Importance of Border Security Measures in National Security

Importance of Border Security Measures in National Security ABSTRACT Border security contains continuously evolving policies due to the evolution of threats and terrorism. Since the US Border Patrol was created in 1924, their challenges and threats have changed, driving them to adapt their methods in order to maintain national security. National security experts continuously contend that indecisiveness and ineffectiveness within immigration concerns and border vulnerability leaves the country susceptible to even greater national security challenges. This study analyzes the US border security policies implemented in the past, the various measures used, and if they were considered successful. Focusing on the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administration, this study outlines the threats and challenges during that time and what successful measures were implemented. This paper will then analyze the threats posed and impact of breaches in border security, the action taken in response, and the effectiveness. INTRODUCTION This paper will analyze the measureable relationship between successful measures implemented, challenges, and effectiveness. The United States government has attempted to apply border control policies since the 1990s, however the emphasis placed on US border security has increased heavily in the past20 years. Globalization has amplified cross-border flow of goods, people, and money, further increasing the challenge of maintaining a states territorial sovereignty. To combat this rising challenge, there have been vast increases in border security funding, staffing and technology deployments. There are many challenges that each Presidential Administration has faced while addressing the question of border security. The sheer size of the border between the US and Mexico is a task all in its own. President Clinton inherited a war on the trafficking of illegal narcotics and organized crime, President Bush was left with the outrage and sheer shock after the 9/11 attack and President Obama dealt with the evolving terrorist threats by transnational actors and the continuous flow of illegal migrants into the United States. In response to these evolving challenges, each administration has implemented various measures in order to successfully combat threats to border security. This study will focus on the challenges of securing US borders and the successful measures implemented by each administration that has led to a more cohesive border security policy. METHODOLOGY Research Question What successful measures have successive US Administrations taken on the issue of border security? How effective have these measures been? Thesis Statement Each Administration has taken continuous measures to protect and secure borders and increase national security effectively. They have done this by adapting to continuously changing threats due to globalization. Data Collection This paper will rely on qualitative research to examine the measures successive US Presidential Administrations have taken on the issue of border security. This study will utilize the public White House Archives and peer reviewed articles to analyze the Clinton, Bush and Obama Administrations to further compare the measures used and challenges faced. This paper focuses on the last three administrations because this is when the US began increasing border control agents and INS/DHS budgets. Literature has discovered that there are flaws within border security, but they often fail to see how far each administration has come in terms of effectiveness. LITERATURE REVIEW There is a 2,000 mile geo-political divide between the United States and Mexico, and it has become one of the most frequently crossed borders in the world. Border security provides safety for a country and is an important mean through which national security is implemented. It is essential to economic prosperity, national sovereignty, and homeland security (DHS, 2017). Border security is responsible for the control and examination of what enters and leaves a country. This aspect is especially important due to current terrorist threats and organized crime. Not only does border security deal with the movement and control of citizens in and out of a country, but they also control the spread of disease and prevent smuggling of weapons, drugs, and endangered animals. The data provided in the literature is mainly focused on the lack of cohesiveness within border security, but they fail to show what progress has been made. Each presidential administration is faced with evolving immigration issues due to globalization. This study will look specifically at the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administration focusing on their policies on border security and what successful measures were taken. This constantly evolving issue has resulted in literature seeking to explain this phenomenon based on the Organizational Design Theory (ODT). ODT contains the contingency theory school of thought. This theory is based on the concept that each situation is different and, in order to be effective, emphasis needs to be placed on the relationship between the environmental variable and the design. (Mintzberg, 1980). A flexible and adaptable adhocracy structure must be created in order to sufficiently address border security (Lunenburg, 2012). This coincides with the current border security issues the United States faces. The threats and challenges are evolving, therefore, the measures used to effectively address them should be developed based on each different situation. Although border security has been an important aspect of national security since the US Border Controls creation in 1942, it still remains a vague area of study with very little literature within International Relations. Overall, there was a substantial lack in coordination, information sharing, and synchronization within the border security logistics system (Nieto-Gomez, 2011). Also, due to the lack of consensus among policy makers and law enforcement agencies, policies have been historically inefficient. Very little literature has been written on the actual level of effectiveness in comparison to the growing list of challenges. The Migration Policy Institute created a report in 2011 on the challenges of effective border control in the US. This report highlights one of the major issues within border security by stating that 30-40 percent of the unauthorized immigrants in the United States entered legally, however, they overstay their visas due to poor monitoring (Koslowski, 2011). Another issue is one of practicality; objects of border control are not static (Koslowski, 2011). This paper will look at Edward Aldens research on the attempted overhaul of the visa system and the benefits we have seen (2012). Alden also delves into the challenge of securing a border with a sensible immigration system without weakening the US economy (2012). However, Aldens research focuses on immigration reform rather than preventative infrastructure (fencing). This study will also look at Josiah Heymans analysis on the US-Mexico border and the alternative vision of quality (dangerous entrants) over quantity (mass migration enforcement) (2013). However, this author argued that law enforcement at the ports should be border securitys main concern, rather than the areas in between port cities. This study focuses heavily on the vetting of migrants instead of the issue of illegal immigration. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS Importance of Border Security Border security is an essential component of national security. It is more than just restricting territorial access through immigration reform. It also protects states against illegal movement of drugs, weapons, and contraband. Since the formation of sovereign nations, this has been a core action within states, and is seen as one of the most ambitious expansion of power in modern history. According to the Department of Homeland Security, border security is, the act of protecting our borders from illegal movement of weapons, drugs, contraband, and people, while promoting lawful entry and exit, is essential to homeland security, economic prosperity, and national sovereignty (2015). Due to growing violence by nonstate groups and transnational terrorism, there has been an overwhelming increase of focus on border security to combat recent national security issues. Weak and porous borders permit easy entrance into the US for terrorists and smugglers. While completely sealing the border is not feasible at this time, the ultimate goal is to reduce the possibility of dangerous people crossing the border (Koslowski, 2011). Threats The concept of border security has evolved greatly due to the threat of terrorism. The US federal government combats a variety of threats to their border. The main threats include illegal immigrants, organized crime, and terrorism. Illegal immigrants aiming to work and live in the US illegally creates a border security concern. Along with illegal entry offences, some unauthorized immigrants become involved in transnational crime during their migration. Organized crimes are criminal activities that are planned and controlled by powerful groups and carried out on a large scale (Organized Crime, 2017). These traffickers smuggle drugs, counterfeit goods, people, and firearms into the US. Their crimes included prostitution, commercialized vice, and money laundering. This has been identified as a threat to national security and border security (Ilias, 2011). These individuals are predominately non-ideological and are driven by the pursuit of profit. Transnational Terrorist is someone who illegally crosses the border with transformational goals that may include the destruction of a political or economic system. They are motivated by particular grievances about aspects of the society and they articulate their views on moral grounds (Rosenblum, 2013). Although the DHS has no credible information on terrorist groups operating along the US and Mexico border, the threat is still there. The Clinton Administration (1993-2001) This is when the US sees the first initial crackdown on border control. The main concern during this time was the threat of illegal drug smuggling across the Mexico and US border.   To combat these challenges, President Clintons strategy included the buildup of the Border Patrol and implementing Operation Gatekeeper and Safeguards 1993 (OIG, 1998). He allocated funds for 700 new border control agents, deployed underground sensors, infrared night scope, and began the progressive building of the wall between Mexico and the United States. The first formal national border control strategy was created in 1994 (Meissner, 2013). In 1996, Congress executed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA). This Act was created to combat the abundance of fraudulent immigration-related documents, alien smugglers, and increased criminal penalties for racketeering (Meissner, 2013). It further expressed the need for more patrollers, better procedures, and more advan ced technology. In addition, Clinton implemented the National Drug Control Strategy to block drugs at the border and cut off drugs at the source. This strategy increased drug enforcement agents for border and customs control of illegal drug trafficking. Their budget for 2000 included almost $18 billion to further prevent drugs from crossing the US border. We can measure the effectiveness of this Administration by looking at statistics and the progress it has made. This Administration was the first to place a high priority on the removal of criminal aliens. It introduced US governments commitment to allocate more funds for border resources and enforcement infrastructure. The Immigration Enforcement budget rose from less than $3 billion in 1993 to over $6 billion in 2001 (Meissner, 2013). Overall, this Administration made a noticeable effort to restrain illegal immigration and prevent drugs from crossing the border. There was a 2.5% decrease in drug relation crimes between 1993 and 2000 (Farley, 2016). The Bush Administration (2001-2009) The Bush Administration was subject to one of the biggest threats to national security. The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 sparked a transformation in the approaches traditionally used to secure borders and combat terrorism. This Administration strove to create a smart border that incorporated advanced tracking technology and extensive prescreening of low-risk traffic (Koslowski, 2011). This Administration implemented many new border security measures after the terrorist attack. One of the biggest changes was the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in order to streamline and improve the governments ability to protect their nations infrastructure and borders. It replaced 22 separate agencies to reduce the disconnected nature and create one strong mission. The Bush Administration also implemented the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This authorized the construction of almost 700 miles of additional fencing along the southern border (White House, 2008). It also approved more vehicle barriers, checkpoints, and lighting. In conjunction with the DHS, this Act also increased the use of advanced technology like cameras, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles to reinforce the infrastructure at the border. Additionally in 2006, President Bush approved Operation Jump Start. This two year support mission called for 6,000 National Guar d members to assist with surveillance, training, and installing fences (Rosenblum, 2013). Lastly, in 2008, all cross-border travelers were required to present further documents to establish their identity and citizenship preventing further illegal immigration. To fund these new implementations, the budget for border security and immigration enforcement increased by 159 percent. The budget rose from $4.8 Billion in 2001 to $12.3 Billion in 2008 (White House, 2008). The effectiveness of the measures taken by this administration can be show with statistics. Operation Jump Start apprehended over 5,000 aliens, seized 28,000 pounds of marijuana, and almost 1,500 pounds of cocaine (Operation Jump Start, 2015). The DHS saw a 20% reduction in apprehension of illegal aliens at the Southern border in 2007 (White House, 2008). This indicates that stronger security has deterred aliens from attempting to cross. Also in 2007, the US Customs and Border Protection and ICE returned or removed almost 1.2 million illegal aliens from the US and arrested over 3,300 gang members (CBP, 2011). The Obama Administration (2009-2017) The Obama Administration saw a decrease in illegal border crossing. This was mostly due to lack of jobs in US resulting from the housing market decline. During the first year of his term, Obama spent time reexamining current programs and prospective options for increased border security (Koslowski, 2011). In 2010, President Obama signed the Southwest Border Security Act. This allocated $600 million in supplemental funds to support an additional 1,200 National Guard troops and unmanned aircraft drones (Koslowski, 2011). President Obama was given credit for most border security deployed. This is referring to fences or technological and infrastructure improvements. In 2011, the United States Border Patrol reached their highest number of border patrol agents with 21,444, and the border patrol budget increased significantly from $5.9 billion in 2003 to $11.9 billion in 2013 (Koslowski, 2011). This study measures the effectiveness by looking at statistics. The Obama Administration deported 2.5 million undocumented people during his eight year term. This was more than any other Administration. In 2013, there was an increase of over 27% more apprehensions at the southwest border (414,000) compared to 2011 (Koslowski, 2011). CONCLUSION The security of the border between the United States and Mexico has become a concern of national security due to the massive increase of cross-border flows of goods, people and money. Each US Presidential Administration has made great effort to secure this border and fight the new and evolving threats. Overall, there have been many successful measures implemented by the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administration. President Clintons Administration inherited a war on the trafficking of drugs and organized crime and combated that with the first large increase of border control agents. The Bush Administration was subject to one of the most historical terrorist attacks in US history and responded by creating the DHS and implemented an overwhelming increase to the border security budget. Bush also built 700 miles of the borders fence. The Obama Administration saw a further increase of the border security budget, growth in immigration enforcement patrollers, and lengthened the border fence. In order to fully understand how successful these measures were, this study analyzed statistics. More than 4 million deportations of noncitizens have occurred since 1990 (Meissner, 2013).   Due to increased border security, the cities along the border that were once plagued with criminal activity have become some of the safest in the United States. Looking at crime rates systematically shows that crimes associated with illegal immigration, like breaking and entering and car theft are down substantially (Meissner, 2013). This indicates that illegal immigration is down. Since 9/11, there have been no publicly known instances of a terrorist smuggling Weapons of Mass Destruction to commit a violent act of terrorism via the US-Mexico border (Customs and Border Protection, 2011). THE USBP made 18,074 drug seizures in 2011 and seized more than $8.4 billion worth of narcotics along the southwest border in 2014 (CBP Security Report, 2014). Finally, illegal crossing from Mexico has fallen near the lowest level since the early 1970s and hiring a smugger to cross the border is now almost eight times more costly than it was in the 1990s. The data above shows that US Administrations have repeatedly implemented successful measures and have effectively increased border security. REFERENCES Alden, E. (2012). Immigration and Border Control CIAO, 32(1). Retrieved from http://www.ciaonet.org.library3.webster.edu/record/24456?search=1 Background to the Office of Inspector General Investigation Operation Gatekeeper (1998). U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from https://oig.justice.gov/special/9807/gkp01.htm Border Security: Comprehensive Immigration Reform (2008). White House Archives. Retrieved  March 6, 2017, from https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/immigration/html Border Security | Homeland Security. (2015). Retrieved February 18, 2017, from https://www.dhs.gov/border-security Department of Homeland Security (2015). Yearbook if Immigration Statistics. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/yearbook/2015/table33 Farley, Robert. Bill Clinton and the 1994 Crime Bill. Fact Check. N.p., Apr. 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. Heyman, J. M. (2013). A Voice of the US Southwestern Border: The 2012 We the Border: Envisioning a Narrative for Our Future Conference CIAO, 1(2). Retrieved from http://www.ciaonet.org.library3.webster.edu/record/32914?search=1 Koslowski, R. (2011). The Evolution of Border Controls as a Mechanism to Prevent Illegal Immigration (pp. 1-33). Migration Policy Institute. Retrieved from http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/evolution-US-border-controls-illegal-immigration Kostro, Stephanie Sanok and Scott F. Mann (2013).CIIS: Innovative Immigration and Border Control Reform. Retreived from http://www.ciaonet.org.library3.webster.edu/record/29251?search=1 Lunenberg, F. (2012). Organizational Structure: Mintzbergs Framework. Journal of Scholarly, Academic, Intellectual Diversity, 14(1). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.library3.webster.edu/stable/425256 Meissner, Doris, Donald M. Kerwin, Muzaffar Chishti, and Claire Bergeron (2013). Immigration Enforecement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery (pp.1-182) Migration Policy Institute. Retrieved from http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigration-enforcement-US Mintzberg, H. (1980). Structure in 5s: A Synthesis of the Research on Organization Design. Management Science, 26(3), 322-341. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.library3.webster.edu/stable/423910 Nieto-Gomez, R. (2011). The Power of the Few: A Key Strategic Challenge for the Permanently Disrupted High-Tech Homeland Security Environment. Homeland Security Affairs, (1-21). Operation Jump Start CBP Border Patrol and the National Guard. (2015). Retrieved March 7,  2017, from https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1021/~/operation-jump-startcbp-border-patrol-and-the-national-guard Organized Crime. (2017). The Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from  https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/organized-crime Rosenblum, Marc R., Jerome P. Bjelopera, Kristin M. Finklea (2013). Border Security: Understanding Threats at U.S. Borders. (CRS Report for Congress No. R42969) (pp. 1-33). Retrieved from http://www.au.af.mil.AU/awc/awcgate/crs/r42969.pdf Shayerah Ilias, Ian F. Fergusson. (2011). Intellectual Property Rights and International Trade  (CRS Report for Congress No. R134292) (pp. 1-42). Retrieved from  http://www.au.af.mil/AU/awc/awcgate/crs/rl34292.pdf US Customs and Border Protection. (2014). CBP Border Security Report (pp. 1-7). Homeland  Security.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Theology of C.S. Lewis Essay -- Literary

What child could know while watching The Chronicles of Narnia in theaters they were also getting a bible lesson? These tales unearth the theology of writer C.S. Lewis through the heart-felt emotions of joy and sorrow, terror and triumph in this fantasy world better known as Narnia. This is the work of renowned writer C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis is remembered and recognized by more people as a Christian apologist of the early and middle 20th-century because of the way his writing thrives with biblical images which present Christian theological ideas in a friendlier way for younger audiences. â€Å"One can almost hear the start of the adventure and feels compelled to follow in the footsteps of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, in The Lion, The Witch, And the Wardrobe, siblings who run from the inevitable horrors of the London Blitz†, to the outskirts of the area where they stumble upon a house of an old Professor. An empty room with nothing but an old, dusty wardrobe sparks the curiosity of young Lucy. After the other three children leave, Lucy decides to scope out the inside of the wardrobe. â€Å"As Lucy steps inside she finds herself in the middle of a wood[s] in [the] winter in the magical world of Narnia.† (Ford. www.uctv.ucsb.edu) The Chronicles of Narnia are, without a doubt, the most recognized works of the writer C.S. Lewis. Although they are recognized by a lot of people as just simply children’s fantasy novels, a lot of adults, students, and theologians see so much more in these mere childish novels. In the Narnia Chronicles, Lewis wants his audience to envision Jesus Christ himself through the character of Aslan the lion and through the use of the symbolic lion, Lewis is able to tell his tale of certain memorable events in the lifetim... ...in the Biblical Scripture quotes contained throughout my essay. Books of the Bible that were referenced or quoted include: Genesis, Job, Romans, Gospel of Luke, Proverbs, Hosea, and Revelation. "Notes on Essays and Books of C. S. Lewis." C.S. Lewis. Ed. Paul F. Ford. St. John Seminary, 2006. Web. 9 Dec. 2010. . This website is composed of many files in .pdf format which better discuss specific details of C.S. Lewis' life, works, and theological beliefs. "Why Bother with C.S. Lewis?, Spiritual Life, Christian Living, Page 0." Jesus Christ, Bible Study Tools, Online Christian Living Resources. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. . I used this article to better formulate an understanding of C.S. Lewis' works and how they relate to theology. This is an online forum article.

R.L Stevenson shows many opposites in the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay

In the book Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde the two main characters are complete opposites. Dr Jekyll is a kind person however when he changes into Mr Hyde his attitude changes into a nasty, evil person. R.L Stevenson carries on the ‘opposites’ through the book keeping the readers guessing. The two doors to Jekyll’s house seem to be complete opposites. One is shabby and in a dark corner of a building which is described as a ‘sinister block’. By saying ‘it showed no window’ suggests that its dark and secrecy; maybe they have something to hide. The wall is described as discoloured and suffering negligence – lack of care and maintenance making it sound unattractive. On the door, the fact that there is no knocker or bell gives an unwelcoming feel and being described as blistered and distained would also make it appear uninviting. However the street, which the door lies on, is a contrast to what has just been described. The buildings in the street are described as ‘freshly painted shutters and well polished brasses’ making the whole street sound like it has an air of general cleanliness. In the First chapter, also ‘The Story of the door’ there is another opposite. This is between Mr Hyde and the young girl. It says ‘one little man .. stumping along at a good walk’ and ‘a girl of maybe eight or ten .. running as hard as she was able’ this is opposing because there are two different genders, ages and paces. In the chapter ‘Dr. Jekyll was quite at ease’ R.L Stevenson describes another opposite with Mr Utterson and the other people that had been to Dr Jekyll’s dinner. ‘In the man’s rich silence, after the expense and the strain of gaiety.’ This tells us that Mr Utterson is happy to be quiet, as the other guests that have left were quite loud and talked to him a lot. Also in this chapter and the following chapter, another opposite is the reaction and personality of Dr Jekyll. Speaking with Utterson, Dr Jekyll is put across as ‘every mark of capacity and kindness’, which makes him warm and loving, then in the incident of the letter he is rather shifty and reacts differently to Utterson that he did before. In the ‘Search for Mr Hyde’ there are two different characters in contrast, Dr Lanyon and Mr Utterson. For example it says ‘received his crowding patients’ referring to Dr Lanyon. This puts across to the reader that Dr Lanyon is a very open, friendly person, where as, as we can tell from the ‘Dr Jekyll was quite at ease’ chapter Mr Utterson is different, he is much quieter and would prefer to be on his own. Another opposite that R.L Stevenson puts in the book is in the chapter ‘The Carew murder case’. At the beginning of the chapter the setting is peaceful. ‘The details were few and startling’ this portrays that it was a very still, open night with only beautiful features. It describes a maid looking out of her window into the pretty night. Her views on the night we’re very optimistic and loving. ‘ She was romantically given’ by saying this it puts across to the reader that the night is quiet which would make it easy to think and by saying ‘romantically given’ puts across that she has romantic view on life. The scene then changes drastically. Before the night was calm but all of a sudden it transforms, much like the transformation of Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde. The night turns dark when Mr Hyde enters the scene. It was like a presence of evil had come into the lane. ‘The horror of these sights and sounds’ this describes what the maid saw Mr Hyde doing to the old man. R.L Stevenson shows many opposites in the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. These help to keep the reader thinking and to surprise the reader.

Brief Literary Analysis Edgar Allen Poe

15 November 2012 Edgar Allan Poe Literary Analysis Edgar Allan Poe is often regarded as the most skilled American poet and short story writer, and it is no wonder because every literary work created by Poe is written with such proficiency, that even readers today are awe-struck. In Poe’s short stories and poems, one will find the same few themes in his works, such as women, the color red and a variety of horror themes, however one theme that is very repetitive is his employment of death. This theme is used in many novels today, and is also a popular theme in books, television shows and videogames. Read also Edgar Allan Poe DrugsIn fact, since the 1800s, people have become increasingly appealed by death. Death was one of Poe’s favorite themes, and is a big reason why Poe’s literary works are still read today. In Poe’s short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, the theme of death often brought up, such as when the fatal â€Å"red death† sickness was described: when contracted, its host would feel â€Å"sharp pains, and sudden dizziness† (1), and its host would have â€Å"profuse bleeding of the pores† (1). The red death was a widespread disease, but Prince Prospero’s castle was safe from the red death because the disease couldn’t get past the abbey gates.In his happy mood, the Prince organized a ball, this ball was not an ordinary ball, but it was a masquerade, in which the guests would wear masks and costumes. This story ends in an extremely violent manner, in which every masquerader succumbs to the red death. The theme of this masquerade was gruesome; many masqueraders wore very graphic outfits, which foreshadow the horrible end of this story. Another one of Poe’s works, â€Å"Annabel Lee†, was actually based on his wife, Virgiania Eliza Clemm Poe, and in the the poem, Annabel is killed by the angels above that were jealous of the love between Annabel and Poe.So one night, at the peak of their jealousy, the sent out a cloud â€Å"Chilling and killing† (4. 6) Poe’s Annabel Lee. The theme of death is very obvious in that Annabel Lee dies in the poem, and the main character is filled with an infinite sadness, that he even sleeps by the grave. What’s ironic about this poem is the fact that Annabel dies from a chilly wind, and Virginia, in her last stage of consumption, dies cold, and Poe, so poor, was unable to afford a blanket for her, a simple luxury that would have brightened her mood just a bit. The Fall of the House of Usher† is a unique short st ory in that it was one of the first â€Å"haunted house† stories of it’s time. This story was about a man who was invited by his friend, Roderick Usher, to cheer Usher up. The main character soon arrives at the Usher manor, which once was beautiful, now is an old run-down mansion. The only two Usher family members that are still alive are the twins, Roderick and Madeline, and both of them suffer from peculiar diseases, Roderick suffers from a â€Å"morbid acuteness of the senses† (3) and Madeline seemingly suffers form a type of immunodeficiency, in which she gets deathly ill often.The first appearance of the theme of death is when Roderick states Madeline as â€Å"dead† and subsequently buries Madeline prematurely. Roderick is aware of this, and near the end of the story, Madeline breaks out of her coffin and â€Å"with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother,† (10) killing Roderick, another appearance of death. At th e very end, the manor disappears, symbolizing the death of the Usher bloodline. The theme of death is apparent in this short story, so this theme is not only a coincidence. Many of Poe’s stories include death, and â€Å"The Black Cat† is no exception.This story is one of his more brutal stories in that the main character first hung his favorite cat, Pluto, and then â€Å"buried the axe† (4) in his wife’s head. The final death is that of the main character, when he is sentenced to hang for his atrocious deed of murder. This theme of death is proved as a common theme now, as it is in at least four of Poe’s literary works, and these stories aren’t the only ones that include the theme of death. Death is not a happy event. A funeral is usually a time of sadness, and there is depressing atmosphere that is fueled by this sadness.Poe recreates this atmosphere in many of his works in the mood of the story or poem. For example, in â€Å"The Fall of t he House of Usher† this depressing mood is heightened when the reader becomes aware that the only remaining Ushers alive are Roderick and Madeline. Another instance of heightened mood is in â€Å"The Black Cat† when Pluto is brutally executed by the main character. This mood is even evident in â€Å"Annabel Lee† when Poe writes â€Å"A wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my beautiful Annabel Lee† (4. 25-26). Poe is a master at creating this theme, as he effectively depresses the reader with the depressing mood of death.Poe is also proficient at symbolizing death. The symbolism of death takes many different forms in Poe’s works ranging from very simple symbols to rather complex ones. An example is the clock in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† in which the clock chimed every hour with a â€Å"dull, heavy, monotonous clang† (2). A clock is a symbol of death because it constantly reminds the limited life span of a h uman being. A rather blunt symbol of death is a coffin, like the one Madeline Usher broke out of in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher. † The reason a coffin is a symbol of death is because a corpse is put in a coffin prior to the burial of the body.The color black is also a symbol of death, which is the color of the velvet tapestries, hung in the seventh room in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† which is the room Prince Prospero and his fellow masqueraders are killed. In many of Poe’s works, the story takes place in an old house, or castle, the reason behind this is that an older house usually means it has survived several generations, which can also be related to death, because a generation is defined as a group of people born at approximately the same time, and since a human being has a defined life span, the end of a generation is when the group of people die.The old Usher manor has survived several generations of the Usher family, and it is also the plac e where several of the Usher family members are buried. At the end, it is the resting place of Madeline and Roderick. Ultimately, the house mysteriously disappears when Madeline and Roderick die. Another old building is Prince Prospero’s castle in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, and that also has seen many generations of mankind, but it also sees the death of Prospero and his friends when the Red Death sneaks into the masquerade and swiftly kills them all.A very large amount of Poe’s works take place at night, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the daytime. The night has always held superstition for mankind because it is first of all, a time when humans sleep, and aren’t very active, and second of all, the human eye cannot see in the dark well. As stated before, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the day, in fact, the four works referenced all take place at night. One may wonder why many of Poe’s works were vio lent, gloomy, and why many of his stories included a lot of death.The explanation is because Poe had a very depressing life. His father was an alcoholic that left after Poe was a year old and eventually died of alcoholism. His mother cared for Poe until she died of consumption. After Poe’s mom had died, Francis Allan adopted Poe and Francis sent him to a peculiar school in England. What made this school peculiar was how the taught math and physical education. Math was taught using dates on tombstones, while physical education was taught by digging graves. This school could be a possible influence on Poe’s works, because he got to do graveyard work.Later, when he grew older, Poe had taken a romantic interest in his friend’s (his friend’s name was Richard) mother. Sadly, Richard’s mother developed a tumor, and died. Soon after Poe had finished college, Francis Allan died of consumption, and she was the only reason John Allan hadn’t evicted Poe yet, so once Francis died, Poe was evicted. After this event, Poe found a new romantic interest, in his adopted sister, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe. Poe married her when he was twenty-six years old. Unfortunately, Virginia also died from consumption. Now it can be seen why Poe wrote so much about death, because he was surrounded by it.Poe’s life was a short-lived and very unfortunate one. Many of his loved ones died from either consumption or other causes, and Poe was always poor. Poe became an alcoholic, just like his father, and he died at age forty. There was no rest for Poe, so most of his feelings went into his poetry and short stories, and that was what made him a successful writer. In the time Poe lived, there was common a terrible disease called consumption, or more commonly known today as Tuberculosis. This disease would attack the victim’s lungs, and slowly kill the victim.The common symptom of consumption is coughing up blood, but there are other symptoms such as a fever, chest pains, a cough with increasing mucus and a nightly sweat. This disease is could have been a big influence on Poe’s writing, because this disease killed many of Poe’s beloved and in a rather violent manner. Another thing people of Poe’s time were scared of was being buried alive, so much that devices that rung bells were attached to coffins so in the event someone was buried alive, person in the coffin could ring the bell and be rescued from their earthly prison.This fear was so great, that Poe had the idea to put it into one of his stories â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† in which Madeline Usher was buried before she was dead, by Roderick Usher. This fear had an apparent influence on Poe’s literature, and people loved the thrill of reading Poe’s â€Å"tales of terror. † In â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Poe accomplishes several points, that death is unavoidable; Prince Prospero could not escape the i nevitable Red Death disease by simply hiding in his Abbey until it went away. Poe also states that death is an eternal law. If there is a beginning, there is an end, and life is no exception.Even time dies alongside the masqueraders, for time, one of humanity’s fears, will cease to exist as well. These points are surprisingly true, for each thing that has a beginning comes to an end, no exceptions. Poe blends morals and lessons into a brutal story of a man who tried to evade death, but he was foolish, for no mortal can escape death. Science states that everything was created, and everything will be destroyed, in due time, so this eternal law of death that Poe creates is so incredibly accurate to science, that Poe was a genius to secretly incorporate this law into a short story.Edgar Allan Poe is perhaps one of the greatest American writers of all time. His short stories and poems are still read by the world, and for good reason, what makes his stories so good are his well-wri tten story plots, and his themes of death, blood and gore which still ones that even people today can enjoy and be thrilled by. Poe had a depressing life, and it is unfortunate that he lived only forty years, who knows what else could have been produced.

Agricultural Subsidies and Development

1. The removal agricultural tariffs and subsides, according to Oxfam, would benefit developed nations because their consumers would benefit from lower domestic agricultural prices and the elimination of the taxes they must pay in order to support the subsidies. The producers in the developed world would lose this government protection from competition as well as the financial incentives. I believe there would be a net benefit from changing our agricultural policy because: ? The government program distorts a functioning market. A functioning market allows capital (investment) to flow where it can gain the highest return. If a good or product can be produce more efficiently outside of the United States, the producer and consumer benefit. The benefit to the consumer in lower prices, improved product quality and lower taxes, helps the US economy by increasing the consumer’s buying power. The higher purchasing power changes the US consumers’ outlook on their personal wealth, and thereby their future spending. The so-called wealth effect occurs when consumers’ perception of their finances allow them to spend more of their income. This higher propensity to consume by US consumers should offset the loss of domestic spending on agricultural products. ? The increase of trade also enables the more efficient producer to reciprocate in buying products or services from the US where we have a competitive advantage. Therefore, in addition to the gain in consumer spending from the improvement of consumer purchasing power, the US will gain additionally from purchases from their new trade relationship. 2. I believe that removing agricultural tariffs and subsidies will help the citizens of the world’s poorest nations. As one UN official has noted. â€Å"It’s no good building up roads clinics, and infrastructure in poorer areas if you don’t give them access to markets and engines for growth. † Increasing demand for their products will allow their economy to expand. The increase of employment, and thereby their domestic consumer spending, will have a similar effect as I described above. The higher income will spur domestic spending for other local goods and services. The net effect will be increased domestic wealth, expansion of their consumer spending, and thereby the local economy. Unfortunately foreign aid is frequently poorly managed, although necessary. The most effective program is one that enables the local economy to produce a product or service that is demanded by consumers (locally and / or internationally). 3. Historically government programs protected our agricultural business by creating the necessary supports to make farming a sustainable business. Today developed nations continue to lavish extensive support on agricultural producers in spite of the fact that the agricultural production in most developed countries is self sufficient. In the US, the agricultural industry in many states has a very powerful political lobby. Both political parties will agree to support government subsidies in order to win the support of the agricultural lobbies. The politicians often claim that their motive is to preserve a historic rural lifestyle, and they see subsidies as a way of achieving that goal. This sentiment is still believed by many voters, as some small farms do exist, but the vast amount of the $300 billion in subsidies per year go major agricultural businesses. Perhaps one reason why this is overlooked is due to the efficiency of US agriculture. The highly efficient businesses in most developed counties produce products at historically low prices. Today’s US consumer spends less than 10% of their income on food. As food prices rises, due to the falling US dollar, and the growing global economy increases demand for food products, we may be forced to spend more of income on food, and then the focus on the agricultural subsidies and tariffs may get more attention.

The Jaguar Land Rover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The Jaguar Land Rover - Essay Example The company has been able to market its brands through various avenues which include the Jaguar Heritage Museum which was established in 1998. The museum has served as a platform for promoting the brands at home. Competition from other players in the industry such as the BMW brands has always revolutionized the market trend. This has led to more innovative brands aimed at putting the organization at the top (SHAPIRA, 2002). The recent urge to manufacture the electric car is motivated by the rivals’ move to manufacture the stylish and modern car. In line with this, the company needs to open up new supply chains, since the existent ones may not serve the desired interests of the new car. The electric car is a new innovation that has not been understood by most of the consumers and this implies that new supply chains and relative management designed to fit the interests of this category of consumers needs to be created (SIMS, 2004). The process of opening the new supply chains is intensive and needs deep considerations of the internal suppliers in term of cost, competence, efficiency and extent of expanding the current market niche (SHAPIRA, 2002). Consideration of these factors it implies that, a due process of decision making should be followed to ensure the right choices are made. It is imperative to note that, the process of selecting the suppliers from across the internal arena is a complex activity which if done wrongly may lead to the fall of the organization in terms of meeting the market demands and expanding the market niche.

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 48

No topic - Essay Example The steps taken by Hitler that started the World War II were attempts to the terms created by the treaty of Versailles. The treaty of Versailles weakened Germany by creating economic problems, reducing Germanys trade with other nations and causing unemployment and Germany. The treaty of Versailles took German territory after which it imposed an unpopular government on Germany. Hitler was fighting to change all these problems caused by the treaty of Versailles when he took the actions that led to the World War II. Hitler wanted to remove the democratic government and make Germany powerful both economically and militarily. Hitler also wanted to make Germany powerful geographically and unite the Germans. Most Germans wanted to reverse the effects of the World War I treaty. Therefore, Hitler gained much support from the German people. The desire to remove the Treaty of Versailles and restore Germany led to the rise of Hitler and fascism in Germany. If the delegates who created the treaty of Versailles wanted peace in Europe, they would have been more concerned with the future of Europe rather than punishing Germany. The treaty of Versailles was very towards Germany and made Hitler and the German people to rise against it thus resulting to World War II (Kitchen par.