Response to Alanna's Blog

Alanna wrote a blog titled "Slow Food: A Great Idea in Theory". This blog discusses how due to the busy schedules that many of us have these days, eating a whole and healthy meal prepared from scratch is becoming a rarer occurrence. These days, many of us mainly eat to survive and this shows up in our refrigerators and freezers when you see the microwavable foods and the frozen pizzas. When making her meal, Alanna even said that part of the reason she chose this meal was because it was easily modified so she did not have to run to the store to get all the ingredients for it. A lot of people don't have the time or feel the urge to make a homemade meal these days.

I have a stay at home mom so when I go home I usually get a homemade meal where my whole family sits down together and eats. I have noticed that when I tell my friends about this, more and more of them look at me like I am from another planet, eating meals together has become a thing of the past it seems.

I agreed with her when she said that Slow Food seemed like a good idea in theory. A lot of people will think that it sounds or looks good but they are not going to try the Slow Food route. It is expensive and time consuming. And for some of us living in the dorms, it is not that easy or affordable to become a part
of the Slow Food movement. Some places on campus are starting to get into Slow Food though. Rheta's dining hall in Chadbourne has Slow Food breakfast every morning. So this Slow Food trend seems to be slowly catching on for everyone. Making an idea like Slow Food more known and easier to become a part of could make a big difference in the way that we eat.

Image from: http://www.winkonline.org/images/January%202010/taste-of-slow.jpg

Same Sex Marriage

There are arguments as to whether or not homosexual couples should be allowed to have the same right as heterosexual couples. Some people are against it because it is not natural and it goes against the age old rule of one man and one woman. Other people believe that they should be able to have the same rights as anybody else and they should be able to love whoever they want. I agree with the latter group, I believe that being homosexual is something natural that people are born as and there is nothing wrong with it. Also, people's relationships do not really affect anybody but the two that are in that relationship, so other people's input should not really be the deciding factor as to whether or not homosexuality is right.

A lot of known arguments against homosexuality are ones that have religion tied in them somehow. This article gives nonreligious reasons as to why some people do not approve of homosexuality. A lot of this article is mainly about gay marriage than gay relationships. The author writes that gay couples can do ceremonies and have family benefits without actually getting legally married.

This article that is for gay marriage is very opinionated and strong in its belief. It definitely reaches far to the other end of the spectrum. It discusses the stereotypes that many people have of gay people and later gives its interpretations as to why they believe people really are against gay marriage.

Both of these articles give interesting views to this topic. I still have to stick to being pro gay rights on this one though. Some may believe that they are ruining the sanctity of marriage; but looking at the some of the marriages that some heterosexuals become a part of: marrying for money, quickie marriages, etc., I believe that the sanctity of marriage is truly ruined by these types of marriages with the ones who take it for granted.


Image from: http://www.topnews.in/files/Gay-Rights.jpg

Response to Amy Reynold's Blog

Amy Reynold's wrote a blog post that looked at both sides of abortion. I thought she did a good job looking at both sides and the articles that she attached to the post made you stop and think about the debate. A agreed with her when she said that the pro-choice article is more convincing than the pro-life article. It was laid out better. Also, the issues that pro-life people have seem to revolve more around ethics than science in my opinion.

I am not too crazy about the idea of abortion, I do understand where the pro-life people are coming from in this case. But, on the other hand, I would still call myself pro-choice. I would never want to have one nor would I want to encourage one but I do believe that it is the decision of the woman who is having this dilemma. Her decision is really none of my business and it has nothing to do with me so who am I to tell her what she can and cannot do? This is why I am pro-choice.

I think that when it comes to debates like this, you need to find a common ground. Most pro-choice people do not think that abortion as a first option, unprotected sex between teenagers, or sexual promiscuity is a good thing. Like pro-life people, many pro-choice people do not necessarily like the idea of abortion and think of it as a quick fix. Many just find abortion to possibly be the lesser of the evils. Making other alternatives more easy to learn about or obtain to young people is a good start to dealing with unwanted pregnancies. Also, even if it is illegal, it won't stop. There will most likely be abortion practices happening in less than reliable places with unreliable and unlicensed physicians. This could hurt more than harm those who could have just gone to a clinic. So I think that abortion should at least be out there as an option for those who want it.

Image from: http://humanrights.foreignpolicyblogs.com/files/2009/11/pro-choice-abortion-rights-northern-ireland1-300x300.gif

Rap Snacks!

So during my senior year of high school, my friend and I were randomly searching the internet during our graphics class and we came across Rap Snacks: The Official Snack of Hip Hop (with 0 grams trans fat!). Now of course I am all over this, I mean who wouldn't be? Unfortunately they are not sold in any nearby locations and they are $9.99 to order over the internet...act like I have time for that.

Rap Snacks are different flavors of chips and popcorn that are sold in bags that have different rappers on the front of them. Along with these rappers' face, there are words of wisdom along the bottom of many of them. For instance on Lil Romeo's bag of Bar-b-quin' with my Honey flavored chips, there is a message under his face that stays "Stay in School", while Dirt's McGirt (a.k.a. Ol' Dirty Bastard)was telling the consumer to "Think Responsibly" on his Sour Cream and Onion bag. When asking the creators of these chips why they did this they saw it as a way to get to the younger generation who will see their rapper on a bag, want to buy it because they see him on the bag, but also see that these celebrities want this consumer to stay in school so then they will start to think that going to school is the thing to do because that is what they are told by this celebrity who is endorsing these chips.

Chips seem like an odd choice for motivating children. Obviously, the rappers on the bag are more for sales and not just to motivate the younger children, but also chips would not seem like the first choice. It is better than having athletes promote McDonald's, I will give them that, at least rappers are likely to eat chips here and there. In reality, if junior high was just getting on my nerves and I was ready to just quit and live off of babysitting money until I was old enough to marry rich and I saw a bag of Rap Snacks, I wouldn't necessarily use their message as my deciding factor. So I don't know how well it is working, but then again, I am still in school, aren't I?

Image from: http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/1661589.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921F7C3FC3F69D929FD466CBB8E91284AF70CC0BBB4EEB934E5721716F9A148C8B3E30A760B0D811297