Watching the Meatrix, I saw some things that I knew were already happening, like the use of machines to milk the cows and crowded conditions to maximize the amount of animals that could be stuffed in a small area, but found a lot of new things that were shocking, like calves that were separated from their mothers at a young age were fed cows milk replacement made with blood from dead cows, which seems a bit twisted to me. It made sense because of the industrialization of the dairy farms, feeding calves milk meant less milk for humans, so industry farms take the milk that would have gone to the calves to us. But because of the way that things are that is more profitable for the industry and they only worry about their bottom line. The Meatrix keeps on giving the message in the end of the video that the power to stop this is in the consumers hands, and its true, since it'll send the message that consumers don't want the product like this, its unprofitable to do it. Otherwise, the incentive to stop doing something like that is not enough to cause actual change. From a purely profit perspective if it doesn't hurt your profits there is no reason to stop doing it, never mind the risk of antibiotic overuse, the dangerous crowded conditions, or the higher risk of spreading disease. The people aren't informed enough, or they don't care so it's okay to continue doing this, that's what the people who run the Industrialized Farms are thinking when consumers continue buying their products because it shows people are not supporting the cause for sustainable food and their profit margins are safe.
Watching the Farm to Fridge video and seeing the treatment of the chickens, pigs, and cows, it seems undeniably cruel and cold, how they are beaten and abused and are helpless against this treatment. The chickens are genetically modified to grow large and the that chickens can't bear the heavy weight induced by the hormones and are beaten with metal rods, which is considered "standard practice". The way they die and are killed is the same, being conscious and having their throats slit alive and scalded with hot water. It makes me think of the pig slaughter video we saw in class and how just a few moments before sliding down they were kicking and alive and they come out dead and still, because I think that's what happened with them, they were scalded alive. I can't help thinking that if they were human something like this would be considered "inhumane", but because people don't bear the lives of animals with the same weight that they do of humans. Watching the video I felt a range of emotions, I was appalled, disgusted, saddened, and angry at the way people treated the animals, to the point where they are spent. The squeal of the piglets screaming was very eerie to hear because you see them struggling as well.
I think if that people must eat meat for food, then these animals should be treated as if they were real, living, breathing beings not just another source of food for humans. Industrial food is very mechanized, the animals are treated as if they don't have feelings or emotions, like Descartes theory, when the scientists had animal test subjects they thought it was alright because animals did not have "souls". Like the anemic cows whom are practically crawling because their muscles have atrophied from lack of use, what kind of living is that? When we selfishly think that we have the right to live, does the right not also to extend to animals? We are animals and for that to extend to them is only natural. What that means is being able to go outside and play, walk, eat, to breathe the fresh air. To live, NOT locked up in cramped little cells for all their lives, NOT going insane from the lack of mental stimulation, NOT abused and mistreated until they are spent from the daily poking and proding. But to have the chance to breathe. I support vegetarianism, but I don't think its wrong to eat meat, I just think its wrong to eat meat that has been treated like that. In the wild, lions hunt and kill deer for food and nutrition, but at least in the wild that deer has been able to run and live their life. What's happening in those animal "farms" isn't natural at all.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Meatrix and Farm to Fridge Video
Watching the Meatrix, I saw some things that I knew were already happening, like the use of machines to milk the cows and crowded conditions to maximize the amount of animals that could be stuffed in a small area, but found a lot of new things that were shocking, like calves that were separated from their mothers at a young age were fed cows milk replacement made with blood from dead cows, which seems a bit twisted to me. It made sense because of the industrialization of the dairy farms, feeding calves milk meant less milk for humans, so industry farms take the milk that would have gone to the calves to us. But because of the way that things are that is more profitable for the industry and they only worry about their bottom line. The Meatrix keeps on giving the message in the end that the power to stop this is in the consumers hands, and its true, since it'll send the message that consumers don't want the product like this, its unprofitable to do it. Otherwise, the incentive to stop doing something like that is not enough to cause actual change. From a purely profit perspective if it doesn't hurt your profits there is no reason to stop doing it, never mind the risk of antibiotic overuse, the dangerous crowded conditions, or the higher risk of spreading disease. The people aren't informed enough, or they don't care so it's okay to continue doing this, that's what the people who run the Industrialized Farms are thinking when consumers continue buying their products because it shows people are not supporting the cause for sustainable food and their profit margins are safe.
Watching the Farm to Fridge video and seeing the treatment of the chickens, pigs, and cows, it seems undeniably cruel and cold, how they are beaten and abused and are helpless against this treatment. The chickens are genetically modified to grow large and the that chickens can't bear the heavy weight induced by the hormones and are beaten with metal rods, which is considered "standard practice". The way they die and are killed is the same, being conscious and having their throats slit alive and scalded with hot water. It makes me think of the pig slaughter video we saw in class and how just a few moments before sliding down they were kicking and alive and they come out dead and still, because I think that's what happened with them, they were scalded alive. I can't help thinking that if they were human something like this would be considered "inhumane", but because people don't bear the lives of animals with the same weight that they do of humans. I was appalled and disgusted and saddened, and angry at the way people treated the animals, to the point where they are spent. The squeal of the piglets screaming was very eerie to hear because you see them struggling as well.
I think if that people must eat meat for food, then these animals should be treated as if they were real, living, breathing beings not just another source of food for humans. Industrial food is very mechanized, the animals are treated as if they don't have feelings or emotions, like Descartes theory, when the scientists had animal test subjects they thought it was alright because animals did not have "souls". Like the anemic cows whom are practically crawling because their muscles have atrophied from lack of use, what kind of living is that? When we selfishly think that we have the right to live, does the right not also to extend to animals? We are animals and for that to extend to them is only natural.
Watching the Farm to Fridge video and seeing the treatment of the chickens, pigs, and cows, it seems undeniably cruel and cold, how they are beaten and abused and are helpless against this treatment. The chickens are genetically modified to grow large and the that chickens can't bear the heavy weight induced by the hormones and are beaten with metal rods, which is considered "standard practice". The way they die and are killed is the same, being conscious and having their throats slit alive and scalded with hot water. It makes me think of the pig slaughter video we saw in class and how just a few moments before sliding down they were kicking and alive and they come out dead and still, because I think that's what happened with them, they were scalded alive. I can't help thinking that if they were human something like this would be considered "inhumane", but because people don't bear the lives of animals with the same weight that they do of humans. I was appalled and disgusted and saddened, and angry at the way people treated the animals, to the point where they are spent. The squeal of the piglets screaming was very eerie to hear because you see them struggling as well.
I think if that people must eat meat for food, then these animals should be treated as if they were real, living, breathing beings not just another source of food for humans. Industrial food is very mechanized, the animals are treated as if they don't have feelings or emotions, like Descartes theory, when the scientists had animal test subjects they thought it was alright because animals did not have "souls". Like the anemic cows whom are practically crawling because their muscles have atrophied from lack of use, what kind of living is that? When we selfishly think that we have the right to live, does the right not also to extend to animals? We are animals and for that to extend to them is only natural.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Comments
I thought the comparison of the American mentality to flock to an expert to sheep was interesting. It does seem to be true since magazines advocating it are so popular so people must be buying into it. I agree that the health interests borders on obsession and that we are able to decide as individuals our own food culture even if the majority aren't.
-Posted on Gavin's
I like how you add in some of your personal eating habits. I don't completely agree that all food Americans think is healthy is unhealthy, some of them really are healthy. I think they just focus too much on health and forget about simply enjoying eating and food. Its pretty easy not to since everything is made to be eaten fast. Like microwaved foods and of course McDonald's.
I liked how you give alittle tip to avoid junk food and even go into detail about what some foods are made of.
-Posted to John Li's
I thought it was interesting about the menu and the cookies. At the place I'm interning at there are alot of entrepenuers who are doing things like the booth that gave samples of healthier cookies and substitute with ingrediates like agave or stevia or make cookies that are catered to diabetics so I thought that was pretty interesting. As for the menu, I think it is a bit more expensive and maybe they can do what they we're doing to the cookies by making healthier versions of a certain dish, or just offering the choice to eat something else because I agree not everyone wants to eat tofu and meatless sandwiches. To have the choice to eat that is fine, but replacing it altogether with other foods teenagers typically is unrealistic.
-Posted to Kate
-Posted on Gavin's
I like how you add in some of your personal eating habits. I don't completely agree that all food Americans think is healthy is unhealthy, some of them really are healthy. I think they just focus too much on health and forget about simply enjoying eating and food. Its pretty easy not to since everything is made to be eaten fast. Like microwaved foods and of course McDonald's.
I liked how you give alittle tip to avoid junk food and even go into detail about what some foods are made of.
-Posted to John Li's
I thought it was interesting about the menu and the cookies. At the place I'm interning at there are alot of entrepenuers who are doing things like the booth that gave samples of healthier cookies and substitute with ingrediates like agave or stevia or make cookies that are catered to diabetics so I thought that was pretty interesting. As for the menu, I think it is a bit more expensive and maybe they can do what they we're doing to the cookies by making healthier versions of a certain dish, or just offering the choice to eat something else because I agree not everyone wants to eat tofu and meatless sandwiches. To have the choice to eat that is fine, but replacing it altogether with other foods teenagers typically is unrealistic.
-Posted to Kate
Simple Recipe-Brocolli Soup (Gordan Ramsey )
This is not particularly deliscious sounding but I like Gordan Ramseys so I'm trusting this will be good =]. Its very simple. I'll make it and we'll see won't we?
Ingredients
to taste Water
to taste Salt
to taste Black pepper
2 heads Broccoli very fresh
to taste Olive oil optional, for garnish
Instructions
Cut the florets off the heads of broccoli. Cut the stems into similarly sized pieces. Add all of the broccoli -- florets and stems -- into a pot of rapidly-boiling, salted water (2 tablespoons salt in 5 quarts of water). Cover. Cook 3.5 to 4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, put the cooked broccoli pieces into a blender. Fill blender about halfway with cooking liquid. Blend carefully since it's hot. Add more cooking liquid as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Check seasonings.
If desired, add cheese (goat cheese or cheddar cheese) to the bottom of the bowl before pouring the soup in. Serve, drizzled with olive oil if desired.
Here's a Youtube video of Gordan Ramsey making it;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYfJONfI90
Ingredients
to taste Water
to taste Salt
to taste Black pepper
2 heads Broccoli very fresh
to taste Olive oil optional, for garnish
Instructions
Cut the florets off the heads of broccoli. Cut the stems into similarly sized pieces. Add all of the broccoli -- florets and stems -- into a pot of rapidly-boiling, salted water (2 tablespoons salt in 5 quarts of water). Cover. Cook 3.5 to 4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, put the cooked broccoli pieces into a blender. Fill blender about halfway with cooking liquid. Blend carefully since it's hot. Add more cooking liquid as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Check seasonings.
If desired, add cheese (goat cheese or cheddar cheese) to the bottom of the bowl before pouring the soup in. Serve, drizzled with olive oil if desired.
Here's a Youtube video of Gordan Ramsey making it;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYfJONfI90
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day-Food post
Yesterday, I had a little cooking project with my friends. Made some caramel popcorn, chocolate cake, and black and white cookies =9 yum. Just alot of sweet stuff.
I think my mom likes the chocolate cake. I'm hungry right now..
I think my mom likes the chocolate cake. I'm hungry right now..
Omnivore's Dilemma
In the Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollen writes about the American Paradox of how even though Americans are so health obsessed but most aren't healthy themselves. They follow fad diets and food trends because they don't know what to eat and lack their own food culture, besides the occasional barbeque and hotdog stands. Like the Atkins diet, that we talked about in class, where mostly meat and protein is eaten but no carbs and no fruits and vegetables. This was a popular fad diet that Americans followed for a while. Even though its not healthy to cut out whole food groups no one thought about that because they wanted the end result.
I've never understood the point of fad diets or any other diets myself because in the end people just return back to their normal eating habits. Some of the diets are so bizarre like, the cabbage soup diet where a person will only eat and drink, you guessed it-- cabbage soup. None of the diets I see seem too healthy. Perhaps because America's a jumble of different cultures that Americans are so confused as to what to eat and are so vunerable to different trendy diets. They feel like they need directions to tell them how to eat because they've forgotten how to.
I've never understood the point of fad diets or any other diets myself because in the end people just return back to their normal eating habits. Some of the diets are so bizarre like, the cabbage soup diet where a person will only eat and drink, you guessed it-- cabbage soup. None of the diets I see seem too healthy. Perhaps because America's a jumble of different cultures that Americans are so confused as to what to eat and are so vunerable to different trendy diets. They feel like they need directions to tell them how to eat because they've forgotten how to.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Food Post
Grocery
When I go shopping with my mom, it'll be either in the chinatown supermarket, where they sell a lot of fish and vegetables and fruit or once in awhile it'll be at WholeFoods (because its also near my home). Well I've been thinking and grocery stores sometimes use coupons to encourage costumers to buy unhealthy. They also try to disguise unhealthy food as healthy so health aware costumers will buy them. Like adding omega 3s to ice-cream, fruit on the bottom yogurts, or granola bars (which seem like a healthy choice but are not). In general alot of what Americans eat aren't that healthy because they tend to eat alot of fried and greasy foods compared to other people of other countries. The grocery stores try to push sugary cereals on younger kids, because when I was younger I remember seeing a lot of cereals like that at my eye level. For grown ups there are more healthy and whole grain or oats cereals where they would see.
I think I eat about an equal amount of meat and vegetables though lately I've been eating more veggies. I think this is because I feel like I've eaten too much meat and I'm trying to balance that out by eating more veggies. Because of this, when we go food shopping I ask to get fruits and when my mom is shopping she buys more vegetables because I keep asking for her to make them. Now in a typical week I will eat more vegetables as compared to last year. I also like eating fruit like oranges, cherries, tangerines, bannanas, etc.
Food Habits/Change of Food Habits
When I was little I didn't care as much, I would eat what ever was available even if it was unhealthy. I ate alot of junk food when I was younger because my elementary school had ice cream vending machines and soda machines. During lunchtime, students bought chips because they showed a movie during that time to keep us entertained. I also used to go to the YMCA, and across the street would be a cup noodle place, that had a bunch of chips and flavored ice pops. I drank alot of soda too because that was what you did when you were younger, I remember because I had allergies or something and the doctor said I couldn't drink dark soda so I was left with Ginger Ale and 7 up. I think now that I'm older my tastes has changed because I no longer like sweet stuff and rarely drink soda. I think this probably happened in 6th grade when I met Lisa, she worked at a clothing store and had a dog (that's how I met her, I asked to pet her dog) and this one time she had a boxful of tea from Itoen and would offer it to me because she had so much. It was unsweetened but it grew on me. So now I like drinking unsweetened tea even though most people my age don't. That's where that habit of mine comes from.
Favorite foods
Yesterday my mom cooked one of my favorite dishes, well two. It was garlic and chinese vegetable, and spring onions with leeks and this la Ruo which I love. It was leftovers but the smell was droolworthy, just cook the ingrediants in a wok or pan with some oil. Lets see, for the first dish, put the garlic in oil and add the vegetables afterwards, it'll wilt pretty fast so you can add alot and afterwards it'll be alot less. I think that's pretty simple..so I bet ya'll already know how to do that.. The other dish was done the same way (it was leftovers but my mom added spring onions and peppers to it). I think I like it because its familar food I had in my childhood. I also like congee with preserved vegetables. My mom's been cooking alot at home lately (maybe its the recession) but I like the food. My eating habits are mostly healthy, though it can be anything I'm in the mood for, like today for a snack I got chinese beef pancake at a dumpling shop on Eldridge st.
When I go shopping with my mom, it'll be either in the chinatown supermarket, where they sell a lot of fish and vegetables and fruit or once in awhile it'll be at WholeFoods (because its also near my home). Well I've been thinking and grocery stores sometimes use coupons to encourage costumers to buy unhealthy. They also try to disguise unhealthy food as healthy so health aware costumers will buy them. Like adding omega 3s to ice-cream, fruit on the bottom yogurts, or granola bars (which seem like a healthy choice but are not). In general alot of what Americans eat aren't that healthy because they tend to eat alot of fried and greasy foods compared to other people of other countries. The grocery stores try to push sugary cereals on younger kids, because when I was younger I remember seeing a lot of cereals like that at my eye level. For grown ups there are more healthy and whole grain or oats cereals where they would see.
I think I eat about an equal amount of meat and vegetables though lately I've been eating more veggies. I think this is because I feel like I've eaten too much meat and I'm trying to balance that out by eating more veggies. Because of this, when we go food shopping I ask to get fruits and when my mom is shopping she buys more vegetables because I keep asking for her to make them. Now in a typical week I will eat more vegetables as compared to last year. I also like eating fruit like oranges, cherries, tangerines, bannanas, etc.
Food Habits/Change of Food Habits
When I was little I didn't care as much, I would eat what ever was available even if it was unhealthy. I ate alot of junk food when I was younger because my elementary school had ice cream vending machines and soda machines. During lunchtime, students bought chips because they showed a movie during that time to keep us entertained. I also used to go to the YMCA, and across the street would be a cup noodle place, that had a bunch of chips and flavored ice pops. I drank alot of soda too because that was what you did when you were younger, I remember because I had allergies or something and the doctor said I couldn't drink dark soda so I was left with Ginger Ale and 7 up. I think now that I'm older my tastes has changed because I no longer like sweet stuff and rarely drink soda. I think this probably happened in 6th grade when I met Lisa, she worked at a clothing store and had a dog (that's how I met her, I asked to pet her dog) and this one time she had a boxful of tea from Itoen and would offer it to me because she had so much. It was unsweetened but it grew on me. So now I like drinking unsweetened tea even though most people my age don't. That's where that habit of mine comes from.
Favorite foods
Yesterday my mom cooked one of my favorite dishes, well two. It was garlic and chinese vegetable, and spring onions with leeks and this la Ruo which I love. It was leftovers but the smell was droolworthy, just cook the ingrediants in a wok or pan with some oil. Lets see, for the first dish, put the garlic in oil and add the vegetables afterwards, it'll wilt pretty fast so you can add alot and afterwards it'll be alot less. I think that's pretty simple..so I bet ya'll already know how to do that.. The other dish was done the same way (it was leftovers but my mom added spring onions and peppers to it). I think I like it because its familar food I had in my childhood. I also like congee with preserved vegetables. My mom's been cooking alot at home lately (maybe its the recession) but I like the food. My eating habits are mostly healthy, though it can be anything I'm in the mood for, like today for a snack I got chinese beef pancake at a dumpling shop on Eldridge st.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Importance of History
Knowing your history is important, having a future is important, being in the present is important. Scientists say that time may exist all at once and there is no past present or future, but a time space continuum (Einstein and Minkowski). If this is true history is important its the same thing. We can't have one without the other can we? But its important how you make use of history too, because if you let the past drag you down there is no future, on the flip side if you have no history, who are you then? That sense of what has been done and what we're part of is important to people.
The fact that so many Americans have forgotten about Mayday and that it is so pushed aside shows that we have forgotten apart of our past, and it doesn't show up in our present because we haven't acknowledged it or cared to. How Mayday isn't commerated in May shows how important our society is trying to make it, because we remember whats important to us, but we don't remember this, which has a large impact on our lives. The may day riots were an international effort and a labor movement supported all over the world. Its part of our history. What those workers fought for and died for was us, everyday people who just want to have more time to live life. Forgetting that is like forgetting part of ourselves because if it were us at that time period we would do the same. Then maybe someday in the future we will be forgotten as well. So is history neccesary for living a good and meaningful life? I think yes, we all need some kind of history and connection to the past. Its part of who we are, our struggles and our losses, our triumphs, and our victories.
http://www.answers.com/topic/spacetime
The fact that so many Americans have forgotten about Mayday and that it is so pushed aside shows that we have forgotten apart of our past, and it doesn't show up in our present because we haven't acknowledged it or cared to. How Mayday isn't commerated in May shows how important our society is trying to make it, because we remember whats important to us, but we don't remember this, which has a large impact on our lives. The may day riots were an international effort and a labor movement supported all over the world. Its part of our history. What those workers fought for and died for was us, everyday people who just want to have more time to live life. Forgetting that is like forgetting part of ourselves because if it were us at that time period we would do the same. Then maybe someday in the future we will be forgotten as well. So is history neccesary for living a good and meaningful life? I think yes, we all need some kind of history and connection to the past. Its part of who we are, our struggles and our losses, our triumphs, and our victories.
http://www.answers.com/topic/spacetime
Random-This is Cool!
This is such great fun. And I love how everyone joins in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM&feature=related
ahhh i think music and dance brings people together
Here's the making of; I think its pretty interesting seeing how they got it done too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFNM8f9WnI&NR=1
haha yes there's advertisement at the end but the whole thing itself is great so don't get all corporate media on me. XD
Well just wanted to share this enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM&feature=related
ahhh i think music and dance brings people together
Here's the making of; I think its pretty interesting seeing how they got it done too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFNM8f9WnI&NR=1
haha yes there's advertisement at the end but the whole thing itself is great so don't get all corporate media on me. XD
Well just wanted to share this enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)