GMO Foods - Rotunda Project

   I took to looking at the rotunda project on GMOs and their effects on human health. While this study took a neutral standpoint in stating both the purported positive and negative aspects of genetically modifying organisms, I wanted to do my own research.
   I had heard that very little proof had come to light that GMOs negatively effect the health of consumers, but proof that they were positive didn't exist either. What I found was instead quite different:
   The project said that, in defense of the argument that they are detrimental to one's health, that GMOs could cause allergic reactions. I read that, over the past 15 years, studies have been done to prove this untrue and that any allergens associated with genetically modified foods come from the foods themselves; i.e., if I have a peanut allergy, I am just as likely to have a reaction to a GMO peanut as I am to a non-GMO peanut. And the same goes for if I didn't have an allergy; the GMO peanut wouldn't induce a reaction either. It just comes from the food.
   One of the main arguments of those against genetically modified foods is that the studies and tests on them are conducted by the companies responsible for their sale, which produces bias. This may be true, but evidence further pointed elsewhere:
    It was stated in the project that microscopic bacteria growing on GMO foods may cause decreased antibiotic efficiency. The bacteria would transfer DNA that caused antibiotic resistance into bacteria in one's own body, which would prevent such medications from treating infection. As it turns out, the chance of this occurring is as microscopic as the bacteria themselves, as we consume such organisms whenever we eat fruits and vegetables, yet this does not occur.
   However, I did find two very compelling arguments against GMOs:
   Firstly, the fact that, since their introduction, the increased use of herbicides has produced "super-weeds." While the GMO plants can survive the poisoning, weeds cannot, forcing natural selection. Weeds that have a certain resistance to the herbicide reproduce, requiring a stronger deterrent to be used. Presently, one that has been utilized as a result is 4,2-D. This is a major ingredient in agent orange, the chemical responsible for causing various illnesses and medical conditions in our Vietnam veterans.
   Secondly, as GMO seeds are planted just like regular ones, they have a tendency to be swept up by the wind onto the farms of cultivators who do not grow GMO plants. If the company producing them finds their seeds on another farmer's field, they are free to sue - and they have. As a result, smaller farms are getting eaten up by larger ones (such as those run by Monsanto) and big corporations are monopolizing agriculture.
  I believe that, in this argument, there are some very vague points in regards to the actual harm that GMO plants themselves can cause. However, their growth has definitely caused some issues that need to be ironed out, and I believe anyone weighing in on this debate needs to view those more carefully than those shrouded in superstition.

Rotunda Project Response

After browsing all the rotunda projects (all of which were insightful and thought-provoking) I noticed the one that struck the most refulgent chord within me was the photojournalism introspective. "We Are All Human" is a project that not only reflects on what I sometimes look past when making a first impression, but it shows the depth to every human who has ever lived. I am familiar with Humans of New York which is a catalogue of photographs which gives daily glimpses to the world of NY's citizens, and enjoyed that this concept was applied to a realm that is closer to home for me. This part of Long Island seems very slow and calm to me which is weird considering we live less than an hour away from the place with the fastest pace on Earth. Even with the slowness of our community, I still walk past people like I have somewhere important to be, or am on my phone rather than trying to connect with people by having deep conversations. Gossip is so easy. It is simple to talk about people, but I think it's a special quality to share with a person if you can sit down and discuss your thoughts about your philosophies, the universe, or what happens after life ceases to exist. These may seem like the hard hitting questions, but we look past these and settle for shallowness. Sometimes to get the true essence of a person, you have to get to their core and realize what keep them up at night to understand where they are coming from. Judging a book by its cover could be a dangerous thing. Asking a person to just let go and talk about what keeps them going can make them incredibly comfortable and a lending ear could give them worth. There is more to a person than just their look and material possessions, and sometimes the human race forgets that. If even just I make the effort to take a moment to have a conversation with a stranger, maybe I'll be adding joy to their lives that they needed.

Rotunda Project Blog

Media has always had negative impact on people since it was created. Violence,
vulgar wordson tv and video games was always a factor in adolescent behavior. I
believe media has the most impact on young teenage girls.

The project that showed negative impacts on girls in the rotunda had some great points. Even when we were little we were exposed to Barbie dolls that had the perfect figure. We always
wanted to look like them and as time proceeded models on tv are what we
perceived as the ideal look. 42% of Girls that are between ages 6-10 wish they
were skinner. Anorexia used to fall under ages 13-17 but now it's gotten to ages
9-12. As technology increased the ages of anorexia decreased.

Also, media has portrayed a disturbing way of life for young girls. 16 and pregnant is a show
about irresponsible 16 year olds who are having kids and living the life as a
reality star. Back in 2009 when the show was created an astonishing 410,000
girls were having kids at the age of 16 which was the highest rate ever.

This project really affected me being that I've experience life as a teenager
clearly. The pressure it is to be pretty and to impress other is agonizing. All
tv shows have pretty skinny girls and after awhile it gets in your head.


Though I've never watched 16 and pregnant I always knew that is was a bad
show because it glorified teen pregnancy. That is a very difficult life to live
and no teenagers show have to go through it. But, the media keeps showing it
even though they know the negative impacts it has.

Rotunda Project Response

There were a lot of really great projects on display at the rotunda, many of which I would have liked to have been able to spend more time looking at, but one project really caught my attention.

I found "Sugar Misconception" particularly interesting because it challenges the idea that just because something is marketed as a "salad" doesn't necessarily mean that it's healthy. Seeing that the McDonald's salad contains 12 grams of sugar, 3 grams more than a Big Mac, came as a shock to me because like many others, I always assumed that getting a salad from McDonald's was a healthy alternative to typical fast food, however that is clearly not true. Not only does he salad have more sugar than a Big Mac (often considered the most unhealthy item on McDonald's menu), it also posses almost as many calories, just as many carbs, and 19 grams of fat! That's insane!

Another thing I really liked about their project was how they made it easy to get a grasp around just how bad these items really are for you. 12 grams may not sound like a lot to unknowing patron, but when it's presented right in front of you like so it's impossible to dispute. Just thinking about eating that ziplock  bag full of sugar makes me sick to my stomach and yet people actually eat that every day unknowingly whilst believing that they are eating something healthy for them. Additionally the fact that they included regarding how much exercise it would take to burn off the calories gained by eating the salad blow my mind. 3 miles. It takes running 3 miles to actually burn off one of these salads. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to have to run 5280 yards ( the length of over 52 football fields) to justify eating my meal, I wouldn't exactly consider it healthy.

11. Domestic Violence

For some odd reason no matter how I try to images will not post correctly so I guess I'll just have to deal with it. 

I was incredibly drawn to the Domestic Violence visual representation, as well as moved by their factual presentation. Even when incorporating the silly dress meme that went around to convey a very important message. "Why is it so hard to see black and blue?" Well the answer might be that violence isn't always obvious. Domestic violence does incorporate physical signs, but not always is it taken to that extreme. In some cases those who cause physical abuse don't always mean to take it to that extreme. Substance abuse such as alcohol, inhalants, and prescription drug abuse can egg-on these behaviors to the point they get too. 

This group did a wonderful job in there presentation of social issues, the use of flowers in the artwork to symbolize the bruising and the pain inflicted on her is just a creative take on it. Especially in the sense that flowers are usually used to symbolize beauty and fragility, something that most individuals are, no matter how much physical pain they may have inflicted on them, they still are as precious as a flower.

rotunda project blog post

Same Sex Marriage
As soon as I saw this post in the rotunda it immediately caught my eye. Maybe this is too personal, but my sister is gay and I recently got into a big fight with my extended family over it defending my sister. They shoved religion into her face, saying the Bible is against homosexuals, but then again it's also against divorce and cursing and other things that happen in everyday life, yet there's no law against them. Legalizing gay marriage should be more secular, and religious views shouldn't determine the law. On the poster I saw in the rotunda, the 'cons' of same sex marriage included that to some people it is immoral and unnatural and that it goes against religious tradition. But law making should not be influenced by one particular religion, or some people's views on how they don't think it's right. The 'pros' included that denying people love and happiness is wrong, tradition has changed, and secular v. religious issues. I agree with all of these. All marriage should be legal, and it already is in 37 states. But there's 50 states in the US, and I'd liked to see the rest of them legalize what shouldn't of even been a problem in the first place. Everyone deserves to be happy and live the life they want to. So thanks to whoever made that poster, I agree 100%.

Sugar Misconception

People believe if they go to mcdonalds and get a salad they are eating healthier. In reality they are eating much healthier than if they had gotten a Big Mac. The southwest salad has 320 calories, 29 g of protein, 19 g of fat, 40 g of carbs, and 1040 g of sodium. If a McDonald's salad would take 3 miles of running for the average person to burn off... are you really eating healthy? You would be better off making a salad at home that would be much healthier and better for your body.