GOOD LUCK ON YOUR MID-TERMS! And have a nice holiday!  (:

Compare/Contrats Essay Organization

I noticed some of you guys are struggling with organizing Point by Point Compare & Contrast Essays. This presentation should be of help.

Compare and Contrast Essay Organization

View more presentations from gozdekoksal.

A clip from the comey series Burnistoun by Iain Connell and Robert Florence

Official site for the guys:
http://www.connellandflorence.com

Enjoy the song, notice the structure

THE MAIN ORGANIZATION OF AN ACADEMIC ESSAY

Here's a nice and useful presentation (prepared by Hakan Şentürk) on what was covered this week.

The Main Organization of an Academic Essay on Prezi

In response to today's discussion... MEN IN SKIRTS

Men In Skirts?

Photo courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit titled, Bravehearts: Men in
Skirts. The title was inspired by the Mel Gibson film, Bravehearts, depicting the battles

of the Scotts for freedom from English rule.The exhibit will run from November 4, 2003–February 8, 2004.

It will be displayed in The Costume Institute, ground floor. Their website describes the exhibit this

way: Bravehearts locates “men in skirts” in historical and cross-cultural contexts and looks
at designers as well as individuals who have appropriated the skirt as a means of injecting novelty
into male fashion, transgressing moral and social codes, and redefining ideals of masculinity.

To which I say, “Huh?” Guys just want to be comfortable and many men are discovering

that skirts are more comfortable for the male body than pants. Pants bind and chafe.

They rub and restrict movement. There’s the “three drops” problem caused by our

plumbing getting kinked on all that material. It’s even been demonstrated that pants can

lower a man’s sperm count by raising the temperature of his testicles which inhibits

sperm production. Cooling the testes with ice is a common medical treatment to increase

sperm count and motility. Many urologists claim that tight pants can even contribute to or

aggravate prostate problems.

Still, men have to overcome the social stigma of being considered effeminate if they

wear anything other than pants. To head off that stigma, most men who wear skirts wear

them in the form of kilts which are recognized by most European cultures as a masculine

garment.

Far from being an attempt to transgress moral and social codes or redifine ideals of

masculinity, modern kilt wearers are rediscovering what used to be a normal mode of

dress for men.

It all started with a fig leaf. According to the Bible, Adam and Eve found shame along

with knowledge and began covering their bodies. The fig leaf was the first unisex

garment. Afterwards, humans began hunting animals and wearing their skins. While the fig leaf has fallen out of fashion, there are still people today who wear the skins of dead

animals.

Not quite Eden, but contemporary Polynesian men and women wear
skirts made of plant materials. Source: http://gallery.sjsu.edu

Then came the agricultural revolution and people began weaving plant materials into

cloth. Cotton was used extensively in the ancient Middle East. The word comes from

the Arabic “qutun.”

-- In the Indus River Valley in Pakistan, cotton was being grown, spun and woven into
cloth 3,000 years BC. At about the same time, natives of Egypt’s Nile valley were making
and wearing cotton clothing.

Source: http://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/index.cfm

Ancient Egyptians often went naked, but when they dressed, most Egyptians wore

nearly-transparent linens made of flax. The clothes were light and loose-fitting -- ideal for

the hot climate they lived in. Men and women wore makeup -- the equivalent of today’s

mascara, blush, lipstick and nail polish. In fact today’s makeup styles are directly

derived from those of the Ancient Egyptians. The exception being that very few men

wear makeup nowadays.

Ancient Egyptian men and women wore loose unbifurcated clothing.
Source: http://www.dragonstrike.com/egypt/cloth.htm

The Greeks and Romans also wore loose clothing. Men and women wore togas and

tunics (a long shirt that was tied or belted around the waist). The longer and more

elaborate the cothing was, the higher the rank of the person wearing it. Senators wore

long togas that hung down to the heels of their feet. A Knight wore a tunic above the

knees. Soldiers wore short armored skirts, and laborers wore loincloths. Tunics were

worn most often as everyday clothing using lighter or heavier material to suit the

weather. Trouser-like garments were also worn, but were not very common.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the world men wore loincloths, kaftans, daishikis, kanzu (a

long dress), aso oke (kaftan with pants and hat), tunics, grass skirts, sarongs and

lava-lavas.

There were very few places in the world where men commonly wore pants. The Vikings

were a notable exception. Viking men wore wool pants under a tunic. In India, men

wore lungis (a short piece of cloth wrapped around the thighs, like a sarong), kurtas,

dhotis (a longer lungi with the extra material pulled up between the legs) and pyjamas

which are a trouser-like garment. While most modern Indian men wear western styles of

clothing in the cities, villagers still wear the traditional wraps and loose-fitting trousers.

Rajasthan men in traditional village garments.
Source: http://ukoehler.bei.t-online.de/

In early Europe, men wore a variety of clothing styles. Near the end of the ice-age, a

German man would wear a loin garment tied between the legs, stockings made of animal

skins, a fur tunic and finally, a coat made of grass.

Early German man wearing a grass coat over a fur tunic with leggings and loin cloth.
Source: http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu

Later, European men wore tunics over tight leggings that tied to a waistband under their

clothing. In Scotland, men wore a blanket draped over the shoulders, tucked (“kilted”)

around the waist and held in place with a wide belt. This was later abbreviated to the

knee-length skirt that is commonly worn as ceremonial dress. Lately, kilts are worn by

men who dare to challenge the notion that men should only wear pants.

A young Scottish Highlander wearing a full formal kilt.

Source: http://www.emory.edu

But why did men start wearing pants in the first place?

It’s hard to find a serious history of men’s pants, but it seems to have started with the Renaissance.

Up to that time, women wore pants adapted from Arabic clothing, and it was thought to be unmanly

for men to wear them. But machines were being invented. Loose clothing is not compatible with gears

and cogs and levers. The men who operated the machines needed clothing that wouldn’t get caught in

the machinery and would likewise protect them from flying bits of wood and metal. So, pants and leggings

became the standard wear of Renaissance laborers. Sewing machines eased the manufacture of pants.

Short breeches and leggings became standard wear for European men who brought their style of

dress to the New World. The practiced continued and spread during the Industrial Age. Cowboys

and gold miners began wearing rugged pants made by a fellow named Levi. Denim pants became

the standard wear of all laborers. Men and women wore Levi’s demin jeans in those times just as they do now.

After two World Wars, wearing pants became a symbol of masculine power. In America, the post-war

years saw men in pants and women forced back into skirts and dresses. The question, “Who wears the pants?”

was asked of men when their authority was questioned. Women openly rebelled in the 1960’s and 1970’s

and won back their right to wear pants whenever they wanted to.

Now, four-year-old girls “wear the pants” and so pants no longer carry the symbolism of

masculine authority. Some modern men have decided that it’s time men also had choices

in clothing again.

Kirk Allen Ludden, Seattle, WA
Photo supplied by Mr. Ludden.

SJCC Times: What type of unbifurcated garment do you wear?

Kirk: Utilikilts Neo Classic Originals & Workman's

SJCC Times: Why did you start wearing it?

Kirk: The FREEDOM & the look. Used to belong to a Pipe & Drum Band, and couldn't wear the

band kilt when I wanted. So went out & got my own.

SJCC Times: How many such garments do you own?

Kirk: 6 and counting

SJCC Times: Where do you wear it?

Kirk: Anywhere & everywhere. Only wear pants when working.

SJCC Times: What are the good points to wearing it?

Kirk: Freedom. Looks Good. Easy Access....LOL

SJCC Times: What are the drawbacks?

Kirk: mmmm.....VERY FEW.....cold knees in the winter.

Other comments: Montreal Gay Pride 1998 had the band kilt & was attending pride.

There were those who wanted to see underneath, & I obliged. An Englishman said to me,

"Do you know you are supposed to wearing underwear?". Kinda threw me off guard, first

I heard that underwear had to be worn. So I said, "What?". He explained, "When there is a

woman on the thorn, one wears underwear!" Without missing a beat I responded, "That

makes no sense. If one is heterosexual, would think you would want to screw the Queen & get

out leaving no evidence. Secondly, I am more Scottish & Irish then I am English, so I don't

give a F*CK what the English say. Lastly, the head of the arm forces in Great Britain was

asked by Parliament, "Do you wear underwear?". To which his response was, "If they don't

issue it, we can't wear it!".

---

Richard D. Ackerman II, Gilford, New Hampshire
Photo supplied by Mr. Ackerman

SJCC Times: What type of unbifurcated garment do you wear?

Richard: At this point I wear Utilikilts, and Kilts mainly, with an occasional

skirt thrown in for the fun of it.

SJCC Times: Why did you start wearing it.

Richard: I guess the main reason is comfort. And also I like to be a little

different and rock the boat a little. And also at my age the attention from

the ladies is a bit of a bonus.

SJCC Times: How many such garments do you own?

Richard: I have five Utilikilts, one traditional 8 yard kilt in a Lennox District

Tartan, one traditional 4 yard casual kilt in a Medlin Tweed fabric, and a

large number of denim and twill skirts all with pockets and front flies.

SJCC Times: Where do you wear them?

Richard: I wear Kilts, Utilikilts and skirts just about everywhere except work only

because my work environment is not suitable for skirts or shorts.

SJCC Times: What are the good points to wearing it?

Richard: The biggest advantage is comfort. Next I would have to say is the attention

they attract from the ladies. They are a great ice breaker and conversation starter.

SJCC Times: What are the drawbacks?

Richard: The only real drawback as far as I can see is that they are sometimes down

right cold in our New England winters also they really don't work very well

for motorcycle riding or sailing on a good windy day.

Other comments:

I find Kilts and skirts to be a very practical, useful and comfortable

addition to my everyday wardrobe. And Iwould recommend that any guy who

has not tried one doesn't know what he is missing.

Crossword Puzzle

Hello!
Had an early start this Sunday morning, so I thought I'd create a little crossword puzzle for you with some words that came up during our reading sessions last week.

Enjoy (:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

ACROSS 2. a person you spend a lot of time with either because you are friends or because you are travelling together (n.) 4. to ask for something forcefully, in a way that shows that you do not expect to be refused (v.) 6. a difference between two similar things (n.) 7. to 'hapshuuuu' (v.) 9. the state of feeling healthy and happy (n.)

DOWN 1.       often supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way by allowing personal opinions to influence your judgement, prejudice (n.) 2. expensive (adj.) 3. making you want to do or believe a particular thing, convincing (adj.) 5. very important, crucial (adj.) 8. put up with (v.)