Impact of livestock

There are 20 billion head of livestock taking up land on Earth, which is more than triple the number of people. An obvious reason for the increase in meat consumption is the rise of fast-food restaurants as an American dietary staple. Eric Schlosser stated in his best-selling novel, Fast Food Nation, “Americans now spend more money on fast food-$100 billion a year, than they do on higher education, and also spend more on fast food than on books, movies, magazines, newspapers, videos and music combined”. (Schlosser 206)
Not only is fast food terrible for your health and costly, it is terrible for the environment. So why do we continue to contribute to the bad habit? For the convenience is the majority answer. Society is becoming more and more reliable on convenience food items and becoming lazier, while their health is becoming more and more endangered. Seems pretty silly when you are actually presented the information with all the facts and possible outcomes. One major problem then with the nation is that not everyone is informed. If you can get the word out, present all the facts, and state what is likely to happen in the near future, just maybe, more eyes would open. We need continue to provide information to those unaware and hope for a domino effect.
Furthermore, livestock shockingly account for more than 8 percent of global human water use, mainly for the irrigation of feed crops. Not only is the consumption of water great, but the water used for the cattle could be used to grow grain to feed mass amounts of people. Jim Motavalli, author of “The Case Against Meat,” argues that:
“It takes 4.8 pounds of grain to feed cattle and produce one pound of beef for the human demand, which represents a colossal waste of resources in a world still teeming with people who suffer from profound hunger and malnutrition. An all vegetable and grain diet would not only provide food for more people, but also a longer healthier lifestyle.”

Language barriers in the hospital

The Michigan Nursing Student Association is encouraging that its constituents contact their legislatures regarding the development of laws that support interpretive services and protocols for language barriers, such as this, in the hospitals. By being aware of an issue like this, it will influence the nursing care of patients and make nurses more alert of what they should, or could do for a patient with a language barrier. The hospital environment is already a vulnerable time so you definitely do not want an event like this to happen to a patient, or family member causing unneeded stress.

Developmental patterns of suicide amongst the teen culture

Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-24, while homicides and accidents take the top. Researchers have come up with a “teen screen” to look for key factors is those at high risk for suicide. Mental illness is the leading risk factor for suicide. Now they have increased prevention efforts with school education programs, crisis center hotlines in addition to the screening programs.

What they found was that one in five teens seriously considers suicide. Causes of suicidal distress could be caused by psychological, environmental, and social factors. Suicide risk factors vary with age, gender, ethnic group, family dynamics, and stressful life events. This could be an outcome of the developmental process, such as the child being exposed to family deaths, physical or sexual abuse and many more major stressful events that the child was unable to control during their development. Some key things that the researchers survey looks for is when children talk about dying, have had a recent loss, low self-esteem, change in behavior, sleep patterns, personality and changes in eating habits, along with having no hope for the future.

However, I feel that some of these key indicators to them could be possibly be a part of their normal development. Changes in sleep patterns, behavior, and personality may not necessarily indicate a high-risk suicide patient. During this stage, the young adults are still trying to find a sense of belonging and self. They change their group of friends often, which have different behavioral impacts on the young adult. This could be a contribution to some of the behaviors the researchers would typically classify as a sign of high-risk suicide. Some of the stronger behaviors I do agree with that may make a person more vulnerable to suicide are talking about death and having recent loss.

Taking Lives

Suicide, a very serious and disconcerting phenomenon. Significant studies have been researched to why this phenomenon occurs. Scientific anaylsis are done in understanding the neurological behavior and mental conditions that are associated with it. In the United States murder-suicides mostly involve killing their spouces before taking their own lives. Recently, reports from Paul Yip, the director for the Centre of Suicide Research and Prevention in Hong Kong says that "suicide rates are up to 3 people a month." He acknowledges this as being a "warning sign." According to "Times Magazine" nearly 50% of suicides in Hong Kong includes a child. In the past decade people of Hong Kong have faced finacial hardships and income inequality. The suicidal behavior that is existing is often thought that the parents were trying to save their children from a life of poverty, low stature, and spare them from destitution. Research also shows that in the West, suicides are violent, usually from attack or revenge. Whereas, Asia, suicides are done together. Parents and their children leap together, or they chose ways resulting in a form of euathenasia. This article is very powerful in suggesting the seriousness and reality of suicide today. Suicides that go unnoticed at times by the public. I also am intrigued how Western and Eastern cultures have certain view points of such a ratical and department of life. The understanding that one can take another's life thinking they are saving them from suffering. It is hard to fathom the decision of suicide because I have never came close to the thought of it. Although, I have not felt this desire I believe the importance of future research and the expansion of studies in the field of anthropology, sociology, psychology, and others will help save the cries of life.

Limits of Protest

As an American I am gifted with the freedom to embrace the actions of protesting. Protesting creates awareness and opens up to public opinion. Protest that are common in America initially are correlated with picket signs, cardboard cut-outs, and banners. These common "sign" themes provide common messages or unique expression to capture attention. Now imagine a protest using gallons of real blood splashed in front of the white house lawn. That would be an odd sight and I'm not sure how it would go over with the authority at hand. Well in Thailand protesters seeking attention using shock value tactics, poured gallons of blood in front of the prime minister's gate. This protest was to create a tactic which would create attention to the groups message of changing the government. This gathering brought over 100,000 protesters in volunteering their blood in order to provide a "bloody message." Using your own blood for protest seems like a pretty serious matter. Though the protest created tremendous publicity, a re-election will not occur. These "red shirt" volunteers believe that these blood protest may raise awareness more than ever. Over 265 gallons of blood were poured in front of the governor's house. If there is a point in my life where I could ever use the phrase of a "blood bath" well this pretty much seems to be it.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/18649059

A 25 year debate over "EXIT" signs?!

The representation of the exit sign is pretty simple right? The giant red letters illuminating themselves from the black background. Have you ever thought that the exit sign could cause such a debate? Yes, there has been a debate lasting 25 years over the American "EXIT" sign! Critics say that this sign is neither friendly to non-English speaking persons and implies a sense of worry or danger behind the colors it expresses. Also, the color expresses safety such as fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and fire engines. The national "EXIT" sign derives from a Japanese designer named Yukio Ota. The sign of a green "running man"a symbol ensuring safety with the absense of words. The debate according to the "red exit" haters, include a few advantages. They believe that using a green sign, referencing "Go", always ensures safety and wordless signs can be understood by cultures of different languages. Maybe Americans use wordy signs too much and need to adopt a simpler symbol figure. It is funny to see how such a debate had been lasting for decades. If exit signs are keeping people awake at night and they cannot find a way out then lets reward them with a giant green symbol of a man to welcome them out of danger.

Examining the threat of Latin American's cultural identity in the global market

Latin America, a place where a traditional cultural seeks for profitable market places. Latin America is a very modernist society where traditional institutions are vital in their culture. Family trends and job occupations are literally passed down from generation to generation. Questions arise in Latin American whether the hybrid states can move towards democracy and compete in global markets. For Latin America to flourish they must become globalized or they will fall behind the technical divide. The problem of globalizing the markets is that it may lose the states sense of cultural identity. When moving forward using hybrid cultures, change becomes a part of the new and traditions become lost. Traditions in cultures are very important in our societies. Traditions set us apart from one another by allowing cultures in the celebration of who they are and their ancestry. Although tradition is important when staying true to one's culture, new traditions and possibilities towards your cultures survival is absolutely eminent in life.

Life in 3-D

The television screen has been the entertainment for family households for generations. Family members sit comfortably in their recliners and family size couches, watching their favorite television show or movie. Now, today's television screen will bring a feeling of reality as it never has before with the production of 3-D. This new innovated televisions screen will project images in a 3-D format. This format will make objects appear as if they were jumping out of the screen and appearing as if they were in the same room as the viewer. Samsung and Panasonic are the two companies pushing for this new futuristic technology. These companies have competed to provide their new 3-D product to the world. Movies such as "Avatar", and "Alice in Wonderland", are smashing records with the 3-D movie releases in theatres. 3-D may become the new internet as it may control what we see in the future. Imagine computer screens, television sets, cell phone screens, movie theatres, touch screens, all in 3-D. It will be interesting how this new concept will change the world and how we view it.

Dog Microchips?

Man's best friend is soon to be man's next machine? Dog owners in Britain may be faced with the reality of putting microchips in their pets due to the country's number of dangerous canines. The British government is proposing a plan that would surveillance the 8 million dogs. Better yet, the proposed plan ensures that all pet owners must take out an insurance policy. Yes, I said it, an insurance policy that the citizens will have to pay for do to the installation of the microchip. In America we are having trouble paying for health insurance for own well beings, let alone paying for insurance for an animal. What does this say about the British government putting surveillance on pets? Some animal lovers consider their pets as family members. This is stirring up a huge debate and definitely steps boundaries on privacy acts. I sympathize with people who have been attacked by these dangerous canines but we also have to take into understanding that they are indeed animals. We have to take into consideration of how these animals are being treated and the environment they are being raised. Microchipping our own pets is not the answer. If they make this law then what limits will the governments push their boundaries in invading our privacy. What point will the government place a microchip in criminals or even if you break the law?