Is California Worth Living In?

Q: Is California worth living in when it experiences wildfires, earthquakes, heat waves, flash floods, snow blizzards, volcano eruptions, tornadoes, the Santa Ana winds, and big storms? What keeps people here? What do other places experience that we don't?

A: Here in California, depending on where you live, you have some sort of intense weather that jeopardizes your home, family, and friends who live there. In northern California we have the volcanoes on three sides of the valley that are potentially going to erupt some time in the sort future. In the San Francisco area they experience huge earthquakes while in the mountains they acquire large amounts of snow barricading them into their homes until it can be removed. In southern California they have the Santa Ana winds that pick up spreading wildfires all over the place destroying towns and homes suddenly. Small tornadoes are created, big storms come on the ocean sides, flash floods come washing away anything that comes in its path, and then the heat waves that hit as well.

What is it that really keeps the citizens of California here and encourages others to come and visit, keeping California the Golden State? We do have the beaches stretching up the coast, and much more to experience as well. It really depends on what a person can handle competing with in order to make their life enjoyable. Everywhere in the United States there is some sort of natural catastrophe that they have to endure. There's the Tornado Belt, the hurricanes in the south, huge droughts, and freezing weather on the east coast blanketing the various states with snow and ice. California has probably the most mix up of the various extremities that we can encounter, but not one is the most extreme, keeping them all even in intensity. People must find California as an adventure that keeps giving for all the catastrophes that we experience and the countless that we have coming. For those who do decide to stay, they get the benefit of in-state tuition to some of our great colleges and universities. There is so much to experience it is impossible to never have something to do. Wherever you are you can never run out of activities to experience keeping our happy state the Golden State.

Newsweek: the Catsouras Family

Q: Should this family win their legal battle, or is this truly a free speech issue? if this had been one of your family members- how would you feel? Most news agencies would not show these photos- should they be allowed on the Internet- or does the Internet need to remain unfettered?

A: Currently, the Catsouras family is fighting in order to rid Nikki's horrific pictures of the Internet. Their lawsuit with the CHP has to do with the leaked photos from two of the officers who were at the scene and the spread it caused throughout the Internet. Yes, the family has every right to try as hard as they can to rid as many of the pictures that they can, but unfortunately, they will never be able to completely abolish them or even prevent the spread from becoming even greater. The do have a right to press a lawsuit against the CHP for spreading the photos to their own friends and family even if their intentions had nothing to do with harming the Catsouras family. Those were closed photos from an accident site that had no reason to be spread.

The family's fight against the CHP goes farther then just a free speech issue. Because of the publicity, the family has been harassed with photos through email and now they all are forced to go through everyday cautiously trying to avoid stumbling upon them once again accidentally. The multiple issues that the family is suing the CHP for have every reason to be. The privacy invasion, infliction of emotional harm, and the many others all have occurred because of two officers attempts to create public services to prevent the same fate happening to others as it did to Nikki. Others who have created MySpace accounts or websites in Nikki's name only to harass and make rude, unnecessary comments should be thrown into the lawsuit as well for their invasion and infliction they have caused as well. It is one thing to post a funny photo of a pet or friend on a web page or send in an email, but a complete other when it is a picture of a car crash with a young girl hanging out the window with an almost decapitated head. That has much more to do with then just a Freedom of Speech issue.

I believe that the Catsouras family has every right to sue the CHP for the charges they have, but they cannot sue for the fact that the photos were spread or the mention of other people. It is uncontrollable and can never be stopped, but their attempt to avoid this emotional harm for other families that will experience the same unfortunate mishappening is a valid fight. The spread happened because of one simple attempt to avoid another accident of the same degree, but it went a lot further because of the technology we contain in our world today and the amount of publicity and privacy that is uncontrolled.

Sports Figures and Crimes

Q: Tell if you think Micheal Vick, or any other sports figure who has been convicted of a crime, should be allowed to play again. Why or why not? Be specific! 5 paragraph minimum.

A: The debate between a new opportunity or to live with the terrible act of the past has presented itself to society. The decision whether to be allowed to return, or to be rejected and forced to find a new job. Phil Taylor's influencial diction surfaces the two-sided debate of Michael Vick's terrible acts of torture in dog-fighting.

The controversy between fans and organizations has risen in the debate between whether Michael Vick should be allowed to continue where he left off in his football career, or if he should be refused and have to start over from the bottom and work his way up again. Many people are very controversal about this matter. Already, couches and other teams have refused to have him transfer to their team for the upcoming season. Organizations, such at PETA are wanting more actions from him other then him saying, "I've changed." Many people are for his return to the NFA while others will oppose it as much as they can.

This debate is very understandable for the PETA and other animal treatment organizations to be desireable of more action from this pro-football star. Because he is already 29 years old he is now going to be competeing with younger, faster, more competitive players that can do even better passes then he was able to. It is very understandable for people to be wanting more from his actions and for there him to give something back for what he has taken. In many peoples opinion, he has not recieved a long enough sentence for his actions of torture. He has offered to do public service statements promoting animal welfare, but will that really show that he has changed or will it just give brownie points for him to return to his football career.

Many children and people look up to star athletes and love to follow their favorite teams through the seasons. How right is it to return someone who has convicted such a crime to return to the sight of Americas youth and be their role model once again? What kind of image is this going to give those who dream of achieving in the same sport. This could convince Americas youth that doing such crimes can still allow you to come back and return to doing what they love doing. This will give a very morally wrong image to many people promoting crimes. This irresponsibility should not be awarded with stardom and high respect. In many people's opinion, he should not be allowed back and should not be given the chance to pick up where he left off. If he wants to return to the NFL he should have to be back at the bottom and competing with the rest of the new, young athletes striving to play professionally. It is unfair to be given something so amazing back after doing such a terrible act against "man's best friend."

Duck Tape Dresses

Q: Would you enter the Duct Tape Dress to Prom Scholarship? Why or why not?

A: The contest gives a chance to be extremely original and creative. Many different designs are thought up and made, some very wearable, and others so extravagant you just stand back in awe saying, "Why?" The competition winner also wins $3000 for each person in the first place couple, $2000 for each person in the second place couple, and $1000 for each person in the third place couple.

I would enjoy entering the contest, I think it would be an amazing amount of fun to be able to actually make one of those dresses. The winnings would definiately help for college. The dress gives even more of a chance to be unique and show some creativity. It is a very fun, exquisite way to compete for a scholarship.

"Incentives in Charitable Acts"

Question 3 (Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.) A weekly feature of The New York Times Magazine is a column by Randy Cohen called “The Ethicist,” in which people raise ethical questions to which Cohen provides answers. The question below is from the column that appeared on April 4, 2003.

"At my high school, various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives, asking students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus points on tests and final averages as incentives to participate. Some parents believe that this sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K. ?"

The practice of offering incentives for charitable acts is widespread, from school projects to fund drives by organizations such as public television stations, to federal income tax deductions for contributions to charities. In a well-written essay, develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation, and/or experience.


A: The idea of being part of a charity or unprofitable organization is to be selfless and to be there wholly to help others out without receiving anything for the act. These range from high school food drives to world wide organizations ranging in what the incentive of the program will do. People from all sorts of background participate in order to gain the self-reassurance that someone less fortunate was just given something extremely helpful. The article "The Ethicist" by Randy Cohen argues and challenges against what the morals people think they are receiving and are actually, in exchange, receiving tax reductions or some other incentive to include themselves. He exemplifies the immorality and injustice of the extras added to these non profit organizations.

Today, high schools have all sorts of drives and programs that were created in order to help less fortunate people, to make the world a little brighter, and to gain the feeling of selflessness and good morality. Although, many teachers give extra credit to their students in order to up the numbers of how many students participate, or the winning class gets an ice cream party or a pizza. Should it really take something extra to be able to persuade more students to participate? Should they not just participate because it is the morally right thing to do? Organizations around the country, or even around the world, create all sorts of programs that are intended to do the same thing, just to help those who are in need. Although, many of the larger, more well known programs sometimes also have some extra initiative to gain more support and members included. They have used tax reductions and many others to gain contributions.

This can only exemplify the morals of today's population and today's youth. That not as many people are completely selfless and need an extra little cookie to get them to have the desire to be included. The whole initiative for these organizations is to help others, but most people participate only for the extra points or the money they will save for helping out. Some programs do not include these extras, but many do. For blood drives many of them now give out movie passes and coupons to get a free sandwich at the local deli shop. There usually is always something added to gain support. How terrible is it to hear that most of the American, and maybe even the world, population is greedy enough to need something to gain instead of just participating it only to increase the wealth or life of another unknown person.

We as a community should not have to need one of these prizes to want to be included in such organizations. Everyone should have the desire to walk up and help out, without receiving anything in exchange. It only goes to show the greediness of the common person. Even with the economy the way it is currently, that should have no reason to change the amount of selflessness that should be exchanged in today's society. In many views, this is morally wrong for our society to sulk to. Many will agree with this, although almost everyone has participated in the morally wrongness of this situation and many few can be excluded from this act of injustice.

Overall, the morals of the common person needs to change. It needs to change to be less selfish and be willing to give without getting. This change will not happen for many people. The amount of narcissism in our society has increased from generation to generation, lessening the amount of self willingness to only give for a non profitable reason. Hopefully, the morals of people will be subject to altering back to what was known many years ago as just helping a friend out.

Animal Testing

1- author: unknown
Title of article: Animal Experimentation: Point Counterpoint
Title of website: StopAnimalTests
Date it was published: unknown
host of website: PETA.org
date found: March 12
web address: http://www.stopanimaltests.com/f-pointcounterpoint.asp

2-author: Matthew Knight
title of article: Scientist: Stem cells could end animal testing
title of website: CNN
date it was published: Dec. 23, 2008
host of website: CNN health
date found: MArch 12
web address: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/22/stem.cell.drug.tests/index.html

3-author: CFSAN/office of cosmetics and colors
title of article: animal testing
title of website: US FDA/ CFSAN
date it was published: April 5, 2006
date updated: 18 Nov. 2008
host of website: FDA/ department of heath and human services
date found: march 12
web address: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-205.html

4-author: Bonita de Boer
title of article: HIV drugs, Vaccines, and Animal testing
title of website: AVERT
date it was published: march 10, 2009
host of website: AVERT
Date found: MArch 12
web address: http://www.avert.org/hiv-animal-testing.htm

5-author: Teal Beattie
title of article: Animal Testing
title of website: about my planet
date it was published: October 2, 2007
host of website: about my planet
date found: march 12
web address: http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/science-technology/animal-testing/

6-author: unknown
title of article: life in a laboratory
title of website: stop animal tests
date it was publsihed: unknown
host of website: PETA
date found: marc h12
web address: http://www.stopanimaltests.com/AnimalsinLabs.asp

7-author:unknown
title of article: EPISODE 96: “MANIMAL AND THE COSMETICS TESTING LABORATORY”Personal-Care Products — An Easy Call on Animal Testing
title of website:www.grinningplanet.com
date it was published: 12 october 2004
host of website:grinning planet
date found: 24 march 2009
web address: http://www.grinningplanet.com/2004/10-12/cosmetics-animal-testing-article.htm

"Death of the Dream"

Q: Will California recover? Why or why not? What do you think some of the changes will be?

A: The American Dream, to one day own a house, have a decent job, have a family, live happy, and live without worry. Many citizens and immigrants wish for these simple things. The amount of people that wish to live small but happy are innumerable. The growing population and amount of desires and needs is increasing dramatically. The recession that the UNited States is currently facing is not only hitting the average middle-class, but the higher and lower classes as well. The lack of money is causing an alarming amount of people and businesses to go bankrupt and lose everything they have ever known. California, as well as the rest of the country and world, have been able to make in out of either a similar or even bigger recession then the one we are currently in. Unfortunately, with a split society and legislature, it may take us longer then it has previously. The amount of people who have everything that they could ever wish for do not see things the same way that the lower class or even middle class do. Nobody is willing to sacrafice or give up what they have already earned or been given. That is one of the problems that Californians have today. The amount of greed and inability to want to help another fellow American is unreal. Before, everyone whated to come to America, to the land of opportunity, but now, we the outmigration should reach about 200,000, and those are just the legal people that we know of, that does not include all the illegal immigrants that will go home the same way that they came here. Everyone is being hit hard from these hard times. What needs to happen is for everyone to see eye to eye atleast for a short amount of time, and to willing to take some risks and give a little in order to make it out of the crisis that we are currently feeling. The housing industry is only one of the many causes of our crisis. The 'hysterical greens' have a reason to be doing what they are. Because of the irresponsibility of Americans as well as the rest of the world is ruining the world as well as our economy. Their efforts to clean up the messes that we have made do have a major purpose for the future. Unfortunately, these funds are insanely expensive and need money that we do not currently have. They are a extremely important and does need a big focus, but there needs to be a happy median in order to get us out of this crisis before it gets any worse. For all the people out there, everyone needs to give a little in order to gain a lot later. Even though this is easier to say, then to do, it does need to be thought before anything else can happen. Actions need to be made and efforts need to be innumberable before any positivity can be progressed.