Human Trafficking Presentation

Over the past few days I have listened to many speeches about current issues throughout the world, but none of them affected me as much as the presentation about human trafficking. The presenter explained that human trafficking is when someone is basically kidnapped and forced to work or do other bad things. They also shared some shocking facts about how common and often this is used in our society. One of the things they shared was the secret to how Wal-Mart keeps their prices so unbelievably low; they do this by using human trafficking to get workers to overproduce products in sweat shops for little to no pay. I was surprised that a company so prevalent in our community would use these tactics just in order to earn a larger profit. This presentation opened my eyes to what goes on behind some of the companies we trust to give us the things we use every day.

Olymipics Needs Skateboarding But Skateboarding Doesn't Need the Olympics

Mathew Allison's article, Skateboarding Should not be an Olympic Sport, changed my thinking about whether or not skateboarding actually should be in the Olympics. Before, I thought that everyone would support skateboarding in the Olympics but some feel that by putting it in the Olympics, the sport would be ruined and become just like every other sport out there. Mr. Allison states that in order for skateboarding to make it's way into the Olympics, it would have to be standardized in a way that would be unnatural due to the "almost artistic range for creativity in the sport." Allison also shares that true skateboarders are in the skateboarding business because they love it and would do it for free. He feels that by putting skateboarding in the Olympics, some athletes would just be in it to earn money and fame. (i.e. Professional Snowboarder/Skateboarder, Shaun White). In some ways I completely agree with Mr. Allison, and this article has definitely changed my thinking, but i still feel that skateboarding should be an Olympic sport as long as they can find a way not to ruin the sport all together.

PLN Post #1

*Has it changed my thinking/perspective? How? Does it open me up to new possibilities?

While reading Jen Sherowski's artyical, X Games Men's Superpipe Finals, she tells us about the winners of the final superpipe competition and what tricks they threw to get there. In the artical, i noticed that every winning run had a double cork 10 in it; if not two double cork 10's. It's crazy to think about this because just a few years ago, the double cork seemed impossible. Seeing how this trick has revolutionized snowboarding today, it makes me wonder what gnarley, seemingly impossible tricks the pro's will be throwing in the next decade.

"Another rider lacing up two double-corks in his run was iPod, who landed both a front double-cork 10 up top and a backside double-cork 10 at the bottom, solidifying his spot on the podium and marking the first time he has ever landed two double corks in a competition"