Turkey Trot!

Thanksgiving is typically a day to lay around with no ambition but to press your stomach to the absolute limit and watch as many football games as possible. However, in Johnson City, Tenn, there is a beautiful opportunity to do just a little bit more. 

The Turkey Trot. This 5k race on Thanksgiving morning is a way for area citizens to get 'up and at 'em' and earn the right to have a big meal. Over 4,000 locals braved the chilly weather this year for the 8 am race. 

A large number of the participants were representing an area school. The school with the most people won a cash prize. There were different size categories but in the large school category, David Crockett High School, which I represent as a substitute teacher, won the prize! So proud of the willingness of the students and staff of DCHS to participate. 

It is an amazing thing to look up and down a main street in Johnson City and see a sea of people ready to be active and healthy. Even cooler than that was hearing over 4,000 people say the Pledge of Allegiance in unison. It was a very proud moment for this 'Merican girl. 

One of my favorite aspects of the race is the costumes that people show up in. I saw a giant turkey, 80's looking football player, pilgrims, and indians. There is also a large dog population that participates. 

Turkey Trot is an impressive event that brings so many people together to give thanks for health and happiness! I'm already excited for next year! 

-Jillian 

Meagan Sparks and me showing off our medals for completing the race!

Megan Sparks, Joe Story and me before the race. 

Links: 

http://www.jcturkeytrot.org/

E-Book Bandwagon

                                        E-Book Bandwagon
                                                             
     There is a certain appeal to browsing the shelves of a bookstore, but these days, most people don’t have time. Fortunately, these are also the days of electronic everything. The ability to hold 3,500 books in the palm of your hand is now a reality. The wonderful people at Amazon have brought the Kindle to the world of book lovers.          
     Using a Kindle is a convenient, affordable and fun way to manage books. Sharon Verble, a middle school teacher from Jonesborough, Tenn has a Kindle.      
     “I love the convenience of not having to go to the library and get a book, I can get it immediately,” Verble said. “Another thing about the convenience of the Kindle, it’s not filling up my bookcases. Now, the only drawback is if I buy a book and don’t like it, there’s no way to take it back, like to Mr. Kay’s or something like that. But the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.”       
      She likes the economic advantages of being able to get books online. There are websites where users can sign up to receive an email of free books daily. Verble uses the site and said that even if she decides to buy a book, it’s sometimes cheaper on the Kindle. Another economic advantage is not having to drive to a library or book store.          
     Verble also has a Sony e-reader that offers a different advantage for her.        
     “I like the kindle, but my Sony e-reader is much better when I go outside to read in the summer,” Verble said. “So the Sony would probably be my favorite in the summer, and the Kindle is probably my favorite.”                
     Kindles have become much easier to use, and in more ways, over the years. Amazon now has five different versions which offer different selling points, the Kindle Touch for example would be more appealing to someone who prefers a touch screen. The Kindle Fire is more like a tablet with an e-reader, which might appeal to a teen for the games and internet access.       
      Annette Boreing is a librarian at David Crockett High School and uses e-readers in the school and personal setting. Personally, she uses a Kindle.
       “I use a Kindle because it’s extremely convenient to add content,” Boreing said. “Amazon makes it really easy to use it now, they finally began to play well with others and have allowed libraries to use Kindle content. So now I can download my books wirelessly. 
     “The first e-readers I had, I had to hook them up to my computer,” Boreing said. “I had to side-load all my content and I chose that e-reader because I could check out books from the library. That’s why I didn't get a Kindle to start with, but now that Kindle has opened up to the libraries, it’s easier because I can literally download content from my phone to my phone if I need to. Also if I’m at a computer and I see a book I want on the library then it can download wirelessly to my Kindle, which I really like.”
     Having an e-reader such as a Kindle is great. For avid readers who may not like to haul books around, it’s the perfect way to be able to read wherever, whenever and whatever they like. Since the Kindle can hold thousands of books, a user can switch from book to book with a few clicks.
     “It’s very convenient to have one small device and carry that around instead of dozens of heavy books,” Boreing said. “I like just the dedicated Kindle e-reader better because your able to read outside in any conditions so unless you just need a tablet and you want all the games and the videos and things, really, a dedicated e-reader, for readers, is the best device.”
     There are arguments against e-readers.
     “A lot of people say, they just miss the feel of the book and curling up with a book in bed,” Boreing said. “I’d really rather curl up in bed with my Kindle because its a lot less cumbersome than books because with a book its really a two-handed affair, whereas with my Kindle, I can just sit there with my thumb and read. In certain circumstances, if you’re studying and you want to go back and forth its a little inconvenient on an e-reader.”      
     The Kindle is, according to Boreing, tremendously economical.
     “Content is now very affordable, I like that,” Boreing said. “I have close to 500 books in my kindle library and I’ve bought maybe three or four of them. If your a best-seller person and gotta have it now, then you might not be quite as satisfied, but I’m cheap and I read what’s available more so than what’s on the best seller list.”  
     In the school setting Boreing uses Nook Colors. E-readers can be very helpful in the classroom in a number of ways.
     “We have a classroom set of Nook Colors at school,” Boreing said. “We use them as readers in english departments, I’ve used them in the math department as calculators with math games, I use them as a language lab for our spanish classes, we’ve used them as video devices with special needs students, so they are certainly multiple use tablets.”
     The convenience of having multiple books in your hands, the economic advantage of free book offers and saved gas money and the fun ways of using an e-reader for reading, games and more, should convince anyone to get an e-reader. People say jumping on the bandwagon is a bad thing, but bandwagons can be pretty fun.

The Woman behind the Wizard

The Woman behind the Wizard
Countless children have been anxiously awaiting their letter from Hogwarts for over a decade. I, too, have checked the mailbox on more than one occasion. The name Harry Potter is one of the most recognizable in the world. His fame exceeds that of the woman who created him. The reality is however, without author JK Rowling, the captivating fantasy world of Harry Potter would not exist.

Rowling, though immensely successful, has not always been so. The single mother found herself divorced and surviving on welfare while living in Scotland in the mid-90s. She began writing a book based on an idea she had in 1990. Rowling was turned down many times by publishers, who I’m sure are kicking themselves now, before finally selling the book in 1999. That book was the now iconic “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The price was a mere $4,000.

“I just think it shows how much that one moment can change your entire life,” student Garrett Payne said. “She didn't know writing the HP series would change her life, but her determination lead her to success. The situation just shows how one moment can change your life in an instant, especially seeing that her inspiration was based on her life being a depressed, under privileged child.”

I respect Rowling’s persistence to overcome circumstances and dedication to finish the book. Finishing a literary work can be very tiresome, tedious and frustrating. She not only finished one book, but a series of seven books. This is a feat that few authors can boast. Being a writer myself, I admire Rowling’s ability and creativity.

I not only respect Rowling as an author, but also as a person. In 2005, Rowling joined with Baroness Emma Nicholson to address the problem of institutionalized and disadvantaged children in Eastern Europe. They created an organization that is now known as Lumos. Her past circumstances of being a single parent and on welfare have led her to give back to those who find themselves in similar situations.
Rowling was the first female author billionaire on the Forbes Billionaire list, but as of March 2012, that title has been stripped. I don’t see that as a bad thing since her slip back into the millionaire title is because of high tax rates in Britain and an estimated $160 million in charitable donations.
Knowing what Rowling had to go through inspires me to keep pushing through hard times in my life. The success of her personal story gives me hope that anything is possible if you work for it. If she had given up after writer’s block or rejection from publishers I would not have been able to experience the magic of Harry Potter.

“She changed my childhood completely,” Payne said. “She affected my childhood in a tremendous way, along with many others. She brought happiness to everyone by writing a book, and many people do not understand the obsession people have with the HP series. Once they read it and understand her background they will.”

Rowling wrote her books in a way that everyone can relate to. Her meager beginning makes her life story relatable too.

“I think if she can do it, so can I,” Jessica Overbay said of Rowling’s rags-to-riches story.

“Harry Potter was the first full chapter book I read as a dyslexic kid,” Overbay said. “It has a permanent place in my heart, and on my skin.”
Overbay has a tattoo of Hermoine Granger’s signature on her arm that symbolizes the impact that Rowling’s books have had on her life.
“I admire how she can tap into every person’s inner child,” Overbay said.  
Rowling allowed my childhood to not only be great, but to be magical. I was able to live in a world of wonder, if only for a few pages. I still treasure those moments of being completely lost in the Dark Forest or flying high above everyone at a Quidditch match.
The book series has impacted my life and vicariously, Rowling has too. I grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermoine. I learned a lot about courage, intellect and loyalty from all the characters in the books and as a child, I looked up to those fictional characters. Now, I see that I actually look up to Rowling.
In a June 2003 interview with Jeremy Paxman, a BBC Newsnight reporter, Rowling said she does feel success has changed her in a way that she doesn’t feel like a waste of space anymore.
“You didn't really feel a waste of space?” Paxman said.
“I totally felt a waste of space,” Rowling said. “I was lousy. Yeah I did, yeah. And now I feel that, it turns out there was one thing I was good at, and I'd always expected I could tell a story, and I suppose it's rather sad that I needed confirmation by being published.”
Her humility in fame and ability to rise above circumstances and create something great make Rowling someone to praise. I hope to create a magnificent work of literature and impact as many lives as she has someday. Harry Potter may be many people’s hero, but JK Rowling is my heroine.

 photo from:   http://www.digitopoly.org/2012/03/27/jk-rowling-blows-up-the-ebookstore-business/

Thicker than Blood

Thicker than Blood

In the near constant Guatemalan rain, children in out-of-date, worn-out clothes played with rocks and sticks and a group of teen-aged boys kicked a soccer ball against a cracked wall. The view was sad and depressing for us high and mighty Americans.  

I immediately judged the situation as one of need. These kids needed clothes, toys, love, attention, and every other convenience I had in America. But I was wrong.

Casa Para Ninos Aleluya is an orphanage 30 minutes outside of Guatemala City, Guatemala. They care for and raise 381 orphaned, abused, and mistreated children. Under the direction of Mike and Dotty Clark, the kids are housed in a Christian founded orphanage. The obedience of the Clark’s has led to an amazing story that includes zero debt and complete provision for all the children.

When I arrived at the orphanage I didn’t know what to expect, but I sure got a reality check.

The kids, from infants to college and career-aged students, have a system of support that is uncommon in American society. They take care of each other and love one another like family even though they are not related.

The kids are used to American do-gooders coming and going from the orphanage and while they crave attention and love being held and played with, they really connect with each other and take care of one another without any of our help.

Megan Strickland has been to the orphanage many times for missions and also to visit her parents. Her mother and step-father live there as dorm parents to young boys. She has observed the culture of the orphanage during her time spent there.

“The first time I went to Guatemala I was thinking that these kids just need love but if you watch the kids just hug each other, like they’re that support for each other.” Strickland said. “I mean I just love that. I was just watching the teenagers and they took that motherly role, and what teenagers would do that here? They just have so much love for each other and instantly one of them will have a piece of candy and just give it to one of their friends.”

I saw this support role that she spoke of as I spent more time there. I saw a group of girls picking lice out of each other’s hair, a common occurrence in the culture and conditions. They are very self-less and conscious of others needs because most of them long for loving relationships.

We got to speak with the Clarks, the founders, and heard several children’s stories. Eighty percent of the older girls have been raped and abused by male family members, which has caused a lot of mental and emotional issues. The community bond the girls create helps with the healing process and gives them an understanding of healthy love.

Seeing this love and simplicity really affected how I view my relationships and desires. American society tells us to look out for ourselves and get the latest stuff, but the laid back society in Guatemala places importance on investing in people and enjoying life.

Abby Allen also went on the trip with me. She was impacted by the community in the younger kids.

“Even the babies and toddlers take care of each other,” Allen said.

The older toddlers that know some English will notice Americans trying to communicate with a child and will come up and translate. The camaraderie is inspiring.

They unfortunately are used to change as well. Kids come and go all the time. So, while they do grow close and take care of one another, they are not affected much by loss. Over her many visits, Strickland has seen kids leave and the reaction of the kids left behind.

“They have that relationship with each other, but they are also willing to be like, ok, something better, and let them go,” Strickland said.  

Overall, the experience of going to the orphanage and seeing the love these kids have for one another was inspiring. They don’t need a lot to be happy and they form relationships that prove that love is thicker than blood.  

“They may not have a whole lot, but they are content,” Allen said “You go there expecting to be a blessing to someone, you know, help someone out, but you come away just so filled up, so blessed.”

Read more athttp://casaontherock.org/index.asp

Casa kids playing in the courtyard. 

Me, Abby Allen and four of the Casa boys hanging out in the living room of their dorm.

The entire Los Vencedores dorm along with the mission team from The River church.  

The Sane Side of Crazy

It was difficult to choose any feature story over they Whitney Houston article in Entertainment Weekly, but I settled on an artist that I don't know a lot about. You learn something new every day!

Sinead O'Connor is a name that has long been tied to drugs and being crazy. An article by Melissa Maerz in EW however discusses her path to a new album and life, and how she feels about her past labels.

Maerz opens up with a quote from O'Connor, "You're treated like shit if you're perceived as crazy."

The unmistakably Irish, 45 year-old singer has had a tough time, to say the least.  An 18 day marriage, an accidental crack deal and a suicide attempt are just the highlights of the past few months in her life. Despite the bad circumstances, the article gets the point across that O'Connor is moving on and moving towards happiness.

Maerz portrays O'Connor as a very open artist who is connected with her fans. She even references O'Connor's personal tweets, including a tweet about trying to kill herself the previous week and asking for doctors that could see her that day. She quotes, "I'm really unwell and in danger. And I desperately need to get back on meds today."

I took a look at her website and it is true, her blogs and tweets are very blunt, harsh, sometimes vulgar, and completely open. It is intimidating and risky for a celebrity to open up so much. If anyone can do it and withstand the response, it's the outspoken and strong O'Connor.

While there were obviously hardships to cover, Maerz moves quickly through the mess and gets to the music. The article is mostly a breakdown of her newly-released album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You.)

O'Connor's music is self-described as a diary. "There were one or two songs that I wrote hoping they might come true." O'Connnor said

There is a melancholy feel to the article. Maerz captures the blunt, somber, funny, and dark sides of the singer which is hard to do in one article.

The article wasn't that long and I would have liked to read a bit more detail about the situations that lead O'Connor to write the songs. Even more, I would like to know how she got past her point of being suicidal and emerged with what is called her best album yet.

I like the ending quote Maerz uses from O'Connor about her album, "If you listen to this record from the beginning thorough, hopefully you will hear it end joyfully. It was a journey towards happiness."

As for happiness, O'Connor says, "I'll get there."

Besides a few unanswered questions, the article was well written and taught me a lot about Sinead.


Here are some links to articles about her suicide attempt and divorce, along with the link to her website were you can read recent entries. Warning! She has a very Irish mouth!

O'Connor 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/sinead-oconnor-divorce_n_1174538.html


http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-01-12/news/30621260_1_suicide-attempt-downward-spiral-twitter-followers

http://www.sineadoconnor.com/index.html




Entertainment Weekly, February 24, 2012

The Island before Time

The Island before Time

   To match the numerous shades of green that color Ireland’s hillsides, there are also numerous types of places to visit. There is the hustle and bustle of tourist-filled Dublin, the quiet home-feel of towns like Thurles but then there is a place, just off the coast, that takes you to a land frozen in time.
    The Aran Islands are three islands near the Galway Bay on the western side of Ireland. There is the ‘east island’, Inis Oirr, the ‘middle island’, Inis Meain, and the ‘big island’, Inis Mor.
   Inis Mor is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland. The only way onto the island is by ferry or plane. The ferry departs from a port an hour outside Galway and the ride is typically 40 minutes depending on weather conditions.
  John Espey, Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TNCIS) program director, said he felt the ferry ride alone was an experience. 


Historic Legacy
   The landscape, history and authentic culture of Inis Mor draw people from all over the world. Espey said TNCIS decided to visit the island because of its history and reputation.
   “It is remote and holds the history of the knitting,” Espey said. “The people were very isolated from the mainland for centuries. Seeing the very quaint shops on the far side of the island really set the stage for getting a sense of centuries of a rather rough existence.”
   Despite being popular, the island maintains its old-world feel.
   “It is the islanders that contribute to this, their pride and respect for their culture and island,” Clodagh ni Ghoill, Inis Mor resident, said. “There is a uniqueness, sense of freedom, peace and the calm, that one feels when on the island. It is a stress free experience.”
   Ghoill, who is the proprietor of the Ard Einne Guesthouse on Inis Mor, was born and raised on the island. She now provides accommodations for visitors who come to visit. Ghoill says the Aran Islands have always been culturally connected to Ireland and they have a rich Irish history from the Celts and Fir bolg period and the monastic period which was around 500 ad.


Personal Experience
   Upon arriving in the port city of Kilronan, TNCIS student Greta Beil saw tour vans and rental bikes to take her and her friends around the island.
   “It was raining, so we all hopped in the closest van we could find just to stay dry,” Beil said, junior at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. “Our tour guide was great,” Beil said. “He was this happy, little old man that knew everything there was to know about the island.”
   Because of the island’s landscape and history it is often referred to as an outdoor museum.
   “He told us there was over 20,000 miles of hand-built stone walls around the island,” Beil said. “And seriously, the walls were everywhere. It amazed me how they were still standing since the weather is so windy and rainy there. There were stone houses too with thatched roofs that the guide said were built thousands of years ago.
   “There were no commercial stores either, just little shops with mostly hand-made stuff. My friends bought wool hats from a lady who was literally making them right in front of us.”
   While on the tour Beil said they came across quite an interesting sight.
   “We were just driving along, looking out the window, then I screamed ‘donkey!’,” Beil said. “Right there on the side of the road, looking over a stone wall was a donkey’s head. It was pretty much the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. It looked like it was just floating.”
   Beil said the group got out of the van and took pictures with the donkey that turned out to be ‘really friendly.’


Things to See
   There are several historic sites on the island. Perched on the edge of a 100m cliff plunging straight into the Atlantic Ocean, Dún Aonghasa is a prehistoric fortress dating back to 1000 BC. It is the island’s best-known attraction.There are three forts on the Inis Mor, Dún Dúchathair, also referred to as The Black Fort,  Dún Eochla, and Dún Eoghanachta. All three have unique architectural qualities that bring appeal to tourists.
   Na Poill Seideáin, The Puffing Holes, are two large, circular holes about 100 yards from the cliff edge, where the sea water will "puff" up through as waves crash into a cave beneath the cliffs.
   Na Seacht dTeampaill, The Seven Churches, is an ancient monastic site, with two churches and several out buildings. Students from the TNCIS group were able to visit here.
   “It was almost creepy,” Jessica Copeland, junior at East Tennessee State University said. “There were a lot of cemeteries and building ruins which made it seem almost like a haunted place.
   “But then again, the history of it was beautiful. I felt like I was somewhere important, you know, standing where so much has happened throughout history.” 

Life on the island
   Inis Mor, with a population of 850 people, is one of the only places in Ireland where Gaelic is still spoken as the first language. All native born islanders are raised bilingual in English and Gaelic. Clodagh ni Ghoill, one such native born islander said that her favorite part about Inis Mor is where she lives on the island.
   “The guesthouse is overlooking its own beach and St. Enda Church,” Ghoill said. “It is elevated up on a hill with the spectacular views of Galway Bay, Connamara and Clare Coastlines.”
   According to Ghoill, the main industries on the island are tourism and fishing. However, she said there are some residents that commute to work on the mainland daily.
   There are three kinds of schools on the island, Pre-school, Primary school and Secondary school. Remy Hamel, another member of the TNCIS program met some school-aged children. 
   “This one kid had orange hair, not red, orange,” Hamel said. “We asked him what they did for fun and he told us about a playground they hang out at near his school. It was amazing. It was really colorful, especially on such a rainy day and even had a little zip line. 
   “We ran into more kids there and talked to them about what school was like. One of the girls said sometimes class sizes are as small as two kids.”
   Ghoill said that children receive the same education as other children in the country and they do have internet and phone access. Ghoill also said that the island has no crime at all and describes Inis Mor as a ‘haven.' “When visiting the Island, it is important that in order to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the island, one must stay on the Island for a few days to get the true feeling of Island life and 'timelessness.'”
   If planning a trip to Inis Mor, one might want to forget their watch, for time is lost there anyway. 

More Info at http://www.aranislands.ie/Inis-Oiir/inis-mor-island/

 Photo by Jillian Boreing. John Espey with a donkey on Inis Mor Island. 

 

Photo by Jillian Boreing. Graveyard and building remains at Na Seacht dTeampaill, The Seven Churches, on Inis Mor Island.

Where's Ronald?

The world's leading global food-service retailer is changing its iconic image.

'We strive continually to improve. We are a learning organization that aims to

anticipate and respond to changing customer, employee and system needs through

constant evolution and innovation.'

This is one of the McDonald’s Corporation’s values statements. It addresses the

constant change customer’s have seen in McDonald’s over the years, but are the recent,

drastic changes necessary?

“Yeah, you try to upgrade, but they’ve built a reputation and now they’re trying to

change it.” said freshman college student Sarah Verble. The reputation she referred to

is one of family and fun. Verble remembers going to McDonald’s as a child and playing

in the PlayPlace with her friends. In middle school, her basketball team would stop to

eat after away games. It was always the team’s choice because it was a fun experience.

“It’s always been McDonald’s, it’s always been a fun place to eat,” said Verble.

“Now they are trying to be like a fast-food Starbucks and it’s just not appealing. If I

want to go to Starbucks, I’ll go to Starbucks.” Verble said that people are going to go to

McDonald’s for what McDonald’s gives, which for her is a cheap meal.

“I go off the dollar menu ‘cause I’m a broke college student,” said Verble about what

she gets when eating there. The prices of the newer, healthier options hinder her from

choosing them.

“They wonder why America is obese,” said Verble. “They put the bad stuff on the

dollar menu and make the good stuff expensive.”

Verble believes that adding a few new menu items and changing the architecture are

only going to make the restaurant into something that clearly isn’t McDonald’s.

The target audience of McDonald’s seems to no longer be families. Instead, the

restaurant now targets business people and young adults. In our society it is easy to fall

behind, but society is losing one of the only restaurants that catered to kids. What was

once a childhood utopia is now an adult domain.

Children used to want a birthday party at McDonald’s PlayPlace, now people could hold

business meetings there instead. Wi-Fi and flat-screens playing news networks have

replaced the slides and Ronald McDonald.

In the Nashville area, only 10 out of 25 locations still have a PlayPlace, and those

10 PlayPlaces remain only because the stores haven’t been renovated yet. Out of the

same 25 restaurants only one, which is located inside a Wal-Mart, is without Wi-Fi. The

company introduced free Wi-Fi in 2010.

Over the years, changes to the menu have included the addition of recognizable

items such as the French Fry in 1949, the Filet-O-Fish in 1963, the Big Mac in 1968,

and of course the Happy Meal in 1979. The seemingly healthier options began with

salads being added to the menu in 1987, and then premium salads were introduced in

2003. These were the subtle changes that led to adding other choices such as apple

slices, fruit and yogurt parfaits and oatmeal.

In 2009 the biggest momentum change for McDonald’s came with the launching of

the McCafe. Gourmet coffee drinks at a reduced price allowed McDonald’s to compete

with Starbucks and other local coffee shops. McCafe has since become its own brand.

The McDonald’s in Antigua, Guatemala even has a separate area for the McCafe

complete with couches and a barista.

The shift in McDonald’s image causes mixed emotions in sophomore college student

Brent White.

“I think it’s a good idea, but it’s probably not gonna last,” said White of the image

change. “They’ll end up going back to what they’re used to doing.” He said that when he

first saw a renovated McDonald’s he thought they were just trying to copy-cat everyone

else.

“They’re just trying to keep up,” said White.

Megan Eads, Integrated Marketing Communication major at East Tennessee State

University has a more business minded response to the changes.

“From a marketing/branding standpoint it is long overdue,” said Eads. “Maybe if they

decided that vegetarian options might be good on the new menu, I might consider

going. Otherwise, no, thanks.”

The company is never going to please everyone. They need to pick an audience

and stick with it, cater to its needs. 

Regardless of the aesthetic changes, many people still find the food to be

disappointing, even if there are healthier choices.

“Even if they have beautiful building and a new image, they still have crappy food,”

said stay-at-home mom Rachel Clark.

“I'm still not gonna eat there,” said college student Kristen Creager. “The image and

menu doesn't trade for the bad service and bad food.”

Despite all the controversy over food quality and image, there are still no McDonald’s

restaurants going out of business. No matter what the restaurant looks like, people

are still eating there. In the past 72 years, McDonald's has become the world's leading

global foodservice retailer with more than 33,000 locations serving nearly 68 million

customers in 119 countries each day. For better or worse, happier or healthier,

McDonald’s is here to stay.

To read more about the McDonald's Corporation...

http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/Corporate_Info.html