Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Reflection Essay
Kristen Kohles
10/15/10
After watching the videos in class and discussing how the distribution of food has changed not only in just the United States, but all over the world, my outlook on the food I eat has been completely altered. The videos were a wakeup call for me, as they should be for most people, because I learned exactly how the food I consume is produced. Because the videos were very realistic, it caused some negative reactions from me and my peers. The class discussions that were held were very helpful because it was good to hear everyone’s input and opinion on how they feel about this “secretive” food production system. I consider it “secretive” because companies all over the world do not want their consumers to know the truth of how and where their products are actually made. But now that some of us have a better understanding, I hope others will join me in making changes in the way I eat.
The image of a farm was once seen as a large or small piece of land, lush in plenty of grass, crops, and animals. Now a days, this scene no longer exists in many places. Many farms currently are not very “green” anymore and have made some other major changes. One of these changes includes what they feed the animals. Cows, in our old image of an average farm, would feed on grass and grow and “get big” naturally. Today, many farmers are feeding their cows corn. This seems very not normal but the farmers’ motive for doing this is to save money. Corn is a major crop grown nationally and is in abundance. Since there is so much corn, the demand for it decreases, resulting in a very cheap price to pay for it. Yes, in a way, this does make sense for farmers to do this, but it does not benefit the cow. While they can always provide their cows and cattle with plenty of it, the corn doesn’t not give them the same nutrients as grass. The grass also provides the cow with all the natural minerals and vitamins it needs to live. Because the cows are lacking in all of these, their diet is not as good as it could be. Without even being given an option, the farmers continue to feed their animals corn. To get all the same effects of the grass, the cows are injected with chemicals and steroids. The steroids obviously increase the cow’s growth, resulting in more “useful” meat. Also, artificial minerals and vitamins are mixed into their food. I personally would rather eat meat from cows grown and fed naturally, but that’s just my opinion. Maybe other people are okay with knowing their food has been injected with hormones and chemicals.
Another point of the videos that caught my attention was how easily food poisoning and viruses such as e coli and salmonella are spread. I don’t go to fast food restaurants much, but when I do, I am not one to order a burger. I have always known that it’s not real beef, only about 20% of the burger is actually beef, and the videos just proved and enforced my point. I usually will order a salad, but even the chicken on my salad, was injected with steroids and chemicals to help to chicken “get bigger.” But the thing that is really important and makes me never want to eat fast food again, is how dirty the kitchen is. Employees need to wash their hands thoroughly, wear gloves and hair nets, and separate the different foods and utensils. This means that they need to be careful not to use the same knife to cut into meat as they do to cut up a tomato. This is because the meat could contain e coli, then would be spread to the tomato that easily. There have been many cases of people getting some form of food poisoning each day, and will continue to be more if the health regulations are not changed. Also it is extremely important for people to make sure they wash their fruits and vegetables before eating them. This is because the food is dirty. It has been through many factories and on many trucks. Something such as grapes, need to be washed because they most likely have preservatives, fertilizers, and other chemicals still on them. The factories and people handling the food aren’t clean and this is a contributing factor for people getting food borne illnesses. There are many people out there, telling their personal stories, or stories of others, trying to convince and teach people about the truth behind their food. More people need to listen and become more educated about this, even if it’s just watching videos in class.
Something as simple as a little kid drinking a glass of milk could now be considered dangerous. This is because the milk also contains many hormones and steroids, causing children to develop earlier than normal. This is just one other reason why many people today are starting to buy organic. I think it’s a good idea and want to start going organic. Organic food is naturally grown with no added hormones or other chemicals. This just helps you know that the food you eat is more safe and natural. You can feel safe about what you eat when you go organic, because the organic food has to be certified by the USDA and needs to pass all the regulations to be considered an organic food. Organic food also takes people back to that image we used to know as an average farm, a farm with grass and animals actually eating the grass. More people should consider buying more organic products or even becoming a vegetarian. After watching some of the scenes in the videos, I know that thought crossed my mind more than once. My mom and I only eat veggie or turkey burgers, showing that we are aware of and care about what is put into our food. I understand that it is cheaper to produce food in other countries, but after hearing all these facts and facing the reality of our food, I hope more people will be smart and buy locally.
I was most surprised at how careless people can be sometimes. For your health and the health of others, people need to be more cautious with what they buy. Employees need to take charge and make sure the kitchens are clean, and kept that way. The videos we watched in class really showed all the hidden information companies don’t want us to know. I’m going to try my best to change my diet and the diet of my family too. I will read labels, wash food more thoroughly, and only order/eat something that I know is considered “real food.”
Food Distribution Map
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109265955270225738222.0004925888f51020537cf&ll=38.272689,-105.117187&spn=102.420428,296.71875&z=2
New Jersey to Maryland- 129 miles
Connecticut to Maryland- about 300 miles
Idaho to Maryland- about 2,450 miles
California to Maryland- about 2,820 miles
Nebraska to Maryland- about 1,400 miles
Oregon/Washington to Maryland- about 2,750 miles
Minneapolis to Maryland- about 1,200 miles
Michigan to Maryland- about 750 miles
Texas to Maryland- about 1,600 miles
Missouri to Maryland- about 950 miles
Florida to Maryland- about 1,000 miles
Illinois to Maryland- about 800 miles
New York to Maryland- about 200 miles
Ohio to Maryland- about 430 miles
Pennsylvania to Maryland- about 200 miles
Just in the United States, my food travels a total of about 16, 979 miles.
The delivery trucks that get about 10 miles per gallon, would use about 1,698 gallons of gas.
The price of gas is $2.75 per gallon so the total cost for all this gas would be $4,669.23
New Jersey to Maryland- 129 miles
Connecticut to Maryland- about 300 miles
Idaho to Maryland- about 2,450 miles
California to Maryland- about 2,820 miles
Nebraska to Maryland- about 1,400 miles
Oregon/Washington to Maryland- about 2,750 miles
Minneapolis to Maryland- about 1,200 miles
Michigan to Maryland- about 750 miles
Texas to Maryland- about 1,600 miles
Missouri to Maryland- about 950 miles
Florida to Maryland- about 1,000 miles
Illinois to Maryland- about 800 miles
New York to Maryland- about 200 miles
Ohio to Maryland- about 430 miles
Pennsylvania to Maryland- about 200 miles
Just in the United States, my food travels a total of about 16, 979 miles.
The delivery trucks that get about 10 miles per gallon, would use about 1,698 gallons of gas.
The price of gas is $2.75 per gallon so the total cost for all this gas would be $4,669.23
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Food Journal
Monday:
Dinner
Tuesday:
Breakfast:
Dinner:
Breakfast:
Breakfast:
Apples imported from New york.
* Each day i also drank John Carroll's tap water for soccer practice.
Dinner
- Meatloaf (ground beef- Safeway brand, eggs- Lucerne, bread crumbs- Progresso, onion, bbq sauce-Kraft, salt- Morton, pepper- McCormick, milk- Lucerne)
- Apple Cinnamon Bread (flour- Gold, sugar- Safeway brand, baking soda- Arm & Hammer, vanilla- McCormick, vinegar- America's Choice, cinnamon- McCormick, eggs- Lucerne, vegetable oil- Wesson, Apples- Imported from New York)
- Water- Shop Rite Spring water
- Doritos- Frito Lay
- Apple Juice- Safeway brand
Tuesday:
Breakfast:
- English muffin- Thomas, with butter- Countrycrock
- Orange juice- Tropicana
- Turkey and cheese sandwich (turkey breast- Primtaglio, cheese- Kraft, mayo- Kraft, mustard- French's, bread- Pepperidge Farm)
- Banana- Chiquita
- Water- Shop Rite Spring Water
Dinner:
- Lasagna- Stoffers
- Grape juice- Safeway brand
- Toast- Pepperidge Farm
- Granola bar- Quaker
Breakfast:
- Honey Bunches Of Oats Cereal- Post
- Milk- Lucerne
- Orange Juice- Tropicana
- Pb & J sandwich ( Bread- Pepperidge Farm, penut butter- Jif, jelly- Smucker's)
- Banana- Chiquita
- Goldfish- Pepperidge Farm
- Mashed Potatoes- Countrycrock
- Chicken- Safeway brand
- Apple juice- Safeway brand
- Ketchup- Heinz
- Sushi- Fujisan
- Party mix- Utz
Breakfast:
- Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal- Post
- Orange juice- Tropicana
- Milk- Lucerne
- Turkey and cheese sandwich (turkey breast- Primtaglio, cheese- Kraft, mayo- Kraft, mustard- French's, bread- Pepperidge Farm)
- Banana- Chiquita
- Cheese Crackers- Keebler
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich- (Bread- Schmidt's Old Tyme, cheese- Kraft, butter- Countrycrock)
- Ketchup- Heinz
- Tomato Soup- Campbell's
- Milk- Lucerne
- Goldfish- Pepperidge Farm
- Party mix- Utz
Apples imported from New york.
* Each day i also drank John Carroll's tap water for soccer practice.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
From Persian Insults to a Foreign Language Films
The first part of Patrick Cox's radio show was a disturbing Persian insult by a high ranking official, the Iranian President. He used a crude expression while welcoming high ranking people from Tehran. This type of language is not used in public and created a public uproar. He said that "the bogeyman snatched the boob." This is something the Iranians say when they have missed out on business opportunities or when nursing moms stop breast feeding. The reason he used such crude language was so he could seem more down-to-earth so that the crowd could relate better to him. In order to do so, he was trying to speak in a more casual manner.
The next part of the radio show discussed a remote community whose lifestyle is being threatened by global warming.These people live an ancient lifestyle. They hunt in kayaks, use harpoons, and travel by dog sleds. The poeple of Inuit are the last hunter-gatherers left. The population ranges from 70-1,000 people. Herbert, an anthropologist, is going to study their culture and live their way of life for a year. He will eat what they eat, things such as sea mammals and Arctic cod. He is not the first one to observe the oral culture of these people. The difference is that he will record their culture in their own language, not Danish. This is to help preserve their way of life as a result of global warming. If an iceburg lands on the Greenland coast, they will have to alter their lifestyle.
Another part of the show was a discussion about foreign language films in the U.S. They used to be huge hits but not anymore. In order for a foreign film to be considered a gold standard, it must clear 1million dollars. The last film shown in the U.S was a drama about a Palestinian community and that only made $600,000. The reason for this is that there is too much competion in the movie industry. You have to give people a reason to watch these films. Typically if a film is released in New York and gets a good review, it will be shown elsewhere. To be successful, it must be a good movie.
To end the radio show, Patrick talked to a language nerd. Hindu people use words with very different meanings to say the same thing. For example, depending upon the verbs used, yesterday and tomorrow can mean the same thing. Apparently it is very easy to get lost because "go straight" and "turn right" are the same word.
The next part of the radio show discussed a remote community whose lifestyle is being threatened by global warming.These people live an ancient lifestyle. They hunt in kayaks, use harpoons, and travel by dog sleds. The poeple of Inuit are the last hunter-gatherers left. The population ranges from 70-1,000 people. Herbert, an anthropologist, is going to study their culture and live their way of life for a year. He will eat what they eat, things such as sea mammals and Arctic cod. He is not the first one to observe the oral culture of these people. The difference is that he will record their culture in their own language, not Danish. This is to help preserve their way of life as a result of global warming. If an iceburg lands on the Greenland coast, they will have to alter their lifestyle.
Another part of the show was a discussion about foreign language films in the U.S. They used to be huge hits but not anymore. In order for a foreign film to be considered a gold standard, it must clear 1million dollars. The last film shown in the U.S was a drama about a Palestinian community and that only made $600,000. The reason for this is that there is too much competion in the movie industry. You have to give people a reason to watch these films. Typically if a film is released in New York and gets a good review, it will be shown elsewhere. To be successful, it must be a good movie.
To end the radio show, Patrick talked to a language nerd. Hindu people use words with very different meanings to say the same thing. For example, depending upon the verbs used, yesterday and tomorrow can mean the same thing. Apparently it is very easy to get lost because "go straight" and "turn right" are the same word.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Effects of 9/11
Kristen Kohles, Frank Mattes, & Brian Matejevich
September 8th, 2010
On the morning of September 11, 2001, a small group of dedicated fanatics hijacked four airplanes in flight, three of them crashed into symbolic buildings in various ways of what they found offensive about the United States, an changed the course of American history. Shortly after this occurred, a group of CRS analysts was called upon to assess the possible effects of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. economy and the ability of the government to deal with them.
September 11th not only affected the victims of these terrorist attacks, but also the international air travel industry. The United States had an immediate drop in arrivals of international visitors. For example, between the years 2001-2002, the global economy experienced a recession that reduced demand for air travel in general, but for the economy itself, 9/11 would have had to affect the price of an important product such as energy. Although visa policy did not change very much after 9/11, the security screening procedures that are part of the visa application process were made more standard and had greater restrictions. After the 9/11 attacks certain procedures related to immigration issuance and entry at the U.S. border were started as part of enhanced travel security protocol. Based on revised results, the terrorist attacks did not cause the economy to become weaker or irregular, the attacks on 9/11’s results were short lived. Overseas visitors to the U.S. went from a near 7 million to below 4 million after the event of 9/11. The U.S visa policy occurred after 9/11 although there were no major changes to the policy. Several security precautions related to visa insurance and visa entries were introduced. Even though the airline industry was already in financial trouble due to the recession at the time of 9/11, it severely compounded the industry’s financial problem. The federal government responded quickly to the attacks with an aid package that gave airlines the amount of up to $15 million. Insurance was one of the two industries profoundly affected by 9/11. The loss of personal property gave rise to the largest property and casualty claim in history, about $40 billion. Nearly 18 thousand businesses were disrupted by the attacks on 9/11 because most were in or around Ground Zero.
Airport security has come a long way just one year after the September 11th tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has passed and redone countless bills and acts trying to provide the safest, most efficient form of airport security. Changes on the airplane are the most visible security changes yet. Many planes have installed bullet proof, cockpit doors that secure the pilot and flight crew from the rest of the plane. There have also been attempts to install security camera systems so the pilots can monitor the cabin activity. Pilots also have been given the choice to carry a gun, for self-defense, but must be trained to use it. Security at airports themselves has come along much more slowly compared to the security on an airplane. These terrorist attacks helped open people’s eyes to the need of a more secure airport and how easily the old system was to manipulate. Airports all over the world need much improvement before they can truly be considered secure.
“The terrorist attacks pushed a weak economy over the edge into an outright recession,” people have said. We now know, based on revised reports that the economy was not pushed over the edge by 9/11. At the time of 9/11 the economy was in its third consecutive year of downfall; the uprising of the economy wouldn’t start again until the 4th year. Several events took place before, on, and shortly after 9/11, that made the economy recover more rapidly than might have been possible. First, the Federal Reserve had eased up on people’s credit during the first 6 months of 2001 to stimulate aggregate demand. The economy takes a while to react to policy changes though. Thus, the public response may have been felt in the last 3 months giving the appearance that 9/11 had only a small effect on the economy. Second, the Federal Reserve immediately after 9/11 took action to avert people away from financial crisis. This was added to by support from foreign banks to push up the dollar’s price in world markets which helped the results of 9/11 from not spreading to other countries. Nevertheless, U.S. trade with other countries was disrupted. While oil prices were raised briefly, they returned to their original prices almost immediately after. The United States in particular experienced a sudden drop in international visitors visiting the U.S., particularly from those flying in from across oceans. The sudden drop in arrivals immediately following 9/11 in part showed widespread concern about the safety of air travel. Economic factors most likely also played a major role in reducing travel to the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. In addition to safety concerns and economic conditions worsening, the perception that U.S. visa policy became more restrictive in the aftermath of 9/11 may also have negatively impacted arrivals. Such perceptions started concern within the travel industry that the United States was becoming a less attractive travel destination and was damaging its image around the world to past visitors and the future visitors to the U.S.
Works Cited:
2013, By. "Travel Facts and Statistics
U.S. Travel Association." U.S. Travel Association. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. http://www.ustravel.org/news/press-kit/travel-facts-and-statistics.
"Air Traffic - NextGen Briefing." FAA: Home. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/briefing/.
"Airport Security after 9/11 Essay." Essays and Papers Online - Direct Essays. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/83940.html>.
"Airport Security since 9/11: How Far Have We Come?" Access Control & Security System Solutions
Security News for Security Industry, Access Control, Theft Prevention, Alarm Professionals. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://securitysolutions.com/news/security_airport_security_far/>.
Department of Homeland Security
Preserving Our Freedoms, Protecting America. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://www.dhs.gov>.
H.R. Rep. No. RL31617. Print.
"File:World Trade Center 9-11 Attacks Illustration with Bird's-eye Impact Locations.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 09 Sept. 2010. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_Trade_Center_9-11_Attacks_Illustration_with_Bird's-eye_Impact_Locations.jpg>.
September 8th, 2010
On the morning of September 11, 2001, a small group of dedicated fanatics hijacked four airplanes in flight, three of them crashed into symbolic buildings in various ways of what they found offensive about the United States, an changed the course of American history. Shortly after this occurred, a group of CRS analysts was called upon to assess the possible effects of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. economy and the ability of the government to deal with them.
September 11th not only affected the victims of these terrorist attacks, but also the international air travel industry. The United States had an immediate drop in arrivals of international visitors. For example, between the years 2001-2002, the global economy experienced a recession that reduced demand for air travel in general, but for the economy itself, 9/11 would have had to affect the price of an important product such as energy. Although visa policy did not change very much after 9/11, the security screening procedures that are part of the visa application process were made more standard and had greater restrictions. After the 9/11 attacks certain procedures related to immigration issuance and entry at the U.S. border were started as part of enhanced travel security protocol. Based on revised results, the terrorist attacks did not cause the economy to become weaker or irregular, the attacks on 9/11’s results were short lived. Overseas visitors to the U.S. went from a near 7 million to below 4 million after the event of 9/11. The U.S visa policy occurred after 9/11 although there were no major changes to the policy. Several security precautions related to visa insurance and visa entries were introduced. Even though the airline industry was already in financial trouble due to the recession at the time of 9/11, it severely compounded the industry’s financial problem. The federal government responded quickly to the attacks with an aid package that gave airlines the amount of up to $15 million. Insurance was one of the two industries profoundly affected by 9/11. The loss of personal property gave rise to the largest property and casualty claim in history, about $40 billion. Nearly 18 thousand businesses were disrupted by the attacks on 9/11 because most were in or around Ground Zero.
Airport security has come a long way just one year after the September 11th tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has passed and redone countless bills and acts trying to provide the safest, most efficient form of airport security. Changes on the airplane are the most visible security changes yet. Many planes have installed bullet proof, cockpit doors that secure the pilot and flight crew from the rest of the plane. There have also been attempts to install security camera systems so the pilots can monitor the cabin activity. Pilots also have been given the choice to carry a gun, for self-defense, but must be trained to use it. Security at airports themselves has come along much more slowly compared to the security on an airplane. These terrorist attacks helped open people’s eyes to the need of a more secure airport and how easily the old system was to manipulate. Airports all over the world need much improvement before they can truly be considered secure.
“The terrorist attacks pushed a weak economy over the edge into an outright recession,” people have said. We now know, based on revised reports that the economy was not pushed over the edge by 9/11. At the time of 9/11 the economy was in its third consecutive year of downfall; the uprising of the economy wouldn’t start again until the 4th year. Several events took place before, on, and shortly after 9/11, that made the economy recover more rapidly than might have been possible. First, the Federal Reserve had eased up on people’s credit during the first 6 months of 2001 to stimulate aggregate demand. The economy takes a while to react to policy changes though. Thus, the public response may have been felt in the last 3 months giving the appearance that 9/11 had only a small effect on the economy. Second, the Federal Reserve immediately after 9/11 took action to avert people away from financial crisis. This was added to by support from foreign banks to push up the dollar’s price in world markets which helped the results of 9/11 from not spreading to other countries. Nevertheless, U.S. trade with other countries was disrupted. While oil prices were raised briefly, they returned to their original prices almost immediately after. The United States in particular experienced a sudden drop in international visitors visiting the U.S., particularly from those flying in from across oceans. The sudden drop in arrivals immediately following 9/11 in part showed widespread concern about the safety of air travel. Economic factors most likely also played a major role in reducing travel to the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. In addition to safety concerns and economic conditions worsening, the perception that U.S. visa policy became more restrictive in the aftermath of 9/11 may also have negatively impacted arrivals. Such perceptions started concern within the travel industry that the United States was becoming a less attractive travel destination and was damaging its image around the world to past visitors and the future visitors to the U.S.
Works Cited:
2013, By. "Travel Facts and Statistics
U.S. Travel Association." U.S. Travel Association. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. http://www.ustravel.org/news/press-kit/travel-facts-and-statistics.
"Air Traffic - NextGen Briefing." FAA: Home. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/briefing/.
"Airport Security after 9/11 Essay." Essays and Papers Online - Direct Essays. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/83940.html>.
"Airport Security since 9/11: How Far Have We Come?" Access Control & Security System Solutions
Security News for Security Industry, Access Control, Theft Prevention, Alarm Professionals. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://securitysolutions.com/news/security_airport_security_far/>.
Department of Homeland Security
Preserving Our Freedoms, Protecting America. Web. 08 Sept. 2010. <http://www.dhs.gov>.
H.R. Rep. No. RL31617. Print.
"File:World Trade Center 9-11 Attacks Illustration with Bird's-eye Impact Locations.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 09 Sept. 2010. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_Trade_Center_9-11_Attacks_Illustration_with_Bird's-eye_Impact_Locations.jpg>.
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