Good food equals a good time, right? Society equates everything to food. The theater experience is not the same without popcorn and neither is thanksgiving without Grandma’s corn pudding. Almost everything consumed today is either made from corn or it is a direct result of corn. For instance, beef, chicken, and farmed fish are all fed corn. If the statement is true that you are what you eat, then people are walking kernels of corn. Because of the threat of global warming, scientists are now looking at corn in a different light. How about turning corn into fuel? Not only will people be walking corn kernels, but their mode of transportation will be turned into one as well. And why not let the good times roll right into the vehicle and out of the pocketbook? Producing corn fuel sounds good on paper; however it is not as inexpensive as people would think. Although labeled an alternative to traditional fuel, using corn as fuel will cause financial woes because corn is raising the price of food, processing corn into ethanol is very expensive, and cars receive less miles per gallon which means more fill-ups.
It is no secret that the price of corn is rising. Mercer (2007) has reported that “meat and dairy prices have increased since late summer 2006 – 6.7 percent for ground beef, 6.9 percent for chicken breasts, and a painful 26 percent for whole milk.” Mercer (2007) goes on to say that Tyson, one of the largest meat processors, has already claimed to raise the price of their meat to pass on the upward rising price of corn. Right now, close to 80% of corn production is sold to meat processors. So, if all the corn meant for them is turned into ethanol for fuel, it not only affects the United States but also third world countries who can only afford to buy corn. (Fleischauer, 2006) This does not just affect people food, but dog and cat food prices have soared as well. A thirty pound bag of dog food has gone up as much as eight to ten dollars per bag.
The processing of corn into ethanol is almost identical to a brewery. Corn is first brought to a plant where they begin a milling process to pull the sugars out of the corn. The dry corn is put through a grinder which grinds it into fine corn meal. The next step is to add water and make it into a mash just like distilleries do with the barley to make beer. Once certain chemicals have been added, the mash is heated up to a high temperature to kill bacteria. Next the mash is transferred to a fermenting tank and yeast is added. Yeast is very important for helping pull the sugars out. It takes about two days for the fermenting process to finish and afterwards the liquid is separated in the distillery. The liquid can be pulled apart into corn syrup and ethanol. The ethanol is then further refined to produce close to 100% pure alcohol.(RFA, 2007) According to www.howstuffworks.com, it takes about 26 pounds of corn to make 1 gallon of ethanol. This site also says that because of the amount of work that goes into making corn into ethanol, the price per gallon before the distilling process begins is usually around $1.05 per gallon. (howstuffworks.com, 2001) There is also not enough corn to produce the amount of fuel needed to satisfy everyone’s needs. Right now, most of the corn that is grown is for consumption with only a small portion given for ethanol fuel. There really are not enough acres of land to plant the corn needed to produce ethanol. Ecologist David Pimentel also argues that it takes more energy to make the corn into ethanol than the actual energy that ethanol produces. (Lang 2005)
According to Assistant Professor Kristala Jones Prather of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ethanol is not as efficient as gasoline. She states, “Ethanol has only 70 percent of the energy density of gasoline, making it less efficient, and it’s tendency to absorb water makes corrosion a concern for the current U.S. petroleum storage and distribution network.” (Trafton, 2007) A study done in 2001 on howstuffworks.com showcased a Toyota Camry, which runs on 30 miles to the gallon. When using ethanol, the same car only ran 20 miles to the gallon. (howstuffworks.com, 2001) This means that while ethanol might be cheaper at the pump, it is more expensive when looking at the big picture because gasoline will go farther.
The thought of using ethanol is appealing because it is a cleaner fuel and it is friendlier to the environment. However, corn is not the most efficient source to use and further research needs to be done to find a source that will not only be environmentally friendly, but will be cheaper than our current gas prices. Part of the point of saving the environment is so that it can be enjoyed in the future. How can we enjoy our clean environment if we have spent all our money on corn fuel to do anything fun? The whole point of alternative fuel is to discover a product that is not only great for the environment but also inexpensive.
References
Lang, S.S., (2005). Cornell ecologist’s study finds that producing ethanol and bio diesel
from corn and other crops is not worth the energy. Cornell University news Service.
Retrieved October 17, 2007 from www.news.cornell.edu/stories /July05/
ethanol.toocostly.ssl.html
Morrison, D. (2006). Ethanol fuel presents a corn-undrum. University of Minnesota UMN
News. Retrieved October 17, 2007 from www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories
/Ethanol_fuel_presents_a_cornundrum.html
Fleischauer, E. (2006). Is corn ethanol a viable fuel? Experts disagree. The Decature
Daily News. Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from www.decaturedaily.com/
decaturedaily/news/060918/ethanol.shtml
Associated Press (2005). Corn powered fuel catching on. CBS News. Retrieved on
October 17, 2007 from cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/28/tech/printable704947.shtml
CBS (2006). The ethanol solution. CBS News. Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/04/60minuutes/printable1588659.shtml
www.howstuffworks.com. (2001) How much corn would I need in order to produce
enough ethanol fuel to drive my car across the country? www.howstuffworks.com
Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from www.howstuffworks.com/question707.htm
Trafton, A. (2007, February 8). MIT experts forsee sustainable ethanol production.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology News Office. Retrieved on October 17, 2007
from web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/print/biofuels-print.html
Renewable Fuel Association. (2007). How Ethanol is Made. Retrieved on October 24, 2007 from http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/made/
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Political Food - Who Knew?!?
The author’s audience is all consumers. Anyone who buys groceries could be interested in reading these articles. I think that both articles combined reach out to all consumers because one is for organic and fair trade and the other opposes it. The first article about food and politics states that people can basically vote through their food purchases. People can make a stand without going to the ballot box. I think this is writing to the opposition because politicians and lawmakers are going to create a huge stink about people voting through food purchases. The other article I found to be a rebuttal to the first article. The opposition is going to be The Economist, which is the British magazine that wrote the Food and Politics article.
For the food politics article, the claim, cause, and effect are that buying organic, locally grown, and fair-trade products are affecting the political realm because each of these categories has their own political agenda. By buying these products, people are participating politically. There are other cause and effect claims in this article as well such as natural farming and the effects and chemical farming and the effects. I think that the political cause and effect is the main argument for this article since it was the first issue addressed. I had a hard time finding a cause and effect argument in the rebuttal article. I felt that they were just writing an article to state their opinion on the same issues. I think that both essays make a very strong case for their points. I thought that the rebuttal was very well written though. They had great examples and quotes from people that gave their essay more validation and credibility. They were also able to counter-argue every claim in the first essay and then validate it with an example or a response from a professional.
I like how the arguments for each essay are constructed. The first essay starts out with politics and then moves into organic, fair-trade, and locally grown items with a nice conclusion. The second essay has two main points which are, “The other sides of the story” and “The root of the problem”. In the first main point, they argue everything The Economist wrote. In the second main point, they touch a little more on the locally grown issue and then talk about how consumers could pressure their local government into working on more energy efficiency. I think I like how the first essay was constructed. It was easier to read and I think the entire essay was much smoother. I think that the second essay should have been set up like the first essay. They should have made their arguments match up with the first essay. This would have made for easier reading and easier comparison for someone trying to read both articles.
All in all both essays were really good. I think that I will still buy my produce from the grocery store since that is really the only place I can shop this time of year. In
Comma Splices
I would like to say that I never have created a comma splice before, but that would probably be a lie. I’ve looked through some of my past posts and I didn’t see any comma splice problems (although I found a few other errors that irked me – thank God for the edit button!). To be quite honest, I think my problem with writing is that I am not wordy enough. I have worked in a business setting for so long now that I have a hard time being anything other than direct and to the point. I don’t think direct and to the point is a flaw, but I really have to work harder to make sure my word count is up where it needs to be. I would like to say that in doing the quiz for this week, I had a somewhat difficult time on some of the wordier sentences. So maybe I do have a problem with comma splices but I am too direct in my writing to use them!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Plagiarism
I find plagiarism to be absolutely terrifying. I have actually woken up in the middle of the night panicking that I plagiarized. Maybe it is because I am such a perfectionist when it comes to my writing. I am not a perfectionist at any other time, believe me, you can ask my husband! When it comes to putting something down on paper, it becomes a forever thing. One person might read what I wrote or millions, but if I plagiarize then that is what people will remember. Not only that, I am stealing from a person I have never even met and I am discrediting my own work and selling myself short.
Ann Coulter Interview
All I can say is wow. I had heard about this interview from another friend of mine but this was the first time I had seen it. The effect of her interview is that she has just given Christians a bad name. She spoke her beliefs out on national tv and offended every Jewish person out there and then said all Christians believe that way. I was truly offended by this interview and personally will never pick up her book and read it. I would not use my hard earned money on her. Another effect of her interview is just that, she has lost credibility and probably many of her followers not to mention money. I would just like to say that all Christains do not behave like that and definately do not believe that way. How do I know? Because I am a Christian and I DO NOT believe that I am a perfected Jew. That was the most idiotic thing I have ever heard in my life! It just did not even make sense. She sounded like Hitler in so many ways that it was just scary. I really hope that she makes a formal apology and recends that comment. Unfortunately, the damage is probably already done.
Post Secret
Post Secret is an interesting blog. It is labeled art which I would loosely consider it to be. I am more of traditional art lover myself. Are they real? It's hard to tell. They look real. This day in age, I think stuff like this needs to be taken at face value. Whether real or not, there are still emotions when looking at certain pictures. There were a couple that demanded my attention. The first one was actually the first one on the page. The person was hoping to die in Iraq because their fiance left them. Fate did not see things the way that did and even though they tried not to come back, they did....with a purple heart. I'm sure for the person trying to die, receiving a purple heart was a slap in the face. This one touches my heart, because my step son is serving in Iraq right now and the last thing I want is for anything to happen to him. I am sure that the parents of this person probably felt the same way. I hope this person is able to get some help and get over their fiance. Nobody is worth dying over in that way! The second postcard that gripped me was the "I don't miss you anymore" postcard. How many children out there actually feel that way about their dad or even their mom. I hope to be the parent that my kids can look up to and confide in. I always want to be there for my kids. Kids need their parents. Believe me, I know! I wish with all my heart that my kids never view me that way.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Rough Draft-When Good Food Goes Bad
Good food equals a good time, right? Society equates everything to food. The theater experience is not the same without popcorn and neither is thanksgiving without Grandma’s corn pudding. Almost everything consumed today is either made from corn or it is a direct result of corn. For instance, beef, chicken, and farmed fish are all fed corn. If the statement is true that you are what you eat, then people are walking kernels of corn. Because of the threat of global warming, scientists are now looking at corn in a different light. How about turning corn into fuel? Not only will people be walking corn kernels, but their mode of transportation will be turned into one as well. And why not let the good times roll right into the vehicle and out of the pocketbook? Producing corn fuel sounds good on paper; however it is not as cheap as people would think. Although labeled an alternative to traditional fuel, using corn as fuel will cause financial woes because corn is raising the price of food, processing corn into ethanol is very expensive and cars receive less miles per gallon which means more fill-ups.
It is no secret that the price of corn is rising. Mercer (2007) has reported that “meat and dairy prices have increased since late summer 2006 – 6.7 percent for ground beef, 6.9 percent for chicken breasts, and a painful 26 percent for whole milk.” Mercer (2007) goes on to say that Tyson, one of the largest meat processors, has already claimed to raise the price of their meat to pass on the upward rising price of corn. Right now, close to 80% of corn production is sold to meat processors. So, if all the corn meant for them is turned into ethanol for fuel, it not only affects the
The processing of corn into ethanol is almost identical to a brewery. Corn is basically made into beer first and then distilled further into a very refined alcohol. (CBS) According to www.howstuffworks.com, it takes about 26 pounds of corn to make 1 gallon of ethanol. This site also says that because of the amount of work that goes into making corn into ethanol, the price per gallon before the distilling process begins is usually around $1.05 per gallon. (howstuffworks.com, 2001) There is also not enough corn to produce the amount of fuel needed to satisfy everyone’s needs. Right now, most of the corn that is grown is for consumption with only a small portion given for ethanol fuel. There really are not enough acres of land to plant the corn needed to produce ethanol. Ecologist David Pimentel also argues that it takes more energy to make the corn into ethanol than the actual energy that ethanol produces. (Lang 2005)
According to Assistant Professor Kristala Jones Prather of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ethanol is not as efficient as gasoline. She states, “Ethanol has only 70 percent of the energy density of gasoline, making it less efficient, and it’s tendency to absorb water makes corrosion a concern for the current
The thought of using ethanol is appealing because it is a cleaner fuel and it is friendlier to the environment. However, corn is not the most efficient source to use and further research needs to be done to find a source that will not only be environmentally friendly, but will be cheaper than our current gas prices. Part of the point of saving the environment is so that it can be enjoyed in the future. How can we enjoy our clean environment if we are too broke to do anything fun? The whole point of alternative fuel is to discover a product that is not only great for the environment but also inexpensive. Future endeavors include looking into making cellulose into ethanol. This might be a more efficient endeavor since cellulose is found in almost every living thing from corn to grass to trees.
References
Lang, S.S., (2005). Cornell ecologist’s study finds that producing ethanol and biodiesel
from corn and other crops is not worth the energy. Cornell University news Service.
Retrieved October 17, 2007 from www.news.cornell.edu/stories /July05/
ethanol.toocostly.ssl.html
Morrison, D. (2006). Ethanol fuel presents a corn-undrum.
News. Retrieved October 17, 2007 from www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories
/Ethanol_fuel_presents_a_cornundrum.html
Fleischauer, E. (2006). Is corn ethanol a viable fuel? Experts disagree. The Decature
Daily News. Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from www.decaturedaily.com/
decaturedaily/news/060918/ethanol.shtml
Associated Press (2005). Corn powered fuel catching on. CBS News. Retrieved on
October 17, 2007 from cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/28/tech/printable704947.shtml
CBS (2006). The ethanol solution. CBS News. Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/04/60minuutes/printable1588659.shtml
www.howstuffworks.com. (2001) How much corn would I need in order to produce
enough ethanol fuel to drive my car across the country? www.howstuffworks.com
Retrieved on October 17, 2007 from www.howstuffworks.com/question707.htm
Trafton, A. (2007, February 8). MIT experts forsee sustainable ethanol production.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology News Office. Retrieved on October 17, 2007
from web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/print/biofuels-print.html
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Annotated Bibliography on Water Recycling
Landers, J. (2006) California Facility to Incorporate Treatment Wetlands. Civil Engineering (08857024), 29(6), 24-25. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (21559192).
Petaluma, CA is in the process of building a new water treatment facility that will use a wetlands approach to recycle their water. The new facility will cost the county around $110 million dollars. One of the nice features of the wetlands model is the fact that it does not hinder nature, but enhances it by providing a habitat for animals. The city of Petaluma has been recycling their water since the early 1980's.
Macko, R. (2007) From Old to New. Pollution Engineering, 39(1), 28-31. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (23691671).
A wire manufacturing company in South Caroline is doing their part for the environment. They are recycling their waste water that comes from making the wire they produce. They hope that with this new system they are installing, that they will be able to recycle up to 80 percent of their waste water. their new system deals with chemical precipitation and membrane micro filtration.
Miserly water recycler installed in Melbourne. Ecos, 131, 7. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (21800592)
A laundry business in Melbourne, Austrailia has received money from the government to set up a water recycling system in their business. The goal is to recycle all the waste water from their laundry services and turn it back into usable water for their business. The amount of water they use for their laundry services should decrease by 50 million liters.
Traugott, A. (2007) Reclaimed Water and the Codes. Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 41(4), 53-54. Retrieved on October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (24893267)
This article talks about the different types of water recycling out there and the codes governing water recycling. It also talks about the chemistry of water and the different methods used to break down the chemistry of water to make it safe and usable again. There are many new methods available for water recycling and codes need to be up to date to meet the demands of the public.
This article asks the big What if question. What if in the future recycled water becomes available to drink? Would anyone drink it knowing that it originated in the toilet? The thought of drinking water that came from someone else's toilet is not very appealing, but that is where the world of water recycling is going to. There are many places that already have this practice in place. Westernize countries have a much harder time getting over the "yuck factor" as the article states so clearly.
Petaluma, CA is in the process of building a new water treatment facility that will use a wetlands approach to recycle their water. The new facility will cost the county around $110 million dollars. One of the nice features of the wetlands model is the fact that it does not hinder nature, but enhances it by providing a habitat for animals. The city of Petaluma has been recycling their water since the early 1980's.
Macko, R. (2007) From Old to New. Pollution Engineering, 39(1), 28-31. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (23691671).
A wire manufacturing company in South Caroline is doing their part for the environment. They are recycling their waste water that comes from making the wire they produce. They hope that with this new system they are installing, that they will be able to recycle up to 80 percent of their waste water. their new system deals with chemical precipitation and membrane micro filtration.
Miserly water recycler installed in Melbourne. Ecos, 131, 7. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (21800592)
A laundry business in Melbourne, Austrailia has received money from the government to set up a water recycling system in their business. The goal is to recycle all the waste water from their laundry services and turn it back into usable water for their business. The amount of water they use for their laundry services should decrease by 50 million liters.
Traugott, A. (2007) Reclaimed Water and the Codes. Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 41(4), 53-54. Retrieved on October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host (24893267)
This article talks about the different types of water recycling out there and the codes governing water recycling. It also talks about the chemistry of water and the different methods used to break down the chemistry of water to make it safe and usable again. There are many new methods available for water recycling and codes need to be up to date to meet the demands of the public.
Clayton, S. (2007). Desalination: OPTION OR DISTRACTION? Ecos. 138, 33. Retrieved on October 11, 2007 from Ebsco Host.
Australia is at the forefront of the news right now because of the worldwide drought that is going on. Australia is looking for ways to recycle their water. One suggestion has been to recycle ocean water, which would give Australia a substantial amount of water to work with and reduce the water limitations for Australians.
Grey Water Central (2007) Retrieved October 11, 2007 from http://www.oasisdesign.net
This website is dedicated to the recycling of grey water. Grey water is any water used in someone’s home except for the toilet water. Wastewater from showers, laundry, and doing the dished can make up to 80 percent. Grey water can reduce a person’s water bill immensely and it is also energy efficient.
Integrated Water Strategies (2007) Retrieved October 11, 2007 from http://waterrecycling.com
There are three main steps to water treatment. The first stage is called Primary Treatment. This first stage separates the waste water into solid and liquid matter. The liquid waste can be treated quicker than the solid. The second phase is called Secondary Treatment. This phase puts bacteria in the water that helps break down the matter. The third phase is the most expensive but very useful phase called Tertiary Treatment. This phase helps to move the nutrients from the water. These nutrients could be detrimental to people’s health, so this is an important phase in treating the water.
Water Recycling and Reuse: The Environmental Benefits, Region 9: Water Program (2007) Retrieved September 36, 2007 from www.epa.gov
Even wastewater is usable. Right now with the drought, wastewater would be very helpful in allowing people the ease of watering their gardens and lawns. The earths naturally recycles which is why people should model the earth and take up recycling to do what they can, to help.
GE Water and Process Technologies (2007) Retrieved October 11, 2007 from http://www.gewater.com
GE offers some great technologies for family life. Their newest system is called a membrane bioreactor system. This is for home use and allows families to take charge of their environment by recycling in the home. This systems allows laundry, dish, and shower water to be recycled for reuse.
Scott, J. (2007) Increase in Peninsula Bills Expected. Water Ways. Retrieved from http:// www.insidebayarea.com on September 26, 2007.
As the San Francisco area is growing, so is the need for water. City officials are predicting that water usage will increase by 13 percent over the next 20 years. With the constant concern of global warming and the fact that the snow pack from the Sierra Nevada Mountains is melting at a higher rate of speeds, other ways of water conservation are being looked at to include water recyling.
Kruszelnicki, K. (2006) Water Recycling. Great Moments in Science. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au on September 26, 2007.
This is the history of water. This article talks about what water is comprised of and what can be done with it. Australia is showcased because of the extreme dryness of the continent. This article goes in depth in to what happens to sewage when it is dumped into the ocean and how the waste breaks down in the water.
Associated Press (2007) San Jose looks to turning sewage water indo drinking water. News Fuze. Retrieved from http://www.mercurynews.com on September 26, 2007.
San Jose is hoping to partner with Santa Clara and then convince the public that water recycling is the way to go for the future. Thoughts of recycling were prompted by the threat of water shortages in the very near future. The major stumbling block could be convincing everyone that turning their sewage into usable water is what’s best for them.
Smith, J. (2007) Sticker shock: $1 billion for water. Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved from http://www.rockymountainnews.com on September 26, 2007.
Denver, Colorado must spend around $1 billion dollars to redo their water systems. This includes putting in recycling systems that they hope will at least produce non-potable water in the future. However, the city officials are hopeful that soon, even the drinking water will come from recycled water. In order to keep using ground water for drinking water, recycled water will need to be used for things such as watering the grass or washing the car.
Associated Press (2007) Water Recycling in Cheyenne Saves 1 Million Gallons a Day. Associated Press. Retrieved from http://www.localnews8.com on September 26, 2007.
A water recycling systems that is brand new to the city of Cheyenne is saving the city around 1 million gallons of water per day. The recycled water is being used as irrigation for the farmer’s fields. Ground water was previously used before the new recycling system was set up.
This article asks the big What if question. What if in the future recycled water becomes available to drink? Would anyone drink it knowing that it originated in the toilet? The thought of drinking water that came from someone else's toilet is not very appealing, but that is where the world of water recycling is going to. There are many places that already have this practice in place. Westernize countries have a much harder time getting over the "yuck factor" as the article states so clearly.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Logical Fallacy - Complex Question
A Complex question is a loaded question that is unanswerable. It usually asks two questions in one and that make it difficult to respond to. The following is a good example of a complex question. Do you support freedom and the right to bear arms?
I am sure that I have committed the fallacy of asking a complex question. I can't think of any right at the moment though. However, I am married and I am perfecting the art of loaded questions!
I found information on Complex questions and the example of a complex question from the following website.
http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/cq.htm
I am sure that I have committed the fallacy of asking a complex question. I can't think of any right at the moment though. However, I am married and I am perfecting the art of loaded questions!
I found information on Complex questions and the example of a complex question from the following website.
http://onegoodmove.org/fallacy/cq.htm
Blog Review
I looked at all my fellow classmate's blogs and decided that I liked "The Kayak Goddess Goes Back to School". I wasn't so much looking at the presentation of the blogs but at the content. I think that an excellent blog not only consists of the presentation but also it should have “meat”. I was really surprised to see how many students have done only a few of the assignments. I chose Kayak Goddesses blog because I like the name and she has posted all her assignments which were all very interesting to read. I think she chose great topics for her papers and I really enjoyed her Shitty first draft essay since I can completely relate! I also think that by posting all assignments as required shows dedication to her education. We pay for these classes and they are not cheap! Why would a student not try to get everything out of the class? This is especially a sophomore class. Come on! We know the drill by now! So I appreciate the fact that another student has taken advantage of their education and posted all their blogs. I also appreciate Kayak Goddesses writing style which I feel is descriptive, humorous and an easy read. I think I will be visiting her page more often to what she is writing about next.
Mysterious Disappearances of the Honey Bee
Kolbert is arguing the use of pesticides. The article is so well written that it wasn’t until about three quarters of the way through it I realized the argument. I was really drawn in by the story and the plight of the bees.
Kolbert said that honeybees were not native to
http://honeybee.tamu.edu/diseasesandparasites/ccd/news.html This site has an entire page dedicated to Colony Collapse disorder with links to many other pages and updates.
Also on this site under Honey Bees is a list of facts. One fact in her article was about how much the bees are used to pollinate agricultural crops which can be verified on this site.
Kolbert gave an explanation of the difference between the queen bee, worker bees, and the drones. One interesting fact was that the drones are bred for a specific purpose – to mate, and then are killed by the worker bees. This fact can be verified at the following site. http://www.goldenblossomhoney.com/honeybee.html#queenbee
I absolutely loathe bees. I see a picture,hear them, or read about them and I instantly panic and get chills. I am sure that I have some type of phobia related to bees! However, this article was very intriguing and I really could not stop reading (chills and all) until I found out what they had discovered about the bees! I really can’t imagine a world with out honey so the pesticide issue needs to be taken care of. With all the health conscientious products out there, surely there is an environmentally safe pesticide in the works.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Annihilate the Weight - Position Paper Final Draft
Obesity kills. Since the mid-1970’s, Americans have been at war with the battle of the bulge. According to the Journal of American Medical Association (2004), around 400,000 people die each year because of obesity. While these statistics are grim, there is hope. Many programs are available for weight loss including Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and Nutri-System. For those individuals who have a body mass index of 40 or more or a body mass index of 35 with severe medical problems related to their obesity there is another alternative, the gastric bypass surgery. Although considered to be a dangerous and highly evasive surgery, the gastric bypass is an incredible tool for weight loss because weight loss from the surgery promotes a better self-image, increased physical mobility, and a reduction in physical ailments.
Obesity is a problem that affects over half the population in America. The gastric bypass surgery is becoming more popular as people with major health problems need an extra boost to help them lose weight. The surgery is highly controversial because of the major health risks involved such as dying on the operating table, dying from complications after the surgery, and the development of diseases such as osteoporosis in the future. Clark (2003) reported, “The most commonly cited mortality rate for bariatric surgical operations, across the United States, is 0.5%……that means about 1 out of 200 patients will experience a fatal result. The costs of obesity related health issues are astronomical to both insurance companies and families. For someone who is morbidly obese, having the surgery would tremendously cut back the health care costs by eliminating many health problems.
While depression is a widespread epidemic that can affect anyone, according to Simon (2006) people with obesity can have up to a 20-44% increase in the chance of being affected by depression. Why is this? Depression is directly related to a person’s self image. People who are over weight have a very poor image of themselves. This can stem from childhood if the person was over weight and children called them names or even in adult hood when passed up for that job, treated badly in a store, or laughed at by others. Unfortunately, depression is a vicious circle. People who are depressed want to eat more because food brings comfort and if they are put on medications for depression some of the side effects include weight gain. In society today where there are size zero supermodels and Hollywood’s emphasis on the perfect body; it is no wonder that many overweight people have a complex about how they look. As a whole, our society has been trained to look down on obesity even though about half of our society is overweight. Such negative feedback on obesity causes the obese person to feel ashamed in how they look, a sense of failure at what they have let themselves become, and rejection from peers due to how they look.
Increased physical mobility is every obese person’s dream. Being able to walk without pain is usually one of the first goals. Being overweight puts much stress on bones and joints making it hard to move around. Even getting out of bed in the morning can be an enormous chore. As the weight comes off after the surgery, the body actually starts to feel lighter and the person becomes limber. Walking is one of the first steps towards exercise and is one of the easiest to do. Patients find exercising to be exhilarating and fun when the pain starts to go away. Problems such as degenerative disk are usually related to obesity because of the stress that is placed on the back from being over weight. Losing weigh will talk the pressure off of the obese person’s back. Degenerative joint disease is another ailment related to physical mobility that is lessened as the weigh is reduced.
The gastric bypass can eliminate type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, and acid reflux disease. Besides these major health benefits, there are so many other benefits as well. Permanent weight loss, which is the goal of the surgery, is also a great benefit. Patients may also reduce their medicine intake drastically such as blood pressure medicines or inhalers for asthma. Because the stomach is reduced to the size of a walnut, patients only eat a tiny portion to feel full and satisfied. Patients are also usually healthier through following their vitamin supplementary intake.
The gastric bypass is an excellent tool to help people achieve their weight loss goals. Though considered drastic by some, this surgery has been a lifesaver for others. Each surgery is a personal journey for someone and the gastric bypass may be the last thread of hope for that person. As the surgery becomes more popular, the statistics will be in favor of the gastric bypass because doctors will have more experience. The benefits of this surgery far out weigh the risks when looking at the big picture.
References
Clark, G.W., (2003). Regarding Surgical Mortality Statistics. Retrieved October 3, 2007
from http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/surgicalmortalitygwclark.htm
Mokdad, A.H., Marks, J.S., Stroup, D.F., Gerberding, G.L., (2004). Actual Causes of
Death in the United States, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://jama.ama-
assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/291/10/1238?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RE
SULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Obesity+deaths&searched=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&re
ourcetype=HWCIT
Simon, G.E., Von Korff, M., Saunders, K., Miglioretti, D.L., Crane, P.K., van Belle, G.,
Kessler, R.C., (2006). Association Between Obesity and Psychiatric Disorders in
the US Adult Population. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://archpsyc.ama-
assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=Obesity%2C+2006
Obesity is a problem that affects over half the population in America. The gastric bypass surgery is becoming more popular as people with major health problems need an extra boost to help them lose weight. The surgery is highly controversial because of the major health risks involved such as dying on the operating table, dying from complications after the surgery, and the development of diseases such as osteoporosis in the future. Clark (2003) reported, “The most commonly cited mortality rate for bariatric surgical operations, across the United States, is 0.5%……that means about 1 out of 200 patients will experience a fatal result. The costs of obesity related health issues are astronomical to both insurance companies and families. For someone who is morbidly obese, having the surgery would tremendously cut back the health care costs by eliminating many health problems.
While depression is a widespread epidemic that can affect anyone, according to Simon (2006) people with obesity can have up to a 20-44% increase in the chance of being affected by depression. Why is this? Depression is directly related to a person’s self image. People who are over weight have a very poor image of themselves. This can stem from childhood if the person was over weight and children called them names or even in adult hood when passed up for that job, treated badly in a store, or laughed at by others. Unfortunately, depression is a vicious circle. People who are depressed want to eat more because food brings comfort and if they are put on medications for depression some of the side effects include weight gain. In society today where there are size zero supermodels and Hollywood’s emphasis on the perfect body; it is no wonder that many overweight people have a complex about how they look. As a whole, our society has been trained to look down on obesity even though about half of our society is overweight. Such negative feedback on obesity causes the obese person to feel ashamed in how they look, a sense of failure at what they have let themselves become, and rejection from peers due to how they look.
Increased physical mobility is every obese person’s dream. Being able to walk without pain is usually one of the first goals. Being overweight puts much stress on bones and joints making it hard to move around. Even getting out of bed in the morning can be an enormous chore. As the weight comes off after the surgery, the body actually starts to feel lighter and the person becomes limber. Walking is one of the first steps towards exercise and is one of the easiest to do. Patients find exercising to be exhilarating and fun when the pain starts to go away. Problems such as degenerative disk are usually related to obesity because of the stress that is placed on the back from being over weight. Losing weigh will talk the pressure off of the obese person’s back. Degenerative joint disease is another ailment related to physical mobility that is lessened as the weigh is reduced.
The gastric bypass can eliminate type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, and acid reflux disease. Besides these major health benefits, there are so many other benefits as well. Permanent weight loss, which is the goal of the surgery, is also a great benefit. Patients may also reduce their medicine intake drastically such as blood pressure medicines or inhalers for asthma. Because the stomach is reduced to the size of a walnut, patients only eat a tiny portion to feel full and satisfied. Patients are also usually healthier through following their vitamin supplementary intake.
The gastric bypass is an excellent tool to help people achieve their weight loss goals. Though considered drastic by some, this surgery has been a lifesaver for others. Each surgery is a personal journey for someone and the gastric bypass may be the last thread of hope for that person. As the surgery becomes more popular, the statistics will be in favor of the gastric bypass because doctors will have more experience. The benefits of this surgery far out weigh the risks when looking at the big picture.
References
Clark, G.W., (2003). Regarding Surgical Mortality Statistics. Retrieved October 3, 2007
from http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/surgicalmortalitygwclark.htm
Mokdad, A.H., Marks, J.S., Stroup, D.F., Gerberding, G.L., (2004). Actual Causes of
Death in the United States, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://jama.ama-
assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/291/10/1238?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RE
SULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Obesity+deaths&searched=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&re
ourcetype=HWCIT
Simon, G.E., Von Korff, M., Saunders, K., Miglioretti, D.L., Crane, P.K., van Belle, G.,
Kessler, R.C., (2006). Association Between Obesity and Psychiatric Disorders in
the US Adult Population. Retrieved October 3, 2007 from http://archpsyc.ama-
assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=Obesity%2C+2006
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
You Tube Video Link and Response
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OencZ31uf4&mode=related&search=
One of my other classes is a public speaking class. Anyone who has taken public speaking understands the nerves involved to take a subject and then get up in front of a bunch of people and talk. I found this news clip on conquering the fear of public speaking and I thought it was very interested and useful. In fact, I might email it to my teacher. One of the things said in this clip is that people expect to be scared because that is how it is portrayed by the media. Most people also associate fear with the butterflies in their stomach when in fact it is the adrenaline pumping to give them more energy to complete the task. If a person freezes as they are about to give their speech, they should talk themselves through it. Asking yourself the outcome is a good way to get back on track. Practicing is the best way to get over the nerves. By practicing, it allows for better understanding of the subject. This clip triggered another piece of good advice that I heard. I was told to practice speaking in front of a mirror to help with the ease of speaking the speech. It not only helps with nerves but also allows you to see what you look like while talking and you can adjust certain things before speaking in front of other people. I think this clip is really good and I plan on taking the advice offered. Public speaking is already difficult and conquering that fear is half the battle. If I can get up and speak without shaking visibly, I will be so happy and feel like I have accomplished something.
One of my other classes is a public speaking class. Anyone who has taken public speaking understands the nerves involved to take a subject and then get up in front of a bunch of people and talk. I found this news clip on conquering the fear of public speaking and I thought it was very interested and useful. In fact, I might email it to my teacher. One of the things said in this clip is that people expect to be scared because that is how it is portrayed by the media. Most people also associate fear with the butterflies in their stomach when in fact it is the adrenaline pumping to give them more energy to complete the task. If a person freezes as they are about to give their speech, they should talk themselves through it. Asking yourself the outcome is a good way to get back on track. Practicing is the best way to get over the nerves. By practicing, it allows for better understanding of the subject. This clip triggered another piece of good advice that I heard. I was told to practice speaking in front of a mirror to help with the ease of speaking the speech. It not only helps with nerves but also allows you to see what you look like while talking and you can adjust certain things before speaking in front of other people. I think this clip is really good and I plan on taking the advice offered. Public speaking is already difficult and conquering that fear is half the battle. If I can get up and speak without shaking visibly, I will be so happy and feel like I have accomplished something.
What I Eat and Where it Comes From
I have a very odd eating schedule due to a gastric bypass I had in December 2006. My stomach is very tiny and I hardly eat. What I eat in a day would barely suffice for one meal for someone else. So this blog is very challenging for me.
Every morning, I start my day with a breve from one of the local coffee carts. I believe the one I normally go to serves Kaladi Brothers Coffee. Kaladi Brothers is actually based out of Anchorage where they do all of their own roasting right there. According to their website, they purchase coffee from around the world. I can assume that my coffee originally comes from Columbia which is where most coffee originates from. Also in the breve is half and half. Matanuska Maid is a great brand that I have actually seen them use before and that is processed right here in Alaska in the Matanuska Valley at least for a little while longer. This morning I had a very small bowl of Nut and Honey Cheerios. Cheerios is made by General Mills and the headquarters and factories are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For lunch I usually have a cup of Campbell’s vegetable soup. Campbell is located in New Jersey and so my soup travels from New Jersey, where it is made, all the way to Alaska. For dinner I have been eating raw veggies and hand made salads. Shopping at Safeway means that produce has been barged from the state of Washington and then trucked to North Pole. Produce comes from local farmers in the State of Washington. Salad dressing usually is Litehouse Ranch Dressing. The Litehouse company is located in Sandpoint, Idaho.
And that is about all I eat in a day normally. I know it’s not a lot, but it’s all my little stomach can handle.
Every morning, I start my day with a breve from one of the local coffee carts. I believe the one I normally go to serves Kaladi Brothers Coffee. Kaladi Brothers is actually based out of Anchorage where they do all of their own roasting right there. According to their website, they purchase coffee from around the world. I can assume that my coffee originally comes from Columbia which is where most coffee originates from. Also in the breve is half and half. Matanuska Maid is a great brand that I have actually seen them use before and that is processed right here in Alaska in the Matanuska Valley at least for a little while longer. This morning I had a very small bowl of Nut and Honey Cheerios. Cheerios is made by General Mills and the headquarters and factories are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For lunch I usually have a cup of Campbell’s vegetable soup. Campbell is located in New Jersey and so my soup travels from New Jersey, where it is made, all the way to Alaska. For dinner I have been eating raw veggies and hand made salads. Shopping at Safeway means that produce has been barged from the state of Washington and then trucked to North Pole. Produce comes from local farmers in the State of Washington. Salad dressing usually is Litehouse Ranch Dressing. The Litehouse company is located in Sandpoint, Idaho.
And that is about all I eat in a day normally. I know it’s not a lot, but it’s all my little stomach can handle.
Proofreading
I am my worst critic. It doesn’t matter what I write, whether an email at work or a paper for English class, I hate to publish mistakes. I have always been this way even as a child. Usually when I write, I will re-read what I have written at least three times and then I will read it out loud. If I am still unsure, I will ask someone to proof read my work and see if I missed any errors I made. I think it probably irritates me more than the person reading my work if there is a mistake in it (unless it is a mistake from a rule I didn’t know about). I decided to try reading one of my blogs backwards and found a couple of missing commas…grrrrrr! With a large paper such as the research paper we are working on, I always print out a copy to read later. I find that printing it out and seeing a cold hard copy makes the mistakes just spring out on the page. Again, I also have someone such as my husband proofread for me and find any grammar mistakes or sentences that don’t sound right in the paragraph. My husband has been a great help in the proofreading area.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Lead Sentence
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071002/od_nm/usa_politics_laugh_dc_2
The lead sentence I found is a question. I like articles that start out as a question because it makes me want to know more about what the author has to say on the subject.
The lead sentence I found is a question. I like articles that start out as a question because it makes me want to know more about what the author has to say on the subject.
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