Mart :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest and most successful company in the world is now being ridiculed for the way in which it has risen to the top. Wal-Mart is accused of setting a bad example for American companies by squeezing producers for low prices, outsourcing manufacturing jobs, discriminating in the workplace and for the inhumane treatment of employees. What these critics don’t understand is that there are positive aspects to what Wal-Mart is doing. Wal-Mart is good for America because it embodies capitalism. It constantly improves the productivity of American retailing, encourages competition and outsourcing, provides quality items at a low cost, is a stepping stone for retail workers, and creates business opportunities for other companies. Voted â€Å"America’s Largest Corporate Cash Giver† by Forbes magazine in 2003, Wal-Mart is also very generous to charities around the world. Wal-Mart is not detrimental to our economy or our country. It is a fundamental puzzle piece that is merely a strong player in today’s neoliberal game of capitalism. Lets face it, the good old days when producers dictated what appeared on the shelves of stores is now over, and in place is a buyer-driven chain where the consumer dominates. Now you have the choice of what to buy, where to buy it, and for the price you want. That is the great thing about global capitalism, it sparks competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competition in the market is a good thing for consumers and helps achieve the lowest prices one can possibly find anywhere in the world. Wal-Mart is driving prices down through its competitive bargaining strategy for its manufacturing costs. By holding prices at a low level, inflationary pressures are relieved and the economy is a lot steadier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By selling items for less than average, Wal-Mart allows its customers to acquire more than normal when shopping in the store. Lower prices also mean more money is left in the pockets of consumers. This allows opportunities for businesses of all types. If the consumer doesn’t spend all their money at Wal-Mart, they will most likely go out and spend it somewhere else. That means more money spread across the economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The low prices we enjoy at Wal-Mart indirectly come from the outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs. By sending low skilled jobs overseas, the overall prices of items decline tremendously. Some Americans will be left without a job for a short period, but it is through outsourcing that the global economy becomes most efficient.

Checks and Balances on the American Government

Tatianna Orozco P. 2 Checks and Balances The six basic principles of the constitution are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, judicial review, federalism, and checks and balances. Checks and balances is the amount of power assigned to each branch (executive, legislative, and judicial) to keep them balanced. This concept was popularized by Baron Montesquieu to keep the French government from corrupting and was brought to the American government. Over the 200 plus years checks and balances has been in act, it has been very effective through impeachment, laws, and military actions.When it comes to impeachment, the system of checks and balances is very effective. The president can be impeached by the House of Representatives. During the impeachment, the Chief of Justice sits a President of the Senate. So, this is a check on the executive branch. In impeachment, legislative branch holds the power. The legislative branch represents the people which provides a che ck upon itself and the judicial branch. As a result of the legislative branch holding most of the power, it allows the people to have a connected sense especially when it comes to voting.Checks and balances is very effective through lawmaking. If the president decides to veto a bill, congress may override the veto by a 2/3 vote of both houses. This puts a check on the executive branch. In a case where the president does not sign a bill within 10 days it automatically becomes a law. Because of congress having most of the power over lawmaking, it gives the people of this country can have assurance over injury. Military actions are another way checks and balances are effective in equality of two branches.The executive branch puts a check on the legislative branch by the president being commander in chief of the military. Even though the president is chief of the military, only congress has the power to declare war. This is effective in the way that instead of 1 person declaring way ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s a group of people making a big decision. Along with popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, judicial review, and federalism, checks and balances is effective in our government. Without checks and balances we wouldn’t have the stable government and protection we have today.

Learn About Orb Weaver Spiders, Family Araneidae

When you think of a spider, you probably picture a big, round web with its resident spider poised in the center, waiting for a hapless fly to land in the webs sticky strands. With few exceptions, you would be thinking of an orb weaver spider of the family Araneidae. The orb weavers are one of the three largest spider groups. The Family Araneidae The family Araneidae is diverse; orb weavers vary in colors, sizes, and shapes. The webs of orb weavers consist of radial strands, like spokes of a wheel, and concentric circles. Most orb weavers build their webs vertically, attaching them to branches, stems, or manmade structures. Araneidae webs may be quite large, spanning several feet in width. All members of the family Araneidae possess eight similar eyes, arranged in two rows of four eyes each. Despite this, they have rather poor eyesight and rely on vibrations within the web to alert them to meals. Orb weavers have four to six spinnerets, from which they produce strands of silk. Many orb weavers are brightly colored and have hairy or spiny legs. Classification of Orb Weavers Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass – ArachnidaOrder – AraneaeFamily - Araneidae The Orb Weaver Diet Like all spiders, orb weavers are carnivores. They feed primarily on insects and other small organisms entrapped in their sticky webs. Some larger orb weavers may even consume hummingbirds or frogs they’ve successfully ensnared. The Orb Weaver Life Cycle Male orb weavers occupy most of their time with finding a mate. Most males are much smaller than females, and after mating may become her next meal. The female waits on or near her web, letting the males come to her. She lays eggs in clutches of several hundred, encased in a sac. In areas with cold winters, the female orb weaver will lay a large clutch in the fall and wrap it in thick silk. She will die when the first frost arrives, leaving her babies to hatch in the spring. Orb weavers live one to two years, on average. Special Orb Weaver Adaptations and Defenses The orb weavers web is a masterful creation, designed to ensnare meals efficiently. The spokes of the web are primarily non-sticky silk and serve as walkways for the spider to move about the web. The circular strands do the dirty work. Insects become stuck to these sticky threads on contact. Most orb weavers are nocturnal. During daylight hours, the spider may retreat to a nearby branch or leaf but will spin a trapline from the web. Any slight vibration of the web will travel down the trapline, alerting her to a potential catch. The orb weaver possesses venom, which she uses to immobilize her prey. When threatened by people or most anything larger than herself, an orb weavers first response is to flee. Rarely, if handled, will she bite; when she does, the bite is mild. Orb Weaver Range and Distribution Orb weaver spiders live throughout the world, with the exceptions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In North America, there are approximately 180 species of orb weavers. Worldwide, arachnologists describe over 3,500 species in the family Araneidae.