Peter Calabrese Essays - Business Cycle, Financial Crises

Peter Calabrese Economics 101 Dr. Maglione March 22, 2000 How has your life changed since 1991? Have you noticed: an increase of material goods around your house, a new car in your driveway, or a little bit bigger gut due to eating more prime rib and filet mignon. If you have answered yes to any of these questions you are among the millions that have benefited from the economic boom. The economic boom refers to the period of economic expansion that started in March of 1991 and is still happening to this day. The following report will analyze various aspects of the economic boom including: what contributed to the boom and the areas of the economy which are positively and negatively affected. It will also review how long it is projected to last and possibilities that could send our economy into a recession or even depression. "The Economic Boom" as previously stated refers to the period of economic expansion that started in March of 1991 and has been proceeding for the past 108 months. These 108 months have been the longest period of economic growth ever in American history. The stock market is growing faster than it ever has before. Unemployment is at an all time low and what's even more impressive is that inflation is staying down. As of February 2000 over 100,000 people were earning over a million dollars a year. It seems as though everything is contributing to the "Boom". Suddenly there is an increase in entrepreneurs, these entrepreneurs create jobs for people. The stock market is reaching record heights and with unemployment at a low people have money to invest in companies. Stocks now account for 54% if household financial assets. 40 million investors have entered the market since the Boom began. The end of the cold war is another of the more important events leading to the ?Boom." With the collapse of the Soviet Union, America has been able to reduce its emphasis from national security to economic growth. Now instead of making wartime supplies with increased tax revenue the government can set it sites on balancing the budget. To further increase American production and sales European and Asian countries began dropping trade barriers. Finally and perhaps of most importance is the new technology. Technology is paving the way toward the future. Everything from online stock trading to car companies such as Ford ordering supplies. Online buying or e-commerce has cut cost and the time that it takes to ship a product. Free markets incorporated states that purchasers are saving anywhere from 2% to 5% by letting suppliers bid for business online Gartner group estimates that technology investments will rise from 3.5% of revenue which it is now to an average of 5.8%. The internet also allows instant analysis of goods farmers can find where they will get the highest prices for their crops, and after these crops have been delivered they can log onto the net to see how their product compares to others of the same type. Finally the net is also used to collect information from customers. This information can then be used to design a more desirable superior product. For the most part the main part of the economy that is positively affected by the "Boom" is technology and anyone that has anything to do with technology. From technology stocks to business that process orders online technology is making the market turn. However certain parts of the economy seem to be going belly up. Low price imports from developing countries are wiping out thousands of American jobs in the steel and textile industries. As a matter of fact even in this time of economic wealth 44 million Americans are still without health insurance. Finally the gap between poor and rich is enormous, The bottom fifth of US households receives less than 4% of the national income with the top fifth is responsible of obtaining more than half of the income. How long will the "Boom" last? No one can really tell for sure, but predictions can be made as to why it will either bust or continue. In a recent interview with President Clinton he states the reasons that he believes the boom will last. First the president states that the hard times

A Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield Essay Example

A Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield Essay Example A Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield Paper A Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield Paper PATIENT NAME: caulfield, Holden ANALYSIS: The admission of this patient has proven to be yet another impulsive action made by desperate parents. This patient, although exhibiting many symptoms of depression and grief caused by the death of a loved one, is not showing any signs of serious mental illness or instability. He is obviously an independent individual, rebellious as well. He is not hesitant to make known his opinions and thoughts. He seems to be a very cynical individual, most likely resulting from previous events that ave occurred in his life. Though he doesnt mention it much, he seems to be deeply affected by the death of his brother Allie Caulfield. He seems to miss him greatly, which could be the cause of the contemptuous attitude shown in his behavior. In addition, he witnessed the suicide of a fellow classmate a few years ago. Although they were not close, this is still a very traumatic event and can deeply influence ones life, especially when witnessed at a young age. The patient does not seem to be at all motivated by anything except for his family. He especially seems unmotivated about school. This may be the result of seeing the death of a classmate caused by torment at school. Seeing an extreme negative result of school may have caused a similarly negative attitude toward it. Caulfield doesnt speak much about any friends that he has, though he mentions some of his old roommates and classmates from previous school years occasionally. While Caulfield exhibits behavior that may be interpreted as depression by many concerned parents, it is nothing more than the typical effect of teenage hormones. The patient may seem like he has some sort of mental instability, but this impulsive and reactive behavior is simply a product of pubescent hormones mixed with his natural rebellious actions and attitude. What I would suggest to the patient is to take time to think about the impact his actions will make on his future, both near and distant. He should take time to think about this before making any sort of serious decision. Something Caulfield needs to improve is his social performance. He does not seem to have many friends and this ay be what he needs to help him through his grief process. I would not prescribe any type of medication to the patient, for I do not feel it is necessary. As for the patients parents, I would suggest spending more family time with him, maybe having more activities together. Even if they are only once a week, it is clear that the patient enjoys spending time with his family. I would not recommend enrolling the patient in a boarding school, for that would only further separate him from what he needs right now. A Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield By schnazzleberry

Causes of Financial Globalisation and Its Consequences on Developing Essay

Causes of Financial Globalisation and Its Consequences on Developing Countries - Essay Example According to Sergio (2004), in the last one hundred years, only a few countries and sectors participated in financial globalization by which capital flows tended to follow migration and was generally directed toward supporting trade flows. Capital flows took the form of bonds, and the flows were of a long-term nature. International investment was dominated by a small number of freestanding companies, and financial intermediation was concentrated in a few family groups. The international system was dominated by the gold standard, in which gold was used to backed national currencies. The turn around things came at the heals of the effects of the first world war and the great depression that saw governments reversed their position on financial globalization, and were now imposing capital controls in order to regain monetary policy autonomy with the 1950s and 1960s witnessing the lowest capital flows. This all happened because the Bretton Woods had dominated the international system and used a system of fixed but adjustable exchange rates, limited capital mobility, and autonomous monetary policies that seriously affected the developing counties. But the developing countries saw the light of day when the 1973 oil crisis shock the international community and at that time, the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates break down giving the leeway for international banks with fresh funds to invest in developing countries mainly in the areas of financing public debt in the form of syndicated loans. Developing countries at that time were able to open up new avenues for capital mobility while at the same time maintaining their autonomous monetary systems.

Hollywood in the 1970s choose one question to answer from below Essay - 1

Hollywood in the 1970s choose one question to answer from below - Essay Example An era perceived as post-classical Hollywood came into being after retrenchment and recuperation took place (Hillier, 1993). This introduced new stylistic methods aimed at focusing on issues of women and society, marked by industrial restructuring, new cinema presentation modes, as well as aesthetic transformations (Kolker, 1980,2000 ). Hollywood movies exhibited the issues of feminism early in the 1970s informing the public by using movies like Women’s Liberation, Vietnam War as well as Movement of Civil Rights and many others. The 1970s era saw a great increase in movies dealing with feminist related themes, creating awareness and a new level of women roles in the film industry (Kolker, 1980,2000 ). Women taking lead roles in films became prominent, showing how women had recognized their importance and wanted to eliminate the gaps and difference created in society between them and men particularly noted as portrayed in many movies of Hollywood. (Williams, 2006). The movies as well tried to eradicate the traditional notion that females acted on films only purposely to fulfil men’s sexual desires. (Hillier, 1993). This act of portraying females is seen being particularly more pronounced in so many popular movies of Hollywood. (Corrigan, 1991) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) both depict the current changing position of women in Hollywood. Bonnie and Clyde puts a strong emphasis on women, in an era dominated by men. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, reflects on Alice playing multiple roles in an attempt to gain independence from male characters as well as accomplish self-realization. Emphasizing the common treatment of women and men were considered products of the new feminism wave launched in Hollywood, (Wood, 1986) making both movies to win awards. Bonnie and Clyde puts a focus on an era when feminist issues like sexuality became more pronounced in

Comparison of the Early Civilizations Essay Example for Free

Comparison of the Early Civilizations Essay Paleolithic and Neolithic communities differed from each other in many ways, including their use of tools, their hunting of animals and gathering of food. First of all, the Paleolithic people were the most rudimentary in their use of tools. They did not manipulate them in any way. A rock was just used as it was for pounding or cutting a surface. In addition, the Paleolithic people were nomadic; they traveled around hunting and gathering food. When the supply was exhausted in one place, they moved on to the next in small groups of about twenty or thirty people (Spielvogel, 2003). For this reason, the Paleolithic people were not able to form stable communities. Their family and extended family made up their group, which could eventually die out if the conditions grew too harsh. Especially problematic was the Ice Age. Consequently, the Paleolithic people were very adaptable. They learned how to make fire, shelter and crude tools to hunt. They survived in this way until the end of the Ice Age in 8000 B. C. where cave drawings have survived them to reveal their existence to modern man (Spielvogel, 2003). Unfortunately, population issues forced the Paleolithic man into a new way of life. Hunting and gathering societies required huge areas of land, so as the population grew, so did the demand for land. In fact, Krieger (1994) estimates that for every 25 people the community needed at least 250 acres of land to sustain them. At the time, the population was about 10,000,000 people. Clearly a change was needed. However, the Neolithic people were named so because of the changes made in the style of living. The Neolithic people moved from crude tools to more sophisticated ones. They were able to take that rock from the Paleolithic era and manipulate it so that it formed a sharp edge, making that more of a tool for cutting. Later, toward the end of the era, the people discovered ways to melt certain rocks to form metals. In this way the Neolithic society developed more sophisticated knives, axes and hammers (Spielvogel, 2003). The Neolithic people changed from hunting animals to raising animals for food and from gathering food to growing food. They became agricultural and thus were able to stay in the same place for a long time. This permanence allowed the Neolithic people to form communities and villages. As a result, they could develop products of their own and trade with neighboring communities. Art existed in the Neolithic as well, with some artisans even trading jewelry to other communities. As society progressed, the Neolithic age gave way to the Bronze age about 3000 B. C (Spielvogel, 2003). The civilizations that grew in the river valleys of the Nile and of the Tigris and Euphrates bore some resemblance to the earlier periods of man, but they also are characterized by some marked differences. For example, geography played a role in these developments. First of all, the people were less nomadic than the Paleolithic people. They wanted to stay in the fertile areas mentioned above and to take advantage of its soil. However, because the rivers would sometimes flood, they were forced to develop methods of water control and irrigation in order to remain there (Spielvogel, 2003). The first known society was that of the Sumerians in the Tigris and Euphrates river valley, otherwise known as Mesopotamia. They, like the earlier peoples, learned to build shelters, not with wood or stone, which the Paleolithic and Neolithic people used, but with the limited resources they had, namely mud and clay ((Krieger et al, 1994). Using these bricks, they erected buildings and even walls around their cities. They became the leaders of the countryside, forming political city-states. The dominant form of rule here was a theocracy. The Sumerians built temples and believed that gods ruled the cities and divinely chose the kings to do their biddings. Some people were thus noble, and other people were made slaves. However, the economy was similar to that of the Neolithic people in that it was based on agriculture and trade (Spielvogel, 2003). The Sumerians developed a form of writing called cuneiform, which is a form of picture writing. However, few people learned to write (Krieger et al, 1994). Unfortunately, other communities in the area noticed the power of the Sumerians and wanted what they had. The areas was not very well protected by any natural land forms or waterways, so attacking each other was easy and constant (Krieger, et al, 1994). Thus, war was perpetuated in the world of early man. The Mesopotamian area was in a period of empire building and warring states for over thousands of years. The Nile river valley also provided the same geographic necessities as the Tigris and Euphrates did for the Sumerians. Where the Nile divides (called the Delta) is a very similar geographically as the people’s to the north. The flooding of the river provided very fertile lands, thus encouraging agricultural communities. The Nile was the main mode of transportation, so trade was relatively easy for these people. Unlike the people of the Mesopotamian communities, the Egyptians were secluded by deserts, the Nile, and the Red and Mediterranean Seas. Their lifestyle was not marred or changed by continual warfare. Like the people of the Mesopotamia, religion was also very important. Again, the rulers were determined by divine prophecy, creating dynasties of ruling families. One of the most memorable and interesting aspects of Egyptian religions is the use of pyramids and grave goods for burial. The architecture of these pyramids was so sound that many of them still stand today (Spielvogel, 2003). Art was also popular among the Egyptians as it was among the Sumerians and even earlier people. From the Egyptians, come many modern standards of living. Craftsmen used wood and metals to create sculptures, furniture and drawings. The Egyptians also developed a system of writing and began the basis of an educational system, especially writing and mathematics. These people are credited with inventing the calendar and the process of embalming the dead (Krieger, et al, 1994) The lives of the early civilizations were undoubtedly difficult. Our modern society owes a debt to these people for beginning the seeds of society that has become now a convenient and fulfilling way of life. References Krieger, et al. (1994). World History: Perspectives on the Past. Massachusetts: Heath. Ohio: McGraw Hill. pp. 16-37 Spielvogel, Ph. D. , Jackson. (2003). World History. Ohio: McGraw Hill. pp. 19-53

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

Affirmative Action in the words of Louis Fairykhan (humor) Affirmative Action is Necessary for Minorities to be Competitive in the Workplace The audience that I intend to attract are those that are minorities and agree with the idea of affirmative action. The persona that I chose is that of Louis Farrakhan, the leader of The Nation of Islam. I imagine that this is a speech to thousands of African-Americans that agree with Mr. Farrakhan. I appeal to tha emotions of my intended audience because I feel it is a strong tool in writing a good paper. I am notan authority on affirmative action but I feel that I know enough about it to present a good case on the subject. Good day my beautiful brothers and sisters. I'm sure you all know me by now because of my extensive involvement with the African-American movement. I, Louis Farrakhan, your delicious leader in this march towards equal rights and equality, feel that among our many obstacles in "White America" the most important is Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action is definitely a necessity in our long drive towards freedom. It certainly seems that we as a minority have come a long way since the days of slavery. Unfortunately, we are not yet considered the equal by our Vanilla brothers and sisters. It has been a long and treacherous journey, my savory brothers and sisters, but I feel that we can do more as a community if we can work side by side with the "crackers." It is not the white man's or the Jew's problem that we are not treated equally, it is ours. I was reading a well-known African-American newspaper the other day and I came across something that I felt was interesting. Our strong black brother, Ron Brown of the NAACP stated, "We're not ready to be color-blind because racial discrimination continues to afflict our society. Affirmative action continues to be needed not to redress grievances of the past, but the current discrimination that continues to exist"(Khalenberg). Can I hear an Amen? Was that not pinning the tail right on the hide of the milky-white donkey? We definitely have a strong black brother that knows his stuff and does his thing for our lovely, delicious community. Mr. Brown is obviously an intellectual and brilliant man because he has the last name Brown, which is a good reference to our beautiful chocolate colored skin. Affirmative Action :: essays research papers Affirmative Action in the words of Louis Fairykhan (humor) Affirmative Action is Necessary for Minorities to be Competitive in the Workplace The audience that I intend to attract are those that are minorities and agree with the idea of affirmative action. The persona that I chose is that of Louis Farrakhan, the leader of The Nation of Islam. I imagine that this is a speech to thousands of African-Americans that agree with Mr. Farrakhan. I appeal to tha emotions of my intended audience because I feel it is a strong tool in writing a good paper. I am notan authority on affirmative action but I feel that I know enough about it to present a good case on the subject. Good day my beautiful brothers and sisters. I'm sure you all know me by now because of my extensive involvement with the African-American movement. I, Louis Farrakhan, your delicious leader in this march towards equal rights and equality, feel that among our many obstacles in "White America" the most important is Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action is definitely a necessity in our long drive towards freedom. It certainly seems that we as a minority have come a long way since the days of slavery. Unfortunately, we are not yet considered the equal by our Vanilla brothers and sisters. It has been a long and treacherous journey, my savory brothers and sisters, but I feel that we can do more as a community if we can work side by side with the "crackers." It is not the white man's or the Jew's problem that we are not treated equally, it is ours. I was reading a well-known African-American newspaper the other day and I came across something that I felt was interesting. Our strong black brother, Ron Brown of the NAACP stated, "We're not ready to be color-blind because racial discrimination continues to afflict our society. Affirmative action continues to be needed not to redress grievances of the past, but the current discrimination that continues to exist"(Khalenberg). Can I hear an Amen? Was that not pinning the tail right on the hide of the milky-white donkey? We definitely have a strong black brother that knows his stuff and does his thing for our lovely, delicious community. Mr. Brown is obviously an intellectual and brilliant man because he has the last name Brown, which is a good reference to our beautiful chocolate colored skin.

How to raise a child Essay

Amy Chua’s article â€Å"Why Chinese Mothers are Superior† appeared in the Wall Street Journal on January 8, 2011. When this article was published the controversy began. One article in argument to Amy Chua’s was James Bernard Murphy’s article â€Å"In Defense of Being a Kid† which also appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 9, 2011. Murphy contends by stating Amy Chua’s method of how to raise a child will do nothing but turn children into neurotic, self-absorbed and unhappy adults. James Murphy, author of â€Å"In Defense of Being a Kid† and professor of government at Dartmouth College argues that children should live childhood and enjoy childhood innocence, not be pressured or forced to prepare for their adulthood and the pressure that comes with it. â€Å"Part of the point of childhood is childhood itself. ‘ (Summers 279) Childhood takes up a quarter of one’s life and it would be nice if children enjoyed it. Murphy continues to explain what the unique blessings of childhood are. First, children have a gift of moral innocence, children are unaware of what is to come in their future and the burdens, and therefore they put their trust in us fully. Children are open to new adventures and unaware of time thus cannot be wasted. We as adults forget that most of us produced our best art, asked our deepest philosophical questions, and most readily mastered new gadgets when were children. We as parents need to take a step back from teaching our children and realize how much we can learn from them. Murphy uses emotion when he states â€Å"children are people with distinctive powers and joy. † He realizes what children are capable of if they are given space to imagine and explore ideas of the world that we have forgotten. Murphy thinks like a child and is defending their youth. It is important to know when to give a child space to allow them to become an individual. In defense Murphy argues, â€Å"most of us would like Tom’s childhood followed by Mill’s adulthood. But as parents we are stuck with trying to balance the paradoxical demands of both preparing our children for adulthood and protecting them from it. † The article seems to indicate you can’t have that childhood and young adulthood. I disagree because that is exactly how I grew up. Yes we did have responsibilities on the farm, but when chores were done we did what we wanted to do. We were taught what was right and what was wrong. I believe if you are raised with good morals, respect for yourself and others you can be very successful. I feel the drive to succeed comes from a supportive family and the want to be successful at what you love to do, not what you are forced to do. Murphy uses logic with the comparison of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle and Jesus. Two of which did not have the same beliefs of children. I disagree with Aristotle when he said â€Å"no child is happy†, the only time a child is happy is when they have thoughts of the achievements as an adult. When a child is given space it gives them the opportunity to imagine, to think outside of the box and capable for intellectual activity. We have to encourage and embrace their uniqueness and imagination or as Jesus did praise our children. I strongly agree with Murphy’s fourth thought, â€Å"We forget that most of us produced our best art, asked our deepest philosophical questions, and most readily mastered new gadgets when we were mere children. † (Murphy 279) As children we are more carefree and have less sense of our surroundings and what people think of us. We are eager to learn and curious about adulthood but should not be rushed to become one. I believe in realizing the capacity of a child, you need to know their capabilities and their limits. Work Citied Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J, Rosen. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print