Doing Retail On Amazon

Business is a risky endeavor. Sometimes you hit the jackpot, most of the time you don’t. And it is undoubtedly such a big market in America. Over 24 million people make money from retailing, so the competition is tough, to say the least. When you think of retailing, you often relate it to fashion and apparel when the truth is that almost all sorts of goods and services are provided by the retail industry. Examples of which are electronics, appliances, auto parts, food and even other aspects of skilled labor.

An entrepreneur can build a retailing empire in the world today because it is one of the fastest growing sectors in the market. As long as you can offer the consumers something they need or possibly want, you can make it big. Unfortunately, competition is tough as already stated above. Some risks pay off while others can lead to bankruptcy. Many physical stores are actually closing today because people rarely shop in malls these days. They prefer doing it online like almost everyone else does.

 Amazon recently posted its eighth straight quarter of growth. In fact, in the first quarter of 2017 its revenue grew by a jaw-dropping 23 percent, hitting net income of $724 million. Amazon Prime subscribership jumped to over 80 million members, representing a gravity-defying increase of 36 percent. And, while slowing marginally, Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing cash cow, continued to post growth in the mid-40 percent range, giving Amazon plenty of cash to burn on furious innovation.

For one, Amazon continues to expand the capabilities of its Alexa Voice Service, the operating platform of its popular Echo digital assistant, a technology that not-so-subtly aims to disintermediate not only Google but every retailer on the planet from the consumer product search process, 55 percent of which already defaults to Amazon.

(Via: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/opinion/how-retail-stores-can-rival-amazon-doug-stephens)

Amazon sold apparel, shoes, appliances, and many other knick-knacks for a while now. Amazon has indeed mastered the art of online retailing. However, you’d rarely hear people bragging about how much they enjoy shopping on Amazon. Sure, you find a lot of great finds but it can be laborious and somehow stressful trying to look for a great deal in the vast assortment of products sold on Amazon. However, online shopping took out the fun in retail therapy that people used to love.

The arrival of Amazon will be an existential moment for some retailers and it will almost certainly trigger of wave of industry rationalisation. But it will also have a Darwinian flavour - a test of adaptive skills and survival of the fittest.

Since the US e-commerce giant last month formally announced its intention to expand in Australia, there has been a rash of analysis on the extent of the damage Cyclone Amazon will inflict on the retail sector, most of which has been extrapolated from its arrival in other countries.

For Australian retailers, the entry of Amazon will have a greater effect than the imposition of the goods and services tax or even the more gradual entry of online competitors.

A report from international ratings agency Standard & Poor's in May sums it up, saying "the tide of change that began with internet commerce has built into a tsunami called the Amazon Effect, resulting in bricks and mortar retailers shrinking their physical footprints while focusing on shifting more business online or risking being relegated to the remainder bin of retail history".

(Via: http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/dark-days-for-retailers-as-cyclone-amazon-approaches-20170511-gw2tck.html)

Amazon got retailing figured down to a science. If you think selling your own stuff by yourself is quite a challenge, selling through Amazon gives you a better chance of being seen by consumers and eventually making a sale. The network of retailers is vast (with over two million retailers – both big and small brands) and you can surely find something that will interest the consumers.

Getting your product sold is quite simple. Just list down your product on the site and consumers will likely find it there despite the long list of competition. Yet despite it all, businesses have been moving their products and making profits. Retailers can even opt for the Fulfillment by Amazon service where Amazon will do absolutely everything for retailers for a total hassle-free selling.

The following post Doing Retail On Amazon Read more on: IPAB

source https://ipaction.org/blog/doing-retail-on-amazon/

The Artistry Of Art Aloud

Most of us associate the arts to actual artworks and art pieces commonly seen in museums and parks. But what many are not aware of is that there are different forms of artistic expressions. The truth is that there is no limitation when it comes to the art. Artists are free to express their artistic talents and share them with the world. As the world becomes globally interconnected, we realize how diverse we all are in different aspects of life. An example of which is Art Aloud, an art to poetry collaboration.

While many of you probably haven’t heard of such a collab, it has been happening for ten years already in some states in the U.S. and even in other countries throughout the world. Artistic poetry is a great way to revive the interest and passion in poetry in a very artsy way.

The idea came into being thanks to Paul Dahlston and the Big Picture Discussion Group, a cadre of artists and thinkers who used to meet at the Business of Art Center (now the Manitou Art Center). Even after the group disbanded a few years ago, a few dedicated community members kept Art Aloud alive.

Cas Foste of Academy Art & Frame Company, who now organizes Art Aloud, says: “We get some really dynamic stuff, and we are totally all about collaborations, getting writers and artists to work together on pieces.”

Art Aloud began as a strict art-to-poetry collaboration, but over the years it has evolved to include all manner of written word, from quotes to short stories. Writing hangs alongside the artwork with which it’s connected (or, in some cases, is incorporated into the artwork) and weekly receptions throughout the month include a reading component similar to an open mic.

(Via: http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/art-aloud-celebrates-ten-years-of-poetic-artistic-collaboration/Content?oid=5058338)

During this coming Lent, artistic poetry is also a great way to relive the life of Christ. The Church regularly conducts this artistic poetry practice to remind all of the sacrifices of Jesus on Calvary and on the cross and His gift of salvation to the world. Aside from artistic poetry, you can also see many works of arts displayed in churches the world over housed in churches that are centuries old.

Experience Jesus’ last week through word, art and scripture at Christ the King Lutheran on Palm Sunday, April 9.

Worship services will be at 9 and 10:30 a.m. at 1301 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian.

Special artwork by Sebastian resident Dave Sandgren and his mother Nancy Sandgren will be exhibited during the service. Each primarily black and white artwork will be unveiled as writings about it are read aloud. The art depicts Jesus last week on earth, from his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on the lowly donkey to his death on the cross and then his glorious resurrection on Easter.

The special service starts outdoors with the processional gospel and the blessing of the palms.

Later in the week will be the Maundy Thursday worship service at 7:30 pm.

“The term ‘Maundy’ refers to Jesus' command to love as he shared his last meal with the disciples,” said the Rev. Karen Leedahl. Following Holy Communion, the service will conclude with stripping of the worship space of all adornment in preparation for Good Friday.

On Good Friday, Christ the King is offering the special Holy Week Experience. Participants can arrive anytime between noon and 5 p.m. to visit different meditation points. At each point there will be scripture to read, a question to contemplate, and/or an activity in which to participate. Seating will be provided at each stop. Worshipers proceed at their own pace.

(Via: http://www.tcpalm.com/story/specialty-publications/your-news/indian-river-county/reader-submitted/2017/04/05/special-artwork-enhance-palm-sunday-worship/100073218/)

The arts have a big impact on our daily lives even though many of us are oblivious to it most of the time. Nations have been formed greatly in part because of the influence of the culture and the arts and many great works of arts also serve as reminders of how people lived over the years. From cave paintings to sculptures, body art and body paintings and piercing, renowned artwork in museums, all these artistic expressions define society over a period of time and continue to do so until now.

Nowadays, you can go to museums to witness for yourself artwork made by great masters who have long been gone or more modern celebration of the arts through poetry in motion.

The Artistry Of Art Aloud See more on: https://ipaction.org/blog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/the-artistry-of-art-aloud/

A Visual Appreciation Of The Arts

There is so much more to the arts than meets the eye. And for years, the arts have helped shaped the world in ways that you can’t imagine. Even until today, it has helped us understand the world that existed before us. We try our best to decipher what the images on ancient cave walls mean to give us a glimpse of the life led by our ancestors centuries ago. And these paintings might actually be the inspiration for visual artists to come up with their own various works of art today.

We see and appreciate beauty with our eyes. Whether it be an elegant painting, a striking sculpture, a unique photo, a moving video, or a breathtaking architecture, the visual arts is a rich expression of human talent at its finest. Dance, in my opinion, qualifies as well.

From a young age, we learn how to doodle even though we know so little about the spoken word itself. It only goes to show that this artistic talent is innate in us and a crucial aspect of human nature. After all, you don’t need to be brilliant to be able to appreciate the beauty of the visual arts.

Every two years, a curator comes to Venice with a mandate to rally the world’s greatest artists and unite them in a great enterprise on behalf of humanity. That may sound like a premise out of J.R.R. Tolkien, but it captures the heady, high-stakes spirit of the event, and the organizers rarely stint on ambition. In the past few editions, we have seen curators of the Venice Biennale use their Prospero-like powers to direct artists to tear down the wall between older art and the contemporary, to construct a marvelous portal to the collective unconscious, and to wage an insurgency against the unequal global status quo.

This year, under the direction of the highly accomplished French curator Christine Macel and energetically titled “Viva Arte Viva,” the project is slightly different. As Venice Biennale commissioner Paolo Baratta said when naming Macel to her post, she is “aware that we are currently living in an age of anxiety” and is “committed to emphasizing the important role artists play in inventing their own universes and injecting generous vitality into the world we live in.” With that aim, instead of sending her Biennale’s 120 artists off on an epic mission, she’s asking them to come together, settle down, divvy up the artistic labor, and go about their salutary business as citizens of a vibrant, functioning city-state of the mind.

(Via: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/venice-biennale-curator-christine-macel-interview-942749)

The culture and the arts depict the issues of the times since the artists themselves are aware of current events that are the cause of concern for the people. Most of the time, artists often use politics as an inspiration for their artworks and art pieces. Even though many people do not take the visual arts seriously, they actually have a big impact on society and help trigger necessary changes that are needed now.

When Canadian Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak sold her print “The Enchanted Owl” in 1960, she pocketed $24. When the piece was resold at auction in 2001 for nearly $59,000, she received nothing. That is because Canada does not recognize a resale right for visual artists, which in some other countries guarantees them a small percentage of proceeds from secondary sales.

Unlike musicians, writers and filmmakers – who receive royalties each time their works are sold, used or downloaded – painters and other visual artists in many countries are paid just once.

Like Ashevak, who died in 2013, they receive no proceeds from later sales, even when the value of their work balloons.

(Via: https://www.dailystar.com.lb/Arts-and-Ent/Culture/2017/May-04/404420-visual-artists-demand-their-fair-share-of-sales.ashx)

Unfortunately, visual artists rarely get the recognition or the monetary remuneration they deserve for their artwork unless they are big names themselves in the industry. Unlike in the entertainment sector where talents get royalties, most visual artists don’t receive anything aside from the amount initially paid to them upon the sale of the piece itself. It is why many visual artists get discouraged from pursuing their craft and go after traditional jobs that put food on the table instead.

Even appreciation for the arts is confined mostly to the elite who can afford to pay for such expensive artworks. The masses don’t usually spend their hard-earned money on pricey artworks only to be gawked at considering they can barely support their basic needs. However, it does not mean we don’t appreciate beauty once we see it. Thankfully, the visual arts have different aspects that the masses can relate to. There’s film, music, photography, and other decorative arts like woodworking, ceramics, and jewelry making that give meaning and more joy to our lives.

The following blog post A Visual Appreciation Of The Arts is courtesy of IPAction.org Blog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/a-visual-appreciation-of-the-arts/

Samsung Galaxy S8 Software Features

For the past ten years, smartphones have dominated the market and our lives. While Apple introduced the technology to the world, Android users have Google to thank for it. And one of the most popular smartphone brands in the world today is brought to us by Samsung. Just recently, the tech giant introduced its newest line of to-die-for smartphone gadget, the Samsung S8 and Samsung S8+.

The company has made various changes to the phone’s design and features over the years. And it seems that Samsung favors the curved display design that is seen in some of the previous Samsung Edge phone models. This new phone line is far different from models previously released by the company and is probably the reason why the tech industry is buzzing with excitement for its arrival. So, what sets apart the S8 and S8+ from the rest? Let us all find out.

Being handsets this ambitious, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ each have a well-stocked bag of tricks. Notable tidbits like iris/fingerprint/face recognition security, Samsung DeX (the ability to use the handset like a computer by connecting it to a screen and periphery), and Bluetooth Dual audio for streaming sounds to two separate headsets are niceties that push the Galaxy S8 and S8+ a level above the competition!
There's plenty more where that came from, so check out the complete list of key software features below. Are you hyped?

Always On display – View various information, such as a clock or calendar, even when the screen is off.

Multi window – You can run two apps simultaneously without changing the screen.

Edge screen – With various Edge panels, you can access frequently used features quickly and easily.

Hello Bixby – View frequently updated content, such as the weather, reminders, and alarms, in one place.

Bixby Vision (image search) – Bixby Vision is an image search feature that lets you search for relevant information conveniently.

Reminder – Schedule notifications and to-do items or use location reminders.

Bixby (intelligent voice assistant) – Bixby is an intelligent voice assistant that helps you use the device more conveniently.

Iris recognition – The iris recognition feature uses the unique characteristics of your irises, such as their shape and patten, to strengthen the security of your device.

Fingerprint recognition – A built-in capacitive sensor reads your fingerprint when you touch it from any direction.

Face recognition – Unlock the screen using facial recognition instead of drawing a pattern or entering a PIN or password.

Secure Folder – Protect your private content and apps in Secure Folder. Photos, memos, and apps in Secure Folder cannot by accessed by others.

Samsung Pass – Register your IDs and passwords for websites to Samsung Pass and verify your identity securely via your biometric data, rather than entering your login information.

(Via: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Samsung-Galaxy-S8-key-features_id92535)

Samsung’s new phone line reveals features that resemble that of iPhones and people are excited to finally have the Android version for some of these upgrades and others that have never been seen before. Many can’t also wait to get their hands on its sleek and sophisticated look. The absence of physical buttons on the front gives it a quite futuristic look and they have probably coined the term “Infinity Display” to describe it. Even the Samsung logo is no longer visible on the front for that completely seamless look. There may be flaws such as the set screen resolution, maximum brightness, and fingerprint reader location but they pale in comparison to what the phone offers.

Although the eyes of the world will be on the physical design of Samsung’s upcoming flagship, inside the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus handsets the software continues to evolve to challenge assumptions and create better user experiences for millions of Galaxy smartphone owners.

A large part of that is the web browser. Samsung has continued to develop its own standards-compliant web browser for its Android platform. It already stands apart from Google’s mobile Chrome browser because of a focus on content blocking and privacy. You can now add secure mobile payments and better web app integration to those bullet points.

The latest major update to the browser (v5.4) is in the final stages of beta testing and a public beta version is rolling out in the Google Play store. And for the first time, it’s also going to be available for non-Samsung handsets as well.

Allowing the browser to run on Nexus devices may not significantly increase the reach of the browser to the public, but it does mean that many more developers can work with the features in the browser, confident that the reach of the Galaxy platform will reward them.

The browser is also bringing in another important part of Samsung’s mobile vision. It now supports web payments, allowing users to pay for goods and services directly in the mobile app. The intention is to enable web payment to use Samsung Pay if it is available on a device, otherwise card details can be stored on the handset with biometric sensors used for security.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s8-software-browser/#3a5d44466387)

The Samsung S8 and S8+ are probably one of the coolest smartphones you can get your hands on these days. It boasts of a curvy and futuristic-looking screen display, is waterproof and offers wireless charging too. The user will likewise not get disappointed with its browser, which will serve as the benchmark for the next Android smartphones. With two of almost of everything, there is so much in store with this new eye-candy from Samsung.

While data recovery is a far too common complaint among computer and laptop users, smartphone users also face it too now and then. It just works differently because of the different features between computer hard drives and that of smartphones. When you face such a problem, don’t try to fix it yourself and visit an expert phone technician to retrieve it for you whether you are using an iOS or Android phone, an old model or one of the newer ones.

The article Samsung Galaxy S8 Software Features is courtesy of https://ipaction.org/blog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/samsung-galaxy-s8-software-features/

Quality Education: Is Cloud Computing The Answer?

Technology is a beautiful thing. It allows us to do things we can only dream of as kids. But now that technological advancement have gone through the roof, are we really prepared to have this much technology in our lives? We already deal with so much technology use in our day to day. From school to work, we are glued to our computers or laptops for hours on end trying to get things done. Kids spend their free time watching videos on Youtube or playing with various gaming apps they have downloaded. You won’t often see kids playing outside anymore.

Now, as news of quantum computing is making its round on the web, we also wonder will this technology ever reach the schools too. It may take years from now before this technology reaches the public but the experts are already using the cloud to improve the quality of education.

When you think about a traditional school workflow, it's not unlike that of a business: paper is generated and moved in a systematic way between the children and the teacher. Just as cloud computing has transformed workflows in business to make them more collaborative and mobile, that same type of change has been coming to schools. Children and teachers use the power of the cloud to collaborate while accessing, storing, and sharing content.

As with business, this change is ongoing, uneven, and by no means complete. But if schools are at least partly about preparing children for the next generation of work, then the cloud needs to be a part of that preparation. Just as some businesses have struggled to transition to the cloud, schools face similar challenges. But because schools involve a specific demographic—children from a variety of abilities and socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds—their challenges can be even more complicated.

As the paper trail lessens, there is less need to cut down trees and less worry for storage space among teachers. Teachers can conveniently store and access student files and papers on the cloud that can also be easily shared among other faculty members. The students, or their parents when necessary.

"We think the cloud has already been transformational in delivering technology to the classroom," Jordan explained. "When we started Knowledge Matters, we were literally shipping CD-ROMs to schools across the country. From a technology standpoint, as an educational software company, it was a huge challenge, as we had to troubleshoot network configurations for teachers [and other installation issues]."

Jonathan Rochelle, director of product management for Google Education, says that operational efficiency is just part of the cloud's advantage. "Teachers no longer have to take home a box of papers," he said. "They can provide feedback much faster, and they are spending more time with the students instead of [grading] papers."

(Via: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-computing-pushes-into-the-classroom-but-not-without-challenges/)

Not only has technology transformed the work of a teacher but the children too as homework can now be submitted online while at home or even allow students to take tests even when not in school. Students now have the option to study online if they want to.

I can’t put my hands on the thing right now, but I’m pretty sure that the Parenting Manual I was issued when my kids were born deemphasized the importance of keeping up with changes in the way they do things as they grow up. The worksheets and hand-written essays of their younger years have changed into collaborative work done online as they “matured” into high-schoolers.

Has it changed the work? Maybe less than it first appears. Technology may change human behavior, but it doesn’t really change human nature. Most kids don’t much like doing homework, and cloud services haven’t done a lot to change that. What’s interesting is that the kids, teachers, and administrators I talked to generally like the flexibility of using cloud-based classroom tools, but none of them think it has fundamentally changed classroom life.

We can’t deny the ease and convenience offered by technology to students and teachers alike. However, it also has its drawbacks. What if the student doesn’t have a computer at home? Will his/ her grade suffer? How can parents keep track of their kid’s school work when it’s directly shared to their teachers on the drive?

As far as parental involvement goes, Dahlstrom agrees with my gut feeling. “I do have the feeling that they (parents) are not as involved,” she said. “Parents used to be able to go through their kids’ bags to see the work,” which is no longer an option.

But the ultimate question is this: the comfort and enthusiasm of parents, kids, teachers and administrators aside, does all this technology actually improve the educational result? “I think it’s a net positive,” Dalhstrom said. “Not a drastic net positive. It hasn’t changed my pedagogy. If it all disappeared, my class would still be fabulous.”

(Via: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/cloud-changes-school-4/)

In everything we do, we need to find the perfect balance so it’s a win-win solution for all. The same principle applies when dealing with technology. Although we have integrated technology into our lives for quite some time now, it can still be overwhelming at times especially when you add priorities and time constraints in the equation. Studying is hard enough and technology may or may not work for some students, so administrators and teachers should be aware of this and offer alternatives so their grades don’t suffer or it beats the purpose of getting an education after all.

The following blog article Quality Education: Is Cloud Computing The Answer? was originally seen on https://ipaction.org

source https://ipaction.org/blog/quality-education-is-cloud-computing-the-answer/

Modern Living And Its Impact To Our Health

Much has changed over the decades and we owe most of it to technology. Cities are growing and life is becoming more complex. Gone were the days when technology did not make the world go round. Today, we can’t live without our smartphones and other gadgets. It allows us to stay connected to the world in real time. Most household chores can also be done in a snap because of innovative inventions like the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, and many others. There’s also no need to spend hours in the kitchen to whip up a delicious dish because you can just pop one in the microwave just like that.

Despite the benefits offered by technology, it has a major drawback – its negative impact on our health. We start leading a sedentary lifestyle as we continue to rely on technology to make life easy for us. We no longer have the time to stay in shape because we are too busy pretending to have a life online that we end up lacking sleep and neglecting our health and well-being in real life.

“We are the supremely arrogant species; we feel we can abandon four billion years of evolution and ignore the fact that we have evolved under a light-dark cycle,” says Oxford University’s Professor Russell Foster, who worked on the study. “What we do as a species, perhaps uniquely, is override the clock. And long-term acting against the clock can lead to serious health problems.” These problems include an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, type-2 diabetes and obesity. 

“Under-sleeping is the next sugar – it’s a health time bomb,” says Dr Gottfried, who says just about every aspect of modern living is stealing our sleep. “Our lives are more hectic than ever, more people live in cities where they’re less attuned to light-dark cycles, we binge-watch TV shows, tablets emit sleep-disrupting blue light all evening, and it’s become normal for our bosses to email us at 9pm (they never could 20 years ago). What it means to be available has changed and our sleep is suffering. 

(Via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/health/bad-nights-sleep-really-does-body/)

Our obsession is just one of the reasons why we lose sleep and it could prove disastrous to our health. The lure of a better life drives more people to flock the cities and create an even more complex urban jungle than before. And to accommodate the burgeoning city population, more and more rural lands are converted as the city keeps on expanding throughout the years. City life messes with your body’s normal circadian rhythm and exposes your body to all types of pollution on a daily basis. As a result, the population gets sicker and more likely to suffer from chronic and debilitating conditions for the rest of their lives. Or worse, kids are born with congenital anomalies or deformities that have severely hampered what they can achieve in life.

Scientists have long considered the lungs as vulnerable to air pollution. Only recently have they come to realise the role of the nose as a pathway to the brain; the extent of the nose-brain connection was only illuminated in 2003, when researchers in smog-choked Mexico City found brain lesions on stray dogs.

Unfortunately for city dwellers, the closer we live to these roads, the higher our risk of autism, stroke and cognitive decline in ageing, although the exact reasons haven’t been teased out. Scientists suspect it has something to do with fine particles causing tissue inflammation and altering gene expression in the brain’s immune cells.

Moreover, city life can put you at risk of mental conditions that are widely frowned upon by most societies.

Research has shown that people who live in cities may suffer more psychological stress than people who live in rural areas. For a study published in Nature in 2011, Jens Pruessner and colleagues at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim found a 21% increase in anxiety disorders, a 39% increase in mood disorders and a doubled risk of schizophrenia in city dwellers. Urban living was linked to increased activity in the brain’s amygdala – the fear centre – and in the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex, a key region for regulating fear and stress.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/13/warning-living-city-seriously-damage-health)

Now that the statistics are out there and people are aware of the repercussions of modern life to our health, does the government have any plan on how to halt its progress and take care of the health of its people? But since there will be major budget cuts in this new administration and the possibility of the Obamacare repeal, can the citizens expect any help from the government to help them when they need it the most?

The CDC, the National Institutes of Health and other government agencies had been hoping and pressing for more money to develop drugs, tests and vaccines and to look harder for where those germs might be lurking. "We really are in a different time. This is the moment for us to really invest," Schuchat said.

In fact, they had been pressing for an authorized fund that would let them move quickly against new diseases, outbreaks or other threats without having to go to Congress to ask for the money.

Now, instead, they are looking at cuts and a Congress controlled by the same Republican leadership that, worried about slush funds and wasteful spending, delayed funding to fight Zika for nine months. They finally cut the funding request nearly in half.

(Via: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/new-gop-health-care-bill-would-cut-fund-fight-killer-n730391)

It is the time to assess our choices and determine if the life we are living is indeed the life we deserve. One can only hope that whatever changes that are still coming our way would be for the best interest of the majority especially when it comes to the delivery of basic services like health care. A budget cut is not always the answer to many of the U.S.’s most pressing issues nowadays but perhaps the proper allocation of the nation’s budget can help a lot and some major lifestyle changes to boot.

Modern Living And Its Impact To Our Health was first published to IPAction.org

source https://ipaction.org/blog/modern-living-and-its-impact-to-our-health/

It’s Not Yet Too Late To Save The Environment

The planet is hurting. It’s too obvious for everyone to see yet many of us turn a blind eye to these drastic environmental changes that are happening everywhere. Even other species on the planet are suffering and many have been completely wiped off from the face of the planet never to be seen again after becoming extinct. However, we are too obsessed with the latest trends and with social media that we rarely give the time of day for these more pressing environmental issues.

Environmental protection and conservation are a must because it is our responsibility as the most superior species on the planet (and the ones that also caused the most destruction). Earth is our only home. We haven’t fully explored yet the possibility of living in another planet nor even found one that is as hospitable as ours. Then, there’s climate change that makes life more challenging for many of us. The heat is trapped on the planet and it is affecting major weather systems and has sped up the melting of polar caps, for instance, which can decimate many island nations in a few year’s time.

Predictions for a planet affected by climate change can sound like they're ripped from a doomsday novel: stronger hurricanes, intense heat waves, rising sea levels and the disappearance of ice in the Arctic.

And scientists have seen some of those changes already taking place, according to NASA.

Climate change — as well as other environmental issues like deforestation and wildlife extinction — have the potential to be scary for children. The implications of climate change can contribute to stress, depression and anxiety for everyone, but especially for kids, according to a study released this year by the American.

(Via: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/22/climate-change-predictions-can-scary-kids-what-can-you-say/335505001/)

It is true that we may be the reason to our own undoing yet we can still prevent that from happening because we still have time left. In your own little way, you can do something that will benefit the world in the long run even if it is just turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, recycling your trash, using less light at night or using public transport instead of taking your own car to work every day.

We need to move beyond thinking about the environment—our land, water and air—only as a source of inputs for the food system. Instead we need to recognize that global environmental changes can diminish yields, reduce the amount of food we produce, and affect how nutritious it is and where we produce it.

But just how does the experience of change prompt food systems actors and institutions to work toward solutions?

Weather extremes and environmental shocks, for instance, will likely occur more frequently in the future. In California, the multi-year drought and recent lifting of the drought emergency after a heavy rain and snow year has had a cascade of lingering effects, calling for greater management of both extremes and making water conservation “a way of life” by executive order. The four objectives of California’s new management plan include educational and policy nudges such as using water more wisely, eliminating water waste, strengthening local drought resilience and water holding capacity, and improving agricultural water use efficiency and drought planning.

(Via: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/feeding-a-hot-hungry-planet/)

Sustainability is the goal but we are a long way from there now. The world’s population is growing but the resources are receding. How will we be able to grow food if the water supply is dwindling? People will get hungry and many will die that’s for sure. Moreover, natural calamities are also worsening because of climate change.

As global temperatures continue to rise, the consequences of climate change are becoming more apparent. Scientists can collect data on the rates at which ecosystems are changing to gain insight into the effects of climate change, and then apply their findings to infer what ecosystems may look like in the future. However, this can be an incredibly daunting task for a scientist, considering the dynamic nature of the environment. On-the-ground observation alone is not always enough to effectively monitor a given environment’s rate of change–this is where drones come in.

Drones have become increasingly popular for recreational use, but entertainment is not their only application. Some organizations use drone technology as a resource for conservation efforts. Drone expert and main editor of the blog MyDroneLab Jack Brown has identified several organizations that are working to monitor climate change impacts with drones.

Maldives: mapping sea level rise

Sea level rise is the everyday reality for this island nation. Citizens must consider the risk of flooding every day. A project to create a 3D map of the Maldives was initiated by an agency within the United Nations Development Programme who joined forces with DJI, a leading drone manufacturer. Using drones, they were able to map the island nation in a few months, a task that would normally have taken years. Time is of the essence in the Maldives, where 80% of the islands are threatened with submersion.

(Via: https://www.islandconservation.org/drones-climate-change-science/)

Saving the world should be everyone’s responsibility. We pale in comparison to the wrath of nature once it strikes. We don’t want the time to come when the world is no longer hospitable for mankind. There is a lot of work involved for us to salvage what’s left of nature and there are basically two ways to doing it. First is to take an active part in environmental conservation efforts such as tree planting and second is to avoid doing unfriendly environmental practices like wasting energy and polluting the environment. There is more work left to be done, so we should all unite for this common cause for the common good.

The following blog article It’s Not Yet Too Late To Save The Environment See more on: The IPAC Blog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/its-not-yet-too-late-to-save-the-environment/

Do Teens Still Get Enough Sleep?

Life is what you make it. Sounds cliché but it can’t be any truer. You determine your own course in life. There may be stumbling blocks along the way but it is still up to you make the choices you want. Every little decision you make determines what your future will be like. For instance, you decide whether you maintain a normal sleep-wake cycle or not. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done these days. There are so many distractions that sticking to a fixed bedtime routine isn’t as easy as lying down on the bed and closing your eyes.

From teens to younger adults, the tech and smart gadget obsession can’t be denied. Your every waking moment is probably glued to that tiny device that means so much in your life. However, it’s not nice once this obsession affects your health negatively. For a young teen trying to juggle school requirements, personal and home obligations and social life, it can be overwhelming at times and they end up losing sleep every single night, some even have snoring issues.

Why do children wake up early when they are young but want to stay in bed till noon as teenagers?

Experts say it’s biology. Adolescents’ bodies want to stay up late and sleep late, putting them out of sync with what their school schedules demand of them. So kids have trouble waking up, and they often find themselves feeling drowsy in morning algebra class.

But that chronic sleepiness can affect their health and well-being, their behavior, and even their safety; it becomes genuinely dangerous when sleepy teenagers get behind the wheel.

At a recent conference on adolescent sleep, health and school start times, at which I gave a brief keynote, several experts made compelling arguments supporting the idea that middle and high school start times should shift to 8:30 a.m. or later, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

(Via: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/well/family/the-science-of-adolescent-sleep.html?_r=0)

Have you seen the social media accounts of teens these days? They are so updated on all the latest trends and their #FOMO drives them insane, so they often compromise their sleep to stay on top of everything. Add to that those school assignments that take up most of their time at home leave them with little time to sleep.

The movement to start the school day later is gaining traction, and for good reason.

Research shows that puberty shifts the circadian rhythm of children, contributing to later bedtimes and wake times. 

It also shows that teenagers need eight-and-a-half to nine-and-a-half hours of sleep a night, but only one in three are getting at least eight.

It's why nearly 200 education and health leaders are meeting at the first-ever National Conference on Adolescent Sleep, Health and School Start Times Thursday and Friday in Washington, D.C.  

Their goal: Encourage school districts to start the class day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for middle and high school students in order to accommodate their changing body clocks and improve their chances for quality sleep.

(Via: http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2017/april/why-are-teens-so-tired-sleep-debate-could-change-how-america-does-school)

Mood changes and decision making is affected by sleep deprivation. And considering how many changes are happening to a growing teen’s body, these various external factors can be too much for an immature teen to take. They won’t be able to make the most sensible of choices and often compromise the more important things in life in their quest to fit in this world, especially with their peers.

It is really unfortunate that sleep is the first to go in a teen’s agenda when they are pressed for time. After all, we often make ourselves believe that we can always catch up on lost sleep but that is not entirely true. Then, there is the growing issue on various sleep-related disorders that make sleeping impossible for some. While they continue to make sleeping the bane of some people’s existence, there are solutions now sold in the market. Some of them are your typical anti-snoring gadgets and mouthpieces that help correct an anatomical defect to reduce the snoring and hopefully improve the condition. Teens are vulnerable to these conditions too, so they should also see a medical doctor if their case warrants it.

The post Do Teens Still Get Enough Sleep? is available on IPAction.org Blog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/do-teens-still-get-enough-sleep/

Children’s Health Suffers From A Poor Environment

It is no joke to live in a place continually exposed to dirt and pollution. Big and crowded cities first come to mind as well as most developing countries. You see all sorts of environmental pollution here. Air, noise, water, you name it. Not only adults suffer from health issues arising from constant exposure but young kids too.

These kids are not safe even inside their homes. Many kids get very sick while some even die from it. They have lost their chance in life at a young age and that is a sad reality for those living in impoverished cities and countries all over the world. The statistics did not escape the attention of the United Nations.

Unhealthy environments—both inside and outside the home—cause the deaths of more than 1.7 million child under the age of 5 every year, according to two new reports released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday.

Even in their own homes, many children in developing countries have neither clean air to breathe nor clean water to drink, the reports found.

“Almost half of the world’s population is still cooking or heating or lighting their households with very dirty fuels” such as coal or animal dung, Maria Neira, director of the WHO Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health told Inter Press Service (IPS).

Neira describes the smoke that children breathe in from these fuels as a “hidden and very pernicious” cause of ill health, leading to childhood illnesses, such as pneumonia and asthma, as well as long-term health affects, such as poor brain development and lower IQs.

In addition to smoke for dirty cookstoves, children are exposed to many other pollutants both inside and outside the home, including untreated drinking water, outdoor air pollution and pesticide residues, the reports found.

(Via: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/who-poor-environment-causes-1-in-4-child-deaths/)

You might be surprised to learn about these facts because you have not been to the poorer parts of Africa, but believe me when I say that this is a common issue in many parts of the globe. And what is even more disconcerting is its harmful effects on young kids.

"A polluted environment is a deadly one - particularly for young children," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.
"Their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water," said Chan.
Harmful exposures can start in the mother's womb and increase the risk of premature birth. 

And the numbers do not lie.

Every year 570,000 children under five years die from respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollution, and second-hand smoke.
As many as 361,000 children under five years die due to diarrhoea, as a result of poor access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, the report said.
About 270,000 children die during their first month of life from conditions, including prematurity, which could be prevented through access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in health facilities as well as reducing air pollution.
The report said that 200,000 deaths of children under five years from malaria could be prevented through environmental actions, such as reducing breeding sites of mosquitoes or covering drinking-water storage. 

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/polluted-environment-kills-1-7-million-children-each-year-who/articleshow/57492164.cms)

Environmental pollution should be taken seriously as it also worsens global warming and climate change issues that we are now experiencing. In the cold waters of the Arctic, oil drilling is a profitable business, which has a negative impact on the environment after a series of oil spills and other mishaps prove the negligent acts of these companies.

However, a better economy can provide jobs and help people improve their way of life and put into place better safety measures to limit the damage caused by many environmental pollutants. The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to make all places safe for pregnant women and young kids.

Housing: Ensure clean fuel for heating and cooking, no mould or pests, and remove unsafe building materials and lead paint.

Schools: Provide safe sanitation and hygiene, free of noise, pollution, and promote good nutrition.

Health facilities: Ensure safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and reliable electricity.

Urban planning: Create more green spaces, safe walking and cycling paths.

Transport: Reduce emissions and increase public transport.

Agriculture: Reduce the use of hazardous pesticides and no child labour.

Industry: Manage hazardous waste and reduce the use of harmful chemicals.

Health sector: Monitor health outcomes and educate about environmental health effects and prevention.

Under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) countries are working on a set of targets to guide interventions for children’s environmental health, as well as to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five by 2030. In addition to SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, other SDGs work to improve water, sanitation and hygiene, transition to clean energy to reduce air pollution, and reverse climate change – all of which will have an impact on children’s health.

(Via: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/pollution-child-death/en/)

Protect young children for they are the future of this planet. Live responsibly and take care of our surroundings because you won’t like it when Mother Nature strikes back.

Children’s Health Suffers From A Poor Environment was first published to IPacBlog

source https://ipaction.org/blog/childrens-health-suffers-from-a-poor-environment/

Bitcoin Hoarding: Do You Need It Against Ransomware Attacks?

The Internet is a delight to many. It can’t be denied with the number of smartphone and smart gadget users these days. We all enjoy 24/7 access to the World Wide Web because there are absolutely endless possibilities when using it. You can finally say goodbye to boredom at the very least or use it for work opportunities, not just simply to connect with family and friends. Unfortunately, dubious people have found another use for the web. No longer do they confine their evil ways to the dark web, cyber criminals also spread havoc to the majority of online users who often only have an anti-virus or firewall to protect them. Some don’t even have some sort of protection at all against these malicious online attacks.

One of the most popular malware these days is ransomware. What exactly is ransomware? Simply put, it is a type of digital extortion malware. This malware locks your computer or keyboard until you pay a ransom usually in the form of Bitcoins. Until then, you can’t access your PC and all the important files you have saved in it. With the use of a ransom cryptware, cyber criminals use a unique private key to encrypt your computer files aside from locking your device. While it initially targeted PCs and laptops, mobile phones are no longer safe from this new tech headache today.

In the age of cyber threats, companies are stockpiling digital currency in preparation of future "ransomware" attacks — which have grown exponentially over the past few years.

The most recent attack, known as "WannaCry," took hundreds of thousands of computers' data files hostage unless users paid a $300 to $600 ransom via Bitcoin, a popular digital currency. Now many companies are maintaining a stash of the digital cash because of the rise of ransomware, according to cybersecurity experts and firms.

"It's one of the tools in their pockets," said cybersecurity and Bitcoin expert Florin Lazurca, the senior technical marketing manager for security at Citrix Systems. "It's one of the things where you might be trying to cover all your bases, and so it lets you still recover your data and network."

But it's recovery by giving in to the cybercriminals' demands, yet that is the only option for some companies who need immediate access to their data — such as hospitals and financial institutions — and have more money than technological prowess or time. Both were targeted in the recent hack.

(Via: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hacking-of-america/companies-stockpiling-bitcoin-anticipation-ransomware-attacks-n761316)

Ransomware has been around for quite some time now. It first appeared in Russian and some Eastern European countries in 2005-2009 but the criminals had a hard time collecting the ransom from their victims. But because of Bitcoin’s popularity, cyber criminals found a reliable and anonymous way to extort the money, thus the resurgence of ransomware with a vengeance.

 Bitcoin is a kind of digital currency. You can buy it with dollars and euros, just like you can trade any other currency. You store it in an online "wallet." And with that wallet, you can spend bitcoin online and in the physical world for goods and services. Even PayPal supports bitcoin.

And, of course, bitcoin has a valuation, which you may have heard about because bitcoin's price has fluctuated up and down.

You can use bitcoin the same way, but unlike a credit card, the transactions you make using the currency are completely anonymous. They can't be used to identify you personally. Instead, whenever you trade in bitcoin, you use a so-called private key associated with your wallet to generate a bit of code - called an address - that is then publicly associated with your transaction but with no personal identifying information. And in that way, every transaction is recorded and securely signed in an open ledger that anyone can read and double-check.

(Via: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-ransomware-attackers-demanded-payments-in-bitcoins-1693991)

Bitcoin is almost always in the news now because it is the preferred currency of cyber criminals. It is actually a decentralized digital currency, meaning you don’t use it in the physical world nor does it have a central bank repository of its own. Contrary to popular belief about its anonymity in use, bitcoin spending is actually tracked using public records, but because of privacy clauses in the uses of this digital currency, it is the reason why cyber criminals like it best.

The most recent ransomware attack, WannaCry, affected over 200,000 businesses in roughly 150 nations, both the government and private companies through a malicious software sent to potential victims as an email attachment. Since there is no assurance that you’ll get your data again after paying the ransom, victims are strongly discouraged to give the attackers the ransom money. Unfortunately, many are still duped which in turn encourages these attackers to keep spreading this malware over and over again.

The blog post Bitcoin Hoarding: Do You Need It Against Ransomware Attacks? was first published to IPAction.org

source https://ipaction.org/blog/bitcoin-hoarding-do-you-need-it-against-ransomware-attacks/