The Negative Effects of Black Friday

As Christmas approaches, everyone wants to find the best deals out there for gifts to save money and time. However, is cutting down family time on Thanksgiving Day, getting no sleep and waiting in line for hours worth it? Black Friday isn`t really the best day to grab bargains but a day which society has been brainwashed to think as. First of all, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. These two occasions happening around the same time don`t mix well together. Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for what you have while Black Friday is a day, or several days long event, to fight over a "great bargain". The idea that people are thankful one day and greedy the next is like breaking a promise and not sticking up to your belief. Over the past years, Black Friday has crept into our Thanksgiving Dinner time which shouldn`t. This day of the year is possibly the only time families  and/or friends have time to spend together and socialize about anything without any worries and intervening obstacles such as school, work, television, etc. Not only are you cutting time you have with spending with your family but also the workers in the stores time.

As a bargainer myself, I know that Black Friday isn`t the best day to buy necessities and gifts. Stores may say that it will be "The Biggest Sale of the Year" but it isn`t. What I have noticed is that you can actually get better deals when it`s not Black Friday. Not only can you beat the crowds but save more money and time. I have also noticed that they advertise things which are bad quality. If stores really gave those deals, they could end up bankrupt and demolished. For example, Best Buy has a deal on a 200 dollar TV. People will instantly get excited and want the TV but do they ever question themselves if it is really worth it? The brand, the quality, reviews, other features? Some do but most don`t until they find out themselves. Stores also maximize sizes of numbers (prices, percentages, etc) on flyers and minimize the words which make the most difference such as "up to". Although stores do this all the time, it is less noticeable when it is Black Friday because you think that there are suppose to be great deals. Also, the Black Friday deals are usually the same deals you will find on their online websites, plus free shipping. With the same sales and no shipping cost, this allows you to get the same things you want without wasting gas, getting trampled, and standing in line. Adding on to online deals, usually the same deals continue to go on for the whole weekend and Cyber Monday, the Black Friday for online.

People should realize the negative affects Black Friday has. The crowds of people going to malls and stores reveals our greediness and selfishness as individuals. You may experience it once or twice but after that, you should notice the patterns of what is going on. Society shouldn`t praise this day so greatly because it is worthless. Spending more time with family and getting more sleep, is the greatest bargain you could get.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/21/living/secret-of-black-friday/

Daylight Savings

When I was younger, my parents would tell me that we would lose an hour or gain one but I never understood what they meant and why it happened. As Daylight Savings Time approaches, I thought that it would be the perfect topic to talk about in my blog.

Daylight Savings is a yearly tradition when our clock settings move ahead one hour in the summer and then back again in the fall.  Since World War 1, Daylight Savings had come in effect not only in the United States but everywhere around the world. Germany and Austria were actually the first countries to adopt this idea because they needed to find a way to conserve fuel. Throughout the years, other countries also adopted this act, including the United States. One of the few individuals who sparked the idea was Benjamin Franklin. He thought that it would be an efficient way to limit the use of candles.

Daylight Savings hasn`t always been a tradition in the United States. In 1918, it was established but later repealed. From 1942 to 1945, the United States attempted this action again to conserve energy during World War II. After many attempts, the United States made Daylight Savings an official action in 1966, under the Uniform Time Act. This act stated that Daylight Savings would happen on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday in October. Nothing had changed about Daylight Savings again until 2005. Under the Energy Policy Act, Daylight Savings time would begin at 2 A.M. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. This act also gave each state the option of taking this act in effect or not. Some states who don`t do Daylight Savings time include Hawaii and Arizona

So, what are the benefits of Daylight Savings? Back in the day, many people believed that it was beneficial for farmers since it gave them more time to work on the fields. However, others don`t think it was that beneficial. Another benefit is that it influences people to enjoy the outdoors more which includes shopping, exercising and much more since there was more time of daylight. Today, Daylight Savings Time is done for one simple reason, energy conversation.

I believe that Daylight Savings Time was a beneficial action back in the day but not today.
As advancements in our technological and other fields continue to grow, so should our options on how to save energy.

 

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html 

http://www.gizmag.com/daylight-savings-is-found-to-waste-energy/8933/