Tag: Opinion

OPINION: Esports are not Real Sports

By Nick Baum

SATURDAY – 11/10/18

The craze over esports has grown and grown, and to be honest, I don’t have a problem with that. Video games are fun as heck, and competitive competitions are a great way to spread popularity, share skills, and all around have fun. However, you cannot call it a sport.

Sure, studies have shown that playing video games helps your mentality, it increases your alertness and is overall good for your mental health, but the definition of a sport is a competition or activity that requires physical exertion or contact. In esports, the most “moving” you do is moving your fingers and thumbs around pressing different buttons.

So stop comparing virtual athletes to real athletes. Stop comparing Ninja to LeBron James, the Overwatch World Cup to the FIFA World Cup, and overall esports to real sports. While video games are fun and I have nothing wrong with them or video game competitions, in the end, you can’t compare it with real sports.

Sources and Pictures: Flickr, Oxford Dictionary, IGN

OPINION: It was Wrong to Kick Sarah Sanders Out

By Nick Baum

MONDAY – 6/25/18

One of the biggest stories over the weekend was the controversial decision for the Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, to kick White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders out, simply because she was politically different and that they didn’t like her boss. While others claim that the restaurant was serving some LGBT members that asked for her to leave, even that excuse doesn’t play out. Sanders is the spokesperson for Donald Trump, who isn’t anti-LGBT, he just doesn’t think it’s a current issue anymore because it has been nationally legalized.

Others also claim that the restaurant has the right to kick her out, and in fact, yes, the restaurant has the freedom to do so. The baker case in the Supreme Court proved that you can be kicked out or refused service based on any aspect of yourself. However, kicking Sanders out is different than the baker refusing to serve the gay couple. Serving the gay couple went against the baker’s moral and religious values, and that serving them would be a violation or what he held so dear. However, the entire reason they didn’t serve Sanders was because she was part of an administration that she didn’t like.

Rep. Maxine Waters, a crazy idiotic congresswoman that even I think I can do better than, encouraged more people to harass and threaten Trump administration officials. Encouraging violence based on your political beliefs? That sounds like opposition Venezuelans being placed under house arrest, or people speaking out in North Korea, Nazi Germany, or the Soviet Union would’ve been treated. Is rep. Waters the true dictator? Besides her, it is all around wrong but legal to refuse service to someone just because they disagree with you, politically different than you, and/or because they work for someone you don’t like. Can she just enjoy a meal?

Sources: CNN, Fox News, Wikimedia Commons

OPINION: Tariffs Never Work

By Nick Baum

THURSDAY – 6/7/18

The news about tariffs in the most recent months is absolutely idiotic, but before I dive in let me explain exactly what a tariff is. A tariff is an added tax or price on a certain product that comes from another country. For example, President Trump had the US start its tariff program by adding tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, meaning steel and aluminum in the United States that came from China will be higher, which will force companies to buy from American workers.

So you can see why tariffs are used a lot, as it is seen as a way to protect American workers and sort of force companies to buy and hire American. Except, it doesn’t really work in real life. When tariffs are added in a certain category, it actually has a very low chance of actually helping the country’s workers, because usually, the companies who are most effected by the tariffs will either find a loophole, use a different material, or just take the same product from another country.

Not only that, but tariffs can easily backfire because it raises the price of products in America. If you’re shopping for clothes in America and you found something that recently had a tariff on, that price will rise, and in many circumstances, by a lot. Tariffs sometimes help American workers, but backfires when it makes it difficult for American consumers to get the certain product.

Donald Trump recently added tariffs in different categories on China, and the response is, well, you guessed it. Different prices are soaring, American workers are somewhat being helped, but now a trade war is occurring. A trade war is when different countries slap tariffs on certain products from the same country that slapped tariffs on them. Basically, it is an endless back and forth cycle of countries putting tariffs on different products.

Already, after the United States’s tariffs, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union decided to add their own tariffs, and that doesn’t even include China, which is most effected by this decision. Not only does this prompt poor relations, but it hurts the economy, because certain products have gotten more expensive. If it wasn’t for Trump’s tariffs, the stock market could’ve shot even further up. However, now it is rocky, not only the stock market, but trade relations with our closest allies.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal, Wikimedia Commons, Fox News

OPINION: We Should Root for Trump’s Success

By Nick Baum

TUESDAY – 5/22/18

There’s a new term being said, “Liberals hate Trump more than they love America”, and no bigger example of that can be given than what their reactions have been these past few months. The US gains a serious foreign policy loss but its because of Trump? Hooray! Peace talks which were started by Trump have been threatened? Celebrate! That is the left wing mindset which brain controls them to hate Trump at all costs. Democrats can’t admit Trump has done anything good.

Take the U.S. – North Korea peace talks for example, because of Trump’s pressure on North Korea and Kim Jong Un, the country came out and opened itself up, including a planned summit between the nation’s leaders. However, Democrats will be Democrats, and they didn’t give Trump credit. They cited that it was Moon’s fault, despite Moon not even campaigning for pressuring North Korea and instead just letting it be for the mean time. Democrats might’ve not given Trump credit there, but when North Korea threatened the summit, that’s when they put Trump as responsible for the entire thing, and celebrated. They celebrated the fact that Trump lost, but at the same time America did.

So maybe that quote from earlier was right. Democrats and liberals do hate Trump more than they love America. Why else will they be rooting for Trump’s failures, which also means America’s failures? And why do they hate Trump’s successes if it means America’s successes? Democrats need to put their differences aside and root for America, instead of hating Trump. We should root for Trump because rooting for Trump is rooting for America. He’s the President. We want the President to do the best job as possible so it will be good for America. I don’t get why the left’s blind hate for Trump will be put first before their love for America. We are all Americans, not just Republicans and Democrats.

Sources: Vox, Fox News, The Weekly Standard

EXCLUSIVE AND OPINION: Ranking the Top 20 Cities for Amazon’s Second Headquarters (Part 2)

By Nick Baum

Note: DON’T READ THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN’T LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL PART ONE. LINK HERE: https://thedailynick.com/2018/05/06/exclusive-and-opinion-ranking-the-20-cities-for-amazons-second-headquarters-part-1/

Ever since Amazon first announced they will build a second headquarters, 238 cities across North America sent bids in hopes to obtain the new headquarters, and now, only 20 remain, and the final ten of them will be ranked.

10. Denver, Colorado – The mile high city has been a commercial and tech hub in the mountain region, attracting startup companies for its growing population and skill set. The city also gives out tax breaks and has often looked up to larger companies, giving the city a chance.

9. Dallas, Texas – Dallas is a city that has all of the abilities and needs that Amazon is looking for. Transportation, check. Education, check. Innovation, check. What brings Dallas down however is other cities being able to do the same necessities, but better. Nevertheless, Dallas has a good shot

8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The city of brotherly love has seen a massive breakthrough of innovation and commercial success over the past years, and doubled with close vicinity to New York City and other candidate city Newark, gives the city to admire.

7. Miami, Florida – Much like Philadelphia, Miami has seen a recent influx or corporations wanting to move to city that can offer more space and less tensions. Miami is also a city built on tourism and vacationing, not companies. So, while smaller companies might enjoy the increased chances of profit, Amazon might see some difficulty despite the abilities Miami contains.

6. Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Being the only Canadian city on this list, Toronto can perform differently from the rest of the mainstream American crowd, and his the abilities to use different strategies through tax breaks and incentives. Much like New York, it is a powerhouse and is the highest market in Canada, also bringing expensive costs into question.

5. Chicago, Illinois – The windy city is a city that can offer lots to Amazon. It has low costs, lots of commercial success, transportation and airports, and much more, only bringing into question the city’s high crime rate, looking rather unattractive.

4. Columbus, Ohio – This smaller city is still the biggest in Ohio, and can offer low costs as well as transportation between two other Ohio cities, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus has a relatively small market, but hopes for a new rebirth in the city’s economy if Amazon comes in, which is hopeful.

3. Northern Virginia, Virginia – This section of the state can offer the same benefits of Washington DC, but without the high tax rate and limited space. Innovation has been spreading throughout the region, with many companies calling the state home. That mixed with the amount of space available and tax cuts, means Northern Virginia is a top contender.

2. Austin, Texas – The capital of Texas is a very successful city that has been growing large in size ever since the great recession. Contrasting from other entries, Austin has a relatively conservative government, meaning there are more lower taxes as well as space for bigger companies. All in all, and politics aside, Austin has a major chance.

1. Atlanta, Georgia – What other city provides everything that Amazon is looking for in a new headquarters, but in such a good way? Atlanta. The city was founded as a major transportation hub, but has seen an increase in companies and corporations in the area. Atlanta gives plenty of tax breaks to both companies and movies, which is why many movies and tv shows have been shot there, including the Walking Dead, Stranger Things, the Hunger Games, and Baby Driver have been filmed there. Atlanta has the best shot, every requirement Amazon needs the city is one step ahead, making their chance the best of all.

Sources: CNBC, TheDailyNick (Part 1), Tech Crunch, Wall Street Journal

EXCLUSIVE AND OPINION: Ranking the 20 Cities for Amazon’s Second Headquarters (PART 1)

By Nick Baum

SUNDAY – 5/6/18

Ever since Amazon has announced a new second headquarters, hundreds of cities across North America raced to prove why they were best for the company to move its new location. Out of the over 200 bids, came just 20 finalists, ranked. (List goes from least likely to most likely)

20. Washington D.C. – D.C. definitely has some advantages, as having a headquarters in the capital of America as well as an up and coming tech hub can give power to the company. However, take into account the amount of space available in DC as well as high taxes and costs.

19. Montgomery County, Maryland – Montgomery County has a strategic location for Amazon, being squeezed in between both D.C. and Baltimore. Unlike DC, Baltimore didn’t make it to the finalists so the fact that the county of about a million people can rival major cities with their education and transportation proves promising. However, similarly to DC, Montgomery County has very high taxes, and not enough space in the densely populated area.

18. Nashville, Tennessee – Nashville is a center for innovation in the Tennessee area, with many companies flocking to the innovation center. However, the city’s lack of education as well as proximity from any major transportation lines proves to be hard on the city’s bid.

17. Indianapolis, Indiana – Similar to Nashville, Indianapolis is the center of the regional area around, with many companies and important programs in Indiana being centered there. However, the lack of an economy as well as a bigger rival just north of them, Chicago, can prove strong against the city.

16. Newark, New Jersey – Being the smallest city on the list, Newark is the underdog in the battle for Amazon, but has the capabilities. The city is connected to railroad stretching through the east coast, has an airport a short distance from downtown, and is also home to Amazon’s Audible, an audio-book company, as well as having education and tons of space in the city. However, the small size of the city, negative publicity due to its very high 7 billion dollar bid, as well as close proximity to two other candidates, New York and Philadelphia, can prove to be costly for the Brick City.

15. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – The western Pennsylvanian industrial powerhouse definitely has a shot at Amazon, but will be hard to deliver. Having lots of space in terms of both warehouses and factories, Pittsburgh can deliver. However, the lack of innovation as well as startups or new programs in the city can prove difficult.

14. Raleigh, North Carolina – Raleigh has a stable and well city that has low taxes and can always welcome a new company. However, if you take into account the lack of skills or transportation to other cities, let alone the fact that its the biggest city for miles, could be costly.

13. Boston, Massachusetts – Boston is a stronghold in the region, being the center for finance and commerce in New England while holding a fierce rivalry with New York City. Boston has strong innovation and leadership in the region, as well as strong culture and transportation for Amazon. Despite all of this though, Boston has a high tax rate, and has seen a fair share of corporations leave the city, but Boston still has a small shot at delivering.

12. Los Angeles, California – The City of Angels is dominant in the southwest, boasting lots of companies and startups throughout the region. The city has a population of 4 million, has multiple universities and has multiple airports. Despite all of this though, high taxes and homelessness could be a setback.

11. New York City, New York – The Big Apple might be the largest city in the country, attracting companies big and small and having world class universities and transportation, but similarly to Los Angeles, high taxes as well as space and many regulations in New York might damage the city’s chances, but New York still has a good shot.

The bottom 10 will be featured on Part 2.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Tech Crunch, CNBC

OPINION: We Need to Pull Out of the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Nick Baum

WEDNESDAY – 4/25/18

Just yesterday, President Trump stated that he hopes to be out of the Iran Nuclear Deal as soon as possible, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more with the decision. I have said that same line before regarding President Trump, but his words are in the right line of fire, even if his actions aren’t.

Trump complained about the deal, calling it “ridiculous”, as it is, and just thinking about it makes you cringe. The United States pays Iran billions of dollars and in return Iran has to stop creating nuclear weapons, and they still didn’t.

Not only are we going back on our important roots by funding these terrorists, but when they continue to keep funding their program, it proves that Obama is not only a poor negotiator but he simply doesn’t understand foreign policy. Iran is our enemy, even if we pay them so much money, they will continue to do their evil things!

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, CNBC