"The Dis-United States of Gas Prices"

This article describes the disunity of fluctuation of gas prices in our nation. Many have heard that the national gas price average will reach five dollars by the end of the year or even by summer. This article explains the possible confusion of why some cities have gas prices much lower than the national average of $3.65. Transportation, machinery, and money all play a huge part in the oil drilling process. Our country is obviously not in ideal financial condition which makes it difficult for transportation to occur. This is the main reason for gas prices in the central U.S. being cheaper. The crude oil simply cannot be efficiently transported to where it needs to go. Will this issue cause population demographics to change, and/or migration?

How Much is Your Safety Worth?

This article is about a little, 9 year old girl that was punished for lying about eating candy bars, and as a result, passed away. Her grandmother and stepmother forced her to run for three hours straight without water. If these sorts of crimes are happening everyday, perhaps not all as cruel, how do they affect the economy? Police officers, judges, courts, and prisons are all necessary for these crimes to be punished properly. Also, all of the elements listed cost a great deal of money. For each and every crime to punished to the most reasonable extent, the country would probably go deeper into debt. This article is about prisons that hold too many prisoners and as a result must release criminals because there is not enough funds to hold that many. If our safety is so costly, who determines the least harmful criminals? Our nation's companies and businesses have been laying people off for more than 4 years now. As of current, we are in "recovery", if our economy "double-dips", is there a possibility of law enforcers being laid off? If that occurs, our safety will only lessen.

Will you be my Valentine?

This article discusses the increase in flower sales on Valentine's Day, which is obvious. The article goes on to discuss the convenience that has developed with online sales. While economic stability is fairly poor at this time, it is comforting that each holiday brings with it some kind of profit for retailers. For example, the Superbowl brings beer and snack food sales, Halloween brings candy sales, and Christmas is obvious. While American's do not have a favorable economy right now, they haven't quite learned not to indulge when the moments strike. People may be tight on money, but a holiday is a holiday. Besides people spending money themselves on holidays, countless organizations work to help people during holidays to still have more than needs. Whether you're buying goods for yourself or getting it from someone, the economy still experiences a slight boom. Retailers should use these holidays as an advantage to fuel their stability.

Necessary Changes?

This article is about Walmart, one of the nation's biggest multi-purpose retailers, changing the duties of it's greeters. Some people may shrug at the thought of the greeters having to move into the store and help customers. It is more than just their move into the store, it is their abilities. Most of the greeters are retired, aged people trying to bring in a little extra money or help pay something an expense. Perhaps they are retired from their former occupation that they could no longer do because of age, and now Walmart wants them to do strenuous tasks instead of happily greet customers? While in the article, Walmart says that they asking for physical effort from these elders, but only to help customers find items. Is taking this relaxing job away from our nation's senior citizen's worth the customer service? If they cannot do their new job properly, the nation risks many elders to lack income and possibly not have enough to get by with medical bills and other necessities.

Whether or not what Walmart is doing is right, there is still question on why so many retired-aged people are in the work force? If people of these ages are still having to work now to pay mortgages and put grandchildren through school, what will happen when the "Baby Boomers" get to the age of retirement? The time is quickly approaching, is it a Social Security issue that older people are still working? This article brings up more than only the controversy of Walmart's changes, but also older people taking up jobs and what may cause them to do so. There are many possible reasons for this, all of which come from the economy. Lack of means in Social Security which causes older people to find jobs, but also takes job opportunities away from working aged people.

Iphone Revolution

I searched for a video/article on this topic on purpose because I feel that Apple's Iphone has really begun a revolution. There are now very few people who do not use the Iphone or have some sort of Apply product, such as the ipod, ipad, etc. Apple is an excellent example of a company that would be the leader of a market system. As discussed, it is "survival of the fittest", Apple is certainly the "fittest" as of now. Since the debut of the first iPhone years ago, more and more people have been making the switch. People who had never cared for having a snazzy phone are looking into what the little machine can do to make their life easier. Apple has revolutionized communication and every other element of life through the functions and applications of their products. If this company keeps advancing, extremely likely that it will, what kind of economy can this develop into? Apple has so much control over the world's population. It seems that it could get to a dangerous point for individuality; the "in" thing has become a way of life. Apple has power. And Apple's power may go forth with excellence or corruption.

If Apple can do this, who's to say that this can't be done with all essentials of life.

Cherish Your Chocolate

This article is a great example of "tribal", traditional system, and stagnation. It creates a recognizable contrast between America's "normal" and foreign "normal" as highlighted by the journalist's shock. The children trafficked for the harvest of cocoa beans know nothing more than the life of slaves that they were basically born into. Since they do not know of any luxuries available to them, they only work to survive. Their work gains them nothing, no money, no rewards, and no future. They learn from an extremely young age, like Abdul in the article, how to harvest and work. It is almost as if they were born to work those fields.

Comparing this bare lifestyle with an average American lifestyle exemplifies how a nation's economic conditions and technological advancement can contribute to educating the younger population. In America, it is obvious that there is effort being out forth to educate the future innovators of the nation. On the contrary, in countries such as African ones that are still developing or underdeveloped, educating the younger population seems irrelevant compared to other steps that must be taken to advance. While it seems they neglect educating the young, it may in fact be key to begin advancement. It may be this waste of young minds that is hindering countries, like Côte d'Ivoire, from advancing not only socially, but also economically--which may also increase trade and the world's economy.

Sleep Disorders in Police Officers

This article explains the growing number of sleep disorders seen in police officers and the consequences that have arisen. Since police officers are paid using taxpayer money, they are expected to be alert. Drowsiness behind the wheel leads to all the negative consequences described in the article which may as a result lead to increased issuance of traffic tickets and accidents which lead to payment of medical bills, auto repair, and ticket payment. People do not have these expenses calculated into their monthly expenses, and many do not have the means to efficiently take care of these expenses. Accidents and traffic tickets contribute to increase in auto insurance payments which many people already struggle to keep up with.

Besides the financial burdens this may cause, police officers must initiate a solution to this issue because this is their specialization. They are expected to keep the streets and cities as safe and peaceful as allows. With the technology and medicine available today, officers are sure to have some way out of this predicament. The officers should not necessarily take medicine to resolve their sleep disorders, but some regulation is absolutely necessary. The world’s society and economy is advancing every day, faster than many can handle or keep up with, as proven by this study. If the fast pace of advancing society is becoming so overwhelming that it is affecting our safety, something must be done. If this problem worsens or ceases to be resolved, society will pay the price—in safety and tax dollars.