Star Spangled Banner | Pledge of Allegiance | Money & Costs | US Trading |
O say, can you see, by the
dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at
the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright
stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star spangled
banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave.
On the shore dimly seen
through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host
in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze,
o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half
conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of
the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now
shines on the stream:
'Tis the star spangled banner:
O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so
valiantly swore
That the havoc of war and the
battle's confusion,
A home and a country should
leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out
their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the
hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or
the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner
in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when
free-men shall stand
Between their loved home and
the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace,
may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath
made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our
cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In
God is our trust!”
And the star spangled banner
in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave!
“I pledge allegiance to the
Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Moderate Restaurant Meal: US $10-$20 + 15%
gratuity
Motel: US = $80< (Ex: Best Western)
Apt: One bed = $600 or more and Deposit
Two Bed = $ 1000 or more and Deposit
Bus: $2.00 for one way.(San Diego city area)
Rental Car: $35 (or more) per day plus insurance
The U.S. dollar system uses paper money and coins.
The paper money is all the same color and size. Denominations include $1, $5,
$10, $20, $50, $100 and others at a higher range. If traveling throughout the
country, be aware that bus station, train stations and even banks in some parts
of the country do not have currency exchange facilities. Major hotels will
exchange currency for their guests, but rural hotels rarely have such services.
Because carrying large amounts of cash is not wise, you may want to purchase
traveler’s checks before traveling extensively.
IN 1998, THE UNITED
STATES RECORDED A VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT OF $244.970 M., (EXCLUDING MILITARY
TRANSACTION).
THE MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS
THE USA’S
PRINCIPAL EXPORTS MARKET AND MAIN SOURCE OF IMPORTS IS CANADA.
A FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US AND CANADA CAME INTO FACE IN
JANUARY 1989, PROVIDING FOR PROGRESSIVE ELIMINATION OF VIRTUALLY ALL TRADE
TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE 2 COUNTRIES OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD. IN 1998, CANADA ACCOUNTED
FOR 22.9% OF TOTAL US EXPORTS AND 19.1% OF TOTAL IMPORTS.
THE SECOND LARGEST
TRADING PARTNER (PROVIDING 13.3% OF US IMPORTS IN 1998) IS JAPAN. BUT ITS
BALANCE IN ITS TRADE WITH THE USA HAS CAUSED SOME FRICTION AS WELL IN THE RECENT
YEARS.
OTHER MAJOR
TRADING PARTNERS INCLUDE:
?
MEXICO
?
THE UK, GERMANY
AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: TOTAL U.S./EU TRADE FOR 1997
AMOUNTED TO USD 298 BILLION, AND THE EU IS THE BIGGEST EXPORT MARKET OF U.S.
FARM PRODUCTS. IN 1996, THE U.S. INVESTED USD 348 BILLION IN THE EU, WHILE THE
EU INVESTED US$ 372 BILLION IN THE U.S. AMERICANS ARE DIRECTLY EMPLOYED BY
EUROPEAN FIRMS AND CLOSE TO 6 MILLION U.S. JOBS ARE SUPPORTED BY EUROPEAN
INVESTMENT
?
THE PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA
CATEGORY OF PRODUCTS TRADED
IN 1995, MACHINERY AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT CONSTITUTED THE PRINCIPAL CATEGORY OF EXPORTS (ACCOUNTING FOR 48.3% OF TOTAL EXPORTS AND 47.1% OF IMPORTS). THEN FOLLOWS MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED ARTICLES INCLUDING CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR & TOYS. BASIC MANUFACTURES AND CHEMICALS & RELATED PRODUCTS COME IN THIRD AND FOURTH RESPECTIVELY.