Hw 27

We walked into the hospital and it felt like a complete different world. From the Loud, quick, energetic city to the quiet, slow, and awkward smelling hospital. My whole aura immediately changed, from the moment I stepped in the door i wanted to leave but I couldn’t. While in the elevator going to the 3rd floor of the Lenox hill Hospital all I could think about was; “is my grandfather alright?” After getting out the elevator on my way to room 3616 the majority of the rooms I passed there were patients with I.V’s connected to them and oxygen masks on their faces. Curiosity began to build, was my grandfather in this type of condition? 

At Last I was there, room 3616 to visit my Grandfather. It was a relief to see he was not in such a condition that the other patients were even though he seemed out of the ordinary. Laying down rapped up in the covers as if someone tucked him in like a child was my 76 year old grandfather. His face lit up with joy when he noticed my mother and I, but beforehand his face clearly showed that he was lonely and frightened. “Hey Grandpa, how are you?” I said and he slowly responded “I’m ok boy, the Doctor said i should be out of here soon.” Everything seemed like it was going to be alright now but my grandfathers expression changed from being joyful to being sad and confused again. This was the first time I had ever seen him in the hospital and the first time he spent more then one day in the hospital. It wasn't only weird for me but also weird for him. After spending a little less then an hour with him my mother and I had left, the whole time we were there he didn't shed one tear, as soon as we waved goodbye his eyes were full with them.

After leaving the hospital I felt a bit of relieved but i also felt guilty for not spending as much time with my grandfather as i could. I began to notice that it might be the time my grandfather has to go, has to pass on. He was around for 76 years and was healthy for almost every single one of those years I've been told. I was not the only one who thought this, I noticed that even my grandfather thought this. Even though my Grandfather was in the Hospital for a couple of days now all I could do was Hope for the best and convince my self he will be Ok.

The book “My brother” had a big impact on how i viewed my grandfather when going to Visit him. IN the Book my Brother Jamaica did not care much for her Brother because she wasn't around him for the majority of her life. This was not the case in my situation, I was practically raised by my Grandfather. Since the fact that i was practically raised by him I felt very worried and concerned for his well being. Relationships prior to being sick played a big role on how one cared for the patient. The Movie Sicko had a big impact on the visit between my Grandfather and I. In sicko Michael explained that many people with health care are not fully covered. My grandfather at the age of 76 was still working. He was one of those people who was worried about their health care not coming through. Shouldn't a man of his age be in retirement and not having to worry about getting better as soon as possible to return to work? Shouldn’t they be resting and worrying about their well being not about if they are going to be on time for work the next day?

hw 26

1) Health Care is extremely better in England, France. (Sicko)

2) It takes someone to be very sick or actually die for people to show they care. (My Brother)

3) People try to avoid death even though we are all promised to die(guest speaker)

4) 50 million people do not have health care (sicko)

 The Book “My brother” by Jamaica Kincaid helped me better understand our cultures social dominate practices. It helped me see that most people don't show their true intentions until someone is either dead or on the verge of dying. People act like death will never come and they can dodge the fact that everyone will die at one point.

The movie “Sicko” had a big impact on my understanding on our cultures dominate social practices. It helped me see that things are not what they seem. A lot of people try to avoid getting sick and work through their sickness because of the health care that our country has. Even though it may not be smarter or healthier not to go to the doctor it is more convenient and cheaper to avoid the doctor.

Hw 25

The United States of America is seen as one of the best countries in the world. Some of the reasons are the freedom we obtain and the opportunities that are promised to us, but does our country really live up to these standards? The 250 million people do have health care but is the health care really benefiting their health is what Michael Moore was trying to explain. Health care is supposed to be aiding people not going against their promises. Going against these agreements eventually leaving people in debt and in worst cases not being able to aid people enough to save their lives. It seemed as if insurance companies  and doctors in the united states had goals to deny citizens health care just to maximize companies profits. This was not the scenario in foreign countries such as France, canada and England. In these countries citizens were living up to 3 years longer then Americans according to statistics. The United States of America seemed to criticize people and organizations who were for free health care for everyone. We will not be superior if we as remain the only country in the western hemisphere without free health insurance.

Evidence #1 “The goal of health care companies was to deny health care. Bonuses given for denying health acre.”

This piece of evidence was significant to supporting Michael's claim.  The claim that  America has poor health care because of the negative affects of health care since the requirements for the care. Money is a key component to surviving. and the more the better. The insurance companies began to bribe their employes with bonuses if they deny people with health care. By doing so less people were able to obtain health care and ultimately decreasing Americans survival rates and life spans.

Evidence #2: “The people who seemed to have the worst care still managed to outlive the wealthy American’s life span”

In the country of England people tended to live way longer then Americans did. The most important reason was because of the health care that was provided for them. There was no pay which was very significant because not everyone could afford health care. Compared to England, united states health care was very poorly constructed because many people were put into debt because of the expenses of their health care. Since there was a good percentage of people who could not afford this health care many people avoided getting health care. This being one of the main reasons even people with the worst health care in England tended to outlive people with the best health care in America.

Michael Moors “sicko” stirred alot of controversy . A interview on CNN somewhat exposed Moore. Moore stated that the U.S spends 7,00$ on health care per person per year when really they only spend $6.714. According to a new york times article this information was accurate and correct. The article stated “The graph shows the UNites States spends $ 6,714 per person” (http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/why-does-us-health-care-cost-so-much-part-i/)

In The United States of America we are promised so many things but do we really receive these things? Health Care is one of the most significant things to a persons life and well being. While watching the movie i learned that Doctors take a oath to put their well being after the patients well being. After hearing that it surprised me that people were rewarded for denying people health care. Why would people take a Oath if they wouldn't keep it? Then I began to think about what our country really is, our country is a capitalist country which in my opinion is controlled by greed. As long as people are making a profit they don't care much about other people’s well being.

Hearing that America is 37th on the health care list out of 191 countries surprised and confused me. Why was our country so low on this list. After hearing this it made sense on why illness and death was so common in our country now. In the economy we are living in majority of people cant afford health care. Also while watching this movie i thought about who were the people who actually knew that the U.S was so low on this list? How many people knew that other countries actually had free health care? For the people who didn't know, would they still praise America as much if they did know?

Hw 24

My Brother by Jamaica Kincaid

Precis: In the beginning Jamaica did not show sorrow, sadness, or grief after her brothers death. After she recalled long lost memories the death of her brother began to have a impact on her in a way she would have never thought of. Jamaica finally came to the conclusion that she not only loved her brother Devon but also her immediate family. Kincaid tried to avoid the sadness and the sorrow but without trying she continued to think about her brothers death. The memories of illness and dying helped her realize her true feelings for her brother. The person she only knew for a couple of years was one of the people that even if she tried she would never forget. Even though Devon will never be forgotten, remembering Devon will have to be through the shadows of his life instead of the brightness.

“This way of behaving, this way of feeling, so hysterical, so sad, when someone has dideed, i don't like it all, i try to avoid it.” (pg. 137)

  Throughout the book Jamaica has not showed typical emotions after a loved one has passed away. She did show much love, sorrow, or sadness towards her brother. I feel as if she felt that dying was a normal thing to do. Since it is normal why do people behave in such a manner as if they are surprised about death? This is one of the key reasons why she choose to avoid these behaviors.

“I felt curious, I wanted to get a good look at the face of boy’s mother, for at the sight of her son in a coffin.” (pg 145)

I feel that Jamaica was curious about death. She was curious about how people act and how they were supposed to act. How were people affected by death? In this quote a woman had to bury her own child who was only four years of age. I feel that she was curious about how mothers feel about burying their own children who they believe are supposed to be the ones burying them.

“That when someone is ill no one mentions it, no one pays a visit; but if a person shall die, there is a big outpouring of people at the funeral.” (pg. 146)

While Devon was ill there were very few people who came to see him and supported him. This was weird to Jamaica because while Devon was healthy he had a lot of friends and female partners. Shouldn’t they have been there to support him? They were not there. After her died there were more people at his funeral then the amount of people who came to visit him. People seem surprised by the deaths of people even if they are seriously ill.

There has been a big difference from the beginning of the book from the end of the book pertaining to Jamaica. At the start she did not even care much for her brother, she was helping him through sympathy. Now Jamaica believes she not only loves her brother Devon but also her immediate family. I feel that it was because she experienced her brothers death, illness, and process of dying. Why did it take that for her to figure out she loved her brother? Why did it take her brother being diagnosed with one of the most deadly diseases for her to spend time with him and get to know him? Even though Jamaica was one of the closest people to Devon in his process of dying I still feel that Jamaica is still curious about the death of her brother. Now that the book has ended, if Jamaica had showed love and affection instead of ignoring and avoiding her brother how would have the book, Jamaica, and her family have turned out?

Hw #23 Part 2

My Brother by Jamaica Kincaid

Precis: Through the eight months of battling and trying to fight HIV, Devon, Jamaica's brother passed away.  Even though through the process Jamaica had doubts about what she was doing she grew a bond with her brother Devon. Emotions were scrambled and Jamaica didn't know if it was love that she was feeling towards the brother she hardly knew nor cared about. The death of her brother did not come as a surprise, it was as if he was already dead by the time she got to know him according to the condition he was in. The death of Devon helped replenished Jamaica back to her original state, she believed that it wasn’t love or concern she felt towards her brother, it was simply sympathy. The only love she knew was the love and warmth of her Husband and children. The Joy of her homecoming which seemed inconsequential, prevailed over the grief one is supposed to contain after the death of a brother.

“My brother would have been dead by now if this act of my mother had been all that remained in my life.” (pg 74)

If Jamaica had followed the path her mother made for her she would not be the person she is today. Her brother would not have lived as long as he did. Jamaica’s mother, a typical Antigua mother felt as if she was raising her kids the correct way. The death of Devon helped me understand why the death rate of people diagnosed with this disease is so high in this country. The morals and respectable things were leading them into a hole of illness where they were to deep into to climb out of.

“Perhaps everyone is living in death, i actually do believe that, but usually it cant be seen, in his case it was death i could see.” (pg 88)

Everyone is living to die. Not only by sickness but also by natural causes such as old age. There is a thin line between some illnesses and death, one of these illnesses are HIV. Conditions such as the condition Devon was in was horrific enough to believe that staying alive might be worst then death. There is a limit to one’s suffering and theres is only one course of action after this limit of suffering, death.

“I did not love my brother, I did not like my brother, i was only sorry that he died.” (pg 106)

It’s normal for one to care and love for their sibling and is way out of the ordinary for someone to not care or love for their sibling, especially in a time of need. Most people become closer & realize the things that are important in their lives when noticing the lost of a love one. Jamaica was not one of these people. Jamaica did not know how to love for her brother leaving her to only feel sympathy.

Jamaica Kincaid continues to state and believe that she does not love her brother. Jamaica also continues to complain about how her brothers illness is having a negative impact on her life. Why is it that she was around to care for him and treat him as if she loved him? While reading my Brother i feel as if Jamaica Kincaid is hiding her true intentions and feelings toward her brother. I feel as if she does not want to create a powerful enough bond with her brother, that it would be to hard to see her brother pass away. Jamaica is protecting herself by avoiding the feelings she has for her brother. Kincaid seems as if she has a special relationship with her children and Spouse, did the death of her brother and the process of him dying make her appreciate them more? This also leads to the question; Why does it take someone to die or to be dying for you to grateful for things you have in your life?

Hw 22

My Brother by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid has just received some horrible news, her brother has been diagnosed with HIV. Jamaica now living in New York but originally from Antigua has to take a trip back to Antigua to help care for her brother Devon. Since Jamaica did not have a great or even a good relationship with her brother she was not sure how she felt about the situation. After helping care for her brother Jamaica's feelings begin to change and she became confused about how she felt about Devon. She didn’t know if it was sadness, regret, or sympathy but she felt positive that it was not love.

“Since there is no cure for aids it is useless to spend money.” (31) 

Jamaica is now experiencing how sick her brother is. The hospital he is in makes it seem as if there is no chance he will live more than a month. Being that Jamaica does not have a great relationship with her brother she doesn’t feel that she should spend alot of money on something that wont guarantee that her brother will live.

“ I said i would come again and it crossed my min and he said it out loud, yes perhaps to my funeral.” (47)

Devon has a very small chance of surviving for more than a month. He does not try to avoid the fact that he is going to die because he knows in reality there is no way he can survive the disease under these conditions. Also Jamaica believes that he wont be able to survive this deadly disease even though she is the one who is trying to avoid reality.

“ I missed the warm sun, i missed the my brother, being with him, being in the presence of his suffering.” (pg. 50)

Jamaica is starting to form a closer bond with her brother. When she first arrived back to Antigua she didn't even feel that she cared about her brother but now she feels that are feelings there. She is forming a closer bond with him because he is ill, the time she took caring for Devon was the time she noticed she actually cares alot for her brother.

While reading the first third of the “My brother” by Jamaica Kincaid i felt that my views and ideas were similar to hers. Jamaica believes that why should we pay money for medicine and treatment if the patient is guaranteed to die? This is also an idea i have, cant this money go to something just as significant but has a better chance of progressing and prospering. An interesting idea i have after reading is why does it take one to be in the verge of death for people to cherish one’s life? We don't know what we have until it is gone.

Hw #21 Comments

Matt
    I enjoyed reading your post Matt. I thought it was very creative and insightful that you included a poem relating to your ideas. In my opinion the most insightful section of your blogpost was your connection to "movies". Movies are supposed to portray our society's reality.You stated that " I think we all wish death and illness was as easy as it is in the movies." I believe that ultimately you want to come to the conclusion that they "soften" and alter reality. 

Helpful tip: Proofread to find simple mistakes

Hw #21

1. Men are reluctant to going to the doctor
2. Insurance was a significant component to why doctor visits where unprecedented
3. Stayed Alive nine months after being diagnosed
4. Avoided using the terms “death” and “dying”
5. Honeymoon from death, False hope for staying alive
6. One of the better parts of the marriage was when Erik was dying because the time spent together
7. Very good relationship with children

Death, the one thing promised to us as human beings is the one thing that majority of people try to avoid. Most people cant accept the fact that we all have our expiration date at one point. Losing a loved one is one of the most painful and depressing times of a persons life. The guest speaker explained how as a family they avoided using the words “death” & “dying” One of the reasons for this was to maybe “soften” the situation and make it less stressful. Reminiscing on the joyful times and memories to conceal the depressing and harsh reality. By avoiding the one thing that was promised to Erik this showed the denial that existed between the family and even Erik himself. When death finally arrives one of the most common emotions is denial.

Why is it that death is always the thing to bring families closer together? A usual phrase used in our society is; you don't know what you have until its gone. Most people begin to really appreciate loved ones when they are on the verge of dying. The guest speaker stated that one of the better parts of her marriage was the time she got to care for her husband while he was ill. Seeing the person you promised to spend the rest of your life with dying most be a horrific experience. The feelings became stronger after seeing the condition Erik was in. One of the typical reasons may have been because cherishing the short time left with him seemed like it was the only thing logical.

Personally, one of the hardest things for me to imagine is losing a loved one such as a brother, my father, or mother. I am fully aware that each of them will be taken at one point but i still continue to try to avoid the fact. Why do the majority of people try to avoid death even though it is promised? After experiencing the death of a loved one, what feeling is more common; hatred or sadness? For the the part of our lives where we are healthy we fear and avoid dying and death. When we become ill and it’s clear that there is a good possibility we are close to death we try to fight it. Finally when we are extremely near death we begin to accept.

Hw 19

Illness and dying, something we all try to avoid, but can we really avoid them? We try to avoid death and illness by the dominant culture perspectives of medicine and medical treatment. When it comes to illness people could say that my family doesn't take part in the typical practices. Death, one of the few things that is promised to everyone is the thing most people fear. Majority of people follow the dominant culture practices according to illness and dying but some rebel against the typical practices. 

Some people are raised to always go to the doctor or hospital when they are ill and some are raised to find other ways to deal with sickness. My family were in the second category, home remedies were the way to cope with illness. There were two main reasons why home remedies were the number one way to deal with illness. The first reason was because of the cultural background. Being that my mother and her family were from Belize where medicine was not very common they found other ways to better themselves and to fight illness. Another key reason why the typical practice of medicine and medical treatment was not followed was because the lack of income. Medicine was and still till this day isn't cheap, so what do the less fortunate people have to do when it come to feeling ill? Just like anyone else would do, they would find alternatives. The lack of money and the cultural background is not only my mothers reason to not follow the dominant social practices but many people’s reason around the world.

Dying and illness has played a huge role on my family’s life. Just like majority of people they wanted to avoid it but there was absolutely no way they could. At the age on nine my mothers brother passed away. Even after this incident they still tried to ignore and avoid dying. Dying and death was rarely talked about again. Sooner than later it was back to haunt them. Disease and illness started to affect majority of the family. Finally they felt that it could not be avoided. So if you cant avoid it why not prepare for it? Soon bundles of money were put into life insurance, Will’s were created, and funeral homes were picked out. There seemed like there was no other way but to follow the dominant cultural perspectives of preparing for dying.

Some people try to escape from he dominant cultural perspectives and the typical health, illness, and dying practices. Some people try but can’t live any other way. Dying and illness is something that everyone has to experience. My mother and family tried but couldn't avoid the fact that death comes for everyone but had no choice but to not follow the typical practices of illness. Everyone lives a different life but it’s their choice to follow or not to follow the typical and dominant health, illness, and dying practices.

hw 18

 IN our culture we don't watch or pay a lot of attention to what we eat and what we are doing to our body and the holiday of thanksgiving is the perfect example. The food we consumed was food that majority of us never has grown or seen before. Even though we never seen or grown these foods before we still cram the food in our mouths. Even the people who usual watch their figure and are very aware of what food they are eating were more layed back on this holiday. The motto was to eat till you cant eat no more.

Thanksgiving is the holiday of the “big feast.” Food was the center of attention but the food is what brought loved ones together and helped them share happy times with one another. Thanksgiving a time where we should be giving thanks for what we have. Even though we were suppose to be giving thanks something that was typical for us to do was for us to watch reality shows and sport events. While watching these events and shows majority of people wish they were in the situation that the people that are entertaining them are in.

This holiday was a sad and emotional holiday for many families. Majority of families have lost love ones who were there at he previous thanksgiving. I can explain from my own experience. The death of my greta grandmother played a big toll on my families’ thanksgiving. Since she was the matriarch she was truly missed and it was awkward not having her there. At the end of the day we still gave thanks for having her in our life at one point and gave thanks for the having everyone else in our family.

Death and Illness

Death and illness are two things that we cant run away from because they are always going to be there. They are apart of life that everyone has to deal with. Throughout my life i have had the opportunity to see the birth of a loved one but unfortunate to lose a loved one. Illness has played a big role in my life at a early age because of the illness of my mother. The illness of my mother has made me pay more attention to illness and be even more afraid of death.

Throughout my life i have been taught to be grateful and take advantage of the fact that I am not ill and try my best to avoid it. We as healthy people tend to pity the ill because we believe that they are closer to death then we are. Also that they need more assistance because they have disadvantages. Even though we all come and go we mourn and weep when people pass away because no one wants to lose someone they are close to. A question i have is ; Why do we mourn and grieve death so much if majority of us believe they(people dying) are going to a better place?(Heaven)

Death and illness in my opinion is all a business. I believe it is a business because people die every day and majority of people want to have funerals for their loved ones. Majority of funerals are expensive, some people are not even able to afford a funeral. Illness is also a business. There are less serious illnesses and more fatal illnesses. The medication for these illness cost money and the treatments cost money. The worst the illness the more expenses one has. One of the things i am curious about is; Why spend all of your money on treatment and medication when you are promised to die?

HW # 11

During the food unit i was able to experience and witness many things that i was blind to before. The food unit was coming to a end and i wanted to try something new, try to make a difference in my life. I decided to become a vegetarian. A vegetarian is ; eater of fruits and grains and nuts; someone who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products. I wondered how life would be without no meat and the thought of it made me nervous because it was such a big change. After reading “Fast Food Nation” and watching “Food INC.” i thought being a vegetarian was a great idea.

When i thought about being a vegetarian i thought that it couldn't be that hard. There are thousands of people who do it, why cant i? When it was time to actually become one it was harder then i thought. The start of my short experiment of becoming a vegetarian started at lunch time tuesday, October 26. I picked a new and unfamiliar place to eat at which was Organique. The meal i ordered was a sandwich including fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, and tomato on wheat bread. This meal cost me 12 dollars and 46 cents. A price this expensive was very unprecedented for a meal at lunch. I believe the first day was by far the hardest because this meal was the worst tasting and the most expensive. After this i was not looking forward to being a vegetarian.

The next day i dreaded eating because i knew i couldn't eat what i loved which was meat. Then i began to think about the books i have read and the movies i have watched. It  reminded me that what i was doing was only going to help me progress and keep me healthy. Eating healthy and changing my diet so it did not contain meat not only made my body feel better but made me feel better about my self. Just sacrificing a hamburger for a bowl of pasta i was able to go throughout the day without feeling drained and knowing that i am not eating anything that was slaughtered.

Eating healthy and becoming a vegetarian was a unforgettable experience. It was something i thought i would never do. Fast food is all around us and easily for one to be fooled to eat there. The convenient prices and the delicious taste. Even though fast food has these advantages do we really know what we were eating? Do we feel good about ourselves after eating these meals? While being a vegetarian i knew what i was eating and defiantly felt good about my self after eating these meals.

hw#12 Final response Ouline

Thesis

Dominant social practices in our culture - nightmarish industrial atrocities they may be - evolved to fit this culture's demands and will not be replaced by voluntaristic feel-good tree-hugging utopian fantasies.

Major Claim: The food movement fails to change the way the majority of people eat. The failure only shows that the fast food culture is superior to the voluntaristic fantasies. 

Supporting claim 1: Food movement is getting more recognition in the media

Evidence: Food Journalism: “the food journalism of the last decade has succeeded in making clear and telling connections between the methods of industrial food production, agricultural policy, food-borne illness, childhood obesity, the decline of the family meal as an institution, and, notably, the decline of family income beginning in the 1970s.”

Evidence: The movement : The Movement, which has surely done more than any other reform effort in American history to provoke popular interest in sustainable agriculture, encompasses such a hodge-podge of sub-genres—localism, organic, “deep organic,” “artisanal” production, anti-GMO, foragers, farmers’ markets, free-range meats, slow food, etc

Supporting claim 2: The way people eat is having a negative affect on our society and themselves no matter the success of the food movement..

Evidence: Obesity: “The annual cost of obesity alone is now twice as large as the fast food total revenue.”

Evidence: expansion of fast food restaurants: “The number of fast food restaurants, or QSRs, in the U.S. increased 12.8% in the past 10 years, with 138,340 outlets doing business in '02 compared with 120,633 in '92, according to a report from RoperASW”

Evidence: Convenience of fast food: (Prices for fresh produce have increased since the 1980s.) 

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-2755136_ITM

Fast Food Nation

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jun/10/food-movement-rising/?pagination=false

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/fair-trade-and-the-food-movement/

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jun/10/food-movement-rising/

Food Inc Response

The food we eat looks good when we are eating it but there is corruption behind it. Food inc. focuses on the things behind closed doors, things that we don't take into much consideration. The food industry continues to gain revenue but also continues to make food worst. Food Inc is just one of the sources that want us to know that even though food looks good in front of you there is a large amount of corruption behind it that is slowly destroying our society and food.

There were many advantages Food Inc had over books such as “Fast Food Nation” and “Omnivore's Dilemma” One of them were the visual insight that the movie was able to give us. The viewers were able to deeply understand how corrupted the food industry was. The horrific images of animals begin slaughter had a bigger impact on reading; “ thousands of pigs slaughtered a day” There are still advantages that the book has that the movie doesn’t. The movie is only letting us see one point of view and is completely bias. The Book gives more direct statistics which also plays a big role on how we see the food industry. The Book helped us as readers see how our country and food industry became more and more corrupted over time.

Things that i continue to wonder about is why doesn't the food industry fix these problems that they have and make their food more healthy? People continue to come down on them such as the film “Food Inc.” and “Fast Food Nation” People will ultimately end up understanding that the things were are eating are slowly killing us and the food industry will eventually be forced to change. Another interesting question i had was ; What do the owners and the important people in these food industries eat? Do they eat the food they know they are making less healthy or do they eat healthy foods?( food they don't produce) My ultimate thought about the film is if we don't change our selves the food industry wont change. They food industry is business and if we are the consumers. If we only demanded healthy food and the majority decided not to eat their food they will find away to make their food healthy.

Epilogue Response Fast Food Nation

Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser

Epilogue: The fast food companies that fast food nation were targeting did not fully agree with what the book was addressing. Fast food companies shouldn't be able to advertise food that are negatively affecting children and fast food wasn't the only food that was doing it. Meat was contaminated and the government wasn't doing enough to fix it. Even though they were trying to clear up their image the meat packing industry and fast food industries were still having more of a negative impact on the country than a positive.

Quotes:

“As for the food now served at school, it should be safer to eat than what is sold at fast food restaurants, not less safe.” (263)

“But the absence of unions can permit corporations to behave like continuing criminal enterprises.” (265)

Questions/Ideas:

It was interesting to know thats school cafeteria food can be less healthy than fast food. It is interesting because school makes cafeteria food look and seem very healthy. This is just one of the ways the food industry tricks us to eat unhealthy food.

I found it interesting that even after fast food nation and “the jungle” the meat packing industry did not change much and still have horrible conditions.

Chapter 10 Reading response Fast Food Nation

Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser

Chapter 10: Fast food industries began to expand their companies abroad after the cold war. Mcdonalds was the first major fast food corporation to succeed. Many American corporations began to bring their companies abroad and continued to succeed. Fast food took foreign countries by storm and excessively increased the obesity rate. Even though these American fast food companies were doing well in business not all foreigners were happy with the fact they were there. Even though people tried to stop and destroy these American fast food industries they still found ways to keep their business on track.

Quotes:

“Mcdonalds represents, “Americana and the promise of modernization.” (231)

“The success of Mcdonalds, Pizza Hut, and T.G.I Fridays in Germany has helped spark a franchise boom.” (231)

“No other nation in history has gotten so fat so fast.” (240)

Questions, Ideas:

I find it interesting that fast food industries always get their ways and never get into serious problems that threaten their company. This shocks me because their food sickens thousands or maybe a million people a year.

Americans are not the only one’s who are suffering from these fast food industries,so why don't both foreign and American citizens join forces to try to make these fast food industries more healthy and less deadly?

Chapter 9 Reading response Fast Food Nation

Fast Food Nation By Eric Schoolser

Chapter 9 response:

Americas favorite food, the hamburger was beginning to become the reason for many deaths and illnesses. The beef was contaminated with unsanitary things such as; vomit, stool, and rats which lead to many health inspections in the future. The inspections were the cause to some factories being closed. Inspections helped create new rules and regulations but factories continued to find ways to get around them.

Quotes Chapter 9: 

“The hamburger habit is just about as safe as” one food critic warned, “as getting meat out of a garbage can.” (197)

“Those who survive are often left with permanent disabilities, such as blindness or brain damage.” (200)

Questions and responses:

Fast food industries wouldn't be where they are today without hamburgers so, what if there were no such thing as hamburgers?

I feel that the fast food industries know they their meat is not as healthy as it should be especially the hamburgers. Since they know those why do they still advertise so much to have children continuously eating these hamburgers?

Chapter 8 Reading response Fast Food Nation

Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser

Chapter 8: When people think about the most dangerous jobs they think about the slaughter house. Slaughter houses are the workplace of the most injuries recorded. Majority of the workers were immigrants and not involved in a union so it made it easier for their injuries to be covered up and ignored.  Benefits were reduced and people were severely hurt and still forced to work. until the company felt they were useless.

Gems: 

“During a three month period in 1985, the first log recorded 1800 injuries and illness in the plant. The OHSA log recorded 160, a discrepancy of more then 1000 percent.”(180)

“The fine was $480 for each mans death.” (1780

“Sharping big knives in her lap as if she was knitting a sweater.” (173)

Thoughts: The employees of the slaughterhouses depend on their jobs severely because most of the time they aren't qualified for other jobs. The slaughterhouses did not care about them enough to give them fair benefits. 

Meatpacking is the most dangerous job in America so why aren't people doing something to make them safer? 

I then began to think about who and what America stands for. America still and always will be a Capitalist country. These Meat Packing business are multi billion dollar companies. This makes it easier for America to sacrifice lives, especially if the majority of them are immigrants.

Freakonomics

How do the Freakonomics authors address the "correlation versus causation" issue? Do they pretend correlation IS causation? Do they prove that some correlation is causation, and if so, how? Or do they explicitly acknowledge the lack of proof of causation?

Freakonomics address’s correlation vs causation throughout the movie. They basically explained that once ones motives and incentives are noticed it is easier to find out who they are. This is showing the causation. One of the ways the authors of the book showed this were how names labeled people. One analyzer explained that the names do not determine your destiny but ones neighborhood and how they were raised does. Their incentives then lead them in the wrong direction or positive. 

What sources of evidence do the Freakonomics authors most rely on? Why is this innovative?

The authors of Freakonomics get the majority of their evidence from surveys, test, and experiments. They use these sources of evidence because they are the most accurate and they get a broad point of view. For example when they asked what are black names they got a broad perspective because they asked all types of people. Also when they sent out resumes with the same information besides the names the white names were 33% more likely to be called back. These sources of evidence showed the accuracy and broad perspective they receive from the sources of evidence.

Statement: Freakonomics serves as an inspiration and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices.

I agree with this statement. I do agree because of the fact that the problems and things they addresses where things that ordinary people think about but do not take enough time to think about. People usually look at these things from one point of view but the film helped show that there are opposite points of view that are equally accurate. For example the “black” and “white” names are something that people don't may much attention to and don't believe is a big deal. This movie helped us look more into how something as simple as names can affect ones life.

Hw: Reading Response Chapter 7

Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser

Chapter 7:

The Town of Greely, Colorado is a small meat packing town where everything was revolved around the business. But IBP meat packing company started a whole new way of meat packing. Instead of skilled workers working at these factories the factories began to structure with a disassembly line. This made it easier for the business to hire because desperate individuals, unfortunate individuals, and immigrants had no problems taking low wage jobs. Unions were started and were  slightly involved but slowly started to get pushed out the picture. The Meat packing business was eventually changed for good because of their new techniques such as the disassemble line and low wages.

Quotes: “We’ve tried to take the skill out of everything.”(pg 154)

            “Patience my ass” one vulture says to other. “im going to kill somebody.”(pg 159)

“The new meat packing plants in Iowa, kansas, texas, Colorado, and Nebraska followed IBP’s example, paying wages that were sometimes 50% lower than what union workers earned in Chicago.” (Pg 155)

Questions/Response: The meat packing business was ready to do anything to increase their revenue even if it meant breaking the law and innocent people being killed. I thought it was interesting how ConAgra meat packing business was worth 10 million dollars at one point but 20 years later they were worth 25 billion. Without the disassembly line this wouldn't be possible. Where would these companies be today without people willing to work for excessive wage cuts?

Hw # 8

Throughout my entire life food has been something that i did not put much thought into besides the taste and connivence until now. This experience was a good and different one2 from the normal experiences i have with food. Majority of the time i don't even have to cook my own food so growing it was very different from what i am use to. By growing my these sprouts i was able to realize that i can produce and grow my own food with the same amount of time i use to play video games or watch t.v during the week. Also from this experience i learned that things aren't as easy as they seem, you have to actually make a effort to grow and take care of your food. The time you put into growing the food shows how healthy the food can be for you. In my case the experiment was a disappointment because of my lack of effort my sprouts were not even good enough to eat. One of the most important things i got out of this experiment was, if you don't take care of your food your food wont take care of you.

reading response

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Chapter 4:  Franchising became a big part of the fast food industry because of the increase in revenue. Mcdonalds began to adopt the idea and benefited greatly from franchising, because of Mcdonalds success other fast food chains began to follow. Dave femster one of the people who adopted the franchising ways began with little to no money to his business making millions because of franchising. Franchises are not always beneficial if one doesn't follow the major corporations rules who are franchising them. One can gain millions or fall into major debt with franchises.

  

“American taxpayers had covered the franchise fees, paid for the buildings, real estate, equipment, and supplies.” (102)

If the franchises are not successful innocent people could be affected by this. They can be the ones suffering. Then why cant innocent people benefit from the franchises if they are successful.

Franchising is so important to the fast food industry and how would it be affected if franchising was taking away and made illegal?

Chapter 5: Potatoes were a big part of the fast food industry and now french fries are a even bigger part. J.R Simplot who had his own potato farm and was very interested in frozen food technology. His ideas made him the top french fry consumer for Mcdonalds which ultimately made him a billionaire. Favors and taste was also a big part of the fast food nation. People wanted more natural flavors but didn't know that natural and artificial flavors were very similar in everything even health.

“In 1960, the typical American ate eighty-one pounds of fresh potatoes and about four pounds of frozen french fries. Today the typical American eats about forty-nine pounds of fresh potatoes every year and thirty pounds of frozen french fries.” (114)

Fast Food Nation is the perfect tittle for this book. America revolves around fast food. Most of our daily meals come from fast food restaurants. Our farms produce food for our fast food companies. Our fast food companies help other small companies succeed. Where would we all be today without fast food?

Hw# 7

Book & Author: Fast Food Nation, By Eric Schlosser

Chapters: 1-3

Chapter 1: Carl  N. Karchers’s Rise from the bottom of the food industry to the top of the food industry. The Fast food industry began to dominate the West coast. McDonalds changed the Fast Food industry forever and others began to follow their ways and techniques.

“If i had looked at McDonalds and saw someone flipping hamburgers while he was hanging from his feet, i would have copied it.”

It was very interesting to me how one fast food restaurant jump started the fast food industry so quick and how people emulated their ways. Since McDonald’s techniques were the thing to copy in the fast food industry, how would the industry be affected today if Mcdonalds was never created?

Chapter 2: Ray Kroc and Walt Disney incorporated the idea of “attracting children” to better their businesses. Things such as ; amusement parks were created and toys were added into McDonalds “happy meals”. Children will be the key to bringing in more revenue.

“Kroc understood that how he sold food was just as important as how the food tasted. He liked to tell people he was really in show business not the restaurant business.”

What is the ratio of how much money Mcdonalds spends on commercials and toys compared to the amount of revenue collected from the happy meals? How important was the partnership of Walt Disney and Ray Kroc?

Chapter 3: Many of the west coast began to Migrate to Colorado Springs and bring their ways of living and underpinnings along. Mcdonalds and fellow fast food restaurants began to abuse their power and take advantage of young and less fortunate workers. Unions were created but did not get far because they frightened McDonalds and the rest of the fast food industry.

“One of the most anti-union companies on the planet.”

First i wondered why any strikes never took place then i thought about how easy of a job working at Mcdonalds is. This only made it easier for a employ to be replaced. Unions were the only thing that protected workers from the cruel fast food industry. Since Mcdonalds is a multi million dollar company or even a multi billion dollar company why do they try so hard to avoid paying people more then minimum wage?

hw#6 Food Diary

Breakfast:

Blueberry muffin=103.761

orange juice=134.46

Total=237.221

-This meal/snack is consistent. I eat it every morning coming to school. It do because it gives me energy to last till lunch time before getting to tired. The breakfast is cheap and convent which are two of my important values.

Lunch: Pepperoni and sausage pizza: 600.31

20 fl oz sprite: 431.32

Total:1031.63

-This meal was very fulfilling as you can see from the amount of calories where in the meal. After eating i felt drained and wanted to sleep, a common feeling when i eat a fulfilling meal.

Dinner: Pork chops, macaroni, broccoli, orange soda= 2476.72

After this meal i was also fulfilled as you can see from the amount of calories.

____________________________________________________

Breakfast:

Pancakes:164.997

Orange juice:134.46

Eggs:1102.2

Total:1401.65

-Took time to make, also a fulfilling meal. Not thinking alot about the nutrition more about the taste.

Dinner: Fried Chicken: 649.76

French fries:570.72

Total: 1220.48

-While eating this meal i was thinking most about the taste and the connivence of the meal. Was a cheap and tasteful meal, did not think much of nutrition.

Throughout these 48 hours i did not think much about what was healthy for me to eat. I thought more about what was convenient for me and what enjoyed. While eating i felt good about these foods but in the long run i dont know if i would agree with these eating ways.