Should rules be bent sometimes?

How would you feel if your best friend was taken away from you by the government in the city you lived in? Unfortunately a young autistic boy is facing this problem because his city council has removed his 80 – pound best friend Loopey, who just so happens to be a pig. Do you believe that the city should get rid of this rule completely? Or possibly should the city grant a special right for the young boy and allow him to keep the pig? Or do you believe that the city is completely right in what it’s doing?

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People Pets

Interviewing ...

So, if you have a favorite interview -- it could be fictional -- this is your chance to talk about it. If not, go find an interview that you like. Tell us about it! Who is involved in the interview? What are they talking about? WHY DO YOU LIKE IT? It is it funny, serious ....? This interview can be in print or something from the tv or a movie .... Feel free to post a link so that we can look at it and respond to what you are saying :-)

Art and Bodies

Many of you many be familiar with the exhibit, "Our Body: The Universe Within." If you are not here is a link to the website http://www.ourbodytheuniversewithin.com/. There are also many videos on YouTube that allow you to tour the exhibit. You might want to take a look at these.

Now, here are two of these clips showing the exhibit:

This is from the Pittsburgh Tribune: "Famous forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht narrates a tour of the amazing "Bodies" exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center Sportsworks in Pittsburgh."  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kJmypE1DGQ&NR=1

Here is a news blip from Orlando: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VUpjePNV6U

Let's have a conversation about this explicit and often hotly contested exhibit.

While we talk about this I would like to ask is this art? what is art? is this science? can art and science join? What are our expectations if we label this exhibit art? if we label it science? are there other issues that come up? ethical? religious? educational? 

Also, as we discuss take a look at this artist's presentation of the dead body: http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/02/artphotogallery/photographers/joel_peter_witkin_01.html.

This is the work of Joel Peter-Witkin. These images are modeled after traditional still life's that really became most popular during the 17th century in Europe. If you google "still life painting" you will be able to discover more about what Peter-Witken is doing in his art work. What is he saying? Why am I juxtaposing his work with the "Our Bodies" exhibit? What about bodies and art? Is this ok?

BTW: as usual you will receive credit for you first 250 wrd post and then your 150 wrd response. However, for each additional response of 100-150 wrds. you will receive extra credit for your participation and journal grade.

College

What have you found to be the most surprising aspect of college life? What have you encountered that you did not necessarily expect? What advice would you give someone in your situation? And, if everything has been just as you expected ... what do you miss the most about home?

Let's Talk about Working in Groups ...

Let's talk about our experiences working in groups. How do you feel about working in groups? Do you have a particularly good story? A terrible story? What do you find works the best? What are some of your biggest concerns about working in a group?

Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley

So, I was listening to the radio the other day and as the commentators were discussing Michael Jackson they compared him to Elvis. The comment was made that Michael Jackson was truely the first international pop star and that he reached a level of international acclaim that Elvis never could have. First, do you agree with this? Why or why not? More specifically, however, why do you think that Michael Jackson was able to become as internationally famous as he was?