for a while, let it and then start all over again at the top. it's worth it.

Final Paper - all comments here

Final paper today or on final day, Monday. All must have the sheet you get back today stapled to back of it. Put all comments/questions about final here.

New to the country.

So today I met a cousin that just immigrated here from the Philippines. He's 19. First thing I noticed when introducing myself is that he had a scared look on his face, but then I put myself in his position. Here he is meeting family he never knew existed, and is in a country where he can barely communicate with others. Funny that we both speak different dialects of our native language, but cannot understand each other when we use them, but instead have to resort to using broken english. I feel like I want to take him out and have fun, but my idea of fun just might be strange to him, and might be considered deviant behavior.

Who got MVB?

If it was mentioned in class the other day i sure missed it, but i dont think it was mentioned.... so who was MVB?

Question

Has anybody heard about the Mexican Repatriations in the early 1930's? Did you know some Mexicans today are still being deported illegally...? Mexicans who are in the U.S legally are sometimes forced to move to Mexico regardless of their economic status, and residence...google "Mexican Repatriations/Deportations" see what you find...Here is a recent article on MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32108119/ns/health-health_care/
ALSO I just want to hear feedback from anyone...do you feel that illegal immigrant should receive some kind of medical care? If not, why? If so, what should they be entitled to?

Family Socialization. Imagine being part of the Kennedy family.

Imagine being part of the Kennedy family. As I was viewing the article on Edward Kennedy's death, I came upon this link to the Kennedy family tree. This would be great to compare to a family tree from a background that was not affluent.
Kennedy Family Tree

Persepolis - some comments from

Granny to MJ: "You'll meet a lot of jerks in your life. Do not hurt them. It's because of their stupidity. There is nothing worse than resentment and revenge."
Granny: "Fear lulls our minds to sleep."
Granny: "You're crying because you were wrong; it's hard to admit your mistakes, eh?"
Voice over from the repressive society: "To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of our society." - think of Durkheim and his view of suicide on this one.
Granny: "Tout la monde a toujour la choice." (all the world has always choice.)

Projected Population Estimates

The current (2009) world population is estimated to be 6.8 billion with a projected increase to 7 billion in 2011, and 8.1 billion in 2025 ( http://www.prb.org/). I can only help but wonder what this increase in population will result--more problems. I can't help but imagine, and i'm not being a pessimist here, that this means continued wars, poverty, inequalities, etc. What do you all expect from such drastic population rises?

Right America

I just finished a fascinating HBO documentary by filmmaker (and daughter of Nancy Pelosi) Alexandra Pelosi. She interviews McCain supporters before and after the 2008 election. Its called "Right America" and you can find it On Demand if you have HBO. I was shocked and saddened by the amount of anger and hatred among these people. I'm sure some of them are the same people that are now bringing guns to town hall meetings and trying to prove that Obama is not a US citizen. Scary that we share the country with them.

Question

What assignment is due tomorrow? An abstract, question of what? Any help would be appreciated=)

What do you think about Unions?

Do you think unions serve a good purpose in making sure its members earn decent and livable salaries get decent benefits, vacation pay?

Lives in the Balance

Rescue Vid

http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com/en/#/watch/

The Amish still find a way

The Amish community is a curious group of individuals. Their strict culture clashes with the modern Western culture in many ways. If anyone has ever met or known anyone Amish, this article is sure to add to mystique of the Amish people. I for one, admire those who can stick to their values and faith despite the pressures of an overwhelming society. But it is still a curious study to see how individual Amish can choose to assimilate or just stay traditional.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32390961/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project

Earth Quake

Did anyone feel the earthquake yesterday? I did ...

Sociological analysis

After reading the observation papers, I have decided to make a change in the due date remaining. Your creative paper is now due on Final day itself, which, I believe, is Monday August 31 (we will check that tomorrow). This gives you more time for perfecting your sociological approach to the issue at hand. Next week Monday, you are to submit 1/2 page on Your Question + a perfect abstract, with title. There will be no other paper besides this creative paper.
More discussion tomorrow.

LifeBook

This is something my friend passed me along, and now i'd like to pass to you. I think we get too caught up on things and we sometimes forget to do some of the following. You might not agree with all, but it's something to always keep in mind.

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and less foods that are made in plants
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy
5. Make time for appreciation
6. Play more games (not video games)
7. Read more books than you did last year
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day ---- and while you walk, smile

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others': You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts on things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do it; know and keep your limits
14. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip and other trivialties
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Put away issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more
24. You don't have to win every argument. Learn to be wrong.

Community:
25. Call your family often
26. Each day give or do something good to/for others
27. Forgive everyone for everything
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day
30. What other people think of you is none of your business
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right things-If you don't know what these are, think of what things right could be done to or for you, and do those
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
34. Learn to heal. We're all survivors of something
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change, and you will progress
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
37. The best is yet to come
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank the creator for it
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

words matter

Income Inequality - report

http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2007.pdf
This is the latest report. In 2007, income of .001 percent of the people was 6% of the total.
What would happen if they removed Bernie Madoff and his 20 best friends from this list?
UPDATE: NYT - THE 30 year trend may be over. the super rich are no longer getting richer. READ MOE: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/business/economy/21inequality.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A (daily) spoonful of hatred "Crips & Bloods: Made in America"

• SELF deep seated self hatred because see self as of no value.
• SELF - you can't have a heart
• NETWORKS clubs, not gangs: fighting boys: competing, not destroying
• GENERATIONS of networks: families move down, not up the ladder
• RESPECT is fear
• SOCIAL STRUCTURE social history of 20th centurn: slavery, industry & globalism, legislation (civil rights legislation & welfare), Vietnam war vets, social control patterns, women's lib.
• NETWORKS: family, school, neighborhood
• SELF: resulting sense of self: ? ? ?
• CHANGE: young African American men and children - more fathers, more responsibility

themes to spark your thinking/writing http://writingsoc.blogspot.com/2009/04/crips-and-bloods-themes.html
An interesting movie to rent and view in conjunction is Gran Torino. Interesting movies about kids without parental guidance in other parts of the world are: Turtles Can Fly, Death in Gaza, Paradise Now and City of God. Also watch Amanpour's special on CNN this week on Afghanistan and Gaza.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING ?

Since we did not have class monday, what did you do on you free time?

Action Papers

Read all the action papers (if you didn't write a geology paper). Keep up the good work, each and all of you! Warms my heart! Great new habits. See you ALL on Wednesday 11:45AM.

Someone once said...

(in class today actually) that they did not feel like they were who everyone saw them to be. I thought this was interesting and found myself wondering when I felt the same way. Do others see us in the way we see and feel about ourselves? I mean, do they REALLY? What do we do when they are completely off? Do we correct them? Should we even really care? All these things popped up in my head after today's class.

Wow. LA News

Bill Bratton resigns as Chief of LAPD.

Emailing HB paper

We are suppose to email our HB paper by 3pm Monday if we dont have an appointment but how will she not know who we are by our email. Are we going by CIN number still or name?

here's a place to go - and observe

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ralph-toyama/sets/72157606136042041/show/
it's a library in Cerritos! check it out.

HB sample - sample ready now - check site

Someone reminded me to submit a HB paper sample. I searched Sociological Abstracts for "computers" and "social change." Go to the class site and you'll see a 1st draft sample paper.
It took me 15 min to find a good article to cite. I then wrote an outline of topics and completed the draft. If anyone wants to have a "chat" about this paper comment here.
DUE DATE STILL due Monday, but if you do not have an appt with me Monday I do not want to make you drive in, so please email me a copy by 3PM - AND THEN bring me a hard copy on Wednesday.