Effects Of The Financial Crisis On Iceland Economics Essay

Effects Of The Financial Crisis On Iceland Economics Essay The country of Iceland is the smallest economy within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with a gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 of about $11.8billion. The Icelandic economy has been based on marine and energy resources. More recently, Iceland has developed a very strong services sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the economic output. Since the start of the decade i.e. from 2000, Iceland has experienced particularly strong growth in its financial services sector. Trade accounts for a large share of Icelands GDP, with imports accounting for 46% in value and exports accounting for 35% in value of goods and services of GDP. Icelands main export item was fish and other marine products until the year 2006, when Iceland began to capitalize on its abundant thermal energy resources to produce and export aluminum. A combination of economic factors over the early to mid-2000s led to Icelands current economic and banking distress. In particular, access to easy credit, a boom in domestic construction that fueled rapid economic growth and a broad deregulation of Icelands financial sector spurred the banks to expand rapidly abroad and eventually played a role in the eventual financial collapse. Iceland benefited from favorable global financial conditions that reduced the cost of credit and a sweeping liberalization of its domestic financial sector that spurred rapid growth and encouraged Icelands banks to spread quickly throughout Europe. The 2008-2010 Icelandic financial crisis was a major ongoing economic crisis in Iceland that involved the collapse of all three of the countrys major banks (Kaupthing, Landsbanki, Glitnir) following their difficulties in refinancing their short-term debt and a run on deposits in the United Kingdom. Relative to the size of its economy, Icelands banking collapse was the largest suffered by any country in economic history of the world. This was the main reason why Iceland had to suffer so much in the crisis. Commenting on the need for emergency measures, Prime Minister Geir Haarde said on 6 October 2008, There [was] a very real danger that the Icelandic economy, in the worst case, could be sucked with the banks into the whirlpool and the result could have been national bankruptcy. He also stated that the actions taken by the government had ensured that the Icelandic state would not actually go bankrupt. At the end of the second quarter 2008, Icelands external debt was 9.553 trillion Icelandic krà ³nur (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬50 billion), more than 80% of which was held by the banking sector. This value compares with Icelands 2007 gross domestic product of 1.293 trillion krà ³nur (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬8.5 billion). The assets of the three banks taken under the control of the FME totaled 14.437 trillion krà ³nur at the end of the second quarter 2008. MONETARY POLICY Monetary policy is the process a the government, central bank, or monetary authority of a country uses to control (i) the supply of money, (ii) availability of money, and (iii) cost of money or rate of interest to attain a set of objectives oriented towards the growth and stability of the economy. Monetary theory therefore provides insight into how to craft optimal monetary policy. Monetary policy is contrasted with fiscal policy, which refers to government borrowing, spending and taxation. During the financial crisis, Icelands monetary policy credibility had been very seriously damaged. Unsatisfactory inflation outcomes had already undermined the credibility of the monetary framework, even before the financial crisis started and, consequently, inflation expectations were poorly anchored. Icelandic economists had said that due to the huge impact of the crisis, rebuilding the credibility was likely to take time, and also maintaining it might be very difficult. However, after the crisis, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had voted to lower the Central Bank interest rates by 0.5 %. By supporting the interest rate cut, it lead to the appreciation of the krona in trade weighted terms. As in the ISLM Model, a decrease in the interest rates leads to an increase in the money supply. Therefore, this has lead to an expansionary monetary policy, as the interest rates were lowered, and also the MPC supported or voted for lower interest rates. MONETARY POLICY GRAPH The above graph shows the shift in the LM towards right, which has lead to an expansion in the LM curve. Since the MPC voted for a lower interest rates , the money supply was increased. Therefore, the LM curve shifts from LM1 to LM2, leading to an expansionary of the monetary policy. FISCAL POLICY In economics, fiscal policy can be defined as the use of government expenditure and revenue collection to influence the economy. Fiscal policy refers to the overall effect of the budget outcome on economic activity. There are three possible stances of fiscal policy: Neutral stance, which implies a balanced budget where, govt. spending = Tax Revenue Expansionary stance, increase in the govt. spending and reduction in tax revenue Contractionary stance, decrease in the govt. spending and increase in tax revenue During the financial crisis, there was an increased government debt. Due to the recession and rising debt servicing costs, the public deficit was projected to be above 10% of GDP in 2009, adding to the public debt burden. As a result, a considerable fiscal consolidation was therefore needed to put public finances back on a sustainable path and to pave the road for a successful euro-area entry. It was also important to reduce the deficit vigorously in the coming years, so that the country can reach the goal of balance. In order to eliminate the deficit, the government of Iceland had the option of tax increases as well as spending cuts, it then decided to opt for the former as they were easier to introduce immediately. The starting point for the tax increases would have been to reverse tax cuts implemented over the boom years, but Iceland could no longer afford. This would involve the increase in the personal income tax and also lift the reduced rate of VAT (Value Added Tax). This planned fiscal consolidation, would involve measures which would help to contain the expenditures. FISCAL POLICY GRAPH The above graph, shows the shift in the IS curve towards left, which leads to the contraction of the IS curve. Since the govt. decided to reduce their expenditure and increase the taxation, in order to consolidate the fiscal policy, the IS has moved towards left, leading to an contractionary fiscal policy. INFLATION In economics, inflation can be defined as the rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When the price level rises, then each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, annual inflation is also erosion in the purchasing power of money a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy. The effects of inflation on an economy are manifold and can have both simultaneously positive and negative impacts. Since Iceland, comes from a small domestic market, the banks in Iceland have financed their expansion from getting loans on the inter-bank lending market and, more recently, by getting deposits from outside Iceland (which are also a form of external debt). Large amount of debt was also taken by the households, which was equivalent to 213% of the disposable income, causing inflation in the country. Due to the practice of the Central Bank of Iceland issuing loans (liquidity) to the different banks on the basis of uncovered bonds which are newly issued and printing money on demand, this lead to inflation being exacerbated. Due to the financial crisis, the country of Iceland suffered inflation. On 25th of March 2008, popular website, Bloomberg.com that Iceland had raised its rates to 15% by raising its repo rate by a huge 1.25% in one day. The website also reported that the country was facing an inflation rate of about 7%. However, the Central Bank of Iceland had a goal of maintaining the inflation rate of about 2.5%. Also the Icelandic currency, krona has declined against the euro, from about 100 ISK per euro at the beginning of the year (2008), to its nadir of 125 on March 19 2008. Due to the interest rate hike it had the effect of moving it to about 116 from about 122. In August 2006, the country of Iceland made news when it had increased its interest rate to 13.5%. At that time, the krona was very strong against the euro. Iceland made news previously in August, 2006 when it increased its interest rate to 13.5%. The krona was then trading at a stronger at 90 to one euro. Some main factors why Iceland incurred inflation was mainly due to, the value of krona depreciated, secondly the prices of various commodities kept on soaring, and lastly, there was uncertain effect on wage agreements on labour costs. Since the financial crisis brought a huge change in the development of the economies in the world, as well as making many banks go bankrupt, the Icelandic debt is now over 320 billion krona, which is roughly about $4 billion US dollars. This figure is huge; as one can say considering that its about a quarter of their GDP. INFLATION GRAPH Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010 6.60 7.30 8.50 2009 18.60 17.58 15.19 11.89 11.63 12.18 11.32 10.90 10.81 9.71 8.63 7.50 2008 5.77 6.79 8.72 11.76 12.32 12.74 13.55 14.54 14.02 15.89 17.15 18.13 2007 6.89 7.41 5.87 5.29 4.67 4.01 3.76 3.45 4.18 4.47 5.19 5.86 The above graph shows Icelandic inflation rate over the past 3 years. In the graph, one can make out how the inflation rate climbed up consistently in the year 2008, whereas in the year 2009, the inflation rates kept on falling except in the month of June where it increased, but since then it had kept on decreasing. In the year 2008, the reason why inflation rate climbed up consistently, was because of the krona which had been depreciating, where as in the year 2009, the inflation rates kept on falling as the property prices fell, which resulted in the fall of prices. UNEMPLOYMENT Unemployment can be defined as people who do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks, and are currently available for work. Also, people who were temporarily laid off and are waiting to be called back to that job are counted as unemployed. Some types of unemployment are listed below: Structural Unemployment. Frictional Unemployment. Cyclical Unemployment. Since the financial crisis, lead to large percentage of unemployment all over the world, Iceland was also one of them which had a quite high rate of unemployment. Unemployment in Iceland increased tree times more by the end of November 2008. There were more than 7000 registered jobseekers (about 4% of the workforce) in November compared to just 2136 at the end of August 2008. The debt repayment had become more costly as household debt (80%) and 13% denominated in foreign currencies had become indexed. The impact of the crisis was such that since October 2008, 14% of the total workforce had experienced reductions in pay, whereas around 7% of the workforce had their working hours reduced. According to IFL (Icelandic Federation of Labour) president Gylfi Arnbjà ¶rnsson, the above figures were lower than expected More than 85% of the workforce who were currently registered as unemployed in the country, stated that they had become unemployed or lost their jobs in October after that, due to the economic collapse. In December 2008, the unemployed figures which were registered in Iceland was 4.8 per cent, or around 7,902 people an increase of some 45 percent in November, according to the figures from the Directorate of Labour. These unemployment figures were the highest, Iceland had recorded since January 1997. In the same month i.e. December in the year 2007, unemployment rate partly was 0.8 percent, or 1.357 people. The Directorate of Labour had estimated that the figure will rise to 6.4-6.9 percent by the end of January 2009. Among those unemployed, the rate of unemployment among young people had increased the fastest, with the number of registered 16 to 24 year olds jumping from 1,408 to 2,069 in the month to the end of December 2008. This age group accounts for 23 percent of the entire jobless total. UNEMPLOYMENT GRAPH 0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00% 7.00% 8.00% 9.00% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 The above graph shows the rate of unemployment over the past 7 years. During the financial crisis, the rates skyrocketed especially in the year 2010, due to the banking as well as financial collapse. Many became jobless as banks and other sectors were closed. Other reason why the rate was high in 2010 was, because the fishing sector was affected. This sector accounts for 10% of the total workforce in the country. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is defined in economics as a basic measure of a countrys overall economic output. It is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year. It is often positively correlated with the standard of living, though its use as a stand-in for measuring the standard of living has come under increasing criticism and many countries are actively exploring alternative measures to GDP for that purpose. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be determined in three ways, all of which should in principle give the same result. They are the product (or output) approach, the income approach, and the expenditure approach. Prior to the 2008-2010 crises, the economy of Iceland had achieved high growth, also had a low rate of unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income all over the country. The economy depended heavily on the fishing industry which is the main source of their income, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 10% of the work force. Icelands economy had been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, with new developments in software production, biotechnology, and tourism. During the global financial crisis, the crisis-stricken Icelandic economys GDP shrank by a record 6.5% in 2009, despite having a decent growth of 1% in 2008 and massive growth of 6% in 2007. The decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.5% was a record in the national accounts of Iceland. There was a sharp decline in GDP in last year (2009) as the domestic expenditure plunged by 20.1%, then the household consumption also fell to 14.6% due to unemployment and government consumption dwindled by 3%. Also, Icelands fixed capital formation dropped by 49.9%. These were the reasons why the gross domestic product (GDP) fell by a huge margin, in the year 2009. After the crisis, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Iceland managed to expand at an annual rate of 3.30 percent in the last quarter i.e. in the year 2009. Iceland Gross Domestic Product is now worth 17 billion dollars or 0.03% of the world economy, according to the World Bank. Icelands Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system, including generous housing subsidies. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) GRAPH Year Mar Jun Sep Dec Average 2009 -5.10 -0.40 -7.20 3.30 -2.35 2008 2.90 -6.00 1.80 3.20 0.48 2007 2.10 0.80 5.10 -1.00 1.75 The above graph, describes the changes in the gross domestic product (GDP) of Iceland over the past 3 years. During the years 2007 2008, Iceland recorded a growth in the GDP, which helped in boosting the Icelandic economy. However, most of the year in 2009, it recorded a huge decline of 6.5%, except in the last quarter i.e. in the month of December where it a recorded a positive GDP. The main reasons why the GDP declined in the year 2009 was because the household consumption, the government consumption, as well the domestic expenditure rate had fallen massively, resulting in a negative GDP for the most part of the year. CURRENCY The Iceland currency which is known as krà ³na had been declined more than 35% against the euro from January to September 2008.Inflation of consumer prices was running at 14% and Icelands interest rates had been raised to 15.5% to deal with the high inflation. In the month of October 2008, the effects of financial crisis brought about a collapse in the Icelandic banking sector. The Central Bank of Iceland abandoned its attempt to peg the Icelandic krà ³na at 131 krà ³nur to the euro after it had tried to set this peg in the month. During the month, the Icelandic krà ³na was trading at 340 to the euro when trading in the currency had collapsed because the last major Icelandic bank had been takeover by the FME and thus the loss of all krà ³na trade clearing houses. Then, the central bank introduced restrictions on the purchase of foreign currency within Iceland. From October to November, the European Central Bank quoted a reference rate of 305 krà ³nur to the euro. The Central Bank of Iceland had then set up a temporary system of daily currency auctions in the month of October to facilitate international trade. The value of the krà ³na was determined by supply and demand which took place in these auctions. The first auction sold à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25 million at a rate of 150 krà ³nur to the euro. Commercial krà ³na trading outside Iceland had again been started in the end of October, at an exchange rate of 240 krà ³nur to the euro, after which Icelandic interest rates had been raised to 18%. The foreign exchange reserves of the Central Bank of Iceland had felled by US$289 million during the month of October 2008. During November 2008, the real exchange rate (discounting inflation) of the Icelandic krà ³na, which was quoted by the Central Bank of Iceland, was approximately one-third lesser than the average rate from the period 1980-2008, and also 20% lower than the historical lows during the same period. The external rate which was quoted by the European Central Bank was still lower. On the last trading day of the month November, the Central Bank of Iceland had quoted 182.5 krà ³nur to the euro, while the European Central Bank had quoted 280 krà ³nur to the euro. INTERNATIONAL TRADE The economy of Iceland is small and subject to high volatility. Icelands standard of living is among the worlds highest, in part due to the overall openness of its economy, which has allowed Iceland to reap significant benefits from specialization and trade according to a report on the trade policies and practices of Iceland published by the WTO Secretariat. Iceland has a mixed economy with high levels of free trade and government intervention. Iceland has a free market economy with relatively low taxes compared with other OECD countries. However, government consumption is less than in other Nordic countries. Icelands trade policy is pursued along three main tracks: multilateral trade liberalisation through the WTO, regional liberalisation through the European Economic Area (EEA) with its EFTA/EEA partners and the European Union and finally, bilateral free trade agreements in cooperation with its EFTA partners Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Icelands international treaties hav e strengthened foreign trade. The EEA Agreement covers the free movement of goods, persons, capital and services. Membership in the EEA in 1994 and the Uruguay Round agreement brought greater market access for Icelands exports, capital, labor, and goods and services, especially seafood products. Agriculture is heavily subsidized and protected by the government, with some tariffs ranging as high as 700 percent. Iceland is a part of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The WTO was established on the 1st of January 1995. It is an organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade. Since the early 1990s, Iceland and its other partners in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have established an extensive network of contractual free trade relations in Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region and with countries in other parts of the world. The WTO deals with controlling of trade between participating countries; it provides a framework for negotiating trade agreements. The country has signed a large number of multilateral and bilateral agreements. Iceland is furthermore strongly committed to the Doha Development Agenda and a fair and equitable outcome that will benefit the entire membership. Iceland supports the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund, which is intended to assist developing countries in taking advantage of the opportunities created by increased trade liberalization. Iceland exports 40% of fish and fish products, 40% of aluminum and alloys and animal products. The main imports are machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs and textiles and Cement. Icelands primary import partner is Germany, with 12.6%, followed by the United States, Norway, and Denmark. Currently, the largest trading partner countries are Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries. The fishing industry is one of the most important industries. It provides 70% of export income and employs 6.0% of the workforce; therefore, the state of the economy remains sensitive to world prices for fish products.  [i]  The diversity of Icelands exports has, however, increased significantly in recent years, due to structural reforms and privatisation of state owned entities in finance and other sectors. Exports of manufactured products have been growing rapidly. Services now account for 36% of total export revenues while in 1990 the share was 26%. Icelands ratio of services to total trade is one of the highest among OECD countries. It is the Governments stated objective to provide Icelandic agriculture with a realistic opportunity to adapt to changes in its operating environment, to the benefit of farmers and consumers alike. The growth of international trade had been affected in the 1930s by the existence of tariffs and other barriers to international trade. To avoid such problems an agreement, the general Agreement of Trade and Tariffs, was concluded between 44 countries which included Iceland. Iceland joined GATT in 1968. GATT stated that an international agreement should be created which required a binding code of conduct for international trade; its main objective was the liberalization of world trade. Its principle was that there would be mutual benefits if international trade took place on the basis of non-discrimination and should be gradually reduced through negotiations. The liberalization for international trade gave Iceland confidence in their trade. During the period 2003-07, Iceland developed from a nation best known for its fishing industry into a country providing sophisticated financial services, but was consequently hit particularly hard by the 2008 global financial crisis, which extended into 2009.  [ii]   Self-protection and self-preservation have characterized Icelands foreign trade policy since its independence from Denmark. While Iceland is a highly developed country, until the 20th century, it was among the poorest countries in Western Europe. However, strong economic growth has led Iceland to be ranked first in the United Nations Human Development Index report for 2007/2008.  [iii]   TARIFF Iceland enjoys some of the strongest economic freedoms among all countries However; Iceland is very isolationist as regards to the import of farm products and licenses as well as state monopolies of imports (undergoing a dismantling). Some plant products such as potatoes and flowers are subject to seasonal limitations. Iceland implements high tariffs on agricultural products in order to protect the domestic agricultural sector. Tariffs on certain varieties of vegetables, e.g. tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers are significantly higher during the growing season to protect domestic greenhouse producers. Meat and dairy products, and potatoes are also protected by substantial duties. Animal feed can carry tariffs up to 55%. Over 90% of imports are not subject to import restrictions or duties other than the same value-added tax applied to domestically produced goods. Special excise taxes are levied on sugar and some sugar products, potatoes, and motor vehicles. Agricultural products remain the most heavily taxed. In March 1970, Iceland acquired full membership in EFTA. On 28 February 1973, Iceland ratified a trade agreement with the European Community (later named the European Union) leading to the elimination of tariffs on industrial goods. A law authorizing the establishment of free trade zones went into effect in 1992. Icelands trade regime underwent considerable liberalization in the 1990s with accession to the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1993, and the Uruguay Round in 1994. Current duty rates generally range from 0% to 30% ad valorem and the average weighted tariff is 3.6%. Some goods enter duty-free, such as meat, fish, and dairy products. Icelands average MFN applied tariff is 5.9%. A high percentage of tariff lines (70%) benefit from duty free treatment. The average MFN applied tariff rate  for agricultural products is 18.3% (WTO definition) compared with 2.5% for other goods.  [iv]   Iceland offers preferential tariffs on imports from 37 WTO Members under several free-trade agreements. Regional liberalization has advanced the most within the framework of the European Economic Area (EEA); nonetheless, the average tariff on products from EEA partners is still 3.2%, reflecting the exclusion of several agricultural products from duty-free treatment. A new Customs Law came into force on 1 January 2006 (Act No. 88/2005). According to the authorities, customs clearance for all importation aspects is computerized; electronic data interchange (EDI) covers 98% of the declarations of import and export firms. Customs clearance using EDI takes a matter of minutes, or a few hours if processed manually. CONCLUSION The occurrence of the financial and economic crisis left economists and policymakers wondering about its causes. A vast majority of economist and policymakers blamed the free-market reforms. At the beginning of 1990s, the government of Iceland implemented a set of free-market reforms under the leadership of David Oddsson. The companies own by the state were privatized. Financial markets were liberalized. The central bank was granted full independence in refining extensive inflation. Also, the corporate tax rate was cut from 52 percent in 1985 to 15 percent in 2008. When the financial crisis battered the stock market which led to the breakdown of the banking sector, many economists, analysts and policymakers immediately blamed free-market reforms as the foremost origin of the crisis. However, the empirical evidence and a macroeconomic analysis reverse this kind of thinking. The main origin of the financial and economic crisis that evolved in Iceland is a failure of monetary policy. In 2002, Iceland witnessed a mild recession that ended quickly. Ever since then, the central bank constantly failed to meet the inflation target. In response, it raised benchmark interest rate to double-digit levels. As a consequence of a stunning gap in interest rates, the Icelandic krona strongly appreciated. In such circumstances, high domestic interest rates discouraged the domestic banking sector from borrowing in domestic currency. With interest rates standing at double-digit levels, uncovered interest parity encouraged households, firms and banks to borrow in foreign currency. Iceland has been a part of the news lately because of the recent volcanic eruptions which took place on 15th April 2010 in the glacier Eyjafjallajokull in South Iceland. Day to day business in Iceland apart from the directly affected areas in the south has not been affected. The ash hurled into the atmosphere by the eruption has however caused serious disruption of air traffic due to which number of flights have been cancelled and also heavy losses has been incurred to the aviation sector, especially in UK.

Multilingualism on the Net :: Languages Technology Papers

Multilingualism on the Net What will be the effect of the Internet upon natural languages in the 21st century? It is widely accepted that, generally speaking, any new media change languages. For example, the prevalence of TV has dramatically homogenized spoken accents over the past few decades. Young people tend to speak in almost the same way as TV casters, and local dialects and accents remain only among the speech of older people. This TV effect, however, is insignificant as compared with the enormous effect of print media on languages over the past few hundred years. The prevailing print texts, especially newspapers etc., enabled millions of people who had never met each other to think about the same topics in the same language, thus creating a sort of community identity. This community identity was transformed into national identity, upon which in turn the nation-state was established, as discussed by political scientist Benedict Anderson [1]. Print languages are widely acknowledged as standard national languages, for which dictionaries are edited, and lessons are given in schools. On the other hand, other languages gradually declined. Since the market economy requires any printing business to have a certain amount of readers, print languages tend to be limited to so-called major languages spoken by millions of people. In short, the number of written languages on the earth decreased after the arrival of prin t media. What, then, will the arrival of the Internet bring about? ---- Roughly speaking, we can predict two distinct directions. The first one is English monopoly. The Internet has originated in the United States, and it is obvious that at present most international correspondence takes place in English. This is partly for the historical reason that the Internet has developed as a communication tool for the researchers of science and technology whose common language is English. Now general people in addition to science and technology researchers often utilize the Internet, but English is still the dominant language if one wants to look at foreign Web sites or send E-mail across state borders. Therefore there is the possibility that, sooner or later in the 21st century, English will become the sole common language for international communication, thereby accompanying the inescapable decline of other languages. In this case the term globalization means the hegemony of English-based, United Sta tes-centered single culture spreading all over the world. On the other hand, however, we may expect the second direction where various cultures in different countries thrive and interchange with each other, resulting in fruitful and plural global culture.

Benito Mussolini :: essays research papers

Benito Mussolini   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Benito Mussolini was the founder of Italian Fascism and premier of Italy ruling as a dictator from about 1925 until his dismissal in 1943. Mussolini was born to a socialist blacksmith. As a child he was unruly and undisciplined. He shared his fathers views picking up other ideas from authors of the time. Mussolini became a schoolteacher and journalist. He spent several years in Switzerland and took Rachele Guidi as is wife, they had five children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1913 Mussolini became editor of the Milan Socialist newspaper Avanti! When World War 1 began in 1914 he first opposed Italy's involvement, until he changed his mind, saying that Italy should take a stand with the Allies. This got him expelled from the socialist party. He soon founded his own paper, Il popolo d'italia, which became the backbone of his Fascist movement. He then served in the Army until he was wounded in 1917.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1919 Mussolini and some other war veterans founded a nationalistic revolutionary group called the Fasci di Combattimento. His movement turned into powerful radicalism, obtaining support from landowners in the Po valley, industrialists, and many army officers. Fascist blackshirt squads carried on civil war with Socialists, Communists, Catholics, and Liberals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In October 1922 Mussolini secured permission from King Victor Emmanuel lll to form a coalition government. In 1925-26, after a lengthy crisis with the parliament following the killing of the Socialist leader Giacomo Matteotti, he imposed a Totalarian Dictatorship. His Corperative State came to terms with Italian Capitalism but abolished the free trade unions. In 1929 he ended conflict with the church through the Lateran Treaty of 1929.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1930's Mussolini turned to an aggressive foreign policy, conquering Ethiopia(1935-36) and helping General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War. In 1936 he joined with Hitler's Germany and soon formed a military alliance(1939). In 1939 Mussolini ordered his armies to occupy Albania. However he kept out of World War ll until 1940, when the fall of France was imminent and the Germans seemed to be winning the war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a series of Italian military disasters in Greece and North Africa, the leaders of his party abandoned him. The king dismissed him on July 25,1943 and had him arrested. On September 12 the Germans rescued him, making him puppet head of a government in northern Italy. In April 1945 Mussolini and

Roller Coasters

Roller Coasters The main energy transfers that happens as a â€Å"car† travels along the track from the start of the ride to the end. 1. The main energy transfers are between gravitational potential energy (GPE) and kinetic energy (KE), and the eventual decrease of mechanical energy as it transforms into thermal energy. Roller coasters often start as a chain and motor exercises a force on the car to lift it up to the top of a very tall hill.At this height, GPE is at its highest, as we can see through the formula: GPE = mass x gravitational field strength x height (for all physics in relation to Earth, take g to be 10 m/s2 or 10 N/kg) We can see through this formula that as the height increases, so does the GPE, which will then be converted into KE, or kinetic energy. This is the energy that takes place as the â€Å"car† is falling down the hill. This is calculated through the formula: KE = 0. 5 x mass x speed This means that the kinetic energy increases as the speed inc reases, and vice versa. Therefore, this means the higher the kinetic energy, the faster the â€Å"car†.We can actually be extremely specific in terms of this relationship. We know that as the mass doubles, the KE doubles, but as the speed doubles, the KE quadruples. This becomes important when analysing this formula: KE = GPE/0. 5mv2 = mgh 2. A roller coaster ride is a thrilling experience which involves a wealth of physics. Part of the physics of a roller coaster is the physics of work and energy. The ride often begins as a chain and motor (or other mechanical device) exerts a force on the train of cars to lift the train to the top of a vary tall hill.Once the cars are lifted to the top of the hill, gravity takes over and the remainder of the ride is an experience in energy transformation. At the top of the hill, the cars possess a large quantity of potential energy. Potential energy – the energy of vertical position – is dependent upon the mass of the object a nd the height of the object. The car's large quantity of potential energy is due to the fact that they are elevated to a large height above the ground. As the cars descend the first drop they lose much of this potential energy in accord with their loss of height.The cars subsequently gain kinetic energy. Kinetic energy – the energy of motion – is dependent upon the mass of the object and the speed of the object. The train of coaster cars speeds up as they lose height. Thus, their original potential energy (due to their large height) is transformed into kinetic energy (revealed by their high speeds). As the ride continues, the train of cars are continuously losing and gaining height. Each gain in height corresponds to the loss of speed as kinetic energy (due to speed) is transformed into potential energy (due to height).Each loss in height corresponds to a gain of speed as potential energy (due to height) is transformed into kinetic energy (due to speed). Additional not es: GPE = m x g x h       KE = m x v? The main energy transfers that happen as a car travels along the track from the start of the ride to the end: 3. The roller coaster car gains gravitational potential energy (GPE) as it travels to the top. Once over the top, the car gains speed as GPE is transferred to kinetic energy (KE). As it travels to the top of another loop, KE is transferred to GPE.Not all the energy is transferred to or from GPE – some is transferred to the surroundings as heat and sound. All moving objects have kinetic energy, KE. The kinetic energy an object has depends on the mass and speed. If the mass doubles, the KE doubles and if the speed doubles, the KE quadruples. Normally energy is lost through sound and heat (friction, air resistance). 1. http://www. antiessays. com/free-essays/339200. html 2. http://www. physicsclassroom. com/mmedia/energy/ce. cfm 3. http://www. studymode. com/essays/Physics-Roller-Coasters-1535452. htmlHow the HEIGHTS of the hills are designed to allow an empty â€Å"car† to reach the end of the ride. 1. The purpose of the coaster's initial ascent is to build up a sort of reservoir of potential energy. The concept of potential energy, often referred to as energy of position, is very simple: As the coaster gets higher in the air, gravity can pull it down a greater distance. You experience this phenomenon all the time — think about driving your car, riding your bike or pulling your sled to the top of a big hill. The potential energy you build going up the hill can be released as kinetic energy — the energy of motion that takes you down the hill.Once you start cruising down that first hill, gravity takes over and all the built-up potential e ­nergy changes to kinetic energy. Gravity applies a constant downward force on the cars. 2. The hills are designed so that it is low enough that the momentum of the car from the previous drop carries it up and over the hill. This is why the hills are usually lower towards the end of the ride, because the car has lost momentum due to friction and air resistance. Mainly the consecutive hill must be lower as it will not have enough energy because some of it is lost and sound and heat.Therefore, if the car was to reach the end of the ride, the height of the hills must be lower each consecutive time. 1. http://science. howstuffworks. com/engineering/structural/roller-coaster3. htm 2. http://www. studymode. com/essays/Physics-Roller-Coasters-1535452. html How the ENERGY TRANSFERS determines the heights of the hills. The roller coaster train, having travelled down the first drop, now has a load of Kinetic Energy. There are a number of situations that could then take place. Situation 1: Flat Straight Track What a boring roller coaster this would make, but it illustrates a point.If the track after the first drop was completely flat and straight†¦ then the Kinetic Energy would, theoretically, allow the train to continue moving foreve r, as energy does not disapear. In the real world, however, air resistance and friction between the wheels and the track cause the kinetic energy to be converted away, and thus eventually the train will stop. Situation 2: A Hill of Equal Height to the First Drop Another dull coaster, but this one would make the news as it is destined to get stuck. As the train speeds down the first drop, bottoms out and rises up the second hill, the train would roll back.Even though, theoretically, the train has the kinetic energy to get up the same size hill as the first drop, much of this will be lost due to friction and air resistance. As a result, the train would only make it about 3/4 of the way up the second hill before it rolls back down. Situation 3: A Hill of Less Height than the First Drop Now the train will have enough energy to get over the second hill, provided the hill is low enough to take into account the train style and weight, and continue onwards. http://www. coasterforce. com/coa sters/technical-info/physics-of-a-coaster

Different Types of Human Communication

Different Types of Human Communication Most animals communicate with each other in some way. Dogs bark at those they perceive as a threat in order to communicate their hostility and in some cases the threat that they will attack if provoked; bees have a pouch in which they carry the scent of their hive so as to identify themselves as members of the community. However, it is only in humans that communication breaks off into different types of communication: verbal and non-verbal, and formal and informal. Verbal communication is just what one would expect from the name: communication using words, and in some cases written characters. There are subcategories for verbal communication, depending on who is at the receiving end of the communication. The main division is between interpersonal communication, in which one person speaks directly to another person, and public or group speaking, in which one person speaks to a large group. From here, the intention of the person speaking breaks it down into still further categories depending on whether they are trying to persuade the listener or listeners to think or act in a certain way, to convey information in the clearest manner possible, or even to entertain. However, in many cases, the intentions of the speaker will overlap: speakers may want to persuade, inform, and entertain their audiences all at the same time. Sometimes, they may even be unaware of what their true intentions are themselves. Non-verbal communication is the type that is more similar to what the dogs and bees mentioned above do. Non-verbal communication includes all the information we convey to others, whether consciously or subconsciously, without actually using any words. Probably the most ubiquitous example of non verbal communication is that of facial expressions. For example, when a person rolls their eyes at someone, they are expressing skepticism about what the speaker said. They are not using any words to convey this message, but using their understanding of the non-verbal cues they can send that message without having to explicitly say, â€Å"I really find what you are saying unbelievable†. Not all facial expressions are so calculated though: there are those like smiles that come naturally when someone is happy, and indicate this to others. Beyond these more explicit examples, there are more subtle instances of non-verbal communication. For example, clothing: just as the male peacock uses a vibrant display of his colorful feathers to signal to a potential mate that he is a desirable choice, people use clothing in order to send messages about themselves (whether they are true or not). In this vein, a man going to a job interview will usually wear a suit and tie in order to convey the idea that he is a very professional person. Unlike facial expressions, this kind of non-verbal communication is more like verbal communication because it is arbitrary – there is no intrinsic reason why a suit and tie should convey the idea of professionalism any more than a Japanese kimono would. It is simply that it has become a cultural norm that a suit and tie is what a professional person wears, and as such it becomes a symbol and a means of non-verbal communication. Formal communication is more strongly associated with large and small group speaking. It is more rule bound, and is more centered on the speaker getting some kind of result. For example, speaking to a board room full of business executives in order to convince them to accept a marketing strategy is an example of formal communication: what is said and how it is said is rule-bound to what is considered appropriate for the setting, and it is directed toward the specific end of getting the executives to accept the ad campaign. Furthermore, their are instances of symbolic non-verbal communication, such as the wearing of business attire in order to appear professional. Informal communication is associated with interpersonal communication. While it is still rule bound by the social norms of the those communicating, there is much more room for the speaker to be free in what he or she says. Informal communication is also much less tied to specific ends: in many cases, it takes place simply for the speaker to express what they think and feel about anything in particular, and the speaking is undertaken as an end it itself. It is a much more emotionally involved form of communication, in large part because there is less emphasis on symbolic non-verbal communication and more emphasis on saying what one really feels. Although these various types of communication are very different, they are all indispensable tools for communicating with and understanding others. In order to be able to look at others and truly appreciate what they are trying to convey and whether what they are saying has any value, one needs to have a thorough understanding of all types. Informal Communication If formal communication is viewed like dressing for a black tie affair, informal communication is like dressing casually and wearing slippers around the house. Much informal communication occurs on a person-to-person basis, in a face-to-face manner, without ceremony or fanfare. Other ways to communicate in an informal manner may include texting, post-it notes, an informal drop in visit to another person, or a quick and spontaneous meeting. Informal communication includes all the various methods of relaying information or messages between people. It often is called â€Å"the grapevine† as messages weave back and forth and around people. There are none of the trappings of formal messages, such as company letterhead, planned meetings or specific introductions of guests. Everyone is relaxed and casual, eager to chat about many things, as there is no specific agenda to follow. This type of communication frequently is oral, and works easily for small groups. The scope of the conversation may be broader than a formal presentation, and include topics that are diverse in nature, free flowing and loose rather than scripted carefully. Unfortunately, informal communication is subject to creating rumors and misinformation due to its loose nature and lack of substantiating evidence. This is the type of interaction that occurs in the workplace as banter between employees, or idle chatting. It is seen as blog entries on the Internet. At colleges, students are encouraged to drop by their professors’ offices as needed, informally. Other informal web communication is seen in diaries, personal email letters, instant messaging, emoticons, online chat rooms and cyberspace bulletin boards. Informal communication also may take a non-verbal form as facial expressions, sign language, or manner of dress. In spoken language, the informal communicative style incorporates the use of the second and first voices. This is in contrast to the use of the third person voice in formal communications. One of the visible signs of informal communication is its natural and easy style, as opposed to being formally regimented. There may be the use of colloquialisms and local slang in the course of speech. It is unconventional and without rules, which is just the opposite of formal. Informal communication is used to help put people at ease. This can be seen in an interview situation where an interviewer such as a paralegal needs to make a little small talk to help get clients to relax, feel welcome and open up verbally. The use of informal language is far more prevalent in society than the use of formal language. Formal Communication Formal communication can be considered as communication efforts that are â€Å"dressed up† to fit customary rules and ceremony For example, in a written letter, the formal communication style will demand that the layout of the piece of written communication follow a specific format that includes the date, header, salutation, body of the letter, close, signature lines and any indicators of enclosures all placed neatly upon company letterhead or personal stationery. By contrast, an informal piece of written communication can be as simple as a jotted note to a friend on a torn slip of paper Formal communications are mostly written, although they may now also include formal presentations that are on computer disk, video tape or DVDs, MP3 presentations and other similar electronic reproductions of written communications. Other forms of formal communications include newsletters, legal advisories, invitations, awards, and letters of congratulations. Non-written formal communication devices are in-person communications in the forms of departmental meetings, telephone calls, conferences and special interviews. Some publications that are devoted to a special purpose, such as a company’s annual report, are formal communications. There is a non-verbal component to formal communication as well. The style and manners of the presenter dictate the formalness of a meeting, and this can be immediately seen at the time of introduction of a speaker. Some elements of non-verbal formal communication include maintaining a certain distance from others, standing above the crowd, speaking in formal tones and using formal means of address to others, such as â€Å"Mister† or â€Å"Doctor† when calling upon others. Colloquialisms, which are freely used in informal communication, are not present in formal communications. Proper English or another language is spoken. Formal communications will follow a chain of command in the flow of the communication, either upwards to or down from managers. The use of formal communication is more prevalent in highly technical areas where a message must be exact and specific, leaving no room for misinterpretation. The written communication is carefully thought out, and planned for a certain effect or result. It often is written in a third person non-personal voice of â€Å"he, she, it, and they† rather than â€Å"I† or â€Å"you† voices. Grammar, spelling and layout are important for written communications, and for spoken communications there is an emphasis placed on the quality of the speech voice and pronunciation. Some formal communications are congratulatory, others can be advisory or informational. Legal papers follow a tightly formatted layout that is customary within the professional and widely used by others. Likewise, scientific research papers have a customary format to follow. Any written communication that is expected to adhere to particular rules can be considered to be formal communication, and the actual tone of the piece may range from friendly to threatening. It can be more demanding and imply expectations to the receiver that should create desired results. Communication through Body Language Communication is how human beings interact with the world that surrounds them. There are many forms of communication, some being more effective at conveying the intent or feelings of the individual expressing than others. Many people have a hard time with communication, and can find it difficult to tell others what they think or to give them bad news. Sometimes, they can’t find the right words to express the things they want to say. There are also those people who are not to be believed due to a history of dishonesty or embellishing the truth. One form of communication, however, is always honest and can always be counted on. Body language is a form of communication that is performed subconsciously. It occurs almost constantly, and will almost always give the correct impression that a person has of someone else, the environment, or the situation at hand. Body language makes it easy to know if someone is nervous, scared, interested, or focused, among many other feelings that could be happening. Learning to read body language can be as simple as paying attention to your own body when feeling specific emotions. For example, if you are able to notice the unconscious things that your body does when you are nervous, then it should be simple for you to be able to see when another person is nervous in a certain situation. Often, reading the body language of another person will tell you more than having an actual conversation would, especially if the conversation has the potential to be uncomfortable or is something that no one wants to acknowledge. On the lighter side of body language communication, it can be a very helpful tool in determining how interested another person is in you. When single people meet for the first time, reading the signs of body language can help you to determine if this person has any interest in you beyond friendship. If on a date, the person leans towards you when you are speaking or has their arms at their sides with the front of their body facing towards you, that is a sign that signifies a true interest in the things you are saying. If, on the other hand, they have their arms crossed, are leaning back in their chair with their back turned towards you, and are avoiding contact, they probably are not interested. These are some good physical indicators that you could be wasting your time. Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication is any kind of communication not involving words. When the term is used, most people think of facial expressions and gestures, but while these are important elements of nonverbal communication, they are not the only ones. Nonverbal communication can include vocal sounds that are not words such as grunts, sighs, and whimpers. Even when actual words are being used, there are nonverbal sound elements such as voice tone, pacing of speech and so forth. Nonverbal communication can be incorporated in a person’s dress. In our society, a person wearing a police uniform is already communicating an important message before they say a word. Another example is a man’s business suit, which is perceived by some as communicating an air of efficiency and professionalism. While each of these cues conveys a message, so does its absence. In some settings, failing to express a nonverbal cue also communicates meaning. A policeman out of uniform is called â€Å"plainclothes† and is seen as deliberately trying to conceal his role. To some, this may make him seem smart or efficient, while others may consider him sneaky or untrustworthy. In the same way, a businessman who does not wear a suit is conveying an air of casualness which some would consider slightly less professional. In the modern world, â€Å"dressing down† implies a relaxation of professional standards that is much more than just a change of clothes. Many cues are based on learned cultural standards, but there are some elements of nonverbal communication that are universal. Paul Eckman’s landmark research on facial expressions in the 1960? s found that the expressions for emotions such as anger, fear, sadness and surprise are the same across all cultural barriers. The setting where communication takes place also lends a meaning to words apart from their literal definition, and constitutes nonverbal communication. For instance, the word â€Å"tradition† means one thing when it is spoken in City Hall, and quite another when it is spoken in a church. The sign of a cross takes on great cultural meaning when used in a religious context, but on a road sign it just means that an intersection is coming up. Some nonverbal communication accompanies words and modifies their meanings. For instance, our speed of speaking and the pauses we place between our words form a nonverbal element to our speech. A slight pause before a word can imply uncertainty or be interpreted as a request for confirmation from the listener, whereas a lack of pauses can be taken as a sign of confidence or the encouragement of a fast reply from the listener. If someone asks you a question in a hurried manner, you will probably get the feeling that they want a similarly quick reply. The use of personal space constitutes a form of nonverbal communication. If someone leans toward their listener as they speak, it implies that they are communicating something personal or secret. Depending on the social nuances of the situation, this may be taken as a sign of friendship or an unwanted invasion of space. The use of touching as an element of communication is called haptic communication, and its meanings are very culture-dependent. In American society, a handshake, a pat on the shoulder or a â€Å"high five† have certain definite meanings understood by practically everybody. In other societies, these might be enigmatic acts or an embarrassing invasion of personal space. The use of the eyes as an element of nonverbal communication is an area of study in itself, and is called â€Å"oculesics. † Researchers have divided eye movements into separate elements such as the number and length of eye contacts, blink rate, dilation of the pupils and so forth. Here again, the interpretation of these cues is highly dependent on the culture of the participants. A prolonged stare may establish a bond of trust, or destroy it. It may elicit a reply from the person being stared at, or it may make them become uncommunicative from embarrassment. This is how most of our communication takes place. When we consider the amount of nonverbal communication that passes between us and compare it with the mere words we say, it is obvious that the nonverbal part is by far the largest.

Sc300: Big Ideas in Science: from Methods to Mutation

Jennifer Rivera SC300: Big Ideas in Science: From Methods to Mutation Professor: Shalon Bull August 14, 2012 1. List all of the components of two of your meals. Meal #1 – Breakfast For breakfast I had a Tuna fish sandwich, with lettuce, two slices of tomato, sauteed onions, and Hellmann's mayonnaise. I also had approximately 10 ounces of Minute Maid Tropical fruit Juice. Meal #2 – Lunch My Lunch consisted of a grilled Tyson chicken breast fillets, with steamed mix vegetables, and 8 ounces of bottle purified Dasani water. 1A. Where did each component of your meal originate?List the country that each part of your meal came from. Meal #1 – Breakfast The origin of the Tuna fish sandwich is as follows; The bread for the sandwich was two slices of Holsum whole wheat bread which is made in Puerto Rico, one 5 ounce chicken of the sea tuna can which is made in San Diego California, The lettuce and tomato was locally grown on the US Virgin Islands St. Croix by local farmer s, the Hellmann’s Mayonnaise was made in New York and the Minute Maid Tropical fruit Juice is produced by the Coca Cola Bottling Co. f Atlanta, GA. Meal #2 – Lunch The Tyson Chicken Breast Fillets are from Springdale, Arkansas and the mix vegetables are locally grown on the US Virgin Islands St. Croix by local farmers. The Dasani water is produced by the Coca Cola Bottling Co. of Atlanta, GA. 1B. List where you purchased the products from. Being the St. Croix US Virgin Islands is only 84 square miles and has a population of about 60,000 people we only have two main grocery stores which are the same just two different locations, Plaza Extra East and Plaza Extra West.I do all my shopping for grocery in Plaza Extra East for the last 20 plus years. So Meal #1 – Breakfast, and Meal #2 – Lunch were all purchased from Plaza Extra East on St. Croix USVI. 1C. Consider the chain of events that took the product to get from the farm/laboratory to your table Being tha t St. Croix is located in the Caribbean, most of our foods supply come from the State of Florida and is ship by containers on ships. The fresh produce and bread are shipped from the island of Puerto Rico where they are made.The only thing that is grown on the Virgin Islands is fresh vegetables and some fruits. 2. What are some of the benefits of a global market and why? List at least 2 benefits, weighing any short-term and long-term impacts. Some of the benefits of global marketing would be that consumers would have a larger range of products to choose from. Another would be the opportunities to small companies which can expand to serve a global market instead of a small country. This would give consumers the opportunity to buy better products at lower cost.Another benefit would be that opening offices in other countries would provide jobs for locals in that country and for the country that is opening the office this means that they will be getting cheaper labor than that which they would pay in their home country for the same job. 3. What are some of the impacts of this global market and why? Considering both short-term and long-term impacts, provide at least 2 negative impacts. Some of the negative impacts that the global market can experience can be caused by poor management of these international markets and others can occur naturally like for example bad weather.Weather and natural disasters can affect the global market in many ways, for example a country like China which exports Rice, can experience bad weather for a year which would affect the production of rice, this would not only affect China economically but cause the global price of rice to rise and the availability of the produce to diminish. So can we as a Country trust the global market as our primary source of food? I would suggest developing the nation’s agriculture programs and the production of foods in our nation the United States of American, and all other countries should do the sa me.This would be like an emergency reserve in other words. Another negative impact would be regulating the rates of taxation from one country to another. For instance if the rates of taxes are higher in Mexico for an American company then the United States might then move that office to Brazil for example. This would affect the investments market for others which would affect the global market tremendously. 4. Consider the phrase Think Globally, Act Locally. What does it mean to you?This phrase in my opinion means that you are thinking beyond the horizon and understand the issues and needs of the entire world, but need to master and fix the issues of your own country before you can get involved with the rest of the world. I think that if we improve and expand our food production capabilities then we can move on to the global market and work together for the same cause which is to bring food to those places that lack it and so much desires it. 5. Has your research on the global marke t changed the way you will choose goods in the future?Why or why not? After my research on the global market I would say that I will not be changing the way I choose my goods in the future. I would still choose the things that I like and would not change these things just because a nation or country might be benefiting from my purchase more than another. The one thing that I now understand after my research is the reason why certain name brands of products are more expensive than others. The prices of products in the global market fluctuate based on the economical state of the producing country and the markets demands.I learned that the more money a country has the more food and better quality they get, this is why poor countries lack food, and even more have a smaller variety in the food choices. References J. C. Chavis. (April 2010) Negative Impacts of a Global Market for Investment. Retrieved from http://www. brighthub. com/money/investing/articles/69512. aspx â€Å"Economic Glo balization† UC Atlas of Global Inequality. Retrieved from http://ucatlas. ucsc. edu/economic. php Global Marketing. Retrieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/global-marketing. html

Effects of Fast Food on Health

date: 2/8/12 EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON HEALTH Nowadays, American people are very busy with their works and families. They do not have enough time to cook for themselves. Moreover, with the development of the fast food industry and chains of fast food restaurants, fast food for meals is the best choice of busy people. However, everything has two faces. Eating too much fast food also has many bad effects on health including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. First of all, obesity is a serious disease mainly caused by eating fast food. Whichever kind of fast food we eat, from pizza to fried chicken, they contain the same ingredients.Fat and carbohydrates, which are one cause of overweighting, are present in most kinds of fast food. In addition, fast food contains fewer vitamin and other minerals which make people feel full. Containing fewer of these elements means that people tend to feel hungry frequently, and want to eat more. So, eating much fast food can also affect weight manageme nt. Last and also most importantly, fast food ingredients have a high amount of sugar which is the direct cause of obesity epidemic. Besides the ingredients of fast food, the larger sizes also increase the risk of obesity.In the documentary film Super Size Me (2004), Mr. Morgan Spurlock showed that when given larger portions sizes, average people still eat entirely regardless of whether they are full or not. Obviously, the more fast food we eat, the more unhealthy ingredients come to our body. Secondly, some heart diseases like heart attacks and high blood pressure are the result of eating a lot of fast food. Junk food such as donuts, fried food, etc. contains trans fats which are known to increase the level of bad cholesterol and decrease the level of good cholesterol, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.When the level of bad cholesterol in our blood is higher than the safe level, it creates the atherosclerotic plaques inside the arterial walls. Then, the arteries can be clogged, which places more stress on heart and raises blood pressure. In other words, it causes heart attacks and high blood pressure. Last but not least, type 2 diabetes is also another bad effect of eating too much fast food. Although fast food does not directly cause diabetes, it is the simple sugar and trans fat in fast food that can be the reason that leads to some symptoms such as high blood sugar, and insulin resistance.When we eat some kinds of fast food containing high level of sugar such as milkshakes, our bodies cannot use up all these sugars. The remaining will flow to our bloodstream. It also means that we have high blood sugar. Furthermore, fast food contains a lot of trans fats which block muscle to absorb glucose and protein. This blockage leads to insulin resistance. Furthermore, insulin is an important element helping the body to absorb sugar. Consequently, our body cannot absorb sugar, and it returns to our bloodstream.The result of that procedure is the high l evel of sugar in our blood, which is the cause of type 2 diabetes. In brief, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are some serious diseases that are the result of eating too much fast food, a bad habit of many American. Fortunately, fast food producers these days care more about consumers’ health by reducing the amount of trans fats and sugar in food. They also try to make fast food become healthier by adding to fast food more kinds of fruit and vegetables. Anyway, the best way to keep us healthy is to reduce eating fast food that contains too many unhealthy ingredients.