Category: Unit 2 (Page 3 of 7)

People aspire to discover new things, places and make new friends. Therefore they travel from one place to another. The act of a human being moving from one place to another is known as traveling. People travel due to various reasons and purposes. Some travel for business meetings, others to discover new places, mostly known as an adventure, while others travel to attend office meetings. People have different tastes in traveling, and some say they enjoy it while others feel uncomfortable traveling. I mostly enjoy traveling, venturing into new places and environments, making new people, interacting with them, and knowing their culture. Traveling necessitates all of these objectives. Traveling makes life sweet and complete. People have to travel to meet their daily living expenses. For instance, most businesses and organizations prosper well due to good decision-making. Some decisions require consultation and proper weighing, and this demands those policymakers don’t reside in the same location. Thus they have to travel and meet to agree on what to do. In simple terms, traveling plays an important role in human beings’ lives.

People travel in different ways. Some travel by bus, planes, or railways. Others prefer walking and cycling as they term it more flexible and environmentally friendly. They again argue that cycling and walking are a part of exercising, keeping their body fit, strong, and healthier. Thus, it will be capable of fighting diseases and other infections. On another occasion, cycling and walking become inconvenient. For instance, if the distance to be covered is long, one must travel over seas and oceans. Therefore the means of travel are determined by various factors. People have different interests and motives for traveling. Mostly those traveling as their hobby creates time for themselves to relax. On the other hand, many people have a busy schedule in life. Some are stressed by their business, work, offices, and research and need some time. Traveling makes people free, think about new things, see new interesting things such as wild animals, expose themselves to the nature of the world. In the end, they will feel more refreshed and fully recharged for the next challenge in life. Again traveling makes one forget those disturbing ideas of mind and creates an environment for new thinking. In other terms, traveling can be described as lifesaving.

Traveling makes one smarter both in mind and physically. When traveling, one learns different things in life. They get to know other people’s cultures, how people do things, and some of the shortcomings they face and how they overcome them. Again, we interact with nature, which expands our minds and thus improves our thinking perspective. We can also learn about new modes of dressing, new fashions, and even new walking styles. Thus changing their mode of living. Traveling strengthens one’s heart. Most people in this generation are heartbroken. A large percentage of the current generation, especially youth, lack hope in life. Lack of good livelihood and other difficulties in life directly impact people’s lives. When people travel, they interact freely, learn from each other and share new ideas about life. From that, one gets motivated and somehow consoled.

Most married partners prefer traveling as part of enjoying their honeymoon. Through this, they can expose each other well. They visit attractive destinations such as beaches, wild parks, museums, and even cultural-based societies. By doing so, they will survive in their married life. Most believe that starting a marriage with a happy mood and energy makes the marriage life smooth. Whenever any disagreement arises, those good memories keep the couple together. Some people love traveling in a group while others love it when they travel alone. Groups include family members, working mates, friends, and classmates. Traveling in a group, in some cases, is more enjoyable than when one travels individually. While in other cases one can enjoy traveling alone than when they are in groups.

Traveling is an expensive exercise, you have to pay the means used to travel, the traveling expenses such as food, and again there is an accommodation fee. All these expenses are shared when people travel as a group. The group just calculated all those costs and shared them among themselves. In the end, each member in that group will be able to enjoy the adventure at a relatively lower price compared to the one they would pay alone. In some cases, groups traveling have some shortcomings. Imagine the time the group requires to agree on some decision, such as the place to travel, the day to travel, the time, and how long the adventure will take. For them to decide on all this, it will take a while. Again others may disagree with all of the plans reducing its chances of happening. Again traveling in a group may sometimes make one member not attain his objectives. A group member can manipulate one by interacting with other people in different groups. Thus, in the end, they will not have enjoyed as they expected.

Individual traveling is sometimes the best and more enjoyable when compared to group traveling. First is fast decision-making. One will compare different areas to travel on which afterward decide on a place of interest. Again they will be able to decide on the means to use, either on bus, railways or planes. This decision takes a short period to make. Again when one travels can take any available means of transport. In case of any changes, such as some event that was not included when planning occurs, it will be easier to accommodate them when traveling alone than when traveling as a group. Again, when traveling alone, there are high chances that one enjoys more than those traveling in a group. Traveling alone minimizes all destruction, thus allowing one to concentrate on all events and occasions. Apart from that positive comment, traveling alone has some negative perceptions. First, it is somehow expensive. For instance, when one needs to visit government-regulated areas such as game parks and museums, they must pay some money. The money would be affordable if a group booking but on an individual basis. Again sometimes traveling alone becomes boring. One needs some people to keep them company, especially when the means used are planes or trains.

Different factors affect people’s interest in traveling. Therefore, these factors will be controlled, while people cannot control others. For instance, after the covid-19 eruption, the government banned all traveling, including domestic and international traveling. They were doing this to control its spread. In this case, people had no alternative and had to comply with directives. One factor that may discourage or encourage traveling is the availability of traveling means and their safety. Most traveling means are prone to accidents, and most people fear boarding them. Most travelers lose their life while others get mistreated. The action is common with taxi drivers; some taxi overprices their customers, others harass them, and others even rape them. Those illegal action has been condemned, and most countries have developed alternative means. An article published by the NY Times shows how Uber is currently overtaking taxis in New York City. Most of these alternative means of transport, including Uber, have a board regulating their operation, and any customer mistreated can report it. Therefore cases of customer’s mistreatment have reduced drastically (Willis 94).

Again people may fail to travel due to their busy schedules. People who work in big organizations that require their attention always lack time for traveling. Some of those workers are interested in traveling, yet they cannot travel due to their occupations. Most organizations are venturing into a new working technology known as co-working. Co-working creates a good environment where workers can share work, giving others time to travel and have an adventure (Orel 215). Therefore co-working motivates workers. Thus, they can give their best. Other companies allow their workers to work while traveling, especially journalists (Rosenkranz 613). Another factor that may discourage traveling is insecurity. Most people travel to places or states where their security is assured. Any state with a high rate of crimes and insecurity receives low tourist numbers. Crimes lead to loss of life and even property. It again destroys the plans and schedule of a traveler. Thus it discourages traveling. Insecurity has a direct impact on the country’s economy. Tourism contributes a lot to a state’s economy. Thus ensuring the safety of travelers improves their economy.

As discussed above, traveling contributes a lot to people’s lives, a large percentage of our possessions through adventure. Again most ideas that help us move from one level to another are obtained through interacting with new people and challenging them. Although some people hate adventures, they fail to understand that traveling involves even small activities. For instance, when one travels within a country or abroad for further education and even when traveling for celebration functions or entertainment.  

Work cited

Willis, George, and Emmanouil Tranos. “Using ‘Big Data’ to understand the impacts of Uber on taxis in New York City.” Travel Behaviour and Society 22 (2021): 94-107.

Orel, Marko. “Coworking environments and digital nomadism: Balancing work and leisure while on the move.” World Leisure Journal 61.3 (2019): 215-227.

Rosenkranz, Tim. “From contract to speculation: New relations of work and production in freelance travel journalism.” Work, Employment and Society 33.4 (2019): 613-630.

U.S.A National Team

Kobe Baltazar

At one point in life everyone who was into sports such Basketball, baseball, football, and soccer wanted to make it big, in other words wanted to become a professional athlete. But what if you were put in a position where you are knowing that the opposite gender is having preference despite on your accomplishments? Not to mention, the U.S women soccer team has faced a problem similar to it where’s they weren’t rewarded equal as the males who are in the U.S soccer team.

With that being said Soccer is more than a sport. In fact, it’s a job where people have to depend on to be able to provide for their family. Even though many may not see what’s going outside the pitch they should be able to get knowledge on what’s really happening. On the fact that people aren’t being treated equally. Many may complain that males seem to pull more streams which should led them to more money but in reality, the sport of soccer males and females both have the same objective in which is to get on the pitch to play and give the people an entertaining match.

In the U.S people seem have a dispute on the United States nation soccer team based on curtain circumstances of the wages that are given to the males compared to the wages that are given to the females. For example, in February 22,2022 Andrew Das writes a statement from the Goalkeeper of the female nation team. “The numbers speak for themselves,” Solo said, though U.S. Soccer immediately disputed them. Men’s players, Solo said, “get paid more to just show up than we get paid to win major championships.” In other words, Andre Das is getting to hear out people point of view based on the debate. While many people have different point of view, what Solo means by “the number speak for themselves” is that it makes one wonder is it really fair that the females can accomplishes more tittles than the males but yet still get paid less than the males.

The U.S women National soccer team have won about 16 titles in total. Such as the Olympic, Concacaf, and the mostly known which is the World Cup. Out of those 16 titles 4 of them are wins from the World cup, where 32 nations around the world face one another to see who lifts the title. Where is for the males, they have only had 7 titles in total and all those tittles have only been won in the Concacaf tournament.  So, there honestly shouldn’t a preference because both seem to bring eyes that just lead to help build up their team. If anything, the women deserve a raise where it’s to match the males’ wages because they have accomplished many things.

Its stunning just to know the difference between the way a male and female would earn averagely in soccer. Many female players from the U.S nation team have decided to speak out in an interview where they talk about the wage caps. In the interview with NBC its states that “28 members of the U.S women national team alleging they were paid less than 1/3 of the men’s team bonuses.”

According to The New York Times Magazine Lizzy Goodman published an article about the right of equal pay for U.S Women soccer team. For example, Goodman talks about the huge wage gaps between a male and female. In Goodman article it states that “If a male and a female national team player each played 20 exhibition games in a year, members of the men’s squad would have earned an average of $263,320, while members of the women’s squad would have earned a maximum of $99,000.” Basically, in the industry of soccer a male and female can both do the same thing, but there will be a little twist because the males are the one who to seem to be the favorite. In addition, the sport soccer is meant to bring people together not to leave people out. People shouldn’t have to feel that there less worthy based off their gender. Now it’s just worth questioning how would you feel if you were in their shoes?

Overall, it’s always great to speak up because it helps encourage others to speak up and not only that, but it could possible help bring up what you are speaking about to existence. Take this for example, this isn’t just a matter of women who love to play the sport but it’s for everyone all around the world. It is showcasing that you shouldn’t feel trapped and left out. But you should speak up and fight for what you think it’s right.

Photo Source: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/07/football/womens-world-cup-final-uswnt-netherlands-spt-intl/index.html

Article Source: The Best Women’s Soccer Team in the World Fights for Equal Pay – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Article Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/u-s-women-s-soccer-team-equal-pay-settlement-sets-ncna1290309

Article Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/22/sports/soccer/us-womens-soccer-equal-pay.html

Will LeBron Leave The Lakers?

LeBron James and The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled throughout this season and underperformed significantly due to Russell Westbrook struggling to fit alongside Anthony Davis & LeBron James. Due to these struggles the Media have been open to speculations of LeBron returning to Cleveland or at least leaving LA. He mentioned a few times that he would join his son so we know he’s definitely looking towards his future in the NBA and what is best for his Legacy that is being written. LeBron has always been the type to troll the media as when he was in Cleveland he unfollowed them on Instagram knowing it would stir up a fire in the media and when they asked him about it, he acted as if they made it up. Of course that same season he would end up leaving and joining the Lakers. He does these little things on purpose in my opinion so he can give us an expectation of what he may do so when it does happen we aren’t flabbergasted the way we were when he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat in 2011.

According to an article published by Matt Johnson of SportsNaut, he states “LeBron shared before the All-Star Game that he is open to rejoining the Cleveland Cavaliers”. Quoting LeBron “The doors’ not closed on that. I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free”. LeBron is set to become a free agent in 2022-2023, it is highly likely due to the Lakers recent struggles this season and if they don’t pick up the pace next season, LeBron may leave the Lakers. My source to further this argument is published by Lorenzo Reyes from USA Today, he quotes LeBron during the all star game once again ““My last year will be played with my son,” James told The Athletic on Feb. 19. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year.” Now to me this is news, not only do we have comments about LeBron open to rejoining Cleveland, he now states he is going to play wherever his son is during his last year in the NBA, surely confirming the lakers will lose LeBron is the future since they have no draft picks after trading for Anthony Davis. He also later debunks the statement made about Cleveland saying “I never said I’d see myself playing in a Cavaliers uniform”, but instead that he’d pick up a one day contract to retire there. Personally, I think LeBron is teasing that he will test free agency when his contract is up so teams will have him on their radars for the future, although I disagree when it comes to him joining Cleveland because I don’t think they’d have enough money to pay him for the amount of work he’ll have to do since Cleveland lacks starpower. 

After doing some research, LeBron’s NBA contract with LA is a 2 year deal after he signed an extension in 2020 to remain with the Lakers until the 2023 off-season. This means something because I highly doubt the Lakers are going to trade LeBron, yes the Lakers are struggling, but this is LeBron James were talking about, which teams you you honestly believe is going to trade equally for a 37 year old LeBron, the Bucks aren’t giving up Giannis, Clippers aren’t trading Kawhi or PG, there aren’t any teams I see that can come up with a fair trade for LeBron and would benefit both sides, but that’s just my opinion. 

Moving on, the biggest reason to me that LeBron would be leaving the Lakers is because of an on-going topic in the NBA for a long time… the goat debate. Now you might be wondering what the goat is, it stands for Greatest Of All Time. So far about 75% of NBA fans believe the Greatest is Michael Jordan, about 20% believe it’s LeBron, and the last 5% is just a few other players like Kobe and Wilt. Anyways, LeBron has admitted to “chasing the ghost in Chicago” referring to, of course… Michael Jordan, pretty much hinting at the fact that he’s trying to become the greatest player ever. Another piece of Evidence I have is his interview when he won the 2016 NBA Championship with Cleveland, coming back from 3-1 he said “I think that one right there made me the greatest of all time”. Now me and my brother like to have this debate all the time, although sometimes I’m biased towards LeBron because I never really watched basketball when Jordan was playing so, LeBron is to me what Jordan is to older NBA fans. We debate both sides whether we think LeBron has a case or not but I’ve come to the conclusion that Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Just comparing careers Michael did so much more in such a short time that it’s hard for LeBron to compete with that but LeBron’s longevity and consistency to play so great for so long has to be accounted for as well. This is why I say Jordan is the GOAT, but LeBron is still on his way, could he surpass MJ, you really never know. 

Those facts now bring me back to my original point, LeBron might leave LA to further his name in the GOAT talk. Almost every week on ESPN they talk about if LeBron has a chance… I mean if you’re still talking about it I’m sure that means something. It always comes down to, Jordan has 6 Rings, LeBron has 4, and Jordan Is 6-0 in the Finals and LeBron is 4-6. How can LeBron really further his Legacy? He’s 37 and leading the NBA in scoring but the Lakers might miss out on a chance to compete in the playoffs this year. In my opinion he has a few options, first he can choose to ride it out and continue to play with Anthony Davis and Russel Westbrook which is unlikely because Russ said he wants out next season, or second he can leave LA and put himself in a better position to compete before it’s too late. 

Now the first choice is unlikely because I don’t see them riding it out after this season’s disappointment and with LeBron’s age rising every year, I think he’s in a “win now” mentality. The second option now that I’ve given you so much insight and evidence, is much more believable because we’ve heard him on occasion talking about leaving, also LeBron loves to toy with the media and cause headlines. Not only that but just adding the fact that this season didn’t work out, Anthony Davis’s injury issues, and Westbrook’s decline and public statement that he wants to leave in the offseason shows not only does Wetbrook not believe in their team anymore but that looks bad towards a guy like LeBron who’s trying to further his Legacy before it’s time to retire. After doing different types of research, reading articles, watching interviews, and looking at statistics, I believe LeBron leaving LA is best for his future and I think that there is a very high chance at it happening in the 2023 offseason.