On Writing in America: The Politics, Criticism, and Fiction of William Dean Howells :: Essays Papers

On Writing in America: The Politics, Criticism, and Fiction of William Dean Howells Upon hearing of an event which has become known as "The Haymarket Incident," a violent outbreak that involved strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company on May 4, 1886, William Dean Howells felt provoked to respond.1 Whatever personal motives this highly publicized incident sparked in Howells, who was successful novelist and influential critic of the literature and social issues of his time, the strike and subsequent executions of seven of the protesters involved had a trenchant effect on this respected man of letters. Howells illustrated his remorse for what he understood as a profound legal injustice in a letter he wrote to a friend shortly before the hanging of the Haymarket protesters: "It blackens my life. I feel the horror and the shame of the crime which the law is about to commit against justice."2 Howells' assertions in regard to the case were at the time radical and not widely supported; they contradicted the views of the majority of the American media, who chose to back big business and to disregard details that to Howells marked the trial as corrupt. Howells' views challenged a general sentiment in the press against working class protesters, who, like the workers involved in the Haymarket Incident, demanded certain rights in the workplace and proposed an eight-hour work day.3 It had become a trend in the media to back the employers rather than the employed, in the name of the free market, before the Haymarket "riots." For example, several years before the incident at Haymarket, the Chicago Tribune had characterized a group of railroad workers involved in a similar incident as "the scum and filth of the city." Three days later, commenting on the organizers of the same uprising, the Tribune contended that "Capitalism would offer any sum to see the leaders...strung up to a tel egraph pole."4 Howells was known for his radical political views, views which often questioned the effectiveness of a capitalist society, and it is not surprising that he subsequently supported the Haymarket laborers. Howells' socialistic views no doubt sprung in part from his readings of Tolstoy, especially from the Russian novelist's writings on the notion of "Christian Socialism." Howells once wrote, "Tolstoi [sic] gave me the heart to hope that the world may yet be made over in the image of Him who died for it,...(that) men shall come into their own,.

Palate-Able Delights: New Modes of Trade Finance

Consideration was to be given to the applicability of non-traditional online and offline moment and trade finance methods (such as those offered by Papal and UPS), open account terms and more stringent, traditional finance methods such as documentary letters of credit. After careful analysis of the circumstances in the case, it is recommended that PAD adopt a flexible payment system adopting a combination of methods. This is dues (due) to the variability In customers It plans to serve, ranging from small, retail orders to orders up to $150,000.Specifically, for orders up (to) or less than $2,000 PAD should employ a flexible, online method such as that offered by Papal, or the services offered by UPS, which include insurance, collections and financing solutions. For larger orders, a documentary collection method of payment provides PAD with the flexibility it needs in order to sell the goods to an alternate customer should a dispute arise before the products perish, while providing th e customer with much less complexity and expense relative to a documentary letter of credit. 1.Introduction and Case Summary The purpose of this report, commissioned by Mr. Jim Dick, Is to analyses the case ‘New Modes of Trade Finance' and answer all discussion questions attached. The case in question describes the situation of Palate-Able Delights (PAD), a niche retailer of high-end food products such as caviar, truffles and French champagnes, who (which) is In the process of assessing several markets for export of their numerous, highly perishable products. PAD Is attempting to determine Its best suited (best- suited) methods of payment, and is intrigued by non-traditional, online payment options such as Papal.However, impacting on the decision process are a number of important considerations. These are: * While largely focused on small, retail sales, PAD Is also considering larger orders of up to $150,000 In value. * PAD Is aware of the trend towards open account terms, and Is Interested In the benefits of conducting transactions on such terms. * Explicitly stated by PAD's SCOFF is that the trade finance solutions offered by UPS be assessed. * Given the perishable nature of PAD's products, speed of settlement must be Incorporated into the evaluation, as do the various cash flow and financing issues affecting both PAD and Its customers.The following sections address the discussion questions. 2 snouts PAD Adsorb some Incremental I costs In Exchange Tort AAA secure Opt to Stay with Traditional Trade Payment and Financing Systems? TTY, Ana Firstly, the nature of PAD's product, being highly perishable, means that both PAD and its customers face a unique risk which calls for a substantial level of importance placed on transit insurance, such as that offered by UPS Capital or Export Development Canada, to mitigate the risk of loss from product spoilage as a result of detrimental shipping issues (such as delays, mishandling, etc. . Given PAD's high margins an d position in a luxury, niche market, the cost of insurance is one that should be absorbed in exchange for the requisite security. In terms of trade payment, the risk of non-payment is significant, given a potential order size of up to $150,000. Important here, however, are the substantially varied sizes of customer PAD plans to serve – I. E. From the relatively small (single consumer, perhaps) to the very large (up to $150,000).This suggests that differing payment systems and, hence, levels of security and costs are warranted. Furthermore, along with the level of broad-based risk (I. E. Country, commercial and foreign exchange – where these are significant, high security methods such as L/CSS or confirmed L/CSS may be necessary, he costs of which should undoubtedly be absorbed), the type of payment system is dependent on the level of demand for PAD's product in a given market, and its objectives for that market.Although PAD is interested in trading on open account ter ms – by far the riskiest for exporters (FIT, 2008), presumably for the potential of greater sales, the risks are somewhat difficult to Justify. Specifically, PAD's a niche business offering high-end, gourmet products – not a commodity-type product attempting to enter a saturated market. As such, while open terms, given their reverence, may be necessary in markets where competition is high and entry to them is deemed strategically significant, PAD likely commands some level of market pull (demand) in most markets.This suggests that PAD's assumption of the substantial risks associated with open account terms is somewhat unnecessary and, given its high margins and assumed ability to absorb some additional costs, it should opt for a greater level of security. This is especially so for small, perhaps one-time customers, with order values of say, under $2,000. Here, non-traditional payment systems such as Papal or credit card facilities are more appropriate than the employ a nd time-consuming traditional payment types. Furthermore, these methods would typically involve payment-in-advance, providing PAD with a high level of security.Alternatively, the services provided by non-bank providers such as UPS Capital, and their Receivables Management Services, which provides credit insurance and collection services amongst others (UPS, 2010), may be appropriate for established, credible accounts who require a more flexible payment method. For large orders, however, the scale of risk increases – especially for those up to $150,000. Here, the security provided by traditional payment types – most appropriately a documents against payment method – and the subsequent absorption of their costs would be recommended.In all, PAD should absorb some incremental costs in exchange for added security. However, traditional trade payment and financing systems may not always provide the best way to garner this security, as ten practically AT sun mentors var ies according to ten size AT P orders, the market it's selling in, and the relationship with the customer. In response to the latter component of the question, a confirmed documentary letter of credit after review of PAD's needs is not the best option. Confirmed Documentary Letters ofCredit are expensive and time consuming and thus not effective when dealing with the purchasing and shipment of perishable foods. The use of Documentary Collections is more tailored to the needs of PAD as the documents arrive with the product. This means that if there is a disagreement or PAD's customer does not provide payment the documents are already with the product and quick resale is possible cutting down the spoilage of goods and ultimately profit. 3. How well suited is Papal, or some variation of online payment solutions to the PAD business model?PAD can offer an all-in-one online service which can be easy, fast and reliable to customers to improve its business. Papal is one such option PAD can use to improve its business online. Papal is customer friendly, with ease of access providing customers with various account types with multiple log-INS and, also, most importantly it's secure. It accepts almost all the major credit cards as well as debit cards which allow customers to make payments for small orders online relatively easily.Papal is the cheapest option available in terms of a Business Merchant account – for customers outside of the states there is no membership fee (residents of U. S pay $1. 90 or 2. 9% of the order depending on the company's purchase).. With regards to PAD ‘s customers, Papal can be time-consuming as it requires the customers to verify funds deposited by Papal into their account. Even though Papal is secure, it involves risks of fraud which, while generally not affecting the customer (as they are covered by Papal and can be reimbursed up to $2,000), may affect PAD via the losses associated with fraud.Merchant/ Business accounts are pro vided by banks which allow the acceptance of credit cards, debit cards or any other form of online payments. The payment is received and updated immediately through automated systems once the order is placed, confirmed and completed. This allows PAD to have direct access and control over the payment processing system and also by using a trade platform to manage open accounts in a manner that provides better payment visibility to suppliers. Also, the use of debit cards can be encouraged as they're easy for customers to use, and possibly less expensive than credit cards.Through this, PAD will gain more direct control over the payment processing system. Although, this additional control means that they will have to deal with credit card fraud directly as well as maintain the functionality of the website as a whole which ay not be possible depending on the understanding and experience employees have dealing with online payment methods. From the customers point of view there are less ste ps needed when making purchases online as well as there is no need to set up a customer account (unless for business specific reasons stated by PAD). 4.What are the Pros and Cons Related to Traditional Bank-provided Trade Finance, and Open Account Solutions? Do Non-Bank Providers Offer a Credible Solution? I en pros Ana cons related to traditional Dank-Provo account solutions are provided in Table 1, below. I Pros I Cons I Open Account I e trace Atlanta Ana open Open Account I * Potential to boost sales. * Least cost (explicit) intensive. * Least complex and time-consuming. I * Involves the highest risk of non-payment. * Increases cost of credit/receivables insurance. * High risk of disputes, leading to non-payment.

The Novel 1984 by George Orwells - 775 Words

The book 1984 depicts a society unimaginable to most; however, a further look shows us that we actually do live in an Orwellian society. Orwell describes a country called Oceania made of multiple continents which is ruled by the dictatorial â€Å"Big Brother† who uses different systems like the â€Å"thought police† and â€Å"telescreens† in order to have full control over the country. Our democratic government, through organizations such as the NSA and NGI, can look through our most private conversations and moments using spyware. Due to the secrecy of the government, citizens in 1984, as well as those in our society, fear the government. First of all, â€Å"as of right now, technology is the only significant barrier† protecting you from â€Å"Big Brother† (Source E). Source E was published in 2012 and since then, technology is getting better and better. Currently, new iPhone applications can â€Å"snap a photo of a person and within seconds displ ay their name date of birth and social security number (Source E). These applications create harmful intrusions of our identity that can lead to identity theft. Big-name retailers like Wal-Mart and Target utilize technology that can track their customers, according to buisnessinvestor.com. Even though these systems are used for benign purposes they can also be used harmfully. A typical hacker could gain easy access to millions of customers’ credit cards. We have predicted that this inquisitive technology would come later in the future but it is already out.Show MoreRelatedThe Novel 1984 By George Orwell1332 Words   |  6 PagesOF INHUMANITY. WHAT CORE ELEMENTS OF HUMANITY THAT NOVEL EXPLORES? George Orwell’s novel ‘1984’ shows the crucial need for love, independence, hope and freedom in the midst of inhumanity. Bob Dylan once said â€Å"No one is free, even the birds are chained to the sky (Dylan, n.d)†. In ‘1984’ Winston attempts to remain human whilst everyone he knows is doing otherwise. That is until he meets Julia, a young woman who surfaces desire and hope in him. Orwell shows the core elements of humanity such as independenceRead MoreThe Novel 1984 By George Orwell954 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel â€Å"1984† by George Orwell exemplifies the issues of a government with overwhelming control of the people. This government controls the reality of all of their citizens by rewriting the past, instilling fear, and through manipulation. This is an astounding story because of the realistic qualities that are present throughout the text about an extreme regulatory government and its effects. This society is overwhelming con sumed with the constructed reality that was taught to them by Big BrotherRead MoreThe Novel, 1984, By George Orwell923 Words   |  4 PagesGeorge Orwell, known for his dystopian novels, wrote his most famous book, 1984, in the 1940s. Almost 60 years later in 1999 the Wachowski brothers wrote and directed one of the greatest film trilogies of all time, The Matrix. Both the novel and the movies depicted post apocalyptic dystopian worlds under some form of an oppressive government. Oppression, control, and sexuality are some of the prominent themes throughout the storylines. While some may argue that the novel 1984 did not inspireRead MoreThe Novel 1984 By George Orwell1013 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel 1984 by George Orwell exemplifies the issues of a government with overwhelming control of the people. Throughout the text there are realistic qualities that exemplify an extreme regulatory government and its effects. This government controls the reality of all of their citizen s by rewriting the past, instilling fear, hindering their freedom, and through manipulation. This society is overwhelmingly consumed with the constructed reality that was taught to them by Big Brother. The authorRead MoreThe Novel 1984 by George Orwell554 Words   |  2 PagesThough written sixty-five years ago, 1984 by George Orwell was chosen by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. Orwell’s depiction of a futuristic dystopian society makes the novel prophetic and thought provoking. We will divulge into: Orwell’s background; Winston Smith, the novel’s protagonist, and the origin of his name; the structural conventions in the novel; Orwell’s use of important characters that’s never-seen; the story’s turning points, the mentorRead MoreOrwell s Novel, 1984, By George Orwell1235 Words   |  5 Pagesduring their time. During the peak of George Orwell’s career was when Communism was at an all -time high. Hence, he was warning the world of what terrors came with the control of a totalitarian country. In George Orwell’s novel 1984, the main character Winston fights to protect his life and preserve the real meaning of being human by rebelling against the government, all while Orwell warns the reader of what a totalitarian government can do to humanity. Orwell significantly gets his point across andRead MoreThe Novel 1984 by George Orwell Essay944 Words   |  4 Pages 1984, Orwell’s last and perhaps greatest work, deals with drastically heavy themes that still terrify his audience after 65 years. George Orwell’s story exemplifies excessive power, repression, surveillance, and manipulation in his strange, troubling dystopia full of alarming secrets that point the finger at totalitarian governments and mankind as a whole. What is even more disquieting is that 1984, previously considered science fiction, has in so many ways become a recognizable reality. OrwellRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel 1984 By George Orwell1782 Words   |  8 PagesIn the novel 1984, by George Orwell, the government of Oceania is able to have supreme control over its population. The citizens of Oceania live in angst of the â€Å"Big Brother.† This instills a great amount of fear in the citizens who believe they must fulfill the government s expectations. The government not only invaded the person privacy of the Oceanic citizens, but they took away their basic human rights. By stiripping its citizens of their rights, like freedom of speech, The Party is able toRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel 1984 By George Orwell951 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel, 1984, composed by George Orwell, presents a frightening picture, where one government has complete control of the general population. The story takes place in London, England. The government that is made in the novel is controlled by Big Brother. In 1984, the protagonist, Winston, really despises the total itarian government, that tries to control all aspects of his life. So many freedoms that we all need to live a happy and healthy life are being stripped away from the citizens of OceaniaRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel 1984 By George Orwell1289 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel â€Å"1984† by George Orwell explores the meaning of humanity and the tactics that a totalitarian government may use to strip humanity from the people in order to maintain power. The main character Winston strives to preserve his humanity throughout the novel in his ability to think freely. The government tries to control its constituent’s thoughts, through tactics of propaganda, regulation, telescreen monitors, the thought police, and five ministries. These tactics are to control the constituent