Recently economic issue about Wall Street Journal Essay

As of late financial issue about Wall Street Journal - Essay Example The nation will profoundly require help from outside nations so as to develop viably. Aside from the difficulties being presented by Europe and China, United States additionally face other conservative emergencies, for example, abatement of item costs, the current unsteadiness in financial exchanges, and decrease sought after and yield in enormous creating markets, for example, Brazil. Another viewpoint influencing world’s monetary status is the political strain in numerous nations coming about because of the current Ebola infection flare-up (2). Albeit United States is the world’s financial development motor, with numerous nations not performing may adversely influence the country’s monetary development. Another factor that influences the U.S. financial development is the inflexible economy that has being influenced by long stretches of lopsided development. As per gauges made by Goldman Sachs business analysts, tight states of budgetary market can shave roughly 0.3 percent from American’s financial development before the finish of one year from now. In any case, if the bonds and stocks’ shortcoming ends up being brief, this hit would diminish by roughly half. The worldwide money related emergency has brought about a diminishing in incomes of the enormous business associations in the United States, for example, McDonald’s Corp. both the interior and outer elements influencing the country’s monetary development have end up being more serious and impressive than it was normal. The writer of this article, Josh and Nick, attempt to talk about the worldwide money related issues that are right now influencing the economy of the world. As indicated by the substance of the article, worldwide financial emergency began to influence the world’s economy in the year 2008. The expansion of worldwide monetary emergency, have come about to diminish in world stock. What's more, enormous budgetary associations are falling, and rich countries’ governments have begun to think of a salvage bundle that will help in conquering these emergencies. A few effects of worldwide budgetary issues

Feudalism in European and Japanese Society

Feudalism was utilized in both Japan and Europe and accordingly, promotion likenesses among in Uses including the premise the framework depended on, the chain of command associated with such a framework, and the foundations rulers worked as their living arrangements. Be that as it may, because of shifting societies, the medieval framework had a bunch contrasts in the two nations; from the premise of thoughts with respect to the primitive framework (I. E.Confucianism and Kong Quiz versus Catholicism and Roman supreme laws) to the date of foundation of feudalism as a social framework in their particular nations; installment of the master and petite for the military assistance performed by the serfs, workers, and samurai to he abhorrence of self destruction, or scarcity in that department when concerning samurai, by knights because of their authoritative to Catholic Christian law. Medieval European and Japanese social orders were based on a progressive society firstly.Various levels of social layers were the premise of previously mentioned primitive social orders. These degrees of layers included (1) nobles (2) warriors and (3) sharecroppers or serfs. In the same way as other antiquated and medieval social orders, social portability was never genuinely at all important focal point and therefore it was a close to nonexistent thing in primitive social orders in both Europe and Japan. Also, these primitive social orders encouraged a plenitude of regard for the warrior class, coming from steady fighting and their capacity as nearby rulers. The warrior class was limited by a code of ethics.For model, European knights were required to follow a code of valor while Japanese samurai were relied upon to follow the regulation of what is called bushier â€?in different words, â€Å"the method of the warrior. † Finally, primitive masters in the two nations, Europe and Japan, constructed solid and enormous mansions that could be utilized for barrier from trespassers an d furthermore filled in as assurance for themselves and their vassals, seeing as that all by itself was the principle statute f feudalismâ€protection in return for reverence, work, and a portion of the agrarian harvest.On the opposite side of the coin, the premise of thoughts with respect to the medieval arrangement of society contrasted from Europe to Japan. European feudalism was established on the authority of the Catholic Church, a component of European life that was progressively significant in such a medieval society, alongside Roman magnificent laws and customs any semblance of which were upheld by said Catholic Church. Accordingly, the cooperative connection between a master and his vassals was viewed as legally binding, a thought starting from he old disparage relationship found in the Roman Empire.The rulers o offered both insurance and installment while the vassals gave their total reliability to the rulers. While Japanese feudalism began on the statutes of Confucianis m and the tenet of the Chinese scholar, Kong Quiz. These tenets underscored ethical quality and dutiful pietyâ€respect for the two bosses and older folks ?and worked as the quintessential â€Å"moral compass† Of the two laborers and townspeople who were required to respect and pay charges to the warrior class.Secondly, feudalism advanced toward Europe some time before it surfaced in Japanâ€800 A. D. Versus 1100 AD. Individually. This appearance of feudalism in Japan corresponded with the closure of the Hein time frame and the ascent to intensity of the Kumara Shogun. Nonetheless, numerous years after the fact, European feudalism went to a tilting stop in the sixteenth century because of the development of more grounded political states, accordingly dispensing with the requirement for the advantageous connection between the ruler and the vassals and serfs cultivated by feudalism.Japanese feudalism would later locate its unavoidable end in 1868 because of the Meijer Resto ration. What's more, European knights were skilled land by their masters as a celebrate of their military assistance and as such they had colossal authority over the serfs who worked the talented land. This complexities against the life of the Japanese samurai seeing as they en at any point claimed any land in their feudalism society.Instead, modest utilized a level of their yearly salary, by and large gathered from burdening workers, so as to pay the samurai. (This pay was commonly paid in rice. ) Lastly, Catholic Christian law disallowed knights from ending it all and, rather, urged the battle to keep away from death in both fight and life. This statute of Catholicism starts from the conviction that the individuals who go end it all are improved to heck, an outcome that is unbelievable in the Christian faith.The Japanese, then again, invited passing observing as they had no strict association and saw no compelling reason to fear their own mortality or the results that would withou t a doubt accompany such an irreversible demonstration. In their point of view, ending it all even with unavoidable destruction protected their respect as warriors, in this manner self destruction was fair in Japanese culture. It is intriguing to note, be that as it may, that despite the fact that Japan and Europe had no quantifiable contact with each other during this timespan, hello figured out how to create sociopolitical frameworks much the same as each other.

How do I Associate My Blog with Google + Profile and Page

How do I Associate My Blog with Google + Profile and Page Blog linking with Google Plus profile is important, because Search engine need to understand and get information about your social media site. When a Blog is associated with Google Plus profile then search engine easily understand and detect your Google plus profile. As a result, when a user type your Blog URL on search engine, then your Blog URL display on search engine result page with Google Plus profile. So it ensures more visibility on search engine result page. However in many cases you would see your contents URL is displaying on Google search engine from your Google Plus profile or pages. So this means Google search engine give more priority on URL from Google Plus page. However there are some positive site to associate your Blog with Google Plus are as follows- It will enable your content sharing directly after posting. Search engine visibility on higher SERPs. Diverting Traffic from social media connection. Google plus commenting system integration with Blogger. How to associate a Blog with Google Plus? Its generic that after creating a Google Plus profile and page we just share content manually or through an auto sharing online tools. But you must associate your Google Plus profile or page from your Blogger dashboard. And this will give signal to search engine about your Google Plus profile and page. Its better to associate Google Plus page with Blogger instead of profile. If you dont have Google + profile then you can create your Google Plus profile anytime from Blogger Dashboard. Step 1 Login to your Blogger Account and go to Dashboard Step 2 From Blogger Dashboard click Google+ tab Step 3 Now click Get Started button. And follow the instruction to create Google Plus profile. After creating Google Plus profile you would able to create a Google Plus page from your profile.However for associating Google plus profile and page please follow the below steps- Step 1 Login to your Blogger Account and go to Dashboard Step 2 From Blogger Dashboard click Google+ tab Step 3 Under Google+ settings select your Google Plus Page or Profile. For Google My Business you must select your Google plus Business page. Note that for getting visibility Google plus page and profile in Blogger dashboard you must create page and profile first. Step 4 Now you would see a message that This blog is associated with Blogger Spice Google+ page. In your dashboard it will display your Google plus page name. And also put tick next to Prompt to share after posting. Congratulation your Google Plus page is now associated with your Blog. And now you can directly share your content in your associated Google Plus page. This will help you to get more visibility on search engine result page; because search engine will identify that your Blog is associated with your Google Plus profile. I hope this small tutorial help you to improve your Blog visibility. And hopefully you would able to divert traffic from Google Plus. Happy Blogging.

The War Of The Vietnam War - 773 Words

During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Vietnam was the most talked about issue of the time. Due to the high number of American casualties, and the troubling images that were broadcast on the nightly news networks, the opposition of the war rose drastically. Many argue that the climax of the anti-war opposition occurred in May of 1970 on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. It was during an anti-war protest that the Ohio National Guard opened fired on the crowd, killing four students. The country, torn apart by the war, saw the support for the soldiers decrease. In the years that followed Kent, President Nixon began to bring troops home from Vietnam. Expecting a hero’s welcome back to the states, similar to what their parents had received following WWII; Vietnam Veterans received quite the opposite. At airports that soldiers were returning to, many protests occurred, shaming the soldiers for their actions during the war. Many of the veterans returning home Vietnam found it hard to find work because too many people had developed a hatred for them due to the war. Congress confronted the growing problem of discrimination against these Veterans by taking action in 1974. Congress passed the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) to combat the discrimination problem that the veterans were dealing with. According to the United States Department of Labor website, the VEVRAA â€Å"requires covered federal government contractors and subcontractorsShow MoreRelatedThe War Of Vietnam And The Vietnam War1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe war in Vietnam is The United States and other capitalist bloc countries supported South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) against the support by the Soviet Union and other socialist bloc countries of North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and the Vietcong of war. Which occurred during the Cold War of Vietnam (main battlefield), Laos, and Cambodia. This is the biggest and longtime war in American history during the 1960s (Best 2008). It is also the most significant war after World War IIRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1475 Words   |  6 Pageson one such event, the Vietnam War, came from entertainment-based programs and the play Miss Saigon. Despite heavy coverage in such well-known comedic films as Forrest Gump and Good Morning Vietnam, the true events were anything but a laugh for those involved. In spite of the relative recentness of the events in Vietnam, many of today’s youths know little about the topic. The events in Vietnam raise the ever-present question on the ethics of third party involvement in a war otherwise unrelated toRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1729 Words   |  7 Pagesspread of communism all around the world. This is what lead to the gruesome war that lasted over a decade in Vietnam. A great deal of social changed happened all over the world, but particularly in America as the Vietnam War dragged on. As people became more aware of the atrocities going on in Southeast Asia, the endless domestic support turned into widespread explosive protest. During the first few years of the Vietnam conflict, Americans full heartedly supported the United States and its governmentRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1379 Words   |  6 Pagestensions over the Vietnam war caused many americans to become divided on the actions taken by the government across seas. Americans questioned whether the government could be trusted. The feeling of betrayal and government secrecy created the â€Å"Credibility Gap,† in which many americans believed that the government no longer was for the people, but for anything else that would benefit the government. The Vietnam War exacerbated the gap between the pro-war traditionalists and anti-war liberals along withRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1430 Words   |  6 Pagesended in 1989, the Vietnam war is still being fought, but on a different battlefield, one of public opinion. Some call this war an atrocity, a war the United States should never have joined. Others call it a crime, committed by the power hungry politicians of the U.S. Now that new information from both sides of the war has surfaced and the wounds of battle have had more time to heal there is yet another opinion emerging. The Vietnam War was in fact only one of many proxy wars fought under the umbrellaRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Vietnam War cost many Americans their lives in the 60s and 70s. Many were drafted into the war by choice and others selectively chosen to join to help America. The contributions made had a major impact on the American side of the Vietnam War. Though many contributions were made none stand out any more than others. It is sometimes said there is always a hero in the war who helped the victory. Wars, however, do not have war heroes because a hero is making an undeniable contribution to the war andRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War was said to be one of the most significant wars in the twentieth century. This w ar took place from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975. It was at the time, the longest war in American history. Much of the conflict was centered in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. During that time, approximately 58,219 US troops were killed in action. The reason America got involved in the Vietnam War was to stop the spread of communism in South East Asia and beyond. â€Å"America’s involvement in Vietnam derivedRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1204 Words   |  5 Pagesus†¦ When that is the way you are, how do you conduct your life?† The Vietnam War killed over fifty eight thousand Americans and over 61% of the men killed were 21 years or younger. Most Americans are conflicted with the fact whether the Anti War Movement played a factor in prolonging the Vietnamese War. â€Å"In every story there are two sides and in between lies the truth.† Anonymous The United States become involved in Vietnam after the French withdrew when the Republican President Dwight EisenhowerRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War877 Words   |  4 PagesAnother big difference in this war was that the Vietnam War was had more disapproval and was more expressive within the American public, unlike the Korean War. The ANITWAR MOVEMENT started in the 1960s this group was never enacted until this era. There was not a group like this in Vietnam, but there were many groups that opposed the war. The main object of these revolts was the American military presence in Indochina. The ANITWAR MOVEMENT caused an influence not only socially, but also in the realmRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn July and August of 1972, Jane Fonda made radio broadcasts from Hanoi that changed the way Americans thought of the Vietnam war and of her. To this day, many people view her as a traitor and criticise her actions in Vietnam; however, some people we re truly inspired by her words and what she had to say. Despite people s personal opinions, Fonda was a powerful speaker and knew how to convey her message to her audience. She tried to convince people that the American government and military were the

Definition and Examples of Contact Clauses in English

Essay about Bad Influences of the Internet - 879 Words

THE BAD INFLUENCES OF THE INTERNET The ‘Internet’ is one of the most used search tool on the earth, used by majority of the world’s population for research, communication, conveniences, entertainment and much more. Over the years, cases in relation to negative transformation of human behaviors, where people are becoming emotionally depress, horrified, vulnerable, addicted through the internet has become a serious problem for many people around the world, including us. Internet gaming is one of the most common problem of which many people around the globe are facing in their daily lives. Addiction, one of the serious problems with internet gaming have caused severe changes to their behavior and attitude to life. Majority of teenagers and†¦show more content†¦Many cyber chats, although good for online communication however also has the potentials to cause emotional distress. Insults, profanity, humiliation and much more are some of the causes of which resulted many people to depression, suicide to ‘get out of this misery’. Through social networking, online reputations are being humiliated through verbal communications or offensive images that are being posted up onto social networking sites, such as Facebook. Chanelle Rae, a 14-year-old former student at Geelong’s Western Heights College, took her life on Friday the 17th of July 2009 in another cyber bullying incident, of which Chanelle’s mother, Karen reported t o 3AW radio on the 21st of July 2009. Her mother reported, ‘she wanted to die because of the message that was given to her that night.,’ This highlights the fact that lives can also be lost while having the benefits of social networking on Facebook, Bebo, Twitter and much more. Thus shows that social networking can have a severe impact on many of our lives through what we say or post online. In relation to privacy, social networking and many other genres of the internet are one of the main and easiest places to track down people, many naà ¯ve victims, posts up their details on their profile, making it easy to enable stalkers or strangers to have advantage of virtually meeting you. This problem has caused many families to live in fear, not knowing how vulnerable they are to the outside world, whereShow MoreRelatedInternet Addiction Essay765 Words   |  4 Pagesfrequently and there are lots of violent video game affect adolescences have bad habits, the main reason is they get addicted to the internet. Huge negative effects appear if teenagers get addicted to the internet, including can not live without a cell phone, internet addiction disorder and there are negative effects of the internet violent game. Due to the internet is convenient and cell phones can connect with the internet, teenagers can not live without their cellphone and it has lots of problemsRead MoreDoes Social Networking Have A Positive And Or Negative Affect On Individuals?942 Words   |  4 Pagesor near by. Does the internet do more harm than good? According to the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, the internet does more harm than good because online communication has emerged, leading to a positive outcome in individuals. In my opinion, the internet does do more good than harm. Although, individuals have become too reliant on the internet, it is used for the greater good of people. The internet has its pros and cons but fortunately, more pros. The internet has more pros than consRead MoreThe Internet s Effect On Education1106 Words   |  5 Pageswe spend 80 hours on the internet. Based on how much we spend on the internet, we should take care of ourselves and not lose our personalities. The internet has changed us in many ways, but it has pros and cons to the users of the internet. The internet helps students, teachers, and doctors and give ways to save money. Typewriters were used 100 years ago because there was no internet, but with internet now we change our culture and society. The invention of the internet was a turning point in historyRead MoreTeenagers And Social Media1081 Words   |  5 Pagesbut this simply isn’t the case anymore. Teenagers and young adults have major influence in the world today they influence culture, communication, technology and most importantly other teens. More than ever before teens have control over more than their own mind, they get to choose not only what is popular but also where our technology advances to and how we communicate. There are people that argue that social media is bad and that we simply shouldn’t have it and while these people are way in the minorityRead MoreSocial Media And The Internet1564 Words   |  7 Pagesand the Internet. Many years ago, before phones and computers were invented, simply going outside to play was a great way to spend time with friends and be entertained. Technology has evolved greatly since these days. Teens can communicate, post pictures, and search anything on the Internet nowadays. Although social media is a very big hit in this century, the real question is, is it safe? What does the use of social media and the Internet lead teens to do? Social media and the internet have causedRead MoreThe Insignifcant Dispute of Internet Addiction740 Words   |  3 PagesThe Insignificant Dispute of Internet Addiction Internet came into China in late 1990s. At first it was only a toy in some elites’ hands. During that time, many leaders of Internet industry 10 years later appeared. They believed that as time goes by, Internet will certainly be popularized into everyone’s house, and it will certainly become a good helper of people’s shopping, entertaining, and especially educating. 15 years past, their first prediction came true, but the latter did notRead MoreMass Media And Its Impact On Society1306 Words   |  6 Pagestelevision, newspaper, magazine, radio and Internet (Nariman,2011) . It is a large pool of information from where every type of information can be extracted and is widening more and more. Mass media influences the society especially the younger generation and shape their opinions and decisions. The study of the impacts of mass media requires a great understanding. Mass media have both negative and positive influences on the younger minds and understanding these influences is one’s social responsibility. StartingRead MoreEssay on Implications of Internet Usage on Students Attitudes1584 Words   |  7 PagesSTUDY. Internet means a global computer network providing a variety of information facilities of communication, consisting of interconnected networks use the standard of communication protocols (www.oxforddictionaries.com). Internet was created in October 1969 in United State (simple.wikipedia.org). In Malaysia, internet expected to start year 1995 and increase the usage to public in year 1996. Among October to November 1995 through MIMOS study, found there is 20 thousand internet users in MalaysiaRead MoreRace After The Internet by Lisa Nakamura and Peter Chow-White 1411 Words   |  6 Pagespeople think it is acceptable to racially profile others? In almost any situation whether it is in public, in your own home or the internet most people seem to partake in racial profiling in one way or another. Typically this is done by discriminating someone purely based off of skin color or by stereotypes they may have heard in the past. But what does the internet have to do with this? There a re a couple instances which have been shown throughout the media that are good examples of this. The firstRead MoreSociology assignment on primary and secondary groups1521 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs weaved in with my own. My family had laid down the basis of who I am today. The choices I make are a lot because of the influence my family has had on the development of my morals and ideas. Another primary group is my friends. I don t have a wide circle of friends like some people do. I do have a small group that knows me well, just as much as I know them. Their influence is almost as great as my families. After all, after a certain age the people you are around more is your friends more than

The Role of Travel Agencies and its Positive Influence

Question: Evaluate the role of travel agencies and its positive influence on the tourism industry of the Gold Coast city. Answer: Problem Statement and Research Objectives The problem statement of this research repost is to evaluate the role of travel agencies and its positive influence on the tourism industry of the Gold Coast city. The objectives of this research report have been outlined as follows: To identify the contribution of travel agencies to attract more visitors towards the Gold Coast tourism To assess the factors influencing the tourist visit ratio towards the Gold Coast city. Research Design According to Creswell (2003), research design has been defined as a complete plan of the research work selected by the researcher for incorporation of the various aspects in a consistent and rational manner. Basically research design is summarizing the manner in which the research will carried out. This research will be based on the exploratory research design. Exploratory research examines the relationship between the variables in the research question and further provides the hypothesis for the research. In this research, the exploratory research design will facilitate in recognizing and establishing the relation between two variables which are the role played by the travel agency and its influence on the tourism industry of Gold Coast city. Thus, exploratory research design is chosen as it provides an increased understanding of how the travel agencies affect the tourism industry of the Gold Coast city and it also facilitates in answering the research questions about how the travel agencies contribute towards attracting more tourists in the Gold Coast city as well as evaluating the factors which influence the tourist visit ratio towards the Gold Coast city. Also, the research is an applied research as the research has been conducted in order to find the answers to the research question which is related to understanding the influence of the role played by the travel agencies on the tourism industry of the Gold Coast city. The applied research will facilitate in attaining the research objectives through transparency in the methodology to be chosen by the researcher. Applied research will help in understanding the significance of the travel agencies in attracting more tourists towards the Gold Coast city. It has been considered as the best form of research for academic purposes which are the reason the researcher has chosen applied research. Under this research design, various research methods such as are qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods can be chosen (Muijis, 2010). The researcher has opted for quantitative research method research method. This research requires an understanding of the factors that influence the tourists. Once the influencing factors have been understood through the literature review, it is also important to get statistical data to understand the relevance of each factor. Thus, this research also requires quantitative information. Thus, quantitative research method has been selected. This research is mainly based on the survey conducted on the tourists of Gold Coast tourists. Data collection methods There are two methods of data collection which are primary data collection and secondary data collection. Primary data is the fresh data collected for the first time by the researcher. The secondary data is the already collected data from other researchers which is accumulated by the researcher for the purpose of attainment of the research objectives (Vogt, 2010). In this research, the research will opt for both primary data collection as well as secondary data collection. The secondary data for this research is essential to identify the factors which influence the tourism industry of the Gold Coast city with special reference towards the role played by the travel agencies. The theoretical aspects of the research can be obtained through secondary data collection techniques. The secondary data for this research will be collected through various websites, journals, books and other documents published by other researchers who have conducted research on the topic. This information collected by the researcher will form the literature review section of the research paper. The primary data for this research will be collected through the Qualtrics survey. The researcher has opted for data collection through survey method as it can be easily administered and is time saving and cost efficient when compared with other methods of data collection. As it is an online survey, the geographical limitations do not matter. It is most suitable for the current research as the respondents can be asked numerous questions on the topic and a broad range of data can be collected in a short span of time (Johnson and Christensen, 2010). Thus the researcher has chosen survey method rather than interview methods. The survey will be conducted through prepared questionnaires. The questionnaires will be mailed to the tourists who visit the Gold Coast city through various travel agencies. Their email ids were obtained from the travel agencies in the city. Though there are numerous tourists who visit the city only 75 email ids were collected from the agents and the first fifty re sponses were counted for the survey. The survey will be conducted on the tourists who will be touring the Gold Coast city. The tourists will be requested to answer the questions of the prepared questionnaire which will include questions related to the various factors of the tourism industry in Gold Coast city and the role of travel agencies. The questionnaire will include both open ended as well as close ended question to achieve a better understanding of the topic and for the successful accomplishment of the research. Qualtrics Survey Qualtrics is research software which facilitates the user to conduct online surveys on various topics such as marketing, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, market testing and many more topics (Qualtrics, 2016). For this research, the researcher will conduct online survey using the Qualtrics as the main source of primary data for the research. The questionnaire will include 7 close ended questions where the respondents are required to answer multiple choice questions. The questionnaire also includes 7 open ended questions where the respondents are asked to provide their personal views related to the role of travel agencies of Gold Coast. Sample Selection The research sampling techniques are basically of two types which are probability sampling and non-probability sampling (Bolger and Laurenceau, 2013). The researcher will choose non-probability sampling for this research as the tourists of Gold Coast city in particular are considered as respondents rather than any random individual. There are numerous people who visit the Gold Coast city each day and it is impossible to conduct survey on all the tourists. For the purpose of this research, the questionnaire will be mailed to about 75 respondents and the first 50 responses will be considered as survey samples. Ethical Considerations Research ethics refer to the moral of conduct, planning and covering the research. Research ethics focus more on the evaluation of moral issues that arise when there are individuals who participate in the research (Smith Iltis, 2006). The research ethics will be given due importance in this research for the successful accomplishment of the research. The privacy of the identity of the respondents will be kept up as they have provided their personal views. Moreover, the respondents will be requested to voluntarily participate in the research and they will be informed that they can withdraw anytime. The researcher will assure that the information collected will be used only for academic purposes. Any offensive questions will not be included in the questionnaire and the issue of academic plagiarism will be avoided. All the sources of secondary data collected will be cited properly. Data Analysis Techniques Data analysis refers to the procedure of methodically implementing logical or statistical data method to explain, demonstrate, summarize and evaluate the data collected (Govaert, 2009). The primary data will be analyzed using the SPSS software. For this purpose, the data will be processed by using tabular representation of the data. Then the processed data will be cleaned of errors and duplications. Later, the data will be cross validated to enhance its correctness and credibility. The qualitative data collected will be analyzed through coding and decoding. Also, the variables will be correlated in order to understand the dependent and the independent variable which refers to the correlation statistical test. This is done through the bivariate associations. Furthermore, paired T-test will be conducted. Also, the sensitivity analysis will be done in order to assure the stability of the results obtained through the research. Moreover, the data quality will be frequently checked through the process of the research to provide the best quality of data to attain the objectives of the research. Once the data is analyzed, it will be reported for feedback and again changes will be made accordingly. References Bolger, N. and Laurenceau, J. (2013).Intensive longitudinal methods. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Creswell, J. (2003).Research design. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Govaert, G. (2009).Data analysis. London: ISTE. Johnson, B. and Christensen, L. (2010) Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. UK: SAGE. Muijis, D. (2010). Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS. SAGE. Qualtrics. (2016).The World's Leading Research Insights Platform | Qualtrics. [online] Available at: https://www.qualtrics.com/ [Accessed 24 May 2016]. Smith Iltis, A. (2006).Research ethics. New York: Routledge. Vogt, W. (2010).Data collection. Los Angeles: SAGE.

art of war essays

art of war essays The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a thirteen chapter book with each chapter explaining different strategies and tactics of war. The book starts off by explaining plains you must lay down for war and also enlightens you of the preparation you must go through for war. Then toward conclusion of the book it states strategies for handling situations such as terrain and how and when to attack. In a nutshell the books main focus was to be about war but many reads associate to real life experiences. The most interesting piece about the book is found in the beginning of each chapter. Every chapter opens up with a quote by Sun Tzu himself. For example, one a my favorite Sun Tzu quotes throughout the hole book was in the sixth chapter headed, Weak points and Strong. Sun said Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. This and many other points made by Sun relates to sports and me as a person and many different ways. One day I plan on coaching a team of my own. Even though war should never be compared to athletics there are many qualities that each share in common. As you might prepare for a war you will also have to for a game. You will even have to adjust your laying plans because of terrain and have to attack certain ways such as war. This is what makes this book special and unique. Sun Tzus thought process of strategies and tactics during war could be express by a coach, a business owner, and really anyone who is in a position of leadership. The reason I choose this quote by Sun was because it applies to me as a coach and as a person seeking future work. I believe in being early all the time, never late. As a coach I believe in being early and having may kids all ready to go come game time. Also the earlier a team begins working for a goal will always has an ad ...

Hegelian Dialectics

Hegelian Dialectics Introduction Hegel formulated a method that would be used in resolving conflicts among members of society. He suggested that a conflict would be resolved in three stages.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hegelian Dialectics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In his analysis, a thesis would generate a reaction that he referred to as the antithesis. The two would always be in conflict for quite some time before forging a common position, something he termed as a synthesis. In the phenomenology of spirit, Hegel presented the science of experience of consciousness whereby he described the process through which people’s consciousness develops over time. People’s minds go through a number of stages as regards to consciousness. The development of the mind starts with the lower levels and ends with the high levels. This article analyzes how Hegel used the idea of the master and the slave to bring out the conflicts that usually exist among various groups in society. The article situates the reasoning of Hegel in two articles, one being the Second Sex by Simone and the other is the modern woman as a subject by Fanon. Hegel’s Dialectics In his works on phenomenology, Hegel discussed the idea of independent and dependent self-consciousness whereby he talked about lordship and bondage in detail. He also discussed two critical issues related to life and desire. Hegel employed several concepts in analyzing how self-consciousness forms. Through self-awareness, a group of people develop certain knowledge, spirit, and sciences meaning that what people know are always held as true (Hegel 112). Knowledge develops when one consciousness recognizes the existence of another consciousness meaning that conflicts among groups will never take place without each group developing a sense of belonging. Knowledge development, according to Hegel, does not follow the basic rules of science, but instead it dev elops through a phenomenological construct, which has a clear history. This entails a group demanding for freedom after realizing that another group interferes with its interests. Regarding master-slave dialectic, the views of Hegel were that the relationship between the owners of the means of production and the proletariat could be understood through an internal analysis or process, particularly when it occurs in one individual. Moreover, the same could be comprehended through an external process, particularly when it takes place between two people or two groups. Based on his view, whatever takes place in the mind of an individual would be the same thing that would take place in an individual’s life. This means that if an individual feels oppressed in his or her reasoning, there is a high likelihood that such an individual would indeed be oppressed even in normal life.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hegel was of the view that the objective suppression and objective sense of inferiority would gel to become one thing. The two levels of consciousness are never in harmony and they can even be in conflict to an extent that they fail to agree. The self at this moment is viewed as a foreign object whose existence interferes with proper reasoning. The two types of consciousness would as well perceive each other as animated objects as opposed to equal subjects. Based on this, Hegel concluded that the self does not appreciate the existence of another self. One self views the other self as an ordinary object with an autonomous shape. Due to this, a contradiction emerges, but the self tries to resolve the conflict through negating the other self, using a dialectical method. Since an agreement will not be readily reached, the two will be engaged in constant process of convincing each other. This struggle persists until death, even though no self-conscious ness would want death to take place since it would have fuelled a natural negation. The two forms of self-consciousness try as much as possible to avoid death. Therefore, the two tend to strike a deal to cooperate through constant communication and acceptance of subordination. The master would be willing to negotiate since she understands that life without self-awareness is useless. The slave accepts slavery because of the fear of death. The slave allows he master to control his life. Application of Hegel’s Ideas The second sex is the writing of Simone, which talks about the position of women in history. The scholar observed that women have never been given an opportunity to express themselves socially, politically, and economically due to the presence of men. Men are like masters who understand that life would never be enjoyable without self-consciousness. On their part, women accept their position as slaves since they fear death. Women have always engaged men in several fro nts in order to realize their dreams in society. In her works on history, she notes that reproduction is considered slavery to women because it denies them an opportunity to engage in economic and political development. Men have different views, which are perceived as the thesis since they control the affairs of society while the views of women are believed to be the antithesis because they oppose the position of men. Since the two forms of self-consciousness fear destruction, they will agree to form a working formula, which would result to a synthesis. Under the new arrangement, women would be given adequate chances to participate in economic and political development. Their physical weaknesses would not be used to undermine their positions in society. In the second part of her works, she opposes the idea of marriage since it undermines the position of women in society. Women are mainly relegated to the private domain of the home since their role in marriage is related to performin g domestic chores. Fanon suggested that the white race is always perceived as a superior race because of its physical qualities and skin colour. The black race is viewed as an inferior race, whose major role is to serve the black race.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Hegelian Dialectics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since time in memorial, the black race has never occupied its position in society, just like women (Fanon 191). During colonialism, the white race misused the labour of the black race to benefit itself while the black race was simply languishing in poverty. In this regard, the views of the white race are perceived as the thesis since they dictate all forms of life in society. The black race is always in constant conflicts with the white race hence its views are believed to be antithesis. The conflicts between the two races will persist for years until the time when the black race will rise up to chall enge the position of the white race. Since the white race is aware that life without self-awareness is useless, it will decide to engage the black race in talks in order to resolve the conflicts. A relationship would be established, with new ideas referred to as the synthesis. Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. New York, NY: Grove Press, 2008. Print. Hegel, Georg. Phenomenology of Spirit. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1998. Print.

Company logistic analysis and drawbacks and recomendation Research Proposal - 2

Company logistic analysis and drawbacks and recomendation - Research Proposal Example For the last financial year home depot registered profits of over $4.5 billion. This made the share price to rise from $2.47 to $3.00 per share. In the financial report for the year 2012, it did not include the $145 million tax charge. This was related to the closing of the china store, which affected the share price negatively with a decline of 0.10 earnings per share. The net sale for the year 2012 increased by 62% to $78 billion. This was an increase from the previous year where the earnings were $70 billion. The store sales increased to 4.6% attributed by a 2.9% rise in comparable store average ticket. In addition, the rise in customers in our stores attributed to this increase. The financial year of 2012 had an extra week that increased the net sales by $1.2 billion. This led to an increase of the share earnings by $0.07. The growth in the 2012 financial year is credited to continued focus on the following initiatives. Customer service – continued focus on customer service is driven by philosophies of making an emotive link with the customer. These philosophies are putting the customer first and making the business simple. Home depot has opened new call centers in Utah and Georgia simply to have a more personalized connection with the customers. All these centers have been opened in the last financial year. This has played a major role in increasing the earnings and profit margins for the company. In additions, new wits such as the new arrangement system for secondary and centralized return to seller process has more than 57% of all labor hours dedicated to customer services and by the end of the financial year of 2013 the labor hours will have reached 60%. In addition, other measures will be put in place to ensure complete customer satisfaction. This will lead to increased sales bringing the stock price to a higher price. This will put the stocks in a better position than the

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Compare and contrast - Essay Example Another social working site, Friendster, was among the first to innovate this new brand of internet communication. Just a couple of years back, the competition was between Myspace and Friendster where it was an even matchup between the two. The Friendster logo has been so popular and recognizable for users and non-users alike. The need for convergence that was particularly prevalent among the youth was answered through these internet-based socializing sites. With Friendster, people were able to acquaint themselves to the possibility of meeting and keeping in touch with other people. But since then, Friendster has dwindled in terms of popularity and there is no denying that the primary reason for this is the fame that Facebook has gained over a short period of time. Both provide a valued facet of connectivity for their users but the features that Facebook has added is the reason for its current success in the internet. To be a member of both websites, the steps are quite simple. First, you will need to have a working email account where notifications depending on your specifications can be sent. One needs to go to their home page and follow the registration instructions. Here, you will be asked to provide particular details that range from name to affiliations to hobbies and interest. It is upon the user to fill in these factors accordingly. By signing in through the email and password that you have provided you are now on your way to getting connected. From here, it is up to you to start adding friends, applications, pictures, etc. It provides the option for personal taste and look of your very own profile page. Adding friends between the two is just one of the indications of the many differences between them. While both can search for friends by providing their email address or their names, it is quite obvious that it is easier to add friends in Facebook than in Friendster. In Facebook all you have to do is click on

Coney Island and Victorian Culture Essay Example for Free

Coney Island and Victorian Culture Essay Coney Island at the turn of the century was a bustling and growing place. People of all classes traveled from New York City as well as other parts of the world to take part in the famous amusements that helped to loosen the tight corsets of Victorian gentility. Inspired by the Columbian Exposition in 1893 George Tilyou began to build a park on Coney Island beginning with the Ferris Wheel similar to that featured at the exposition which was designed by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. By 1895 Tilyou opened Steeplechase Park and began to fill it with acts and side shows thus inspired by his travels a few years prior. While concentrating on the appeal to all walks of life Tilyou acquired A Ride to The Moon from Fredric Thompson and Elmer Dundy who built the ride specifically for the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. A short season later in 1902 Thompson and Dundy left Steeplechase to create Luna Park taking the amusement with them. Playing off the most popular sport on Coney Island, Tilyou obtained a mechanical horse race that took riders on a thirty second ride around a track complete with hills and sharp turns. Other attractions added to the park included the Human Roulette Wheel which threw riders in all directions and Earthquake Stairs which jostled climbers and challenged them to descend a shaking stair case. These attractions as well as the wild side shows caused people to throw off all conventionality and made them rub elbows with other classes while having unrestricted fun. While Steeplechase drew visitors to the peninsula it also increased in the popularity of swimming or bathing as it was referred to in Victorian speak. People on a hot New York day adventured to Steeple Chase and the beach by various means of transportation. Donning the latest in bathing fashions people enjoyed more unrestricted fun regardless of any class system in the water. Although Victorians looked down their noses at the amusements and public bathing, people still flocked to the beaches and splashed in the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Ruckus rides and the ability to socialize appealed to the younger generations looking to toss off the oppressive garbs of Victorian gentility and just have plain unrestrictive fun. In 1907 tragedy struck Steeplechase as fire ravaged the park leaving a smoking ruin. In the efforts to still turn a dollar Tilyou charged admission to the ruins of the once great park. During the rebuilding, Luna Park benefited from the loss and treated guests to a modern park with rides to thrill everyone. The â€Å"old-fashionedness† of Steeplechase was challenged as Luna Park, the most modern of it’s time dazzled park goers with electric lights and tall white towers bathed in bright bulbs. This enabled the park to operate at night. But still people remained loyal to the original amusement park they knew so well even though built anew from smoldering ruins. George Tilyou sadly passed away in 1914 after seeing his park through another fire in 1911 which claimed Dreamland. Luckily enough the winds shifted and spared his park from a second disaster. By 1914 the amusement park began to fall out of favor. The once well loved and most visited park suffered a loss in the visitors during the hot New York summers. Steeplechase continued to operate and help people socialize and essentially come out of the tight bonds of gentility by offering a carefree time with out restrictions. Then on New Year’s Eve 1964 the last light was turned off for the final time at the ill fated old fashioned park. Luna Park on the other hand was not as popular as the original park but provided new wonders for those curious and daring enough to seek it out. Created after the Beaux-Arts movement of the time Thompson an erratic architect began to design the park as a world where someone could be lost in fantasy. By opening day on May 16th 1903 Luna Park opened its doors to the wonderment of many people seeking out entertainment and new amusements to help them shed the conventionality of the structured Victorian world. Here we can clearly see where still Steeplechase was cherished like a child hugs a ragged teddy bear but the new adventure which was named Luna was embraced for its latest technologies that Steeplechase clearly was lacking. With over 1 million lights, long distance telephone service, telegraph and radio services Luna Park became a city with in a city. With Thompson and Dundy’s success in creating illusion rides for the park guests they still relied on others as well. When they left the employment of Tilyou after the 1902 season they brought their famed â€Å"Ride to the Moon† amusement with them. Counting on its fame from Steeplechase park and the illustrious past of being featured at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901 the creators hoped it would bring the crowds in. With more and more people seeking a day at the park and on the beach both parks helped make Coney Island known world wide and soon became a top tourist destination. At a time when high society still held restrictions of how men and women should act in public in high regards, more and more people used these parks as a way to shed the restrictions of society and seek titillating amusements and fill curiosities each other had that Victorian culture had suppressed over the years with rules and barriers against those who dared to go against the prim and proper societies. Technology in these times were changing and what better place to display these but at amusement parks and expositions. Younger Victorians embraced these changes and viewed them as a move toward the future. We can clearly see where walls were broken down between classes while all walks of life frolicked on the beaches of Coney Island, screamed on the same rides, and traveled faster than they ever had in their lives. Luna Park and Steeplechase side by side were wonderful examples of old an new. While people still embraced the old curious onlookers sought out attractions that displayed futuristic gadgets. By the creation of the final park Dreamland in 1904 tourism and the shedding of Victorian genteel ways were in full swing. Dreamland brought more pleasure seekers to the peninsula and more bathers to the sea shore. The park was built by William Reynolds who is best known for his crooked dealings with Tammany Hall. Dreamland became the park to rival the other 2 on the peninsula. It is said that the park would be anything unlike the modern world has seen. The main tower of Dreamland had a beacon that shined out to sea and confused many ships coming into port. The amusement park sparkled as guests promenaded through the many attractions and thrill rides. With Dreamland promising amusement in a more dignified way the creators tried to offer Culture to those who visited the park. Providing a grand ballroom and upscale restaurants from around the world Dreamland attempted to cater to the upper class leaving lower classes to attend the older less dignified parks. The developers still provided rides and attractions that rivaled the other parks and even stole ideas from them as well. Americans were fascinated by disasters. Fighting the Flames was a good example of this as New Yorkers were most familiar with tenements catching fire and many people dying. People could identify with this ride. As tenement style buildings covered in asbestos were set ablaze, firefighters came to the rescue of the tenants who jumped to their safety in huge nets below. With rides like Shoot the Chutes guests at Dreamland were still treated to rides that caused them to throw off all conventionalities. Dreamland with its intentions to preserve all that is roper and dignified still provided outrageous outlets that caused people to smile and scream like they never had before. Sideshows still prevailed like Bostock’s Circus and Captain Bonavita’s Lion Show. They treated guests to clowns, wild animals, and daring stunts which caused people to gasp and look on in awe. Dreamland gave people a look at the world in their own backyard. Rides like Touring the Alps which provided ride rs with a simulated ride through the Alps complete with blasts of cold air to the Japanese Tea Room which gave people a look at cultures foreign to their own. The achievements of creating an atmosphere of wonderment and awe like that of the previous expositions held in Chicago and Buffalo, Reynolds achieved ultimate success in helping people question their hum drum ways and rules that bound them tightly. On May 27 1911 the wonderment that was known as Dreamland came to an end when it burned to the ground. Complaints by the fire departments that fought the flames were low water pressure. It was said that Reynolds built the park so fast that he built over fire hydrants. The mistakes and rush to greed cost him his park only seven short years later. The fire although sparing because of the winds did not leave Thompson’s railway alone. Sadly but fortunately that was one of a few external victims of the fire caused by greed. Fred Thompson found General Manager Samuel Gumpertz staring blankly at the ruins. Reynolds decided not to rebuild the park and Gumpertz opened a freak show in a large tent. This was the beginning of the end of Coney Island, the most famous playground of the early 20th century. Luna Park and Steeplechase continued to operate through many changes of attractions. The 1920’s ushered in rides like The Wonder Wheel and The Cyclone. It is joked immigrants who came to this country saw The Wonder Wheel first before seeing the Statue of Liberty. Still The Wonder Wheel is a wonderful example of freedom through good times and laughter and the shedding of old ways to a new life. By the close of the season of 1946 Luna Park could no longer afford to keep its gates open to the dwindling visitors. That which was new and exciting became old and worn out. Steeplechase continued to operate and pride itself of being risen from the ashes still provided visitors with aging and familiar rides. By the opening of Astro Park in 1962 this began to spell the end of the turn of the century amusements. At the stroke of midnight New Years Eve 1964 the last light was turned out on the oldest amusement park of the time leaving behind a legacy of fun and a little known waltz written for the opening of Dreamland entitled â€Å"Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland†. By looking at the amusement parks of the early 20th century we can clearly see where proper Victorians were given the opportunity to shed the constrictions of a culture that forced them into a protected part of society. Here creators of parks provided a person all types of amusements and bathing which for proper Victorians swimming with people of the opposite sex was just scandalous. Many of the older generations still held fast to their convictions of manners and proper ways. In many ways Coney Island was a petrie dish for societies and cultures. Could they truly leave behind the tight corsets and stiff collars to have fun with all folks of all classes with out concern for class stratification due to wealth, power or even dress? The writer of this believes yes. This was a place where society began to leave behind their constrictions and just have plain fun. Therefore unmaking Victorian culture as it was known.

Benefits Of Pet Ownership Essay -- essays research papers fc

“I think I could turn and live with the animals. They are so placid and self-contained,'; writes American poet Walt Whitman (Schellenberg 1). Yes, pets have been part of human culture throughout history, and in American households, they are more common than children. It is reported that 58% of U.S. households have at least one pet, whereas only 35% have children (Whitaker; Witherell 76). Owners spend billions of dollars each year on pet food, accessories, and veterinary care, but apparently pets give back, too (Schellenberg 1). Medical studies show that pet companionship offers concrete health benefits (Simross 14). While only in the past few decades have scientists become interested in the benefits of pets on human health (Schellenberg 2), “as far back as Plato and Socrates, there were admonishments for people to spend time with animals. . .for their health'; (Simross 14).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  “Researchers into the impact of animals on our health points to a clear relationship between the presence of pets and significantly better physical and emotional well-being'; (Witherell 76). Pet owners reported fewer headaches, fewer bouts of indigestion, and less difficulty sleeping in one study (Avanzino). Also, interaction with animals is shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate, subtle changes with enormous health benefits (Whitaker; Schellenberg 2). For example, a large Australian study reported in 1992 indicated that pet owners are a...

Ethical review form

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are the objectives of the research project?The object of the research project is to study the implications on the implementation of the various requirements of Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) by the developing countries who are members of the World TradeOrganisation (WTO)2.   Does the research involve NHS patients, resources or staff? If so, it is likely that full ethical review must be obtained from the NHS process before the research can start. NO 3. Do you intend to collect primary data from human subjects or data that are identifiable with individuals? (This includes, for example, questionnaires and interviews.)NOIf you do not intend to collect such primary data then please go to question 14.  If you do intend to collect such primary data then please respond to ALL the questions 4 through 13. If you feel a question does not apply then please respond with n/a (for not applicable).4. What is the purpose of the primary da ta in the dissertation / research project? n/a 5. What is/are the survey population(s)? n/a 6. How big is the sample for each of the survey populations and how was this sample arrived at? n/a7. How will respondents be selected and recruited? n/a8. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for those taking part in the research? If an Information Sheet for participants is to be used, please attach it to this form. If not, please explain how you will be able to demonstrate that informed consent has been gained from participants.n/a 9. How will data be collected from each of the sample groups? n/a 10. How will data be stored and what will happen to the data at the end of the research? n/a11. How will confidentiality be assured for respondents? n/a 12. What steps are proposed to safeguard the anonymity of the respondents? n/a 13. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to respondents that may result from taking part in this research? If so, please specify and state what measures are proposed to deal with these risks. n/a 14. Will any data be obtained from a company or other organisation. YES / NO (please circle) For example, information provided by an employer or its employees. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for that organisation? How will confidentiality be assured for the organisation?No data will be obtained from a company or other organization. 15. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University that may result from conducting this research? If so, please specify and state what measures are proposed to manage these risks. No risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University will result from conducting this research. 16. Will the proposed research involve any of the following (please put a √ next to ‘yes’ or ‘no’; consult your supervisor if you are unsure): †¢ Vulnerable groups (e.g. children)?   NO †¢ Particularly sensitive topics?   NO †¢ Access to respondents via ‘gatekeepers’? NO †¢ Use of deception?   NO †¢ Access to confidential personal data?   NO †¢ Psychological stress, anxiety etc?   NO †¢ Intrusive interventions?   NO17. Are there any other ethical issues that may arise from the proposed research? NO

The Influence of Farming on the IS Economy

From the nations earliest days, farming has held a crucial place in the American economy and culture. Farmers play an important role in any society, of course, since they feed people. But farming has been particularly valued in the United States. Early in the nations life, farmers were seen as exemplifying economic virtues such as hard work, initiative, and self-sufficiency. Moreover, many Americans — particularly immigrants who may have never held any land and did not have ownership over their own labor or products — found that owning a farm was a ticket into the American economic system. Even people who moved out of farming often used land as a commodity that could easily be bought and sold, opening another avenue for profit. The American Farmers Role in the US Economy The American farmer has generally been quite successful at producing food. Indeed, sometimes his success has created his biggest problem: the agricultural sector has suffered periodic bouts of overproduction that have depressed prices. For long periods, the  government helped smooth out the worst of these episodes. But in recent years, such assistance has declined, reflecting governments desire to cut its own spending, as well as the farm sectors reduced political influence. American farmers owe their ability to produce large yields to a number of factors. For one thing, they work under extremely favorable natural conditions. The American Midwest has some of the richest soil in the world. Rainfall is modest to abundant over most areas of the country; rivers and underground water permit extensive irrigation where it is not. Large capital investments and increasing use of highly trained labor also have contributed to the success of American agriculture. It is not unusual to see todays farmers driving tractors with air-conditioned cabs hitched to very expensive, fast-moving plows, tillers, and harvesters. Biotechnology has led to the development of seeds that are disease- and drought-resistant. Fertilizers and pesticides are commonly used (too commonly, according to some environmentalists). Computers track farm operations, and even space technology is utilized to find the best places to plant and fertilize crops. Whats more, researchers periodically introduce new food products and new methods for raising them, such as artificial ponds to raise fish. Farmers have not repealed some of the fundamental laws of nature, however. They still must contend with forces beyond their control — most notably the weather. Despite its generally benign weather, North America also experiences frequent floods and droughts. Changes in the weather give agriculture its own economic cycles, often unrelated to the general economy. Government Assistance to Farmers Calls for government assistance come when factors work against the farmers success; at times, when different factors converge to push farms over the edge into failure, pleas for help are particularly intense. In the 1930s, for instance, overproduction, bad weather, and the Great Depression combined to present what seemed like insurmountable odds to many American farmers. The government responded with sweeping agricultural reforms — most notably, a system of price supports. This large-scale intervention, which was unprecedented, continued until the late 1990s, when Congress dismantled many of the support programs. By the late 1990s, the U.S. farm economy continued its own cycle of ups and downs, booming in 1996 and 1997, then entering another slump in the subsequent two years. But it was a different farm economy than had existed at the centurys start. --- This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.