Industrialized Agriculture

To start off, I'd like to define industrialized agriculture. Industrialized agriculture, or sometimes called factory farming, is a farming system in which certain industrial procedures are utilized or applied to farming methods to try to make them more efficient. Basically, this is supposed to raise the largest number of animals for the lowest possible cost by relying on organized processes involving machines to keep up a steady output of the animals or fruits and vegetables. The effects of industrialized agriculture may at first glance appear to be positive, but if you take a closer look, you can see some problems with this approach. What simply started out as a pursuit of efficiency to improve production for all farms has in the long run unintentionally resulted in a decline in economic freedom for a lot of farmers and an imbalance of economic power. This ends up favoring some of the dominant firms and more major industries, rather than the individual farm producers themselves. Now, industrialized livestock has become the world's largest supplier for meat and dairy products. In a statistic from 1996, industrialized agriculture was making up more than 43 percent of the total global meat production, and in the approximately 13 years since that time, it has definitely risen! Overall, throughout the world, more and more small farmers are being pushed out of the livestock market, unable to compete with multinational corporations. There are many reasons for the influx of corporate industrialized farming, but the main reason is because the world's population has increased and there are much more people consuming these products. This probably doesn't seem fair to those that are forced to find some other form of employment because much larger companies are able to quickly produce more and more. This, in my opinion, most likely lowers the quality of everything since the focus is on getting the most for the least amount of work, instead of focusing on getting the best quality out of everything.

Soy Products and a Healthy Diet

Whenever you think about something that is soy, you might automatically think of vegetarians, vegans, or something that these people eat to try to be healthy. However, what many people think of soy products may be a misconception. But what is soy? Soy is a versatile bean that is used mostly in Asia, and is found in foods like soy milk, soy sauce, miso (a type of soybean paste), tempeh (which is kind of like a soy cake), and tofu. Soy is also sometimes added to foods like breads, cereals, and meat products, and used as a meat substitute in products such as soy burgers and soy hot dogs.
There are two different types of soy: fermented and nonfermented. The difference between fermented and nonfermented soy is that fermenting soy creates health-promoting probiotics, the good bacteria our bodies need to maintain digestive and overall wellness. The question now is "Should people really be eating this bean?" According to some scientists, risks such as endocrine disruption, digestive problems, and effects on the thyroid, fertility, hormones, sex drive, digestion, and even certain cancers may be developed from the consumption of soy products. This may be because in the United States, processed soy food snacks or shakes can contain over 20 grams of nonfermented soy protein in one serving, which definitely contrasts Asian diets (the origin of eating this bean and its widespread use comes from Asia). Asian diets include much smaller amounts (only about 9 grams a day) of primarily fermented soy products, such as miso, and tempeh, and some tofu. To conclude, if Americans are eating such large quantities of nonfermented soy, then this may all be a huge recipe for disaster, instead of being the miracle wonder food that so many people have come to think it is! I think that just like any other food, an excess of it will invariably cause some form of problem or another, and I think that people need to be aware of the risks involved and the correct amounts that can be consumed without being harmful.

Conflict Resolution

Even when conflicts seem inevitable and impossible to reconcile, sometimes a few simple conflict resolution skills can help you take a step back from the situation, clarify the nature of the conflict, and start working toward a resolution. Once you start practicing these skills, it is amazing how often a simple solution that is acceptable to everyone can be found.

Time Out:

Sometimes the best thing you can do is also the simplest. If you feel overwhelmed by a conflict and unable to think rationally, get away from the situation until you can calm down. Mention that you need some time alone to think, then walk away and don't allow yourself to be drawn back into the argument. Do come back to the topic later, though, or it may never be resolved.

"I" Statements:

Use a tool called "I" statements. These are statements describing the way you feel, beginning with the word "I." Conflict resolution skills like this allow you to express your feelings without directly blaming the other person. Try to be very specific about why you are feeling upset. For example, you could say "I am feeling angry that you didn't stop and get the groceries you said you would get, because now we don't have anything for dinner," instead of "Why don't you ever do the things you say you'll do?" This may seem like a small and insignificant change, but it can make an amazing difference in tense situations. Keep using "I" statements as the conversation continues, expressing how you feel about statements that are made and potential solutions.

Active Listening:

Pay attention when someone is trying to explain their thoughts or feelings to you. Point out things you agree about. If you're not sure that you understand what they are trying to express, try repeating back what you think they said and ask if you're right. When you're trying to communicate something, you can also ask the other person to try to repeat back what he is hearing you say. This can be a great way to figure out if your disagreement is based on a simple miscommunication.

Problem-solving:

Sometimes it becomes clear that two people disagree on a certain subject and are unlikely to change their minds. In these cases, it can be very useful to figure out what each person hopes to get out of the conversation. Both people may be ready to move on and think that the other is still invested in the argument. On the other hand, participants may each want things like a feeling that their point of view is understood, a practical compromise to implement, or an assurance that a situation won't be repeated in the future. Conflict resolution skills that help to figure out what each person's goals are can help to move a conversation forward and find a constructive resolution.

Check In:

In the case of intense or ongoing conflicts, it can be an especially good idea to check in on the situation later, when tempers aren't running so high. Ask if it's a good time to discuss the issue again briefly, then talk about how the solution is working out for you and whether you have any ongoing concerns or questions. Don't expect that all conflicts can be resolved instantly, but realize that most can be improved significantly over time with the constant application of appropriate conflict resolution skills.

In conclusion, I feel that these are all good steps that can be made, but it all just depends on the circumstances of the problem. Depending on what the actual conflict is about, it is up to you to determine which may make the most sense in the particular situation. If one of these ways doesn't work out the way that you had expected, then just try using another, and you are bound to find one that helps to meet the needs of both people in the situation.

Decision Making Models

In class, we learned about all the benefits of making correct decisions and the importance that making certain decisions has on our life outcome. If you make a wrong decision based off of the wrong reasons, you may face consequences, or the results of your actions or decisions. Some negative consequences can be STDs, pregnancy, tobacco and alcohol addiction, overdoses, or car accidents to name a few. Because of these, we learned about using the G.R.E.A.T. Decision Making Model to make great decisions and avoid pitfalls like the ones I listed above using the following steps:
1. GIVE thought to the problem
2. REVIEW your choices
3. EVALUATE the consequences of each choice
4. ASSESS and choose the best choice
5. THINK it over afterward
A couple of other examples of decision making models are the Vroom-Jago Decision Model and the 7 Step Decision Making Model.
In the Vroom-Jago Decision Model, you learn how to make the best possible decision when you are a leader and aren't completely sure if you should make the choice individually or with the help of the other individuals. There are seven questions that you should ask yourself:
1. Is one choice extremely critical and can there be alternatives?
2. Do you have enough information to make this decision effectively?
3. Is the problem accurately defined so that you can actually solve it?
4. Do other people have to agree with you on your decision to make it?
5. If you make the decision all by yourself, will the other people approve of the outcome?
6. Are the people that you're working with striving for the same things as you?
7. Is there likely to be disagreement among people concerning this decision?
In the 7 Step Decision Making Model, you learn how to choose the best path involving life decisions, such as what career you will be interested in. When using this model, the more information that you know or can gather, the better it is for you. The 7 steps are:
1. Identify the decision to be made - exactly what are you trying to decide?
2. Know yourself - what are your strengths, weaknesses, skills, values and interests?
3. Identify options - list the various choices so far
4. Gather information and data - about each alternative
5. Evaluate options that will solve the problem - pros, cons, and risks of each alternative
6. Select the best option - may be necessary to loop back and gather more info
7. Develop a plan of action - and implement it
These are all similar decision making models because they walk you through the steps needed to make the best possible decision no matter what the case, but are slightly different because the Vroom-Jago Decision Model applies mostly to leadership choices and the 7 Step Decision Making Model applies more toward future goals. I still think that the G.R.E.A.T. Decision Making Model is the best because it is fairly easy to remember and it can walk you through decisions a lot better, since you don't have to memorize long, complicated steps.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental condition or disorder that affects a person's ability to function normally because they constantly feel the need to repeat certain actions, attain certain obsessive goals, or are bothered by obtrusive thoughts that may make them want to carry out these compulsive actions. OCD is present in both males and females, and generally starts between the teen years and the early twenties. Some scientists believe that the cause of this unnormal mental activity is a result of a malfunction in the chemical levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is used to regulate emotions. If low levels of serotonin are present and a regular amount is not able to flow, the brain mistakenly comes up with a number of warning messages and can react with symptoms such as those listed for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The reactions cause distress and anxiety for the person, and even if there isn't an actual threat or danger, the person is compelled to keep doing the obsessive action just to appease that portion of their brain. They usually realize that they have a problem but keep doing it because of the fact that they are afraid of the reaction that might occur if they don't give in to the impulse. Some examples of common Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder symptoms are: fears of contamination (like blood or germs), repeatedly washing hands, repeatedly tapping objects (like tapping doorknobs a certain amount of times), having intrusive violent or aggressive thoughts, and others. Some ways to treat this disorder may include going to behavioral therapy, taking medications to moderate and reverse the blocking, and psycho-surgery. A famous example of a person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is the aviator Howard Hughes.

A Test Post

This is only a test.