The 20s And Sinclair Lewis Essay Example For Students

The 20s And Sinclair Lewis Essay The theme in books by Sinclair Lewis1 relates to the time in which they were written. In both Babbit (1922) and Main Street (1920) Lewis shows us the American culture of the 1920s. He writes about the growing cities, the small towns, the common American man, the strong American need to conform, cultural integration, morals (or lack of in some cases), and he touches upon the women lib movement. All of these and more successfully describe the 1920s. The parties were bigger the pace was faster, the shows were bigger, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser2 F. Scott FitzgeraldLewis attacks the American middle class business man in Babbit. As Sheldon Grebstein once put it:They ( Lewiss characters ) become puppets rather than performers. ( S. Lewis, Amer. Author Series 68 )He uses the ideas and attitudes already in existence and gives them a plot. He uses sarcasm to show the readers the error of their ways and then makes the main character suffer some how to show the consequences of being the way George F. Babbit is. Americans felt a need to rise in social status in the 1920s. Things like art and religion did not even make it in the maybe pile. Money and social acceptance was number one in every household. We will write a custom essay on The 20s And Sinclair Lewis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now His ( Americans ) only way to assume protective coloration, to loose himself in the crowd, and then to be approved by one of its members. ( S. Lewis, Amer. Author Series 78 )George F. Babbit. A forty-six, middle class, overweight, suburban real estate dealer. To add to the mix he is a father and a husband. Babbit is Lewiss picture of the middle class businessman. H.L. Menekan states: The fellow simply drips with human juices Every American city swarms with his brothers ( 20th Cent. Views 20-21 )Babbit , along with several others of his social status, belong to a club entitled the Athletes Club in which they prominently display their uniform narrow minded views with meaningless chatter. Like his business associates and colleagues, he values painstaking work in an effort to succeed. The thing which sets off the American from all other men and gives a peculiar colour not only to the pattern oh his daily life but also to the play of his inner ideas, is what, for want of a more exact ter m, maybe called social aspiration. That is to say, his dominant passion is apart- a passion to improve his position, to break down some shady barrier of caste, to achieve the countenance of what, for all his talk of equality, he recognizes and accepts as his betters. ( The American Credo 59 )3Babbits hometown of Zenith provides an example of the ideal 1920s community. The very first paragraph in the book states:The towers of Zenith aspired above and cement and limestone, sturdy as cliffs and delicate as silver rods. They were neither citadels nor churches but frankly and beautifully office buildings. (Babbit )Lewis describes these towers in the first sentence by appearance and then uses sarcasm to cut into his dissatisfaction that these buildings are used for business rather than gathering people to prayer. This clearly shows the transition of priorities from church to work. During this time thing for the middle class to do was to take the grand tour of Europe. Also World War I was over and the boys just came back from Europe where they were for over a year. With the combination of these two, America was seeing a lot of European culture be incorporation into their own. When describing the Athletes Club he used the following:The entrance lobby was Gothic, the washroom Roman Imperial, the lounge Spanish Mission, and the reading room in Chinese Chippendale, but the gem of the club was the dinning-room, the masterpiece of Ferdinand Reitman, Zeniths busiest architect. It was lofty and half-timbered, with Tudor leaded casements, an oriole, a somewhat musician less musicians- gallery, and tapestries believed to illustrate the granting of the Magna Charta( Babbit 59)4This section shows all the different cultures under one roof. .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .postImageUrl , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:visited , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:active { border:0!important; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:active , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Randj EssayBabbits goals are dominated by hopes of fortune and luxury and he will do what ever is deemed necessary to be successful. Babbits job as a Realtor enables him to profit from selling cheaply made houses at an inflated price. He repeatedly bribes inspectors he sells. Babbit even offers farmer Mr. Prudy a price for his land with the knowledge that the beloved property is worth several times the businessmans offer. Conscience plays no role in the mind of the white collar businessman. Babbits business ethics are elastic. They can be stretched to condone bribery, lying, bullying, and conspiracy ( S. Lewis Amer. Author Series 79 )In the 1920s womens liberation movements stepped up a notch. Women were working, smoking, drinking, and speaking freely about any subject they choose including sex. Their dress hem lines rose from the ankles to the knees, these dresses were incredibly skimpy and so were the bathing suits. They wore unheard of amounts of makeup, all of these were only found in house of prostitution. One of these women was Babbits oldest child, Verona. The younger generation also had different ideas of work. Their ethics and priorities were not the same as in Babbits generation. Verona seeks a worthwhile experience as well as a job and her father looks no further than the zeros on his paycheck. Verona cares very little about how well shes paid or how the public perceives her. Babbits strong appreciation for work becomes more and more evident in the arguments with his son, Ted, involving his future. These conflicts feature Teds hunt for a quick path to success and his opposition to Babbits deep respect for arduous but steady way to reach the peak of success. Babbit disapproves of Ted lack of education and laziness. Main Street, another novel written by Sinclair Lewis, is also responsible for a similar pattern of 1920s culture. Its set just before the opening of the 1920s where conservative minds flourished and individuality was openly discouraged. The town is, in our tale, called Golfer Prairie, Minnesota. But its Main Street is the continuation of Main Streets everywhere. The story would be the same in Ohio or Montana, in Kansas or Kentucky or Illinois, and not very different would the story be told Up New York State or in the California Hills. ( Every Week, VI 9-10 )5 Carol Kennitcott, the main character, is a rare independent thinker in the 1920s. She was greatly interested in culture, particularly sociology. Her attendance at a college in Chicago prompted this fascination as well as introduced her to such liberties as feminism, syndicalism, and Chinese lyrics. After Carol got married, she moved to Golpher Prairie, Her new husbands small town. Upon their arrival, Carol took a thirty-two minute walk that struck new determination to change her surroundings for the better. She was startled at the sight of dilapidated buildings, lack of architectural planning and a common disconcern that was shared by the townspeople. Her disap pointment inspired the start of what would be several attempts at reformation. The first of those trials was an unusual party hosted by Carol. She manages to impress her guests with an old fashioned square dance and a game involving wolves and shepherds with the guests shoes being sheep. The highlight of the evening was the costumes worn during the Chinese concert. Unfortunately, at Chet Dashaways party a week later, the same groups of people resumed their old dull antics and pointless prattle. This situation foreshadows the outcome of other attempts made by Carol in that none of her ideas are successful. Another of Carols experiments is done after she joined the Thanatopsis Club, a womens literary organization. She tried to expand the collection of books by adding texts that were previously banned solely because of the authors controversial lives. Inevitably, her open minded ideas are not shared by the naive town librarian. .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .postImageUrl , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:visited , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:active { border:0!important; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:active , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bauhaus; architecture and functionalismCarol was not ready to give up yet. Various miscellaneous endeavors were made and were turned down by the townspeople. Such efforts were the modernizing of farmers wives rest rooms, a new city hall, plans for a farm bureau, lecture halls, and domestic science demonstrations. She also offered an idea to rebuild the town using the millions donated by Mr. Dawson but was, yet again, overruled. Her suggestion of helping the poor without merely donating funding was considered far too impractical and unrealistic. People were stubborn and thus held back by a need to conform. Evidence of the results of the nonconformist society is revealed when a schoolteacher is involved in a controversial situation. When Mrs. Fern Mullins allows her pupil Cy Bogart to escort her to a dance, accusations run wild about Cys intoxication as discovered by his mother that night. The irate townspeople lead to a forced teachers resignation and eventually to Ferns departure. Later Fern writes to Carol and informs her of even Ferns own families shame upon her and also of the refusal of another job by other teaching agencies. At last, Carol became utterly discouraged with her dozens of failed endeavors and left town. Even the most ambitious and educated are helpless in a town where tradition reigns over common sense. Through out the story of Carol Kennicott and her painstaking efforts, Main Street demonstrates conformity in small towns as well as the significance of conformity historically. It didnt matter wheather or not the people liked her ideas or if they were good for the comunity, her plans to change Golpher Prarie were denined and she was shunned for even thinking them. Change was not welcome in a small town. In Babbit and Main Street Sinclair Lewis repeataly shows his reactions to the new feeling of the 1920s. These times fueled him into writing his two most well known books in which he shows his fustration of selfish, Capitalistic, mid-western America.

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) In 1558 Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, ascended to the throne of England. Once crowned queen, she devoted her life, her instinctive political skill and courage to the creation of a modern stronger England. Elizabeth re-established the Anglican Church, but, as she was personally tolerant and even sceptical, she avoided the excesses of fanaticism. In 1559 Parliament passed a second Act of Supremacy, which asserted the supremacy of the monarch, and stated that no foreign prince, State or potent ate could have spiritual or temporal authority within the realm of England†. Elizabeth named herself Governor, however, and not â€Å"Supreme Head on Earth† of the Church of England, as her father had done. With the Act of Uniformity (1559) she stated that only Cranmer’s Prayer Book was to be used by the English people; there was little persecution; she was very severe only when Catholic plots proved a danger for her or the State. As far as problems of individual conscience were concerned, Elizabeth was tolerant, leaving the individual as master of his own soul. This was the highest degree of compromise possible in those times, and was largely accepted by the people. Research Papers on Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)Bringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoTrailblazing by Eric AndersonMind TravelQuebec and CanadaStandardized TestingPETSTEL analysis of IndiaGenetic EngineeringPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

Media Release Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media Release - Article Example The major aim of the action is to let the people speak out on the problem, so Warriors will be telling their stories and sharing their view of the problem with public in different cities of Australia. Two speakers, representatives of Pacific Climate Warriors, will deliver their speeches pointing how climate change affects their mundane life. A local campaigner will also tell about the work that is done and can be done by everyone at homes. The events will be held in a form of lecture but public will have an opportunity to engage in the discussion. The purpose of the speech is to attract more Australian dwellers to the movement and to the open acknowledgement of the problem. The speaking events, as the core of the action, will also include small performances representing local culture with the help of dance and singing. 350 international climate change movement represented by Pacific Warriors in this action has an influential and powerful message regarding negative consequences of the climate change, that needs to be delivered to the public. First of all, this action is symbolic for Pacific region inhabitants who will cooperate to acknowledge and voice the problem of climate change that threatens their environment. Secondly, As the 350 organization is not well known to an average Australian, this action is aimed to make it closer and provide people with clear and concise message regarding climate change. It will help them to understand whom to refer to for help and support regarding this environmental problem. Third, sharing personal people`s stories will bring the problem on the new reachable distance and will become visible on the highest level of authorities. As long as it concerns real people, climate change evokes more attention and actions worldwide. It is important that the inhabitants of Pa cific states will address to G20 leaders in order to ask for putting the problem to

Employee Engagement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Employee Engagement - Research Paper Example The employees should have other things in mind than salary only so that their performance can be the best. For this purpose the relationships between people within an organization should work in a good environment. Employee engagement is the bondage an employee had with the organization which makes him put in efforts to work for the benefit of the company. Employee engagement involves the efforts of both the organization and the employees themselves. True commitment towards work is necessary by the employees. This can be attained by the organizations by encouraging the individuals to put in efforts for the benefit of the organization. Every person working in a team should be encouraged and added in the conversation. Feedback should also be taken by all the employees in an organization. When an employee feels that he is valued, motivated and encouraged then he works more hard, hence benefiting the organization. Employee engagement is hence an important factor for the businesses to run efficiently nowadays. Employee engagement can be improved by frequent communication, meetings and friendly conversations. For example, Stamm (2009) discussed that in a hospital there was a meeting arranged for improving employee engagement. The nurses felt that the doctor was not friendly towards them and never even smiled at them. On the other hand, the doctor was a concerned to do his surgeries with perfection. He found it shocking that the staff was not at ease with his attitude. According to him he was busy taking wise decisions for doing the best surgery for his patients and never paid attention to this fact. With the help of this discussion the nursing staff also got to know that the doctor was never intentionally rude with them. This made them work better with one another, helping each other more efficiently and focusing on their duties more than on the personal attitudes hence employee engagement was improved. World is getting more and more connected nowadays. People have b etter job opportunities and everyone wants to improve his income because he wants to get luxuries and comforts in his life. Employee should not work only for getting salary, he should own the company. Efforts are being made by companies to improve employee engagement as well. The personal goals of the employees are also important for improving employee engagement. In this assignment, the differences between individualism and collectivism are explored in detail. 2. Employee Engagement 2.1 What does Employee engagement mean? Employee engagement is the hot cake issue for organizations for the past several years. It is the amount of attachment or emotional bondage a person has with his organization and work. This bond makes the employee work at his best for benefitting the organization. It is all about to â€Å"own† an organization and work for it and to share the good and bad moments. According to Investopedia (2011), employee engagement is a management concept which is of great importance. It is the level of interest and devotion an employee has towards his job. For example, a person who works in a company and puts in efforts for the organization’s growth and profits and does not only works for money or salary and has devotion towards his job and company is an engaged employee. Organizational culture and its management contribute a lot in the employee engagement. According to Cook (2008), employee engagement is the amount of commitment an employee has towards his organization. It is the passion and energy the employee has towards putting in efforts for the betterment of his organization. For example the employee working in an

Article of Capital Budgeting Survey Essay Example for Free

Article of Capital Budgeting Survey Essay This research is motivated by two major factors: (1) the  over twenty year hiatus since the last thorough review ofthe capital budgeting survey literature, and (2) past appeals to the finance academic community by researchers to explore  neglected areas ofthe capital budgeting process. In response, and using a four-stage capital budgeting process as a guide, the authors review the capital budgeting survey literature  from 1984 through 2008 and find that some ofthe neglected  areas have infact been directly addressed. Unfortunately, the most prevalent focus of capital budgeting surveys continues  to be that ofthe selection stage. As a result, many areas ofthe capital budgeting process still remain relatively unexplored, providing numerous survey research opportunities. This research effort is motivated by two tnajor factors: 1)  the twenty year hiatus since the last thorough review of the capital budgeting survey literature, and 2) past observations and appeals made to the finance academic community by  fellow researchers to explore neglected areas of the capital budgeting process through more focused and directed survey  research. Richard M. Burns is a Professor of Finance at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL Joe Walker is an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL. The authors wish to thank the Editor and the anonymous referee for their many helpful comments and suggestions. 78 The first factor stands on its own as justification for an update of the capital budgeting survey literature. The last comprehensive reviews were made by researchers Scott and Petty (1984) and Mukherjee (1987) over twenty years ago. Regarding the second factor, almost three decades ago, Kim (1979) noted that too much emphasis was being placed on methods of ranking and selecting capital budgeting proposals. Scott and Petty (1984) also noted the disproportionate (unjustified) amount of time [spent] on a particular stage (financial analysis and project selection) Further, Gordon and Pinches (1984) generalized this complaint by arguing that the capital budgeting process must be viewed in its entirety. Mukherjee (1987) agreed that further survey efforts need to be devoted to understanding the entire process. To address these two factors, the authors have provided a current review of the capital budgeting survey studies over the past twenty-four years. The results are reported in a four-stage capital budgeting framework that allows a more detailed and clear assessment of the appeals by past researchers. As a result, fertile areas for future applied research in the area of capital budgeting survey work are more easily identified and summarized. The organization of this paper is as follows. In Section I a four-stage capital budgeting process will be identified and used throughout the balance ofthe paper. It provides a useful framework to evaluate in more detail the most prominent capital budgeting survey literature reviews of the past, to highlight neglected areas of capital budgeting research, and to organize past appeals for future research in this area. In Section II this four-stage process will also be used to describe the procedures used in performing the capital budgeting 79 BURNS WALKER CAPITAL BUDGETING SURVEYS: THE FUTURE IS NOW survey literature update over the 1984-2008 period. Section  III will continue to use this framework to present the detailed findings while Section IV will provide an overall summary.  Finally, Section V will present conclusions, comments, and  insights for future survey research. I. Past Reviews and Appeals appears on an executives desk and all that is needed is for the manager to choose the project(s) with the highest expected payoff. However, as most managers quickly learn, this is not the case. Further, once projects are chosen, the evaluation  of an individual projects subsequent performance  is usually either ignored or often inappropriately  handled.  Our contention is that the capitalbudgeting process must be viewed in its entirety,  and the informational needs to support effective  decisions must be built  into the firms decision  comprehensive reviews  support system. In the corporate finance  capital budgeting survey  literature  the  capital  The last budgeting process has been  were made by researchers Scott  described in terms of four The two most significant stages: 1) identification, attempts to assess the and Petty (1984) and Mukherjee 2) development,  3)  balance of research among  (1987) over twenty years ago.  selection, and 4) control.  these four stages were those  The identification stage  of Scott and Petty (1984)  comprises the overall process of project idea generation and Mukherjee (1987), both of which occurred well over including sources and submission procedures and the twenty years ago.^ Scott and Petty provided a synthesis of earlier surveys of  incentives/reward system, if any. The development stage involves the initial screening process relying primarily large American firms and organized their analysis based on a upon cash flow estimation and early screening criteria. The three stage classification: 1) project definition and cash flow selection stage includes the detailed project analysis that estimation 2) financial analysis and project selection, and results in acceptance or rejection of the project for funding. 3) project implementation and review. Citing Gitman and Finally, the control stage involves the evaluation of project Forrester (1977), they noted that: project definition and cash flow estimation is performance for both control purposes and continuous considered the most difficult aspect ofthe capital improvement for future decisions. All four stages have budgeting process. The financial analysis and common areas of interest including personnel, procedures, project selection stage, which receives the most and methods involved, along with the rationale for each. attention in the literature, is considered the least All four stages are critical to the overall process, but difBcult ofthe three stages   the selection stage is arguably the most involved since it includes the choices of analytical methods/techniques used, Also covering surveys of large American corporations, how the cost of capital is determined, how adjustments for Mukherjee (1987) agreed that there had been too much projects risks are assessed and reflected, and how, if relevant, survey focus on the selection stage and not enough on the capital rationing affects project choice. The selection stage other stages as well as the overall capital budgeting process. has also been the most investigated by survey researchers, Paraphrasing that papers recommendations, it called for particularly in the area of selection techniques, resulting in more research into specific questions relevant for each stage. a relative neglect ofthe other stages. This in turn has led to For example, in stage 1, future surveyors were urged to appeals to future researchers to consider the other stages in investigate the reward systems, procedural aspects, and the their survey research efforts. As Gordon and Pinches (1984) organizational structure ofthe firm. In stage 2, more research note: was suggested on the topics of divisional vs. corporate Most of the literature on the subject of capital biases, strategic considerations, cash flow estimation budgeting has emphasized the selection phase, details, data details, cannibalization, risk, and inflation. giving little coverage to the other phases. Instead, Even within the more widely-studied Stage 3, neglected it is usually assumed that a set of well-defined capital investment opportunities, with all of the informational needs clearly specified, suddenly ^ o t e that these two reviews are only three years apart based on publication See Gordon and Pinches (1984) and Mukherjee (1987). Scott and Petty (1984) use a similar 3-stage process. It is interesting to note, however, that an even earlier survey by Gitman and Forrester (1977) had used a 4-stage analysis. date, and that the latter does not cite the former, likely due to publication lags. As noted in the procedures section, this paper uses the Mukherjee format. Furthermore, the title of this paper derives from Mukherjees title. 80 areas were identified such as the rationale for the various methods used, how firms compute their cost of capital, the low rate of risk recognition, the associated low rates of risk adjustment and assessment sophistication, capital rationing (and the low usage of linear programming), and the details of authorization levels. Finally, with regard to Stage 4, more research was encouraged into the details of performance evaluation, how the company follows up on such evaluation, the details of expenditure control procedures, and the reward system for performance. How well these appeals have been answered with subsequent survey research is the primary focus of this paper. In the next section the authors describe the procedures employed to assess the effectiveness of these appeals made over twenty years ago. II. Procedures Consistent with the reviews by Scott and Petty (1984) and Mukherjee (1987), the following criteria were used to choose capital budgeting survey articles for inclusion in this review: the surveys had to involve large US firms, they had to be broad-based (not focused on one particular industry), and they had to be published in mainline academic journals post-1984. Using these criteria resulted in the selection of the nineteen capital budgeting surveys included in Figure 1. The Figure provides, in chronological order, the survey year (which in all cases differs from the publication year), authors, research method, usable responses and the audience surveyed. Each of these 19 survey articles was then thoroughly examined in an effort to identify the stages and areas within each stage that the survey covered. The results of this process are reported in Figure 2 and consistent with Mukherjees (1987) chronological ordering in a tabular form indicating areas of investigation within the four stages ofthe These more specific questions are largely paraphrased from Mukherjee (1987) and are not fully exhaustive. The interested reader is, of course, encouraged to read this very thorough article in its entirety. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢The initial search using Proquest (ABI Inform) specifying capital budgeting surveys in scholarly journals after January 1, 1984, yielded over two hundred results. However, the great majority were published in the non-mainline journals, including many strictly practitioner (trade journal) outlets and /or were focused on a particular country or industry and thus eliminated by the screening criteria. To insure against missing articles due to any limitations ofthe ABl database, the authors checked the references ofthe surviving articles, and in addition, conducted a manual search ofthe most cited finance journals tables of contents and the reference sections of the various survey articles found. JOURNAL OF APPLIED FINANCE ISSUES 1 2, 2009 capital budgeting process. It should be noted that the Figures herein were slightly altered from Mukherjees original format to better focus on selected issues that were identified specifically as areas of neglect. For example, the category of techniques was divided into techniques used and reasons for techniques used. Similarly, the risk category was divided into risk recognition, risk assessment, and risk adjustment. III. Findings by Stage A quick perusal of Figure 2 reveals an obvious concentration of checks in Stage 3 (selection) similar to the previous findings of Mukherjee. Although a careful look at some of the stage categories individually indicates that several neglected areas have been researched over the period, there is still an obvious and relative lack of research into Stages 1, 2, and 4. To further assess the effectiveness ofthe research appeals, the analysis and reported results in this section will be ordered by the four stages.   Summary comments are provided only  on those surveys which provide a significant contribution to a previously neglected area of capital budgeting survey research. As a result, the findings of Bierman ( 1993), Gilbert and Reichert (1995), Payne, Heath, and Gale (1999), and Ryan and Ryan (2002) are not summarized. A. Stage 1 : Identification Suggested areas of study within this stage include how project proposals are initiated, whether the proposal process is on-going or on an only-when-needed basis, at what level projects are generated, whether there is a formal process for submitting ideas, how that process works when present, and if there is an incentive system for rewarding good ideas.* Unfortunately, there has never been an in-depth survey focused on this stage, leaving no question that it remains strongly neglected. The only contribution of a minor nature to this topic is the incidental finding by Stanley and Block (1984). They found that in over 80% of the responding firms that capital budgeting proposals originated bottom up In the 1987 article, note that on Figure 4, the stages are described somewhat differently from the discussion in the paper itself Specifically, in the body of the paper, the four stages are: (1) identification, (2) development, (3) selection, and (4) the post-audit. But in the table, the 4 stages are idea generation, proposal development, selection of projects, and control or performance evaluation. As in footnote 3, the following suggested areas of study for all four stages are largely paraphrased from Mukherjee (1987).. 81 BURNS WALKER CAPITAL BUDGETING SURVEYS: THE FUTURE IS NOW Figure 1. Surveys of Capital Budgeting of Large US Firms Surveyed Year(s) Survey Author(s) Method Number of Usable Responses 1982 Stanley Block (1984) questionnaire 121 1986 Pruitt Gitman (1987) questionnaire 121 1986 Pohlman, Santiago, Markel(1988) questionnaire 232 1988 Gordon Myers (1991) 1988 1992 1990 1991 1992 Myers, Gordon, Hamer(1991) Bierman (1993) Porterba Summers (1995) Gilbert Reichert (1995) Trahan Gitman (1995) Sample CFOs of Fortune 1000 multinationals VP Finance or Treasurer of largest industrials in Fortune 500 CFOs of Fortune 500 questionnaire 282 questionnaire 282 questionnaire 74 Executives and capital budgeting directors of large US industrials except utilities and transportation Large public firms from FASB Data Bank 100 largest of Fortune 500 questionnaire 160-228 CEOs of Fortune 1000 questionnaire 151 Fortune Magazine Directory CFOs questionnaire 84 CFOs of Fortune 500 + Forbes 200 Managers of foreign manufacturing subsidiaries of US industrials 1992 Shao Shao (1996) questionnaire 188 1992 Burns Walker (1997) questionnaire 180 Fortune 500 7,27,10 7 best-sellling texts, 27 prestigious CFOs, 10 leading financial advisors 1996-97 Bruneretal(1998) telephone survey 1992-93 Mukherjee Hingorani(1999) questionnaire 102 Fortune 500 CFOs 1994 Payne, Heath, Gale (1999) questionnaire 155 USA and Canadian based companies from SP Compustat database questionnaire 111 CFOs from Fortune 1000 questionnaire 392 CFOs from FEI corporations interviews 39 executives of large companies questionnaire 205 CFOs of Fortune 1000 questionnaire 40 top-ranking officers of Fortune 1000 1997 1999 1999 1999 2005 Gitman Vandenberg (2000) Graham Harvey (2001) Triantis Borison (2001) Ryan Ryan (2002) Block (2007) z †¢^ II O) (2002) ueAy ? uBAy o (0 O) †¢a (0 a i2 i2 o u. a †¢o (0 (O O) I O) †¢o 3 OQ a re U 3 D) O6B!)UB9 UBLU|L|Od S (8861.) |StJeiM (Z86l.)ueaJi!OSH!n.id (W6l)|00ia8^8|UBis |L Idea Generation |A. Source of Origination |B. Reasons for Idea Origination |C. Process of Origination Submission |D. Time Pattern of Origination 1II. ProposalDevelopment |A. Level at Which screening Takes Place |B. Screening Process  ¡C. Cashflow Estimates (and forecasting) |D. Responsibility for Budget Preparation (personnel) |lll. Selection of Projects |A. Classification of Projects for Economic Analysis B. Personnel (Department) Responsible for Analysis C1. Listing Techniques Used |C2. Reasons for Techniques Used Dl. Risk recognition D2. Risk assessment D3. Risk adjustment El. Capital Rationing: How Extensive? E2. Capital Rationing Rationale E3. Capital Rationing Methods Used F. Cost of Capital G. Project Approval |IV. Control (or Perfonnance Evaluation) A. Extent of Use of Post Audit B. Personnel Involved/Procedure C. Performance Measurement D. Use of Evaluation (Punishment/Reward/Etc.) 1* Surveys in this exhibit appear in chronological order of their publication. 82 JOURNAL OF APPLIED FINANCE ISSUES 1 2, 2009 o o o o CM o ( ¿ooz) iooia 6jaquapueA S UBLUIJO (0002) (6660 9|B0 S MIB9H auÄBd (666 O !UBJo6u!H S aa[jaLj|ni^ -?†¢ -y -7-?†¢ -y (1.002) uosuog pue suueui -?†¢ ~y (1.002)^SWBH S lUBMBJO ~7-?†¢ -?†¢ -?†¢ -?†¢ -y -?†¢ (866l.)|Bà ­a.iaunjg -?†¢ CO t ^ -y ( ¿66l)J8lieM8SUjng (966l†¢)oeL^S8OB^s -y (9661.) uBUjJio S UBUBJi -y (S66l.)weM0!ays;jaqi!9 -y (9661-) sjauiujns s eqjapod -?†¢ -y m ( £661.) ueuuaig -y -y 5 a. n O (1-661-) jaoiBH S uopjoo sjaA|/\| ~y -y ~y -y (1.661.) sjaÄ|/\l8uopjoo -y ~y -y -y -?†¢ -?†¢ -y ~y -y -y to -y 00

Habitat Destruction :: essays research papers

Habitat Destruction Overview   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this new age of technology and advances in every possible field of study, many people forget about the environment. Some will just throw their trash all over the place with no concern for the possible consequences. Of course, there are many consequences, but only one comes to my mind. That is the demolition of species’ homes or habitat destruction. Habitat destruction or habitat loss is the altering or elimination of the conditions that plants and animals need to survive. â€Å"The primary threat to the world’s biodiversity is habitat destruction† (Okey p.1). Prairies have been greatly affected. The â€Å"loss of prairie habitat ranges from 20 to >99 percent depending on the region† (Benedict, Freeman, & Genoways, p.161). Habitat destruction can be caused by many things. These include: The introduction of alien (exotic) and domesticated species Pest and Predator control The collection of animals for pets and research Pollution Ecological factors Loss of keystone species Overexploitation Disease Limited distribution Many of these causes could be prevented fairly easily. If people today would just follow some simple rules, none of these would be as big as they are now. The Introduction of Alien (Exotic) and Domesticated Species   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introducing exotic species has been a highly debated issue. Why should we bring another animal or plant into a region to eradicate another species? That’s the question that people have been asking for ages. Of course, there are positives to bringing in another species, but many times, there are just as many negatives. Also, these species can be introduced accidentally or intentionally. The new organism may cause no obvious problems and eventually, it will be considered â€Å"native† to the area. For example, corals are â€Å"perhaps the oldest animals on the planet, and these long-lived corals have evolved in one of the Earth’s most stable environments† (Eichenberg, p.2). If a new type of fish were to be put into the ecosystem with the corals, the coral would be affected. First, the fish might eat the coral. Second, they could use the coral for shelter, and possibly damaging it that way. Third, the fish could bring predators that might also eat the coral. Introducing an exotic species has the â€Å"rippling affect† of dropping a stone into a pool of water. Everything outside the epicenter is affected. A study was done at Cornell University, and they estimated that $120 billion per year are spent fixing the problems caused by exotic species† (Chiras, p.

Argumentative Paper

American dollars into the Iraqi infrastructure. 1) Military and police force trained at the hands of American taxpayer dollars. (2) Facilities that have been built by American's and gone to waste. (3) Global understanding of foreign aid. (4) Iraq's capabilities of taking care of their own financial aid. (5)Statistics in regards to dollars spent on what projects to Iraq become a better nation. IV. America's public school system. A. Budget cuts to the educational budget. B. Classroom growth. C. Educational cut back programs. (1) City of Phoenix cut backs. 2) Educational Job market flooded with teachers and no positions available. 3) Interview with Kerry. Help V. American's need to tighten the purse strings and take care of the issues at home. Too Much Foreign Aid in America's Budget The act of charity is something that most people are raised on; if a person has been blessed with wealth, it is always good to help those less fortunate. However, there comes a time when too much is too muc h. The United States, among other countries, developed the practice of foreign aid after World War II.It was designed to help those countries in desperate need of temporary help when they could not manage on their own. Foreign aid is something that has been in effect over the last few decades and some say has been used to excess and argue the point that if our own country is in debt and suffering, how can there be so much money spent on foreign aid. Others say that we are prosperous and should help those that need it no matter what. Whichever side of the argument is brought up, there are certain facts that do not change.The United States has spent too much money taking care of other countries financial disasters despite the trouble within its own borders. The United States of America has long been considered one of the most remediable countries in the world leading the pack of economic growth, democracy, innovation and financial dominance. However, lately it seems that the United St ates is in as much financial strain as the other countries it helps regularly. American's are experiencing the pinch of billions in budget cuts on education programs, eliminating teaching positions and higher taxes to fund a war with Iraq.Even through all of these financial hardships, the United States still manages to give billions of dollars in financial aid despite the economic crisis of their own. A country that receives a large portion of American foreign aid is Haiti. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and is one of the countries that recently, receives the most financial aid world wide. In mid-January of this year, Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake that destroyed most of the county. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without homes, clean drinking water or electricity, with debris and rubble making it unsafe territory.Bret Stephens, a Journalist for the DOD Jones & Company, uncovered news from the World Bank and exactly how much additional aid w as going to be allotted to Haiti for relief efforts. Stephens article states: The World Bank–now about to throw another $100 million on Haiti–on what it achieved in the country between 1986 and 2002: The outcome of World Bank assistance programs is rated unsatisfactory (if not highly so), the institutional development impact, negligible, and the sustainability of the few benefits that have accrued, unlikely.Stephens goes on to quote that the Bank noted, â€Å"Haiti has dysfunctional budgetary, financial or procurement systems, making financial and aid management impossible. The Bank makes the claim that the Haitian government does not take ownership and initiative for formulating and implementing assistance programs. A breakdown of foreign aid by country, provided by Guardian, a United Kingdom based awareness blob, shows a grand total of 3. 5 billion dollars already donated and another 1. 1 billion dollars pledged to help with this disaster (Guardian).America, leading as the highest donor, among other countries such as United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. Many countries making absolutely no contribution whatsoever during this time. American's are going broke and continue to keep giving. In fact, the United States has only been debt free for two years, 1834 and 1835, according to Marie Clammiest. Clammiest states in another article that, â€Å"†¦ The federal governments $14 trillion debt as an emergency that demands big cuts in domestic programs†¦ The majority of this debt is said to have come from the war in Iraq, heavily financed by borrowing from China to fund the war. Lira Logan reported, â€Å"The problem for America is that its greatness has always been rooted in its economic dominance and that debt has forced the U. S. To keep borrowing from foreign countries. † According to statistical ATA provided by the Bureau of the Public Debt , in 1991, the national debt for the United States was under $3 Trillion, even though a large amount, it was still within the realm of being paid off.However now in 2011, the debt recently went over the $14 trillion mark, a number that is in no way obtainable (Madame). Logan also quoted Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, saying, â€Å"Can the world's greatest power remain the world's greatest power and also be the world's greatest borrower? I don't think so. † Over the past four years fighting the war n Iraq, the United States has spent $500 billion dollars on Just the war alone (Skeletal).In addition to the funding of occupying this country, the United States has spent over $50 billion in reconstruction costs, that unfortunately, most say will be wasted dollars due to Iraq's incompetence and capabilities to utilize the reconstructions. As a country, the United States has invested hundreds of billions of dollars on equipment, buildings, infrastructure, electricity and water facilities in third world countries. In an article rec ently published by USA Today written by Matt Kelley, mints out that, â€Å"The United States has spent $44. Billion in taxpayer funds on rebuilding Iraq, about half of it to train, equip and support Iraq's military and police forces. † Kelley also quotes Rusty Barber, the head of the Iraq program United States Institute of Peace, â€Å"There has been some significant progress, but there's a long way to go before Iraq can really be a stable, secure country that's able to provide for its people's basic needs. † Iraq is a country that has undergone massive abuse over the past 10 plus years, with no end in sight, and has been rebuilt about ten times over.The amount of money that America has spent in rebuilding Iraq, by all means a country that has minimal interest in being rebuilt, is atrocious. American tax payer dollars are being spent to fund many projects in Iraq, such as schools, hospitals and prisons, instead of spending those same dollars on the same problems at hom e. According to Timothy Williams, many of these facilities have remained empty after completion because there were not enough Iraqis trained to operate them. Williams goes on to state that â€Å"†¦ 4 million maternity hospital built by the Americans is open, but the staff members cannot operate much of its equipment†¦.. Sinai Hospital in Baghdad, which had been the American military's largest medical center in the country, has been closed because the Health Ministry lacks the staff and equipment to reopen it, though the American military said it left $7. 9 million in equipment behind†¦ † He also states that there was a $165 million children's hospital that was delayed by more than four years and $115 million over budget (Williams). When a country is in desperate need of help, it is up to others to step up and give aid.When that aid is given, it is under the understanding that the money is going to e used to go towards the rebuild of the crisis. However, what ha ppens when the country receiving large portions of aid do not need that aid? For example, according to James Gland and Campbell Robertson's article in August of 2008, by the end of 2009, the Iraqi government ended up with a surplus of almost $80 million dollars. The article stated that, â€Å"The United States has spent $23. 2 billion in the critical areas of security, oil, electricity and water since the 2003 invasion, but from 2005 through April of 2008, Iraq has spend Just $3. Billion on similar services. † Another report room the Government Accountability Office estimates Iraqi oil revenue from 2005 through the end of this year [2008] will amount to at least $156 billion dollars. † So what this is stating is that the Iraqi government is not only holding their oil money in a United States bank collecting somewhere in the range of $400,000 in interest, but for some reason they are collecting foreign aid when they are capable of funding and fixing their own problems.Ca rl Levin, a chairman of the Senate Armed Services was quoted saying, â€Å"The Iraqi government now has tens of billions of dollars at its espousal to fund large-scale reconstruction projects. It is inexcusable for U. S. Taxpayers to continue to foot the bill for projects the Iraqis are fully capable of funding themselves We should not be paying for Iraqi projects, while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank. † Very well said and a statement many American citizens support full hardheartedly.However, we are still sending foreign aid to Iraq, building Iraqi schools, hospitals, prisons, and fortifying their country's security but it does not look like the money is going to stop going into Iraq. If the United States spends 165 million dollars on one hospital, one can only imagine the cost of rebuilding schools during war time; as well as imagine how many of those schools were destroyed intentionally and unintentionally during or after their construction because of sa id war. America's public school system drastically needs help and no one is coming up with any solutions but budget cuts.The American public school system is already the victim of systematic budget cuts are now getting ready for another huge blow to their financial status; one some say that is going to cripple our youth's outlooks on a better education. † Education Weekly reported that â€Å"the spending bill that President Barack Obama signed into law March 2 severed current fiscal-year funding for several literacy programs at the Education Department as a part of a government- wide reduction of $4 billion† (Rose). For an example, Arizona has taken hard drastic cuts recently.Classroom sizes have grown from 24 children per teacher to roughly 30 plus children per classroom. After school and during school education enhancement studies to help children who fall below the average or have special learning needs eve all but been eliminated. In previous years, children who may not have passed a subject were allowed the opportunity to attend intercession, a program during the school breaks where they attend class for a few hours a day over a two week time frame intended to get them back on track.Unfortunately, as of the 2009-2010 school year, Circle Cross Ranch, a local elementary in San Tan Valley Arizona, now requires parents pay $25 per class session if a child fails at any point in time the classes are mandatory. In Phoenix, they are experiencing even more of an unnecessary set back. The city as had a drastic decline in their hiring for the 2010-2011 school year. Roughly 7,400 public-school teaching positions have been eliminated across the state because of budget cuts proposed by the Legislature, according to Arizona Educators Association spokesman John Heartfelt (Quinn).With the amount of children that are still enrolling and moving into the Phoenix area, this only bodes ill for the amount of attention each child will receive. Education is important to the growth of any society and if that keeps getting hit time and time again with no solutions on how to fix that budget crisis, things will only get worse. The amount of educational Jobs are decreasing but the amount of applicants only increase. The educational Job market is being flooded with teachers that have experienced the layoffs and cut backs, while schools hiring, go for the more seasoned experienced teachers.Internships have been eliminated across the board for new teachers because the Jobs Just are not readily available eliminating many of the opportunities for young teachers. Kerry, a 4th grade teacher for xx Elementary in xx, has felt the pinch of educational budget cuts along with thousands of other teachers. XX teaches a very owe-income community with children that speak more Spanish than English and she struggles some days to provide the best educational experience she can. â€Å"The school just can't afford what we need and its sad.I have children that come to s chool almost every day hungry because they don't have proper meals at home. They come to school with no supplies because their parents can't afford them. As a teacher, how can I sit by and watch my students go with out the fundamental things that they need to get an education? † XX stated that she spends over $500 every year on school supplies that she does not get reimbursed for, â€Å"l have to do it. If I don't, no one will and these children don't deserve to suffer because of our budget cuts.How can they learn if they have no paper to write on or a pencil to write with? † When asked about the financial crisis the schools are experiencing, she replied, â€Å"Its sad and disturbing at the same time. How can I teach properly without the books and tools required to teach!? I know this sounds selfish, but doesn't they saying go, you need to help yourself before you can help others? If we [Americans] keep giving everything away, there's not going to be anything left for us to help ourselves. We could have so much more for our own kids! America's future are its children, those children are not educated properly, who's fault is that going to be? No matter who's fault it is, the problem needs to be corrected sooner rather than later. The United States has received a hazardous blows over the past few years with several crippling hurricanes, oil spills and a continued economic and financial crisis. The United States is falling further and further into debt with the war in Iraq and an economic crisis that has America considered ‘rich nations' among one of the poorest (Belittler).If the United States cut back some of the foreign aid given to the same countries regularly, then those countries receiving the public assistance will have no choice but to learn how to support themselves. By continuing to give aid and support them without teaching them how to figure out how to do it for themselves, the problem only gets worse. It Just seems that the United States is giving a lot of more hand outs while its own citizens are suffering. When that happens, that is when its time to close the purse strings to take care of American's with American tax dollars. Argumentative Paper The United States has spent too much money on other countries financial disasters despite America's own economic crisis. L. American foreign aid. A. Why foreign aid was implemented and how it was meant to be used. B. America and its status. C. Budget cuts. II. American foreign aid to Haiti. A. Wait's reliance on financial aid. B. Statistical data on the amounts of aid Haiti has received. II. America and its debt. A. 1991 debt verses 2011 debt. B. The war on Iraq and its cost to national debt. C.American dollars into the Iraqi infrastructure. 1) Military and police force trained at the hands of American taxpayer dollars. (2) Facilities that have been built by American's and gone to waste. (3) Global understanding of foreign aid. (4) Iraq's capabilities of taking care of their own financial aid. (5)Statistics in regards to dollars spent on what projects to Iraq become a better nation. IV. America's public school system. A. Budget cuts to the educational budget. B. Classroom growth. C. Educational cut back programs. (1) City of Phoenix cut backs. 2) Educational Job market flooded with teachers and no positions available. 3) Interview with Kerry. Help V. American's need to tighten the purse strings and take care of the issues at home. Too Much Foreign Aid in America's Budget The act of charity is something that most people are raised on; if a person has been blessed with wealth, it is always good to help those less fortunate. However, there comes a time when too much is too much. The United States, among other countries, developed the practice of foreign aid after World War II.It was designed to help those countries in desperate need of temporary help when they could not manage on their own. Foreign aid is something that has been in effect over the last few decades and some say has been used to excess and argue the point that if our own country is in debt and suffering, how can there be so much money spent on foreign aid. Others say that we are prosperous and shoul d help those that need it no matter what. Whichever side of the argument is brought up, there are certain facts that do not change.The United States has spent too much money taking care of other countries financial disasters despite the trouble within its own borders. The United States of America has long been considered one of the most remediable countries in the world leading the pack of economic growth, democracy, innovation and financial dominance. However, lately it seems that the United States is in as much financial strain as the other countries it helps regularly. American's are experiencing the pinch of billions in budget cuts on education programs, eliminating teaching positions and higher taxes to fund a war with Iraq.Even through all of these financial hardships, the United States still manages to give billions of dollars in financial aid despite the economic crisis of their own. A country that receives a large portion of American foreign aid is Haiti. Haiti is one of th e poorest countries in the world and is one of the countries that recently, receives the most financial aid world wide. In mid-January of this year, Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake that destroyed most of the county. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without homes, clean drinking water or electricity, with debris and rubble making it unsafe territory.Bret Stephens, a Journalist for the DOD Jones & Company, uncovered news from the World Bank and exactly how much additional aid was going to be allotted to Haiti for relief efforts. Stephens article states: The World Bank–now about to throw another $100 million on Haiti–on what it achieved in the country between 1986 and 2002: The outcome of World Bank assistance programs is rated unsatisfactory (if not highly so), the institutional development impact, negligible, and the sustainability of the few benefits that have accrued, unlikely.Stephens goes on to quote that the Bank noted, â€Å"Haiti has dysfunct ional budgetary, financial or procurement systems, making financial and aid management impossible. The Bank makes the claim that the Haitian government does not take ownership and initiative for formulating and implementing assistance programs. A breakdown of foreign aid by country, provided by Guardian, a United Kingdom based awareness blob, shows a grand total of 3. 5 billion dollars already donated and another 1. 1 billion dollars pledged to help with this disaster (Guardian).America, leading as the highest donor, among other countries such as United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. Many countries making absolutely no contribution whatsoever during this time. American's are going broke and continue to keep giving. In fact, the United States has only been debt free for two years, 1834 and 1835, according to Marie Clammiest. Clammiest states in another article that, â€Å"†¦ The federal governments $14 trillion debt as an emergency that demands big cuts in domestic programs†¦ The majority of this debt is said to have come from the war in Iraq, heavily financed by borrowing from China to fund the war. Lira Logan reported, â€Å"The problem for America is that its greatness has always been rooted in its economic dominance and that debt has forced the U. S. To keep borrowing from foreign countries. † According to statistical ATA provided by the Bureau of the Public Debt , in 1991, the national debt for the United States was under $3 Trillion, even though a large amount, it was still within the realm of being paid off.However now in 2011, the debt recently went over the $14 trillion mark, a number that is in no way obtainable (Madame). Logan also quoted Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, saying, â€Å"Can the world's greatest power remain the world's greatest power and also be the world's greatest borrower? I don't think so. † Over the past four years fighting the war n Iraq, the United States has spent $500 billion dollars on Just the war alone (Skeletal).In addition to the funding of occupying this country, the United States has spent over $50 billion in reconstruction costs, that unfortunately, most say will be wasted dollars due to Iraq's incompetence and capabilities to utilize the reconstructions. As a country, the United States has invested hundreds of billions of dollars on equipment, buildings, infrastructure, electricity and water facilities in third world countries. In an article recently published by USA Today written by Matt Kelley, mints out that, â€Å"The United States has spent $44. Billion in taxpayer funds on rebuilding Iraq, about half of it to train, equip and support Iraq's military and police forces. † Kelley also quotes Rusty Barber, the head of the Iraq program United States Institute of Peace, â€Å"There has been some significant progress, but there's a long way to go before Iraq can really be a stable, secure country that's able to provide for it s people's basic needs. † Iraq is a country that has undergone massive abuse over the past 10 plus years, with no end in sight, and has been rebuilt about ten times over.The amount of money that America has spent in rebuilding Iraq, by all means a country that has minimal interest in being rebuilt, is atrocious. American tax payer dollars are being spent to fund many projects in Iraq, such as schools, hospitals and prisons, instead of spending those same dollars on the same problems at home. According to Timothy Williams, many of these facilities have remained empty after completion because there were not enough Iraqis trained to operate them. Williams goes on to state that â€Å"†¦ 4 million maternity hospital built by the Americans is open, but the staff members cannot operate much of its equipment†¦.. Sinai Hospital in Baghdad, which had been the American military's largest medical center in the country, has been closed because the Health Ministry lacks the staff and equipment to reopen it, though the American military said it left $7. 9 million in equipment behind†¦ † He also states that there was a $165 million children's hospital that was delayed by more than four years and $115 million over budget (Williams). When a country is in desperate need of help, it is up to others to step up and give aid.When that aid is given, it is under the understanding that the money is going to e used to go towards the rebuild of the crisis. However, what happens when the country receiving large portions of aid do not need that aid? For example, according to James Gland and Campbell Robertson's article in August of 2008, by the end of 2009, the Iraqi government ended up with a surplus of almost $80 million dollars. The article stated that, â€Å"The United States has spent $23. 2 billion in the critical areas of security, oil, electricity and water since the 2003 invasion, but from 2005 through April of 2008, Iraq has spend Just $3. Billion on similar services. † Another report room the Government Accountability Office estimates Iraqi oil revenue from 2005 through the end of this year [2008] will amount to at least $156 billion dollars. † So what this is stating is that the Iraqi government is not only holding their oil money in a United States bank collecting somewhere in the range of $400,000 in interest, but for some reason they are collecting foreign aid when they are capable of funding and fixing their own problems.Carl Levin, a chairman of the Senate Armed Services was quoted saying, â€Å"The Iraqi government now has tens of billions of dollars at its espousal to fund large-scale reconstruction projects. It is inexcusable for U. S. Taxpayers to continue to foot the bill for projects the Iraqis are fully capable of funding themselves We should not be paying for Iraqi projects, while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank. † Very well said and a statement many American citizens support full hardheartedly.However, we are still sending foreign aid to Iraq, building Iraqi schools, hospitals, prisons, and fortifying their country's security but it does not look like the money is going to stop going into Iraq. If the United States spends 165 million dollars on one hospital, one can only imagine the cost of rebuilding schools during war time; as well as imagine how many of those schools were destroyed intentionally and unintentionally during or after their construction because of said war. America's public school system drastically needs help and no one is coming up with any solutions but budget cuts.The American public school system is already the victim of systematic budget cuts are now getting ready for another huge blow to their financial status; one some say that is going to cripple our youth's outlooks on a better education. † Education Weekly reported that â€Å"the spending bill that President Barack Obama signed into law March 2 severed current fiscal-ye ar funding for several literacy programs at the Education Department as a part of a government- wide reduction of $4 billion† (Rose). For an example, Arizona has taken hard drastic cuts recently.Classroom sizes have grown from 24 children per teacher to roughly 30 plus children per classroom. After school and during school education enhancement studies to help children who fall below the average or have special learning needs eave all but been eliminated. In previous years, children who may not have passed a subject were allowed the opportunity to attend intercession, a program during the school breaks where they attend class for a few hours a day over a two week time frame intended to get them back on track.Unfortunately, as of the 2009-2010 school year, Circle Cross Ranch, a local elementary in San Tan Valley Arizona, now requires parents pay $25 per class session if a child fails at any point in time the classes are mandatory. In Phoenix, they are experiencing even more of an unnecessary set back. The city as had a drastic decline in their hiring for the 2010-2011 school year. Roughly 7,400 public-school teaching positions have been eliminated across the state because of budget cuts proposed by the Legislature, according to Arizona Educators Association spokesman John Heartfelt (Quinn).With the amount of children that are still enrolling and moving into the Phoenix area, this only bodes ill for the amount of attention each child will receive. Education is important to the growth of any society and if that keeps getting hit time and time again with no solutions on how to fix that budget crisis, things will only get worse. The amount of educational Jobs are decreasing but the amount of applicants only increase. The educational Job market is being flooded with teachers that have experienced the layoffs and cut backs, while schools hiring, go for the more seasoned experienced teachers.Internships have been eliminated across the board for new teachers beca use the Jobs Just are not readily available eliminating many of the opportunities for young teachers. Kerry, a 4th grade teacher for xx Elementary in xx, has felt the pinch of educational budget cuts along with thousands of other teachers. XX teaches a very owe-income community with children that speak more Spanish than English and she struggles some days to provide the best educational experience she can. â€Å"The school just cant afford what we need and its sad.I have children that come to school almost every day hungry because they don't have proper meals at home. They come to school with no supplies because their parents can't afford them. As a teacher, how can I sit by and watch my students go with out the fundamental things that they need to get an education? † XX stated that she spends over $500 every year on school supplies that she does not get reimbursed for, â€Å"l have to do it. If I don't, no one will and these children don't deserve to suffer because of our b udget cuts.How can they learn if they have no paper to write on or a pencil to write with? † When asked about the financial crisis the schools are experiencing, she replied, â€Å"Its sad and disturbing at the same time. How can I teach properly without the books and tools required to teach!? I know this sounds selfish, but doesn't they saying go, you need to help yourself before you can help others? If we [Americans] keep giving everything away, there's not going to be anything left for us to help ourselves. We could have so much more for our own kids! America's future are its children, those children are not educated properly, who's fault is that going to be? No matter who's fault it is, the problem needs to be corrected sooner rather than later. The United States has received a hazardous blows over the past few years with several crippling hurricanes, oil spills and a continued economic and financial crisis. The United States is falling further and further into debt with t he war in Iraq and an economic crisis that has America considered ‘rich nations' among one of the poorest (Belittler).If the United States cut back some of the foreign aid given to the same countries regularly, then those countries receiving the public assistance will have no choice but to learn how to support themselves. By continuing to give aid and support them without teaching them how to figure out how to do it for themselves, the problem only gets worse. It Just seems that the United States is giving a lot of more hand outs while its own citizens are suffering. When that happens, that is when its time to close the purse strings to take care of American's with American tax dollars. Argumentative Paper The United States has spent too much money on other countries financial disasters despite America's own economic crisis. L. American foreign aid. A. Why foreign aid was implemented and how it was meant to be used. B. America and its status. C. Budget cuts. II. American foreign aid to Haiti. A. Wait's reliance on financial aid. B. Statistical data on the amounts of aid Haiti has received. II. America and its debt. A. 1991 debt verses 2011 debt. B. The war on Iraq and its cost to national debt. C.American dollars into the Iraqi infrastructure. 1) Military and police force trained at the hands of American taxpayer dollars. (2) Facilities that have been built by American's and gone to waste. (3) Global understanding of foreign aid. (4) Iraq's capabilities of taking care of their own financial aid. (5)Statistics in regards to dollars spent on what projects to Iraq become a better nation. IV. America's public school system. A. Budget cuts to the educational budget. B. Classroom growth. C. Educational cut back programs. (1) City of Phoenix cut backs. 2) Educational Job market flooded with teachers and no positions available. 3) Interview with Kerry. Help V. American's need to tighten the purse strings and take care of the issues at home. Too Much Foreign Aid in America's Budget The act of charity is something that most people are raised on; if a person has been blessed with wealth, it is always good to help those less fortunate. However, there comes a time when too much is too much. The United States, among other countries, developed the practice of foreign aid after World War II.It was designed to help those countries in desperate need of temporary help when they could not manage on their own. Foreign aid is something that has been in effect over the last few decades and some say has been used to excess and argue the point that if our own country is in debt and suffering, how can there be so much money spent on foreign aid. Others say that we are prosperous and shoul d help those that need it no matter what. Whichever side of the argument is brought up, there are certain facts that do not change.The United States has spent too much money taking care of other countries financial disasters despite the trouble within its own borders. The United States of America has long been considered one of the most remediable countries in the world leading the pack of economic growth, democracy, innovation and financial dominance. However, lately it seems that the United States is in as much financial strain as the other countries it helps regularly. American's are experiencing the pinch of billions in budget cuts on education programs, eliminating teaching positions and higher taxes to fund a war with Iraq.Even through all of these financial hardships, the United States still manages to give billions of dollars in financial aid despite the economic crisis of their own. A country that receives a large portion of American foreign aid is Haiti. Haiti is one of th e poorest countries in the world and is one of the countries that recently, receives the most financial aid world wide. In mid-January of this year, Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake that destroyed most of the county. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without homes, clean drinking water or electricity, with debris and rubble making it unsafe territory.Bret Stephens, a Journalist for the DOD Jones & Company, uncovered news from the World Bank and exactly how much additional aid was going to be allotted to Haiti for relief efforts. Stephens article states: The World Bank–now about to throw another $100 million on Haiti–on what it achieved in the country between 1986 and 2002: The outcome of World Bank assistance programs is rated unsatisfactory (if not highly so), the institutional development impact, negligible, and the sustainability of the few benefits that have accrued, unlikely.Stephens goes on to quote that the Bank noted, â€Å"Haiti has dysfunct ional budgetary, financial or procurement systems, making financial and aid management impossible. The Bank makes the claim that the Haitian government does not take ownership and initiative for formulating and implementing assistance programs. A breakdown of foreign aid by country, provided by Guardian, a United Kingdom based awareness blob, shows a grand total of 3. 5 billion dollars already donated and another 1. 1 billion dollars pledged to help with this disaster (Guardian).America, leading as the highest donor, among other countries such as United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. Many countries making absolutely no contribution whatsoever during this time. American's are going broke and continue to keep giving. In fact, the United States has only been debt free for two years, 1834 and 1835, according to Marie Clammiest. Clammiest states in another article that, â€Å"†¦ The federal governments $14 trillion debt as an emergency that demands big cuts in domestic programs†¦ The majority of this debt is said to have come from the war in Iraq, heavily financed by borrowing from China to fund the war. Lira Logan reported, â€Å"The problem for America is that its greatness has always been rooted in its economic dominance and that debt has forced the U. S. To keep borrowing from foreign countries. † According to statistical ATA provided by the Bureau of the Public Debt , in 1991, the national debt for the United States was under $3 Trillion, even though a large amount, it was still within the realm of being paid off.However now in 2011, the debt recently went over the $14 trillion mark, a number that is in no way obtainable (Madame). Logan also quoted Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, saying, â€Å"Can the world's greatest power remain the world's greatest power and also be the world's greatest borrower? I don't think so. † Over the past four years fighting the war n Iraq, the United States has spent $500 billion dollars on Just the war alone (Skeletal).In addition to the funding of occupying this country, the United States has spent over $50 billion in reconstruction costs, that unfortunately, most say will be wasted dollars due to Iraq's incompetence and capabilities to utilize the reconstructions. As a country, the United States has invested hundreds of billions of dollars on equipment, buildings, infrastructure, electricity and water facilities in third world countries. In an article recently published by USA Today written by Matt Kelley, mints out that, â€Å"The United States has spent $44. Billion in taxpayer funds on rebuilding Iraq, about half of it to train, equip and support Iraq's military and police forces. † Kelley also quotes Rusty Barber, the head of the Iraq program United States Institute of Peace, â€Å"There has been some significant progress, but there's a long way to go before Iraq can really be a stable, secure country that's able to provide for it s people's basic needs. † Iraq is a country that has undergone massive abuse over the past 10 plus years, with no end in sight, and has been rebuilt about ten times over.The amount of money that America has spent in rebuilding Iraq, by all means a country that has minimal interest in being rebuilt, is atrocious. American tax payer dollars are being spent to fund many projects in Iraq, such as schools, hospitals and prisons, instead of spending those same dollars on the same problems at home. According to Timothy Williams, many of these facilities have remained empty after completion because there were not enough Iraqis trained to operate them. Williams goes on to state that â€Å"†¦ 4 million maternity hospital built by the Americans is open, but the staff members cannot operate much of its equipment†¦.. Sinai Hospital in Baghdad, which had been the American military's largest medical center in the country, has been closed because the Health Ministry lacks the staff and equipment to reopen it, though the American military said it left $7. 9 million in equipment behind†¦ † He also states that there was a $165 million children's hospital that was delayed by more than four years and $115 million over budget (Williams). When a country is in desperate need of help, it is up to others to step up and give aid.When that aid is given, it is under the understanding that the money is going to e used to go towards the rebuild of the crisis. However, what happens when the country receiving large portions of aid do not need that aid? For example, according to James Gland and Campbell Robertson's article in August of 2008, by the end of 2009, the Iraqi government ended up with a surplus of almost $80 million dollars. The article stated that, â€Å"The United States has spent $23. 2 billion in the critical areas of security, oil, electricity and water since the 2003 invasion, but from 2005 through April of 2008, Iraq has spend Just $3. Billion on similar services. † Another report room the Government Accountability Office estimates Iraqi oil revenue from 2005 through the end of this year [2008] will amount to at least $156 billion dollars. † So what this is stating is that the Iraqi government is not only holding their oil money in a United States bank collecting somewhere in the range of $400,000 in interest, but for some reason they are collecting foreign aid when they are capable of funding and fixing their own problems.Carl Levin, a chairman of the Senate Armed Services was quoted saying, â€Å"The Iraqi government now has tens of billions of dollars at its espousal to fund large-scale reconstruction projects. It is inexcusable for U. S. Taxpayers to continue to foot the bill for projects the Iraqis are fully capable of funding themselves We should not be paying for Iraqi projects, while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank. † Very well said and a statement many American citizens support full hardheartedly.However, we are still sending foreign aid to Iraq, building Iraqi schools, hospitals, prisons, and fortifying their country's security but it does not look like the money is going to stop going into Iraq. If the United States spends 165 million dollars on one hospital, one can only imagine the cost of rebuilding schools during war time; as well as imagine how many of those schools were destroyed intentionally and unintentionally during or after their construction because of said war. America's public school system drastically needs help and no one is coming up with any solutions but budget cuts.The American public school system is already the victim of systematic budget cuts are now getting ready for another huge blow to their financial status; one some say that is going to cripple our youth's outlooks on a better education. † Education Weekly reported that â€Å"the spending bill that President Barack Obama signed into law March 2 severed current fiscal-ye ar funding for several literacy programs at the Education Department as a part of a government- wide reduction of $4 billion† (Rose). For an example, Arizona has taken hard drastic cuts recently.Classroom sizes have grown from 24 children per teacher to roughly 30 plus children per classroom. After school and during school education enhancement studies to help children who fall below the average or have special learning needs eave all but been eliminated. In previous years, children who may not have passed a subject were allowed the opportunity to attend intercession, a program during the school breaks where they attend class for a few hours a day over a two week time frame intended to get them back on track.Unfortunately, as of the 2009-2010 school year, Circle Cross Ranch, a local elementary in San Tan Valley Arizona, now requires parents pay $25 per class session if a child fails at any point in time the classes are mandatory. In Phoenix, they are experiencing even more of an unnecessary set back. The city as had a drastic decline in their hiring for the 2010-2011 school year. Roughly 7,400 public-school teaching positions have been eliminated across the state because of budget cuts proposed by the Legislature, according to Arizona Educators Association spokesman John Heartfelt (Quinn).With the amount of children that are still enrolling and moving into the Phoenix area, this only bodes ill for the amount of attention each child will receive. Education is important to the growth of any society and if that keeps getting hit time and time again with no solutions on how to fix that budget crisis, things will only get worse. The amount of educational Jobs are decreasing but the amount of applicants only increase. The educational Job market is being flooded with teachers that have experienced the layoffs and cut backs, while schools hiring, go for the more seasoned experienced teachers.Internships have been eliminated across the board for new teachers beca use the Jobs Just are not readily available eliminating many of the opportunities for young teachers. Kerry, a 4th grade teacher for xx Elementary in xx, has felt the pinch of educational budget cuts along with thousands of other teachers. XX teaches a very owe-income community with children that speak more Spanish than English and she struggles some days to provide the best educational experience she can. â€Å"The school just cant afford what we need and its sad.I have children that come to school almost every day hungry because they don't have proper meals at home. They come to school with no supplies because their parents can't afford them. As a teacher, how can I sit by and watch my students go with out the fundamental things that they need to get an education? † XX stated that she spends over $500 every year on school supplies that she does not get reimbursed for, â€Å"l have to do it. If I don't, no one will and these children don't deserve to suffer because of our b udget cuts.How can they learn if they have no paper to write on or a pencil to write with? † When asked about the financial crisis the schools are experiencing, she replied, â€Å"Its sad and disturbing at the same time. How can I teach properly without the books and tools required to teach!? I know this sounds selfish, but doesn't they saying go, you need to help yourself before you can help others? If we [Americans] keep giving everything away, there's not going to be anything left for us to help ourselves. We could have so much more for our own kids! America's future are its children, those children are not educated properly, who's fault is that going to be? No matter who's fault it is, the problem needs to be corrected sooner rather than later. The United States has received a hazardous blows over the past few years with several crippling hurricanes, oil spills and a continued economic and financial crisis. The United States is falling further and further into debt with t he war in Iraq and an economic crisis that has America considered ‘rich nations' among one of the poorest (Belittler).If the United States cut back some of the foreign aid given to the same countries regularly, then those countries receiving the public assistance will have no choice but to learn how to support themselves. By continuing to give aid and support them without teaching them how to figure out how to do it for themselves, the problem only gets worse. It Just seems that the United States is giving a lot of more hand outs while its own citizens are suffering. When that happens, that is when its time to close the purse strings to take care of American's with American tax dollars.