Fast Food Nation: Intro, Ch 1,Ch 2 & Ch 3 Questions

Ch 3: Why haven't fast food workers unionized and what tactics have management used to defeat union efforts?
The workers are disadvantaged workers and have little to no experience on creating unions. They also have only that one job working at the fast food restaurant and don't want to risk loosing it. If the fast food restaurant wants they can also fire the person creating a union and risk everything.  The tactics will just shut down the union with many strategies (going through a lie detector) that will make the worker stop or stop trying. The worker (most likely a teen) will want to have an easy job and make money for themselves rather than making no money at all.

Ch 2: Discuss the fast food industry's marketing to children and explore the ethics of targeting children, especially as they relate to advertising in schools.
I think that targeting children is great for creating profits for themselves. Nobody has to worry about it, but the parents who choose to go with their child to buy McDonald's or any fast food. They have the nutritional facts so people know what their putting in their bodies. When it comes to advertising it can also increase the economy. It is a great idea to advertise in schools where many students will be. I'm glad that the owners know who their target is but until someone has something against it and they do something about it, it will keep happening.

Ch 1: What elements of Southern California "culture" contributed to and encouraged the development of fast food restaurants?

The fast food was an influence  to open up more restaurants. It started with just one restaurant, but now it has grown to where just going down the street and you see different varieties of restaurants that want business to be good and customers to buy their food. 
  
Intro: How is the 'American world view' embodied in the fast food industry?
The "American world view" is something that now includes fast food. It has been involved into our culture with all these different cultures already. Fast food is becoming part of American life and causing us to become fat lazy Americans. We have made ourselves work less and less when getting fast food and having a speedy service. The owners want food flying out of their kitchens and that is also making us worse. 

Source 4 - New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, Becoming Largest State to Pass Law

Article 4

New York has decided to pass the bill on allowing same-sex couples to marry in the summer ('11). There are still those who oppose it and do not accept it. But there are those too who are glad that it is finally being recognized and something being done about it.

Source 3 - New York State Senate Votes Down Gay Marriage Bill

Article 3

Source 3 talks about the New York senate debating about not passing the gay rights bill. They said it would be good, but then they decided to reject the bill since it wouldn't get a lot of results.

Food, Inc. (Extra Credit)

Central Argument: Large corporations are the ones in control of 80 % of the market. They are giving us food full of petroleum-based chemicals and have killed many people. The corporations don't ever recall anything until after many have died and contaminated with a bacteria (Escherichia Coli). Many people are outraged by these corporations continuing business without doing anything for the loss in families.

Assertions:

• Everything is dependent of corn. Companies encourage farmers to grow even more corn. (There is also soy beans and other things) Ex. Food for stock, high corn syrup, ketchup, etc.
• The chickens are grown in  48 days now compared to 70 days before
• Food at a local grocery store is much higher than that of a drive-thru. As to where it should be the opposite since it takes more money for corporations to produce than local farmers. 
• There are not a lot of companies in this market
• People think that consumers are not confident on what they eat.

Opinion:  I think that people should be rational and think about the long run. These corporations have done so many wrong things. The first mistake was not telling the public about these things in their products and not stopping them. People from the government have prevented the workers of these corporations to the consumers on what really goes on behind the scenes on their products. It is even against the law to criticize the products. I think that's stupid.

Source 2 - Cuomo Urges States to Allow Gay Marriage

Article 2 

1. Gov. Cuomo wants to pass the rights to gay marriage. He wants every state in the US to pass gay marriage so it will be equal, "We need equality in every state in this nation".
2. The author claims a neutral opionion, but makes an argument about how Gov. Cuomo wants to right for equal rights.
3. Assertions: "We need equality in every state in this nation".
   Qualification: Federal Defense of Marriage Act need to be repealed.

Nov 3, 2011 - Hw

Pathos: 

 After the events of 9/11 many of us felt insecure in our country. We also started to blame others around us. 

Ethos:

People always seem to trust McDonald's to serve them and also because of their convenient locations all around cities. People go to McDonald's frequently to buy their food. 

Logos:

 The Census Bureau has many examples to show how the U.S. has grown and proven to help maintain our population. Every ten years they check on population growth along with households.