1. “Macbeth in Damascus” May 20, 2012 David Blair His hands are splattered in blood, but Syria's President Assad will be hard to remove. MURDERING the young reflects a primeval urge to eradicate not only the enemy of today but the foe of tomorrow. So it was with the massacre in Syria last Friday. Among the corpses heaped in the village of Houla lay those of 49 children, some found with their wrists bound in blue restraints. They made up almost half of the 108 dead. Thanks to Ed Green for this article! FLEANCE

2. Powerful Rebel Groups in Syria Announce Creation of Umbrella Alliance NY Times November 22, 2013 BEIRUT, Lebanon — Seven of Syria’s most powerful rebel groups said that they had forged a new Islamic force seeking to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad and replace it with an Islamic state.

3. Masked gunmen abducted a leading Syrian human rights lawyer and three other prominent activists in a rebel-held Damascus suburb Tuesday in a new sign that al-Qaida linked militants who have joined the fight against President Bashar Assad are trying to silence rivals in the opposition movement. Razan Zaytouni, one of the most outspoken critics of President Bashar Assad as well as Islamic militants who have gained increasing sway over the fight to oust the government, was seized along with her husband and two other colleagues from her office in Douma. Zaytouni stayed in the country but was forced to go into hiding shortly after the revolt against Assad began in March 2011. That year, she was awarded the Anna Politkovskaya Award for risking her life by breaking the government's media blackout to report on the brutal crackdown in Syria. ANNA AKHMATOVA

4. Here are the final ten contenders for TIME’s Person of the Year 2013 (listed alphabetically): Bashar Assad, President of Syria Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder Ted Cruz, Texas Senator Miley Cyrus, Singer Pope Francis, Leader of the Catholic Church Barack Obama, President of the United States Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services Edward Snowden, N.S.A. Leaker Edith Windsor, Gay rights activist The recognition goes to the person who TIME’s editors think most influenced the news this year, for good or bad.

5. Leadership (yes, again!) What are the qualities of a strong leader? 1. the ability to speak out, take a risk, act on one’s convictions 2. the ability to stand by oneself on an issue, even if there is no support 3. the ability to break from the crowd or be a role model for the crowd even if it is unpopular 4. the ability to act on, or voice, a concern on the behalf of others; being an advocate for others who may not have or feel they have a voice

6. Twelve Angry Men 1957 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKfqP53PkSs

7. The preview… A gripping, penetrating and engrossing examination of a diverse group of twelve jurors who are uncomfortably brought together to deliberate after hearing the “facts” in a seemingly open and shut murder trial case…

8. The jury, entrusted with the power to send an uneducated, teenaged boy of color to the electric chair for killing his father with a switchblade knife, is literally locked in a small room on a stifling hot day until they come up with a unanimous decision…

9. Guilty or not guilty.

10. 12 men’s deep-seated personal prejudices, anger, personalities, ignorance and fears threaten to taint their decision- making abilities…

11. Until one brave juror votes “not guilty” at the start of the deliberations because of his reasonable doubt…

12. One man is dead. Another man’s life is at stake. Life is in the jury’s hands….and death is on their minds!!!! Welcome to 12 Angry Men!

14. “Justice” The administering of deserved punishment or reward.

15. Is justice possible? Does it even exist? You are to find an article that relates to the word “justice”. It can be a factual news article or an opinion piece. It must be at least 200 words long. You are to print, read and annotate the article. Then you are to answer the above question THOROUGHLY, using your article as the content base. (Minimum two paragraphs). Assignment is due on Tuesday, December 17 th. You have ONE WEEK.

16. Act I Short answer. Answer each of the following questions completely. Be sure to rephrase the question in your answer. 1.What crime is being discussed at this jury session? Name specifically who did what to whom. 2.List three details about the boy’s background that make the jurors think he is more likely to commit crimes. 3.Explain what Juror number 8 means when he says the burden of proof is on the prosecution. 4.How does Juror 8 create “reasonable doubt” about one of the guilty arguments?

17. Act II 1.What causes the conflict between jurors Three and Five at the opening of this scene? 2.Why does Nine change his vote? Who is Nine? How does his background affect his vote? 3. What is the point that Eight makes about a passing elevated train? 4. Why is it so important for Three that the boy be convicted? 5. On what dramatic note does this act end? What makes the dramatic climax so ironic?

18. Act III 1.Nine tells Three that “It takes a great deal of courage to stand alone.” In what context was this sentence spoken earlier in the play? 2.Write three sentences why you think Three finally voted not guilty? 3.Explain how the play might have ended if Three had not changed his vote?

19. Now your task… Complete the “What is reasonable doubt?” packet.

20. For those who owe the Macbeth essay… The last act of a play brings all of the threads to one final conclusion: all problems are resolved and the fates of the characters are decided. Using specific details, show how this is accomplished at the end of Macbeth for the following characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Malcolm, and Macduff. Be sure to include each character’s final outcome, the situation surrounding it, and Shakespeare’s reason for determining that character’s fate.

21. For those that owe the justice assignment