6. Brand Identification

      One brand that has always played a significant role in my life is Lacoste. My earliest memory of the brand was when my aunt would always wear it. I was curious at first until i noticed everyone wearing it. To me it was just a nice polo shirt made of different colors and had the alligator logo to the chest. But I began noticing that it was a brand of "high status" and "luxury". When someone would wear It, they'd question It's authenticity and feel the fabric as if it was something short of a miracle. That got me curious as to what it was. In a way, I became curious and eventually liked the brand.
     The main reason I liked Lacoste was because of it's price tag. No matter where I went, there was never a sale for the shirts. The jeans were always $150 and over and the shirts, no matter how simple were always more than $80. When I bought my first shirt, I wanted to wear It carefully and always looked after It with fragile care. When I bought my first pair of jeans, I wore It so much I wanted the world to "notice". It made me feel rich when I wasn't. Something about the brand gave me a sense of self confidence I never had before. Then I branched out to Lacoste cologne and since the brand was familiar, I've grown familiar to purchasing It faithfully.
     In a way, that sense of fake high status just because of a name brand you wear is stupid. Yet we all continue to do It from sneakers to suits, because the name brand tells you how much It's worth. To people who "know" the price of the brand and how it's made, we make ourselves show our worth by what we wear. What we wear conveys our personality, our confidence, and our portrays our inner thoughts. No matter what, everyday people judge you but what you wear and sometimes wearing clothes that are likable to the public helps your mind block out any negativity. Some people care more than others, but to me, Lacoste is that name brand that I wouldn't mind investing in just because I know what I'm buying.

5. Summary Response Essay

     It's funny how time changes and things that weren't relevant to us then are obvious to us now. Fast food has become a large part of our economy as well as our everyday living. Almost every friend I have Is or has worked for the restaurant industry. Shopping malls have closed and re-opened as new fast food chains open up and become the next big craze. It's as If almost everyone Is competing to open up the new fast food with a "twist" and the public eats It up like it was a free buffet giveaway. In the book, "Fast Food Nation," the author Eric Schlosser mentions the birth of fast food from small random hot dog carts to Mcdonald's as an empire today. The founding fathers of what we see as normal Is anything but. What I found interesting is the proof of "Synergy", the marketing tool that Walt Disney and Ray Kroc (Mcdonald's) used to target kids in advertisements in the 1930's is now being used by the phone, oil, automobile, and clothing companies (pg 40). Targeting children works and we are living proof of that.
     A couple of months ago, my girlfriend and I visited Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It was beautiful! As soon as I stepped in the park, I was a kid again! Everyone from around the world gathered together to share a fantasy experience with everyone else that day. After an hour of basking in the moment, I begin to notice the countless strollers parked in a certain area of every park. I then realize that the majority of people that visit Disney World are families with two or more children. That's an average of $100 per person on tickets alone. Food Is about $20 and snacks range from $7-15, so that's at least around $130 per person (drinks not included). I've witnessed the prime example of synergy in that park and how it works for Disney World's benefit. They make so much money off people just to be in the park alone and do so well to entertain children and families,
that their children will probably bring their children in the future to give Disney a good chunk of their savings.
     Fast food has always been a huge part of my life. When I was growing up in the Philippines, there's this fast food restaurant called, "Jollibee", that was similar to America's Mcdonald's. Eating their food was my childhood. At that time, It gave everyone a sense of "status", to be able to afford the food most families can't. I then moved to New York and start my first job in Queens for KFC. It's a big difference working for the fast food industry when you've been raised to love the food. Making It for customers is a complete 360. I've gained weight while working around the abundance of fried chicken. Never have I been so stressed that even though I feel as If I've worked over 40 hours, my paychecks would be barely $200 a week. I had to borrow money from friends before my next paycheck and I'd use about half of it to pay them back. I was always broke in that employment. We were all over worked and underpaid and till this day I'm surprised I stayed in that company for a year. It did teach me a great lesson in life. To never work for the fast food industry ever again.
     No matter what happens in the future, I most likely will eat fast food to satisfy  my cravings. Fast food has been a huge part of my life and even though they intentionally target children, having them around for a part of my childhood wasn't that bad. Fast food has established a sort of familiar feel of everyday life. Most people I know can relate to the food I've eaten. Fast food has also built a sense of community when it comes to convenience and sense of nostalgia. As an adult however, I can make wiser choices for myself, as Eric Schlosser says on pg.10, "As the old saying goes: You are what you eat." Is an old saying I believe in. Even though fast food is convenient for all, It doesn't mean you have to eat it everyday. Our body Is a temple and you're the only one who can take care of yourself.

4. Your Trusted Friends

     In the book, Fast Food Nation by Eric Shlosser, Chapter two describes how Mcdonald's and Walt Disney appeals to kids and It's definitely on purpose. " Although the fast food chains annually spend $3 billion on television advertising, their marketing efforts directed at children extend far beyond such conventional ads, " Eric Slosser says, as he uses logos to tell us true facts behind the fast food industry. Not only does the author shine light on the fast food's hidden agenda, he tells us more facts about the free toys we all used to get win happy meals as well as the McDonald's playgrounds we all used to play in. It's all in the facade that they want us to think they are our "trusted friends." Even though It seems America has seen through all the advertisement intent, we still can't help what we've been raised to think through television and what we see as something "happy" and take comfort in food that makes us "happy". This chapter also describes how fast food advertisement has entered school advertisement with the help of soda companies.  

3. Summarizing Arguments (Founding Fathers)

     In the Founding Fathers chapter of Eric Schlosser's book, "Fast Food Nation", he mainly describes Carl N. Karcher's success as a rags to riches story as well as other fast food franchises. The author uses pathos to appeal to the reader's emotions by making us "attached" to the founder of Carl's Jr. restaurant. He started from working for his uncle, earning enough for his own hotdog cart, then a few more, then saved enough money for his own restaurant. The author shows Carl's ups and downs throughout decades of competition and struggle. At the end of five decades since he started the business, Carl was betrayed by his own board members quoting, "one of the saddest days of my life." Through his struggle the author makes the readers like him more. Carl eventually gets his company back after engineering a takeover which makes me feel like If he can do it, I can.

2. The Meaning Of Food In My Life

     As far as I can remember, food has always been a major part of my life. When my family would get together for a reunion In the Philippines, you would think we were cooking for a whole village. Cookies and chocolates for the children, sodas never running out, and after the feast had finished, we'd have so many leftovers, we'd have to borrow a neighbor's fridge.We never ran out of food in my house which may explain why I was obese In my younger years. My health got so bad, I had high blood pressure when I was 15.
      Now I try to watch what  I eat since I don't have the luxury of comfort food on a daily basis. I've been working in a restaurant since I was 16 and what I can take from that Is there's a reason the food Is so good. Because It's usually not good for you. I've gained weight while working in the industry while eating the food out of convenience. I've also lost weight by eating food I would cook outside of the restuarant and bringing it to work.
      When I shop for groceries, I usually wander the aisles debating what Items I need for the day and not to buy too much as It usually goes to waste. For example, today I ended up buying hamburger meat for pasta, some cheese, and fruit juice. While debating, money always comes to play and I end up minimizing my list to what I need for the day. Some days I miss living with my parents, because they would always load up food from Costco and never run out of anything. It's funny how we take the little things for granted.
     I'm very grateful for the food industry as It has helped me financially as well as making wiser discisions in what I eat. Ever since the company I work for has come out with calorie counts for each Item on our menu, I've been able to watch what I put in myself as well as curb my cravings for food I never used to think twice about. I'm very fortunate to be around food for a major part of my life for It has taught me to take better care of myself. I see how food Is cooked, the effects It has on my body, and what I can do to make better food descisions for myself In the future.

   
   

1. Is America's Food Supply Safe?

     In this passage by, Dr. David Acheson (Ass. Commissioner FDA), claims  that the FDA works very hard and meticulously to keep America's food safe. Working with Federal, State, and even consumers to insure their products to be safer than it already is. He also points out that imported foods are being closely monitored by food companies as well as border inspectors to make sure that the food we get from other countries are as safe as they can be.
     Dr. David Acheson points out all major aspects of safety, from chemical contamination to educating consumers to prevent any other types of contamination on food. Also, to be able to catch problems early on to fix or prevent the issue from ever happening again.
     I've worked for the food industry for about 10 years now and what I can relate to is when the F.D.A. takes action on teaching consumers. As a bartender, I know all the strict regulations they enforce on us. From behind the kitchen to bar fruit purees, and believe me, it's a very stressful process. Our restaurant always fears their inspections and makes sure everything is clean, sanitized, and stored properly for when they do arrive.
      Being raised in a third world country, I have seen all the wrong ways to serve and prepare food as well as feeling the consequence. I have been the victim of a bad case of food-borne illness and It was on of the worst days of my life. Through the pain of past experience, I've become more appreciative of the F.D.A's efforts of improving food safety to the public. Some countries don't have even have that luxury. Everyday they work better for the public. There may be outbreaks here and there as we see on the news but I've always seen them take all necessary actions to keep America's food supply safe.