Argument for a Current Political Issue Research Paper

Argument for a Current Political Issue - Research Paper Example The rate of unemployment, mortgages, housing, insurance, and manufacturing, among other sectors, are some of the key areas that affect the U.S economy. The European colonization between the 16th and the 18th centuries was the root of the U.S history. In 1776, 13 small farming economies integrated themselves to form one, and they formed the United States economy (Lattimer, p7). The growth of the U.S economy was accredited to high productivity, a legal system which was supportive and the availability of a market which was large and unified. The United States economy is the world’s largest national economy. The $2 trillion difference between its GDP and that of the EU makes it the world’s second largest overall economy.The high levels of capital investment and research, the overall GDP growth rate and the moderate rate of unemployment make the U.S economy to be a mixed economy (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p25). As of 2011, the GDP of the United State s was estimated to be about $15 trillion dollars with a per capita GDP of $48,328. The per capita income of the U.S is the sixth highest in the world and this makes it to be one of the world’s wealthiest nations. ... S is extremely active. In terms of market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange is the largest in the world (DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette, & Smith, 48). The economy of the U.S is controversial because any alterations to it will result to a ripple effect in the whole country. The economy determines the investment, the health care, the education system, the security of the country, and every other sector. The economy is the back bone of the country and this is the main reason why it is a political issue that causes controversy and much debate especially during election times as witnessed recently in the presidential elections. There are two parties that are involved in the political tussle of the economy. These two parties are umbrellas of the interest groups and the key politicians involved; the Democrats and the Republicans. Below is an outline of the stand that both the Democrats and Republicans have taken on the economy. The Democrat Stand On the issue of minimum wage, the democr ats support a higher minimum wage with increases on a more regular basis. The six state ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage were all passed by democrats in congress in 2006, a move that shows their support of higher minimum wages (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p22). Education is also a pertinent issue of the economy. In this case, college education is the central issue. Democrats have a long term goal of providing low-cost college education that has been subsidized by the public for the purpose of lowering tuition fees. This can be achieved by increasing the state funding for student financial aid. The democrats have divergent opinions on the issue of trade agreements. The liberal part of the democrats supports globalization while

Architecture of Bramante Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Architecture of Bramante - Term Paper Example Peter by Pope Julius Caesar. Bramante meticulously designed and centralized the basically around a large cupola. Before Bramante, earlier Gothic and Antic architectural work had completely missed the finer points in gracing buildings. For example, most 15th century artists had completely ignored inclusion of a charming and graceful outlook suggested by buildings, as revealed in living subjects (Anonymous, 1996). Importantly, it was Bramante who revolutionalised the earlier dull renaissance by incorporating aspects of human anatomy, and making architectural work charming and with finer details to reveal more to the eye, a concept which had all along being ignored. Bramante ideologies largely emanated from his love for nature, from which he was ready to study and had a good understanding of antique styles collaborated by his enlightened patronage (Onioans, 1984). The awakening in classical ideas dates back to between 1400 and 1600 when Renaissance period marked changes in architectural work throughout Europe. The main features of renaissance were symmetrical arrangement of doors and windows, triangular shaped pediments, extensive use of pilasters and classical columns, square lintels, niches, and sculptures, arches, and domes (Onioans, 1984). These designs looked monotonous and evoked no human feelings to Bramante; who was earlier inspired by both human anatomy and nature. To modify the above artistic styles in evoking feelings, Bramante began his new career at the Church of S. Maria Presso, a small nineteenth century church; the church had no chancel; a street outside had limited the span of a t-shape as most churches were designed (Pile, 2005 ). Using his knowledge in optical perspectives, Bramante initiated a new artistic work in Renaissance. The main contribution in this was to make the end wall of the church into an illuminating deep space using a painted vas relief where when viewed from the nave direction looks as a barrel – vaulted chancel which ap pears to complete the cruciform plan (Pile, 2005). Another breakthrough that was remarkable in high Renaissance was the monastery of S. Peitro in Montario, Rome. Bramante having proved his amazing designs was awarded the task of reconstructing the cloister to include a small chapel. In this, Bramante plan included a circular sphere surrounded by a ring of columns that matched the order that wrapped the round chapel with sixteen columns portico supporting an entablature (Pile, 2005). It was such interesting designs that Bramante was requested by the Pope to redesign and plan St Peter’s Basilica, which was earlier designed by Michelangelo. The architecture in this case put more emphasis on the harmony of proportions, making all volumes simple through a cylindrical structure, with the circular plan symbolizing Devine perfection (Kleiner, 2009). The church therefore illuminated both the antique styles, while at the same time representing the Christian memorial. These were the hum anistic feelings that Bramante in all his architectural work invented a new dimension in High Renaissance. Bramante in St Peter’s Basilica came up with a complex plan which had to include a domed crossing, four radiating arms which formed the Greek cross, and several smaller domed chapels at the resulting corners. Though the basilica has over the time undergone major changes, his designs and plans were maintained except the cross which

Different Payment Methods In The Hotel Industry Finance Essay

Different Payment Methods In The Hotel Industry Finance Essay The forms of payment accepted in hotels have changed over the years. Most hotels still accept a variety of methods of payment mainly so as to provide a service to their clients and to generate additional earnings through exchange. A large number of independent travellers now use some form of credit or charge card. Hotels are now very familiar with a wide range of cards, often with dual ownership (e.g. the HCIMA have their own version of Barclaycard). There will always be a number of other transactions within the hotel regardless of the method of payment. These transactions will often be paid through a number of other methods. Upon departure, guests can settle their account in one of a number of different ways: †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Cash †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Foreign currency †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Cheque †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Travellers cheque †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Foreign cheque †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Debit card †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Credit card †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Charge card †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ledger payment †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Voucher (e.g. travel agent, A TO). In dealing with each of these methods of payment, the hotelier must assess the impact of three major factors: liquidity, security and worth. Liquidity It is advantageous to the hotel if the account is paid in cash, as the hotel can immediately use the money to purchase goods itself, or bank the money and earn interest on it. Payment by ledger, however, will take much longer perhaps as much as two or three months may pass before the money can be re-used in the business. 2. Security The two sides to security are as follows: †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   The likelihood of forgery or fraud by each of the payment methods. †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The subsequent risk of theft once the hotel has the money. Payment by cheque is a greater security risk than accepting cash in Payment of the account. It would be difficult to trace stolen Currency if the hotel was robbed and cheques would unlikely is taken as they wont be of any value to a thief. Worth The total amount of money the hotel receives in payment will not be the same in every case. Handling charges, commission and delays in payment will cost the hotel money. But because of The extra commission, accepting payment in foreign currency will usually mean that when guests use this method of payment, the hotel gains an extra profit. Table 9.1 shows that the profitability of the hotel may be affected by the variety of payment methods used by the guests Method of Payment Security Liquidity Worth Cash The risk of loosing cash through theft is high, but the risk of forgery is low. Immediate 100 % Foreign currency The risk of loosing foreign currency through theft is high, but the risk of forgery is low. 1 Day 102 % Cheque Cheques carry a high risk of fraud e.g. non-payment. If security checks are carried out, risk of theft is low. 3 Days 98 % Travellers cheque Safe method of payment if control checks are carried out properly. Low risk of forgery. 4 Days 98 % Debit Card Safe method of payment if control checks are carried out properly. Low risk of forgery. 3 Days 99 % Credit card Safe method of payment if control checks are carried out properly. Low risk of forgery 3 Days 96 % Charge card Safe method of payment if control checks are carried out properly. Low risk of forgery 3 Days 96 % Ledger payment If creditworthiness is established before hand, it is a safe method of payment, however there is always a risk of non-payment of accounts 30 Days 98 % Voucher (e.g. travel agent, A TO) If creditworthiness is established before hand, it is a safe method of payment, however there is always a risk of non-payment of accounts 60 Days 89 % Table 9.1 Security, Liquidity and Worth of the various methods of payment Cheques Payment by cheque use to be one of the most common methods of payment. It reflected the decline of payment method in cash in recent years. Cheque guarantee cards guarantee the payment of the cheque to an agreed amount (usually  £50 or  £100). But there are a few simple rules that needto be followed. The guarantee provided by cheques guarantee cards are: †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Only one cheque is used per transaction †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  It is signed in the presence of the cashier †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The bank code on the cheque and the guarantee card agree †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The card number is written on the reverse side of the cheque †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The card has not expired. A bank does not guarantee to honor a transaction where an account of is paid by issuing two cheques of  £50. The transaction is changed to a cash one by putting the card number on the back of the cheque. The customer will then not be able to stop the cheque later. It is crucial that the cashier watches the customer sign the cheque and then compares to the signatures carefully as to establish their similarity. Listed below are factors that need to be look into when handling cheques guarantee cards. 1. Code Number The bank sorting code number must agree with the code of the issuing cheque. 2. Card Number The card number is written on the reverse of the cheque by the accepting cashier. It does not correspond to any other number on the cheque. Expiry Date The card will not be valid if it is out of date. Signature The signature must be checked against the signature written on the back of the cheque. The card should be examined to make sure that the signature panel has not been tampered with. Crossed cheques are now mostly issued and therefore have to be paid into a bank account. With the signature of the payee at the back, it can be reassigned to a third party. In the case where a third party cheque is returned, the hotel has to contact the original drawer of the cheque to obtain settlement. It is for this reason that hotels do not accept third party cheques. Date When accepting a cheque, the cashier should check a number of points, one of the most important being the date. A cheque that has a date in the future on it (a post-dated cheque) will not become valid until that date. A cheque more than six months old (stale) is no longer valid. Crossing Cheques The two most important rules about crossing cheques are as follows: †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  A/c payee: this means that the cheque can only be paid into the account of the person nominated. It cannot be assigned to a third party. This is useful for cheques sent by post. †¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Not to exceed xxx: this is crossing establishes a maximum Value to the cheque and guards against fraud by making it more difficult to change the amount payable. Travelers Cheque Travelers cheques (Fig 9.4) are issued in fixed denominations by major banks, travel agents and now building societies throughout the world. The customer will need to purchase them (before leaving home) using their own currency, or in the currency of the country being visited. These cheques need to be signed when purchased. The serial numbers are then noted by the issuing bank cashier. A service charge of 1% is normally paid to the bank by the customer. It covers insurance against loss or theft. The issuing company will repay the customer within 24 hours should the travellers cheques be stolen. It is for this reason that travellers cheques are found to be much more secure than currency. It is essential that the cashier should watch the guest sign and date the cheque when accepting these cheques. Should there be any doubt or irregularities about the signature, the customer can be asked to sign on the reverse of the cheque. Proof of identity can also be verified by asking the guest to produce their passport before accepting the travellers cheque. Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Charge Cards Debit Cards The common alternative to cheques nowadays is debit cards such as Switch and Delta. The way that it works is similar to that of cheque whereby the outstanding sum is taken directly from the clients account. But the transfer is through an electronic point-of sale and no cheque is necessary. The cashier and the payer will receive a slip notifying them of the details of the payment. This is usually the same card that is used to guarantee a cheque or withdraw money from a cash point. Bank Credit Cards Visa and Access are the two major bank credit cards in the UK. These cards are usually issued for free and customers need not to pay for any annual subscription. The customer uses the card to purchase goods and services by signing a sales voucher for the total amount of the account. The card company will send a statement to the customer with information of all the transactions of the month before. The customer has the choice to pay the total owing or only a proportion of it. The rest of it may be paid over a period of time. As the cards constitute a form of credit, the minimum payment is fixed by the government. The customer will receive a personal credit limit which must not be exceeded in any one month. Visa is an internationally recognized name, and while most countries use an additional name (e.g. Barclaycard in the UK; Carte Bleu in France), all cards carry the name Visa and bear the distinctive blue, white and gold stripe logo (Fig. 9.5).

Automobile Racing :: essays research papers

Automobile Racing International competitiveness, testing the capabilities of specially designed automobiles and the skill of their drivers, over tracks and courses of differing lengths and construction, this is automobile racing. The first car race considered is the one held in France in July 1894, in which the winner averaged 24 kilometers per hour, when 100 automobiles set out from Paris to Rouen. The first race in North America was held in Chicago, Illinois, in the year 1895. The excitement generated by the possibility of driving at higher and higher speeds has made automobile racing one of the world's major spectator and participant sports. Early races were held in two forms; pure speed races and the others tested engine reliability, which later became known as rallies. In rallies, cars attempt to achieve and maintain a set speed between points. The first races were held on public roads, but with increasing concern for spectator safety, special closed-circuit tracks were built for rally racing. The most common racing track is a paved oval with banked corners, from 200 m to 4000 m in length. The difference between road and track racing ultimately led also to different vehicle construction; four major types of racing cars are now built. Pure racing machines, such as those used in Grand PrixFormula 1 and in Indycar, are built for power and endurance at speeds of more than 320 km/h (200 MPH). In the past stock cars used to be production automobiles modified for track racing, but are built now solely for the purpose of racing. Sports cars used for racing, such as rallies, may be either rebuilt production vehicles or pure racing machines. Drag racers are cars built to accelerate rapidly to high speeds over very short straight tracks, or drag strips, generally about 400 m (3 mi) long. The race most popularly associated with the sport is the Indianapolis 500, so called because contestants must cover 500 mi (about 805 km); it has been held annually on Memorial Day weekend since 1911. With crowds averaging 400,000, it is the best-attended single-day sports event in the world. This year the Indy 500 will not involve most teams from IndycarCART, Championship Auto Racing Teams, the regulatory body which is now being opposed by the IRL, Indycar Racing League, whose owner also owns the Indy 500 track. The elite Grand Prix races are held at various international sites, such as SÃ £o Paulo, Brazil, and Johannesburg, South Africa, and through the streets of Monte Carlo, Monaco. Points scored by winners of these races are totaled to establish the world champion driver.

Indentured Servitude in Virginia Essay

In some European countries including England some of the poor and many laborers were brought to the English colonies by way of ships to work on the farms within these colonies. Because of such an immense amounts of Tobacco crops being planted on these farms, a great deal of blood and sweat was needed for the cultivation of these crops. These poor workers were enticed by the idea of a new and better life in America. By the hiring of Indentured servants, the planters would have a greater chance of gaining economic success. Once the indenture (contract) was up the servants would also possibly receive â€Å"freedom dues† which appeared to be a ‘win, win’ on both sides. Unfortunately, this was seldom the case. The year is 1623 and Richard Frethorne has written a letter about his life as an indentured servant just three months after arriving to the colony. As we can see from the author’s narrative, Virginia of 1623 was a different place from England. It was the first permanent English settlement in the new world (Jamestown). This land of marsh like consistency and vast forests contained some hostile Native Americans, (pirates, and rogues who could and did attack at any time). Subsequently these Indians resisted slavery; they protected their homeland and way of life. The tone of the author is one of humility and despair. Being from England he has never imagined the lifestyle of the indentured servant, which is literally a life just a step above a slave. The difference being that a slave was considered personal property as was an indentured servant however, an indentured servant was only a servant for a specified time and a slave was slave for life. Mr. Frethorne has been brought to the point of begging and at the same time he is trying to inform his parents of the life he is  living which is simply the lowest form of existence. He describes death and disease like scurvy and dysentery all around him. There is such an ache in his belly (hunger), he misses England terribly, he’s feeling isolated, his fellow shipmates are dying at such an alarming rate and these are only some of the things Mr. Frethorne is fighting against. His reasons for leaving home and becoming and indentured servant are not explained but, it is clear that he did not mak e the best life choice. Without capital Mr. Frethorne found himself in a predicament he could not get out of without help. Richard Frethorne is disillusioned, sad and confused. Even knowing the reason for his current state, Richard longs for a better life or at least to have enough to eat for now. He explains to his parents trying to get them to understand what he is experiencing he states â€Å"You would be grieved if you did know as much as I do†. His diet is extremely poor, only consisting of water gruel (which he later calls it loblollie) and a mouthful of bread and beef. He writes that his meal in England for one day is more than what he eats in a week as a servant. His situation is precarious and back breaking work along with almost total famine have resulted in weakness of body and spirit. Mr. Frethorne describes the fear he has of the Indians coming again & again for they have already fought with them and made slaves of two of them. The daily fear Richard Frethorne exhibits is palpable as he tries to communicate this as best he can to his parents while trying to give them a complete view of his life. The plantation is very weak and the numbers of the original group are quickly dwindling because of such hellacious living conditions. He states â€Å"there are only 32 to fight against 3000, if they (rogues) should come† and the closest help is at least 10 miles away. He also states the last time they came, 80 people were killed. This would scare the begeezus out of anyone, so his belief that GOD can protect and save everyone, gives him some solace. Coming from a family that was not at all wealthy but were at least more comfortable, he begs for help in the form of food. There is nothing to comfort Mr. Frethorne and he sees no future improvement. He also informs his parents of the people he calls his friends, the Jacksons. He calls them â€Å"godly folks† who have loved him and protected  during various times, especially when the servants would come to Jamestown. He is quite descriptive of the daily routine, no matter the weather while in Jamestown and if not for Goodman Jackson, his situation would surely be worse off than it is. With no money to purchase his needs they have stepped into help. Having no clothing except for 2 rags that are used for shirts, one poor suit (that he claims is well guarded to keep it from being stolen), a pair of shoes, socks and two bands (collars) Richard Frethorne writes to his father saying, â€Å"if you love me you will redeem me suddenly , for which I entreat and beg†. He is truly in dire need. (Frethorne) (ushistory.org/us/5b.asp Indentured Servants)Richard Frethorne closes his letter by asking his parents anything they can send will be greatly appreciated as he informs them of what can be sent and what is best. He lets his father know what will happen in case of his death and ask to not forget him, â€Å"but have mercy and pity my miserable case†. He sends his love and regard to his family as well as, the Jacksons.

Which the Language Used Shows the Closeness

Discuss the ways in which the language used shows the closeness of the relationships between participants. In this essay, I am going to explore how the language used shows the closeness of the relationships between the participants, and how their friendship is shown. In the friendship context, speech is more relaxed and casual and there is more use of dialect and colloquialisms than if it were a formal situation.There is also the use of words and phrases which could only be understood in this context, like idiolect and words that a particular age group use. In a formal situation there wouldn’t be as much interruption or slang words, as it wouldn’t be appropriate. In the transcript, there is a lot of interruption which shows they know each other quite well and wouldn’t get offended by it. This is shown when speaker A says â€Å"on //Saturday//† and speaker B overlaps by saying â€Å"//The Aviator//†, which shows they are both on the same wavelength a nd speaking quite quickly.Also the fact that they continue talking when another speaker interrupts like when speaker A continues after speaker C interrupts her shows they are both comfortable with each other and aren’t worried about being innapropriate as they are good friends. Additionally, the way they share their personal thoughts and crushes shows they are comfortable with each other and know each other well enough that it is appropriate. By saying that â€Å"he’s a real hottie† and â€Å"I wouldn’t turn down Clive Owen either†, they are showing how they aren’t afraid to say this to each other as they both share mutual feelings, which portrays that they are friends.Also the use of idiolect is present in the transcript when speaker A says â€Å"dead interesting†, with the word dead meaning really instead of having died. This is the way the individual talks so they would use this with friends, rather than in a more formal situation where Standard English would be expected to be used. When speaker A does an impression when saying â€Å"shu shu†, it shows she isn’t afraid of embarrassing herself as her friends would find it funny rather than weird. This shows they are friends because nobody would do this except with people they know and have fun with.

Aldrin essays

Aldrin essays A pollutant is a very harmful substance. For example chemicals or waste products that contaminate the air, soil, or water. The pollutant of my choice is Aldrin. Its a pure white powder with a mild chemical odor. The less pure commercial powders have a tan colour. Aldrin is used as a pesticide for crops in field such as corn and cotton. The Aldrin pollutes the land by binding tightly to soil ad slowly evaporates into the air. The Aldrin also seeps into the water and pollutes it and gets into the systems of the underwater creatures. Aldrin turns to Dieldrin. Therefore Dieldrin is everywhere in the environment but in small amounts because it was banned. It contaminates water and soil and animals such as fish seafood, dairy products, fatty meats The accidental or intentional ingestion of high levels of Aldrin affect the central nervous system. It causes convulsions. The build up of Aldrin in body may cause death. There are tests available that measure the amount of Dieldrin in blood, fat, breast milk s most often used. The amount of Dieldrin in the body indicates how much Dieldrin you have been exposed to, but not when, since Dieldrin stays in the body a long time. Tests are not routinely performed at the doctors office. Some studies predict that levels above 0.2 milligrams of Dieldrin in a liter of blood may result in harmful affects such as convulsions or uncontrollable muscle movements. Aldrin is an extremely hazardous pollutant that not only affects the world around us but us as well and for all the above stated reasons Aldrin, one of the Dirty Dozen, has been banner and rightfully so. ...