Student Loan Debt Essay Example for Free

Student Loan Debt Essay Summarize the student loan industry. Answer with respect to both public and private loans and be clear as to which you are referring to. a) What led to the inception of the student loan market? The inception of the student loan market started like any other loan market, there were a large amount of borrowers who needed money now to invest in college to make more later that were matched with lenders who had excess funds and wanted return on the funds. The National Defense Education Act of 1958 which provided loans to students in higher education institutions started the student loan market. This was supposed to help train students to get jobs that will help them succeed and in turn help our nation succeed. b) What major changes have occurred over the years? The biggest changes in the loan industry have been the recent dramatic increase in enrollment at colleges. An alarming trend in the last twenty years is that appropriations to universities per full time student are going down while public four year tuition and fees are increasing. Total outstanding student loan debt, number of student borrowers and average debt per borrower has been steadily increasing over the last decade. Recent changes include private lenders becoming less inclined to lend. b. i) Since 2004 both the number of student loan borrowers, and the average balance per borrower has steadily increased, according to data compiled by the Fed New York (b. i. 1) 2004 25-year olds with student debt was just over 25%; grown to more than 40% (2013) (b. i. 2) 2012 Number of student loan borrowers totaled almost 40M and the average balance per borrower was slightly less than $25k (b. i. 2. a) 40% had balances less than $10k; 30% had balances between $10k and $25k; 4% over $100k c) What is the current source of financing? c. i) $1T financed by the federal government c. ii) $. 2T financed by private lenders (c. ii. 1) They are lending less c. iii) Federal (c. iii. 1) Make up about 85% of the total student debt outstanding (c. iii. 2) 93% of all new loans continuing to increase since the Recession (c. iii. 3) Credit Check not required but may be turned down if they are delinquent on existing student loan (c. iii. 4) 21% were delinquent 2012 c. iv) Private (c. iv. 1) Private student loan market includes loans made not only by banks, but also loans made by credit unions, state agencies, and schools themselves (c. iv. 2) Makes up about 15% of the total student debt outstanding (c. iv. 3) 2008 was $25B 2012 it is $8B since Recession (c. iv. 4) Credit Check, full underwriting guarantor (90%) (c. iv. 4. a) Underwriting has stricken since (c. iv. 5) 4% are delinquent 2012 (c. iv. 6) Tough to restructure c. v) Both often have a 6 month grace period d) How are lending decisions made by lenders in today’s world? For private lenders, lending decisions today have tightened dramatically since the recent economic recession, and it seems as though they are ducking out of the student loan industry because of all the bad loans they have on their balance sheets. Federal lenders have gone the complete other way; they do not have stringent requirements for the loans that they are handing out. Borrowers are encouraged to max out their federal lending before they go to their private lending. e) How are borrower decisions made by borrowers in today’s world? They have very little choice when choosing alternatives for student loans, these options include private lending and federal lending. A borrower should max out their federal loans then go on and be as prudent as they can when selecting a private loan. There is also a lack of transparency that makes it difficult for borrowers to pick private loans after they have maxed out their federal loans. Therefore the decisions are incredibly difficult to make after you max out your federal loans. Every student should be diligent and use all of the options that are set in question number three to make the best borrowing decision as possible. f) What is the size of the market today? How has its size evolved since its inception? f. i) Same statistics listed in 1c are relevant here f. ii) How has it evolved since its inception? The Market size of student loans is $1. 2 Trillion, private accounting for $0. 2 Trillion and federal accounting for $1 Trillion. Student Loans taken out have been increasing, student loan debt outstanding has been increasing and average student loan debt per borrower has been increasing. Some believe that these may cause problems and increase outstanding debt and defaults which taxpayers have to pay. While government professionals may believe that taking a hit now to help consumers get higher paying jobs may be worth it in the long run so they can start consuming. 2) How have student loans been treated in bankruptcy historically and today? a) Include in your answer information about how the treatment impacts lending b) Include in your answer information about how the treatments impacts the economy c) There is some controversy here why does that arise? d) What might happen if the laws changed? Before 1976 student loans were dischargeable in bankruptcy; this policy did have some loopholes though and when it comes to loopholes in money you do not want to leave many. Student loans stopped becoming dischargeable because they were afraid that the students would take advantage of the opportunity to file bankruptcy and rid themselves of student loan debt and drain the system. Disallowing the discharge of student loan debt helps to increase incentives for lending since borrowers are stuck on the hook and have to pay it back; this makes the lenders feel more comfortable and increases their willingness to lend. This can have multiple impacts on the economy because if student loan borrowers are no longer able to file for bankruptcy on their student loans you are more likely to have a generation of student borrowers that cannot pay their debts. If students graduate with a large amount of debt they are less likely to be consuming products like mortgage or car loans which help our economy run more efficiently. Some student borrowers may end up not borrowing because of the increased risk due to no bankruptcy. Lastly, a horrible scenario may be that lenders know that student loan borrowers cannot default therefore they hand out loans for anyone that wants them because the lender knows they will be stuck on the hook. This has horrible ramifications because one should never lend when they do not believe the borrower will be able to pay them back. 3) Outside of bankruptcy, what ways of dealing with non-payment of student loans exist? How might each affect the economy? a) Students who cannot pay off their student loans can a. i) Talk to your high school financial aid office a. ii) Shop for lower interest rates and loans that offer flexibility a. iii) Do not believe the rates as stated because they are stated for the highest credit scores a. iv) Fill out a FAFSA a. v) Search for scholarships a. vi) Apply for income-based repayment plans (must meet criteria of the Department of Education â€Å"partial financial hardship† (a. vi. 1) Could be 10-20% of discretionary income depending on how you apply a. vii) Enter public service such as teaching or other government jobs and you can discharge your loan after 10 years of making regular payments a. viii) The right to change payments from 10 years to 25 years decreasing your monthly payment while increasing the interest payment b) Some worry that people are taking advantage of some of the above options for student loan debt and are hurting the economy c) If I were a future student loan borrower I would try to get my loan in as quickly as possible and enjoy the lower rates because there is reason to believe that the rate can go up since it is now attached to 10-year Treasury Notes student loan delinquency can really take a hit on your credit score. Whenever someone defaults on a student loan the burden falls on the taxpayers of the country. If students found ways to get out of their student loan debt they would end up leaving the taxpayers to pay it off for them. There is reason to believe that being more lenient on student loan delinquency will allow students to finish their education and get a job that will allow them to pay off their student loan and eventually put more money into the economy. One notable solution that I found interesting was to hold schools accountable for their students. Schools that receive subsidized loan money could be left on the hood for a percentage of the loan balance if the student defaults. This would encourage colleges to pick the best applicants that they believe will finish school with a degree that will allow them to get a job that will pay off their student loan and hopefully buy a mortgage and lease a car to help the economy run more efficiently. 4) What is the impact of the existence of student loans on universities and tuition? a) The existence of student loans results in demands on universities – what are these? Universities are positively impacted by the existence of student loans because without them they would have to exponentially lower tuition. This is the same logic that universities have used to raise the price of their tuition. It is simple supply and demand economics, Joe Schmoe high school graduate gets into a fancy college that costs $40k a year and Joe can easily get a loan. Fancy college gets excited and realizes that the demand for the college is not as affected by price change as they might expect and they raise their tuition until finding the optimal price. The overall impact of this raised tuition is that students will have to take on larger student debts to be able to afford tuition at these universities. The larger loans that student takes the more likely they will end up delinquent on their loans. When students are delinquent on their loans they may end up going into default or not finishing school. In both situations the students end up negatively affecting the economy because the delinquent could end up having taxpayers pay for their defaulted loan and the college dropout will be less likely to pay off their loan due to low income opportunities with no college degree. 5) What is the relationship of student lending to other forms of lending? a) For the first time in years a. i) Outstanding student loan debt is greater than outstanding credit card debt (a. i. 1) Student Loan debt is second only to Mortgage Debt a. ii) 30 year olds with student loans are now less likely to take on housing debt than 30 year olds without student debt a. iii) 25 year olds with student loans are now less likely to take on housing debt than 25 year olds without student debt b) Since the peak in household debt in the third quarter of 2008, student loan debt has increased by $293B b. i) Other forms of debt fell a combined $1. 53 trillion b. ii) Only form of debt to substantially increase since the 2008 crisis b. iii) Mortgage balances shown on consumer credit reports dropped (b. iii. 1) Originations are 17. 4% below Q1 2011 b. iv) Credit Card Balances 21. 6% below Q4 of 2008 c) 15% of delinquent student loan borrowers also have delinquent auto loans, 35% have delinquent credit card debt and just over 25% are delinquent on mortgage payments The bottom line is if students are leaving school with more debt, than they will be less able to take on more loans in the housing, credit and auto loan industry, which help power our economy. Two things can end up happening, student loan borrowers will be turned down when seeking lending in the auto or mortgage industry because of the stigma attached to student loans. Another possibility is that a small but significant amount of students take on multiple loans during college and accumulates large amounts outstanding debt in all areas. The most important and repeated statement of this paper will be that the taxpayers will have to pay the loans when students default. 6) What Fed actions (during the past decade) have impacted the student loan industry? 7) Why is the Fed concerned about student loans? What is its actual role here? The Fed is concerned about student loans because it is now the second largest form of outstanding debt and it has been growing. There is reason to believe that it will continue to grow due to low employment encouraging people to stay in school or go back to school. Another pressing concern is that a large amount of these student loans are federally insured and could increase the budget deficit. And to reiterate the most important factor that when students default on their student loans, the burden will be placed firmly on the lap of the taxpayers. The role of the Federal Reserve Bank is to supervise participants in the student loan market. Supervision of participants in the student loan market is similar to their supervision of other retail credit markets and products meaning they are able to go over what you buy aka Student Loans bought by private institutions. Institutions subject to Federal Reserve supervision are â€Å"subject to onsite examinations that evaluate the institutions risk-management practices, including the institutions adherence to sound underwriting standards, timely recognition of loan deterioration and appropriate loan loss provisioning, as well as (to a limited degree) compliance with consumer protection standards. Many of these institutions have significant student loan portfolios. † A large concern the Fed may have about student loans is that of the relevant information (relevant statistics) about student loans are unknown. In the finance world investors are willing to pay for a larger degree of certainty so this proposes a large problem. One action the Fed took was deploying Capital Analysis and Review (CARR) â€Å"which is a supervisory tool that the Fed deploys to enhance financial stability by assessing all exposures on bank balance sheets. Large US banks are strongly encouraged to be forward looking and account for unique risks and keeping sufficient capital so we can continue operations during time of economic and financial distress. † The large US Banks that CARR searched found that they held $63B in government and private student loan debt outstanding $26. 3B of which is outstanding. The Federal Reserve also developed guidance outlining loan modification procedures with the Feral Financial Institution Examination Council which discusses how banks should engage in extensions, deferrals, renewals and rewrites of closed-end retail loans (including private student loans). They encourage that any restructuring should be based on renewed willingness/ability to repay and must be consistent with the banks policies. They note that lenders should work with borrowers who have a legitimate claim to financial hardship. These concerns are shared with the OCC and FDIC; they are even allowing institutions to go against GAAP. The Federal Reserve is really helping borrowers and investors by encouraging lenders to be as transparent as possible. Information should be clear and easily accessible to borrowers and should include information on how to contact the lender or servicer to discuss the programs that might best fit their specific needs.

Emergence Of Neoliberal Development Theory Economics Essay

Emergence Of Neoliberal Development Theory Economics Essay Introduction This essay aims to justify the emergence of neoliberal development theory by analysing the historical, political and economic backgrounds in the second half of the twentieth century and identify the key features of its success. Also, the essay aims to establish the reasons behind the failure of the Keynesian model that was dominant prior to the neoliberal theory. Firstly, it will define development, outline its origins and goals and look back at the history of development to identify major theories prevailing in global economics. Secondly, it will account for the transition from the Keynesianism to neoliberal theory and argue that the main drawback of the former extensive state intervention in economics was the reason behind the rise of the latter. Finally, it will analyse the neoliberal development theory in terms of its strengths and weaknesses and conclude with suggesting perspectives of the theory in the future. What is development? Development presents an elusive concept to define. As the term itself is incredibly broad, the simplest definition of Good Change (Chambers 1997) will not suffice: factors such as time, perspective and focus should be considered to encompass the term (Thomas 2000). Development does not happen overnight, therefore, to understand it we need to look at a series of changes throughout history and the inevitable processes which accompany it. Secondly, understanding of development shifts depending on the vision or perspective of what development aims to achieve (modern society, maximum use of human potential or fixing the faults of progress). Finally, development could be seen as a focused effort to eradicate a problem (i.e. poverty, hunger, AIDS, etc.). Generally, development is summarised as a process of developing countries trying to catch up with developed countries (Kiely 2007). If we look at the current goals in development outlined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), we can see that in developing countries by 2015: Extreme poverty should be reduced by one half. Universal primary education should be ensured and gender disparity in education eliminated. Infant/child mortality should be reduced by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters. National strategies for sustainable development should be implemented (OECD 1996). On the surface these goals appear to tackle social problems (quality of life and education) but they are deeply intertwined with both politics and economics. In order to achieve those state leaders need to work along with international organisations whose economic expertise can help to shape needed policies. No matter how noble these aspirations sound, it is the question whether they are realistic enough to implement that we should ask ourselves. It is possible to assess the chances of success better by looking back at the history of development and its former achievements. The modern history of development begins with the end of the Second World War in 1945 when new states emerged and the old international order was reshaped. The key theme in development was expanding the economic growth through industrialisation. The unique position of the USA after the war (minimal losses) facilitated its becoming a super power. Not only did it have an exceptional political influence in the international affairs but it also helped to promote capitalism and democratic values in Europe as well as the developing countries. The USA did this not only through foreign aid and direct investment but creating such international organisations as the UN, the IMF and the World Bank. The Cold War split the world into two camps: capitalist and communist. While the superpowers were trying to win more political influence, they also helped to modernise developing countries by boosting their economies. Of course, it came with a price joining a camp of the donors. The USA supported national liberation of the colonies and promoted development of anti-communist ex-colonies. This period from 1950s to 1970s is also known as the golden age of capitalism. High rates of profit facilitated high rates of capital accumulation and unprecedented economic growth, high productivity, high wages, expanding demand (Kiely 2007). Such growth resulted in full employment, creation of welfare system and a spread of globalisation. However, by the 1970s problems with the system became obvious: states had monopolized important industries (coal, steel) which limited the capacity of economic growth, thus investment was dominated by political not economic reasons. Preston argues that there was an assumption that states have the right to intervene directly in production and distribution (Preston 1996: p. 154-156). This resulted in capital not being allowed to cross borders without government approval, so states could set domestic interest rates, fix the exchange rate, tax and spend as they wanted to secure national economic objectives, moreover, the divide between developed and developing countries remained high (Leys 1996). The decline in profit rates recorded in the developed countries at the end of the 1960s deepened and in the 1970s spread into an open capitalist crisis, characterized by a swing of the whole system into monetary-financial chaos, exploding inequalities, and mass unemployment (Herrera 2006). The Keynesian model The golden age of capitalism was dominated by the Keynesian development model, which maintains that the level of economic activity is determined by the level of aggregate demand (Palley 2004). John Maynard Keynes, the forefather of modern macroeconomics, argued that if markets were depoliticised, completely free from the intervention of governments, it would cause a period of economic depression and financial crisis. In order to prevent such a downfall he suggested that governments should control fiscal and monetary policies. Within this theory unemployment could be explained through weakness in the aggregate demand generation process that capitalist economies are subject to. In the aftermath of the post war period it was this particular model that allowed states to rebuild and boost economies. A weak point, however, was the so-called spending ratchet governments provided additional support for workers during hard times but it was politically difficult to take them away during a booming economy. Therefore, the rate of economic growth slowed down and the risk of inflation rose. This was not the only problem with the Keynesianism. According to Palley (2004) there existed two sub-theories about income distribution: one originating in the USA, the other in the UK. American Keynesians advocated the neoliberal paid what you are worth theory of income distribution, while British Keynesians argue that income distribution depends significantly on institutional factors. Palley then explains it in detail: It meant that not only do a factors relative scarcity and productivity matter, but so too does its bargaining power, which is impacted by institutional arrangements. This explains the significance of trade unions, laws governing minimum wages, employee rights at work, and systems of social protection such as unemployment insurance. Finally, public understandings of the economy also matter, since a public that views the economy through a bargaining power lens will have greater political sympathies for trade unions and institutions of social protection (Palley 2004: 2 ). In essence the two schools differed in their understanding of the factors involved in (simply put) wages and income. For example an American Keynesian, would view an employees bargaining power in wage negotiations as entirely dependent on demand for the employees skills, its relative scarcity and the employers ability to pay. The British view in however would encompass such additional factors as unions (in the case of employment) enforcing collective bargaining or national minimum wage structures. The British view therefore contained a more realistic accounting of income distribution versus a more pure capitalist view. One of the major factors of the transition from the Keynesianism to neoliberalism was the unstable prices for petrol in the OPEC in the 1970s. Another factor is of social nature the USA has promoted individualism that rejected the communist collective economic approach and kindled the debates in favour of free markets not controlled by the government. Combined with the divide between the train of Keynesian thought in the UK and the USA the theory slowly started to be replaced with neoliberalism. What is neoliberal development theory? Like development neoliberalism is a disputed notion. This term could be attributed to describe a theory of International Relations, an ideology, a development theory or economic theory. To avoid confusion we suggest a definition by Harvey: Neoliberalism  is  a  theory  of  political  economic  practices that proposes that human well being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong property rights, free markets and free trade. The role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework  appropriate to such practices (Harvey, 2005: 2). Neoliberal development theory has emerged in 1970s with the end of the golden age of capitalism. As the world economy was entering a recession, old strategies ceased to work and neoliberalism claimed to provide tools to overcome the financial crisis. The core of the theory lied in an assumption that bad policies were rooted in extensive governmental intervention in economics. Economic growth could be restored by policies ensuring competitiveness in the world economy. Neoliberal development theory aimed to enhance growth, create free markets, replace the Keynesianism that proved to be weak, and eliminate the intervention of the state in the economy that resulted in poor economic performance in many countries (Harrison, 2005). This approach was adopted by major international organisations such as the IMF and the World Bank which made the transition faster. This theory accumulated popularity as the USSR economic growth began to slow down in the 1980s and with the collapse of the Soviet Union, capitalism had proven to be a superior political-economic system to those that had  been its alternatives (Flew 2012). In order to understand what neoliberalism could offer that the Keynesianism could not Herrera (2006) splits the neoliberal strategies into domestic and international ones. They are both aimed at ensuring that the USA sustains and develops its hegemony. Firstly, at the national level, implementing the government control free economy by: (1) deforming the structure of capital ownership to the benefit of the private sector, (2) reducing public spending for social purposes, and (3) imposing wage austerity as a key priority in fighting inflation. Then, to internationally maintain the dominance of the American dollar with the help of the major international organisations and to promote free trade. This argument is in line with the Washington Consensus development strategies which included fiscal discipline, keeping inflation under control, welcoming foreign trade and investment, reducing the role of the government in general, and promoting new exports (Skidmore and Smith, 2005: 59). As com plementary to these goals, the Consensus also advocated tax reform including cutting marginal tax rates (reducing taxes for the rich), creating a unified and competitive exchange rate, and securing property rights (particularly for foreigners in developing countries) (Todaro and Smith, 2006: 538). During the last 30 years this objective has resulted in the proliferation of neoliberal policies of deregulation, privatisation and marketisation (Cahill 2010). When portraying neoliberalism it is paramount to mention the basic principle of individualism. Neoliberalism implies that at the very heart of the concept lies the uniqueness of an individual that leads to subjective and self-centred preferences. Cahill (2010) argues that neoliberals base the defence of free markets on this: liberty is depicted as a core aim of society in which markets represent spheres of voluntary exchanges between individuals. Based on the assumption that from rational point of view individuals would only engage in an exchange that was beneficial for them, markets allow them to satisfy preferences free from external interference or coercion. This way markets represent an excellent platform for spreading liberty. From the economic point of view free markets, with voluntary exchange at their core, let the preferences of rational self interested utility maximisers to be expressed and satisfied. In this case prices represent markers of such preferences and along with the freedom of choice ensure that resource allocation is subject to the preferences. Such system leads to the claim of neoliberals that are not only moral but efficient means for producing and distributing goods and services. Freed from governmental involvement markets produce better results unlike when being under state control with politicians inevitably choosing one industry over another. It appears that better results could be achieved with a shift from the public to the private sector. Strengths/weaknesses In order to establish if the transition to the neoliberal development theory was successful it is necessary to go back to the goals that the theory proponents wanted to achieve: free trade, economic growth, liberalisation, depoliticising of economics and privatisation. While there is evidence that free trade facilitated economic growth it has been slower than expected and still connected with state intervention: there is a positive correlation between an economys exposure to international trade and the size of its government in the years from the 1960s to the 1990s (Rodrik 1998) and similarly whereas levels of trade and levels of government expenditure are positively correlated, countries in which trade has increased more quickly in recent decades have experienced slower growth in government spending (Garett 2001). At the same time free trade and liberalisation has facilitated the emergence and development of globalisation opening new prospects of integration in the international economics and society. On the other hand, globalisation has its own drawbacks, especially in regards to developing countries they still have to catch up with more advanced states but the competition is a lot higher. Without modern technologies which are too expensive, tight budgets and a lack of mass production capability the developing countries, for example in sub-Saharan Africa, remain behind the western states or BRIC countries. Moreover, they have not achieved political freedom either the international organizations call on national governments to adopt neoliberal economic policies imposed from without while the globalized financial markets dispossess these states of their sovereignty and foreign core capital insinuates itself into the periphery countries capitalist ownership structure (Herrera 2006: 5). Promoting democracy and liberalisation could mask more egoistic than altruistic reasons. Neoliberal reforms concentrate on achieving them at the expense of other important factors of development, such as environmental protection, human rights and most important elimination of global absolute poverty (Todaro and Smith, 2006: 548). Conclusions and considerations Summing up the explanation of the emergence of the neoliberal development theory we argue that although the theory has proven to be flawed, nevertheless, its world domination is justified and it is likely to continue its course in the future. While the Keynesian model was efficient during the post-war period and helped to rebuild the economy, it could not provide the international community with the tools they needed to overcome the financial recession in the 1970s. The state-controlled economics framework could not accept and embrace the free market and privatisation because it would mean losing a substantial part of political influence for the governments. Therefore, neoliberalism was the rational choice to adopt in order to revive the economy. As the major superpower (and after the end of the Cold War the unitary) the USA hegemony started to spread further the IMF, the World Bank and other international institutions promoted the development of neoliberalism in both developed and developing countries. Neoliberals believed that markets are able to manage and distribute capital better than states. For the developing countries it also meant more options for employment by expanding the output of exports. Conversely, the emergence, development and finally establishment of the neoliberal development theory as the dominant one has created a number of issues that are complicated to resolve: the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the slowdown of the economic growth and the recession. Promoting democracy and liberal values often hide states own interest, i.e. the war in Iraq in 2003, recent interventions in Syria and Libya. Although economy has become less state-oriented the goals of multinational corporations do not comprise of reducing poverty and inequality as their primary objective. In order to sustain the neoliberal model, it should be re-developed to provide better social security, lessen inequality and poverty, pay greater attention to human rights and create truly independent and unbiased institutions. Only then the 2015 goals of development could be achieved.

Tulips :: essays research papers

How to Listen I am going to cock my head tonight like a dog in front of McGlinchy's Tavern on Locust; I am going to stand beside the man who works all day combing his thatch of gray hair corkscrewed in every direction. I am going to pay attention to our lives unraveling between the forks of his fine-tooth comb. For once, we won't talk about the end of the world or Vietnam or his exquisite paper shoes. For once, I am going to ignore the profanity and the dancing and the jukebox so I can hear his head crackle beneath the sky's stretch of faint stars. Jet Lag Oriented, suddenly Aurora, I rise without alarm in the random dark, Already full of purpose, without coffee Or tea, to the cat's delight, revving her pleasure. Breakfast is a poem, light, in good measure, A grapefruit split to reveal the spokes and rays Of the sunburst wheels on a golden chariot. I dress, I shake the dew drops from tips of my tresses. It is as if I can hear them, imagined horses, Astir in the stable, fogging the air with their breath, Snug under blankets, awaiting the curry comb And oats, ready to set out over the hill, Over the sleeping city, over the sill Of the sea, islands dribbled like pancake batter, Knowing where I am is always East, Always ahead of the day that's going to matter. Simple Arithmetic I am still imagining the men lined up, the ones I imagine who want me. I'll tell you everything I know: there was a boy, a girl, and a boat. And palm trees, but the mosquitos on the island chased them back to the boat. There was a boy, a girl, and a dog: I still can't get the story straight — magic fruit? straw into gold? — and night's black velvet has arrived. I am glad for my life and the high clear voices of four-year-olds in the Allegan Public Library. I am not the girl in the story — I am the girl whose mouth is mainly shut but who imagines it open. But where are the other boy and girl? Holding hands and walking into the library while a baby falls out of a pile of money with astonishing grace. Tulips :: essays research papers How to Listen I am going to cock my head tonight like a dog in front of McGlinchy's Tavern on Locust; I am going to stand beside the man who works all day combing his thatch of gray hair corkscrewed in every direction. I am going to pay attention to our lives unraveling between the forks of his fine-tooth comb. For once, we won't talk about the end of the world or Vietnam or his exquisite paper shoes. For once, I am going to ignore the profanity and the dancing and the jukebox so I can hear his head crackle beneath the sky's stretch of faint stars. Jet Lag Oriented, suddenly Aurora, I rise without alarm in the random dark, Already full of purpose, without coffee Or tea, to the cat's delight, revving her pleasure. Breakfast is a poem, light, in good measure, A grapefruit split to reveal the spokes and rays Of the sunburst wheels on a golden chariot. I dress, I shake the dew drops from tips of my tresses. It is as if I can hear them, imagined horses, Astir in the stable, fogging the air with their breath, Snug under blankets, awaiting the curry comb And oats, ready to set out over the hill, Over the sleeping city, over the sill Of the sea, islands dribbled like pancake batter, Knowing where I am is always East, Always ahead of the day that's going to matter. Simple Arithmetic I am still imagining the men lined up, the ones I imagine who want me. I'll tell you everything I know: there was a boy, a girl, and a boat. And palm trees, but the mosquitos on the island chased them back to the boat. There was a boy, a girl, and a dog: I still can't get the story straight — magic fruit? straw into gold? — and night's black velvet has arrived. I am glad for my life and the high clear voices of four-year-olds in the Allegan Public Library. I am not the girl in the story — I am the girl whose mouth is mainly shut but who imagines it open. But where are the other boy and girl? Holding hands and walking into the library while a baby falls out of a pile of money with astonishing grace.

Essay --

Brooke Johnson Russ Tallchief Comp 1 T 530-800 18 February 2014 When I Grow Up I started showing an interest in nursing when I was about six years old, from all the stories my aunt told about being a Registered Nurse. When Greys Anatomy began airing in 2005, I decided I wanted to be like all those doctors. I wanted to wear the scrubs, and have a bunch of interns that listened to every word I spoke and always did as I said. Of course, I never knew then that by 19 years old, I would actually be attending college and majoring in nursing. As high school seniors we sat through plenty of lectures about choosing a major and a university. I think that was when I really decided I wanted to eventually become a Registered Nurse and major in nursing. Once I decided what I wanted to major in, I began thinking about specialties. There are hundreds of different specialties you could choose from, such as: Cardiac Care Nurse, Health Policy Nurse, Genetics Nurse, Forensic Nurse, Toxicology Nurse, School Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, and many more. Out of all of the specialties I could have chosen I decided to become a PNP, which stands for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I know the steps you have to take to become a Registered Nurse, but I would like to know information about becoming a PNP. In the research I have done, I have found out a lot of stuff I did not know before which has made me even more excited to become a Pediatric Nurse. A Pediatric Nurse is a nurse for infants all the way up to 17 year olds. Once you turn 18, you no longer go to a pediatric doctor/nurse since at 18 years of age you are legally considered an adult. â€Å"A Pediatric Nurse Practitioner is a professional nurse trained to recognize differences between adults ... ...leted it should not be overly difficult to find a job. I will finally be helping children and families, like I have dreamed of doing since I was little. â€Æ' Works Cited Bomhak, Terri. Registered Nurse. Telephone. 15 February 2014. Rodgers, Chelsea. Pulmonology Nurse. Personnel Interview. 19 February 2014. "Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science." School of Nursing. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 2014. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. . Greenwood, Beth. "Facts About Pediatric Nurse Practitioners." Chron. Demand Media, 2014. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. . "Nurse Practitioner Programs." Nurse Practitioner Programs. N.p., 07 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. .

Wind Power Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Wind Power Energy production causes more pollution than any other industry in the country. Currently, nearly all of the electricity produced in the United States is generated by fossil fuel plants, nuclear plants, and hydroelectric plants. The build-up in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels now threatens far-reaching climate change. In addition to global warming, conventional methods of electricity generation release the gases responsible for acid rain, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. In order to prevent further degradation of our environment and successfully transition to a sustainable society, we must change our current patterns of production and consumption. Conservation and switching to renewable sources of energy, such as wind power, are crucial steps to achieving this goal of sustainability. Wind power alone has the potential to meet 20 percent or more of the world's electricity needs within the next four to five years, (J ohansson, 157). Wind power, however, is still a developing technology, and is therefore far from reaching its full potential. How Wind Machines Work: Wind is the product of sunlight heating the surface of the Earth unevenly. Warmer air rises and cooler air tumbles in to replace it, causing everything from gentle breezes to raging tornadoes. Whatever the amount of power in the wind, it can be harnessed by a machine called a wind turbine. The most common type of wind turbine has a horizontal axis, with two or more aerodynamic blades mounted on the horizontal shaft, (AccessScience, "Types of Wind Machines"). As the wind passes over a turbine's blade, pressure forms on the downwind side, thrusting it upward like a propeller. In these... ... state's consumers the choice of who supplies their electric power and how that power is produced. With the implementation of at least some of these changes, wind power will eventually become a clean source of energy that all people can afford to rely on. Â   Sources: AccessScience.com. keyword: "Wind Power." Carley, Sanya, Sierra Curtis-McLane, and Galen O'Toole. "Renewable Energy at Swarthmore." April 15, 2001. Jacobson, Mark Z. and Gilbert M. Masters. "Exploiting Wind Versus Coal." www.sciencemag.org. August 24, 2001 Johansson, Thomas B. Renewable Energy: Sources for Fuels and Electricity. Island Press, Washington D.C., 1993. Raabe, Steve and Joey Bunch. "Advocates Say Wind Power Progressing from Novelty to Mainstream Practicality." The Denver Post Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. April 20, 2003. www.newwindenergy.com www.pennfuture.org

Hitting and Fighting in Hockey Essay

Many people have been talking about taking hitting and fighting out of hockey in the last few years because of the rise in career ending injuries, but the cause is from the fact that hockey players having been getting faster stronger and more skilled. Although people do get severe injuries and some take it too far it’s the risk that they face every time they step on the ice. Hitting starts at the age of 11 which I think is an appropriate age to start hitting. Taking Hitting and fighting out of hockey would change the game forever. Hitting is one of the main components of the game and makes the game what it is today. A lot of people think that since girl’s hockey has no hitting and fighting we could do the same but I don’t believe girl’s hockey is real hockey because it has no hitting. Contact started out as the defensive player being able to physically separate the player, but hockey got faster and people got stronger so hitting is much more of a threat to other players. Hitting in Minor hockey is also a huge concern but I think it should still start at 11 years old because if you start at around 14 or 15 kids are already a lot bigger and if you start hitting at 11 kids will be prepared and know how to take and receive a hit but if you started at 14 you would have a lot more injuries because no one would know how to take hits.

Christian perspectives on personal, social and world issues Essay

There are two terms regarding poverty- Absolute poverty, which is when you do not have enough money, or food for your basic everyday needs. Relative poverty, which is when you cannot afford what, is seen as normal in a given society. There is also the term wealth, which is when you are rich with abundant possessions and money, you are prosperous. Most people in third world countries live in absolute poverty, while a large proportion of people who live in first world countries are wealthy. Hunger is a feeling, which you have when you have not eaten for some time, 1/5th of the worlds population goes hungry. Disease is an unhealthy condition or an illness, which can lead to death and therefore disrupts a family’s ability to raise income (as there are fewer people in the family). Both hunger and disease are two main causes of death in today’s world, especially in third world countries. This is because developing third world countries are a lot poorer than first world countries so everyday necessities that are taken for granted such as clean, safe water, medicines and food as they are not so readily available (they cannot afford to provide them). For example millions of people die each year from drinking polluted water, this is mainly in third world or developing countries. Disease is a problem in third world countries because of the lack of technology and medicine available, and because the climate is so hot and there is no way of getting rid of rubbish so vermin are tempted bringing in diseases such as the plague. There are also very few vaccinations available so millions of unvaccinated children die of diseases such as measles, whooping cough and tetanus, each year making third world countries have a very high death rate. In third world countries they tend to have a very large population of mainly young children, this is because parents want children so that they can start work at an early age and bring money in to the family. Contraception is also rarely available so many unwanted children are born. Unlike in first world countries where families choose to have children at a later date because more women prefer material possessions and like to have a decent amount of money before they bring up a family. There is a very high infant mortality rate in third world countries because of the contraception crisis as deadly diseases such as aids are easily passed onto children and the lack of food means that many die from hunger. First world countries are somewhat different from third world countries- life expectancy is very high (there is a low death rate) as there is better technology available so there are more cures for diseases, which means that more people have a better chance of living to an older age. There are also vaccinations available so that the chance of catching a disease is decreased. Infant mortality rate is very low as mothers can choose when they want a family and can stop unwanted pregnancies by using a variety of contraceptive methods. People also have a higher disposable income so they can afford to spend more money on food etc- so it is very rare for people to die of starvation. There are four myths about world hunger. These are: > There is not enough food to go round. > World hunger is caused by over- population. > Starvation is the result of natural disasters. > Science will be able to cure hunger. The myth about there not being enough food to go around basically means that there is not enough food upon the earth to go around all of the people who live there. This is false because there is enough food to go around but it is not evenly distributed. There is more food in richer countries because people can afford to buy it, this means that people are prepared to make/grow food and sell it to richer countries so they can make money for themselves. People in developed countries also have more money so they want a more varied choice of food. Unfortunately poorer countries suffer, as there is never enough food to go around, as they do not have technology/tools to provide their own or the money to buy it. If people shared food instead of wasting it and eating more than they need to starvation would not be an issue. World hunger being caused by over population means that there is too many people in the world today so food is becoming more scarce and some people cannot get hold of much. This is also false because there is enough food to go around but people in richer countries waste a lot of food as it is taken for granted. Although someone could argue that as the population increases more land is taken up to be built on which leaves less room for cattle grazing, growing crops etc so less food can be produced. Starvation being the result of natural hazards means that due to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes or drought food sources are being wiped out and so people of starving. This is also false because not every country has natural hazards and they definitely do not all have them at the same time. So, when a country is in crisis due to a natural hazard other countries should help them out and provide food for them. There is plenty of food in the world but by giving it to poorer countries it will mean that they will loose money. Someone could argue that natural hazards are a cause of starvation because poorer countries tend to have a lot of drought so it is hard to grow crops and graze animals on the poor soils. Also, countries are prone to flooding which drowns crops and animals so no food can be produced. Science being able to cure world hunger means that in the future scientist could discover a new thing for example a new type of crop which could live in all conditions so it could grow in all countries. This myth could either be true or false because nobody can predict what science will be like and what new discoveries we will make. So perhaps in a few years will be able to produce a ‘super food’, which can grow in any conditions and feed thousands. Science costs money though, and this is what poor countries do not have so they will not be able to purchase whatever comes out. Countries affected by starvation could be waiting for years for a new discovery so in the mean time people will be dying from starvation. So, Christians believe that if people in rich countries eat and waste less world hunger can be tackled. Christians also believe that God’s creation is good and everyone should be treated equally and have a chance to live a happy life- without being poverty stricken due to greedy people. Here are some examples of the biblical teachings Christians follow on the teachings of hunger and disease: An example of greed is in some of the laws, which God told to the Israelites (Deuteronomy 24.14-22). He says: ‘When you beat the olives from the trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow’ ‘When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow’ This proves that God does not want Christians to be greedy and shows that they should help others who are in need by sharing what they have. Another example of this is ‘the parable of the rich fool’ (Luke 12:16-21). A man produced a good crop and he did not have enough room to store it anywhere, so he wanted to build bigger barns. God punished him by demanding his life from him and he said ‘This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God’. Christians should help others and instead of saving/storing things for themselves they should give them to other needy people- or God will not be happy and he will punish them. This shows that those who pile up riches for themselves are not rich in Gods view and that for someone to gain eternal life they must give and share. Also in Deuteronomy 24.14-22 it says: ‘Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether or not he be of thy brethren†¦ for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it.’ Which means that people should not put poor and needy people down (even if they are below you, you should not look down on them) you should help them instead no matter who they are. The teaching of ‘The fall’ in Genesis 3.1-19 is about temptation and it concludes why the world is the way it is today. ‘Serpents’ (snakes) were made to crawl on their ‘belly’ because the one in the story tempted Eve to eat the ‘forbidden fruit’. As Eve took the apple all women suffer pain when giving birth. Christians believe that people are made to suffer because of what happened in ‘The fall’. In Genesis 1.26-31 (stewardship) Christians believe that God was the one who created the world and he created it in reflection of how he wanted people to behave in it (good). They believe that human beings should look after the world and his creations in it (that was their purpose of being on the earth), so they should not abuse or destroy it. He said that they ‘†¦will have power over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all of the earth, and over the creatures that move along the ground.’ But he did not want humans to take advantage of this. The parable of the sheep and goats is also important because it is about people either going away to ‘eternal punishment’ or to ‘eternal life’. The separation of the sheep’s and the goats is relating to the separation of people who treat other people well (as Jesus did) and people who do not. Jesus says to the people who followed him (by treating people nicely): ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ To the people who did not follow his commands he says the same thing but changes it to a negative comment e.g. ‘For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat’. This explains that those who provided for the needy were blessed while those who turned their backs on the needy were cursed with eternal punishment. Which is why Christians feel that they have to help the needy. The parable of the Good Samaritan is also important, this deals with the issue of who should be helped. It is about a man who is stripped of his clothes and beaten by robbers while he is on his way to Jerusalem. Both a Priest and a Levite (two well respected pillars of the Jewish religious community) walked on the other side of the road and passed by him. A Samaritan came (who were despised and hated) and took pity on him; he looked after him and took him to an Inn. This shows how one man suddenly put aside all his religious beliefs by going instantly to the aid of another man who was in pain and suffering. In Corinthians 8:13-15 it says: ‘†¦At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.’ This means that you should treat others as you wish to be treated. So, when they are in need and you help them out, you may eventually be repaid by them returning the favor to help you out in times of need. This is another reason why Christians feel that it is important to help other people who are in need. In Amos 8:4-10 there are references to the way which people should treat each other it says: ‘†¦you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land†¦ skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest measure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I will never forget anything they have done†¦I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all you singing into weeping.’ This means that to people who try and rip other people off by charging too much or giving them too little etc will be punished and God will never forget what they have done. The same message again comes across, that people should treat each other in the same way that they wish to be treated and they should not be greedy and try to make a little more money for themselves. In John 13.34-35 Jesus says that you should ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ This is important because Jesus helped everyone who was in need regardless of their race or colour, he treated everybody equally and this is what Christians should do if they want to follow Jesus. Christians believe that you should treat others as they wish to be treated. In Colossians 3:1-15 it says: ‘†¦whatever belongs to your earthly nature†¦evil desires and greed†¦ Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothes yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’ This shows why Christians try and help other people who are not as well off as them. They feel that they are being greedy because they are living a life of luxury while people are starving in other countries struggling to feed their families. God wanted them to be kind and equal not greedy and selfish. They want to do as Jesus says so they should be kind and generous to other people who are in need. People should resist evil and discrimination by helping others who are in need. Christian aid was set up in 1945 to help many Europeans who had been made homeless by the Second World War. The churches collected à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 million for this work and by 1948 they decided to collect money for the people in the third world too. In September 1945 it officially became Christian Aid, a department of the British council of churches (all the non- Roman Catholic Churches). Christian Aid believes that ‘†¦God’s new strategy for a new world is to put the poorest first.’ So it provides help for poor people in less economically developed countries (LEDC’s). Christian Aid works wherever the need is greatest, irrespective of religion. It supports local organisations, which are best placed to understand local needs, as well as giving help on the ground through 16 overseas offices. Christian Aid believes in strengthening people to find their own solutions to the problems they face. It strives for a new world transformed by an end to poverty and campaigns to change the rules that keep people poor. They believe that all people were made in God’s image so they are all equal and they should be treated equally. Christian Aid wants to give poverty stricken people the chance to live equally and happily like other people in the world, they want to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless. Christian Aid now works in over sixty countries making many poor/homeless peoples life better, by giving both emergency aid and long term assistance to try and battle against poverty. They try and do this by fundraising- Christian Aid needs money to help relieve poverty. Christian Aid has set up a ‘Christian Aid week’, which runs in May each year. This has proven to be very successful because in 1995 alone they raised à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.6 million. Many churches and individuals also contribute by having fund-raising events throughout the year- these tend to raise approximately three times as much as Christian Aid week, so again these are very successful. Christian Aid also supports campaigns to help try and improve the poverty in LEDC’s. An example of this was in April 1995 when they launched their first photo petition in aid of trying to ‘drop’ Jamaica’s debt. This campaign had a lot of interest from many famous people, for example Richard Wilson and Michelle Gayle. So, this is again another successful appeal from Christian Aid. The emergency aid that Christian Aid does covers a wide range of things and it usually has priority over long-term aid because without it people would die. Christian Aid spends between 10% and 15% on it funds each year on this. It has a disaster fund which deals with natural disasters and refugees. Christian Aid sends food, antibiotics and shelters to people who need them in an emergency. Two examples of this were the flood victims in Bangladesh in 1995, and they also sent tents and food to war refugees in Bosnia and Rwanda. In the Christian Aid statement of intent it says that they want to ‘†¦improve our response to emergencies and work to prevent them.’ which shows that more can still be done to help people but they need more support and funds. Christian Aid also provides long-term aid for poverty stricken people, towns or villages. Much of Christian Aid’s long and short-term aid is channelled through Christian organisations in the country concerned. They have done many things to help people, examples of this are: They are funding a group of health workers who have built a factory to make basic drugs in Bangladesh (as they cannot afford to import them). This will enable the people of Bangladesh to have easy access to the drugs hopefully saving lives. In Lesotho Christian Aid is financing a local agricultural school to try and reduce soil erosion to increase food production. This will enable people to eat more and sell more food- increasing their profits. Only about 5% of Christian Aid’s budget is spent on educating people about the way Christians can help LEDC’s and educate Churches of Britain about the desperate need for development. A newspaper is printed four times a year called the ‘Christian Aid news’. Which gives information about Christian Aids latest developments and world developments. Bob Finley, chairman of Christian Aid has now completed 53 years of ministry as an evangelist, pastor, missionary, Bible teacher and Christian statesman. In the Christian Aid statement of intent it says that they want to give people the chance ‘†¦to make a difference.’ And they want to help women because they ‘†¦are often the poorest of the poor’. This shows that they are not prejudice in any way and they treat all people equally. Christian Aid has brought many people together (mainly Christians) to help fight the battle of poverty and disease which many people struggle with, all of their plans and quick responses show just how much they respect other people and the lengths they will go to, to follow Gods will. Christian Aid is proving to be successful because in 1959 its income was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½483,000 and in 1997 it was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½39.3 million, this is a massive increase over only 38 years which shows that a lot of people are getting involved. ‘Christians are responsible for each other- no mater where in the world they live’. I disagree with this statement mainly because I am not a Christian and I do not think that it is possible to be responsible for someone who you do not know and who lives so far away. I think that in today’s world the average person (like me) cannot do much to help anyone else. I think this because there is too much pressure on you to find money for yourself, as there is a dramatic increase in unemployment rates and in the amount of people below the average income line. In today’s world it is a struggle sometimes to look after yourself and your family never mind people that you do not know and have never met. However, I do think that people in more power (such as the government) should do more to help poverty-stricken people in other countries to a certain extent. I say to a certain extent because only so much money should be spent on them as countries have their own problems to sort out- such as the NHS crisis in the United Kingdom. I do not think that poverty-stricken people should just be given money though, as this is only a short-term answer. I think that governments should get to the root of the problem and work from there. For example instead of providing food for people to eat they should provide seeds and tools so that they can grow their own and let them live more independently. A Christian would have a different point of view though because they believe that they should do all that is possible to help others as that is what God told them to do. They are ‘Brothers and sisters in Christ’ so they are like brothers and sisters in the family of God. In Colossians 3.11 it says: â€Å"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.† Which shows that they believe that the church is a universal organisation therefore all of the Christians in it share the same beliefs so they should be treated the same. The Christian beliefs is what unites them all (â€Å"Held everything in common†)so they should help and care for one another, in the same way that Jesus did not mind who he healed or helped. All of the biblical teachings, which I wrote about above, prove this as this as Christians follow God and the teachings that I wrote about described how God wants Christians to behave around other people. Christians should share- in acts 4:32-35 it says: ‘All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had†¦ There were no needy persons among them.’ This shows that everyone should share so that everyone is treated equally and no one is different. The parable of the rich fool and God’s commandments about harvesting the grapes and beating the olives from the trees proves that Christians should only take what they need and save the rest for other people. This is not always possible though so Christians find other ways of helping others out- by giving donations to programs such as Christian Aid. I think that Jesus concluded what happens to greedy people in Luke 12:16-21 by saying: ‘This is how it is with those who pile up the riches for themselves but are not rich in God’s sight.’ As the ‘rich man’ had to ‘†¦give up’ his life for being greedy and selfish and no Christians want to be like he was. In the 2 Corinthians 8.13-15 Paul commends the Corinthian Christians for their willingness to give money to help the Jerusalem Christians. This is today’s equivalent of Christians giving money to other needy people in other countries, they believe that God will commend them for it when they die and go to Heaven. So, this is why Christians believe that ‘they are responsible for each other- no matter where in the world they live.’ Christians believe that people were created in reflection of God, therefore we were all created equally and good. So, people should treat the more unfortunate of us the same as they believe that it is what God wanted. Christians would not just help other Christians, they believe that as we were all created the same we all have the right to live the same kinds of lives instead of everyday being a battle to survive. They believe that they should not be greedy therefore people in richer countries should only take the amount of food they need and they should not waste any so there is enough to go around everyone.