GOOGLE:
1. Do a little Google research about US military spending related to other countries. Post your results to the five tasks (a,b,c,d,e) to the "Military spending Google tasks - due 11-26" discussion forum.
a) Find out how much we've spent on defense per year since 2000, or 2003.
You may find that this figure has increased. For instance, we spent 380 billion in 2003, and 436.4 billion in 2004. In 2003, that 380 billion was more than half of what the whole world spent on military, which the CIA estimates to be around 750 billion. (So the rest of the world spent 320 billion on defense in 2003, and we spent 380 billion.)
Note: You may also find conflicting figures, for a variety of reasons: First, this figure of 436.4 billion for 2004 does not include spending on nuclear weapons and their maintenance, which falls under the category of the Department of Energy (DOE) (because it involves nuclear energy) instead of the Department of Defense (DOD). If you add the nuclear weapons-related costs, you get about 548 billion. Second, the 436.4 billion spending in 2004 does not include that portion of the interest on the national debt related to past military spending, which, if added, brings the total to 765 billion. According to Jurgen Brauer and Nicolas Anglewicz, this means that about two-thirds of every federal tax dollar is spent on defense.
(Google "Two-Thirds on Defense" with an advanced Google search, searching the web site for Tom Paine.com, and look for the article, published in June of 2005).
This does not include spending on those aspects of Homeland Security related to defense and preparedness against terrorist attacks (which would normally be considered national defense).
b) Find out at least how the more conservative figures compare to military spending of other nations, as a total amount. For the more conservative figure, you should include the regular defense spending, plus the portion of the Department of Energy budget related to nuclear weapons.
c) Consider two additional factors: First, retired CIA analyst Chalmers Johnson has observed that the CIA and the military have portions of their budgets that are secret, called "black" budgets, not for the eyes of the congress or requiring congressional approval. Second, it has been observed that war spending is not the same as spending for the regular Department of Defense
d) Find out what our defense spending is per capita. Spending per capita means the total defense spending, divided by the population, which shows how much we spend per person. You probably won't have to do the math yourself, though, because there are web sites that list this.
e) Find out how our military spending compares to our gross domestic product (GDP), which is the total value of all the goods and services of a country.
f) Find out how our military spending, as a percent of our GDP, compares to other countries.
To find out these things, consider Google-ing the following search terms (not all at once, but one line at a time):
- total military spending
(or)
- total military spending by nation
(or)
- total military spending by country
- black military and CIA budgets
- military spending per capita
- military spending by year
- military spending GDP
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Unit 4: Additional Sources
NEW
1. Read Howard Zinn's piece, "A Break-In for Peace."
Read/Research:
2. Research a little about the proposal to create a Department of Peace.
- Background: A Department of Peace was first suggested by George Washington, and more recently suggested (in July of 2001 and again this year) by Congressman and Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich. He may be too short, skinny and unattractive to be elected president, but many people like the idea. The current version of the bill has about 65 co-sponsors.
- Some possibilities:
(a) Read some general background information on the Department of Peace proposal at Wikipedia (which is not a quotable source, so you can't quote or cite or use it directly in an essay, although you can start there, and see what sources it lists).
(b) Try also the web site of Americans for Department of Peace.
(c) If you like, watch a seven-minute video of Kucinich talking about the development of his ideas about war and peace (YouTube.com).
(d) The Red Hot Chili Peppers have endorsed the efforts, which you can view via this video This may be mostly fluff, but you never know where you'll find something useful to inspire a flash of insight.
OLD:
3. Make sure you're familiar with the sources assigned so far. That means especially the following:
(a) Be familiar with the 4th chapter of "War is a Racket," by Marine General Smedley Butler. Be generally familiar with all the chapters, but especially chapter 4, in which he outlines his 3-part solution for how to end war.
(b) Be familiar enough with "The Lysistrata of Aristophanes" that you understand it as an alternative proposal for ending war.
OTHER OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
4. Suggestions have been made over the decades since WWII regarding arms treaties and reductions in military spending. Some such efforts have been successful, others have not, sometimes because the US failed to hold up their end. Treaties and the UN could be used as a tool to work toward decreasing military spending so that more moeny can be spent on more useful things that do more to serve human needs and stimulate economies. Consider doing some research on this.
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
5. Read an article by Chalmers Johnson,
retired CIA analyst featured in the film, Why We Fight.
Article: "Nemesis on the Imperial Premises"
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/160594/chalmers_johnson_nemesis_on_the_imperial_premises
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
6. Fewer Jobs, Slower Growth:
Military Spending Drains the Economy
by David Gold
Dollars and Sense magazine, July - August 2002
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Military_Budget/MilitaryBudget_Economy.html
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
7. American Exceptionalism Meets Team Jesus
A Tomdispatch Interview with James Carroll
Sept. 17, 2007
http://aep.typepad.com/american_empire_project/2007/09/american-except.html
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
8. A pair of articles on militarization in Japan: After WWII, Japan agreed not to use their military for anything but defense, and also agreed to spend only a small percent on their military. They decreased spending in the 90's, as described in the first article below, but have recently increased spending, and this may benefit certain US firms related to military outsourcing and the US Military-Industrial Complex, as described in the second article:
(a) NYTimes
Japan Is Moving to Scale Back Military Spending
By DAVID E. SANGER, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: December 16, 1990
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2D81E39F935A25751C1A966958260
(b) Investor's Business Daily November 13, 2006
Japan Raising Military Spending, Which Might Benefit U.S. Firms
In-Depth Coverage By Doug Tsuruoka
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2006/061113-japan-military.htm
1. Read Howard Zinn's piece, "A Break-In for Peace."
Read/Research:
2. Research a little about the proposal to create a Department of Peace.
- Background: A Department of Peace was first suggested by George Washington, and more recently suggested (in July of 2001 and again this year) by Congressman and Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich. He may be too short, skinny and unattractive to be elected president, but many people like the idea. The current version of the bill has about 65 co-sponsors.
- Some possibilities:
(a) Read some general background information on the Department of Peace proposal at Wikipedia (which is not a quotable source, so you can't quote or cite or use it directly in an essay, although you can start there, and see what sources it lists).
(b) Try also the web site of Americans for Department of Peace.
(c) If you like, watch a seven-minute video of Kucinich talking about the development of his ideas about war and peace (YouTube.com).
(d) The Red Hot Chili Peppers have endorsed the efforts, which you can view via this video This may be mostly fluff, but you never know where you'll find something useful to inspire a flash of insight.
OLD:
3. Make sure you're familiar with the sources assigned so far. That means especially the following:
(a) Be familiar with the 4th chapter of "War is a Racket," by Marine General Smedley Butler. Be generally familiar with all the chapters, but especially chapter 4, in which he outlines his 3-part solution for how to end war.
(b) Be familiar enough with "The Lysistrata of Aristophanes" that you understand it as an alternative proposal for ending war.
OTHER OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
4. Suggestions have been made over the decades since WWII regarding arms treaties and reductions in military spending. Some such efforts have been successful, others have not, sometimes because the US failed to hold up their end. Treaties and the UN could be used as a tool to work toward decreasing military spending so that more moeny can be spent on more useful things that do more to serve human needs and stimulate economies. Consider doing some research on this.
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
5. Read an article by Chalmers Johnson,
retired CIA analyst featured in the film, Why We Fight.
Article: "Nemesis on the Imperial Premises"
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/160594/chalmers_johnson_nemesis_on_the_imperial_premises
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
6. Fewer Jobs, Slower Growth:
Military Spending Drains the Economy
by David Gold
Dollars and Sense magazine, July - August 2002
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Military_Budget/MilitaryBudget_Economy.html
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
7. American Exceptionalism Meets Team Jesus
A Tomdispatch Interview with James Carroll
Sept. 17, 2007
http://aep.typepad.com/american_empire_project/2007/09/american-except.html
OPTIONAL READING AND RESEARCH:
8. A pair of articles on militarization in Japan: After WWII, Japan agreed not to use their military for anything but defense, and also agreed to spend only a small percent on their military. They decreased spending in the 90's, as described in the first article below, but have recently increased spending, and this may benefit certain US firms related to military outsourcing and the US Military-Industrial Complex, as described in the second article:
(a) NYTimes
Japan Is Moving to Scale Back Military Spending
By DAVID E. SANGER, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: December 16, 1990
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2D81E39F935A25751C1A966958260
(b) Investor's Business Daily November 13, 2006
Japan Raising Military Spending, Which Might Benefit U.S. Firms
In-Depth Coverage By Doug Tsuruoka
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2006/061113-japan-military.htm
Essay 4 options
In the last essay, you'll be asked to propose a solution to a specific problem. Here it is:
THE SHORT VERSION:
1. There is an increasing risk, perhaps more than ever before in history, of wars over limited world resources. This is because there are diminishing fossil fuel resources, and because global warming will create droughts, famines, floods, displace people, and cause water shortages and land squables due to refugees leaving flooded coastal areas.
2. The current problems in the US related to the Military-Industrial Complex, as described by Eisenhower, and privatization or "outsourcing" of defense contracts, and high spending on military, put us at increased risk for more wars. Bush and Cheney have had plans to bomb Iran, and many say this is likely before Bush leaves office.
3. Given the huge US national debt, plus wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, possible war with Iran, and the recent sub-prime mortgage financial crisis, some say there could be serious economic problems ahead, which could lead to instability and war.
If the problem is increased risk of war, what is the solution?
Option 1: Avoiding war? Propose how to avoid war and make the world a more peaceful place. For more details, see below, and resources assigned for the unit, listed elsewhere on the blog and on D2L.
Option 2: Embracing war? Propose how to position ourselves to win any war and survive, with some kind of civilization worth living in after the dust settles. For more details, see below, and resources assigned for the unit, listed elsewhere on the blog and on D2L.
Alternate essay option 3: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch after proposing a problem and a tentative solution.
Alternate essay option 4: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch for a DREAM ESSAY on ANY subject you propose, and it would NOT have to be a "proposing a solution" essay. See D2L for the discussion forum on which students can post ideas.
FOR MORE DETAILS, READ BELOW
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM
There are various ominous trends that are, or will soon be, converging, and many of them seem to lead to greater risks of war. Here's a sketch of some of those trends:
1. Peak Oil:
One trend has to do with the fact that the world is running out of cheap oil (and also natural gas; in addition, coal and uranium are also limited resources for energy). We've used up at least half of the world's usable oil already, but demand from growing populations in developing countries is rising steadily. Even if one claims that current wars don't have anything to do with oil, there may be wars over what remains of this limited resource. Too many things depend on it, including transportation, agriculture, food production, plastic food packaging, clothing, and in some cases, heating, etc. In other words, our modern culture as we know it has been floating on a bubble of oil that is shrinking.
2. Global Warming:
Climate change is recognized as a real and growing problem, whether caused by CO2 emissions from coal, gasoline and natural gas, or by other natural causes. Already, global warming is causing (a) more violent weather, (b) droughts in the US, Africa, Australia and parts of Europe, (c) and may soon cause displacement of large population groups due to rising sea levels. Droughts and displaced populations could easily lead to wars over limited resources of food and water, as well as ethnic and other conflicts from large numbers of homeless refugees. (d) Germs and diseases that had been limited to certain areas may migrate more freely through world populations, causing more widespread death from illnesses like malaria and avian (or "bird") flu.
3. Military-Industrial complex and privatization (or "outsourcing"):
Dwight Eisenhower warned, "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." Since 1992, many aspects of the military have been "outsourced" or "privatized" through contracts to various corporations that make large profits from war, and retired CIA Analyst and author Chalmers Johnson noted in Why We Fight that when war becomes so profitable, we will see more of it.
4. Potential Economic Crisis:
Current military spending and a runaway national debt could lead to economic collapse, not only for the US, but for most of the developed world, whose economic fate has long been tied to that of the US economy. If that occurs, many kinds of social unrest could occur, including riots and wars.
Your generation may have to deal with these converging problems in ways that previous generations never did, or never had to. Nothing like getting an early start: This essay gives you a chance. Propose a solution. And do it in a minimum of four pages, single-spaced. We live in a culture with a short attention span, so make it good.
Essay option 1:
Consider the mounting threat of future wars as a problem that can be solved through a combination of a variety of methods. Some possibilities:
(a) One approach could be to educate people about what Eisenhower saw as the problem, so that people can "guard against" the "unwarranted influence" of the "military-industrial complex," as Eisenhower said. The more people are aware of the problem, the more they could be able to guard against it. One can't guard against something one is not aware of.
(b) Another approach could be to implement policies like those suggested by Smedley Butler as a three-part solution to the "racket" of war, as described in the 4th chapter of his book, "War is a Racket."
(c) Yet another approach could be through the creation of a cabinet-level "Department of Peace," as Dennis Kucinich suggests, and as George Washington and others suggested centuries ago.
(d) A fourth approach could be through the actions of perhaps a relatively silent and perhaps currently disempowered majority, such as the women in the Lysistrata story, who don't wait around for others (men, elected officials) to solve the problem, but instead, take initiative to end war using creative means.
(e) A fifth approach could utilize peaceful civil disobedience as needed, such as that described in the Howard Zinn article, "A Break-in For Peace," about the Camden 28.
(f) Your solution could include some method for sharing world resources, or converting to renewable energy sources, etc.
(g) You could include other ideas of your own, or discovered through your research, relating to methods for resolving global conflicts and dealing with these problems.
- You could include any combination of the above, and where some seem to have limitations or challenges, you could acknowledge this and "tweak" various elements to make things work.
- In other words, for this essay option, you would propose a solution to the problem of the increasing threat of war, using mostly sources we've read for class.
- This could include resources from past essays related to environment (climate change, global warming) and peak oil (Crude Impact). A majority of your resources would be taken from those already assigned for class, but you could research additional sources.
- You would consider that making the world a more peaceful and sustainable place, even in the face of serious and unprecedented challenges, is possible and worth working for.
- Another way to put it: Propose a solution to the problem of avoiding the increasing threat of war, given the challenges we seem to face, as described in the "problem" above.
- Also, you might want to read Essay Option 2, below, to help consider some of what you're up against.
- What to avoid: Don't just write about how bad war is and to be avoided. Don't sound like a beauty pageant queen who has a sound byte about how nice world peace would be. Be practical about measures that could be taken to avoid the growing threat of wars.
Essay option 2:
Consider that people who oppose war are unrealistic dreamers who need to wake up, and that their lack of realism is part of the problem to which war and the natural course of events is the solution. Some possibilities:
- Consider that Italy's Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, was right when he said (as quoted in chapter 1 of "War is a Racket" by Smedley Butler), "War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy and puts the stamp of nobility upon the people who have the courage to meet it."
- Consider that Scrooge was right: Charles Dickens, in A Christmas Carol, has the character of Ebenezer Scrooge speak about the workhouses for the poor, and how if they would rather die than go there, then "[i]f they would rather die... they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
- Warfare and death would decrease world population, which would result in less burning of fossil fuels, smaller amounts of troublesome greenhouse gasses, and then the few rich, powerful and resourceful who survive would have greater access to the world's resources. This is merely survival of the fittest. You could quote Darwin (although he never really meant it that way, and has kind things to say about the lower primates).
- While others run around trying to act like do-gooders, sharing resources, making sacrifices and making peace, others could let warfare, drought, floods and disease run their natural course. Some resourceful people could focus on making a profit off the suffering of others. Those who profit most may have a stronger chance at survival. Why waste time doing good when you can seize an opportunity to get rich?
- The embrace of warfare as inevitable could include the use of biological weapons. We have the technology and could do this: Simply create a designer-germ, inoculate the population that you want to save, and then spread the germs so that all those who are not inoculated (the poor, those of other countries, those without natural immunities, etc.) would die off. You could do this secretly and pretend it was a natural disaster, an illness that emerged on its own from nature. The clever and powerful would live, along with whoever they help survive, and the rest would die off.
- A few wars and a good die-off might be the best thing to ever happen to the planet: As a result, all the weak and poor individuals who can't deal with the hardships would simply be eliminated.
- In the end, this would give the human race more time to work out renewable, sustainable sources of energy, and those who survive would be of stronger genetic stock (or weaker genetic stock, but rich and powerful enough to ensure their own survival).
- This may sound a bit like Hitler and his idea of creating a "super-race" by getting rid of the weaker, less desirable people, but propaganda could be used to make it seem that the cause was actually a noble one, and to make it sound as little like Hitler or Mussolini as possible. Propaganda could be used to make the enemy seem evil and inhuman (like fictional stories about Iraqi soldiers taking Kuwaiti babies from incubators), and to make wars seem patriotic and necessary to keep us safe.
- For this Essay option, you would use many of the same resources, but you would argue in a different direction. A majority of your resources would be taken from those already assigned for class, but you could research additional sources.
Alternate essay option 3: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch after proposing a problem and a tentative solution.
Alternate essay option 4: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch for a DREAM ESSAY on ANY subject you propose, and it would NOT have to be a "proposing a solution" essay. See D2L for the discussion forum on which students can post ideas.
BASIC ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum four (4) pages, double-spaced (hard copy), not counting graphs, illustrations, or list of works cited. Your electronic version submitted to the drop box can be 2 pages single spaced.
- To be fair, because some fonts put more words per line than others, I'm still asking you all to use Times Roman 12 pt sized font.
- Make major use of sources assigned for the unit and the course.
- Integrate quotes, paraphrase carefully, provide citations and a list of works cited in MLA format.
- Write well in light of the things we've discussed during the semester: Have a clear and interesting introduction, a focused thesis, an organized outline, a thoughtful conclusion, well-developed paragraphs, with carefully edited prose.
Due Dates:
Outline due: Thursday, December 6 (or earlier, if you want feedback from the Center for Excellence in Learning).
- Getting feedback on your outline may help a lot; if you had trouble with earlier essays, try to get outline feedback early. Don't even try to write a first draft before you get feedback on your outline, or else you may be tempted to cling to your rough draft and only make minimal changes.
Final draft due: Thursday, December 13 (the night of the final).
THE SHORT VERSION:
1. There is an increasing risk, perhaps more than ever before in history, of wars over limited world resources. This is because there are diminishing fossil fuel resources, and because global warming will create droughts, famines, floods, displace people, and cause water shortages and land squables due to refugees leaving flooded coastal areas.
2. The current problems in the US related to the Military-Industrial Complex, as described by Eisenhower, and privatization or "outsourcing" of defense contracts, and high spending on military, put us at increased risk for more wars. Bush and Cheney have had plans to bomb Iran, and many say this is likely before Bush leaves office.
3. Given the huge US national debt, plus wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, possible war with Iran, and the recent sub-prime mortgage financial crisis, some say there could be serious economic problems ahead, which could lead to instability and war.
If the problem is increased risk of war, what is the solution?
Option 1: Avoiding war? Propose how to avoid war and make the world a more peaceful place. For more details, see below, and resources assigned for the unit, listed elsewhere on the blog and on D2L.
Option 2: Embracing war? Propose how to position ourselves to win any war and survive, with some kind of civilization worth living in after the dust settles. For more details, see below, and resources assigned for the unit, listed elsewhere on the blog and on D2L.
Alternate essay option 3: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch after proposing a problem and a tentative solution.
Alternate essay option 4: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch for a DREAM ESSAY on ANY subject you propose, and it would NOT have to be a "proposing a solution" essay. See D2L for the discussion forum on which students can post ideas.
FOR MORE DETAILS, READ BELOW
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM
There are various ominous trends that are, or will soon be, converging, and many of them seem to lead to greater risks of war. Here's a sketch of some of those trends:
1. Peak Oil:
One trend has to do with the fact that the world is running out of cheap oil (and also natural gas; in addition, coal and uranium are also limited resources for energy). We've used up at least half of the world's usable oil already, but demand from growing populations in developing countries is rising steadily. Even if one claims that current wars don't have anything to do with oil, there may be wars over what remains of this limited resource. Too many things depend on it, including transportation, agriculture, food production, plastic food packaging, clothing, and in some cases, heating, etc. In other words, our modern culture as we know it has been floating on a bubble of oil that is shrinking.
2. Global Warming:
Climate change is recognized as a real and growing problem, whether caused by CO2 emissions from coal, gasoline and natural gas, or by other natural causes. Already, global warming is causing (a) more violent weather, (b) droughts in the US, Africa, Australia and parts of Europe, (c) and may soon cause displacement of large population groups due to rising sea levels. Droughts and displaced populations could easily lead to wars over limited resources of food and water, as well as ethnic and other conflicts from large numbers of homeless refugees. (d) Germs and diseases that had been limited to certain areas may migrate more freely through world populations, causing more widespread death from illnesses like malaria and avian (or "bird") flu.
3. Military-Industrial complex and privatization (or "outsourcing"):
Dwight Eisenhower warned, "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." Since 1992, many aspects of the military have been "outsourced" or "privatized" through contracts to various corporations that make large profits from war, and retired CIA Analyst and author Chalmers Johnson noted in Why We Fight that when war becomes so profitable, we will see more of it.
4. Potential Economic Crisis:
Current military spending and a runaway national debt could lead to economic collapse, not only for the US, but for most of the developed world, whose economic fate has long been tied to that of the US economy. If that occurs, many kinds of social unrest could occur, including riots and wars.
Your generation may have to deal with these converging problems in ways that previous generations never did, or never had to. Nothing like getting an early start: This essay gives you a chance. Propose a solution. And do it in a minimum of four pages, single-spaced. We live in a culture with a short attention span, so make it good.
Essay option 1:
Consider the mounting threat of future wars as a problem that can be solved through a combination of a variety of methods. Some possibilities:
(a) One approach could be to educate people about what Eisenhower saw as the problem, so that people can "guard against" the "unwarranted influence" of the "military-industrial complex," as Eisenhower said. The more people are aware of the problem, the more they could be able to guard against it. One can't guard against something one is not aware of.
(b) Another approach could be to implement policies like those suggested by Smedley Butler as a three-part solution to the "racket" of war, as described in the 4th chapter of his book, "War is a Racket."
(c) Yet another approach could be through the creation of a cabinet-level "Department of Peace," as Dennis Kucinich suggests, and as George Washington and others suggested centuries ago.
(d) A fourth approach could be through the actions of perhaps a relatively silent and perhaps currently disempowered majority, such as the women in the Lysistrata story, who don't wait around for others (men, elected officials) to solve the problem, but instead, take initiative to end war using creative means.
(e) A fifth approach could utilize peaceful civil disobedience as needed, such as that described in the Howard Zinn article, "A Break-in For Peace," about the Camden 28.
(f) Your solution could include some method for sharing world resources, or converting to renewable energy sources, etc.
(g) You could include other ideas of your own, or discovered through your research, relating to methods for resolving global conflicts and dealing with these problems.
- You could include any combination of the above, and where some seem to have limitations or challenges, you could acknowledge this and "tweak" various elements to make things work.
- In other words, for this essay option, you would propose a solution to the problem of the increasing threat of war, using mostly sources we've read for class.
- This could include resources from past essays related to environment (climate change, global warming) and peak oil (Crude Impact). A majority of your resources would be taken from those already assigned for class, but you could research additional sources.
- You would consider that making the world a more peaceful and sustainable place, even in the face of serious and unprecedented challenges, is possible and worth working for.
- Another way to put it: Propose a solution to the problem of avoiding the increasing threat of war, given the challenges we seem to face, as described in the "problem" above.
- Also, you might want to read Essay Option 2, below, to help consider some of what you're up against.
- What to avoid: Don't just write about how bad war is and to be avoided. Don't sound like a beauty pageant queen who has a sound byte about how nice world peace would be. Be practical about measures that could be taken to avoid the growing threat of wars.
Essay option 2:
Consider that people who oppose war are unrealistic dreamers who need to wake up, and that their lack of realism is part of the problem to which war and the natural course of events is the solution. Some possibilities:
- Consider that Italy's Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, was right when he said (as quoted in chapter 1 of "War is a Racket" by Smedley Butler), "War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy and puts the stamp of nobility upon the people who have the courage to meet it."
- Consider that Scrooge was right: Charles Dickens, in A Christmas Carol, has the character of Ebenezer Scrooge speak about the workhouses for the poor, and how if they would rather die than go there, then "[i]f they would rather die... they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
- Warfare and death would decrease world population, which would result in less burning of fossil fuels, smaller amounts of troublesome greenhouse gasses, and then the few rich, powerful and resourceful who survive would have greater access to the world's resources. This is merely survival of the fittest. You could quote Darwin (although he never really meant it that way, and has kind things to say about the lower primates).
- While others run around trying to act like do-gooders, sharing resources, making sacrifices and making peace, others could let warfare, drought, floods and disease run their natural course. Some resourceful people could focus on making a profit off the suffering of others. Those who profit most may have a stronger chance at survival. Why waste time doing good when you can seize an opportunity to get rich?
- The embrace of warfare as inevitable could include the use of biological weapons. We have the technology and could do this: Simply create a designer-germ, inoculate the population that you want to save, and then spread the germs so that all those who are not inoculated (the poor, those of other countries, those without natural immunities, etc.) would die off. You could do this secretly and pretend it was a natural disaster, an illness that emerged on its own from nature. The clever and powerful would live, along with whoever they help survive, and the rest would die off.
- A few wars and a good die-off might be the best thing to ever happen to the planet: As a result, all the weak and poor individuals who can't deal with the hardships would simply be eliminated.
- In the end, this would give the human race more time to work out renewable, sustainable sources of energy, and those who survive would be of stronger genetic stock (or weaker genetic stock, but rich and powerful enough to ensure their own survival).
- This may sound a bit like Hitler and his idea of creating a "super-race" by getting rid of the weaker, less desirable people, but propaganda could be used to make it seem that the cause was actually a noble one, and to make it sound as little like Hitler or Mussolini as possible. Propaganda could be used to make the enemy seem evil and inhuman (like fictional stories about Iraqi soldiers taking Kuwaiti babies from incubators), and to make wars seem patriotic and necessary to keep us safe.
- For this Essay option, you would use many of the same resources, but you would argue in a different direction. A majority of your resources would be taken from those already assigned for class, but you could research additional sources.
Alternate essay option 3: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch after proposing a problem and a tentative solution.
Alternate essay option 4: If you prefer not to write about the topic of the assigned research for the unit, you could do your own research from scratch for a DREAM ESSAY on ANY subject you propose, and it would NOT have to be a "proposing a solution" essay. See D2L for the discussion forum on which students can post ideas.
BASIC ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum four (4) pages, double-spaced (hard copy), not counting graphs, illustrations, or list of works cited. Your electronic version submitted to the drop box can be 2 pages single spaced.
- To be fair, because some fonts put more words per line than others, I'm still asking you all to use Times Roman 12 pt sized font.
- Make major use of sources assigned for the unit and the course.
- Integrate quotes, paraphrase carefully, provide citations and a list of works cited in MLA format.
- Write well in light of the things we've discussed during the semester: Have a clear and interesting introduction, a focused thesis, an organized outline, a thoughtful conclusion, well-developed paragraphs, with carefully edited prose.
Due Dates:
Outline due: Thursday, December 6 (or earlier, if you want feedback from the Center for Excellence in Learning).
- Getting feedback on your outline may help a lot; if you had trouble with earlier essays, try to get outline feedback early. Don't even try to write a first draft before you get feedback on your outline, or else you may be tempted to cling to your rough draft and only make minimal changes.
Final draft due: Thursday, December 13 (the night of the final).
The Ancient Greek (Mythical) Solution to War Profiteering & the Military-Industrial Complex
The Ancient Greek (Mythical) Solution to War Profiteering & the Military-Industrial Complex
See this link:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0009%3Ahead%3D%23245
A clip:
......................................................................
12.2.8. XII.[2] The Lysistrata of Aristophanes
The most remarkable of Aristophanes' comedies are those in which the main characters, the heros of the story as it were, are women, who use their wits and their solidarity with one another to compel the men of Athens to overthrow basic policies of the city-state. Most famous of Aristophanes' comedies depicting powerfully effectual women is the Lysistrata of 411 B.C., named after the female lead character of the play. It portrays the women of Athens as teaming up with the women of Sparta to force their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War. To make the men agree to a peace treaty, the women first seize the Acropolis, where Athens' financial reserves are kept, and prevent the men from squandering them further on the war. They then beat back an attack on their position by the old men who have remained in Athens while the younger men are out on campaign. When their husbands return from battle, the women refuse to have sex with them. This sex strike, which is portrayed in a series of risqué episodes, finally coerces the men of Athens and Sparta to agree to a peace treaty.
The Lysistrata presents women acting bravely and aggressively against men who seem bent both on destroying their family life by staying away from home for long stretches while on military campaign and on ruining the city-state by prolonging a pointless war. In other words, the play's powerful women take on masculine roles to preserve the traditional way of life of the community. Lysistrata herself emphasizes this point in the very speech in which she insists that women have the intelligence and judgment to make political decisions. She came by her knowledge, she says, in the traditional way: “I am a woman, and, yes, I have brains. And I'm not badly off for judgment. Nor has my education been bad, coming as it has from my listening often to the conversations of my father and the elders among the men.” Lysistrata was schooled in the traditional fashion, by learning from older men. Her old-fashioned training and good sense allowed her to see what needed to be done to protect the community. Like the heroines of tragedy, Lysistrata is literally a reactionary; she wants to put things back the way they were. To do that, however, she has to act like a revolutionary. Ending the war would be so easy that women could do it, Aristophanes is telling Athenian men, and Athenians should concern themselves with preserving the old ways, lest they be lost.
See this link:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0009%3Ahead%3D%23245
A clip:
......................................................................
12.2.8. XII.[2] The Lysistrata of Aristophanes
The most remarkable of Aristophanes' comedies are those in which the main characters, the heros of the story as it were, are women, who use their wits and their solidarity with one another to compel the men of Athens to overthrow basic policies of the city-state. Most famous of Aristophanes' comedies depicting powerfully effectual women is the Lysistrata of 411 B.C., named after the female lead character of the play. It portrays the women of Athens as teaming up with the women of Sparta to force their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War. To make the men agree to a peace treaty, the women first seize the Acropolis, where Athens' financial reserves are kept, and prevent the men from squandering them further on the war. They then beat back an attack on their position by the old men who have remained in Athens while the younger men are out on campaign. When their husbands return from battle, the women refuse to have sex with them. This sex strike, which is portrayed in a series of risqué episodes, finally coerces the men of Athens and Sparta to agree to a peace treaty.
The Lysistrata presents women acting bravely and aggressively against men who seem bent both on destroying their family life by staying away from home for long stretches while on military campaign and on ruining the city-state by prolonging a pointless war. In other words, the play's powerful women take on masculine roles to preserve the traditional way of life of the community. Lysistrata herself emphasizes this point in the very speech in which she insists that women have the intelligence and judgment to make political decisions. She came by her knowledge, she says, in the traditional way: “I am a woman, and, yes, I have brains. And I'm not badly off for judgment. Nor has my education been bad, coming as it has from my listening often to the conversations of my father and the elders among the men.” Lysistrata was schooled in the traditional fashion, by learning from older men. Her old-fashioned training and good sense allowed her to see what needed to be done to protect the community. Like the heroines of tragedy, Lysistrata is literally a reactionary; she wants to put things back the way they were. To do that, however, she has to act like a revolutionary. Ending the war would be so easy that women could do it, Aristophanes is telling Athenian men, and Athenians should concern themselves with preserving the old ways, lest they be lost.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Due Thursday, November 29
1. OVERVIEW OF UNIT 4:
Read the overview of unit 4 at this link.
2. Google the following vocabulary terms (one line at a time, not the whole batch) to get a head start on the next unit. Find at least one good definition for each and post them to the "definitions/vocabulary" discussion forum on D2L for the unit.
- Military industrial complex
- Eisenhower speech military industrial complex
- Military privatization
- No-bid military contract
- Cost-plus military contract
- Military contract overcharge
- Military contract fraud
- War profiteer
- Plausible deniability
3. Read or skim the online book by General Smedley Butler,
War is a Racket by two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Marine General Smedley Butler (who we discussed briefly earlier in the semester related to the business plot).
If the link above doesn't work, try pasting this link into your web browser:
http://www.scuttlebuttsmallchow.com/racket.html
4. Skim the following six articles and make note of others you could use in the essay. Write a summary and response to the first one, and turn in to the drop box on D2L titled "11-29 Week 14 reading summaries and responses." After class, post it to the discussion forum. Some of these others may be assigned for the next week, so if you want to get a head start, read a few.
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
"Iraq war contractors ordered to end abuses" - Chicago Tribune
"Iraq is becoming 'free fraud' zone" - Christian Science Monitor
"When Outsourcing Turns Outrageous" - Business Week
"Iraq Weapons Are a Focus of Criminal Investigations" - NYTimes
"The Great Iraq Swindle" - Rolling Stone
5. John J. Duncan, Jr., Republican Representative from TN, has long argued that war in Iraq is not a conservative thing to do. One or more of these may be assigned for the next week, so if you want to get a head start, read a few. One is available under "content" for unit 4 on the blog. Start there. You could Google for others.
6. When we come back after break, we'll do a research-scavenger hunt for online sources related to defense spending and some of the hidden costs (hidden in the budgets for the energy department, the interest on the national debt, and the Department of Homeland Security), and then compare what the US spends on military as a nation, and per-capita, to what other developed nations spend (allies and enemies).
Read the overview of unit 4 at this link.
2. Google the following vocabulary terms (one line at a time, not the whole batch) to get a head start on the next unit. Find at least one good definition for each and post them to the "definitions/vocabulary" discussion forum on D2L for the unit.
- Military industrial complex
- Eisenhower speech military industrial complex
- Military privatization
- No-bid military contract
- Cost-plus military contract
- Military contract overcharge
- Military contract fraud
- War profiteer
- Plausible deniability
3. Read or skim the online book by General Smedley Butler,
War is a Racket by two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Marine General Smedley Butler (who we discussed briefly earlier in the semester related to the business plot).
If the link above doesn't work, try pasting this link into your web browser:
http://www.scuttlebuttsmallchow.com/racket.html
4. Skim the following six articles and make note of others you could use in the essay. Write a summary and response to the first one, and turn in to the drop box on D2L titled "11-29 Week 14 reading summaries and responses." After class, post it to the discussion forum. Some of these others may be assigned for the next week, so if you want to get a head start, read a few.
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
"Iraq war contractors ordered to end abuses" - Chicago Tribune
"Iraq is becoming 'free fraud' zone" - Christian Science Monitor
"When Outsourcing Turns Outrageous" - Business Week
"Iraq Weapons Are a Focus of Criminal Investigations" - NYTimes
"The Great Iraq Swindle" - Rolling Stone
5. John J. Duncan, Jr., Republican Representative from TN, has long argued that war in Iraq is not a conservative thing to do. One or more of these may be assigned for the next week, so if you want to get a head start, read a few. One is available under "content" for unit 4 on the blog. Start there. You could Google for others.
6. When we come back after break, we'll do a research-scavenger hunt for online sources related to defense spending and some of the hidden costs (hidden in the budgets for the energy department, the interest on the national debt, and the Department of Homeland Security), and then compare what the US spends on military as a nation, and per-capita, to what other developed nations spend (allies and enemies).
Overview: Unit 4
Overview
UNIT 4:
THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
AND THE PROBLEM OF MILITARY PRIVATIZATION
Overview:
Dwight Eisenhower was a general in the US Army during World War II, and served as US President at the end of the Korean war, for two terms. He was a Republican, and witnessed military-related industries grow both in size and in their influence on congress and spending, and was very concerned about the danger of this growing influence. What if the US got to a point where arms manufacturers, located in many states, had more influence on the election of legislators (through campaign contributions and otherwise), on military spending, and on whether the US decided to go to war, than the people of the US? What if decisions were made about wars and military spending, not based on national defense, but on how much profit and world influence could be gained by large corporations that either supply the military with what they need, or that have other strong interests in the world?
Some analysts who have followed the trends in military spending feel that what Eisenhower warned us against has all happened. After the fall of the Soviet Union, there has been no corresponding "peacetime dividend" resulting in lower military spending and more money for such things as paying off the national debt, or developing, say, better mass transportation, rebuilding schools, investing in renewable energy, etc. Instead we've only seen an increase in military spending and efforts to find new enemies to replace the Soviets as justification for massive military spending.
Even after September 11, 2001, many people suggested that the best way to fight terrorism was to develop stronger law-enforcement alliances and intelligence to track the activities and funding of terrorists, and in some countries, this has clearly worked as well, or better, than military action. Starting wars against countries that have harbored terrorists often seems to anger populations and provide more inspiration for future terrorism.
All of this, to some, is a sign that the US military is no longer simply about national defense, but has become a self-perpetuating juggernaut, and that perhaps when we "defend our interests" in the world, this really means that we're expanding a multi-national corporate empire, guaranteeing corporate profits, and fueling what has been called (by George W. Bush) our addiction to oil.
Along with this trend, recent years have seen a movement toward privatization of the military. Many of those functions that used to be performed by soldiers are now outsourced to private corporations. These corporations provide water, food, laundry services, trucking, auto, tank and aircraft maintenance, electronics repair, and a host of other services, all of which were once provided by some arm of the military. Many of the corporations providing these services obtained contracts with the government without having to bid on the contracts (no-bid), or they were the only bidders, so they can charge exorbitant prices. Soldiers are often disappointed with the services they provide, and there have often been instances of fraud and mismanagement related to many of these services.
We out-spend many of our allies and enemies, combined, when it comes to military spending. This problem is not merely a topic for left-wing peaceniks and doves, but has also been a topic of concern for Republicans like Dwight Eisenhower and Smedley Butler, and for fiscal conservatives in general, including Libertarian-leaning Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas, and other conservatives like Republican John J. ("Jimmy") Duncan of Tennessee.
Resources:
We will be reading a variety of essays and watching at least segments of a few films, including the following:
1. The documentary film, Why we Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki, about the Military-Industrial complex (which
2. The documentary film, Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, directed by Robert Greenwald.
3. An online version of the short book, "War is a Racket" by two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Marine General Smedley Butler, a Republican who served in World War I, and who we discussed briefly earlier in the semester related to the business plot).
You'll notice that Butler, Eisenhower, and many of the people interviewed in the two documentary films listed above are either conservatives who probably voted Republican, or are active or retired military.
4. We'll also read a statement or two by John J. Duncan, Jr. R of TN:
http://www.house.gov/duncan/speech/sp021407.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/857077/posts (repeats itself because first he says it, then he enters it into the record; then it's followed by comments)
5. Some resources listed under "content" on D2L that you can access whenever you like, a few of which may be assigned for the unit:
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
"Iraq war contractors ordered to end abuses" - Chicago Tribune
"Iraq is becoming 'free fraud' zone" - Christian Science Monitor
"When Outsourcing Turns Outrageous" - Business Week
"Iraq Weapons Are a Focus of Criminal Investigations" - NYTimes
"The Great Iraq Swindle" - Rolling Stone
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
6. We'll read and research some other essays, articles, analysis, including some suggestions for solutions to the problems presented by the military-industrial complex and privatization.
UNIT 4:
THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
AND THE PROBLEM OF MILITARY PRIVATIZATION
Overview:
Dwight Eisenhower was a general in the US Army during World War II, and served as US President at the end of the Korean war, for two terms. He was a Republican, and witnessed military-related industries grow both in size and in their influence on congress and spending, and was very concerned about the danger of this growing influence. What if the US got to a point where arms manufacturers, located in many states, had more influence on the election of legislators (through campaign contributions and otherwise), on military spending, and on whether the US decided to go to war, than the people of the US? What if decisions were made about wars and military spending, not based on national defense, but on how much profit and world influence could be gained by large corporations that either supply the military with what they need, or that have other strong interests in the world?
Some analysts who have followed the trends in military spending feel that what Eisenhower warned us against has all happened. After the fall of the Soviet Union, there has been no corresponding "peacetime dividend" resulting in lower military spending and more money for such things as paying off the national debt, or developing, say, better mass transportation, rebuilding schools, investing in renewable energy, etc. Instead we've only seen an increase in military spending and efforts to find new enemies to replace the Soviets as justification for massive military spending.
Even after September 11, 2001, many people suggested that the best way to fight terrorism was to develop stronger law-enforcement alliances and intelligence to track the activities and funding of terrorists, and in some countries, this has clearly worked as well, or better, than military action. Starting wars against countries that have harbored terrorists often seems to anger populations and provide more inspiration for future terrorism.
All of this, to some, is a sign that the US military is no longer simply about national defense, but has become a self-perpetuating juggernaut, and that perhaps when we "defend our interests" in the world, this really means that we're expanding a multi-national corporate empire, guaranteeing corporate profits, and fueling what has been called (by George W. Bush) our addiction to oil.
Along with this trend, recent years have seen a movement toward privatization of the military. Many of those functions that used to be performed by soldiers are now outsourced to private corporations. These corporations provide water, food, laundry services, trucking, auto, tank and aircraft maintenance, electronics repair, and a host of other services, all of which were once provided by some arm of the military. Many of the corporations providing these services obtained contracts with the government without having to bid on the contracts (no-bid), or they were the only bidders, so they can charge exorbitant prices. Soldiers are often disappointed with the services they provide, and there have often been instances of fraud and mismanagement related to many of these services.
We out-spend many of our allies and enemies, combined, when it comes to military spending. This problem is not merely a topic for left-wing peaceniks and doves, but has also been a topic of concern for Republicans like Dwight Eisenhower and Smedley Butler, and for fiscal conservatives in general, including Libertarian-leaning Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas, and other conservatives like Republican John J. ("Jimmy") Duncan of Tennessee.
Resources:
We will be reading a variety of essays and watching at least segments of a few films, including the following:
1. The documentary film, Why we Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki, about the Military-Industrial complex (which
2. The documentary film, Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, directed by Robert Greenwald.
3. An online version of the short book, "War is a Racket" by two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Marine General Smedley Butler, a Republican who served in World War I, and who we discussed briefly earlier in the semester related to the business plot).
You'll notice that Butler, Eisenhower, and many of the people interviewed in the two documentary films listed above are either conservatives who probably voted Republican, or are active or retired military.
4. We'll also read a statement or two by John J. Duncan, Jr. R of TN:
http://www.house.gov/duncan/speech/sp021407.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/857077/posts (repeats itself because first he says it, then he enters it into the record; then it's followed by comments)
5. Some resources listed under "content" on D2L that you can access whenever you like, a few of which may be assigned for the unit:
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
"Iraq war contractors ordered to end abuses" - Chicago Tribune
"Iraq is becoming 'free fraud' zone" - Christian Science Monitor
"When Outsourcing Turns Outrageous" - Business Week
"Iraq Weapons Are a Focus of Criminal Investigations" - NYTimes
"The Great Iraq Swindle" - Rolling Stone
"The Great Arms Debate" - Center for Defense Information
6. We'll read and research some other essays, articles, analysis, including some suggestions for solutions to the problems presented by the military-industrial complex and privatization.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
In-class exercises: November 15
In-class exercises: November 15
1. MLA Citations and Works Cited
Look back on the blog for the listing of the readings that were due for today. Construct a list of works cited that conforms to MLA standards. See CWH chapter 53. Also, for each of those essays or articles, write one sentence that uses an integrated quote and an MLA format citation. Post them to the discussion forum in the "first things" unit/category titled "MLA Citations & List of Works Cited."
2. Research Scavenger-Hunt
On Google, look up "Military-Industrial Complex" and "Military Privitization." Do an advanced search, and try to find some good articles from some excellent sources.
Post them with clear subject lines that identify which of the above two topics they're about, and what the source is.
Use the categories for the torture scavenger hunt from the previous unit as a guide:
- Mainstream media (New York Time, Washington Post, LA Times, Chigago Tribune, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, USA TODAY, etc.)
- Progressive media (The Nation, Common Dreams, The Progressive, etc.)
- Conservative Media (FOX News, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, etc.)
- Government Resources
- Military publications
- International publications
3. Summary Self-Evaluation for Essays 1-2-3
Look back through the essays (1,2,3) that have been due up to this point and the feedback you received on them. If you don't have access to this through a hard copy or email, think back about what aspects of the essays were strong, and which needed work. Were there patterns in the feedback that revealed areas you need to work on? Consider the following:
a) Did you need to work on narrowing your topic?
b) On strengthening your introduction to catch the reader's interest?
c) On a focused thesis statement, and/or a smooth transition from the introduction to the thesis statement?
d) On developing the main points of your essay?
e) On strengthening the sense of organization or logic in your outline?
f) On spotting paragraph breaks, or grouping your sentences into paragraphs based on one main idea?
g) On developing your paragraphs better, explaining ideas more clearly, and not assuming what you need to establsih and support with evidence for your reader?
h) On writing and editing your sentences for grammar and clarity, and striving for variety in sentence length and structure?
i) On editing your punctuation, making sure you use commas when necessary, and avoid comma splices, run-ons, and other punctuation troubles?
j) On learning the correct format for MLA citations and List of Works Cited?
Consider the above questions, and then write a brief summary, explaining the strengths and weaknesses in your essays so far this semester. Type up the summary and submit it to the drop box titled, "Looking back - summary self-eval for essays 1-2-3."
1. MLA Citations and Works Cited
Look back on the blog for the listing of the readings that were due for today. Construct a list of works cited that conforms to MLA standards. See CWH chapter 53. Also, for each of those essays or articles, write one sentence that uses an integrated quote and an MLA format citation. Post them to the discussion forum in the "first things" unit/category titled "MLA Citations & List of Works Cited."
2. Research Scavenger-Hunt
On Google, look up "Military-Industrial Complex" and "Military Privitization." Do an advanced search, and try to find some good articles from some excellent sources.
Post them with clear subject lines that identify which of the above two topics they're about, and what the source is.
Use the categories for the torture scavenger hunt from the previous unit as a guide:
- Mainstream media (New York Time, Washington Post, LA Times, Chigago Tribune, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, USA TODAY, etc.)
- Progressive media (The Nation, Common Dreams, The Progressive, etc.)
- Conservative Media (FOX News, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, etc.)
- Government Resources
- Military publications
- International publications
3. Summary Self-Evaluation for Essays 1-2-3
Look back through the essays (1,2,3) that have been due up to this point and the feedback you received on them. If you don't have access to this through a hard copy or email, think back about what aspects of the essays were strong, and which needed work. Were there patterns in the feedback that revealed areas you need to work on? Consider the following:
a) Did you need to work on narrowing your topic?
b) On strengthening your introduction to catch the reader's interest?
c) On a focused thesis statement, and/or a smooth transition from the introduction to the thesis statement?
d) On developing the main points of your essay?
e) On strengthening the sense of organization or logic in your outline?
f) On spotting paragraph breaks, or grouping your sentences into paragraphs based on one main idea?
g) On developing your paragraphs better, explaining ideas more clearly, and not assuming what you need to establsih and support with evidence for your reader?
h) On writing and editing your sentences for grammar and clarity, and striving for variety in sentence length and structure?
i) On editing your punctuation, making sure you use commas when necessary, and avoid comma splices, run-ons, and other punctuation troubles?
j) On learning the correct format for MLA citations and List of Works Cited?
Consider the above questions, and then write a brief summary, explaining the strengths and weaknesses in your essays so far this semester. Type up the summary and submit it to the drop box titled, "Looking back - summary self-eval for essays 1-2-3."
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