When it comes to shopping, people make a big fuss of Black Friday and highlighting how it happens to be the biggest sale of the year – a perfect excuse to go on an all-out shopping spree where you can find the best deals on great products and possibly even complete your Christmas list ahead of time. Well, it may be true in the past and people really fall in long lines just to get in a store and shop like there’s no tomorrow but it seems like it is no longer the case now. If you check out the following articles, you’d realize that yes, some people have a point in saying this because apparently, the hype over Black Friday makes not that much sense anymore. So, is it still right to hype up Black Friday when you learn that you only get to enjoy a few buck’s savings or that bigger discounted items like home appliances can also be bought online? It is already the case with big retailers like Walmart and Target and many people head to these places for amazing deals. Why then spend hours in line when you can easily make your purchase through the web from the comfort of your own home and spare yourself from the inconvenience brought about by shopping with big crowds. Even small specialty online only retailers are getting in on the action. Yet if you are someone who is trying to complete her Christmas list, any deal will do especially that this is probably your last chance of buying something at a discount. (more…) The following post Black Friday Today: A Shadow Of What It Once Was was originally published to The Keating Economics Website via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/black-friday-today-a-shadow-of-what-it-once-was/
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Health is wealth. It’s been reiterated millions of times and we all know it by now. After all, we’ve been told about it from a young age and I am sure we already grasped its value over the years. While we are all aware of the importance of being healthy, our lifestyle says differently. In our prime, we are often deluded that we can conquer it all and we won’t easily succumb to diseases and ailments most old people suffer from. However, the times have changed and our modern lifestyle has put us at higher risk of certain conditions that even cancer has become so common right now regardless of your age. Not all ailments go away on their own like the common cold and flu. There are also some that no amount of medication can cure. Think of HIV and AIDS. You’re a goner once you are diagnosed with this condition because there is simply no cure. Medical management is palliative, meaning it just offers the symptomatic treatment of the disease but nothing can be done about it anymore. And if there is any demographic that is increasingly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, it’s the LGBT community. Their active sexual relationships even with relative strangers have led to this rise in lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Management has actually improved nowadays as patients diagnosed with it live longer lives but the fact remains you will eventually succumb to this condition sooner rather than later.
(Via: http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-aids-project-rainbow-health-announce-merger/449311003/) When you say rainbow health, it stands for the health of the LGBT people or the rainbow community. We all know how prevalent HIV/AIDS is in their population and as such it has stigmatized them and made them suffer even more aside from the burden of the health risks they are facing especially when sexually active. Most people who die of AIDS are from the LGBT community. The government recognizes this trend and tries to intervene or at least help affected individuals cope with such a diagnosis. Unfortunately, federal help may be cut short depending on who is sitting in power and how they see LGBT in general.
(Via: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.812347) The odds may be high but the rainbow community is more united now than ever and they have been actively fighting for their rights in all corners of the globe. And if there is one right they are most concerned about, it has to do with their health. Like everyone else, the LGBT community deserves the right to basic healthcare services and they should not be alienated or ignored because of their sexual orientation and preferences. Politicians should put aside their biases and look after the needs of their constituents or extend help where help is needed as long as they can. It’s the reason why rainbow health persists to be an issue in the US because the leaders don’t always see everybody eye to eye and as a result, come up with legislations or policies that neglect the needs of some whether it is intentional or not. The blog post Rainbow Health: What Is It? Find more on: https://www.keatingeconomics.com/ via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/rainbow-health-what-is-it/ Marijuana has always been a sensitive issue in society. Even back to the hippie days, those who are pro-marijuana struggled in making others listen why weed is unlike other illegal drugs that are risky and dangerous to one’s health. Well, there is probably a reason why the authorities were doubtful of marijuana’s beneficial health effects especially if they can see hippies getting high and doing all sorts of crazy things because the weed made them do that. It’s because the weeds grown in the past were high on THC, the cannabinoid that gives you a natural high and is probably responsible for giving weed the stigma of it being a dangerous substance people should not mess around with. However, there have been a lot of newer developments over the years. Weed growers are no longer just breeding THC-rich marijuana plants but ones rich in other cannabinoids as well such as CBD. By now, we all know that CBD is the important component of medical marijuana as it offers a lot of medicinal benefits minus the negative aspects of traditional marijuana that is related to getting high and addicted. This development in the marijuana industry has prompted government officials and medical experts to give marijuana the time of day leading to where it is now – to be even prescribed by doctors in the treatment of various medical conditions because it has proven that it’s not a useless plant after all. (more…) The following blog article Marijuana Breakthrough In Pennsylvania was first published on www.keatingeconomics.com via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/marijuana-breakthrough-in-pennsylvania/ Events are a big thing nowadays. People spend a lot of money when throwing lavish parties/events that become the talk of the town now that social media is a big part of people’s lives. The aim here is to make your event go viral and trending so that people will notice you and you become popular. After all, people make lots of money when they have lots of followers on social media. So, they usually go all out when organizing events to ensure they stay relevant in a society that is run by technology. We just all want to have a good time, which is the reason why we spend money to go to special events like concerts. It is our reward for working hard by pampering ourselves for a few hours of entertainment. Unfortunately, the world has become such a scary place right now that violence can erupt out of nowhere and leave behind a big casualty, mostly innocent concert-goers or bystanders that fall victims to psychopathic individuals who have lost sight of what living is all about.
(Via: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/02/las-vegas-massacre-casts-somber-mood-on-conferences.html) Life goes on despite such a terrible tragedy. It may be hard for the families of the victims but you can’t tell when such a situation can happen and who would even think that someone will just shoot people out of nowhere during such a festive occasion. But unfortunately, it does. Events organizers usually ensure the security of everyone during big or small events but there are circumstances you can’t just foretell and it’s really such a shame people have to die or get hurt in the process.
(Via: http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2017/10/02/466191.htm) While unfortunate circumstances like this can’t be prevented, it only teaches events organizers to do more when it comes to enforcing security during big events especially those held in large concert grounds or enclosed auditoriums or concert halls. Scanning concert-goers for possible possession of deadly weapons isn’t enough especially that psychopaths take everyone by surprise using tactics that are beyond human comprehension. We all want to unwind and have a good time during our free time. Tickets for these events do not also come cheap, so the people going there can only expect their safety and security to be upheld all throughout the program and not be subjected to such extreme violence. It is a lesson learned the hard way but a lesson still. When Events Go Haywire was first published on KeatingEconomics.com Blog via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/when-events-go-haywire/ People see iPhones differently. It’s like it is a class of its own – unparalleled and the one that started it all. When it comes to smart technology, the user-friendly interface that Apple developed was the perfect tool that enabled smart technology to take off in the market. And yes, their innovative efforts paid off as Apple is one of the biggest global brands there is today and still the leading smartphone manufacturer aside from the Android brands, of course. There is something so special with iPhones that the public can’t resist upgrading to the newest version even if their old ones are working just fine and not in dire need of a replacement anytime soon. However, iPhone has a certain charm that is simply irresistible. Despite its high price tag, many do not hesitate in buying it because it is a status symbol and it really has some awesome features too that iOS users have learned to love and can't live without.
(Via: http://fortune.com/2017/09/06/apple-iphone-8-release-customers/) Some features come and go. The rest will likely stay but definitely pimped up to perfection – enough for people to spend a few more dollars in their monthly subscription premiums. But if there is one thing that keeps iPhone’s customer base or even grows it, it is the brand itself – Apple. It exudes a certain enigma that showcases the company’s commitment to innovation, style, and creativity without compromising functionality and compatibility with other similar tech devices. Over the years, Apple has maintained its strong and positive image even if the Android market has been swamped by cheaper-priced smart handsets directed to the masses.
And since the smart technology has been around for years now (a decade actually considering that the first iPhone is 10 years old now), most consumers have already owned either an iPhone, an Android phone, or both over this span of time. But if you have used an iPhone before, chances are you’ll stick to using iOS than making the switch to an Android device. And like the status symbol that it is, almost everybody on the planet recognizes the Apple logo and can tell it from a distance. The same can’t be said, though, with the many Android brands that populate the market these days. Now once you get tired of your old device and want a new play thing (especially now that the recent Apple Event just launched the new line of iPhone handsets – iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the limited-edition iPhone X), you can easily sell your iPhone at a more competitive price because Apple products hold their value pretty well over time. Despite most iPhones and Android units having basically the same specs (aside from a handful that really differentiates what an iOS phone is and what an Android one is), some people look past these specs and only see the allure that only an iPhone exudes. What’s With An iPhone? is republished from KeatingEconomics.com via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/whats-with-an-iphone/ Environmental issues have been around for ages. It’s not that the planet was any better centuries ago because our ancestors also faced countless natural disasters that threatened their survival and their very existence on the planet. Even during the time of the dinosaurs, the earth wasn’t always a safe haven for everyone. They're extinct now, right?! And the same can be said about the problems we are facing today such as global warming and climate change. Not only have they worsened weather phenomenon and made natural disasters more intense than they ought to be but climate change, for instance, has a big impact our daily lives. People who live in different places in the world do not necessarily experience the same thing all the time because of differing geographical location. They face risks that are not experienced by others. Canada today is battling air quality issues because of a massive wildfire that not only reduced entire forest ecosystems into ashes but filled the entire sky with smoke. People living nearby are already suffering from respiratory problems and travelers are likewise advised to prepare for visibility issues because of the excessive smoke and haze filling the neighboring areas and its skies.
(Via: http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2017/09/12/environment-canada-issues-air-quality-warning) The wildfire in itself is already a safety and health risk as fire is not a friendly element at all. It will destroy everything in its path and we are not even talking yet about the many local wild animals that were killed or displaced by this horrific disaster that is also engulfing the air that many Canadians breathe in a thick blanket of smoke.
Let us not wait for the time to come when we even have to buy the air that we breathe. It has happened now with water and many other life essentials. Most of the things people in the past took for granted like water and free food in their surroundings and other natural resources are now being sold to us modern people at a high price. If we don’t get our act together and start protecting what’s left of the environment right now and do some major damage control by changing the way we live, it may very well be the reason of mankind’s undoing in the near future. The Air That Canadians Breathe Find more on: Keating Economics via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/the-air-that-canadians-breathe/ We now live in a society consumed by technology and the unending demand for energy (mostly non-renewable as is the custom now in the world). And it makes sense considering the number of tech contrivances we use day in and day out. Energy is not just a precious commodity, it is already a staple in all aspects of human life. Yet we all know the many issues we face when it comes to energy use. Not only is there a big possibility of a non-renewable source like fossil fuel eventually running out but also the dangers its continued use poses to the environment. Why then does the majority of the population patronize non-renewable energy? Perhaps it is because they are convenient to use. There are already big businesses that market these products to the people and some that consequently made other related products that make use of this energy resource for them to work like most vehicles, appliances, smart gadgets, etc. when in all honesty, renewable energy is just as easy to use yet often ignored by society.
Most progressive countries like the US and China are actually the biggest energy users and contributors to the release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (hence global warming and climate change) because these places have countless manufacturing plants and industries that make just about everything you can think of that can thrive in a highly capitalist world. While some have already shifted to the use of solar energy years ago, many still miss out on what the sun can still offer aside from natural daylight.
(Via: https://www.wpr.org/new-research-shows-solar-energy-may-have-been-undervalued) While it is perfectly understandable that most people are concerned about the many limitations of solar power, let us not overlook its many advantages as well aside from being 100% environment-friendly. The main issue here is that why the government is turning a blind eye to the harnessing of solar energy in fueling our energy needs and gradually make the shift from the use of fossil fuel to that of sunlight. The weather may change now and then and it is not always sunny all the time but those things can be resolved with proper strategic planning and federal government support and funding to make solar energy more accessible to the public and replace whatever we are using right now. The following article How To Go Solar was originally published on https://www.keatingeconomics.com/ via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/how-to-go-solar/ The world’s natural space is fast disappearing what with rapid urbanization and all. Most green spaces are turned into agricultural, residential, and commercial spaces to meet the growing needs of the public for natural resources and living space. As a result, Mother Nature takes all the blow just so we can continue to live in utter comfort and safety. If you live in a big city like most people do these days, you likely won’t be seeing a lot of trees and green scenery because almost everywhere around you is full of towering skyscrapers that house businesses and residents alike. To make urban living healthier and better for our mental health, most land developers and builders are now incorporating green spaces into the living spaces they build. You can see patches of green parks or gardens in an inconspicuous corner or city centers to give the people a feeling of living with nature. Green spaces in busy city streets offer a lot of health benefits. They filter dust and other harmful pollutants in the air that is common in city living. They also help in cooling down the temperature and providing shade that is a welcome relief in cities that are mostly devoid of big trees. It is even helpful in reducing the rate of erosion in waterways as well as protecting rivers and streams by filtering toxic runoff.
We can’t just ignore it anymore. Urban living isn’t really the healthiest type of lifestyle for us but we find it hard to disconnect from our tech-crazed world. The tighter these cities become as more and more people converge in these crowded places. More land is then converted into homes and high-rising condominiums to accommodate the growing number of people requiring a place to live. As a result, more trees are cut down and land is cleared in preparation for building and constructing work. It is an endless and vicious cycle of abuse at a global scale that is happening more rapidly now than it did in the past.
(Via: https://phys.org/news/2017-08-planners-depressingly-city-impacts-mental.html) Human health improves in the presence of a green environment. A person’s mood improves and brightens when they get to commune with nature. Even the sight of green plants and trees can do lots of wonder to a person’s overall health and well-being. People who are cooped up in physical structures tend to be less active. Experts even coined the term “depressogenic” to describe the poor mental health of individuals living in urban cities. We subconsciously get overwhelmed of the various distractions in our immediate environments such as bright lights, loud noise, and busy streets that it increases your cognitive load leaving you mentally stressed-out. Better urban planning is needed to help counter the major flaws of urban living. Adding green touches like gardens, parks, trees, and other greenery is the first step to correcting this problem especially that we can’t just abandon our modern lifestyle that easily and decide to go off-grid in a heartbeat. There may be problems but there are also solutions if we just open up our minds to all the possibilities and perhaps declutter our lives a little for the sake of our health and sanity. The Need For Green Spaces In The City Find more on: https://www.keatingeconomics.com via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/the-need-for-green-spaces-in-the-city/ Humans are known omnivorous eaters. It means we eat both plant and meat-based food. While it is essential for human survival, animal farming is proving to be more detrimental to the environment than we’d like to acknowledge. It is even more harmful than traditional crop farming for a variety of reasons. The soil is lost, trees are cut down and water is consumed in raising these animals especially when it involves factory-farming where hundreds, if not thousands, of these animals, are raised for human consumption at a time. Animal waste that gets washed down to rivers and streams pollute these water sources aside from increasing the carbon footprint due to untreated animal waste and is next to air pollution from vehicle combustion as the biggest threat to the environment. Marine life disappears (they either die or leave the place) as the nutrients coming from animal waste fosters the growth of algae that in turn reduces the amount of oxygen available in the water not to mention the accompanying stinky smell from excessive algae growth in the water. Aside from that, these harmful wastes pollute drinking water and can lead to a long list of health conditions that are completely avoidable if we just limit our consumption of animal meat. Animal agriculture contributes to 51% of the greenhouse gas emission all over the world. Moreover, these animals consume just as much food in order to grow in size and produce sufficient flesh to be later sold in most markets.
The problem has grown considerably despite efforts to minimize its damage to the environment. It does not help that the demand for meat (of all types) continues to increase as the majority of the population are oblivious to the dangers posed by meat eating to the natural world. Environmental groups are raising awareness on the problems caused by meat farming in an effort to discourage the people from consuming more meat or reducing the demand for it at the very least.
Agri-business is a large and profitable industry in America alone. Hence, claiming that its harmful effects are also on a massive scale is but an understatement to the real danger it poses. Major US waterways are contaminated by these harmful pollutants that likewise make it impossible for marine life to thrive. However, this problem is not easily addressed as most people eat meat in their day-to-day life. While going vegan is not the absolute solution to the problem, understanding how it impacts our lives is the first step to addressing this issue for good. The article How Meat-Eaters Harm The Environment See more on: KeatingEconomics.com Blog via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/how-meat-eaters-harm-the-environment/ Technology is the biggest thing to hit the planet earth over the past few decades. Digitization is apparently the name of the game. It’s either you join the bandwagon or get left behind. Many of us have witnessed its birth, growth and its surprising exponential growth that gave us the amazing world of the Internet of Things and the smart technology we can’t live without right now. And one of the fastest growing industries related to their use is mobile apps that have virtually erased the word “boredom” in our vocabulary. There are mobile apps for just about everything you’ll ever need in real life through the use of your smartphone. Most mobile apps, especially the ones that really have a practical use, have uplifted our lives and made certain tasks easier than they used to. From work-related to social networking and gaming apps, you can download and install free or premium apps that suit your taste and meet your tech demands.
The tech shift we are experiencing right now is expected to go on and on until we reach the era of artificial intelligence (which has already started, by the way). The future may be uncertain for now but one thing is for sure, investing in a mobile app venture can likely bring in big profits especially if you offer something unique and helpful to the public. And with 4.8 billion of smartphone users globally, you won’t have a problem reaching a certain niche with your product especially once you look into the benefits of localization (in places that do not speak English, of course).
Everything worked perfectly in the grand scheme of things. As the web and smart technology progressed and brought about the Internet of Things that we now know of today, it has also paved the way to the popularity and success of mobile apps that almost everyone with a smartphone right now makes use of every single day. It is actually synergy at work since both the IoT and mobile apps benefit from each other. Many global brands today started from these mobile apps like Uber and messaging apps that bring new life to conversations. And with the reception it is getting from everyone today, we can expect better things to come our way that can easily fit the palm of our hands. The blog post The Role Of Mobile Apps In The Internet Of Things Read more on: https://www.keatingeconomics.com/ via https://www.keatingeconomics.com/the-role-of-mobile-apps-in-the-internet-of-things/ |
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