Scientists claim to have discovered, using mitochondrial DNA, a link between 95 percent of Native Americans and six women that lived around 20,000 years ago.  NPR Story

Remember the ballroom dancing documentary?  Bronx students learn Irish jigs (with video!): The Gothamist

There has been a mild uproar in the media over Fred Armisen (a white/Asian actor) playing Obama on SNL.  Is this an important discussion?  Newsweek Story

Mastadon skeleton for sale: $115,000.  Reuters Story

Go outside.  Read.  Talk with your family.  Whatever you are in the middle of, move it to the yard.

This is worth ten points.

After four years of researching, a Pentagon group has discovered that while the Iraqi regime has assisted and collaborated with (and even trained) terrorist groups, there is certainly no connection between Al Quaida and Iraq.  NPR Story

Eyeteeth blog interview with Brian Ulrich, a photographer documenting America’s consumer culture.  Eyeteeth Story (w/ slideshow and links)

Second Life on college campuses. NYT Story

Review of My Kid Could Paint That, a documentary following the art of four-year-old Marla Olmstead.  Popmatters Story

I’m going to try to get into the habit of posting the articles in the main blog body instead of the news feed to the right (thanks KO, for the idea).  The pickings are sparse today, but since I should be doing a daily feed (and we only do articles twice per week), there should be more to look at in the future.

Obama’s rhetoric.  Author’s pulling at the reminiscent heartstrings hardcore here.  Does her argument work?  Popmatters Story

More rhetoric in the blogosphere: Treehugger Story

This is the piece of art? game? I was describing in class: game, game, game, and again game via Popmatters

Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle incited a mass overhaul of the American meat processing industry in  the early 20th century.  Is video a more effective means of persuasion? NYT: Dining & Wine Story

More to come later tonight; I’m headed to look at more houses!

The books are in!  You can pick up your copy at the front desk of the B&N at 41st.  They will be under TSAS or Jesse Stallings.  Or I suppose you could just ask for the title…  We will begin discussing the work on Monday, so try to get through the first chapter at least.

Your journal assignment over the weekend is to reflect on Johnson’s thesis (what point he’s trying to make).  Do you think he’s on the right track with his ideas?  Do his ideas about modern media apply to your life? 

Let me know what you think.

Also, if you read this and have a way to contact other members of the class, please spread the word.  Ask them to do the same.