TATE & LYLE International Business Strategy Essay

TATE & LYLE International Business Strategy - Essay Example Over the years the company has become a multinational with acquisitions and alliances with similar agri-businesses, for example, from the USA, Canada, Belgium, and Australia. However, by the year 2000 Tate & Lyle began divesting itself of some of these acquisitions in a strategic move resulting from an unexpected reduction of profits. Tate & Lyle is increasingly diversifying into the manufacture of food additives and bio-materials like Sucralose and again beginning to reclaim its international expansion and globalization strategy (Case Study, Tate & Lyle.doc). More recent initiatives include ‘A joint venture with Du Pont to manufacture a renewable 1,3-Propanediol that can be used to make Sorona (a substitute for nylon)’ and the acquisition of ‘†¦ a small Dutch company called Hycail †¦ to manufacture PLA (polylactic acid)’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tate_&_Lyle). While profits from sugar refining would be affected by price fluctuations of raw sugar cane in world markets, natural disasters, and currency exchange problems, the food additive side of the company is very much a value-added business and lends itself to a more stable regime in terms of profits. It is also an expanding market and unlike sugar where the market is saturated, open to competition for greater market share. T & Ls expressed new strategic vision is to develop ‘†¦ partnerships to create the world’s leading renewable ingredients business’ and to ‘... build a consistent portfolio of distinctive, profitable, high-value driven solutions in products and services for our customers’ (http://www.tateandlyle.com ). T & L’s former (not very successful) globalization strategy appears to have been designed following a top-down model of the classical business development type. This is formulated in the form of a pyramid with vision at the top followed by mission, goals, strategies, tactics and action plans below.

Deer hunting with dad Essay Example for Free

Deer hunting with dad Essay Some of us have had that life changing experience spent with our fathers or mothers. The bond between a father and son can be something truly magnificent whether it is a small or a large event. The accumulation of memories is what makes a relationship so special and deep, and what keeps a parent and child so close throughout life. Such memories become embarrassing stories in front of new dates, toast at weddings, eulogies at funerals, and lifelong memories of someone who might just not be around any longer. This is an account of the single most incredible bonding moment I have ever had with anyone, and fortunately it is a memory of the coolest man I have ever met, my father. For twenty years I have been gathering memories of my father and while some are bad, ninety nine percent of them are great ones. The one funny thing about memories is that you never realize they are going to be memories until long after the occurrence takes place. For instance when I was very young, if I were to misbehave in public my father would take me on what we now call spankin walks where I would be lead out the door by the wrist while my father spanked my lil bottom until his message was clear. At the time it was not such an enjoyable walk, but now I can look back and laugh with an appreciation for how I was raised. Unable to predict the magnitude of such an experience, at the age of twelve my father took me deer hunting for the first time ever. It was late October and as a high school football trainer, he finally had a Friday evening off and wanted to make the most of it. We drove south to my uncles farm in Owen County, Kentucky, and stayed the night in his very primitive trailer to stage an early morning hunt. That morning my father and I headed into the woods with our muzzle loading rifles; his was a hand made replica of a Kentucky Long Rifle and mine was a $100 starter rifle. We took our spots in a tree stand we built the Saturday before. The stand was perfect for two people; sitting back to back we could each see our respective ends of the fields as well as a decent distance into the woods on the opposite side of the stand. Most of the morning went by without any action at all, but I grew to learn just how squirrels prepared for the winter. As the afternoon approached, my Dad asked me if I was ready to go back to the trailer for lunch to which I replied in a lil while, Im not too hungry yet. About twenty minutes later in a blur came a deer out into the field in front of me, so I shouldered my gun, took aim and fired. My father was half asleep and with no warning of my shot he almost fell out of the tree stand. When he turned and looked he saw the same magnificent eight point buck that was just as scared as he was. The deer took to running and Dad spun around his gun and took a desperation shot at the sprinting whitetail but his bullet found the side of the ridge instead of his moving target. With the deer out of sight we began to look at my gun and to see why the weapon had malfunctioned when I pulled the trigger. Upon further investigation, we found that after the hammer struck the cap to ignite the spark, the spark did not ignite the powder that was lodged in the barrel resulting in a misfire. Disappointed and disgruntled we made our way out of the tree and began the journey back to the campsite. Upon returning to the trailer, my Uncle and his three friends were waiting to hear a success story after hearing several shots coming from our area of the farm. After explaining the event we began to disassemble my gun and figure out the reason for its malfunction. At the bottom of the barrel we found a small piece of cloth that my father left in the barrel after cleaning the weapon. At that point I do not know who was more disappointed, Dad or me, since my golden opportunity was spoiled. I placed no blame on him, but I could tell his guilt would haunt him regardless. Since that day Dad has lost interest in deer hunting for reasons unknown to me, but he did spark a passion in his son to succeed at a task that I have yet to master. Eight years later I still have not had an opportunity at a trophy like the one that eluded us that day, but I have tried every fall and winter since then. The drive that I have to go into the woods for hours on end every season might have subliminal reasons that I have not truly thought about until I began to brainstorm for this project. I have begun to realize  I might be trying to put a perfect ending on a nearly perfect afternoon with my father. Like any other memory, this one had no significant meaning until much later in life when the misfortunes can be laughed at due to a much deeper meaning of the tale. It is a story I can be proud of when it is recited in front of dates, at my wedding, or, God forbid, in a eulogy. Its a story that is only a portion of the memories that I have accumulated over the years. It is a story that I will never forget and will always recall when I need it. Since then my father an I have become closer and this experience will bond us together for the rest of our lives. I can only hope that my father can provide such a memory for my twelve year old younger brother.

Blood, Guts and Glory: Thalassemia Patients Battle for a Better Life :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

Blood, Guts and Glory: Thalassemia Patients Battle for a Better Life When his company offered Vikram*, a systems analyst in Toronto, a transfer to Montreal with a promotion and pay raise, he was delighted but concerned. The 31-year-old unmarried Vikram worked twice as hard in his job to make up for the time he took off for medical reasons. The promotion was a justified reward for his hard work. But the question bothering Vikram, the issue that would determine his decision whether to accept the posting, was: Will I find a Thalassemia care center in Montreal? It was not the first time this unique blood disorder was the deciding factor for the choices Vikram made. â€Å"Thalassemia makes all the decisions for me,† he said. At nine months, Vikram was diagnosed with Thalassemia, a genetic non-communicable blood disorder. Born and raised in India, he spent his early years in and out of hospitals. His parents moved to Canada but Vikram had to stay back with his grandparents because his parents could not cope with earning a living and paying his medical bills. â€Å"After my grandparents passed away, I struggled with the costs and poor facilities for Thalassemia care in Delhi before deciding to move to Canada,† said Vikram, who shifted to Toronto when he was in his twenties. He has needed consistent and frequent blood transfusions, ranging from one unit (or bag) of blood every two months to one unit every seven days. Currently, he needs three units of blood every four weeks. Vikram explained that he visits a clinic for the transfusion. Here, a pump pushes blood into his veins at a constant speed. Each unit takes about two hours to be transfused which means Vikram must spend from six to eight hours in the clinic. This transfusion gives his blood an iron overload. Vikarm then has to take iron chelation (kee-LAY-shun) which involves infusions of the drug Desferal to remove excessive iron from his blood and organs for five full days. The Desferal infusion, he added, is more painful. He has a portocathetor, which is a device under his skin in his chest. This is connected to a needle which is attached to a syringe pump every Monday to infuse the drug continuously for five days. The pump, which Vikram wears on his waist, is about the size of an oversized palm-pilot and weighs a pound-and-a-half. It buzzes every time it pushes the medicine.

Tragic Fall Classic

Scrim Review Arthur Underworld Diver university So you're sitting at home bored for hours on end, and you want something to Just take your mind away from reality and into another world where you can do whatever you as you wish. Well it sounds like you want to play a video game. Actually, it sounds like you want to play Elder Scrolls V: Scrim. This is a review of the popular cross platform video game commonly referred to as Scrim. I give this game a 9. 75 out of 10 for its amazing graphics, fantastic attention to detail, smooth gamely. Underfed harasser development, and of course, fun story line. The game starts with the main character on the verge of getting executed when he is saved by none other then a giant fire-breathing dragon. You hear from other players that dragons are extinct in this world for centuries. Obviously not. You must decide quickly whether you will escape the burning town with the imperial guard, or with the leader of the rebellion who has recently murdered the ki ng and claims that government is oppressing the natural born peoples to Scrim.This decision is not an important one, but introduces oh to the tact throughout the game you will given choices. Some of which are not simple. Simple this or that choices are prominent, but some are as complicated as do nothing and your reputation will be hindered. You soon find out that you are the dragoon. You have the power of Theme, or voice. You can yell and basically effect the world around you by either doing damage or even become Invisible. The storyline Is complicated and involves twists and plots and quite a lot of dragon killing, and inevitably, dragons killing you.Probably the most annoying part of the game. Eating stuck in a dragon fight that can take some time to finish if your not inept in magic, and all the sudden here comes another dragon, and on a rare occasion, a third or fourth dragon. Leaving you with little ability to defend yourself against an onslaught of dragons that will most like ly leave you burnt too crisp on the side of some road, The Elder Scroll series is famous for their use of the guilds. The Dark Brotherhood, an assassins' guild, the Thieves' Guild, the Fighters' Guild, and the Mages guild are all, as expected, playable in this game.I played through all the guilds this time and am glad to report that there is nothing that leaves you wanting more afterward. Being able to sneak around and play a thief or an assassin, making money and getting rewards beyond compare from regular side quests. Becoming the leader of the Mages guild was particularly rewarding, with a room full of loot and Ingredients that always regret, allowing you to restock on potion Items from hard to find Ingredients in the same room. Character development is particularly exciting In this game. Previous role playing Ames allow stats Increases by overall experience and level ups.In Scrim you level up certain buffs such a health regeneration and a big enough armor rating you can actually level up things like armor by attacking a guard and sitting there and letting the guards attack you. In about an hour your armor rating will be at 99, and you sat back and read your homework the whole time. However with skills like conjuration and lock pick, it's a little harder to level up. Unless you start lock picking, or conjuring monsters early in the game you'll find yourself with a pathetically low level near the ND of the game and needing to make up so many skill levels to level up you main level.This will be very time consuming, especially with the skills I mentioned. The first thing you'll notice about the game, however, is its graphics. Scrim has no cut scenes such as this. All the graphics are designed on the same engine that runs game play. The good and the bad for this you ask? Well loading time can get annoying, but if you download the game to your console then load times are reduced by about half. Rendering graphics can also get glitch. Sometimes an object will appe ar and twitch back and forth stuck on an invisible wall or level.This rarely effects gamely however, so is easily overlooked. Aside from the graphics, the attention to detail in every level of the game is without compare. This is an open world game, which meaner you can travel to any section of the world at any time for any reason. The countryside is full of mountains covered in snow. The valleys are full flowers and plants, all of which are able to be harvested for ingredients to sell/trade or brew potions. Every item you see can be kicked up and sold or used.Tragic Fall Classic Winning a World Series is the most coveted prize for any team in major league baseball. The â€Å"Fall Classic† of 1919 represented the power of greed. This series displayed a form of greed that may never be reached again in any professional sport. Most athletes possess the admirable greed of winning and succeeding. In 1919, six players of the Chicago White Sox showed a form of greed that rarely occu rs In such a respectable game. What most professional baseball players never get to experience was traded for cash incentives.Through all the persuasion and temptation for meeting of monetary value that some would consider worth more than a world championship, two men exhibited that true love for the game of baseball and loyalty to one's team can help overcome such temptations. This series not only represented the utter greed of 6 players, but the loyalty, strength, pride, and respect for the game of baseball that can counteract such a heinous form of greed. After winning their respected leagues, the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox faced off in the most popular sporting event in America at the time (Cook 3). Baseball during the sass was very popular.This was because the untied States was at war from 1 914 to 1919. Americans turned to the great sport of baseball to escape the harsh reality of what was going on overseas (Casino 12). In large cities like Cincinnati and Chicag o, the need to find an outlet for entertainment was easily obtained by spending the afternoon in the ballpark (Casino 13). Both teams were supported by two of the most loyal fans in the country. Both Chicago and Cincinnati had tremendous fans. Baseball was the pride and Joy for these cities in 1919. The loyalty went far beyond city limits. Fans throughout the teams respected states showed support (Cook 14).Each fan base wanted to have their baseball team represent their city in the highest fashion. Winning the World Series not only boosted the morale of an entire metropolis, it served as a symbol of littleness only reached by one city a year. Despite knowing how loyal its fans were, Chick Gandhi of the White Sox persuaded gambler Joseph Sullivan that his team could pull Off â€Å"fix† of the series (Casino 22). Gandhi persuaded Eddie Cootie, Claude (Lefty) Williams, Happy Fell's, Swede Riggers, and Fred McMullen to Join in on the fix. The money was supplied by notorious New Y ork City gangster Albert Rottenest (Casino 24).Sandal was able to persuade the players because they were offered a significant amount of money by the gamblers. This, coupled with the fact that owner Charles Commonly severely underplayed the players gave them the motivation to go through with the fix (Pistols). Charles Commonly not only underpaid his players, he also cheated them out of much more money outside of their salaries. The notorious owner has been known to not pay for the cleaning of his team's Jerseys along with cutting bonuses, not roving any sort of health benefits, and not providing proper equipment. (Lynch 18).The large sum of money offered and the mutual hatred of Charles Commonly was enough for six men to purposely attempt to lose the greatest of sporting events In the nation. Of the eight men who were offered the money to purposely lose the series, â€Å"Shoeless† Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver turned away from the temptations and played for one purpose: to brin g a World Series title to south Chicago (Lynch 2). Rumors began to circulate that the White Sox were going to lose games on purpose (Casino 30). Betting odds began to favor Cincinnati, who on paper, was the lesser of the two teams (Popsicle).In order to signal that the fix was on, pitcher Eddie Cootie hit Cincinnati leaders hitter on the second pitch (Cook 12). From that point on, everything went downhill for White Sox fans. Throughout the course of the series, almost all the players on the White Sox performed very poorly. As a team, the White Sox had a batting average of . 224 (Albright). Without Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver, they hit . 182 (Scott). Joe Jackson set a World Series record with 12 hits, while batting n astounding average of . 375, the highest on the team (Scott).Buck Weaver also had an excellent series, compiling 11 hits, 4 runs, and batting . 324 (Scott). The White Sox made the series respectable, by winning the 3rd, 6th, and 7th game of the series in an effort to avo id suspicion (A rule was changed in 1919 to extend the World Series to a best-of-9 series. ) (Casino 43). Overall, the White Sox had 12 errors, none of which were committed by Joe Jackson or Buck Weaver (Scott). In the conclusion of the Series, six men walked away with their payment for throwing the series. Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver walked away without a single cent (Popsicle).The eight players were brought to trial and were eventually found innocent (Casino 60). Despite being acquitted, the commissioner of the league stated that he will not allow the players to ever play professional baseball again because of their actions (Cook 56). The ten players who were deemed innocent by owner Charles Economies were given a $1 ,500 bonus (Scott). The 1919 World Series was from then on associated with the â€Å"Black Sox† scandal. The reputation of the elite group of players in south Chicago was destroyed and wouldn't be restored for decades to come.The eight players who were banned b y the commissioner would fight for their right to play professional baseball for many years. The commissioner was right to ban the six players who received money from the gamblers. Baseball is a game of love and respect. Without respect, the game of baseball would not have the reputation of being â€Å"America's Pastime. † People across the nation come together through their mutual love and respect for baseball. Baseball is what got many people through tough times. It provided light in a dark time during the sass.The six men who threw he series had absolutely no respect for their profession. Unfortunately, they put the game to shame for a period of time. Fans lost trust in baseball and were very disappointed with the game as a whole. Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver devoted their lives toward the great sport of baseball. Through their hard work and education, they were able to reach the highest echelon of all baseball leagues. What's even worse than the fact that Jackson and Weave r were banned from playing the sport professionally ever again, is that six men purposely lost a World Series for money.It is almost every young boys dream to win a World Series when he grows up. Six men traded a moment in their life that would be cherished forever for money which will eventually disappear. They disappointed an entire city in order to make extra money. This series showed the danger of greed along with the terrible and corrupt sacrifices people make for Jackson serve as great role models for athletes. They had too much love and respect to purposely lose such a great accolade for money (Casino 57). Jackson and Weaver should forever be an example of true love and respect for a sport.In the inventory menu you can look at every item specifically, turning it around and zooming in and out as you wish. Overall, the only problems I found with the game was with some glitches, which can be expected in any game of this magnitude. Those glitches are the only reason I didn't give this game a 10/10. This game has a storyline that draws in the player, allowing for expandable play through guilds. It has the best and most pleasing graphics yet to date, and a record making attention to detail. It's by far the best RPG Vive played.

Aaron Zuniga-Bennett Essay

In the early 1980s, the American people elected Ronald Reagan as President of the United States of America. Many people claim that Reagan was one of the greatest presidents of all time, while others believe that the country would have been much better off had Reagan never been elected. Regardless of their political preferences, it is undeniable that Ronald Reagan changed the world in the 1980s and his work as president will be forever remembered in the countless books of history. Ronald Reagan ran as a Republican and was the absolute spirit of a conservative. He worked to bring forth the ideal of conservatism in America and successfully captured and isolated that belief in the presidency. As president, Reagan worked to bring the ideal of American exceptionalism back to the country, to set the economy on the right track, and to end the Communist threat that had been present since the end of World War II. For all practical purposes, Ronald Reagan was a president who accomplished more t han he set forth to do and did so famously; some would say infamously. Nonetheless, Reagan accomplished more in his eight year presidency than most presidents of the 20th Century. He is widely hailed as the man who ended the Cold War and will forever be remembered as the man who led to the conservative resurgence in America. He was a man of profound ability and charm and America is better off for having Reagan as the Commander-in-Chief during the latter portion of the 20th Century. Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. His mother, Nelle, was a homemaker; and his father, Jack, was a traveling salesman (Ronald Reagan). The Reagan family moved often as Jack searched throughout the state for work and Ronald Reagan grew up in a very poor family. Despite the hardships his family encountered, Reagan graduated from high school in Dixon, Illinois and earned a football scholarship to attend Eureka College (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 43). After graduating from Eureka, Reagan pursued a career in Hollywood where he starred in over fifty movies and eventually became the president of the Screen Actors Guild. As president of the Screen Acto rs Guild, Reagan worked to remove all suspected Communists from Hollywood; all the while encouraging conservative values in the liberal slanted film industry. In 1964, the former actor, Ronald  Reagan, delivered a nationally televised political speech on behalf of conservative presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The speech became one of Reagan’s most fundamental speeches that completely changed his life. In his speech, Reagan presented the country with his ideals of a perfect country, supported by his conservative values. He also spoke about how America needs a strong national defense, a reduction of taxes, and the need to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union. He also stated, â€Å"We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope for man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 36). After his speech, Reagan was approached by many influential Republicans who urged him to run for Governor of California. His speech, on behalf of Barry Goldwater became one of his greatest triumphs. Reagan initially refused when he was asked to run for governor; nevertheless, many influential Republicans got together and formed a fundraising group called â€Å"Friends of Reagan.† They raise d a great deal of money and in 1966; Reagan defeated the needed Democrat Governor of California (What Would Reagan Do?). At that moment, his political career began and in 1981, Reagan assumed the role as President of the United States of America. Throughout his presidency, Reagan set America on a course to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union, to boost military funding, to cut taxes, and to return optimism to the American people. Reagan worked relentlessly to accomplish his goals and in the process changed the world. Many of his critics view the 1980s as a decade of unmitigated wealth and greed; and they praise Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for ending the Cold War. From the beginning of his presidency, Ronald Reagan worked to end the Cold War, not to appease the Soviets. Former presidents had worked to open relations with the Soviet Union. President Nixon had formed compromise and Carter worked to appease the Communists. However, â€Å"Reagan rejected Communism, dà ©tente, and containment, and set us on a course to win – not manage – the Cold War†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Great One). Reagan met several times with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, and together they worked to compromise and create treaties that would eliminate the threat of short range nuclear weapons. Many of the meetings with Gorbachev were productive, yet Reagan’s ideal of foreign policy was not as clearly defined as many of his critics may have wished.  The Reagan Administration dealt with foreign policy on the manner of â€Å"Peace through Strength,† they worked to isolate any world menace and to direct all immediate attention to that threat. This ideal of foreign policy worked to threaten the Soviet Union and to make them aware that any danger they may pose would be dealt with in a quick and decisive manner. In 1983, Reagan ordered the United States Marines to invade Grenada. A coup d’à ©tat was taking place and a revolutionary group was trying to take control of the government to align with the Marxist Soviet Union (Reagan, â€Å"American Lifeà ¢â‚¬  449). Although the troops were only in Grenada for a short period of time, they did suppress the threat of a Communist uprising and Reagan shocked the world with his tough stance on global threats. During his presidency, Reagan increased federal defense spending by 35 percent and began building nuclear weapons at an unprecedented rate (Ronald Reagan). In 1986, one American serviceman was killed in a bombing in Berlin that injured 63 other members of the American military. It became evident within hours that the terrorist attack had been planned and carried out by Mu’ammar Qadhafi, the leader of Libya. Reagan was quick to order an air raid on key ground targets in Libya. The strike was a success and many important buildings were destroyed. Reagan addressed the nation shortly after the air raid and made several comments that were illustrative of his firm stance against terrorist actions. He said, â€Å"When our citizens are abused or attacked anywhere in this world†¦ we will respond so long as I’m in this Oval Office,† and to terrorist leaders around the world he said, â€Å"He [Qadhafi] counted on America to be passive. He counted wrong† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 288). With that speech, Reagan imposed his views upon the world and he let the country know that he would not succumb to any foreign national threat. For all practical purposes, nearly all of the military actions of the 1980s were directed in some manner towards the Soviet Union. The preemptive attacks on Grenada and Libya were used as threats against the Soviet Union and were meant to be symbolic of the fact that America would not hesitate to act. Reagan used his strong military presence as a threat against the Soviets and many of Reagan’s naysayers still believe he used force in a manner contradictory to the astute power of the President of the United States. However, the Reagan Administration used their military ability to inflict fear into all Communist threats worldwide. The political  philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli, speaks of powerful leaders, he writes, â€Å"†¦it is much safer to be feared than loved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Machiavelli 66). Therefore, regardless of what criticizers may say, it would seem that Reagan’s use of military force throughout the world was effective and that Gorbachev feared his American equivalent. Reagan used his superiority to his advantage when he met with Gorbachev to discuss the reduction of nuclear missiles. During the 1980s, Reagan increased the defense spending more than any president had done before; it was a part of his â€Å"Peace through Strength† foreign policy. During this time, the production of nuclear missiles surged and the United States found itself in a mini-arms race with the Soviet Union. In principle, the Reagan Administration outspent the Soviets in defense and nuclear weapon production. In an effort to compete, the Soviets bankrupted themselves and had no choice but to dismiss their Marxist values. Between the years of 1985 and 1988, Reagan met with General Secretary Gorbachev four times; in Switzerland, Iceland, Washington D.C., and Moscow (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 545). The meetings between the two world leaders were dramatic and Reagan walked out of the meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland after Gorbachev failed compromise. The tensions were high during all of the meetings and many people feared that any mistake could lead to an immediate nuclear Armageddon. Fortunately, no nuclear weapons were launched and the Reagan Administration triumphed over the Soviet Union. In 1987, Reagan visited East Berlin and spoke at the Brandenburg Gate. During his speech, he called for an end to Communism and a strengthening of individual liberty. His speech as the Brandenburg Gate is often viewed as one of the most successful speeches of his presidency. While speaking to a crowd of thousands, Reagan said to the General Secretary of the Soviet Union, â€Å"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 352). Two years later, the Soviet Union agreed to tear down the Berlin Wall and within the year, Communist nations around Europe began to crumble. Many Democrats in Congress and the mainstream media admired Gorbachev for bringing peace to European countries; they praised Gorbachev for surrenderin g and for keeping the warmongering Ronald Reagan from leading the country on the road to a nuclear war. Many Americans who opposed the Reagan Administration were more than happy to give the credit to the Soviet Union; they believed Reagan was  too overpowering and heartless to have been so successful. Nevertheless, conservative talk show host, Rush Limbaugh writes, â€Å"The end of the Cold War and the defeat of Communism in the Soviet Union was a clear victory for American values, for the American way of life, for the republican, democratic, free-marked ideals of the United States of America† (Limbaugh â€Å"Ought to Be† 230). Therefore, it would seem that Reagan played a major role in bringing an end to the 40 year Cold War. Regardless of the beliefs and values one holds, Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War and suppressed the Communist threat worldwide. He changed the world! Although his greatest success may have been bringing closure to the Cold War, Reagan also accomplished a great deal in the United States of America. When he left office in 1989, the economy was breaking records and benefitting from the longest period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression (Ronald Reagan). People were making money in America and thanks to Reagan’s tax cuts; they were able to keep more of what they earned. The Reagan Administration began an economic policy that became identified as â€Å"Reaganomics† or trickle-down economics. Reaganomics was the belief that tax cuts for the rich, middle class, and poor would work to stimulate the economy. If the rich had more money, they would create more businesses and opportunity, the middle class would then be able to become business owners, and higher the poor. It is a social hierarchy of job creation and the nation experienced 96 months of peacetime economic growth (Limbaugh, â€Å"Told You So† 122). In 1990, George H.W. Bush disbanded the policy of Reaganomics and the 96 months of economic growth ended almost immediately. Many historians , to this day, view the 1980s as a decade of greed where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. They also discredit the policy of Reaganomics because they do not believe the rich paid their fair share of taxes. However, economic figures are illustrative of how much the rich truly pay in taxes. It seems that the top 1% of income earners pay nearly 40% of all federal income taxes in the United States (What Would Reagan Do?). Therefore, even if the 1980s were deemed as a decade of greed, it would seem that greed is good. Reagan worked to reduce onerous taxes in order to return the wealth to its rightful owners, the workers. The Reagan Administration did not hand out money; rather, they let people keep more of what they had already earned. In return, consumerism rose and the money was  immediately deposited back into the national economy. Therefore, it would seem that the tax cuts and policy of Reaganomics worked very well in the 1980s; the economic growth experienced in that decade has yet to be matched. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it is undeniable that tax cuts work and the economic policy of the Regan Administration should be implemented into our system now, during th e present economic crisis. The implementation of tax cuts, both on income and corporations, provided working class Americans with the incentive to work and to achieve. No longer were people afraid of earning; the tax cuts prevented hard working Americans from being punished with difficult and total taxation. This era of economic growth restored a feeling of optimism in America, especially after the failures of the Carter Administration and the record setting unemployment rate of the late 1970s. Ronald Reagan’s policies, both foreign and domestic, made people proud to be Americans once again. During the 1980s, Americans were not being villainized and condemned, they were being praised. Reagan restored the feeling of confidence in America and brought forth a generation of strong, nationalistic Americans. Ronald Reagan was a success as President of the United States, not only because of his charisma and communication skills, nor simply because of his policies. Ronald Reagan was a success because the American people loved him. In 1984, during his campaign for a second term, the electorate illustrated their reverie for him and he won in the large st landslide victory ever recorded. He was unanimously re-elected in 49 of the 50 states (What Would Reagan Do?). His unprecedented victory astonished the world and many of his political detractors wondered how he could be so popular. Once again, the political philosopher Machiavelli offers insight into how a person should be a successful leader. Machiavelli wrote in 1513, â€Å"†¦he should inspire his citizens to follow their pursuits quietly, in trade and in agriculture and in every other pursuit of men, so that one person does not fear to adorn his possessions for fear that they be taken away from him, and another to open up a trade for fear of taxes† (Machiavelli 91). In essence, Reagan accomplished all of these aforementioned goals during his presidency. His policy of a strong national defense worked to make people feel comfortable and unafraid of a Communist attack, and his policy of Reaganomics allowed people to become entrepreneurs without a fear of being taxed out of  business. For all practical purposes, Reagan epitomized the values of a good leader as prescribed by Niccolo Machiavelli; he restored the power and the faith to the people while simultaneously ruling under the facade of being a decisive and fearful leader when handling foreign threats. In the end, it is apparent that Ronald Reagan accomplished a great deal during his administration. His most important accomplishments stem from restoring optimism in Americans, the total growth of economic prosperity, and bringing an end to the Cold War. Many of his political opponents still work to destroy the successes of his administration and they blame him for being too demanding and too dangerous. They thought his actions during the 1980s were detrimental to the growth and prosperity of America. On January 11, 1989, during his farewell address to the nation, he said, â€Å"My friends: We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger. We made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad, not bad at all† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 418). The Reagan Administration was one of growth and success. During his presidency, he changed America, let alone the world, for the better. He had done what no president before him could, he set the nation on a course for unprecedented economic growth, and he led to the downfall of Communism and the Cold War. His opponents viewed him as a failure; however, his policies greatly impacted the world. If Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would still be the last best hope for this country. Reference Coulter, Ann. What Would Reagan Do?. http://anncoulter.com/cgi-local/article.cgi?article=77. 21 September 2005. Web. 4 April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. See, I Told You So. New York: Pocket Star Books, 1993. Limbaugh, Rush. â€Å"The Great One.† National Review 28 June 2004: 36. Academic OneFile. Web. 7. April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. The Way Things Ought to Be. New York: Pocket Books, 1992. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1998. Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Reagan, Ronald. Speaking My Mind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989 â€Å"Ronald Reagan.† http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan. Web. 7 April 2014.