Blue Gold

It is not until recently that we, being us the people that live on this planet we call Earth, have even acknowledged that there is a water crisis. Many have kept themselves in their self made bubble of ignorance, never asking the simple question: Where does the water I am drinking come from? Such a simple question, that most would assume has a simple answer which could possibly be the reason that so many of us have never given much thought to this important question. We just assumed that like the question itself the answer must be just as simple but unfortunate this is not so.

If the answer was that simple we would assume that no matter where we lived, regardless of climate, that the water we drank would come from a nearby source. Whether that source be a lake, river, or aquifer. Blue Gold demonstrates that this is how we began. But since this beginning has drained dry any chances at water sources that could keep themselves sustained. Blue Gold plasters hard fact of these areas, with up to date aerial views of lakes drained dry as well as aqueducts that lure away precious water.

While watching this documentary I was continually wondering if this was one sided. And the true answer to that question is that yes, Blue Gold is one sided because there is no other side anymore, we drained it dry. What Blue Gold does that makes it believable, not in the Hollywood sense but in that we really need to deal with this problem sense, is the raw data that is shown. Not data based on opinions of experts but instead in actual footage and facts. So because of this I approve this documentary.

Annotated Bibliography

Entry Two

"Farm Bureau History :: San Diego Farm Bureau." San Diego County Farm Bureau. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .

This website is a great source on when certifications and the first's farmers markets were started in San Diego. Also a great resource for anything related to the first implementations of anything farming in San Diego.

Entry Three

Best, Elisabeth. "Farmers Markets Offer Benefits Beyond Efficiency." Smart Journalism. Real Solutions. Miller-McCune. 20 Feb. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. .

This article gives an overview of the pros of farmers markets. Also the growth of these markets over the years. It goes into detail about the stages a farmers market can go through in relation to the type of foods and or products it will sell.

Annotated Bibliography

Entry One:

"The History of Farmers Market." The Original Farmers Market. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .

This history describes the beginning of the first farmers market at Gilmore Island, Los Angeles, in 1934. Starting with Arthur Fremont Gilmore and his ranches turn car racing/ baseball tracks, to his son Earl Bell Gilmore being approached by Roger Dahlhjelm and Fred Beck who had the 'idea'. This idea covered the initial creation of the first farmer markets and still lives on in farmer markets today.

QQC: Cart a la Carte

Quote: "This is not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, street food's very modernity is why it could play a role in the fight against globalization."

Comment: This is an interesting thought for several reasons. First, is that many people assume that what is commonly known as 'street food' has been part of a culture for hundreds of years. That the Chinese, Thai, Mexicans have always sold food in little stalls at market. That this food is just part of the culture these consumers are visiting. But in reality street food has only become more common because it is quick and easy, oh lets not forget cheap. But to think that street food which can, for the most part be found in every country on this planet can help fight against globalization is a bit ironic. When you think about it though the idea makes perfect sense. Bring food from the surrounding area to a centralized location, make it cheap and easy to eat and wah la you now have local street food.

Question: The question that arises when we think of this phenomenon in relation to San Diego is essentially: Does San Diego even have 'street food'? And if we consider the food sold at Farmer's Markets street food then when did San Diego's Farmer Markets start and gain popularity?

The Cove

Through out the documentary The Cove, I believe that the camera does take a side but not in the sense that it is trying to manipulate you. The facts just lead that way. By just following the progression of this group of activist who portray both opinion but also documented facts the audience receives the chance to create their own opinion. An opinion not based on manipulation by way of drastic footage or non-factual bias. The evidence and facts presented are the basis of the bias this documentary contains with transfers to the audience.

Throughout the Cove there is in a way a battle being waged between good and evil. The evil being portrayed as the Japanese Whaling community, and the hero being of several groups. The activist who are risking imprisonment, and danger, of course but also in a way those that are creating the change in this system from the law side. I do think however that it is very hard to look at some of the footage or even for that matter some of the audio (ex. the audio of the dolphins dieing, and footage of the killing cove) to immediately villainies whomever is doing this without wanting to regard the details that could make this justifiable. Now I am not suggesting that whaling is ok by any means but the Cove fails to show why these men work there, or why the government is still doing this. They do touch upon it, but briefly as they could get no straight answer. In the end I believe that the Cove does present factually and dramatically that whaling is a horrible thing that currently has not been justifiable in Japan.

Questions

Question 1:
How much does the industrial farming community actually impact the environment?

Question 2:
How much the resouces used through the growing/harvesting process is recycled?

Question 3:
How much of the world makes use of corn grown in the United States?