Response to tattoo and sports images
The tattoo article and sports images have one thing in commom, they both address the inability of images to fully portray what lies underneath. They both show images that are full of information and emotion, but to fully understand, you must inquire about the person or the event in question. The symbol of message of the image may be passed but to fully understand the underlying information must be provided. The message being, that one can not become fully intimate without finding the underlying picture of the picture.

Homework 5
Walter Benjamin's ideas are interesting to be sure and his ideas in many areas ring true. This idea of an aura is definitely seen in pieces like the Mona Lisa, Michaelangelo's David, and the Last Supper. Masses of people come to see these works because of the prestige of the work and not necessarily the work itself. Benjamin's idea that mechanical reproduction diminishes this Aura is flawed. Mechanical reproductions of the Mona Lisa have only increased its Aura or prominence. In digital media however, the original is never what is seen and in that case Benjamin's ideals align.

ignore the house roomate got carried away

Sweetness
There article provided deep details of the money spent on selling sugar products and it is astonishing. The articles goes on to describe how little of the US land is used to grow fruits and vegetables. This is where I differ in opinion. I will agree that the advertising nature of our country and the world is out of whack but, what is grown in our country I don't believe is the source of the issue. The reason grains, corn, and livestock feed is grown so widely is due to the environment we are in. Many fruits require high temperatures and humid climates that the United States doesn't have. I could agree that more vegetables could be grown, but aren't the root of the problem. The issue comes in the lack of education about what a healthy diet should be composed of and the availability of healthy foods. Many people are aware of what it means to be healthy but many also don't or don't have it high up on priority. The general masses must be taught that eating healthy is not just for your health currently but also your future health as a preventative measure. These advertisements used to manipulate people must end and instead we usher in a new era of food education. This money used to sell these sugar products could be used to import wider varieties of fruits and vegetables and with education in place and a higher supply of healthy foods, prices should lower as demand rises.