Final Exam Topics

Final Exam Questions.
If you passed the midterm, you must do one of the following as a 7 paragraph persuasive essay. If you had a score of close, you must do this as a 10 paragraph persuasive essay. You will have 2 days to do this.
You can use a note card for any of these topics. You may want to research various sites to gain enough information to write academically about any of these topics.
I will need prewriting, an outline, and an essay.
1. Many people read commercially popular magazines and believe that they too can hike into the remote places that are in them and not experience troubles DESPITE not having the ability to seriously hike or the understanding of the local terrain. This happened to Bryce Gillies at the Grand Canyon last week. Persuade your reader on what is the appropriate behavior for a hike of this kind.
2. In recent months, North Korea resumed its nuclear program, which included a 4th of July missile launch towards Hawaii (it didn’t quite get there). This has been going on for many years with stoppages in between when the US and the world paid them to not utilize nuclear weapons. Now, the US is faced with the same decision again as the North Koreans threaten massive retaliation against anyone that tries to stop them. As the world’s leader, what should Obama direct the US to do in this situation?
3. President Obama weighed in against the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police who arrested Henry Louis Gates, an African American professor at Harvard, when he was taken into custody after disorderly conduct that stemmed from him trying to “break into his own home.” The police who arrested Gates were alerted to the house by neighbors who saw 2 black men trying to enter the house. As a result, the police are being accused of racial profiling. Based on facts only, is this racial profiling, or is this the police doing their work to protect the homeowner? Persuade your reader of the dangers of racial profiling or tell your reader about the dangers of calling everything racial profiling. In addition, you can persuade Obama to stay out of affairs that he self-admittedly states that he knows nothing about. If you do that, it’s an essay all to itself.
4. Manuel Zelaya, the former leader of Honduras, was overthrown for corruption. Now, the socialist leaning leader is threatening to come back to the border of his home country in order to resume power. What should the United States do to support this situation?
5. Since the elections in Iran, there has been a lot of tension within the country. This is now escalating as the opposition is looking to mourn the victims of this crackdown with a memorial for slain activist Neda Sollani. Should the Iranian government allow this situation as a good will gesture or should they continue to ban it as a threat to the stability of their country?
6. Some parents (such as Christian Scientists) do not believe in the use of medicine to treat their ill children. In a recent case, a father decided to pray for the recovery of his 11-year old daughter instead of allowing her to get treatment. The daughter died, and he is facing charges that his actions killed her. In this, is it right for the state to weigh in against someone’s religious beliefs when they endanger a minor?
7. Iran, like North Korea, is seeking to create nuclear weapons, which it is feared that they would use on Israel, a country that they hate. Last month, it was reported by a Joe Biden mis-speech that the US would step back and allow Israel to protect itself (this was quickly “corrected” by the powers that be). As a result, Israel started to prepare for the strike on these nuclear facilities before they could become operational. Now, Iran has threatened to strike back at Israel’s nukes if they try to do anything to the Iranian facilities. What can be done to de-escalate this situation?
8. I told you that you could write a persuasive essay in defense of Octomom, but you can’t write one against her. If you want to do this, I am fine with telling me why she is being unfairly singled out for manipulating the welfare system with having 14 children that she can’t afford to take care of on her own.
9. In light of the Iranian Revolution (this final exam may as well be called what we are learning from Iran), which broadcasted everything live on the Internet as it was happening, what are the benefits or drawbacks of a 24/7 news service of anonymous comment from the people?
10. Should the use of Myspace and Facebook be held against potential employees and college students based on what they do legally in their own time? See the case of Stacy Snyder, the Myspace “drunken pirate.”
11. What should people be able to do if they are unfairly and anonymously “revenged” on the Internet with slanderous and unsubstantiated comments? As this is something that you all can and will face in your life, this is a good topic for you to ponder as you become leaders in the business world.
12. What should the U.S. do with the terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay? Think of this in light of wear to try them, wear to hold them, and how to prevent them from returning to the battlefield.
13. Barack Obama is currently touting a new health care system in America that would provide GOVERNMENT health care as a right to all Americans. Is this the right way to fix America’s health care system or is giving people the right to a better privatized system a better way to fix the system?
14. As they are a country with a large Muslim population and no reason to help America in their war on terror, should the United States leverage Pakistan to further support American in our quest to root out the remaining Taliban and Al Qaeda elements that are based in their country?
15. Just over 101 years ago, the Tunguska Event occurred. This was an explosion over Siberia that has been claimed to be an alien spaceship crashing. In honor of this event, do you believe in aliens? Why or why not?
16. In honor of the most famous writer still living in Berks County (Charles Adams), do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not. Also, you can read this article and determine if the principal of the school district acted accordingly in not allowing Charles Adams to do his ghost story thing.
17. Many magazines that specialize in tabloid sales have complained about the media loving tendency of Kate (of Jon and Kate Plus Eight) while constantly making money from her antics and her estranged husband’s affairs. OR After Michael Jackson’s death, a largely forgotten pop star in the midst of a potential comeback was elevated to the status of Elvis with the mix of his music career’s influence, his weird life, and his early death. Looking at these celebrities, make a case that people should care more about the real news events that I have listed above instead of celebrity news.
18. You can argue against my position on banning slasher movies. You can’t argue for it.
19. Defend the censorship of any OTHER cultural medium or defend freedom of speech as an ABSOLUTE value that cannot be censored in any case.
20. After watching Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, EITHER attack outsourcing as unfair and economy crippling or defend it as a cost-cutting necessity that will strengthen our economy.
21. Should Americans pay tax dollars to help rebuild Gulf Coast cities after hurricanes?
22. Based on our discussion of Global Warming, is it a real situation that needs to be addressed immediately to prevent catastrophe, or is it a politically influenced hoax designed to forward liberal ideas?