Tipping Proposal

I really enjoyed reading about Laurel Wilson's policy proposal tha stated that hosts to get tipped, just like the waiters. This essay really made me think about all the hostesses and about how maybe they should be getting a tip. Wilsons did a very good job of setting up his proposal, and he seemed very knowledgeable about his topic. He obviously used logical eviedence to appeal to his audience. This was a proposal that was for a CEO which made it very clean cut and to the point. I like it for that reason, he really got his point across. At the same time, he was able to get all of his necessary information into his proposal. He gives very good reasons, and some solutions to this problem. He also provides information on why this issue needs to be resolved. He mentions that it would make the restaurant more competitive against other restaurants, which would be a good thing since other restaurants do not tip their hosts. I thought that this was a very good point he made. I really didn't have a problem with this essay, if there was anything missing in this essay, I would have to say that it was because this is a very short and to the point essay.

Progress

On thursday night, I was able to sit down with my dad and ask him about his experiences and opinions about animal cruelty. I will not repeat what he said, because I would like to save that for my essay, but he did remind me of the time when I was working at the clinic, and a Pekinese came in. Now, the person who brought this dog in picked him up on the interstate, apparently the owner just didn't care. I suddenly remembered the witness, who saw the dog beign droppoed off, said that he saw the hands of children reaching for the dog. Obviously the dad did not want the dog, and saw it as an opportunity to punish hish children for something they did wrong. About a week later, the owner came in to reclaim the dog, my dad did not want to give the dog back, but it was not his choice, the dog was microchipped. The clinic could have pressed charges but didn't, I will tell you know that if that were me, I would not allow the owner to have the dog back.
It is stories like this that only make me want to stand up for this cause even more.

Research for Inquiry Contract

I have decided to writre my Contract as an advocate for the rights of animals. I feel that i can provide sufficient details of the horrible treatments I have seen. Now, some may know this, but some may not, my dad is a vet, this is probably where I get the passion to protect animals. My evidence would inlcude interviews with my dad, and his colleague Dr. Clayton, in doing so I would be asking them about how they feel on the topic, and if there is anything else they would like to add. I will also be looking at the shw Animal Cops, this is a show where the show animals who have been found in very bad condition. Personally, when I see shows like this, it makes me sick, but when you really look at this, the case is either that the owner just doesn't care, or they are not able to take care of an animal. At the same time, the wounds we see on these innocent souls, are the reflection of the mistakes of someone they trust.

ideas for my inquiry contract

I have given a lot of thought as to what I should write my inquiry project about, and then it just came to me. I should write about the thing that I've grown up around my whole life, animals. My dad is a vet, and as a child I spent most of my time around animals that have been hurt in some form or anther. My topic could be cruelty to animals, meaning that I would talk about how it is the responsibility of the owner to take care of that animal. This would have to include some of the extreme and sad cases that I myself have witnessed the aftermath of.
Human rights are also something that intrigues me. I like this because it is so broad, but that is why I am hesitant towards dong this topic.
I am also very passionate about the war in Iraq, and that would be a good topic for me to do, and would provide sufficient details for this contract. Although this topic tends to be overdone, it is my belief that the only way we can end this war, is for people to speak out. My view on the war is that we set a time to keep our troops over in Iraq, and then we leave, but not until there is a stable system of government. If we can provide this, then at least they will be back on their feet. Some people have very different opinions of the war, and this is understood, so this paper will be based on what I think should be done.
I also am against our dependence on gas guzzling tanks of cars. Yes, I realize that i myself drive an SUV, but even I have made it so that my gas can last longer than that of someone else driving the same car as mine. The way we can become less dependent is to use less gas, and this is hard for us as a nation. But, if a car is driven the way it is supposed to be, then it will use less gas. We could come up with more hybrid SUV's, and they have quite a large selection on the market today.
So, basically my topic could be, against animal cruelty, human rights, war in Iraq, and against our dependence on gas.

Maistream is a Myth

First, I would define mainstream as the in which people have to conform and change they way in which they behave in order for people to acknowledge them as Americans. He describes this behavior as something that is almost expected from these people. This is because they all want to feel like fit into the society, which is mostly, white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant. Pleas notice how one of these groups is religious, I just thought it was interesting since a lot of people are constantly trying to escape religious prosecution. They do this because the want to fit in, and in order to do that, I feel that they have to change their characteristics and become something that they aren't. This all stems from the Melting Pot idea that if we all fit in and get along, then there will be less discrimination, which I totally disagree with. Discrimination will always exist as long as people remain different, it is something we can try to control, but no matter how hard we try; it will still be there.
Like me, Yoshino also believes that this is a myth, and that it is inevitable that people will cover up themselves to fit into the mainstream. The myth applies to groups that lay beyond the traditional groups that we think of, the civil rights groups. If we each have our own identities, then it is impossible for this myth to exist. Therefore, if we have no freedom, then we cannot be individuals. Freedom is what allows individuals to be themselves.
I think he writes in a way that allows the reader to think that it's all right to be themselves, and how the courts can sometimes work against people who are different. If you are not part of the mainstream, then you are not treated as an equal, even in the courts. I love how he says that nobody is normal, and that basically the only way a person can be normal is to be themselves.
I personally loved this essay, and he really provided a valid argument, that made me think about the ways people try to fit in. When you really look at a person, you cannot classify them as being normal or not, that is their decision in my opinion.

End of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

In the end of the book, Linda obtains her freedom when Mrs. Bruce, who is the 2nd wife of Mr. Bruce, and Linda worked for her already. Mrs. Bruce was able to hire someone to negotiate with mr. Flint's daughter and her husband, when they came looking for her. In the end, the negotiator was able to buy Linda and her children for $300. mr. Dodge thought this was not a good offer at first, but in the end, he settled when the negotiator told him that Linda would leave the country if the offer was not accepted.
At the end of the book. Linda has some mixed feelings. I think that some of the feelings were that she probably thought she would not be bought, and the fact that she was sold shocked her. Little did she know that it was Mrs. Bruce who bought her, and that she planned to give Linda her freedom. I also think that she didn't like the idea of being sold from one slave owner to another. She also never really liked to consider herself property. She ultimately felt a huge burden lift from her shoulders, and she was no longer afraid. I do think it is ironic how a "sacred" friend gave her freedom, and that it was not a member of her own family.

4th of July good or bad

I think the point that Douglas is trying to get across is that even though the 4th of July means a lot to Americans, it may not mean the same thing for slaves. Slaves were still slaves no matter what, the white man had all the rights, and slaves had none, they were treated as nothing more than property. We may celebrate this holiday, when in fact it did not free all Americans. I love the way he appeals to logos, by using the beliefs of his audience, who do own slaves, against them. It is interesting how he says that a slave may be punished for thinking the thoughts of a free man. The only difference between animals and humans is that we, as humans, have the ability to make our own choices. It is basically saying that we are punishing slaves for doing what a white man can do, and that is think for himself. He also uses the harsh treatment against the white man, which is a very good strategy in trying to sway his audience. Ethos, he uses the declaration of independence saying that all men are created equal. I think a good way to sum this up is to say that this celebration in history meant nothing for a slave until he was free.