Sony Cancels Release of "The Interview"

Sony Cancels Release of "The Interview"

 (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures, Sony, Ed Araquel)

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/sony-cancels-interview-release-after-theaters-drop-out-while-fox-n270281

1)  How do we know who is responsible for the hacks?  What evidence is compelling enough to make a threat credible?    

2)  Why might the family of the leader of N. Korea view this differently than Seth Rogen's family?  Why might a comedian view this differently than a politician?

3)  In what ways is this cancellation related to appeasement in war?  How is not?  How is this related to math?  

4)  What if the plot focused on a thinly veiled fictional character?  What if this was scheduled for debut during the summer?  How might it be different if it is accessible on Netflix?

5)  Who will be most affected by this news?  How might it be a significant marker in the history of pop culture?  Is this significant to national policy regarding potentially hostile nations?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can explore the relations between the US and the Korean peninsula and write a petition to the leader of a country who might mediate talks to resolve the situation.

2)  Students can compile a list of the most controversial movies of all time and predict how they would be received today as well as compare their  reasons for controversy.  

Most Expensive Photo of All Time

 (PRNewsFoto/LIK USA)
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/12/10/worlds-most-expensive-photo-depicts-antelope-canyon/20203093/

1)  What should determine the price of a photograph?  In what ways is photography like painting?  How is dissimilar?  Why are some artists' works more vlauable than others?  Why would someone pay millions of dollars for art?  Is the photographer lucky?    

2)  How might a Native American view this story differently than a relative of Ansel Adams?  How might a poor person view this differently than a wealthy person?

3)  How is this related to mathematics?  What recent character from a book you've read would be most upset upon hearing this news?

4)  What is this was in color?  What if we found out it was photoshopped?  What if a computer program created the photo?

5)  Is art important to survival?  What's your favorite form of art?

Extension Activities:
1)  Students will research the development of photography (camera obscura, Daguerre type, etc) and predict future trends.

2)  Students will research the most expensive works of art in a variety of media and evaluate the reasons for their prices.

New Zealanders: Leave Graveyard Ship Alone

By John Johnson

1)  Should divers be banned form the wreckage?  What evidence might convince you otherwise?

2)  Why might a Chinese immigrant view this differently than an avid diving enthusiast?

3)  How is this connected to the Elgin marbles issue?  

4)  What if this happened in the US with different cultures represented?

5)  What can come from this?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research the ethics of excavation of known burial grounds?

2)  Students can write legal cases for different parties involved in this issue?

App Maker Fired by Partner's Parents

App Maker Fired by Partner's Parents

(Photo via Complaint)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/18/yik-yak-lawsuit-frat-bro/

By Ellen Huet and Ryan Mac

1)  How much money should the partner receive?  What evidence would be most useful in helping decide the amount?  Should people this age be responsible for so much money?

2)  Who might have different perspectives on this issue?  Bill Gates?  Fraternity brothers?  The fired founder's parents?  

3)  How is this like Facebook's beginning story?  Apple?  McDonald's?    

4)  How would this be different 5 years ago?  10 years in the future?  What if they weren't fraternity brothers?

5)  To what extent should one's parents influence business decisions?  In what ways have social media apps replaced traditional media?  

Extension Activities

1)  Students report on the beginning stories of famous companies and draw connections between them.

2)  Students can create a policy for future tech startups on how to avoid these situations.

3)  Students can predict Yik Yak's success based on trends in social media apps.  

The 2014 Word of the Year: Vape

Vape is the 2014 Word of the Year


Elizabeth Shafiroff/Reuters/Landov

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/11/17/364802028/take-it-in-vape-is-the-oxford-dictionaries-word-of-the-year

By:  Bill Chappell

1)  What statistics do people use to support the claim that vaping is less harmful than cigarettes?  What evidence is the most salient for determining the harm of cigarettes?  In what ways have smoking habits changed over time?

2)  How might a child of smokers view this story differently than that of a non-smoker?  How might an employee of Philip Morris view this differently than a politician?  How might Barack Obama view this differently than his wife?

3)  What is a mathematical argument for more electronic cigarettes?  How is smoking like drinking soda?  Child abuse?

4)  What would happen if we banned all cigarettes?  All fast food?  What would happen if vapor cigarettes were given free to smokers?

5)  What are the larger implications of this issue?  Does the word of the year award have any significance in the larger society?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can outline the development of tobacco in America and predict it's future.

2)  Students can create a chart of addiction and advocate for policy action based on their findings.

3)  Students can  study the impact of the "Word of the Year" and rank the  most significant winners of the last 20 years.  

Secret Service Blunders

Secret Service Blunders

 (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/us/series-of-secret-service-blunders-eased-way-for-white-house-intruder.html?smid=tw-share

By:   MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

1)  What is an appropriate punishment for the security guards at fault?  Who else might be responsible?  How do you know?  Why does a president need so much protection?  Does President Obama deserve more than predecessor or successor?  Why or why not?

2)  How might the Secret Service have a different viewpoint than the Department of Homeland Security on the steps to prevent these types of incidents?  How do you think President Obama's family members feel about this incident?

3)  Has this ever happened before?  In other countries?  Who else deserves police protection?  Celebrities? Their children? Why might Alex form Target?  Who should pay?

4)  How could this story have been different?  What would happen if the Secret Service had a new oath?  What if a member of the Secret Service is not a supporter of the President's policies?

5)  What are the long term effects of this report?  Can anyone be protected all the time?  What would you give up for constant police protection?


Extension Activities:

1)  Students can trace the development of the Secret Service as an organization and outline how methods of protection and responsibility have changed.

2)  Students can create a myths vs facts about the lives of the President's children and imagine how they might feel under constant protection.

West Virginia Elects Nation's Youngest Lawmaker

West Virginia Elects Nation's Youngest Lawmaker 

 (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/11/04/west-virginia-elects-americas-youngest-state-lawmaker/
By:  Kris Maher

1)  What is an appropriate age for making laws?  What advantages (if any) did she have over her opponents? Disadvantages?

2)  Why might young people feel differently about this than older?  Who should feel more pressure to act now, teenagers or senior citizens?    

3)  To what degree can this situation be compared to the business world?  How is politics like sports?  Have 18 year-olds always had access to the job of law making?  

4)  What if she were 17?  21?  What if this was in your state?  What should happen if she quits college to become a full-time legislator?  What if she was a Democrat?  Libertarian?  Could this happen in other countries?  

5)  To which state other than her own is this most relevant?  What are the long-term impacts on her district?  The country?  

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can analyse the trends in age representation for their state's legislature over the last 20 years.

2)  Students can highlight instances of young lawmakers in the country/world and compare their similarities.

3)  Students can outline the key moments in American legislation that affected young people the most.