BLOG 19!!! Project - Food.

Welcome to Farmers Market.

On a cold Wednesday morning i took a crowded train ride to 14 street-Union Square. My mission was to locate the farmers market, walk around taking pictures of all the things that caught my eye, jot down all the things i observe, buy some food to make into a meal, and get a nice experience of tasting fresh, farm grown produce and meats. I say my mission because i was alone and it was an experience all  new to me. Well i got to my destination and before i left the station, home of the number 6, 4, and 5 trains and the letter L, N, Q, and R trains i got to see a performance of street dancers, dancing on the platform to entertain people waiting for their trains to arrive and asking for donations and a round of applause. It was very live and amazing to see young people show their talent all day on a subway platform to support their needs.

Dancers in the subway

 I needed to hurry along and locate the farmers market. Once i arrive, i see all the people who attended to provide the farm grown food for the people who are willing to be outdoors, buying and supporting the farm owners. I walked around, took pictures, jotted a few things i saw being sold. I got stopped by one of the vendors selling potatoes, carrots, apples, pumpkins and other fresh, farm grown food, curious to know why i was taking pictures. I explained about my knowledge on food and what i have learned from my professors lessons in class on food. I told him about my project that needs to be done and why i chose food. He gladly told me about where his produce comes from and how its done. He told me how he don't mind standing out there all day, rain or shine and hopes i continue to buy farm grown food. I decided to buy from him and bought a 5lb bag of small apples for only 1$!!! and they were fresh, round and red. I seen one of the stands with all sorts of nuts and fruits in jars preserved and then notice fresh caramel nuts and got the idea to make caramel apples, I said to myself its not much of a meal but a tasty treat it would be and fun to make. And to go with my tasty treat i bought a few bottles of juice that were healthy and fresh made, cranberry, apple and grape.

Fresh caramel nuts, it was fun to melt.

Caramel apples all done.

Purchase a few bottles for 1$!!!

I also bought a bundle of fresh collard greens and fresh string beans to make a meal for my pets at home for only 2$. It was getting cold and late for me but i definitely made a stop at the little holiday shops set up around the farmers market as well. I also learned that a lot of the things sold where hand made, recycled, and very useful, yes things where a bit expensive but it was fun seeing the things being sold and people enjoying them selves and buying things. I learned a lot attending the farmers market. One important thing is to always read the label of anything you buy to know what you are really getting and putting into your body. These farmers are dedicated in providing fresh food, organic and healthy.

Plants

Meal made for my pet using collard greens, apple and string beans. =]

Sign says it all.

Freshly made goat cheese.

Eggs and great prices.

Whats available.

The good stuff.

Fresh pasta

Fresh collard greens and other greens.

Interesting.

All kinds of pumpkins.

Love this poster.

All kind of berries in jars

Looks way different then meat at supermarkets and more expensive.

Many different apples

Pears, apples, etc.

Interesting.

All sorts of vegetables.

 Even organic grown trees!!!


LINK TO A VIDEO -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPvgkZhrWUA

This is a video i found very interesting, it explains 5 steps to why do farming, and to make it available to people who buy from farm owners.

Blog 18: "2-dollar Camisole"

In the article, " The 2$ Camisole: How cheap is ruining our lives" by Mary Elizabeth Williams discusses about how the price for something material is important. She explains

Blog 17: Reflection on Blogging

Blog 16: The New Industrial Migrants

Part I

          In the first passage "The New Industrial Migrants" from Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is telling readers that young men and women from Mexico, Central America, and Southeast Asia starting going to Colorado for work. The meatpacking jobs offers poor wages and theres always a replacement of employees. "The average worker quits or was fired every three months." Alot of the workers do not speak English and most of them are Mexican immigrants. Its told health insurance is given after six months on the job and vacation pay after a year, but most of the workers never get that vacation.


Part II

         In the second reading of  "The New Industrial Migrants" from Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser explains  how the company realized that immigrants work for lower wages than AAmerican citizens and they are unwilling to join unions. Most of all meatpacking workers are illegal immigrants. One meatpacking executive joked " If they got a pulse well take an application.".

Blog 15

The link to the Greenmarket Farmers Market website is very interesting. What interested me the most is the large amount of farmers there are and they joined the Greenmarket farmers market to help "promote regional agriculture by providing small family farms the opportunity to sell their locally grown, caught, foraged and baked products directly to consumers, and to ensure that ALL New Yorkers have access to the freshest, most nutritious locally grown food the region has to offer." This program provides healthy, fresh and local food for all New Yorkers, they grow and take care of community gardens, help New Yorkers to recycle more and to reduce waste. The website provides information about environmental education, they work with young people to show them to learn about it, grow it and eat it. I like that it provides a calender for what fruits and vegetables are available throughout the year. This website is very useful.

Blog 14: Ideas for Improving My Performance in the CATW.

Need a good summary, short, in my own words.

Blog 13: CATW # 5: How to Do One Thing at a Time

The authors most important ideas in "How to Do One Thing at a Time" by Nancy Jones of the women's health magazine is knowing multi-tasking is harmful, doing two things at once isn't as good as focusing on one thing so it can be good.
      Talking on the phone while driving is a dumb idea. Even if you have a blue tooth or some kind of ear piece, it is distracting. Driving and talking is a multi-task that is harmful, not only to yourself but others around you. Driving needs full attention and if you are talking, your mind is on the topic you are talking about and not where you are headed. I seen my mother do it all the time. She receives a phone call while driving and answers it using an earpiece, yes, but she ends up missing a turn or going in the wrong way. It could be anything, like getting into a car accident, so its best to just concentrate on where you are going always and not do anything else that will distract you. "A tremendous amount of evidence shows that the brain does better when its performing task in sequence rather than all at once" says Clifford Nass a professor of communication at Stanford university. Earlier I read a passage by Sherry Turkle, a professor from MIT and she says how in many of her interviews children say their parents will pick them up, but their parents would be stuck on their blackberry stuff. I can relate because my mom ignores anyone if she is on her phone. Driving and talking on the phone is not a good thing, you are ignoring whats around you.

Blog 12: Response to Michael Pollan's advice on how to eat healthier

How Can People Eat Something That Can 

Never Go Bad?

       Makes me wonder whats in it. Whatever it is, it may taste good, but its not good for anyone's health.


I didn't read Micheal Pollan book, but very interested and will look into finding it. The professor stated the tips Micheal Pollan gives in his book In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan gives tips to eat better like to cook, plant a garden so you can have fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits available always. Eat slowly, eat compete meals at the table. He suggest if you go to the supermarket to stay out of the middle and stay to the walls. Most supermarkets are set up the same way and all the fresh foods are located at the walls of the supermarket and the processed foods at the middle of supermarket. He also suggest to not eat anything you great grandmother wouldn't recognized as food.
I agree with all of Micheal Pollan advice he suggest in his book In Defense of Food. I learned Twinkies don't go bad. He suggest to not eat anything that's not capable of rotting. I am very aware of everything i eat and for my health and happy to say i do most of his tips. Its not hard to better everything you eat. I would recommend these tips to friends and the book.

Blog 11: CATW #4

             In "Let Them Eat Fat", Critser discusses how fast food and national restaurants been criticized by nutritionist and dietitians. Fast food places have gotten more aggressive in getting the poor inner city community by making the food available fast and cheap. Because of the poor and wanting cheap meals outside of their home, fast food companies developed a sales gimmick known as "super sizing".

            After reading this article, I think people should not consume a super sized meal. Super sizing is very popular in the fast food chain know as McDonald's. " The total caloric content of a meal has been jacked up from 680 calories to more than 1,340 calories ".Customers are encouraged to "super size you meal!" Customers are thinking they are getting a good deal. Its not good to consume large amounts of food without knowing what you are going to intake into you body. Fast food inst good for any ones health. Nutritionist and dietitians criticize the fast food chains and try to educate the people who consume it most, the poor.

              I no longer consume a lot of fast food, I try to make healthy meals at home. Its not always best to buy cheap food that taste good because its most likely not good for you. Eating fast food is very poor in protein but rich in fat and carbohydrates, not the good stuff to be eating. I have observed that fast food places have choices of healthy meals and each meal is given its total caloric content, its all about what the people choose to consume.

BLOG 10: "Where the Whale Be At?: The Place of Race and Racism in the Discussion of Environmentalism"

In "Where the Whale Be At? The Place of Race and Racism in the Discussion of Environmentalism" by Terry J. Cole is an interesting essay, including an important question, "So why should People of Color be concern about the environment?". He explained how white people came from a different land, leaving their ancestors behind, and took over the New Land. It was described as misunderstanding the connection of the nature between People of Color and white people. Another point was made by how Black people don't have the same opportunity and access to healthy food, and that they live in areas where toxins are abandoned. Cole even researched the medical conditions of different races, he wrote that Black people have higher chance of getting many disease than the White people, mostly is caused by where they live.
   
      I agree with Cole's opinion about people of color living in communities that are more exposed to toxic waste. I think it is mostly caused by the increasing price of rent in the areas with fresher air and cleaner environment. But my question is, should only People of Color be concern about the environment? 
  Everyone should be concern about the environment because where we live, later on bounces of on our health. People in most parts of Manhattan have better access to the fruits and vegetables supplies, cleaner environment and more park space.
      Where we live and how we eat, shouldn't be based on the color of our skin but on education and how much we earn. It's logical that if we have a low pay job we won't be able to live in a nice, clean neighborhood, and a super market close to our house, where we can supply ourselves with as much healthy food as possible. So what I think is, stop with the pity, get to work, and don't blame the color of your skin for how much you earn. It's America, everyone is EQUAL.

Blog 9: Summary of The Meatrix

The Meatrix

In the short film "The Meatrix" a character named Moopheus approaches a pig character named Leo. He asked him if he knows what is The Meatrix and if he wants to know about it. Moopheus explains how the Meatrix is all around him, "it is the story we tell ourselves about where are meat and animal products come from". Moopheus shows Leo the real world where a factory farm is where most eggs, milk and meat come from. Factory farming is used to maximize profits and small farms were decreased.

The Meatrix: Revolting

In this second part of the short film the Narrator Moopheus goes into more depth into the factory farm. Cow mutilation like cutting of the tails and again antibiotic overuse. These corporations use artificial hormones such as RGBH which causes increased growth rates. Also the calves are separated from their mothers and are feed milk derived from dead animals, the dead are fed back to the living but this in causing diseases in the animals such as Mad cow disease. In the end Moopheus is capture and Leo yet again reminds us that we can still stop these corporations by supporting local family farms.

                                                                   

The Meatrix II 1/2.

 

In this final part of the film the agents have Moopheus tied down at the farming factory and the agents explain to him how the factory operates,  it process 5000 cows a day, all this to feed Americas fast food nation.but this fast pace environment also cause dangerous working habits for the workers inside this factory this all in the name for profit that is name for it. Because of the fast pace lines there's manure in the meat that falls from the dead animal, this causes a great risk of Bacteria.

Blog 8- CATW Essay

The authors most important ideas in the passage are invasion of privacy, a young man committed suicide, students feel their dorm should be their private space, and online bullies. On Sept. 28 police arrested two students, Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei, on invasion of privacy charges. Ravi activated a web cam in the dorm room he shared with Tyler Clementi. Ravi, using his twitter account tweeted he saw his roommate, Tyler Clementi making out with another man using the web cam he set up in the room. The images of Clementi and the other man was posted live on the Internet and Clementi found out. Three days later, Clementi posted a farewell message on Facebook, then jumped off the George Washington bridge. Ravi and Wei could face prison time if found guilty. Students are upset. they expect their dorm to be private space, no one should invade that privacy. The Internet can encourage bullying. Professor John Suler put in his free 1996 online, book “The psychology of cyberspace” “people say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldn't ordinarily say or do in the face- to -face world”. New Jersey’s privacy law makes it a crime to send out or look at nude images or sex acts of somebody with out that persons approval. Dharun Ravi and molly Wei did a very cruel thing. They could be sentenced up to five years in prison. Anne collier, co-director of ConnectSafetly said that this story “ is not the machines responsible for Clementis death its the humans. Clementi didn't want to face anyone after he has been humiliated on the Internet. He killed himself, some people can turn to one side of the situation better than others. Being bullied can change a persons life for the worst. Online bullies never know how much suffering they are doing because they don't see the victims suffering.

Others peoples blogs i really like

From our sister class, Living in the Matrix-
School-stuff: Blog entry 2.3 b Xmas tree: "Artificial Christmas treeThe weather is getting chillier as we are approaching to the end of the year. A very popular celebration is coming...."


I like Barbara's blog about the artificial trees, because i can relate. I love the smell of a fresh real pine tree for xmas but an artificial tree makes less of a mess and it can be re used every xmas if taken well cared of.

Artifact 3

Panda Dog - A new Hybrid Specie or Cruel Joke ? I’ve never seen a cross breed like this panda dog before. Is it a genuine dog ?


It’s just a chow chows white dog dyed black in certain parts, There is No Such Breed called- Panda Dogs , These are Dyed Artificial Coloured Chow Chow Dogs.

Artifact 2

Taking birth control is something that inst natural. You are not born and raised knowing about birth control. Birth control is to prevent pregnancy, to prevent from something  as natural as having a baby when two people get together.  Everyone has their own opinion but a majority of religious people feel that taking birth control is messing with nature as the picture states.

Artifact 1

This video is interesting, they are performing by using treadmills. Treadmills can be found at the gym or a person's home to make it easier to do a walking motion on a machine by staying in place. Its convenient for walking in place on a rainy or cold day. Instead of walking naturally around  block or taking a walk to the store the treadmills are used.

Brave New World:

I Like this butterfly: Brave New World:

Mommy and Baby

Blog 7: I Am Not A Cyborg

Then write a 400-word essay where you prove to myself and your classmates that you either are or are not a cyborg. Start by giving YOUR OWN definition of what a “cyborg” is and then use evidence from your own life and experience to support your claims. Be as detailed as possible. You may quote any of the definitions that you found out yesterday, if it helps.


                  The word cyborg is over 50 years old.


Not done!!!!!!!!!!

"Brainstorming about Technology"

Step 1: Terms

• When i hear the terms listed below i think of the internet.
• The dictionary says:

-Tools means 1. Instrument, used for work 2. shape or work with a tool

-Technology means 1. Science used to solve practical problems

-Cyborg means 1. A person whose physiological functioning is aided by or dependent upon a mechanical or electronic device.

• Thesaurus says:

-Appliance, machine, device, gadget, accesory, utensil, contraption.

-Computers, hi tech, industrial science, mechanics, robotics, knowledge, telecommunications.

-Android, clone, drone, robot, bionic person

What the words got to do with one another is that they are all connected to using the internet. You can use tools on the technology of the cyborg.

Step 2: Listing

The technologies that define my daily life are:

• Cell phone
• Computer/laptop
• Metro card
• Debit card
• Calculator

I use them often, like everyday more than once.

I use my cellphone to text and make/recieve calls. Use my computer/laptop to do homework/research, facebook and webcamm with friends.

My life without them would be me not in contact with friends and family who are far.

Step 3: In Groups

Revising Blog 4: Summary of Plato's Allegory of the Cave and “My Place in the Cave.”

Summary of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”

In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” Socrates told a story to his pupil, named Glaucon to give knowledge.  He describes a cave underground where the prisoners are chained from neck, arms and legs and all they see is a wall in front of them. On the wall, shadows appear made from a fire behind the prisoners. The shadows are created from men carrying all sorts of objects, so the shadows look unusual. This is the world of reality for the prisoners. One day a prisoner escapes and see's the cause of the shadows and the light that makes them. He makes his way out of the cave slowly. He is blinded by the light of the outside world, but he adjusts to the light and see;s true reality. He decided to return to the cave and reveal the truth to the chained prisoners but they don't believe him because all they know is darkness and shadows in the cave. 

My Place in the Cave

         
         I'm thinking about my own life and i can compare it to Socrates description of the cave. The prisoners of "The Allegory of The Cave" had different stages.  I'm a prisoner still chained, i am looking in front of me on the wall in amazement  at the shadows that are created for us, by the people and objects walking above on the walkway. I am chained from my neck,arms and legs and can not look behind me. I want to be free, be able to see the light and feel it. All i see is darkness and all i feel is coldness in this cave. I hear crying and mumbling. I feel free now and not chained, i am blinded by the light. I open my eyes and see the light. I now believe something other then i cave.

        Real things are showed by shadows of the things that are being carried in front of the fire, and since I am  "chained" so that i cannot see anything but "shadows, this is what we the prisoners perceive as real. However, when i am "unchained" and led into the sunlight, this means that everything is modeled after an "ideal" form of what it is. Plato says that when we come "outside," which means that we open our minds to the ideas of the "forms" we can begin to understand the universe. But until we are "unchained" we will continue to believe that the "shadows" are the real thing.

      

Blog 6/ Lab 2

    
         At birth, Truman Burbank is legally adopted by a television network to be the unknowing star of a television series, in which his entire life is watched by an audience of millions through many hidden cameras. Christof, the main person behind the idea of the Truman Show constructs a realistic world, called Seahaven, around Truman, which is actually just a large television set. Everyone participating in this created world are actor's/actresses  except for Truman himself. Even his mother, father, and wife are paid actors/actresses. "It's his world we are just living in it" is a great phrase to describe 'The Truman Show".  Throughout his entire life, the television network is on a mission to keep Truman in ignorance of his situation through the manipulation of his environment. He begins to question his reality because of series of events made him seem controlled. He realizes everything he encounters in Seahaven is a lie.
       I feel people shouldn't live a lie. I wouldn't want to be in a place surrounded by a set, actors/actresses, people who are paid to fake emotions. I want to be liked for who i am, not for who i am made to be by others.
          When Truman finally exits Seahaven, I think what he expects to find on the other side of the door is the real world, that is what he is going to find. Truman will find the real world, with real people, with real emotions. The real wold wont be as perfect like the Seahaven but im sure Truman aint going to expect a perfect world, he just wants normal and he knows Seahaven wasn't normal. I also believe he will be paranoid at first and believe everyone is watching him still until he can become accustomed to living his life freely and having the knowledge and control of his life. He will be able to make new friends and create his own family and travel to Fiji as he wished to do while in Seahaven. Because of the falseness he felt being in Seahaven, i believe that is what pushed him to want to travel and explore and now being in the real world he can accomplish that goal. So this is what i believe Truman should expect on the other side of the door when he finally exits Seahaven, Its for the best.

Blog 5: Reader Response.

The most interesting idea in Tasheema's post was.....how throughout history there have been many situations where people have lived in an illusion or have simply refused to accept the truth. She gives two good examples to discuss situations in life where people live in an illusion or refuse to accept the truth. Tasheema discuss two situation's from human history and explain what the illusion was.

Blog 4: Summary of "The Allergory of the Cave" & My response to “My Place in the Cave”

 "The Allegory of the Cave" 


          In Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", Socrates tells a symbolic story to one of his pupil named Glaucon, and is telling him a brief tale having a moral to explain what it is like to be a philosopher.  Most people, including ourselves, live in a world of comparison of no knowledge.  He said "let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened". When we start facing the truth, the series of changes may be frightening, and many of the people run back to their old lives, to the old routine.  But if you continue to look for the truth, you will eventually be able to handle it better.  Those who do not know about your new knowledge seem to not understand and might refer to you as dangerous.  As said in the passage "once you have tasted the truth, you will not ever want to go back to being ignorant!". 

  “My Place in the Cave”

     The idea of "human beings living in a underground den", comes from "The Allegory of the Cave".  Socrates  constructs a scenario where one is set free to experiencing the world outside the cave, with the new perception of the world trying to explain what was seen on the outside.   
               If i have to imagine that i was in Socrates cave the stage i would pick is still chained.  I would have some knowledge what i am in but not really where i am.  There is nothing but dirt around me.  There are more just like me, chained to the wall from the neck, legs and arms.  We are prisoner's, I've been chained for years now.  Behind us is a fire burning and in front of us all we see is shadow.  I feel i have lost my mind, so have the others.  We do not know what it is to be free of ourselves.  

Blog 3:" Things I Need to Remember When I Write Summaries."

• Read the article.
• Re-read the article
• Underline important ideas/ Include only the most important ideas
• To summarize in the beginning of the essay ( as you recommended )
• A Paragraph  can be summarized by one of its own sentences most commonly found in the very first sentence.
• Include the authors name when summarizing. 
• Put in your own words, but use quotes or paraphrases
• Nothing new should be added
• Keep in order

“What I need to do to pass the CATW"

•   Be able to read and understand a reading passage.
•   Identify the authors main ideas and important supporting ideas 
•   Make references to ideas, either with direct quotes or paraphrasing. 
•   Manage my time during the exam to allow for editing.
•   Use a outline and write down key ideas

Hype

          Advertisements can be done serval ways, commercials, billboards, radio, tv screens at stores and stadiums, posters and many other ways.  An advertisement is to show a product, show a place, its about telling the viewer about something.  It can be seen on moving objects for example an advertisement on a bus or train.  It can be heard on the radio, by a person making an annoucement or on the television as a commercial.  Ad's are to catch a persons attention visually and mentally.  The increase in commercial advertising has happend so steadily and relentlensy.  The author in the passage feels its damaging the minds of people.
          Everyday an estimated of 12 billion display ads, 3 million radio commercials, and more than 200,000 TV commercials are poured into America's collective minds.  No longer are ads found in the usual places like buses, billboards and stadiums.  Advertisments are always happening, seen and heard from the momment you wake up to the late night tv watching.  Commercials are running through your mind, causing pollution to your brain, in the authors opinion.  The authors important idea in his passage is about how advertisments are the most prevalent and toxic of the mental pollutantas.  Everywhere we look theres a place that can be found filled with a logo or product message.  There isnt a place someone goes with out a product being advertised.  A normal day at the supermarket shopping for groceries will also involed advertisements.  Stopping at an atm for fast cash, while you wait an ad will pop up on the screen.  Going on a trip around town to go sight seeing will be disturbed by big billboards and posters posted.  No one is exempt and no one will be spared.