As I close out another English course that required blogging, I must say that I enjoyed blogging. I've spoken much more candidly on subjects that make me squirm, like politics and giving my readers a peek into my life. I felt very comfortable with blogging. I liked finding videos and pictures to forward the story and add visual drama to the posts. I would have to say that blogging felt easier than the writing projects because of the visual aspect of blogs. The links also helped tell a more complete view of the story. I used blogging as a reward for getting other projects done. Sad, isn't it, to use one assignment to spur me to complete the first one? I truly got into blogging. I liked the routine of blogging every weekend, I would post something on Saturday and edit it frequently throughout the weekend.
When I first started, I was apprehensive about the whole blogging subject, but as it was a requirement, I felt that I may as well enjoy the lesson. It HAD to be done, so I decided to have fun with it. The more I blogged the more confident I became with the process. I missed it during my time with no English class, and would revisit the posts from time to time. I resisted the urge to add content or edit what was already there. I also kept up with my page views, they felt like "likes" to me. I will probably keep blogging after this class has ended and, continue to post new entries when I have something to say.
As a direct result of blogging, I learned the art of the "selfie". My favorite selfie shows my eyes but not my mouth, I wonder what kind of psychological statement that makes? I did enjoy finding my voice in blog posts, and will use it in the future.
Never fear, readers, you have not heard the last of me. I'll leave you with a type of music that seems to be a contradiction in terms; bluegrass/rap, but I really like it. Its called Ganstagrass. It is the theme song to one of my favorite shows, Justified. It helps that it is set in Harlan County Kentucky. I hear references to my old stomping grounds in every episode.
As I research more on my writing project I am discovering more than I could ever imagine. The Web site Up Worthy is a rare find. I was looking at Facebook and saw a couple of videos from that web site that would have been perfect for my writing project. I am focusing on the medias corrosive effect on girl's and women's self esteem. The one where they create a more perfect model from the template of a real woman is shocking. The effects are so subtle that it appears that the photo is untouched. Nothing could be father from the truth. The model is an attractive woman to begin with, but for some unknown reason the persons filming her felt that she could be improved. The video of Dustin Hoffman shows that women are not the only ones affected by the standard of beauty that pervades our society. Another eye opening video is one where women are asked to describe themselves to a FBI trained forensic artist. The results were astonishing. I believe that we all have gifts and wonders of our own. The variances in people is what makes them interesting. On this site a forensic artist had several women describe them selves to him, without him ever seeing them. The results were surprising and universally much more critical than the description provided by a stranger. It seems to be a sad truth that we are our harshest critics. The women in the video were average looking women, but that was not the way they saw themselves.
Pink is right,"Change the voices in your head. Make them like you instead." If we don't like ourselves, how can we hope that others will love and accept us?
I've never given much thought to media other than being aware that there was always a product to sale. It is so commonplace that it blends into the background. The bombardment is relentless and ubiquitous. It appears on everything, from billboards to individual cars on the road. I have begun to pay closer attention to the message that is being conveyed. Sometimes it is hard to discover just what is being sold, like in the Trunk Monkey ad. Funny and memorable but the name of the product being sold is quickly forgotten. I have been a sales person in my life and, that has caused me to look at advertising with a critical, if not skeptical, eye. The advertising method that works best on me is the one that makes me laugh. It may influence my behavior by tickling my funny bone. The method I would use in my sales technique would be to appeal to the person's sense of self interest, they shouldn't be without the benefit of the product that I was offering. I would not sale a product that I didn't want myself. Being on both sides of sales gives me a perspective that some may not have. The surest way to lose me as a customer is to hard sale me. I've been almost bullied into buying portraits of my children at Owen Mills over a decade ago, I will never step into that studio again.
I have noticed that people believe that they can buy prestige by buying a particular brand. Not that it is better made or superior in any way other than the brand marketing. I am not immune to the influence, I have an affinity to Coach handbags. I know that they do no better job of holding my belongings than one bought at Walmart. I do buy them, but at an outlet store. I comfort myself by saying that I like the looks of the handbags, not that I fell for the sales pitch, although we all know I did. I try to be careful in my purchases, I tend to buy at stores that have a component of social consciousness, like Chipotle. The food is delicious, and knowing that the company is serving "food with integrity" is a bonus. The advertising campaign is centered on the concept of social consciousness, I think that is a very successful strategy. I know that it appeals to me.
I will be a bit more aware, and beware, of the way media tries to persuade me to buy a product or a lifestyle. I will be paying particular attention to how they will evoke emotions and logic in their effort to gain me as a customer.
I enjoyed the Michael Moore movie Capitalism: A Love Story. Like so many of us, I have a story to tell of a modern day bank robbery: the bank was the robber. My sister had a loan with Bank of America. As the economy went down so did her paycheck at the salon where she worked. She began to struggle to pay the mortgage. Keep in mind, when she took out the mortgage that she and her husband, who is a Baptist minister could well afford the payment She contacted her lender, Bank of America, well in advance of a late payment. She was advised that nothing could be done until she was delinquent six months on her payment. At the end of the six months, Bank of America demanded some documents regarding her loan and a brief description of her present circumstances. She sent them in the mail. Everything the bank requested, she provided. At the end of the year, the bank demanded the full amount owed plus fees of over $10,000 or she would face foreclosure. She sent all the money that she had saved and called the bank. She was told that the foreclosure would halt if she had sent the money. The very next week she received notice that her house would be sold at auction in 30 days if she did not bring her mortgage to date. She again called the bank, and was told that they needed more documents. By this time, it was on the news that the banks preferred to foreclose at a loss to be eligible for TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program). As she struggled with the bank, she sent everything they asked for, and did everything they asked of her. She would be told something different with every phone call. In the end, she contacted an attorney. The attorney was able to negotiate with the bank to save her home; with a new mortgage,with all the money owed including fees and penalties. I truly believe that if not for the work of the attorney, she would have lost her home. Another way of looking at the situation is, her home would have been stolen through the banks misconduct, I do not believe that it was incompetence. It was not even clear if the bank still held the mortgage or if it was sold to another institution. The bank got money but lost her trust. I quickly withdrew my money and joined Desert Schools Credit Union They have different rules and regulation, and now, my money and my trust. I would place a link to Bank of America, But I would not recommend the institution to any one.
It was eye opening to see the ordeal that she went through. I would have not believed it had I not been witness to the process. Caveat emptor indeed. It is a shame that banks are now untrustworthy. It certainly is a new twist on the phrase "bank robbery".
I have watched Michael Moore's film Capitalism: A Love Story, and I must say that he was quite adroit in his rhetoric. His use of the rhetorical triangle was masterful. He showed the world the absolute absurdity of the economic crisis. He used near equal parts of logic, credibility and emotion. The film moved along with the help of his humor. The topic would be enough to engender anger with no input of his own. Everyone I know cheered when he went to the banks demanding the money back. We all knew that it would not happen, but it was a symbolic gesture that spoke volumes. I have always enjoyed his films because he brings to light issues that need to be addressed in a way that is entertaining and not self righteous. I am currently reading The Grapes of Wrath in my Critical Reading class. The similarity in the economy of then and now is startling. In chapter 22 of the book, John Steinbeck mentions the Bank of the West. He writes: "That bank owns most of the valley, and its got paper on everything it don't own." In the foot notes he states that the real name is Bank of America. Steinbeck added: "probably shoot me as it is." It seems that as far as banks go, it is buyer beware, and apparently has been for awhile. I was surprised that a bank would have survived with unethical practices.
Although, I think what happened was not capitalism at work. True capitalism would have allowed the banks to fail. Too big to fail would not not entered the discussion. What happened was the privatization of profits and the risks publicly shouldered. A few people made large profits while many people lost homes and livelihoods through the misconduct of corporations. The economy works best with a vibrant middle class. It is that very class that is being squeezed out of existence. The gap between the "haves and the have nots" is widening at an alarming rate.The trickle down economy does not work. A bubble up economy does. The anger will continue to build as long as there is a inequity in the income levels like what is seen today.
Here is a teaser from his movie, Capitalism: A Love Story. I am sure the love story part is ironic. I will watch for the next movie he releases because, I agree with most of his views. He says it better than I ever could hope to.
As I read the story about Arizona State University offering shorter classes, they would be a good option for many students. After having taken a couple of the shorter summer course at Glendale Community collage, I will offer one caveat, take shorter courses in the subjects that are not difficult. I took and passed a five week course in English and another five week course in Introduction to Psychology. I, personally, would not under any circumstances take a shorter Algebra course. The shorter courses are accelerated. The work of a whole semester is condensed into seven and a half weeks. Even with the help of several Math web sites, such as Khan Academy, an Algebra class with the traditional semester would be too fast for me. The shorter courses can help nontraditional students if their schedules are flexible. The shorter courses also have the benefit of a decreased cost, thereby saving not only time but, money as well. They can be used as a tool to quickly further students education. The students must be aware that all the work of a traditional course is required and should set aside adequate time for homework. The shorter courses are an option that many students would find attractive and easy it insert into busy lives. Other students may be able to continue their education after a deployment, and not have to wait until the next semester.
As the delivery of education progresses the variety of the structure of that delivery will be increased to satisfy almost every need.
The topic for our assigned entry was Arizona State University offering a shorter class schedule, seven weeks instead of the traditional semester. I have taken two of the shorter summer courses. English for the first summer session, and Psychology for the second session. The classes went by very quickly and I found the shorter course a very good alternative to the regular semester. However, I would not recommend taking a challenging class in an abbreviated time frame. I will always require the full sixteen weeks of any Algebra class. I shudder to think of taking a more condensed course. The sixteen weeks seem rushed to me. It's like going down a waterfall in a kayak, only more frightening. Even with the help of Khan Academy, I had trouble remembering the formulas and applying the correct one to the problem.
I continued my education after a hiatus of three decades. (Yikes!) My greatest fear was overwhelming myself. I started out slow, and was comfortable with going back to school. When it came to the shorter condensed summer sessions, I chose to take them one at a time. The only time I felt overwhelmed was the first week of English. It was after I realized that I had done the whole weeks homework in one night when I began to feel less stressed about the time frame of the class. Now the homework of the regular classes seems to be a breeze.
Algebra will remain my challenge, but I will not give up, I am determined to understand it. On the scales of importance to me, Algebra has a mass all it's own. A shorter course will always be attractive to me, in terms of time and money. Well, as long as it's not Algebra or maybe chemistry.
It seems with every election cycle, the dysfunction in Washington gets worse. I am beginning to adhere to the notion the Mark Twain had, "Diapers and politicians must be changed regularly for the same reason." The hate and disrespect for opinions other that the ones held by the person speaking is overwhelmingly unproductive. The Senators and Representatives where elected to serve the interest of their constituents. The bickering over every issue is not the reason they hold office. Once elected, the focus of the members of congress shifts to getting reelected and off the needs of the people. The name calling and the absolute assassination of the opponents character is unsavory to me. I try to keep my political leanings to myself. People can become quite emotional about politics, and I hate drama. Our opinions are entrenched in our emotions and they are hard to untangle. I do not want to offend anyone, nor do I want to be considered naive in the ways of the world. I'll give a hint, I will never vote against my own interest. Whew!! I certainly hope that is vague enough. I want to be obscure clearly. I try to hold my bias in check and be aware of it as I listen to others views, although it is difficult at times. Remember, we all all Americans and in this together. It helps no one to cling to the party line at the expense American people. When did compromise become a dirty word? It should be considered a strength rather than a weakness. If the political rivals President Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill could agree to work together for the good of the county, why can't the current members of Congress see a way around the impasse of adhering strictly to party lines. The gentleman's agreement of rules of conduct has fallen by the wayside and the country as a whole is the poorer for it.
President Reagan and Tip O'Neill
Two of the most skilled politicians in the art of compromise were President Reagan and Tip O'Neill. The grace has left politics and a coarseness has emerged. The political atmosphere is so toxic, most descent people fear to enter the arena. People must demand the return of common courtesy and common sense to the Congressional members. The ways of doing business in the Congress now is unproductive and damaging to everyone. We need to look past our differences and find our similarities. The nation as a whole will profit greatly from a change of tactics and out look. Let's bring back civility and compromise to the discussion of politics. Respect your opponent (I hate to use that word), if for no other reason than, to keep you honest. I prefer to think of the opposition as complementary; each bringing to the table strengths and weaknesses the other lacks. The parties should see themselves as the two sides of the same coin. Another issue is honesty, how many former legislators and now in prison or under indictment for misconduct in office? We must require a greater level of honesty from our leaders. They should be the greatest among us, not the ones able to sling the most mud. I do not want the best liar or thief to represent me. I want someone who truly wants to make the country better, not one who's focus is on reelection. Term limits may allow for real change to happen. Until then, I will hope that common sense will emerge.
I couldn't find a flag that says, "Quit bickering or lose credibility". The political posturing that is going on has real world consequences like, a tanking economy and loss of respect around the globe. All just for a few political points, points that are ephemeral at best.
As soon as I heard what the topic of the entry was, my mind went to directly to the hate filled world of politics. If there is not slanted reporting there, it does not exist. Make no mistake, both parties engage in slanted reporting, under the guise of "telling what the other guy is really said, while we will tell the truth.". The name calling and general unwillingness to work together is damaging to the livelihoods of all Americans. Throwing around misconceptions as facts are also tools both parties use. As this video shows, bias can be very subtle and not always glaring. What is left out becomes as, if not more, important than what is reported. It is not noticeable that not all of the story was reported, just the snippets that bolster the views of the respective stations. It is important to get the news from several sources to attempt to uncover the bias of only one view. In order to make a truly informed opinion, one must read, or listen to a story from different points of view. Only then can an informed opinion be credible. Fox News is known for the right leaning of the broadcast, while MSNBC is reported to be more liberal in the slant of the reporting. Perhaps if both were watched, a fair and balanced compilation of information can be achieved by most viewers.
Lourinda's recipes are the best, but I would like to add a recipe that I've come across and I find to be a perfect summer's dinner. It serves about twenty, depending on the size of the cabbage head, but it also keeps well. Every one who has eaten it has asked for the recipe. I am happy to share it.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Total preparation time one hour
Serves twenty
1 head of cabbage
4 boneless chicken breast
1 green onion
2 packages of Oriental flavor Ramen Noodles (reserve the flavor packets)
1/4 cup of silvered almonds
1/4 sesame seeds
1 cup of canola oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
Cook chicken (boil or grill) and chop into one inch cubes. Cool. Chop cabbage into one inch cubes or shred. Slice green onion thinly. Toss chicken with cabbage and onion.
Do not boil the noodles, instead break them into small pieces, spread on cookie sheet with almonds and sesame seeds, toast in oven at 375 degrees for ten minutes.
Make the dressing by blending the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, sugar and the flavor packets from the ramen noodles.Toss with chicken and cabbage. Stir in the toasted mixture just before serving.
I know one cup of oil seems like a lot, I use a scant cup. That is more than three quarters of a cup but less than a cup. The recipe really does make a very large amount. I share it with my neighbors, and they have all asked for the recipe. I browse new recipes but seldom serve them without a practice run. I call that test driving a recipe. Kale chips are also winners in my household. My grandsons absolutely devour them. I haven't told them yet that kale is good for them. That's just Gammy's secret! Every time they come over, they are starving, or so that is what they would lead me to believe. Their Dad just rolls his eyes. I told him that is pay back because he did the very same thing at his Grandma's house. Isn't it funny how time seems to repeat the moments that leave the best memories?
This summer was my first experience with blogging. I must say that after I got over my original fright of something I knew nothing about, I rather enjoyed it. I looked at my classmates blogs and that gave me a good reference to start. I liked several of their blogs, especially Lourinda Cantu's. She had a couple of recipes that I have since tried. I have yet not tackled the Indian fry bread but, the recipe looks simple enough and very tasty. Her blog was Splurge with a Native. I still will visit it from time to time. I have also recently run into another former classmate on campus, Kate Borrell. She mentioned that she is trying to create a little revenue with her blog, The title of her blog is Raconteur's View, it has a more political slant to it. The name alone is interesting enough to warrant a look. Blogs are as different as the people who write them. Some, people will find entertaining while others may be maddeningly opposed to their views on matters. Sometimes the blogs that stir passion are the most visited. However, there was one classmate's blog that I found nothing short of an assault. It was full of somber images and equally dark thoughts. I did not preserve that link. Once as enough for me! All in all, it was evident who enjoyed blogging and who put in minimal effort. Additionally, I liked the blog Brain Pickings, with the a massive amount of information in there. I could easily lose myself in reading all the content with out even exploring all the links. Hours could easily disappear as I was pulled into the site. That proved to me that it was a very good blog. Professional blogs usually the most polished, but I find the ones of my classmates the most interesting.
This video was very helpful in defining just exactly what a nice blog could look like plus, how to edit and add posts. I hope my classmates find it informative as well. I usually like to keep the videos to three minutes or less, but this one was so helpful to me, I had to include it. In no time at all, everyone will get into the rhythm of blogging. I hope some, if not most, will find it as easy and fun as I did. I find it similar to Facebook but with an easier way to upload videos and photos.
Speaking of pictures, I have looked for a photo of Glendale Community Collage's library, with no luck! That is a shame because, the East and West faces are architecturally interesting. As I have stated before, I am a compulsive reader, so I find libraries quite alluring. That is where I ran into Kate just last week, and she gave me her blog's title. Thankfully, I was able to reacquaint myself with her and to once again read her blog postings.
Thank goodness I have an opportunity to practice blogging. I enjoyed it during my summer course of English, but never quite found the time to post another entry. The culprit is Facebook, or at least that is where I plan to pin the blame. Now, it is time to blow the dust off my blogging skills and one again get into the groove of having fun while posting. Hopefully blogging will become a routine, which will then become a habit.
I very nearly forgot how to load videos. It is like any other skill, if not used for awhile, it will begin to diminish with time. However, I think they add interest and appeal to blogs in general so I will relearn the lesson. I can not believe how quickly I forgot. It was easy to relearn. It was like seeing something through a veil, almost visible in my memory but not quite.
As I have already stated, I am a compulsive reader the first piece of furniture I have bought in a long time was a bookshelf. The family room, that I only walked through, has become my favorite room in the house, a library.
So far, everything is good except loading pictures, but I'm sure that I'll figure it out. The link to Facebook checks, the video is a little close to the script for my liking but the more I adjust it, the worse the outcome. I have been able to use the spell check feature however, thank goodness.
Whoo Hoo, I have loaded some pictures, I used another
browser. AOL is starting to become a dinosaur in the browsing game. Google chrome is the one I used, but I hear Firefox is good too. The fourteen Oz books are displayed prominently.The center piece of the space on the book shelf. They were a gift from my youngest son. He essentially bought me a relic from my past that I had lost when I was sixteen and feared forever out of reach.
As the very condensed summer English course, "Fundamentals of Writing" comes to an end, I have found blogging to be enjoyable. Perhaps not as much as Stephen, but close. I have used blogging as my reward for getting all of the rest of my homework done. Imagine that, more homework as a reward for doing homework. I know that sounds pitiful, but it was almost like posting on Facebook or surfing for fun videos on You Tube. While writing my first blog I was apprehensive. I wasn't quite sure how to strike the tone of casual professional. I made sure to satisfy the requirements of the assignment, but it took a couple of post for me to feel comfortable enough to be a bit more creative with the posts. I take all of my assignments very seriously,and wanted to do well. Because I am on Facebook, I was comfortable with the over all concept. (You didn't think I would lead you to my page, did you?) I have discovered that adding pictures and links add interest to the story. It helps advance or embellish the concept or idea I am seeking to convey. But, I didn't just stick them in there, they had to be relevant to the story. The videos were a fun element to my blog. YouTube is comprehensive in the number of videos, I have not failed to find the perfect one for my point of view. I did try to keep the videos to under four minutes in length. After that most people's attention span has reached the limit. There is some out there that is over an hour long, that's like setting up camp at your computer! Some people would have to pack a picnic lunch to watch a video that long.
I recently learned that some people blog for a living! Who knew that money is to be made from them? I was certainly behind the curve on that. Blogging helped me to know my classmates a bit more. I liked Sandi's and Ulises'. One classmate had a blog that is nothing short of an assault. I could tell who liked to blog and the ones that it was merely an assignment. The comment section was something I read and took to heart anything posted. Because I liked it so much, I made sure to leave comments on other blogs.
I liked to add pictures of different sizes to add visual appeal to my blog. My niece, Taylor had the most amazing self taken pictures on Facebook. Of course, the result is subjective. It is harder then it looks! I have recently learned a new word "selfie" to describe the act of taking a picture of yourself. I have heard that the next English class I will have also requires the students to blog. Who knows, after that class is over, I may need to re-title my blog, Sandy, The Artful Blogger!
We watched a life altering movie in English class, Food Inc. The movie was thought provoking and removed the veil that some people have over the whole food industry. I grew up near Louisville, Kentucky. Said another way, I had my early life experiences in a rural area named Fairdale. As a child, I would visit my grandparents, Vard and Shirley Duff, in a small town called Wax, Kentucky. It is on Nolin Lake, one of the most beautiful spots in a very pretty state. The rolling pasture lands are a vivid shade of green that is seen nowhere else. As the wind blows across the grass, it has a sheen of dark teal. The pastures look like wind blowing over a vast lake, with waves of grass in place of water. Occasionally bedrock will peek through the grass, like the bones of the Earth were showing. The white plank fences march down the dales as the horses thunder across the field, their coats shining like a new pennies. Heads and tails raised high, in joyous motion, racing one another for the pure sensation of having the wind in their manes.
Kentucky Bluegrass
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My grandparents had a farm and raised vegetables in a garden by the house and chickens and cows in the pasture. That's how we (the natives) say grew. We never heard anyone say they "grew" anything, they raised it. That applied to everything: children, animals and crops. They had several cows that were used for milking. The pasteurized milk bought in stores bears little resemblance to the rich, creamy raw milk that I have tasted. Grandpa would be milking the cows and we four little girls would run into the barn so he could squirt some in our open mouths. Warm milk, raw, just made, from the cow. Sometime he would miss and the milk would trickle down our chins. It was a game to us but I'm sure to Grandpa, it was hard work. As we got older, he taught us to milk a particular, gentle cow named Bessie. I know we didn't do a good job, but she didn't mind. She was glad to get rid of the weight of the milk. She would stand very still as we ineptly tried to milk her. Grandpa would take over, lightly running his hand down her fawn colored flank, and she would give a soft moo as if to say, "Thank you." I loved all the animals there, but Bessie was special to me. The barn cat was a rangy character, he always brought Grandpa a freshly killed mouse. It was as if the was paying rent for his home, the barn. He was sleek, slender and the color of a thunderstorm cloud. When we tried to pet him, it was like he knew just how long our arms were, and stayed barely beyond our reach. We asked what his name was and Grandpa replied," Cat." We started to call him Kitty, even though he had seen more than a few summers. He earned his keep by making sure that any mouse or snake would meet their maker soon after they met him. I saw him drag a emerald colored snake into the barn. It was twice as long as he was and the scales of the snake's skin glistened and sparkled in the late afternoon sun. He laid it gently down at Grandpa's feet and peered up as if to say, "Look what I found." He then turned and walked out of the barn and jumped on the fence to scan the pasture. He was ever vigilant in keeping his place in the barn safe.
One summer we went to visit Grandpa and Granny. At dinner the first night we arrived we had roast beef. Yes, it was Bessie. I didn't eat meat that night. I cried instead. I couldn't eat my friend, Bessie. When your dinner has a name, it makes it hard to enjoy it.
My aunts, Charlene and Ima Dean would go to the hen house if we were to have chicken that night. We would watch as they each would wring a chicken's neck. They would grab the chicken by the head, twirl it around and fling the chicken to the ground, head still in hand. The headless chicken would run around for a couple of seconds, then fall to the ground lifeless, as though they just realized they no longer had a head. I know that now, that sounds like a horror story, but at the time, on the farm it seemed natural. We didn't laugh, but respected the fact that the chicken gave her life so we could eat. We watched as Granny plunged the bird into boiling water to make the feathers easier to remove. We helped pluck the chicken for dinner and felt like we had contributed to the meal.
Nugget and Strip
The farm was a wonderful and smelly, messy place to visit. We knew where our food came from and how it got to the table. I just didn't name any of the animals again. I helped with peeling vegetables and in the garden, growing them so that they may be canned to last the winter. I knew farming was not pretty like the packages in the supermarket. But I would have never even suspected the ugliness of corporate farms. I buy organic when possible, but the requirements for labeling a product organic are convoluted and hard to understand. I wonder if that is on purpose. Most of the vegetables I buy are from Farmer's Markets or from the farms around the valley. I always plant a couple of tomato plants each year, as much to have a link to my past as to feed myself. To nourish the soul as well as the body.
A film that will open eyes and turn stomachs is Food Inc. It shows the abuse of animals and also the employees of the companies who manufacture food. And make no mistake, it is manufactured. The film is absolutely heart rending. Here is a taste, if you will, of the movie. It informs people of the truth in modern farming practices. The movie is a shocking reality exposure to what is really happening to the food we all eat. As I watched it, I felt that I could no longer eat meat. It was cruel in the the way the animals lived and died.The movie then showed farmers that had respect for the animals in their care and the customers they serve.
The picture most people associate to beef farms.
Reality (sadly)
DuPont is getting into the agriculture business. The competition are the chemical giants Monsanto and Dow Chemical . It should be alarming that the top chemical companies are major players in the food industry. Not agriculturalists or biologists, but chemists. Now the farmers who grow soybeans cannot save the seeds from the crops the grow. Monsanto owns the patent on the genes of the soybean plant that are resistant to their product, Round Up. This kind of monopoly has caused farmers, who have a just cause, to defend themselves against the company to be ruined financially. Not that the company was right, just able to outspend the farmers. Justice was not served, but bought. Many decisions can be justified in the name of good business decisions but are not in the interest of the greater good. Complete control over a major crop such as soybeans by one company is, or should be, a daunting thought. The implications for farmers, and the rest of the eating community (That would be everybody.) are worrisome. Without genetic diversity the crop can be wiped out with a fungus, much like the Great Potato Famine in Ireland in 1845. Soybeans are almost as important a crop now as potatoes were then. To have the future of ninety percent of the crop in one company's control is asking for disaster. The question will not be if, but one of when, will disaster strike.
Let's face it, in some point in our lives, we all will need health care. When we are ill, we don't think of technology as being important to our care. The quality of that health care may depend on the quality of the technology the hospital is using. Technology in health care is changing daily. With it comes the realization that what was standard practice just a year ago is now outdated. And the simple use of a phone will improve patient care. As I am going to school to become a nurse, this is a subject close to my heart. The way medicine is delivered is changing to become more affordable and provide individual care. As a consequence, better outcomes may be achieved. As the population ages the need for affordable health care will become critical. One hospital group that keeps current with technology is Banner Health, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to being close to my home, it also has the extra benefit of employing my best friend, Barb. She works in the area of giving stress tests. I hear stories from her and her co-workers about the newest innovation in giving stress test to make them safer for the patients. It is comforting to me to know that the hospital closest to me is not lagging behind in technology. I enjoy meeting her for lunch. As we walk down the halls, they are abuzz with activity. Everyone confidently going to and fro, with smiles on most faces. We are usually greeted by her supervisor and we chat for bit.The new dining room can make me forget that I am in a hospital. The whole dining experience is unbelievably lush. The food is as good, if not better then, the food I've had at fine dining establishments. The cavernous room is filled with the sounds of dishes striking one another, the hum of conversation and the occasional out burst of laughter. The savory aroma of spaghetti wafts though the room. We pass by a couple engrossed in quiet murmuring, heads almost touching. The room has the feel of happiness. It is as though people's cares have been discarded like a jacket that will be picked up on the way out of the room. No one wants to become ill, but if I should, I plan on being pampered at Banner Thunderbird Hospital. Perhaps Barb will bring me lunch.
Did You Know has several informative and entertaining videos
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The amount of time in which each technological leap occurs is getting shorter. I wonder when that statement will no longer not be true. The times we are living in is the most productive concerning technology. We have not been able to keep up in regards of attention spans and safety. Do Not Text and Drive is a web site in response to deadly crashes that have been caused by texting and driving. This is similar to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving social cause. As the technology advances society has to be proactive in preventing the very technology that enhances our lives from creating havoc. With great technology comes great responsibility. In the near future I see a nations wealth determined not by it's natural resources, but by it's technology. Health care Technology will change the way basic health care is delivered. That will cause cost to go down and the level of care to improve. The greatest promise of health care technology is in the poorest of nations. As the wealthy nations innovate new products and devices, the technology that is developed will aid in eradicating disease and improve lives around the globe. A man in South Africa delivered his child with the information he read off his smart phone. That in itself is amazing. The implications are staggering in the scope of every day living.
I have read several blogs and think blogging can be useful in several ways. It can make readers become familiar to a company or charitable cause. Blogging can also let the people in the blogger's life be aware of what's happening in the blogger's life on a regular basis. The corporate blog of McDonald's was my favorite.It was very informative and had good use of pictures to keep the reader engaged. The links to divisions in the company were easy to navigate, and gave me a new appreciation of the company's commitment to the environment. The Google Blog was well written as well. The blog that disappointed me was Best Blogs by Ken Levin, it gained my interest in the small description of the blog, but did not have a link to the blog itself. I did like the drop down menu of related blogs like, Blogs We Could do Without: however, again, no links to the actual blog. Blogs can be a medium to reach new audiences that may not read newspapers or magazines. Blogs have an immediacy that paper print lacks and therefore, may be more appealing to computer users around the world.
Self Generated Entry #1 Meet Sandy
Hi, I'm Sandy. I live in Glendale, AZ with my two dogs, Harley and Willy. They are good company to me and I feel safer having two large dogs in the house. They are the first thing any visitor sees when I open my door. Little do people know, the only danger Harley and Willy pose is licking people to death. Shh! Maybe if I could have someone dress up as a cat bugler, they might present a danger of chasing the bugler away. Otherwise, my two companion dogs are lovers, not fighters.
Willy, a standard Poodle
Harley, an Akita
My hobbies include gardening, riding my motorcycle and reading. I enjoy growing roses. I have ten bushes. My favorite is Brigadoon. It is a hybrid tea rose that smells as beautiful as it looks. It has a cream center with strawberry colored edges to the petal. I love roses. I have planted a mixed bouquet. The only color missing is blue. The cut roses in a vase on my kitchen counter are an ever changing palette of color.
I also grow tomatoes. I have never tasted a sweeter tomato than one grown in Arizona's alkaline soil.While I was growing up in Louisville, Kentucky my father would plant at least ten tomato plants. When I moved to Arizona I continued the tradition. Since we have a different growing season from Kentucky, it is a topic of conversation between Dad and me. I once nursed tomato plants through our brutal summer and they bore fruit until the next summer. The fruit was smaller but just as sweet. In Kentucky the frost kills the plants so I wanted to see if it was possible to have them for two years. My Dad was interested in my experiment with them. We both learned something new about tomato plants.
I also ride a motorcycle, one with three wheels and a V8 engine. Every one is hand made in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The make is Boss Hoss and the model is a '57 Chevy Belair. It has an automatic transmission and is very fun to drive. Driving it is not scary at all, although it looks like a monster bike, it drives well. It drives the same at 35 mph. as it does at 125 mph. I found that out the first time I drove it.
That's me in the "queen" seat, commonly referred to by a vulgar name.
I now sit in the driver's seat.
I am going to Glendale Community collage to become a nurse. I have the rare opportunity to address and hopefully correct the life long regret of not continuing my education. I enjoy going to school and meeting students of all ages. I am interested in people, I love chatting with just about everyone. I am grateful for the opportunity to further my education. I like to make each day productive. Going to school fills that want for me.
I have found the most useful tool to my blogging, spell check!
I recently learned that some people blog for a living! Who knew that money is to be made from them? I was certainly behind the curve on that. Blogging helped me to know my classmates a bit more. I liked Sandi's and Ulises'. One classmate had a blog that is nothing short of an assault. I could tell who liked to blog and the ones that it was merely an assignment. The comment section was something I read and took to heart anything posted. Because I liked it so much, I made sure to leave comments on other blogs.
