Superpower Survey

Dear Phase II students, Hopefully you found this weekend's "superpower" mini-survey homework assignment to be informative and exciting. For your homework tonight (Monday, 3/28/11), please use the 'Comment' function at the bottom of this post to answer two (2) of the following four questions:

1. What was the most interesting thing you learned from conducting your mini-survey? Did people's answers surprise or shock you in any way? If so, how?

2. Based on the people you talked to, and on the responses your classmates collected, did you notice any patterns in the information you found? For example, did all (or most) Americans choose to have the same (or similar) superpower? Did all (or most) women choose a similar power? What about all men? etc, etc

3. Do you think the superpower you chose in class on Friday/Monday shows or reflects anything unique about your personality? Why or why not?

4. In general, do you think the ways in which people responded to you and your classmates -- i.e., what superpowers they chose -- shows or reflects anything unique about their personalities? Why or why not? Can you think of any examples of this?

Please post your answers BEFORE the beginning of class on Wednesday, March 30. As always, I look forward to reading what you write!

Bah, Humbug

Today in class we concluded our viewing of the second-season X-Files episode "Humbug." For your homework, I would like you all to the share your thoughts (via the 'Comment' function at the bottom of this post) on the following questions:

1. Do you agree with screenwriter Peter Filardi's opinion that a horror film or TV show very often reflects some of the fears or worries commonly held by members of a given society? Why or why not?

2. In your opinion, as suggested by the episode "Humbug," what was the central fear (or what were the central fears) commonly held by Americans in the mid-1990s? Do you think this fear (or these fears) still exist(s) in American society today? Why or why not?

3. Do you think that the fears you mentioned in question #2 above are culture-specific? In other words, do you think people in your home country would hold (or have held) some of those same fears? Why or why not?

Please note that, in order to answer the above questions in enough detail, I am expecting you to write at least two paragraphs' worth of commentary. You must submit your answers BEFORE the beginning of class on Friday, March 25th. Late submissions will NOT receive credit.

"Eve," Part 2

I am glad you all chose the X-Files episode "Eve" to watch in class last week. It is one of my favorite episodes of Season 1, and I still find it as scary and entertaining as ever!



As I mentioned in class last week, one of the issues raised by this episode is that of cloning. (Click here to see a definition of what this word means as well as more information from Wikipedia on the topic.) While this episode exaggerates quite a bit -- as, contrary to what the 'Litchfield Experiments' plot twist suggests, no scientist has never been able to successfully clone a human being -- it still raises many interesting questions surrounding this very intriguing and very controversial issue.



Using the 'Comment' function at the bottom of this post, please take a moment to share you thoughts on the following two questions:



1. After watching "Eve" and reading through the Wikipedia page on clones and cloning, did you learn anything new or surprising about cloning? If so, what?

2. If a scientist eventually does develop the ability to clone human beings, do you think he/she should go through with it (i.e., actually begin cloning humans)? In other words, do you think cloning is good or bad? Why?



You may discuss these questions with your classmates, but all comments must be individually submitted. Please submit your comments BEFORE class on Wednesday, March 23rd. Also, please be sure to comment in paragraph format (introduction/topic sentence, supporting sentences and details, concluding sentence.)

As always, I look forward to reading what you write!

Squeeze or Eve?

Welcome back from Spring Break, everyone! In addition to commenting on the blog post below, I am interested in collecting your opinions on the following topic:

Which episode of the X-Files, "Squeeze" or "Eve," are you most interested in watching in class on Friday? Why?

Please share your thoughts on the above question by tonight (if possible) or, at the latest, by Thursday (3/17) at 6pm. That way, we can all come prepared/ready/excited to view your chosen episode in class on Friday.

Thanks, and remember ... "The truth is out there."

The X-Files

Happy Spring Break, everyone! I hope you enjoyed watching "Pilot," the first episode of the X-Files series ever made, in class on Friday.

Using the 'Comment' function on this post, please write a complete paragraph (introduction/topic sentence, supporting sentences, conclusion sentence) that answers the following question:

If you were a network executive who was looking for new TV show ideas, and you watched this episode of the X-Files, would you decide to finance it (pay for it to be made into a complete series)? Why or why not?

Please make sure to post your answer before Monday, March 14. Thank you!

The Simpsons

Today in class, we watched two different episodes of the longest-running prime-time show in American TV history: The Simpsons.

The first episode, "Stark Raving Dad," was from Season 3. It includes parodies of famous American films One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Silence of the Lambs, and Rain Man, as well as many references to celebrities and cultural phenomena such as Michael Jackson. The second episode, "The Springfield Files," is from Season 8. It includes parodies of and/or references to the movies Psycho and Waterworld, a Budweiser frogs Superbowl commercial from 1995, the Nintendo video game Donkey Kong, Leonard Nimoy/ the Star Trek series, the TV show Family Matters, and, of course, The X-Files.

Using the 'Comment' function on this post, please write a complete paragraph (introduction/topic sentence, supporting sentences, conclusion sentence) that answers the following questions:

1. Which of these two episodes did you think was funnier? Why?
2. What are some examples of American culture you can see in this TV show? What did you learn about American culture while watching these episodes?

You will need to post your comments before class on Friday, March 4. We have at least one more TV show episode to watch, and lots to catch up on/review before the MIDTERM*, so please come prepared and ready to work hard and (hopefully also) learn a lot!

* The midterm exam will take place in class on Monday, March 14.