Do We Know What Really Happened?

The link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/opinion/sunday/a-week-of-facts-vs-interpretation.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

refers to a New York Times' Dec. 7th piece about the recent killing of African-American men in the hands of police.  Read the piece and summarize it in the blog.  State yours and the author's opinion and be ready to discuss both in class before your fellow students for extra credit

Does it Depend on Who We Are, or Where We Stand?

The November 30th, 2014 New York Times' Opinion Section includes an article titled "Where Do We Go After Ferguson" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/30/opinion/sunday/where-do-we-go-after-ferguson.html?ref=opinion ).  Read the article, summarize it and state the author's as well as your opinion.  Be ready to share these in class before your classmates for extra credit.

Do We Like to Show Off? It's This a New Trend?

The Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 New York Times' Business Section includes and article titled "Conspicuous Consumption? Yes, but It's Not Crazy" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/upshot/conspicuous-consumption-yes-but-its-not-crazy.html?ref=business&_r=0).  After reading the piece, summarize it in the blog and state your opinion as well as the author's. Be ready to share the piece as well as you views in class before your classmates for extra-credit.

Do Whites Get It? If Not... Why?

The Sunday, Nov. 16th's New York Times' Opinion Section has an article entitled "When White Just Don't Get It, Part 4" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/opinion/sunday/when-whites-just-dont-get-it-part-4.html?ref=opinion.
After reading the piece and summarizing it in the blog, write your opinion.  Be sure to share your views and those of the author before your classmates to earn extra credit.

A Sliver Lining? Gray Hair? You've go to be kidding!

Turning to another topic.... The New York Times' Opinion Section this week has an article whose headline reads: "Gray Hair and Silver Linings." (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-gray-hair-and-silver-linings.html?ref=opinion&_r=0). Read it (and know that this will happen to you  if you're lucky) and summarize in the blog the author's views, state yours also.  Be ready to discuss your views with your classmates for extra credit.

Is Obama the most Anti-Nuke President?

The Sunday, Nov. 2nd New York Times' Opinion section includes an article titled "Why President Cut the Most Nukes" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/sunday-review/which-president-cut-the-most-nukes.html?ref=opinion).  After reading the piece and summarizing it in the blog, state your opinion and the author's.  Be ready to share your views as well as the author's before your classmates for extra credit.

After more than 50 years, should the U.S end the embargo?

The Sunday, October 26th edition of the New York Times includes an editorial titled "The Shifting Politics of Cuban Policy" see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/opinion/sunday/the-shifting-politics-of-cuba-policy.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  After reading the editorial and summarizing it on the blog, state your views and those of The Times.  Be ready to discuss both before your fellow students for extra credit.

Ebola Conspiracy Theories? That too?

The Sunday, October 19th New York Times' Opinion Section includes a piece titled "The Ebola Conspiracy Theories" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/sunday-review/the-ebola-conspiracy-theories.html?ref=opinion).  After reading the article and summarizing it in the blog, state you opinion as well as the author's.  Be ready to discuss the article as well as your views in class before your classmates for extra credit.

"Appetite, Bill and Barack"

Frank Bruni, a New York Times columnist, compares Bill Clinton to our current president in  his October 12th column, see link:
(http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-appetite-bill-and-barack.html?ref=opinion&_r=0). After reading the piece and summarizing it on the blog, state your opinion and the author's.  Be ready to share your views with your fellow students for extra credit.

Whose Rights? Who are People?

The Sunday, October 5th's  New York Times' Opinion Section includes an article titled "Who Are 'We, the People'?" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/opinion/sunday/who-are-we-the-people.html?ref=opinion). After reading the piece and summarizing it in the blog, state your opinion as well as the author's.  Be ready to discuss the piece as well as your views before your classmates for extra credit.

Don't Wait Until Tomorrow... but then on the Other Hand...

The  Sunday, September 28th New York Times'  Opinion section includes an article  titled "How to Stop  Time" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/opinion/sunday/how-to-stop-time.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  After reading it (in one  seating, hopefully) summarize it and write your opinion and the author's.   Be ready to share your views and the author's before your classmates for extra credit.

Can Computers Replace your Doctor?

The Sunday, Sept. 21st,,2014's New York Times' Opinion section includes an article title, "Can  Computers Replace your Doctor?" (see link:
(http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/sunday-review/high-tech-health-care-useful-to-a-point.html?ref=opinion).  After  reading the  piece and summarizing it in the blog, state your opinion and the share your opinion as well as the author's before your classmates for extra credit

Is There a Way to Beat Poverty?

The  Sunday, September 14th  New York Times' Opinion Section includes an article titled "The Way to  Beat Poverty} (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-the-way-to-beat-poverty.html?ref=opinion&_r=0). Read it and summarize  it in the  blog. Additionally, state the  authors' view as well as your own.  Share the information in front of your classmates for extra credit.

Are Colleges Serving Their Purpose? Should We Demand More?

The New York Times' Sept. 7th's Opinion section includes an  article by columnist Frank Bruni titled "Demanding More From Colleges" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-demanding-more-from-college.html?ref=opinion).  After reading the article,  summarize the author's views in the blog and state you opinion. Be ready to share your thoughts with your classmates before the class for extra credit.

Are Police Bigoted?

The Sept. 1st New York Times'  Opinion section includes  and  articled titled "Are Police Bigoted" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/sunday-review/race-and-police-shootings-are-blacks-targeted-more.html?ref=opinion) After reading the article, summarize it in the blog  and state the author's  and your opinion. Be ready  to discuss the article, the author's views and yours in front  of your classmates for extra  credit.

Have the Rules Changed in Society?

The  New York Times' July 27th  issue  includes an article  title  "The New Instability" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/the-new-instability.html?ref=opinion).  After reading it and summarizing it blog,  write your  opinion as well.  Be  ready to discuss the  author's views and yours  before your  fellow  students for  extra credit

Do You Think Tests Are Really Good for You?

The  Sunday, July 20th New York Times' Opinion section includes an article titled "How Tests Make Us Smarter" (see link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/opinion/sunday/how-tests-make-us-smarter.html?ref=opinion). After reading the piece and summarizing it on the blog,  state your  opinion as well as the author's.  Be ready to share your views with your fellow students in class for extra credit.

What Can Be Done Regarding Immigration?

The Sunday,  July 13th New York Times includes an opinion piece titled "The  Children of  the Drug Wars" (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/opinion/sunday/a-refugee-crisis-not-an-immigration-crisis.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  After reading it and summarizing  it in the  blog,  state your opinion about the  matter.  Be sure to discuss your views as well as the author's before your classmates for extra credit.

Is this Education Worth its Cost?

The Sunday,  July 6th's Miami Herald's local  section  includes a piece by columnist Fred Grimm titled "For Profits Forsake their Students" (see link:  http://www.miamiherald.com/search_results?aff=1100&q=Grimm).    After reading the article state why this is important to all, even people who are not enrolled in for-profit colleges.  When sharing the article's findings and your views with your fellow students in class be sure to state what the difference is between a for-profit college, a private non-profit college and a public college.

Can we cure "Inequality"?

The  Sunday, June 29th's New York Times' Opinion  section includes an article  titled  "Inequality is  Not  Inevitable" (see link:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/inequality-is-not-inevitable/?ref=opinion).  After reading the article and summarizing its content in the blog, state your opinion on the matter. Be ready to  share your views in class before your fellow  students for extra credit.

What About our "Cultural Reality"/

The Sunday,  June 22nd Miami  Herald's Opinion section includes a piece by contributor  (and MDC board chairperson)  Helen Aguirre Ferre titled "Kicking Around  Our Cultural  Reality (see link:  http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/06/21/4191700/kicking-around-our-new-cultural.html).  After reading the article, and analyzing from  a cultural perspective,  summarize it in the blog and include your personal opinion as  well as the author's.   Be sure to comment on the article, your views about it and the author's before your classmates for extra credit.

The Sunday, April 20th New York Times' Business section includes an article titled "Taking on Adam Smith (and Karl Marx)" see link:( http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/business/international/taking-on-adam-smith-and-karl-marx.html?ref=business&_r=0 ).  After reading the article and familiarizing yourself with the information included in the article (especially names such as Marx and Smith) summarize the piece and express your views on the topic discussed: economic activity in the XXI century and its social repercussions.  Be ready to share the ideas discussed in the piece and yours in front of your fellow students for extra credit. You will not receive points unless you can prove that you read the article and you know what you are discussing.  No B.S. and I don't mean Bachelor of Science.

How do we teach character? Guilt? Shame?

The Sunday, April 13th's Opinion Section of the New York Times includes an article titled: "Raising a Moral Child" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/12/opinion/sunday/raising-a-moral-child.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).
After reading it and summarizing it on the blog, state your opinion regarding the topic focusing on guilt and shame and action and character formation.  Be ready to share your views before you classmates for extra credit.

How is it that Millennials are Different? Do you agree?

The Sunday, April 7 Opinion Page section of The Miami Herald  includes a piece by Helen Aguirre Ferre titled "Millennials Want Different Message" (see link: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/05/4039819/millennials-want-a-different-message.html).  After reading the article, summarize it and comment on the blog and stating your views as well as the author's.  Be ready to share your views and the author's before you classmates for extra credit.

Is Porn Pernicious?

The Sunday, March 30th New York Times' Opinion section includes an article titled "Does Porn Hurt Children?" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/sunday-review/does-porn-hurt-children.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  Read it and in the blog state your opinion and the author's.  Be ready to share the piece and your views with your classmates for extra credit.

Is the Affordable Health Care Act Working?

The Sunday, March 23rd New York Times includes an Opinion Page article titled "A Four-Year Checkup for the Health Care Law" (see the links for the two related articles:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/20/obamacares-four-year-checkup/the-affordable-care-act-is-working-despite-misinformation

and

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/20/obamacares-four-year-checkup/get-rid-of-the-individual-mandate-in-the-affordable-care-act

after reading both opinions, summarize the authors' views and your own in the blog.  Be ready to discuss the authors' views and your own before your classmates for extra credit.

Three Face Obama?

The Sunday, March 16th's Sunday Review Section of the New York Times includes an article titled "The Three Faces of President Obama" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/opinion/sunday/friedman-the-three-faces-of-president-obama.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  After reading the piece and summarizing the author's message in the blog, state your opinion.  Be ready to discuss the author's and your views before your classmates for extra credit

Is There "Fair" Social Mobility?

The New York Times' Opinion section, Feb. 23, 2014, includes an article titled "Your Ancestors, Your Fate," (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/21/your-fate-thank-your-ancestors/?ref=opinion ) which deals with social mobility.  After reading it and commenting on the blog, be ready to discuss your views and the author's before your classmates for extra credit.

Big Government? Good or Bad?

The Miami Herald's Sunday, Feb. 16th's Opinion Section includes an article titled "Big Government, I Love You (http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/15/3936240/a-love-letter-to-big-government.html). After reading it, post the author's opinion as well as yours in the blog.  Be ready to share the article and your views with your fellow students for extra credit.

The Sunday, February 8th New York Times' Opinion section includes an article titled "Inside a Mental Hospital Called Jail (see link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/opinion/sunday/inside-a-mental-hospital-called-jail.html?ref=opinion&_r=0 ).  After reading the article, comment about the author's views and yours in the blog.  Be ready to share the article and your opinions about it with your classmates for extra credit

The Jan. 26th New York Times' Sunday Review section includes an article titled "What Drives Success?" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/opinion/sunday/what-drives-success.html?ref=opinion&_r=0).  After reading the article, comment on the blog and state your and the author's opinion.  Be sure to comment on the author's views regarding: superiority complex, inferiority complex and impulse control.  Share your views about the article before your classmates for extra credit.

The Suncday, Jan. 19th New York Times' Sunday Review section includes an article titled : Madison's Privacy Blind Spot (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/opinion/sunday/madisons-privacy-blind-spot.html?ref=opinion&_r=0)."  After reading the article and commenting on it in the blog (you should state the author's as well as your opinion) be ready to discuss your posting before your fellow classmates for extra credit.

Is a Language Important? Why?

The Sunday, Jan. 12th Miami Herald's Opinion section includes an article titled "Haiti's French/Creole Divide" (http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/11/3863489/haitis-frenchcreole-divide.html)  After reading the piece comment on the blog by stating the piece's author's opinion as well as yours.  Be ready to discuss the author's and your views in front of your fellow students in class for extra credit

Happy New Year?

The Sunday, Jan. 5th New York Times' Sunday Review section includes a piece titled "Happy New Year, Politicians. Seriously" (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/04/happy-new-year-politicians-seriously/?ref=opinion&_r=0 )  In it, conservative/liberal commentator David Brooks spars with liberal/conservative commentator Gail Collins about a multitude of subjects.  After reading the piece, focus on their comments about "Obamacare" and comment in the blog.  Be sure to state the authors' views as well as your own. Be ready to share your opinions, as well as the piece's authors') before your classmates for extra credit points.