A SWOT Analysis for Home Depot - 1061 Words

The Home Depot is in the home improvement business and their goal is to provide the highest level of service, the broadest selection of products and most competitive prices. They are a value driven company that abide by their 8 core values which will be discussed later in the essay. Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer operating in 45 states. Home Depot stores aim to serve do-it-yourself, do-it-for you and professional contractors with home improvement superstores carrying between 40,000 to 50,000 different products. Each store’s selection is matched to the area’s specific market needs. In order for companies to be successful in a competitive market they must consider not only the bottom line and their investors but their encounter on the community, employees, as well as their customers (Social Responsibility). Home Depot was endowed on the idea treating employees well is a valuable responsibility. They believe employees that are treated we ll will present the company just the same. Home Depot also endowed on the importance of affordable housing, corporate community involvement, they are currently focusing on its community efforts on at-risk youth, the environment and disaster preparedness, response and relief (Social Responsibility). Another part of Home Depot’s following of socially responsible behavior is its values which include excellent customer service, taking care of their people, giving back, doing the right thing, creating shareholderShow MoreRelatedHome Depot Swot Analysis1216 Words   |  5 PagesArthur Blank and Bernie Marcus develop the concept for The Home Depot in 1978. The â€Å"With help from investment banker Ken Langone and merchandising guru Pat Farrah, Marcus and Blank opened the first two Home Depot stores in Atlanta the following year. The 60,000-square-foot warehouses dwarfed the competition with more items than any other hardware store.† (The Home Depot Our History) Home Depot sells a huge assortment of building substances, domestic development merchandise and lawn and garden merchandiseRead MoreHome Depot Swot Analysis1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe Home Depot Case Analysis The Home Depot NYSE: HD, headquartered in Vinings, Georgia, is a home improvement retailer that aims for both the do-it-yourself consumer and the professional in home improvement and construction. It is the second largest retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart; and the third largest retailer in the world, behind Wal-Mart and French company Carrefour. The Home Depot operates about 1,900 stores across North America. The company operates stores in the United StatesRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Home Depot Inc1725 Words   |  7 PagesHOME DEPOT SWOT ANALYSIS Home Depot Inc. is the world’s largest home improvement retailer. The company operates in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The company with its leading market position is very well positioned to leverage it bargaining power to improve profitability. Following is the SWOT Analysis of Home Depot. o EXCELLENT EXECUTION: Home Depot is famously knows for its excellent capital allocation and its revenue execution. Its this strategy that prevented THD from goingRead MoreSWOT Analysis Of Lowes, Home Depot And Wolseley PLC858 Words   |  4 Pagesboth directly and indirectly. Two of Lowes’ biggest direct competitors include Home Depot and Wolseley PLC, both of which carry similar products in the home improvement category. Each of these retailer On the other hand, an indirect competitor of Lowe’s is any small construction/repair company. These smaller repair companies are classified as indirect competitors because Lowe’s is known as a retailer for â€Å"do-it-yourself† home improvement projects. If a repair company is hired to complete a service, Lowe’sRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot Essay1476 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction A SWOT analysis is an analysis based on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a company. SWOT analysis is the first phase in gathering information for strategic planning (Wheelen, Hunger, Hoffman, Bamford, 2015). A SWOT analysis plays a significant role in strategic planning because it is the discovery phase of what the company needs to succeed. It is a tool used to examine a company’s state of health and improve on its opportunities. It gives a detailed understandingRead MoreHD vs Lowes1097 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Running head: THE HOME DEPOT VS. LOWE’S The Home Depot vs. Lowe’s AIU Online MGMT499-1302A-06 June 2, 2013 Abstract This research paper will compare and contrast two organizations in the same industry. There will be analysis on the two organizations’ elements of business. This includes the basic legal, social, and economic environment, the managerial, operational, and financial issues impacting the organizations, and an analysis on the impact of potentialRead MoreEnvironmental Scan1350 Words   |  6 PagesScan of Home Depot Crystal Graham MGT498 March 18, 2013 Rob Inglis Environmental Scan of Home Depot Strategic planning is necessary for every successful company and needs to be managed accordingly. Environmental scanning is the first phase in strategic planning management. Environmental changes, whether external or internal can pose major problems for a company. A scan of environmental factors provides a better understanding of current trends and what causes things to change. An analysis of thisRead MoreHals Woodworking Essay844 Words   |  4 PagesHAL’S WOODWORKING SWOT ANALYSIS Table of Contents SWOT Diagram†¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ..4 Strengths...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 Threats†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 Conclusions and Recommendations..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 References†¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7    |    | Strengths |    | |    |    | Weaknesses |    |    | | | |    | |    | | | |    | †¢ | FamilyRead MoreInternal Risk Assessment - Home Depot1552 Words   |  7 Pagestraded global firm, The Home Depot, Incorporated leads the world in retail building supplies and home improvement goods. According to the 2009 Form 10-K reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company maintains 2,244 retail sites â€Å"Located throughout the United States including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam (â€Å"U.S.†), Canada, China and Mexico† (The Home Depot: Annual Report, 2009). The Home Depot wisely forecasts and assessesRead MoreHals Woodworking798 Words   |  4 PagesHAL’S WOODWORKING SWOT ANALYSIS CSIS 405 Table of Contents SWOT Diagram†¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.......3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ..4 Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 Threats†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 Conclusions and Recommendation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 References†¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7    |    | Strengths |    | |    |    | Weaknesses |    |    | | | |    | |    | | | |    | †¢ | Family owned business |    | | †¢ | Local

Sam’s Club and Costco Free Essays

There are many positives that can be drawn from the way that Costco runs and controls its business. Costco’s motto is â€Å"To continuously provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices† (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble, 2010). They have stuck to this mantra by providing affordable memberships to its customers, and affordable pricing of its merchandise. We will write a custom essay sample on Sam’s Club and Costco or any similar topic only for you Order Now Costco’s strategy of low pricing and limited product line and selection made Costco successful by keeping their margins below their competitors; this is a positive in that it will draw more customers and more accounts for the growth and prosperity of the business. Costco’s limited product line and selection is also a positive because unlike it competitors, Costco offers efficiency in its sale process and makes it easier for the business to be managed. Sinegal stated that â€Å"If you have ten customers in to buy Advil, how many are not going to but any because you just have one size? Maybe one or two, we refer to that as the intelligent loss of sales† (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble, 2010). Another positive is Costco’s approach to treasure-hunt shopping. Costco tries to intrigue its customers by creating a sense of urgency with certain products that are high-end and that the company knows will sell-out quickly. Although these items a lot of times are higher priced, they still are reasonably lower than the average department store or its membership warehouse competitors. The only negative would be Costco’s marketing and advertising strategy. Although the stores reputation and low pricing have constituted in the franchises high level of success, their marketing strategy is lacking some key elements. Costco believes that direct mailings was the best possible marketing and advertising strategy but are missing out on the possibility of gaining a higher number of customers due to their lack of internet presence. The key factor that comes to mind is that Costco doesn’t offer a list of their store items online, which doesn’t give a consumer who isn’t familiar with the store a chance get the full spectrum of what they truly offer. Although Costco 3 Costco is a large franchise, in most cases; word of mouth simply won’t get a business the clientele they truly need to be successful or a leader in their respective arena. There were two strategic elements utilized by Costco that were insightful, the first being how Costco developed its personnel from within. The case of Jim Sinegal comes to light. When Sol Price made Jim Sinegal the manager of the original Price Club, he knew that Jim had a special knack for discount retailing and for spotting what a store was doing wrong (usually either not being in the right merchandise categories or not selling items at the right price points) very things that was good at and that were at the roots of Price’s Club growing success in the marketplace (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble, 2010). Sinegal applied this same concept when he partnered with Jeff Brotman, who was the elevated to vice chairman in 1993 and then to chairman in 1994. This strategic element is what made both Price Club and Costco very successful. The second strategic element that was insightful was the way in which Costco formulated its strategy on low prices and its limited product and selection. Costco’s view of the intelligent loss of sales, proved viable because they were willing to lose one or two customers to capture a higher number of clientele in the long run, and adhering to this strategy makes their business efficient and profitable. The formulation of strategy must take into consideration important external parties. For Costco, the competitor and their targeted customers were two constituencies. How was their strategy influenced by these parties? Did their strategy reflect adequate consideration of the needs of these two groups? Costco’s strategy was definitely influenced by its customers and its competitor. From a competitor’s standpoint Costco wanted to a provide services, prices, and products that rivaled its competitor Sam’s Club. Costco’s combining of high quality and low prices id the driving for behind Costco’s success. It is evident that Sam Walton, with Wal-Mart and Sam’s club played an integral part in the way the Costco has devised its strategy. Costco’s average pay, for example, is $17 an hour and is 42% higher than its fiercest rival Sam’s Club. Costco’s health plan also makes other retailers look Scroogish, Costco’s workers were only paying just 4 percent toward their health costs and raised it to only 8 percent when Sam’s Club and the retail average is at 25 percent (Bowmer, 2007). Costco isn’t simply looking to be better that the competition they want Costco 4 to be demonstrably better,† said John Matthews, Costco’s senior vice president for human resources (Bowmer, 2007). From the customer’s standpoint Costco looks to keep increasing its consumer base by providing low prices that aren’t coming at the workers’ expense, they believe this is the key to providing a good service and good business as a whole. Costco caters to the customer, by not becoming a casualty in the pricing war among retailers and wholesale club industries alike. A cardinal rule that has been implemented is that no item can be marked up by more than 14 percent and no private label item by more than 15 percent. In contract supermarkets generally mark up merchandise by 25 percent and department stores by 50 percent (Bowmer, 2007). Costco strives to be good merchants and offer the greatest value to the customer, Costco constantly strives to figure out how they are going lower their prices while their competition looks for ways to get to get more money for their items. Costco has a good understanding of its customers and knows that they don’t gain clientele by having fancy displays and mascots etc†¦ they know that the values they have attract and keep customers coming back, as well as attract new prospects. The company’s knack for adjusting and seeing things in a new way explains how Costco’s customers influence on the decisions and strategies set forth by the company. Costco’s strategy reflects adequate consideration of its customers and capitalizes on the needs that its competitors have. One can draw this conclusion because Costco has diagnosed what the customer needs, values and wants from a proprietor, and also have evaluated what the competition is lacking and perfected their mantra of providing low prices and quality products and services. They have formulated strong objectives that benefit their workers, customers and shareholders, and strategized a plan to be more successful than the competitor with a business model than can be considered overly generous in regards to its customers and workers in comparison to the competition. How to cite Sam’s Club and Costco, Essay examples

Soul Food free essay sample

Designed by Soul Food As an African American, I believe their culture Is represented not by one food, but is truly represented by a variety of foods. These foods are commonly known as soul food. According to Webster Dictionary, soul food is a variety of cuisine, traditionally popular in the African American culture. In the Coleman family, soul food is served randomly, through out the week, but it is known to be a Sunday ritual. It is an enormous meal that brings the family together and I believe it is key to keeping the Emily together.Soul food has a long and rich history. Although the term soul food did not become popular until 1960, It can be traced as far back as the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. During this time slave owners would feed their slaves as cheaply as possible, giving them the leftovers and waste from the plantation. Due too lack of resources, African Americans had to Innovate new ways of cooking, creating meals from whatever foods they could access. We will write a custom essay sample on Soul Food or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Today, many of those foods are served as delicacies, Including Fried Chicken, Ribs, and ox Tails.Traditionally soul food is very unhealthy and has caused many health concerns over the African American diet. Normally, the foods cooked, are high in starch, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and calories. Across the southeastern region of the united States, the rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, clogged arteries, stroke, and heart attacks suffered by African-Americans continues to grow. It is understandable that eventually health concerns would arise. Until the sasss, It was common for black cooks to reuse lard when cooking because of the lack of money.The lard was a solid form of grease that came from reusing old shortening. As society progressed, many have become health conscious and are moving towards the use of liquefied oils Like vegetable, canola, and even olive OLL for frying and cooking. Looking at cultures retrospectively, one thing that is synonymous in all cultures is a popular dish that began during a time of hardship. These same dishes are now a part of traditions that will be the topics of conversations for infinity. These are the foods derived directly from whatever made resources made available in past enervation.For example, in many Latin American cultures derived, Rice and Beans was a cheap and economically efficient food to make. It was prepared in a way that made the dish tasteful and satiating. Today, like African Americans, most Latin Americans could afford other foods, but most are stuck on past traditions. The same is the case with, Asian Americans, Cuban Americans, Italian American, and Irish Americans. The food eaten by different cultures tells you a lot about their culture and the history of their people. Each time I eat soul food, Its a reminder of all the struggles my ancestors went through to give me the freedom I have today. Soul food is more learns and takes something different away when they are eating soul food. Some think about the fellowship and being close with family during tough times; others think about music and past traditions. I tend to think of the struggle of my ancestors and the dire health concern from cooking with trans fats. My personal goal is to continue to pass on the tradition of eating soul food with my family.

Something Wickid this way comes essays

Something Wickid this way comes essays I use processes that are most common among my peers to select my books. I usually have one of my parental units, usually my mom, to go out and look for books. This is the way it happens because up until now I had no mode of transportation. I have faith in my mother to make a good choice; she usually does, for she knows most of my likes and most of my dislikes. This is how its been for a long time, but at least she can pick some pretty interesting books. Three unfamiliar words/unfamiliar usages Alighieri meaning hell or some hellish place Ironmongery heavily tooled, worked, and strangely shaped iron Drolls cliffs and mountebanks The seller of the lightning rods arrived just ahead of the storm in a green town in Illinois, in late October. The lightning rod salesman calls to the boys and asks if their folks are home, they say no. He asks if they have any money, the boys shook their heads. He then asks them their names. William Halloway and Jim Nightshade the boys reply. The boys begin to tell their story on how they were born only minutes apart around Halloween. The lightning rod salesman decides to give the boys a rod for free because, he feels a storm is coming and its going to hit Jims house. The contraption was covered in ancient dialects, the language of the storms. He goes on about the storm that is going to hit. Its going to be no ordinary storm, the lightning rod salesman says. He says his name is Tom Furry and for the boys to hammer it high on the roof. Tom totes his bag of contraptions and walks on as the boys nail the rod up. The boys head down to the library for their weekly run. They get to the library and Jim heard some strange music off in the distance. Wills dad meets the boys there; he works as a janitor and is quite old. The boys looked at some dinosaur books, they all discuss the books that they have picked...

Bare Knuckles Boxing

Bare Knuckles Boxing For much of the 19th century boxing was not considered a legitimate sport in America. It was generally outlawed as a notorious crime, and boxing matches would be raided by the police and the participants arrested. Despite the official prohibitions against boxing matches, boxers often met in celebrated fights which drew large crowds and were openly reported in newspapers. And in the era before padded gloves became standard gear, the action in the bare-knuckle era was particularly brutal. Did You Know? Boxing was generally illegal in 19th century America, with fights held in secret locations.Bare-knuckle bouts were brutal, and could last for hours.Fighters could become famous, and some, peculiarly, picked up a political following.One bare-knuckles champion went on to serve in Congress. Despite the fame of some boxers, matches often tended to be scraps organized by neighborhood political bosses or outright gangsters. The fights could go on for hours, with opponents battering away at each other until one collapsed or was beaten insensible. While the contests involved punching, the action bore scant resemblance to modern boxing matches. The nature of the fighters was also different. As boxing was generally outlawed, there were no professional fighters. The pugilists tended to be otherwise employed. For instance, one noted bare-knuckles fighter in New York City, Bill Poole, was by trade a butcher, and was widely known as Bill the Butcher. (His life was very loosely adapted and portrayed in the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.) Despite the notoriety and underground nature of bare knuckles fighting, some participants not only became famous, but were widely respected. Bill the Butcher, became a leader of the Know-Nothing Party in New York City before being assassinated. His funeral drew thousands of mourners, and was the largest public gathering in New York City until Abraham Lincolns funeral in April 1865. A perennial rival of Poole, John Morrissey, regularly found work as an election-day enforcer for New York City political factions. With what he earned boxing he opened saloons and gambling joints. His pugilistic reputation helped Morrissey to eventually be elected to Congress, representing a New York City district. John Morrissey during his bare knuckles boxing career. Library of Congress While serving on Capitol Hill, Morrissey became a popular figure. Visitors to Congress often wanted to meet the man known as Old Smoke, a nickname he picked up in a saloon fight when an opponent backed him up against a coal stove and set his clothes on fire. Morrissey, incidentally, proved he had enormous tolerance for pain when he won that particular fight. Later in the 19th century, when the boxer John L. Sullivan became popular, boxing became somewhat more legitimate. Still, the air of menace continued to surround boxing, and  major bouts were often held in peculiarly remote locations designed to skirt local laws. And publications like the Police Gazette, which focused on boxing events, seemed happy to make boxing seem shady. The London Rules Most boxing matches of the early 1800s were conducted under the London Rules, which were based on a set of rules laid down by an English boxer, Jack Broughton, in 1743. The basic premise of the Broughton Rules, and the subsequent London Prize Ring Rules, were that a round in a fight would last until a man went down. And there was a 30-second rest period between each round. Following the rest period, each fighter would have eight seconds to come to what was known as the scratch line in the middle of the ring. The fight would end when one of the fighters could not stand, or could not make it to the scratch line. Theoretically there was no limit to the number of rounds fought, so fights could go on for dozens of rounds. And because the fighters punched with bare hands, they could break their own hands by attempting knock-out punches to their opponents heads. So matches tended to be long battles of endurance. Marquess of Queensberry Rules A change in rules occurred in the 1860s in England. An aristocrat and sportsman, John Douglas, who held the title of the Marquess of Queensberry, developed a set of rules based on the use of padded gloves. The new rules came into use in the United States in the 1880s.

The Effect of Inflation on the Consumer and Money Markets Research Paper - 2

The Effect of Inflation on the Consumer and Money Markets - Research Paper Example The federal government realizes the impact inflation has on the elderly and in their social security system there is a safeguard protocol that protects the beneficiaries. The payments of social security are adjusted each year to offset the effects of inflation.   Another reason the elderly are affected a lot by inflation is that the elderly spend a lot of money on medical expenses. The inflation rate in the medical field is approximately 10%. The inflation varies by goods and industries. When inflation occurs in food prices the lower class is affected the most because poor people have limited income to pay to its food necessities. The amount of inflation in an economy depends on the country. In the United States, the inflation rate as of February 2011 was 2.1% (Tradingeconomics). Historically the United States has always had a low inflation rate. There are parts countries in this world that have been completely destabilized by the effects of inflation. A phenomenon in economics known as hyperinflation can destroy an economic system. Hyperinflation can be defined as extreme or excessive inflation. A country that is currently going through a hyperinflation crisis in Zimbabwe. Two other countries that have suffered from hyperinflation in the past are Argentina and Russia. In the past, the cost of living was much lower. We have heard stories about how our grandparents used to pay a few pennies for a can of coke or a pound of bread. Through the passage of time, things have gotten much more expensive. Despite lower wages, our ancestors had great wealth because they could buy more goods and services with less money. During those years owning land and homes was more accessible because prices were much lower. When inflation goes up in the United States the Federal Reserve can take measures to control inflation. This is called monetary policies. The current chairman of the FED is Ben Bernanke. Inflation is an economic variable that affects the lives of everyone. When inflation is low people enjoy a better standard of living in the long run because their money is not getting diluted due to inflation. In the United States, inflation is currently low at around 2%.

What was the scientific revolution all about How did this major Essay

What was the scientific revolution all about How did this major transition change overall lifestyle - Essay Example The books were title ‘De revolutionibus orbium coelestium’ (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) and De humani corporis fabrica’ (On the Fabric of the Human body) respectively. The two books were published in 1543. These two books were later followed by the Principia written by Isaac Newton in 1657. Introduction of Newton’s work was viewed as the climax for the works previously carried out in physics and astronomy since the Principia had laid a foundation for future developments in the two fields (Jacob 27). Before the advent of science, religion and philosophy were the main forces, which influenced people’s thinking. More specifically, the power of religion was more significant in Western Europe, and it had control over many aspects. Scientific revolution allowed people to  develop a distinct perspective about the world; science replaced philosophy. Religion-based ways of thinking started to fade out and logic was applied when searching for answers to questions that puzzled people regarding life, death, world and the universe. Therefore, science gave people a chance to solve numerous problems without consulting the gods as was the norm when religious approach was applied in solving issues (Shapin 47). Before the era of the scientific revolution, people used to view the world and the existing things as something only of god’s creation. This fact hindered many scientific developments since many people feared interfering with the gods’ creations, and religion was such a powerful force that united people together and never accepted any scientific development (Shapin 49). At the same time, the philosophical and religious thoughts used in solving problems before the advent of the scientific revolution advanced further. The educated People from the West at the time of the scientific revolution got a chance to advance their scientific skills to greater levels, which improved their