Friday, June 17. 2016

Today's schedule is A-AG-B-C-D

A Block Criminology 12 - Remember you have questions to answer:

1. Should drugs be legalized? Why? If you believe drugs should be legalized, think about whether all drugs should be legalized or just a select few. Why should certain drugs be legalized and others not? 
2. Should prostitution be legalized? Why? If you believe it should be legalized, should all the forms of prostitution described in your text be legalized, or only a select few? If prostitution were legalized should government be able to exercise some control over it? 
3. Does pornography lead to violence? Why? Is it harmful? Why Consider all forms of pornography (what is currently legal and illegal) when you answer this question.

Today we'll start the 2002 movie Catch Me If You Can where an FBI agent hunts down a young con artist who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, and assistant attorney general, all while cashing more than $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in 26 countries. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Frank Abagnale Jr. while Tom Hanks portrays FBI agent Carl Hanratty.

Steve Head, on IGN, interviewed Stephen Spielberg about the movie back in 2002. He asked: In this current climate where modern, updated versions of the scams that Frank pulled are very possible, what did you think about the possibility of glamorizing this sort of thing? Are you concerned? Would people perhaps walk away from the film with the wrong idea? 

Spielberg's response was: I don't think they can get the wrong idea because, because Frank Abagnale is the only person who ever did it to this extent, and that was 37, 38 years ago. He was just this 16, 17, 18 year-old kid. So, you have to understand these things. Especially, there were no safeguards. There was no electronic safeguards that we have today with this kind thing. It's a lot harder to pass a bad check today than it was eight years ago. Frank was a 21st century genius working within the innocence of the mid '60s, when people were more trusting than they are now. So, I don't think this is the kind of movie where somebody could say, "I have a career plan." 

Interesting response no? Sounds a bit sympathetic of Frank Abagnale Jr? This introduces us to the theme (trope) of the Lovable Rogue, Gentleman Thief, Sympathetic Criminal, Folk Outlaw, or Robin Hood image when it comes to property crime and the media.

B & D Blocks Social Studies 10 - Today we are in the library for the last day of research/work on your family history assignment. Remember, your task is to research your family history, which includes learning how to conduct academic research, making critical evaluations regarding sources, and managing information. Use the primary documents and stories you find to uncover what daily life might have been like for your relatives. Also do not forget that you have a self-reflection piece to cover as well...

1. What did you learn about daily life in past generations (your family) here in Canada?
2. What did you learn about migration (including the reasons people came to Canada or moved within Canada), the experience of traveling in generations past and the struggle to adjust to life in Canada?
3. What was the most interesting thing you found out about your family that you did not know before?
4. What did you learn about genealogy?
5. How was your family's experience similar to or different from others?
6. What skills did you develop through this project?

C Block Law 12 - Okay, so I don't want to heap on the pressure here but it's coming down to the wire right? You have today in the library to work on your major project that is due next Tuesday (that's four days from now). So...nose to the grindstone time; pound out the work and do the best that you can. Good Luck.