How I can move society beyond its racial history

I think modern society keeps too much of its history with itself. Yes, we all know who the historical figures are who made a difference, but what do we do with that information? We always hear “let history never repeat itself.” Any educated person will agree to such a concept, yet will have no interest in maintaining society’s future history. A society does not need to rely on its past to move forth, in my opinion, but better yet needs to rely on improvements it can make. In all honesty the society today is more corrupt than ever and I have no doubt that it will never improve. Racism has always been a part of life; humans are judgmental beings. Slavery and discrimination has left a giant scar on the face of our nation, and those blemishes cannot simply be forgotten about. I would like to know of a way to move this nation out of its hole, but I do not believe there is a way to.

Peer Reviewed Paragraph

Have you ever thought about what chemicals might lurk in your poultry? Domestication of animals has evolved into machinery used to slaughter animals for poultry. The machines can be contaminated by the animal previously butchered on them, leaving the risk of diseases and meats; this is known as cross-contamination. Diseases are easily spread, especially in crowded places like schools where close distances enable easy contact. There was a case in downtown Dallas where the rapidly-spreading influenza virus caused a shut down district-wide. This example can be applied to animals as well, where they are kept in "the most crowded and unsanitary areas" (Pigs 19).

T. Boone Pickens

T. Boone Pickens, the founder and chairman of BP Capital Management, began a campaign called the Pickens Plan to promote energy investment and oil and gas conservation. This project began back in July of 2008 as a plan to make the United States energy-independent. There are two parts to his plan: to encourage the use of renewable resources, like wind and solar power; and to make natural gas a widely used fuel for transportation. No legislation has been passes yet, but bills have been written for the issue waiting with the legislature. It has been forty years and there still has not been a potentially usable energy plan for the country; Pickens says this is because of leadership not fully understanding the issue of energy and the existence of cheap oil. He plans to go after the 18-wheelers which use a large amount of diesel fuel and replace the fuel with natural gas, a more environmental- and financial-friendly substitute. Pickens estimated a good seven years to cut OPEC in half.
Pickens believes the US gets involved in out-of-country business for gas and oil, interfering with its international relations The US is importing oil from its enemies, which can look good to them but not to the states. Only thirteen friendly OPEC countries exist to the US. When we buy oil and gas from the enemies, we are practically paying for both sides of the war. There are enough resources in American to fix the problem though. The security issue needs attention, and foreign oil imports should be reduced.

Best Movie Criteria

Making criteria for what makes a good film seems a bit difficult. These are the guidelines that I chose: quality of actors, appearance, rating, reaction, quality of inspiration, humor, plot, and action. The movie I will set as the nominee for best picture is Donnie Darko (2001). The acting in the movie was exceptional; nothing seemed fake or forced. The film was set a decade or so before it was released, giving it the old-timey-but-not-quite feel. It is rated R for language and scary scenes; I find this much more appealing than rated R movies that have blood, gore, heavy language, and explicit sexual content just to be there. My reaction to the movie was that of being stunned; I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was really inspirational and thought-provoking. The humor was not overdone and bland, but rather witty. The plot was twisting, and contained flashbacks, which cause the viewer to think well about what is going on. The action in the movie was not lacking, but it was not prominent either. Either way, it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Rewritten "Arrested Development" Blog

When trying to develop an argument, a writer needs a steady stance and plenty of supporting facts to back up his or her claim. In James Forman’s essay “Arrested Development,” he discusses racial profiling and its effect on students attending the Maya Angelou school. He begins by pointing out the audience, conservatives, but he describes them in such a way that the conservative reader would disagree with such a description. He has a known bias because he is a teacher in the school he is trying to defend in the article, giving the audience an idea that his facts and process might be a little skewed to his side. He uses statistics to present a sound logical argument, but one statistic stands out in particular, from The New York Times. Percents were recorded of the different races that were pulled over on a highway, blacks having the highest percentage. Not only does that prove nothing, but it in no way supports his argument unless the reader is not careful. He goes on to describe conservatives and liberals in such a way that contradicts his former description, and can be controversial to those readers who identify with such ideologies. Forman could have done a better job using logical to prove his point, but the main idea is made in the article.

Counter Argument to Sugar Tax

In contrast to my views on the penny-per-ounce sugar tax, some may take a difference stance on the issue. Perhaps the tax will in no way make consumer retract from buying sugar drinks; a similar effect is noticed with the inflation of gas prices. There are other options, like riding a bike or taking the bus, but driving one’s own car is most convenient. Soda is so popular that it will not cease to be consumed. The tax might not even generate enough revenue to do anything; if it did, the money might not even be used for its intended purpose. Obesity will still be a prevalent problem, even if sodas were never consumed. People still get their sugar intake from other sources like breads, juices, and desserts. Though the sugar tax seems ideal, the options on the other side of the problem are just as logical to ponder.