Why did the author visit Plauen, Germany?
The author visited Plauen because he thought it was a very fascinating place. It was a mesh of old, quiet town features and the marks of the great reforms of the 20th century movements.
In a discussion of fast food corporations why is it important to talk about their oversees operations?
It is important to talk about the oversees operations of fast food corporations because that’s where a greater majority of their profit is coming from nowadays. These oversees operations are also hints into the ever greater Americanization of the rest of the world.
In foreign countries, what group does most fast food advertising target?
The same as in America the main target for fast food advertising is children. The same advertisers have found the same results in other countries that children are more impressionable and easier to manipulate.
In what ways might there be a connection between the obesity rate in America and the fast food industry?
There are many ways a connection can be made between the obesity rate in America and the fast food industry be made. Fast food is generally more fattening than other foods and has become integrated into American lifestyle. Americans can get fast food cheap and it folds into the fast moving pace of Americans very effectively.
Why is obesity a problem for American society as a whole?
Obesity is a problem for American society because obesity can lead to many health problems. Obesity can lead to serious problems such as diabetes, breast cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes.
What kind of business is the most frequent target of anti-American protests in foreign countries and what kinds of groups engage in these protests?
The fast food business is more frequently targeted by anti-American protests. These businesses, such as McDonalds, are attacked because of their correlation with American imperialism.
What did London Greenpeace do to protest McDonald's and what was McDonald's response?
London Greenpeace distributed a six-page pamphlet in 1986, “What’s Wrong with McDonald’s? Everything they don’t want you to know.” This pamphlet accused McDonald’s and attacked it for supposedly encouraging Third World poverty, exploiting workers, selling unhealthy food, and more. In response, in 1990, McDonald’s sued five members of the group for libel, and claimed the pamphlet contained entirely false information. McDonald’s won the suit but the two later won an appeal.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Chapter 1
What restaurant chain did Carl Karcher start?
Carl Karcher started Carl's Jr. He then bought Hardee's in the 90's, expanding it as one of the top 4 fast food resturants.
Why did General Motors want to buy trolley systems throughout the U.S.?
GM bought trolley systems throughout the U.S. to rip those down, and start putting up bus routes.
What was the "Speedee Service System" and how was it different from what other fast food restaurants were doing?
Speedee Service System was the first drive through started by McDonalds. All of McDonalds competitors were using Carhops that were having waitresses on rollerskates delivering food to the other resturants.
What were some of the characteristics of the men who started the fast food industry?
All of the men that started the fast food business were middle school to high school drop-outs. They were all very lucky to have made a business that worked.
What were some of the other fast food restaurants that were inspired by McDonald's approach to food service?
Burger King, Carl's Jr., and other fast food resturants today all have their own speedee service system, now known as a drive-thru.
Carl Karcher started Carl's Jr. He then bought Hardee's in the 90's, expanding it as one of the top 4 fast food resturants.
Why did General Motors want to buy trolley systems throughout the U.S.?
GM bought trolley systems throughout the U.S. to rip those down, and start putting up bus routes.
What was the "Speedee Service System" and how was it different from what other fast food restaurants were doing?
Speedee Service System was the first drive through started by McDonalds. All of McDonalds competitors were using Carhops that were having waitresses on rollerskates delivering food to the other resturants.
What were some of the characteristics of the men who started the fast food industry?
All of the men that started the fast food business were middle school to high school drop-outs. They were all very lucky to have made a business that worked.
What were some of the other fast food restaurants that were inspired by McDonald's approach to food service?
Burger King, Carl's Jr., and other fast food resturants today all have their own speedee service system, now known as a drive-thru.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Chapter 9
Compared with several decades ago, how common are food-related illnesses today?
Food-related illnesses have hugely grown. On average, 200,000 people are sickened by a food borne diseases. More than a quarter of the American population suffers from a food borne disease. It has risen the past few decades.
How has the centralization of food production influenced the spread of food-related illnesses?
A disease can easily be spread through food because one infected cow can end up in 100 different burgers. That one cow causes 100 peoples’ sickness.
What authority does the U.S. Government have to demand the recall of tainted meat?
The U.S. Government has almost no power to shut down a meatpacking company to remove the contaminated ground beef. This is because meatpacking has close ties to Republican members in Congress.
What are most of the microbes in meat spread by?
The microbes in meat are mainly spread by feces.
What was the first national hamburger chain & what did it do to try to change the image of the hamburger?
White Castle was the first national hamburger chain from the 1920’s. It was an easy-to-chew finger food for kids.
What are the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 on the human body?
E. coli on the human body causes abdominal cramps, watery, bloody diarrhea, low fever, and coughing.
What are some of the ways people can be infected with E. coli 0157:H7?
Mostly people become infected by eating undercooked beef.
What kinds of things are fed to cattle, things that might facilitate the spread of pathogens?
Things that are fed to cattle that might facilitate the spread of pathogens are sprouts, salad greens, cantaloupe, salami, raw milk, and unpasteurized apple cider. Or they could have simply come in contact with an infected animal’s feces.
How does the risk of contamination for ground beef compare with the risk of contamination of whole cuts of beef?
Ground beef has a higher chance of being infected because in one package, there could be 100 different cows grounded up in it. Only 1 out of 100 is what it would take to harm a human. Whereas a whole cut is from one cow.
Why is the author concerned about the use of older dairy cattle to make ground beef?
Older dairy cattle are susceptible to carry pathogens.
How has the meatpacking industry generally responded to health concerns about the nation's beef?
The meatpacking industry respond to health concerns about the nation beef for various reasons. The meatpacking companies that deny any responsibility for what happended, and they say there is never any reason to be concerned about the cattles health.
What was the Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA?
The Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA was an attempt to maximize the inspection process through which the meat plants had the ability to inspect their own meat. Instead of using an opposed outside force to do it themselves.
How did the Jack In The Box restaurant chain respond to its outbreak of salmonella?
The Jack in the Box restaurant chain responded to this outbreak by having a new outlook on food safety. Jack in the Box became the first of all the other fast food chains to begin to buy meat only from the two meat processing plants that were more safe.
What criticisms does the author have of the current recall system for tainted meat?
Schlosser says that they need to be public eith these recalls. The government has no control over it, but he believes they should.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of irradiating meat?
The advantage is it kills off all the bacteria in the meat. A disadvantage is that the companies could potentially ignore sanitation ignorantly believing that the irradiating ability will leave no chance of infection.
What kind of meat is selected for consumption in public schools?
The meat that public schools buy is the cheap meat. Meat that is not completely meat, but filled with hormones and other fillers.
Food-related illnesses have hugely grown. On average, 200,000 people are sickened by a food borne diseases. More than a quarter of the American population suffers from a food borne disease. It has risen the past few decades.
How has the centralization of food production influenced the spread of food-related illnesses?
A disease can easily be spread through food because one infected cow can end up in 100 different burgers. That one cow causes 100 peoples’ sickness.
What authority does the U.S. Government have to demand the recall of tainted meat?
The U.S. Government has almost no power to shut down a meatpacking company to remove the contaminated ground beef. This is because meatpacking has close ties to Republican members in Congress.
What are most of the microbes in meat spread by?
The microbes in meat are mainly spread by feces.
What was the first national hamburger chain & what did it do to try to change the image of the hamburger?
White Castle was the first national hamburger chain from the 1920’s. It was an easy-to-chew finger food for kids.
What are the effects of E. coli 0157:H7 on the human body?
E. coli on the human body causes abdominal cramps, watery, bloody diarrhea, low fever, and coughing.
What are some of the ways people can be infected with E. coli 0157:H7?
Mostly people become infected by eating undercooked beef.
What kinds of things are fed to cattle, things that might facilitate the spread of pathogens?
Things that are fed to cattle that might facilitate the spread of pathogens are sprouts, salad greens, cantaloupe, salami, raw milk, and unpasteurized apple cider. Or they could have simply come in contact with an infected animal’s feces.
How does the risk of contamination for ground beef compare with the risk of contamination of whole cuts of beef?
Ground beef has a higher chance of being infected because in one package, there could be 100 different cows grounded up in it. Only 1 out of 100 is what it would take to harm a human. Whereas a whole cut is from one cow.
Why is the author concerned about the use of older dairy cattle to make ground beef?
Older dairy cattle are susceptible to carry pathogens.
How has the meatpacking industry generally responded to health concerns about the nation's beef?
The meatpacking industry respond to health concerns about the nation beef for various reasons. The meatpacking companies that deny any responsibility for what happended, and they say there is never any reason to be concerned about the cattles health.
What was the Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA?
The Streamlined Inspection System launched by the USDA was an attempt to maximize the inspection process through which the meat plants had the ability to inspect their own meat. Instead of using an opposed outside force to do it themselves.
How did the Jack In The Box restaurant chain respond to its outbreak of salmonella?
The Jack in the Box restaurant chain responded to this outbreak by having a new outlook on food safety. Jack in the Box became the first of all the other fast food chains to begin to buy meat only from the two meat processing plants that were more safe.
What criticisms does the author have of the current recall system for tainted meat?
Schlosser says that they need to be public eith these recalls. The government has no control over it, but he believes they should.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of irradiating meat?
The advantage is it kills off all the bacteria in the meat. A disadvantage is that the companies could potentially ignore sanitation ignorantly believing that the irradiating ability will leave no chance of infection.
What kind of meat is selected for consumption in public schools?
The meat that public schools buy is the cheap meat. Meat that is not completely meat, but filled with hormones and other fillers.
Chapter 8
How does the injury rate in meat packing compare with the injury rate in other occupations?
The injury rate in meat packing is dangerously higher than most occupations.
What kinds of injuries do workers in meatpacking plants typically suffer?
These workers make about 2-3 cuts a second inside a slaughterhouse. After about 10,000 cuts, the knife would feel dull, and can cause pain from the hand down to the spine. It can also place pressure on the tendons, joints, and nerves. Workers also get lacerations from working with the knives.
What is the impact on workers of speeding up the line in meatpacking plants?
The impact of workers speeding up the line is meatpacking plants is that they are making a higher profit. Because of market pressures, companies alter how the meat is processed just to speed up the line in meatpacking plants.
Why don't more workers complain about safety conditions in the plants?
Most workers don't complain about their jobs because they need the money. As we previously discussed in Chapter 7, most of these workers are immigrants from poorer countries. This dangerous factory job is a gift from God to them.
What role do supervisors play in the reporting of workplace injuries in meat processing plants?
Supervisors play a role in reporting workplace injuries in meat processing plants. Often times they have affairs with co-workers and/or use drugs.
What does the author describe as the most dangerous type of work in these plants and what kinds of injuries do these workers risk?
The author describes as the worst job in the plant is the late-night cleaning crews. The stench is so bad that they throw up, and even by using a lot of soap the smell won’t come out.
What has been the impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs?
The impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs is that they can cover up accidents. In 1985, the OSHA log recorded only 160 incidents, which was off by about 1,000 percent. They later found out that the IBP lied about their incidents report.
How has the authority of OSHA changed over time?
When Regan was elected, the OSHA was understaffed and underfunded. Eventually the OSHA had enough power to close an IBP plant.
What does the author think about claims that meatpacking plants have a great deal of concern about the health and well being of their workers?
The author thinks that the claim about meatpacking plants being concerned is an untrue statement. The IBP made workers jump into work right after they come back from an injury or out of surgery. The BP said they were being cry- babies basically.
From a worker's point of view, what are some of the problems with Colorado's workers' compensation law?
The problem of the Colorado's worker' compensation law was that workplace safety isn’t being taken very seriously. If you got a workers compensation, Monfort fired him, even if a worker was with a company for 16 years. He wasn’t concerned with loyalty, just business.
The injury rate in meat packing is dangerously higher than most occupations.
What kinds of injuries do workers in meatpacking plants typically suffer?
These workers make about 2-3 cuts a second inside a slaughterhouse. After about 10,000 cuts, the knife would feel dull, and can cause pain from the hand down to the spine. It can also place pressure on the tendons, joints, and nerves. Workers also get lacerations from working with the knives.
What is the impact on workers of speeding up the line in meatpacking plants?
The impact of workers speeding up the line is meatpacking plants is that they are making a higher profit. Because of market pressures, companies alter how the meat is processed just to speed up the line in meatpacking plants.
Why don't more workers complain about safety conditions in the plants?
Most workers don't complain about their jobs because they need the money. As we previously discussed in Chapter 7, most of these workers are immigrants from poorer countries. This dangerous factory job is a gift from God to them.
What role do supervisors play in the reporting of workplace injuries in meat processing plants?
Supervisors play a role in reporting workplace injuries in meat processing plants. Often times they have affairs with co-workers and/or use drugs.
What does the author describe as the most dangerous type of work in these plants and what kinds of injuries do these workers risk?
The author describes as the worst job in the plant is the late-night cleaning crews. The stench is so bad that they throw up, and even by using a lot of soap the smell won’t come out.
What has been the impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs?
The impact of allowing plants to maintain their own injury logs is that they can cover up accidents. In 1985, the OSHA log recorded only 160 incidents, which was off by about 1,000 percent. They later found out that the IBP lied about their incidents report.
How has the authority of OSHA changed over time?
When Regan was elected, the OSHA was understaffed and underfunded. Eventually the OSHA had enough power to close an IBP plant.
What does the author think about claims that meatpacking plants have a great deal of concern about the health and well being of their workers?
The author thinks that the claim about meatpacking plants being concerned is an untrue statement. The IBP made workers jump into work right after they come back from an injury or out of surgery. The BP said they were being cry- babies basically.
From a worker's point of view, what are some of the problems with Colorado's workers' compensation law?
The problem of the Colorado's worker' compensation law was that workplace safety isn’t being taken very seriously. If you got a workers compensation, Monfort fired him, even if a worker was with a company for 16 years. He wasn’t concerned with loyalty, just business.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Chapter 7
What changes did IBP introduce to the meat packing industry?
IBP introduced grinders and boxed beef. They also introduced a new method that was quicker and became more profitable by selling smaller “fabricated” cuts, instead of whole sides.
Why were newer meat packing plants located in rural areas rather than in cities?
Newer plants were located in rural areas because of the horrid smell and the pools of waste from the feedlot.
What were the links between IBP and organized crime?
IBP bribed Holman to pay the New York Butcher Union 5 cents commission to withdrawal their objections and protests towards IBP boxed beef. After that, IBP was soon enough shipping back to Manhattan.
What has been the relationship between labor unions and modern meat packing plants?
The relationship is tense and greedy. They don’t work well together because one can boycott or adjust prices to their benefit.
How do wages in meat packing plants today compare with wages in the early 1900s, after the workers became unionized?
Wages had been cut by 40%. Now, there is more than 1/3 lower pay than 40 years ago in meat packaging plants.
How high is the employee turnover rate in the meat packing industry and why don't the meat packing plants see this as a problem?
The employee turnover rate is 400% annually. The rate isn’t a problem to meat packaging plants because they had cut wages but still earned profits. It’s also not a problem to them because new employees don’t get insurance or vacation time until about 2 years.
Where do meat packing companies go to recruit new employees? What is the “new industrial migrant?”
They recruit new employees from Mexico, Central America, SE Asia, and they also targeted some homeless shelters in NY, NJ, California, NC, and Rhode Island.
What is the impact on small communities of having a meat packing firm?
By having a meat packaging firm, this gives no control to the small communities. The firm’s can control the prices and settlements.
IBP introduced grinders and boxed beef. They also introduced a new method that was quicker and became more profitable by selling smaller “fabricated” cuts, instead of whole sides.
Why were newer meat packing plants located in rural areas rather than in cities?
Newer plants were located in rural areas because of the horrid smell and the pools of waste from the feedlot.
What were the links between IBP and organized crime?
IBP bribed Holman to pay the New York Butcher Union 5 cents commission to withdrawal their objections and protests towards IBP boxed beef. After that, IBP was soon enough shipping back to Manhattan.
What has been the relationship between labor unions and modern meat packing plants?
The relationship is tense and greedy. They don’t work well together because one can boycott or adjust prices to their benefit.
How do wages in meat packing plants today compare with wages in the early 1900s, after the workers became unionized?
Wages had been cut by 40%. Now, there is more than 1/3 lower pay than 40 years ago in meat packaging plants.
How high is the employee turnover rate in the meat packing industry and why don't the meat packing plants see this as a problem?
The employee turnover rate is 400% annually. The rate isn’t a problem to meat packaging plants because they had cut wages but still earned profits. It’s also not a problem to them because new employees don’t get insurance or vacation time until about 2 years.
Where do meat packing companies go to recruit new employees? What is the “new industrial migrant?”
They recruit new employees from Mexico, Central America, SE Asia, and they also targeted some homeless shelters in NY, NJ, California, NC, and Rhode Island.
What is the impact on small communities of having a meat packing firm?
By having a meat packaging firm, this gives no control to the small communities. The firm’s can control the prices and settlements.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Chapter 6
What are some of the problems facing cattle ranchers?
Cattle ranchers face natural disasters on their land, and man-made ones. Run-off storm water can take out ACRES of land at a time. Also people are taking land to build on it.
What impact has the consolidation of the meat packing industry had on cattle ranchers?
The meat-packing industry has taken over on deals and business with cattle ranchers. They find little, unimportant ways to lower costs and get more from them. They are cheating ranchers. Over the past 20 years the rancher’s share of every dollar spent on beef has gone from 63 to 43 cents.
What are "captive supplies" of cattle?
Captive Supplies of cattle are the part of the herd that’s not owned by the company but is used by them to maximize profits.
What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
The McNugget changed the poultry industry completely. It changed the way chicken was bought, sold, and prepared. An example is how people 20 years ago had to buy whole chickens at a time. Now you can simply buy a small section of processed chicken.
What are the conditions or terms of business under which most poultry farmers operate?
The poultry farmers work conditions consist of the company covering the feed, veterinarian services, and technical support. At this stage of growing they still don’t own the chickens, but they buy them when ready to be sold.
How does the nutritional value of a McNugget compare with that of a hamburger? The nutritional value of a McNugget closely resembled beef. It was cooked in beef tallow but they later switched to vegetable oil and adding beef extract to keep the taste. They now contain twice as much fat per ounce as a hamburgers ounce.
Why would small independent cattle ranchers be afraid to speak out against the practices of large meat processors?
Smaller cattle ranchers would be afraid to speak against large meat processors because they could possibly protest against them and not buy their cattle. Then the small farmer would lose money and not be able to recover.
Which type of cattle rancher is currently facing the greatest economic difficulty?
Cattle ranchers in Colorado are currently facing the biggest economic difficulty.
How does the suicide rate for ranchers and farmers compare with the rate for U.S. citizens in general?
The rate is about three times higher then the national average.
Cattle ranchers face natural disasters on their land, and man-made ones. Run-off storm water can take out ACRES of land at a time. Also people are taking land to build on it.
What impact has the consolidation of the meat packing industry had on cattle ranchers?
The meat-packing industry has taken over on deals and business with cattle ranchers. They find little, unimportant ways to lower costs and get more from them. They are cheating ranchers. Over the past 20 years the rancher’s share of every dollar spent on beef has gone from 63 to 43 cents.
What are "captive supplies" of cattle?
Captive Supplies of cattle are the part of the herd that’s not owned by the company but is used by them to maximize profits.
What was the impact of the Chicken McNugget on the poultry industry?
The McNugget changed the poultry industry completely. It changed the way chicken was bought, sold, and prepared. An example is how people 20 years ago had to buy whole chickens at a time. Now you can simply buy a small section of processed chicken.
What are the conditions or terms of business under which most poultry farmers operate?
The poultry farmers work conditions consist of the company covering the feed, veterinarian services, and technical support. At this stage of growing they still don’t own the chickens, but they buy them when ready to be sold.
How does the nutritional value of a McNugget compare with that of a hamburger? The nutritional value of a McNugget closely resembled beef. It was cooked in beef tallow but they later switched to vegetable oil and adding beef extract to keep the taste. They now contain twice as much fat per ounce as a hamburgers ounce.
Why would small independent cattle ranchers be afraid to speak out against the practices of large meat processors?
Smaller cattle ranchers would be afraid to speak against large meat processors because they could possibly protest against them and not buy their cattle. Then the small farmer would lose money and not be able to recover.
Which type of cattle rancher is currently facing the greatest economic difficulty?
Cattle ranchers in Colorado are currently facing the biggest economic difficulty.
How does the suicide rate for ranchers and farmers compare with the rate for U.S. citizens in general?
The rate is about three times higher then the national average.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Chapter 5
Who is J.R. Simplot? What connection does J.R. Simplot have to the fast food industry?
John Richard Simplot owns a huge potato plant that produces fries.
How has the potato farms in Idaho changed in the last 25 years or so?
In the past 25 years, potato farms have modernized through technology just as our world has. There are now machines that do the work that human hands once had to do.
What is PGI and how successful has it been at organizing potato farmers?
PGI is the Potato Growers of Idaho. It isn’t very successful in Idaho, but it reaches out to Oregon and Washington.
What is the "fallacy of composition?”
The fallacy of composition is how people may eat a fry, and it tastes, looks, and smells like one. When indeed it’s composition is made of other things, like artificial flavors.
What makes McDonald's fries taste different from the fries of other fast food restaurants?
McDonald’s flavors their fries with beef.
What are some of the similarities and some of the differences between "artificial flavors" and "natural flavors?" Where is the “flavor industry” located?
Artificial and natural flavors are exactly how they sound, there are flavors in the composition of the food that are actual pure substance, but there are also made-up flavors that are made of chemicals to taste a certain way. The flavor industry is located around England, France, and Germany
John Richard Simplot owns a huge potato plant that produces fries.
How has the potato farms in Idaho changed in the last 25 years or so?
In the past 25 years, potato farms have modernized through technology just as our world has. There are now machines that do the work that human hands once had to do.
What is PGI and how successful has it been at organizing potato farmers?
PGI is the Potato Growers of Idaho. It isn’t very successful in Idaho, but it reaches out to Oregon and Washington.
What is the "fallacy of composition?”
The fallacy of composition is how people may eat a fry, and it tastes, looks, and smells like one. When indeed it’s composition is made of other things, like artificial flavors.
What makes McDonald's fries taste different from the fries of other fast food restaurants?
McDonald’s flavors their fries with beef.
What are some of the similarities and some of the differences between "artificial flavors" and "natural flavors?" Where is the “flavor industry” located?
Artificial and natural flavors are exactly how they sound, there are flavors in the composition of the food that are actual pure substance, but there are also made-up flavors that are made of chemicals to taste a certain way. The flavor industry is located around England, France, and Germany
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