Chew On This blog 3

The book Chew On This, by Eric Schollser and Charles Wilson, was a very interesting book that taught me all the things that I need to know about fast food. Before reading this book, although I knew that fast food was unhealthy, I didn't know the exact information about what happened in the slaughterhouses, and how they were raised. Chew On This taught me that many cattle, chicken, and pigs that we consume, are abused, and slaughtered brutally before coming into the schools and our houses. I also learned about what happens when you eat fast food and what happens when you don't eat fast food. When you eat fast food, you have a great chance to get obese and a less fit body. Also including a weaker digestive system, and a lazier body. When you don't eat fast food, you stay fit and healthy, and don't have as much as calories and cholesterol. After reading this book, I thought about how I'm never going to eat at any fast food restaurants, unless they start using healthy products, and stop abusing the animals that we consume. They way that fast food restaurants fry their french fries, and the way that they lie to all their customers is very shocking. They told a vegetarian group that their french fries were fried in vegetable oil, but they actually fried them in beef oil. The facts about fast food should be spread out to the whole world, including broadcast stations, and news stations, so that McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, and every other unhealthy fast food place can be changed for the people all around the world.

Chew On This Part 2

Although I knew the whole time how bad fast food was for your body and what it did, but I was shocked to see all the pictures in the book from the kid taste testing places to the four million pounds of burning poop that the cows lived close to. First of all, I was surprised to find how easy it is to get kids to do taste testing with just a little bit of bribery which includes money and sorts of toys that children like. The four million pounds of burning cow poop was also very shocking(a fact that I didn't know), because instead of disposing the poop for good, they just left a pile for it to burn wear the cows would breathe and roll around in. The cow poop not only was extremely bad for the enviornment, it smelled extremly bad, and heavily polluted the air which led to thousands of fish and wild life dying. Our government should do something about the working conditions there, because the people that work and live close to the cow have to smell the rancid smell of the poop everyday, that severely damages their health. People that have accidentily fell into the pit of poop have even died. The cows' waste should be disposed correctly, but the owners are to lazy and greedy to do anything about the waste. Disposing the waste correctly would be a thousand times better for the environment, the people, and it could help plants and animals flourish.

Secondly, I was so surprised to find out how many chemicals are used to make up the artificial flavors in food like soft drinks, candy, chips, and almost everything else that has flavor. The chemicals that are used to make just one lousy milkshake taste like the way it is are, amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formatebenzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl,dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylateethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone (10% solution in alcohol), a-ionone,isobutyl anthranilate,isobutyl butyratelemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oilneroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, g-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent(53 in total). I also cannot believe that food industries use bugs to color a lot of my food to make them look tasty. All the chemicals and man made artificial flavors make your food taste beyond great, but while your tounge enjoys the taste, your body suffers the pain. These companies are making millions or even billions of dollars every year, and if they just use about a percent of that to use healthier organic foods, buisness would boom. Fast food has many extreme unhealthy facts, but even though these facts were told to every person in the world, a lot of people would still eat at fast food restraunts.

Chew On This

The book, Chew On This, by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson, talks about the history of fast food, including the maker of the hamburger, how the fast food are made, how the McDonald brothers suceeded, and everything else that you need to know about fast food. An interesting fact that i learned from, Chew On This, is that a fifteen year old boy named Charlie Nagreen got the idea of making the hamburger from squished meetballs, so that people could eat them without having to hold any utensils. The hamburger was also made in the year of 1885 in a small town in Seymour, Wisconsin. It was shocking how when the hamburger first came out, some people died or became sick from food poisoning. In a vote of the favorite meals of New Yorkers, spinach and even cow toungue beat the hamburger in votes. To show people that the hamburgers were now clean, the McDonald brothers started grilling them in front of his customers. I also learned that before Richard and Maurice Mcdonald made McDonalds(White Castle), they struggeled to make a living, and hoped to find jobs in the movie buisness. Then as they started McDonalds, there buisness boomed and soon became rich. Many other fast food restraunts like burger king, dunkin dohnuts, and kfc admired McDonalds. Although McDonalds was admired by many companies and people, the McDonald brothers wouldn't have gone far without Ray Kroc. Ray Kroc was a salesman that had lived a life that had been full of failure, disappointments, and missed opportunities. When the McDonald brothers were staying at home, Ray Kroc would work, opening new places and keeping the taste of the food the same in every restraunt. Ray Kroc brought sucess to McDonalds, and after borrowing money, he bought part of the company giving each McDonald brother one million dollars. Although one million dollars was a huge amount back then, it was a wrong move. If they kept the company, they would be making more than 180 million dollars a year.

Crispin The Cross of Lead - Theme

After I finished the book, Crispin The Cross of Lead, by Avi, I learned a lot about what the author wanted to teach me. The author throughout the book taught me that even though you will face many hardships in your life, courage, love, and friendship will bring you success and positive inpact. For example, in the book, Crispin is accused as a wolf's head for stealing from the town's manor although he didn't do the crime. After this happens, many people are killed for helping him when they weren't supposed to. Crispin thinks that all hope is lost until he finds someone who becomes his master, then his friend who tries to help him. The book, Crispin The Cross of Lead, shows that without the friendship and love from Bear, Crispin would not have survived. He also shows that the courage of combined friendship brought Crispin and Bear far along their journey. The author also shows in a good way that you have to believe in the things that you know are right and must have positive thoughts. At the end of the book, Bear gets caught for helping Crispin and gets whipped and beat up badly. Crispin builds up his courage, learns what is right, and uses the facts of him being the manors son, and frees Bear. Crispin The Cross of Lead, is an outstanding book that you can not easily put down. The book is full of mysteries and fun, but also teaches you about life.

Crispin The Cross of Lead - Plot

In the book Crispin The Cross Of Lead, by Avi, is a book about a boy named Crispin who has hardiships from the people who want to kill him and anyone who helps him. In this book, there are many rising actions, a few climaxs, then a resolution. The rising action is when after Crispin's mother dies, and while he is sleeping in the woods, after he wakes up, he hears John Aycliffe and another guy talking about secretive information. After that, John Aycliffe sets up meeting saying a false accusation about Crispin and that he was now a wolf's head meaning that anyone could kill him and would recieve a reward. As he runs away to his own safety, he meets someone named Bear. Bear gives him food, but forces Crispin to be his servant. As Bear and Crispin become friendlier, they share eachothers background. Then Bear leads Crispin to safety and to Great Wexly. The climax is when during the journey to Great Wexly, Crispin knowing of the writing on the small lead cross, gives it to Bear to translate it. Bear first makes excuses of not telling him the words like, "The light is too weak, and I need my sleep," but later tells Crispin that Crispin's real father was Lord Furnival, his manor. He also figured out that his mother could actually read and write well, although she was known as the lowest in the town. During their visit in Great Wexly, while Crispin is out exploring by himself, John Aycliffe sees him. John Aycliffe and some other soldiers try to catch Crispin, but later loses him. Instead of keep searching for Crispin, they capture Bear, whipping him and hitting him. After Crispin goes to save Bear, he uses his brain saying that he would tell the whole world about him being Lord Furnival's son if he didn't let Bear go. Because of this, John Aycliffe chooses to let them go, but later stops them. The resolution of the story is when John tries to kill Crispin, and while he tries to kill him, Bear and John Aycliffe go on a one on one sword fight. Bear wins, killing John, and tells the other soldiers that if they don't want to end up like John, to let them go.

Crispin The Cross of Lead - Character

Crispin, The Cross of Lead, by Avi has many main characters. In the beginning of the story, the main characters are Crispin, his mother, the priest, and John Aycliffe. At the start of the book, Crispin's mother dies, but even after her death, she is known as an important person. As Crispin runs away from his false accusments, made by John Aycliffe, the priest gives Crispin many facts and places to hide although he was not supposed to. On his journey to other safer places, Crispin finds Bear, who forces Crispin to be his servant, but later his friend. Through Bear, Crispin learns that his mother was the wife of his town's manor, Lord Furnival. Crispin and his mother were treated as the worst in their town from the beginning, he never knew that his mother could read and write, and was surprised that he came from a high positioned family. After the priest is killed by John Aycliffe for helping Cripin, he almost gives up thinking that all the people who help him will surely later die. But later, Bear also teaches Crispin that everyone has a purpose, and that love and friendship are the most important things above of all other things. That is why in the end, when Bear is caught by John Aycliffe, Cripin goes and tries to save him when there are many guards, especially one of them being John Aycliffe. Crispin is a young boy who keeps his words, and for a boy who doesn't know how to read or write, he is very smart. On the other hand, John Aycliffe is very aggressive and only cares about money and killing people who try to get in his way.

Setting for Crispin

Crispin The Cross Of Lead, by Avi, is a book which a boy named Crispin who is accused of stealing money from his manors house, and killing the priest in his town when he never did any of those crimes. This book takes place in England, 1377 A.D in a small town. Crispin has been announced a wolf's head which means that anyone could kill him. Crispin's father died before he was born, and later his mother dies. That meant that there was no one to protect him even if he was declared as the wolf's head. If someone brought his head to John Aycliffe, the one who caused this rumor, they would be paid twenty shillings. During Crispins run-away journey, he finds a man who forces Crispin to be his servant, but later helps him with life, and that everyone has a purpose even unimportant people. Crispin later acts as the son of Bear, his master, so that he could be more safer from all the people hunting him, and later learns from Bearhow to play the pipe. Crispin plays the pipe while Bear dances and juggles in front of their audiences to obtain money and food. Crispin is a book in which a boy who was a nobody learns to follow his dreams to become a somebody.

So Far from the Bamboo Grove Blog

The book, So Far from the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, shows how Yoko, her sister, mom, and her brother survive after the Koreans are freed from the Japanese. This book took in the time period of about 5 months. The thought that came to my mind while reading the book was that how hard it would've been to move to a different place permanantly after living at a place for 12 years and not being able to move back. I got to learn how the Korean communist treated the Japanese after their freedom, and also learned how they were similar to the things that the Japanese did. I was glad to read a book about my home country and was happy to know about the events that occured throughtout the book. After reading this book, I would give it a rating of 7 out of 10. The ending was not as good as it should've been, because the author could've added what happened after Yoko and her sister reunited with their brother, and could of also talked about their dad and what happened to him. The author also should have added more info on the Russians instead of talking a little bit about them. The book was also very short and could of had more detail at the end. The good things about this book was that the reader got me thinking whats gonna happen next? Are they going to die? The author also made it hard for me to put the book down and stop reading. This book also made me think deep thoughts like did countries have to kill other innocent citizens even after the war ended? I mean because of this, so many people in the world died. For example, when Japan attacked Korea, so many men got killed, and women got raped, and the Americans dropped the bombs on Japan to make them surrender.

So Far from the Bamboo Grove Questions 2

In the book, So Far from the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, there were many events throughout chapters four to seven that made the deepest impression on me. Many of the events were when the Japanese were walking or working and suddenly communist Koreans would come out, kill them, and take their belonings. I never knew that a country could be so crewl. Instead they could just take them as prisoners, but there is no reason to kill. First when Yoko's family was going back to their homeland, I knew that there would be some havoc, but not severe ones. Instead many places were bombed and burried under the earth. When Hideyo escapes from the factory, he starts his way for the Seoul station. When he sees Korean communist soldiers, he acts like he is an animal and is very smart while knowing where he has to hide when he sleeps. Mrs. Kawashima stops at Kyoto instead of going to their hometown. This is probably because she doesn't want them to go. She might think that it is still dangerous in the Japanese lands. Although she cares for her childrens education, I think that she is saying that to make an excuse. Ko is sometimes very bossy and mean but after about an hour she pretends that she is the nicest sister in the world. If I was in a difficult situation, I would want her and also not want her with me, becuase she is very good and getting food, and has no fears of whatever, but on the other hand, she makes everyone feel bad and discouraged greatly.

So Far from the Bamboo Grove Questions

Many Koreans in the world today hate the Japanese for what they did to the Korea during World War II and how they bothered them for about fourty years. After the war, although Korea gave revenge to Japan, I think that reading this book, they should of not done it, because it brought many deaths to the people in Korea, but also a majority of the population in Japan. In the book So Far from the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, I learned how the the people of my nationality, bothered the Japanese in order for revenge. This book shows how the Japanese including Yoko's family survived during the time after the war. This also shows that when Japan invaded Korea, this was how they treated Korea. Yoko's family lives in Korea, because before Japan lost the war, they had a lot of power over Korea, and could live an easy life in Korea. Being a Japanese citizen helps them before the war ends, but after the war is lost, the Japanese are tortured like the way that they tortured Korea. Although Yoko's family is Japanese their family and many other familys did not want any more people dieing, and saw everyone else equally and as a person. Whey Yoko's family is inside the train, Korean communist soldiers come in looking for her family. Although they are looking for them, the Korean nurses help them by making them look like they were sick. The irony in this is that since Japan had bothered Korea, it would look like that they would turn them in, but since Yoko's family helped some of the sick people by providing food and giving them comfort, the Korean people did not turn them in. Although Yoko calls here sister as "Honorable Sister," they sometimes say bad things to each other. Ko is probably very bossy because they are in a difficult and a very dangerous situation. She has no time for her little sister to whine for sleep and food, when the food is limited and there is no time to waste by sleeping. On the way to the Seoul train station, Yoko's family face many hardships. There are problems because there is no true male to guard them, and the lack of food, sleep, and danger roaming in the forest gives them a lot of fear and stress.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes-Theme

In the book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, by Sook Nyul Choi, there are many themes, but in my opinion, pride in their nationality and beliefs and courage are the most important. When Japan invaded Korea, all Koreans were to throw away any Korean teaching books, or any Korean writing material. Instead they were to speak, learn, and write in Japanese. Although anyone who didn't follow this would get punished greatly, Sookan and her siblings would get taught from their grandfather secretly when the guards weren't at their house checking for valuables and Korean books. Sookans mother also always had her belief in God and always believed that the war would end with Japan losing. During the whole time when Japan and Russia took over Korea, Sookan's family always had there hearts to Korea. While Sookan attended the Japanese school, the boys were making sharp bamboo poles while the girls made sharp rocks. The president said that when the white devils come, they will attack them with those items. Then a boy says, "Stop, stop, stop! Don't you know that we will stab you b******s first! We'll help the Americans destroy you all ! You killers!" Although all the other students were gasping, Sookan started clapping for him because of her pride for Korea and the people of Korea. Sookan and her family faced many years of pain and distress, but their pride and courage to the end.

In the book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, bye Sook Nyul Choi, the main character is Sookan. Sookan is a girl who is brave, can take care of others, and is prideful. For example, in her Japanese school, a boy told the Japanese that he and other Koreans were going to help kill them. Instead of being quiet, Sookan started to clap for the boy. Sookan was born in Kirimni, Pyongyang(North Korea) and lives with her mother, aunt, younger brother, and her grandfather who dies later in the book. To her family, she is a helpful girl who has respect for her own nationality and for her own family. Although she is nine years old, she is small for her age, and can attend school later then other nine year olds, because they think that she is less than nine years old. She hates the Japanese for taking away her father, brothers, and the sock girls. Although she hates the Japanese, she knows that she must respect them and follow their rules in order to not get punished. Then finally when the Japanese lost the war and the Russians invaded, Sookan is happy for a while, then starts to cry because the Russians took away her mother. Sookan is a girl who cares for her family members, is very brave, and extremely prideful for her country which is Korea.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes-Plot

In the book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, by Sook Nyul Choi, the main character Sookan, her family, and her friends face hardships from Japan and Russia. In this book, there is a rising action, climax, then a resolution that looks like it has fixed all the problems, but later in the book, there is a bigger rising action, climax, and then the final resolution. First of all, the Japanese have invaded Korea. The Japanese take all of North Korea's valuables, freedom, pride, and forbids them to learn any of the Korean history and language. Instead, Japan makes Korea have Japanese names and makes them attend Japanese schools. The first climax is when Sookan's grandfather dies. After he dies, the Japanese soldiers take away the sock girls who make socks for the Japanese army, and destroyed the sock macking factory to make more weapons for the soldiers in the army. Then finally, the good news comes. It was said that they were losing and were going to surrender to the Americans. The war ends and people in Korea now have bags of rice and many other valuables things that they couldn't have during the war. Sookan and her family think that they are safe but another climax happens. Russia starts to come to Korea and Sookan hears that they were going to stay in the North side of Korea. First when Russia comes to North Korea, they act all friendly and supply Korea with happiness and tell them that they will be different from Japan. Korea believes this, but later Russia starts closing all the ways to get into South Korea except a few secret passageways that they don't know of. Then Sookan's uncle comes and tells Sookan's that after they've closed all the roads, they would take over North Korea and use it for their own good. He gives Sookan, her mother, and her brother valuable items and say that someone that he knows will take it to lead them to the other side. During the check of the passports, Sookan and her brother are seperated from her mother. The guide ditches the children and now Sookan and her brother must find their mother by themselves. During this time, they find a person that tells them that the Russian soldiers took away little kids, and their mother might already be on the other side. They trust him and follow his directions on how to get to the south. The start running on the dirt road to a barb wired fence and although they bleed because of a small hole, they try to crawl under the fence. The resolution of this story is that at the end, Sookan and her brother get reunited with his mother, father, and her brothers.

Setting for novel

The book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, by Sook Nyul Choi, takes place in Pyongyang, North Korea in the time of spring 1945. This was the time periodwhen the Japanese took over Korea and made them look like the Japanese people and speak only the Japanese language. In the backyard of Sookan and her family, there is an old pine tree with pale green needles. The ice are melting, and you can feel the warmth of the sun but the air is heavy with the sounds of weapons in the air. This was the time of world war two when you could hear the cries of both South and North Koreans floating in the sky.

In this book, everyday Sookan's female family members and other female workers would have to make socks for the Japanese army. Later a captain would come to the factory which was right next to Sookan's house and have an inspection. He would check if they were working, and checking if they were giving the young kids education. The Year of Impossible Goodbyes is not only just a book, but a book that shows thoughts and feelings of the people who lived during world war two.

Drums, Girls, or Dangerous Pie

In the book, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, a high school guy named Steven has to deal with the two girls in his school, his drum lessons and skills, and the biggest of them all, his brother. In this book, a surprise that shook me was that since Stevens family didn't have enough money for his brothers leukimia operations, I thought that his brother was going to die. Just when all hope was lost, Rennee and Annette the two girls in his school thought up a way of raising money for Steven's brother. This was the surprise that came to me while reading this book.
Secondly, if I were to meet the main character Steven, I would ask him many questions. I would ask him if his brother got healed from leukimia. The book never ended with his brother getting healed. Then I would ask him if he would later go out with Rennee or Annette. Rennee was beautiful and now his friend, while Annette was his friend and now was beautiful. Another thing that I would ask him of curiosity is what dangerous pie actually was. The book described it of raw eggs with the shell, coke, uncooked bacon, blend of coffee grounds, and three Matchbox racing cars. The last thing I would ask him would be a drum lesson. In the book it described him as the best drummer in his school, and everyone admired his drumming. In a part of the book, Steven goes to his brother's hospital. He meets a girl their and gives her his special drum sticks. If I meet him, he might give me his special drum sticks to remember him.
Lastly, there were many good and bad parts of this book. The best parts was when the book showed the funny and Steven being nice to his brother scenes. For example, in the book when Steven's brother was losing hair and became bald, he shaved off his hair for his brother. His made me feel like he is a brother who cares for his younger brother and this affected me emotionaly. This book sometimes made me feel happy when other times made me cry. This was an awesome book that i would recommend to anyone who enjoys books. This book shows the love between two brothers and the hardships that they face together side by side.

Drums, Girls, or

Blog #4

Blog #4


In the book, The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell, there are many interesting ideas that the other used. When I heard that General Zaroff was hunting other kinds of animals that had their own thought, I was thinking of what kind of animal that is. I was thinking,"What kind of animal is there that can think on it's own?" Then when General Zaroff was telling Rainsford that he was hunting humans that came on this island by shipwreck, Rainsord and I were very surprised. Also when Rainsford said that he wanted to be off the island immediately, General Zaroff said that the only way for him to get off the island was to play the hunting game. If he won, he would get off the island. If he lost, Zaroff would kill him. I understood this, but when I read about him only getting a bag of food and a hunting nife, and General Zaroff getting a pistol and good quality food every day, I got kind of mad. Rainsford also had to sleep in the dirty and uncomfortable place, while Zaroff slept in a nice comfy bed.
After reading the first few pages of the book, I couldn't stop reading. There was all the ideas that I liked. Action, mystery, imagination, and many more. Throughout the book, I was thinking, "Is he going to die or live?" This book made me not want to put it down, and when the teacher said that we were going to read the rest the next day, I just read as fast as I could until the teacher came around to collect the packets. At the end I was happy that Rainsford won, but said that the story ended. The best parts of the book was when Rainsford used only the items he had to kill the dog, hurt Ivan, and partialy injured Zaroff's shoulder. This book was very interesting, and had many parts it to enjoy.

Walk Two Moons (Blog #1)

While reading the book, Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech, there were many differences between the Finney family and the Winterbottom family. The Winterbottom
family is more mannered and peaceful, but the family aren't in a that good relationship.
Mrs. Winterbottom tries to care for everyone, and want to obtain there love, but her
family members mostly ignore her. On the other side, the Finney family has hard times
adjusting to Mrs. Finney move out with a divorce, but are mostly happy. Gramps and
Grams are always trying to make everyone happy, and are always there for the family.
In my point of view, the Finney family are happier then the Winterbottom family. The
Finney family are never fighting, and act like a family. The Winterbottom family are
mostly always seperated, and seem to have problems.
The boys behavior of sucking the poison out of Grams leg surprises me, because
when Sal, Gramps, and Grams first met him, it looked like he was someone who was
going to hurt them, and was mean bye lying that it was private property. The reason why
it surprised me was because Tom Fleet looked like he wasn't nice to people, and didn't
care of other peoples mistakes. When Gramps was about to suck the blood and poison out,
he volunteered by himself saying that he would do the sucking of the poison. I also kind of
think that he likes Sal because he talked about how he liked her hair and he also gave her
his address. He also did not accept the money from Sal.
Sal's mother permanantly not returning home changed the additude of Sal while
her dad kind of stayed the same and changed. Since Sal did not feel the love, hugs, and
kisses from a mother, whenever someone touched her, she usually flinched. After Sal's
mother moved away, Sal's father still bought her presents, and stacked them in the bedroom.
He changed by when he was still expressing his love to her, as time passed on he kind of
started dating Mrs. Cadaver. Sal did not like this and did not want to see her, hear from
her or do anything with her ever. He didn't understand how her father was dating someone
like Mrs. Cadavar. It just didn't make sense to her.