Economic interdependence as a driver of Regional integration in east Asia Free Essays

string(115) " to support the market-driven economic forces and trade liberalization are entrenching institutional arrangements\." Introduction Regional integration has become the focus globally, and East Asia features prominently with its efforts to formalize cooperation in the region into a workable arrangement for the promotion of trade, investment and security. This cooperation is gaining much attention as the world shifts from a U.S-centered system to a new system in which China is emerging as a power. We will write a custom essay sample on Economic interdependence as a driver of Regional integration in east Asia or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper focuses on regionalism in East Asia driven by economic interdependence among constituent countries. East Asia is a heterogeneous region comprising several tiers of member countries; developed countries such as Japan and Singapore, developing countries like China, Korea and ASEAN, and less-developed countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. This region has diverse ethnic, religious and political aspects, in addition to wide variations in country size, size of population and levels of economic development among constituent countries. The East Asian economies have historically been closely linked through events such as; the establishment of treaty ports by colonial governments that laid foundation for trade within the region, Japanese imperialism in the 20th century that brought about economic integration in northern East Asian (Korea and Taiwan), and the rapid development in East Asian generating linkages that have bias for the region (Beeson 2007). With such early interdependence, however, East Asia is a significant economic area in the world lacking formal institutions that oversee and coordinate regional activities. There are many requirements in the endeavor towards regional institutionalization including enhanced intra-regional trade and investment and market dynamics in favor of the region; Preferential Trade Agreements; intra-regional political focus; rapid economic growth in the region with associated economic liberalization; and the democratization of many countries in the region. (Vision Group Report 2001). All these are contributory factors to the establishment of an East Asia community comparable to leading regional institutions like EU and NAFTA. There are several regional communities with an overlap of roles that could make for a future East Asia community including; Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN +3, and East Asia Summit. Economic interdependence in East Asia is considered to be a market-led process due to minimal success in regional institutionalization so far. This process implies various shapes of intensified economic relations and, in this regard, focus is on cooperation in trade, financial and monetary aspects of economies. East Asian economies follow a trend towards intensified ties among them, significantly driven by economic factors rather than institutional arrangements. This trend is evident when we consider intra-regional trade and foreign direct investment among countries constituting East Asia. Integration in trade Integration in trade is a foundation for regional economic cooperation. The major features in East Asia’s trade, as pointed out by Kawai and Motonishi (2004), are a rapid expansion of overall regional trade; a rapid expansion of trade among industries; and a rapid expansion of trade between large corporations and intermediaries in the production process. Such trade patterns supported by the FDI activity of multinational corporations, focus on Asia as a production hub (â€Å"the factory of the world†). As a result, regional integration through trade has deepened with member countries coming together in a variety of informal, intra-industry trade arrangements to exploit the inflow of international trade opportunities. A calculation made by Kwack (2004) on East Asian trade shows that the share of intra-regional trade to total trade rose from 31% in 1980 to 46% in 2003 while the import share rose to 53% from 31%. Intra-regional trade in East Asia was 40 percent in 2009 majorly backed by the Chinese economy whose size provides it with enormous advantage in its new central role in the region. Due to globalization, and the entry of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese investments into China, trade has increased between companies in these countries and their subsidiaries located in China, forming networks of production. These regional labor and capital-intensive firms have turned to China to evade rising levels of wage and costs at home, which makes it a comparative advantage for them to move their capacity to China. China’s capacity in export gives further incentive as the country’s liberal policy has attracted huge foreign investments. Hong Kong has moved its manufacturing industries to mainland China while focusing on its specialization as a financial and service center. Taiwan and China have, also, developed similar economic relations in recent times though political challenges abound (ADB 2009). Trade through production fragmentation has been the driver of such increased trade integration and is prominent in various sectors including machinery, electronics, textiles and apparel, toys and furniture. The central role of China is enhanced further by the trade and production relationships between it, the other Asian nations and the U.S, with China importing intermediate goods from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, processing them into finished products and exporting them to the US and to the East Asia region (Xu, 2006). From 1990 to 2005, China-ASEAN trade volumes have risen at 22% average year-on-year and in 2006 it reached 160.8 billion dollars, an increase of 23.4% when compared to 2005 figures. At country level, import trade in the region is concentrated among mainland China, Japan, Korea and Taipei, China. Import-share from the other East Asia nations is small, although it is expanding fast. In 2006/7 China accounted for 21.2% of total manufacturing exports from the rest of the region (ADB 2009). East Asia lacks an institutional driving force for the promotion and integration trade as at present even as trade globally is conducted under regional agreements, majorly the EU and NAFTA. Counter to these, there exist customs union and free-trade areas such as ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) which are, however, not as large and potent as to be a challenge to EU and NAFTA. East Asia is concerned over investment diversion especially in its markets in Europe and North America which is exacerbated by the financial crisis in 1997. This has forced its policymakers to rethink economic linkages connecting regional economies (Ba 2009). Policies to support the market-driven economic forces and trade liberalization are entrenching institutional arrangements. You read "Economic interdependence as a driver of Regional integration in east Asia" in category "Essay examples" This strategy is evidenced by the launch of ASEAN-China Agreement, and a move towards ASEA-Japan among several ongoing negotiations creating new alliances in favor of liberalization within the region. Foreign direct investment flowing into the region has been a key driver of intra-regional trade. In particular, Japanese multi-national corporations, have an extended presence in the region through FDI, and are playing a pivotal role thereby enhancing integration. The major portions of FDI within ASEAN are characterized by net flow from Japan and Korea to the other ASEAN economies, with Japan taking up 69 percent in the FDI outflow (Frost 2008). In addition to such linkages through FDI, business processes with affiliates supplying intermediate goods creates more points for cooperation. Japan is a prominent center of process fragmentation operations in East Asia, with about a third of all regional exports of components for assembly sourced therein (Ng and Yeats, 2003). Indonesia imports over 70 percent of components for assembly from Japan, while Korea and the Philippines’ regional imports exceed 50 percent. China has come in strongly recently to play this role as a specialist in assembly trade and is a key driver of East Asia’s regional integration process bringing about a shift from the â€Å"flying geese† hierarchical model led by Japan, to the new horizontal intra-regional economic integration commonly referred to as â€Å"galloping dragons†. Other factors have facilitated the operation of a regional production network in East Asia including the easing of trade barriers, stable economic and political environments, access to a skilled labor force, and robust infrastructure. Moreover, the emergence of a middle class in Asia is encouraging the deepening of domestic markets for both intermediate and final products, key in reducing the region’s excessive reliance on the global export market as its engine for growth which open it up to global risks and vulnerabilities. These characterize the economic integration in East Asia which unlike other regions is market-led for lack of formal policy. Financial integration Enhanced trade often requires better financial services and instruments and it, therefore, is a catalyst for greater liberalization. East Asian countries have been keen to liberalize their financial markets to benefit from foreign investment, bank loans across Asian countries and regional investments in equity. However, the pattern of financial integration in East Asia is a global one, not a regional one with countries in the region having deeper financial links with Europe and the United states than with one another. Financial integration in East Asia has, however, been underway driven by deregulation of financial systems, offers of financial services beyond the region, and opening up of capital. Bank loans and investment flow link the regional economies financially and strengthen macroeconomic interdependence (Ba 2009). The financial crisis of 1997-98 taught East Asia the need for monetary and financial cooperation necessary for regional financial stability. The general sentiment is that the region needs to establish â€Å"self-help† mechanisms to prevent and manage possible crises. Such cooperation involves information transfer and policy discussions, setup of mechanisms to support liquidity, financial sector improvement both nationally and in the region to achieve balance, and collective coordination. ASEAN plus 3 members have initiated regional cooperation in finance based on three pillars: the Chiang Mai Initiative creating a regional liquidity support facility; policy dialogue and surveillance; and development of bond markets. The Chiang Mai Initiative aims to reduce shortage in liquidity and, hence, limit crises (Frost 2008). It has created currency swap arrangements totaling 52.5 billion dollars among central banks. Dialogue on policy and regional surveillance on the economy involves assessment of macroeconomic and financial standing of member economies. The ASEAN+3 finance ministers perform this, focusing on global and regional entities, risk assessment, and policy with the development of a financial early-warning system for possible vulnerabilities. Bond markets denominated in local-currency are essential in reducing the temptation to rely on external borrowing and bank-financing for capital requirement. These mitigate currency and maturity mismatches, a common problem of international capital markets. An Asian Bond Fund has been established by the finance minister process, as well, in a bid to stimulate demand in the local bond market, while the Asian Bond Market Initiative (ABMI) stimulates the supply side.. There, also, is enhanced effort in infrastructure development for the bond market including systems for clearing and settlement, bond guarantee, and rating to encourage regional bond issues (Ba 2009). Monetary integration Monetary cooperation in coordination of exchange-rate or as a regional monetary union helps in stabilizing prices and lowering risk related to intra-regional trade. Before the Asian financial crisis, most countries in the region had their exchange rate pegged to the US dollar. Since then, most individual East Asia countries have allowed local currency to float against the US dollar though the move is not a common regional strategy. Despite potential benefits of stability in exchange-rate and an often-discussed single currency, progress is limited on policy coordination (Beeson 2007). The creation of a single currency is viewed by the regional think tank as a long-term agenda, and the region needs to establish a loose arrangement to ensure exchange-rate stability without much policy coordination, a precursor of future developments (Vision Group Report 2001). With the achievement of financial openness in line with convertibility of local currency and regional economic convergence, East Asia would then need comprehensive policy aimed at stabilizing exchange-rates. Such attempts are projected to lead to a single currency in the future or the adoption of a strong currency in the region such as the Yen or the Yuan for its foreign exchange market. This would seem plausible in light of developments. Conclusion The East Asian region has realized considerable integration largely contributed by economic interdependence between countries in the region. This integration is market-driven as institutional support and political endeavor towards cooperation have until recently been limited and still needs further engagement. Several negotiations and agreements are ongoing, focused on better intra-regional ties, a proactive move to spur growth and a response to crises and threats from other blocs. Regional integration in East Asia is, therefore, built primarily upon economic cooperation. Appendix NAFTA –North America Free Trade Agreement. EU- European Union. ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asia Nations. ASEAN+3 – original ASEAN with the addition of three countries, China, Japan and Korea WTO – World Trade Organization. References Asian Development Bank (ADB), 2009. Asian Development Outlook 2009. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Ba, A., 2009. (Re) negotiating East and Southeast Asia. Stanford, Stanford University Press. Beeson, M. 2007. Regionalism Globalization in East Asia: Politics, Security Economic Development. New York, Palgrave MacMillan. East Asia Vision Group Report, 2001. Towards an East Asian Community: Region of Peace, Prosperity and Progress. [Viewed from http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/report2001.pdf on 17th March 2012]. Frost, E.,2008. Asia’s New Regionalism. London, Lynne Rienner Publishers. Ng and Yeats (2003), Major Trade Trends in East Asia. In: World Bank Policy Research Paper 3084. Washington, World Bank. Kawai, M. and T. Motonishi, 2004. Is East Asia an optimum currency areaIn: Masahiro Kawai (ed), Financial interdependence and exchange rate regimes in East Asia. Japan. Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance, pp. 157-203 Kwack, S. 2004. An optimum currency area in East Asia: feasibility, coordination, and the leadership role.Journal of Asian economics. 15, 153-169 Xu, N., 2006. China and ASEAN: Summary of the Last Fifteen Year’s Economic and Trading Cooperation. China Business Update. 8. How to cite Economic interdependence as a driver of Regional integration in east Asia, Essay examples

Tess and Beatrice A Comparison free essay sample

An essay comparing the character of Tess in Thomas Hardys Tess of the Duberville to the character of Beatrice in Nathaniel Hawthornes Rappaccinis Daughter. The paper shows how the characters Tess in Tess of the Duberville by Thomas Hardy and Beatrice in Rappaccinis Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are both victims of mans ego and immorality resulting in the loss of their innocence, dooming them to a tragic fate. Both stories revolve around the love of the women and their losing of this love, because of the immoral plans and actions of a third person. Both books Tess of the Duberville and Rappaccinis daughter are written in the third person and contain even amounts of dialogue and description. Thomas Hardy has been more descriptive than Hawthorne has, while Hawthornes work is more didactic. Tess of the Duberville is different from most other books as in this case the campaign of the protagonist begins with an event in her life which is generally treated as fatal and as the end. We will write a custom essay sample on Tess and Beatrice A Comparison or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this case, when the book ends, Tess is a superior human being in the eyes of the reader because she bounces back from this virtual finality to find true love.

music ap Essay Example

music ap Paper The relative highness or lowness of a sound is called pitch Dynamics in music refers to how loud or soft A symphonic band consists mainly of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments Symphonic bands differ from symphonic orchestras in that they do not contain a string section The saxophone is a single reed woodwind instrument Which of the following is not a double reed instrument? clarinet The ______ is similar in shape to the trumpet, but its tone is more mellow. cornet A dissonance is a combination of tones that is considered unstable and tense The central tone around which a musical composition is organized is called the tonic Modulation refers to a shift from one key to another within the same composition the dark ages in europe began about 450 with the disintegration of the Roman Empire The church frowned on instruments because of their earlier role in pagan rites most midieval music was gregorian chant In the Middle Ages the organ gradually evolved into a flexible instrument that could play intricate polyphonic music The first large body of secular songs that survives in decipherable notation was composed during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries by French nobles called troubadours and trouvà ¨res The French secular songs of the Middle Ages usually dealt with love, spinning, crusades Which of the following statements is not true of secular music in the Middle Ages? The medieval jongleurs, important sources of information in a time when there were no newspapers, were accordingly ranked on a high social level. The melody added to the Gregorian chant to form organum around 1100 was usually ______________ the original chant. more indipened and slower A chant that is used as the basis for polyphony is known as cantus firmus Secular music in the fourteenth century became more important than sacred music was not based on Gregorian chant included drinking songs and pieces in which bird calls, dog barks, and hunting shouts were imitated Which of the following statements is not true of Renaissance music? Instrumental music became more important than vocal music during the Renaissance. The texture of Renaissance music is chiefly polyphonic A cappella refers to unaccompanied choral music WRONG Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrinas career centered in Florence training, like Josquins, was in Flanders music includes 104 masses and some 450 other sacred works Which of the following composers is not an important madrigalist? Josquin Desprez The Renaissance ballett is a dancelike song for several solo voices Terpsichore, a collection of over 300 dance tunes, was arranged for instrumental ensemble by Michael Praetorius The ____________ is a stately dance in duple meter similar to the pavane. passamezzo Which of the following is not true of Venice in the sixteenth century? It was a part of the Papal States on the northeastern coast of Italy. wrong Which of the following statements is not true? St. Marks Cathedral in Venice employed up to twenty instrumentalists and thirty singers for grand ceremonies. The word baroque has at various times meant all of the following except naturalistic Baroque painters exploited their materials to expand the potential of ____________ to create totally structured worlds. color ornament and detail depth The early baroque was characterized by homophonic texture The solo instruments in Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 are the ____________, violin, and harpsichord. flute In many fugues, the subject in one voice is constantly accompanied in another voice by a different melodic idea called a(n) countersubject Turning the subject of a fugue upside down, or reversing the direction of each interval, is called inversion Bachs personal musical style was drawn from Italian concertos French dance pieces German church music A collection of compositions that displays all the resources of fugue writing is Johann Sebastian Bachs Art of the Fugue Although all the movements of a baroque suite are in the same key, they differ in meter national origin tempo The ____________ is an instrumental composition based on a chorale. chorale prelude A symphony is a sonata for orchestra The double bass in the classical orchestra, as in Mozarts Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, usually doubles the cello part an octave lower Typical in classical music, the string bass part in Mozarts Eine Kleine Nachtmusik sounds an octave lower than the cello part The usual order of movements in a classical symphony is fast, slow, dance-related, fast A classical concerto is a three-movement work for instrumental soloist and orchestra The most important form of classical chamber music is the string quirtet The piano trio is a musical composition for violin, cello, and piano Haydn was fortunate in having a long and fruitful, as well as financially stable relationship with the noble Hungarian family of Esterhà ¡zy Haydn was a prolific composer, as demonstrated in part by his 68 string quartets and 104 symphonies Which of the following statements is not true? The finale of Beethovens Ninth Symphony is based on Schillers poem about human brotherhood, Ode to Joy. Beethoven opened new realms of musical expression that profoundly influenced composers throughout the nineteenth century. Like Haydn and many other composers of the classical period, Beethoven was most successful financially when in the service of the aristocracy. In the finale of his Ninth Symphony, Beethoven took the unprecedented step of using a chorus and four solo vocalists. Like Haydn and many other composers of the classical period, Beethoven was most successful financially when in the service of the aristocracy. Drawing creative inspiration from cultures of lands foreign to the composer is known as exoticism A romantic composer who earned his living as a touring virtuoso was Franz Liszt The German composers of art songs favored, among others, the lyric poetry of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Heinrich Heine Robert Schumanns works are intensly autobiographical. usually linked with descriptive titles, texts, or programs. essentially lyrical in nature. Liszt created the ______________, a one-movement orchestral composition based to some extent on a literary or pictorial idea. symphonic poem Besides his musical achievements, Mendelssohn was a talented painter brilliant conversationalist in four languages fine writer Instrumental music endowed with literary or pictorial associations is called _______ music. program Tchaikovsky participated as a conductor in a concert inaugurating Carnegie Hall in New York The German master _____________ recommended DvoYà ¡ks music to his own publisher, resulting in a rapid spread of DvoYà ¡ks fame. Johannes Brahms The librettos to The Ring of the Nibelung were written by Wagner himself Striking a group of adjacent keys on a piano with the fist or forearm will result in a tone cluster Which of the following is not characteristic of neoclassicism? misty atmosphere Neoclassical composers modeled many of their works after the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach Sergei Diaghilev was the director of the Russian Ballet In the 1950s Stravinsky dramatically changed his style, drawing inspiration from Anton Webern Schoenbergs third period, in which he developed the twelve-tone system, began around 1921 Which of the following statements regarding Alban Berg is untrue? He composed a great quantity of music in all forms. Weberns Five Pieces for Orchestra are scored for chamber orchestra of eighteen soloists Porgy and Bess is a(n) opera In 1921 Copland went to France, where he was the first American to study composition with Nadia Boulanger A jazz sound results from its variety of pitch inflections the type of vibrato employed the particular way tones are attacked and released Which of the following statements is not true? Jazz is generally played by a small combo of three to eight players, or by a big band of ten to fifteen. Jazz can be described generally as music rooted in improvisation and characterized by syncopated rhythm, a steady beat, and distinctive tone colors and techniques of performance. Jazz can be notated as easily as any other musical form. Some jazz improvisations are based not on a melody but on a harmonic pattern, or series of chords. Jazz can be notated as easily as any other musical form. treemonisha is a(n) _______________ by Scott Joplin. opera The king of ragtime is acknowledged to be Scott Joplin The poetic and musical form of the blues was popularized in the early years of the twentieth century through the publication of Memphis Blues and St. Louis Blues, composed by William C. Handy The blues usually follow a 12-bar pattern as a basis for improvisation can be happy or sad, fast or slow may be vocal or instrumental Vocal blues often contain sexual references are intensely personal deal with the pain of betrayal, desertion, and unrequited love New Orleans style Dixieland flourished in the United States from 1900 to 1917 The typical form of a swing composition is 32 bar aaba One of the leading figures in the history of jazz, and the composer of such compositions as Black, Brown, and Beige and Sophisticated Lady, is duke ellington which of the following statements not true? Operetta, or comic opera, combines song, spoken dialogue, and dance, with sophisticated musical techniques. The main section of a musical comedy song is called the verse. The sources of the American musical include operetta, vaudeville, and the revue. A musical comedy aims to entertain through fusion of a dramatic script, acting, and spoken dialogue with music, singing, and dancing and with scenery, costumes, and spectacle. The main section of a musical comedy song is called the verse. Revues in the first decades of the twentieth century featured pretty, scantily clad young women who sang and danced featured comedians who performed sketches were often satirical Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, the ballet used in the climax of On Your Toes, was choreographed by George Balanchine Which of the following American musicals is not by Stephen Sondheim? of thee i sing Which of the following statements is not true of Leonard Bernsteins music? It is frequently atonal. Which of the following is not a function of film music? provide songs for the actors to sing Movie soundtracks can contain original music and previously existing compositions Since the 1960s most film music is composed by freelance composers During the last few years, moviegoers have taken a greater interest in film music A folk-like, guitar-based style associated with rural white Americans is known as country and western Which of the following was not among the leading performers of rhythm and blues in the 1950s? Aretha Franklin Chuck Berry Little Richard Bo Diddley Aretha Franklin Which of the following statements is not true? During the 1960s, the popular music scene was basically confined to the English form of rock. The Supremes and Stevie Wonder were among the many Motown stars. A new era in rock history began in 1964 with the American tour of the Beatles, an English group. The rhythm and blues of the 1950s differed from earlier blues in its more powerful beat and its use of the saxophone and electric guitar. During the 1960s, the popular music scene was basically confined to the English form of rock. Many of the bands in the second British invasion (1980s) used electronic technology and often featured outlandish costumes An important trend of the 1980s was world music A method of singing used by males to reach notes higher than their normal range is called falsetto The Beatles were influenced by many different styles, but not by Motown Which of these recordings can be considered a unified song cycle? Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band Name two of the four properties of musical sound. pitch dynamics Define p and f. p piano f forte Name three string instruments. violin, guitar, banjo Name three woodwind instruments. flute and saxaphone, trumpet Name two brass instruments. cornet, horn Name two percussion instruments. triangle, bass drum Name one of the two giants of Baroque composition. handel, bach Name one of the three Classical composers. bethoven In the Romantic Era, more music was written for what particular instrument? piano Name any two 20th Century composers. duke ellington, john cage

St. Johns College Annapolis Admission Data

St. Johns College Annapolis Admission Data St. Johns College in Annapolis, with test-optional admissions, does not require students to submit scores from the SAT or the ACT. The school has holistic admissions, meaning that it looks at various aspects of an applicants application, not just grades and scores, but essays, academic history, extracurricular activities, etc. Students will need to submit high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay. With an acceptance rate of 53  percent, St. Johns admits the majority of those who apply. For more information about applying, including full requirements and important deadlines, be sure to visit the schools website, or contact the admissions office. Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) St. Johns College Annapolis Acceptance Rate: 53  percentSt. Johns College is Test-OptionalTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 610 / 730SAT Math: 570 / 710What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 27 / 33ACT English: 30 / 34ACT Math: 25  / 31What these ACT numbers meanTop Maryland colleges SAT comparisonTop Maryland colleges ACT comparison St. Johns College Annapolis Description Founded in 1696 and chartered in 1784, St. Johns College in Annapolis has a rich and distinct history. Despite what the colleges name might suggest, St. Johns has no religious affiliation. The colleges 36-acre campus sits along the water in the center of historic Annapolis, Maryland. The  United States Naval Academy  abuts the campus. St. Johns College is not for everyone. All students have the same curriculum  and all graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in the liberal arts and sciences. The heart of a St. Johns education is reading and discussion focused on mathematics, languages, science and music. All students will graduate with an in-depth understanding of important works of Western civilization. The college has an impressive 8 to 1 student/faculty ratio. Seminars average about 20 students and are taught by two faculty members, and tutorials and labs have 12 to 16 students. Grades are not emphasized at St. Johns, and while students will read many books, they will never use a textbook. The great majority of St. Johns graduates go on to law school, medical school, or graduate school. Students at the Annapolis campus have the opportunity to study at a second campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 484  (434 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 55 percent male / 45 percent female100 percent full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $50,353Books: $750Room and Board: $11,888Other Expenses: $750Total Cost: $63,621 St. Johns College Annapolis Financial Aid (2015 -16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 99 percentLoans: 64  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $29,502Loans: $6,052 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Liberal Arts and Sciences (all students at St. Johns College have the same curriculum) What major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 82  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 70  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 76  percent Intercollegiate Athletics Programs Mens Sports:  RowingWomens Sports:  Rowing If You Like St. Johns College, You May Also Like These Schools: Reed College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNew York University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphGoucher College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPrinceton University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphYale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSwarthmore College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWells College: Profile  Amherst College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphJohns Hopkins University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphVanderbilt University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

3 Reasons to Buy Your Real Christmas Tree Early

3 Reasons to Buy Your Real Christmas Tree Early The weekend after Thanksgiving is traditionally when​ most Christmas tree buying occurs. The decision to delay buying your holiday tree can certainly be determined by personal reasons including family tradition, religious doctrine and a post-Thanksgiving getting into the Christmas spirit barrage of media hype. If you are not bound by any of these or other personal preferences, you might want to consider shopping for and buying a Christmas tree a bit earlier in November. Buying early will pay off with less competition for higher quality Christmas tree selections and could ultimately result in a fresher holiday tree  if properly displayed and watered. Here are some of the reasons to buy a tree early. The Best Trees Are Harvested Early   You should consider mid-November as the  time to plan and follow through on your Christmas tree purchase. Christmas tree farms typically open during the middle of November and start cutting trees for lot sales. These are commercial wholesale farms (who often sell high-quality trees out the front door) and smaller tree farms catering to cutting your own tree. These types of Christmas tree farms promote early sales in designated sections where Christmas trees are of age and in prime shape. Obviously, these areas yield better trees at the beginning of the season, and its when you need to plan your visit. Farms selling trees online actually insist you place your order early in November. Although pricey, Ive found holiday trees purchased on the Internet to be of higher quality than even the premium selects growing on a tree farm. These trees are the growers best of the season crop and harvested first. Farms that supply online broker/sellers or farms that actually sell online take the best trees of their  plantation. They will arrive in perfect condition and are stand-ready (some farms even provide temporary stands with the tree). Instead of having to pick the perfect tree, you have professionals select the best for your holiday season. Get a Better Quality Tree Mounted in a Stand Most people dont realize that many Christmas trees bought on lots were cut in early to mid-November. So, when these trees are not purchased until after Thanksgiving, the drying process is well advanced and needle retention is often compromised. You are just as well off, and in our opinion much better off, buying the tree early and following our recommendations on how to prepare it for optimum freshness over the rest of the season. Although you just might luck out and get a fresh tree late in the season, you should not consider yourself getting a fresh tree by purchasing after Thanksgiving weekend. You just get a lower quality tree (picked over) with shedding needles as you delay your purchase. The sooner you get your Christmas tree in a watering stand after cutting, the longer will be the trees needle retention. The above reasons are the perfect excuse to buy a tree early and enjoying it during the Thanksgiving season. You should not consider yourself getting a fresh tree by purchasing later. The odds are that you just get a lower quality tree with shedding needles if purchased in December.   Avoid a Short Buying Season   Every year is different when it comes to Christmas tree availability. Christmas tree sales in numbers can vary annually because some years will have less shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than others. This means that tree sellers will be busy over a shorter period of time and you will not have as many days to shop for a Christmas tree. Natural disruptions (insects, disease, fire, drought or ice) can cause regional Christmas tree shortages which can make certain Christmas tree species hard to find. In any event, buyers need to plan and purchase early to pick from the best holiday trees on the lot.

The Boer War Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Boer War - Term Paper Example The Boer War was the first major military conflict of the 20th Century. The strategies employed by both sides set precedences for wars throughout the new century. The Boers used guerilla warfare tactics against the heavily favored British who herded many thousands of men, women and children into detention camps, both precursors of wars to come. Although the Boers eventually won their independence it came at a heavy cost to both sides. The Boers were the descendents of Dutch farmers of the Cape Colony in the nation of South Africa. Beginning in 1835, they began moving outside the region to establish the Transvaal and Orange Free State due to the constant border conflicts with the British overlords on one side of their territory and native tribes constantly encroaching on the other. Together these newly formed regions were known as the Boar Republic which included the town of Johannesburg. While the Boers considered themselves a sovereign, autonomous society, the British claimed all of South Africa as its own. The two factions held to a relative yet uneasy peace until gold was discovered in 1886 on Transvaal land. A gold rush ensued flooding the Boer’s lands with miners, speculators and adventurers, â€Å"outlanders† as they were called by the Boers. â€Å"The discovery of gold at Witwatersrand in the Transvaal ended Boer seclusion and brought a mortal threat to the young nation’s dream of freedom from alien rule. By 1896 the population of Johannesburg had grown to more than a hundred thousand.† (Weber, 2012). The Boers of the Transvaal were poor farmers. The discovery of gold was a great revenue producer but the newcomers producing this wealth were denied citizenship from the government. By 1896, the population of Johannesburg was about 100,000, half of which were white but only 6,200 were citizens, all Boers. Neither the British nor Boers allowed citizenship to the indigenous black population. Government officials received petitions, one with 18,000 and another with 35,000 signatures demanding it allow non-Boer whites citizenship. Neither was given serious consideration. The Transvaal and Orange Free State Boers formed an alliance as tensions between the groups worsened. British forces were dispatched to the Boer regions to help calm the situation but this move only made the situation worse. On October 10, 1899 the Boer government gave the British an ultimatum demanding that British forces be removed within 48 hours or war would be declared. (Chamberlain, Droogleever, 2003) Britain did not comply with the ultimatum to withdraw its troops. On October 11 the war began when the Boers attacked and took control of the towns of Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking. While the British were struggling to relieve their besieged forces in these towns, the Boers achieved inspiring victories in other major British strongholds such as Colenso, Stormberg and Magersfontein in December 1899. The fortunes of war soon changed howeve r. By February of the next year Kimberley and Ladysmith had been retaken by the British. The somewhat disorganized Boer troops were being scattered throughout the countryside. Soon the Boer front line, such as it was, collapsed. The next several months were a time of great uncertainty

Fredricksons various models of ethnic and racial relations Essay

Fredricksons various models of ethnic and racial relations - Essay Example Stephen Cruz from the story by Terkel is a Mexican American young man whom is brought up by his father to be a hardworking and honest man, and in the process ends up acquiring education that qualifies him to work in big corporations. Initially when he is employed, he thinks that it is because of his qualification but later on, he realizes that he and other employees for the minority groups are only employed mainly for purposes of giving the company a good image and making it money.   This evidently shows and proves the ethnic hierarchy that Fredrickson identifies as one of the ethnic and racial relations. For Stephen Cruz, who was taught and brought up by his father to work hard in whatever he does and avoid taking things that he does not deserve, is seen in the story being told to fall in the line and learn the way of doing business as the dominant and powerful group does.   The Civil Acts of 1964 is used in this story to signify the way policies and legislations are used to ass imilate minority groups. Fredrickson’s one way assimilation methods is apparently used in this story as the minorities are being accepted and employed to and by the dominant group, but they still play a subordinate role and are not allowed to fully enjoy the freedoms nor fulfill their American dream (Fredrickson, 335). As Stephen Cruz rises up through the corporate ladder slowly with his sheer hard work, he continues to discover that maybe the American dream he is working on is not meant for him.(Fredrickson, 335).... This evidently shows and proves the ethnic hierarchy that Fredrickson identifies as one of the ethnic and racial relations. For Stephen Cruz, who was taught and brought up by his father to work hard in whatever he does and avoid taking things that he does not deserve, is seen in the story being told to fall in the line and learn the way of doing business as the dominant and powerful group does. The Civil Acts of 1964 is used in this story to signify the way policies and legislations are used to assimilate minority groups. Fredrickson’s one way assimilation methods is apparently used in this story as the minorities are being accepted and employed to and by the dominant group, but they still play a subordinate role and are not allowed to fully enjoy the freedoms nor fulfill their American dream (Fredrickson, 335). As Stephen Cruz rises up through the corporate ladder slowly with his sheer hard work, he continues to discover that maybe the American dream he is working on is not m eant for him. This is because he discovers that the dream and the relations between the minority-weak and dominant-powerful, are to the advantage of the later. This relation is described by Fredrickson as group separatism. Although the method of doing so might not be as direct as it may be perceived to be, through taking advantages of various legislations and policies to their (dominant group), can be seen as a way to separate the dominant and the minority. The dominant and powerful in America continue to get stronger and wealthy and the expense of the minority. This separates the two groups even further and no equally is presented. Lastly, another