Sunday, March 21, 2010

Welcome to the Conversation Class


Welcome to everyone who has enrolled in this semester's Conversation Class at UPC.

We will be practicing our speaking and listening skills by watching and discussing films, acting out scenes from English-language movies and learning about the history of rock music. It should be a fun interactive class.

I look forward to meeting everyone on Monday, March 22, at 1 p.m.

See you then!

--Ms. Drake

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Final Presentations This Week


Today and Thursday will be devoted to your final oral presentations on a singer or a musical group of your choice. The project is worth 20 percent of your final grade.

Here is the schedule of presentations.

Tuesday, Nov. 24

Magali: Michael Buble
EdĂș: Louis Armstrong
Denisse: Alanis Morrisette
Francisco: Linkin Park
Stephanie: Simple Plan
Giselle: Carrie Underwood
Claudia: Coldplay

Thursday, Nov. 26

Fiorella: Bob Marley
Tricia: Blink 182
Romina: Rascal Flatts
Maria Claudia: The Cure
Ana Lucia: Alicia Keys
Carlos:

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Jackson Earns $72 Million after Death; No News of Trial


The Hollywood Reporter announced today that performer Michael Jackson has earned $90 million this year, making him the third highest-paid dead celebrity of the last twelve months. Most of that money ($72 million) was generated after Jackson's death five months ago.

Reporter Paul Bond notes:

Even before the "This Is It" opening, Michael Jackson had earned $90 million in the past year, with most of it coming since his death five months ago.

That sizable sum put him third on the Forbes list of dead celebrities making the most money.

Jackson earned less than the $350 million that fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent scored in the past year, and the $235 million earned by the songwriting duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

Forbes counted money earned from October 2008--October 2009, even for Jackson, who died June 25. But about $72 million -- or 80% of the $90 million earned in the past 12 months -- came after Jackson's death, said a spokesperson for GreenLight, a consultancy company that represents "delebs," their term for dead celebrities still earning money.

On Wednesday, Jackson -- along with AEG Entertainment and Sony -- began raking in money for next year's list as the concert-rehearsal documentary "This Is It" opened in 3,500 domestic theaters and around the world.

Read the rest of the article here.

The documentary This Is It has been garnering praise from fans and critics, with some music insiders suggesting that it might win an Oscar for Best Picture. (See photo from last rehearsals for show, above.)

Director Kenny Ortega is among those pushing for the Jackson film to receive an Oscar nomination, reports the AP.

"He deserves one," said Ortega. "Come on, people."
Meanwhile, news about the pending trial over Jackson's homicide has been pushed to the back burner. It was last reported that trial information would be released in mid-October. Dr. Murray Conrad may be charged with homicide.
Is it a coincidence that the criminal case has been delayed just in time for the new movie to come out?

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Talking and Improvising: "Juno"



We've been watching and talking about the film Juno (2007), a Canadian-American comedy-drama about a 16-year-old girl who becomes pregnant after having sex one time with her best friend.

The film won an Academy Award for best original screenplay and stars Ellen Page as the title character, Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, and Jason Bateman.

As Wikipedia notes, the film Juno received "numerous positive reviews from critics, many of whom placed the film on their top ten lists for the year. The film has also received both criticism and praise from members of both the pro-life and pro-choice communities regarding its treatment of abortion."

Our class discussions have focused on teen pregnancy, adoption, abortion and Juno's relationship with Bleeker, the father of her child. We are also learning a lot of new vocabularly, including unusual teenager slang.

We finished watching the film together on Tuesday, and for Thursday, we are each writing a 100-word email that Juno might have written to Vanessa.

In Thursday's class we will be acting out a few scenes using the original script used in production.

We also we do some acting improvisations based on the scenes. Come to class prepared to play and to earn participation points.
Juno Links:

Friday, September 18, 2009

Update on Jackson Homicide Ruling

Since we held our class debate on Michael Jackson's homicide, there have been no new announcements in the case.

However, it's rumored that the official investigation results about his death will be presented in early to mid October, report several entertainment-news sources.
The results will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney in "three to four weeks," reported the Hollywood Gossip on September 16. And Dr. Murray's professional conduct appears to be drawing scrutiny, the Gossip adds:
The bulk of the investigation is completed, and Michael Jackson's personal doctor at the time of his death June 25 remains the singular target, sources say.

LAPD detectives have requested opinions from several medical experts who will analyze the evidence and offer their opinions on Dr. Conrad Murray's conduct.

Several glaring inconsistencies and suspect findings regarding Murray's actions on the above date have police pondering what to believe and how to respond.

Read the complete article here.
Likewise, we found Dr. Murray's behaviors puzzling.
As Group 3's research showed, the first things to do when someone stops breathing are (1) check breathing; (2) call 911; (3) administer CPR. However, Dr. Murray first gave CPR and only called 911 one hour and 21 minutes after he says he observed that Jackson had stopped breathing.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

A Film about Climate Change and Food Scarcity: Soylent Green

Soylent Green (1973) is a classic science-fiction film starring Charleton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. It's set in New York City in 2022, after the world's climate has collapsed due to global warming and most of the world's plant life has died. People survive by eating a processed food product called Soylent Green. But just what is it made of, some curious people begin to wonder? And why do the people who know the secret want to die or end up being murdered?

We will be watching scenes from Soylent Green in class, and students will be required to view the entire film over the coming weekend. It's available at Polvos Azules (under the title Cuando El Destino Nos Alcance), as well as online at Google Video.

Click here to see the film online, without English or Spanish subtitles.

I'll be handing out a Student Viewing Guide tomorrow.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Will Peruvian Potatoes Help Save the World?


After last Thursday's discussion about Super Size Me and the connection between obesity and nonfresh foods, our class came to an important agreement: Peruvians don't eat that often at fast food places like McDonald's because they prefer fresh foods prepared from scratch.

It was a refreshing change of pace for me, a U.S. citizen, to stand in front of a roomful of college students and hear many give the thumbs up to choclo and boiled potatoes, and a thumbs down to greasy french fries. Thank god young Peruvians have healthy eating habits.

It turns out that Peruvians' love of good food isn't just beneficial for them; it may be the key to safeguarding our planet's future food supplies.

The amazing variety of non-GMO (non genetically modified) potatoes that farmers have cultivated in the Andes for thousands of years are being applauded by scientists, reports CNN.

Andean potatoes can grow at different altitudes and in different temperatures, depending on the type. This diversity makes Peruvian potatotes ideal for coping with the shifts of climate change, which are intensifying throughout the world.

Read here about how Peru's farmers are being paid to nuture their special potatoes and how they may someday feed the world.
It's part of an effort by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, whose website explains how the group is helping to preserve and promote agricultural diversity around the word. A video on the group's homepage shows farmers in the Andes working with different potato crops and talking about climate change.