Blog #23 - How does Seabiscuit reflect the Great Depression?

After watching clips of Seabiscuit and discovering how much of a hero he and Red Pollard were to America at the time, please explain why so many average Americans were identifying with a sports hero - and one that wasn't even human!

Check out "American Experience: Seabiscuit" and how Charles Howard turned the Biscuit's name into a brand name: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/mammalsevents/e_branding.html

The radio calls for Seabiscuit's greatest races: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/sfeature/sf_radio.html

Interview with the author, Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote the book that the movie is based upon:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/seabiscuit/sfeature/sf_hillenbrand.html

Big Brown, the current Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, is battling a hoof injury and has taken a few days off before the Belmont Stakes that will be held on June 7th. Big Brown is the 4th horse since 2002 to come close to winning the Triple Crown (having come to Belmont after winning the first two races). You can even buy T-shirts and hats w/ Big Brown on them http://horsehats.com/BigBrown.html .

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing hasn't been won since Affirmed last did it in 1978. Affirmed also happens to be the great-great-grandson of War Admiral who we saw in the film. Other famous horses include Secretariat (1973 Triple Crown winner) and Seattle Slew (1977 Triple Crown winner and the only undefeated horse to win the TC).

Due Thursday, May 29 - 150 words minimum (in brown in honor of BB).

Blog #22 - Which of the following is the potentially worst economic challenge we face?

We've been studying lots of economic problems facing the country: the national debt, falling dollar, skyrocketing oil prices ($128 a barrel - a new historic high as of Friday). We also looked at Detroit's failure to adapt to the increasing demand for hybrids and higher mileage cars. In addition, we looked at the spread of big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

Price pressure on these stores' suppliers have driven many manufacturing jobs overseas in order to keep prices low. In addition, these big stores have forced many smaller stores in the area to close b/c they don't have the purchasing power that a Wal-Mart does. This eliminates smaller businesses - ones in which people have put their hopes and dreams. These companies have also discouraged unions and employed illegal immigrants in pursuit of cost-cutting. Is the creation of these kinds of huge stores just another step in streamlining the dog-eat-dog world of capitalism?

The national debt will be a burden on ourselves and our children if we don't do something about it soon. We can't keep overspending billions and billions of dollars every year. Can we continue to ignore it? Should we raise taxes or cut spending or both? Why? Here's a link to the Treasury Dept.'s frequently asked questions http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/resources/faq/faq_publicdebt.htm

The Gross National Debt

Detroit has had a hard time keeping up with the demand for higher mileage cars since they've depended upon the big profits from SUVs. With consumers switching over in a big way to other companies besides the Big 3, what does this mean for Detroit and the state of Michigan?

With fuel prices going up through the roof, inflation has started to kick in a way that we haven't seen since the 1970s - way before you guys were born! Ask yor parents about how much prices went up and the long lines for gas. Just a couple of days ago, Saudi Arabia had agreed to boost its oil production up 300,000 barrels of oil, and Washington said that it would add to the "Strategic Petroleum Reserves" How do we push the country into better energy independence? Is our dependence on foreign oil creating a security nightmare for us because we are stuck in a war in the Middle East?

Which of these issues that we have studied lately do you think will be the worst potential economic problem? Why?

Due Wednesday, May 21-

150 word minimum

The stars of Hippie Day - May 2, 2008

5th Hour (and Jourdan?) flashing the peace sign.


Groovy!

Sweet!

4th Hour hippies! Peace, y'all.

Who knew Tyler was a hippie? I mean, who knew?

2nd Hour hippies!

Is that Ben Wallace, or someone with a 60s style (Abbie Hoffman) fro?

Sheila, the 1974 VW Minibus (Microbus)

Whenever people ride in Sheila, Joe asks that they sign the interior.

Here are some pictures of Joe's bus, Sheila. Many thanks to Joe for putting on his talk today in the pouring rain. Rain didn't stop the hippies at Woodstock, and it didn't stop us now. As Joe said, "everyone has a little hippie in them."

Blog #21 - Do It Yourself, Part 2

Pick one of the following blogs and give a full, detailed and well-thought out answer. As usual, you can't pick your own, and your answer must be a minimum of 150 words.

1. Do you think that the U.S. would have been any safer w/o fighting the Vietnam War? Was it really worth it? Why or why not? - Lorne, Ben, Ryan B., Bethany, Jourdan, Tyler, Megan W., Jason S.,

2. When public support is so low for a war (Vietnam / Iraq), why did/do we continue to fight that war? - Ally R.

3. With many of the same characteristics as the Vietnam War, do you think that the Iraq War will end the same way or differently? Why? - Christy, Ben, Kelsey, TJ, Robbie L., Alex D., Matt Ba.,

4. Why doesn't the media show us the reality of wars? Should they show us the reality of what's going on in Iraq? - Emily C., Nicole, Michael G., Jessica,

5. How would life (our future) be different today if there was a draft like in Vietnam? Would you enlist, skip out on the draft, or allow yourself to be drafted? Why? - Trevor, Andrew, Claire, Derek M., TJ, Mollie,

6. Do you think it is disloyalty to America if the citizens don't support the troops who are fighting the war? Why or why not? - Raekeshia

7. Do you think the chemical nicknamed Agent Orange was appropriate to use considering the destruction and casualties? Why or why not? - Ian, Fred,

8. Do you think President George H.W. Bush should have gone after Saddam Hussein and his army after freeing Kuwait in 1991? Why or why not? - Rob G., Bethany, TJ, Emma,

9. With over 4,000 soldiers killed and 30,000+ injured from the war in Iraq, besides pulling out the troops, what other solutions are there to stop more Americans from being killed in Iraq? Is there another alternative to pulling out of Iraq? - Angelina

10. If you were on the grand jury in the Kent State shooting case, how would you have voted? Why? - Sarah

11. Given that there are so many similarities between the Vietnam and Iraq wars, why haven't our leaders learned from history? How would you do things differently if you were president? - Sarah, Amber, Jacob T., Jessica,

12. How do you feel about our current foreign policy: do you feel our priorities are out of whack or should we be able to look out for ourselves first? Is there another alternative? - Alexandra, Jacob T.,

13. Should Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara have spoken up sooner about our misguided Vietnam policy than he did? - Paul, Matt Ba., Jessica,

14. Would you have been a protester during the Vietnam War? Why or why not? - Marin, Nikita, Tyler H., Jason S., Megan W.,

15. Do you think the student protests influenced America's decision to leave Vietnam? Why or why not? - Stefan

16. Why didn't more nations support us when we went into the Persian Gulf the second time in 2003? - Stefan

17. Should the American people be able to vote against the President's decisions during war time? Why or why not? - Rob S.,

18. Who was to blame for the Kent State shootings: the National Guard, the students, or someone else? What other ways could this have been handled? - numerous students

19.