When reading the articles in the packet we received today, I got kind of angry. I don't believe we are living in the dumbest generation, but what do you guys think? I would really like to hear your opinions. :)

Community College Kids, please read!

This article is alarming and worth your time. Please read
Students vexed by community college placement tests

Go to the Cerritos College website, then go to the Assessment link, and check out the requirements:
http://cms.cerritos.edu/assessment-center/requirements.htm

Long Beach City College has started testing already:
http://matric.lbcc.edu/signup.cfm

I recommend that you practice!  There are practice exams online.  See me if you need help!

Hello everybody! It's coming closer and closer, graduation is almost here! Less than two months away so lets keep up our work ethic and stay motivated. We cannot slack off now, before you know it we will be out in the real world. Keep working guys!

Fast Food Taking Over

It seems like in today's day and age that the main food source for a quick bite is fast food restaurants. It's like fast food is taking over as that resource that almost everyone has experience with. I know that the fast food industry sales are going up and these places are just getting more popular and making more money. I am not saying that you can never have fast food, you can but you just have to have separation from getting it all the time. Having it about two to three times a month is not bad but having those same amounts during a week span. Yes that is a bad thing. What is that these fast food places have? Is it how it tastes or is it the price? What I think it is both. I think that the quality of the food and how it tastes plays a really big factor because for most people they want there food freshly cooked and nice and warm. I also believe that the prices that these fast food restaurants charge helps their cause. The dollar menu and the big combo's you can get for a cheap price is not helping around the world especially in America. I believe as nation we need to stop this problem of more people coming obese because of fast food taking over some people's lives. I hope to see it stop within the next ten years and just have to wait and see what happens.

The Final Product

As I double check and print my research paper, I literally feel like I have gone through a journey.  To be honest, I have actually learned so much about my topic.  I did not know what to expect when we started the "food politics" unit.  I really was not sure if I would like writing about this topic, but in the end, I really benefited from it.  During my junior year, I kept a food and fitness log to keep track of my diet as well as the workouts I did.  I was a huge health activist for myself, but as time went on I would splurge on more fast food and I slowly stopped working out.  Why?  I am not sure myself, but after doing this research paper, it made me regret stopping.

Truth is, I have a family member who is obese and it is terrifying.  When he was in elementary school he would eat excessive amounts of food during each meal, but every day he would throw it up.  He is fifteen year old, being 5'4" and over 300 pounds.  Fortunately, there have not been any uncovered serious health issues, but that does not mean it will never happen.  After everything I have learned through writing this research paper I will definitely talk to my family member about his situation.  Obesity is literally life or death situation, but it is also a situation that could be avoided.

What about why we SHOULDN'T eat insects?

Do you guys remember watching this and cringing about it in class?

The thought of eating insects—simply unbearable to the Western mindset. How ridiculous would it be to serve these creepy crawly creatures in our renowned food establishments?! I know right.

Well, I personally could not imagine myself sticking a fork into a plate of insects and putting that into my mouth, and I was annoyed at the fact that Marcel Dicke's argument was so compelling. Yes, annoyed. Annoyed because he was right. It would be highly efficient and beneficial to the environment if humans were to just get their protein from insect meat; however, I was intrigued at the possibility of a strong counter argument to this belief. What could be the negative consequences of eating insects?

I am definitely no scientist. I am speaking off of a wannabe-creative high school senior mind. But I looked into the other side of the argument and found a couple of ideas that needed answers as well:

1. Although six million species of insects currently exist in the world, there was also once an abundance of chicken, pork and beef in our world. Insects are everywhere, but if we consume them, won't our supply eventually decrease as well? It is not a permanent, but only a temporary solution.
2. Insects play a vital role in biogeochemical cycling. In other words, they play an essential role as pollinators of flowering plants and many of our agricultural crops such as almonds, apples, cherries, cucumbers, squash and more. By consuming insects as protein, possibly at an exponential rate since we are suggesting this an issue for the entire world, we could be sacrificing our other sources of nourishment in our to satisfy our protein.
3. Our inexperience with cooking insects could lead us to improper preparation, as well as wrong judgment in what insects are edible. There could be people that are put to risk due to our lack of knowledge about them.
4. There are other protein sources! Not just insects! A cup of soybeans provides 28 grams of protein, accounting for more than half of the recommended daily value. Your peanut butter and jelly sandwich has protein: two tablespoons of peanut butter has 9 grams and your bread gives 7-10 grams.

Like I said. I'm no genius. None of this could be valid, really. But wouldn't it be possible that we could continue to live without having to eat insects in our future? Do any of you have any thoughts on what we could do to prevent ourselves from having to eat insects? Or would you be fine with it?

Not My favorite Topic

To me, this research paper was the hardest paper to write so far. It wasn’t because we had to write five pages or because we had to do a lot of research, but simply because I didn’t like this topic. It was difficult for me to find what I was going to write about, and I just couldn’t focus on it at all. Food really isn’t something I care for very much, and it’s clear in my essay. I know my essay isn’t exactly the best, but after rereading it I just can’t figure out how I can make it sound more interesting. If I’m not interested in the topic, I feel that my essay will reflect it. Did anyone else have this sort of problem, or am I the only one?