2.) should we make abortion legal

3.) should we block our borders to immigrants

4.) should smoking be made illegal all over the u.s

5.)should we make the drinking age 18

6.)should we make it illegal to go from state to state without passports

7.) should we ban all strip clubs

8.)should we make marijuana legal

9.) should we get rid of standardized testing

10.) should we let people with felonies  own more things

Pot Holes create a huge problem houstonians because they are spending more and more money on car repairs.  Also it creates traffic jams because cars are constantly weaving in and out of their lanes to avoid them.  We are always complaining about gas prices and pot holes just increase the problem because of the constant stopping and going.  Not many people would think that the pot hole problem would affect our police force but it does.  When trying to pursue a criminal, they have to constantly try to avoid pot holes instead of focusing on the task at hand. 

Weather is a huge cause of pot holes.  Everytime is rains, the holes are corroded and expanded.  It is impossible to change the weather so we need to do something about the objects that we can manage.  If the problem isnt solved soon, then the holes will get so big that the streets will be impossible to drive through.  Lets look at it on the bright side, police wont have to worry about car chases anymore!  Family activities such as bike riding won’t be availabe anymore in fear that they might disappear into black hole forever.  The city thrives off of tourism and if the streets arent fixed then the income will decline because tourist dont want to come to a city with bad roads.  However, the people who will suffer the most will be the working class.  If Houstonians aren’t able to drive to work, then they wont be able to feed their families.  If traffic jams continue to be a problem as a result of pot holes, then people are going to continue being late for work and eventually get fired. 

The person who has the power to solve the pot hole crisis is our very own mayor Bill White.  He signs all of the motions, resolutions, and ordinances passed by the City Council.  Therefore we need to get the message to the city council to pass a bill to fix the streets.  I know that it isnt easy to fix pot holes.  Not only would many streets be blocked off and cause a bigger problem with traffic for awhile but it would also cost a lot of money.   A major reason why the problem hasn’t been solved is that people aren’t educated on how to report their concerns.  A lot of the pot hole concerns are in the lower income areas and they are less likely to have the  resources to do this as well.

If I had to choose a topic from above to write about, it would have to be “Club Dead.”  The research question would be something to the extent of What action should we take to prevent our underage exotic dancers from drinking and driving?  From reading the article, it is clear that club owners are not following the TABC rules and disregarding the age limits set for proper drinking.  To argue this case, I would need to look at the TABC rules to see what is illegal in a strip club.  Also I would need to look at the precautions that strips clubs, who do follow rules, take to prevent underage drinking.  Clubs who allow alcohol inside but dont supply it would probably have a harder time regulating the consumption so I would try to look up death statistics for this.  I would try to see if there was a way that we could ban alcohol period from being in strip clubs. 

The first place I would start to get my needed information would be the strip club itself.  There are certain clubs who are b.y.o.b (bring your own beer), and clubs who provide alcohol, so I could interview the manager about how the two regulate alcohol consumption.  Also I would look online to see the TABC rules.  The library would probably have publications on this subject because many college students attend strip clubs.

For my proposal paper, there are a lot of issues that I have considered to write about.  One of these issue would be addressing the horrible street problems that we have in Houston. While driving down the street, you tear up your car because of the horrible pot holes that you drive across every few seconds.  We need to find a way to improve the streets because it will save a lot of money on gas and car repairs.  Another issue would be building more Boys and Girls clubs which is an after school program kids can go too.  The club makes sure that kids stay out of trouble, helps them with school work, makes sure they maintain healthy exercise habits, and makes it easier on parents to work.  I attended a Boys and Girls club while growing up and it saved my life on many levels. I want to see more kids have that experience and chance to succeed.  The last issue im considering is the banning of livestock in the city limits.  Livestock who are raised in backyards don’t get the right space, or grass needed to be healthy.  Livestock, such as horses, need to be able to run and exercise and cant do that in the confinements of city limits.

Ever since i was a child, music has been my first love. It has always been there for me when I was down.  Music always seemed to say the right things. It knew how to get me out of bad moods and also get me into the right ones.  Throughout the struggles in high school, the band kept my grades up, kept me off the street, and taught me the disciplines a parent can’t teach.  Music programs in school might seem like an easy A but it is hard work and it can be the beginning of a wonderful career.  People who make music for our radios more than likely were either in band or choir sometime in their high school career.  Likewise for those in orchestras, dance companies, and music directors. If you eliminate the music program, it’s going to make a huge negative effect on children’s lives.

For my paper, I plan to provide the positives effects music has on children and adults. I am going to research statistics and look up articles that have been published on this topic.  There are many campaigns going on right now to save the program I plan to maybe contact someone for more information and maybe gets some direct quotes.  I would hate to see music be destroyed and I plan to argue hard.

Hip Hop has lost its meaning.  It was originally created as a way for inner city citizens to express views on politics, poverty,joy, and everyday struggles through intricate words and dance.  We need to help Hip Hop get back to its roots so that we can send the right messages to the new generation.

http://www.411mania.com/music/columns/109750

Throughout the episode, a high school teacher tries to prove to a reluctant crowd of popular cheerleaders and football players that the high school choir Glee can give back to more people than just the low life, unpopular geek squad.  When the schools talented quarterback gets tricked into joining the club, he realizes that making yourself happy is what counts and approval from fellow peers is not needed.  In the meantime, the teacher who thinks he is helping the student body, is shown that there are dreams in his life that he has to follow.

Thinking back about past tv shows that have been produced, I realized that I could not think of many that highlighted the problems facing teens like the peer pressures of popularity.  However there are movies such as Cinderella with Hilary Duff, High school musical, 10 things that I hate about you and many more.  In a sense, this is one major reason why the tv series Glee is breaking new ground because you dont find many shows like it. Similar to Cinderella, Glee pointed out that even popular kids who look like they have glamorous lives, share the same pains and look for outlets just like everyone else. In cinderella, Hillary duff pretended to be this fairy tale woman who was beautiful by disguising herself as cinderella but deep down she was the outcast at school and at home.  When she made herself into this character, she was worship but the guys and she felt important.  However as soon as people realized who she was, she was spit on and made fun of.  It was as if she was a totally different person just because she had a different exterior.  The same thing happens to the quarterback.  He uses his jock costume to gain popularity and even though he is the same person, when everyone finds out he likes to sing he is ridiculed.

Have you ever though about giving up on your dream because you thought that making money was more important.  this is exactly how the teacher felt when he realized that he was having a baby and had to decide between following his dream as a teacher or making more money as an accountant.  In the episode, there are many references to money as being all mighty.  When the teacher tries to save the Glee club, the principle attempts to remove it because an organization makes a better offer for the space needed.  He fails to realize that even though the very few difference in dollars that he would receive could help the school for a little while, the club would help shape the futures of students for a lifetime.

The blue collar working class is often categorized as uneducated and underpaid.  The misconception that most people have is the idea that to have a “good job” you must go to school for four or more years, and work in an air-conditioning office.  However, not everyone likes the atmosphere of the fast paced, closed off to the world business life.  Likewise, college is not always the right secondary education.  There are many options that are looked down upon such as trade schools, apprenticeships, and community colleges. Sometimes hard, hands on work is what truly makes some people happy and can also give them the same capital as an office job.

College is not always the answer for everyone.  Yes college gives you book smarts and skills needed to write essays and make public speeches.  However, it does not give you the hands on experience needed to build a house, weld pipes together on a building, or fix a drainage pipe.   These are everyday jobs that we over look and take for granted.  Until we have machines that can do all of the manual labor, we need skilled, experienced, blue collar workers.  Apprenticeships give young people these skills required from contractors.  When you work underneath someone, you get to experience what a job is actually like.  You see all the errors that can be made but you also learn how to stop from making those errors.  In college you just read about the errors and it’s not until you are thrown into the job that you experience them.  An employer wants someone who has hands on experience because skill is way more important than a piece of paper saying that you are smart.

Maybe the blue collar jobs might not be the most comfortable, but that does not mean they are less valuable than the jobs obtained from getting a college degree.  Working hands on teaches you responsibility, punctuality, and gives you the skills that all employers want on a job.  College is one way to obtain a good job and build capital but its not the only way.  Even when you graduate from college, you still need the internship to obtain the experience.  The next time someone says that you have to go to college to get a “good job,” keep in mind that  sitting in a classroom is not going to teach you hard work.

Doubter:

Growing up in a fast-pace, technology expanding world, its almost impossible to obtain a good paying career without a college degree.  “Hands on” jobs are becoming more and more scarce and education is required to be considered for a high paying  job.  Experience is not the only quality needed for a job, college teaches both mental and physical skills to define you as a well rounded candidate for the position.

Punctuality and Responsibility are one of many traits that are learned and not inherited.  Attending college is a major role in teaching citizens to become exactly that.  I was once told from an employer that he would never hire anyone without a college degree.  He believed that if they had enough will power to make it through an average of twenty-four classes all demanding their time and effort, then they could handle working for him.  Yes hands on might be the best way to get good at a job. However,  learning how to communicate with others and juggle many task at once is another must have trait in the business environment.  Also college expands your thinking in many different areas and subjects.  Once you have been to college, you have the “skill” to adapt to any job that you apply for whether you have experience in it or not because you have been taught how to.  Being an apprentice only teaches you how to do one job and does not train your mind to learn other skills.