In the Health section of ABCNews.com, a story under the name, "Creepy! Philly Family Tries to Sell House Where Couple Was Slashed to Death" by Susan Donaldson James writes an article about selling houses that has been related to crime scenes. Even though part of a reporter's job is to be unbiased and fair--there will always be some kind of persuasion to an article. The article talks about how people are easily frighten with houses that has a related history with a crime scene. For example, the house that was previously owned by a late professor of Temple University was finally sold since 1986. According to the article, the new owner of OJ Simpson's house requested the house to be bulldozed. In addition, when James introduces to the readers that people hired "house healers" to get rid of the "negative energy" shows how superstitious humans are. As some people may find a haunted house amusing and something to brag about--there are others that are too frighten to take a nap on the sofa. How superstitious can a human be?
-->> Spooky House Article <<--
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Gobble All of Them Down!
Well, before watching Food Inc. and Super sized Me, I actually never mind eating as long as it tastes good. In fact, I'm always up to try eating new things because life is so short; might as well try every food before you leave this world. I love to eat--all except bugs, I can never bring myself eating a water cockroach. I can eat silk worms but never in my life a water cockroach--no matter how my mother says," It's delicious, you don't no what you're missing." No thank you mother, I am perfectly fine with eating shrimps. Honestly, when freshly cooked food is serve in front of me--the question, "Where did this food came from?" is the least thing in my mind.
From snacks such as rice krispies treats to meals like beef tendon noodles. It all usually depends on my current situation, for example, if I was hungry in the morning as soon as I got up, then I'll probably be able to eat three bowls of fruity cheerios. Occasionally my grandmother would make something warm for me, like oatmeal with some cinnamon sprinkles. So, I prefer my meals warm when the weather gets colder, and vise versa when the season is warmer. I usually make sure that I have a large breakfast because it's the most important meal of the day--so I make sure that I'm full and ready to start the day.
However, the situation would be different if I was hungry at lunch time, and I'm in school. Since I commute everyday I don't want to spend money on a whole week of fast food. So, I usually bring a piece of bun along with a few snacks like a cookie or energy bars. If I am still hungry usually one milkshake from Jonny Rockets can make me full for the rest of the day. Those milkshakes can be very filling...
Last but not least, if I was hungry near dinner time--I'll usually try to drink water or chew some gum. No way I'm spoiling my dinner, besides my grandmother took her time to make the food. So, at dinner I'm always the first person to go after the meat. However, since everything--and I do mean, everything, my grandmother makes tastes so good. Luckily since I love to eat everything, I consume both meat and vegetables throughout the whole meal.
Meals are important and everyone should have three meals a day. I think as long as you eat enough to make yourself full and keep your body moving after each meal. When I mean full, I don't meant stuff so many food into your stomach till you're bloated. Digest your food slowly, take your time to chew; this will give time for your stomach to digest. Most importantly, no midnight snacks or any food after 6 PM since a person is less active as the day ends. All in all, I may not always question where my food came from, but right now I'm getting a bit nauseous around meat.
From snacks such as rice krispies treats to meals like beef tendon noodles. It all usually depends on my current situation, for example, if I was hungry in the morning as soon as I got up, then I'll probably be able to eat three bowls of fruity cheerios. Occasionally my grandmother would make something warm for me, like oatmeal with some cinnamon sprinkles. So, I prefer my meals warm when the weather gets colder, and vise versa when the season is warmer. I usually make sure that I have a large breakfast because it's the most important meal of the day--so I make sure that I'm full and ready to start the day.
However, the situation would be different if I was hungry at lunch time, and I'm in school. Since I commute everyday I don't want to spend money on a whole week of fast food. So, I usually bring a piece of bun along with a few snacks like a cookie or energy bars. If I am still hungry usually one milkshake from Jonny Rockets can make me full for the rest of the day. Those milkshakes can be very filling...
Last but not least, if I was hungry near dinner time--I'll usually try to drink water or chew some gum. No way I'm spoiling my dinner, besides my grandmother took her time to make the food. So, at dinner I'm always the first person to go after the meat. However, since everything--and I do mean, everything, my grandmother makes tastes so good. Luckily since I love to eat everything, I consume both meat and vegetables throughout the whole meal.
Meals are important and everyone should have three meals a day. I think as long as you eat enough to make yourself full and keep your body moving after each meal. When I mean full, I don't meant stuff so many food into your stomach till you're bloated. Digest your food slowly, take your time to chew; this will give time for your stomach to digest. Most importantly, no midnight snacks or any food after 6 PM since a person is less active as the day ends. All in all, I may not always question where my food came from, but right now I'm getting a bit nauseous around meat.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Let's eat!
So many foods, so little time--when's the best time to eat? Anytime.
Ha ha, my favorite meal of the day would have to be dinner! I basically love all my grandmother's homemade cooking. Nothing can go wrong when it comes your grandmother's cooking.
First and foremost, I love to spend my time my family members. This is also the main reason why I like to eat dinner, it's a time where everyone just sits down, takes a break from their busy schedule, and enjoys the food cooked by our loving grandmother. Due to the fact since my mother works two jobs, it's rare that we all get to sit at the family table and eat. I guess it's because of these rare moments I treasure eating dinner with my family every chance we got. Thus, approximately every 5:30 PM we all sit together in our family table at our cozy home.
Everyone takes a break from their busy work and help out with either the cooking or setting up the table. Usually my grandmother would cook a dish of fish, vegetables, and if we're lucky--soup! My brother and I would help set the table up by putting newspapers on the table as a sheet. Then, I will grab four small bowls, one for each of us and fills the space with white rice. At the same time my brother would bring the prepared dishes to the family table. When my mother comes downstairs to eat, everything would be fully prepared.
Eating with my mother, grandmother, and little brother is the best since I don't have to worry about manners. To me, eating should be relaxing and fun--you shouldn't have to worry about how much you eat, or how your posture makes people want to stop eating. My family members and I usually jokes around saying that one eats like a pig, hogging all the food--while another blames the food for tasting so good. Everyone laughs and talks about what they're doing for the day, and I think it's these everyday moments that I cherish the most.
Ha ha, my favorite meal of the day would have to be dinner! I basically love all my grandmother's homemade cooking. Nothing can go wrong when it comes your grandmother's cooking.
First and foremost, I love to spend my time my family members. This is also the main reason why I like to eat dinner, it's a time where everyone just sits down, takes a break from their busy schedule, and enjoys the food cooked by our loving grandmother. Due to the fact since my mother works two jobs, it's rare that we all get to sit at the family table and eat. I guess it's because of these rare moments I treasure eating dinner with my family every chance we got. Thus, approximately every 5:30 PM we all sit together in our family table at our cozy home.
Everyone takes a break from their busy work and help out with either the cooking or setting up the table. Usually my grandmother would cook a dish of fish, vegetables, and if we're lucky--soup! My brother and I would help set the table up by putting newspapers on the table as a sheet. Then, I will grab four small bowls, one for each of us and fills the space with white rice. At the same time my brother would bring the prepared dishes to the family table. When my mother comes downstairs to eat, everything would be fully prepared.
Eating with my mother, grandmother, and little brother is the best since I don't have to worry about manners. To me, eating should be relaxing and fun--you shouldn't have to worry about how much you eat, or how your posture makes people want to stop eating. My family members and I usually jokes around saying that one eats like a pig, hogging all the food--while another blames the food for tasting so good. Everyone laughs and talks about what they're doing for the day, and I think it's these everyday moments that I cherish the most.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Food Inc.
Food Inc. is a documentary directed to all consumers in general. I believe purpose of this documentary was not to disgust the viewers to never eat meat or corn ever again. No, far from that! This documentary was created because people don't realized the power they have influence they have in the food industry. Wither you're buying fast food or greens from the organic aisle--what a consumer decides to buy affacts tomorrow's food industry.
Food Inc.'s documentary started with a professional fast food journalist, telling the true horror of the food on our market shelves. It seems people never thought of how those cans, meat products, or any type of food in general--how they got there?
The documentary shows the history of the first "factory" created by the McDonald Brothers. After getting rid of all the skaters and shows, they decide to only hire one person to do one task repeatly, over and over again. That way, not only they saved money, there are more foods being produced.
More product means more demands, and the only way to mass produce more chickens for your nuggets, and cows for your juicy burgers. The documentary continues with interviews with a chicken farmer from one of the major factories. Although she may not have a pitch black chicken farm, it still gives a general feeling of what an actual chicken farm is like. The poor lady who is suffering with allergies are force to pick up dead chickens to a pile of dirt. Even she thinks it's important to tell people out there the tragedies of this artifical selected chickens.
The mass production of animals need for food, also means the need to increase animal food. The documentary shows how corns have influnce the cycle of food. Until now, I never knew that corn was in so many common things around us like frutose corn syrup found in many of the cereals in stores. The freaky thing is, it's not only in food, but also in batteries and charcoal.
Futhermore, it's because corn is so easily produced they're being used to feed cows and chickens. At that moment of the documentary, my eyes twitched when I heard that cows don't eat corn. It's not like having a computer programs where you can just adjust its settings as you please. The helpless cow is now being fatten, ship to a meat factory, and be slice and dice for food. What's worse, if these corns were filled with E coli, guess who will be the one them in the end?
That's what happen to Barbara Kowalcyk's son, who was interviewed in this documentary. This woman wanted nothing more but an apology from the food company, and their word to stop producing these food that harms people. Instead of the sincere apology she and her family deserves, she has to take this matter to court.
Those who dare to say anything ill about the food industry or the product they sell will face lawsuit. The documentary shows how even a famous televison hostess like Opera gets a courtorder for saying that she'll not eat a burger after seeing such disturbing events. According to Kowalcyk's the food companies are protected by a different law. In addition, it's because members of Congress, even the president himself, are very close to the food companies. This not only made bills to change the food industry hard to pass, but also many of those laws are abolished.
The documentary turns to the point of view to farmers that do feed grass to their cows. Gary Hirshberg, made an interesting point that he hopes that his food business stays the same. This is because he wants to continue respecting his animals and customers. He questions himself,if he gets caught up in the heat of high demands how would he handle it?
To sum this up, this documentary is not for changing a person's diet. It's understandable with the econemy that not everyone can buy groceries for dinner. Just like the poor family members that regularly buys take out, not everyone can afford a "balance diet". However, whatever we as consumers buy will affect what the food industry puts on those shelves.
Food Inc.'s documentary started with a professional fast food journalist, telling the true horror of the food on our market shelves. It seems people never thought of how those cans, meat products, or any type of food in general--how they got there?
The documentary shows the history of the first "factory" created by the McDonald Brothers. After getting rid of all the skaters and shows, they decide to only hire one person to do one task repeatly, over and over again. That way, not only they saved money, there are more foods being produced.
More product means more demands, and the only way to mass produce more chickens for your nuggets, and cows for your juicy burgers. The documentary continues with interviews with a chicken farmer from one of the major factories. Although she may not have a pitch black chicken farm, it still gives a general feeling of what an actual chicken farm is like. The poor lady who is suffering with allergies are force to pick up dead chickens to a pile of dirt. Even she thinks it's important to tell people out there the tragedies of this artifical selected chickens.
The mass production of animals need for food, also means the need to increase animal food. The documentary shows how corns have influnce the cycle of food. Until now, I never knew that corn was in so many common things around us like frutose corn syrup found in many of the cereals in stores. The freaky thing is, it's not only in food, but also in batteries and charcoal.
Futhermore, it's because corn is so easily produced they're being used to feed cows and chickens. At that moment of the documentary, my eyes twitched when I heard that cows don't eat corn. It's not like having a computer programs where you can just adjust its settings as you please. The helpless cow is now being fatten, ship to a meat factory, and be slice and dice for food. What's worse, if these corns were filled with E coli, guess who will be the one them in the end?
That's what happen to Barbara Kowalcyk's son, who was interviewed in this documentary. This woman wanted nothing more but an apology from the food company, and their word to stop producing these food that harms people. Instead of the sincere apology she and her family deserves, she has to take this matter to court.
Those who dare to say anything ill about the food industry or the product they sell will face lawsuit. The documentary shows how even a famous televison hostess like Opera gets a courtorder for saying that she'll not eat a burger after seeing such disturbing events. According to Kowalcyk's the food companies are protected by a different law. In addition, it's because members of Congress, even the president himself, are very close to the food companies. This not only made bills to change the food industry hard to pass, but also many of those laws are abolished.
The documentary turns to the point of view to farmers that do feed grass to their cows. Gary Hirshberg, made an interesting point that he hopes that his food business stays the same. This is because he wants to continue respecting his animals and customers. He questions himself,if he gets caught up in the heat of high demands how would he handle it?
To sum this up, this documentary is not for changing a person's diet. It's understandable with the econemy that not everyone can buy groceries for dinner. Just like the poor family members that regularly buys take out, not everyone can afford a "balance diet". However, whatever we as consumers buy will affect what the food industry puts on those shelves.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Immigration
Ms. Donna Poisi's blog about different news or articles about how immigrants' lives been affected the United States. One of her post talks about how the large amount of immigrates have dominate small business in New York. In her post about she gave the percentage of immigrants making the wages in small industries, such as restaurants, clothing, laundry, and constructions. In her post, it also mentions the unsafe conditions and poor wages immigrants endure for work. Surprisingly, the percentage of immigrants only makes up 36% of New York's population.
The amount of immigrants trying to make a decent living has always been an issue in America history. Ever since it's known as "The Land Where Dreams Come True" myriad amounts of people starts to come. Since America has a policy to give jobs to foreigners before hiring American citizens, this often leads to unemployment. Hey, who wants to hire someone for $7 an hour, while I can pay $4 an hour to someone that's just grateful finding a job? From reading "Working In The Shadows" it makes me wonder, what are the percent of illegal immigrants working?
--->Link to Donna Poisi's Blog<---
The amount of immigrants trying to make a decent living has always been an issue in America history. Ever since it's known as "The Land Where Dreams Come True" myriad amounts of people starts to come. Since America has a policy to give jobs to foreigners before hiring American citizens, this often leads to unemployment. Hey, who wants to hire someone for $7 an hour, while I can pay $4 an hour to someone that's just grateful finding a job? From reading "Working In The Shadows" it makes me wonder, what are the percent of illegal immigrants working?
--->Link to Donna Poisi's Blog<---
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
A Job In Summer
Sign me up as the delivery girl!
This question was quite easy to come up with an answer, and the reason? Well, my body tends to be really sensitive to temperature. So, I cannot imagine myself working outside under the blazing sun, bending my back, and cutting lettuces. While waiting for my next break which is only 27 minutes, then the cycle repeats. The same reason why I don't think I can last working at the Chicken Plant. Since Winter has never been my favorite season of the year--working inside an igloo will lead me to having hypothermia. So, with those two options gone--I'll bike around and be a delivery girl.
This question was quite easy to come up with an answer, and the reason? Well, my body tends to be really sensitive to temperature. So, I cannot imagine myself working outside under the blazing sun, bending my back, and cutting lettuces. While waiting for my next break which is only 27 minutes, then the cycle repeats. The same reason why I don't think I can last working at the Chicken Plant. Since Winter has never been my favorite season of the year--working inside an igloo will lead me to having hypothermia. So, with those two options gone--I'll bike around and be a delivery girl.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thank you, Mother
My mother is a casino dealer in Atlantic City--full-time in Caesars and part-time in Borgota, she has to work two jobs because she's a single mom trying to care for a family of four. In addition, did I mention that she's planning to pay for my college all by herself?
My mother is truly amazing, the definition of Mother itself. Since my mother works at a casino she has to endure all the crap those gamblers throw at her! All the yelling and shouting when they lose, "Go back to your country!" or "You're trying to kill me! What the f*ck is with you woman!?"
In addition to those harsh words, my mother also have to inhaled second-hand smoke practically everyday, and since the law for forbidding gamblers to smoke while gambling has been canceled, she has to live through hell and beyond just to get a piece of chip for tips. And that also depends on the mood of the gambler--if they feel like it they'll tip you, if not you've just got to hold you tongue and thank them for playing! What's worse it that, it's not like she can keep the tips--she has to share it with all her fellow co-workers, then of course there is the payment cut...Oh god!
It takes at least 5 to 10 minutes to walk to a cafeteria with no food and flooded with other dealers that are wounded and resentful. It's cruel, just too cruel--she stand there all day, only have 25 minutes to take a break, eat, go to the bathroom, or even have a short conversation with me on the phone. It pains me to think what would happen if I missed her calls--how can she continue working without a voice of support? A family?
However, no matter how angry or painful my mother was, she never seem to show it. She continues to be smiling and gentle--her embraces are warm and welcoming. However, even though she doesn't tell me her pain, I can feel it--I can feel it mother. It's because as soon as you return home and have a bite to eat, you immediately amble to your room, change into your pajamas, and drift off to get your six hours of sleep. You won't wake up until dinner starts, and only rarely you actually sit at the dinner table with us, usually we have to pack you a lunch box to go.
Even though her days are repetitive, she still stand strong and benevolent. In the back of her mind, I can hear her--"I'm doing this for my kids, for their future--so they don't end up like me." So no matter what happens, nor heat, nor rain, nor snow, my mother separates her work and private life. She may be a broken punching bag to others that visits the devil's den, but back home--back to her sanctuary, she's an angel that is even warmer than any sun.
Thank you, Mother
My mother is truly amazing, the definition of Mother itself. Since my mother works at a casino she has to endure all the crap those gamblers throw at her! All the yelling and shouting when they lose, "Go back to your country!" or "You're trying to kill me! What the f*ck is with you woman!?"
In addition to those harsh words, my mother also have to inhaled second-hand smoke practically everyday, and since the law for forbidding gamblers to smoke while gambling has been canceled, she has to live through hell and beyond just to get a piece of chip for tips. And that also depends on the mood of the gambler--if they feel like it they'll tip you, if not you've just got to hold you tongue and thank them for playing! What's worse it that, it's not like she can keep the tips--she has to share it with all her fellow co-workers, then of course there is the payment cut...Oh god!
It takes at least 5 to 10 minutes to walk to a cafeteria with no food and flooded with other dealers that are wounded and resentful. It's cruel, just too cruel--she stand there all day, only have 25 minutes to take a break, eat, go to the bathroom, or even have a short conversation with me on the phone. It pains me to think what would happen if I missed her calls--how can she continue working without a voice of support? A family?
However, no matter how angry or painful my mother was, she never seem to show it. She continues to be smiling and gentle--her embraces are warm and welcoming. However, even though she doesn't tell me her pain, I can feel it--I can feel it mother. It's because as soon as you return home and have a bite to eat, you immediately amble to your room, change into your pajamas, and drift off to get your six hours of sleep. You won't wake up until dinner starts, and only rarely you actually sit at the dinner table with us, usually we have to pack you a lunch box to go.
Even though her days are repetitive, she still stand strong and benevolent. In the back of her mind, I can hear her--"I'm doing this for my kids, for their future--so they don't end up like me." So no matter what happens, nor heat, nor rain, nor snow, my mother separates her work and private life. She may be a broken punching bag to others that visits the devil's den, but back home--back to her sanctuary, she's an angel that is even warmer than any sun.
Thank you, Mother
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