Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Example

Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Example Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Maurice Hank Greenberg and other former American International Group Inc. executives exploited their authority 35 years ago, costing a charity set up by AIGs founder $6 billion.In a letter alerting the charity today, Spitzer said Greenberg, ousted as AIGs chief executive officer amid an accounting probe by Spitzer earlier this year, shortchanged the Starr Foundation when he was an executor of AIG founder Cornelius Vander Starrs estate in 1969 and 1970. Greenberg and the other former executors called the allegations outrageous and indicative of a pattern of abuse by the attorney general.Spitzer, who said he found incriminating evidence in documents Greenberg tried to keep secret during the accounting investigation, may be stepping up pressure as the 80-year-old seeks to rebuild his legacy as leader of the worlds largest insurer for almost 40 years. New York-based AIG has restated $3.9 billion of earnings and pledged to cooperate with regulators. Greenberg has said the corrections were driven by fear.The case against AIG has been personalized because the company has rolled over and Hank hasnt, said Phillip Phan, a finance professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., who wrote Taking Back the Boardroom. Hank is a direct challenge to his attempt to clean up the industry.Spitzers letter, accompanied by a 26-page report on his investigation of the matter, said Greenberg and the other executors cheated the foundation by selling Vander Starrs assets at below-market prices to two private companies that they controlled. C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co., which still exist today, shared offices and executives with AIG, and in fact all the executors of Starrs were C.V. Starr directors.`Public Stink BombWere charitable assets of the foundation, as the residual beneficiary of the estate lost in a series of transactions orchestrated by the very fiduciaries obligated to protect the est ates interests? Spitzer wrote to Starr Foundation President Florence A. Davis, who used to be AIGs top lawyer.Greenberg and the other former executors called the latest allegations Spitzers attempt to justify his decision to pressure AIGs board, under threat of criminal indictment, to remove Greenberg as chairman and CEO. Spitzer, who accused AIG and Greenberg of fraud in a civil suit in May, announced he wouldnt pursue criminal charges against Greenberg last month.The attorney generals case against Hank Greenberg was disgraceful from the start, said billionaire Ken Langone, a co- defendant in Spitzers lawsuit against former New York Stock Exchange Chairman Richard Grasso. It now seems apparent that Mr. Spitzer is trying to shore up his sorry case and his flagging political reputation by lobbing what amounts to a public stink bomb.Court ApprovalGreenberg, Houghton Freeman, John Roberts and Ernest Stempel are the only executors still living today, according to C.V. Starr spokesman Ho ward Opinsky. Today they cited 25-year-old approvals from a former New York attorney general and the New York Surrogates Court inGreenberg, Houghton Freeman, John Roberts and Ernest Stempel are the only executors still living today, according to C.V. Starr spokesman Howard Opinsky. Today they cited 25-year-old approvals from a former New York attorney general and the New York Surrogates Court in defending the asset sales by Starrs estate. The executors had determined that they should get the approvals precisely because of their multiple roles.The conduct and attitude of the attorney general in his pursuit of these allegations reflects a pattern of abuse and bad faith adopted toward Mr. Greenberg from the beginning of the investigation of AIG, they said in more than 35 pages of written response to Spitzers allegations.Spitzer urged the foundation to appoint an independent committee to evaluate remedies, though Greenberg, who now runs C.V. Starr and Starr International as investment c ompanies, is also chairman of the charity.Negative PublicityOpinsky said the Starr Foundation issued a statement today defending the transactions, though calls to Courtney OMalley, a vice president at the foundation, and the firms main number werent returned.While the Starr Foundation respects the authority of the Attorney General to supervise charitable foundations, and to investigate alleged improprieties, the Foundation is concerned that allegations concerning a judicial proceeding closed more than 25 years ago and the negative publicity attendant thereto may adversely affect the value of the assets of the Foundation, without discernable purpose, according to an emailed statement that Opinsky said the foundation provided.Spitzers report contends the foundation, which has $3.5 billion in assets, would have accrued another $6 billion over the past 35 years had it not been underpaid in three separate estate transactions following Starrs death in 1968. To make matters worse, C.V. Sta rr and Starr International sold the same assets to AIG at far higher prices shortly thereafter, Spitzer said.AIG SharesIn one transaction, for example, Spitzer said the executors knew the estates 48 percent stake in American International Underwriters Far East Inc. was worth far more than book value because one of them was the president of Far East.The estate got cash that would be worth $17.6 million today, he said. Instead, it should have received AIG stock that would be worth $1.2 billion today.Spitzer, who oversees nonprofits and charitable foundations, said the foundation may have claim to AIG stock held by Starr International. The firm, which distributed deferred compensation to AIG executives for decades, is in a legal battle with AIG to keep control of more than $19 billion of the companys shares. AIG spokesman Chris Winans declined to comment.Spitzer said Greenberg and his lawyers misrepresented the transactions to the former attorney general and to the court. There is no s tatute of limitations if the foundation chooses to try to recover the money, Spitzer spokesman Marc Violette said, declining to say what action the attorney general might take.The Starr Foundation makes charitable grants in education, medicine and public policy.(Article appeared in bloomberg.com on Dec. 14th, 2005)http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006;sid=asSTBnA7L7gA;refer=home#Bloomberg Article AnalyisThis article, entitled Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion (Update4) appeared on bloomberg.com on December 14, 2005.   In this article, it is discussed how New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer recently issued a letter to the Starr Foundation, a charity set up in conjunction with the American International Group, Inc.s (AIGs) founder Cornelius Vander Starrs estate, stating that Maurice Hank Greenberg and other former American International Group Inc. executives committed wrongful acts thirty-five years ago, resulting in a monetary loss to the charity in the amount of six   billion dollars.   Greenberg was AIGs former chief executive officer, and the executor of the estate, who was ousted from his CEO position amidst an accounting investigation.Namely, Spitzer alleges that these individuals sold shares of AIG stock owned by the charity in three separate transactions for far less than these stock shares were worth.   These shares were sold to C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co., who still exist today, share executives with AIG, and all of the directors of these companies were executors of Starrs estate.   These shares were sold by these corporations back to AIG at a much higher price shortly thereafter.As agents and fiduciaries of Starrs estate and the foundation, the executives had a duty to act in the best interest of them.   They also had a duty to reveal any conflicts of interest, and not to profit at the expense of the estate and foundation.  Ã‚   Furthermore, they were directors and officers of AIG, who made a profit for C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co. at the expense of AIG.   This was another conflict of interest at the expense of AIG shareholders.   As AIG insiders, the executors knew the actual value of the shares and chose to sell them at a lesser price to divert value from the charity to these other corporations.   Furthermore, the foundation may now have claim to some of the shares held by Starr International.   These executors are also agents and fiduciaries of Starr International, who may have ultimately harmed Starr Internationals well-being by their wrongful acts.

Not All Iron Is Magnetic (Magnetic Elements)

Not All Iron Is Magnetic (Magnetic Elements) Heres an element factoid for you: Not all iron is magnetic. The a allotrope is magnetic, yet when the temperature increases so that the a form changes to the b form, the magnetism disappears even though the lattice doesnt change. Key Takeaways: Not All Iron Is Magnetic Most people think of iron as a magnetic material. Iron is ferromagnetic (attracted to magnets), but only within a certain temperature range and other specific conditions.Iron is magnetic in its ÃŽ ± form. The ÃŽ ± form occurs below a special temperature called the Curie point, which is 770  Ã‚ °C. Iron is paramagnetic above this temperature and only weakly attracted to a magnetic field.Magnetic materials consist of atoms with partially-filled electron shells. So, most magnetic materials are metals. Other magnetic elements include nickel and cobalt.Nonmagnetic (diamagnetic) metals include copper, gold, and silver. Why Iron Is Magnetic (Sometimes) Ferromagnetism is the mechanism by which materials are attracted to magnets and form permanent magnets. The word actually means iron-magnetism because that is the most familiar example of the phenomenon and the one scientists first studied. Ferromagnetism is a quantum mechanical property of a material. It depends on its microstructure and crystalline state, which can be affected by temperature and composition. The quantum mechanical property is determined by the behavior of electrons. Specifically, a substance needs a magnetic dipole moment in order to be a magnet, which comes from atoms with partially-filled electron shells. Atoms will filled electron shells are not magnetic because they have a net dipole moment of zero. Iron and other transition metals have partially-filled electrons shells, so some of these elements and their compounds are magnetic. In atoms of magnetic elements nearly all of the dipoles align below a special temperature called the Curie point. For iron, the Curie point occurs at 770  Ã‚ °C. Below this temperature, iron is ferromagnetic (strongly attracted to a magnet), but above it the iron changes its crystalline structure and become paramagnetic (only weakly attacted to a magnet). Other Magnetic Elements Iron isnt the only element that displays magnetism. Nickel, cobalt, gadolinium, terbium, and dysprosium are also ferromagnetic. As with iron, the magnetic properties of these elements depends on their crystal structure and whether the metal is below its Curie point. ÃŽ ±-iron, cobalt, and nickel are ferromagnetic, while ÃŽ ³-iron, manganese, and chromium are antiferromagnetic. Lithium gas is magnetic when cooled below 1 kelvin. Under certain condition, manganese, the actinides (e.g., plutonium and neptunium), and ruthenium are ferromagnetic. While magnetism most often occurs in metals, it also occurs rarely in nonmetals. Liquid oxygen, for example, may be trapped between the poles of a magnet! Oxygen has unpaired electrons, allowing it to react to a magnet. Boron is another nonmetal that displays paramagnetic attraction greater than its diamagnetic repulsion. Magnetic and Nonmagnetic Steel Steel is an iron-based alloy. Most forms of steel, including stainless steel, are magnetic. There are two broad types of stainless steels which display different crystal lattice structures from one another. Ferritic stainless steels are iron-chromium alloys that are ferromagnetic at room temperature. While normally unmagnetized, ferritic steel become magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field and remain magnetized for some time after the magnet is removed. The metal atoms in ferritic stainless steel are arranged in a body-centered (bcc) lattic. Austenitic stainless steels tend to be nonmagnetic. These steels contain atoms arranged in a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice. The most popular type of stainless steel, Type 304, contains iron, chromium, and nickel (each magnetic on its own). Yet, atoms in this alloy usually have the fcc lattice structure, resulting in a nonmagnetic alloy. Type 304 does become partly ferromagnetic if the steel is bent at room temperature. Metals That Arent Magnetic While some metals are magnetic, most are not. Key examples include copper, gold, silver, lead, aluminum, tin, titanium, zinc, and bismuth. These elements and their alloys are diamagnetic. Nonmagnetic alloys include brass and bronze. These metals weakly repel magnets, but not usually enough that the effect is noticeable. Carbon is a strongly diamagnetic nonmetal. In fact, some types of graphite repel magnets strongly enough to levitate a strong magnet. Source Devine, Thomas. Why dont magnets work on some stainless steels? Scientific American.

Data Analysis by SQL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Data Analysis by SQL - Essay Example Based on the results obtained, it is evident that the highest value customers in terms of the revenue are mainly from Europe, including, Denmark, Germany and France. The total revenue from US customers amounts to $ 56,029, whereas the revenue from France is $ 68,011. By identifying the products bought by the customers, their preferences can be identified. This will enable the firm to create a customer profile and make the appropriate products readily available in the proper locations. It will also be beneficial to identify the most preferred shipping service of the customers. From the database, it is evident that the United Package has been chosen for 326 times, the Federal Express was preferred for around 255 orders, whereas Speedy Express for 249 orders. Hence it is evident that the three shipping services are equally important. The orders are analysed based on the products, in order to identify the most preferred and the highest revenue generating products.The high revenue generating categories are also identified and the role of discounts in the orders are also analysed. From the analysis, the highly sold product has been found as Gorgonzoo Telino whereas the product generating the highest revenue is Cote de Blaye.However, when analysing the categories, it is found that the best selling categories in terms of revenue and number of products are Beverages, Dairy products and Confections. It is imperative to note that the least revenue generating revenues include Produce and Grains and Cereals.

Value of Outdoor Play in the Early Years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Value of Outdoor Play in the Early Years - Essay Example ldren are spending a considerable amount of time in the settings that pay attention to the structured education as well as recreational activities and therefore leave very little time for the children to participate in the plays that are self-initiated. Outdoor play cultivates all the aspects of the development of the children and it develops a foundation of physical, social, emotional as well as intellectual skills that are needed for success in schools as well as in life. Play that is characterized by pretending encourages communication and therefore enhances skills that are needed in communication, role playing as well as perspective taking while developing the skills that are needed to solve problems which include persuading, compromising as well as cooperating (Mayesky, 2009, p. 128). Learning that takes place outside the classroom has the advantage of supporting the development of a lifestyle that can be perceived to be healthy since it gives children the chance to take part in physical activities which involve freedom and movement while encouraging a sense of wellbeing. It also allows them to have contact with the natural world while availing to them experiences, which are specific to the outdoors that may include exposure to the weather as well as different seasons. It also goes a long way in the development of skills that are needed for dealing with problems while developing a sense of creativity as well as opportunities that will enhance imag ination, ingenuity and

Leadership Styles Essay Example for Free

Leadership Styles Essay The leadership styles of the United States Presidents can make them effective or it can limit their effectiveness. The effectiveness of the President has direct effect on the American people. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy were two leaders that had major influences in the mid-20th century. Both men played a key role in the United States involvement in Vietnam. The experiences, styles of leading, and characteristics of both President’s Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy intensified the level of involvement the United States had in the Vietnam experience. Even though the leadership styles may have differed, the two leaders refused to let communism spread (Moss, 2010). Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy’s leadership style although different had similar qualities. President Eisenhower and Kennedy could be considered to have the leadership styles of both the â€Å"Director† and â€Å"Navigator†. Thomas Preston has explained a Director style is a leader with â€Å"both extensive policy experience and a high need for power† (Preston, 2001). Directors have direct involvement in policy process by setting guidelines and advocating for their own personal views. The Navigator also has extensive expertise in policy but they also search for the opinions and viewpoints of other advisors. Navigators will gather the information and from the multiple different perspectives have a more deliberate decision making style. Without having a Navigator sense of style, the effectiveness of any leader can be limited because of a lack of information gathered and reviewed for decision. President Eisenhower proved his leadership style by the way he was involved in the political unrest in Vietnam. According to Preston, President Eisenhower â€Å"preferred formal, hierarchically organized advisory structure where information and advice could be centralized into a small inner circle of advisers† (Preston, 2001). However because of the President’s expertise in foreign policy he had a very active personal role in the policy process and delegated very little to other expert advisors. Eisenhower’s own preferences in policy lead to the policy decisions. President Eisenhower gave the command to intervene in southern Vietnam and replace the French (Moss, 2010). This was to maintain a non-Communist state thereby halting the potential spread of Communism. President Kennedy was interested in multiple perspectives on policy; he listened to different sources on conflicting views and planned for debates prior to decision making (Preston, 2001). Kennedy wanted political rest and peace in Vietnam but knew that without US involvement, the fighting and attacks on Vietnam would increase. Because of this, the United States became more heavily involved which meant more military forces and money being spent. Kennedy had made decisions to violate the provisions of the Geneva agreements of 1954, thereby increasing the U.S. military significantly in Vietnam. â€Å"Kennedy was not trying to win in Vietnam: he was doing only enough not to lose† (Moss, 2010). This sense of leadership by Kennedy was devised to protect the U.S. by only having a limited partnership with the Vietnam government. For President Kennedy, as a Director, he kept active involvemen t in policy process and needed assurance that his own thoughts and ideas would dominate the end result. However, as the Navigator, he trusted his advisory team and kept an open advisory system â€Å"characterized by a mixed formal-informal advice network† (Preston, 2001). With the dual leadership style the President called for the heavy military involvement in Vietnam in 1965 (Moss, 2010). By having expertise in foreign affairs and taking the advice of his advisors, President Kennedy made the important decision to become more involved in the war efforts. For the United States, the President’s leadership is very important. The President is the countries representation. It is both very prestigious and powerful to be voted in as President of the United States. The President has the ability to keep the United States from war, or send us to war. The President is in charge of the military, deciding where troops should be stationed and how weapons should be used. That is great power, and without the backing of the American people the President and his cabinet wouldn’t be as powerful as they are. The American people need to know that the President has their best interest in mind. In conclusion, regardless of who the President is, the need for leadership is of great importance. By having both the Director and Navigator style leadership, the role of the President can be effective. The expertise, the desire to have a powerful role but also having the willingness to view other opinions for decision making is essential to making a great leader. The role the President has to be one that is inspiring to the American people but also the American people need to trust their leader, without trust there would be weakness.

A classic example of socialism is John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath

A classic example of socialism is John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath The idea of socialism has transcended down in history; from the proletariat fighting for rights in France to Marxist revolutions and Leninists in Russia. Socialism is the helping of the laboring class; more so it is the uprising and asserting of power of the laboring class. A classic example of socialism is John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath". Many people thought this book was an attack on America, due to it's social views. "Grapes of Wrath" was not a book of attack or slander on America, rather it was more of an awakening or cry for change. Steinbeck seems to be the voice of the masses. Steinbeck wants to suggest, through character, settings and idea filled chapters, how socialist reforms would bring upon a dignified lifestyle for the disadvantages people from the mid-west. He calls for change and hopes for enlightenment through his novel, not to cast aspersions or criticize. During the 1930's, the era of Depression in America, many people were afraid of communist ideas that were present overseas. Many people felt that Steinbeck was supporting these ideas. If someone was a questioner, a thinker, or someone who went against the mold, like Steinbeck, they were called a "red". In other words, that person was considered a communist. Steinbeck, through his novel, brought the worst stories of America and showed them to the world. He did this in hope of spreading the idea of socialism. Steinbeck shows the spread of socialism through two main characters: Jim Casy and Tom Joad. He displays them as wanting, wanting a better life, wanting something more spiritually, wanting something more for "their folks". The only thing that seems to ... ...ds. Al gets to be a teenager, not a responsible driver. He can now look for girls and etc. But when the family leaves the camp, due to no work, the family falls apart. The normality. The socialism at the camp is what made most of them happy and kept them together. But Ma Joad knew better. She shows that socialism has to be widespread, it can't just be in one spot. It has to take over everything and be thought by everyone. When the normality ends, the requirement of socialism in society becomes important again. Through out the novel, Steinbeck tries to give us a clear picture of what is needed to stop all the suffering that was going on in our nation. Tom Joad, Jim Casy, the camp and a couple chapters teach the future readers that we can make a difference in people's lives. We have made a difference. Today socialism is alive and working well for America.

Future India

Below is a free essay on â€Å"India's Future† from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. About twenty-five years ago, our then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had started to remind us that India is too early to reach Ikkisvi. We have twenty-first century. Where is the twenty-first century India, how, how is going to be, where to reach – it is a vivid theme. It will consider some aspects of it. Certainly in the new century is a lot of things were looking very bright.Than in the past twenty years or fifty years ahead of India is visible. Such revolutions are many. The computer revolution is under way. Mobile revolution is – now the poor man's pocket to get a cell phone. A? tomobail revolution is under way. There was a time when the scooter had to find the number, he'd get to Blake. There were only two models of cars – Ambassador and Fiat. Now go to the showroom, favorite Mothers  of Dal Motrsaikl or bring the car up. Ever-  Mothersare coming to market is dull. See the cars on the street cars.Forlen roads – is being Sikslen. Highway, Expressway talks to the smooth air vehicles on the roads. â€Å"Forlen the word the child – Bchchee is up to the tongue. There is a similar revolution in education. First Engineering, Medical, B. Ed. College used to be counted. Today – a city of ten – ten college and those seats are empty. Initiatives were selected convent school, now England Medium School Street – the street, the neighborhood is exposed. Our national income, six, seven, eight per cent growth rate is increasing.In 2007-08 came the blow of the recession in the world, he could not impress us much. In the meantime we have to make atomic bombs. We are dreaming of becoming a world superpower. United Nations Security Council non-permanent members have become, to become a permanent member of the hand – are scrambling. Obamaji to be grateful for, the dream tha t we are expected to be completed. Ckacand darkness behind But the glitter seems a hollow. Ckacand behind the middle of a dark – comes across the remains. As such, a few days before the Global Hunger Index (Global†¦