Jonathan+Jelinek


 * = **George De Mestral **

 June 19, 1907–February 8, 1990
||= **INVENTION: VELCRO** ||
 * = [[image:http://www.swissinfo.ch/media/cms/images/keystone/2007/01/keyimg20070104_7400294_3.jpg height="315"]] ||= [[image:1371195206_f11cfbbbfa.jpg height="300" link="@http://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/1371195206/"]] ||

in fastener technology. The invention originated from George De Mestral, when he returned from a hunting trip and noticed the burrs on his garments were sticking to the fabric. One side of Velcro is hoops, and the other is hook shapes. When these two sides make contact “stick” to one another. Velcro was not original well received and De Mestral had difficulty selling his idea. Velcro made its big break with the aerospace industry, it helped astronauts get in and out of their spacesuits more quickly. The hook and loop fastener was not a new invention, but no one had ever thought about bringing it down to such a small scale before. George De Mestral was inducted into the inventor hall of fame in 1999. ||
 * ~ **INVENTION: VELCRO DATE INVENTED 1941** ||
 * ~ Velcro, also known as the hook-and-loop fastener, is an important advancement
 * ~ Velcro, also known as the hook-and-loop fastener, is an important advancement
 * ~ Velcro, also known as the hook-and-loop fastener, is an important advancement

King Corn Reflection Essay

By Jon Jelinek

The King Corn movie documents the path a corn seed takes on its way to our dinner plate. The main characters are two friends Ian and Curtis. They move from Boston to Iowa to live on a farm and raise an acre of corn, and follow their corn through the food processing path to see where it ends up. Along the way they discover many of the ugly truths about food production in America. From animal abuse to excessive waste, the documentary made more aware of where the food I eat originated.

The documentary claims that we live shorter lives now, because of our unhealthy diets, because of how much corn we consume. The corn itself is not necessary a good variety of corn. A healthy corn diet would consist of multiple varieties of corn, except in the United States only one corn crop is grown, yellow corn.

The driving force that keeps farmers producing the same corn, year after year, is our government. The government provides an incentive to farm a certain way, to grow certain crops, and in doing so they have eliminated variety of corn from our diet. Iowa grows mainly one type of corn, and it’s not edible. 32% of corn from Iowa is processed into ethanol. The remaining corn is divided up for animal feed or corn syrup production. Nearly every sweetened product in our grocery store is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Because of the enormous surplus of corn syrup, companies in the market to purchase food sweeteners will likely go with the least expensive product, which would be corn syrup.

I was shocked to learn that the beef that makes it to my dinner plate was subject to mistreatment from places known as “finishing farms”, where a grass raised cow will spend the last few months of its life eating huge portions of corn. This pollutes the cows’ body until they are unable to fight off infections, and eventually their bodies break down. To prevent this cows are injected with high levels of antibiotics to prevent illness before slaughter. There must be a better way.

After learning about where our food comes from I felt disgusted that I am part of the reason for the mass production of corn and corn fed cattle. I consume large portions of beef and corn based products on a regular basis so I’m responsible for the demand of these types of foods. I remember hearing stories that my grandparents and parents would tell me about how they would eat meat with their meals maybe twice a week at most. Today if a person can eat meat with every meal without overspending on their grocery budget. A contributing factor to this is how much corn is farmed, and how quickly cattle farms can fatten up their stock on corn product. I don’t believe I’ll stop eating beef, but I will remember this documentary the next time I sit down and have a burger.

=
**1. Describe - Look closely - Describe what you see. (including color, shape, size (if applicable) How would you describe the issue/topic?** ===== Polymers can come in nearly any size, shape and color imaginable. Polymer can range from hard to soft.

=
**2. Compare - To what it is similar to or different from? In what ways?** ===== Polymers are not similar to anything found in natural, which is one of the reasons they can be so bad for the environment. Tree sap might be the closest polymer-like product found in nature.

=
**3. Analyze - What is it made of? What are the component parts? How would you break the problem/issue into smaller parts?** =====
 * Mostly made up for carbon atoms in covalent chemical bonds that create repeating structures. Doing this over and over again creates a macromolecule.**

=
**4. Apply - Tell how it can be used or how it works. How does it help you understand other topics/issues?** =====

=
From grocery bags to plumbing sealant. Polymers are used in just about everything. Tires, clothing and electronic equipment. It is used to keep products lightweight, or to provide a better tactile feel or to grip a surface more readily than any other product could. =====

=
**5. Synthesize - What related thing or issue does it make you think of? Or what could you create by combining it with something else? How would you design a new version of it?** =====
 * A plastic house would be interesting. I would like to see plastic become more biodegradable. It doesn't have to be like a sun chips bag, but it would be nice if the polymers broke down in a few years instead of never.**

=
**6. Argue for/against it - Take a stand and support it. Tell why it is a positive or why it is a negative thing. Or tell why it is important to know about this.** =====


 * I could argue both sides. In support of polymers, I don't think our lives would be what they are today without them. Many positive impacts have occured because of the polymer invention. A lightweight product that can be slightly flexible yet durable is key for roles such as artificial limbs, to products around the home that would traditionally be extremely heavy if built without plastics. An hdtv for example would never exist without polymers.**


 * On the other hand plastics are a leading cause of ocean pollution. There is a huge floating island of plastic stretching for thousands miles in the pacific ocean. These little carbon chains are being ingested by fish, and eventually by humans. We're poisoning the world with our polymer waste.**


 * Arch Bridge Inspired By A Dinner Plate by Jon Jelinek**



Name: Arch Bridge Design: This bridge uses a large arch, derived by tracing around a large dinner plate, to distribute its load against one of the strongest shapes in nature, the circle. Each end of the bridge is meant to sit snuggly against the outer blocks. Effectiveness of the design: The arch bridge, with french fry like inner support was able to withstand 80 lbs of load.


 * Polymers Report and Presentation by Jon Jelinek**