Talking Point: I think that meat companies should do something about the amount of people getting sick from the meat production. People can get as little as the stomach flu but it still affects them and can turn into something deadlier later on. Also people have gotten E. Coli and died from it, but there are still no changes made to the meat production company.

Connection: The connection I made was with the present swine flu today. I think today we have taken good precautions on how to try and avoid swine flu, compared with E. Coli were they still have not made drastic improvements to try and stop people from getting it. I think that they should try and improve the factory where the meat is processed and made because it is gross and not clean enough for people to be eating it daily.

Talking Point: I feel that this is sad that it is the most dangerous job because people are hurt daily and are exposed constantly to blood all over them and filth daily. I also think it is terrible that workers have to take medications to keep them alert and so they don’t fall behind. They take the medication because if they do fall behind they have a great chance of being fired.

Connection: The connection I made was with the book Savage Inequalities because the workers there work harder than most workers who receive a six digit income and only make minimum wage. I think it is sad that people work extra hard and extra hours to try and get by and take care of there family and have to go through all the terrible sites and filth daily.

Talking Point: I found it very interesting about how french fries have become one of the most popular foods in American.  Also very disgusting that we eat more than 30 pounds of fast food french fries. I thought it was interesting how it was sold more than the hamburger after the 1960′s and became the most popular food to eat, even though it was one of the most unhealthiest.

Connection: The connection I made was with the movie Super Size Me. The man makes it a goal to eat McDonalds everyday for all three meals for a month. He tries to get everything on the menu and makes everything a value meal. From him eating french fries for two meals a day for 30 days shoot his health. He became very unhealthy and his medical status was not looking good. But from all of that people still continue to eat french fries and is still one of the most popular foods in America.

Talking Point: I found it funny that the advertisements for McDonalds was that they were young children’s trusted friends. McDonalds tried to convince children that they were a friendly fast food place that would help a child have fun while eating a hamburger and playing in a jungle gym. I felt that they took it too far in saying that they were the young child’s friend because all they are really doing is putting unhealthy food in the child’s stomach.

Connection: The connection I made was with the recent commercials McDonalds has been having. They have been advertising Ronald McDonald as a friend to young children and show him as making a difference in the kid’s life by giving him a hamburger. It promotes kids to want to go to McDonalds and forces parents to have to make the decision on whether they should give in and make the child happy by giving them healthy food or stand strong and not give in and make the child unhappy. I feel that the commercials are very misleading to the kids these days.

Katie Connor

English 106

9 November 2009

Habitat for Humanity

Have you ever imagined yourself as a father or mother of five young children? You have very little money from working over 60 hours a week on minimum pay. You and your spouse work these hours every week. Your entire house is falling apart. The roof has holes in it, the wallpaper is peeling, and you sometimes do not have enough money to even feed your kids. Now I want you to imagine that someone gives you the opportunity to change everything in your life. They will help build you a new house that is paid for. This same group of people will give you extra money to help you get started on the right track. I know for most of us that opportunity sounds like a dream. Lucky for us though, there is such an organization that provides this for people who are in need of a new and improved house. This organization is called Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a volunteer based organization that helps out the families that need new houses. This is the leading organization in America that helps build houses, pays for the new houses, and gives the hopeless hope again.    

The first impression I had about Habitat for Humanity was an organization with volunteers building and giving a home to people who are in need of an improved one. I envisioned the organization similar to the TV show Extreme Make-over Home Edition, where a group of builders build a new house for families, who are in need of one, in seven days.  I was under that impression until Doug Taylor, whom I interviewed, corrected me. Doug is a volunteer and one of the head builders for Habitat for Humanity in West Lafayette. He explained to me how the organization truly works and what the purpose was of Habitat for Humanity. Doug was quoted in saying “Our motto is we build with the family not for the family.” I learned that a family still has to work hard in order to earn the home; they don’t just have it handed on a platter to them.

I have much interest in Habitat for Humanity because of my major in school.  I am currently majoring in Psychology. I have always wanted to help others around me, and with this degree hope I can achieve that. Habitat for Humanity does just that, helps those in need. I had a few questions on my mind about this organization. How does someone feel after volunteering 250 hours for someone they do not even know? That is a long time for anyone to work let alone not get paid for it. After my interview I found that many of the volunteers feel happy and glad to make another person’s life fulfilling. I learned that volunteering that many hours humbles you and makes you feel like you made a difference in someone else’s life.  Another question I had was how can people get chosen to volunteer for this helpful program? This opportunity was not open to everyone for building the house, but was open for anyone willing to give donations. There are guidelines for the person to have to be chosen to help build for Habitat for Humanity. I hope that one day in the future I do meet the criteria for Habitat for Humanity, and I can help out the community because that is my passion. 

            Becoming an observer was a very interesting and eventful process. I learned so much more about the organization and what it really means to be part of Habitat for Humanity. Everyone is very involved and always willing to lend a helping hand when needed. They finish the house in a decent time frame and make the family feel well accomplished and successful. The family has to fulfill one important requirement before being considered a Habitat for Humanity candidate. They must be able to pay their income, or not have substantial debt to be able to receive a new home.  After satisfying that, the family receiving the home must fulfill three requirements prior to receiving the home. They must put in 250 hours worth of their time in making the house, be willing to make their mortgage and they need to take care of the house, maintenance wise.

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            Habitat for Humanity is nothing short of inspiring others to volunteer. This organization has helped thousands of families for nothing in return. When an organization of people helps others that are in need could be one of the most amazing sights a person can witness in their lifetime. From my research on this organization I have learned that it only takes one person to change a few lives, but a thousand people can change the face of earth with helping hands. I hope that one day I can join this amazing organization to give back to people that are in need. Habitat for Humanity is a special group of people that have to ability to help a family that they have never met. This organization is a prime example of lending a helping hand for others. The next time you are in a situation where you have a bad house, no money, and no hope, always remember that there is an organization that is able to help you. You have the opportunity to volunteer to change others lives. I know for a fact that you will be humbled when you see the tears of joy running down a mother’s face when she sees her new house with a new roof, walls, and appliances.

Talking Point: I feel like having a friend throughout a miserable job really helps you get through the job. It nice to know that someone else is going through what you’re going through and can relate. I think the friendship turned out well and really helped her get through the Wal-Mart job.

Connection: The connection I made was with the movie maid in Manhattan where Jennifer Lopez’s character is a maid in a hotel and she uses her friends to get her through the job. It is a very hard and tiring job and she uses her friends to make it through the day.

Talking Point: I feel that for all the work she and all the other workers at Walmart were doing they should have at least had better breaks than that and a better pay. They do so much in one day, that by the time you finish at the end of the week your beyond the exhausted point. 

Connection: I made a connection with workers who work at Walmart now. They do so much behind the scenes that I never thought they did that much work everyday. I have much more respect for them because most people, including me, assume they just stand at a cash register or stoke items on a shelf. But there is so much more than that, and the breaks are almost nonexistent. I believe they should be paid more than minimum wage for how much they have to work.

 Talking Point: The way Barbara described it maids were treated the worst they possibly could. They were looked at by their managers as not important and basically like working mules. They did the work of not only themselves but up to three other people, without getting paid any extra.

 Connection: I made the connection with everyday life people are dealt with. Managers don’t have to be nice to their workers and can basically make them do whatever they want them to do because they give them the money. Though the income maids receive is minimal they work just as hard as workers who receive a large pay check every other week.

Talking Point: What happens to the people who are never in the right place at the right time? They are left with nothing and that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying it means they don’t seem to have much luck. There should be jobs available to anyone who needs or wants one. Jobs these days are scarce and that is why so many people are struggling financially.

Connection: The connection I made was with the economy in the present-day. So many people are looking for jobs, even the jobs that pay minimum wage of $6 to $7. They are getting fired from their current jobs and cannot find another job to make money. So many people are being left with nothing because the economy is so bad and there are not enough jobs for everyone to be stable.

Talking Point: I feel that it was very wrong for the media to call the New Orleans survivors as refugees. They were not people who were leaving their states to other states because they were in trouble with their state. They were not new to the country, they were forced out of the state because of the natural disaster and people were treating them like they didn’t belong in their state. I thought it was ridiculous that people for Texas, Oklahoma, etc were treating the New Orleans survivors as unwanted people.

Connection: The connection I made was with the movie Coach Carter. It was about a high school that allowed black people into a school with all whites. It was based in the 60′s and was about a basketball team and how they had to become united to make the season a successful one. At first they hated each other and did anything they could do not mingle with each other but then the coach stepped in and turned the program around. They ended up having a winning season and becoming very successful because they worked together as a team.