An Absence of Class

New York Times op-ed columnist Bob Herbert offers a sobering assessment of the current health care debate by looking at a number of, well, shocking events of the past week.  In a Columbus, Ohio Tea Party rally, a man with Parkinson's was ridiculed and had money thrown at him as part of a larger confrontation with pro-health care reform marchers. (The YouTube video of the event is here.)

Herbert also describes the epithets hurled at both a hero of the Civil Rights movement, U.S. Representative John Lewis, and openly-gay Representative Barney Frank.  It's a great piece that you can read here. 

Thanks to Parisa for finding it.

Living 91 cm from yourself

What do you do when a collision with a meteorite separates you precisely 91 cm from yourself?  This clever French cartoon will answer that question for you.  English subtitles.  Click the still image above for the link.  No comment necessary.

Gus's night to shine

Yes, it's all about me.  My shining moment in front of hundreds of faculty and student fans.  I had a few missed shots early on in the game, had one blocked, and missed one because I was mightly fouled as I went up.  But, it was the 4th quarter and we faculty were just starting to erase a dozen-point deficit.  Undeterred, I set up in the corner, stepped back behind the 3-point line and, taking a single dribble, calmly nailed a trey.  The crowd leapt to their feet!

Well, look, this is how I remember it.  If you click on the picture above, Zohra was kind enough to supply video proof of my shot.

Kudos to Parisa and Golshan and the many other student volunteers who helped make the Faculty-Student Haiti Relief basketball game a success.  There were also a large number of faculty who played, cheered, and watched the action.  Whether you bought a cupcake or just cheered in the stands, having such a big crowd was very exciting.  Plus, you got to see me in shorts.

Been there, done that.

Anything here look familiar?

 

History doesn't exactly repeat itself but the patterns are strikingly similar, aren't they?

Commentary is voluntary and will not be graded.

Declaration of Independence music video????

Yes, I know what you must be thinking...obviously Gus is overworked and is suffering from severe sleep deprivation and this blog entry is a manifestation of that. Well, the reality is that I'm only slightly loopy and that this video is real.

Soomo Publishing has created this really interesting video by a group they're billing as "T.J. and the Revo". The song is "Too Late to Apologize" and is available by clinking here. It's worth a look and, no, I will not apologize for liking it. There. I said it.

Do schools kill creativity?

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a U.S private nonprofit foundation best known for its conferences, now held in Europe and Asia as well as the U.S., devoted to what it calls "ideas worth spreading". In this 2006 presentation, Sir Ken Robinson address the essential question of the title of this article. I found his talk thought-provoking and I'm wondering if you will, too.

Please watch this video that you can find at this link. I'd like you to tell me what YOU think that this AP class, Social Studies classes, or the school as a whole can do differently to address about what Sir Ken is speaking. A response is required by the end the day, February 26 and will be graded.

(Sir Ken Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of innovation and human resources. He has worked with national governments in Europe and Asia, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, national and state education systems, non-profit corporations and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. They include the Royal Shakespeare Company, Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, the Royal Ballet, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the European Commission, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the J Paul Getty Trust and the Education Commission of the States. (Wikipedia))

How Christian Were the Founders?

Parisa found this awesome article in the New York Times Magazine. I won't say much more than this... it's a good example of what happens when the separation of church and state is blurred...or eliminated entirely. You may click the picture to see a larger version.

No comment necessary.

Wilson and the League

Just when I thought it wasn't possible to have a timely article in a news magazine about Woodrow Wilson, Newsweek obliges. Click on the images to enlarge; enjoy the read. Commentary is due by December 11.


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NBC ready to be purchased by Comcast

It looks like the end is near for broadcasting pioneer network NBC--or at least as we know it. After years of dominance of the free broadcast airwaves, NBC's struggles to compete with other networks plus an ever-increasing array of cable networks, has made it ripe for takeover. More information about this story can be found by clicking here.

The sound of the NBC chimes played as the xylophone logo above suggests can be heard here courtesy of the US Patent Office.



If you'd like more information about the creation of the NBC peacock, you can read about the man who dreamed it all up by clicking this link about designer John J. Graham.

New labor leader; same old labor battles

Ben has found an interesting profile of the AFL-CIO's new president, Richard Trumka. To see this video, click here and select the far right-hand rectangular button immediately below the video window. Comments are disabled for this entry.

The return of the Progressives?

In this interesting article from Newsweek progressivism is seen more as a pragmatic cause than an altruistic one. Comment, please, on your sense of where things are going. Do you agree with author Daniel Gross? (Click picture to enlarge)

With the swearing-in today of long-time Kennedy family friend Paul Kirk, the Ted Kennedy era is over. I'm sure that you've seen a lot of things in the news in the last few weeks about Teddy's legacy. I thought that this Newsweek posting was different enough to add to the barrage of information that has come your way. Click the picture to enlarge it.

Commenting is optional--no credit for this one, kids. Sorry.

~Gus

New on DVD: "Defiance"

Written by Parisa Zarringhalam:
"I recently watched the movie "Defiance" which is about the Bielski brothers, and how they rescued over a thousand Jews who were being slaughtered in German-occupied Poland.  In this amazing story, the brothers hid in the woods for over 3 years, fighting off Nazis, and surviving even though all the odds were against them.  But the most astonishing and awesome thing about this whole story is that it's true.  The Bielski brothers are real people who saved over 1,200 other, real people from facing the Death camps.  Originally the boys were war refugees, whose parents, friends, and family had been killed by the Nazis liquidating the Ghettos.  However they soon started saving people as well as stealing from Germans and collaborators.  Once they actually snuck into a Ghetto and convinced an extremely large amount of people to sneak out with them.  Tuvia, Zus, Asael Bielski promised to protect all these people, young and elderly, and they did in the Naliboki Forest for three years until the Nazi threat was over.  Their story is not a well known one because the brothers didn't want it to be.  Eventually, Tuvia and Zus immigrated to New York City, with their wives they had met in the forest, and opened up a small trucking business together.  Their children and grandchildren still live in Brooklyn, NY."
 
Gus says: This sounds like a great film. Reviews and synopsis at imdb.com are impressive. Sounds like a good film to watch when we get to WWII.

What is wisdom?

A nifty little video that advertises a book about the subject of wisdom is available by clicking here. I'm not requiring that you buy the book unless you want to but I thought that this was thought-provoking. There are people you might recognize and quite a few you may not from the worlds of music, movie, religion, politics, and others. Your thoughts?

Neda. Have you heard of her?

Posted by Hannah:


I hope that most of you care about the crisis in Iran right now. If you don't know much about it, that is okay, I didn't know very much either until about a week ago when I watched a certain video on YouTube. This video couldn't be posted on the blog because of it's graphic visuals. All you really need to know is this : The woman in the video is named Neda. She was attending a protest in Tehran a few weeks ago when militiamen opened fire on the group that she was standing in. Neda was shot in the heart, and lay in the middle of crowded street, dying in her father's arms. I don't necessarily advise people to watch this video, it is extremely graphic and shows a lot of blood. I got nauseous, I cried, and I had to turn it off. So if you don't think you can handle it, don't watch it. If you really want to, search Neda YouTube.
The situation in Iran is becoming increasingly technicalized. The Iranian people have been using the internet; Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook have become places for citizens to vent their frustrations and to show the world what is really going on over there. Forgein media outlets are not allowed to film in the streets, so the world is depending on the Iranian people for information. I encourage everyone to search for as much information as they can on the crisis, it can never hurt to be educated. Also, any article or video that you find, check out the comments by people from across the globe. When I watched the Neda video, I did this. I saw comments in chinese, Spanish, German, Hindi, English, and countless other languages that I did not recognize. It is really cool to see how an event like this one can bring together so many people from across the world. Despite the differences in language, all of the comments said basically the same thing: R.I.P. Neda, you did not die in vain.

Please read some of the articles below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/world/middleeast/23neda.html?_r=1

http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/s/neda_agha_soltan/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=Neda&st=cse

Welcome to 2009-2010 APUSH!

Hi, everyone.

To make sure that you can see this blog, please post a greeting on the page. Be sure to sign it with your real name if your screen name looks nothing like what your parents put on the birth certificate.

The easiest way to post is to look just below the posting you wish to comment on and click the "x comments" link (where "x"= some number from 0 to 1 trillion).

~Gus

Rite of Passage

To my wonderful APUSH students for 2008-2009: I'm giving you a gift and a responsibility in this forum that you can use or not, depending on your wishes. Each of you now have the ability to author a post on this blog.

I don't have the expectation that you will post. There's no grade involved, of course. You owe me nothing. But I thought that it would be terrific if you were to happen across an interesting and relevant article or picture that you could offer it to next year's APUSH class for consideration.

To post:
Sign in to blogspot by clicking the "sign-in" link in the upper right of this page. When successful, you'll see "Manage Blogs" and the HistoryGus APUSH Blog listed. There should be a blue "New Post" button there as well. Enter all the stuff required and note that the icons above the biggest text area allows you to add videos, images, and links.

~Gus

Memorial Day ceremony

Here I am with junior class officers Katie and Shannon as they place flowers at the World War II memorial in front of Town Hall on Friday, May 22.
Katie and Shannon emceed the Memorial Day assembly at Watertown High School earlier in the day. Picture courtesy of Mane.

Meeting with the veterans

On Saturday, May 16, we had the chance to interview Mr. Tony Aiello, Mr. Dave Guido, and Mr. Rocky Mosca -- all World War II veterans. They, plus Simone Bailey's grandfather, Mr. Robert Waldman, were featured at the memorial Day assembly on May 22.

OK, analyze this.......

This is a bit of a free-form post about an ad that I've seen here and there, most recently in Newsweek magazine. Your job is to figure out what issues are being discussed here and to post your comments. This is a 10 point assignment with a due date of Wednesday, May 6.

Where's Gus?

First correct answer (or closest answer if no correct answers are given) wins a fabulous prize.
By the way, "Mt. Washburn" is not, by itself, a correct answer.

Newsweek says "History does not repeat itself. But..."

The March 30, 2009 edition of Newsweek proclaims that history does not repeat itself but that themes and parallels abound our history. Take, for example, this article by Michael Kazin on how Obama's populist message parallels others in history. So, your assignment is to comment on how accurate the parallels are between now and points in the past are. Does Kazin have a valid point? Commentary is manditory; good commentary is rewarded. Click on the pictures below to make them bigger and more readable.

Name That Conservative!

First one to 100% wins a prize!

In the latest issue of Newsweek, this two-page spread appeared over the main story. I've had to reproduce it in 2 pieces, but can you identify these famous conservatives? You may receive help if you need it from some of the ...ah, more seasoned members of your family. Good luck!

So.......neat.

No need to respond unless you want to.
No credit involved here, just a really thoughtful piece on life.
Click here to be forwarded.........

Address to Joint Session Assignment

Your assignment, due for Float period on Thursday, Feb 26 is:
1) Watch President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress tonight at 9:00 P.M.
2) Choose ONE WORD that you think best summarizes, characterizes, or describes the speech and post it below.
3) Provide a couple of sentences that explains why you chose that word. Keep it short....maybe three sentences is too much.

Rosa Parks was NOT the first?

Who knew?
In a very interesting news story posted today, Rosa Parks was NOT the first to try to desegregate Montgomery, Alabama's city busses by sitting in the front. But just who is Claudette Colvin? Find out HERE and post your thoughts, comments, and observations by the Monday we get back (Feb 23).

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Khrushchev reacts to American blockade to Cuba

In these two translated telegrams, Soviet Premier Khrushchev responds to President Kennedy's announced naval blockage of Cuba.

From the Library of Congress: "According to Nikita Khrushchev's memoirs, in May 1962 he conceived the idea of placing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Cuba as a means of countering an emerging lead of the United States in developing and deploying strategic missiles. He also presented the scheme as a means of protecting Cuba from another United States-sponsored invasion, such as the failed attempt at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

"After obtaining Fidel Castro's approval, the Soviet Union worked quickly and secretly to build missile installations in Cuba. On October 16, President John Kennedy was shown reconnaissance photographs of Soviet missile installations under construction in Cuba. After seven days of guarded and intense debate in the United States administration, during which Soviet diplomats denied that installations for offensive missiles were being built in Cuba, President Kennedy, in a televised address on October 22, announced the discovery of the installations and proclaimed that any nuclear missile attack from Cuba would be regarded as an attack by the Soviet Union and would be responded to accordingly. He also imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of offensive military weapons from arriving there."

You must post at least one comment about the letters that can be found at This Link. You may comment on the letters or comments left by others (or both). You may post more than once. This will be a graded exercise.

Obama Inauguration newspaper coverage

If you'd like to see the front page inauguration coverage of major U.S., Canadian, and world newspapers, check out the link below. It's really interesting stuff!

Click Here

Loose, Strict, and "Re-Contructionist"?

Presidential Inaugural "words"

I was sent this link by Parisa Zarringhalam ('12). It's a really interesting look at the words used by our presidents in their inaugural addresses, weighted to reflect how often they were used. Please poke around a bit and identify something that was interesting to you and put the address or the choice of words into some historical context. Then post your thoughts here. The link to the NY Times article is here.....just click.

Welcome to the APUSH blog.

I thought that this might be a good place for us to try something with collaborative learning.....