The world of sports is not only a great way to stay fit and active but it can be a career for some too, especially the ones gifted with superior athletic abilities. It is also a lucrative industry that is racking in millions (even billions) of dollars not only in sports events and competitions but even in sports apparel, goods, and equipment. Men aren’t the only ones who excel in sports. Women who devote their time and effort in training for a specific sport can also become world-class athletes. There is even a special Olympics for the differently-abled that is also widely practiced now all over the world. Everyone has an interest for sports but only a handful succeeds and gets the coveted gold medal. If you are an American woman athlete or whatever your nationality is, it is likely you may get discriminated by males or by the industry at large unless you have proven your worth by winning. But today, simply being a woman is an enough ground for discrimination. After all, we live in Trump’s America. And despite clearly winning the election, we are all aware about his penchant for airing his sentiments on Twitter and his other personal biases that are now reflecting on how he is leading the country to the unknown.
Women now have a voice of their own. They can’t easily be silenced by other people and they’ll say whatever they have in mind in various platforms especially in social media that has become a favorite of many these days. The world may have changed but there are still some things that have remained the same and women can feel it (albeit subtly). It is still there. But fierce female athletes won’t let this pass without taking action especially when the government that should have their back fails to do its job.
Even high-profile women athletes are stepping up and fighting for women’s rights especially in sports and not let any more women be trampled further by domineering males or even of a society that remains to be sexist as ever. And under the leadership of an equally sexist president, the work is not yet over and women athletes have to speak up and fight for their rights because nobody else will do it for them. For instance, younger and lesser known women athletes will feel motivated knowing that icons like the William sisters got their back. Now more than ever do they need to unite and show the world that they also deserve to be treated equally as their male counterparts and not as a lesser being. Sports are competitive enough but these are even more difficult times, so no amount of complacency is acceptable. Only female athletes understand what they go through, so they should make it clear to leaders the kind of treatment they demand to receive and not just accept whatever is given to them by others. Women’s Sports In Trump’s America is courtesy of The IPAC Blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/womens-sports-in-trumps-america/
0 Comments
For quite some time now, the country has struggled in rebuilding America’s economy and saying it is more than just shaky until today is not at all far from the truth. Wherever you are in the nation, there is some sort of crisis felt by the people and many homeowners struggle the most in getting their acts together when jobs are closing and basic services aren't always given for free. Homes have become more expensive, which is actually good for existing homeowners but bad for prospective buyers as they can no longer afford to buy one for themselves and their families. And as such, people could not afford to build homes or buy ones because the cost of materials has skyrocketed and human labor does not cost cheap either. However, it seems that business is picking up in San Diego where the construction of new homes has increased as of late. Other parts of the state and even of the country still suffer from the continued real estate slump but you can see some work in progress going around the San Diego area although not that much but definitely better than nothing. It sparks a ray of hope amidst San Diego locals despite the many factors making home building doubly harder like government barriers, a slowing market for rentals and houses, and land issues.
The pattern will likely continue in the increasing requests for building permits especially for locals who do not mind going out of their way to commute each day to work and school from their new homes farther from the city noise. There are even new legislations on its way to hopefully address the housing problems that have been plaguing the entire state of California over the years as most people can’t afford to pay for housing.
The number of building permits issued by a local government is a good indicator in the field of real estate. If only a handful applies for such a permit, it means there aren’t enough homes to provide shelter to people thereby triggering a domino effect that will increase the cost of rent or prices of most homes. While the figures were better than ever in the first half of the year, industry experts can only tell for sure whether things have changed for good in San Diego if the numbers have picked up by the year’s end. The following blog post Homebuilding Slump No More In San Diego is available on IPAction.org Blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/homebuilding-slump-no-more-in-san-diego/ Religion is at the very core of society – organized religion that is. It is even as powerful as the state. The church is even exempted by the state to pay taxes because of the separation of the powers of the two and the extent of the influence they have to society. Morality is still a big issue in our modern world, though. Some people can be so uptight when it comes to their religious beliefs and they would even give up their lives when necessary. That’s the case of religious extremists that eventually become terrorists. It’s probably the problem with the world today. Religion has been taken in the wrong context and interpreted however you like aside from being used to manipulate people to hurt others. No wonder that even atheists openly attack organized religion in today’s world when it fails to uphold a strong sense of morality among the people and prevent the endless violence and persecution that sows hate and divisiveness among the people. If the church really wants to make a difference in this world, they can do so because they have the resources and the power to make a positive change in other people’s lives. But no, they don’t always act righteously. With all the money and assets of most churches, they can afford to save the homeless people from living on the streets and they can feed the hungry but they don’t and that is a problem most of us are noticing quite increasingly now.
(Via: https://www.polygon.com/tv/2017/7/29/16062578/netflix-castlevania-religion-corruption-warren-ellis) Even TV shows and movies subtly attack the church for failing to do its moral obligation of looking after its people and helping them lead moral and righteous lives. We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be compassionate enough to help one another and put an end to all the violence. These shows actually have a point. They just show the reality many of us are too afraid to talk about out of fear of being persecuted and judged wrongly.
There are many times when religious individuals and the church have openly attacked others that question their beliefs and practices. No matter how legit the argument is, they choose to ignore and stand up for what they believe in even if they know it in their hearts that they are wrong. If the church truly symbolizes the house of God, they won’t just busy themselves in making themselves rich while the rest of humanity suffers. It’s no wonder why many people are starting to realize that religion isn’t their ticket to heaven when it can barely make itself useful in this world. The following blog article A Big Blow For Religion is courtesy of IPacBlog via https://ipaction.org/blog/a-big-blow-for-religion/ The planet is warming up at a scale never seen or experienced before. Changes are taking place at a rapid rate and they are not always a good one. The planet is definitely our home but it does not mean we are always safe from all the (raging) elements. There are times when natural weather systems act up and we end up on the losing end. The truth is, human activities have triggered climate change. If you want proof, just simply take a look at the world around you. If you live in big cities, pollution is a common issue and there are fewer trees and plants as well as the land is utilized as residential, commercial, or even agricultural spaces. Even in rural areas, forests are going bald as illegal logging and mining are thriving more than ever. While global warming and climate change have already arrived, it does not mean we can’t slow it down for our own sake (and safety). People die when Mother Nature runs amuck and properties get destroyed too not to mention our natural resources are fast depleting and they happen to be non-renewable too. It is easy to feel discouraged upon seeing the extent of the problem but that does not mean we should not do anything about it at all. Even in our own little ways, we can fight climate change by changing the way we live our lives one day at a time.
(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/12/want-to-fight-climate-change-have-fewer-children) The higher the population of the planet is, the more mouths there are that need feeding and the higher the demand as well for the world’s resources. Aside from that, more people generate more trash and the pollution level likewise increases most especially that of carbon emission. It actually makes sense to limit the world’s population and impose a one-child policy similar to what China has enforced years ago. Perhaps by limiting the number of children, a couple can have, climate change will not progress as swiftly as it does now.
(Via: http://business.inquirer.net/234028/designing-fight-climate-change) It is everybody’s business to protect the environment. It is not just the government’s responsibility. After all, we all breathe the same air and live on the only planet that proves to be hospitable to human life. Are we seriously not going to take any action into salvaging what little is there left of the planet Earth if only for the sole purpose of the perpetuity of our kind? It’s true that climate change is a global issue and a difficult one to address at that but nothing is impossible if we all unite and help in the fight against climate change starting today. The Fight Against Climate Change was originally seen on IPAction.org Blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/the-fight-against-climate-change/ Teaching is perhaps the noblest of all professions. Whatever your career is, there are teachers that educate everyone about all the essentials to help us function at our best in whatever job we land after graduating. They’re the ones who teach us what we know of from an early age (aside from our parents) and help us better understand the various complexities of life. But not everyone is born to teach, it takes a real passion for teaching and the genuine desire to impart your knowledge to young minds hungry for new knowledge and skills. You are perhaps wondering then what it takes to become a good teacher (if not the best)? And whether we like to admit it or not, teachers are instrumental in a student’s success or failure. But let’s face it that teachers alone aren’t the only ones who contribute to the child’s learning. The school itself, the rest of the faculty, the instructional materials, and the rest of the things that you can see within the four corners of the classroom and the school all influence a child’s education. But let us not ignore the fact either that teachers are at forefront of education and that they facilitate all aspect of a student’s learning from learning their ABCs until their post-graduate studies.
Your personal and economic success relies greatly on a good and quality education. That is the reality of life. The US also gives importance to education since many American students now are performing poorly than students in other progressive countries on various tests. The teachers themselves lack the training, skills, and qualities of becoming a good and effective teacher. Many teachers actually prove they have mastery of the subjects they teach but lacking in their ability to aid and inspire students to learn whatever they need to succeed in later life and not simply pass the subject.
It is quite alarming how the state of American education is deteriorating as modern life advances. Claims of under-qualified and ineffective teachers are everywhere and it is the students that eventually lose as they miss out on a chance to learn from the best. While the curriculum and the methodologies matter greatly, it is still the teacher’s delivery of the lessons that make a difference on how a student learn what they are supposed to know. Making learning a fun activity helps a lot as students grasp classes better if they enjoy and learn at the same time. There is still room for improvement for teachers and they should not rest in enhancing what they already know because the times are changing and they must update themselves on what works in today’s world without sacrificing age-old principles that have shaped the world of education for the longest time. The post What It Takes To Be A Good Teacher was first seen on IPacBlog via https://ipaction.org/blog/what-it-takes-to-be-a-good-teacher/ The world is a pretty big place to stay rooted in one place during your lifetime. They say it is better to have seen a place once than read or hear about it for a thousand times. And yes, how aptly said. Those who give in to their wanderlust know pretty well the exhilarating feeling that traveling gives them. However, money is a big issue especially for those who can barely survive in their day-to-day lives. You spend money in everything you do and the expenses double or triple when you travel somewhere far away. Traveling to great historical locations, or even checking out a great venue is indeed a gift to be thankful for that only a few get to enjoy. There is another problem that has shaken travelers more often now over the past decade. The problem with terrorism is growing and even major cities in progressive nations like Europe aren’t safe from terrorist attacks. If you regularly watch the news, you probably have seen for yourself many of these breaking news stories that involve bombings and intentional attacks against innocent civilians. For instance, Paris has witnessed its fair share of terrorist attacks over the past few years and there have always been casualties. As a result, tourism in France has been down in the dumps for a while but it seems that the tide has turned and the Parisians are back to business once more.
(Via: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/917714/paris-tourism-alive-and-kicking-again-after-terror-doldrums) Paris may have suffered its losses, lives have been lost, and the citizens scared for a while but all these do not stop them from rebuilding the country. Despite the constant threat of terrorism and more widespread attacks happening in various parts of the globe, Paris tourism is picking up and the city streets are filling up with people once more. Threats of terrorism are but a shadow of the distant past although the Parisians seem to be extra careful now after embracing that the threats of terrorism continue to linger indefinitely.
(Via: http://frenchtribune.com/teneur/25533-defiance-terrorists-more-tourists-head-paris-2017) The influx of tourists once more to hotspot areas like Paris, France (that is like a magnet to terrorism as of late) just goes to show that the public has adjusted to the constant threats of terrorism today. Considering that violence fills the news daily, terrorism seems normal now and it won’t stop people from exploring other parts of the world out of fear of these random attacks. The public acknowledges all the changes and dangers in the world, which is why they are extra vigilant than ever when indulging in their wanderlust. Your lifetime isn’t enough to explore all the wonders of this world, so get out of your comfort zone and see famous attractions in the world like the Eiffel Tower of Paris, France and see them for yourself even just once in your life. The article Paris Tourism In The Wake Of Terrorist Attacks See more on: https://ipaction.org via https://ipaction.org/blog/paris-tourism-in-the-wake-of-terrorist-attacks/ Humans have various needs in their daily lives – the right to food and shelter are among the most basic of human needs. After all, survival instincts are innate in all of us and the human body can only function well without food and water for a limited period of time. Then, there are other secondary needs also requiring our attention. Our health, for instance, needs as much tender loving care from us if want to live a long quality life for all the years of our lives. There’s a catch, though. The more our technology progresses, the more complex diseases and ailments that affect humans have become. These microbes also evolve and have even rendered some antibiotics useless as they have grown resistant to the drug’s therapeutic effects. In a way, it has contributed to the rising costs of medicine and health care but there is also another reason why drugs keep getting more expensive through the years – medical/scientific research. More extensive and expensive researches and studies are done in various parts of the globe for various issues that mankind faces. Those that pertain to health are the most costly and require the most effort too.
(Via: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/biologics-the-pricey-drugs-transforming-medicine/) As most conventional medicines are no longer that effective in treating a list of diseases and ailments that keep on getting longer each day, looking for alternative solutions should be done now while we still have time. Biologic drugs are unlike your regular OTC or prescription drug since you can’t really tell what’s in them. They often come in liquid preparations and are among the fastest rising drug categories in America.
This multi-million dollar industry is perhaps the future of modern medicine. The drugs that we take to combat sickness should also keep up with the health needs of the times. Even if we think it’s a novel concept, the truth is that the field of biologics has been in use for thousands of years. It is founded on the body’s processes right down to the cellular level. Vaccines are a fine example of biologics at work. And expect to see more advances in this field to help humans deal with the issues we are having right now involving our health and well-being. The Evolution Of Biologic Drugs was first seen on The IPAC Blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/the-evolution-of-biologic-drugs/ The modern world is ruled by technology. It is a no-brainer fact that even school kids understand very well. It’s such a lucrative market with billions of people owning tech gadgets like smartphones, laptops, computers, and other household and communication appliances that come at a hefty price, so you can always be sure there is a demand for it. Most big businesses nowadays are related to technology like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Samsung, etc. They have been shaping society over the past few decades and they sure have made lots of money all this time despite being involved in a handful of controversies over time. But despite the big profits these companies are making, there are undeniable losses too. Not all their gimmicks click to people and they often have to incur millions of losses on a few business risks they have taken. The drop in tech shares in the market as of late is a testament to how unstable the technology industry is and any small changes can have big implications on these businesses and millions more who rely on their products and services in their daily lives.
(Via: http://www.beloitdailynews.com/article/20170731/AP/307319931) The struggle is real even among big tech brands that have dominated the world for decades now. Google, Facebook, and Amazon all incurred losses and nobody can tell yet whether how things will fare over the next few days, weeks, or months. The thing is that almost all businesses also rely on most of these tech companies in running their own businesses. Hence, everyone is affected because the delivery of these goods and services are interrelated and can have an impact to how we a certain business or brands all fare in the real world.
Running a business is a risk an entrepreneur wholeheartedly takes because you won’t have a shot at success if you don’t make an effort to try despite the risks involved. While it is non-negotiable to use technology in running a business, it does not always have to be the best or the latest in the market, what’s important is that you are using the right tech tools that can elevate your business to the next level. You can actually save more money in automating certain business process rather than having it done manually, which is why any rise or fall in the tech industry is the business of everybody. Making Money Out Of Technology was first published to IPAction.org Blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/making-money-out-of-technology/ Adults today can only fondly reminisce their childhood years of day-long frolic under the sun and countless hours playing outdoors and getting dirty and all. Kids today don’t lead a life as active as most adults once did. They are exposed to a digital world overruled by technology. Kids won’t have a hard time navigating a smartphone or any tech gadget, unlike most adults. Meanwhile, they lack the psychomotor skills to engage in active play and usually don’t spend as much time playing outdoors than kids before did. One more thing children today miss out on is the opportunity to really dabble in the arts despite the abundance of art materials, supplies, and opportunities. They can even get inspiration from the web but still, they’d rather spend all their free time glued to their smartphones and tinkering with all those apps that were unheard of in the past. Indeed, a lot has changed and in a way, new opportunities open up to children but they also miss out on others that are actually better for their health and well-being.
The arts depict the state of the times. Even way before, famous painters were known to get inspiration for their drawings from the events that took place in their surroundings. It is why to learn history, you simply just have to take a peek at artworks created around that time and you can picture out what happened back then. If kids now don’t get a chance to explore their creativity, then what does that mean to a future that is devoid of beautiful and captivating artworks that depict the era they once lived in?
(Via: https://theconversation.com/what-can-we-learn-from-childrens-drawings-64527) Children aren’t expected to create masterpieces. They are free to express what they think of and their interpretation of the world or that of a specific object or occasion as simply a means of self-expression. Not all children will turn out to be great artists but still, they need an avenue where they can express their artistic side regardless of how good they are. However, technology greatly impedes their artistry as it takes most of their time away from drawing and scribbling. It is the parent’s responsibility to indicate just how much time kids can spend in using technology and encourage them to pursue other artistic interests to enjoy a more well-rounded childhood. Why The Children Need To Be Exposed To The Arts See more on: IPAction.org via https://ipaction.org/blog/why-the-children-need-to-be-exposed-to-the-arts/ Equality will always be the subject of many heated debates and arguments from then until now. While there are many things that divide people these days, there are still apparently some common denominators that bridge the gap between the rich and poor, gifted and not, or healthy and sickly. The arts will always be that bridge that continues to connect and inspire people of all walks of life. Who says that you can’t appreciate the arts if you have a disability? You may be lacking in a sense or two but other senses are heightened to make up for what you don’t have. Dabbling with the arts gives differently-abled individuals a newfound freedom to express themselves without being limited by their disabilities. It also allows them to experience a sense of belongingness to the craft and other artists especially to the ones with disabilities themselves.
Today, people with disabilities try to break out of the stigma that they can never be productive members of society by showing their potential through various artworks and artistic expressions. At times, you can never tell for yourself that such an art piece was created by a disabled person because creativity and talent aren't just for healthy people, after all.
There is actually such a thing as a disability in the arts. Not just limited to artworks, it encompasses visual arts and theatrical performances where the stars are disabled individuals. The arts also serve as an outlet where disabled people can vent out their inner feelings or have it function as an expressive therapy. Some genius and notable people in history were surprisingly individuals with disabilities too. Take for instance Beethoven who eventually went deaf but was still able to create enduring and beautiful music despite his disability.
These days, technology plays a big role in how disabled individuals further explore their artistic talents. Examples are assistive or adaptive technologies that allow the disabled to enjoy the visual arts. However, it is not always easy for them to go out of their comfort zones as not everyone in society understands their situation. But still, expressing their artistic side is a great way to gradually break out of the stigma and regain the confidence they lost when they lost their senses. You have no idea what it is like to live in their shoes, so be more appreciative of their effort in living life to the fullest despite their many physical limitations. The blog post Appreciation For The Arts Beyond A Disability is courtesy of https://ipaction.org/blog via https://ipaction.org/blog/appreciation-for-the-arts-beyond-a-disability/ |
About usCulture, technology and where they meet in the middle. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |