Random Thoughts Thread

[Ack]

Anyone wanna minor in Marxism?

http://catalog.umaine.edu/preview_progr ... =3348&bc=1

That's interesting. I wonder a few things though.

First, is the minor to be used as a means to focus on Marx as a viable alternative to Hobbes and Locke, OR can the minor be used as a way to challenge the validity of Marx's theories. Is the student allowed to decide for themselves how they will focus it?

Second, I understand the choice of most of the electives, but I am surprised to see a course on Shakespeare, particularly focusing on his sonnets.

Third, I see the primary Marx course also features additional readings from Engels and Mao, but only one of the courses, HTTY 442 - The United States and Vietnam: A History, really seems to focus on an east Asian communist nation. Is there sufficient means to allow students to research the differences between Western takes on Marxism (such as theories pertaining to Europe, Russia, movements within the United States, etc.) and Eastern implementation of Marxism (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, North Korea, etc.)?

[AppleQueso]

Seriously I wonder if long term exposure of leaving that sanitizer soaked into the skin is worse then natural germs or just washing hands with good old soap and water.

Actually IIRC the FDA is conducting a study into antibacterial soap right now.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Anyone wanna minor in Marxism?

http://catalog.umaine.edu/preview_progr ... =3348&bc=1

That's interesting. I wonder a few things though.

First, is the minor to be used as a means to focus on Marx as a viable alternative to Hobbes and Locke, OR can the minor be used as a way to challenge the validity of Marx's theories. Is the student allowed to decide for themselves how they will focus it?

Second, I understand the choice of most of the electives, but I am surprised to see a course on Shakespeare, particularly focusing on his sonnets.

Third, I see the primary Marx course also features additional readings from Engels and Mao, but only one of the courses, HTTY 442 - The United States and Vietnam: A History, really seems to focus on an east Asian communist nation. Is there sufficient means to allow students to research the differences between Western takes on Marxism (such as theories pertaining to Europe, Russia, movements within the United States, etc.) and Eastern implementation of Marxism (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, North Korea, etc.)?

I believe the answers to all your questions are "yes" (based on what I heard from students/professors).

To clarify, I graduated from that university. Didn't pursue that minor though.

When I was there though, I believe the minor was literally just called "Marxism" not "Marxist and Socialist Studies."

[Ack]

Thanks for the info, though could you go a bit more in depth on my second point? What is the significance of Shakespeare in relation to Marxism?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Thanks for the info, though could you go a bit more in depth on my second point? What is the significance of Shakespeare in relation to Marxism?

Honestly, I think that one's just there to help satisfy the "writing intensive" requirement, which a student needs to graduate.

Major Ideas in Sociology (a class I actually took) is probably the most relevant one of those electives.

[Ack]

Thanks for the info, though could you go a bit more in depth on my second point? What is the significance of Shakespeare in relation to Marxism?

Honestly, I think that one's just there to help satisfy the "writing intensive" requirement, which a student needs to graduate.

Major Ideas in Sociology (a class I actually took) is probably the most relevant one of those electives.

Ah, oh well. I did take a few courses related to those presented while an undergrad, and I took a US-Vietnam War history course in grad school. But I was an English major with a History minor as an undergrad. The graduate-level history course was an elective while finishing my MLIS. I do wish I had spent more time actually focusing on academic studies as an undergrad. I think it would have been interesting to pick up a second minor in political science, though I doubt it would have necessarily benefited me any more (and the program at my university was far more focused on the US than the international setting).

[KitKatCara]

I just finished playing Portal, then my friend posted this on facebook:

http://portalbedroom.com/

That.. is freaking amazing. I wish I could repaint my apartment. They put the 'popcorn' that usually goes on the ceiling on the walls here too. Now I have a bunch of little white dots on a tan wall that I bet they will try to say something about. If you brush even lightly against the wall, they come off.

I have a dresser that I want to make over, but I'm still in the brainstorming stage. At first I was thinking about a pacman theme, but I wanted something a bit more diverse. I'm thinking now to include different side scrolling games and paint that on the three levels of drawers, but the detail may come out too small.

It's an old dresser, but still works. It's pretty dated though, and screams 1970s. The only thing that is really broke on it is the track for one of the drawers, but that's an easy fix with wood glue.

Do ya'll have any ideas?

[Erik_Twice]

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the decision by Toys R Us to drop their gender labelling in games. I don't know, why would anyone oppose that?

[Ack]

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the decision by Toys R Us to drop their gender labelling in games. I don't know, why would anyone oppose that?

Haven't they done this for the last year with their toy catalogs? Boys play with toys traditionally associated with girls, while girls play with toys traditionally associated with boys. I believe some of it has to do with traditional views on gender and gender roles, as well as trouble defining what masculinity/femininity happen to be in modern society.

[MrPopo]

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the decision by Toys R Us to drop their gender labelling in games. I don't know, why would anyone oppose that?

Because if boys play with dolls it will infect them with the gays and society as we know it will crumble.