more 101 topics, if you will...

so...my friend the elvis fanatic is not going to be teaching the elvis books after all, so i'm on my own. if you would be so kind as to let me know which of the following topics you would be most interested in, i would be grateful.

1. elvis: did his manager help or hurt? was elvis a hero? was elvis successful? who is responsible for censorship? etc.

2. typhoid mary: was it right to exile this healthy carrier of typhoid? when she was allowed to return and continued to cook (infecting many people with typhoid) did she do it for revenge or pure lack of medical knowledge? was typhoid mary the most dangerous healthy carrier?

3. jack the ripper: there are 5 canonical victims (women that it is generally believed were killed by jack the ripper), choose one of these canonical 5 and argue for or against her inclusion in the 5 based on the method, location, etc. of her murder. patricia cornwall blaims a particular artist for the murders, does she make a good argument? who is jack the ripper?

4. fast food: was ray kroc (founder of mcdonald's) a hero? based on the new information presented in fast food nation, did ray kroc practice his stated belief in free enterprise? who is responsible for the horrible conditions of slaughterhouses? (gov't, consumers, fast food restaurants, slaughterhouse owners/operators) based on the movie supersize me, are children set up to make bad decisions due to the options they are provided in school, the media and so forth? who should be held responsible for the growing obesity epidemic?

5. salem witch trials: there are two theories here, one is that the girls were diseased, the other is that the trials came about because of warring groups within the salem community. argue for one theory over the other. (i don't remember the other questions for this one, but i think you can imagine.)

(can you tell which one i have already taught?) :)

i have to decide by thanksgiving, but then i will have christmas break to plan things. i'm really undecided at this point.

things i wish i could teach:

1. marilyn monroe: not sure, but she died mysteriously.

2. postsecret: would never work, but it would be fun.

3. cereal: as in the breakfast food. i just love it, that's all.

4. banned books: this might actually have some value to it. i might look into this one over the summer or something. they ban books like crazy, especially when it comes to adolescents and schools. that could be interesting if i could find books on banned books. the banned books themselves are incredibly easy to come by; you've probably read quite a few of them without knowing.

5. your mom: that's what she said.

thanks, kids!

p.s.-i know i do this every other day, but i really think i might have gotten through to my students today! hi-oh!

oh! and i went to my first umaine hockey game tonight. too much fun, but our team stinks :( or at least they did tonight. we waited outside in the freezy cold longer than we actually sat and watched the game. funny thing is, we almost didn't even get in b/c the student section filled up. we got standing room only tickets, but then just sat anyway. we're rebels.