Slug: Weird Table

Brittney Miller

Writing for the Media-2

8 November 2013

THE MOST UNIQUE, HISTORIC TABLE SET

YOU WILL EVER LAY EYES ON!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever wanted an outdoor table set that can catch the eyes of all your friends and family? Well you’re in Luck because this beautiful hand table set is now at your local Home Depot! This unique four piece set looks great during the winter, spring, summer, and fall! If you have a garden this set can look great in between your flowers or even trees! This table set can stand up through any rain, sleet, or snow.

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reflective essay

Brittney Miller

Professor Thomas

Composition 102

2 May 2013

Reflective Essay

I have always said that over the years in school I struggled in English. I love reading and writing, but always had a hard time with writing essays and researching papers. When I was in the 101 Composition Course I learned many useful tips to improve my writing and reading skills. However, leaving the course I still struggled with a couple of minor areas. Coming into the 102 Course I was very excited on other new ways I can improve my reading and writing skills. The new ideas, tools, and lessons really improved me as a writer and reader.

One of the examples of a helpful lesson that I learned was when we talked about rhetorical analysis. Before I never sat and thought about why the author wrote or how the writer wrote the way he/she did. The lesson on rhetorical analysis improved my critical thinking because it made me look deeper into the article and made me analysis on why the author said what he/she said and why the author said it the way that they did. I also learned about questions to ask myself while reading articles, like what is the message? Who make up the audience? Or what kind of style and tone is used and for what purpose? Asking these questions help me as a reader because I can fully understand what I’m reading and it is much easier to find research on the article because I now know what the article is about and therefore know what to research. Another helpful lesson that I learned, was knowing what fallacies were. I never learned what a fallacy was until this course. Learning about this really helped me as a reader because now I can pick out sentence’s in an article that shows examples of the fallacies and know why the author structured the sentence in that way.

In Composition 101 I learned about many useful tools that helped me with my reading in writing skills. Coming into the 102 class I still learned new tools that I didn’t know before that really helped me in the classroom. I still love using diigo, I will always tell other people who don’t know about diigo to start using it for researching and other things. It really helped me while I research because it allows me to highlight my article online and post notes on the article. The other useful tools that I learned about in the 102 class are the use of podcast/vodcast. I never knew about these tools but I am thankful that I was taught about them in this course. The podcast really helped me fully understand what rhetorical analysis was. Also it was really fun working in groups to make this assignment.

The new ideas that helped me as a researcher was the use of goggle scholar, I was never told or taught about Google scholar and I was surprised to learn that goggle can do more than what I thought it could. Having another way to find creditable research for my paper it took a lot of stress off me because I do not have to worry about if the article is reliable or not. I also learned about helpful tips in writing my thesis sentence. I also had struggled with this in all my English courses. This 102 course taught me many different ways on how to write a good strong thesis sentence. Also the use of partners in class also helped me with writing a thesis statement because I can get their feedback on how I can improve my thesis and get some of their tips on ways that they wrote theirs.

I believe that there are some areas that I can improve in, for an example I still need to work on conciseness and using good word choice in my papers. But I also believe that from my 101 class to my 102 class I feel more confident as a reader and writer. I’m beginning to feel good about each paper that I do and turn in, I also catch myself saying “I really did a good job on my thesis this time!” or “This paper was way better than the last one!” However, the area that I still struggle in is my conclusion paragraph. I also tend to run out of information in the conclusion paragraph because I feel that I already talked about everything in the previous paragraphs. I know that I learned to try to write on something new for the reader and tie everything together, but I still struggle with doing this. But with the use of all the information that I learned for 101 and 102 I am confident that I can still hold on to all my ideas, lessons and tools to be able to improve my conclusion paragraph over the next years.

Revised Essay

Abstract:
Some of the changes that I made to my paper is first I changed the structure around, I put the paragraph about the children and the paragraph about the schools under the low-income families because I believe that it flowed better than having the suppliers paragraph go before the other two.I also made "Adam Drewnowski, who is with...." Into a new paragraph, there was to much information all at once. I believe that the reader wouldn't be to overwhelm while reading the introduction.   I also took out unnecessary words that I didn't need in my paper such as "In", I just started with "The article". I changed around the sentence "In Todays world, nobody takes the time..." because at first it didn't make any sense to me, it wasn't clear. Once I changed it around the sentence was much more readable. I also worked on word choice, I tried to use different synonyms for "problem". I believe that having the same words over and over would make the reader think that their reading the same thing over again; which is not a good thing. The next thing that I changed is the ending to the schools paragraph. I added a transition sentence so it can introduce the next paragraph. I also added more to the Suppliers paragraph. There wasn't a lot of information for the readers to fully understand why the suppliers was struggling due to the high prices of healthy foods. The last thing that I revised was the how to fix this problem paragraph, I added more information on ways we can fix the problem. I used Logos when I talked about Michelle Obama which would create creditability to my proposals.


 

Eating Healthy, Can We Really Afford It?

            There is no doubt that millions of people are struggling in America due to the high prices in the grocery stores and even in fast food restaurants. The main victims who are affected by the rise in prices are low-income families. An article written by the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter states that the price of a loaf of white bread has risen nearly 25 cents, red delicious apples are up 20 cents a pound, from 96 cents to $1.16, and eggs have jumped from around $1.45 to $2.18. The rise in prices makes low-income families struggle to feed their families healthy foods. Because of this it leads them to buying unhealthy foods for their families. 
         Adam Drewnowski, who is with the Center for Public Health Nutrition and the Nutritional Sciences Program, states that the low price of energy-dense food encourages low-income Americans to consume an unhealthy diet. Because of the low prices of unhealthy foods it increased the obesity rate in America, not only did the obesity rate go up so did other medical problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. An article by Tammy Esteves states that According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of adults in the United States were obese in 2009-2010. The high prices in healthy foods are a terrible problem because it affects the entire community, but especially the low-income families, the suppliers, and even schools. As the prices continue to rise each year due to the struggling economy, communities need to raise awareness and provide information about ways to buy non-expensive healthy foods for their families.

What is the real price of healthy foods?

            There have been many arguments on whether healthy foods cost more or less than unhealthy foods. An article by Elisa Zied, an MSNBC contributor, states that new government report finds that nutritious foods – such as grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy – typically cost less than items high in saturated fat and added sugars. In her article she explains that it’s all on how you look at it.  For an example if you look at the price of edible weight or price per portion to determine costs, then the cost of healthy foods such as oat cereal, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat milk, are more affordable than most protein foods. On the other hand, if you measure the price per calorie then many healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables cost more than less healthy foods. But it all boils down to the grocery bill. In today’s world, nobody takes the time to weigh their produce and compare it to the price. We, as Americans, always look for the better bargain.

Low-Income families:

            Because of wanting to get more for our money, Americans, especially the low-income families tend to have a poor eating habit which leads to obesity. Obesity rates in the United States have risen sharply over the past 2 decades. The article, Poverty and obesity by Adam Drewnowski, states that the highest rates of obesity occur among population groups with the highest poverty rates. How can this be? Many low-income families tend to buy fatty foods because they typically cost less. They also buy fatty foods because they know that buying these foods will satisfy them and healthy foods do not. A study by Lillian Mwanri, on the Food supply and the obesity scourge, states that it is clear that price has an influence on food purchasing decisions and dependence on less nutritious but more economical and socially acceptable foods; contributes to disproportionate rates of obesity among groups with limited economic means. Speaking of limited economic means, transportation in the low-income areas also has a big impact on the obesity epidemic. In the article Does availability of physical activity and food outlets differ by race and income? The author Jamie Zoellner, states that a poorer food environment, such as higher concentration of fast food restaurants and a limited selection of fresh produce in grocery stores and markets in low income areas tend to lead to obesity. This is a huge problem because low-income households are forced to select foods, with higher proportions of grains, added sugars and fats. Having smaller grocery stores make it easier for people without cars, but the stores do not provide enough healthy foods, which then leads to obesity. The obesity epidemic due to the high prices of healthy foods is a huge problem, but we also have to look at each stakeholder who is affected by the high prices.

The Children:

The children are the main innocent ones who are affected by the high prices of healthy foods. By being so young they have to rely on their parents to provide them with food to eat. Not knowing that healthy foods will maintain them from being healthy, children tend to enjoy eating unhealthy fatty foods. In the article by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), it states that the Obesity rates increased by 10 percent for all U.S. children 10- to 17-years old between 2003 and 2007, but by 23 percent during the same time period for low-income children. The low-income children rates are higher due to the lack of healthy foods. The parents are struggling to provide food for their children to eat. By buying cheap unhealthy foods from the grocery store it allows low-income families to get more for their money. “Households with limited resources to buy enough food often try to stretch their food budgets by purchasing cheap, energy-dense foods that are filling – that is, they try to maximize their calories per dollar in order to stave off hunger “(FRAC)  How can these families help their children from not being obesity if they can’t afford healthy foods from the supermarkets?

In the article The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Adam Drewnowski and SE Specter they state that very young children learn to prefer novel non-sweet flavors once the flavors have been associated with a concentrated source of energy, such as starch or fat. This is a issue because young children already starting off preferring fatty foods over healthy foods. This is caused by the parents not being able to afford fruits and vegetables for their children so they buy unhealthy foods so their children won’t go hungry. This then later leads to obesity.

Schools:

Not only are children affected by the high prices on healthy foods in the grocery store, the schools in which these children attend are effected as well. There have been many debates about having more healthy foods in school lunches due to the high rates in childhood obesity. In 2011 President Barack Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aims to provide healthier meals and prevent obesity, among other measures. Even though this is a great program many critics believe that schools are going to be affected in a negative way. Due to the high prices of fruits and vegetables schools has to increase the cost of their meals. The article Healthier school lunches driving prices up by Kevin Hardy he states that food prices that already were rising now will climb even more because of the severe national drought, which is decimating some crops and threatening to raise the price of meats, fruits and vegetables. Children in school are now force to pay more for their meals at school. Not only are the childern at school's affected by the high price of healthy foods, the suppliers of food industrys are having major struggles.

The suppliers:

            No one ever would have thought that even the suppliers of fruits and vegetables are affected by the high price in the supermarket. The article by Mattea Kramer, I read that fresh produce is more expensive because it has a short shelf life. It has to be picked, shipped, stocked, purchased, and eaten quickly to prevent spoilage. The problem with this is that with the high prices of fruits and vegetables many people do not buy the product so it ends up being removed from the shelf and wasted. Also The United States Depatment of Argiculture (USDA) states that the 2012 drought destroyed or damaged portions of the major field crops in the Midwest, particularly field corn and soybeans. This has led to increases in the farm prices of corn, soybeans, and other field crops. This statement is saying that because of droughts and other damages to produce in the fields the suppliers are forced to raise their prices to be able to not lose out in money. But doing this makes it hard for low-income familes to buy their produce so in the end the suppliers still lose out in money.  The suppliers and low-income families are both connected, they need to have a fair balance so they can both have what they want.

 

What can we do to fix this problem?

            We generally cannot fix this problem ourselves, however we can stand up and speak out about this problem. We Americans need to come together and speak on this problem, by doing this we can inform and persuade someone higher in power, which is the government. The government needs to find ways to help the low-income families with being able to buy healthy foods, if they dont then millions of families are going to end up obese. Michelle Obama knows of the struggle for healthy foods for low-income families. In her campaign, LetsMove! She states that an estimated 49.1 million people, including 16.7 million children, lived in households that experienced food insecurity multiple times throughout the year. She also states that the Let’s Move! compaign is committed to helping ensure that all families have access to healthy, affordable foods.  This is a fantasic campaign because it allows low-income familes to get useful information on ways to save money on healthy foods. Also the article Why is Healthy Foods Expensive? On strenghhealthy.com, states ways on how we can save our money when buying healthy foods. For an example they state that we should buy our fruits and vegetables in season. By buying fruits and vegetables in season then the fruits and vegetables tend to be less expensive. Also they state that we should buy store brands over national ones. Store brand items typically cost less than other branded items. And lastly they state that we should find a local farmers market for fresh produce.

Self Assessment, Essay 4: Proposal

1. What were your biggest challenges in researching and writing your Proposal?

My biggest challenge in researching my proposal was having to find different stories on community gardens that was already created. There was many website that had ways you can find a community garden close by, but there wasn't any stories about someone who created a community garden and how they was or wasn't successful. The biggest challenge on writing my proposal was the conclusion paragraph. I have trouble with pulling all my ideas together and giving the reader with something new to think about.



 2. What do you feel is the best element of your final proposal?

The best element on my final proposal was the structure of my paper. I thought that having titles for my paragraphs makes it easier for the reader to know what my paragraph consist of. The structure of my paper follows an order, It states the problem, solution, then gives examples on how the solution is a great idea.


3. What do you feel is the weakest element of your final proposal?

My choice of vocabulary was not as strong in paper, I felt like I could of changed a few words around to make it sound more formal. I also could of took words out that was not needed.


4. What could you have done differently to improve your overall performance with both the Literature Review and the Proposal?

One of the things that I could of done differently to improve my overall performance with my proposal is that I could of added more on the topic Farmer's Market. I believe that I could of did more research and found some examples on how farmers market is made-up. I also could of improved adding more transitions in my paper.

High Prices on healthy foods

rough draft :paper 4

Brittney Miller

Professor Thomas

Composition 102

11 April 11, 2013

Coming together to make a huge difference: Solutions to help low-income families

Buy healthy foods for their families and communities

There is no doubt that millions of people are struggling in America due to the high prices in the grocery stores and even in fast food restaurants. The main victims who are affected by the rise in prices are the low-income families. An article written by the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter states that the price of a loaf of white bread has risen nearly 25 cents, red delicious apples are up 20 cents a pound, from 96 cents to $1.16, and eggs have jumped from around $1.45 to $2.18. The rise in prices makes low-income families struggle to feed their families healthy foods. Also because of the low prices of unhealthy foods it increased the obesity rate in America, but not only did the obesity rate go up so did other medical problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. An article by Tammy Esteves states that According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of adults in the United States were obese in 2009-2010.

The high prices in healthy foods are a terrible problem because it affects the entire community, but especially the low income families. As the prices continue to rise each year due to the struggling economy, communities need to raise awareness and provide information about ways to buy non-expensive healthy foods for their families. With this being said, I would like to offer a modest proposal to help the low-income families buy healthy foods for their families and to reduce obesity. We, as Americans, need to get the community to come together and have their own co-op, and to encourage the low-income families to shop at the farmers market.

The Problem:

            “More than 23 million Americans, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income urban and rural neighborhoods that are more than a mile away from a supermarket. These communities, where access to affordable, quality, and nutritious foods is limited, are known as "food deserts." ” (letsmove.gov) 23 million! That’s devastating to know that there are no supermarkets close by so that low-income families can get nutrients foods. The author Jamie Zoellner, states that a poorer food environment, such as higher concentration of fast food restaurants and a limited selection of fresh produce in grocery stores and markets in low income areas tend to lead to obesity. This is another huge problem that Americans face. According to the United States government, nearly 7 out of 10 American adults weigh too much. (NyTimes) That’s more than half of the people in the U.S that are obese. Even though these are huge problems we still can come up with ways to fix these problems.

The Solution:

            Many people today is unaware what a co-op is, a short definition of it is “ co-ops provide the framework that allows people to get what they want in a way that better meets their economic, social and cultural needs”. (strongertogether.coop) so, in other words, having a co-op in a community can first bring the communities together and have them work together to produce fruits and vegetables for the community. What many Americans don’t know is that there are millions of co-ops throughout America today. In an article by Bill Brockhouse, who is a member of the USDA Rural Development/Cooperative Program, writes about how a community in North Carolina came together and established The North Carolina Farm-To-School Cooperative. With this the community can grow and supply fresh and healthy produce to the school children. Bill mentions in his article that the support of schools offers an opportunity to teach children about the source of their food and how it is produced. He also mentions that the co-op holds 30 members who supply 12 commodities such as apples, blueberries, and cabbage. This is one example on how great co-ops can be and how it can help the children eat right and know how important it is to eat healthy.

Another example on how a co-op can be a great solution to help low-come families is the “Let’s move!” Michelle Obama campaign. The “Let’s Move!” campaign is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools, ensuring that every family has access to healthy affordable food, and helping children become more physically active. (letsmove.gov) Michelle Obama states many ways on how to keep our children healthy and active. She also states great ideas to help low-income families with buying inexpensive healthy foods. One of her great solutions is to have a community garden. By having a community garden people from all ages can come together and help produce fruits and vegetables for their community. This can help people who can’t afford healthy foods to get these produce for cheap or even free.

How to get started:

This may seem like it will be difficult. Many people today do not have the knowledge to even grow fruits and vegetables. But if you follow along Michelle Obama’s quick steps to growing a community garden then you can have your garden up and running in no time.

 The first step is to get your community talking about the problems on childhood obesity and the high prices on healthy foods. Bring together everyone who has a role –parents, city offices, faith-based and community-based organizations, schools, parks and recreation departments, businesses, childcare facilities and hospitals. (letsmove.gov) Discuss how a community garden could serve the needs of the community. The second step is to provide the resources. You’re probably wondering how the community would afford to grow the products. There are many originations that can help with this. USDA’s People’s Garden website has how-to videos and databases filled with garden-based learning curricula, free seed and funding sources, and healthy gardening practices. (letsmove.gov) The third step is to find a place to plant your garden.  It is very important to find land that gets at least 6 full hours of sunlight daily. It is also important to know who owns that land and to make sure it is ok with them to make a community garden. Many people who have made community gardens suggest that you should try to get a lease or agreement with the owner which would allow the space to be used for at least 3 years. And finally the last step is to get growing! Michelle Obama states that once the project is up and running, let everyone know! Gain greater community support by welcoming visitors and sharing updates on how the neighborhood is benefiting from the garden’s existence. (letsmove.gov)

Many people around the world have been building and growing community gardens. Not only does it provide healthy foods but it gets the community together.  In an article by Rick Wills he interviewed Danielle Marvit, who is a therapeutic agriculture specialist, stating that "Locally grown food is fresher and leaves less of a carbon footprint. It has become more and more popular in the past 10 years.” This example supports my proposal by explaining that locally grown foods can be healthy for Americans. In Another article by Charlotte Tucker, who is an editor for The Nation's Health, states that Fifty-six percent of community gardeners met recommendations to eat fruits and vegetables five times per day, compared with 37 percent of home gardeners and 25 percent of non-gardeners. This is another great example that explains how community gardens can be a great idea and can help with eating healthier.

Farmers Market:

            Even though a community garden is a great way to save money on fruits and vegetables, going to a farmers market is another great way to save money on fruits and vegetables. Many Americans don’t have the time or resources to tend a big garden, buying freezing produce in bulk at the farmers market and preserving it home can save you a lot of money. In an article by Roberta Bailey, she states that many canned foods show a savings of 25 percent, while the best deals can save you as much as 75 percent. For frozen produce, the numbers are even better, with many of the home-preserved foods saving you 50 to 80 percent over the store-bought versions. This is a great way to save on your fruits and vegetables; you can have healthy foods all year round.

           

Works Cited

BAILEY, ROBERTA R. "Save Money On Groceries." Mother Earth News 241 (2010): 40-43. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Brockhouse, Bill. "Ripe Time Delivery Carolina Growers Form Co-Op To Supply Farm-To-School Market." Rural Cooperatives 76.4 (2009): 14-16. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Campos, Paul. "Our Absurd Fear of Fat." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

"Can You Afford to Eat Right?" Heath & Nutrition Letter. N.p., May 2008. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.

Esteves, Tammy. "Food for thought: is a French fry a vegetable? The cost of healthy foods and the lack of physical activity among children and teenagers are fueling the obesity epidemic." The Public Manager Summer 2011: 71+. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

"Food Co-ops." Stronger Together. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Garden program helps to encourage interest in locally grown produce." Pittsburgh Tribune-Review [Pittsburgh, PA] 3 Mar. 2013. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Jamie Zoellner, et al. "Does Availability Of Physical Activity And Food Outlets Differ By Race And Income? Findings From An Enumeration Study In A Health Disparate Region." International Journal Of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity 9.1 (2012): 105-114. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

Obama, Michelle. "Healthy Communities." Let's Move! N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Tucker, Charlotte. "Study: Community Gardeners Eat Better." Health & Wellness. Gale Learning, Sept. 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2013

working thesis

• Thesis: The high prices of healthy foods is a terrible problem because it affects the entire community, but especially the low-income families. There have been many proposals that have been brought up to solve this issue, but the proposal that I believe that would be best is having the community to come together and grow their own products.

Essay 4 Prospectus

Define the problem and its context:

The problem in my essay is the High prices of healthy foods. The rise in prices makes low-income families struggle to feed their families healthy foods. Because of this it leads them to buying unhealthy foods for their families. Also the low prices of unhealthy food increased the obesity rate in America, but not only did the obesity rate go up so did other medical problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. This is a huge problem and needs to be fixed.

Who is your TARGET audience? Why?

My target audience is the people in the community. I’m choosing the people in the community because it is harder to get the government to change the prices of healthy foods, so it will be much easier for the community to come together and plant their own fruits and vegetables to save money and eat healthy.

Which solution(s) will you propose as the best?

The proposal that I would propose as the best is having the community plant their own fruits and vegetables to save money.

What EVIDENCE will you provide that this is the best plan?

The evidence that I would provide is the examples of other people who is already growing their own foods and information on what Michelle Obama is doing to help with this cause.

How will you build RHETORICAL APPEAL in your proposal, making it convincing to readers?

I would use PATHOS when I talk about the low-income families struggling to buy healthy foods for their family. I will also use pathos when I talk about the high ratings in obesity. I would also use ETHOS when I talk about how Michelle Obama wants to help with childhood obesity and ways to eat healthy.

rough draft

 Brittney Miller      

Professor Thomas

Composition 102

17 March 2013

Title

            There is no doubt that millions of people are struggling in America due to the high prices in the grocery stores and even in fast food restaurants. The main victims who are affected by the rise in prices are the low-income families. An article written by the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter states that the price of a loaf of white bread has risen nearly 25 cents, red delicious apples are up 20 cents a pound, from 96 cents to $1.16, and eggs have jumped from around $1.45 to $2.18. The rise in prices makes low-income families struggle to feed their families healthy foods. Because of this it leads them to buying unhealthy foods for their families.  Adam Drewnowski, who is with the Center for Public Health Nutrition and the Nutritional Sciences Program, states that the low price of energy-dense food encourages low-income Americans to consume an unhealthy diet. Because of the low prices of unhealthy foods it increased the obesity rate in America, but not only did the obesity rate go up so did other medical problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. An article by Tammy Esteves states that According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of adults in the United States were obese in 2009-2010. The high prices in healthy foods are a terrible problem because it affects the entire community, but especially the low-income families, the suppliers, and even schools. As the prices continue to rise each year due to the struggling economy, communities need to raise awareness and provide information about ways to buy non-expensive healthy foods for their families.

What is the real price of healthy foods?

            There have been many arguments on whether healthy foods cost more or less than unhealthy foods. An article by Elisa Zied, an msnbc contributor, states that new government report finds that nutritious foods – such as grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy – typically cost less than items high in saturated fat and added sugars. In her article she explains that it’s all on how you look at it, for an example if you look at the price of edible weight or price per portion to determine costs then the cost of healthy foods such as oat cereal, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat milk, are more affordable than most protein foods. On the other hand, if you measure it price per calorie than many healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables cost more than less healthy foods. But it all boils down to the grocery bill. In today’s world, nobody takes the time and measure the weight and compare it to the price we all look at the price and ask our self “Am I really getting my money’s worth?” Americans today always look for the better bargain.

            Because of wanting to get more for our money, Americans, especially the low-income families tend to have a poor eating habit which leads to obesity. Obesity rates in the United States have risen sharply over the past 2 decades.   In the article, Poverty and obesity by Adam Drewnowski, he states that the highest rates of obesity occur among population groups with the highest poverty rates. How can this be? Many low-income families tend to buy fatty foods because they typically cost less. They also buy fatty foods because they know that buying these foods will satisfy them and healthy foods do not. A study by Lillian Mwanri, on the Food supply and the obesity scourge, states that it is clear that price has an influence on food purchasing decisions and dependence on less nutritious but more economical and socially acceptable foods; contributes to disproportionate rates of obesity among groups with limited economic means. Speaking of limited economic means, transportation in the low-income areas also has a big impact on the obesity epidemic. In the article Does availability of physical activity and food outlets differ by race and income? The author Jennie Hill, states that a poorer food environment, such as higher concentration of fast food restaurants and a limited selection of fresh produce in grocery stores and markets in low income areas tend to lead to obesity. This is a huge problem because low-income households are forced to select foods, with higher proportions of grains, added sugars and fats. Having smaller grocery stores make it easier for people without cars, but the stores do not provide enough healthy foods, which then leads to obesity.

Intro/thesis

Brittney Miller

Professor Thomas

Composition 102

17 March 2013

Title

            There is no doubt that millions of people are struggling in America due to the high prices in the grocery stores and even in fast food restaurants. The main victims who are affected by the rise in prices are the low-income families. An article written by the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter states that the price of a loaf of white bread has risen nearly 25 cents, red delicious apples are up 20 cents a pound, from 96 cents to $1.16, and eggs have jumped from around $1.45 to $2.18. The rise in prices makes low-income families struggle to feed their families healthy foods. Because of this it leads them to buying unhealthy foods for their families.  Adam Drewnowski, who is with the Center for Public Health Nutrition and the Nutritional Sciences Program, states that the low price of energy-dense food encourages low-income Americans to consume an unhealthy diet. Because of the low prices of unhealthy foods it increased the obesity rate in America, but not only did the obesity rate go up so did other medical problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. An article by Tammy Esteves states that According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of adults in the United States were obese in 2009-2010. The high prices in healthy foods are a terrible problem because it affects the entire community, but specifically the low-income families, the suppliers, and even schools. As the prices continue to rise each year due to the struggling economy, communities need to raise awareness and provide information about ways to buy non-expensive healthy foods for their families.

research topic

The topic that I am researching is High Prices on Healthy foods. Some of the problems that I already know about the topic are that many Americans go to fast foods because it is cheaper to feed their families. Even on the menus of fast food places the more healthy foods on the menu is more expensive then the not so healthy foods. Also the prices on heathly foods in the market have gone up causing many Americans to reduce buying healthy foods. Also because of the high prices many Americans are getting obese; and the ones that are hurting from it the most is the children. The stakeholders that are affected by this are, of course, the children, and low-income families.

Here are some of my research questions:

1. Why are the prices of healthy food going up?

2. How are the high prices on healthy food affecting children? Low-income families?

3. What can we do to help fix this problem?

I found one great resource in the school library database which is an article called "Can You Afford To Eat right?" Which covers the topics Food prices, Heath, and obesity. This article is very useful in helping me with my paper because it provides so many useful quotes to creditable people about the topic.


http://proxy.uscupstate.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=31885135&site=ehost-live

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Title

            After the loss of the beautiful children and adults at The Sandy Hook Shooting, there was a huge outcry from Americans all over about how we need to do something about the shootings in the U.S. There is no doubt that many innocent people are dying because of the use of guns. President Barak Obama spoke on this at his speech on Gun Control on January 16, 2013; President Obama believes that this proposal will help reduce the violence in the U.S and keep our family and friends safe from harm. But would restrictions on guns really reduce violence? Although The Gun Control proposal is a growing topic, not all agree that this proposal will lessen the killings in the U.S or that this proposal will even last. Tom Gresham, an editor of the Columbus Dispatch, disagrees with President Obama’s proposal on gun control. Tom believes that this proposal will be a failure because all of the other bans on assault weapons in the past failed. He believes that if we have more programs on how to secure firearms then that will help reduce killings. I agree with president Obama that we need to keep our family and friends safe from harm, but I oppose on the stricter gun control proposal. We need to own guns to protect ourselves and our love ones against criminals.

 President Obama believes that having a control on guns is what we need to help reduce violence. In his speech he immediately talks on the Sandy Hook Shooting and how we need to protect our children from harm. He bases his whole speech on protecting or children and loved ones to grab the listener’s attention and make them feel sad and upset. President Obama uses many fallacies when he gives his speech to help his argument. For an example, he uses many glittering generalizations throughout his speech, like when he says the words “free”, “together”. “Powerful”, he uses these words so that the listeners can accept and approve of his argument without examining his evidence. But did President Obama have any proof in his speech that banning guns will actually help reduce violence? Analyzing his speech President Obama states that, “it's time for Congress to require a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun. Right now, as many as 40 percent of all gun purchases are conducted without a background check.” Through research I found that on an article on University News Elizabeth Golden writes that, “According to a report by the Government Accountability Office, between 2004 and 2010, over 1,200 people on terrorist watch lists attempted to buy firearms and 91 percent of these transactions passed the background check.” (Elizabeth Golden) This statement goes against Obama because it’s saying that even if we have background checks there will still be criminals who can beat the system and find a way to get a hold on a gun. In Obama’s speech he didn’t state many creditably people to back up his arguments on having a control on guns. This made it harder to agree with Obama’s proposals because we don’t know any other person who sides with him.

On the other hand, On The Columbus Dispatch, an article called “Gun control has a clear record of failure” Tom Gresham's the author, has published an argument about how the Gun control proposal will result in a failure. In his article he explains several reasons why the proposal will be a failure; he also states ways we can help reduce the violence in the U.S. According to Tom, “The National Academy of Sciences studied gun laws in the U.S. and reported it could find no link between restrictions on gun ownership and lower rates of crime, firearms violence or accidents with guns.” He also states that “The major change in America's gun laws over the past two decades is removing prohibitions against people carrying guns for protection” Even though these are great claims, Tom failed to have credibly citations in his article. If he would have cited a scientist or cited a FBI then the reader can feel like his statement was well supported. Through research I found an article called The Case for more Guns (And more Gun Control) by Jeffery Goldberg stating that, “Pink Pistol clubs sprang up across America, in which gays and lesbians learn to use firearms in self-defense. Other vulnerable groups have also taken to the idea of concealed carry: in Texas, African American women represent the largest percentage increase of concealed-carry permit seekers since 2000.” This quote supports Tom’s statement on how allowing people to carry guns for protection helps people with self-defense.

Tom Gresham also writes on child education on guns. He explains that if we had more programs like the Eddie Eagle program, which teaches young children to not to touch guns and to tell an adult if they see one then this will decrease the accidents on handling guns. He also states in his article that, “Congress eliminated the funding for “Project Childsafe,” a program created by the firearms industry to educate gun owners about safe storage and to distribute millions of gun locks.” Tom’s statements on how we need more programs that help educate young children is extremely useful because it sheds light on the serious problem on how to stay away from guns and to properly handle a gun.

In any case, both authors agree, and so do I, that we do need to do something to help with the issue on guns. I believe that we shouldn’t have a ban on guns. I believe that all Americans have the right to own a gun for protection or even for hunting. Although I agree with President Obama that we need to have stricter background checks for purchasing guns, I also agree with Tom Gresham on how we need to have more programs for children on teaching them about the dangers of guns.

summary of arguments

The article that I am summarizing is called Gun control has a clear record of failure. This article is about how the Gun Control issue is not the best idea and how we really do not need it. The author believes that this new Gun Control law is not the best way to go. He believes that we should enforce more programs that secure firearms. It says that we already have many laws on the restrictions on guns. The author uses LOGOS when he writes that studies show that over the past 20 years The National Academy of Science could find no link between restrictions on gun ownership and lower rates of crime, firearms violence or accidents with guns.


 
The second article that I am summarizing is called President Barack Obama: Now is the time. This article is about how we should enforce the gun control law and how it will help better and protect the U.S. President Obama uses PATHOS when he talks about the innocent children and adults who were killed at the NewTown shooting. He touches his audience hearts and then talks about how the gun control law will protect our loved ones from harm.

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Together We Can

            “So I’m putting forward a specific set of proposals based on the work of Joe’s task force. And in the days ahead I intend to use whatever weight this office holds to make them a reality;” Stated President Obama during his speech in Washington D.C on January 16, 2013. President Obama insisted that we issue a gun control problem to reduce the violence in America. He emphasizes throughout his speech that “We” as in every citizen in the United States, needs to come together and speak up on the violence so that change can come.

            Millions of people in the United States sat and watched Obama’s speech on their televisions, smart phones, or even listened to it on the radio. Watching some speech’s can be a bit dull and can tend to have people, including myself, dosing off while watching it. President Obama speech on Gun Control however, had me glued to the TV screen and also on board with his proposal on the gun control. Through Repetition, his use of historical references, and the structure of his speech, President Obama persuades his audience to be on board with his proposal on issuing Gun Control.

            Throughout his speech President Obama repetitively used the word “violence”. “To help prevent mass shootings, to reduce the broader epidemic of gun violence in this country.” Or “if there’s even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try.” President Obama repetitively used the word “violence” to emphasize to Americans that gun shootings are increasing in the United States and we have to do something to stop it. The word violence itself is a powerful word; it opens up peoples ears when they hear it and makes them listen to what is being said about it. By using this word president Obama can persuade Americans that guns are very violent and dangerous and needs to be kept out the hands of dangerous people.

            President Obama repetitively used the word Violence was a great way to grab the attention to all Americans.  But when he stated the historically references on Ronald Reagan it gave him creditability on how great the gun control proposal will be. “And, by the way, so did Ronald Reagan, one of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, who wrote to Congress in 1994, urging them — this is Ronald Reagan speaking — urging them to listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of military-style assault weapons.” President Obama used this quote from Ronald Reagan to show the people that even a great idol of the United States once said that we should have a ban on assault weapons. President Obama also speaks on the second amendment, “Like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms.” President Obama speaks on this so that he can still gain the trust of the people who uses guns for hunting or sports. President Obama doesn’t want the gun control issue to be a bad thing he wants it to be a good one for all Americans.

            The way President Obama structured his speech not only kept everyone who was watching glued to their television but it touched Americans hearts when he speaks on the killings of young children and adults. “And obviously, none have affected us more than the families of those gorgeous children and their teachers and guardians who were lost.” Or “This is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe. This is how we will be judged. And their voices should compel us to change.” President Obama structured his speech with quotes about the children and adults who were murdered so that he can create a mood of sadness and anger that the use of guns is used to take away loved ones. By doing this it caused Americans to stop and think to themselves “we do need a control on purchasing guns”. President Obama also used letters from young children about how we should do something about the killings in the U.S. “Hinna (ph) wrote, “I feel terrible for the parents who lost their children. I love my country, and I want everybody to be happy, and safe.” And another letter from a young child “And then Grant, go ahead and wave Grant, Grant said, “I think there should be some changes. We should learn from what happened at Sandy Hook. I feel really bad.” Using the letters from children also creates a mood of sadness it shows to Americans that young kids also agrees on having change and the need for control on assault weapons.

            Finally, President Obama states in his speech what congress needs to do to help with the change in stopping the violence in the U.S. “To make a real and lasting difference, Congress, too, must act, and Congress must act soon. And I’m calling on Congress to pass some very specific proposals right away.” Obama then states three things that congress needs to do to help make a change in the use of guns. After each statement Obama tells us some background information on why he states theses three things. President Obama does this because he wants all Americans to know that he is not the only one who can enforce the control on guns. He wants the citizens of America to know that we all need to work together to enforce these laws. In closing his speech president Obama stated “we must act now, for Grace, for the 25 other innocent children and devoted educators who had so much left to give; for the men and women in big cities and small towns who fall victims to senseless violence each and every day; for all the Americans who are counting on us to keep them safe from harm.” By the end of this statement Americans are persuade to help speak out on the gun violence in the U.S.

Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis

• Who is the author/speaker?

-Obama uses ethos when he quotes about Ronald Reagan:
"And, by the way, so did Ronald Reagan, one of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, who wrote to Congress in 1994, urging them — this is Ronald Reagan speaking — urging them to listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of military-style assault weapons."

• What is his/her intention?

- His intention is to have America on board with him issuing Gun Control.
-Stop violence

 

• Who make up the audience?

-The target audience is America, and the secondary audience is Congress.
"To make a real and lasting difference, Congress, too, must act, and Congress must act soon. And I’m calling on Congress to pass some very specific proposals right away."
-Obama uses PATHOS when he talks to the audience about the small beautiful children that died at the Sandy Hook shooting and the brave teachers who also died. The audience feels sad and also angry that innocent people died because of the use of gun violence.

• What is the form/structure/medium in which it is conveyed?

-Obama states the problem in his speech and then tells why it is a problem and how we need to fix it. By doing this the audience can easily follow along with him and be persuade into being on board for issuing the Gun Control proposal

• Which persuasive and rhetorical devices are used to accomplish the purpose?

-Obama uses many rhetorical devices throughout his speech.
"we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights that no man or government can take away from us. " He uses this from the Declaration of Independence to show ETHOS. It moves the audience because it is powerful and famous words.
-At first Obama uses a sad or sympathetic tone in his speech when he reads the letters from the children about stopping gun violence and when he talks about the Innocent people who died because of it. Then later on in his speech Obama tone is very authoritative when he talks about how congress needs to help too and what we as Americans need to do together.
-Obama also brightens up the mood in his speech when he reads a little girl letter to him.
"You know, in the letter that Julia wrote me, she said “I know that laws have to be passed by Congress, but I beg you to try very hard.” The audience gets a little laugh and then the president agrees with her and makes his point that Congress needs to help with the gun control.

Summary of Speech

The text that I’m summarizing is the Obama speech on gun control. The title of the article is Transcript President Obama, Joe Biden speech on gun control the author of the article is Brandon jones. A short overview of Obama’s speech is that he is talking about the new proposal on gun control. Obama starts of talking about the Sandy Hook devastation and how we lost 20 children and 6 adults that day. He uses pathos when he talks about the innocent people who died and even told us how 900 more people died in the last month because of gun use. He talks about how he wants to make getting guns more difficult, and not as easy as it is right now. He also speaks on getting better security for schools and better emergency preparedness plans. He also states what congress needs to do to make a difference.

 

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/transcript-president-obama-joe-biden-speech-on-gun-control-43383/