Classport.

Me in front of my house.

Kaila and I in front of the model home in Baldwin Park.

Observation

-Outside, many people are walking their dogs, jogging with iPods, and riding bikes. There is a Publix, a small day spa and private practice doctor offices. There is nice landscaping throughout and high-class cars. Inside of the model home, it looked very organic and is painted warm colors. It was very modern and had nice electronics such as flat screen TV’s throughout the home. They also had a small mp3 device that plays music in the different rooms in the house. In the kitchen there were marble counter tops and stainless steal appliances. The house was very family oriented because it had an alarm system and had a “Jack and Jill” bedroom/bathroom. The house was also very “green” because they use low energy windows. The backyard had a huge fireplace, sitting areas, and plants and bushes. Although the houses are very close together, it is well disguised in the backyard.

Speculation

-We think Baldwin Park is located where it is because it is in the perfect location. It is very close to downtown Orlando and has beautiful views. It also overlooks a lake.

Analysis

-Based on the interview, Baldwin Park is in the location it is today because it was very cheap land that the mayor could buy. After the land was bought for only one dollar, construction started. Today, many new homes are being built and new construction is starting.

Evaluation

-Baldwin Park is in its location because it is very close to downtown and has an abundance of land for new construction. Because they have a lot of new land, the buyers can tell the builders exactly what they want and every home will be unique. Also, Baldwin Park has close access to the three schools the children are zoned for.

Baldwin Park VS Forest Brook

-Although the two neighborhoods have similarities, they also have some differences. Most of the homes in Baldwin Park are two stories high while in my neighborhood, they are mostly all one story. Also, there is more property that each home has in my neighborhood and almost every home has a pool. In Baldwin Park, the homes are in close and so they do not have enough room for pools. In Forest Brook, you almost have to take a car to each store, but in Baldwin Park, most of the stores are in walking distance.The type of people are also different. There are many older people in my community but in Baldwin Park, there are many younger couples and young families. The last major difference is the construction of the houses. In Forest Brook, many of the homes are older and do not have any new construction. But this is very different in Baldwin Park. Baldwin Park has almost all new construction.

Chapter 1. "The Founding Fathers"

Why did General Motors want to buy trolley systems throughout the U.S.?
-General Motors wanted to purchase trolley systems throughout the U.S. because they wanted to turn them into bus systems. GM purchased more than one hundred systems. All the tracks were dismantled and ripped up for the new bus lines.

What was the "Speedee Service System" and how was it different from what other fast food restaurants were doing?
-The Speedee Service System used drive-ins instead carhops. While other fast food restaurants still used carhops to deliver the food, McDonald's used the drive-through method. Instead of having busboys, dishwashers, carhops, waitresses, etc. the restaurant used the customer. The customer only have to drive up to the window to receive their food. McDonald's found it easier to use drive-through rather then have knives, spoons, plates and everything else that is essential to have a meal. Instead, the customer just has to grab their food and go!

What were some of the other fast food restaurants that were inspired by McDonald's approach to food service?
-Many other fast food restaurants were inspired by McDonald's approach to fast food. One example is Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers. Wendy's was established by Dave Thomas. Some other restaurants that were inspired also included Burger King, Jack in the Box, and even Taco Bell.

Chapter 10. "Global Realization"

Why did the author visit Plauen, Germany?
-The author visited Plauen, Germany because he found Plauen to be very fascinating. Eric Schlosser says the countryside around Plauen in very lush and green and that some of the older buildings have real charm. He also says the people are very open, friendly and unpretentious. But, he also says they were somewhat cursed.

In foreign countries, what group does most fast food advertising target?
-In foreign countries, fast food targets children. The fast food companies most likely target children because if a child grows up eating fast food, it will most likely be hard to break the habit when they are adults and they will continue to eat fast food.


Why is obesity a problem for American society as a whole?
-Obesity is a huge problem for American society. Heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer are very serious and can be developed in an obese person. Heart attacks and strokes are also prone to obese people. Being obese can also bring early death to a person. Obesity is a hard thing to cure. It is often a physiological illness too. It is very dangerous to be obese and the fact that McDonald's and other fast food restaurants keep making their meals the way they do is unfortunate.

Chapter 9. "What's in the Meat"

What was the first national hamburger chain & what did it do to try to change the image of the hamburger?

-The first national hamburger chain was White Castle. Because hamburgers at first had a bad reputation, White Castle placed their grills directly in view of their customers. They also said their ground beef was delivered fresh twice a day. White Castle is a name with connotations of purity and White Castle even was sponsored at the University of Minnesota.

What are the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 on the human body?

-Some of the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 on the human body are severe abdominal cramps and can be followed by water, and then even bloody diarrhea that then subsides within a week or so. The diarrhea can sometimes be accompanied by vomiting and a low-grade fever.

What are some of the ways people can be infected with E. coli 0157:H7?

-Some ways people can come in contact with E. coli 0157:H7 are swimming or drinking fresh water or seawater or even consuming a tiny piece of uncooked meat from a hamburger. E. coli 0157:H7 can live on kitchen countertops and moist environments. Person-to-person transmission can also transmit the bacteria.

Chapter 8. "The Most Dangerous Job"

How does the injury rate in meat packing compare with the injury rate in other occupations?
-The injury rate is about three times higher in a slaughterhouse then in any other occupation. Every year, about one quater of the meatpacking wokers in the United States alone (thats about 40,000 men and women) suffer from in injury realted to a meatpacking job.

What kinds of injuries do workers in meatpacking plants typically suffer?
-The types of injuries workers at the meatpacking plants usually undergo are lacerations. The workers often stab themselves or even stab a worker nearby to them. Tendinitis, back and shoulder problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, and even "trigger finger" are some other injuries workers get while working at a meatpacking plant.

Why don't more workers complain about safety conditions in the plants?
-Many workers will not complain about the saftey conditions in the meatpacking plants because they are mainly scared and presured to not report any injuries. Often times, a company will offer annual bonuses to plant foreman and supervisors who do not report any injuries. Also, if a worker agrees to not report an injury, a supervisor will temporarily be switched to an easier job in the plant.

~I think this is very wrong of a company to do because if a worker is really hurt, they should not delay to pay a visit to a doctor. Sometimes, a condition can worsen if it is not treated. By the company doing this, it is very unsafe and should not be legal.

Chapter 7. "Cogs in the Great Machine"

What changes did IBP introduce to the meat packing industry?
-The new system of IBP depended on cheap and powerless workforce. When the fast food era was just beginning, IBP became the meat packing company that had "fast food mentality, obsessed with throughput, efficiency, centralization, and control" (page 154) A.D. Anderson says, "We've tried to take the skill out of every step." (also on page 154) I feel Anderson is trying to say that IBP is limiting the amount of education needed to be a meat packer.
What were the links between IBP and organized crime?
-The links between IBP and organized crimes were bribes. IBP and Currier J. Holman were tried and convicted in 1974. They were tried for bribing union leaders and meat wholesalers. The Judge who convicted them, Judge Burton Roberts, fined IBP seven thousand dollars but did not punish Holman.
What is the impact on small communities of having a meat packing firm?
-Meat packing firms have had a strong negative impact on small communities. Crimes rates run extremely high and illegal drugs are being distributed near meat packing firms. For example, in Nebraska, a town named Lexington was a "Norman Rockwell" type of painting. There were picket fences and lush shade trees. Then, a meat packing firm was opened. The town then had crimes such as drive-by shootings. There were also illegal drugs being sold and dispersed. Small towns also started to have a nasty smell. One Lexington resident says they have three types of odors, "burning hair and blood, that greasy smell , and the odor of rotten eggs." This seems very unfortunate to me because this once ideal town has been turned into a dump because of the location of the meat packing plant.

Chapter 6. "On The Range"

What are some of the problems facing cattle ranchers?
-Many of the problems cattle ranchers are facing today are those that are economic problems. There are rising land prices, oversupplies of cattle, and health scares of beef. Also, poultry is now in higher demand then ever. The beef industry is nothing as it is compared to the poultry industry. Because a pound of chicken only costs half as much as a pound of beef, chicken is at a much higher demand.

What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
-The Chicken McNugget was a huge success in the poultry industry. Within one month, McDonald's became the second-largest purchaser of chicken in the United States. The president of ConAgra Poultry said, "The impact of McNuggets was so huge that it changed the industry." (page 140) In 1992, Americans consumed way more poultry then beef for the first time ever. The McNugget also helped Tyson Foods. The nuggets made the company the world's largest chicken processor.

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 because the ranchers were afraid of retaliation and economic ruin. If they were to speak out against the larger companies, the companies would no longer buy the ranchers' cattle. Fearing they will be in an abundance of trouble if their cattle are not being sold, the cattle ranchers bite their tounges and do not speak our against the large companies.