The Great Refusal

Few reporters proclaim their convictions.  Fewer still act on them to serve what they believe to be the greater good.  In times of profound moral crisis, most reporters make the 'Great Refusal.'  The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

In his poem 'Inferno'  Dante tours the underworld and sees a swarm of anguished souls barred from heaven and hell doomed to limbo.  They are the neutrals, whose lives meant nothing because they refused to commit themselves.  They have all made what Dante calls the 'Great Refusal.'

Read the summary and then answer these Dantes's Inferno Questions.

Take the Inferno Test to see which level of Hell you would be banished to.  Do you agree?  Share your comments in our Google Class comments.

In October 2025, Donald Trump jokingly told reporters on Air Force One that he is "not maybe heaven-bound" when asked if his efforts on a Ukraine ceasefire would help him get into heaven, according to KBTX News 3 and this YouTube video. He noted he was "being a little cute" but was not sure he would make it, while later asserting he has done immense good for many people, say this YouTube video.

What would Dante say?

Mascot-Ology

From now until the NCAA basketball championship in April, experts and prognosticators, along with millions of amateurs competing in office pools, will attempt to predict the outcomes of all 67 of the tournament’s games.

People have all sorts of reasons to pick one team over another. Some break down game footage; others look at advanced statistics; and still others give preference to schools they or their friends attended.

But what if we took a different approach and picked teams based on the strength of their mascots?

1)  Who would win?

2)  Whose Mascot is the toughest? Whose is the weakest? Why?

3)  Which mascot is the most common?  The most unique?  Explain.

4)  Why do schools choose the mascots they do?  What do mascots say about a school?

5) Why aren't their any 'Indian' mascots in the March Madness Tournament?

The "Brave," an American Indian warrior, became the symbol of the Talawanda Schools in the 1950s.

But who was Talawanda?

Do Indian Mascots honor insult Native American Groups?

Should Talawanda have changed its mascot? If so what to?

How did Miami University decide on a new logo?

I'd Like to Thank the Academy...

Roll out the red carpet!  Last night was a big night for Hollywood.  The Academy Awards, or "Oscars", is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements.

After watching these memorable Oscar Speeches, imagine you just won an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, or Best Director. Write a 1–2 minute acceptance speech (150–250 words). Your speech should include: • A reaction to winning the award • Thanks to at least three people or groups • A short description of the work behind the achievement • A meaningful message for the audience

1. Why do people thank others in acceptance speeches?

2. Why might winners mention family members, teachers, or coworkers?

3. What kinds of messages do people often include in speeches?

4. Why do you think audiences enjoy hearing acceptance speeches?

How To Write an Acceptance Speech

Have the Oscars/ Hollywood become too political?

Rosebud

Citizen Kane was a brutal portrait of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. When Hearst learned through Hopper of Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives, led by Louis B. Mayer, rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy Citizen Kane in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort.

 

Who was the REAL 'Citizen Kane?'

Was it the greatest movie ever made?

What was all the controversy about?

How did Hearst run his newspaper business?

What do you think 'Rosebud' means?

Answer these questions and then write your own movie review.

Did your movie make this list?

 

My First Lie and How I Got Out Of It

 

MY FIRST LIE, AND HOW I GOT OUT OF IT 

By Mark Twain – Adapted

Mark Twain was a famous American humor writer who often used exaggeration to teach lessons about human behavior. In the story 'My First Lie and How I Got Out of It,' Twain describes a situation where a small lie begins to grow bigger and more complicated. Each attempt to fix the lie creates new problems and confusion. The story humorously shows how difficult it can be to keep track of lies once they start. 

1) Why do you think the narrator told the first lie? 

2) What happens when the narrator tries to maintain the lie?

3) What lesson do you think Mark Twain is trying to teach?

Were we lied to about George Washington and the cherry tree?!

Today, misinformation can spread quickly through social media, news outlets, and public figures. Read the scenarios below and answer the questions.

Scenario A: A famous athlete said something controversial but the quote has no source

Scenario B: A photo spreads online claiming to show a current event but the image is actually from several years ago

Scenario C: A post shares a shocking statistic about the economy but does not link to evidence

4) What clues suggest these posts might not be trustworthy?

5) What steps could someone take to verify the information?

6) What might happen if thousands of people share misinformation?

Goldilocks Number

Once upon a time---  November 2005--- someone said a very SCARY number...

What was it? Read Chapter 5 in the book (pgs. 49- 55) to find out.

Then answer these questions.

What is fear mongering and how/ why does the media lie?

War With Iran

A major U.S.-Israel attack on Iran targeted the country’s top leaders and missile sites Saturday, following weeks of rising tensions over talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has vowed to retaliate.

1) Who attacked Iran and when?

2) Why was Iran attacked, according to this story?

3) How has Iran responded?

4) What have been some of the reactions of world leaders to the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran?

5) Where did Iran strike in response to being attacked?

6) Do you think a strong case has been made for the U.S.'s attack on Iran? Explain.

7) What do you think should happen now that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed?

8) "The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war," Trump said in his speech following the attacks. Do you think the U.S. should have attacked Iran? If you are not sure how to answer this question, what further information might you need?

It turns out that Iran has a pretty long history of unrest in order to put power in the hands of the people, and the most recent revolution in 1979 was, at least at first, not necessarily about creating an Islamic state. It certainly turned out to be about that, but it was initially just about people who wanted to get rid of an oppressive regime.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE IN IRAN?