Henry Paulson is the secretary of the US Treasury and his article on the Foreign Affairs Magazine for the September/October 2008 Issue shows a perspective that the prosperity of the United States and China depends heavily on helping China further integrate itself into the global economic system through trade, investments and the integration of the financial markets. According to Paulson, the launch of the U.S. - China Economic Dialogue (SED) was an important step taken in 2006 by President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao in expanding the relationship of these two superpowers over the long term. Despite the long history of interaction between the two nations, they both have had misunderstandings in various areas. Thus the SED began to play a big role in enabling policy makers from both sides to meet each other as equals and to work toward a strategic goal. Early on, China always was very defensive of its national interests, especially against foreign demands thus the US, in particular, was perceived as arrogant aggressive bully in China even when these foreign powers were legitimately pursuing their interests with China. However, since the creation of the SED under President Bush, legitimate high level avenues of diplomatic contact was made possible for China and the US to corporate and avoid such misunderstandings.

After its creation, the SED began to focus on a number of issues including the rising growth imbalances, US-Chinese economic relationship, energy security, environmental sustainability, trade and investment issues, product safety and China's position in the global economic system. Unlike the image the Americans have about China, china is actually facing a growing crisis behind all the façade of power. The same reason that spurned growth in China is now becoming an obstacle to Chinese social stability and sustained economic growth. The Chinese growth was all based on exports and investments in its capital, which has led to rise of rapid energy consumption, environmental damage, an unequal amount of infrastructure in the coastal China compared to inland China and increasing tensions with trade partners due to Chinese market policies and trade surpluses. China also faces a population crisis as the traditional source for retirement benefits were their Children but the one child policy and the dangers in society have drastically made China's biggest resources - their children a scare resource. So now China must find a way to help the rapidly aging population with retirement and health benefits.

As two of the biggest consumers of oil, China and the US share a large interest in energy security and developing alternative energy sources. Chinese policy to set price caps on subsidized oil and electricity to promote stable social life has failed as it led to wasteful consumption. Now the control of energy demand has become a growing concern in the country among the middle and upper class. The US also has begun to address the issue of inadequate protection of intellectual property rights in China through the SED and also began to press China into opening its closed market practices to foreign businesses. In the years to come, three possible choices exist for Chinese - US relations: robust engagement, dispute resolution through multilateral and bilateral enforcement measures and punitive measures - being that the first two tend to work better with China than punitive measures.

After the American's triumphant victory at the Battle of Saratoga, the world knew that the Patriots had not yet given up on their chance for liberty. At this time in the Revolutionary War, the French joined the Americans as an ally. Having the French as a reliable ally turned the war around completely. With the French's assistance, the Americans gained many key elements that they needed to win the war. The first thing the French gave the Americans was a navy. The British had had the reputation of having the best navy in the entire world, and before the French became an American ally the Americans did not even have a navy. To fight off British ships, some Patriots who owned boats fought the British on the water. This was the closest to having a navy that the Americans were. The French's navy brought the Americans a sophisticated and well-trained navy. Another vital reason that

the alliance with the French brought America victory was because that they provided the Americans with money to help finance the war. The Patriots did not have any money because in the past, all of the colonies' money came from Great Britain. The French also provided the Patriots with proper training for the American soldiers and brilliant military leaders. Most of the American soldiers who fought in the war were just ordinary men who never fought a battle in their lives. The French trained these soldiers to fight properly. Lastly, the French provided the Americans with brilliant military leaders such as Francis de Lafayette. Leaders such as Lafayette brought the Americans strategy and dependable leadership. The French alliance with the Americans was an essential part of the American victory in the Revolutionary War.

George Washington is credited as a huge part of the American victory of the Revolutionary War. He was the general of the Continental army and led his army courageously through battles, starvation, and defeats. However, George Washington's motivation towards the sometimes crippled Continental Army kept them hopeful and provoked. Washington never gave up hope in his army and he almost died many times while fighting with them. In hard times, such as Valley Forge (when it was freezing cold, soldiers starved, and the morale within the army had sunken to an ultimate low). George Washington pushed the army through with his inspirational beliefs and actions, and he learned from his mistakes of past fighting to make the army stronger and smarter for fighting in the future. George Washington also helped get allies from other countries to help the Americans fight in the war which was a key element in the American over-all victory. A final reason that George Washington helped the Americans win the Revolutionary War was that he knew British fighting tactics and styles from the past French and Indian War. This was valuable because he was able to prepare his army for some of the strategies that the

British used in the past. George Washington was a key resource to the Americans in their victory of the Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War was not won in one single battle or with one single person as a leader. One of the most important aspects to the American victory of the Revolutionary War was simply that the Patriots knew what was at stake. They knew that if they lost the war they would still have to be subjects of Great Britain. They wanted their independence. Perhaps this alone, was the key element to their inspiration. The Patriots were willing to freeze, starve, and risk their lives for the chance to have liberty. The soldiers were fighting for their homes and for their families on their home land. For this reason, the soldiers were very motivated to do anything possible to not lose the war. On the contrary, the British soldiers were not fighting with the same inspiration. They were fighting simply because the king told them to fight. The British soldiers were not fighting for their freedom or their homes. It is for this reason that the British finally surrendered to the Americans. The British were tired of fighting and had lost their desire to be in America. They wanted to go home. The Americans won because of the passion they had in what was being fought for.

The Revolutionary War was a vicious and bloody war. 30,000 Americans who fought for independence died, and more then 50,000 British soldiers died. The world was left in awe as they heard the news that the Americans had defeated the most powerful army that existed. At this point, independence was no longer a dream to the colonists; it was a reality. Coming into the war, few people believed that the Americans could win, and without several vital factors they probably could not have.

With the help of the outstanding leadership of George Washington, the alliance with the French, and the determination that the Americans had to win the war, the American victory could not have happened.

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A home, that is! Before you take the plunge, there are many things to consider. This is just a brief glance. The first being how much house can you afford? There are many payment calculators online that allow you to input the taxes, interest rate, length of loan and more and you'll have the number instantly at your finger tips. Keep in mind that the amount the bank approves you for is often greater than in reality what you can afford monthly. You also will want to take into consideration repairs, associations, fees, maintenance and remodeling costs. These can add up to $500 - $100 or greater depending upon your area and age of the home.

You also have to consider the property taxes for the region and any waste removal/recycling fees. Often times, your home can be paid off and you will still be left with a sizable payment due to rising taxes. If you are retired or on a fixed income, be sure to steer clear of high tax states so you will be able to stay in your home.

It is a myth that you need a lot down, that's the good news. The bad news is the less you put down, even 0 down, the greater your payment. And, put less than 20% down and you are on the hook for private mortgage insurance, which does nothing, more than insure the bank's interests in your property. This can add money onto your payment. You can look into splitting up the loans and avoid this unpleasant experience. If you want to have lower payments, you may want to stretch the loan out longer, to say a 30 year mortgage. If you have erratic income you may not want to escrow the taxes and insurance. Meaning, you would want to pay them directly yourself, not have them be part of your payment.

If you don't mind doing some maintenance yourself, a home could be a good solution for you. It will create a lifestyle, somewhere you will raise your family and build memories. Even if you cannot do maintenance, hopefully some family or friends will help you out if you give them a hand. If not, you could join your local Habitat for Humanity or a class at Home Depot. If you do not have time for this, consider hiring a local handyman to help out. Be sure to check references first.

If you aren't a person that needs a yard, much freedom or relishes yard work, try a condominium or “condo” on for size. Don't forget to allow $150 - $300 or more in monthly maintenance costs. And, these might rise over time. But most people who don't want to worry about home ownership like this option, and they can still build equity. Many condos come with amenities and a built-in sense of community. You need to weigh the options. If you have a young family or small family, this may be acceptable to you depending upon the amount of space you need and square footage.

If you have a larger family, most condos are not built large enough to accommodate and then there's the noise and outside factor to take into account. Unless of course they have a play area, that's always a bonus!

Or, should you just keep renting? Contrary to popular belief, it does not always make sense to buy instead of renting. For example, if you buy a home in a depressed or decreasing market value area, you may end up actually losing money and not building the home value for the future you had hoped. And, you can also fall into the trap of tapping into home equity loans too often and end up owing more on your home than it's worth that way.

With renting, you do not have the worries if something breaks down. If you're not handy, no problem, someone else will come and fix it! You also have added security with some type of lease that includes a time clause in it. Take good care of the property, and you'll receive your security deposit refund in time to apply it to your next place.

Realize renting does not always mean you are confined to an apartment. In many areas there are homes, condos, flats and side-by-side units to rent. Just be sure the costs aren't excessive or what you would pay for a home.

There is no one size fits all solution to this dilemma. And, it may change during different stages of your life. You can always move up or out of homes as well, so keep this in mind. Make a list of the pros and cons for the situation you are in now and allow for some changes down the road ahead. You may be surprised at what you come up with when you see it right in front of you. Good luck!