Final Blog- What I think about the alcohol age?

I believe that alcohol age should not be bumped down. Just because some underage kids are doing it, it does not mean they should do so. Yes, it may seem that it is restricting a lot of teenagers choices but that doesn't mean it's necessarily a bad thing. We have to realize that, in reality, even MORE teenagers will do it if they are allowed to. This would only create more issues, compared to what we have already. If we do lower the age of drinking, it may get lower and lower each time. You have to deserve your rights to do the things you want; if you show that you cannot, then you will not. And it may sound babyish to many teens, but it is only true that we must make sure to put some rules on the table in order to not keep our children safe. And as they grow older, when they find how the world works and is, then they are able to do what they want. Teenagers will be teenagers and that fact will not disappear. It's not saying that they are irresponsible, but to say that they are still young and have so much to do in their lives. That's something we should not take away from the future.

"Because teens are simultaneously undergoing physical changes, peer pressure, and new situations and urges, allowing them to consume alcohol can make them more vulnerable to drug and substance abuse, unplanned and unprotected sex, depression, violence, and other social ills (1)."

There has already been cases where some states have lowered drinking age, and the statitics of alcohol-related crashes have occurred.

"Traffic fatalities in alcohol-related crashes rose slightly (by 0.1 percent)
from 17,400 in 2001 to 17,419 in 2002. The 17,419 alcohol-related
fatalities in 2002 (41 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year) represent
a 5 percent reduction from the 18,290 alcohol-related fatalities reported in
1992 (47 percent of the total)(2)."

Lowering drinking age does sound like a reasonable idea, but it's important that we see the future of our children and where they will be. And to have this restriction is not a punishment; it's only to keep young adults safe.

(1)"Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age?." Drinking Age . 12/18/2009. © ProCon.org, Web. 18 Dec 2009. .

(2)"Traffic Safety Facts 2002." Alcohol. U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. DOT HS 809 606. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Statistics & Analysis, 2002.

Post 8: A final take on your persuasive topic

Here is my final take on the Immigration Reform:

We must allow immigrants to continue coming to America. Immigration is America's foundation and if we lose it, we will lose our purpose and identity of what we have become. Currently the Immigration Reform is blocking and limiting certain immigrants to America territory, globally creating injustice in today's society. Everyone should have the right to go where they want and should not be rejected from a place unless for a certain reason. It is important the we acknowledge the legacy that immigrants have marked on America's history. George W. Bush, MBA, 43rd President of the United States, as quoted in a USAtoday.com Jan. 19, 2005 section entitled "On the Issues, Immigration," offered the following:

"America is a nation of immigrants; legal immigration is good for America and for those who come here seeking freedom and opportunity. As Governor of a border state, I know firsthand the great richness and benefits that legal immigrants with different cultures, history and traditions bring to America.

I support increasing the number of H-1B visas to help meet America's need for more high-tech workers, and I support expanding the H-2A temporary agricultural workers program so that willing workers can help meet America's labor needs."(1)

It is time to start and take a look at ourselves and ask: Where did we come from? how did we get here? And it is the history of immigrants that brought all of us here together in a place where we and future generations have and will have equal opportunities and rights. It is time to speak up for those how will continue the foundation of America and its identity. If we don't make that change now, we may never see tomorrow. So there is time for you to make a stand on the strict policy for immigrations. If we think we're suffering now, what would happen to us later. So we must conjoin and realize that we are creating this boundary that is blocking our future, our purpose, our identity.

(1)"Should immigration quotas be increased?." Illegal Immigration . 3/3/2009 . © ProCon.org, Web. 18 Dec 2009. .

"Make Every Shot a Power Shot" -Sharapova

http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/lens2304103_1227553649maria-sharapova-canon-sureshot.jpg

The quality of the Canon camera is meant to capture athlete's actions and not to mention, the style of this digital camera takes a royal look, just like the princess of tennis.

Maria Sharapova, a professional Russian tennis player who scored three Grand Slam singles champion, advertises for the digital camera Canon Power Shot. Sharapova is currently World ranked 14, known as the Princess of Tennis.

The Canon PowerShot camera collection claims to be "one of the most successful camera in Canon history." Canon began in Tokoyo in 1933. The founders wanted to build a camera that would complete the German rangefinders camera. The first Canon camera was completed in 1934 and actually named "Kwanon" which means the "Buddhist Goddess of Mercy", an immortal beautiful, Chinese goddess who served to listen to human prayers and aids them through their struggles. Soon afterwards, the name changed into Canon. In the 1980s, Canon began to build its camera qualities base on professional sports: speed and accuracy in catching athletes in action. The Canon company introduced their first digital camera in 1995, the DCS 3, a Hybrid Digital. The Canon PowerShot S10 was released in 2000, including a variety of digital cameras. Canon PowerShot collections varies from the Ultra-Compact to pocket-sized cameras to full-featured compacts.

In my opinion, the endorser in this case does fit for the product. Canon PowerShot camera collection purpose is to capture the shots that are fast, and was built to catch actions of athletes. And so, Maria Sharapova, a stylish athlete is a proper endorsement for the Canon PowerShot camera collection, matching the qualities of the tennis player both abilities and looks.

http://www.photographyreview.com/canoncamerascrx.aspx

It's a bird! No, it's a plane! No, it's an UFO!

Earth, the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest planet in the solar system, is thought to be the only place where life exist. But how do we exactly know if we are the only ones in the solar system?

After scientists' observations and findings of the sky, many theories of life beyond us came to play in Earth's society: Galieo found planets, suns and moons, Copernicus concluded that the sun is the center of the universe, and Newton's discovery and calculations of gravity and motion on Earth and other planets. These scientists' theories were rejected at that time and they were punished to bring unacceptable views of how the world was created, objecting to religious beliefs. But observing space questioned whether other life forms existed in the universe. "Space is too big for just us to exist" (Thao, 2009), bringing controversy in this field. After the many findings of evidence in space and on Earth, questions of what it is and how did it get there came about.

As centuries flew, unusual events occurred with reports of people seeing objects that were flying in the sky at night, also known as UFOs (Unidentified Flying Object). On January 8, 2008, a guy named Allen from Autsin, Texas witnessed a stream of lights in the sky lined up horizontally as the sun sets, making no sound or noise. Allen thought "the jets looked like they were chasing the lights, and the lights seemed to be toying with them. It was like a 100-hp car trying to keep up with a 1000-hp one" from the Naval Air Base. He was freaked out on what he saw and reported to the Naval Air Base in case it was their base sending jets around the sky at night but they had nothing flying that night.

http://www.space.com/news/060622_alien_encounters.html


Besides seeing the typical UFO flying, there were findings of a magnetic signature in crop circles. An estimated 20% of crop circles show no evidence of being made by people, while 80% do (Andrews, 2000). Researchers such as Colin Andrews tried to measure the Earth's magnetic field in the corp circles but found that his electronic equipments and radio for determining the magnetic field, which perfectly worked fine before, did not work when using it for some unexplained reason.

However, there is always the possibility that people may be seeing things and assuming what they think is there, hallucinations, paranoia, etc. "It's because nobody, anywhere, has any actual facts concerning alleged UFOs, just claim," said Robert Sheaffer. With alien encounters, we find that often an explanation lies not necessarily in the skies but in our minds. Humans are pattern-seeking creatures, and our brains try desperately to make sense of things we don’t immediately recognize (Radford, 2006). ANd this results in an unsolved mystery in which many scientists seek from answers.

http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1752.htm

"UFO studies will continue until all the old cases have either been explained or admitted to being unexplainable-meaning a residue of sightings that could be ET related-and/or until people stop seeing unexplainable UFO-like events throughout the world," Maccabee concluded from the article UFO Research: Findings vs. Fact.

Other sources:

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980215e.html



http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1547.htm

Blog 5: Class Blog

I think winter farmers offering fresh, grown food is a great way for the public to start and maintain a healthy diet. I find it an interesting idea for farmer's to expand their food products year round, offering it everyday and simultaneously locally. This way, it will be easier and fresher for consumers to access. Even though it is harder for farmers to grow crops over the winter, I think it would be worth the promotion for the public. It'll keep the consumers from waiting long months of winter and at the same it benefits the farmers from receiving their customers. But I'm not the only one thinking about that.

Rencontre lists examples of some of the fresh food that the winter farmers' markets will be offering: tomatoes, squash, melons, vegetables, greens, organic meat, jams, canned food, and so much more. With this, both consumers and farmers receive a positive outcome; the farmers earning extra during off season and consumers maintaining a healthy diet during "hibernation" over the winter. The best thing is that these products are close by and are easy to get a reach of.

Not only that, the winter farmer's market provide a up-beating and fun atmosphere. "Customers troll the aisles for the best winter vegetables, frozen meats, fresh eggs and potted plants. Local musicians playing acoustic music provide a festive vibe to the marketplace" (Rencontre, 2). Both the food and the music gives an optimistic atmosphere and so it is a good way for the farmer's to have a year round marketplace.

But the winter farmers' market is not only in Madison, but it is also spreading through the nation according to the article. "Vermont, a state known for its long winters, has seen a recent influx of winter farmers’ markets. Currently, 18 markets throughout the state are open in the winter months" (Rencontre, 2). I believe this brings out the best in obtaining a healthy and better connection with food. The whole atmosphere and options of food fulfils the emotional state of the produce and overall taste.

Evaluation Blog: Demonstration Speech

Well, since my speech seem to only be recorded for roughly two minutes, it is quite difficult to critic on myself. I'll have to manage for now.

Evaluation (base on what was recorded):

Content-
The introduction was okay. There were a few pauses which created a more difficult understanding of what was presented. My voice was loud enough and clear. I believe the eye contact was okay, not as well as expected. I can see that I was a bit nervous base on my gestures.

Organization was well performed. Procedures were clear and instructive. But the materials were not listed to do the project.


Conclusion
Invalid due to technical difficulties.

Visual aid-
The visual aids were well define. There were color papers on the table. The paper boat was visible although it was a bit small from the video distance. The folding paper was visible for others to see and follow.

Delivery-
My voice tone was a bit monotone, with a few pitches of enthusiasm but not quite defined. Voice was loud and clear, good enough volume for others to hear and listen. My eye contact was good after the introduction; I looked around the room, making sure everyone was following the instructions and waited for everyone. The body language was always moving while folding the paper. During the introduction, there were a few gestures while speaking, which was a bit distracting. The pace of the speech was steady. There was no rushing or impatience.
I think the overall effectiveness in the class was active. My classmates and professor were participating in folding the paper boat and it seemed like everyone was determine to fold the boat with my instructions.
Some of my weakness was not having as specific instructions, maybe. A few questions were asked and my vocabulary was not as descriptive.


My comments
My overall speech, though not fully in length and only base on my memory, was not as well as how I practiced it. I lacked a strong introduction and conclusion. It wasn't as effective to motivate the others to want to fold a paper boat and engage in it. But my procedures, I believe, were clear and concise. Everyone was following along with my instructions. There were a few questions asked during the procedures but I manage to keep the speech flowing and effective in participation. Besides that, I believe I performed the speech well and organized enough. I also wanted to note that my project of folding a paper boat was conducive to the assignment and setting. It was simple and fast to present and do. The time was, I assume was around five minutes, was good; the demonstration did not take over that limit. All together, my point of the demonstration speech ended successfully.

Blog 3: Prepare a meal

http://www.michaelpollan.com/article.php?id=55

I will prepare a meal of stir fry rice.

The materials you would need is a frying pan, wooden spoon, white or jasmin rice (steam), corn or vegetable oil, chopped carrots, cellery, green oinions, cillantro, cooked eggs, cooked chicken or beef, stove, soy sauce, oyster sauce.

First you'll have to turn the stove on semi hi and medium. When the pan is hot, put in about two spoonful [a silverware spoon] of oil in the pan and spread it. Wait until the oil gets hot. Then pour a large bowl of rice in the pan and turn the heat to medium. Mix the rice for 30 seconds, then put in the cooked eggs and cooked chicken or beef. Then add soy sauce and oyster sauce onto the rice until you get a light brown color. Stir and mix it well with the wooden spoon. When it gets light brown, add the chopped ingredients listed above in the pan [order does not matter, except that the carrots go in first]. After that, mix for around five to seven minutes. When it is done, the stove must be turned off and the fried rice can be transferred to a bowl for cooling. Meanwhile, cleaning should be done: wiping off table, sweeping, washing dishes, etc. The food should be ready by then and good to eat!

On page 54 to 55, Micheal Pollan describes the circumstances that led to the American public's acceptance of "a flood of damaging innovations...such as low fat processed food." I believe his argument for this case is well supported but I do not agree with all his terms in believing that the America's public is accepting what the doctors are telling us to eat base on science facts. It is true that we do accept what the label says but simultaneously, doesn't that show that America is only trying to become healthier in a sense. If "Americans" claim to not care about their health, why would they bother to look at the labels. Yes, Americans does rely a lot on what the labels say but it is only to help us know what we are consuming into our bodies. According to Pollan, looking at "processed food" and "low fat" terms are only destorying our bodies in obtaining the variety of nutrients, but to other people who may have a different kind of diet, it may play a "good" difference in their diet. But as Pollan also mention, the labels would only limit the ill people to lack nutrition that are needed in the body, which I believe is true. But without labels, sick people would not know what to is best for them to eat/drink.

Perhaps Pollan may be correct in his views of America's obsession in their diet. But as we speak now, America's diet, in my opinion, is changing slowly, with the many different ethnicity arriving, new style of tradition and different culture affects the food choice for Americans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/arts/03iht-03masl.9006634.html?_r=1

Blog 4: Debunking Health Claims with Whole Grain

http://www.cspi.us/nah/05_06/grains.

Whole grain is “The strongest evidence...for cardiovascular disease,” says Eric Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard University School of Public Health (Nutrition Healthletter, 2006). The article above mentions that the average American eats less than one serving of whole grains a day. Why is eating "whole grain" products important though? Studies have shown that whole grain products, also organic, reduces the risk of heart diseases, diabeties, obesity, and colon cancer. The article also mentions that it leads there eaters to obtain less saturated fat and more vitamins. All of these optimistic support of whole grain is true only base on statistics and the study of what whole grain can affect a person's diet. But what is the "whole truth" in the whole grain products.

Does whole grain really work, is the real question. It only showed in people that whole grain reduces many unhealthy things that the body can attain. Truthfully, nutritionists are finding ways to make the "whole grain" product a big deal for Americans. It is true that it does influence a person to make better health choices, but the whole grain only makes a difference if a person is willingly to stay in that kind of diet which most Americans aren't. There are products trying to promote some comsumption of whole grain and there are certain meanings to some words in each "whole grain" product, which can be misleading. For example, 'Wheat' could mean refined or whole. “Harvest” means “nicesounding word" (Nutrition Healthletter, 6), and 'Made with' often means “made with very little" (Nutrition Healthletter, 6). So "whole grain" is a better choice, somewhat for people, but has not yet been proven completely and conclusively that it really does have a major affect in people's diet.

Like Pollan said in "In Defense in Food", American's diet depends a lot on labels. It seems that even labels trick Americans into thinking they are eating healthy when really they are only obtaining a small amount of the "necessary" nutrients. Just because something sounds healthy, doesn't really mean it is. Maybe Americans just need commitment and confidence in themselves when they eat and not rely much on what they "supposedly" need in their bodies.

http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/whole_grains.html

Blog 2: Real Food versus Fake Food

I believe Pollan's argument of the western's diet influencing all other diets was well discussed. He speaks of the westerner's diet having an impact on how other culture eats. like I mentioned before about the easy and fast way of western diet in my first blog, westerners are showing other cultures of their easy methods of cooking and eating. With this thought, Pollan talks of the real and fake food of society. Where is the real food in this diet? They are being processed and losing the nutrients that are needed. Real food has become fake and so, everyone is eating fake food, thinking it is real, including me.
A real form of food that I ate before that have now become "fake" are peaches. I love the peaches real form. But now, I eat peaches from CANS! That means the food has been processed, therefore it may not have the original nutrients from before. I know that it's not a healthy choice, but with can foods, it is much easier to eat. It eliminates the labor of peeling the skin, throwing the seed away, and cutting the peach into equal slices, a form of western diet. Easy and fast is admired by many people. :)
The peaches from the can does taste a bit different from the real peaches. Real peaches have a more refreshing taste while the ones in the cans are sweeter and contains more juice. Real peaches smell more fresh and the can peaches has a sweet scent. the looks of both are different because the canned peaches are made to eat right away and the real peaches takes time to prepare and eat.
The look, smell and taste are slightly different, and so the vitamins and nutrients are also slightly different. That's because the canned peaches were processed and so they have been through cycles in making the peaches more "tasteful" than the original. That is not exactly equivalent to the vitamins from the real peaches because of the additional sweeteners and "juice" or perhaps water.
And as I mentioned before, people like to eat without labor, meaning I do enjoy the "fast and easy" method of westerner's diet. Although it may be less healthy, it saves time and is convenient and inexpensive. I cannot recall when I decided to eat canned peaches rather than the real ones. I guess I was introduced to canned peaches from the store and so I thought it would be the "fastest and easiest" way to eat.
Even though I eat from the cans, I do still eat the real peaches. Real peaches are better and healthier, of course, but a bit more expensive.


http://lsc100f09.blogspot.com/2009/09/artificial-success.html

Blog 1: In Defense in Food response

Assignment one:
Blog about "In Defense of Food" by Micheal Pollan. 300 words.
Argue against or refute with

Pollan describes the "Age of Nutritionism" as a period of changing our ways of eating base on nutrients needed in the human body. According to Pollan, scientists are establishing nutrients by using chemicals. Pollan believes that this establishment has created false food. Well in my opinion, I believe this concept he brought up is true. We are following what the labels are on food and we are not aware of the other substances (those we assume are harmful) that are involve in it. As of today, we have adapted to eating what we are told to eat and not to eat. Pollan quoted, "we must reclaim our health and happiness as eater," meaning we should be happy with what we eat because even that is healthier than eating substances we think help us. There's actually no such thing as a perfect meal and yet "we are becoming a nation of orthorexics: people with an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating." Not healthy at all.

In today's society, it seems like every culture is influence by the western diet. Seeing Mcdonalds everywhere is an example. And really, the western style has influence us all. Why? and How? Well western food is easy to make, quick to do, and lastly cheap to get. Everyone likes fast, easy, and cheap food, and so, people have learned to like this idea and assimilated into some of the western food diet. But don't forget, that award comes with consequences such as unhealthiness. Western food is surely not the healthiest, even though westerners invest a lot of finding out what's good in food and what's not.

Overall, Pollan has a very strong view in food so far. It's pretty interesting and I see where he is coming from. And so I agree with his thoughts and opinions and am continuing to see where he is leading readers to with it.


http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/column/guest/article_60b7be5c-9e58-11de-bf2f-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.motherjones.com/interview/2009/02/michael-pollan-fixes-dinner