Response to Kat's Blog

While reading Kat’s blog about the meal she prepared and her agreement with Michael Pollan, I kept thinking, “Wow, this chick can cook!” Not every girl I meet knows how to cook a steak. I always thought that part of cooking a meal was the man’s responsibility, but apparently not anymore. Kat clearly points out that she used no processed foods in the meal she made, which in the article she has linked to, tells just how bad these processed foods are for our bodies. Throughout Kat’s blog, everything was clearly described and pointed out. Even little details such as how long it took to cook each part of the meal she made and what not.

I do agree with Kat’s stance on processed foods, which is the same as Michael Pollan’s views. Processed foods are one of the main causes behind the Western diet’s chronic diseases associated with it. Those who eat processed foods eat them because they are easily found and do not take long to make. Although these processed foods are easily eaten, they are not good for us at all. They are made with many chemicals and “nutrients” that have all been developed at a lab, which are not usually found in nature. These foods are referred to as “fake foods” by Michael Pollan, and he goes on to say, in order to change our diet and the health problems associated with it, we need to move towards ‘real foods.”

Post 4: Phelps' Endorsments

Michael Phelps is known as one of the best Olympic swimmers in history. Phelps endorsed huge products and companies such as Subway, Visa, Speedo, and even Kellogg’s cereals. Many people looked up to Phelps for many different reasons, which helped his endorsements, but after a leaked photo of him smoking marijuana, this may have changed. After this photo of Phelps smoking the illegal marijuana out of a bong at a college party, many of Phelps’ endorsements disappeared and the companies did not want any part of him. Kellogg’s canceled their contract with Michael Phelps, but it seems the others stayed with him. It was a smart choice for Kellogg’s to get as far away from Phelps’ as possible because Kellogg’s targets children to eat their cereals, and mothers will not want their children seeing this photo of Phelps doing illegal drugs, then telling their children to eat this cereal. If the kids listen to Phelps and eat the cereal he says to eat, they may even start doing illegal drugs as well.

Now the Olympic committee is considering banning Phelps for four years. As NOTW.com said, “he made his choice, and with this choice comes the consequences.” Even when Michael’s career may be over, his three other main endorsement contracts still remain strong, Subway, Visa, and Speedo.

These three huge companies must trust Phelps enough or he is making them enough money that this mishap does not bother them at all. If I owned such a huge company as Subway, where advertising makes you money, I would not be putting Michael Phelps in magazines eating a five dollar footlong meatball sub. I am not sure what these companies are thinking, but it is not up to me to decide who they pay millions of dollars to endorse their products.

Response to Ms. Reynolds blog post #5

After reading Amy Reynolds’ post five, I feel I have a better understanding of both sides of a major controversial issue, abortion. Amy looks at both sides of the argument, pro-choice and anti-abortion. Pro-choice is for women to chose to end their pregnancies, and anti-abortion, just as it may seem, is against abortions. Anti-abortion groups believes that a developed brain and body means a human, and if a woman has an abortion, they are killing a human, murder. I agree with Amy on her stance of this issue - pro-abortion. Women have the decision to do what ever they feel is best for themselves, which may include having an abortion.

Amy clearly states both sides of the argument, including the positives and negatives of each article she chose. One article seemed to have more information and was more convincing, while the other had simply scientific information and no other convincing information. These authors of each article have very strong feelings for their beliefs which is most likely why much of the useful information is left out. The only side we read about is the side the author agrees with and not the side that they feel is wrong. With this in mind, it can be very hard to read articles or even books that are on current controversial issues.

Post 3: "Real" food vs. "fake" food

Orange juice is a healthful drink full of nutrients and health benefits. Whenever I would go to my grandparent’s house for breakfast, they would always squeeze fresh oranges for orange juice. I would love going to my grandparents house simply because I love how the fresh-squeezed orange juice tastes. Now that I am away at school, working full time all summer long, and doing many activities, I rarely get a chance to go to my grandparents house and get fresh-squeezed orange juice. Although I am enjoying school, my job, and everything else I do, I truly miss enjoying a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice that tastes so fresh and rejuvenating. Lately I have started drinking bottled orange juice. This is usually from concentrates filled with sugars and preservatives to make sure the taste is the same after a few weeks on the shelf. I know that the bottled orange juice is not nearly as nutritious for my body as fresh-squeezed orange juice, but I still enjoy drinking it because I like the taste.

Real orange juice can easily be differentiated from bottled orange juice. Fresh-squeezed orange juice smells like what it came from - oranges. The “fake” orange juice is still orange juice, but it has many other additives that give the color of a lighter orange, where real orange juice is strictly a vibrant orange. The label on the bottled juice says a bunch of stuff that really makes me question what is in the orange juice. If it was really orange juice, none of the marketing slogans would have to be on the bottle; people should know that orange is healthy for them, and the bottle doesn’t need to reiterate that fact.

Michael Pollan writes about exactly this point in his controversial book, “In Defense of Food.” Pollan says to eat healthier, don’t buy items that have slogans on the box, bottle, or whatever packaging the item comes in because it most likely means that the item has nutrients and other stuff added to it that are not at all healthy for you. Fruitpages.com says that the bottled juices are heated, or pasteurized, which also kills special nutrients. This is exactly why Pollan says stay away from pre-made drinks and foods. Eat fresh food and you will be as healthy as can be.