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| This month, almost 2 million first-year students will head off to college campuses around the country. Most of them will be about 18 years old, born in 1990 when headlines sounded oddly familiar to those of today: Rising fuel costs were causing airlines to cut staff and flight schedules; Big Three car companies were facing declining sales and profits; and a president named Bush was increasing the number of troops in the Middle East in the hopes of securing peace. However, the mindset of this new generation of college students is quite different from that of the faculty about to prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Each August for the past 11 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. It is the creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief. The List is shared with faculty and with thousands who request it each year as the school year begins, as a reminder of the rapidly changing frame of reference for this new generation. The class of 2012 has grown up in an era where computers and rapid communication are the norm, and colleges no longer trumpet the fact that residence halls are “wired” and equipped with the latest hardware. These students will hardly recognize the availability of telephones in their rooms since they have seldom utilized landlines during their adolescence. They will continue to live on their cell phones and communicate via texting. Roommates, few of whom have ever shared a bedroom, have already checked out each other on Facebook where they have shared their most personal thoughts with the whole world. See the Mindset list for the Class of 2012 | |
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| I posted up a while back begging for help on a paper that took months just to spit out. After the words I received here, I edited edited edited. Now, after spending a few nights with friendly professors, one night with an ex girlfriend's english-major buddy, and countless nights romancing my doubts the thing is done. I've turned it in, and my anthro professor asked me to wait two weeks for a grade. For now, I'd like to offer you guys the final piece. This community was amazingly helpful. I was impressed that anyone was willing to read the draft and offer genuine criticism. I created a geocities account so nobody has to worry about dangerous ads. I'll be hosting all of my papers here from this point forward. http://www.geocities.com/johnjohnpfeil/index.htmlIf you've still got it in ya, look it over. Share with me what you think. Criticism now may be too late to effect the grade, but I could still learn from it. Thanks, everyone John | |
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| Two articles about the recent discovery of caves believed to have been thought by the Maya to have been passageways to the Underworld, Xibalba. From the Thaindian News. ( Article #1 behind cut. )From the LA Times. ( Article #2 behind cut. )Also, here's a link to an English translation of the Popol Vuh, the ancient Maya text, since it's mentioned in the articles: Popol Vuh.What do you guys think? For some reason, I've always been particularly curious about the religious beliefs and burial practices of other cultures, especially ancient cultures. | |
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| New evidence implicates humans in prehistoric animal extinctionsResearch led by UK and Australian scientists sheds new light on the role that our ancestors played in the extinction of Australia’s prehistoric animals. The study, which was carried out by a team including a scientist from the University of Exeter and was published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, provides the first evidence that Tasmania’s giant kangaroos and marsupial ‘rhinos’ and ‘leopards’ were still roaming the island when humans first arrived. The findings suggest that the mass extinction of Tasmania’s large prehistoric animals was the result of human hunting, and not climate change as previously believed.
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/newsprehistoric.shtml?icid=D022-5088380-047C
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| Hi. I can't remember if I've actually posted here before or not, but I'm a college sophomore looking to major in social sciences. (The local university actually offers a multidisciplinary Social Sciences degree.) In any case, I've taken a real personal interest in the study of society, culture, history, social interactions, etc., and one thing I'm really interested to learn is eschatology. Specifically I was wondering if anyone could point to good references that catalogue the various end-of-the-world beliefs from cultures around the world and throughout history; not necessarily just religious beliefs, but also scientific theories about how the world/current age/universe might end (sun going nova, global climate change, heat death).
Can anybody point me in a direction? Maybe there are a few good books to start that can lead me to other things? Thanks in advance. | |
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| Er, this is my first time posting on this community and while it is news related, I think that it's sad news. Olaf Prufer died this past Sunday. I'm student at Kent State and took a couple of his classes. He was a neat guy who focused on Ohio Archaeology among, as I understand it, many other things. I just thought I'd share the passing.
Unfortunately, I don't know of any paper with the article about it other than our University paper, the site for which appears to be on the fritz. | |
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| I recently had an argument with a friend regarding the aquatic primate theory. He called it outdated, saying that all educated and intelligent and respected anthropologists scoff at the idea of man evolving in water. I disagree. ( read more )But what's jiggy with the aquatic thing? I mean, I'd like to assume that most people generally accept that our ancestors lived on beaches, and the argument is only of the degree of time spent in water. But I've actually got people saying that those same ancestors were completely, 100% terrestrial, and that to think anything different is scoffable and obsolete. Experts, hit me. And don't claim you're an expert if you're not! We all wish. But I'm addressing people who are obsessed with having the most up-to-date information on human evolution. Where does the community stand? What are the professors supposed to be teaching? | |
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| Guys...have you ever checked out Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's personal blog? http://www.ahmadinejad.ir/ Actually, it's not such a great blog; he never updates. But I find this interesting if not a little hilarious...maybe his real entries are friends-only. Edit: I hacked in there and this is what I found! Today I got up and I popped open that new Britney Spears album. As against Western decadence as I am, I must say that “Gimme More” makes for some very beneficial listening to my great and beautiful ears. I will invite her to Iran and make for her a chadoor and she will see the honor that is done proper muslim women. I will throw a party at my house and show her my secret collection of happy meal toys, which I keep around only to remind myself of the ruinous machinations of the west which is plagued with frivolousness and corruption, like little tiny plastic parts that break off easily and are not suitable for children below the age of 3. I am sure she will be pleased also to see that I still have my Addams family collection in complete and pristine condition. Don't worry Britney, I will tell them to leave you alone.
A big shoutout to all my Hollywood brothers sporting beards. Look at these handsome examples of Westerners following shariah, and they don’t even know it!

Looking good, Matt. Myself, I prefer the scruffy, I’m-just-your-average-dictator-who-likes-a-good-pair-of-sweatpants look.
Some of you may have heard that Iran may be developing nuclear energy for use in bombing people, especially hateful Zionists. Well, let me put it here officially folks: I’m not doing anything with that nuclear power but using it to light up streets so people can walk safely at night, and take care of their plants and stuff. Except for women, who may be looking to seduce males by roaming around at such hours. And occasionally, I will use it to power my new all-Iranian made digital camera. I have a very nice camera made from technology developed solely in Iran. I have this cool picture of me in the mirror throwing up the peace sign to all my violent western adversaries with this awesome tan I just got but I can’t find it right now. :(
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