History of Ocean Explorations

History of Ocean Explorations Significance of oceans Oceans are very important for human being in many ways. We will discuss three significance of ocean here Significance of ocean in exploration Significance of ocean in transportation Strategic role of oceans Significance of oceans in exploration Ocean played major role in exploration of many unexplored lands of the world. The age of exploration begin in early 15th century to until 17th century in which many Europeans travelled and explore many land of Africa, America, Australia and many other islands. Reason of travel They travelled to get spices, goods like silk and gold, religion converts and for bypassing the Muslim empires They travelled because they get the new and more detailed maps and also the new instruments which they used in exploration some of the instrument are Astrolabe that is used to determine altitude of the sun and position of the stars Sextant that is used to find latitude and longitude New ships which were bigger than the past Explorers With the rise of the Turks in the 14th and 15th centuries, trade with the east became increasingly difficult by land. But under the influence of the Renaissance on the European mind there also developed an urge of adventure and enterprise to discover new lands to plant colonies of their own people in them and to find a new independent route to India. Thus the 15th century ushered in an era of discoveries in the history of European peoples. (1) Some of famous explorers are: Marco Polo (1250-1324) He started his travel from Italy to china in 1271 with his father and uncle he spend 20 years with Kublai Khan. In 1292 he decided to went back king gave him 14 ships. He travelled from Java, Sumatra, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Prince Henry (1396-1460) He was a Portuguese explorer. He reached India bypassing Muslim Empires and Africa .In 1455 he reach to banning coast. He discovers many lands of Atlantic Ocean. Captain Vasco da Gama He travelled from Cape of Good Hope to Mozambique to Mogadishu to Mombasa. In 1498 he travelled and reached Calicut from Mozambique and realised the Portuguese ambition to finding a sea route to India. Kristopher Columbus (1451-1508) He was Spanish but studied in Portugal. He travelled to explore India. In 1492 he reached West Indies he thought that he had discover India until his death. Magellan: He was Portages explorer but Spanish king help him in sailing and provide him 5 ships. He started his journey in 1519 from Spain to Brazil and then South America and tip of India. He reached Guam islands (east of Philippine) on April 27, 1521 he entered Philippine and killed there. Juan Sebastian the captain of Victoria ship one of the Magellan ship reached Spain by crossing Indian Ocean. In 1522 Juan Sebastian in Victoria circles the earth. French and English nations In 1534 the French navigator Jacques Cartier’s (1491-1557) expedition in an attempt to find the north-west passage reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence and discovered the lower fertile valley of the river. In 1553 the English expedition of Willoughby and Chancellor, in search of North East passage, reached the White Sea leading to the discovery of Russia. In 1576 Sir Martin Frobisher undertook three voyages (1576-1578) westward to find the north-westward passage and in the last attempt discovered the Hudson strait of the north of Labrador. (2) Captain James cooks (1728-1779) He was British navigator he drew the outline of Pacific Ocean and explores many Islands and countries. There are three major journeys of cook 1768-1771: He travelled from England to South America (Strait of Magellan) to Pacific Ocean to New Zealand to New gunny to Australia (eastern coast and islands) Cape of Good Hope to back to England. 1772-1775: Start his travel from England to Cape of Good Hope to Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean then to New Zealand and different islands he reached Antarctic circles up to 71 degree and 10 minutes then reached England moving from Strait of Magellan. 1776-1779: Started his travel from England to Cape of Good Hope then New Zealand Go way islands to Northern post, Alaska, bearing post, Russia and died there. Kids.britanicca.com After James cooks the Earth was explore world map was redrawn. Significance of ocean in Transportation The oceans serve as a highway for trade and travel. Mostly the shipment of heavy trade commodities and mineral oil is transported through these ocean routs. (3) There are many ways of transportation like roads, railway, by air and by water. Water enables more efficient travel as compared to land for most of heavy material things like containers, oil tankers, heavy machinery and jets and other weapons etc. Waterways are very important for the transportation of people and goods throughout the world. Connection between coastal ports and inland ports of countries lead the foundation of material economics wealthy worldwide. Early history of water-based transportation In the past water-based transportation was very important for domestic and international trade and travelling of people. By the early exploration many natural resources were identified such as fisheries and timber etc. For the transportation of these resources trade centres were established along the coastal areas where goods were gathered and then transported to consumers of Europe and other areas of the world by ocean vessels. Introduction of transportation system lead the small subsistence farms to larger farms such as wheat, tobacco, rice and cotton that were commercially marketable in Europe. By the ocean vessels low value goods were exported and returned with high value and low density goods like inks, linens and finished products. During 1700s, the British government passed away act to collect taxes from the colonies this step of Government affected the trade. Transportation in Twentieth and twenty-first centuries In this time with the arrival of advancement in technology, engines design as well as improvement in construction material the ships which looked like the beautiful city the transportation become very easy and economically better then the last centuries of times. Moderns cruise ships, ferries and many other small boats carry peoples for daily business commuting to fishing and sightseeing. Ferry system in Nova Scotia (Canada) is an example of the importance of waterway of transportation. About 95% of U.S. foreign trade passes through its port system. Pakistan Karachi port is very important as far as the heavy materials transportation is concern. Today the world economy has become globalized. According to NOAA the U.S. was the world’s leading trader in 1998, about one billion tons of trade was bound with ocean. All containers of different goods and oil tankers that cannot be transported by other mean of transportation so they are transported by the water passageway these heavy material are transported to the ports by land and then transported by ocean ways to the other countries of the world. (NATO supply is also carried out by the ocean way from U.S.A. a large part is transported to the army of NATO from Pakistan)

Eating Disorders And Gymnastics Essay examples -- Athletes Sports Pape

Eating Disorders And Gymnastics Eating disorders are especially common among athletes because the pressure of the sport environment frequently precipitates the onset of these problems. In this population, certain compulsive behaviors such as excessive exercise and restricted eating patterns are seen as acceptable, and pathogenic methods of weight control are often introduced. In addition, concern about body size and shape is increased because of the "social influence for thinness [from coaches and peers], anxiety about athletic performance, and negative self-appraisal of athletic achievement" (Williamson et al. 1995). Finally, the competitive nature of sports reinforces characteristics such as "perfectionism, high achievement motivation, obsessive behavior, control of physique, and attention to detail" (Ludwig 1996). Most successful athletes are more determined and more disciplined than the average individual. They often set very high goals for themselves and work extra hours each day to reach them. These same attr ibutes, however, can lead to eating disorders and are often found in anorexic and bulimic patients. Are certain types of sports more prone to develop eating disorders than others? Eating disorders are obviously found in all sports, but athletes participating in activities that emphasize leanness for performance and appearance are at a significantly greater risk. Thus, gymnasts, long-distance runners, divers, and figure skaters are more prone to developing eating disorders and related problems than those who compete in nonweight-restricting sports such as volleyball or football. Furthermore, disordered eating patterns are found more in female athletes than in males. In a NCAA survey of collegiate athl... ...utjesdyk, D., & Jevne, R. (1993). "Eating disorders among high performance athletes". Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 22, 271-281. 13. Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1994). "Risk and trigger factors for the development of eating disorders in female elite athletes". Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 414-418. 14. "Ultra slim & fast" (1996). Psychology Today, 29, 17-18. 15. Vuori, Ilkka (1996). "Peak bone mass and physical activity: a short review". Nutrition Reviews, 54, S11-17. 16. Warren, B., Stanton, A., & Blessing, D. (1990). "Disordered eating patterns in competitive female athletes". International Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 565- 569. 17. Williamson, D. et al. (1995). "Structural equation modeling of risk factors for the development of eating disorder symptoms in female athletes". International Journal of Eating Disorders, 17, 387-393.

Frostbite Chapter 11

Eleven LISSA WAS UP AND GONE before I even stirred the next morning, which meant I had the bathroom to myself while I got ready for the day. I loved that bathroom. It was enormous. My king-size bed would have fit comfortably inside it. A scalding shower with three different nozzles woke me up, though my muscles ached from yesterday. As I stood in front of the full-length mirror and combed my hair, I saw with some disappointment that the bruise was still there. It was significantly lighter, however, and had turned yellowish. Some concealer and powder almost entirely covered it up. I headed downstairs in search of food. The dining room was just shutting down breakfast, but one of the waitresses gave me a couple of peach marzipan scones to go. Munching on one as I walked, I expanded my senses to get a feel for where Lissa was. After a couple of moments, I sensed her on the other side of the lodge, away from the student rooms. I followed the trail until I arrived at a room on the third floor. I knocked. Christian opened the door. â€Å"Sleeping Beauty arrives. Welcome.† He ushered me inside. Lissa sat cross-legged on the room's bed and smiled when she saw me. The room was as sumptuous as mine, but most of the furniture had been shoved aside to make space, and in that open area, Tasha stood. â€Å"Good morning,† she said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. So much for avoiding her. Lissa patted a spot beside her. â€Å"You've got to see this.† â€Å"What's going on?† I sat down on the bed and finished the last of the scone. â€Å"Bad things,† she said mischievously. â€Å"You'll approve.† Christian walked over to the empty space and faced Tasha. They regarded each other, forgetting about Lissa and me. I'd apparently interrupted something. â€Å"So why can't I just stick with the consuming spell?† asked Christian. â€Å"Because it uses a lot of energy,† she told him. Even with jeans and a ponytail- and the scar- she managed to look ridiculously cute. â€Å"Plus, it'll most likely kill your opponent.† He scoffed. â€Å"Why wouldn't I want to kill a Strigoi?† â€Å"You might not always be fighting one. Or maybe you need information from them. Regardless, you should be prepared either way.† They were practicing offensive magic, I realized. Excitement and interest replaced the sullenness I'd acquired upon seeing Tasha. Lissa hadn't been kidding about them doing â€Å"bad things.† I'd always suspected they were practicing offensive magic, but†¦ wow. Thinking about it and actually seeing it were two very different things. Using magic as a weapon was forbidden. A punishable offense. A student experimenting with it might be forgiven and simply disciplined, but for an adult to actively be teaching a minor†¦yeah. That could get Tasha in major trouble. For half a second, I toyed with the idea of turning her in. Immediately, I dismissed the notion. I might hate her for making moves on Dimitri, but part of me sort of believed in what she and Christian were doing. Plus, it was just cool. â€Å"A distracting spell is almost as useful,† she continued. Her blue eyes took on the intense focus I often saw Moroi get while using magic. Her wrist flicked forward, and a streak of fire snaked past Christian's face. It didn't touch him, but from the way he flinched, I suspected it had been close enough for him to feel the heat. â€Å"Try it,† she told him. Christian hesitated for only a moment and then made the same hand motion she had. Fire streaked out, but it had none of the finely tuned control hers had had. He also didn't have her aim. It went straight for her face, but before it could touch her, it parted and split around her, almost like it had hit an invisible shield. She'd deflected it with her own magic. â€Å"Not bad- aside from the fact you would have burned my face off.† Even I wouldn't want her face burned off. But her hair†¦ah, yes. We'd see how pretty she was without that raven-black mane. She and Christian practiced a while longer. He improved as time went by, though he clearly had a ways to go before he had Tasha's skill. My interest grew and grew as they went on, and I found myself pondering all the possibilities this kind of magic could offer. They wrapped up their lesson when Tasha said she had to go. Christian sighed, clearly frustrated that he hadn't been able to master the spell in an hour. His competitive nature was almost as strong as mine. â€Å"I still think it'd be easier to just burn them entirely,† he argued. Tasha smiled as she brushed her hair into a tighter ponytail. Yeah. She could definitely do without that hair, particularly since I knew how much Dimitri liked long hair. â€Å"Easier because it involves less focus. It's sloppy. Your magic'll be stronger in the long run if you can learn this. And, like I said, it has its uses.† I didn't want to agree with her, but I couldn't help it. â€Å"It could be really useful if you were fighting with a guardian,† I said excitedly. â€Å"Especially if completely burning a Strigoi takes so much energy. This way, you use just a quick burst of your strength to distract the Strigoi. And it will distract one since they hate fire so much. Then that's all the time a guardian would need to stake them. You could take down a whole bunch of Strigoi that way.† Tasha grinned at me. Some Moroi- like Lissa and Adrian- smiled without showing their teeth. Tasha always showed hers, including the fangs. â€Å"Exactly. You and I'll have to go Strigoi hunting someday,† she teased. â€Å"I don't think so,† I replied. The words in and of themselves weren't that bad, but the tone I used to deliver them certainly was. Cold. Unfriendly. Tasha looked momentarily surprised at my abrupt change in attitude but shrugged it off. Shock from Lissa traveled to me through the bond. Tasha didn't seem bothered, however. She chatted with us a bit longer and made plans to see Christian for dinner. Lissa gave me a sharp look as she, Christian, and I walked down the elaborate spiral staircase leading back down to the lobby. â€Å"What was that about?† she asked. â€Å"What was what about?† I asked innocently. â€Å"Rose,† she said meaningfully. It was hard to play dumb when your friend knew you could read her mind. I knew exactly what she was talking about. â€Å"You being a bitch to Tasha.† â€Å"I wasn't that much of a bitch.† â€Å"You were rude,† she exclaimed, stepping out of the way of a bunch of Moroi children who came tearing through the lobby. They were bundled up in parkas, and a weary-looking Moroi ski instructor followed them. I put my hands on my hips. â€Å"Look, I'm just grumpy, okay? Didn't get much sleep. Besides, I'm not like you. I don't have to be polite all the time.† As happened so often lately, I couldn't believe what I'd just said. Lissa stared at me, more astonished than hurt. Christian glowered, on the verge of snapping back at me, when Mason mercifully approached us. He hadn't needed a cast or anything, but he had a slight limp to his walk. â€Å"Hey there, Hop-Along,† I said, sliding my hand into his. Christian put his anger for me on hold and turned to Mason. â€Å"Is it true your suicidal moves finally caught up with you?† Mason's eyes were on me. â€Å"Is it true you were hanging out with Adrian Ivashkov?† â€Å"I- what?† â€Å"I heard you guys got drunk last night.† â€Å"You did?† asked Lissa, startled. I looked between both their faces. â€Å"No, of course not! I barely know him.† â€Å"But you do know him,† pushed Mason. â€Å"Barely.† â€Å"He's got a bad reputation,† warned Lissa. â€Å"Yeah,† said Christian. â€Å"He goes through a lot of girls.† I couldn't believe this. â€Å"Will you guys lay off? I talked to him for, like, five minutes! And that's only because he was blocking my way inside. Where are you getting all this?† Immediately, I answered my own question. â€Å"Mia.† Mason nodded and had the grace to look embarrassed. â€Å"Since when do you talk to her?† I asked. â€Å"I just ran into her, that's all,† he told me. â€Å"And you believed her? You know she lies half the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's usually some truth in the lies. And you did talk to him.† â€Å"Yes. Talk. That's it.† I really had been trying to give some serious thought about dating Mason, so I didn't appreciate him not believing me. He had actually helped me unravel Mia's lies earlier in the school year, so I was surprised he'd be so paranoid about them now. Maybe if his feelings really had grown for me, he was more susceptible to jealousy. Surprisingly, it was Christian who came to the rescue and changed the subject. â€Å"I suppose there's no skiing today, huh?† He pointed to Mason's ankle, immediately triggering an indignant response. â€Å"What, you think this is going to slow me down?† asked Mason. His anger diminished, replaced by that burning need to prove himself- the need he and I both shared. Lissa and Christian looked at him like he was crazy, but I knew nothing we said would stop him. â€Å"You guys want to come with us?† I asked Lissa and Christian. Lissa shook her head. â€Å"We can't. We have to go to this luncheon being hosted by the Contas.† Christian groaned. â€Å"Well, you have to go.† She elbowed him. â€Å"So do you. The invitation said I get to bring a guest. Besides, this is just a warm-up for the big one.† â€Å"Which one is that?† asked Mason. â€Å"Priscilla Voda's huge dinner,† sighed Christian. Seeing him look so pained made me smile. â€Å"The queen's best friend. All the snobbiest royals will be there, and I'll have to wear a suit.† Mason flashed me a grin. His earlier antagonism was gone. â€Å"Skiing's sounding better and better, huh? Less of a dress code.† We left the Moroi behind and went outside. Mason couldn't compete with me in the same way he had yesterday; his movements were slow and awkward. Still, he did remarkably well when one considered everything. The injury wasn't as bad as we'd feared, but he had the prudence to stick to extremely easy runs. The full moon hung in the blankness, a glowing sphere of silvery white. The electric lights overpowered most of its illumination on the ground, but here and there, in the shadows, the moon just barely managed to cast its glow. I wished it were bright enough to reveal the surrounding mountain range, but those peaks stayed shrouded in darkness. I'd forgotten to look at them when it was light out earlier. The runs were super simple for me, but I stayed with Mason and only occasionally teased him about how his remedial skiing was putting me to sleep. Boring runs or no, it was just nice to be outside with my friends, and the activity stirred my blood enough to warm me against the chill air. The light posts lit up the snow, turning it into a vast sea of white, the flakes' crystals sparkling faintly. And if I managed to turn away and block the lights from my field of vision, I could look up and see the stars spilling over the sky. They stood out stark and crystalline in the clear, freezing air. We stayed out for most of the day again, but this time, I called it quits early, pretending to be tired so Mason could get a break. He might manage easy skiing with his tender ankle, but I could tell it was starting to hurt him. Mason and I headed back toward the lodge walking very close to each other, laughing about something we'd seen earlier. Suddenly, I saw a streak of white in my peripheral vision, and a snowball smashed into Mason's face. I immediately went on the defensive, jerking backward and peering around. Whoops and cries sounded from an area of the resort grounds that held storage sheds and was interspersed with looming pines. â€Å"Too slow, Ashford,† someone called. â€Å"Doesn't pay to be in love.† More laughs. Mason's best friend, Eddie Castile, and a few other novices from school materialized from behind a cluster of trees. Beyond them, I heard more shouts. â€Å"We'll still take you in, though, if you want to be on our team,† said Eddie. â€Å"Even if you do dodge like a girl.† â€Å"Team?† I asked excitedly. Back at the Academy, throwing snowballs was strictly prohibited. School officials were inexplicably afraid that we'd throw snowballs packed with glass shards or razor blades, though I had no clue how they thought we'd get a hold of that kind of stuff in the first place. Not that a snowball fight was that rebellious, but after all the stress I'd been through recently, throwing objects at other people suddenly sounded like the best idea I'd heard in a while. Mason and I dashed off with the others, the prospect of forbidden fighting giving him new energy and causing him to forget the pain in his ankle. We set to the fight with a die-hard zeal. The fight soon became a matter of nailing as many people as possible while dodging attacks from others. I was exceptional at both and furthered the immaturity by catcalling and shouting silly insults at my victims. By the time someone noticed what we were doing and yelled at us, we were all laughing and covered with snow. Mason and I once again started back for the lodge, and our mood was so high, I knew the Adrian thing was long forgotten. Indeed, Mason looked at me just before we went inside. â€Å"Sorry I, uh, jumped all over you about Adrian earlier.† I squeezed his hand. â€Å"It's okay. I know Mia can tell some pretty convincing stories.† â€Å"Yeah†¦but even if you were with him†¦it's not like I have any right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared at him, surprised to see his usual brash countenance turn shy. â€Å"Don't you?† I asked. A smile turned up his lips. â€Å"Do I?† Smiling back, I stepped forward and kissed him. His lips felt amazingly warm in the freezing air. It wasn't like the earth-shattering kiss I'd had with Dimitri before the trip, but it was sweet and nice- a friendly sort of kiss that maybe could turn into more. At least, that was how I saw it. From the look on Mason's face, it appeared his whole world had been rocked. â€Å"Wow,† he said, eyes wide. The moonlight made his eyes look silvery blue. â€Å"You see?† I said. â€Å"Nothing to worry about. Not Adrian, not anybody.† We kissed again- a bit longer this time- before finally dragging ourselves apart. Mason was clearly in a better mood, as well as he should have been, and I dropped into bed with a smile on my face. I wasn't technically sure if Mason and I were a couple now, but we were very close to it. But when I slept, I dreamed about Adrian Ivashkov. I stood with him on the porch again, only it was summer. The air was balmy and warm, and the sun hung bright in the sky, coating everything in golden light. I hadn't been in this much sun since living among humans. All around, the mountains and valleys were green and alive. Birds sang everywhere. Adrian leaned against the porch's railing, glanced over, and did a double-take when he saw me. â€Å"Oh. Didn't expect to see you here.† He smiled. â€Å"I was right. You are devastating when you're cleaned up.† Instinctively, I touched the skin around my eye. â€Å"It's gone,† he said. Even without being able to see it, I somehow knew he was right. â€Å"You aren't smoking.† â€Å"Bad habit,† he said. He nodded toward me. â€Å"You scared? You're wearing a lot of protection.† I frowned, then looked down. I hadn't noticed my clothing. I wore a pair of embroidered jeans I'd seen once but had been unable to afford. My T-shirt was cropped, showing off my stomach, and I wore a belly-button ring. I'd always wanted to get my belly button pierced but had never been able to afford it. The charm I now wore here was a little silver dangly one, and hanging at the end of it was that weird blue eye pendant my mom had given me. Lissa's chotki was wound around my wrist. I looked back up at Adrian, studying the way the sun shone off his brown hair. Here, in full daylight, I could see that his eyes were indeed green- a deep emerald as opposed to Lissa's pale jade. Something startling suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"Doesn't all this sun bother you?† He gave a lazy shrug. â€Å"Nah. It's my dream.† â€Å"No, it's my dream.† â€Å"Are you sure?† His smile returned. I felt confused. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know.† He chuckled, but a moment later, the laugher faded. For the first time since I'd met him, he looked serious. â€Å"Why do you have so much darkness around you?† I frowned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You're surrounded in blackness.† His eyes studied me shrewdly, but not in a checking-me-out sort of way. â€Å"I've never seen anyone like you. Shadows everywhere. I never would have guessed it. Even while you're standing here, the shadows keep growing.† I looked down at my hands but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I glanced back up. â€Å"I'm shadow-kissed†¦.† â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"I died once.† I'd never talked to anyone other than Lissa and Victor Dashkov about that, but this was a dream. It didn't matter. â€Å"And I came back.† Wonder lit his face. â€Å"Ah, interesting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I woke up. Someone was shaking me. It was Lissa. Her feelings hit me so hard through the bond that I briefly snapped into her mind and found myself looking at me. â€Å"Weird† didn't begin to cover it. I pulled back into myself, trying to sift through the terror and alarm coming from her. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"There's been another Strigoi attack.†

Major Forces Shaping the U.S. Economy Essay

Three issues will shape the economy’s performance the next 18 months. To what extent will consumer spending slow? What is the outlook for business expenditures? Will the Federal Reserve go too far in raising rates? Commentators and pundits are prone to say that consumers are â€Å"in great shape,† |†still going strong,† â€Å"resilient,† and so on. While it is easy to get caught up in this optimism, there is a need to focus more on the finances that underlie this spending. On a basic analysis, it will quickly become apparent that household finances are stretched to the point where slowdown can be expected, perhaps a significant slowdown, in consumer spending the next 6-12 months. Some of the reasons behind such a possibility are: Interest Rates: With the overall cost of credit rising since 2004, Americans with large outstanding balances on their credit cards, home equity loans, and adjustable rate mortgages are starting to feel the pinch. The Explosion in Household Debt. For years, Americans have been spending far more than what they have been earning. With borrowing costs historically low and home equity values increasing, consumers piled up on debt to finance a level of consumption that far exceeded their income growth. In the last five years, Americans have increased their total outstanding debt by $5 trillion. (To put that number in context, corporate sector debt jumped by about $1 trillion in that time frame, while federal government debt rose by $1. 3 trillion). That $5 trillion in additional liabilities brought total outstanding household debt to a record $11. 8 trillion. Servicing this massive liability was certainly easier when interest rates were low. But after a steady rally of rising rates, the burden of carrying those IOUs has now gotten much harder. Gasoline Costs. In addition to servicing that huge debt, Americans will need to part with more money for gasoline in coming months. A few other reasons on this line are: Rising Healthcare Costs Marginal Growth in Real Income Tougher Personal Bankruptcy Laws A Boost to Savings because of Rising Interest Rates The cumulative effects of these factors will depress consumer spending the second half of the year and probably through the first half of 2007. What is the Outlook for Business Expenditures: Since consumer outlays make up 70% of all U. S. economic activity, the expected slowdown in household spending will have a palpable impact on the economy. Fortunately, what will keep the economy out of any serious trouble is business spending. Driving capital expenditures this year will be strong profits, high capacity utilization rates, strong foreign demand for U. S. products, global competitive pressures, and that the cost of capital remains relatively low. Will the Federal Reserve Go Too Far in Raising Rates: So long as the Fed does not go too far in raising rates, a level that can be defined as above 5. 50%, the threat of recession is nil this year and next. Led by weaker consumer spending a softer housing market, U. S. economic activity can slow markedly in the second half of 2006 and last through the first half of 2007. However, strong business expenditures and a pick up in exports will keep the economy out of any serious trouble. Of course, should the economy suddenly be sideswiped by a serious external shock, the threat of recession becomes more real. The severity and timing of the downturn will depend on the nature of the shock. While there are numerous risks that bear close watching — such as the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian talks, North Korea, 2006 hurricane season, Venezuela, Nigeria —the threats that have the greatest probability of materializing involve Iran, a terrorist strike on Saudi oil facilities, and an Avian flu human pandemic (Baumohl).

Package essays

Package essays Today, products competition of the international market has many elements. Product price, quality, and package design are the three main elements. On the road to the market, good package design is an important strategy. The effect of an excellent Package to increase the product sale is not less powerful than a commercial. The prerequisite for a product are first tally with the criterion, and second attractive to customers. The excellent package must have a brand name which is easy to read and remember; have an eye-catching style to attract the customers when they were walking by shelves, and they will have the impulse to pick it up; have a simply and well-written description in order to express the product features; have to embody the prestige of the product to enhance customers trust; have particular colors to attract different consumers; have to concern about the environmental protection. Use paper, glass or recyclable package to replace the plastic package. The package that I select is from Missys Home Style Cheese Cake. Its a new product. They package of this cheesecake is different from others. Here is how this package fulfills the six basic packaging functions: containment and protection, usage, communication, segmentation, channel cooperation, and new-product planning. First one is the containment and protection function, Missys Home Style Cheesecake use recyclable plastic container and plastic transparent cover to store, and its vacuum. The container is also hard to break. They also use the cardboard box to pack again. The size of the two packages is similar to protect the cheesecake, and it because they will not strike each other. The sealing up of the plastic container and the cardboard box also make it secure to purchase. Second function is the usage. The net weight of Missys Home Style Cheesecake is only 3 ounce. The size of the cheesecake is small. It is designed as a snack. The s...

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing in the Kingdom of Dissertation

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example 13 Pictures(3) Showsthe region of Ha’il, with the pleased of the project. 13 Pictures(4) Site plan of the Al-Ghazalah project 13 Pictures(5) Site plan of the Al-Ghazalah project 15 Pictures(6) Ground floor plan 15 Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Low Income Housing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter 1 Introduction Housing demand is one of the most important issues and challenges that face developing and developed countries (Al-klyfh, 2009). These countries have tried to solve their housing demands with different policies. Some policies and proposals have met the needs of different levels of society. One of these economic classes is called the low income group that encompass some Saudi Arabian people with low annual income. To address the issue on housing income, the government tried to establish residential complexes, an introductory concept and still under trial. This paper will focus on low income housing post occupancy evaluation as the main issue. The housing policy will b e assessed using the post-occupancy evaluation method (POE). However, before investigating the Saudi Arabian policy, it is important to investigate the different international policies for low income housing. 1.1. International policies for low income housing Many institutions, international agencies and local communities around the world have for many years now addressed poverty, increase standards of living,as well as provide adequate shelter for the poor (United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, 1987).These UN programs were allocated in 155 countries and have established national centres that work directly with various local government agencies (Tiesdell, 2004). Important processes that have been followed are: a. Secure possession of the land. b. Provide public facilities and services. c. Finance low-cost housing d. Provision of construction materials. e. Community participation. f. Cooperation with the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (Tiesdell, 2004) . A review of socio-economic policies indicates that there is a growing interest in the issue of housing for the poor by civil society organizations and governments of many countries. A limited review on Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom low cost housing will be included due to time constraints. 1.1.1. Affordable Housing in the UK Housing policies in Britain has local planning authorities mandate developers of housing projects to provide a certain percentage of affordable housing for low income groups (Tiesdell, 2004). The two aims are as follows: a. Social: sustain a mixed community in terms of income and social level and reduce illegal settlements that lack basic services b. Economic: shoulder part of the burden of financing in order to allow beneficiaries provided with lower prices than the market price or rent housing (social security) at less than the prevailing costs. UK housing, however, did not meet stated objectives, such as acceptance from high-income and middle classes due to preference

M essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

M - Essay Example Second, the American government did not exactly stop China from controlling Chinese Americans in the U.S. The U.S. did not protect Chinese Americans in Americans soil because it continued to see the latter as suspicious illegal aliens, even after World War II. Furthermore, the U.S. government did not take positive actions to create equal conditions for Chinese Americans. It practiced racial profiling as a means of cleansing the U.S. of suspected communist Chinese Americans. This statement, â€Å"Chinese in the United States were subjected to a highly institutionalized structure of dual domination?† means that Chinese Americans had two lords in the U.S. - the U.S. government and the Chinese government. Both governments subjected Chinese Americans to racial oppression and exclusion, as already explained in the first paragraph. World War II did little to ease racism and oppression against Chinese Americans. Although President Roosevelt compelled the U.S. Congress in 1943 to repea l the Chinese exclusion laws, he did so because it was an essential military strategy. He also replaced it with a less stringent exclusionary law through the immigration quota system. During the Cold War, instead of improving the rights and liberties of Chinese Americans, the U.S. ... 2. The effect on the atomic bombs on Japan and its economy is that, at first, the Japanese got angry at their military leaders, and many accepted that their nation should never launch another war, while the Japanese economy severely suffered initially because of lost jobs and the destruction of cities during the atomic bombing. First, after the atomic bombing, the Japanese remarkably felt more resentment for their military forces than the U.S. government. They did not harbor any racist feelings against the U.S., although some resentment developed during the opportunist actions of the U.S. toward Japan when the Cold War started. Second, the atomic bomb negatively affected the economy of Japan, where the unemployed reached 13 million and demobilized Japanese soldiers became beggars. The Japanese persevered by working closely with the Allied forces in forming a new government structure and new policies that affected its way of life. For instance, a new constitution was ratified in 1946, which guided the Japanese government toward a more democratic era. The Japanese constitution in 1946 laid out the preservation of the emperor as the symbol of unity of the people and renunciation of future wars. By preserving the Emperor, the Japanese were able to hold on their ancient cultural symbols, which helped them persevere during these trying times. The Japanese people received greater democracy in how members of the government were selected and removed too. Furthermore, changes in agrarian and labor laws improved satisfaction among peasants and workers. These changes enabled many farmers to own their own lands, while workers were allowed to form and participate in trade unions. By 1970, Japan became a world power despite the obstacles because of the combination of