Fedoroff Response

W10

Nina Fedoroff believes genetically modified foods are doing more then they are harm on American society. She believes that genetically modified foods are in fact healthy. She points to research done by the European Union, and the FDA and even independent scientific research. Fedoroff feels that genetically engineered foods are more profitable for the farmers then organic foods. She points out that farmers are still using genetically engineered seeds, because the produce a better yield then the organic seeds.

I agree with what Federoff has to say about genetically modified foods being safe to eat. We have been genetically modifying food for thousands of years now. "Omnivores Dilemma" pointed out how corn was genetically modified from a strain of Mexican grass. It took hundreds of years, but eventually the Aztecs were able to genetically modify corn from grass. That is to this day the greatest feat of genetic modification in the history of Humanity. It is also absolutely true that foods that are genetically modified on the molecular level are just as safe as foods that are genetically modified through breeding methods. However is the safety of genetically modified foods the real issue here.

The real problem with genetically modified foods is the politics behind these foods. Genetically modified foods may be producing more profits for these farmers on the surface, and the corporations, like Monsanto, producing these foods, and patenting the formulas for these genetic modifications. As we saw in "Food INC" farmers can no longer reuse their seeds. These corporations have patented these seeds to the point that farmers can't even use the seeds that their crops produce. The farmers have become completely dependent upon Monsanto. Monsanto now control over ninety percent of the soybean market.

When she talks about how regulation would help the little gain traction amongst the super size corporations like Monsanto; she is being to broad with her assessment. Certain regulations crush the "little guy." These patents need to be addressed. I don't understand how it is legal for Monsanto to do what they do. Monsanto doesn't only force soybean farmers to become dependent on their products; they actively look to bankrupt farmers with lawsuits. Monsanto sends people, who resemble the thugs Al Capone would use to perform hits; to investigate farmers to find out is they are trying to save their seeds. Not only that, but also these thugs also does immense harm to farmers who aren't even growing soybeans.

When I lived In Missouri I knew of farmers who were bankrupted, because seeds blew over from nearby fields and started growing on their land. The thugs who work for Monsanto found their crops growing on their land and immediately brought lawsuits against these farmers. These farmers did absolutely nothing wrong, and they are being put out of business because of the hundred plus mile per hour winds in the state of Missouri.

If our food industry weren't this political business that it is we would not have these problems. Genetically modified foods created the politics we have to deal with, and maybe that is something we should consider. 

Bottled Water

W9

Being that I was raised Catholic my entire sense of morality is based upon guilt. Growing up my family always had what is known as the rice bowl in the center of the dinner table. Every night at dinner my sister and I would put a dollar in the rice bowl, and at the end of lent the money would be donated to starving children in another country. However this soon turned into just a way for my mother to make my sister and I feel guilty for not finishing our food. "I bet the starving children in China would love to have that food you didn't eat," my mother would say. Still to this day I cannot stand to watch people waste food.

           

America however has picked up an even more despicable, wasteful habit than wasting food, bottling water. Bottled water is the end of western civilization, as we know it. It has already caused two thirds of the United States acquire obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Americans are now evolving to the point where we cannot drink the tap water or else we get sick.

           

What cracks me up the most about bottled water, is the people who buy bottled water. On any given day go to a While Foods. Whole Foods, the store where smug, excuse me; socially conscience people go to shop. I will be willing to bet you, dollars to doughnuts, that half of the people who walk out of that store will have a case of bottled water in their cart. My question to these people is that if they are so socially conscience that they realize that we are better off spending three dollars for a dozen eggs then why can't they see the backwards, counter intuitive nature of purchasing bottled water.

           

If these people are the social activists they say they are. Then why don't they actually go and fight for healthy tap water in our communities. Just like food aid, bottled water is nothing more then a bandage, a finger in the dike, and the other cliché that I cannot think of at the moment. There is absolutely no reason that in the twenty-first century, forty years after we put a man on the moon, that we cannot have acceptable drinking water coming out of our taps in our homes.

However the water is acceptable to drink. People in other countries don't treat their water nearly as much as we do in the United States, and most of those countries have longer average life expectancies. We as Americans have evolved to the point that we cannot drink the water! Allow me to repeat we have evolved to the point were we             CANNOT DRINK THE WATER! What happens when earth finally does get hit with that solar flare the Mayans were talking about, and the grid shuts down, and anarchy becomes the norm. We won't be able to drink the water, because we have become pussies. So next you are holding that crinkly, overpriced bottle in your hand, Remember you are contributing to the downfall of America. 

Obetty's Review

W8

In January O'betty's opened up a new location on Union Street across from Buffalo Wild Wings. Those who are still nostalgic about the old location have nothing to worry about, because for the time being both locations will remain open. The new location is much bigger, so it can seat more people. It is also closer to campus, which hopefully will bring in more revenue.

The first thing I noticed when I would walk into the old O'betty's was the cleanliness, or lack they’re of cleanliness. To be fair the old location is extremely small, and the kitchen is pretty much in the dining room. It would be extremely difficult to clean up after all of the grease, which ends up being carried over into the lobby and dining room. I was ecstatic to see how spotless the new location is. It should be much easier to keep the new location clean, because the kitchen is now clearly separated form the dining room.

The added size of the new O'betty's location also makes it a much more comfortable place to sit down and eat. Even in a party of over ten people I, and the rest of my party, were seated comfortably at one table. The old location was so small that I would have never imagined sitting down and eating there. It was definitely the type of place where one would order food to go. Hopefully the original location will stay opened, and be used as a to go only sort of restaurant.

The decor in the new location is not very different form the original location. The theme of the restaurant is still a 1930s burlesque show, and the decorations used are quite tacky and cheap, but tacky and cheap in a delightful sort of way. Whether this was done intentionally or not, the decor matches the college town culture of Athens. Leopard print car floor mats were stapled to the back of the booths, and plastic flowers were draped over the light fixtures. It reminds me of the way every single college student’s apartment is decorated. The furniture however was quality furniture, so you never had to worry about falling out of your broken chair, or having the table break, and food being spilled on your clothes. It may seem like a silly thing to worry about, but it has happened to me.

The service was also adequate. It may have taken a bit longer than it would have taken in the old restaurant, but I think that is appropriate because this is now a proper sit down restaurant. The prices stayed the same to, and I thought they were very reasonable. It may seem expensive for a hot dog, but we aren't talking about your average hot dog.

That finally brings me to the food. I had the Wow-Wow; it was the special of the day. It was an all beef hot dog topped with lettuce, tomato, red pepper mayonnaise, and jalapeños. I found it to be absolutely delicious. The hot dog alone was of very high quality, and all the toppings were fresh. It was the first hot dog I ever ate that seemed healthy, and actually made of proper meat.

I think O'betty's is the best Athens has to offer and recommend everyone stops there at least once a week.

Food Inc. & the Persuasive Power of Film

W7

As far as whether or not one film can persuade someone to change his or her lifestyle. I absolutely think a film can do that. We watched super size me in this class and after that film was released, McDonalds did away with supersize portions. McDonalds obviously believed that a film could encourage people to change their lifestyles. 


I am not sure this is the appropriate question to ask though after watching this film, at least when I look at my situation. I am a college student, and I have a meal plan. I can only eat the food that is put in front of me. I do not know for certain were Ohio University gets their food from. All I ever see is the signs posted all over the dining halls, saying, “Ohio University is one of the most vegan friendly campuses.” I don’t have the time the money or the resources to find out were the food served to me in the Shively dining hall comes from. You and I both know that that last statement is load of horseshit. The truth is none of us care enough to find out were that food came from.

            The film was definitely persuasive. There is absolutely no way a person can watch that movie, and not think the food industry is out to get us. The way the filmmakers related to the audience is what made the film successful. Nobody on the side against the food industry wore a suit, and they also seemed to be living very modest lives. They also featured a family that was struggling to make ends meet. This family was very easy to relate to. The film showed haw the family had to grocery shop. It showed hoe the family was forced to buy the cheaper less healthy food because they could not afford to eat healthy. As a college student I could certainly relate to this family. I feel like I have no choice when it comes to what I eat.

            Another persuasive part of the film was the organic farmer. The purpose he served was to show that it is possible for small farmers to make a profit, and be successful. Even though this small time organic farmer was operating at a severe disadvantage compared to the big time industrial farms. The farmer’s attitude also made him seem like a hero. He said he didn't want to become bigger; he did not want to expand. He felt that as soon as his farm became a bigger operation he would look at his customers a different way and his product in a different way. His values and character helped sell the film by making it seem as if most people who are fighting against the food industries’ cooperate empire had the same high level of character.

            Documentary films have certainly persuaded me in the past. Hoop Dreams, a film that follows two boys path through high school as star basketball players, changed my opinion on sports. It made me feel that these children were being treated as commodities. All well made documentaries have the power to persuade, The question is does the audience have the will to act?

Pick It Up and Eat It!

W6

            Considering how obsessed Americans have become with greasy food that is loaded with saturated fat. It amazes me that we as a nation are having what can only be described as obsessive-compulsive disorder, when it comes to our food. Americans have forgotten were their food comes from, we have come to associate our food with sterility. Americans have forgotten that every French fry we eat was once buried in the ground, and every piece of beef we eat walked around in it's own feces its entire life. So, what is the big deal if one is to eat a little bit of food that has been dropped on the ground? I do it all the time, and I rarely get sick. This obsession has led to us as a people completely destroying our immune system, wasting ungodly amounts of money, and completely losing site of our priorities.

            America has become so obsessed with this impossible with this completely unreasonable standard of cleanliness when it comes to our food that we get sick if even the most minute change occurs. Don't misunderstand we do need to maintain some level of cleanliness, when it comes to our food. However, we have evolved to the point as human beings where we can no longer drink the earth's water. Yes, we need to buy water that has been distilled and filtered, or else we get sick. We can't even drink the water that has been treated in the water treatment plants.

            There is no greater evidence to how screwed our American priorities have become than bottled water. We as a society will turn a blind eye to the water mismanagement in our own communities, a mismanagement of our own tax dollars, and we will invest in bottled water instead of making sure our communities have proper healthy drinking water.

            I hope the day the grid fails never comes, because we can't even drink the water! A solar flare could come at any second and take out our power, then what. We all die because we can't drink the water! The late great George Carlin once said, "If I drop food on the floor. I pick it up and eat it!... Even if I am at a sidewalk cafe!... In Calcutta!... The poor section!... On New Years morning during a soccer riot!"

America's Fast Food Obsession

W5

America's obsession with fast food has become part of our identity, the negative side of our identity of course. Is there any better example for foreigners to point at, when looking to prove how fat and lazy Americans are? We go and buy cheap unhealthy food without even getting out of our cars! Imagine explaining the idea of drive-through, to the run of the mill Vietnamese eleven year old, who spends his thirty-two hour shifts sewing sneakers.           

            Billy-Bob, "What I like to do, is wait in my car for hour so someone can hand me                                                  disgusting food through a window. Because I am to lazy to get off my fat ass and go inside."

            Phan, "Okay, are you going to turn off the car."

            Billy-Bob, "No"

            Phan, "Does the car get good mileage?"

            Billy-Bob, "No, of course it doesn't get good mileage. It's an American car."

The Drive-through truly is an American phenomenon. Even the way we often see it spelled suggests lazy, "Drive-Thru." I wonder how hard the drive through sign painters union fought to not have to paint those last three letters.

I traveled to Vancouver Canada a few years back. I went there to go skiing, and wasn't really expecting any major cultural differences. I mean it's Canada, our brothers to the north. How different could this place be? The first difference I noticed was no drive-throughs. Even the Wendy's along the highway didn't have a drive through.

I think the drive-through speaks to how willing Americans are to sacrifice quality for quantity and convenience. There is a British Car show called "Top Gear," and on one show they reviewed a Cadillac, the premier American luxury car. The host pointed out that Americans don't seem to understand luxury, and when Americans want to make something more luxuries all we seem to do is make it bigger.

I guess that is why we have decided to make ourselves bigger. There seems to be hope though. American cars are starting to get smaller, and restaurant portions are also slowly getting smaller. Though, it would be sad if one-day iconic American fast food were relegated to the Smithsonian.

American Food

W4

Appetizers

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese

            Just look at our economy.

            $0.25/A receipt form Freddie Mac

Soups

Gumbo

            Just like America, all of 19th century immigrant food customs shoved into one             dish.

            $5.00/an Ancestory.com account

New England Clam Chowder

            The only way to get a New Englander to stop running their mouth!

            $5.00/A black eye from Fenway Park

Dinners

Spare Ribs

            One pound of the fatty muscle between a pig's ribs; slathered in sodium rich             grease. How did America become the fattest nation?

            $11.00/Hypertension

           

General Tso’s chicken

            The Chinese dish that no Chinese person has ever heard of.

            $8.00/We can serve you an authentic Chinese dish. You don't want to know what             Chinese people really eat.

Wild Alaskan Salmon

            This fish is caught in the same place, and at the same time Grizzly Bears are             fattening up for hibernation!

            $11.00/A badass mountain-man beard

Beverages

           

Light Beer

            Every Americans most important weight loss tool

            Free, we know this stuff is worthless.

Covered Oven

W3

If you ever wondered what it was like to attend Boarding school; feel free to ask me all about it. Yes, I attended Maur Hill Mount Academy, in Atchison Kansas, for both my sophomore and junior year of high school, and no, we did not wear blazers, penny loafers or plaid ties. We did however live at the school in a dorm, where we were only allowed to walk across town to the girl's dorm, or across the street to Wal-Mart.

            Much like prison cigarettes and food became currency. The favorite bartered item, after cigarettes, among borders was Tostinos pizza rolls. The only issue we ever had with the pizza rolls was, that we didn't have an oven in the dorm. We only had a microwave. Anyone who understands "pizza roll-ology" knows, that if they are cooked in a microwave they become soggy. They become soggy because a microwave works, by heating up the natural moisture within the food. This is why one would not be able to dry their clothes in a microwave. On the other hand, an oven simply heats the food. An oven cooks much slower, but the simple heat dries out the pizza rolls; creating a crispy pizza substance filled shell, instead of a soggy mess.

            My roommate, Ryan, found soggy pizza rolls to be completely unacceptable, so he searched for a way of creating that crispy, hot, and delicious pizza roll shell we all pined for. Well, Ryan found a way. I have no idea how he came up with this, but Ryan was a quite the pothead, so his mind was always working differently. His love of marijuana probably also explained his obsession with pizza rolls.

            Ryan taught me to first, turn the heater in our dorm room up to full blast. Next, He would place the pizza rolls on the heater, no more then twenty. Then, He would place a towel, preferably one you did not just use to shower, or something else high school boys like to do. Finally, leave the pizza rolls there for about ten minutes. I could not tell the difference between my heater, and a real oven.

My Only Home

W2           

            Growing up my family was always moving. In fact I have never lived in one place longer then three years. Home for me is not a house or even a city. Home is the food my mother cooks and our family traditions.

            One dish really defines my family, and it is the only dish that my mother has never changed, snake meat. Now, snake meat, is not meat from a snake; it is simply beef, flank steak to be precise. The name "snake meat" came to be because I was a very picky eater when I was a child (fortunately I have grown out of that). My parents tried everything thing to get me to eat anything besides bread and cereal. They became so desperate that they began changing the names of recipes I had already tried and decided I didn't like, and since the flank steak came from the butcher shop tied in a sting, my mother told me it was snake meat. The second time around I laved snake meat. For the rest of my life every Monday we had snake meat. Every time my teachers asked what my favorite food was, I said snake meat, and since we moved many times I ended up telling many teachers I liked snake meat, and many times my mother would have to explain to child services what snake meat really is.

            The first thing I asked my mother when I moved into my first apartment was, "How do I make snake meat?" I was amazed at how simple snake meat is to cook.

            - 1 lbs Flank Steak (Snake Meat)

            - 3 tsb Ketchup

            - 3 tsb Soy sauce

            - 1 tsb oil

            - 1/2 tsp garlic salt

            Mix the four ingredients together. Evenly coat the meat with them in a broiling             pan. Let sit for an hour, and broil at 500 degrees 3 minutes per side. The inside             should be dark pink and cool.

America's Dish

Week 1

When asked, what is America's signature dish? Many tend to draw a blank. They might say hamburgers, hot dogs, or apple pie. America thought is not like the rest of the world. Our nations borders were not drawn along at mountain ranges like they are in Europe. Our country isn't an island nation like Great Britain. The United States is vast nation and separated by topography. Our country is also one of the few countries in the world, with a significant population of every ethnic group in the world living within its borders. Food is not only a reflection of culture but also probably the greatest connection a person has to their culture.

            This is why Pizza is the signature dish of the United States of America. Pizza is a versatile dish that can be cooked and served many different ways. There is Brooklyn style, Chicago style, and the less popular St. Louis style. On the West coast people have the nerve to put chicken and bar-b-que sauce on pizza, and even the Hawaiians have come up with a signature pizza recipe. All these different styles reflect the different culture.

            Brooklyn style pizza is authentic. New York was the place many immigrants landed, and many of them never left, therefore there food reflects that. If you were to imagine the most basic and simple pizza it would probably be a Brooklyn style pizza. 

            Chicago style pizza is heavy and filling. If you were to spend one winter in Chicago you would understand why their pizza is so heavy. The heavy meaty toppings also reflect the tough image many associate with Chicago.

            On the West coast you will find pizza recipes you never even thought existed. Many of the recipes would go as far as offending many east coast Italians. But these wacky recipes that all these Californian surfers have come up with, reflect the liberal artistic creative culture California is so proud of.

            All these different styles of pizza are great in their own way, but there is one style to avoid. St. Louis style pizza, this is what happens when Germans try to make pizza. I am saying this, as someone who lived in St. Louis for two years and loves the Cardinals. St. Louis style pizza, consists of a communion wafer thin crust, light red sauce, and provel cheese. Provel cheese tastes like a mixture between Velveeta and the paste we all used to make paper mache in kindergarten.

            Besides all the different styles pizza also crosses all ethnic boundaries in the United States. It is almost every child's favorite food, and you will be hard pressed to find an American who hasn't eaten it. Italy can have spaghetti, because nothing is more American then pizza.

Fitting in Through Food

My name is Jimmy Roller, I was born in Ohio but I have moved many times. I have moved ten times and lived in six different states. I my experience, one of the easiest ways to connect with an area you have just moved to, is through food. A walk around a local grocery store can reveal more about a region or city then any chamber of commerce. Regional food can give insight into the history, culture and core values of particular region.

 My family recently just moved back to Youngstown Ohio. I walked through the grocery store, and I noticed an entire aisle devoted to olive oil. I had never seen so much olive oil. I looked at all the different types of oil from virgin toe extra virgin, clear bottles to dark bottles and Greek to Italian olives. I finally turned to an old Italian lady standing behind me and asked the difference between the different types of oil. This woman went on to explain what I assume was Einstein’s theory of relativity. Even thought many words coming out of this women's mouth passed over my head. I did however realize how rich Youngstown Ohio is in Italian culture.

Before Moving to Youngstown I lived just outside Kansas City Missouri. In Kansas City instead of having an entire aisle devoted to olive oil, there was an entire aisle devoted to bar-b-que sauce. I learned in school that Kansas City was the central hub of the beef industry in the nineteenth century. It makes sense that the city built by beef is in love with the most red meat oriented style of cooking in the world.

I also lived in Mississippi, bayou country. The bayou is most famous for Cajun food. Crawfish and Catfish are the most common meats used both very cheap. Once my parents were having work done on their house. One of the workers asked if he could catch the crawfish in the creek on our property. My family had no problem with this so we of course allowed him to fish our creek. After he was done he told us how embarrassing it was to ask if he could fish our creek, because when he was young crawfish was "poor food," and it was shameful to admit that you ate crawfish. That stigma has mostly disappeared from the Deep South, but Cajun dishes do serve a reminder of how difficult life once was in the south.

I would not have taking the time to understand food cultures of the different regions I have lived; It would have been even more difficult trying to fit in as the new kid. Food is an easy way to connect with others because it is such an essential part of our lives. Eating is something everyone does, yet we all do it very differently.