Monday, September 29, 2008

Blog #4

Ø What is your plan to get involved on campus? What are your interests? Will you or have you joined any student organizations? Which two events besides UNITED & Career Major Fair do you plan on attending?
I'm thinking about starting to do some volunteering and I might check out that Superior Edge program. I haven't joined any organizations yet because when I'm not at school I'm working and when I'm not at school or work I try to save free time to go out with my friends and relax. Once I find a balance between everything I will probably start looking into joining some type of organization. Besides going to UNITED and Career Major Fair I plan on going to a hockey game and I aleady attended a football game.

Ø Fast Food Nation - Chapter 6:

Ø What are some of the problems facing cattle ranchers?
Ranchers are facing rising land prices, stagnant beef prices, oversupplies of cattle, health scares about beef etc. (pg. 136)

Ø What are “captive supplies” of cattle? (“The four major meatpacking companies now control about 20 percent of the live cattle in the U.S. through ‘captive supplies’” (138). (See also p. 142).
Cattle that are either maintained in company owned feedlots or purchased in advance through forward contracts.

Ø What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
Most chicken used to be sold whole, but today in the U.S. about 90% of chicken has been cut into pieces, cutlets, or nuggets. The invention of the McNugget helped change the American diet and the way we raise and process our poultry.


Ø How does the nutritional value of a McNugget compare to a hamburger?
McNugget's contain twice as much fat per ounce as a hamburger.

Ø How does the suicide rate for ranchers and farmers compare with the rate for U.S. citizens in general? Why?
The suicide rate among ranchers and farmers is three times higher than the national average.
Farmers are facing huge rises in land price and they end up selling their cattle at break even prices or even at a loss. They are facing alot pressure to make money and support thier families in very competitive marketplace.

Ø Do you feel as if there is any healthy fast food available to consumers? If so, where and why? Give specific examples of products.. Please be honest and support your opinions.
I agree that subway has healthy food and Quiznos also does as well. I work at Quiznos so I know that the tomatoes, onions, cheese, and meat are all freshly cut each morning. They have a veggie sub and a veggie sammie that is very healthy along with other items. I also think Togo's is pretty healthy. I would think they slice thier own veggie's their but I'm not sure. Other than these types of fast food restaurants I don't think any others are "healthy."

Monday, September 22, 2008

Blog 3

Ø Describe your ideal Instructor/Professor.
My ideal Professor would be someone that not only lectures, but provides examples and explains difficult concepts in detail. They would also be someone that I would feel comfortable with asking questions and going to them after class to ask them about anything I don't understand.

Ø “I knew it when I studied it, but I forgot it on the test.” How can students study differently to prevent this from happening?
Instead of just reading over notes and reading the book it helps to look at pictures and diagrams of things we are studying. It's also a good idea to do the practice quizzes some of the books provide after each chapter. Making flashcards also helps.

Ø How do you study for quizzes/tests?
I go over all of my notes and if I don't understand something I look it up in the book. I also look at all of the pictures in the books. I also split up the material I have to study into different sessions and after I'm done studying that stuff I always try to either write what I remember down or say it out loud.

Ø What do you have trouble with on quizzes/tests?
Sometimes when I don't study all of the material in depth I think I'll just be able to guess easily on the test. Sometimes I can, but I've come to realize that now I can't really rely on that. I also noticed that on tests when I come to a question I don't know I waste alot of time trying to think of the answer. Instead I should just mark it and come back to it later.

McDonalds Letter:
Well after reading that letter it's safe to say I will never be applying at McDonald's. I can' t believe how these so called managers are treating the rest of the employees. Just because they wear a different color shirt and sport the badge that says "manager" doesn't give them the right to favor some employees and treat others like crap. Other than that bothering me the fact that in the letter he said that when he dropped one of the spatulas on the floor and then just wiped it off grossed me out. I was also disgusted to find out that when the health inspectors came thats when they decided to freak out and start cleaning. I'm sure McDonalds sees more customers a day than any other fast food restaurant so I think they should be obligated to be the cleanest.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Ø Reiterate a term or concept you learned in Anatomy this week.
Red bone marrow:: It is found in the proximal epiphysis, flat bones - like the skull and clavicle.
Produces blood cells.

Ø List a few pleasant events that happened during your first weeks at NMU.
I met a few new people and I got a good grade on my anatomy lab quiz. I've also got my schedule memorizized and I've become familiar with the campus and my professors.

Ø Where do you want to be (academically) in six months?
In six months I hope I've passed all my classes with a grade that I'm happy with.

Ø List habits you already possess that make you successful in college.
Well I take pretty good notes and I make sure to study all of the concepts that are going to be on a test that I have the next day.

Ø List habits (timewasters?) you can change or modify, or need to lose.
I need to stop doing my homework in my room because I just always end up watching tv. I need to stop going on facebook all the time too.

Ø Explain how you approach studying your a) textbook and b) notes.
Almost every night I look over my notes that I took from my lecture that day. When I'm going over my notes I also look at the diagrams in the book so I can better understand what I'm reading.

Ø Explain how you determine what to write down in notes during lectures.
In anatomy I basically write down everything he talks about. In chemistry I write down everything that she has on her powerpoints and in math I write down some of the practice problems she puts on the chalkboard.

Ø Watch this short 1980’s McDonald’s commercial. McD’s reps have actually claimed they do not target children in their ads.. Pay attention to the tagline: “The Hamburglar is very clever and very sneaky!” Why is this ironic?
This tagline is ironic because this is the kind of commercial that would catch the attention of kids not adults. Children probably loved those little cartoon hamburgers and after they saw the commercial they probably asked their parents to bring them to Mcdonalds.

Ø Over the last several decades, fast food companies have aggressively targeted children in their marketing efforts. Should advertisers be permitted to target children who lack the sophistication to make informed decisions and are essentially being lured into eating high fat, high calorie food through toys and cute corporate mascots?
Advertisers have no right to target children in their ads. Young children don't realize that these types of comercials are made specifically to lure them into wanting to buy thier food. If they like the commercial or the toy you can receive with every happy meal they are going to want to eat there because they don't know any better.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Ø List your own quote, favorite saying, song, or other expression of your feelings today.
Well there is four words that basically explain how i'm feeling today. --I feel like crap. I've been sick for about the last week and I just started feeling worse the other day. I wanna go out with my friends, but I know if i do i'll just end up feeling worse tomorrow. Not to mention I also have to go to work at 5. Oh well hopefully tomorrows bettterrr.

Ø Now that you made it to NMU – why are you here?
I'm here to hopefully get accepted into the Radiography program.

Ø How did you choose this school? I chose this school because it's in my home town and it has the program I am interested in. I also felt like it wasn't my time to move away from hometown yet.

Ø List initial observations of your new environment.
Well it's alot different from high school thats for sure. I love the fact that everyday I meet or see someone new.

Ø List initial observations of your classes.
I was suprised to see how many people were in my lecture classes. I didn't know they would be that huge. Butttt I do like the fact that my lab classes and my math class are smaller because it makes it easier to ask questions.


Ø What observations have you made about other students?
Most of the students I've met have been pretty friendly and alot of them have some of the same concerns I do about things that are being taught in class which is nice.

Ø About your instructors?
I have two instructors that I really have to pay attention too because it's hard to understand what they're saying, but other than that they all seem pretty nice.

Ø What do you think will be your biggest challenge(s) academically this semester? I think I might have a hard time with my anatomy class. It's going to be alot of memorization which I might have a hard time with.

Ø Finally, name one goal (personal, academic, etc..) you have for yourself next week.
I've been having a hard time understanding what my math teacher is talking about so next week I want to plan on going to her office and talking with her and asking her questions about what I need help with.