Monthly Archives: April 2014

RCL#4 Advocacy Website

Every single site that I came across seemed pretty legit so I’m just going to talk about a random one that I came across. www.bestfriends.org is a organization that works toward the protection of abandoned animals who are killed while held in shelters. While browsing through their site I noticed that it is very well put together and presentable. I think that is overall a very good site.

1. Presentation: Everything was really easy to get too. I liked that in the tab where they discuss the mission of their organization that they broke things down for the reader to try and evoke a emotional appeal as well as a logical one, which can be done easily if you are moved by the welfare of animals.

2. Logistics: They break down how many animals have been impacted by the work that they do and offer very nice visuals to go along with their text. On the donation part of the site it specifically states that donators money goes directly to the shelters they run as well as outreach and rescue programs from all around the country. The format that they have the donation tab set up is very professional looking and gives the donor control how much they want to donate without making them having to make a monthly payment. That is another option separated from where you put in all your information.

3. What makes it easier to trust this organization is that at that the bottom of the site it says that it is a top rated charity organization that helps animals.

Here is a link to the site: http://bestfriends.org

CIV#4 The Public and Welfare

There are a lot of pubic attitudes about the welfare system. Different analysis and polls are taken to find out how strongly people felt about the welfare system. Here are a few questions that people were asked.

1. Welfare encourages young women to have babies before marriage

2. Welfare makes people work less than they would if there were not a welfare system

3. Welfare helps people get on their feet when facing difficult situations such as unemployment, a divorce, or a death in the family.

Questions like these seems to raise a question of whether or no the welfare system is a social justice or not. the first question about if people think that women who are on welfare encourage them to have babies out of wedlock is not a fair one to ask. I can see where people may think the system can be manipulated like that but at the same time people are going to have babies regardless so to me that is a tough question to give an answer to. The second question is a very common stereotype for people who are on the welfare system and it is a shame because there are people who genuinely work hard and still need to be on the welfare system because lets face it, the cost of living has gone up, especially if you have a family. There are some people who abuse the welfare system and use it as a crutch, that is what I can see as frustrating to the public. Issues like unemployment, divorce and death seem like pretty good circumstances why people should be eligible for welfare if they truly deserve it. Each one of these are life altering situations that can take a huge toll on families that do not have a a strong financial base to take care of everyday, normative and at times unfortunate situations. That is what the welfare system is suppose to do, it’s suppose to set is free people from excess burden, but unfortunately, it does not always reach its goal because people take advantage of it which to the public it comes across very negative and counterintuitive.

PAS#9 Queen Latifah

Queen-LatifahFor my last passion blog for this class I will be discussing my favorite Queen Latifah films. Ms. Latifah is one of my favorite actresses and one that I really look up too. As a full figured women she never let the Hollywood stigma of having to be a size 2 discourage her from accomplishing her dreams. I want to have the confidence and beauty that she embodies when I grow up lol. She is definitely one of my role models. It’s hard to pick only a few of her movies as my favorite because I love them all but here are three that I really enjoy watching.

Set It OffSet It Off: This movie is like her only hard core movies but I really like it because the four main characters have a impenetrable bond and are willing to risk everything to help one another get out of financial distress. I’m not going to give anything away if you have not already seen it but it is a very compelling and emotional movie, bawled my eyes out when I first saw it. And that is not me being dramatic, to me it was very heart breaking. The other actresses in this film are very talented as well and I like their films too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Bringing Down the House: This movie is really funny lol. It Stars Latifah and Steve Martin. Martin is a lawyer who has two kids, a divorced wife, and now a unexpected house guest. Steve Martin and Queen Latifah keep the comic relief rolling throughout the movie and it makes it all the more enjoyable. I really like this movie because Latifah’s character keeps it real when it comes to Martin’s character needing to get his life together when it comes to his family. The advice she gives him is hysterical, I kid you not lol. Definitely look this one up. Bringing Down The House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last_Holiday_DVD Queen_Latifah LL_Cool_JThe Last Holiday: This is a very inspiring movie. If it teaches you anything it teaches that you should never let things hold you back, tomorrow is not guaranteed to you, follow your dreams, don’t be greedy, and don’t sleep with another woman’s husband! Lol. That plot of the story is very heartwarming and I get a smile on my face every time I watch it because it shows the realities of life and how you cannot take anything for granted or expect things to just happen to you. If you really want something to happen in your life you have to make it happen. Just like all the other ones, go watch it if you haven’t already!

 

 

 

 

 

HairsprayMoviePosterHair Spray: I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY LOVE Queen Latifah’s singing voice in this film adaptation of the broadway show “Hairspray”. The song that resonates the most with me, and makes my heart beat faster is when she sings “I Know Where I’ve Been”. If you have not heard the song before or her version I firmly advise you to do so lol. The way that she sings the lyrics bring them alive and the message empowers me and inspires me to never give up a fight that is worth fighting for. The movie itself is just very moving and inspiring and the cast is absolutely fabulous. A must see if you haven’t already.

 

 

 

 

 

As I was writing this post I had the urge to want to watch all these movies over again lol. Guess what I will be doing when I have some downtown. I hope you enjoyed this blog this semester as much as I enjoyed writing it. Continue to watch movies, they are one of our only escapes from our realities. Good luck in your future endeavors!

Love, Jennafer P.

RCL#4 Advocacy Project

For my advocacy project Megan Zuccato and I will be doing it together since we had similar topics for our persuasive essay’s and we are really interested in the topic. We have decided that it would be best to make a website about Orca Whales in captivity. This issue is very important to address because there is a lot of evidence that shows that Killer Whales in captivity bring a lot more harm to the animal than being in the wild, which is where they belong. The advocacy project will be not so different from the persuasion essay. The biggest difference at the moment will be that we are able to put visuals behind the evidence that we will present. For a topic like this images will provoke a pathos appeal to the audience and help them understand why this is such a critical issue that needs to be addressed. I think if we were to advocate to a specific audience it would be to the public because they are the ones who buy the tickets to see these animals perform in theme parks like SeaWorld. They have the power to close them down if we band together and tell the Good Ole Boys that this is morally and ethically wrong. We would be advocating for the release of the roughly 45 Killer Whales in Captivity, or at least the ones in the United States. These animals do not have a voice and cannot advocate for themselves. They have to do what they have to to survive and for me that is heartbreaking because what if the shoe was on the other foot? What if we were meant to be someones circus act and made to perform multiple shows in a day and that was the only way that we were guaranteed food. Always just enough to take away the bite of hunger but never ever being as satisfied as you could be. Never to be able to live how you want to and to be on a set schedule every single day. At least for me it sounds just downright frustrating, limiting their capabilities, humiliating, mocking their strength as a top predator, and treating them like dumb animals that do a few tricks to get a few pieces of lousily fish. Who benefits here? They surely do not.

PAS#8 Eddie Murphy

Eddie MurphyFor this weeks post I will be discussing my favorite Eddie Murphy films. Eddie Murphy is one of my favorite actor’s/comedians! the characters that he creates leave a long lasting impression of you after you are done watching them and you will find yourself quoting them in normal life situations. Well, at least I do lol. There are so many movies that are my favorite and I could go on and on about which ones but I will just highlight a few for you. Aside from the ones that I mention I recommend looking up other ones and watching them.

o_the_nutty_professor

The Nutty Professor: These movies will have me cracking up the entire time, you would think something was wrong with me lol. If you have seen the first one then you know about the first family dinner scene. I’m sure if you YouTube it it will be there, probably, broken up into parts. Underneath all the funny parts I think that this film represents how people have deep rooted insecurities and will go to drastic measures to be the person that they long to be. Everyone has a “Buddy Love” of their own on the inside, it’s just knowing that you cannot let him take over your life because you can hurt not only yourself but the ones you love. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch the movie lol. It is hilarious that Murphy plays almost all of the family members who have all these different personalities. It makes the experience all that more to enjoy, especially when watching them for the first time. The second one is very funny as well but the first will always be my favorite.

Coming To AmericaComing To America: This movie is always shown on TV and even though I have seen it a million times I still will watch it and laugh. The plot of the story has not necessarily never been done before but it is still lighthearted and laugh out loud funny when you watch it, which is refreshing. The fact that Murphy and his co-star Arsenio Hall play nobility from Africa and are completely ignorant to the American Lifestyle adds something to the film that grabs your attention and makes you want to finish it. I would totally watch this if you have not already. Murphy also plays a few other characters beside his lead role, so does Arsenio Hall.

 

 

NorbitNorbit: Anytime that Eddie Murphy comes up in conversation this movie always seems to be shouted out as their favorite with him in it lol. The first time I saw it I laughed so much that it hurt. Rasputia is one of the most hilarious and disturbing characters I think he has ever played lol. I will say that she has tremendous confidence in herself which can be seen as border line denial when it comes to her weight, and sadly that makes it all the more funny lol. As I’m writing this I actually want to watch the movie now, it has been a long time since I have seen it. I am about to look it up right now:) lol. See it if you haven’t already!

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this weeks post! Have a good rest of your week!

Love, Jenn P.

PAS#7 Ryan Gosling

ryan-gosling-cover-nologo I am just going to get this out in the open right off the back. I will try my best to keep from fan girl-ing on this blog for the sake of the gentlemen in our class lol. However, just so that it is known, I would have Ryan Goslings children if presented with the opportunity. Aside from his drop dead god like attractiveness, he is one of the most talented actors in the business today. I recently found out though that he and Eva Mendes are dating. Don’t get me wrong they are a cute couple but it just threw me off completely. Just goes to show that age is nothing but a number and him and I having babies would be perfectly acceptable…lol. Not until I watched The Notebook, then some time later while re-watching Remember the Titans did I notice that he was in it as well.  Here is a list of my favorite movies that he has been in and why I love them.

The Notebook 200406-the-notebookis my favorite Romantic Novels by Nicholas Sparks, as well as one of my favorite movies. I refused to watch the movie until I read the book and I was extremely happy and satisfied with it. My best friend and I decided to perform the climatic scene toward the end of the movie that was between Gosling and his co-star Rachel McAdams at a talent show we took part in every year. I loved performing it because the love and tension between these two characters is so palpable and it sends the message that love is not perfect. No one in any relationship is perfect and that if torn apart and if it’s true love, somehow, someway, they will find one another again. A beautiful piece of art, I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it. I know guys would say that this is a chick flick but I would not turn any one astray on a movie like this, unless you are a true pessimistic about love and romance lol.

 

 

 

 

CrazyStupidLovePosterCrazy, Stupid Love is another movie that I enjoyed Ryan Gosling in. I actually have a poster hanging up in my room of him that is from a scene in the movie and if you have seen it you might know which one I am talking about and if you have not seen it you will see which one I am referring too when you see it lol. Gosling plays a suave ladies man who tries to help his new charge (Steve Carell) get his mojo back after going through a divorce. It is a very cute movie and if you need to laugh and feel lighthearted for a couple hours I would definitely stream this one. It overall has an awesome cast. Very interesting/cute story line. This movie kind of reminds me of “He’s Just Not That Into You” and other movies that kind of run on the same plot line. Each one brings something new to the table. I like movies that have separate mini stories that are internally connected in some way through another character. Some very unexpected things are thrown at you in those situations lol. And what is so cool about Ryan in this film is that he is not just playing that guy who falls in love with that girl. There is duality in his role in this movie; a smoothing talkin ladies man, and a romantic underneath that :), two roles that he plays very very well.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post, despite my embarrassing fan girl moments XD. Have a great rest of your week, Love ya!