HW 7b

Chapter 4 starts with a delivery man for a pizza shop going through Pueblo a town in Colorado. Pueblo is also known as “the asshole of Colorado” . But both Pueblo and Colorado Springs while having many differences share the increase of restaurant franchises and ranch homes.From their the chapter talks about how Schlosser vist's The Little Caesars owned by one time NHL player ,Dave Feamster. The chapter goes on to discuss how franchising has been around since the 19th century, and and was taken to new height with the sudden emerge of fast-food chains.

Insight:

What is the significance of the section being titled "Success" And how does that represent how our own blind ambition ways can lead us to overlook what we have done to the world around us and ourselves ?

Chapter 5, takes us to the home of J.R. Simplot born in 1909 . Simplot spent most of his life working on his family’s farm in Idaho. At fifteen he left home and dropped out of school , from the he worked in a potato house. At sixteen, he was a potato farmer. Before he knew it Simplot was buying, selling, and sorting potatoes in large quantities he became the largest shipper of potatoes in the West. Simplot made millions selling potatoes and dried onions to the military during World War II . Simplot would soon invest in frozen food technology and sold frozen french fries to McDonald's during the 1950's. From their history was made.Schlosser goes on to talk about how today the french fry business has become big business with three major companies controlling the market and the process of fry making taking a sad turn.

Insights:

Does J.R. Simplot represent the American dream, from his rag to riches story, or simply another benchmark of how ones mans success becomes a society's downfall ?

Why does in appear that while theirs a competitive field in the french fry business, their is not a better overall product being made ?

In Chapter 6, Schlosser visits a rancher in Colorado named Hank. Schlosser is given a tour of the ranch , Hank tries to show a clear distinction between what he does and “raping the land” he claims the others do. Hank takes more care in cattle raising , because he wishes to keep the land fertile and lush. This is unlike the mass development of Colorado Springs which destroys the natural landscape.The next piece of this chapter give a little bit of history on the early twentieth century efforts to break up the Beef Trust.The Beef Trust being five meatpacking companies that have monopoly on the meatpacking industry.

Insight:

How does the refusal to a cleaner more "natural" cattle raising process show how the bigger a business the slower and more stubborn it becomes to taking more care in the resource's it uses ? When does moving product with speed out way what's right ?