The Life of Edgar Allan Poe Essay -- Edgar Allan Poe Writers Authors E

The Life of Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be the father of the short story by many. Over the course of his life, he wrote hundreds of short stories and poems. His writing style is unique and influenced by the tragedies that occurred over the course of his life. In fact, he is most well known for writing morbid stories and gruesome, dismal poems. Indeed his writing habits were heavily influenced by his life. His life was full of depression, angst, and woe. Many of the people he cared for fell victim to deadly plagues and diseases. To cope with this pain, Edgar Allan Poe sought comfort in the bottom of a bottle. In his times of depression he would drink heavily and become sick for days at a time. In between his fits of alcoholism and depression, he wrote. When he wrote, he wrote well. Edgar Allan Poe led a life full of tragedy and troubled times. Although he kept an air of dignity and pride around him, he often felt very lonely and depressed. This feeling of desperation greatly influenced his unique and often morbid writing style. Edgar Allan Poe had very humble beginnings. Within the first three years of his life, he lost both of his parents and was separated from his siblings. Edgar Allan Poe’s parents had a background that can be credited for his imagination and love of writing poems and short stories. His parents, David and Elizabeth Poe, were both actors and stage performers. Although poor, David and Elizabeth were well known on the stage, and played as important characters in assorted plays including comedies and Shakespearean dramas. David Poe preferred to take on minor roles in plays, but was credited by critics as good nonetheless. Elizabeth scored many lead actress roles, but still the two only had enough money to live poorly. They were too poor to care for their firstborn son, William Henry Poe, and had to send him off to his grandparents who were to care for him. On January 19, 1809, Edgar Poe was born. Edgar’s father was suffering heavily from alcoholism, and eventually left Elizabeth to care for her son alone. Elizabeth, however, was showing signs of tuberculosis and was pregnant with a third child. She was struggling to support her family by playing various theatrical roles for money. Soon she was too weak to continue acting. The owner of the theater company she worked for placed adds in newspapers to rais... ...aring, the man orders to bird to vacate his door and his life, and â€Å"Take thy beak from out my heart.† The bird does not leave and the poem ends describing how the bird’s looming shadow crushes the man’s soul beneath it, trapping the man forever in a state of gloom and misery. So it was that Edgar Allan Poe led a life filled with misery, depression, loss, and heartbreak. He sought respect from his foster father and fame among his peers. But because of the ravages of alcohol, he drank all of his blessings away, and what he was left with, abandoned him. His life long dream was to own his own magazine but his lifelong financial problems kept the dream always just out of reach. He did however manage to become the father of the short story, and the first comprehensive detective story author. During his time, his literary works were overlooked or slandered by his many enemies. But now, to this day, Edgar Allan Poe is a household name. His works such as â€Å"The Raven† are known to almost everyone for their rhythmic meter and captivating emotions. The tragedies in Edgar Allan Poe’s life left him lovesick and depressed, and compelled him to write about tales of beauty, love, and loss.

Ethical Issues Essay

Researchers found that 10 percent of employees at all levels report feeling pressured to compromise ethical standards in the workplace (Managing Business Ethics by Trevino and Nelson 2007). Ethical issues are faced by every industry in the business world as well as communities, public and private organizations and individuals. Leadership, internal practices, and training may impact the proper implementation of business ethics. Halliburton is one of the many large corporations involved in unethical business practices. This paper examines ethical issues faced by public sector employees and employees of private sector firms that conduct business with and for government agencies. The paper discusses Halliburton, a U. S. defense contractor (former vice president Dick Cheney’s old firm), ethical issues and the impact on stakeholders involved. The goal is to highlight the ethical issues and make recommendations for how prospective employees and managers can handle similar situations. Background Since 2001, energy services company Halliburton and its former subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) have performed unspecified services to the United States military in Iraq, Kuwait, and several other countries under a no-bid, long-term global logistics contract, (LOGCAP). In February 2003, Halliburton received a five-year extension, $7 billion no-bid contract for services in Iraq. During the course of awarding and executing these contracts at least two people made the decision to become whistle blowers, a government employee, and a Halliburton/KBR procurement employee. The government employee disclosed that Halliburton/KBR was involved in closed-door meetings with the Army Corps of Engineers that resulted in the no-bid, multi-year, billion dollar contract awarded exclusively to Halliburton/KBR (Morning Edition October 29, 2004). The procurement employee disclosed the specific activities within Halliburton/KBR that resulted in overcharging the government and taxpayers for goods and services while simultaneously eliminating competition among potential vendors. Some allegations include soliciting higher priced products and services because the government pays a fee based on the total of goods/services procured and manipulating purchases orders to maintain a maximum of $2,500 to avoid the bidding process between prospective vendors. Specifically, Halliburton’s subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root hired a Kuwaiti company, Altanmia, to supply fuel at about twice the going rate, then added a markup, for an overcharge of at least $61 million, according to a December 2003 Pentagon audit. The only problem is that $61 million is taxpayer money. Perception of Unethical Practices of Dick Cheney From the beginning many American citizens raised an eyebrow towards the decision to have Halliburton as a U. S defense contractor. This public outrage stemmed from the former vice president’s former employment as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Halliburton from 1995 through August 2000. KBR, the company’s former subsidiary has been the main government contractor working to restore Iraq’s oil industry that was awarded without competitive bidding in 2001. According to Cheney’s 2001 financial disclosure report, the vice president’s Halliburton benefits included three batches of stock options comprising 433,333 shares. He also has a 401(k) retirement account valued at between $1,001 and $15,000 dollars. His deferred compensation account was valued at between $500,000 and $1 million, and generated income of $50,000 to $100,000. Halliburton has contracts worth more than $1. 7 billion for its work in Iraq, and it could make hundreds of millions more from a no-bid contract. During Cheney’s tenure as the defense secretary, the Pentagon chose Halliburton’s subsidiary KBR to study the cost effectiveness of outsourcing some military operations to private contractors. Based on the results of the study, the Pentagon hired KBR to implement an outsourcing plan (Washington Post Sep 26, 2003). Many companies like Bechtel, Exxon, Blackwater and Halliburton have profited from the Iraq war. It is no secret that war creates wealth for those companies canny enough to exploit it, and not be killed by it. Is Dick Cheney one of these? After his departure from office former vice president Cheney will be free to profit in whatever way he feels. The ethical question is, however, has he ever really left it? And by not leaving it, was he in ethical violation of his oath of office, at the very least? Stakeholders The stakeholders in this situation are the client, which is the U. S. government and American taxpayers who are the investors or funders of the government; the vendors, who through the bidding process maintain a competitive and profitable business environment; and employees who make sure that their employers receive the best value for the services and products they procure. Ethical dilemmas The first ethical dilemmas is if employees should bring wrongdoing to the surface and if so, how? Will the decision violate the privacy of vendors or other employees? Is it legal to disclose certain activities related to defense contracts? Secondary ethical issues relate directly to the stakeholders. Is the U. S. government unfairly awarding contracts? Is that awarding process facilitating a culture of overcharging, which is absorbed by U. S. taxpayers? Are vendors intentionally overcharging Halliburton/KBR? Are Halliburton/KBR’s procurement practices eliminating competition in the marketplace? Analysis The primary issue in this situation is whistle blowing. â€Å"Whistle blowing means calling attention to wrongdoing that is occurring within an organization. †(Nadler and Schulman 2006) Halliburton is still under investigation by the FBI. Perhaps the negative publicity and the case caused the contract to be divided with Halliburton winning one of the parts in a public bid. The underlying secondary issues include exposing potentially fraudulent business activities, financial irresponsibility, and illegally profiting from public funding. The government employee wrote and spoke to superiors about the activities. The government employee sought legal counsel upon deciding to go public with their disclosure. Finally, both made their testimonies to the proper investigating bodies including the FBI, the U. S. House of Representatives Committees on Government Reform and Energy and Commerce. For their troubles, the government employee and Halliburton/KBR procurement employee were forced into a whistle-blowers protection program. Conclusion In the public sector, whistle blowers are often faced with the dilemma that their choice to disclose can constitute a criminal act. In both cases these employees called attention to suspected activities within their organizations before going outside or public. Employees faced with this dilemma must identify the stakeholders and ethical issues that concern them, and then make calculated decision whether or not to disclose. The facts surrounding whether or not the U. S. government are unfairly awarding contracts will be an ongoing issue. Despite all the measures set forth to regulate the procurement of contracts, greed for money will play a critical factor for the people that have weak ethical character. Whether you are the employee or employer being the standard bearer in ethical situations will earn the respect of others as well as keeping you out of big trouble. References Analysis: FBI investigates whether Pentagon officials committed fraud in their handling of a no-bid contract to a subsidiary of Halliburton before the Iraq War. (10:00-11:00 AM)(Broadcast transcript). (Oct 29, 2004). Morning Edition, p. NA. Retrieved February 08, 2009, from General OneFile via Gale. Donahue, J. (Nov-Dec 2005). Treading on the taxpayer. Multinational Monitor, 26, 11-12.p. 7(2). Retrieved February 08, 2009, from General OneFile via Gale. Nadler, J. & Schulman, M. Whistle Blowing in the Public Sector. Santa Clara University Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Retrieved February 9, 2008, from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/f ocusareas/government_ethics/introductio n/whistleblowing. html. Profile: US Army will allow bidding for contract work in Iraq initially given to Halliburton. (10:00-11:00 AM)(Broadcast transcript). (Sept 8, 2004). Morning Edition, p. NA. Retrieved February 08, 2009, from General OneFile via Gale.

Fdi in Automobile Essay

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a direct investment into production or bus iness in a country by a company in another country, either by buying a company in the target country or by expanding operations of an existing business in that country. Foreign direct investment is in contrast to portfolio investment which is a passive investment in the securities of another country such as stocks and bonds. Foreign direct investment has many forms. Broadly, foreign direct investment includes â€Å"mergers and acquisitions, building new facilities, reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations and intracompany loans†. [1] In a narrow sense, foreign direct investment refers just to building new facilities. FDI Inflows to Automobile Industry have been at an increasing rate as India has witnessed a major economic liberalization over the years in terms of various industries. The automobile sector in India is growing by 18 percent per year. The Automobile Sector in India- The automobile sector in the Indian industry is one of the high performing sectors of the Indian economy. This has contributed largely in making India a prime destination for many international players in the automobile industry who wish to set up their businesses in India. The automobile industry in India is growing by 18 percent per year. The automobile sector in India was opened up to foreign investments in the year 1991. 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed in the automobile industry in India. The production level of the automobile sector has increased from 2 million in 1991 to 9. 7 million in 2006 after the participation of global players in the sector. FDI IN AUTOMOBILE †¢ The automobile industry in India is growing by 18 percent per year. The automobile sector in India was opened up to foreign investments in the year 1991. †¢ 100%Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed in the automobile industry in India. †¢ The production level of the automobile sector has increased from 2 million in 1991 to 9. 7 million in 2006 after the participation of global players in the sector. †¢ Import of components is allowed without any restrictions and also encouraged. Advantages of FDI in the Automobile Sector in India The basic advantages provided by India in the automobile sector include, advanced technology, cost-effectiveness, and efficient manpower. Besides, India has a well-developed and competent Auto Ancillary Industry along with automobile testing and R&D centers. The automobile sector in India ranks third in manufacturing three wheelers and second in manufacturing of two wheelers. Opportunities of FDI in the Automobile Sector in India Opportunities of FDI in the Automobile Sector in India exist in * Establishing Engineering Centers * Two Wheeler Segment * Exports * Establishing Research and Development Centers * Heavy truck Segment * Passenger Car Segment. Important Aspects of FDI in Automobile Industry * FDI up to 100 percent, has been permitted under automatic route to this sector, which has led to a turn over of USD 12 billion in the Indian auto industry and USD 3 billion in the auto parts industry * The manufacturing of automobiles and components are permitted 100 percent FDI under automatic route * The automobile industry in India does not belong to the licensed agreement * Import of components is allowed without any restrictions and also encouraged. The FDI or Foreign Direct Investment in Indian Automobile Industry has opened up new avenues for the development of this important sector of Indian industries. The liberalization of government policies regarding FDI in the automobile industry of India has increased the scope of this industry. Initially, the automobile industry of India was ruled by national vehicle manufacturers like Premier Automobile and Hindustan Motors. The entrance of foreign automobile companies in the market was restricted by the imposition of high import tariffs and other policies and measures. The first FDI player in the Indian automobile industry was Suzuki. In 1980s this company entered into a joint venture with Maruti Udyog, a state run enterprise. The then Indian government permitted this company to enter the Indian automobile market in 1983. In 1991, the government of India liberalized its policies regarding the automobile industry of India Foreign Direct Investment in the automotive industry of India was permitted. In 1993, FDI was also allowed in the passenger car segment of Indian automobile industry. | The liberalization of governance policies with regard to FDI in Indian automobile industry has resulted in the rapid growth of this industrial sector post 1993. The major global players in the automobile industry have invested in the Indian vehicle manufacture as well as auto component part manufacture. The major foreign players who have a significant role in the development of Indian automobile industry include the following: Ford from USA. DaimlerChrysler AG from Germany General Motors from USA Suzuki from Japan BMW from Germany Honda from Japan Renault from France Hyundai from South Korea Toyota from Japan Foreign Direct Investment in the automobile industry of India has helped in the growth of this sector in terms of production, domestic sales and export. FDI is also permitted in the manufacture of auto components in India.

What would you do essays

What would you do essays What would you do, or how would you feel, if a man of middle-eastern descent came up to you telling you that he had been a victim of a hate crime where he was attacked from behind, beaten and pelted with eggs while his assailants uttered racial epithets, but later was notified that it was all a lie, a hoax? Well, there was a person that had to deal with this dilemma. Arizona State University junior Ahmad Sadd Nasim performed this gruesome act, and now the Maricopa Attorney's Office, and the ASU disciplinary department, must decide whether or not to press charges on this act of pusillanimity. It is believed by many that Nasim should face charges in order to allow true victims of hate crimes to come forward without shame, prevent a rise in hate crimes, and also prevent further acts of this nature. In order to allow the victims of true hate crimes to identify themselves without fear of not being heard, or believed, Ahmad Saad Nasim should be prosecuted. If he is not prosecuted, the victims of future hate crimes may not choose to come forward. Furthermore, these victims would find it nothing more than a waste of their time if they tried to report the perpetrators. Senior Vikesh Desai said," the lie hurts victims of genuine hate crimes." He continues, "It's like the boy who cried wolf. Now if another person is attacked in a hate crime, more people are going to question it. People are going to be afraid to speak up because they'll think that people won't believe them." (Chiu 1). However, if Nasim is prosecuted, and convicted, this type of situation would not be a problem. Consequently, the number of hate crimes committed will decline. The chance of an increase in the number of hate crimes committed relies partially on whether or not the Maricopa County Attorney's Office decides to press charges on Nasim. The number of performed hate crimes could rise if Nasim is not prosecuted for his wrong-doings. People that are prejudi...

Chinas Treatment of Its Growing Elderly Population

China's Treatment of Its Growing Elderly Population Chinas famous one-child policy had an aftereffect of creating a larger elderly population. Westerners often hear about how much regard the Chinese have for the elderly, but as China grows old, a number of challenges potentially await the emerging superpower. With this review of the elderly in China, better your understanding of how old people are treated in the country and the impact of a rapidly aging population there. Statistics About the Aging Population   The population of the elderly (60 or older) in China is about 128 million, or one in every 10 people. By some estimates, that puts Chinas sheer number of senior citizens at the largest in the world. It is estimated that China could have up to 400 million people over 60 years of age by the year 2050. But how will China address its masses of senior citizens? The country has changed dramatically in recent years. This includes the changing of its family structure. In traditional Chinese society, the elderly used to live with one of their children. But today more and more young adults are moving out, leaving their elderly parents alone. This means that the new generation of elderly people may not have family members to tend to their needs, as young people in the country traditionally have.   On the other hand, many young couples are living with their parents because of economic factors and not because of tradition. These young adults simply cannot afford to buy a house of their own or rent an apartment. Experts say family-based care is now impractical because most middle-aged children have little time to take care of their parents. So, one of the things the elderly have to face in 21st century China is how to live out their twilight years when their families cant take care of them. Older people living alone is not an anomaly in China. A nationwide survey found that about 23 percent of Chinas seniors over the age of 65 live by themselves. Another survey conducted in Beijing showed that fewer than 50 percent of elderly women live with their children. Housing for the Elderly Since more and more elderly  live alone, homes for the elderly arent enough to meet their needs. One report found that  Beijings 289 pension houses could accommodate only 9,924 people  or 0.6 percent of the population above age 60. To better serve the elderly, Beijing adopted regulations to encourage private and foreign investment in homes for the elderly.   Some officials believe that the problems facing Chinas elderly can be solved through combined efforts from family, the local community, and society as a whole. Chinas goal is to establish a support network for senior citizens that provides medical care and helps them avoid loneliness through scholarly pursuits and entertainment. The network would also encourage  senior citizens to continue serving society after retirement age by using the knowledge theyve acquired over the years. As Chinas population ages, the nation will also have to take a hard look at how this shift will affect its ability to compete on the world stage.

The impact of american TV series 'Gossip Girl' on young adult females Essay

The impact of american TV series 'Gossip Girl' on young adult females (consumerism, product placement, luxury lifestyle) - Essay Example The effort to induce positive perception in the consumers is so overwhelming that it has a tendency of affecting decisions of even the most knowledgeable buyers (Romeo, 2009, pp. 18-25). Television is a powerful medium that reaches billions of viewers on a daily basis (Turow, 2005, pp. 105-113). Trends introduced through this medium affect millions of young viewers on daily basis (Spalding, 2010). The same ambition is apparent inour targeted TV series Gossip Girl. The TV series is based on a best-selling series of novels written by Cecily von Ziegesar about rich families living on Upper Eastside in New York City. Although researches of Turow (2005, pp. 105-113) and Saplding (2010) illustrate how TV, especially sitcoms, affect behavior and preferences of consumers; Keum et al. (2004, pp. 372-391) present a different opinion by saying that media creates social consciousness and status consciousness which leads to spurring an awareness of the social responsibilities associated with cons uming and a pursuit of status-oriented lifestyles. This approach asserts that Gossip Girl also helped young women in becoming aware of latest fashion trends and also making informed decisions because of knowledge regarding substitutes of different products (Keum et al., 2004, pp. 372-391). Gossip Girl demonstrates lives of girls having strong liking for high-street brands which does not provide a reflection of a regular young girl. This research is intended to examine how young female adults are affected by TV shows like Gossip Girls and how the spending patterns and overall lifestyle of youth is affected by it globally (McRobbie, 2008, pp. 536-542). Similar TV series have been madewith the aim to inspire women and help them empower themselves howeverthese series have ultimately became tools of prestigious fashion brands for the purpose of targeting rather mature segment of women. Sex and the City is one of such series that transformed the fashion sense in women worldwide.Unlike regular TV series and sitcoms like Big Bang Theory having a waitress as a lead character and Two Broke Girls showing waitresses trying hard to make their ends meet, Gossip Girl has shown a diversion from regular girls’ persona to affluent and powerful outlook (Toffoletti, 2008, pp. 72-5) . Amongst young demographics, the most lucrative market segment is young, ready-to-spend, attention seeking teenage and adolescent girls (McRobbie, 2008, pp.534-37). With steady changes in consumer’s preferences, young females are always looking for the next big thing (McRobbie, 2008, pp. 534-536). It is observed that the pace of fashion brands launching new collections is much faster than it was some ten years ago. Although there can be various reasons for thatsuch as market competitionor increased consumer awareness, however, intention to capture major market share acts as a motivation for manufacturers to introduce new brands rather quickly (Hines, 20070.Surprisingly long females queue in lines to get their hands on the latest products which encourage companies to speed up their manufacturing and excessively use highly influential marketing campaigns such as ATL (above the line) and BTL (below the line) marketing techniques (Sands and Sands, 2012).In case of TV series, ATL activities are more effective as it involves use of search engines, social media and other media like TV, cinema, radio, newspaper etc. On the other hand, BTL activities include sales promotion strategies such as kiosk, email marketing etc. These techniques influence the buyer significantly and owning a product becomes a source of pride (Sands and Sands,

Real Estate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Real Estate - Essay Example The people took properties on mortgages and also took loans from the bank. The economy also started to flourish as the real estate market has a direct impact on the economy of the country. It was during this period that different kinds of policies and loans were introduced by banks and estate companies. All other industries that were somehow associated and linked with the real estate market also grew stronger (Hersh, 2002). But soon with the start of the new millennium the situation started to reverse and the market started to face a downfall. The financial institutions started to withdraw the money and the gross percent money assets diminished rapidly and within single year it decreased to an extremely low value (New York University, 1971). The subprime credit was completely eliminated from the market and the interest rates greatly increased and rates for all types of loans also dramatically increased. The housing prices continued to hike and this continued to fuel the flame. The closure rates hit new records and the domino effect began (Hersh, 2002). As a result the people stopped to invest, the banks stopped to lend loans to people and companies and those companies which were still giving loans were giving them at increased interest rates. As the people stopped to invest and started to take out their money, business started to decrease and the entire market started to fall. The industries and factor ies had much reduced works and therefore the companies started to fire people because keeping the workers without any work was a loss to the company and the people started to lose their jobs and started to seek governmental aids (California Real Estate Association, 1936). The government was also facing financial problems as the government banks and estates were easily issuing loans to the people and when the housing market crashed the people became unable to pay back their loans and many companies filed bankruptcy and the banks had no more money to lend. The