Climate Challenge

Here is the link to the Climate Challenge game:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/climate_challenge/

Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Link to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by the Beatles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spxAfhc2LjE

This is the first part of the album. If you want, you can also listen to part 2 of the album, which you can find in the "Suggested" section of Youtube.

That's All Right Mama

NOTE: All presentations are moved back one week from Oct 13-15 to Oct 20-22.

Click to listen to the song:

Elvis Presley, "That's All Right, Mama"

Iraq Timeline

October 2002
War Authorized
The U.S. Congress authorizes President Bush to use military force against Iraq.

November 2002
Inspections
U.N. weapons inspections resume inside Iraq.

March 2003
Invasion
U.N. weapons inspectors evacuate Iraq just a day before the U.S.-led coalition invades Iraq.

April 2003
Victory
The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein collapses. Hussein escapes.

May 2003
Rebuilding
The Coalition Provisional Authority is established to rule Iraq. Economic sanctions against Iraq are lifted.

December 2003
Capture
Saddam Hussein is captured near Tikrit.

March 2004
Interim Constitution
A new, temporary constitution for Iraq is signed.

April 2004
Humiliation
Photographs emerge showing Iraqi prisoners being tortured and humiliated by Americans in the Abu Ghraib prison.

April 2004
al-Sadr
Uprisings led by Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr begin.

June 2004
Iraqi Government
Control of Iraq handed over to an Iraqi government. Elections planned.

January 2005
Elections
Iraqis elect the Iraqi National Assembly. Shiites won a majority. Sunnis largely boycott the vote.

April 2005
Leaders
New assembly chooses Jalal Talabani as president and Ibrahim al-Jaafari as prime minister.

May 2005
Contradictions
The so-called "Downing Street Memo" from July 2002 is revealed. These notes from high-level British meetings seem to contradict Bush Administration claims about the war's origin.

October 2005
Trial
Saddam Hussein's trial for crimes against humanity begins in Baghdad.

May 2006
New Leader
Nouri al-Maliki becomes Prime Minister of Iraq.

June 2006
Zarqawi Killed
Abu Musab al Zarqawi, an Al Qaeda leader, is killed by U.S. forces in Iraq.

November 2006
U.S. Elections
Republicans lose control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

December 2006
Path Forward?
The Iraq Study Group, led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton, issues its findings and recommendations on the war.

December 2006
Hussein Executed
Saddam Hussein is executed after being found guilty by an Iraqi tribunal. Video of the execution appears online.

January 2007
Surge
President Bush announces 20,000 additional U.S. troops will be sent to Iraq.

September 2007
Death of an Ally
Sunni leader Abdul Sattar Abu Risha is killed in Iraq just ten days after meeting with President Bush.

February 2008
Turkey Invades
Turkey launches ground operations in northern Iraq to battle Kurdish separatists.

March 2008
Normalcy Declared
President Bush claims normalcy is returning to Iraq.

September 2008
Anbar Control
U.S. forces turn over Anbar Province to the Iraqi military.

September 2008
Odierno Commands
General Raymond Odierno becomes commander in Iraq.

November 2008
End for U.S.?
Iraq government passes security agreement calling for U.S. withdrawal by 2011.

December 2008
Violence Continues
Dozens dead and many more wounded in bomb attacks.

January 2009
Iraqi Sovereignty
United States turns over control of airspace and Green Zone to Iraq.

Danish Cartoon Controversy: Islam vs. Denmark

Summary: The Danish cartoon controversy occurred when the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 political cartoons relating to Islam which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad in various ways. The Islamic religion forbids anyone to draw a picture of Muhammad, and so the publication of the cartoons sparked an enormous controversy, leading to riots in various Muslim countries.

The most inflammatory of the 12 cartoons was one that showed Muhammad wearing a turban than was actually a bomb. This was drawn by Kurt Westergaard, who has since had numerous death threats against him and attempts to murder him. Westergaard requires constant police protection against possible attackers.

Around the same time as the controversy, Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot while on his bicycle. He had previously made a movie criticizing the way that Islam treats women.

For more information, you can see the wikipedia article about the controversy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten_Muhammad_cartoons_controversy

Syllabus

International Cultures II
2010 Second Semester

Course Syllabus

Mr. Christopher Cox

Class: International Cultures II

Grade: 2

Text book: Culture: Past, Present, and Future

Objectives

This semester, we will be focusing on the current and future state of the world. We will examine several areas of conflict across the globe and attempt to understand what drives these conflicts and how they can be avoided. We will also do in-depth studies on various cultures across the world, examining the current culture present in each of these locations. Finally, we will look toward the future.

Grading

None, but negative/positive student comments and evaluations will be given as necessary.

HW Assignments:

Homework will vary. Assignments could include:

1. readings from the textbook

2. readings on the blog

3. written assignments or presentations

Presentations:

Because groupwork is such a major part of class, it is expected that students will become familiar with building short presentations within a class period. However, there will be a few major presentations that students will be given a week or so to prepare for. Details will be given in class.

Website:

There will be class readings posted on the class website. Please visit the class website regularly at www.internationalcultures2.blogspot.com to read the material for the next class.

Course Outline

Text book: Culture: Past, Present, and Future

Month	Topic	Lesson Plan
Aug-Sept	Cultural Conflicts; Beginning of Modern Cultures Unit	Week 1: Middle East Week 2: Racism Week 3: Imperialism Week 4: Presentation: World Conflict Week 5: Latin American Cultures

Midterm: October 4-8

October

Modern Cultures

Week 1: North America Week 2: Africa Week 3:Asia

Nov-Dec

Modern Cultures (cont) & The Future

Week 1: Asia Week 2: Modern Cultures Presentation Week 3: Overpopulation Week 4: World Government Week 5: Globalization Week 6: Presentation: The Future

Final: December 13-17

(Note that the midterm and final are not graded, but will only be in order to make an individual evaluation, and to assess what students have learned.)