"Food Doesn't Have to Wear Makeup" www.slate.com

This article that I read on slate.com talks about how the McDonald's french fries in Britain only have four ingredients, while the McDonald's french fries in America have nineteen ingredients.  In Britain, they use real strawberries in their strawberry sundaes, while in America, they use a dye called Red 40.  Studies have shown that several major and minor food companies in the U.S. also use artifical dyes and flavorings in their food.  These dyes are supposed to make the food look better, and more appealing.  These artificial dyes have been known to cause cancer, allergies, and hyperactivity in children.  Consumers buy foods with these dyes because they are more aesthetically appealing.  Recent studies have shown that when children who have ADHD eat these dyes, it makes their symptoms much worse.  These artificial food dyes have absolutely no nutritional value, so why are we risking it by putting it in our food?  Companies are risking our physical and mental health and we’ll being by putting these in our foods because it sells their products better.  We have relied so long on the visuals of what food looks like rather than focusing on how natural or healthy it is.  Children are the main group of people attracted to foods containing these artificial colors, and it is they that have to suffer from their harmful effects.  For example, margarine was originally white, but producers gave it a yellow tint to make it more appealing.  It is the FDA’s responsibility to protect us from these dangerous chemicals that most people have consumed unknowingly for several years.

"Food waste - A Tremendous Economic Waste" - HuffingtonPost.com

In this article by Marga Hoek, the author talks about the topic I'm planning to discuss in my research paper. Hoek talks about how food waste in the economy today and how it needs to change. My research topic is about that food waste in society today and how it's leading everything that goes into making the food be a big waste. People put hard work to farm and butcher and package. Animals are living in horrible conditions and dying. All this and people still carelessly waste food because they have no need for it anymore. As a result of this going on, I plan to research ways that this can hopefully come to a stop in the future so it doesn't continue being harmful to the world around us.
In her article she talks about the impact all of this is having on the world around us in order to inform those who are willing to know. She also discusses solutions from beginning to end when it comes to this particular issue. Hopefully this will get people to read into the issue and its solutions and want to try to do something about it. Overall the article is very informative on the topic and a decent source for people wanting to get into the issue in the chance that they may want to dig deeper and educate themselves on the next steps to changing things for the better.

"Can GMO's Help End World Hunger?" huffingtonpost.com

The article I have provided is written by John Robbins of the Huff Post who emphasized his point of view on GMO's and the benefits that come along with them. He begins with an example of "golden rice" which was originally written from Time magazine. Golden rice is GM rice that has different viruses and daffodil's inserted into its genetic function. This new breed of rice actually brings some benefits to the table. With the daffodil gene's in it, it helps produce beta-carotene which the body translates into Vitamin A. Why is this so important? Well, vitamin A is an important role in developing children. Nearly a million children die every year due to the lack of vitamin A and nearly another 350,000 go blind from it. Just by eating this GM rice, you can prevent millions of deaths among children. See the effect just one small grain of rice could do? However, many different anti-science activists are holding these life-changing products back from saving lives. The reason is because it is just not something you can easily grow. Food is a natural product we should grow and harvest, not combine with and humanely create in a lab. I can see why many may be against this such process, but you got to look at the effects it can have on the world. What do you guys think? Should GMO's be completely removed from food? Should they be more involved? Do you think it is right to help save lives or just stay natural with our foods?

Forks Over Knives

Forks Over Knives is a documentary based on the studies of two doctors.  These two doctors dedicated their life to studying the effects of a plant-based diet on the body.  More specifically the effects on heart disease, cancers, and diabetes; all now common diseases in the United States.  The two doctors ( who I really can't remember the names of) both found staggering results in the benefits of a plant based diet.  One of the two doctors based his research in suburbia China. He studied the incline of liver disease in these areas. The towns people were put on vegan diets and he found that the treat of liver cancer disappeared.  The other doctor based his research on heart disease. He conducted his research on 24 very ill patients. He found that a vegan diet amazingly promoted better health in hid patients. Currently the doctors have devoted their practice to helping patients with these diseases reverse the effects with a “whole food plant based diet”.  I am doing my research on vegetarian and vegan diets. This documentary, even though it wasn't exactly about what I'm researching, was great. I've watched it a few times before but the content is just so interesting. It really promotes just a good diet in general. I think it is really interesting that the documentary followed two doctors.  This makes the content much more effective. we put so much trust in our doctors. these two doctors have dedicated their lives to advocating vegan diets. It really resonates. I would recommend this documentary to anyone honestly. I have their cookbook and the food is amazing! The documentary is on Netflix!

AF: Hi kids! Get hopping on this blog post

Wave 3

The myths illustrated convey to the readers about the Gethenian culture and how some of the myths repeat into some of the character's lives throughout the novel. It signified what the Gethenian people believed and what they hold sacred to them most. Two myths that portrayed Estraven's series of events was the Place Inside the Blizzard and Estraven the Traitor. The Place Inside the Blizzard related to Estraven's life the most because in the myth it revealed two brothers that swore kemmering together, however, that is against the law if they birth a child. The two brothers birthed a child so they could not stay  together anymore. One of the brothers committed suicide which is looked down upon the most and the other brother was shunned. Their child was then raised by the grandfather. This myth portrayed Estraven's life significantly. It reminds me of a forbidden love known as Romeo and Juliet. Estraven the Traitor myth, also, signified Estraven's situation because he wanted to create peace between the two tribes or the Ekumen and Karhide. Of course it did not work because they were both known as a Traitor after.

Wave 3: Myths

In the novel, Left Hand of Darkness author Ursula Le Guin includes parables to depict Gethenian culture as well as stories. With these stories we are able to have a better understanding of Gethen Lore. Guin sets up several chapters dedicated to these parables allowing her to further develop the interesting culture/way life on Gethen. These parables are helpful and give insight that I've referred backed to during the reading. The very first story introduced into the novel was in Chapter 2, the story discussed two brothers on Gethan who vowed khmer to each other, however that it is illegal and eventually led to one of the brothers to commit suicide, due to him deeming life unbearable without his partner, and the story ends with the remaining brother abandoning his life and lives in exile in the harsh conditions. Committing suicide on this planet is deemed the biggest crime right front of stealing. This story foreshadows future events in the novel, such as Estraven's love for Genly Ai, Estraven just like in the story gets exiled and does whatever it takes to free Genly from prison such as stealing. The story's last parallel is traveling across the frozen glacier on the planet to get to where they are going.    

-Bryan Tovar