Hi guys!

Hi guys! It’s been a week that we’ve all been back at it, so it’s about time I write something here! First, it’s great to see you all – again and for the first time (for some of you). We’ve got a hell of a lot to do this year, but it should be good! I’m excited and enthusiastic, and I hope to maintain that rhythm throughout the year! To make the most out of our hour, please do the weekly readings and be prepared to discuss them in class. This does NOT mean reading each sentence and learning the text by heart (memorising). This means reading the articles strategically so you a) understand the key points and b) have something to say about them. SO, when you read, read for main ideas and WHERE and HOW the authors’ get their information. This second part is as important as the first. I’m not interested in everything on page 47 – if I were, I’d read all of page 47. I’m interested in what the author’s have to say (that is, why they wrote the damn thing and why they want me to think about it). Reading for this purpose is like processing information. You don’t have to read all of the articles – you have to read in order to get information. You can actually process large amounts of information fairly well if you apply a strategy of prioritising the information you read and skipping the parts you don’t consider necessary to a) understanding the author’s point and b) supporting what YOU consider to be important about the piece.

SO – let’s start with that! Happy reading! Tomorrow we talk about Lenz, I believe, “Culture as an Individual Process”.

Exam September 2011

Hi guys! I hope you’ve all been having a great summer!!!  I just wanted to remind those of you who will be taking my exam in September to consult the syllabus (page on this website) to look at how evaluation works for me.  You will sit an oral exam, but my part of it will be a review of your written work and class/blog participation.  After that, Cris Di Staola will have her own part of the exam.  READ THE SYLLABUS!!!! I’ve updated it to reflect the exam agreements we reached last Fall.

GOOD LUCK!!!!  and have a great day!!!

Pete

The Ascent of Money

Exams

Hi guys!
Remember – I need your final papers BEFORE you take the exam! That way I can calculate your mark on exam day! I just need time to be able to read the paper. IF you still need to give me a paper, or a rewrite, DO it SOON – if you plan to take the exam in the next couple of weeks. I don’t want to arrive at the exams without knowing if you still intended to give me a re-write or a paper. I still haven’t received any papers from a couple of people! Hmmmm….!!!! Passa parola – get the papers done!!!!
Anyway – I’ll see some of you in class!
DO have a great day!
Pete

FC Lingue Football!!!

Hi guys!

YOUR faculty football team FC Lingue is playing in the Interfaculty Football Tournament again! WE have a great team this year, with some very strong new players and a core of veterans that make a winning combination! The team was victorious in all three friendly matches – including a 3-1 victory against last year’s tournament winner Giurisprudenza.

COME to the field at Ca’Varea (Via Pablo Neruda, Urbino) to support YOUR team!!!  We have great chances to make it to the play-offs! Be there to watch it happen!!! The schedule for our division is as follows:

Lingue Calcio Calendario. Campo Ca’ Varea – Via Pablo Neruda, Urbino (Zona bocciodromo)

MERCOLEDì 18 ORE 16:30 L-FARMACIA

VENERDì 20 ORE 15:00 L-SC. E TECNOLOGIE

MARTEDì 24 ORE 15:OO L-SOCIOLOGIA

GIOVEDì 26 ORE 16:30 L-ECONOMIA

SEMPRE AVANTI COME LE BESTIE!!!!!

Pete Cullen

Referendum sull’acqua

Ricevo e pubblico la lettera della Sig.ra Mariachiara Alberton.
Ciao a tutti,
confermo la necessità di questo passaparola, aggiungendo che si tratta di informazione per ri-affermare i diritti costituzionalmente garantiti . Il dramma è che sembra la maggior parte della popolazione non sia consapevole di quanto sta avvenendo. Quello che Vi porto è solo un piccolo esempio. Sono una ricercatrice, mi occupo di diritto ambientale e di risorse idriche. Ieri mattina dovevo intervenire ad un programma RADIO RAI (programmato ormai da due settimane) per parlare del referendum sulla privatizzazione dell’acqua e chiarirne meglio le implicazioni giuridiche. ‘E arrivata una circolare interna RAI alle 8 di ieri mattina che ha vietato con effetti immediati a qualunque programma della RAI di toccare l’argomento fino a giugno (12-13 giugno quando si terrà il referendum), quindi il programma è saltato e il mio intervento pure. Questo è un piccolo esempio delle modalità con cui “il servizio pubblico” viene messo a tacere e di come si boicotti pesantemente la possibilità dei cittadini di essere informati e di intervenire (secondo gli strumenti garantiti dalla Costituzione) nella gestione della res publica. Di fronte a questa ennesima manifestazione di un potere esecutivo assoluto che calpesta non solo quotidianamente le altre istituzioni, ma anche il popolo italiano di cui invece si fregia di esser voce ed espressione, occorre riappropriarci della nostra voce prima di perderla definitivamente. Il referendum è evidentemente anche questo! Mariachiara Alberton – RICORDATEVI CHE DOVETE PUBBLICIZZARLO VOI IL REFERENDUM… perchè il Governo non farà passare gli spot ne’ in Rai ne’ a Mediaset. Sapete perché ? Perché nel caso in cui riuscissimo a raggiungere il quorum
lo scenario sarebbe drammatico per i governanti ma stupendo per tutti i cittadini italiani: Vi ricordo che il referendum passa se viene raggiunto il quorum. E’ necessario che vadano a votare almeno 25 milioni di persone Il referendum non sarà pubblicizzato in TV. I cittadini, non sapranno nemmeno che ci sarà un referendum da votare il 12 giugno. QUINDI : I cittadini, non andranno a votare il referendum. Vuoi che le cose non vadano a finire cosi ? Copia-incolla e pubblicizza il referendum a parenti, amici, conoscenti e non conoscenti. Passaparola!

Wednesday April 6

Hi guys!
Remember that April 6 my lessons have been moved to April 20th. We’ll pick up where we left off next week. I’m sorry about that, but I was supposed to go to Osimo on Wednesday 6th April.
Anyway – in other news, I’m very happy with the way you guys are using the blog. I see constant conversation between Claudia, Chiara and Annamaria! I know religious issues can be a bit tricky, but I like the debate!
As I said in class, I usually like to look at the environment that a people find themselves in, then ask what decisions they made to organise themselves for survival, and then how a culture moved from basic survival to significant surplus. Hmmm…. where does religion fit?

Talk to you all soon!
Pete

The Business Lunch

Howdy Guys!
We had the first meeting of “The Business Lunch” yesterday. There were only three of us, but is was a good start. We decided that we’d set up a blog and a facebook page – so if you can’t come down to Via Oddi on Monday’s to join us, you’ll be able to catch us online after next week. We’ve decided to also offer some films and hopefully get some guest speakers to talk to us this semester. Anyway – the more the merrier, so come on down if you can! In the meantime, y’all have a good day now, y’hear?!
Pete Cullen

Business Lunch

I see that the Business Lunch group will be difficult to do on Wednesdays. I teach now from 13:00 to 16:00 that day, and it appears that classrooms are being used for the other languages. Anyway – with the snow this week we didn’t meet. Should we try for Monday next week? The room will be free from 12:00 to 14:00 – and then have me in it anyway. How does that sound?

DO have a great day (fire-places, brandy, snow-sculptures and snowball fights!)
Pete Cullen

The Business Lunch

Hi guys! I can’t wait to get back into the classroom tomorrow! It will be a tough semester, but it should be interesting!

I also remind you that Wednesday at 12:00 we can meet at Via Oddi for the first meeting of “The Business Lunch”. We’ll meet each other and discuss direction and resources for the following meetings – that should also be interesting!

See you on Wednesday!
Pete Cullen