TGIF, everybody!
that's the last time we can say that for a while, eh? I will be wishing all of you successful tests and healthy and happy summer vacations, and looking forward very much to meeting you all again for Koki (Fall Semester). We will cover topics like American English, American universities, and Halloween and Christmas. **Keep in mind that in America, Fall Semester is the first semester of the new school year.** From today's class, I hope you will remember the following points: American freedom is complex, because most Americans will say it's the most important thing, but they have different ways of deciding when freedom is important and who should have it and so on. For instance, some Americans think women should not have the freedom to have an abortion, while thinking that everyone should be free to have as many guns as they want. Other Americans think the opposite way. Therefore, conflict arises between different Americans. And American culture has a lot of variety! SO many different kinds of people (races, cultures, economic situations, religions, environments, sexual orientations, etc. etc.). That's one of the things I like about America... THERE IS NO HOMEWORK!
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TGIF, everybody! Here's a picture of me "surfing" from 30+ years ago...
(HB's other nickname is "Surf City," and HB people think it's the "Surfing Capitol of the World." I never learned how to surf with a board, though--only with my body!). I hope you will visit California some day, especially Southern California and Huntington Beach. If you like warm crowded beaches, visit HB in the summertime, and if you like cool, empty beaches, visit in the wintertime. If you like the oldest and biggest trees in the world, go to Sequoia National Park (north from HB about eight hours by car). If you like Hollywood movies, go to Hollywood (north from HB about forty-five minutes by car). And the original Disneyland is about forty minutes by car. From today's class, remember these points: 1) The history of my hometown, Huntington Beach (HB), California (in Orange County), is similar to the history of many places in the USA (and to the history of America as a whole). White people took land from Indians and then developed it for cattle in the 19th century, and then the railroad (train) came, and then oil was discovered in the early 20th century, and then HB became a big and wealthy city. 2) The good points of HB are a nice climate, a long and lovely beach (and the pier!), many shops, low crime, good social services, and easy access to many other interesting places like Disneyland and Hollywood, and so on. 3) One bad point of HB is that you need a car to go most places. HOMEWORK (for 7/15): Read the handout about Zenkishiken and bring any questions you have about it! Also, think of any questions or comments you have about any of the topics we covered in Zenki. We will probably have time to ask/answer some! Topics for Submitting Comments (by 7/14) You could post some comments or questions about HB or about California or about anything in today's class! You could tell about your experience in southern California. You could also tell some history about or culture of your own hometown...
TGIF, everybody!
Do you like the hot dog race pic? (Do you get the joke with the phrase "The Wieners"???) Do you like the Tom & Jerry 4th of July cartoon, Safety Second (1950)?? **By the way, the usual expression in English is "safety first," which means "safety is the FIRST thing you should think of," but the Tom & Jerry cartoon changes that to "safety SECOND," which means, "don't think about safety too much." It's an ironic joke...** What do you think of the trailers for the movie Born on the Fourth of July (1989) with Tom Cruise and Independence Day (1996) with Will Smith? (Watch the trailers with CC English captions turned on!) From today's class, remember that the 4th of July (Independence Day) is the most patriotic and freedom oriented American holiday, and from 1777 it has been celebrated with "pomp and parades," sports, speeches, fireworks, games, and so on. As for me, I do not get excited when the 4th of July comes. I just live a usual day, without any celebration or special food or fireworks etc. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I feel superior to Canadians because they didn't want to fight a war against the UK to be independent, but on the other hand, I feel inferior to Canadians for the same reason! Finally, remember that hot dogs are a very American food: wieners were brought by German immigrants and then Americans got the idea to put them in buns (and they're tasty, easy and fast to prepare and eat, but not very healthy). HOMEWORK (for July 8) Read the Huntington Beach (HB) handout and bring one question or comment about something in it. TOPICS FOR COMMENTING HERE (by July 7 at 11:00 am) Write about anything about the 4th of July. You could think of Independence Day or 4th of July theme movies or TV shows you've seen, or if you've experienced the day in America, or what you think about it generally, etc. You could write about your best fireworks or hot dogs memories! Write about whether or not you're glad the USA became an independent country back in the 18th century. Really, of course, it's meaningless to imagine how the world would be different if something didn't or did happen 200 years ago, etc., but I am curious to know what you think about it. Write about the Tom & Jerry cartoon, or about the trailers for the two movies I put above, or about the movies if you have seen them. Write about anything about hot dogs. You could write about how often you eat them, if you like them, what kind you have eaten, and so on. TGIF, everybody!
Above you can see: 1) how many pennies (100 cents) make one dollar; 2) the main coins and their sizes and values; 3) a special collectors' quarter showing New York state on the back; 4) an ancient coin with Alexander the Great on the front and Zeus on the back (you can see that American coins copy the tradition started by ancient Greeks and Romans of putting their leaders and important cultural symbols on their coins...) From today's class please remember the following points:
HOMEWORK (for July 1): Read the 4th of July (Independence Day) and Hot Dogs handout and bring a question/comment about it. TOPICS FOR COMMENTING (by June 30 at 11:00 am) About your experience with American money (if you've visited America). About your interesting experience with another country's money. About how you feel about Japanese money: is there something you wish would be shown on it or not shown on it? etc. About your idea about cashless society. About your experience finding coins (or money!?) on the ground! Do you have dreams of finding money on the ground??? TGIF, everybody! I hope you're keeping cool and dry enough.
--From today's class please remember the following points:
***the pictures I showed you of Snoopy, Beyonce, and Harriet Tubman on American paper money are NOT real paper money! Harriet Tubman should (I hope) be put on the $20 in the near (I hope) future. But she is NOT on it NOW (because Trump stopped the change...)*** HOMEWORK (for June 24): Re-read the Money handout, especially the part about coins and a-d in topic 4. Bring more questions about Money! TOPICS FOR COMMENTING (by June 23 by 11:00 am) **Try to limit yourself to paper money and credit cards, as we'll cover coins next time** Your experience with American money (if you've visited America). Your interesting experience with another country's money. How you feel about Japanese money: is there something you wish would be shown on it or not shown on it? etc What person or animal etc. you'd like to see on American money. TGIF, everybody!
From today's class, please remember these points. 1) Many of the problems with American freedom come from the idea that individual freedom is more important than group responsibility or community. And that happens on every level, from one person, to one state, to one USA. 2) One reason that Americans have so many guns and so little gun control is that some Americans think that guns = freedom. The idea is that my individual right to own a gun (or many guns) is the most important thing, no matter how many people die from gun violence every year. NOTE: To see more images of the problems with American freedom, go to our website's freedom problems page: https://amcultclass.weebly.com/problems.html HOMEWORK (for June 17) Read the Money handout, and bring one question or comment (ready to say it quickly!) about it. **We'll probably only have time to cover topics 1 and 2 and a few points from topic 4 next week, so we'll finish the handout (especially topic 3 and any leftover points from topic 4) the week after next.** TOPICS FOR COMMENTING (by June 16 at 11:00 am)
TGIF, everybody! Here are some points to remember from today's class. **In the above pictures, are two showing the Supreme Court justices (judges). Both show the three current justices appointed by Democratic presidents in blue. Recently the old white Democratic appointed man retired and will be replaced by the black woman. Even though there are more Democrats than Republicans in America, there are more Republican justices than Democrat justices on the Supreme Court.....** 1) American freedom came from many sources: the democracies of ancient Greece and Rome, the early 17th-century Mayflower colonists in New England, 17th and 18th century European philosophers, the Iroquois Federation (united nation of five Indian tribes), and the vast space and small population of North America. 2) American freedom is secured (established and protected) by three documents: the Declaration of Independence (the purpose of government is to protect people's life, liberty, and happiness), the US Constitution (government should be divided into three balancing branches: president, congress, and courts), and the Bill of Rights (securing the rights to freedom of religion, free speech, free media, AND some people believe the freedom to own guns). HOMEWORK (for June 10) Read the last topic in the Freedom handout (Problems with American Freedom) and bring at least one question or comment about something in it. COMMENTS TOPICS (by June 9 by 11:00 am) Write about about those sources of American freedom or anything with any connection to our freedom topics. Write about your feeling about abortion--should it be legal for women to get an abortion if they need or want one? Or should it be illegal? Why???? Ask a question about the system of checks and balances for the three branches of the US government in the four pictures above! TGIF, everybody!
From today's class, please remember the following points. 1) The Statue of Liberty ("Lady Liberty") was given by France to the USA to celebrate the new country's 100th anniversary (birthday). The statue's pedestal (base) was made by Americans. The statue and its pedestal (base) are each about 46 meters tall. The statue is (should be) a symbol of American freedom and welcome to people who want to come to America to be free. 2) Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, is a super popular (almost religious) American holiday that remembers, celebrates, honors, and thanks American soldiers who died in American wars ("American heroes who sacrificed their lives for our freedom," etc.). 3) I believe that American soldiers are more victims and or victimizers than heroes, and that they did not sacrifice their lives for their country but that their lives were sacrificed by their country, and I worry that too much patriotism and too much hero-worship may lead to more wars, so I dislike this holiday (even though for Americans it signals the start of summer!) **Here is one different point between American Memorial Day and Japanese verison for End of the Pacific War (August 15) or Chinese version for the Nanking (Nanjing?) Massacre: American Memorial Day is to honor and remember the American "hero" soldiers who died in all of America's many wars, not the civilians who died in one battle or one war... HOMEWORK (for June 3) 1) Read the Freedom handout topic 2) Where Does American Freedom Come From? And bring one question or comment about it. BLOG COMMENTS TOPICS (by June 2 by 11:00 am) 1) Write about why you think the Statue of Liberty's face looks the way it does (e.g., angry, thoughtful, serious, etc.), instead of looking happy and cheerful, etc. 2) Write about your experience seeing the Statue of Liberty (in person or on TV etc. 3. Write about your feeling about soldiers, freedom, war, and remembering, etc. 4) Write any questions or comments you have about anything with any connection to our topics.
TGIF, Everybody!
Please remember the following points from today's class. 1) The American national flag has other nicknames in addition to the main one, The Star-Spangled Banner: The Stars and Stripes, The Red, White, and Blue, and Old Glory. 2) The Star-Spangled Banner (flag) has thirteen stripes representing the original thirteen colonies, and fifty stars representing the current fifty states. 3) Uncle Sam (an old man with white beard and an American flag suit) became a symbol of the USA (and American freedom etc.) during World War I on a military recruiting poster intended to make American men join the US army. Since then, Uncle Sam has been used in many different pictures, political cartoons, events, and so on to symbolize the USA (Uncle SAm). 4) The American national anthem (song) is called "The Star-Spangled Banner" because the song is about the Star-Spangled Banner (the flag) flying in a fort being attacked by the UK navy during the War of 1812. 4) The national anthem is played before every sporting event, including high school, university, and professional. HOMEWORK (for May 27) Reread the handout about Symbols of Freedom, topic 1 g) about The Statue of Liberty. BLOG COMMENTS TOPICS (by May 26 at 11:00 AM!!!) Today I played parts of the different versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" you can find above: Beyonce singing it before the American football Superbowl game played in February 2004, James Taylor singing and playing it in 2008 before an NBA championship game, and Jimi Hendrix playing it on his guitar at the Woodstock rock concert in 1969. So listen to all three! And then you could comment about the three versions, or about one or about two of them, comparing them and explaining which you like best/least, and which is most/least patriotic, etc. etc. OR you could comment about anything connected to national anthems, like your feeling about the Star-Spangled Banner, etc. etc. OR you could comment about the Japanese flag and anthem! OR you could write about the connection (if any) between sports and national anthems! OR you could write something about Uncle Sam. OR you could comment about that painting of the American flag I showed in class by Jasper Johns--you can see it above. What do you think about it? Is it cool, interesting, strange, boring? Is he being patriotic or critical of America? How would YOU paint the Japanese flag? (Or would you paint it at all?) Kathy and I were about 17 and 18 in that photo. We were making a plan to go see a movie. We thought we were independent and free because we had our own cars and our own part time jobs, but I was not independent because I loved Kathy too much so I would do (almost) anything she told me to do. TGIF, everybody! From today's class, please remember the following points:
1) Freedom, connected to independence, individuality, and choice, is the most important thing for Americans by far. 2) The supermarket, created in 1930 in NYC, is a very American creation: freedom of choice, good business model, catchy name. 3) The typical path to independence and freedom for Americans goes like this: 1) sleeping away from parents (from baby on) 2) expressing yourself in school (from elementary school on) 3) working part time job (from junior or senior high school on) 4) getting driver's license and car (from 16 years old on) 5) moving out of family home (from 18 on) 4) However, how independent Americans really are is always case by case. I got my driver's license at 16 and moved out of my home at 17 etc., but I have always been very dependent. I have never lived by myself! I have always had my family, roommates, or my wife... Also, my friend JT never left his family home, while his younger sister left when she was 13! 5) Sometimes freedom to choose can be a burden. I remember how painful it was for me in 1993 to choose between a job teaching in a Michigan college OR a job teaching in Kagoshima University OR a job teaching in Chiba University. If I had had only one job offer, I would have been free from having to choose! Most Americans would say that they want freedom of choice, but there may be some cases where life is easier when you don't have to choose! HOMEWORK (by May 20): Read the Freedom Handout topic 1, sub-topic g), "Symbols of American Freedom," and bring at least one question or comment about something in it. BLOG COMMENTS TOPICS (for May 19 at 11:00 AM)! 1) Write about freedom and you: how much freedom do you have now? is it enough, or do you want more? how much do you want? how important is it to you? etc. etc. 2) Write about your experience with supermarkets in the USA (if you have been in one), compared to Japanese supermarkets. 3) Write about school uniforms. Did you like being free from choice, because your junior or senior high schools made you wear a uniform like every other student? Or do you wish you had freedom to choose what clothes you wore to junior and senior high school? Do you wish Fukudai had a school uniform? Or do you like choosing what clothes you'll wear to Fukudai each day???? What kind of uniform would you like for Fukudai, if you want Fukudai to have a uniform? The same for boys and girls or different? Etc. etc. 4) Write any questions or comments you have from today's lecture and topic etc. |