Week 5: Click, Click, Boom

This week, I've decided to prowl Reuters news service for the latest and greatest in news articles. The first thing that came up was the immediate story about the University of Texas shooting this morning, which sparks my newest dialogue:

Should students (and professors) be allowed to carry firearms on campus?

First off, a disclaimer: I'm not packing heat. I'm not even packing warm. Your prof is a duck in a shooting gallery. But rather than presenting articles, I'm going to present two websites, one on each side, and you can discuss any aspect of these. Which is the more compelling argument? Should we, or should we not, be allowed to carry guns on campus?

When perusing these two sites, take into account not only their arguments, but their presentation. Consider the context; remember what we've been going over in class regarding framing the argument.

The site for carrying guns on campus can be found HERE.
The site against carrying guns on campus can be found HERE.

You can frame the argument against the backdrop of the Virginia Tech shootings, the increased crime wave on Kent State's campus, and the current national debate about the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

300-500 words. Have fun.

-- MP

Week 4: Back At It - DNA, Retinas, Privacy, Oh My!

All right, we've had our late summer, early autumn break. Now, it's back to the grind.

I ran across this article here on Slate.com. I thought it was pretty interesting from a collegiate standpoint. So we have our sounding point for the week.

Here's what I would like to know: if this program were to come to Kent State University, would you be okay with it? Where does this lead? What is going to happen to our society in the next generation if we keep going down this route?

Here's the second portion: Techno Buffalo is reporting a town in Leon, Mexico is taking security about 12 steps farther than anyone else.

Read the two articles, and, in 300-500 words, tell me what you think. What would you do if this came to Kent, Ohio? Are the two programs linked? Am I just trying to scare you?

This should tide you over until Tuesday, the 28th, at noon, when your responses are due.

-- MP

Week 2: Language and Thoughts

This week's article is a longer one -- you can read it here. The headline asks a simple enough question -- does your language influence how you think?

Take this rather lengthy argument and apply it to your own life. How many languages do you speak (and I'm not talking about French, or Russian). Do you speak differently at home than you do with your friends, or in class? Does the way you work with language influence your thoughts? Or do your thoughts influence your language? What part of this article is full of crap, if any? What is the author, Detscher, attempting to say? What arguments are being used?

You can extrapolate your post in other ways beyond these guidelines. If you read a part of this article you want to respond to, and it takes you into left field, then so be it. But answering the above questions in 300-500 words, you're doing okay.

-- MP