Ch: 10: Global Realization

o Why did the author visit Plauen, Germany?
The author visited Plauen because he thought it was a very fascinating place. It was a mesh of old quiet town features and the marks of the great reforms of the 20th century movements.
o In a discussion of fast food corporations why is it important to talk about their oversees
It is important to talk about the oversees operations of fast food corporations because that’s where a greater majority of their profit is coming from nowadays. These oversees operations are also hints into the ever greater Americanization of the rest of the world.
o In foreign countries, what group does most fast food advertising target?
The same as in America the main target for fast food advertising is children. The same advertisers have found the same results in other countries, that children are more impressionable and easier to manipulate.
o In what ways might there be a connection between the obesity rate in America and the fast food industry?
In many ways can a connection between the obesity rate in America and the fast food industry be made. Fast food is generally more fattening than other foods and has become integrated into American lifestyle. Americans can get fast food cheap and it folds into the fast moving pace of Americans very effectively.
o Why is obesity a problem for American society as a whole?
Obesity is a problem for American society because obesity can lead to many health problems. Obesity can lead to serious problems such as diabetes, breast cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes.
o What kind of business is the most frequent target of anti-American protests in foreign countries and what kinds of groups engage in these protests?
The fast food business is more frequently targeted by anti-American protests. These businesses, such as McDonalds, are attacked because of their correlation with American imperialism.
o What did London Greenpeace do to protest McDonald's and what was McDonald's response?
London Greenpeace distributed a six-page pamphlet in 1986, “What’s Wrong with McDonald’s? Everything they don’t want you to know.” This pamphlet accused McDonald’s and attacked it for supposedly encouraging Third World poverty, exploiting workers, selling unhealthy food, and more. In response, in 1990, McDonald’s sued five members of the group for libel, and claimed the pamphlet contained entirely false information. McDonald’s won the suit but the two later won an appeal

Ch. 1: The Founding Fathers

o What restaurant chain did Carl Karcher start?
Carl Karcher started Carl's Jr. He then bought Hardee's in the 90's, expanding it as one of the top 4 fast food resturants.
o Why did General Motors want to buy trolley systems throughout the U.S.?
GM bought trolley systems throughout the U.S. to rip those down, and start putting up bus routes.
o What was the "Speedee Service System" and how was it different from what other fast food restaurants were doing?
Speedee Service System was the first drive through started by McDonalds. All of McDonalds competitors were using Carhops that were having waitresses on rollerskates delivering food to the other resturants.
o What were some of the characteristics of the men who started the fast food industry?
All of the men that started the fast food business were middle school to high school drop-outs. They were all very lucky to have made a business that worked.
o What were some of the other fast food restaurants that were inspired by McDonald's approach to food service?
Burger King, Carl's Jr., and other fast food resturants today all have their own speedee service system, now known as a drive-thru.

AP Classport

Tuskawilla Forest Pics:


Baldwin Park Pics:



Observation: We drove into Baldwin Park from 436, past the Winter Park Pines Golf Course and some older apartments. At first, I wasn't impressed. Then, Baldwin Park appeared. WOW! what a place. Very nice, well kept grounds. A mix of townhouses, houses, businesses. A mix of architectural styles- from Mediteranean to Colonial to Coastal. Cars didn't liter front yards because the garages were behing the houses, accessible by alleys. Very Well labeled streets. Very, very clean; trashcans everywhere. But, I noticed the lack of "individuality" and mature trees. The landscapes and yards, while nice and well kept, were all the same. THe homes are very close together and no one has a decent sized yard. I guess that's why they have "commons" (Grassey areas and a 55 acre park with ball fields and playground. The business district, in the center of the development, had a wide variety of restaurants, shops, service providers, and a Publix. Pools and recreation places are sprinkled throughout. 2 schools, Audubon Park Eme. and Glen Ridge Middle, are located within the development, and Winter Park H.S. is nearby. We drove through B.P on a Wed. afternoon right as the Elem. Sch. let out. School kids walked from school, up through the business, and the hustle and bustle transformed the quiet streets into a vibrant mini-city.

Speculation: I think that Baldwin Park will look like Celebration down near Disney World.

Analysis: After conducting my interview with Realto LaShawn Norden, looking on the Baldwin Park website, and reading the site plan that was submitted to the City of Orlando, I found out that my speculation is correct. Baldwin Park, near downtown Orlando and Winter Park, was created because of the success of Celebration in the late '90's.

Evaluation: I think that Baldwin Park is a copy of the Celebration community. THe location was chosen because of its close proximity to Downtown Orlando and to the Winter Park area. THe "demand" for communities like this is great, especially those trying to live "greener" lives and who are actually able and can afford to "live/work/play" in 2.5 miles.!

Compare and Contrast:
In my opinion, Baldwin Park is a great example of New Urbanism. My definition of New Urbanism is a walkable, mini-city, if you will. By mini-city, I mean, a centrally located downtown (with businesses,shops, restaurants), surrounded by a very compact suburb area, complete with schools and green space. Baldwin Park perfectly what New Urbanism is, and I believe that it successfully accomplished the goals that New Urbanism has created for itself.
I live in Tuskawilla Forest, a neighborhood that is part of Deer Run. I live in a two story house, on a tree-lined street, that has a good-sized yard, with a pool that backs up to a pond in a conservation area. We are very close to Red Bug Elem., TWMS, LHHS, 3 shopping centers, and Red Bug Park. While my house is not brand new, it suits our family very well. We do pay Home Owners Assoc. fees, but not nearly what the residents of B.P. pay each year. Our house is within 2 miles of RBE, Red Bug Park, many fast food & sit-down restaurants, 2 grocery stores, and many shops and service offices (doctors, dry-cleaners, etc.). I live within 3 miles of LHHS, and TWMS. Our neighborhoods also has many churches nearby, which is one thing that I didn't remember seeing in B.P. My Neighborhood also has a large lake, and a small common area where we have Easter Egg Hunts, and other neighborhood events. My neighborhood has many different styloes of homes, but are primarily the same sizes. We don't have any apartments or townhomes in my neighborhood, although inside Deer Run they are there. Deer Run has also has a golf course, although B.P. has the Winter Park Pines course nearby. In my neighborhood, we are responsible for keeping our yards well-kept and our homes in good shape.
Tuskawilla Forest & Baldwin Park have a few things in common, close to shops, schools, parks, a lake, community area, but our biggest differences are the size of our homes, the fees we par, and the cost of our homes. If you want "New", then Tuskawilla Forest isn't right for you.

Fast Food Nation Chapter 9

o Compared with several decades ago, how common are food-related illnesses today?
Food-related illnesses have a huge impact on people. 200,000 people are sickened by a foodborne disease. More than a quarter of the American population suffers from a foodborne disease. It has risen the past few decades.
o How has the centralization of food production influenced the spread of food-related illnesses?
The centralization of food production influenced the spread of food-related illnesses is that McDonald's meat is all the same. A single hamburger patty could be from a hundred different cows, which are shipped all over the world. So, some of the tainted meat would be shipped to different chains, selling their tainted meat.
o What authority does the U.S. Government have to demand the recall of tainted meat?
The U.S. Government has almost no power to shut down a meatpacking company to remove contaminated , ground beef. Meatpacking is made by close ties to Republican members in Congress.
o What are most of the microbes in meat spread by?
Fecal material, like #2 as some people would say, is contaminated into the meat.
o What was the first national hamburger chain & what did it do to try to change the image of the hamburger?
White Castle was the first national hamburger chain. And that was in the 1920's, and people could live off those burgers. McDonalds was unheard of in the 50's. McDonalds hamburgers were ideall food for small children, because it has finger food and it was easy to chew.
o What are the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 on the human body?
THe effects of E. Coli on the human body is by abdominal cramps, watery, bloody diarrhea. It is sometimes accompained by a low fever and vomiting.
o What are some of the ways people can be infected with E. coli 0157:H7?
Some ways that E. Coli came into the body was by Shiga toxins enter the bloodstream, and the cause Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which leads to kidney failure, anemia, internal bleeding, and strokes. Those cases are about 4% of all the confirmed reports. A kidney infection is seen as a base for E. Coli. Most cases are contamineted by undercooked ground beef.
o What kinds of things are fed to cattle, things that might facilitate the spread of pathogens?
Things that are fed to cattle that might facilitate the spread of pahtogens are sprouts, salad greens, cantaloupe, salami, rew milk, and unpasteurized apple cider. THey might have come intact by feces of deer, dogs, horses, and flies.
o How does the risk of contamination for ground beef compare with the risk of contamination of whole cuts of beef?
There are thousands of cows in a single piece of ground beef. If thousands of cows are in a single piece of ground beef, can be transported throughout the country. Contamination for a whole part of beef would be centralized, and you'd know where it is going.
o Why is the author concerned about the use of older dairy cattle to make ground beef?
Older dairy cattle are ceceptible to carry pathogens. Even more cows would be prone to get more and more pathogens.
o How has the meatpacking industry generally responded to health concerns about the nation's beef?
The meatpacking industry respond to health concerns about the nation beef for various reasons. The meatpacking companies that deny any responsibility for what happended, and they say there is never any reason to be concerned about the cattles health.
o What was the Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA?
The Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA was an attempt to maximize the inspection process through which the meat plants had the ability to inspect their own meat. Instead of using an opposed outside force to do it themselves.
o How did the Jack In The Box restaurant chain respond to its outbreak of salmonella?
The Jack in the Box restaurant chain responded to this outbreak by actually having a new outlook on food safety. Jack in the Box became the first of all the other fast food chains to begin to buy meat only from the two meat processing plants that were considered to be most safe.
o What criticisms does the author have of the current recall system for tainted meat?
Schlosser criticized the current recall system for tainted meat because the U.S. government cannot exercise any control or make any recall on their own. The meat packing companies have no obligation to inform the general public of the recall, basically keeping the public out on what was happening. This could possibly lead to E. Coli, and puts the general population at risk for future contaminations.
o What are the advantages and disadvantages of irradiating meat?
The advantage of irradiating meat it kills off all the bacteria in the meat. With every good solution, there is always a disadvantage. A disadvantage to the process is that the companies could potentially ignore sanitation ignorantly believing that the irradiating ability will leave no chance of infection.
o What kind of meat is selected for consumption in public schools?
The meat that is selected and bought for public schools is the more commonly found and cheaper meat. Meat, that really isn't meat, but cheap meat that they can sell for two dollars a burger.

Fast Food Nation Chapter 8

o How does the injury rate in meat packing compare with the injury rate in other occupations?
The injury rate in meat packing is a lot more dangerous than most occupations. There are a lot of safety procedures that they have chainmail on. The last time I've hard about someone using chainmail was in the middle ages. All workers are making about 2-3 cuts a second.
o What kinds of injuries do workers in meatpacking plants typically suffer?
There are many kinds of injuries that the workers recieved during their work hours. They make about 2-3 cuts a second inside a slaughterhouse. After about 10,000 cuts, the knife would feel dull, and can cause pain from the hand down to the spine. It can also place pressure on the tendons, joints, and nerves. Lacerations are also common, since their working with knives. They routinely get stabbed, stab themselves, or acidntally cutting themselves.
o What the impact on workers of speeding up the line in meatpacking plants?
The impact of workers speeding up the live is meatpacking plants is that they are making a higher profit when they speed out the line. Because of market pressures, the companies need to make profits. The faster the line, the more profits that the company are making.
o Why don't more workers complain about safety conditions in the plants?
Most workers don't complain about their jobs because they need the money to support their families. Most of the employees are immigrants that make a ton more than what they would be making. They might earn as much as 30,000 dollars a year, plus benefits.
o What role do supervisors play in the reporting of workplace injuries in meat processing plants?
Supervisors play a role in reporting workplace injuries in meat processing plants. Their role is by not playing a role. The supervisors have relationships with many of the female workers. For the female workers, they are gaining a secure spot in American society, a husband, or an easier jobs at the plant. Supervisors are known for having multiple affairs, and using drugs.
o What does the author describe as the most dangerous type of work in these plants and what kinds of injuries do these workers risk?
The author describes as the worst job in the plant is the late-night cleaning crews. They throw up, and you can use all the soap you want, your not getting rid of the smell. Someone lost an arm, and is now folding towels in the break room.
o What has been the impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs?
The impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs is that they can cover up accidents. If someone lost an arm, they wouldn't write it write it down. In 1985, the OSHA log recorded only 160 incedents, which was off by abot 1,000 percent. They later found out that the IBP lied about their incedents report.
o How has the authority of OSHA changed over time?
When Regan was elected, the OSHA was understaffed and underfunded. Later on, the OSHA had power to close an IBP plant.
o What does the author think about claims that meatpacking plants have a great deal of concern about the health and well being of their workers?
The author thinks that meatpacking plants is a bunch of garbage. The IBP would make the workers who just had surgery or an amputation go to work. The IBP nurses would write down fake logs. They said that the people were cry-babies.
o From a worker's point of view, what are some of the problems with Colorado's workers' compensation law?
The problem of the Colorado's worker' compensation law was that workplace safety hasn't grown serious. If you got a workers compensation, Monfort fired him, even if a worker was with a company for 16 years. He did all the company asked of him. SO, the company will get rid of recuperating workers.

FFN Chapter 7: Cogs in the Great Machine

o What changes did IBP introduce to the meat packing industry?
Changes that IBP (Iowa Beef Packers) introduced to the meat packing industry was almost like the speede line or the drive-thru, as it is called today. Instead of the grass-fed, regular ranching, the IBP made a production system for a slaughterhouse. It was a disassembly line, where one worker would stand in a line, doing the same task over and over again. Thus, reducing a high-paying, back-breaking job, into a job that had no skill workers. The IBP also put slaughterhouses close to the feedlots. They also cut the beef into primals like ribs and loins. When they did that, supermarkets didn't need their skilled butchers. Small processors and wholesalers went out of business when they added grinders to their factories. All these changes transformed the whole beef industry as we know it.
o Why were newer meat packing plants located in rural areas rather than in cities?
Meat packing plants were never located in cities, frankily because if they put those factories in the city, it would be a target for the strongholds of the nation's labor unions. If the plants were close to the nation's labor unions, they would could investigate what they could be doing at the plant. If you laid off workers that are in the union, the union would fight back, so it was only smart to have the union as far away from the plant.
o What were the links between IBP and organized crime?
In 1974, Currier J. Holman and IBP were conviecting for bribing union leaders and meat wholesalers. His links of organized crime in NY. The whole company was infiltrated by the mob basically.
o What has been the relationship between labor unions and modern meat packing plants?
The relationship between labor unions and meat packing plants are pretty bad. Most plants that used to have 40,000 emplyoees, now has 2,000, a 95% decrease. Wages were cut by 40%. 2/3 of the employees cannot speak english.
o How do wages in meat packing plants today compare with wages in the early 1900s, after the workers became unionized?
Wages today are about 9.25 an hour. Today's is about 1/3 of what it used to be.
o How high is the employee turnover rate in the meat packing industry and why don't the meat packing plants see this as a problem?
The employee turnover rate for ConAgra is about 80%. The safety director for ConAgra said in '94, that there was a 100% turnover rate. Although, the employees are at the bottom of the literacy scale, who cannot read or write in any language. A high turnover rate maintains a workforce that is harder to unionize.
o Where do meat packing companies go to recruit new employees? What is the “new industrial migrant?”
Meat packing companies go to Mexico, Central America, and southeast Asia. The new industrial migrants would continue to have the jobs because they are at the poverty line and they need to support their families. The companies don't have to worry about a union growing on their hands, because the migrnts cannot afford to have not have a job.
o What is the impact on small communities of having a meat packing firm?
The impact of small communities of having a meat packing firm is that they town-folk are overrun by migrants, and other workers working for the plants. Lexington, Nebraska, has been nicknamed "Mexingtom" on a few occaisains. The smell is also permeated throughout the whole town.

Fast Food Nation Chapter 6

1. What are some of the problems facing cattle ranchers?
Some of the problems facing cattle ranchers is that the cattle will destroy the pastures adjacent to the farms. Hank, the man that the author meet, had described the forms of ranching. The form he didn't use was "raping the land," in which they would destroy the pastures. He practiced a range management system, which he would have 35 different pastures, and the cattle would spend 10-11 days to replenish the grass after the cattle ate the grass.
2. What impact has the consolidation of the meat packing industry had on cattle ranchers?
The McDonalds meat packing industry erupts a war that would determine the social and economic structure of the west. 5 companes control 55% of the market. The Top 4 meat packing industrys slaughtered only 21% of the cattle in the 70's, but now it 84%. These meat packers own the big feeders lock, stock, and barrel.
3. What are "captive supplies" of cattle?
Captive supplies of cattle is that either maintained in company-owned feedlots or purchased in advance through forward contracts. Meatpackers can flood with their own supplies when the retailers spending on beef per dollar went to 46 cents.
4. What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
The impact of the McNugget on the poultry industry was that chicken growers have become powerless,and trapped in debt. The workforce is incredibly poor, and 2/3 of the american market is owned by 8 different companies. In '79, Fred Turner wanted a chicken dish that didn't have a bone in it and was the size of your thumb. McDonalds corporation was the second-largest purchaser of chicken in the US.
5. What are the conditions or terms of business under which most poultry farmers operate?
The conditions for most poultry farmers is extremely poor, and the poultry is turned into a manufactured, value-added product. Chicken growers provide the land, labor, the poultry houses, and the fuel. The farmers have to borrow money to build the poultry houses. That cost about 150,000 dollars. They might earn 12,000 dollars a year.
6. How does the nutritional value of a McNugget compare wih that of a hamburger?
The nutritional value of the McNugget appeared to be healthier than the other items. The McNuggets healthbenefirs were an illusion. The McNugget has a "fatty acid profile, that is more like beef than poultry. It has 2X as much fat than a hamburger.
7. Why would small independent cattle ranchers be afraid to speak out against the practices of large meat processors?
Small independent cattle ranchers are afraid to speak out against the practices of large meat processors is that there is fewer cattlle that are sold, and the beef can't be exported. The slaughterhouses require a large volume of cattle to operate. According to the book, "your competitors are our friends, and our customers are our enemies."
8. Which type of cattle rancher is currently facing the greatest economic difficulty?
Ranching families are land-rich and money-poor. The median age of ranchers is about 55 years old. The land remains private property, but can't be turned into a place for human activities.
9. How does the suicide rate for ranchers and farmers compare with the rate for U.S. citizens in general?
Ranchers were under extreme stress from the economic forces that bankrupted independent ranchers. Ranchers suicide rates are 3X higher than the rest of the national average.