Friday, June 12, 2009

FINAL EXAM

How I make sense of the American Way of Life". You should address some specific examples of US practices (government, capitalism, birth, health care, economic inequality, food, energy) and connect them to each other and to deeper underlying patterns.


Do you think you live the American way of life? do you think you can handle the messages/aspects that the American life throws at us each an everyday as we wake up ? Do you well do you No! The only way I say to live the the American life is do what you want be aware of your surroundings and learn from mistakes, be healthy,live happy. Although it does depends on the person because people who make bad decisions might see that their life is more simple and like to like to struggle than to have everything easy or handed to them. Here are some of examples of what is involved in the American life and how to live an American life, for those who know or are confuse on what American life means, the first example of what American life contains is I would say health care, without the proper health care coverage/insurance i would say you will have a hard time adapting to the American culture because if you don't have something to cover you when you are sick or hurt the benefits would be very limited to what you have access to. With so much in society, living in a world full of media messages being thrown to you because of the world wants your money by the time you u get everything together u will be broke. Health care is very important benefit to the American life if you don't have health care people look at you as if your not a full American, when i think of health care i think that's a key benefit you have to live for not necessarily but it would be best. Some of the benefits that branches off health care is employment, working conditions,occupations in industry. All these benefits cover health care that's why it's so important to have. Therefore you know whats associate with the American life health care is one of them.

As in the following example we are clear that Health care plays a big role in American life, but so does the Government how you feel about the government now? I feel that George W. Bush screw us over meaning the government, we as the people. Making it harder for Barrack Obama a to recover from bush problems. We as the people recently elected Barrack Obama for the president of the United States Of America. I'm glad that things turn out the way they did and was able to come to an agreement. Barrack Obama is more about this change he's going to bring to the US and how this change would help benefit in years of progress he makes. The government has many aspects to take care of, Barrack obama is like our mother he decides whats best and and whats not and we as the people are going to follow up on his decision although there are many people who didn't vote for Barrack and wanted MC Cain there opinions didn't matter when he came down to the final vote. This idea of American life is simple, you have some one powerful that he's/she's confident that would make change and settle down for new ideas new opinions. On the other hand I feel like Government can mean anything in the American life if there a problem you fight for what's right until it gets dismiss. In spite that world is full of problems you cant expect for the president to fix everything but at least the majority of what we got into.

As follows I think food plays an very important aspect to the health of our fellow Americans

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Collapse Assignment 1

During the times of the eastern island, I find that little population that lived there was able to survive without any machinery objects to help them build shelter and useful resources they could use to benefit. I find that very interesting because in relation to our civilization if you was to take something we were very obligated to its like our life is over, when comparing to eastern islanders they had no electronics no healthy food production no dental care so their teeth had allot of cavities and etc. My point towards to how the eastern islanders
adapted to their majority land process is that I think when they divide them selves using liberation as key term to represent there actions. In spite that the two groups were separated called commoners and chief's were powerful, I think instead of being departed I think as if they should become one as a whole and went about the situation but instead it wen the opposite way.

Another example that showed interesting points leading to how it is compare to the United States of America. In the year 1950 the world had the largest exponential growth within the oil production, we meaning U.S we were the largest country to export and produce oil. Here is an example of what I mean In a 1999 speech Cheney gave while still CEO of Hallucination, Cheney stated: “By some estimates, there will be an average of two-percent annual growth in global oil demand over the years ahead, along with, conservatively, a three-percent natural decline in production from existing reserves. That means by 2010 we will need an additional 50 million barrels per day that's CRAZY.

So overall investigating through these topics of what i found most interesting i would say everything cause everything that happen within was cause by the collapse and i just think it's interesting to how and what people did to keep them moving into there daily lives. I wouldn't have expected any human being to survive off such little. The things people do in order to survive without the help from any tools that's how you know you can survive and live a meaningful life.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Final Food Assignment

People in the world today, are consuming foods from all over but mainly getting it from the factories, not noticing what there food has been through to make it there in front of them with the knowledge from our classes reading books and looking at videos I was able to realize how this food production really works and is it really healthy NO it isn't, but we as Americans eat it anyways. When we eat our food we never take time out and realize where it comes from who hands were on it last what animal did it come from and so on. I think that if people were to realize and seek the amount of information i was during this semester they would definitely change their eating habits on how they eat. During the course of the semester i came with full knowledge thinking my food is good and healthy but at the end i was able to realize my food was bad , society makes chicken and other foods look so good by advertisements in the media and make commercials displaying the pros about it never the cons if you notice everything is just roses and flowers not to mention the businesses that sells and makes these advertisements and draws society in to help them grow in and stay in power and wealthy.

According to Myth three Industrial food is cheap for example "In America, politicians, business leaders, and the media continue to reassure us that our food is the cheapest in the world. They repeat their mantra that the more we apply chemicals and technology to agriculture, the more food will be produced and the lower the price will be to the consumer. This myth of cheap food is routinely used by agribusiness as a kind of economic blackmail against any who point out the devastating impacts of modern food production". In other words this myth has been use to make another excuse to why our food production is bad my opinion to this quote is that we should not spend millions of money towards these factories to make a whole bunch of unhealthy food it should go to something way healthier and safer to eat. Industrialization factories are bad after watching the movie "Meatrix" I was able to see the truth about our agriculture and how we role and what we do to about farms and how to make money off of them.

Based upon our refrigerator and freezer I bet half the people in our culture doesn't know where they food came from. In society there will always be social class status no matter what! because if you look deeply based upon supermarkets, look at different boroughs see how clean the supermarket is compare to a supermarket in Manhattan or a white neighborhood where all the white people go there is a major difference to they people serve us, living in the Bronx or Queens or Brooklyn, the supermarket aren't that clean, also look at the prices of certain stuff we buy its real cheap. As a trip in class we went to a supermarket and analyzed everything based upon the expensive of the product or calories or where it was place, come to find out all the high expensive food was on the top all the cheap stuff was at the bottom that's crazy! but hey living in the agriculture today i mean what do you expect. People should take within on the structure of how supermarkets are made with the neighborhood and realize the food in them are bad especially if you don't know the history. this semester made me change my eating habits not saying i m going to be a vegetarian but I m going to look closely into what i m eating cause i m not the one who is suffering the animals are.

People need to be more aware of what they're eating and be more educated about whats happening to these animals. Maybe many Americans should stop eating from places where they treat their animals cruelly because there are some companies that actually buy their meat from places who treat their animals un-cruel. Once again I feel we as humans should educate ourselves about where are food as come from and whet we are eating and educate other Americans as well because once person changing makes a huge difference in a period amount of time and how healthy our body becomes.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Food # 8 - Industrial Food

After looking at the video on animal cruelty, a few people around me extended their facial expressions in a disgusting manor as if that they want to stop eating meat because of the video. Although I think I was just as affected by the video an from known experiences by this chicken spot around my way where they cut off the chicken heads and clean them so from looking at the video and walking pass the chicken spot every now then i was able to see and hear the violence that goes on between the animal and human mind is sick but got to face reality hey! you gotta do what you gotta do
Looking at how they treat the chickens and cows last but not least the pigs are just crazy how they hang them, choke them and slice them open. As we eat our food today our least worry is about where it came from? who make sure that any chemicals or pesticides touch our food last? or which human being cruelty abuse the animal that we are forcing into our mouths? aspects like this are not our first intentions to when we are starving.

What we should encounter is that every animal is born to experience life with human nature and provide a family like any other human. However since our food comes from animals they don't experience that life because their life is taking away so easily and so that we can be full. That's why many people become vegetarian because the cruelty that's animals go through just to make our stomach full aren't worth the bite. So they stay away from meat, which is contradicting the dominant food ways around us and the way we eat. Looking at the Meatrix video what i was able to take from it was that in the mid 20's the greedy agri-culture was able to stay in power and we in charge of the factory farms which meant destroying farms that were there growing food the right way, but since corporate messages are such meaningful to us and how each of us once to stay on top. When we do wrong things we hope for good in the long run but it all comes down to the cruelty to the animals. The corporate messages had an impact on the greedy argi culture by having them take over farms and turning them into cruelty shops, not to mention since the agri-culture was greedy they thought as if they could benefit allot of money that comes in and out of there company of making food that we enjoy till this day.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan Response

In the book Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan he reflects on many points such as the C-4 plan and how corn is a relationship and how they have ethological detectives to check up on the food. Based upon me reading a couple of few pages within the book I was able to realize that half the stuff we eat comes from corn. Half the stuff we eat today we really don’t question into detail where it comes from? What truck or tank basically smashing the ingredients of our food up? Who touches it first when we eat food we never think the real hardcore facts about our food and it think we should. The point where Michael. P talks about how naturalist judges the super market is very true cause if you were to put your self in a naturalist shoes based on the super markets and the food we eat today they would not like it cause everything is made with oil which is bad for you especially how fast food restaurants uses it.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Internet Research

From the website: http://www.helpguide.org/life/fast_food_nutrition.htm

Healthy fast food: Sub sandwich chains

Healthy fast food: Sub sandwich chains Americans love all types of sandwiches: hot, cold, wrapped, foot long. Usually eaten with a salad instead of fries. The ads promote the health benefits of sandwich shops. Easier said than done... studies have found that many people tend to eat more calories per meal at a sub shop than at McDonald's. This may be because people feel so virtuous eating “healthy” like the ads promise, that they reward themselves with chips, sodas, or extra condiments.

You can make healthier choices at a deli or sub shop but you need to use some common sense.
Subs, Sandwich and Deli Choices

Less healthy choices

1. Foot-long sub
2. High-fat meat such as ham, tuna salad, bacon, meatballs, or steak
3. The “normal” amount of higher-fat (Cheddar, American) cheese
4. Adding mayo and special sauces
5. Keeping the sub “as is” with all toppings
6. Choosing white bread or “wraps” which are often higher in fat than normal bread



Healthier choices

1. Six-inch sub
2. Lean meat (roast beef, chicken breast, lean ham) or veggies
3. One or two slices of lower-fat cheese (Swiss or mozzarella)
4. Adding low-fat dressing or mustard instead of mayo
5. Adding extra veggie toppings
6. Choosing whole-grain bread or taking the top slice off your sub and eating it open-faced

Based on this website we could realize what is healthy and what is not healthy because it gives us a list on what us Americans usually buy when it comes down to subway sandwiches that I like so much and now that I know I what is healthy so i can live a meaningful life.

Refrigerator Assignment

What's your refrigerator?

wonder bread
American cheese
i cant believe its not butter
ketchup
mustard
turkey
eggs
ham
pickles
soda
juice
cool aid
vegetables
chicken
peas
grapes
plums
peaches
strawberries
watermelon is seasonal lol
flour
sugar
leftovers
milk
potatoes
onions
cucumber
tomato

and more

Based on the list that's provided my refrigerator looks empty looks like i need to go grocery shopping if anything. I think compare to everyone they have most likely the same amount of things in regarding if they cant cook nothing they are able to make with their hands. In relation this is how my refrigerator has always been just always packed so that we don't have to worry about running out of food. As a family we all eat in separate rooms. those are my food culture ways.

24 HOUR FOOD JOURNAL

It's 5:00 am in the morning I m waking up for school you probably wondering like dam that's too early to wake up for some school, well I know i hear it all the time I get up take a shower once I get dress I eat breakfast it is now 6:00 am I go in the kitchen and make an bacon egg and cheese on the bagel to start off my day I know that sounds like allot but its really good once I leave to go to school I always take an fruit to eat when I get to school it's about 6:30 I get on the train time fly by so fast i arrive to school it is now 8:30 in Mr. Manley class as I take out my apple and munch on it everyone looking but the juice from the apple taste delicious.

Its crazy cause once I eat I get hungry once again after like and hour my doctor says i have fast metabolism but i don't see how cause when i eat its not like i m active i real relax and just taking it slow so i don't see how. I cant wait till lunch as i hear my stomach make noise mumbling and growling.

It is now 12:30 I hang out in front of building for a little an then rush to get some food usually I go to subway because it a good way to start the afternoon with some healthy meal such as letus, tomato, cucumber, bread, sauce, and more I usually order chicken terayaki with an Italian bread letus and cucumber which is good I got a variety of different stuff but just can't leave the chicken alone. I otice that I order this allot because i don't want to order nothing that might not satisfied my taste buds like I want it to.

Chicken has become a part of my life because i've became very habitual to it i consume it so many years that pretty much everything i eat has to do with chicken but hey as long as i enjoy the meal that whats matter.

It's 3:10 on my way home from school I order a large fries from McDonald's before i get on the train so i can maintain my hungriness its about 5:30 once I get home i take a nap until it's time for dinner which is like 7:00 because that the time when everyone gets home from work. My grand mother home cooking so she can provide a good meal to satisfied us before we officially go to sleep and prepare for the next day.

TIME FOR DINNER 7:00 pm
dinner is serve spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread.
My family doesn't follow the traditional habit of having dinner all together, even though we would like to but it doesn't happen because that's not what we do. We all go in separate rooms watch TV talk have different conversations rather its a topic on what happen during school or at the job jokes that we heard or not we just a typical family who love each other and get along without an fight.

I got to sleep and the CYCLE STARTS AGAIN

MAY DAY

I never once heard about May Day until this assignment because I never hear any one talk about or celebrate it come to find out its a holiday that is celebrated in a few different origins of the world such as Europe,Finland,Greece,Ireland,United kingdom,England,Scotland,France,Germany,Americas, Noticed that none of the origins are listed with North America ( United States) because we as Americans don't celebrate it. A similar holiday close to May Day is Labor day is day where people take off and celebrate meaning BBQ and food and get together with family and friends. This is a way we Americans celebrate and have a good meaningful life is by celebrating holidays that are known to us. With all the knowledge we learn everyday I think we should at least know about may day and how important it is to other countries rather than to us, I believe it's important to know a little about the holiday which i m glad i did this assignment.

Worker's holiday first occur in Australia in 1856 s a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. May Day is most common by having organized street demonstrations and street marches by millions of working people and their labor unions throughout most of the countries of the world fighting and protesting about the 8th hour day instead of 12.

The American life is basically live free die hard or work hard and never give up there are many aspects in the American culture that brings up these aspects to live long, and the only way to do that is if was to do that is to good school, work, eat healthy and support family and friends. That's living a meaningful life.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Grocery Store and Habitual Food

When my family go grocery shopping my grandmother usually by a variety of stuff vegetables, fruits, nuts and all types of spices. So that everyday out the week we can switch up our meals throughout the week. In order to live more meaningful a good way to start is to experience different types of food and experience different types of flavors with our 5 taste buds. I notice that once I try things I usually don't eat I seem to enjoy it more because i m so use to being consume to like chicken rice but once my grandmother switches up the meal i enjoy it better.

The store that my family usually shop at are called Associate or Stop and Shop, these types of grocery stores push there food by having sales, different types of discounts on different foods handing out news paper. One way stores push particular types of products is by having yellow posters or just bright colors to catch our attention in our eye sight, or having the price of the product in a large font so our face expression can drop and be like wow that's cheap so we can buy it. Another way that I notice that stores try to sell their product is by having people test out there food before they decide to buy it, that's a way of bringing in the customers. I believe that's a good way of making your product known when i m in a mall with a food court inside i always test the food out to decide rather if it's good or not. Even though every cook in massive oil but hey That how many corporate message are found on each individual because we listen to what corporate has to say and we do it.

After every meal I eat I always drink water after because that's a way of cleaning your body after all the food as been enter. I really don't depend on a diet pattern because I m not trying to loose weight i m most likely trying to gain weight. So what I do if I don't eat I usually drink a nutriment drink to replace a meal for the day and they having very good types of flavors to choose from to making a good meal such as vanilla,chocolate,strawberry,banana a very good choice variety if you switch up.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

HEALTH

QUESTIONS/ ANSWERS

1) WHY DO YOU NEED TO STAY HEALTHY ?

According to Canberra, Australia she thought to keep a body nurture and healthy was to eat healthy food stay active and take care of illness so that. your body can fight it off the sickness. This idea of staying healthy means to each salads fruits and maintain vitamins each and everyday. Maintain a good weight for your body Nutrition is key to staying healthy.

2) HOW TO TREAT A HEALTHY BODY?

Treating a healthy body means to stay fit, eat right, drink water, excerise do the body good.


3) WHY DO WE KEEP TRACK OF OUR HEALTH IF WE ALL GOING TO DIE ANYWAYS?

Monday, February 9, 2009

Questions: To how old people live?

1What is it like living in a nursing home?
2.what do you do for fun ?
3.is your life meaningful?
4.what precent do old people live in poverty?
5.How do you spend your money based on the products you need and want?
6.What do you find comfotable?
7.How active are you around other people your age?
8.What does it feel like to be dependent?
9.What i sthe rate of anti depression?
10.What is your pleasure?
11.how many old people abuses their medications in order to make them feel better?
12.How do you feel internally?
13.Do you often have company come over?

OlD PEOPLE INTERVIEWS

Interview #1
Ms. Rosa

1) What motivates elderly people to keep living under all the pain and stress?

To see my kids and grand kids well grown up and do something successful with their life that’s what motivates me to wake up every more to how my family progress over time. Living under all the pain and stress are just obstacles to make me quit but I am stronger that.

2) How did they make it this far?

With the help from different medications that was given to me I was able to stabilize my conditions that I had so that made live longer you can say.

3) Do you think as a elder you should get way more benefits?

According to the way we live now I think we should get way more benefits even though we have the retirement and nursing homes give us the physical support we deserve more benefits such as health care.

4) Do you believe that you lived a meaningful life?

I believe my life was very meaningful I have live the day were segregation took apart of everyone life and to see a black president of the United States makes it even more meaningful. The experiences I’ve been through made me a better person as I sit today.

5) Is the pain and stress worth making your life more meaningful?

I think living with the stress and pain was worth it because now when I’m long and gone I m able to know that strive through it to make every aspect work and made my life meaningful.

Interview 2
Ms. Evans

1) What motivates old people to keep living under all the pain and stress?

What motivates me to keep living even if with the stress and pain is that god blesses me with the chance to wake up every morning. Knowing that my family is there to support me even if something was to happen to me as long as I live.

2) How did you make it this far?

I made it this far by believing in my self , connecting with god.


3) Do you think as an elder you should get way more benefits?

. Yes

4) Do you believe that you lived a meaningful life?

Yes I think I am living a meaningful life, I got to live through many different historical moments which had a major impact on me as an elder.

5) Is the pain and stress worth making your life more meaningful?

The pain and stress was worth it because I got to struggle through hard times and talk to god letting him know what was wrong. My life is still meaningful till this day.

Interview 3
Ms. Gibson


1) What motivates old people to keep living under all the pain and stress?

What motivates me is that people my age is still doing what they have to do, so seeing them makes me feel internally more stronger.

2) How did you make it this far?

I made it this far with the help from friends and family always being there for me when the time was needed.

3) Do you think as an elder you should get way more benefits?

Yes

4) Do you believe that you lived a meaningful life?

Yes

5) Is the pain and stress worth making your life more meaningful?

Yes because I went threw many historical events which had impact on my life which made it more meaningful.

Interview 4
Ms. Parker

1) What motivates old people to keep living under all the pain and stress?

What motivates me is just knowing that I m still living today and that I could strive through problems in life.

2) How did they make it this far?

With the help from god I was able to strive and fight through things.

3) Do you think as an elder you should get way more benefits?

Yes
4) Do you believe that you lived a meaningful life?

Yes

5) Is the pain and stress worth making your life more meaningful?

Yes because memories are important looking back to see what you made progress from.

OLD PEOPLE

Taj Hall 2/4/09
Andy B2
5 questions on old people

1) What motivates old people to keep living under all the pain and stress?
2) How did they make it this far?
3) Do you think as a elder you should get way more benefits?
4) Do you believe that you lived a meaningful life?
5) Is the pain and stress worth making your life more meaningful

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

"Exhibition Style Paper"

What came up in class that I thought that was so interesting was that “Andy said what do you think Barrack Obama is going to say or what do you expect him to say and lastly what do we want him to say?"

Throughout many of the speeches that Barrack Obama gave was all about the word “WE the people” or “as I stand here today we will change America with the help from we”
I think that change has come to America ever since Barrack Obama was elected for the president that was a huge accomplishment ever since Martin Luther king had a dream. Even though with out the help, from martin lither king we wouldn’t be in school of the future, sitting here sharing our opinions among with each other so even though MLK fought to solve for segregation he also fought everyone to make a change and that is where I think Barrack Obama took a lead because he believe that America could change with the help from everyone. Back in the 60’s as an African American we were highly treated with no respect, where we struggle to live another day, at one point we couldn’t even vote it was strictly racist, encountering that everyone has a voice, back 60’s it almost seem like our voice didn’t count cause we were black but as I stand here today using the words from Barrack Obama as young African American 18 year old and a first time voter I am proud of the progress that has been made and I think from the help from everyone voting really set a unite feeling to set a mood that we are and we will make a change.


Barrack Obama plays a significant role in the corporate messages. His inauguration speech was was well written because he spoke well and fluently about how we as Americans are bound to make this change in the world. The general facts that we are given from his speeches are that he's willing to what ever it takes to show progression. The importance that we are able to finalize from his speeches is that he is trying to make change for the better and is trying to support and help people in poverty. In a way he is another Martin Luther King because Martin Luther King supported the same things Obama is trying to support. With the support from so many people we were able to gain national unity to become this stronger society, people from all over the world goes to Washington D.C to create this feeling that makes us all feel like we can do something differently no matter what it is. An example of this would be the inauguration. This was a commitment that Barrack Obama had promised the world, he promised the United States that there would be change with the support from foundations,programs, and people who put there heart and soul to push this idea of change. With this idea of change people believe that things will get better as time progresses, but what some people dont understand is that the change wont come as quick as they want it to because for good things to happen it takes time and help from everyone not only one person.


Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the civil right movement he had a big impact in our lives and how we see things today, it makes us as the people think more deeply on how the world would be if Martin Luther King didn't didn't do things he felt he needed to change. He thought there shouldn't be no more segregation and that we should come together and make one. Martin Luther King felt as if no matter what color you were we should unite and come together. Martin Luther King had on an influence on many people prime example Barrack Obama. Martin luther King speech about I have a dream, is very meaningful to many lives today including mines. If you notice the media always play the speech from i have a dream what the media don't know is that the 10 min before i have dream is what makes up the whole speech.




Throughout life we all individuals trying to find the right path to live a meaningful life with the help from holidays, traditional beliefs, rituals, religions and more, we are able to come to together and help each other succeed. We questions ourselves ever day what makes us happy or what can we do differently to enhance our lives to make it more meaningful thirdly if i go shopping would this make my life more meaningful, all types of aspects pops up in our head but the fact is that we should over come obstacles and just live our life. To be part of the American life it's an obligation to celebrate holidays that we enjoy the most or even more so that we hate but still try to focus on the positive side. with the help from holidays its just another way to bring coporate and marginal message into pop culture



Black Friday post

On the day of Black Friday I did not shop, only because this year I really didn’t want anything, I felt that I had everything I wanted. So waking up in the morning fighting to get in line was not a concern for me. Our culture rituals are that when stores have major sales its means time to shop till you drop. For some people this day is an important day because it gives them a chance to buy stuff they couldn't’t afford before but since black Friday is full of sales people are able to buy what they want. Black Friday is an obligation for some people and that’s what makes there life more meaningful having something they always and finally buying it a price they thought they couldn’t buy before. Remember we live in a world full of consumers so making money and spending money is cultural ritual for them. Last year, black Friday I did shop It felt meaningful because it was great experience and I was able to get what I wanted for the time being. So we are able to see a pattern when there is something you always wanted and black Friday drops the price down your bound to become apart of the consumers team. For some people I believe its meaningful for some people but it all depend on the reason some buy for Christmas and some just buy for the hell of it.

Thanksgiving post

My thanksgiving was really good, ate allot of food got to catch on family issues, saw friends and was able to come together as one without any arguments or disagreements it was very meaningful for me. Genocide has never and I don’t think it would ever come up in a thanksgiving dinner discussion. Since my family does celebrate thanksgiving genocide is our least worry, for families who don’t celebrate thanksgiving are the ones who bring up the topic or value what happen within the day about genocide. This culture ritual is only meaningful to certain families because each family is different and were brought up different. I am glad that my family celebrates thanksgiving because all the food I get to eat think about it? if you was family who didn’t celebrate you would not be eating all the food. By the way I was brought up I say by far my life is meaningful.

Christmas post