The University offers many resources for career searching and job planning, such as Cougar Pathway. | Juana Garcia/The Cougar

Searching for jobs soon after enrolling in college seems daunting, but the University has created a resource to ease job-hunting stress, especially on a new campus.

Cougar Pathway can be found in AccessUH under University Career Services and features an abundance of resources for students to search and apply for jobs, get career counseling, resume advice and more.

If you’re seeking on-campus employment, simply type “on-campus” into the search bar and all available positions will pop up. When scrolling through the postings, you’ll see what specific department of campus the job is in, such as the Cullen Performance Hall or the Engineering Career Center.

You can then click on the “Learn more” option to determine the job’s requirements and qualifications. Also shown here are the preferred majors of applicants, the application deadline and if the job is work-study or non-college work-study.

Most jobs also display the salaries, and if working an on-campus job, students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours each week to leave time to focus on their studies.

Cougar Pathway provides different filters to calculate the distance of a job, position type, desired major and others to help narrow down the job search. Not only does this resource display jobs to students, but it also shows internships and research and volunteer opportunities.

If unsure of the job you’re looking for, you can quickly scroll through all available positions on and off campus to see if anything catches your eye or sounds like the right fit.

When applying, resumes are the key to making an excellent first impression but can be tricky to perfect. A sample resume is available on Cougar Pathway, giving students an easy and understandable starting point for an essential document in their career.

Also included on Cougar Pathway are other helpful pages, such as interview preparation, salary negotiation and job planning. While at times it can feel overwhelming, planning ahead is essential. 

Another available resource is career counseling, allowing students to receive resume help, career guidance, professional etiquette and graduate school preparation. There is also the “Career Explorer” portal, which shows the current leading industries and the expected growth rates of popular careers.

Along with receiving career help, you can also RSVP to events held at the University, such as career fairs and workshops. These are beneficial to attend because you can personally interact with employers and make connections outside of UH.

Alumni, faculty and staff can also use Cougar Pathways, and employers have access to it for recruiting purposes. Faculty and staff can upload on-campus jobs and review and interview the candidates they see fit, and employers can post jobs, internships and career fairs.

While thinking about the future can often be stressful, the plethora of career planning and development resources made available to students through the University helps to alleviate some of that anxiety.

With the University’s multitude of helpful career resources, you can stay on top of your activities and achievements beneficial to your future, tracking them and speaking with a counselor when needed.

news@thedailycougar.com

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“Cougar Pathway helps employ students” was originally posted on The Cougar

On Friday, July 1, Students Organizing for Sustainability (SOS) at Tech jointly submitted a statement to the Georgia Public Service Commission advocating for an increase in clean energy investment with a coalition with 13 other undergraduate student-led sustainability organizations around the state of Georgia. 

The coalition submitted the joint statement in the hopes of influencing environmental action at both state and local levels and involving students at their respective educational institutions in the process. 

“Students Organizing for Sustainability (SOS) is a student-run organization at Georgia Tech focused on advancing sustainable initiatives on campus and in our local communities. We work on educating students about environmental issues and work with the GT students and the administration to implement eco-friendly policies and practices,” said Mark Putman, a fourth-year BME and vice president of SOS. 

The joint group of students has been working to spread their message, and maintaining communication has been key to bringing attention to state and local sustainability laws and regulations. 

“As a collective group of student leaders, we have worked together to reach out to as many students as possible. In the writing process, each leader has been responsible for keeping students at their respective university in the know. We have simultaneously been creating social media posts that will go out on all organizations’ platforms, showcasing our collective efforts for a more sustainable energy future and providing links for the official public statement,” said Anna Møller, a fourth-year psychology major at the University of North Georgia (UNG), and president of the Sustainability Club of North Georgia. 

While the joint statement has had significant contribution from collegiate-affiliated clubs, student organizations outside of the collegiate environment have also contributed immensely to the project. The Georgia chapter of Voters for Tomorrow, for instance, was one of the signatories of the statement. 

“Voters of Tomorrow is a student-led organization that works towards electing candidates that stand for Gen Z values. We know best how to turn out our own generation best at the ballot box,” said Vikas Madhav Nagarajan, a PUBP graduate student at the Institute and member of Voters of Tomorrow.  

The organization has been extremely supportive of the statement, with Nagarajan saying, “Our statement outlines a future for our state towards sustainability. It stresses on energy efficiency and the pathway towards making Georgia a less fossil fuel-dependent state and a more renewable powered state. It also stresses on the public service commision to get their act together for the people of Georgia.” 

With the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in West Virginia v. EPA narrowing the breadth of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) power to regulate carbon emissions, the joint student group sees both state and local governments as increasingly important in the next steps to combat climate change. 

“Given the way the court has ruled, it is important that local bodies step up and fight for their citizens. It is the duty of the local government to mitigate against public health emergencies and climate risks,” Nagarajan said. “It is their duty to ensure that they can lobby the state to set emission standards given the recent SCOTUS ruling and implement local laws and enforce standards of quality for air, water and soil for their jurisdiction.”

Putman echoed Nagarajan’s sentiment, saying, “we must pursue climate action at every level, at every opportunity. This not only increases our chances of success, but further emphasizes to the rest of our generation how important the civic process is to our lives and our futures.”

There are a multitude of sustainable tools and systems that state and local governments can support and invest in.

“State legislatures establish regulations on power plants and provide the incentives to transition to clean energy and green transportation,” Putnam said. “Local governments establish standards for energy-efficient housing, [provide] infrastructure for green transportation (transit, walking/biking, EVs [electric vehicles]) and manage waste management.” 

The statement’s effects will be known in full on July 21, when the Public Service Commission releases their final energy plan. Until then, the coalition is urging students, both at the Institute and around the state, to do whatever they can to help. 

Nagarajan notes that ultimately, the best way to contribute to their cause is to “… vote in every election. Vote to make sure that we can live in a world that respects your voice and one which you can breathe in, powered by sustainable sources of energy and fighting against climate change.”  

Heading into his second season, many analysts have pegged wide receiver and Gopher alum Rashod Bateman as a breakout candidate for the 2022 NFL season. Bateman will likely be the WR1 for the Ravens this season, after they lost receivers Sammy Watkins and Marquise Brown to the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.

Despite Bateman’s youth, his teammates seem to think he can step up to the role. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, who set the single season franchise records for yards and receptions in 2021, thinks Bateman has looked up to the task at practices this offseason.

“He’s running great routes. A lot of his releases, and everything…He’s getting open at the line super, super quick,” Andrews said in an interview with USA Today. “And then, he’s got a burst of speed that people don’t really talk about. And again, [in his] second year – he’s a guy that’s just going to get better, better and better. The sky is the limit for him.”

Bateman had a sensational three years with the Gophers. He had 704 yards and six touchdowns in 2018, the most ever for a Gopher freshman, and was named first team All-Big Ten and second team All-American after his 1,200 yard, 11 TD sophomore season in 2019.

As a result of his collegiate career, the Ravens drafted Bateman with the No. 27 pick of the 2021 NFL draft. He became the first Gopher drafted in the first round since 2006, when the Patriots drafted running back Laurence Maroney No. 21 overall.

Bateman missed the first five games of the 2021 NFL season with a groin injury and made his debut against the Chargers in week six. He had his first 100-yard game against the Browns in week 14 and caught his first touchdown against the Bengals in week 16.

Despite a solid rookie season, which he finished with 46 catches for 515 yards and one touchdown in 12 games, Bateman was not catching passes from starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for part of the season. Jackson missed the final four games of the season with an ankle injury.

In 2019, Jackson led the Ravens to a record of 14-2 and won the NFL MVP by unanimous vote, but he has regressed slightly over the past two seasons. If Bateman can break out and handle the role of being the top wide receiver in Baltimore, Jackson could potentially return to that level of play.

The Ravens went 8-9 in 2021 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Bateman and the Ravens will look to improve on that record when they begin their regular season on Sept. 11 against the New York Jets.

Dayquil and Sudafed are two popular over-the-counter medications that can help you get through a stuffy nose, runny nose, and sneezing fit. You can also combine these medications to treat your cold symptoms more effectively. However, you should never take these drugs together unless advised by your doctor. If you have any concerns about using them together, check with your pharmacist or doctor first. Keep reading to learn more about combining the use of dayquil and Sudafed together safely.

Can You Take Dayquil And Sudafed Together?

Yes, you can take both DayQuil and Sudafed at the same time. However, it is not recommended to take these medications together because they have similar side effects. These include dry mouth, dizziness, and an upset stomach. When taken together, their side effects may be exacerbated and possibly increase the risk of overdose or toxicity.

What Are The Risks Of Taking Dayquil And Sudafed Together? 

Risk 1: Drowsiness and dizziness:

because both DayQuil, Sudafed, and Benadryl have a sedating effect on the central nervous system, it may combine with these two medications to cause drowsiness or dizziness.

Risk 2: Dry mouth and stomach upset: drinking is not recommended while taking DayQuil and sleeping pills have a similar effect on the central nervous system. Both can dehydrate your body circulation system which can lead to a dry mouth and upset stomach.

Risk 3: Nausea and diarrhea:

While both Tabletm, Benadryl, and DayQuil have a sedating effect on the central nervous system, taking them together can worsen your dosage of medication and cause nausea and diarrhea.

Risk 4:   Nausea, dry mouth, and dizziness; along with side effects listed above

What are the side effects of using Dayquil, dayquil maximum strength liquid acne treatment hyper-mild sinus cold, and pain formula liquid medication versus Sudafed at the same time? Symptoms from over-the-counter medications include common cold headache large allergy lab testing sound can you take dayquil tonight life surgery or stomach discomfort. Related side effects in Combos should be expected as these are common symptoms associated with these products.

Risk 5: Upset Stomach And Diarrhea:

if you stop taking Dayquil and Sudafed together, the physical side effects should dissipate quickly and you will possibly feel better. Nausea should go away and the previous intestinal troubles should also correct themselves.

Taking both products at once may quieten your anxious mind and make it easier for you to fall asleep. However, it may spark an occasional jolt in the nervous system in some people who naturally have a nervous disposition. If taken before bedtime, both medicines might help ward off sleeplessness that impairs their ability to function efficiently during their waking hours.

Risk 6: Urine Retention: 

The side effects of this set of makers are similar to others that “combination” can cause. Taking two different medications at once often upsets the digestive system, causing symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. Your stomach might get upset if both DayQuil wphenyl valium: what’s naughty in interchangeably together it gets before taking a full dose of one of these medicines. Do not take both medicines together in order to relax your heaving breathing. For fatter people, bisacodyl hcl price makes them nauseous and one may vomit if they take too much 24h fast and products become prenatal that boost when it’s time for grabs easy dosage physical activity.

Risk 7: Headache:

Both DayQuil and Sudafed were conceived and then tested alongside interleukin-1b, a potent inflammatory substance that has helped scour the joints. Each company held an opinion striking, seeking settlements through a trans-uric formulation known as TRINIDAD. The FDA questioned TRINIDAD on September 28, accusing the medicines of being unloading (dangerous), suggesting that they made clacking drugs with too many side effects than the suggested doses.

Risk 8: Violent or irregular heartbeat: 

Upset stomach bringing slow heartbeat is commonly due to drugs that can cause this reaction in certain individuals who may be sensitive to a certain stage of Dosage, (high or low).

What Are The Benefits Of Taking Them Together? 

1. This can be a boost for weight loss (see above).
2. Dealing with the same symptoms such as diarrhea and motion sickness might relieve you from feeling so.
3. Make them easier for you to breathe as you sleep. Together with taking Valium, we could calm down our base breathing which can result from anxiety disorders or restless leg syndrome.
4. You might put out your anxious messages.
5. You will certainly be able to relax in bed more than you normally would with these two together. Basically, we are linking action together, we going to place DayQuil at nighttime, for some people it alters a mood to neutral or only slightly hyperactive so if you have seen too a lot so there could also be anxiety but it’s still designed to boost hearing and relieve from stomach issues and bring you back your focus on the sleeping experience.

6. For some people, taking both DayQuil and Valium together can be disorientating/confusing when taken incorrectly.
7. Upsetting the intestine may ensue if two medicines are taken together simultaneously. The stomach will react to this herb combination then your throat will yawn, trying to rid the session by keeping your stomach of DayQuil so it does not interfere with the effects of the drug in the brain and blood pressure supporting appetite suppression in an emergency situation. Taking both medicines on schedule is still reasonably maintained as there is an informal focus on support systems available outside these days (especially following a day or two of driving) but it is a good idea to check the labels and directions.

How To Safely Combine Sudafed And Dayquil? 

1. Allow your blood pressure rate bar to get numb (take Seroquel 100 milligrams) then eat the correct high-calorie meal. After eating finish the recommended 200mg DayQuil, shake it up and mask it.
2. Shake now your DayQuil drink then just to make sure you shake as much of the drugs as you can, put tabs o’ DayQuil and Sudafed in your mouth and swig.
3. You are going to help both ingredients to go inactive traveling through the digestive tract, placing them at a low frequency so hopefully they will be protected against each other until their pieces fit nice into the system. Waiting once again a couple of days will take care of this process even with this exercise it may take time so please pace yourself because these dual components compete with each other at great levels in sensitive individuals or with healthy levels in metabolically stressful individuals.
4. The Seroquel and DayQuil will probably both take at least 6 to 8 hours to be absorbed by 20 percent of the population however in severe cases, the Baclofen is a medically approved drug and is implied to take faster because not everyone interacts with drugs in a similar way, so your tolerance has been respected. Now make sure you orientate yourself on what medications accomplish physiology. 

Final Words

If you are suffering from a cold, you may want to consider taking dayquil and Sudafed together. Taking both drugs together can help relieve your symptoms faster than taking either drug alone, but it is important to follow the dosing instructions. You should also take your medications with food to reduce the side effects. This will help you avoid feeling nauseous, lightheaded, or dizzy. Be sure to take your medications as instructed on the label to avoid any unwanted side effects. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to talk to your pharmacist or doctor.

FAQ:

Q: do you have double prescription drug problems in your family?

a: No, I do not have any.

Q: what are you taking now? do you take stomach meds?

a: Gris-Gris, blood pressure pills, and prescription pain killers. What you take and when to take, should be set by your personal physiology (see ‘LINK’ to my newer article listing drugs responsible for causing morons in a gallery).

The post Can You Take Dayquil And Sudafed Together? appeared first on Marquette Tribune.

UC Berkeley’s endowment seating program doesn’t quite add up

On Nov. 5, 2009, seven of my colleagues and I brought the “Academics First!” resolution to the best-attended Academic Senate faculty meeting in years where it passed by a large margin. At that meeting, the administration provided a document entitled “Financial Models for California Memorial Stadium (CMS) & the Student Athlete High Performance Center (SAHPC)” promising that if “IA is unable to sell 75 percent of the seats prior to the start of construction, IA will be ready to further evaluate the size and scope of its program.” What happened to this commitment? 

It is disconcerting that the stated criterion is a percentage of seats sold as if all seats provide equal revenue when some seats are priced more than five times higher than others. Thus, the number of seats sold is not the appropriate metric; rather, the critical factor is the actual amount of cash raised. 

The administration has explained that the financial plan is to establish a permanent IA endowment whose earnings will service the debt for the CMS and SAHPC, a commitment that will exceed $900 million, even if assuming lower interest payments than those approved by the regents. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Cal Endowment Seating Program (ESP) is supposed to raise $400 million by 2014. The “Official Website of Cal Athletics” currently states “As of Jan. 15 (2010), nearly 1,700 of the ESP seats have been sold totaling more than $215 million” (http://www.calbears.com/genrel/011910aaa.html). But at the Task Force on IA’s public forum on April 27, 2010, details about numbers of seats sold were revealed that can be used as the basis for a calculation that leads to a drastically lower amount, as will be explained below.

The ESP website claims that donations to the ESP “help the University build its endowment” but really the ESP is separate from the endowment of the university (http://www.calesp.com). The ESP’s lowest-priced seat category is $40,000 and prices rise as high as $225,000. With such hefty price tags, it is hardly surprising that only 7 percent of participants have been willing to pay a one-time upfront fee, with the other 93 percent opting to spread their expenditure over periods of 5 or 30 years. 

But it is a misconception that this is an installment plan or mortgage requiring annual payments; in fact, the ESP website describes an “annual renewable program – no long-term encumbrance or contract.” Seat holders can stop paying annual payments at any time in what is really a pay-as-you-go annual seat “rental” program.

IA cannot rely on a steady stream of income from these 93 percent of seat holders. Common sense dictates that it would be foolhardy to blindly forge ahead, plunging into deep debt, given an uncertain future. Over a 30-year time span, seat holders may wish to stop paying due to illness, death, relocation, reduction in personal income, changes in family situation, a poor-performing football team, economic recession, etc.

Or seat holders may stop paying during that 30-year time span because the renovated stadium might be out of service and require significant repairs, if not completely abandoned, after suffering damage in an earthquake. The USGS reports a 31 percent probability of an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater in the next 30 years on the Hayward Fault, the most dangerous fault in the Bay Area, which runs directly through the stadium.

In fact, since the stadium straddles the fault line, this construction project violates the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act of 1972 whose stated purpose is “to prohibit the location of developments and structures for human occupancy across the trace of active faults.” Rather than abide by existing law, the UCOP Senior Vice President for External Relations influenced first Governor Schwarzenegger in Aug. 2009 regarding California Senate Bill 113, allowing the university to spend more than 50 percent of the property value to retrofit the stadium, and then Assemblyman Roger Niello in March 2010 regarding California Assembly Bill 2133, fully exempting the stadium from the application of the act.

Of the three major categories of seats, the most sluggish sales are for the most expensive seats with only an estimated 134 of the 472 University Club seats sold. Roughly half of the 1,568 middle category Stadium Club seats and 1,158 lowest category Field Level Club seats have been sold. But only 7 percent of ESP participants are paying upfront, leaving 11 percent opting to pay a lower 5-year annual fee and a whopping 82 percent paying a much lower 30-year rate, with no obligation to continue to pay in future years. To calculate the total cash raised would require knowing what this distribution is for each of the various seat categories; however, in the absence of this knowledge, the same distribution will be assumed for all seat categories.

Moreover, the ESP website states that a “20 percent down payment option would only require a payment of $548.” Thus, it appears that claims about the number of ESP seats “sold” include some seats that correspond to as little as $548 cash received. Nonetheless, to provide the most optimistic calculation possible, this fact will be ignored and instead the assumption made that all payments are in full.

Based on the above assumptions and the seat fee “donation schedule” provided on the ESP website, the calculation of the amount raised by the ESP yields $8 million, $3 million, and $9 million for upfront, 5-year annual fee and 30-year rate payments, respectively, totaling $20 million comprising $4 million, $12 million and $4 million, for “University Club,” “Stadium Club” and “Field Level Club” seats, respectively.

Since IA’s website1 claim of $215 million is more than ten times this calculation, IA should follow the university’s motto of Fiat Lux and provide a detailed explanation of its claim.

If this $20 million calculation is reasonably close to the truth, then approximately $380 million, or 95 percent of the $400 million IA endowment, still remains to be raised. Although nothing is impossible, IA provides no convincing argument that it will succeed in raising so much more money in the near future. This is all too reminiscent of the practices based on unfounded expectations that catalyzed the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

Editor’s note: this piece follows the Dec. 3, 2010 op-ed “Financial Plan Is on Shaky Ground” by the same author.

Brain Barsky is a Professor of the Graduate School and Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Vision Science.

Correction(s):
A previous version of Tuesday’s op-ed, “UC Berkeley’s Endowment Seating Program Doesn’t Quite Add Up,” may have implied that the sales figures provided regarding the nearly 1,700 ESP seats having been sold and having totaled more than $215 million were as of Jan. 15, 2011. The figures were as of Jan. 15, 2010.

The Daily Californian

Policy brief finds Living Wage Act could benefit millions of CA workers

Anita Liu/Staff

A policy brief suggests that the Living Wage Act would help millions of California workers obtain increased wages.

A policy brief by Michael Reich, UC Berkeley professor and chair of the Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics, found that the Living Wage Act, or LWA, would allow pay increases for millions of California workers.

Current minimum wage for California is $15. According to the brief, the proposed ballot measure would increase the minimum wage to $16 in 2023, $17 in 2024 and $18 in 2025, followed by adjustment for inflation in 2027.

“About 4.8 million workers would get pay increases, making up for the loss in their purchasing power caused by inflation,” Reich said in an email. “The effects on consumer prices and number of jobs would be negligible, and 3.5 million Californians would be lifted above poverty.”

Reich said the LWA will likely not be on the November 2022 ballot, since it failed to attain the verification of signatures from San Diego County before the June 30 deadline. Instead, the act will most likely appear on the 2024 ballot, according to Reich.

Reich studied how the LWA would affect price and pay increases, number of jobs and poverty rates among working families. The policy brief took into account current state minimum-wage increases without the LWA and local wage laws already in place. Reich stated around one-third of workers in the state are already covered by higher local minimum-wage laws.

“The results of the study indicate that California could gradually increase its minimum wage to $18, creating important benefits for low-wage workers and their families without the adverse effects on jobs predicted by minimum wage critics,” Reich said in the email.

A complementary analysis conducted by UC Berkeley Labor Center researchers estimated about 26% of the California workforce would receive increased wages by 2026 under the LWA, according to a UC Berkeley Labor Center press release.

This report also looked at the age, race, ethnicity, education and employment status of workers who would be affected by the act.

According to the report, the affected workers tend to be adults and less educated than the overall workforce. Furthermore, Latine workers were found to be more likely to earn low wages, making them therefore more likely to benefit from the wage increase.

Reich added that Berkeley and many other cities in the East Bay would not be affected by the act, as many local minimum-wage standards will continue to increase with inflation and will likely reach $18 without the LWA.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín said the value of the minimum wage has deteriorated over time as rising costs of living have outpaced increases in people’s wages.

“Raising the statewide minimum wage to $18 by 2026 is needed to help low-income families remain in California and close gaps in economic inequity,” Arreguín said in an email. “I strongly support this proposal and believe that people who work full time should be paid a living wage.”

Contact Ananya Rupanagunta at arupanagunta@dailycal.org, and follow them on Twitter at @arupanagunta.

The Daily Californian

Yellow Jacket Roller Derby [YJRD] is a co-ed club sport team at Tech in Atlanta. While there are over 2,000 roller derby leagues, YJRD is one of the only collegiate teams in the world! During the pandemic, the popularity of roller skating skyrocketed, and the interest from people who wanted to join our team followed — in the past seven months, we’ve tripled the size of our team and now have 65 beautiful teammates. We’ve grown as quickly as we possibly could, as we can only get as many new members per semester as sets of gear we have to lend out.

We are an incredibly diverse team of women, non-binary folks and men brought together from all types of backgrounds, interests, majors, sexualities, gender identities… you name it! Everyone is unbelievably inspiring and intelligent, with teammates conducting state-of-the-art research, working on cars and robots, acing multivariable calculus exams, and just collectively changing the world for the better — all in their free time apart from roller derby practice. Though we are all so different in our identities and interests, we are all tied together by our devoted love for roller derby. At YJRD, there is no way that you won’t fit in!

Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact, collision sport played on quad roller skates on an ovalshaped track. A game, or what we call a “bout,” is an hour long and split into two 30-minute halftimes. Each halftime is further split into two-minute “jams.” There are two teams of 15 skaters with each team being able to supply five skaters for each jam. One of the five skaters is designated as the “jammer.” They are the pointscoring players and are identified by a star on their helmet. The four other skaters are called “blockers,” with one of them allocated with the “pivot” position (they have a stripe down their helmet), meaning they are capable of trading positions with the jammer in the middle of a jam if need-be. The team with the most amount of points at the end of the bout wins!

Jammers earn points for each blocker on the opposing team that they pass, which is where the hitting comes in! Blockers, not wanting the other team’s jammer to pass them, try to stop or knock the jammer out of bounds to prevent them from passing. While scrapes and bruises are unavoidable in roller derby, there are lots of rules to make the sport as safe as possible.

Players may touch their own teammates however they wish, but when it comes to making contact with the other team, they can only use the parts of the body that can be covered with a T-shirt and shorts — and cannot hit opponents square in the back. Protective gear that must be worn to play includes a helmet, mouthguard, wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads. Players may also wear face shields and shin guards if they wish. Contrary to popular belief, roller derby does not allow elbowing, tripping, kicking or punching — that’ll get you sent straight to the penalty box! There are many more nuances to the rules of playing roller derby, like what a “lead jammer” is, “star passes” and other things that qualify as penalties, but this is the main gist!

Roller derby is different from other sports in that it is truly meant for anyone and everyone! This past year was one of the worst years for the transgender, intersex and nonbinary communities with over a hundred bills across the U.S. enacted to limit their participation in sports, access to affirming healthcare, privacy and, in general, prevent this community from safely presenting as their true self.

Roller derby is a sport dedicated to fighting against these restrictions and providing a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community. Our team especially has tried very hard to make YJRD as inclusive and welcoming as possible by creating a Diversity and Inclusion Committee dedicated to publicizing workshops held by our school educating about the gender nonconforming experience, enforcing a safe space for our members, providing mental health awareness and highlighting skaters of color and fat-positive skaters.

We also skate through the Atlanta Pride Parade together! In order to be on the team, everyone must sign a Membership Agreement Form protecting our teammates against bullying, harrassment and discrimination — which can be hard to notice in a sport where we physically hit one another. This trust that we have in each other is what allows us to remain best friends even though we make each other bleed and bruise. No one falls without an apology, another teammate checking in to make sure they’re okay or a congratulations!

Unlike other sports, people of all ages are able to start from the ground up to learn how to play and master our sport, regardless of if you’re a kid or 40 years old. The average age of a derby team is early-to-mid-30’s and the oldest derby player kept playing until they were 75 — proving that age is truly just a number. Anytime we hear, “I wish I could play roller derby,” the only answer is “You can!” Regardless of prior experience or pre-existing injuries, anyone and everyone can learn how to skate and play — all it takes is some practice and dedication.

Roller derby is also special in that everyone develops an alter ego! This tradition began in the early 2000s during roller derby’s revival from its theatrical origins in the 1930s. Derby skaters are hardly ever addressed by their legal name… rather everyone chooses their own name to go by on the track (and in effect, real life)! It’s actually a running joke on the team about how new members don’t actually know their teammates’ real names because we only address each other by our derby names. It’s definitely funny to be out in public calling a teammate “Wench” or “Hardass” and watching strangers look confused at seeing them smiling back. This goes on even further as we dress up as our derby persona on fancy occasions like our bouts and team photoshoots. For example, our teammate Fly Fieri will always be covered in flames, and JoJo Jolt will always have a storm cloud and lightning bolt painted across her face. These names can be based on anything the skater wants: their interests, a play on words of their real name, a physical trait, their heritage or nothing at all! They’re typically a little dark, dangerous or aggressive. Other examples of derby names from the team are Primm Reaper, Executie, Sylvia Wrath and She Creature.

So far, our team’s biggest achievement would definitely be the GymShark feature! It was so shocking that out of all the teams in the world, our small team — barely five years old — was chosen. YJRD also had a joint-mixed Exhibition Bout with Atlanta’s main roller derby league, Atlanta Roller Derby, last semester. We held a couple practices with them beforehand and we learned so much from them. Being noncollegiate, most of the skaters on their team were older and have been skating for years, some even on the international scale. They were all so supportive, kind and ready to give us tips and tricks to gameplay even if we were practicing as the opposite team. I really mean it when I say that this altruistic and collaborative environment is just the culture of roller derby! There was such an amazing turnout to the bout — over 150 people showed up and all of the chairs we rented out were filled. Many people had to stand or sit on the ground to watch. After the pandemic halted our ability to play in a bout for two years, it was amazing seeing the support from friends, family, fans and others from the community for the first game that really any team in the world was able to play. We were so happy to expose roller derby to the Tech community and we were asked countless times when our next game was, even before the bout had ended!

Outside of roller derby, we would also love to see more inclusivity for all women in fitness. The world as a whole is, unfortunately, terribly misogynistic. Women from a young age are trained to be pitted against one another, to be called “bossy” rather than “assertive,” to learn to hate their physical appearance, to doubt themselves and to believe that they could never be enough. There’s this belief that women need to be docile, fragile and submissive to be feminine. We’re taught that being strong, ambitious and decisive is a bad thing; that to have muscles is to be too masculine; that being fat is something to be ashamed of. At every turn, anything and everything we could do or be is something that’s wrong and needs to be fixed — regardless of whether it’s hypocritical.

Roller derby has this excellent balance between harnessing masculine and feminine energy and supporting the concept of how to be human. Being a woman-dominated sport — and a sport that originated for “outsiders” — roller derby was able to set its roots and grow welcomingly away from the harsh commentary of a world made for men. Our rough sport is wholly athletic and aggressive. The whole point of the game is to use our bodies as a weapon against the other team. Points are earned by whether or not the jammer can maneuver quickly enough or hit hard enough to make their way through the pack.

On the flip side, our sport is impressively welcoming, inclusive and supportive. The kind-hearted nature of all players and consistently being surrounded by positive women who understand what life is like in the real world allow everyone to connect on an unspoken and intimate level. Roller derby is especially supportive and welcoming of the LGBTQIA+ community. It provides a safe space for those who can’t express their true selves in their day-today life and fosters a family of individuals to help guide and protect people on their path of discovering themselves. Bullying and hurtful commentary about peoples’ physique, race, gender, disabilities, sexuality or anything that cannot be controlled or healthily improved are rejected and are unwelcome in the world of roller derby. Hate does not belong here.

We foster an environment for individuals to be themselves and to strengthen themselves; not just to become more physically fit but to help accept themselves better in a world determined to make them feel less-than. If you would like to support us, we have a GoFundMe. Your donations will help us pay for venues for future bouts (the only place we can host is on an outdoor, uncovered basketball court with no public parking nearby), pay for other bout necessities (referees, announcers, EMTs, etc.), replenish our team gear, pay for team jerseys, pay for coaches, pay for travel for away games and support our teammates whose financial hardships might prevent them from having access to our sport. With much love, we thank you so so so much in advance!

The first romantic kiss involving two women on television was aired in the U.S. in 1991 on the show “L.A. Law.” In the 30-plus years following, we have seen a lot of progress for the LGBTQIA+ community regarding their portrayal in the arts. However, in recent times, there seems to be a backsliding of basic rights and representation.

One recent example that has garnered global attention has been the controversy over the same-sex kiss represented in ”Lightyear,” the newest installment of Disney’s wildly popular “Toy Story” franchise.

‘Don’t Say Gay’

The now highly controversial same-sex-kiss scene in “Lightyear” was originally scrapped from the movie entirely. It was only added back in by Disney after the company received flack via an open letter from Pixar employees for its lack of response to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill proposed in Florida, home of Walt Disney World Resort. The bill, which bans kindergarten-to-third-grade instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, has taken effect July 1..

This is not the first instance of Disney cutting same-sex scenes or storylines, according to the letter from Pixar employees. “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar,” read the letter.

Since being restored to the studio’s original vision, “Lightyear” has been met with massive pushback. The film is banned entirely in 14 nations so far, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. A public statement from the Emirates reads, “The film is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards.” In Singapore, the film is only approved for audiences above the age of 16.

Here in the U.S., it is being shown in its entirety, though one Oklahoma theater had a warning sign posted, which stated the theater would try to fast-forward through the scene in question. The owner of the theater later stated that they had taken down the sign and had never shown an interrupted version of the movie.

While “Lightyear” is being shown in full here in the U.S., many parents are boycotting the film, saying the content is inappropriate for young audiences.

Family Values?

Many conservative arguments that are in favor of censorship of the arts claim “protection of family values” as their foundational reasoning. But there exist numerous family dynamics, including many different sexual orientations, with a wide range of racial and gender identities. Are these families doomed to a life of no public representation because they don’t fit a narrow, outdated mold? 

That seems to be the hope of some. Many statements go as far as to say that “Lightyear” is indoctrination and promotion of sexual immorality. Interestingly, there has been no past outcry of indoctrination for a life of living under the sea or receiving non-consensual kisses from strangers that wake one up from a spell. 

One would hope the promotion of a loving, consensual relationship is exactly what we would want to present to the next generation as strong family values.

h.hopkins@dailyutahchronicle.com

@HDtimes2

The post Disney’s ‘Lightyear’ and Queer Censorship in the Arts appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday aimed at protecting abortion rights in response to the June 24 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, stripping women of their constitutional right to an abortion.

At least nine states have banned abortion so far – Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin – while about a dozen more are expected to increase abortion restrictions in following weeks, NPR reported.

While he cannot restore the nationwide right to an abortion, Biden and his administration can take executive action to ensure access to abortion remains safe. The order includes instructions to the Justice Department to ensure women will be able to travel out of state to receive an abortion.

Biden said at the White House that he is asking the Justice Department, “much like they did in the Civil Rights era, to do something, to do everything in their power to protect these women seeking to invoke their rights.”

The executive order pledges to ensure patients’ and providers’ safety by setting up mobile clinics near state lines to help people who have to travel out of state for an abortion. The Attorney General and the White House Counsel will also convene private pro bono lawyers and other forms of aid to provide legal representation to people seeking out-of-state medical care.

Biden said he will also provide leave for federal workers traveling for medical care. Companies like Amazon and Starbucks already announced they will expand their health benefits to cover their employees’ travel fees if abortion services are not available locally.

In the executive order, Biden orders the Department of Health and Human Services to take additional action to protect and expand access to medication abortion, emergency contraception and IUDS.

The order also requests that the Federal Trade Commission consider protecting the privacy of people looking for information about reproductive health care services.

According to ABC, this order was signed as Democrats and voters have been putting pressure on Biden to take further steps to protect abortion rights. At the White House, Biden said it is ultimately up to Congress to codify Roe into law, but any efforts by Democrats to make access to abortions protected by federal law would likely fail in the Republican-controlled Senate.

At a press conference held in Madrid on Thursday, Biden said he would support making an exception to the filibuster – the 60-vote threshold the Senate requires to pass most legislation – to codify abortion protections and privacy rights. The President has previously been reluctant to change the filibuster rules to pass his agenda, according to CNN.

“I believe we have to codify Roe v. Wade in the law, and the way to do that is to make sure that congress votes to do that,” Biden said in the news conference. “And if the filibuster gets in the way, it’s like voting rights, it should be we provide an exception to the filibuster for this action.”

Before signing the executive order, Biden said the fastest way to restore abortion rights is for citizens to vote for congressional candidates who will support protecting abortion access through federal legislation during November’s midterm elections.

“We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court working in conjunction with extremist elements in the Republican Party to take away freedoms and our personal autonomy,” Biden said.

Itching is a common side effect of coughing or sneezing. Humans are not the only creatures that experience itching as a result of sneezing, coughing, or any other activity that triggers an increase in pressure inside the body. Coughing, sneezing, and hiccups trigger pressure changes in other animals too. Cats often itch their back when they cough because it’s the area where their tracheal tube also called their respiratory tract ends. A feline’s tracheal tube is very short and ends right behind the sternum. Humans don’t have such a short tracheal tube; our respiratory tract extends further along our vertebral column. When we cough, air pressure builds up in our lungs, which causes stretch receptors there to signal the brain with pain signals. At the same time, we also feel pressure on our back where the trachea tube ends, which makes us itch there as well. If you have ever watched your cat when it starts to hack up a hairball or has a hairball stuck somewhere in its respiratory tract, you will see that they almost always itch their back when they do so – this is why!

Why Does My Back Itch When I Cough?

There are a few possible reasons why your back might itch when you cough. One possibility is that you have a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis. Another possibility is that you have an allergy to something in your environment, like pollen or pet dander. Finally, it’s also possible that you have an infection, like shingles or impetigo. If you’re not sure what’s causing your back to itching when you cough, it’s best to see a doctor so they can help you figure it out.

What Causes The Itch When You Cough?

1. The Itch When You Cough Is Not The Same As Allergies

We have all heard that allergies are the result of a substance causing an immune reaction in your body. However, this is incorrect. In fact, allergies are actually caused by the immune system overreacting to a harmless substance that you are exposed to on a regular basis. This can be anything from dust mites in your house or grasses in your yard to foods like peanuts or shellfish that you might accidentally ingest. Allergies occur when an antibody called IgE is formed against the offending substance and then released into the bloodstream. This causes symptoms like sneezing, itching, and coughing because it causes inflammation of the respiratory tract (along with other areas like skin). Allergies are caused by IgE antibodies reacting with their targets and causing inflammation and swelling.

2. The Itch When You Cough Is Not Caused By A Pathogen

Another misconception about back itching when you cough is that it is caused by some sort of pathogen lurking in your throat that is making you scratch it off! This is completely false because there are no pathogens attached to our skin or mucous membranes (the areas most affected by back itching when you cough) so no pathogen can be found there! Your body has its own defense mechanisms for fighting off pathogens like bacteria and viruses so if they were present on your skin or mucous membranes, they would cause symptoms instead of just itching.

3. The Itch When You Cough Is Not Caused By A Foreign Substance

One of the most common causes of back itching when you cough is a foreign substance like food, pollen, dust, or dander that you have eaten or inhaled. This is because your body will often fight off foreign substances by doing one of three things: 1) Killing them outright (like bacteria or viruses). 2) Inhibiting their growth and growth in other areas (like food poisoning). 3) Or causing inflammation to help destroy them (like an allergic reaction). However, this does not mean that the cause of your back itching when you cough is always food! In fact, there are many other causes that can produce similar symptoms. Here are some of the more common ones:

4. The Itch When You Cough Is Not Caused By Fungi

One thing that many people think about when they experience itchy skin and mucous membranes after cough is fungi like Candida albicans which can be found in our mouths and intestines. However, this is not true because Candida albicans cannot survive outside the body and therefore cannot be detected on skin or mucous membranes unless they were present in large numbers before getting into the body. If you have ever taken an antibiotic for an infection and then had your arms scratched afterward by a dog or cat, you’ve probably noticed that it felt itchy for a few hours after because the dog or cat had brought in a lot of Candida albicans into your arm. However, this is not the same as back itching when you cough which is usually caused by an allergic reaction, not a foreign substance.

5. The Itch When You Cough Is Not Caused By Insects

Another common misconception about back itching when you cough is that it comes from insects like bed bugs or mosquitoes because these are the most common culprits for causing allergic reactions in our bodies! However, this is wrong because these insects do not survive outside our bodies and therefore cannot be detected on skin or mucous membranes unless they were present in large numbers before getting into the body. For example, if you have ever bitten an insect and then had your arms scratched afterward by a dog or cat, you’ve probably noticed that it felt itchy for a few hours after because the dog or cat had brought in a lot of insect parts into your arm. This is not the same as back itching when you cough which is usually caused by an allergic reaction, not a foreign substance.

How To Stop Back From Itching During A Coughing Fit

• Try not to scratch or rub the area, as this will only make it worse.
• If you have a cold, then try to keep your nasal passages clear and avoid unnecessary mucus production by rinsing your nose with warm saltwater. This will help decrease the number of chemical irritants that are being released during your cough.
• Try not to move around too much, as this can cause pain in the area and make the itch worse.
• Do what you can to avoid all contact with other people or pets in order to prevent any possible exposure to Fel d1-related allergens through skin-to-skin contact or inhaling allergens through a pet’s fur while they’re sleeping on you!

• If you are unable to avoid these types of exposures, then try wearing gloves when you go out and washing hands after petting animals until after it’s time for bed!

Why Do We Itch When We Cough Or Sneeze?

1. The stretch receptors in the skin and the nerves in our back send a signal to the brain that there is a change in pressure.
2. The brain interprets this change as an itch.
3. If you are scratching the itch, it means that the scratch is helping to relieve pain. It may also be relieving pressure on your trachea, which could be causing you pain or discomfort (the same thing). In this case, scratching can be very helpful!
4. Scratching can help relieve pain by acting as a distraction for your mind – it’s like taking your mind off of being uncomfortable or painful by focusing on something else. This could also mean that scratching acts as a sort of self-medication for some people by distracting them from their discomfort and pain, which can make them feel better after they have scratched themselves!
5. Some people may find that scratching can relieve pain by distracting the mind away from the discomfort or pain. This is especially true for people who have chronic pain, arthritis, or other conditions that cause them a great deal of discomfort. For these people, scratching can be a way to distract themselves from their pain and discomfort.
6. Scratching also acts as a kind of self-medication for some individuals by distracting them from their discomfort and pain, which can make them feel better after they have scratched themselves!

Conclusion

Back itching when coughing is a common problem that can be caused by a number of different factors. It is important to try to identify the root cause so that you can take steps to reduce the frequency of these episodes. It’s also important to remember that these issues are often temporary and that they can often be resolved simply by altering your behavior. If you have been experiencing itching on your back when coughing, try out these tips to reduce the symptoms.

The post Why Is My Back Itching When I Cough? appeared first on Marquette Tribune.