Scholarly Articles

We found two articles for our group research project that may be helpful as we begin writing it. The first thing search was for basic Farming strategies to gain a better understanding of what is currently in use in today's modern world. "Precision Agriculture Concept: Distribution Pattern of Selected Soil and Crop Characteristics Influenced by Fertigation" is what we got, and although a lot of it was somewhat pointless, the section on materials and methods will be the most helpful. For this particular article it shows the amount of precision work that goes in to choosing the perfect site for planting specific crops, in this case sugar beets. "Average annual temperature of 16.7° C, annual freezing days of 76 days and the annual rainfall of 116.9 mm are climate data of experimental site." Even from that statement alone you can see how much data, and processing goes into making the food item prosper as much as possible and to its fullest potential.

The next article was titled "Bulk Soil Electrical Conductivity as an Estimator of Nutrients in

the Maize Cultivated Land" which basically used electricity to see how the well it conducted electricity and was able to provide how many nutrients were available in the soil. "Laboratory soil test is usually time consuming and laborious. Since farmers cultivate annual crops more than once a year, this leads to delay in remedial action for the coming season. Hence, rapid measurement and monitoring of soil nutrient variability is needed to satisfy the precision farming requirements." I liked this quote because it shows that the process is in an effort to speed up the process of determining the best area of land for the crop, which would be very important to increase production of the specific food product.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&hid=111&sid=86eeb406-37d0-4e47-b2de-d4d574d692a4%40sessionmgr104

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&hid=111&sid=86eeb406-37d0-4e47-b2de-d4d574d692a4%40sessionmgr104

Racism-A dirty battle

Racism is a stereotypical outlook or view of some-ones racial or ethnic background. A form of discrimination is racism and can be seen in everyday society, especially during the Martin Luther King Jr. era. In today's society, many believe that racism is no longer prevalent, however, if one looks between the lines, one would notice that it is still an issue. The simple discrimination of one persons background is not only wrong and unethical, but it is also beyond measure of one's personal competence.

It may not necessarily be one single persons fault for the racism we see in modern times. It is an evolution of growing from not allowing black children to play with white children, to killing someone from the color of their skin. "We are naturally predisposed to notice height, weight, eye color, skin color, facial features, hair texture..." (Wise) Family influence is a large role in how children will grow up to see the world. What we learn from our own parents, we carry throughout our lives, and if we don't change anything about it, we pass it to our kids in a sort of vicious cycle of racial discrimination and beliefs. Where does it end?

In America today, race can be constructed as the view and judging of what one person may think of another person, or a group of persons. These ideas are usually passed, and in the process, followers are made, groups constructed, and cults eventually born. For example the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) is a assembly of white supremacists that are under the sole belief that white people hold supremacy over non-whites. This group started with the simple idea that if you aren't white, you shouldn't be treated fairly. This group only took a few to start, so conversely it should only take a few to start a anti group. however, as stated by Tim Wise, "Another reason few people speak up is that we have a learned helplessness around social change" (Wise) Basically stating, that as long as it doesn't hurt them, they don't feel they are in the place to change it.

We can honestly say we do not hold any sort of racial discrimination against non-white people. We all have that Asian/Black/Mexican friend that we look at their actual personality and skills, rather than the color of their skin. Wise says "The people of color who get attention in the media are either dangerous criminals or superstar athletes, politicians, and entertainers... If I'm like most whites, the criminal scares me and the superstar elicits envy" (Wise) I particularly liked this quote, because it gives the general statement that we can't look at other races all in the same way which is a good thing. Just because a person is black doesn't mean they are the fastest sprinters in the world, or if their Asian doesn't mean they are super smart.

Works Cited


Wise, Tim. "By the Color of their Skin: Tim Wise on the Myth of a Postracial America." Interview by David Cook. The Sun July 2009: 4-12. PDF file

Sources

When it comes to finding sources, I like to first identify the best way to answer the question that has been presented. After I have done this, I usually find three or more sub components of the big answer and go into depth about each one. With these three topics, I can normally find sources fairly easy. One quick and easy way is of course the internet that can take a simple google search with a couple of key words in quotations. Others can be a little bit harder to find, such as books and magazine articles. When it comes to searching for these I like to think of something a little broader that may involve what I am going to be talking about. Also, especially on magazine articles, going to the magazine's website and searching for the keywords you are bound to turn up with something that is related to your topic.

Once I have finally found something, I try to read as much as the article that pertains to my topic, highlighting what could make relevance in my paper. After going through all the sources, I look at the bigger statements in each paper, and ask myself which ones I could more in depth with, or which ones I could do a little more research with. Finding sources in some places is very easy, but for others it can be very difficult. I would like to be able to learn how to make myself better at these "other" sources, and also determining what would be relevant in a paper, and what should be left out.

Vegetarianism and Veganism

I am from a small town in Montana, and a family that is very big into hunting and, inversely, meat eating. I was always raised that vegetarian was just an indian word for poor hunter. How could one possibly refuse to eat meat? I did not understand this idea. While doing paper 3, I cam across an article looking at the pros and cons of not only being a vegetarian, but being a vegan. While I myself cannot see myself doing this, I feel that I am much more open minded when it comes to people choosing what they want to eat. In my family you only ever heard the cons, lack of proteins being the biggest one, but also the amount of Iron, amino acids, and phosphorus lost from not eating meat. After doing reading this article I feel like I have a better understanding of why someone may choose to be a vegetarian. It is more apparent to me that everyone as their own opinions on what should be eaten, and what should be avoided.

The Perfect Meal

Chapter 20 was very interesting to me personally, because I have tried before to make this "perfect meal" Growing up we usually incorporate some sort of fresh grown veggies or products in our meal. I found it interesting that Pollan was going to give this an attempt, by setting out a specific set of rules. I felt that he had a good shot of making this idea a reality. Although this may seem very difficult to follow all the rules, and he made note of "bending" the rules, I feel Pollan did a good job sticking to them. I found it somewhat eerie that he was willing to boiling the saline water to get salt that surely was going to be gross. I have a feeling that his guests may not enjoy the meal fully if he had mentioned where he contracted the salt, But than again, a lot of people wouldn't enjoy you McDonalds burger if they knew the process.

Pollan went through the extreme agony to make sure his dinner could be the best it could be. Waking up before dawn, diving into freezing cold water, searching blindly into dangerous waters, and running the risk of hypothermia. I found it interesting that "More Californians are killed gathering abalone each year---by getting dashed on the rocks, being attacked by sharks, or succumbing to hypothermia---than die in hunting accidents." As Pollan went about trying to gather everything for his dinner, I realized how much harder it is now, compared to years ago, to get fresh food. Yes its possible, but considering that Pollan was not buying anything or spending money, finding the meal portions was most difficult I feel. Even if he could spend money, he would have to spend a small fortune, for the simple fact that these days, the healthiest food is more expensive than the stuff that everyone eats on a monthly basis. I think this is a major eye-opener for society as we know it.

A TRUE Omnivore

I found this section of the book probably the most interesting so far, because it is something that everyone has seen or heard of throughout most of their lives, and at this point in time more-so. Pollan talks about how we as humans have a need to have both meat and herbs in our diet, and how so people may take that idea and try to make their own "healthy" diet. Every animal is created to be able to eat certain things, and some things not. This was explained by the story of the monarch butterfly and how it only eats the milkweed because it has everything that could be needed for survival. However humans are a little more complex and require a lot more nutrients and minerals to keep our bodies going. Out teeth are able to not only tear meat like a carnivore, but also grind plants like a herbivore and our jaws make this capable for this action to happen. We were given this ability to use it. You see new ads everyday of the healthiest diets ever of the sure way to shedding unwanted poundage before beach season, however very few of those diets incorporate the use of all the blocks of the food pyramid. I also found the section to explain how the possibility of brain size may also influence diet. The fact that as our brains become more mature and grown they tend to become less picky, and really open up their food variety choices.

In chapter 17 the idea of animals eating animals becomes apparent. To me the idea of eating another animal is simply the food chain. Granted I agree that for the most part, the animals are treated very inhumanly for the production of food products. However, if we were to take time and care into preparing every single chicken, cow, and turkey, the amount of time spent on this process would not only drastically increase the price of the product, but also decrease the amount of output product. No emotions attach I think what is being done to produce the food should be left to the professionals. That being said, I will say that free range chicken/beef is much more satisfying at the expense of cost. After watching the video Food Inc. I definitely got a wake-up call into what REALLY goes on in feedlots. I knew the process was bad and gruesome, but that was just plain sick. However, even after seeing that, I am not going to vow and stop eating meat products all together. The food tastes good, its filling, and it keeps people healthy, which is really what people are looking for in a meal, satisfaction.

What I REALLY say!

In Chapter four of They say, I say the author summarizes the best way to give constructive feedback in the form of agreeing, disagreeing, or agreeing with some modification. Although most would give feedback with a simple agree or disagree, few would will disagree with reasons, and that is exactly what the author is trying to portray. Anyone can tell an author they do not like a piece of homework, however that does not help the author in anyway, shape, or form. With the use of reasoning the author can find what they did good on, and what they could improve. Also, one way find themselves torn between the disagree and agree aspect of things, and in this case, would bring forth the "Yes, but..." statement. I found this part very interesting because everyone uses it although they may not know it. We all have been involved in an argument or a debate and used the line, and usually you follow the line with a form of back-up or evidence. I found this reading both information and helpful as I am the type who likes to debate, no necessarily to win an argument, but to improve my keys points by exchanging ideas with another person on the opposing side of a controversial topic

What is really what it says it is? Organic foods? Surely companies can't lie to you and tell you what you want to hear to buy their product... or can they? Everyday you see the cans on the shelf "NOT injected with growth hormone...." or "Compare to ..." It seems the only way anyone can sell a product is by lying or publicly bashing another company. Oh but wait! its not lying! It's a sale tactic, you give the buyer what they want to hear, that if they use your product they will begin to live the healthy lives there parents wanted them to. Seems something like this should be illegal, or in-just, buts it's not.

Most describe it as "Stretching the truth" or "Sugar coating it" but what is really going on is good old fashion false advertising. Michael Pollan identified this travesty in chapter nine and tried to explain what one must do to get ALL the facts in what is really used to make that organic granola bar. Of all the labels on those food products you find little stories that take you on a personal adventure as to how that food was made, however, I find it hard to believe that farmers really take all the time and effort to produce bright red, fat, plump, delicious tomatoes, without using a drop of some sort of growth hormone.

(Scholarly source)

URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122637815/PDFSTART

Blog Post 1-Omnivores Dilemma

Michael Pollan goes into Iowa to gain a first hand experience in the farming industry and what it entails. Learning all about the types of tractors used, the types of crops, even the days and weeks of the year that harvesting and planting takes place. I found the first chapter fairly interesting and a strong introductory into the rest of the book. I particularly enjoyed the part about how he found that Iowa has some of the richest soil in the world, created from a glacier from present day Wisconsin over ten thousand years ago. I am not a history buff but it is interesting to read as to why certain parts of the country have more fertile soil than others, and how said soil was influenced.

Pollan goes on to describe how farmers like Naylor, are the most productive people who have ever lived. After all is said and done the amount of corn produced in ratio to the amount that is used, each farmer produces enough corn for 129 people. We don't give enough appreciation for the farmers of our country and the work they do. Also another part that grabbed my attention is that Pollan travels around the country to learn more about the farming industry giving you that "paint a picture" writing which is amazing compared to some writers who merely Google there topics and right mediocre passages about things people may already now. I grew up on a ranch and there are still a lot of things I don't know about ranching or farming, and Pollan isn't an expert on farming, however he uses the information he learned to show the amount of work that goes into that drive through meal or that TV dinner.