Ann Cooper and her proposals

I learned many different facts about what is being fed to our kids in their schools. Some of the information I already knew about because of Fast Food Nation such as all the advertisement toward children. However some facts that surprised me was that 10 companies control all the grocery stores. I was also surprised to find that more money is spent on keeping prisoners in jail than feeding our children. I also did not know that pesticides were doubled. This kind of makes me depressed that children are brought up in an unhealthy enviornment and can easily be getting diabetes and might not even outlive us. I thought the video was interesting and Cooper made a very informative and persuasive speech. I can not use this information in my paper however because I am not focusing on children for my research.

"what's it going to be then, eh?" Review on A Clockwork Orange the book

I am going to review this book I read called A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. I am positively in love with this book. If you read the movie it does not compare in the slightest to the book and leaves out important information. The storyline is about a boy named Alex who has three main interests: rape, violence, and beethoven. He leads a gang of his friends and they just do drugs and go around and rape people and committ acts of violence. It is told in a narrative-singular person first point of view.

The book has an errily portrail of what might happen in the future if teenagers get out of hand with little punishment. The book proceeds with the main character who robs a house then gets left behind by his gang and gets caught by police. The victim in the house dies and he is tried for murder.
The themes of the book go on about moral choice for humanity vs government control over people. While in jail the main character Alex goes through a program where he is forced to watch movies about violence then injected with drugs to make him nausous, so he associaties the two psychologically. He is then released into society.
The book gives very distinct details about Alex and the programming he goes through. The psychologically aspects are very eye-opening and the book draws your attention in from the first line. The author creates a slang that the teenagers use which is genius so that any generation may read it and understand what the children are saying.
The ending of the book is just awesome because it has 21 chapters which gives great symbolism to the age 21 or the becoming an adult. In the end of the book in the 21st chapter Alex realizes everything he was doing was childish and upon seeing his matured friends vows to change his ways and grow up. However the movie ommitts the 21st chapter ending.

Overall, the book is enjoyable to read with good details and chilling psychological aspects of government control over humanity. The slang used is fun and the characters are quirky and very well developed. I enjoyed reading this book and find it a must read for anybody who wants a thriller. 

 

wow, what I never knew I consumed

The book Fast Food Nation has changed my whole view on fast food and especially McDonalds. I would have never guessed that the way they feed the cows all those unsanitary products and even other animals. I found it to be very crude. I did not realize I was eating meat that contained feces in it when I went to eat out. The whole book with its gruesome details made me sick to my stomach. It enlightened me on the way the people in the meat packing industry are treated. It brought up how unions are easily silenced by the people protesting unfair work practices by being out of a job.
I have already made some changes in my life. I used to eat fast food all the time, almost everyday. Since I read this book I have not eaten a single hamburger. I still eat the french fries though. I am going to cut back on the fast food I eat permanently. I do not want to support a business that treats it workers like animals and is cruel to cattle and other livestock. I have been trying to eat more healthy and drink less soda among eating less fast food.
This book made me think of the trauma the animals go through before they are slaughtered. I was completely unaware of the brainwashing McDonalds uses in their advertising and the controversies of marketing to younger children with the psychological affects they will have later because of it. I was unaware of the global realization they are trying to achieve by americanizing and changing cultures in other countries. I was completely shocked by the treatment of the workers most of all and how they do not care about the safety or health of their employees in the meapacking warehouses. I was also mortified about the companies taking advantage of immigrant workers who are looking for job opportunities.

Do as I say, not as I do.

When I first signed up for my classes I originally signed up for 5 classes. College Composition, Speech, Health, Women in Art, and Spanish. I was especially looking forward to my art class. However not even a week before classes started my art class got cancelled by the district. I am assuming not very many people signed up. I was kind of sad because I had the teacher before and I knew her teaching style. Plus it fit my schedule perfectly.

Now that we are just 2 months away from the end of the semester I am glad my art class got cancelled because I have had a heavy workload. It was heavier than I imagined it would be. Sometimes I feel like I am not smart enough to be in college but I get good grades every time. It does not come easy though. I really work my ass off and commit myself. I push myself to try my best and finish as much as I can.

                I also work full time which does not leave me much time for homework.  Sometimes that means staying up late or getting up early to finish my assignments. It is all worth it though when I get my grades back and I am looking at an A or B. I am happy even with C’s. To me D’s and F’s are not acceptable. I paid a lot of money to go to school here so I will not waste my time and I take my classes very seriously.

                My main motivation to go to college is my family. My parents never went to college and my sister and I are the first to get a higher education than our parents. My sister motivates me because of sibling rivalry mainly. I have to get an equal or better education otherwise I will look like a failure to the family. Another reason I go is to be a better example for my brother. I want to show him that he has to take his education seriously also. I do not want to be a hypocrite and tell him “Do as I say, not as I do.” I have noticed my influence on him and do not want to be a bad one.

tell me what you think

1. I've traveled to England
2. My pet dog's name is Lily.
3. I love to sing
4. I ski in the mountains
5. My favorite food is spaghetti
6. I work with children

"I heard a record and it opened my eyes"

Im going to post some music videos that I like and just songs I like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9LatjYp7_Q&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRUtT1019Zk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdeSSZSVAxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2ntDiXJCk&feature=fvsr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2wo73xIBFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-3rUF2JpXA

I fly like people get high, like planes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_uy1qcO-k

So let’s talk about weed. There are many, many different types of weed. Just to name a few there are: White Widow, Northern Lights, Purple Haze, (my personal favorite) Train wreck, etc. When you first get a sack one of the things most noticeable is the smell. You just have to take a moment to smell the sack over and over before you pack your prize. I remember back in the earlier days before I ever experienced weed for myself I hated the smell. It smelled like a skunk. Now that I am a smoker I love the smell. There is something almost hypnotic and euphoric about it.   

You might think of the anti drugs commercials they play on TV. I admit there are a few moments in my life where I felt like I was living in those commercials. I am not saying I smoke regularly, I used to, but I have cut back. Weed has never interfered with my life to the point where it ruined it. There are good and bad things about it.

Some ways to smoke weed is to buy a piece and pack a bowl and smoke with your friends. It is a social drug, although some people do use it for medicinal purposes. Another way is to roll a blunt, like using a swisher. You could use different types of bongs. A vaporizer is great because it is an instant head rush without all the choking. Some can use a gas mask or bubblers. However you prefer to smoke it the effects are all the same.

When you are up there some common symptoms are feeling sleepy, happy and hungry. Your senses are heightened. This may make normal things such as listening to music, watching TV, or playing a videogame, more enjoyable. You might get “stuck” or being fixated on an object. Some people who smoke too much might have a bad trip such as having paranoia or feeling vertigo. Some might smoke too much; have a huge head change and throw up. I have seen it happen. Your body uses energy and after you may experience the “munchies” or being hungry. Food will taste ten times better than it normally does when you eat it. Afterward it is not uncommon to feel tired and want to sleep.

Some say weed is the gateway drug. I can understand why people would say that. Some people who smoke often end up gaining a tolerance for it. You are initially chasing the first high and have to smoke more to feel the same effect. However once you cut back or take a break it is the reverse and takes less to make you high. Some people get tired of weed and move on to harder drugs and experiment more. It is all about self control but that is my opinion.

So is weed bad to the point where it should be illegal? It practically is legal. All cops do when you have it, is crush it and cite you for something else. You can even have a medical card and then it is legal. The laws are pretty lax enough. They do not want any drug traffickers selling pounds of it. Then all drugs should be legal. However, I do not believe it should have the bad reputation it does, because as I have found out, it’s really not that bad.