Monday, May 23, 2011

Contents:
1. This week’s conversation - “Conspiracy Theory & Critical Thinking”
2. The next conversation – until Fall, 2011 “Your Summer Communication Lesson Plan”
3. Last week’s conversation - postponed until Fall, 2011
This Coming Week – Final program for this semester
1. The Touro Communication Club #139
Tuesday, May 24, 2011- 2:30 p- 4:00 pm – Room 223
Midtown
“Conspiracy Thinking vs. Critical Thinking”
The assassination of Osama Bin Laden on Sunday, May 1, 2011, has produced the inevitable outbreak of people who don’t believe that bin Laden still lives. In recent years it has always become a predictable “fact” that some people will deny any facts that are presented in support of an action or a position.
To be simplistic, for a change, let us group these kinds of people as “Conspiracy Theorists.” The basic pattern of this thinking is to deny any set of facts as untrue. Examples abound: .
· “The end of the earth will arrive on Saturday, May 21, 2011” is only the most recent, or
· President Obama’s birth certificate has been a favorite or
· Global Warming (or climate change as it is now called for the politically correct), or
· Was Lee Harvey Oswald President Kennedy’s killer? or
· Unidentified Flying Objects, or
· and, most dangerously, the Holocaust.
Other everyday circumstances of the denial of factual evidence show up when
· Someone calls you a liar, (Congressman Joe Wilson to President Obama) or
· Someone continues to lie despite the evidence (a current court case), or
· A student shouts at a teacher, “You’re wrong!” among others.
We will attempt to identify these and other issues which are conducive to “Conspiracy Thinking” and examine how “Critical Thinking’ can aid in understanding what and why this occurs. Perhaps a bit of Freud might help, too.
Join us in Thinking Outside the Box!
(Or Just Thinking!)
The Next Conversation – Until Fall, 2011
2. Your Summer Communication Lesson Plan
During the summer, you are on your own to develop your repertoire of communication skills. It’s a 24/7 job – if you want to sharpen your mind. “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste, according to the iconic slogan of the United Negro College Fund.
Keep in mind “You cannot not communicate.” Some messages are obvious. Many are not.
There is much to “look” for with your eyes, ears and the pit of your stomach (that’s Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Crap Detector.”) Watch and listen to the language people use. Watch and listen to their gestures and body language.
Then connect the dots. What does this individual data mean? What does it mean in context? Ask yourself, “Is that the only intended meaning? Or are there other possibilities?” This is not being paranoid. This is analysis.
That was the easy part. Now do the same for what comes out YOUR mouth. Words. Gestures. Body Language. Your dress. This is more difficult because you have to be pro-active, not passive. Think before you speak. Pause a fraction of a second before reacting.
Your Communication Tool Box begins with awareness – inside and outside. As you gather data, look for patterns. Verify the patterns. Once you’ve observed the general outlines, then begin to look for nuances.
Then give your mind a rest. Until the next time.
Last Week’s Conversation – postponed until Fall, 2011
. The Touro Communication Club #138
Tuesday, May 17, 2011- 2:30 p- 4:00 pm – Room 223
Midtown
Student Showcase I – Ms. Lorinda Moore
Anyone who has been around the Midtown site will know Lorinda Moore. Officially, she is Dean Perkal’s Administrative Assistant in Room 301. But she brings a lot to the table besides her million-dollar smile and her helpful, gracious manner. Lorinda is a 2010 Touro graduate who received last year’s Special Recognition Award. She’s now working on her MBA degree at Touro. But there’s much more that you can discover about Lorinda on Tuesday when the Communication Club presents its first Student Showcase.
Discover the inspiring accomplishments of Touro students!


Hal Wicke

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Contents::
1. This week’s conversation: Debate
2. The next conversation – “Conspiracy Theory & Critical Thinking”
3. Last week’s conversation: “Abbott and Costello” & list of attendees.
This Coming Week:
1. The Touro Communication Club # 137
Tuesday, May 10, 2011- 2:30 pm – Room 223
Midtown
Debate – What is it?
Plus a few useful skills
As an example of what is expected in debate, Michael Zacharias, Junior in Political Science and a Finalist in the Speech Contest, will demonstrate a 3-part legal brief. He will portray the Judge, the Prosecutor and the Defense in a property damage suit. You will be the jury
At the recent Speech Contest, the idea of having a debate team was mentioned. If you are interesting in finding out more, come and have some fun.
If you like to argue, this session is for you! Learn how to argue effectively and not just shout over the other person.
Academic debate has been called “intellectual combat.” Compared to what is called “debate” in the political arena, academic debate is exacting and challenging. In politics, you can shoot your mouth off without evidence. In academic debate, you will regret that.
Academic debate teaches every academic skill you need plus the excitement of thinking on your feet in the moment. The old debate adage is that “A debate is won in the library.” That means you’d better do your homework or you’ll be shot out of the water.
We’ll experiment with instant SPAR debate we often use in our classes and then switch sides.
Work out at the Brain Gym with Debate!
The Next Conversation
2. The Touro Communication Club #138
Tuesday, May 17, 2011- 2:30 p- 4:00 pm – Room 223
Midtown
“Conspiracy Thinking vs. Critical Thinking”
The assassination of Osama Bin Laden on Sunday, May 1, 2011, has produced the inevitable outbreak of people who don’t believe that bin Laden still lives. In recent years it has always become a predictable “fact” that some people will deny any facts that are presented in support of an action or a position.
To be simplistic, for a change, let us group these kinds of people as “Conspiracy Theorists.” The basic pattern of this thinking is to deny any set of facts as untrue. Examples abound:
· President Obama’s birth certificate is the most recent, or
· Global Warming (or climate change as it is now called for the politically correct), or
· Was Lee Harvey Oswald President Kennedy’s killer? or
· Unidentified Flying Objects, or
· and, most dangerously, the Holocaust.
Other everyday circumstances of the denial of factual evidence show up when
· Someone calls you a liar, or
· Someone continues to lie despite the evidence, or
· A student shouts at a teacher, “You’re wrong!” among others.
We will attempt to identify these and other issues which are conducive to “Conspiracy Thinking” and examine how “Critical Thinking’ can aid in understanding what and why this occurs. Perhaps a bit of Freud might help, too.
Join us in Thinking Outside the Box!
(Or Just Thinking!)
Last Week’s Conversation
3. The Touro Communication Club
Tuesday, May 3, 2011- 2:30 pm – Room 223
Midtown
Critical Listening Institute III: Comedy
Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?”
For those who don’t know this famous comic routine, you are in for a treat!
“Who’s on First?” is a part of the rich American popular culture. First performed in the 1944 film “The Naughty Nineties,” the routine became the signature act of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Products of burlesque and vaudeville in 1930s and 1940s, the comedy team were successful in radio and over 30 movies. The routine is part of the permanent exhibit at Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
This is the third in the Critical Listening series. Martin Luther King’s “I have
a Dream Speech” was the focus of the first session. The second session was Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero.”
The topic attracted an attentive and enthusiastic people of 19 with many new faces. They included: Yanchen Lama, Jean Missial, Vlad Konyshev, David Davidov, Logunshvili Nicki (sp?), Omer Gurbuzer, Bahadirhan Keles (sp?), Jean Bonne-Année, Tian Yuan Chen, Richard Green (many thanks for handling the DVDs), Nabila Ellithy, Rashmi Hirani, Lorinda Moore (thank you for the flyers), Hong Huang, Htinshu Way, Gena Bardwell, Robert Bohr, Charles Mason, Carlisle Yearwood and Hal Wicke


Hal Wicke