EXTRA CREDIT REPLIES TO OTHER'S BLOGS

COMMENTS ON KEVIN

I agree with what your saying about how we are continuing to use fossil fuels even though it is going to run out but my question is now that you know this, Does this make you want to change you lifestyle and if so how will you and if not why not?

-He had many ideas that were similar to mines but the idea i kept emphasizing on was about how we keep using fossil fuels and we know we are going to run out

COMMENTS ON JACARA
I like how you showed your understanding before Andy's class which shows how the class has had an impact on you. I have the same feeling of when i look at t.ads or movies. I try to bring out the real meaning of what they are trying to say and the way it got there, machines used and the whole thought process. There are things we do have that we can be grateful for and there are things that can be better but hopefully we can have changes to help our future.

-When she said she can not look at Ad's the same way, it made me feel the same way after knowing all of the information we know now. Isn't that we we are suppose to look at life, instead of just looking at it and saying "oh that movie so did rock!"

Collapse Assignment 2 - Short and Smart

WE have reached out peak oil in 2006!! i don't understand we we are still using oil with no alternative energy that can be a substitute.

OBSERVATIONS

According to Peak Oil Primer, oil counts for 43% of the world's total fuel consumption and 95% of global energy used for transportation. When we do run out only have a 5% chance of getting around towns with no oil which is sad. I never really realized that oil does account for mostly everything we have.

"For certain tasks, such as air travel, no other energy source can readily be substituted for oil."

knowing this information is scary but i really wonder why we started using oil if we know there is a possibility we will run out of it. If we know we will reach peak oil, the smart idea would have back up but America seems like they wait until the disaster is happening to take action.



WE DON't NEED TREE'S BUT WE NEED OIL:

On Easter Island, they have use of the trees that helped them live longer. They used to construct statues because the biggest statue shows who the wealthiest is, similar to how Americans are. They were being told what to do, with out thinking to themselves the outcome of what can happen. We are now in the same mess now since technology has taken over and we need fossil fuels for everything. If we continue to use oil which is stupid since we know we are going to run out, we are all going to start eating each other because we do not have any skills of hunting. What do we need to do for people to wake up start taking action! Damn.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

This is a quote from Megan Quinn a director from the community service Inc. a non-profit organization founded in the 1940's that help communities live healthier. She is also a graduate from Miami university on oxford, where she studied peak oil and during an interview stated the following:

"The first thing that people need to do is take complete responsibility for their lifestyles, including the energy and material inputs that feed their everyday lives and the wastes that they generate. Even the act of watching TV for one hour burns 20 pounds of coal in the process. After understanding the costs associated with our modern lives, we will begin to reduce the fossil fuel inputs in all our food, clothing, and other products and reduce the amount of pollutants that leave us. In other words, we take responsibility of all that flows into us and all that flows out of us."

So everyone needs to start taking responsibilities on themselves. The problem is many people feel like that is a myth and do not really believe it until it blows up their face. She also said the following:

"Once you understand the basic global energy situation you must first analyze your personal energy budget. How much energy do you use in a typical day? From what sources does this energy come? What are the main areas of energy use? What machines or products that you purchase/use have the most embedded energy? Some of these questions may be difficult to answer do the lack of data, but you can make some guesses. From that point you can begin to identify areas where you can reduce energy use. For example, buying local, fresh, seasonal food drastically reduces the embedded energy that you would consume in frozen, packaged, long-distance food. Another example is sharing a car. This reduces the embedded energy in the manufacture and maintenance of the car and the oil energy used to make more frequent trips (experience shows that those who use car co-ops or car-sharing plan their trips more wisely and efficiently). Have a plan to reduce your energy use by 25% in the first year and continue setting similar goals."

I feel like these quotes are significant and can help anyone who is reading this so we can start saving our future. If someone wants to read more of the interview they can go to the following website: http://www.energybulletin.net/node/5721

Final Essay

INTRO
The America way of life has been complex for many generations that causes me to have balanced views on it. When someone asks if I can use one word to describe the American way of life, I would simply state alternative. There are many different choices to choose upon, that can either negatively affect one's life or the opposite. In Our life’s, there are always alternatives to a situation. For example, go green or don't but there would be results to either decision one makes. The decision that one makes add’s up to the American way of life. Those same decisions are what cause the American way of life to portray as good or bad. It depends on ones view. I can portray life as the best ever if I only view it through a positive view but some one else can portray life as hell and we all are like robots being told what to do. So I feel the American Way of life depends on the lens one look through.

COMPLAINING
I Enjoy the American way of life because it's my life and I want to enjoy it. In my view I know many people that complain much about life, the recession, healthcare, or their life’s in general, but I feel people need to stop complaining about the American way and take action. Complaining about it will not solve the issues that are still current. So people will need to look at life through a different view and do what they need to do.

THE GOVERNMENT
The government keeps our American way of life stabled. Many people do not agree with some of the ways but I think it's a good thing we have them because with out them, our society will be wild, no rules and structures that will help anyone for the future. The downfall of the government is that it is hard to change rules. It like respecting your elders. If you don't there will be consequences. Because of that it causes people to be skeptical about their freedom of speech because they are worried about what can happen after. Which is stupid because it is our life and we really don't have no say into how to structure the government. In order to do so, you must have much power, which isn't fair.

CAPITALISM/ECONOMICS
After leaning about capitalism and economics it made me want to start my own business. After seeing the principles about how to be successful in life, I now know to play the game right so I will. In the American way of life capitalism is what structures life in the money world. When we did this unit I had to learn much more about economics so I too college class. I never really knew about how the money world worked but since I know now, I know how to keep the cash flow coming in. Everyone sells and buys which is how we survive in America. This unit also made me be aware of how I spend my money, for example should I buy 1 roll of toilet paper or a pack of 6. I would compare the prices in the long run. In Our society many people spend money foolishly but that is how our society divides up into different social classes. If the poor were not unfortunate, there would not be jobs at McDonalds or any other job with low wages. So it shows me how every social class effects one another but it is very unfortunate how some of the richest do not help the poor. If I do become rich, one that I do have set in mind is I'm going to help those who need it because I know how it feels to be in that situation. That is how the American way of life should be like. Helping those who are unfortunate.

HEALTHCARE:
The healthcare system in our American way of life is real fucked up. Please excuse my language but there is no other way to put it in terms. They are supposed to care for the people, but everyone knows it's all about money now a days. Knowing about the healthcare systems opened my eyes and I’ve decided to really take care of myself as best as I can and not accepting any kind of medication that can later cause me to be in worst shape than before. It is much more expensive for a private doctor but it is worth it. Knowing all this information wants me to get a good job so I can have a good doctor. A way for me to have good health is by the food I eat.

FOOD
After learning about the animal cruelty and how the factories have caused air pollutions, causing many people to get sick, the process food leads to the illness many people have, and therefore the healthcares won't pay for certain illnesses. It's like a sequence, where everything affects one another. Food is a thing we need everyday but certain foods are not healthy to many. If certain foods are not healthy why do they continue to sell it? Once again this country is MONEY HUNGRY!!! It makes me upset at times knowing animals are being treated in order for us to eat, so I'm going to try to eat a different way. In order for me to get good healthcare I need to eat healthy so I won't be denied healthcare because of an illness a process food caused.

BIRTH
Since America has become industrialized, the technology in the medical world increased rapidly. So many women would have births at the hospital because they feel safe but it really isn't. I feel that authorities always keep out hidden facts from everyone. For example many people did not know c-sections makes doctors profit rise and they are the ones who cause the section. If Americans do not spread the knowledge of this crisis many woman will end up dead or never experience birth the way it is suppose to be. The birth process has lost the natural way woman are suppose to have their babies. I feel like the American way of life is starting to lose it's values that have been tradition through out the year and if people don't start acting on it now or be aware of it, it will be gone forever.

ENERGY
Since our society is based off of oil, we continue to use our resources to when there is none left. Because America is money hungry, many people do not think of the, "what can happen if we do this," question. If that were the case, they would try to find ways that can be helpful to the environment and help us live longer. Once again we have lost the value of unity. When building things, and making food in farms, it brings people together but since we have machines taking over, that unity is impossible to make. Not only that, by using all the oil there is no doubt about us running out of it. If America knows this why aren't we trying to find alternative situations so we can be prepared for it? Instead we just keep going on and it shows me how America doesn't have standards. It makes me real upset how ONCE AGAIN IT'S ABOUT MONEY! So now after writing this essay instead of saying alternative is the one word I would choose to describe the America way of life, I would now say wealth, something the American way of life lives off of.

Collapse assignment 1

After reading the story, i started wondering if that is how the U.S looked before it become industrialized. While reading, what caught my interest was how they survived with no fossil fuels. In our life time it seems like that's what we only survive on which can result in a bad situation because when we do collapse worst, as a society we are not going to be able to function right or have survival techniques because our minds have immune to the industrialization era.

We are familiar with one way of things. We only know fossil fuel machines that help everything and everybody. It was also interesting to see how they made a farm with scarce resources. This is what our society will have to deal with once we collapse. We will have to do what we need to do with these resources we have but to do so, we must learn experiences.

One last thing that was interesting was how they left the sculptures not done. I feel that is parallel with our society because if people feel like they are not getting enough money such as 5 dollar wages instead of 7 then people may just walk off, many people. This is how i visualize the collapse soon.

Final Food Assignment

I woke up this morning rushing to school so i won't be late and because of this i missed breakfast which means I'm going to be extra hungry at lunch. Finally lunch time comes but at this time i still don't know what i want to eat and im very skeptical about what i eat which is a good thing because i choose not to eat anything, which most of teens these days will consider. So usually i would get something cheap because the area around the school, with the money i get is highly expensive. But many people know the cheap food is unhealthy and it is ashamed how the industrialized foods are cheap. So while still trying to decide i made the choice to not eat because I'm not a fan of fatty foods, so waiting until i got home was a healthier decision.

While waiting for my friends to get lunch, someone ordered something i had no clue of what is was. After that i asked her what is was and she said, "Oh it's some beef thing and i don't know what else but it's good." She didn't even know what the hell she was eating which made me think about myself, if i really knew what i was eating.

THESIS : Foods in our society has become over natural with many lies about where it has come from. Industrialized foods have many secrets that society doesn't know about with positive and negative outcomes.

IS THE LABEL REALLY THE TRUTH.

When looking at labels on foods, No one sees a label saying the chicken was from a farm that was later given to the factory where they created many assembly line's, squished together, badly treated, so there can be a high chance of some sickness in this piece of chicken. Now after reading that one may not want to buy it because it will cause a demand decrease. So What are we eating? In our society i have very much doubt that everyone truly knows that corn has ammonium Nitrate, The stuff used in bombs. Not that it is harms us, but it's the simple fact of the lack of knowledge. Instead of writing brief ingredients of things we know, They need to write it ALL. The purpose of ingredients is to show what is in the food and in our society we are being half lied too with out knowing.

What caught my attention in chapter one, 'The Plant' In The Omnirovore's Dilemma, Is when Michael Pollan stated, "The label Doesn't mention that that rib-eye steak came from a steer born in South Dakota and fattened in a Kansas Feedlot on grain grown in Iowa." (17). This is significant to our American way of life because it goes back to the question, "What am i Eating?" Many people in our society, would just eat what ever desires their taste buds. It can hold a dangerous substance and Yet people wouldn't know because just like politics, The food industry can be crooked. We are only told what we are eating, Not having any proof.
By knowing we have "Corn with out corn," is interesting because it makes me wonder since corn is mostly produced in foods, then Corn should produce fast and produce a lot. Pollan answers my question by talking about the Zea Mays plant and saying this plant is very much different from others because this plant produces more corn, "By recruiting extra atoms of carbon during each instance of photosynthesis, The corn is able to limit its loss of water and 'fix" - That is, Take from the atmosphere and link in a useful molecule-Significantly more carbon than other plants."(21). Knowing this information makes me understand how it's possible for corn to be in many meals. It's a greedy plant, Which Outputs a good need. And it also adopts to any environment which shows it can produce much more than some plants. To prove that Corn is every meal that we eat, I think It's interesting how if, "The higher the ratio of carbon 13 to carbon 12 in a person's flesh, the more corn has been in."(22) This demonstrates how corn is in our meals and to prove that many people eat it, You would take a strand of hair to prove it. Knowing all of the above is significant because in our society, i doubt many people knows this information which therefore proves people don't have a clue of what they are really eating. The following questions i have is Is there only one type of corn? The same corn that is being used is corn syrup, Is it the same as corn on a cob? Also what other plant is well popular in our foods that people don't know about?

INDUSTRIAL FOODS

In our society, there are many fast food restaurants that have different Prices and menu's. The taste come's from different seasoning or factories that process the food with chemicals. One thing that all fast food restaurants have in common is the type of food it is; Industrialized foods. Industrial foods is fossil feud machines taking over the natural farms, letting machines take over the food way. Since this occurs, no one really pays attention and gives the animals tender, love and care. Instead they get sick with bad conditions. According to a article PlanetPapers- Pros and Cons of McDonald's, they state how, "People that eat at McDonald's do not always realize what happened to the cow before it turned into the hamburger. Mostly the animals are living in bad conditions. Chickens get born with foot disorders. But then again I guess that the animals the produce the meat for the top class restaurants suffer the same." (http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/3046.php)

By knowing this info emphasis how many people eating at fast food restaurants do not know how the animal was treated or even if it's healthy. In our society, they do not tell us all of the facts, a point that Sam cotto proved when she walked into McDonald's finding out the calorie count and "trans fat" was a lie. The significance of this is labels and what people say is something you shouldn't always have trust in.

The meatrix immediately caught my attention due to the graphics and the theme based off of the matrix. Even though it was an animated film about how our food is being treated, which is a good way to catch the younger generations attention, i learned more than i thought. In reality, our society is always discovering something new with our foods. New illnesses from this and that because of the process of our foods. Just like "Moopheus" stated, because they take the cows to get milk, the mama cows can not feed their children so they feed the babies blood from the dead cows which causes mad cow diseases, which is harmful to us. So by knowing that, it seems to me this industrialization of our foods is really killing us!! It's the reason for many cases of obesity, all the processed meat being injected with artificial substances. This is really a crisis as i think about it. We have factory's taking over these farms, taking farmers out of businesses and removing the healthy foods to make "fake foods". To solve this issue people need to start realizing and start helping these animals. it's like saying cannibals take over and they start doing the same they do to animals to humans. We wouldn't want that.
According to fatal Harvest they stated, "However, numerous studies have put the costs of such dislocation since World War II in the tens of billions of dollars." which means this is where it all began just like Pollan said in the Omnivore's Dilemma. Many people would say we can not survive with out our industrialized foods but i think we can because we been doing it before it was in the making. It just so happens because of the machines being produce, it makes more food which maximizes profit. I wonder how our lives would be now if our foods were brought from real farms.

PROS AND CONS

Our food industry has become industrialized, which means some of our foods are not being produced naturally. It reminds me of the birthing process, how doctors induce the labor instead of waiting for the baby to be born when it is ready to. In farms, The farmers are the doctors and the food growing is the babies. By technology increasing, there are always pros and cons. One of many pro's is that, "One bushels holds 56 pounds of kernels, so that slightly more ten thousand pounds of food per acre; The field George and i planted that day would produce 1.8 million pounds of corn. Not bad for a day's work sitting down."(36) The natural beauty of growing farms has been destroyed by these huge tractors. The benefits from the tractors is that it produces more corn but the downfall is many people are losing out jobs, making the population decrease and animals. But like everyone says, It's all about the money. With The machines, "One man can handle a lot more acreage by himself when it's plants in monoculture, and without animals to care for he can take the weekend off, and even think about spending the winter in Florida."(40). It's less time, More money. With oil machines taking over, Not only does it take less time, But it also can cause pollution, Which can harm many.

ANIMAL CRUELTY

It is sad to see the animal cruelty. I never really though about how the animals must feel. Many people would say " I can not live with out my meat". If they never ate meat they would not say this. The chicken and meat everyone eats is the desire for taste. If all meat was nasty no one would eat it. It is sad how the animals die just so we can have food to eat but then again it is taken to the middle man processing it with some kind of chemical so abuse never does stop. I know there are many studies if vegetarians live longer than Meat eaters but what i would like to say is how can we prove this fact? What can our society do so can be eating healthier with out any harm done?

ALTERNATIVES:

I really can't tell people how to eat but after knowing all the information and doing this unit, it makes me want to make wiser choices. Instead of drinking whole milk i have switched to organic milk and soy milk.( By the way to me it's better than whole milk). I'm trying to cut down the meats so much but it's hard because I'm addicted to it and many people are so for those who say they are going to stop, it will take them time, but since we really can't beat the system, it's best for the society to prepare their own dishes. There are many things society can do to stop this crisis but if we do, there would be a huge collapse in the economic world.

Steve Brill Tour In Central Park *EXTRA CREDIT*

While going on a tour in Central Park with Steve brill, New York's naturalist, i felt like a new me. I decides to share this education life experience with my best friend and 6 year old nephew. I wasn't able to hear the names he called out about each plant but the ones i do like is those that make tea, Garlic and violets and those that have a lemon taste. Everyone had a good time and learned a lot. But while walking through the park and eating the food, i felt like that is the way it's suppose to be. My nephew was skeptical about eating some because he has become adopted to the industrialized food, food from supermarkets or restaurants. In reality this is where our food comes from. We have the resources in our city with out even knowing it. The city doesn't say anything about it on the news, telling people that there are plants that can cure sicknesses in central park. So i took advantage of this trip taking note of where they plants i like and need, are from.

He told a story about being arrested while giving a tour, which meant what he was doing was illegal. I guess that stuck out the most to me because it demonstrates how society does not want others to eat anything natural. We must eat what is industrialized because that's they way it goes. Basically it is under the law to eat natural food in New York because it can effect the economy worst then ever. Many fast food restaurants that profit off of unhealthy fatty industrialized food will not be in the making. There would be a lot of less businesses. This event demonstrated how society has little where abouts about the environment and processed foods.

Industrial Food

First thing i would like to talk about is the movie clips from The Meatrix. It immediately caught my attention due to the graphics and the theme based off of the matrix. Even though it was an animated film about how our food is being treated, i learned more than i thought. In reality, our society is always discovering something new with our foods. New illnesses from this and that because of the process of our foods. Just like the "Morpheus" was saying, because they take the cows to get milk, the mama cows can not feed their children so they feed the babies blood from the dead cows which causes mad cow diseases, which is harmful to us. SO by knowing that, it seems to me this industrialization of our foods is really killing us. It's the reason for many cases of obesity, all these processed meat being injected with artificial matters. This is really a crisis as i think about it. We have factory's taking over these farms, taking farmers out of businesses and removing the healthy foods to make "fake foods". To solve this issue people need to start realizing and start helping these animals. it's like saying cannibals take over and they start doing the same they do to animals to humans. We wouldn't want that.

According to fatal Harvest stated. "However, numerous studies have put the costs of such dislocation since World War II in the tens of billions of dollars." which means this is where it all began just like Pollan said in the Omnivore's Dilemma. Many people would say we can not survive with out our industrialized foods but i think we can because we been doing it before it was in the making. It just so happens because of the machines being produce, it makes more food which maximizes profit. I wonder how our lives would be now if our foods were brought from real farms.

It is sad to see the animal cruelty. I never really though about how the animals must feel. Many people would say " I can not live with out my meat". If they never ate meat they would not say this. The chicken and meat everyone eats is the desire for taste. If all meat was nasty no one would eat it. It is sad how the animals die just so we can have food to eat but then again it is taken to the middle man being processed with some kind of chemical so abuse never does stop being now us in a society and many eat meaters are being abused by the factories. I know there are many studies if vegetarians live longer than Meat eaters but what i would like to say is how can we prove this fact? What can our society do so can be eating healthier with out any harm done?

LATE (F7) RECIPE

SAUSAGE PIZZA HOMEMADE




1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup organic tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper
1 link precooked chicken basil sausage
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 red bell pepper or jarred roasted red pepper
4 ounces prepared pizza dough
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped scallion, white and green parts
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh basil


SWEET POTATOE FRIES

For the sweet potato fries
2 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
Juice of 1/2 lime

CHAPTER 2

Our food industry has become industrialized, which means some of our foods are not being produced naturally. It reminds me of the birthing process, how doctors induce the labor instead of waiting for the baby to be born when it is ready to. In farms, The farmers are the doctors and the food growing is the babies. By technology increasing, there are always pros and cons. One of many pro's is that, "One bushels holds 56 pounds of kernels, so that slightly more ten thousand pounds of food per acre; The field George and i planted that day would produce 1.8 million pounds of corn. Not bad for a day's work sitting down."(36) The natural beauty of growing farms has been destroyed by these huge tractors. The benefits from the tractors is that it produces more corn but the downfall is many people are losing out jobs, making the population decrease and animals. But like everyone says, It's all about the money. With The machines, "One man can handle a lot more acreage by himself when it's plants in monoculture, and without animals to care for he can take the weekend off, and even think about spending the winter in Florida."(40). It's less time, More money. With oil machines taking over, Not only does it take less time, But it also can cause pollution, Which can harm many.

If we continue to industrialize, our foods will continue to have many new substances. In our society i have very much doubt that everyone truly knows that corn has ammonium Nitrate, The stuff used in bombs. Not that it is harms us, but it's the simple fact of the lack of knowledge. Instead of writing brief ingredients of things we know, They need to write it ALL, the point of ingredients is to show what is in the food and in our society we are being half lied too with out knowing. The remaining questions i still have is, what other chemical substances are in our food that can harm us? How come stores or who ever makes the carton show ALL ingredients? Is it because the society is afraid to really let us know what we are eating and the outcome that can be? Also how will food taste with out no type of corn? Is it really the essential to foods?

RESPONSE TO OTHERS:

KATE-

I agree with everything that you are saying. If machines keep taking over, there would be no jobs and if they keep producing corn, then we will run low on food supply.

GAVIN-
I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT HOW MUCH CORN CAN THE FIELDS FEED. WHEN POLLAN SAID 129 PEOPLE AND THEN SWITCHED UP THE NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH THEY CAN PRODUCE, I NOW FEEL AS IF HE IS JUST PUTTING HIS OWN OPINIONS INTO THE BOOK.

Chapter 1

What caught my attention in chapter one, "The Plant", Is when Michael Pollan stated, "The label Doesn't mention that that rib-eye steak came from a steer born in South Dakota and fattened in a Kansas Feedlot on grain grown in Iowa." (17). This is significant to our American way of life because it goes back to the question, "What am i Eating?" Many people in our society, would just eat what ever desires their taste buds. It can hold a dangerous substance and Yet people wouldn't know because just like politics, The food industry can be crooked. We are only told what we are eating, Not having any proof.

By knowing we have "Corn with out corn," is interesting because it makes me wonder since corn is mostly produced in foods, then Corn should produce fast and produce a lot. Pollan answers my question by talking about the Zea Mays plant and saying this plant is very much different from others because this plant produces more corn, "By recruiting extra atoms of carbon during each instance of photosynthesis, The corn is able to limit its loss of water and 'fix" - That is, Take from the atmosphere and link in a useful molecule-Significantly more carbon than other plants."(21). Knowing this information makes me understand how it's possible for corn to be in many meals. It's a greedy plant, Which Outputs a good need. And it also adopts to any environment which shows it can produce much more than some plants. To prove that Corn is every meal that we eat, I think It's interesting how if, "The higher the ratio of carbon 13 to carbon 12 in a person's flesh, the more corn has been in."(22) This demonstrates how corn is in our meals and to prove that many people eat it, You would take a strand of hair to prove it. Knowing all of the above is significant because in our society, i doubt many people knows this information which therefore proves people don't have a clue of what they are really eating. The following questions i have is Is there only one type of corn? The same corn that is being used is corn syrup, Is it the same as corn on a cob? Also what other plant is well popular in our foods that people don't know about?

*I COULD NOT POST UP RESPONSES TO OTHERS BECAUSE I COULDNT FIND ANYONE WHO DID CHAPTER ONE*

Grocery Store and Habitual Food

My mother goes grocery shopping every month. When food is running low, She would get what she needs quickly from the market but usually she would go shopping during sales. She buys everything but she buys more vegetables, meats and foods that give texture and taste. When making dinner, majority of the time, We always have some type of meat with vegetables but she likes to mix it up at times. So i would say my diet is well rounded.

I don't think the grocery stores "push" us to get certain foods because my mother would get foods she is familiar with. She is not the type to look at food that is being advertised, think it's good and buys it. I eat the opposite of my family at times because I like to eat well rounded but my family likes to OD on foods with alot of butter and all that fat.

Response to Pollan 1

After reading the first couple of pages of The omnivore's dilemma : a natural history of four meals, it made me realize how corrupted our food system is. Many people do not have a clue what they are eating but it is the taste they desire. It made me start questioning myself, about how i eat. Lately i been wanting to eat healthy but when i look around in the streets, there are a lot of stores with unhealthy food and i can not find healthy food. When eating fatty foods now a days, people really don't have a clue to what their eating, which was a point proved by Pollan.

Recently, since im trying to start my new diet i have been watching a new series on t.v called COOK YOURSELF THIN which teaches people how to cook your favorite foods in a healthier matter. I find it to be very interested due to the fact that my family does not look at food shows. My family, well my mother cooks what she knows about. I tried talking to her about making new foods with different recipes and start getting to know our food, but i guess the economy has a huge part to play because if she does not like what she has made, she does not look foward to throwing it out.

The first couple of pages really turned my point of view of food keen. I will start to observe my food like i would observe my sneakers.

24HR FOOD JOURNAL (4/28/09-4/29/09)

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNER:
-PORK CHOPS
-BROCCOLI & CHEESE
-BAKED POTATO W/ BUTTER
-ICE TEA

As usual, my mother cooked the food and served me and my sisters, they chose to sit at the table while me and my mother sat on the couch. We are ate with forks, and drank out of regular 8oz cups. before eating we all said our grace. We all watched REPO and during a commercial we would talk about what we just saw which is something usual. Before eating i felt sick, during eating, the food had a different taste to me, therefore making my stomach hurt badly after. I could not finish my food and my mother is not a big fan of people wasting their food but i only had a little bit left so she did not OD on me. I always eat all of my food but i'm not surprise i did could not finish it all because i was sick.

WEDNESDAY MORNING:
-FRUITY PEPPLES CEREAL

This morning i did not go to school because i was still sick and it was getting worst. I was alone watching the Backyardigans and i barely eat cereal. But because i was weak and i was hungry i had to find something easy and quick. I had my cereal with milk and ate with a spoon and said my grace. After eating i still felt the same, and then went back to sleep.

WEDNESDAY EVENING:
-NOTHING

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
-NOTHING

Later in the day i have not ate nothing due to the fact i could not breathe, kept coughing, bad aches, and stuffed up. My mother asked me all day if i was hungry but i said no. She did not make me eat because i told her i was nauseous. I know i am really sick if i don't eat so again, this was not a surprise for me.

FOODWAYS

My family does food in the American way of life way. I'm not sure if it's an American Way of life way, we do food, but i lean more on the side that we do food in a cultural way because many African American people i know, majority of them were taught to say their grace first. My mother cooks the food, even though she has days she does not want to, but she does any due to the fact that she is use to it. After making the food, sometimes we all would sit at the table or go back to what we was doing and eat there, but while eating, we all either watch T.V or converse. one thing that we all must do that my mother taught us and the entire4 family must do before eating is bless the food. We each must say a grace, showing the appreciations to god that we have food to eat. We all count food as a blessing to us.

My view on food compared to some of my family varies. I tend to eat food slowly, not doing it on purpose but while eating i MUST be doing something active. For example when someone is going to tell me a story and it will be long, and we are shopping or doing something besides eating, i will tell that person to hold on to the story until i eat because while eating, i will prefer conversation and not be quiet. On the other hand some of my family members can be at the table and just eat with no T.V or sometimes with out conversations. So they value the time they eat with peace and quiet. I, on the other had, must be active.

I sense that i have been adopted to the "city that never sleeps" American food way. When say that statement, it means the city is always active. It never depends on the time so in reality, my food way is active. In the media, in the movies i watch, people do the same as me. while eating they are having conversation on the phone or with someone. They eat while being on the computer or watching T.V. It seems that no one really focus on food but just eats it because that is the way we survive. It would be different if we live in another atmosphere's such as the dessert or in a cold climate. We would focus more on food but since we don't live there, we are like cat's: we adapt to our environment.

Inside of My Refrigerator

Yogurts
Tuna Fish
Mayo
Mustard
Ensures
Lettuce
Coffee
Milk
Fruits
Seasoned Fish prepared to be cook
English muffins
Vegetables
Cheese
Bologna
Turkey
Apple juice
Butter
Taco Cheese
Chicken nuggets
Crackers
Tatar sauce
Duck sauces
French dressing
Onion Sauce
Goya Sauces

judging by what i have in my refrigerator we need to go food shopping. Usually it would be much more full with a lot more season foods that you season meats, fish etc. Also in this list there is not much food, there are foods you add to another to make it have taste or texture. It seems having those types of foods is what we really eat because if i was to just eat a chicken with no kind of sauce or any kind of season, it would taste disgusting. if we would have went food shopping, one would notice my mother is a fan of using many different seasons to texture the food. Many people in America are the same. In our culture, what we eat matters but what matters more is what's cooked or mixed with it. That is where the calories come into play. I think As Americans we really don't know what were eating beside what people tell us and that can be a dangerous factor. So in reality prefer taste, Something that will last no more than a few seconds.

Why are the Healthy Foods Expensive

I ask this question because in America, Of of the main issues is the amount of teens and adults are over weight. It is more in Teenager.

"Today the percentage of adolescents age 15-17 who are overweight is about 50% higher in poor as compared to non-poor families, a difference that has emerged recently," said Johns Hopkins' sociologist Richard Miech, the study's lead author.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-05-23-obesity-teens_x.htm

So of food is so expensive, How can they eat healthy? It seems like all the Bad foods are cheap and available. According to Why are healthy foods so expensive? (http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/healthyfoodexpensive.html It is expensive because it deals with economics. Healthy food, the capital is expensive and cheap foods are cheaper to make. It is difficult for the poor to be healthy with prices so high but it is worth it because, the country is "Starting to notice that buying expensive food now can prevent expensive hospital bills later."

Comparison between the U.S and Canada Healthcare

Everyone in America; all around the world through out nations, countries, and states, has had a moment in there life when they needed medical assistance. Usually, Doctors are there to aid indivisuals in areas where there needs to be aiding. If all doctors had this perspective, Many people would still be alive, or could have had better care. In The U.S, for instance in Latin America and the caribbean, according to a press release in 1999 from the article, "More than 140 million people denied access to healthcare in Latin America and the Caribbean", there is "more than 140 million people," That do not have health care. That is one third of the total population; the poor population. As for in Canada, Accordin to micheal moore, noone has been denied healthcare because it is free. Knowing that information will cause someone to say, "Wow, im moving to canada now." That was my reaction after watching the movie Sicko by micheal moore. After watching that, The poor will most deffinetly go to canada to get care because the US healthcare sytem is money greedy, cold hearted blooded, And very much corrupted. Theres always pro's and cons so doing reasearch would give someone the knowledge about what's really going on in our world and also maybe save a life.

U.S.
As many people know, The Unites States is one of the largest, richest countries in the wolrd, With over millions and millions of people. With so much people, that leads to a lot of unnumerable taxes that are paid to the government. The purpose of taxes is to raise money to finance the community with government programs and services. So us people are paying taxes, but we are not getting the services we need. If this is the purpose of taxes, Why are people paying for healthcare; Paying health insurances, the middle man, more money to services that should be free.Those who are struggling should be not struggling more, trying to pay dept from the health insurance companies. While asking around new york, every person I conversed with, all said the U.S healthcare is horrible. A veteran also complained about the healthcare but then said after, "but I always get the medicine I need because i use to serve for this country. When he stated that, It made me upset because, in order to good healthcare in the US, You must be rich or have served in the army. A poor person barely has the chance. Having medicade will cover some things, but if a poor person is extremely sick and the procedure is expensive, thier health insurance company will tell them they will have to pay it, which will lead them uncared. "20 disturbing facts about US healthcare everyone should know" by molly, and Micheal Moore "America spends twice as much per person on health care as other countries." If that is the case, health insurances should have the money to take care of everyone. Also according to Molly and Moore is that Europeans live longer than Americans. That is not a shocker but what is is what Samantha Kay said in"What's the purpose of health insurance companies." What companies need to do it is remember, "A health insurance policy is a must-have for everyone. It is a kind of promise given by a financial institution. The promise is of financial compensation against any unforeseen medical expense." EVERYONE must havee it. There is no but's or requirements for it. But just like a caption, everything is not always said. Health insurances have costed many lifes and still is. A woman in Sicko talked about her husband dying because they have denied his service. Not only did her husband died, but one of the workers that denied the servive admitted it at court and stated how she denied a man health insurance so she can save the company money. Another worker from another insurance company talked about how bad she felt that she had to deny a couple the service. She even started crying as she was talking about it. The life expectancy of the US, according to sicko, was ranked the 37th. As of now it could of dropped or increased but fox news said in 2004 that it has dropped to the 42nd.
If america doesnt do anything about this, we all can possiblity be leading to the sickest country in the world for the poor. What can we do? We can have protest but many "people are afraid to because they are afraid of the governments reactions," said a woman from france. In France it showed protests that they have. In America, it seems forbidden. But what America should do is the same as some European states are doing; Free healthcare.

Canada
In Cananda according to Sicko, everyone gets free healthcare. Those who lived in the U.S, Who served for the US got denied healthcare and couldnt afford it, So they Crossed the country to where they can get what they need. A doctor froma canada said, "we get paid more by takin care of the patient well." As in the US, Doctors get paid more by denying more patients; those who can not pay him/her. No wonder were the richest country, this country is money hungry. By being money hungry by being corrupted, We are able to make new technologies constantly. That is a disadvantage in Cananda. The technology is not all updated but what is really m9re important? The best technology or the best care.

According to Capitalism Magazine, Free healthcare in Canada by Walter Williams, Having a free healthcare system causes back up, Meaning it takes longer for doctors to get to you. That is the only Thing The US says about the canadians. But this is america, They will say anything they want, so money can keep coming through to them. The only truth would come from a canadians mouth. No one can judge a system if they are not under it.

According to the "Canadian Healthcare system, (http://www.newrules.org/equity/rules/singlepayer-and-universal-health-care/canadian-healthcare-system)"The key to the Canadian system is that there is only one insurer-- the government. Doctors generally work on a fee-for-service basis, as they do in the U.S., but instead of sending the bill to one of hundreds of insurance companies, they send it to their provincial government. This single payer or public administration requirement is what makes the Canadian system so much more efficient than the U.S. HMO system, both because of its very nature-- it's nonprofit-- and because the single payer system boasts enormous administrative efficiencies over multiple-payer systems." If the U.S was to have a single player system, that does not mean they will be effective. With their being so much corruption and the desire to have power, It will never work. So can we do about this crisis? According to an ex-convict, Kevin Ulyss the third, "Never accept what's given to us if it doesn't benefit us. A protest will not work, because they will laugh at you. While your making a fool of yourself, it does not effect them, so they do not care. But if you play the game right and do something that will cost them money, Then they will give in." So what Americans need to do is stand up for ourselfs and make the system work for us. If We want a single player system like canadians, We need to play the game right.

HealthCare-Family Experience

It seems that, when one brings up the topic of health care, some people take offense to it and feel uncomfortable to talk about. There are cases when others bragg about it but my family is the opposite. Instead of asking them i asked a adult friend some questions. There were cases when she waited 7 to 8 hours in the emergency room for her illness. In the movie sicko, citizens living in canada waited less than an hour. I asked an additional; how pack was it? her reply was not that many. She didn't understand why they moved so slow and continuously do. That made me curious because why would it take long to see less patients and quicker to see more patients. Such as in canada? Maybe because they wanted to pamper wealthy patients? Why would they care to take care of the poor? In our freedom loving America, it is all about money. If there was a situation where there were two patients, one who was wealthy and had a bad knee and the other who was poor who had a child who was dying, I'm sorry to say but the doctor would choose the wealthy person. It is not there fault they want to get paid more right? You can't blame the health insurance if they want to be snobby, selfish and inconsiderate of others. There was a time when my adult friend said that there was a error on the medicaid (she has insurance through medicare) where they stated she had to pay the bill. If she was a defenseless American, she would have just paid with out fighting back, But she is not a defenseless American. She fought back, which one said in the movie, that Americans were afraid to do. In reality medicaid made an error. That can make people think about how many errors have they made, realized, but never came up front with it. In Sicko, those living in Europe have nothing to worry about when it comes to health care. They don't need to examine no errors because their taxes make it clear. They are never denied the aiding they must have, unlike my friend who was denied x-rays for her deceased son because he was too young to get it. Now if they were loving doctors, (she does not even believe them two words go right in the same sentence) who did not care about the money, her son will be living today, but unfortunately she did not live in Canada.

Poverty Activities

In class last week we did activities to visually express how wealth and poverty is in America. Before the activities we learned about the percentages of people who are poor and who has the wealth. Basically there a very very handful of Americans that have the most wealth and many Americans are poverty. The first activity we played musical chairs, which the chairs represented opportunities in life. Us students represented people in life. There were people fighting for chairs and there were some who did not fight at all. The significance fighting for it demonstrates how there are limited opportunities in life, therefore people have to fight to make it to the top. Those who gave up, will never make it in life because, nothing is given to them. The chairs was not given to us, but we tried the best we can to always find one. Nothing in this world is given to you, so you have to either cheat, by playing the government system, or do what they say. The second round of musical chairs, there was tape on the chairs. When the music stopped and i sat on the one with tape, i realized there was a name on it which was not mine, therefore i was out. I know it was a game but i felt some type of way about it. How come only certain people got the chairs? I didn't even have any choice or have a chance to get it. That illustrates how it is much easier for the rich to get richer and they barely have to work as hard to get it. They get richer and richer because as the game went on, there were more chairs that belong to the same person and many people were getting out, quicker than the first round. The rounds symbolizes years and as the years continue to go on, the poor rapidly become poorer, while the rich rapidly become richer. If this pattern continues, our society will therefore become a social democracy and follow into marxist theory about the poor will over ride the system.

Social welfare and Tax in Ny and Denmark

Parts of America’s society are marginalized based on income. There are millions that are poor, but not necessarily homeless. The government has many programs to assist the poor but many don’t get all the benefits that they are qualified for. You have to be “worth” the aid because there are people that would free ride the system, Meaning if the welfare gives free checks to those who don’t try to help themselves, then they might quit their jobs to get the free check. The maximum wage for poverty is $1,400 and there are 12.5% people below it. What makes it worst s the tax rates in America. Tax is the money that is forced to pay to the government in order for the government to provide services to the public. Many can debate on that because there are others who believe taxes is a method that takes money from the poor to make the rich richer.
There are different types of taxes. Flat tax, when everyone pays the same tax percentage. Regressive tax, when the poor people pay higher tax and the rich pay lower and Progressive tax where the rich pay higher taxes than the poor. The two examples of the tax examples are the marginal tax system, where the rich pay higher taxes than the poor depending on their income. Another example is effective tax, when you add up all the taxes that you paid through out the year and divide it by your original tax percentage. The wealthy would have a higher effective tax rate. Our system has a “mixed economy” where it shares capitalism and Socialism. The government organizes public assistance such as parks, libraries, welfare, schools, etc. While capitalism controls the markets, such as what is being sold and brought. Being that our system has a mixed economy, people are able to have their own hustle with out the government getting involved. Contrasting to Denmark, they have a “Social Democracy” Which means all of the services they need, will be guaranteed to them through taxes. Also instead of paying insurance, school etc, taxes cover it. Those who live in Denmark also get paid to go to school. They also have somewhat a mixed economy because there are people that have their own hustle.
From having knowledge of social welfare from New York and Denmark, We should start heading towards a Social Democracy. Everyone will be able to benefit and some may not have the point of view that only the wealthy gets it all. If we have to pay higher taxes, I’m sure people won’t mind only if everyone can benefit off of it. People feel gypped off because the poor is paying high tax rates that they can barely afford and not getting all the benefits they need. Now, moving into a social democracy is not noticeable, the people do not trust the government anymore. With out trust, Nothing can be done and negotiable.

Natural Birth or Normal Birth pt2 (The business of being born)

Mouth dropped open was my reaction to after watching The Business of Being Born. What made my mouth drop even more was watching the Cesarean Section. The Surgeons ripped open the woman’s stomach like he was tearing a piece of paper towel. It was shocking to see that because usually what is said is that they cut the woman under her stomach, A bikini cut and take the baby out. With it said like that, It does not seem like there is a lot of pain but that is proven different when one actually see's a C-Section. The most important part of the film that caught my eye was the C-section, and all of home births. It was my first time seeing that and to me it looked more like a birth should look like. There are being telling her to push but it was a huge difference from experiencing it from the hospitals. When looking at the home birth, it looked more peaceful, natural and less pain. It was weird for me to see it because I always see births in hospitals. I heard of home births but I thought that was centuries ago. Because hospital births are very popular in this time period, I started to think it was normal, that's why i said it was weird to see that. There was a very important part that really caught my eye that I would never forget. It was the part when they was explaining how doctors give woman medicine that puts them in more danger, which causes more contractions, which hurts the baby, which causes them to get C-sections. Then after the birth is over a woman would say how the doctor saved their life which they wouldn’t have been put in that predicament in the first place if it wasn’t for the Doctor. This situation was said in class by Andy, and then again by Kaitlyn, who is an adula. I’m also positive that many women do not of this. Watching this movie changed my total outlook of Birth. It made me clearly see how in this time period many people make birth like a business or even like a product. I never knew doctors get paid more than midwifes. I guess that is because doctors do more C-sections, which lead to giving birth to more babies. I feel that this film will be significant to woman who are pregnant, and woman who want to be mothers one day. Men should also watch it so they can give advice to their wife or baby mama. I think this movie will change a lot of woman’s mind and will help this birth crisis.

Essay: Natural Birth or Normal Birth

THESIS: The America way of birth is dangerous and horrifying to many woman that are made to believe birth is taken care of as a "medical" situation, when it be more of a natural, admirable, intimate experience.

INTRO
America is a very beautiful place with many different perspectives from Humans. Besides the breath taking scenery, what makes this place so beautiful is the People that multiply every day. Birth's is a significant issue in the world. According to the Department of Human Services there are approximately 10,657 babies born into the world either naturally or in the hospital. There are differences between the two types of birth. It all depends on the pregnant woman and the set of how everything goes. Two woman can be giving birth in the same hospital but one can have a more difficult time than the other one. So it depends on the situation.

"NORMAL BIRTH"
Over the past years giving birth has changed dramatically. It went from giving birth naturally at home to doing it in hospitals. In our time now, because society is use to woman giving birth in hospitals, It starts to adapt to the mind until it gets to the point where society starts looking at it as normal. So the standard location to give births are hospitals. The option to do it varies depending on the woman but there are positive and negative sides to it. Reason's that some woman decide to give natural birth in hospitals is because they believe it's much safer and they feel secured by all of the medical supply's that is surrounding them. From video's and people talking about births, many first time mother's and fathers get nervous and think of all the possible things that can go wrong, so being in the set of the hospital seems to get that feeling to relax. Crucial pain is known to occur during births, so giving birth in a hospital, the woman knows for a fact that she can get medicine or shots to decrease the pain.

In this time period it seems as if woman will do what ever to make this process more easier. It is the fear of pain, and because of it, they will do what ever the doctor tells them to do because they feel it will take away the pain. Many woman, mothers like Chou, Melissa and chera all said it was, "painful and intense," and they all gave births in hospitals. When there is a crisis happening, when everyone starts panicking, someone starts taking charge and telling others what to do. No one is going to not listen because they figure the one in charge always know what they are doing. That can be true in some situations but it's the principle that im trying to explain. When giving birth, it is not a crisis but it is similar to the set. Everyone is panicking in the hospital room and yelling at times making the woman get nervous and tensed, so who is the one taking charge? The OBN. If a woman is a high risk pregnacy or has a medical problem that can cause complictations, she has no choice but to be delivered in the hospital. With that in mind, it makes more sense to understand why woman feel more safe giving birth in hospitals.

MOTHER REFUSING THE DRUGS
what is shocking is when a mother, Melissa, who was educated about both home birth and hospital birth, gave birth in the hospital. Reason not known but what caught my attention is when she stated her OBG wanted to induce the labor while she had the opposite view. She then found out that weekend was his sons birthday, which meant her birth was getting involved into his personal life and vise-versa. She did not let that approve but yet there was another situation, while she was in labor the nurses wanted to put her on the iv and kept asking if she wanted any drugs. As one can see, hospitals over medicalize births.

MOVIE: BUSINESS OF BEING BORN, ALSO "NORMAL BIRTH"
Mouth dropped open was my reaction to after watching The Business of Being Born. What made my mouth drop even more was watching the Cesarean Section. The Surgeons ripped open the woman’s stomach like he was tearing a piece of paper towel. It was shocking to see that because usually what is said is that they cut the woman under her stomach, A bikini cut and take the baby out. With it said like that, It does not seem like there is a lot of pain but that is proven different when one actually see's a C-Section. The most important part of the film that caught my eye was the C-section, and all of home births. It was my first time seeing that and to me it looked more like a birth should look like. There are being telling her to push but it was a huge difference from experiencing it from the hospitals. When looking at the home birth, it looked more peaceful, natural and less pain. It was weird for me to see it because I always see births in hospitals. I heard of home births but I thought that was centuries ago. Because hospital births are very popular in this time period, I started to think it was normal, that's why i said it was weird to see that. There was a very important part that really caught my eye that I would never forget. It was the part when they was explaining how doctors give woman medicine that puts them in more danger, which causes more contractions, which hurts the baby, which causes them to get C-sections. Then after the birth is over a woman would say how the doctor saved their life which they wouldn’t have been put in that predicament in the first place if it wasn’t for the Doctor. This situation was said in class by Andy, and then again by Kaitlyn, who is an adula. I’m also positive that many women do not of this. Watching this movie changed my total outlook of Birth. It made me clearly see how in this time period many people make birth like a business or even like a product. I never knew doctors get paid more than midwifes. I guess that is because doctors do more C-sections, which lead to giving birth to more babies. I feel that this film will be significant to woman who are pregnant, and woman who want to be mothers one day. Men should also watch it so they can give advice to their wife or baby mama. I think this movie will change a lot of woman’s mind and will help this birth crisis.


NATURAL BIRTH
Sometimes you can't choose where you want to give birth because if a woman is in the car and that baby needs to come out, that baby will come out in the car. But there are also people who choose to give natural birth at home. Some woman would rather give at home because they have more power. They are not told what to do, so they listen to thier body. According to an article, Why give birth at home, (www.home-birth-guide.com) has stated,

"when you decide to give a birth at home, you are free to create an atmosphere that you would like to have for birth, to wear your favorite attire during labor and birth, to eat and drink, and so forth. These things, while considered as 'small things', are actually the source of birth satisfaction and eliminate the stress level associated with birth. The availability of these things help to make labor and birth to proceed smoothly."

When giving natural birth at home, your more attach ot the birth and the set. The enviroment is familiar to the woman and she is taking control with out even knowing it. When giving home birth instead of an OBN coming to the house, they send out a Midwife, a nusre who gives natural births at home. When a woman is delivering a baby, the midwife connects more emotionally with the woman, which is good for the birth and labor. The midwife also focuses on the woman more, giving her more attention, one-on-one, Something a woman would get less if she was in the hospital. Being home will be more relaxing for the woman which shows how the set effects the birth of a baby. According to "First Time Pregnacy" every 1000 deliveries 3-4 babies are home birthed. If a woman has no medical complications, there is nothing wrong with giving birth at home. After the baby is born you can hold your baby with out noone taking them away.

Giving natural birth may be beautifull depending on the experience but another way to give birth is by doing a C-Section, where they cut the woman in the abdominal, and pulls the baby out of her stomach. According to "HomeFirst health services", More that one million babies are born by C-sections. By the look at video's, it looks like its less pain to get the baby out, but the pain is crucial after the baby is taken out. There are woman who don't choose to have a C-section but there are some who do. There are some reason's why but the main reason is becuase of the fear of pain while giving natural birth. When a woman has a C-section, they start to get nervous. During that time noone is aloud to be in the room so she can't hold any of her familes hand or hear thier voices. Affter the baby is taken out, the woman may hold her baby IF she doesn't get infected, meaning if the doctor takes too long to stitch her back up, she can get infected. If swhe gets infected she can not get her baby. There is noone there to blame but the doctors. So if the mother chooses to have a c-section, she needs to think of the outcome because if the OBN cuts the wrong part, she will not be seeing her baby at all. Just because there is advanced technology in the room with the best doctor ever, that doesn not mean there can be no complications. Because the advancement in technology and medication, the world starts to see birth as a medical situation.

CHOICE
As reading here, one can now compare the two types of birth and places. What was mentioned was the positive things about giving natural births at home or in a hospital and both negative and positive aspects of getting a c-section. One may ask, "how do you know which to choose if you have a choice?" It's up to the woman and how she adapts to the set. In this time period there are more births in hospitals but the option for natural birth or c-section is skeptical but as the pattern continues, in the future it seems that the percentage of woman giving birth in hospitals with increase.

Ways To Giving Birth

Andy's theory about the ways of how woman giving birth made sense, How machines are starting to take over and that woman would do what ever because of the fear of pain. Back in the day, woman gave more natural births. It was much cheaper and less stressful than it is now. No one yelled at you and told you what to do. In this time period, it is much more stressful. You have doctors yelling at pregnant woman, telling them to push mean while their body is not saying to do so. so when it is time to push, their straining themselves, which leads to a C-section. It seems that if it were the woman's choice she would choose the best situation that will be less painful. The fear of pain can be a possible way of how over the past years the way of giving birth changed and also the increase of technology. The more technology i guess woman feel that there would be less pain.

Questions On Ways To Give Birth

Is it safe to give birth with a mid wife?

What percentage of woman choose to have a C-Section?


30 percent


One in every three pregnancies.


41% pregnancies are planned with C-Section.

Where do they give birth sqatting?

What percentage of woman give natural birth?

What percentage of birth use lithotomy?

How effective is the lithotomy position?

What percent of woman give birth in the hospital?

Why must pregnant woman go to the hospital, instead of the sutgeon coming to them?

What percentage of woman have dulas?

What percentage of fathers were in the room with thier wife/Girlfriend?

How does social class effect the birth process?

What percentage of woman die from giving birth?

What causes a womans death when giving birth?

What is the average amount of babies are born a day?

Why must babies cry once they are born?

What causes a babies head to come out first instead of the feet?

Why is it significant that a babies head comes out first?

How are babies in africa born?

How is the way of giving birth efffect or lead to postparetum depression?

How does race effect the birth of a child?

AWOL (Draft)

PERSPECTIVES

Many people in America never ask themselves the question what is the American way of life. One never asks questions to what they do everyday because they adapt to it and it is a normal thing to do. To get a better understanding of what others thought about this life we live, many others and myself went out on the streets of New York and asked busy pedestrians what were their perspectives.

While asking questions, an adult said, “wow, I don’t even think about these things and it is the biggest thing ever.” When he said that, I was surprised for the reason that I am a teenager observing about life, instead of flying through it, and here is an adult who is doing exactly that. That was truly appealing. "What are the good aspects of the American way of life,” was one the questions I have asked many people in the busy streets of Manhattan. Many didn't acknowledge me, while others stopped and gave me short answer responses, not really thinking about what they were saying. Other than those, a middle class female who was in a rush said, "Opportunities to succeed, and thrive." While a High class Male said "you are able to take advantage of opportunities."

It is ironic how different social classes say the same thing about the good things in the American way of life. I would have thought that they would have different perspectives because of their social status. Their life styles are different but yet their opinion of good aspects of the American life is the same.

What is also interesting is that a black man and a white man both said that the bad aspects of the American way of life are "Greed". The white man had a cocky attitude when he spoke. He spoke as if "I got it like that, I am the boss, your wasting my time" type of attitude. The Black man thought out what he was saying even though he to go, he was also was glad we was asking him these type of questions because of our ages. While the white man was in a rush, and was too good to talk to anyone. It demonstrates that some white people only think about themselves. If it's not then they take those who are another race, a joke. Just like this white Male, Another White male Sounded Sarcastic when I asked him what he thinks the good and bad aspects are. He said, "The good is that we are here" and the bad is, "That we are not somewhere else like the moon." Then he just walked away. It seemed like the majority of the white men I asked, did not think out any of the questions I asked. They answered me as if they wanted me to get out of their face. But at least not everyone was like that.

On the other hand I noticed that some females had the same idea about the American way of life. A Caribbean teenager, an African American woman and teenager, all said, "It is the big things in life; fancy cars, big house, jewelry and all the finer things in life." That is interesting because they say life is all about the fancy things but yet that is exactly what people want. It is the "Greed" that makes people eager for it, which makes others think, that is the way life is suppose to be. What is appealing about this is that the females are the ones who think this is how life is suppose to be, or how they see it. Woman is known for wanting the finer things in life; the diamonds, the pearls, the fancy clothes, as well as money. It makes me question whether if that is what women are suppose to have or desire.

All throughout the interviews, only one person, a Hispanic female, who worked at American apparel, talked about the ghetto and kept it real. She talked abut how “the white man makes them sell these books about marijuana to little kids but yet she can’t do anything about it because she signed the paper giving her rights away.” What caught my attention was when she said, “The poor helps the rich get richer.” I never actually thought about, but it is true. Just like Andy said in class. The rich wants to get richer so they make these jobs so the poor can work for them. The poor get money but the rich get more money because they own the business. When you are rich you can do what ever you want, but when you are poor, you struggle, trying to get through everyday.

Understanding Capitalism:

Our life is shaped by capitalism. It divides the rich, richest, poorest and the poorest from each other. Capitalism is all about money and getting from "rags to riches" like Horatio Aglar said. There is not a Specific definition of what capitalism is. But what people know about it is it is an economic system in which goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed through the mechanism of free markets, based deeply on the right to private property and the profit motive. The good thing about capitalism is the poor help the rich get richer. The poor benefit from it because they get to have jobs to support their families and themselves. With out the rich they would not have jobs, houses, or the things they have now because the rich make all of those things, because of capitalism. That is also known as the "invisible hand", When the market organizes things that others can benefit off of. It just magically appears. There are no ways to disagree because in America people get jobs to survive in the world. One needs money to eat, buy clothes, pay rent and live. Capitalism is universal meaning everyone works together in it with out even knowing it. That is something we all benefit from. There are negative sides of how it affects us Americans. It causes recessions and depressions, which we suffer from. We are currently going through one now. Prices are rising and people are losing jobs. In this time the poor is getting poorer but that is how our American way of life. There are times where capitalism works in our favor or disagrees.

Inauguration 09'

Today is a big day in history. America finally has a mixed president who is more African American. While watching it, I seened that showed thousands and billions of people were there. They showed people in kenya and the hometown in which Obama himself grew up in, Indonesia. I've noticed that when Mr.Obama was pleagding to the constitution, the preist kept cutting him off wh3n he was going to repeat what he needed to say. It seemed as though the priest kept making the statement long so that he can forget what to say back. To me I'm not sure if he did that on purpose or for our president to look like a fool, which he didn't. When he did that, it made me think about the life we live now. It seems as if when others see someone in the spotlight or on top, someone wants them to fall down. Someone is always scheming and especially now that America has an African American President. someone will be scheming to make him fall, which means spread rumors and tells lies. That is how it works in this society.

When President Obama was saying his speech he stated that we will not apologize for the way we life our life. It kind of threw me off guard because i did not know what he meant when saying that. That is similar to what bush said about the American way of Life not being negotiable. Are they both implying that the situations that happen or will happen is because of them and so therefore they are not saying sorry for it. Are they stating that they know what has happen in America is the partial blame of politician, and they know they have done wrong and so they are not saying sorry for it. I personally feel that they need to elaborate on the statements being made.

Winter Break

Over the winter break i only celebrated Christmas and New years. On christmas eve i Went to My sisters house and everyone celebrated there. We all had a good time. Their was a lot of people in the house, over capacity i shall say. At 12 am we all exchanged gifts. Then we began to open that one gift we exchanged. After, we then left went home and went to sleep. When we woke up we started opening all of our gifts. I received a lot of clothes, but I'm not complaining about because I'm grateful for what i got. There are others who did not have a christmas so being grateful should not be an option. I did not get what i really wanted which was a keyboard. This christmas i got a lot less than i usually got. I guess thats because we are living through a recession and money is tight. It can also be that i am getting older and i can deal with not getting a few stuff. Other than that christmas was good for me. On new years I celebrated home. I really wanted to go out to a party and bug out. I watched the ball drop and right on 12:00 i blasted the radio and played Pop Champaign by Ron Browz. Then after that mom let my sisters and i drank apple cider. i am glad that i spent New years home because 1st off it was too cold outside and i was not trying to have an asthma attack. Second, when a crowd of people get together, they don't know how to act. I would not want to be apart of that.

In America we tend to think that it is a time where everyone gives and gets presents to others. We buy trees and decorate them them. Make little kids believe in a big jolly man who goes by the name of Santa. we sing songs and everything is suppose to be happy. Im not sure where everyone got the idea from because to my knowledge Christmas was about God. american should be in church praising him, those who believe in him. So it goes back to the question, where did Americans get the atmosphere it has now? For New years, it seems like American just want to have fun, which is by going to a party and drinking until they can not walk right. It also seems in order to have a good time you must smoke or drink. I guess all of this is because of the MEDIA. The Media has influenced everything that is going on in society. To me it feels that the media is our life. we watch it everyday, listen to it, learn from it and last but not least, gain from it. American way of life is surrounded by it. If we see it on t.v then it seems thats how we live it.

Part D- The constitution

If i could amend the constitution, i would amend the choice of words in the document. It talks a lot about slaves, but says, person or other people. I see that as disrespect. I would also amend the repitition in the document. I feel that they can sum some articles up and the amendments. For example they say that blacks can vote and then another amendment is woman can vote. they could have stated another amendment, stating everyone can vote. I would also amend the constitution so that it helps benefit "us", the people. we barely have any say, but then if we do have say, would our society be stabled? I Think we should have say on certain things, like transportation, and the little things that affect us.

I have many different views of the constitution. In some ways you can look at it in a positive way. The positive ways are that it keeps society stabled. And It does protect people's rights. But the negative aspects is that There is a lot of shady things going on. To me the majority of the constitution is about slaves. I just do not get how if the constitution was a mistake, then why did they keep it. So if a law that stated everyone had to pay a fee to get inside of their house, and it was passed by mistake, then everyone would have to do that? That does not make sense.

the constitution is life itself. Everyone, well majority of society follow the laws. you have to pay taxes, you can not fight a cop, you have to do what your suppose to. With out the constitution i feel that America would not be who we are today. America over the time period has changed tremendously. In some ways it changed for the better and then some for the worst.

Part C of the Constitution

The 12th Amendment discusses about the election of the president and the vice president, which states the electors must vote for one person to become president and one for vice president. If there was a tie between the two, it would go to the House of Representatives which might take too long to do. So saying that the electors must vote one for each gives a clear understanding of how electors should vote. The 13th states the abolition of slavery. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation aided this amendment. This brought an end to the misery and pain of the African American Slaves. Slavery was stretched out in life. It is incredible how past generations effect the future. Now there is no more slavery like it was before, all thanks to Abraham Lincoln. The 14th amendment illustrates that former slaves can become citizens. This amendment is significant because many people need to be citizens in order to have certain jobs or do things, and being that it said if you are born in the United States, you are already a citizen, is significant. It makes me wonder if we weren’t citizens when we were born, how would we become a citizen? Would we have to wait years like immigrants? Why does it matter if you are a citizen or not? I guess it is because, when you are, you get more privileges. The 15th Amendment made it possible for anyone regardless of race or gender, to vote. Everyone has equal rights and this amendment shows no segregation. Because of this amendment, this is one of the reasons why Obama is president!!

The 19th Amendment, woman suffrage, is significant because, it says in the 15th amendment that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color...” It never says anything about gender which is weird. But woman being able to vote shows change and that woman are being treated equally. Even though it took them a long time to make it possible it still happened. Another amendment that relates to woman voting and Africa Americans is the 24th Amendment, Poll Taxes. This amendment forbids states from making people pay to vote. Now if this amendment was vetoed, I wonder if they would have made African Americans and woman pay more so they couldn’t afford to vote. Other than them, if citizens had to pay, I doubt that everyone would vote, which wouldn’t be fair. This also relates to capitalism because it would help the rich get richer. There is no need to make people pay to vote for the president and vice president. You can get thousands for making people pay because that is a lot of people voting. These amendment’s are essential in our life now because everyone is treated equally and everyone can vote.

Part B- The constitution

In Article 4 it says each state is required to recognize the laws or records of other states and make rights in its own court. When it says that, it makes me sense that, if that is the case, if gay marriage is aloud in another state, then shouldn’t it be aloud in New York then? Gay marriage is based off of a religious belief which it should not be because that person is not the one marrying the same sex. The Government is discriminating gays or lesbians from marrying but yet it also says, states must treat every citizen equally, with out discriminating. Furthermore, what happens to the government when they do not follow the rules?

In the States Citizens, Extradition section, they talk about slavery not being aloud, which matters because if it did, it would continue regardless of the civil rights movement. However I was wondering if the Civil Rights movement, influenced this element of the constitution? I suppose it did because it seems like a large occasion has to occur over and over again in a certain time period for government to make changes for the worst or better.

Amendment #9 shows that the government can not perform any actions that they want. It reminds me that our rights come from the constitution, bill of rights. I personally think that abortion is wrong but yet it does not say anything about it, so there for the people have a right to go along with it or not. When it says “others retained by the people”, to me it means that what ever right is not said in the constitution, the person has a choice depending on the situation. It’s hard to know what it means because it doesn’t state what they person can have or do.

Amendment #10 shows that the government represents the power of the constitution. Yet, it also says what ever is not delegated remains in the state and in the people. That makes me start be unsure of what does the government represent? I thought the government owned everything, but can they? I think if the government wanted to, they can take over the public school system, but how would they is what I wonder. Congress can make a law allowing gay marriage or denying it. I consider that veing gay is against their religion so because of that, they wont make it a law, but their religion can not be based on a law. Something feels fishy.

Part A- The Constitution

PREAMBLE

The preamble explains the purpose of the constitution and shows the power of the government. They want to make sure to protect the peoples rights, keep peace, and basically No Americans basic rights will be taken away.

Making laws and is made up of The Senate and The House of Representatives. The senate has 100 members, 2 from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 members from the population. Controlling money, and making laws s the legislative branches powers. The second branch is Article 2; The Executive branch, which is also known as the President. This branch is responsible for executing laws that were made by the legislative branch. The president is the commander-in-chief of the military. He can also make treaties with the consent of the senate. Last but not least the last branch is Article 3; The Judicial branch, the Supreme Court. Responsibility that is held by them is interpreting the laws.

While reading the Constitution, at first I was confused which made me frustrated. I didn’t see the purpose of what I was reading and when that happens that means I was bored. So after reading it, I was kind of in shock because how is someone suppose to remember all of these rules. I don’t know how to feel.

If we didn’t have the constitution how would life be now?

I don’t get why the president must be born in the U.S to be eligible. What would be the difference?

Why is the branches divided into 3? If it was one huge branch, would there be a difference in the government?

Can you call the Constitution a handbook for the law? Lol

They want to protects peoples rights but yet there are many things they do that they don’t follow, so what happens to those who don’t follow?

THANKSGIVING

I had Thanksgiving in Vermont and i had a good time. It got very emotional when we all held hands and prayed for our food. At that time, that is when i felt like everyone got even closer together, not saying that we were not close already. We never had something like that and I'm glad we did because instead of crying by ourselves we cried together and that meant a lot to me.

On black Friday i did not go shopping because i woke up late and if i would of woke up earlier i would not have went any way because i did not want to deal with people rushing, bumping me and shoving.

OBAMA '08 *WE ARE LIVIN THROUGH HISTORY*

BEFORE BARACK OBAMA WAS PRESIDENT, I LOST HOPE IN MANY THINGS. I JUST SAID FORGET IT. I MEAN A BLACK PRESIDENT?! COME ON, THAT WAS LIKE A FANTASY AND USUALLY A FANTASY NEVER COMES TRUE. MANY PEOPLE WONDERED HOW LIFE WOULD BE WITH A BLACK PRESIDENT BUT SOME NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD EVER COME TRUE BECAUSE THINGS LIKE THAT NEVER DID. SO I DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO IT. BUT THEN THAT ALL CHANGE ON NOVEMBER 4TH 2008 AT 11PM. ALL I HEARD WAS MOMMA SCREAM AND I WOKE UP, SHE CRIED AND JUMPED UP AND DOWN, AND ALL SHE KEPT SAYING WAS "YES LORD, YES LORD OBAMA WON, A AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT." EVER SINCE THEN, I REALIZED THAT FANTASY'S CAN COME TRUE AND ANYBODY CAN BE ANYTHING THEY WANNA BE IF THEY HAVE HOPE. AMERICA IS IN A CRISIS AND I KNOW FOR SURE THAT OBAMA IS BRINGING BIG CHANGE TO IT. THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE DO IT...MY ANSWER IS "YES WE CAN."

AS SOON AS OBAMA WON, MY PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE CHANGED. IT FEELS SO DREAMY LIKE. VERY OVERWHELMING. I FEEL THAT AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO GO INTO A DEPRESSION. IT IS GOING TO BE "POPULAR" AGAIN. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE. EVERYONE, WELL MANY PEOPLE ARE GLAD THAT HE IS PRESIDENT BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT HE STAYS TRUE TO IT. SOCIETY IS USED TO BEING DISSAPOINTED, SO HE HAS TO PROVE US WRONG.

Positive aspects of capitalism

Capitalism is All about getting from "Rags to Riches".



• Land, Labor and capital
- You need land to produce products.
- To make products, you need to work, which is labor.
- Capital is reshaping the land by labor, turning i tinto a product

• W→C→P→W→↑
- W=wealth
- C=capital
- P=profit
- ↑=Increases
- You need wealth to buy your capital, (things you need to make your product). Once you sell your product you earn profit. When you have profit you buy more capital, which you gain wealth and your profit increases.


• Profit & Profit motive.
- When you have Money, it makes you want more Money, which is also known as the profit motive.

• Market Price
- Being able to negotiate prices.

• Invisible Hand
- The invisible hand is when Magically everything is there. The market organizes things that Benefits us, meaning society.

"Everyone benefits from lower prices, yet some Americans still distrust the market economy."

Response To I, Pencil by Leonard E. Read

Read writes about the creation of a pencil. he goes in depth about how it is made. When some one thinks about how to make a pencil it seems simple. but yet it is not. Almost everyone works together, not knowing, to help create this pencil. He uses the pencil as a metaphor of the economic system.

Making a pencil seems, "simple? yet not a single person on the face of this earth knows how to make me." i agree with that because it goes on forever. In order to do that you need to know this and it continues, which is the same for the economic system. Read also says, "There isn't a single person in all these millions, including the president of the pencil company who contributes more than a tiny, infinitesimal bit of know-how." He says this statement a lot in many different ways. Just like in the economic system, everyone is apart of it but yet no one knows exactly how it works. Another thing that reads says, which was twice is, "If you can become aware of the miraculousness which i symbolize, you can help save the freedom mankind is so unhappily."

The significance of all of this is too show that everyone has a part of the creation of a pencil and the economic system. for example with out the poor, the rich would not be rich, therefore the rich needs the poor and the same for the poor.