Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Research Round 3!

RESEARCH ROUND 3
         My main objective and question with my research is, has the invention of the microwave oven helped or hurt us more.  There are many pro’s and con’s for the microwave oven, here are some of them.   So we now know that a microwave is a simple but needed item for most of the people in America.  The microwave oven has literally changed lives.   Just because it is a simple invention does that mean you don’t have to research before we make our purchase?  Have you ever thought of what to look for when purchasing a microwave oven, I haven’t.  You have to take measurements and know how big of a space you have in your kitchen, how many people you will be cooking for, which also determines the size you will need.  Also if your dishes and Tupperware will properly fit in the microwave oven, if it has the features of the meals you cook, for example popcorn, defrost.  I found this to be a great source because it really demonstrates how a small piece of technology causes such a big deal, for example the evolution of the kitchen.  Once microwave ovens were invented kitchens were often built to have a space for the microwave oven, or often microwave ovens were installed above stoves.  Many changes were made all for this one creation, and without this example this outlook would probably never cross many peoples minds.  I found the information about the considerations when buying a microwave here, http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/appliances/microwave-reviews/microwave-faqs-0306
http://www.enotes.com/topic/Microwave-related_injury   This source list a bunch of cons for the Microwave oven, mostly dangers.  I think this is important because my summary for my research question will be about how has the microwave oven changed the world, and is it for the better or for the worst.  
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505004001635  This source is also very important, it is an article about how four people were burnt by scolding hot fluids the removed from a microwave while they were experiencing a seizure.  I think this is relevant because it shows more danger this invention have created.
http://www.treehugger.com/kitchen-design/6-energy-efficient-convection-microwave-ovens-for-small-kitchens.html  This source shows a different side of the microwave oven.  The microwave oven has pros to.  This source is an article about a man who is going green.  Instead of using a stove with uses much more electricity or gas, he uses a microwave in his house to help save the world.
         A super interesting fact I researched and found out about microwave ovens is that they were pretty much invented by accident.  Dr. Percy Spencer, who I mentioned in my very first source, was the inventor of the microwave in year 1946.  Dr. Percy Spencer was actually trying to build radar equipment when he noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket was melting.  He was building magnetrons when he realized that microwaves can be directed at food to heat it up really fast. http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/microwave-radiation-ovens-460709#ixzz1sFBK0jdy  This is an good source to have because the history of how something came to be is important to know.  No one had even thought of the idea of heating things faster than the stove or fire place.  So when Dr. Percy Spencer realized there was a faster way he tested it out and made it happen.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Research Round 2!

Research Round 2
I want to discuss obesity rates and how they have sky-rocketed throughout the years because of different food choices.  Microwave ovens sure do make a meal a lot quicker than cooking on the stove or a fire.  Not only is the cook time cut down dramatically, the prep time, and clean-up is pretty much eliminated also.  Cooking microwavable meals is not the best for someone trying to stay slender and in shape.  Over the years more and more people have become obese.  I want to discuss the numbers of obesity and how they have gone up so much within the years because of poor food choices.  People want fast, fast, fast, and forget about the nutritional value of what they are feeding their families and their selves.  How have microwaves caused people to make poor eating decisions?  I think this resource is a good choice because it  shows the dramatic change with Americans eating and exercising changes throughout the years of 1985 till 2010.  No state in America obesity rate is lower than 20%, and in 1985 most states were 5-10% and only 8 of the states were up to 10-14%.  Here is a chart to show the rates in 2010.  This came from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html   On the website you can click on each year and see how America’s rates have changed each year.
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“Did microwaves spark obesity?  asks a BBC news article which describes a debate in which three experts were asked when the nation’s obesity crisis really began and what could be the probable causes.”  This quote is from an article I found online, here is the web address, http://www.fitnessmantra.info/2007/06/13/microwave-oven-the-latest-victim-in-the-obesity-blame-game/.  This articles title is, Microwave Ovens: The Latest Victim In The Obesity Blame-Game.  Literally all you have to do is set food in the microwaves, press the button, and your food is hot and ready to be eaten in a minute or two.  It doesn’t get much easier than that, does it.  Have you ever considered such a small thing as a microwave oven to cause such huge worldly problem?  I think this source is wonderful because the article gives a new perspective about new technology and how it has effected people.  Everyone has a choice to eat healthy or use a microwave, but with the busy schedules most Americans have today the microwave oven is a lot more practical at times.
Today I learned from this source http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/health-hazards-to-know-about/microwave-radiation ,that microwaves work the same for all substances. Everything that is put into a microwave oven goes through a destructive process. Microwave ovens work by making the molecules in the food move faster and faster to heat up the food in a small amount of time. Moving the molecules around so fast destroys vitamins, minerals, proteins in the food.  I find this to be a helpful source because it informs microwave oven users that the radiation put off by the microwave oven takes out all of the nutrition the food previously had in it.  
Radiation is also a common issue discussed when it comes to microwave ovens.  Do microwave ovens produce radiation that is dangerous to humans or is it just a myth?  It is true, microwaves not only make food un-nutritional but they can also be very dangerous.  This website talks about dangers of the microwave oven, some are;  Microwave ovens turn some minerals into cancerous agents, food from microwaves may cause tumors, they can cause an increase in cancerous cells in our blood, the radiation in the food can weaken our immune systems, memory loss, emotional problems, a decrease in intelligence, slow down hormone production.  http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/microwave-radiation-ovens-460709    Who knew that microwave ovens were so dangerous to have in your household, i certainly had no idea that this simple technology caused so many other problems.
Another thing that most of us would never think about is, microwave repairs.  The first thing I think of when I hear “microwave repair” is more jobs.  It is always great, in my opinion, when there is an opportunity for more people to get employed.  Yes people do need repairs on their microwaves often.  After studying I actually found out that repairing a microwave is not as easy as it sounds.  I also learned that a microwave oven is one of the most dangerous appliances to repair.  If everything isn’t done precise and right, then it can leak very dangerous of radiation.  I thought this would be good for my PLE research because it made me think more out of the box.  http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/safety.html
Ninety percent of the Americans today have a microwave oven in their household.  Almost the whole United States of America owns a microwave.  Will Americans sacrafice their own health even if they know they are in danger.  Microwave ovens are just so convenient to have, and makes things a whole lot easier and faster.
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This chart shows the value of how many microwave ovens were imported in the year 2009 in the top ranking countries.  Microwave sells are still high.  Here is my link for my information. http://worldtradedaily.com/2012/02/24/microwave-ovens-trade-profile-u-s-importing-companies-and-free-data-download/