HW 27 - Visiting an unwell person

Over the break i discussed illness and dying with a relative in egypt who is dying (i will reffer to her as nadia to protect her identity). When talking with nadia i didnt discuss illness or dying at first, i wanted to work up to it but it ended up being nadia who brought it up. Nadia is almost 80 and you can tell that she is dying, the color in her face has gone and she can no longer move her body as much as she used to. i realized that nadia who once moved her hands around as she would tell me stories no longer does that (similar to Morrie in Tuesdays with Morrie). when she brought up her dying she didnt seem sad, angry or anxious. She seemed contempt, not that she had accepted the fact but more like it wasn't serious enough to worry about.

I told her about the ideas from tuesdays with Morrie, we especially discussed detachment and her response was something unexpected. She said "I can't detach, to feel all these emotions to their full capacity and then die never to feel them again would kill me by itself." When she said this i felt it would be wrong to keep asking her questions about how it feels to be dying and what the process is like but she insisted i go on. When we disscussed family i could tell that it was going to be hard for her. Her family is her life and so leaving them she says is going to be the hardest thing to do. She seemed caught up on the thought of leaving her kids.

Growing up in Egypt and in a fairly religous family Nadia was never really taught about dying and illness in school or otherwise. Most of the things she knows about death she discovered herself. She told me about the time she asked her parents about dying, They completely dismissed the topic, praying immediatly as if talking about dying would make it happen. This topic was taboo for her so being educated on the situation was something she never experienced. However i dont think it is her parents fault, most of us are scared of the unknown, we dont like to be in situations where the possible outcomes are unknown. In Tuesdays with Morrie, he talks about the importance of family during the journey that is dying (as Nadia put it) which i incorporated into my questions, since i am nadia's family she was happy that i discussed the topic of illness and dying with her and that i could be there to explore her own thoughts and my own.

HW 26 - Looking back & forward in unit

The illness and dying unit has helped give me a new perspective on the idea of illness and dying. This unit has helped me understand that what i fear is not death but is the journey to it (which is illness and dying). When reading Tuesdays with Morrie i felt a connection with Morrie the main character in the book, almost as if i were the narrator himself. many ideas were being addressed in the book but the few ideas that i felt popped out to me were Morrie's ideas on how life is to be lived. He discusses being kinder to others, allowing your emotions to fully penetrate you (detachment), he briefly mentions the aspect of living using technology and machines, the way we trick ourselves on our view on illness and dying, and he also mentions how to prepare for death.

The source that has been most helpful in grasping a deeper understanding of our culture's dominant social practices around illness and dying would have to be Tuesdays with Morrie because of the fact that i could relate with the narrator on the process of having a loved one die. I was able to look back and see how i reacted when my loved one died and realized all the things i did that were typical, i responded to the dying of my loved one with anger and sadness and not allowing my self to dettach the way Morrie suggested which may have helped me with that experience and the aftermath that came with it. I feel that group discussions would be the best use of our time. If we could process our thoughts on this unit with each other for a little while we could get a better understanding of it. 

HW 25 - Response to Sicko

Precis-

Fifty million Americans are uninsured while the remainder, who are covered, are often victims of insurance company fraud and unfair red tape. These red tapes used to prevent the insurance company from paying for their policyholders illness are terms such as Pre-existing, not a medical necessity, and even experimental medicine. Today’s healthcare system is setting all incentives towards less medical care. We conducted interviews with people who thought they had adequate coverage but were denied care. We contacted former employees of insurance companies who then described cost-cutting initiatives within their own former companies that give bonuses to insurance company physicians and others to find reasons for the company to avoid meeting the cost of medical treatments for policyholders, and thus increase the company’s profitability rate.

Evidence-

A. 

• Michael Moore's first piece of evidence to bolster his argument in Sicko was the denying of claims of "good" people who are Policyholders of whichever insurance company.
• Michael Moore's second piece of evidence to bolster his argument in Sicko was the statements of former employee's of these insurance companies.

B.

• The first piece of evidence is important because it adds a emotional aspect to the movie in whihc he is hoping you can realte to even if you have not gone through the experiences that these people who are being denyed coverage have gone through.
• The second piece of evidence is important because it makes the first argument seem valid, by adding the statements of the people who would deny those claims and worked first hand in the process of hurting those people being denied and also seeing their remorse makes us think that "Oh hey, if the people who worked at these insurance companies say it is happening then it must be happening."

D.
While doing research i discovered multiple sources that supports Dr. Sanjay Gupta's evidence refuting the evidence provided in Michael Morre's Sicko. The average life expectancy of the cuban person is 77.64 years old (CIA World FactBook - Cuba - 2009) while the higher United States life expectancy is 78.11 years old( CIA World FactBook - US - 2009). Using these sources i can verify what Dr.Sanjay Gupta is saying and also say that they are legitamite and accurate arguments.

Response-

When Watching Sicko i felt many of the arguments and evidence for the arguments that michael moore used was very important and had an impact on me. However the most imortant piece of evidence that was presented was the international perspective on The United States health care system, specifically the shock and astonishment of people from both britain and france when they heard about how we would have to wait for approval from our insurance company before recieving or even sometimes attempting to recieve help from a medical establishment. I feel that the way Michael Moore directed this movie was intended to instigate a reaction from the person watching it to the point where they say "damn my health insurance sucks maybe i should move somewhere in which it doesn't." and really just to upset insurance companies and anyone who is opposing him on this topic. I believe that the movie really only enforced my ideas on the dominant social practice surrounding Illness & dying, which was that The United States is not helping or taking care of its citizens when they need it the most and that is when they are ill or dying.

HW 24 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 3

Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom, Random House Publications, 1997
 
Precis-

Morrie died on a saturday morning on the fourth of novemebr with his son Rob who got to kiss him goodbye and his other son Jon and of course his wife Charlotte. Two days after our final visit when he finally made me cry, which is something he has always wanted he fell into a coma. He wanted to go serenly and that is how he went, in his own bed with his notes and books and small hibiscus plant nearby.At his funeral when Morrie's ashes were placed into the ground i looked around to realize that the spot he had chosen was indeed a lovely place filled with trees and grass and a sloping hill. He would say "You talk, I'll listen." i had tried to do that and to my happiness this imaginery conversation came naturally.

Quotes-

1. "I believe he died this way on purpose. I believe he wanted no chilling moments, no one to witness his last breath and be haunted by it." (187)

• This segment really made me question Morrie's will power in the end because of the fact that he express deep belief in the idea that everyone should experience everything to the fullest yet does not allow those closest to him to experience his last breath or his spirit drifting away from this earth. 

     2.  " Morrie rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "I'm bargaining with him up there now. i'm asking him, 'Do i get to be one of ther angels?' It was the first time Morrie admitted talking to god." (163)

• I felt that this segment was particularly important because it shows that Morrie is just like most people who are ill and not someone who is above the general population. I think that the fact that he is bargaining with god shows how ill he truely is, to contradict your own values and beliefs in such a way shows how desperate Morrie is to be safe for the afterlife (if there is one).

     3. "Sometimes, when you are losing someone, you hang on to whatever tradition you can." (182)

• I choose to use this quote because it really meant something to me and for most people i think is very true. i have gone through my own experiences losing a loved one and i can tell you from first hand experience that tradition is sometimes the only thing that you can do to remember them, when my grandfather was dying i remember humming to him the same thing every night to help him fall asleep and i continue to do that until this very day to help my self fall asleep.

Connections- The way Mitch albom choose to end the book was very touching, he said "I looked down at my hands, saw my watch and realized why. It was tuesday." and in fact made me cry a bit. After finishing the book i felt that i had gone on this journey with Morrie and not Mitch, i began to felt as if i was narrating my own story, feeling my own connection with Morrie and that i was Mitch. Going through a similar experience to Mitch's i could understand the emotions he felt and so i did feel the emotions he felt. Everytime i opened to a new page i felt my self opening a new experience in my own life. 

Below are the video links to the actual Ted Koppel interview with Morrie if anyone would like to take a look.

Part-1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcnL2o385Gw
Part-2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdlJ_kqmhkQ&feature=related
Part-3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY9VVmzZcpk&feature=related
Part-4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbeHxA55sek&feature=related
Part-5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2BQ7O-fcG8&feature=related
Part-6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749jb7vzcno&feature=related
Part-7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVHdOvqCH7Y&feature=related
Part-8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyPKXZSFSP0&feature=related
Part-9 (Final) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_mxu8FzOEU&feature=related

HW 23 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 2

Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom, Random House Publications, 1997
 
Precis-
Visiting Morrie is becoming almost a ritual, he has a way to make you feel like you are the most important person i the room when he talks. Every tuesday we talk about a different topic ranging from family to love. Morrie said something the other tuesday about detachment, he said that to truely detach yourself from something you have to let it fully pennetrate you, take fear or pain from a deadly illness for example something morrie is going through. If you hold back on the emotions you will never detach from them but by throwing your self into these emotions you experience them fully and completely so now you know what pain and fear are and can say 'ok i have experienced that emotion. i recognize that emotion.Now i need to detach from that emotion for a moment.' he got this idea from the Bhuddist which is something he is identifying more and more with as he becomes more ill.

Quotes-

1. "Detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully." (103)

• I felt that this specific sentence really displayed Morries hypocriticalness. He would constantly talk about allowing yourself to experience everything without preventing any sort of physical emotional reaction however the fact that he is detaching himself means that he is trying to rush or get out of emotions he doesn't want to experience. (however i am not saying that detachment is the wrong way to go about things)

     2.  " There is a better approach. To know you're going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time."(81)

• This section of the book was the one i felt would connect to our 4 unit which is death, Morrie talks about how to approach death and says that preparation is key which i agree with completely but came to the realization that this is not always possible. Some things take time to do like being able to run a marathon for example. It takes months even years of preparation to do this, so if you die before finishing your preparation for the marathon are you prepared for death. Also the idea that constantly being concerned with death is very sadistic and would be something that i personally could not do. I would rather live life in the moment than worry about how to prepare for my future death.

    3. "Once you learn how to die you learn how to live" (82)

• This section is very similar to the one above however i agree with this point. I feel that what Morrie is trying to say here is not that learning how to die is learning how to live but that accepting the idea of death and its randomness leads to less of sense of fear of it. Not fearing death means that you could go out and experience an adventure like snowboarding, bungee jumping, or skydiving without having that hesitation that could essentially stop you from experiencing things that could make you a better and more alive person.

Connections-

Dealing with death is something that almost everyone will have to experience and something i have experienced already. However i have not yet found the right way (for me) to deal with it. I feel that death is something that should not be as complicated as it is. I'm not saying that death is not important but i feel that it should be as easy to mourn a life being lost as it is to rejoice at a life being given. To me death is just another experience and fear should not let you stop yourself from experiencing it. The idea that the better man is the one who has no emotions, therefore experiences no pain or fear is wrong it is the one who experiences it to the fullest and can release there emotions that is superior.

    

HW 22 - Illness & Dying Book Part 1

Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom, Random House Publications, 1997

Precis-
Morrie, was a dying man diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (asl) in august of 1994. Morrie was a teriffic professor one who loved to dance and be active, his attitude was always optimistic. Even in his last years of life he never got upset, he was never angry that he was dying but instead curious as to the process of illness and dying and wanted to share that with the world. I would go to his house every tuesday, we would talk for hours just like we did back in college except this time i was no longer in a grey sweatshirt with an unlit cigarette hanging from my mouth, i was older, fatter, not only had morrie changed but so had i, 20 years has taken its toll on both of us.

Quotes-

1. "So many walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things." (page 43) 

• This is one quote in the book that really got my attention because it is something i have never thought about. I never realized that the dreams i chased may possibly be wrong. The idea that popped into my head is that the things that society tells you is right may also be wrong and of course this has an affect on what i think is right and wrong because we all attempt to impress soceity by doing what society considers good.

      2.   "The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." (page 43)

• This quote stood out to me because i personally do not agree with it. I think that by devoting yourself to others your only giving them meaning not yourself. I think the way to get meaning into your life is to attempt to leave a legacy for future generations because loving someone will only last so long as to your legacy that can last forever.

      3.  " The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. and you have to be strong enoughif the culture doesn't work, dont buy it."(page 42)

• I felt that this quote was both wrong and right. I agree with the fact that this society does not makes us feel good about ourselves but i think it also should not have too. Society should not make us feel good about ourselves but instead each individual should make themselves feel good. it is just easier to blame it on society when the true blame is the individual, i think that those who does not love themselves will not be loved others.

Connections-

I have gone through my own experiences of having a loved one become sick and eventually die, so i do understand what mitch is feeling. When my grandfather passed it was a very sad day for all involved but especially for me. i never met my grandfather face to face but as he got more sick we would talk everyday on the phone. We were close but not as close as someone who has known there grandparent their entire lives it was more like making a new friend. During his final days he would tell me sotries about his live, and i think that was to try to leave his legacy allowing him to live through his stories even after he had died which is similar to what morrie is doing he is leaving his legacy with mitch and society to try an allow himself to live even after his death.

HW 21: comments

To Tamiko: I felt your paragraph on religion was very insightful. My parents are very religious themselves so i can understand your view well. i agree with you on the fact that she looked to Buddhism to help her through this tough time and being from a religious household my self i have sen and done this many times. Any time my mother would see something like war or death on television she would give thanks to god for blessing her with a good life (even though she should kind of be thanking my dad for having a good job and working hard) however i feel that both beth and my mother's religion is what keeps them standing strong during times where many people do not.  


To Jhonny: The Topic i am choosing to talk about in your writing is insight. i felt that your writing had a lot of sparked memories which were written quite nicely. The sentence "She also reminded me of all the family members i had lost and how no matter how long it has been since your family member died they will always be with you in your hearts." caused me to think about all the family members that i have lost and even though they are gone little things remind me that they may still be with me in spirit. You can always tell if someone writes with insight because i think it often makes you think or come to the realization of something insightful yourself.

To Arden: The topic i am choosing to comment on is the beauty of your writing. When reading it i feel like what your saying truly flows out of you. The emotion as Tamiko said is a very strong part of your writing and i feel that any one who reads this will know that. i specifically liked the line "Being faced so close to death Beth was hit with the reality of immortality. For many of us it feels like such an unknown, unlikely, distance thing." because i felt like i could connect to this, i too feel as if death is so far away and unknown even though unlike you i have had a close experience involving the death of someone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Tamiko O. said...

i got a similar impression from Eric deaths and the way he went about it. when someone loses hope during a time like death that is so dreadful it can hinder those around you and the one directly dealing with it. Eric ended his life in a heroic way i feel, he put out thier that death itself can be positive. Ms.Bernett noticed that herself.

Johnny P said...

Ms. Bernett's story affected me in the same way it affected you. For example Ms.Bernett's story made me realize that we are not immortal and that we could die at any place at anytime. The quote were you said, "you can have a steady job and a steady relationship but in the end a million different things could happen to you," really stood out to me because this made me realize, something very scary and it also made me realize that we are not immortal. However I believe that death is only as bad as you make it. For instance if you are screaming and just laying down in bed then you are only making your "final process" more difficult for yourself. However if you except the time that you have left on this earth and make the most of it, the "final process" wont be so difficult and this could possibly even cause less drama in your families life.

Brian (attic person) said...

I think one important part of growing into adulthood is to realize that mortality is a universal part of life and that it does not, in fact, take away for any one person's sense of power. None of us will live forever. Sickness, as a precursor to death, gives an impression of that for many people. One common way for a young person to experience this is through the illness of a grandparent. When it is a parent instead, the lesson is more intrusive into your life as a young person. I think it's important to examine these feelings, understand how they act upon your own value system, and integrate them into your own life. It sounds like you have done at least some of this so far, or are on your way to it. This isn't pleasant to do, but it's necessary to become a fully-actualized adult who doesn't live in fear of death or dying. To me, your writing indicates that you have seen how the experiences that Mrs. Bernett described are similar to those in your own life. That skill is necessary to become a person who can empathize with others in order to develop compassion for your fellow person.

Arden H said...

Sharif, I really enjoyed reading your post. Your post addressed this topic from many different perspectives. You managed to take the basics of Beths story and create a deeper understanding for yourself through connected it to class and other aspects of life. You were able to find the parallels in her story to your own personal experience. I appreciate your honesty and thoughtfulness through out the post. I particularly like line when you said "I tried to keep my self away from the illness by keeping myself away from the ill." Which helps explain why the ill are so isolated. It seems as though the ill want to isolated, but others do not want to be around them either. This is what puts a stress on peoples relationships. great job! Steven (Basement Person) said...

This is an amazing story. It is written wonderfully and it uses great writing techniques to thoroughly express the deeper meaning of this text. You also restated it in you last sentence, which just adds to the clarity. Hearing a story like this has helped to change my opinion on illness and death, and im sure it can change many others point of view. I think that it is fantastic that you look for alternatives even in places where you dont think you can find any. The overall writing piece was very well written and very insightful.

HW 21 - Expert #1

1.Ms.Bernett treated everyone with respect and importance and in return received the same.
2.Ms.Bernett kept her son josh visually away from his father during this experience.
3.Ms.Bernett says that this gave experience made her realize that everyone is going to die eventually.

When Ms.Bernett came to share her experience i didn't expect that her ideas and insights would be so similar to mine. When she was sharing i could feel every emotion she was feeling, when my father was diagnosed with diabetes i remember feeling like that one kid in the world who has it the worst. When this happened i was scared to see my dad. You would expect my mother to keep me away from him but it was i who kept away. i emotionally distanced myself from him. i couldn't accept or even deal with the fact that he is going to be that way for ever and that he could go blind or his feet and hands would get numb. i tried to keep my self away from the illness by keeping myself away from the ill.This thinking really hurt the relationship that my father and i had, the relationship only began to meld back together 3 years ago when i begun to accept the fact that diabetes can be managed and that he is still the same person he was before he was diagnosed with diabetes.

Ms.Bernett's comment about how this experience made her realize that everyone is going to die eventually brought me back to the comment that was said in class a day before which was Abdullah's idea on how illness and dying gives us a sense of mortality. This comment made me think of the time that i had appendicitis, at age 8 it was one of the most frightening experiences in my life. i was surrounded by illness and death during my time in the hospital, my roommate was sick, every room i went in had either someone coughing or crying. Being surrounded by this constant feeling of pain and sickness made me think that i could die right now and this is how people would remember me. my biggest fear was that my death wouldn't mean anything giving me this sense of mortality that i had never felt before.

Ms.Bernett sparked the idea that life isn't stable. you can have a steady job and a steady relationship but in the end a million different things could happen to you. You can get hit by a car, you can get cancer, you could even fall off a cliff. When Ms.Bernett was talking about how her husband could not lay down to sleep really sparked this thought of hope and attitude (specifically because after his lungs were drained she said it was the greatest gift you could have given him). I find it very important that your attitude be positive when experiencing something as terrible as cancer. if you lose hope in yourself people begin to lose hope in you and as Ms.Bernett said what makes life great and worth living is relationships without those relationships what is holding you back from death.

HW 19 - Family Perspectives on Illness & Dying

Growing up in a religous household definetly has a large impact on my view on illness and dying. my parents are very conventional so they do believe in going to the doctor and other allopathic medicne, however they may believe in it too much. my mom is very over protective and so everytime i get even the slightest fever or just a plain headache she wants to take me to the emergency room. she believes doctors can fix anything and that holistic medicine is not a reliable or even an intelligent way of healing people.my father is very similar he believes that holistic medicine is just anther way for people to get money out of you especially chiropractors.

My parents opinions are very common and are the dominant culture perspectives. I grew up with these ideas and so my opinions are very similar to theirs. Although i do have the same ideas as my parents and those ideas are similar to the dominant culture perspectives my own opinions are a bit more based on what the dominant culture perspective is.The reasons in which i believe allopathic medicines better than hollistic medicine is because it has been proven to be more effective in healing different sickness however it is mostly because it is the dominant culture perspective which is what i believe to be logical. my parents also raised me to think that the right answer is the one that works the best and the quickest. my idea of a happy life is one where i am happy and to achieve that ideal life getting illness and dying has to be a very small part of it and allopathic medicine help conribute to that.

My father was raised in egypt so illness and dying wasn't dicussed very much in his family. he told me that his mother also believed in fixing a problem quickly. although she would go to the doctor (allopathic) any time my father was sick she would also pray for him (hollistic) so she was a follower of intergrative medicine. although she did believe in intergrated medicine she would always do what the doctor told her. my grandmother assumed that because the doctor is the doctor his opinions/ reccomendations were always the right ones. This influenced my dad to think this way which then influenced me to think this way until up to 7 or so years ago. when i was 8 my doctor told me that this constant pain in my stomach was simply a stomach flu nothing to be conerned with, however it turned out to be appendisits a illness that may have killed me. the doctors diagnosis was wrong. now im not saying to never believe your doctor but to always take what they and other people say with a grain of salt. Question what you are being told and find an alternative view point because that alternative view point may just be the right one.

HW 18 - Health & Illness & Feasting

In islam it is customary to say a prayer before you eat, "bismillah al-rahman al-rahim". this prayer signifies allowing g-d or allah into your life making the devil or any bad thing go away. This feasting was a paticurlarly plain one because none of my family (other than immediate family) was able to attend. my aunt was sick and so she could not come down from and my cousins had there own party which we went to. Although we did eat at my cousins house for the "official" feast we came back home for a smaller family based feast. i felt that the religous aspect of this thanksgiving falls under the anti-body practice because it does not phsyically affect our body in any way.

The food was very pleasureable and did dominate the entire weekend. it was all focused on how the food was going to be prepared, what are we preparing, who are we preparing it for, what type of food we are preparing, and when we were going to prepare it. my mother was personally freaking out because of the amount of cooking we had to do and the fact that my dad attempted to make lasagna (which was a complete disaster). however the physical aspect of the break was very tense. When i attended the party at my cousins house you could clearly tell everything was very uncomfortable even though everyone was having a good time. my uncle and aunt were overly concerned with what every one was doing and all the guests were concerned with if they were doing anything wrong, which in all honesty was kind of funny.

Although the party was fun it was really kind of empty, not in the sense that no one was there (alot of people were the there), it was more in the sense that no family was there. the party was full of people i dont really know that well and some i did not know at all. my grandma is in egypt and is way to old to travel and my grandpa passed away so he definetly did not come. But this was all fine i have never had much of a relationship with either of them so its not like i was missing anything. You would think that my parents would be sad but there is not thanksgiving in egypt so its not something that they could say they remember doing with there parents.

The nutrition of the food was very important to me. I have been trying to stay a vegeterian ever since the food unit but it has been kind of difficult this break. I let my self take a little vacation from it so i could enjoy the turkey, but the other foods were important as well. i had my mom make salad and veggies along with grape leaves (my favorite food). Although this was a holiday based on eating like crazy there was no need for us to eat unhealthy food. i felt like the phsycality of the whole thing was very excting although we were a little sad and maybe a little uncomfortable the point was to be happy and i think that ended up happening.

HW 17 - First Thoughts on the Illness & Dying Unit

Illness and and dying is a very important subject in my life. When i was 9 i had appendicitis (a life threatening situation) and was in the hospital for a few days before and after the surgery, so my relationship with these two topics is very personal. Growing up in an very religous household i have been taught to see illness and dying as a natural part of life, something that cannot be stopped and is all up to g-d, however that is not the feeling i had when suffering from appendicitis, that thought and type of thinking almost upset me. Why can't i be in charge of what is happening to me and my body and why is up to someone else when i die (Vague Cliche). the reason i think i felt this way was because i felt like i had no control over the one thing i thought i had control over which is myself.

Social norms around illness and dying are usually the same as i said above. i feel like people consider it sacred (and maybe it is to some of us) however nobody ever thinks of it as a just something that happens like coughing or sneezing (even though it is somewhat just as common). I believe our culture may put too much emphasis on the topic and that this takes away from how really normal it actually is (even thought normal is weird).my families approach is very similar to that of the social norm. My mother is very religous and so she tends to believe that death is a terrible thing, and that anyone who dies is special, when in actuality it is something that happens to all of us and is probably happening right now but we dont think twice about the man who just died in china or the women who died in argentina. We consider it sacred only when it relates to us which is really kind of selfish.

A very unusual perspective is actually something my friend told me who was diagnosed with diabetes about 6 years ago and it is that when you become ill, it is not a negative but a positive. It allows you to become better and stronger. You learn to live with something that impairs you in someway and survive to  show people that your better than that illness, that the human body and mind was designed to be better than the flu or the cold or diabetes. no although i dont paticularly believe this i think this idea is very optimistic and gives me hope. I like the idea that humans are engineered to be better than everything else even though its not really true.

HW# 11

      For my project i chose an experiential study. I decided to become a vegetarian for 48 hours because it is a topic i felt was discussed in the unit a lot. At first my parents were against it, in middle eastern culture meat is very popular. My parents grew up eating lamb, beef, and chicken A LOT OF CHICKEN (when i visited egypt over the summer i had chicken almost everyday, so when i told them i was gonna be a vegetarian my mother didn't understand what it meant. After explaining it to them they weren't exactly supportive of it but understood.

       The first meal i had as a vegetarian was at lunch (since i do not usually eat breakfast), i went to whole foods with Abdul. I looked around the market to find it very crowded which is when i thought to myself a lot of people must like eating healthy food. I continued walking through the store and started to see cupcakes and cookies, which threw me off a bit i assumed all the food in whole foods was just vegetables and fruits and all the stuff you think of when you imagine a healthier diet. I remember asking someone who works there why they have all these sweets and cookies and other types of unhealthy foods and he responded "we have a litttle something for everyone, eating sweets doesn't always have to be a bad thing, and eating vegetables isn't always a good thing". I was surprised, the thought never came to mind, could candy and sweets be healthy as well. I continued walking until i reached the precooked buffet area, i found a box and precided to look around. What caught my eye was the vegeterian dumplings and some salmon pasta salad. I then walked over and waited in line until i came to the counter (i noticed that the lines and registers were organized in an assembly line, which was interesting), where the man weighed my food and came out to only $6 which is much less than a subway sandwhich or some chinese food.

       In class we always talk about how fast food is processed and how terribly they treat the animals and the workers and all the nasty chemicals they pump into them and i understood on an intellectual level but i don't think it affected me emotionally. After class i would still go out to lunch and get General Tsao chicken, or a burger with fries and i wouldn't think twice about what it was doing to my body. Although being a vegeterian for 48 hours probably isn't going to stop whats happening to the animals and to my fellow man (and woman), i think its the first step to helping fight whats going on.

       After being a vegetarian for 48 hours i conducted my own little experiment for a day and decided to compare how i felt after being a vegetarian and after being a meatatarian. I wanted to know how it would effect my mood, my behaivior, and my energy level. I discovered that after being a vegeterian i was in a lighter mood, i was more focused and controlled. I was less cranky in the morning, and when i came into class after the first day i had much more energy (maybe a little too much). after being a meatatarian my mood completely changed i was cranky all the time, i didn't feel like talking to anyone and i definelty had less energy. I wouldn't be able to stay awake after a meal and i couldnt stay focused in class at all.

        After the experiment i realized how important it is to eat a healthy diet, i felt better and i acted better. When eating an unhealthy diet life seemed less exciting. I think this experience has changed my view on the world. My initial thoughts on being a vegeterian is that it would be very strict and boring but i soon discovered that it can be exciting, i learned that like everything else if you keep and open mind anything can happen (corny but true). Next time i will hopefully get more time to explore different homemade vegeterian options. This experience was wonderful, and after being a vegeterian for 48 hours i didn't want to give it up, This has become more than just an assignment it has become a life changer, i have decided to become a full vegetarian. I love the feeling of having more energy and being in a better mood all the time. Instead of living until 60 maybe ill live until 80 or 100. After explaining all of this to my parents they decided it was a good idea and support what im trying to do.

HW # 12

Many of the dominant social practices in our society - practices that define a "normal" life - on further investigation turn out to involve nightmares and industrial atrocities.

Argument 1:

Major claim- Unhealthy food and eating habits are becoming a very standard part of the many people's lives today.

Supporting claim- These unhealthy eating habits and food sources are causing an increase in the amount of people who are getting sick in America.

Evidence-> Obesity epidemic

Evidence-> Diabetes

Evidence-> Diabetes in children

Supporting claim- Food practices in our society continue to get worse.

Evidence-> Continued expansion of fast food restaurants.

Evidence-> Continued increases or maintenance of per capita mea.

Evidence-> Continued of corn based practices such as Fish farming

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/ 

http://www.idf.org/node/1354?unode=7F22F450-B1ED-43BB-A57C-B975D16A812D

http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/19/3/102.full

http://www.bpovia.com/blog/china-business/fast-food-chains-accelerate-their-paces-of-expansion.html

http://business.highbeam.com/1757/article-1G1-207332233/china-per-capita-meat-consumption-increases-over-54kg

http://en.mercopress.com/2009/05/14/per-capita-meat-consumption-in-chile-increases-26-in-ten-years

http://jas.fass.org/cgi/content/full/86/12/3635

Thesis and Possible Project

Thesis 1: The nightmarish industrial atrocities of mass production are becoming more and more normal to the average person and are largely contributing to sickness in Americans.

Thesis 2: America is becoming a country that relies on fast food because of the nightmarish industrial atrocities that are integrated into our lives and seem normal.

Possible project

• Become a vegetarian for 48 hours
• Academic paper on how halal and kosher food vs organic food

HW 10 - Food, Inc. Response

1.
Precis-
Current food production is largely a response to the growth of the fast food industry. The production of food overall has changed more since the 1950's than the several thousand years before. Today the food production industry is controlled primarily by a handful of multinational corporations, whose goals are the production of large quantities of food at low direct costs (most often subsidized) resulting in enormous profits, which then gives these few companies a greater control over the global food supply. The health and safety of the food itself, of the animals, of the workers, and of the consumers are often overlooked by the companies, and are often overlooked by government in an effort to provide cheap food. The answer that the companies have come up with is to throw more science at the problems by pumping the animals with more and more chemicals. The Global food source is in danger but can be saved with more resposibility on behalf of the major companies like tyson that control this food.

2.
Although the movies was based on the book there was alot in the movie that you couldn't get from the book. The movie (obviously) had visuals which gave you more of a real feeling when seeing what was happening, it is similar to when someone tells you something, but you never really understand it until you see it with your own two eyes. An example of this was the chicken slaughter, in the book i did read about it and i understood it but when i saw that scene in the movie i had a much more intense feeling of sadness and remorse. The movie could show you the way that these large companies treated these workers and how the treated the animals that you and i eat. The book however offered a more depth idea of what is going on. The movie generalized a lot of what was happening and didn't touch upon many specifics while the book was more of a first person view on what is going on, an exmaple of this was the final chapter where michael pollan gave a very emotional evaluation of his experience.

3.
The thoughts that are still with me is why hasn't the government done anything about this. I feel like the men we put in office aren't as concerened with this as we are even thought they eat the same food that we do. I also want to know if those in charge of these large companies eat the food they produce and if not what do they eat. The feeling that dominates me is anger. I want to know how they can treat the animals and workers the way they do and how could i let them put all this disgusting food into me. I almost feel betrayed by this country, the fact that the governement can talk about serving us the people and keeping us safe than go right around and feed us such unhealthy produce. This country has cast an illusion on us, telling us that we are "land of the free", when sure we are free to vote for our president and choose where to live but not to choose who makes our food (don't get me wrong i love this country it just seems unfair that these companies are essentially poisoning us and there is nothing we can do about it).

Although i am upset, i have accpeted the fact that this is what is happening and realized that the only way to avoid eating this bad food is to change who grows it by either growing it myself or buying from a green market or whole foods. The truth is maybe it is our fault. We have chosen to be oblivious to this, we assumed that there was nothing wrong and that was wrong. We should have investigated this situation much earlier. Im not saying not to trust them i am simply saying why trust them when you can know for sure.

HW 7D

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 17-


Precis-
Vegetarianism is more popular today than it has been, not to mention the growing populatiry of animal rights, which seems strange considering the fact that we have been eating animals for tens of thousands of years without too much concern for how ethical it is. Humans are creatures of reason and the great thing about that is reasonable creatures can find an excuse for almost anyhting, which includes eating animals or not eating animals but the bigger question is do you want to base your moral code on the natural order? Murder and rape are natural, too. Animals on factory farms have never known any other life than that; the rightest thought is that the proper measure of their suffering is not their prior experience but instead the daily frustration of their instincts. Animal suffering is a very confusing issue because we dont know whether being eaten is painful or not because we don't know what goes on in their minds, however vegeterianism is not an unreasonable response to the the reality of killing animals.

Gems-
(Page 309) "If i believe in equality, and equality is based on interests rather than characteristics, then either i have to take the steer's interest into account or accpet that i am a speciest"


Thoughts and Questions-

• This chapter really made me question whether or not eating organic or polyface food is as "good" as i thought. i felt as thought eating meat is an act of violence, i feel guilty for have ever eaten a chicken or a burger. What if we lived in a world where we were kept as animals in factories awaiting slaughter, would our opinions be taken into consideration and if so would someone act upon these opinions.

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 18-

Precis- Hunting, its what most kids dream of, being able to venture into the woods with an rifle in your hands and seeing traces of your prey on the leaves of the tree next to you or on the ground is a very exciting feeling, it makes you a more alert person. When hunting i was mentored by Angelo who has been hunting here for years, and to be honest part of me didn't want to go but i had tried my gun out before at a shooting range in the oakland hills in which after my shoulder was aching for weeks but after i felt as if i was ready for a gun of my own (a .270 winchester). The plan was to hunt boar in the northern part of Sonoma county, driving to the spot we were going to hunt angelo kept mentioning the different spot where a pig hunt happened and it seemed that every spot had a story. During our hunting expedition we encountered a group of pigs and we slowly raised our guns to our shoulders, richard got down on one knee and did the same, i got ready to pump my gun but it was too late richard already shot and wounded one, i had not been ready to shoot and why is that, maybe it is because of my failure to have a bullet in the chamber reflected some unconscious reluctance about doing what i asked myself to do. I recieved word a moth later that angelo and i would go hunting just us this time, during this hunt i whot my first pig and the feeling i expected to feel was Remorse but i did not (not until later at least), the feeling i had was absolute joy.

Gems-
(Page 343) "My emotions were as surging and confused as the knot of panicked pigs had been on this spot just a moment before."
(Page 353) " The one emotion i expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse, or even ambivalence. All that would come later, but now, i'm slightly embarrassed to admit, i felt absolutely teriffic."

Thoughts and Questions-

• This chapter really made me feel as if i was in pollan's shoes. i could feel more of a connection with him, and maybe it was because of the fact that i have always wanted to go hunting myself. I thought it was nice to see him try something fast-paced and completely new, it really showed you the depth of his character and revealed that he is really a curious kid on the inside.

 Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 19-


Precis-
Mushroom foraging, obtaining this produce is almost dangerous because of how easy it is to get lost, Mushroom are prey to many creatures which is why some have developed the ability to camouflage itself. Mushrooms belong to the Fungi kingdom which are very mysterious. It is unknown why they they grow where and when they grow, the gender, or how to consistently tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous. The chemical properties of fungi are also mysterious, they can cause hallucinations and other sicknesses. Though they are mysterious foraging mushrooms is a very benificial experience to be a part of.

Gems-
(Page 380) "It was such a feeling of empowerment, to feed yourself by figuring out the puzzle of nature"

Thoughts and Questions-

• This chapter made me think about the mushroom farmer i met at the green market in union square. She was intelligent and was very passionate about her mushrooms. She said "Mushrooms are a wonder in themselves", which at the time i didn't quite understand but after reading this chapter i did. She was saying the experience of growing and foraging mushrooms is an exciting experience. i would like to see her again and maybe go to her farm and experience it for myself. 

 Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 20-


Precis-
I have been preparing a meal for Angelo, Sue, Anthony, Richard, Judith, Isaac, and myself all week, the meal was made out of only ingredients that i had either grown, foraged, caught, or hunted. The meal included Wild Sonoma Pig, Local Garden Salad, Wild East Bay Yeast Levain, etc... Compared to the standard of my guests this meal wasn't amazing, but it was the emotion and thoughtfulness of the meal that was great. This meal shows the potential of how food can really be and the lack of fast or industrial food in this meal is a reminder of how truly pure a meal can be.

Gems-
(Page 411) "We eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and what we're eating is never anything more or less than the body of the world."
(Page 400) "Industrial and domestic, hard and soft, metal and meat: This place was a lot like Angelo himself"

Thoughts and Questions- 

• This chapter was very passionate. I felt as if Pollan was very concerned with this meal and how perfect it was going to be. This meal was was not industrial so i thought it was eaten without as much woory or guilt. Pollan's experience's throughout the book really meant something and i would like to experience the same. Hopefully over the summer i can work on a farm myself or go hunting and explore what michael pollan explored and experience what pollan experienced.

HW 9 - Freakonomics Response

In Freakonomics Many different tools were used to provide us with insight on all the topics that were touched upon during the movie, however the 3 that i thought were used the most were finding evidence,asking quesitons, and evaluating the truth. Evidence was an extremely large part of this movie in fact without evidence the movie would not be as convincing as it was. The evidence although almost always statistics i felt gave the viewer more of a connection with what was going on, kepping them involved in the movie rather than just watching it. An example of evidence was during the sumo wrestling portion of the movie where the protaganists showed us that sumo wrestlers would engage in cheating each year tournaments occur to decide the rankings. All tournaments have the same structure: 15 bouts in 15 days for each wrestler, an 8-7 record provides a ranking increase of one place and a 7-8 record decreases a wrestler’s ranking by one spot. With the eighth win worth the most, a wrester going into the final with 7-7 has more to lose than one with 8-6. So if a two wrestler's with those scores fight each other the person with 8-6 would throw the fight and the person with 7-7 would win resulting in a score of 8-7 and 8-7 and both fighters would go up in ranking. The second tool they used was asking questions. An example of this would be during the name portion of the movie when they asked two scientists whether or not your name would determine your life. The protaganists also asked regular people what type of person would have what type of name (Tyrone is a more african american name while Scott would be more of a white name).The thrid tool used was evaluating the truth. An example of this was the ENTIRE MOVIE, The whole movie was about evaluating whether or not something was true. The protaganists wanted to know whether or not a name determines what kind of life you will have or if there was cheating in sumo wrestling or even if paying teenagers money would encourage them to do better school.

The source of evidence they mostly rely on is Statistics, in fact all of there arguments where based on statistics or the production of statistics. This is innovative because it gives the viewer a very new perspective on whatever subject is being discussed. It also genralizes the subject making something very large much more manageble for observation.

Freakonomics does serve as an inspriation and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices because it provides a good template on how to do so. In Freakonomics they asked a lot of questions of both scientists and regular people and did their own investigation into some subjects. In our investigation of foodways i feel that we need to ask more questions to reveal the answer and the right questions reveal the truth. These questions we pose whether to a scientist who specialize in the field or to a normal person all contribute to the larger idea of what is the truth. however non of these questions matter if we dont provide evidence. Without evidence questions and answers would be meaningless, but with evidence we can prove that our answers are right and that the questions we asked provide us that answer.

HW 7C

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 11-

Precis-

Joel Salatin's farm is independent. He keeps the farm natural by being as uninvolved as he possibly can. He allows the farm to do only what it can handle and for the farm to use its own resources to preserve itself. There isnt a need for many machines or anything that can pollute because of the self preservation like an ecosystem so there is not much pollution. Since the production amount is so high there is no need to worry about how its going to keep itself preserved.


Gems-

"I asked Joel how much food Polyface produces in a season, and he rattled off these figures: 30,000 eggs, 12,00 broilers, 800 stewing hens, 50 beeves (representing 25,00 pounds of beef), 250 hogs (50,00 pounds of pork), 800 turkeys, 500 rabbits."

 Thoughts and Questions-

•  If Joel got more involved in his farm would it become less productive and less natural? 

 Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 12-

Precis-

If there is one aspect of farming that everyone including farmers don't like, it is slaughtering. The slaughtering of animals we eat usually takes place behind closed doors, Joel Salatin insists on slaughtering his own chickens and would slaughter his other animals if he could however under an old federal exemption, farmers are still permitted to process a few thousand birds however most other animals must be processed in a state federally inspected facility. Working with Joel in the slaughter house really brought to my attention how much the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) biases its rules towards large processing plants. Joel Salatin believes that slaughtering of his chickens is almost ritualistic, when i stepped away form the killing area Joel came up to me and said that slaughter is dehumanizing work if you have to do it everyday in fact Temple Grandin, the animal handling expert who's helped design many slaughterhouses, has written that it is not uncommon for full-time slaughterhouse workers become sadistic.

 Gems- 

"You have just dined, and how ever scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity."

Thoughts and Question-

• Reading this chapter made me realize that farming is not all beautiful and that the chicken i had for lunch or the burger i had for dinner were all living creatures once that were then slaughtered and yet i still eat them without even thinking about that. (This makes me want to become a vegetarian)

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 13-

Precis-

The Polyface farm is a purely local farm that produces eggs, chicken, beef, pork, and other produce. It saves energy and resources, reformes the global food system and preserves what is called Relationship marketing. Polyface food costs about 1 dollar per pound which is the same as the insdustrial market's prices. Joel salatin offers would be the cheapest available if you count the hidden costs (enviornment, water pollution, antibiotic resistance) which is why Allan Nation (the editor of the Stockman Grassfarmer) states that a buisness cannot be half industrial and half artisanal. 

Gems-

(Page 240) "Don't you find it odd that people will put more work into choosing their mechanic or house contractor than they will into chosing the person who grows their food?" 

Thoughts and Question-

•  Joel's thoughts on citites surprised me but what really surprised me is his brothers thoughts on Joel's efforts to prevent the evil in the world from spreading. It was almost like he no longer believes in what joel is trying to do. 

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 14-

Precis- 

I gathered goods from the Polyface farm so i can make dinner for a family whose friendship i have valued for many years. I slow roasted two chickens, made a souffle, and prepared a salad and corn. This meal was very nutritous and of much better quality. This meal was not a result of genetic breeding, feeding corn to animals, using pesticides or chemicals, or keeping organisms from being themselves and being natural.

Gems- 

(page 273) "But souffle has a spiritual sense, too, as in the breath of life (in English the word "spirit" comes from breath), which seems fitting, for isn't the souffle as close as cookery ever comes to elevating matter into spirit?"

Thoughts and Questions-

• This chapter was paticularly good because it made me really appreciate the way meals are prepared and how the way the animals are treated could affect the meal (not to mention how hungry it made me). When you know ingredients are truly pure with no chemical involved and you see the time and energy spent in preparing the meal it gives the meal a more honest feeling. i am hoping to try and prepare a meal like that sometime soon.

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 15-

Precis-

I decided to create a meal out of the shortest possible food chain (this includes foraging, hunting, and growing food myself) which would be a very beneficial learning experience for me. I was hoping to experience the feeling of killing another creature and being directly connected to other natural systems, of preparing and consuming a meal in full consciousness of what is involved. However because of my lack of knowledge in these aspects and my recent move this endeavor became more difficult. With the help of a hunter education course and of my friend, Angelo, i will achieve my goal; in the meantime i am satisfied with with observing what is and isn't edible looking in nature.

Gems-

(Page 278) "She made it sound like it wouldn't take much for a kid to get himself killed snacking in the woods"

(Page 280) "Somehow I doubted I would feel quite at home stalking game in the woods, but it was reassuring to think that in doing so I would be contesting only my upbringing, not my genes"

Thoughts and questions-

• This chapter really gave me insight into Michael Pollan's true character. It Revealed his inner child which was more likely to want to eat form the fruits of his labor than a grown man. Many Children would be intrigued by the idea of living in the forest and surviving with nothing but your two hands and feet, i know i would love too. 
• Pollan has many child like qualities like his curiosity and questions everything which is very endearing, and not only does he have these qualities he uses them in his approach to everything.  

 Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 16-

Precis-

Humans are very unique bread of creature and have a very unique set of eating tendencies and habits. Humans have a very large brain relative to their stomach size (your eye is larger than your stomach), which is an effect requiring a varied diet in addtion food selection, and sensory capabilities.Humans also require food that is not just good to eat, but culturally pleasing, ethical, affordable, or even popular; generally, we decide if a food is "good to eat" based on taste, and social acceptance. Americans wonder why other countries so often succeed in being healthy without an obsession with food. Other cultures consistently feast upon combination's of foods that are nutritious like eating soy sauce with rice, and maintain customs like eating only what is cooked at home. 

Gems-

(Page 288) But rats and humans require a wider range of nutrients and so must eat a wider range of foods, some of them questionable. Whenever they encounter a potential new food they find themmselves torn between two conflicting emotions unknown to hte specialist eater, each with its own biological rationale: neophobia, a sensible fear of ingesting anything new, and neophilia, a risky but necessary opennness of new tastes"  

Thoughts and Questions-

•  It is our evolved traits that once kept us alive and healthy that now doom us to things such as diabetes and obesity. Our tendency for favoring sweetness once helped us find good sources of substainance is now causing health issues while we stil tend to avoid bitter foods which causes a lack of vegetables and important nutrients in our diet. it is our own development that has hurt us.
• We humans have an incerdible ability to adapt to new situations and enviornments so why dont we adapt to this one. 

HW 7B

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 6-

Precis-
Today the obesity epidemic has spread over the entire United States. In the early 19th century Americans began drinking more than ever which lead to the purchase of corn whiskey, a cheap and superabundant drink. David Wallerstein served on the board of directors on at McDonald's, but in the fifties and sixties he worked for a chain of movie theaters where he came up with the idea of super sizing because of the realization that people would want to buy more popcorn and soda if it all came in one huge serving. Today the rate of type 2 diabetes and obesity is higher than ever and this is because of energy dense foods becoming the cheapest foods in the market.


Gems-
(Page 105)"They don't want to look like gluttons"
(Page 105)"Going for seconds make people feel piggish"

Thoughts and questions-

• Should all the foods that are contributing to type 2 diabetes and obesity be stopped from being produce any longer?
• Is it really the fault of the company's producing all these unhealthy portions or is it the fault of the consumers for choosing to buy them?

  
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 7-


Precis-
Most people today eat industrial meals, whether it's pizza hut, KFC, McDonald's or even homemade food prepared from ingredients bought at the supermarket. Healthier items on the menu gives people an excuse for going to these fast food places "But mom, you can get the salad..." is what a child who wants to eat fast food could say, in fact one in 3 kids eat fast food every day. Fast food is comfort food to many people, in fact scientists say that fast food gives you a jolt of carbohydrates and fay,which is now believed to relieve stress and cathe teh brain in chemicals that make it feel good. Most of the foods in McDonald's and other fast food chains contain something in common, which is a dependance on many ingredients containing corn and other (sometimes toxic) synthetic ingerdients.

Gems-
(Page 110) " The Marketers have a term for what a salad or veggie burger does for a fast-food chain: Denying the Denier. These healthier menu items hand hand the child who wants to eat fast food a sharp tool with which to chip away at his parents' objections."

Thoughts and Questions-

• Today more than ever people i am becoming more and more concerned with through what foods corn gets into my body and hopefully next time i eat corn it will be straight from the cob and not from a bag of chips.
• Why do americans not realize how much corn is infused into our lives?
•  

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 8-


Precis-
Grass, what we see as the beautiful soft pillow of nature is not always the reality of it, most farms in america do not have the grass we all know and love. Joel Salatin however is one of those very few farmers that still holds on to that beauty by having an organic farm where every organism plays a role and helps with the productivity of the farm. Most farms in america even those that are considered to be organic do not have such a dependence on nature to keep them running. The idea of being organic is not taken seriously by other farmers which is why they can claim to be organic but still not shift to using organic methods.

Gems-

(Page 126)"Salatin is the choreographer and the grasses are his verdurous stage; the dance has made polyface one of the most productive and influential alternative farms in America".

(Page 132) "That's all the Indians ever wanted - to keep their tepees, to give their kids herbs instead of patent medicines and leeches....the Western mind can't bear an opt-out option. We're going to have to refight the Battle of the Little Bighorn to preserve the right to opt out, or your grandchildren and mine will have no choice but to eat amalgamated, irradiated, genetically prostituted, barcoded, adulterated fecal spam from the centralized processing conglomerate".

Thoughts and Questions-

• Joel Salatin isnt a go with the flow kinda guy and i respect him for that. He values his own opinions over the opinions of others and the fact that the way he lives is an extension of his worldviews really tells you that he believes in what he says.
• Joel Salatin lives by his opinions but if he had a different occupation or lifestyle would his opinions be the same?

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 9-


Precis-
Many food brands advertise that they are organic an even give great stories about where there products come from, but today the counter culture has becoming more attached to the less accurate definitions of organic. Being organic is very controversial because of the dangers that could come with being organic, for example chickens are defensless and very vulnerable to infection ane yet the fedral rules say an organic chicken should have access to the outdoors. Both organic and non organic foods have there differences but it is not always organic food that has a better difference, Taste for example a freshly picked conventional produce is bound to taste better than and organic produce that has been riding in a truck for 3 days, however not all organic food makes a difference, yes an animals feed affects how it will taste but whether that feed is organic or not doesn' really make a difference.

Gems-
(Page 142) " If i were a dictator determined to control the national press, Organic Gardening would be the first publication i'd squash because it's the most subsersive. I believe that organic gardeners are in the forefront of a serious effort to save the world by changing man's orientation to it, to move away from the collective, centrist, superindustrial state, toward a simpler, realer, one-to-one relationship with the earth itself."

Thoughts and Questions-

• Why is it that organic food is not taken as seriously as it should be by americans today.
• I feel as if even though organic foods are becoming more and more popular fast food is not becoming less popular and in fact the proof of this is the obesity epidemic and the rise of type 2 diabetes.

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 10-

Precis-
Grass is a very classic part of american culture whether it is mowing the lawn or feeding it to the cows. Grass is especially important to grass farmers like Joel Salatin. Joel calls his pastures the "salad bar", and for his cows this is a major source of food. Grass farming is a relatively new part of american agriculture that has begun a practice referred to as "Management-intensive grazing" which is periodically moving livestock to fresh paddocks, to allow pastures to re grow. Grass is a healthier source of food for cows than corn is but is used less even though a well managed patch of grass captures more solar energy and therefore produces more biomass than a cornfield and this is because industrial agriculture is cheaper and more convenient.

Gems-
(Page 203) "The farm and the family comprised remarkably self-contained world, in the way I imagine all American farm life once did." 

Thoughts and Questions-

• Could the reason that farmers don't feed there cows grass is because grass does not receive a subsidy check from the government?
• If grass did receive a subsidy check what would happen to corn?

HW 8 - Growing Our Own Food

Growing the sprouts was a very unsatisfying task at first, however as i began to see the progress that the sprouts achieved it was terrific (until i realized that was the only progress they would make). After a while the sprouts began to stop growing, which really hurt my morale and made me feel like the sprouts were more of a pesky task and less of the adventure they were at the beginning. My mother has a small garden on the balcony of our apartment and so im used to watching seeds not flourish into what you are hoping they will be but i have also seen the growth of beautiful flowers so i have felt that sense of pride and accomplishment when you give life to something by yourself through your sweat and effort, and it is a very humbling feeling. When attempting to grow the sprouts i came to the realization that its is a sacred event and americans have forgotten that. Plants are living organisms and so when you are growing them your giving life to something and people have forgotten this too. Although the sprouts did not fully grow they were surprisingly tasteful. I put them on a roast beef sandwhich and i actually enjoyed it.

Roast beef and swiss cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread

HW 7

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 1-

The basic supermarket in the U.S. doesn't show itself as having very much to do with nature yet however it contains decorations of plants and animals. I question where all the meats and plants originally came from which leads me to a corn field. I then Discuss the importance and large role corn plays in what we eat and also talk about the science behind corn and how it is in almost everything we consume. I then inform the reader about how corn "Is the Hero of its own story." and that "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us." I reveal that the success of corn is almost predetermined and how corn has evolved to make farmers less dependent on themselves and more dependent on corporations to reproduce the corn.

Gems-"Is the Hero of its own story."  "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us."

• How Does the evolution of corn over time show the devolution of its self dependence?
• This chapter gave me a new perspective on the role that corn plays in my everyday life.

Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 2-

I address the farming aspect of corn and how that plays a role in its growth. I then discuss again the science behind corn but more so through the farming aspect which, gave it more of an agricultural perspective. I also assert that corn was a large reason for the loss of diversity in what is grown on farms today. I then talk about the economical and political side of farming and the state it has put him farmers in.

Gems- "The chickens and cattle disappeared from the farm , and with them the pastures and hayfields and fences."

• This chapter raised my awareness on the struggles of farmers today.
• Why not throw all the corn away and start to diversify what types of plants are growing on the farm.

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 3-

Precis-
I discuss the grain elevator which is obviously and elevator that vertically transports George Naylor's corn. I talk about the process of the grain elevator which actually contains multiple types of corn heaped in one pile. I also talk about corn as a commodity and the history of it in america. I then discuss the ecnomic aspect of the farming of corn and the price each bushel is worth. I the state the part that large corporations such as Cargill and ADM play in the role of transporting corn and providing the resources that farmers need to grow the corn and also where the corn ends up when its done with its journey.

Gems- 
Page 58 "If they saw dry grains of maize scattered on the ground, they quickly gathered them up, saying: our sustenance suffereth, it lieth weeping. if we should not gather it up, it would accuse us before our lord. it would say. 'O, our lord, this vassal picked me not up when i lay scattered upon the ground.Punish him!' Or perhaps we should starve."

Thoughts and Questions-

• Is the grain elevator the most efficient way to transport the corn?
• Why are companies involved in corn at all?

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 4-


Precis-
Cows are given corn bushels to eat instead of grass which is their natural diet. Cows go through poor medical conditions, they are forced to inhale feedlot dust and stand in there own feces.Cows also have to be given protein and large amounts of drugs because of the corn they are being forced to eat because it sickens them. On the feedlot the cows eat until they weigh enough to be eaten.

Gems-
Page 68: "The short,unhappy life of a corn-fed feedlot steer represents the ultimate triumph of industrial thinking over the logic of evolution"


Thoughts and Questions-

• When Cattle are fed corn does it affect the offspring's health, the milk it produces, or the taste of the meat?
• The way they treat the Cattle gives me a disturbed feeling. My country clearly does not have any care for the cattle who give so much to us. 
•  

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 5-


Precis-
Although we produce 10 billion bushels of corn a year we eat a very little amount of it, in fact we are each only responsible for eating about a ton per year. Food processing was a blessing, we learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second which corn has been a beneficiary of. Food security a few years ago meant  something completely different than it does today, much of the work today is highly secretive. Food is becoming a technology and we are moving into the 4th age of food processing where everything will contain more of whatever science has determined to be the good stuff.

Gems-"We learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second."
"In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a late-model processed food that isn't made from corn or soybeans."

Thoughts and Questions- 

• I am feeling as if the american society is becoming more and more a victim of its own intelligence. We continue to develop new way to make food more convenient and cheap for the stereotypical american which is always on the go and constantly in a poor person mentality and takes away from the healthiness that should be part of the american culture. Instead of eating processed food why not grow some of your own fresh vegetables and fruits and/or buy fresh groceries and cook at home.

Food Diary

A full Serving of Mozzarella pasta, i only ate 1/4 of a serving. Dinner At home Sept 29,2010 Calories 86.12

Wendy's Spicy Chicken nuggets. I ate a full serving. Lunch on sept 30th 2010, Calories 230

Tomato Calamari Soup, I ate half a serving, Dinner Sept 30, 2010, Calories 150.7

All of these Foods have a low calorie count compared to the recommendation of consuming 2800 calories a day. Non of these foods were neccesarily nutritious but they also werent very unhealthy. The tomato soup contained absolutely no fat and had 7 grams of protein and 27 grams of vitamin C. I picked these foods because they were all cost very little money. i fell realativly good about the food i chose, i didnt feel like there was anything wrong with them, they did not give me a bad feeling afterwards however the also didnt give me a good feeling.

The food you eat is alot like the people you let into my life, they could be good or bad for you or maybe not have an affect at all. is it possible for food not to have any affect at all. My theory is that food always affects you but it is up to you and your body to make up for the lack of nutritioun. food can be unhealthy but it doesnt have to be unhealthy for you. if you have a fast metabolism than the fat in food wont affect you. However it is still unhealthy because it may have a negative effect on someone else.

Dominant Discourses Regarding Contemporary Foodways in the U.S.

Discourse is an expression used for critisism, It is a way for people to be able to look at topics and find the Why?Who?What?Why not? and Perspectives. The Dominant Discourse is the critique of the people who are so called "experts" on the topic, which in this case is food. Today the contemporary dominant discourses in the U.S. regarding foodways is that Green food is better than fast food, the reason so many people are behind this is because of doctors. Doctors have always been a well respected source for almost any topic that involves your health so why not food. Dr. Preston Maring a well respected doctor at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in oakland stated that "I like to put doctors on the spot,” he said, referring to his penchant for hauling a senior clinician up to the front of the room to chop vegetables with him. We tend to be exalted, and I want to show the staffs that many of us don’t know how to mince garlic." Doctors Orders: Eat well to Be Well By Katrina Heron. The quote shows that even doctors know that the only reason they are exalted is because they are doctors. Dr.Maring is a gynecologist and obstetrician both of which do not specify in nutrition or food.

A Frequently discussed food topic is healthy or "Green" food as some people call it. Today more and more people are becoming concerned with what they eat. Today most people have the idea that if you get something from a farm it is Fresher than when you get something from the grocery store which is why green markets are becoming more and more popular. One market set in the Freeport-Roosevelt Health Center parking lot in Long island is doing very well for itself. "Honestly, this is a blessing,” said Mr. Freeland, a 45-year-old Navy veteran, who does two janitorial jobs, formerly owned a janitorial business in Atlanta and has been homeless since his apartment was flooded out this year. You get the food direct from the farm — they’re still cleaning it off when I get there. You can’t get more fresh than that." Fresh Vegetables Where Fast Food Reigns by Peter Applebome. This Market alone went from $260 a week to $1,400 a week.

This supports the idea that the dominant discourse for Foodways in the U.S. is Green food is more popular and better for you than fast food. Statistics from the Organic Trade Association's 2010 Organic Industry Survey show that U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009. Sales in 2009 showed a 5.1 percent growth over 2008 sales. Experiencing the highest growth in sales during 2009 were organic fruits and vegetables, up to 11.4 percent over 2008 sales.