Fences

This play has been my favorite play to read by far. "Fences" is the first play this semester that I have been able to just sit down and enjoy start to finish. One aspect that I really liked about this play was that it was all of the references to sports and comparing the philosophies of sports to things in life. For example, when Troy is telling Rose about his extramarital affair and the baby on the way, the only way that he knows how to explain it is by comparing the situation to baseball. He states, "But.. you born with two strikes on you before you come to the plate. you got to guard it closely...always looking for the curve-ball on the inside corner...I stood on first base for eighteen years and I thought... well, goddamn it... go on for it!" (409).

Baseball is such an important part of Troy's life and all of the references throughout the text make that very clear, however it was really driven home in this particular part of the play because when something was really tough for him to talk about, the only thing he had to refer to to help him explain how he was feeling was baseball. I believe this is why Troy was so protective of Cory when he wanted to pursue his dream of playing football. Troy saw how important it was to Cory and didn't want him to be upset if and when his dreams didn't come true. I definitely don't agree with how he handled the situation and think that it was very selfish of Troy to do that to his own son, but at the same time I guess we can see that he is doing it out of love as well.

Overall, now that I think about it, I think all of the sports references are what made this reading so enjoyable for me. Sports are a big part of my life so I can relate to the play in that regard. Very good play though! Enjoyed it a lot!

The Theatre of the Absurd

The play "Krapps Last Tape" was definitely an interesting play, and the supplementary reading for this play definitely helped me understand the logic behind it. Theatre of the Absurd presented some very interesting concepts, but I'm not sure that I necessarily really appreciate the art of the theatre of the absurd.
One part that really stuck out to me was when they were quoting "The Myth of Sisyphus" saying, "A world that can be explained by reasoning, however faulty, is a familiar world. Bur in a universe that is suddenly deprived of illusions and of light, man feels a stranger." This line stuck out to me because it really made me think. I think that there is definitely some truth to this. In this world, we are always trying to find reason, find excuses, or just find a justification for everything in our lives. We are comfortable when we are able to explain something with logic and reason, but as soon as we aren't able to do that we freak out. This isn't necessarily a good thing I guess. I feel like we should be able to accept that there are just some things in life that happen cannot be explained and supported by logic. Some things just happen, and I think that everyone would do well to remember that every once in a while. (Including me!)
So although I found the concept of the theatre of the absurd very strange, I was still able to take a little something from it!

Krapp's Last Tape

The play "Krapp's Last Tape" is written in a much different format than any play that we have seen or read thus far this semester. I believe that this play would be very interesting to see because of the different ways it would apply the elements of theatrical production. I think that it would be particularly interesting to view the acting and sound elements at a theatrical presentation of this play.

The acting would be different than anything because in this play honestly there isn't a ton of acting. It is more so the audience relating the actor who is sitting on stage with the voice they are hearing on the reel of tape from Krapp's past. How would he sit on the stage? How would he take on the personality of Krapp without actually having a lot of lines or doing much as far as moving around the stage? It would be very important for his characters entry to make a big statement about what kind of man Krapp is. Although I am not quite sure what kind of man he is or what is exactly wrong with him but he is clearly disturbed. It would be critical that this is portrayed correctly, despite the very minimal actor-audience interaction and the very short running time that Krapp's character has with the audience.

Sound would also be critical and important to how this play came across. The sound of the tape recorder would obviously be a huge component of this production. Research would have to be done on what a tape recorder would sound like at the time that Krapp is using one. Volume and clarity of this sound is also important so that the audience can hear exactly what is going on. Since the majority of the play is sitting and listening to Krapp's tape, this would be the most important sound element in bringing this play to the stage.

I think that it would very interesting to go see a production of this play and see how the director decided to use the elements of acting and sound to bring this play to life. Overall, not my favorite play. It was kind of hard for me to understand, but I do think the concept of the play was very cool. I think I would like it better if I could have seen it on stage rather than reading it from the book.

The Cherry Orchard

I thought the plot of the most recent play we read The Cherry Orchard presented some very interesting concepts. I believe the most interesting concept is that this play could be interpreted through both a dramatic and tragic point of view. While reading the play, there are lots of elements that definitely add comedic value. For instance, the parties and champagne drinking are always accompanied by comic lines by the characters. For instance, in the beginning of the play on page 284, Firs is celebrating the return of Luibov and her daughter Anya he explains, "Young flibbertigibbet...They're all back from Paris... In the old days they went to Paris too... had to go the whole way in a horse and buggy..." He is using fun language and laughing and joking with all of the other characters giving that moment a very light and happy mood. He again uses the word "flibbertigibbet" on page 300 after talking about the good old days but at this moment it isn't quite as happy. This word was used in two completely different concepts and coveys two different moods each time it is used.

Despite the moments of comedic scriptwriting in the play, the overall plot of the play left me feeling like this was definitely a tragedy. The ending is quite depressing in my opinion and i was a little bit confused why the author chose to end the way on such a low note. Although the author gives you reason to think that the play might end up happy and the orchard might be able to stay standing, it ends up being chopped down and everyone has to leave. I don't understand why this play is entitled "The Cherry ORchard / Comedy in Four Acts" when it ends on such a depressing note. I was very confused. Otherwise I felt like this was a really good play and I enjoyed reading it.

The Importance of Being Earnest

I really enjoyed reading this play The importance of Being Earnest. It was definitely different than any play that we have read thus far in this class in that it had a very light and airy plot. It was also much easier for me to read than any other play that we have read yet and that made it much more fun and enjoyable. The characters in this play all had very exaggerated and different personalities. My favorite character though, was definitely Jack/Earnest because he presented the most complex personality. The double life that he lead and the lack of information we get about his childhood help build up the anticipation what was going to happen when the truth was finally revealed.
I also really enjoyed the overall plot of the play because the author was able to use very few characters and make it simple and very fun to read. When a plot gets too complicated with too many complex characters entering and exiting the play throughout, it makes it very hard to follow and I find myself unable to focus and uninterested in reading any further. Also, when the language is hard to follow, i have a very hard time motivating myself to continue to read. (like for instance in Othello). By using only a small number of characters and even a smaller number of complex characters, it made this particular play simple and fun!

Othello

The playwright "Othello" was very different than anything that we have read thus far in the semester. The way that it was written made it very difficult for me personally to follow, but there were a couple of concepts that I found very interesting while reading. Even though Shakespeare wrote this play in the 1500’s, there were a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the goings on presented in “Othello” and things that are still happening in society today.

The concepts of betrayal, lying, and manipulation are obviously been components of societies for as far as we can look back in time. Iago’s plan to ruin Othello’s marriage ends up being put into motion only by sneaking behind Othello’s back and betraying Othello’s trust in him. Although his evil plan wasn’t all that easy for me to follow in the format that it was written it was easy to understand that the concepts and issues are still alive and well today in our society. There are still issues with friends stabbing friends in the back, betrayal of spouses, and manipulation of trust.

Along with of all of these terrible things often comes terrible misunderstanding, which is seen clearly in the end of this play. When Othello finds the handkerchief, he assumes automatically that Cassio was the one that had betrayed him and that Desdemona had been having an affair. His assumption leads him to make a terrible mistake that then causes him to take his own life. This is something that is still seen today. Misunderstandings definitely happen on a daily basis which is why it is so important to be sure of the facts before you do something that you might regret in the future.

Poetics

In the reading that we had assigned this week by Aristotle there were a lot of interesting things that I learned about tragedy. One line that really stood out to me though was a line towards the end of the reading. "...but when the tragic acts come within the limits of close blood relationship, as when brother kills or intends to kill brother or do something else of that kind to him, or son to father or mother to son or son to mother- those are the situations one should look for..." (93). This quote, I think, does a really good job of summing up what tragedy really means and what makes the best kind of tragic event. Granted, there can be tragic natural disasters and tragic murders done by a stranger onto someone else, but when that tragedy is done onto someone that is very close to the victim, that act sends a much stronger message. Like in Medea, it sends a much stronger message to the reader that Medea murders her own children than it would if some stranger or non-related character were to carry out the deed. Soap operas present another great example of this idea. When thinking about the plot of a soap opera, often times the dramatic events that lead to conflict in that soap opera are murders or betrayals within family and close friends. There is hardly ever a tragic event that involves a complete stranger. Overall though, I think it is very interesting and fascinating that even since Aristotle's time, not much has changed about how authors produce a great tragic plot.

Medea

This play is much different than any play that we have read thus far. It is a true tragedy that is exaggerated and presented in almost a fantastical matter. I really enjoyed the way that this play was written and would like to read more plays like it. It also brings up some very important and serious issues that for some people are dealt with in everyday life. The concept of abandonment is obviously a very prominent aspect of this play. For Medea, this sense of abandonment leads to her mental unstableness and eventual insane drive to get back at her husband for leaving her and her two children. It shows just how fierce the effects of abandonment can be. The love she felt for Jason overshadowed the love she felt for her children. It was interesting how Euripedes portrayed this concept because i feel as though this is something that is extremely uncommon. In fact, I believe that the opposite is true for most women who have husbands leave them. The love they have for their children is often times the only thing that keeps them going from day to day and the only thing that keeps them sane. This then also brings up the debate of whether the mother or father has a stronger bond with their children. Clearly, if Jason just up and left his wife and children to be with another woman, the feelings that he felt for his new wife overcame the love that he had previously felt for Medea and his kids. I believe that the connection that a mother has with their children is so personal that it is much harder to break. Not to say that it should be easy for a father to abandon his children by any means, but there is something to be said about actually giving birth to a child and the personal connection that helps to form between a mother and child.

Obviously this is an extreme case of feelings of hatred and revenge towards someone else taking over a person, and it is quite an unrealistic scenario, but it brings up some very powerful and interesting issues that need to be brought to light. Although none of us hope to experience such pain in our lifetimes, it is important that we realize that there are much healthier ways to handle a situation like this than the way Medea handles it.

Theatre 120 Response 2: Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” is a very complex and interesting play. I really enjoyed reading it for a lot of different reasons, but one of the most relevant components that contribute to the complexity of this play is the concept of time. It comes up in many different ways directly and indirectly. Of course, there are the very obvious changes in time when Willy’s perspective switches from the present to the past. I thought this was a very interesting dynamic of the dialogue and plot. It was strange to get used to the fact that the reader is not really given any sort of exposition in the beginning of the play. And although at the beginning I didn’t think I would like it, I ended up enjoying it. It was kind of like the entire story was unfolding before your eyes and you’re given clues and background information throughout the story instead of at the beginning. It was like discovering little secrets! Additionally, it helped develop Willy as a character and helps the reader understand why he is the way that he is. I also enjoyed learning about the scenery today in class. I think that the scenery used in the stage production of “Death of a Salesman” was ingenious! It was very cool how they used the production element of lighting to set almost the entire scene for the actors. Although it really isn’t something that is thought of for scenery, it was a simplistic and fantastically easy design that worked perfectly with how Miller wanted this story to be portrayed.

Theatre 120 Response 1: Fires in the Mirror

Anna Deavere Smith's Fires in the Mirror was unlike any play that I have read before. The concept of one actor or actress portraying twenty-six different characters in one play seemed interesting, but once I started to read the play, I was not a fan of the format. I thought that the way that the information was presented was very choppy and extremely hard to follow. In the beginning of the play, it was hard to tell how the information all was fitting together. I did not like that we had no information about what types of questions were asked in the interview and what prompted the response that we were hearing from the author. Towards the end of the play though, I liked that we were actually getting information from people that had witnessed the accident and were getting different perspectives on what had actually gone on that day. Although I did not enjoy the format at all, I did however like some of the individual characters and stories. The story "Hair" as told by the Anonymous Girl was one of my favorites. I felt like it really spoke to some of the interracial issues that we are still dealing with today. Additionally, I enjoyed the "Heil Hitler" story. It really put into perspective the magnitude of the hatred and feelings of anti-Judiasm going on during this time in this are. Overall, I would say that this was definitely not one of my favorite plays and wouldn't really be interested in reading another play in this format.

Peer Response to Matt's Post: Prepare a Meal

Matt recently published a post about his experience with preparing a meal and how he felt about Michael Pollen's ideas about the circumstances that lead to the American public's acceptance of a "flood of damaging innovations...such as low-fat processed food".

In his post, he describes how he went about gathering necessary ingredients, preparing, eating, and cleaning up after his meal of an egg white sandwich, oatmeal, fruit, and toast. He did a good job of painting a picture of how he went around his kitchen doing all of the necessary things to prepare this meal and describing how he felt during and after eating this meal.

After talking about his meal, he described how he felt after eating. He was amazed that his meal was actually as healthy as he was told that it was and although it wasn't originally what he had planned on preparing, he was very satisfied with how it had turned out and was proud that he had prepared such a healthy meal, or so he thought. He goes on to describe how he felt about the ideas presented in Chapter 1, section 7 in Michael Pollen's In Defense of Food. Although he believed that he had just eaten a really healthy breakfast, he realized that some of the foods he had eaten weren't as healthy as he had thought. For instance, the fruit that he had eaten had been exposed to various chemicals while they were being grown. He believed that after reading this chapter, he better understood what Pollen had said about Americans and food, and felt that he realized that he wasn't eating as healthy as he should be most of the time, and that he could make a better effort to eat healthier on a more consistent basis.

Additionally, he linked his post to an article entitled "Take a Look at the Chemicals in Processed Foods". As the title suggests, it talks about all of the chemicals involved in the processing of foods. I believe that this was a good article to include in his blog post and enhanced the overall quality of his post.

Post 5: Prepare a Meal

For this blog post, we were required to plan and prepare a meal for ourselves, along with other people if we chose to. I decided that I would prepare spaghetti with meat sauce, a salad, and some garlic bread for my family when I was home one weekend recently. The first thing that I had to do was go to the store to get all of the ingredients that I needed. I made a list of the ingredients before I left to go to the store. The list included: spaghetti noodles, canned sauce, ground beef, lettuce, dressing, bread, butter and garlic salt. When I arrived at the store, it was relatively easy to find all of the things that I needed because I shop at the grocery store near my house often.

Once I was home, it was time to start preparing the meal. I started to brown the ground beef on the stove in a large pan, and started to boil a large pot of water for the noodles. While the meat was browning and the water was starting to boil, I melted butter and mixed in some garlic salt to put onto the bread before I put it into the oven to cook. By the time I had finished with the garlic bread and put it in the oven, my water was boiling and my meat was brown. I put the noodles in the water to cook, and stirred the canned tomato sauce into the browned meat to simmer and warm up on the stove. While the noodles were cooking, I washed and chopped the lettuce for the salad, and placed it in a large bowl. When the noodles were done, I strained them, put them back into the pot, and took the garlic bread out of the oven. Then we were ready to eat!

We all grabbed our plates and piled them up with food, then headed to the kitchen table. We all sat down, said grace together, and enjoyed a family meal. We always have great conversation at the dinner table as a family, and I always have a great time when my entire family gets a chance to sit down and eat all together. Since my brother and I are both away at college, we don't get to do it very often, so it was fun to be able to prepare a meal for everyone when we were all home.

After we had finished eating, everyone rinsed their dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. My mom helped me clean the pans and everything, and we put them back where we had gotten them from in the kitchen. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal and thought that it was delicious! I was thoroughly satiated, and it seemed as though the rest of my family was as well.

I think that every step of the process made the entire thing much more fun! I really enjoy going to the store and buying ingredients for a dinner, and even though it wasn't anything special, it makes the meal feel more personal than going out and buying a pizza or going through a drive-thru to pick up the food. The fact that my entire family was able to sit and eat together also made the dinner much more enjoyable. It is always a great time when we all get together and have time to catch up with each other.

I definitely agree with Michael Pollan's statement that the acceptance of "a flood of damaging innovations...such a low fat processed food"has affected the eating habits of Americans today. Many of us are looking more for convenience and quick dining rather than spending the time to prepare and sit down and enjoy a meal, especially when we are dining alone. I believe that this over-emphasis on convenience and easy to eat processed foods has had an effect on the amount of people that are spending time to sit and eat with their family. I grew up eating a family dinner together almost every night of the week, no matter how busy everyone was, and I believe that it was a really important part of my childhood. Eating dinner together as a family is very important. As stated in an article entitled Family dinner: The value of sharing meals, it is stated that "sharing family dinners sets the stage for us to value our family relationships, rather than take them for granted," and this is the perfect way to describe why family dinners are so important. More Americans feel they need to spend more time with their families, and eating dinner together is a great way to start.

Peer Response to Erin's Post 2: "Real" Food vs. "Fake" Food

In this blog, we were required to talk about how we felt about the "real" food vs. "fake" food debate, and describe one food that we personally used to consume in it's "real" form and now consume in it's "fake" form.

Erin described how she used to eat fresh squeezed juice that her mom used to make with their juicer from various fruits and vegetables around the house. After the prices of fresh fruit went up and the excitement of the new juicer faded, her family found V8 Fusion juices to be a much more convenient source of fruit and vegetable juice blends. She goes on to tell us how although V8 Fusion juices claim to be made from 100% juice, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are nutritionally equivalent to 100% fresh squeezed juices that you can make in your home with fresh fruits and vegetables. The article that Erin found goes on to further explain why fresh squeezed juices cannot be replaced by V8 Fusion juices made from fruit and vegetable concentrates.

I believe that Erin did a very good job with this post. It was easy to read and easy to follow, and it was informative without being too long or rambling. I agree with the opinion that Erin has about fresh squeezed juices. The nutritional value of fresh squeezed juice far outweighs the fortified form that V8 Fusion juices, and lots of other juice products, come in today.

Post 4: "Real" Food vs. "Fake" Food

Since I have arrived at college, my eating habits have changed pretty dramatically. I no longer have the luxury of a home cooked meal every night or being able to hold a whole pantry of groceries or a fridge full of fresh food. Most of the time, I have to eat food that is mass prepared by the university through the food provided to freshman in the housing food plan. Much of this food, like I stated earlier, is served in mass quantities. Therefore, it is easiest for the university to provide food by using previously prepared meals or food in a much more processed form.

One of the foods that I used to eat in it's "real" form was scrambled eggs. Eggs have been said to have many *health benefits, and I really like them so I wanted to continue to eat them when I came to school. I used to have them nearly every morning before school, and made them myself. Now, through housing food, I eat the scrambled eggs prepared by the university that have been made using a powdered egg. The "fake" eggs are much more rubbery, a brighter yellow, and have less of a distinct flavor than a "real" scrambled eggs would have. Although "fake" eggs provide a lot of the same vitamins and nutrients as "real" eggs, these nutrients have been added in after processing of the powdered eggs, and aren't the natural vitamins that would be found in the "real" eggs. So, even if the powdered eggs claim to be more nutritionally valuable than real eggs, the nutrients in the real eggs will may ultimately be a little better for the body than the man-synthesised vitamins and minerals that are added back into the powdered eggs. Although there isn't much of a difference nutritionally, I still prefer the "real" form of eggs.

I definitely will return to eating the real food as soon as I have my own place to cook them in! I personally enjoy "real" food much more than I enjoy their "fake" counterparts, and can't wait until I have the means to make and store some "real" food in my apartment!

*this article briefly describes the health benefits of including eggs in the diet. Although it doesn't mention powdered eggs, lots of the information found in this article applies to both "real" and "fake" eggs.

Demonstration Speech Self Evaluation

For my demonstration speech, I chose to teach the class how to prepare a fruit smoothie. I think this speech went really well and I was able to fulfill all of the requirements for this assignment. When I first introduced my topic, I felt I did a good job of showing how being able to make a "healthy and simple" breakfast was relevant to my audience consisting of all college students. Throughout the speech, I also thought that it was well organized and easy to follow. I went through and explained each step, and then proceeded to perform whatever task I needed to perform to complete the step and move on to the next.

I was pretty comfortable in front of the class, so I think that I spoke clearly and with good volume so everyone in the audience could hear and understand me. Although it's hard to get excited about making a fruit smoothie, I think that my enthusiasm was relatively decent too. My eye contact was consistent and good, and although I couldn't see myself on tape, I believe that my body language was pretty relaxed and comfortable as well. I was able to effectively demonstrate how to make a smoothie to the class and my visual aid, I think, was easy to see and the process was easy to follow.

I would definitely choose the same topic again. I think that it was definitely a topic that was relevant and was easy and fun to make. I believe my visual aid and my speech were both good and wouldn't have really changed anything about either of them, but if I were to re-do my speech, I think that I would have cut some of the strawberries up in class instead of bringing them all cut up before class. I think that this would have added a little bit more of a visual interest to my speech and enhanced my visual aid. Overall though, I am happy with how my speech came out and I thought I was able to successfully demonstrate how to make a fruit smoothie.

Peer Response to Zac's Post 1: Prepare a Meal

In this blog post, we were required to prepare a meal, describe the stages of the meal (including planning, shopping, preparation, and consumption of the food), and respond to Michael Pollen's opinion of how he feels eating has become something that is more focused on worrying about what we're consuming rather than enjoying the food while we eat it.

Zac went to the store and bought a gourmet meal of boxed mac n' cheese and hot dogs with mustard and ketchup. After going to the store, he prepared the meal in his dorm building's kitchen, and ate the food after he was done preparing it. He explains how he felt that the entire process was very easy, and that he felt extremely satiated and satisfied with his meal after he finished eating. In response to Michael Pollen's opinion on modern eating, Zac explains that he agrees with what Pollen states in the book, but felt that he was not personally affected in this way. He claims that he just enjoys his food and tends not to worry about what he is eating. He also stated that as a kid, he always sat and enjoyed his food with his family at nightly family dinners, and thinks that because of this, he is able to not worry necessarily about what he's eating, but about enjoying the eating experience.

I believe that Zac did a really good job on this post. He covered all parts of the assignment and was able to get all of his points across in a clear and concise manner. I agree with what he has said about Michael Pollen's opinion about eating. I also believe that eating has become something that people have started to worry about more than actually enjoy. Eating should be enjoyed and is an experience that should be shared with friends and family.

Post 3: Analysis of a celebrity endorsement

Over the past few years, CoverGirl has utilized Drew Barrymore as a celebrity endorser of many of their new products. Most recently, Covergirl released a commercial where Ms. Barrymore is endorsing a variety of new make up products called "lash blast length" mascara, "smoky shadow blast" eye shadow sticks, and "shine blast" lip gloss and color (this commercial can be viewed here on Youtube.com). In addition to endorsing new products, she also promotes the website covergirl.com. There is a feature on this website that allows you to "match your department store shades [of makeup] for less".

In my opinion, I believe that Drew Barrymore is a great endorser for CoverGirl. She is able to successfully promote the products. By advertising her face as the face of CoverGirl, she is promoting her own popularity as well. I think that she is definitely an appropriate choice as a celebrity endorser because she is a very well known and easily recognizable figure in the public eye. These commercials have been wildly successful in the past, and I believe they will continue to be successful in the future for both CoverGirl and Drew Barrymore. I think this success can be attributed to both Ms. Barrymore's public popularity and the fact that she is generally very well liked by the viewing population, and CoverGirl's growing popularity. CoverGirl's popularity can be linked to many things including multiple celebrity endorsements and the image that you can "get the look for less" by using CoverGirl products. Especially right now, during economic hardship, advertising that any product can give you the same results as a more expensive option for less is probably going to have some success.

In this article on msnbc.com, Drew Barrymore's selection as the new CoverGirl model is discussed. It goes over the story of how the company came about choosing Drew as one of their new models, and how Drew felt about being asked to become a CoverGirl. She was excited and exclaimed that she "loved the chance to play with makeup and try modeling". I completely agree with this article and loved hearing about Drew's opinion on the whole situation. Overall, I think that Drew Barrymore is a great celebrity endorser of CoverGirl products, and think that these advertisements will continue to be successful in the future.

Peer Response To Jenna's Post 2: Alton Brown for Welch's Grape Juice

In this post, Jenna discusses Alton Brown as a celebrity endorser of Welch's grape juice. She begins the blog by summarizing what the television commercial includes, and why she believes Alton was a good choice by the Welch's company to endorse this product. She then goes on to predict whether or not she thinks the commercial will be successful, and states that she believes that even though it is a relatively new advertisement that it will definitely increase the sales of Welch's grape juice because Alton Brown is a well known, knowledgeable, and credible food scientist and chef. Finally she gives the reader a link to a website further discussing the health benefits of grapes.

Jenna did a great job of getting her point across in not very many words. I felt like all of the information that was included in this post was relevant to the topic and brought something important to the article. Although she only gave a few benefits of grapes and grape juice at the end of the post, the article that she linked her post to provided more information and a more in depth analysis of why grapes and grape juice can be beneficial.

I believe that this post was very clear, concise, and convincing. I agree that Alton Brown was a great choice by Welch's to endorse their product. I enjoy watching his show on Food Network because he gives a lot of background information and scientific explanations as to why things work the way that they do while preparing certain foods. His scientific credibility gives this advertisement the appearance that the information presented during the commercial is valid and true. I enjoyed reading this post and think that overall Jenna did a good job presenting this information in a reader and audience friendly fashion.

Post 2: Comparing Two Online Articles

In recent years, the vitamin supplement business has turned into a multi-billion dollar a year phenomenon that has completely drawn the attention of the public and the media. There have been ongoing debates regarding the benefits of taking different vitamin supplements, and it seems that every day there is a new claim that taking some supplement will lower your risk of developing cancer or heart disease. As a result, many Americans are taking supplements left and right, thinking that they are making themselves healthier and less prone to developing these life threatening diseases. How do we know if there is any truth behind these claims? There have been arguments made both encouraging and discouraging supplement intake.

On the Nutritional Supplements Health Guide online, an article entitled "Nutritional Supplements: Yes, You Really Do Need Them! Here's Why" strongly supports the incorporation of nutritional supplements into ones everyday routine. This article explains that although someone may feel healthy without taking supplements, once a problem arises that person looks for a supplements to cure whatever sickness, aging, or weakness that they're experiencing. It then goes on to tell us that it is nearly impossible to maintain an nutritionally balanced diet in today's society. Along with our fast paced lifestyle comes lots of processed and fast food that isn't necessarily nutrient dense, and for these reasons, this article argues that nutritional supplements are the only way to help get the necessary vitamins and minerals that lots of us are lacking in our daily diets. Arguments are made stating that the intake of a good dietary supplement will help you overcome nutrient deficiencies, boost your immune system, minimize your risk for developing certain health problems such as heart disease and cancer, and get rid of toxins that we take in every day from processed and fast food sources.

Contrasting these ideas, the article entitled "Do You Need a Vitamin Supplement?" explains that we don't necessarily need to take a nutritional supplement. The author states that popping vitamins left and right isn't really beneficial. If water soluble vitamins (B and C) are taken in excess, whatever is not used is just excreted from our systems. Excess fat soluble vitamins (A, K, D, and E) are stored in the liver, and too much of these vitamins built up in our livers could lead to toxic results. Additionally, with some vitamins, a deficiency is rare. Having too much of these vitamins, or any vitamin, is not good for ones body. It is also pointed out that it is important to remember that nutritional supplements are made of synthetic, man-made materials, and may not be as beneficial as naturally occurring vitamins and minerals in food.

After reading both of these articles, it is clear that there are strong arguments made for both sides of this debate. It is hard to say which article is more convincing because both make some very good points supporting their side of the argument. If I had to choose one article to agree with I would probably choose the second article. Although it is clear that nutritional supplements may indeed be necessary for some people, I agree that taking more vitamins means that you're healthier than someone that isn't taking as many vitamins. I have always been skeptical of nutritional supplements and whether or not they are actually beneficial, and my views have always tended to agree with the second articles' arguments. I believe that although it is necessary to get sufficient amounts of all of our vitamins and minerals, and that it is relatively difficult for us to do that these days with all of the processed foods on the market, I don't think that taking an absurd amount of vitamin supplements is the best way to get those vitamins and minerals.

Post 1: Response to "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan

In his novel In Defense of Food, author Michael Pollan brings his readers into the world of modern food, exploring the ins and outs the Western diet. He starts the book off with a few simple words, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." This is the way that Pollen believes we need to start thinking about our diets. He first introduces this concept by bringing us back to his childhood and uses his weekly diet consisting of meals like beef Stroganoff, oven-fried chicken, and meatloaf, to begin explaining just how the Western diet has become the way that it is. After touching on the Western diet, Pollen gets into the first of three sections in the book, entitled "The Age of Nutritionism." The first few chapters of this section help clarify exactly what "nutritionism" is and how it is effecting what we eat and how we're eating it.

Nutritionism for many people, is a new word explaining the pretty basic concept of modern nutrition. Pollen states, "Nutritionism prefers to tinker with the Western diet, adjusting the various nutrients (lowering the fat, boosting the protein) and fortifying processed foods rather than questioning their value in the first place." Nutritionism is basically telling us that we are worrying more about the amount of nutrients and getting more nutrients into foods (processing) than eating foods in their natural state, taking all of the nutrients that come along with it. This concept, although simple, is very interesting. I agree completely that in modern day society we worry way too much about all of the nutrient density and getting more bang for your buck by processing "100% of your daily value of 15 essential vitamins and minerals" into one slice of bread or a bowl of cereal. Pollen points out at several points up to this point in the book that these artificially synthesized vitamins and minerals that are being added to many of the foods we are eating every day aren't necessarily good for you, and these foods may start to cause problems of overnutrition. (For further information on this view on nutritionism, visit this site)

In order to put the idea of nutritionism into the light of everyday reality, Pollen usesexamples of foods that have been changing throughout the years of development of nutritionism and the fads of each decade, particularly focusing on margarine. The margarine vs. butter war has been going on for years, and Pollen pokes fun at margarine a little bit, calling it the, "ultimate nutritionist product, able to shift it's identity depending on the prevailing winds of dietary opinion." (27). Margarine, he explains, throughout the years has changed it's composition and ingredient list to please the public eye. I personally was born and raised on butter, and have always thought that the claims to fame that margarine has made over the years are vastly overrated; and butter tastes infinitely better anyway! Why settle for overly processed, man-made food imitations when you could be eating the real deal? That's what I, and I believe Michael Pollen as well, would like to know.