L6Dg

/in /by

200 words

Readability sounds like a fairly subjective term. What are some of the guidelines offered in the text to help readability? Now think about things that you read at work, or in your academic life. List some things that help keep you focused as a reader. What are some things that usually make you lose focus or interest in a message? 

L7Ab

/in /by

500 words

 

A water pipe burst in the basement of Superfast, a grocery store, flooding the basement and damaging cases of canned goods on the floor.  The plumbing contractors workmen, in repairing the leak, knocked over several stacks of canned goods in cases, denting the cans.  After cleaning up, Superfast put the goods on special sale.

Four weeks later Susan was shopping in Superfast.  Several tables in the market were covered with assorted canned goods, all of which were dirty and dented.  A sign on each of the tables read:  Damaged Cans Half Price.

Susan was having Guest for dinner that evening and purchased dented two cans of chicken, packed by Cansco, from one of the tables displaying the damaged cans. Before Guest arrived, Susan prepared a chicken pot pie which she and Guest ate.  Both became ill and the medical testimony established that the illness was caused by the chicken being unfit for human consumption.  The cans of chicken consumed by Susan and Guest came from the case that was at the top of one of the stacks knocked over by the workmen.

Susan asserts a claim against Cansco based on negligence, what results? Although Guest may have a case against Superfast, and the plumbing workmen may have some responsibility, you are only to discuss Susans claim against Cansco.  What are the defenses which Cansco may raise?

Find three cases that support Canscos defense in this case.  Write a short essay (minimum 500 word) defending Cansco.  Cite to your supporting cases by comparing and contrasting the similarities and/or differences between those cases and Canscos case.

2.5-3 Page Paper

/in /by

Length/Format:  2.5 to 3 pages, double-spaced.  PDF format only! This format facilitates grading via Canvas. No shared google docs, no Word docs, no screen shots from your iPad (I swear that last one has happened more than once). 

Grading Rubrics: See below after the prompt.

Prompt

  1. Pick one song by any artist you deem creative and subversive in some way that interests you.
  2. Write a concise, well-written and argumentative essay analyzing that song and/or video/performative dimensions of it. You might cite only the lyrics and musical dimensions of the song (perhaps as connected to a particular genre, instrumentation, etc.). If the song has a music video or live performances related to it and you think they are relevant for your analysis you can also include analysis of the visual and performance elements.
  3. Your paper should:
    1. Briefly introduce the song and artist, providing an overall introductory argument for why you consider it creatively subversive.
    2. Make a substantive and evidenced argument for how it can be analyzed according to 1 of the 4 conceptual perspectives we covered in the first section of the course (i. Critical Theory, ii. Culture Industry Critique, iii. Transgressive Approach, iv. Performance Theory).
    3. This analysis should use in detail at least 2 of the key ideas we identified with the conceptual approach you choose to analyze the song AND make explicit connections, and where possible direct citations, to the authors/texts discussed on the day of the course dedicated to that conceptual approach.
    4. Provide a brief concluding thought to reinforce your main argument.
  4. Citations: For any and all citations that include direct quotations from course texts you can simply use a parenthetical in-text citation; it must include the page number. For example: As Bakhtin says about grotesque realism, . (Bakhtin, pg. X).  For the purposes of this short paper, there is no expectation of citing texts from OUTSIDE the course syllabus. However, if you choose to do so for the sake of your argument, you must include a proper bibliography at the end of your paper with the full reference.   

L7Db

/in /by

250 words

 

Stella Liebeck, an elderly grandmother, received third-degree burns when she spilled coffee purchased at a McDonalds drive-through. At trial, experts testified that McDonalds coffee was too hot to be consumed at the point of purchase, was hotter than any other restaurants coffee or coffee brewed at home, and was so hot that third-degree burns would result within three to five seconds of coming into contact with the skin. McDonalds also conceded that the coffee was brewed extremely hot for commercial (profit) reasons, because most customers wanted coffee to be hot throughout their commute. After finding the company liable, the jury awarded Mrs. Liebeck two days worth of coffee sales at McDonalds, an amount equivalent to $2.7 million, in punitive damages. The award, although reduced to much less than that, set off a firestorm of criticism that has not died down to this day. Do you believe that its possible for coffee to be unreasonably dangerous? See for one filmmakers perspective on this case.

Do you believe that the jurys award of $2.7 millions for third-degree burns was excessive?  Why do you believe that such an award is necessary?  Can you identify any standards which have changed in the industry based upon this case?