Paradox of the Poultry Pardon

"You can tell what a nation is like by the way it treats its turkeys"

In just a few days, we will once again endure the annual spectacle of the President of the United States pardoning a turkey that would otherwise have been fated for the Thanksgiving table. So this is a good time to ask why a nation that bemoans the bloated prison system and proclaims that "life is all about second chances" is--on the matter of clemency--one of the stingiest in the world?

1) Put another way: If a turkey deserves a second chance, why not America's Prisoners?

2) Which States/ Countries are part of the unique club that still have the death penalty?

3) How does the United States' rate of capital punishment compare to the rest of the world?

4) Is the death penalty 'Cruel and Unusual' punishment?

5) Which modern US President has given the most pardons?

6) If you were President who would you pardon? Why?

7) What can/ should be done to fix America's bloated prison system?

8) Which Presidents have given the most pardons?  The least?

Beg Your Pardon?!

Each year since 1947, the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board have given a turkey to the President of the United States at a White House ceremony. Since then, presidents have been more likely to eat the turkey rather than give it a reprieve. A notable exception occurred in 1963, when President Kennedy, referring to the turkey given to him, said, "Let's just keep him." It wasn't until the first Thanksgiving of President George H.W. Bush, in 1989, that a turkey was officially pardoned for the first time.

For fifteen years through 2004, the turkeys were given to Kidwell Farm, a petting zoo at Frying Pan Park in Herndon, Virginia. The turkeys would receive a last minute pardon before arriving, and were then led to their new home at the Turkey Barn after enduring a turkey "roast" full of poultry humor and history.

In 2005 and 2006, however, Presdident George W. Bush continued his father's traditions but the turkeys were flown to Disneyland in California where they served as honorary grand marshals for Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day parade. After that, they spent the rest of their lives at a Disneyland ranch. A spot in sunny Disneyland seems immensely preferable to a place called Frying Pan Park.

1) How has this tradition been kept ALIVE?

2) What is a real pardon and how is it used?

3) How have Presidents abused pardon power?

4) Can a President pardon himself?

5) Is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment? Why or why not?

Want to pardon a turkey of your own? Click here.

Should Voting be Mandatory?

Do the election results for Butler County confirm or refute this graph?

What should the title of this map be?  What do the colors represent?  What other conclusions can we draw from this map?  Who votes more:  educated or non-educated? Rich or poor?  If you were running for office where would you campaign?

Over twenty countries have some form of compulsory voting which requires citizens to register to vote and to go to their polling place or vote on election day. Should the United States be next?

Read the Discussion

Who is in favor of Compulsory Voting?  Opposed?  What do you think?

Why shouldn't you be forced to vote?

Why are we making voting harder, not easier, for many Americans?

Ron Tammen: The Phantom of Oxford

On Sunday, April 19, 1953, at 8:30-ish in the evening, Ronald H. Tammen, Jr., disappeared from his second-floor room in Fisher Hall on Miami University’s campus in Oxford, Ohio. He left everything behind — his wallet, his string bass, his car, his clothing, even his toothbrush. No one could figure out what happened to Tammen. Miami University officials were mystified, the Oxford PD outwitted, the FBI flummoxed. Since the spring of 2010, I’ve been conducting my own search for Tammen and what his disappearance might tell us about this enigmatic 19-year-old who landed himself squarely in the middle of one of the most bedeviling mysteries ever to hit the state of Ohio.

The Phantom of Oxford pt 1

The Phantom of Oxford pt. 2

What do you think happened?  

Do your theories match these?

Crime vault: What happened to Ronald Tammen (Part 1)

Crime vault: What happened to Ronald Tammen (Part 2)

A Good Man Is Hard to Find — My Search for Ronald H. Tammen, Jr.

The Ron Tammen case is the most notorious but certainly not the only unsolved Miami mystery...

Phobophobia

The fear of phobias. Phobias are actually quite common, affecting more than 10% of the U.S. population. Phobias are the most common mental disorder in the United States, but far more women than men are affected by phobias. In many cases, people are able to recognize that their fear is irrational and therefore take steps to overcome their phobia. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, only about 10 percent of reported cases become life-long phobias.

Use this list to solve the 'Phobia Puzzle' before your classmates.

How are Phobias named?  Check their greek and latin roots.

Create 3 new 'phobias' of your own and define them. For example...."Ebolaphobia:" the fear of contracting Ebola.

Or do you suffer from 'Verbophobia:' the fear of words?

The Odds of Dying

Take a look at this list of ways you could die and rank them from 'greatest risk' (#1) to 'least risk (#30).

Corona, Heart Attack, Suicide, Drowning, Bicycle Accident,  Lightning Strike, Vaping, Body Piercing, Stroke, Plane Crash, Terrorist Attack, Robot Car,  Nuclear Bomb, AIDS, Skin Cancer, Dog Bite, Car Accident, Tornado, Contact Sports (football, soccer), Shooting, Asthma, 4-Wheeler, Suffocation, Drug Overdose, Earthquake, Underage Drinking, Snake Bite, Asteroid, Falling Down, Mr. Kelly Attack

1) Fear of death is a natural human emotion; but are we misjudging our risks?

2) What should we be most afraid of?  Why aren't we?

3) According to recent reports what is the #1 cause of death in Butler County and what is being done to prevent it?


Listen to the song 'People Who Died.'   Should we fear the reaper?

Fear Factor!

1) What is your favorite scary movie? Why?

2) What makes a movie scary?

3) Why do so many people enjoy being scared out of their wits while others do not? Which are you?

4) How do horror stories cope with real life?

5) What stories in the news right now scare you the most? Why?

Since the first silent films, through the 'Golden Age' of Hollywood, the horror movie genre has been one of the most popular and profitable.

Use what you've learned about fear mongering and the link below to make your own movie poster for a 'FNORD' taken from today's headlines.

1) Find an example of a 'FNORD' (fear mongering) in the news.

2) Search images for your poster.  'Control Save' them to your desktop.

3) Make your own movie poster.  Be sure to include taglines, credits, and movie rating.