The Macro Economic Policies Of Australia

The Macro Economic Policies Of Australia Australian governments over precedent decades have conventionally aimed towards including triangular objectives of financial growth, domestic poise, and external poise within framework of single economy. (DORNBUSCH, Rudiger, 2006) Collectively, these trio set of objectives aim towards sustaining nationalized financial growth while retaining inferior inflation as well as limiting the mass of overseas debts and liabilities. Several researches conducted in concerned field have revealed that there is no consistency in level of economic growth though; it is influenced greatly by fluctuations of international business cycle. (DORNBUSCH, Rudiger, 2006) A governmental macroeconomic management is referred as an attempt to minimize the impact of international business fluctuations by controlling demand to facilitate sustained growth together with inferior inflation and unemployment. In the last decade macroeconomics policy in Australia has been directed at controlling inflation as it would be associated with macroeconomic stability and growth. Following on from the GFCs the governments main emphasis of macroeconomic policy has been trying to avoid a recession. Contrast these two phases of policy. Explain how macroeconomic policy objectives, targets and instruments have differed. Explain how macroeconomic policy objectives, targets and instruments have differed. Outline the experiences of the Australian Economy over the last 10-15 years making use of macroeconomic aggregates these may be presented in summaries of tables and/or graphs. Stress should be placed on the challenges facing policy makers at present and likely challenges. Before the global economic crisis (GFC), the Australian economy has seen significant growth in terms of GDP ignoring various crises that have affected the global economy such as the Asian financial crises (1997-1998) and the United States (US) dot com bust (2000) (reference). Throughout this time, Australian macroeconomic policy (MP) has primarily been directed at controlling inflation to maintain stability and growth. MP refers to the structure, performance, behaviour and decision making of a whole economy. (Reference) states that MP is associated with the study of aggregates such as gross domestic product (GDP), price indices and unemployment rates to examine how the economy functions. Macroeconomic Policy The continuance of a steady economic environment in Australia post GFC has proven to be a difficult task, with the surfacing of undesired inflation and external account pressures (Treasury, 2008). According to Treasury (2008) acts of policy to tackle such pressures has consistently contributed to short-term downturns and, unavoidably, constrained the prolonging of economic growth. The basis of the issue, however, is the policy failure which permitted the pressures to appear. Nevertheless, the resulting changes in the economic outlook would affect the self-assurance of businesses and consumers and their readiness to engage in the process of structural change. Moreover, disparity in fiscal policy and hesitation about inflation predictions has lead to higher real interest rates, discouraging investment and distorting investment patterns. In the last few years substantial progress has been made in addressing inflation and to a lesser extent current account deficit constraints (RBA, 2009). The current cycle has been characterised by low inflation, with monetary policy being carried out on a more strategic basis with the desire to keep principal inflation consistent with the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) average target range of 2 to 3 per cent over a yearly cycle. Last year the Government introduced a new framework for the conduct of policy, clearly recognising the Reserve Banks role and endorsing its inflation objective. The clarification of policy responsibilities, and recognition of their observance in practice over time, together with an accumulating record of low inflation, is likely to have a continuing positive impact on lowering inflation expectations and creating confidence in a sound investment environment. Australias large structural current account deficit reflects both inadequate national saving and inadequate investment returns overall (ABA, 2009). On the saving side, the principal cause is a deficiency in public saving especially at the Commonwealth level. The Government through its fiscal consolidation program is addressing this problem and has put in place a policy framework that will maintain the adequacy of the Commonwealth contribution to public saving. Statements 1 and 2 spell out in detail the fiscal strategy, including improved transparency and accountability practices, and implementation of the strategy in the years ahead. The benefit of a more soundly based fiscal policy is likely to be seen over time in the capacity of the economy to sustain faster rates of growth than would otherwise be the case. While it is too early to be able to point to any concrete results with confidence, the 1997-98 economic outlook presented in Statement 2 suggests that higher saving in prospect next financial year will help to constrain the current account deficit. Before the global economic crisis of 2007 the Australian economy sustained increased economic growth of approximately 8% per annum except for the year 1997-1998 (Asian financial crisis) (The Australian Year Book 2008). This resilience reflects on well-timed monetary and fiscal policy responses; strong demand from various major trading partners, such as China; increased population growth that aided demand in the domestic economy; and the robustness of the financial sector (The Australian Year Book 2008). More generally, Australias strong economic performance can be commended by decades of economic reform in economic policy, regulatory frameworks and governance. These have increased the flexibility of the economy, and strengthened its ability to withstand unforeseen circumstances. Dungy and Pagan (2007) suggest that aggregate behaviour exists between fiscal policies and is connected Since 1997/98 the federal budget has been in surplus continually, apart from a very small deficit in one year. The governments net debt has been retired. Gross debt on issue is maintained at a small size in order to facilitate a functioning bond market so as to allow efficient risk pricing more generally. As with monetary policy, there is a medium-term framework for fiscal policy emphasising balance over the business cycle. There is much less inclination today than there once was to use fiscal policy as a counter-cyclical stabilisation tool. Significant fiscal challenges in the long-term include health spending and responding to population ageing, as the very important work by officers of the Australian Treasury has made clear. Macroeconomic policy has a supportive and complementary role in providing a stable economic environment conducive to sound investment decisions by business and to encouraging workers to invest in upgrading their skills to take advantage of new employment opportunities. Macroeconomic aggregates are: Aggregate behaviour: relationships between economic aggregates such as national income, government expenditure and aggregate demand. For example, the consumption function is a relationship between aggregate demand for consumption and aggregate disposable income. Models of aggregate behaviour may be derived from direct observation of the economy, or from models of individual behaviour. Theories of aggregate behaviour are central to macroeconomics. Aggregate demand: aggregate demand (AD) is the total price for demand for final goods and services in the economy (Y) at a given time and price level [1]. It is the amount of goods and services in the economy that will be purchased at all possible price levels.[2] This is the demand for the gross domestic product of a country when inventory levels are static. It is often called effective demand, though at other times this term is distinguished. It is often cited that the aggregate demand curve is downward sloping because at lower price levels a greater quantity is demanded. While this is correct at the microeconomic, single good level, at the aggregate level this is incorrect. The aggregate demand curve is in fact downward sloping as a result of three distinct effects; Pigous wealth effect, the Keynes interest rate effect and the Mundell-Fleming exchange-rate effect. Aggregate expenditure: is a measure of national income. It is a way to measure the GDP or Gross Domestic Product (A measure of the level of economic activity). It is defined as the value of planned goods and services produced in an economy. GDP is calculated by the formula C + I + G + NX and I = Ip + Iu (planned + unplanned investment), Aggregate Expenditures is defined as C + Ip + G + NX, where: C = Consumption Expenditure (Also can be written as CE) I = Investment G = Government spending NX = Net exports (Exports-Imports) Aggregate supply Aggregation problem Effective demand: Saving Government Macroeconomic goals: High and stable economic growth rates Low unemployment Low inflation Stable and manageable Balance of Payments RBA article: RBA uses short term interest rate as its operating instrument for implementing monetary policy. RBA sets target level for its cash rate. RBA has two options It can target particular level of bank reserves and accept the resulting outcome for short term interest rates It can seek to achieve a particular target level for short-term and supply whatever quantity of services is demanded at the target rate. For a given demand curve for reserves the RBA will need to alter the supply of bank reserves to implement a change in the stance of monetary policy. While banks continue to hold reserves with the RBA these reserves are associated with settlement in the payments system. In addition the RBA pays interest on reserves which is linked to the cash rate. An important effect on the current operating procedure is the relationship between the quantity of reserves and the level of the policy rate. Monetary policy operating procedures is based on the supply of and demand for some measure of the money supply. Systematic changes to the stance of monetary policy need to be implemented by changing the supply of bank reserves. Central banks can influence the stock of bank reserves by undertaking open market operations either directly with the banking system or with the non-bank public. A central bank is unable to independently determine both the quantity of bank reserves and their price. To understand how the RBA achieves its target for the cash rate it is necessary to consider the operation of the payments system in Australia and the overnight cash market. In Australia the major players in the payments system are the nonbank public (households and firms), the private banks, the RBA and the federal government. The trend in unemployment in the most recent decade has generally been downward. Following a rise of a percentage point in the economic slowdown in 2001, it has fallen to the lowest levels since the mid 1970s. The long expansion, with occasional temporary pauses, has done a lot to foster lower unemployment. But the changes in labour market arrangements over the past 20 years or so have also been very important. Indeed, I would argue that they are a key contributor, not least because they have facilitated the longer length of economic expansions. http://www.bis.org/review/r080516b.pdf?noframes=1 Firstly, as is widely accepted, tax systems must be fiscally sustainable across the economic cycle. Secondly, while monetary policy is the principal instrument of macroeconomic management, it is still necessary to remain mindful of the short-run liquidity effects of fiscal policy The challenges associated with an aging population identified in the Intergenerational Report have prompted the Howard Government to establish a long-term strategy to put fiscal policy on a more sustainable footing. Central here was the creation of an independently managed Future Fund in 2006 to help meet the costs associated with Australias aging population. The primary goal of the Future Fund is to accumulate adequate capital to meet the Commonwealths unfunded $91 billion superannuation liability so that it does not burden future generations. The Future Fund has been capitalised from a number of sources including asset sales, special seed funding (designed in part to preserve sovereign debt markets) and budget surpluses from the governments cash account. While the Future Fund is primarily about fiscal sustainability rather than stabilisation per se, it is important to note that the structure of the Future Fund and the allocation of surpluses to it do have some important implication s for the stabilisation debate. The significant point here is that the Future Fund represents an innovative vehicle in which cash surpluses can be invested without stimulating short-run consumption. Overall recent Australian fiscal policy has been consistent with the objectives set out in the Charter, in that fiscal policy is clearly being conducted on a sustainable basis with significant financial resources now being invested in the Future Fund. What is less clear, however, is the impact of this policy on the goal of macroeconomic stabilisation and whether the challenges currently confronting the Australian economy may require more careful consideration of the impact of fiscal policy on short-run economic activity. Given the political sensitivity of the issue and the RBAs understandable reluctance to speak outside its official mandate, the central bank has not been willing to provide the government with explicit advice on fiscal policy. Indeed the new RBA Governor, Glenn Stevens, attempted to down-play the issue at a February 2007 Parliamentary Committee hearing when he stated that it was unlikely any election spending spree would have enough short-term impact to enter into the RBAs interest rate calculations (Wood 2007). Activist fiscal policy of the Keynesian golden age may well have passed, with monetary policy now established as the primary instrument of macroeconomic management. Yet this does not mean that we can completely ignore the stabilisation function of fiscal policy which Musgrave described almost half a century ago. This is especially so when, as in the case in Australia at present, key sectors of an economy are running at close to full capacity and inflationary risks are building. Under these circumstances fiscal policy must not only be sustainable, it must also be sensitive to its potential to stimulate demand in the short-run. Fortunately, for the Australian economy it seems that there is an awareness of the need to exercise a degree of fiscal restraint in the prevailing conditions with both major parties. http://eprints.utas.edu.au/3970/1/3970.pdf Challenges: Australias population is projected to reach nearly 36 million by 2050 an increase of around 14 million The first challenge is that an ageing population implies slower economic growth. As the proportion of the population that is of traditional working age falls, the labour force participation rate is projected to fall (from above 65 per cent today, to below 61 per cent over the next 40 years), dampening workforce growth. Population dynamics explain one-half of the 0.4 percentage point gap between annual growth in GDP per capita over the next 40 years relative to the past 40 years the other half being due to a technical assumption relating to productivity growth. The second challenge is that working Australians will need to support an ageing population that, in part due to continuing technological advancements, is likely to be living longer. Men aged 60 in 2050 are projected to live an average of 5.8 years longer than someone aged 60 today, while women aged 60 in 2050 are projected to live an average of 4.8 years longer. This is great news for Generation Y, but a sobering statistic for future budgets. The greater publicly funded health, aged care and related expenditures to support Generations X and Y in their retirement years will need to come from a relatively smaller number of workers than we have today. On a no policy change basis, a significant fiscal gap is projected. The intergenerational report shows how the Governments fiscal strategy to constrain real expenditure growth contributes to reducing, without wholly eliminating, the projected fiscal gap. The third challenge identified in the intergenerational report concerns the impact of climate change on ecosystems, water resources, agricultural production and weather patterns. Against these challenges, there are three topics I want to say something about today: Promoting economic growth by improving productivity and workforce participation; The implications of a growing population, particularly for infrastructure investment; and Medium-term prospects for capital flows required to finance national investment. For obvious reasons, I wont be saying anything about climate change on this occasion. Discuss the concept of instruments and targets in macroeconomic policy and assess how this concept of instruments and targets in macroeconomic policy and assess how this concept might be applied to the current policy framework in Australia. A number of people have asked me for clarification on instruments and targets as referred to in assignment 2. Here is what I mean: These refer to macroeconomic policy. INSTITUTIONS make policy. Examples would be the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Treasury. These institutions set policy TARGETS. An example of such a target would be an annual inflation rate of no more than 3%. Policymakers then use policy INSTRUMENTS to meet the targets. Typical instruments include the RBA cash rate or government spending. Show how the economic theory you have learnt can be used to explain current macroeconomic policy. How is inflation measured? GDP Deflator Consumer Price Index: an average of the prices of the goods and services purchased by the typical urban family of four. Producer Price Index: An average of the prices received by producers of goods and services at all stages of the production process fiscal and monetary policy The tools the Australian government controls to smooth short-run fluctuations in the economy inflation, unemployment and external trade The causes and effects of inflation, the link between inflation and unemployment, Australian trade with the rest of the world Fiscal policy: Fiscal policy is the government operation of government spending (G) and taxes (T). Typically we consider the problem of how the government can manipulate G and T so as to control economic variables such as output, inflation, interest rates, etc. Issues: how fiscal policy can stabilize the economy? what about government borrowing and public debt? Budget deficit: the budget deficit is the extent of overspending by the government Budget deficit = G T Expansionary fiscal policy: increasing the budget deficit (Gà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ or Tà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å") usually in a recession. Contractionary fiscal policy: decreasing the budget deficit (Gà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å" or T à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ) usually in an economic boom. Budget deficits and surpluses If the government spends more than it brings in in taxes, what happens? (G > T) The money has to come from somewhere. For developed countries, this means borrowing (issuing government debt or public debt) from domestic residents or foreigners. If the government is spending less than it brings in in taxes, the government can reduce public debt. The Australian government has followed this policy in the last 10 years. Types of fiscal policy We differentiate two types of fiscal policy: Discretionary fiscal policy: This is fiscal policy that comes about from planned changes in G and T that the government brings in response to the economic situation. Non-discretionary fiscal policy: This is fiscal policy that comes about from the design of spending and taxes. There is no government official actively determining these changes. Non-discretionary fiscal policy Certain parts of our spending and taxes automatically increase demand in a recession (when AD < potential GDP) and decrease demand in a boom (when AD > potential GDP). Welfare spending and unemployment benefits are part of G and increase in a recession and decrease in a boom. Income and company taxes are part of T and depend on GDP, they increase during a boom and decrease during a recession. These act as automatic stabilizers on the economy, reducing the variability of the economy. Cyclically-adjusted budget deficits The automatic stabilizers raise the budget deficit in a recession and lower the budget deficit in a boom. This fact means that we can not just look at the budget deficit to determine whether the government is overspending, we also have to take into account where we are in the business cycle. Adjusting the budget deficit for the point we are in the business cycle is called cyclically adjusting. We would expect even a sensible government to be in a deficit in a recession. Discretionary fiscal policy Discretionary fiscal policy is the manipulation of G and T by government officials typically to reduce the severity of shocks to the economy. It sounds like a good idea, but how does it work in reality? There are many problems and limitations to the use of fiscal policy to reduce recessions and booms. Problems with discretion Scenario: Imagine a train driver that has only one control- an accelerator/brake that he or she can push or pull on to control the train. This is exactly the same situation as the government faces with fiscal policy. Now what limitations can the train driver face? Problems with discretion Limitations: Correctness of data: Is the train driver seeing the tracks correctly? Or Does the government get the right data about where the economy is? Timing of data: Is the train driver seeing the tracks with enough time to react? Or Does the government get the statistics quickly enough to do anything? Decision lags: Can the train driver make a decision about the correct action before the train reaches the problem spot? Or does the government have time to design the correct fiscal policy? Problems with discretion Administration lags: If the driver pulls on the control, how long will it take for the brakes to start to work? Or New spending and taxes have to be passed through parliament, which takes time, even after a decision is made. Operational lags: If the brakes start to work, how long before the train slows down? Or New government spending and taxes take time to affect the economy. So even the best-designed fiscal policies can go wrong if they are in response to the wrong data or if they take too long to affect the economy. Political considerations There are further concerns we might have about the operation of fiscal policy. Politicians have to remain popular. No one likes taxes, and everyone likes new spending on themselves. Will a politician make an unpopular decision that may result in them losing the election if it is the best decision for the economy. Electoral cycles: Governments have to be re-elected every 3-4 years. So a politician would love to engineer a boom right before his or her election. Crowding out Another problem with fiscal policy is that an increase in G may increase output but at the expense of other components of aggregate expenditure. Y = C + I + G + NX Since the economy returns to potential GDP over the long-run, an increase in G must come at the expense of either C, I or NX or all 3. If an increase in G reduces investment spending over the long-run, this could lead to lower future growth in the economy. Crowding out How can this happen? An increase in G shifts the AD curve to the right. This results in higher Y and higher P. The increased government borrowing in the market for savings raises the interest rate. Higher interest rates lead to lower investment spending so I drops, shifting AD left. Higher interest rates leads to an appreciation of the A$ (as foreign investors put their money in Australia), so NX drops, shifting AD left. Crowding out- I and NX Government debt One problem that economic commentators always point to is the level of government debt- Our debt is too high. How do we evaluate the level of government debt? How do we know is it is too high. Government debt is like any other form of debt. You evaluate the debt relative to the income/wealth of the person incurring the debt. A $500,000 debt might be high to you and me, but it might mean nothing to Kerry Packer. Government debt So we need to evaluate government debt relative to government income. But what is the appropriate form of government income, as the government doesnt earn or produce anything. Generally we use the income of the country as the comparison, since the government is free to tax or claim any part of GDP. Government debt So our criterion for too much is debt (B, since typically government debt is issued in government bonds) over GDP (Y): B / Y Banks would make much the same calculation when considering whether to issue someone a home loan. In general debt is growing at the rate of interest each year, r, while GDP is growing at the growth rate of the economy, g. Monetary policy Firstly, monetary policy uses the level of interest rates to influence the economy in the short to medium term. Its major goals are to stabilise demand and inflation in the medium term and inflationary expectations and to achieve the governments objectives of sustainable growth with underlying inflation of about 2-3%. Source: Chapter 12 of the book plus second part of Module 3. Monetary policy is the government operation of the money supply and interest rates. Typically we consider the problem of how the government can manipulate monetary policy so as to control economic variables such as output, inflation, interest rates, etc. Issues: how monetary policy can stabilize the economy? how will monetary policy affect interest rates or exchange rates? Who operates monetary policy? The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is responsible for monetary policy. The RBA was given 3 goals when it was created: Maintain low inflation Maintain low unemployment Maintain value of the A$ The RBA was only given one policy tool- the money supply to achieve 3 goals. In the mid 1990s, the RBA was simply told to have one aim: Maintain low inflation. Definitions The RBA implements monetary policy through its control of the cash rate. Cash rate: The cash rate is the rate the RBA charges bank for loans within the RBA reserves system. The cash rate is the base interest rate for the economy, and all other interest rates are derived from it. Easy monetary policy: When the RBA lowers the cash rate to stimulate AD. Tight monetary policy: When the RBA raises the cash rate to cut off AD. Interest rates As we saw in the Investment section, the profitability of investment projects depends on the nominal interest rate. The lower are interest rates, the more projects will be profitable, so the higher will be investment spending. Since the RBA controls the cash rate, and since all interest rates depend on the cash rate, the RBA controls I, and so can shift the AD curve. How monetary policy works Cause-Effect Chain of Monetary Policy: Money supply impacts interest rates Interest rates affect investment Investment is a component of AD Equilibrium GDP is changed Monetary policy and the open economy Net Export Effect Changes in interest rate affect the value of the exchange rate under floating exchange rate. An increase in interest rate appreciates the currency, resulting in lower net exports A decrease in interest rate leads to currency depreciation and a rise in net exports So an easy monetary policy is enhanced by the net export effect. Quantity theory of money There is a nice, simple model of money which explains many features of money supply and demand. This model is called the quantity theory of money. If we imagine that money is needed for all of the purchases made each year, then demand for money is the vale of purchases: PY. The supply of money for purchases is the amount of cash in the economy. But each piece of money in the economy can be used multiple times during a year in transactions. We call the number of transactions the velocity of money v. Quantity theory of money So the total supply of money for transactions in a year is v times M: vM. So demand equals supply requires that: PY = vM So if Y goes up, but nothing else does, then average level of prices must fall. The QTM is good to use for thinking about money and inflation. Unemployment A person becomes unemployed: Job loser Job leaver New entrant or re-entrant into the labour force He or she is no longer unemployed: Hired or recalled Withdraws from the labour force Labour force participation rate Unemployment rate Types of unemployment Three main types of unemployment: Cyclical unemployment Frictional unemployment Structural unemployment Cyclical unemployment Associated with the ups and downs of the business cycle Takes place due to insufficient aggregate demand or total spending- reflects shifts in AD curve. High during recessions and low during booms. Fiscal and monetary policies can reduce cyclical unemployment policies are relevant. Frictional unemployment Associated with the period of time in which people are searching for jobs, being interviewed and waiting to commence duties. It is inevitable and always exist Fiscal and monetary policies can not reduce frictional unemployment macroeconomic policies are irrelevant. Policies that make it easier to find new jobs will affect

Children in Blake’s Poetry Essay -- William Blake Poetry Poets Essays

Children in Blake’s Poetry The use of children is a prominent theme in a number of William Blake’s poems. It is apparent in reading such poems as, â€Å"The Lamb,† â€Å"The Little Black Boy,† and â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper,† that Blake sees the world through the eyes of a child and embraces the innocence of the young. Blake’s poem â€Å"The Lamb,† from Songs of Innocence really illustrates the innocence and purity of a young child. The persona in the poem is of a young child. The child questions the lamb as to where he came from and asks, â€Å"Little Lamb who made thee? / Dost thou know who made thee?† (9,10) The child is expecting the Lamb to answer him but it is obvious to the reader that the Lamb can’t talk. When the child receives no answer, he decides that he’ll tell the lamb where he came from. He says, â€Å"Little Lamb, I’ll tell thee!† (12). The child says: He is called by thy name for he calls himself a Lamb; He is meek & mild, He became a little child; I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name. (13,18) The child really shows that his innocence here. The Lamb is being referred to as Jesus, the Lamb of God. The child is saying that that Lamb, Jesus and the child are all the same. What the boy does not understand, because he is a child and so innocent, is that the Lamb will be sacrificed, and the child will die, just like Jesus did when He was crucified. â€Å"The Little Black Boy† from Songs of Innocence is another poem that illustrates the innocence of children. The poem is written from the persona of a little black boy who has been told that being white is better then being black. The little boy says: And I am black, but O! my soul is white; White as an angel is the English child; But I am b... ...s parents have gone to church to pray. The child blames his parents as well as society for his present position in life and says: â€Å"And because I am happy, & dance & sing, They think they have done me no injury, And are gone to praise God & his Priest & King, Who make up a heaven of our misery.† (9,12) Unlike â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† from Songs of Innocence, the young boy in this poem realizes that he is going to die and that this is wrong. He blames God, his parents and society for letting this happened to him. Blake is still seeing the world through the eyes of a child in this poem, however, he is looking at it from a more mature or experienced point of view. Many of William Blake’s poems contain images of children and depict children as innocent and naà ¯ve. Blake sees the world through the eyes of a child and he shows this through his poetry.

A Built-On Trust is a Trust that Lasts a Lifetime Essay

When I was teenager, all guys who were the same as my age drove a car. They had their own cars where they can go from their homes to their schools. Naturally, I also had the same desire in wanting to drive a car. It was a natural thing to do, but my family denied me of the privilege to drive a car. I had no choice but to follow them, but still, the desire in that one simple action fueled in me. On the other hand, I did not want to be less than my friends because I have to respect my family’s opinion. One day, when my father came from work, I ran to him and greeted him.   He seemed tired from work, so I asked him for the car’s key so I can wash the car. I washed the surface of the car and then I started to also clean the inside. I sat on the driver seat while cleaning, but without meaning to and without ill intentions, I suddenly felt this chance would not come again. I just had this desire to do something, but I was scared at the same time. I put the key and I turned the engine on without moving the car approximately for just 10 minutes—listening for the engine sound and imitating how to drive. I was pretending to turn the signal or opening the window to talk to a friend, but all of that was just a daydream. After that, I felt it would be awesome if I could drive. I finished cleaning the car and I returned the key to my father. When I went to bed that night, I was thinking how I can get the key again. I should find a reason or an excuse to have the car keys again, so I thought of a plan. Sometimes, my father drops us off at school when he has time. So the next day, I left some stuff in my father’s car without him knowing it. When he came from work later that day, I went to him as usual and greeted him. I then said â€Å"Oh, father I think I left some of my stuff in the car, could you give me the key to check if they are there or not?† He gave it to me, and I was smiling from my heart until I felt the happiness show on my face. I opened the car. I turned the engine on, and there was no car in front or behind of my father’s car. A new idea formed in my mind saying â€Å"one step†; so I moved the car one step front and then one step back. I spent almost forty five minutes just like that. My young brother came and was looking for me because I spent such a long time for my stuff. I then turn off the car and my brother did not see me moving the car, but I thought he saw me. While we entered the home, I got sweaty and felt they were looking at me, but they did not say anything. My heart kept pumping until I went to my room. I looked at the mirror and I told myself: â€Å"I did it! I did it!† but my sister was there and she said â€Å"What was it that you did?† I then replied strongly: â€Å"Nothing! And do not ask anything when it is not your business.† I did that to give myself confidence and to make her confused. Human is human, and humans have always had attitude in wanting to change for the better or to want more things in life. When a child learns how to walk one step, he wants to learn how to walk in the second step. I too, am like that. I did not feel enough that it was enough in just moving the car with one step, because after one week, my father bought things for our home and he asked me to bring it to him. Instead of bringing them, I decided to ride the car two to five minutes around our home, but I was not sure if I could do it. One of my friends who is also my neighbor was looking at me and he said, â€Å"I know what you are going to do. You will just take one step front and one step back. If you are not ready to drive the car as a real man, do not waste the fuel.† I got angry because of this, and I told him to see that I can drive. I did not really mean it, but I was afraid that he would tease me in front my friends in the future. I drove the car in our suburb, and I drove slowly. When I went back to return my father’s car, our neighbor parked his car in my father’s place. I panicked and I told my friend to move their car or he if he can ask his father to do it. I was nervous and I didn’t want my father to go outside our home and see the car wasn’t in the right place. However, my friend moved their car, and I parked our car and I swore that I am not going to drive the car again because I don’t want to lose my father’s trust. Also, when I tell my father that I have already done school work or any important thing he wants me to do, I do it and I tell him that I have done it. For example, when he asks if I had done my home work and I tell him that I have done it, he would believe me, and I make it a point to do it so when he asks me again, I tell him that I have done it. I think it is important that we do no fail the expectations of our family because if we fail at it, we become irresponsible and they will note give the same trust that they have given us before. One day, I told my father that I was going to be late in school because we have a school project, but I really went somewhere else. When I went home and he asked me how was school, I told him that it was okay and that we were going to do a lot of things in the following days because there were many things we need to do for school. For the next following days, my family thinks that I am still in school or in the library when I am actually with my friends, playing basketball or some games. This continued on until one day, one of our neighbors saw me playing and he told my father why I was not home that time when they saw each other. My father was very angry because I was lying and I felt scared and sad that I lost his trust. So, I told him we were there because it was part of the school work and that basketball was needed to test some things for the information needed in the school work. My father did not believe me and said that he wants to see what it is that I was doing and asked that I show him the stuff needed for the school work. I was now more scared, but then, I remembered that I always took notes in my classes and showed it to him. My father was very happy when he saw that I was studying hard and was very serious with school. However, after that, I was thinking that I did not want to lie anymore because my family and father’s trust is so very much important to me. I would not want to lose it just because I was lying. I feel that the trust that my father and my whole family have given me is very important. When a person loses the trust of someone else, it is very hard to gain it again and restore that trust. That is why I find the value and importance of keeping my father’s trust. I think, like love, trust is very important because a person is able to prove himself to his family. In my case, if I break the trust of my father and it goes away, it would be very hard to earn it again, because I think, at the back of his mind, he would always be thinking that I might make a mistake again and break his trust. This is why it is very important for a person to make the trust of a family, something to be treasured. I want to say that I have difficulty speaking and writing in English, but because of hard work, I was able to improve step by step. However, it was never easy from the start. When I left for the United States, I was not sure if my family, especially my father, would agree if I can study abroad, but because I was able to keep his trust, I was allowed to go. It is very important that I keep on building his trust and never lose it because if I lose it and break his trust, how can he trust me to make heavier and more important decisions in my life? That is why the only thing that can make him happy and not lose his trust to me is if he sees that I am studying very hard and not doing anything else but trying very hard to make him and my family happy. It is very important to persevere and keep in mind that difficulties will arise and hinder me in fulfilling my dreams and making my family. For example, learning the language of English is very challenging and difficult. I used to just know a few words, and whenever I use it, I still have difficulties and people have a hard time understanding me, but because of my determination to study hard and not give up, I succeeded. I know that it can be very hard if a person would like to learn English and earn good grades, but I want to make my family happy and make them feel that I have not wasted anything by going to the United States and studying. If I can show them that I am working hard in making them happy and not doing anything that can make them feel that they should not trust me anymore, then I think they would not feel that they are wrong in trusting me, and they would continue to believe in me and my efforts and my abilities. It is very hard to keep the trust of a person, especially the trust of a family member, but if a person works hard, does not stray away from his goals, and keeps in mind that no matter what happens, he should make his father and his family happy and make them not lose their trust, I believe that things will turn okay and not get bad. Everything will work out because I have my father’s trust and I will not do anything to break that. I have promised my family that I will get good grades and I will do that. I will succeed and not fail them.

Feng Shui essays

Feng Shui essays Feng Shui (pronounced phung schway) means wind water. It is the Chinese Art of Placement, which brings balance to the energy in an environment (also known as chi). Fung Shui is an ancient science which goes back at least 3 500 years. Feng Shui is based on the Taoist viewpoint of nature: including the Yin-Yang Theory and the Five Element Theory. Everything is made of chi or energy, which is organized into five elements: fire, water, metal, wind and earth. These elements are an important part in the Fung Shui way. Do not think of the five elements as still physical elements but energies. In Feng Shui the elements go a little beyond their importance, as we know it, for example fire is not just for warmth and light however in Feng Shui fire is the only element that has to be created. Fire burns and destroys many things and is also strong enough to destroy metal, which is another element. The nature of the fire element is always powerful. The Chinese people like energizing fire because it is full of the precious Yang essence, which brings good fortun e. In Fung Shui, the element of fire is placed in the south corner of a room or house to bring in great success, fame and recognition. For the element of fire you can use a bright lamp, fireplace, candles etc. The element of water is also quite similar to the element of fire because it too is extremely forceful. In Feng Shui water is to be place in the north part of a room to activate the energy, which, is to bring harmony and luck. For this element you can use objects such as an aquarium, fountains, or even the colours of water to place in the north section. The element, which differs the most, is the element of wood. Wood is the only element which has a life of its own. Wood symbolizes expansion, symbolized by the happiness of springtime when plants grow. This element can be placed in all corners of a room because it symbolizes growth. To represent the elem ...

Free Essays on Abnormal Psych

Before reading this chapter the term abnormal only reflected the one end of a spectrum ( Manic-depressant, etc.). Abnormal was defined by me as someone who â€Å"freaked† me out. Two real good examples of this would be Russell Crowe’s character in A Beautiful Mind, and the many characters in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It was the extreme bottom that triggered the word abnormal to me. Webster’s dictionary defines abnormal as anything from the norm. Using this definition leaves a lot open for interpretation. This definition makes it appear that someone who is above the norm is than also considered as abnormal. But what is the norm? Theoretically, the average IQ for a person is roughly around 100. If someone was to have an IQ of 120 is that person then considered abnormal? Taking this one step farther, if that same person was placed in a school in which the average IQ is then 120, now could this person no longer be considered abnormal but part of the norm? Within ever group, a research is able to find a subgroup (the IQ example). Having a subgroup can then make someone who is out of the norm now part of another norm. A more accurate definition for abnormal could be â€Å"a behavior that is seen as harmful or destructive to either themselves or others around them. With such a definition alcoholism, or any addiction for that matter can than be considered as abnormal. This version of abnormal indicates that a person is in need of a change, and a change for the better. Abnormalities maybe be above and below the norm but someone who is above the only change that can be made is one that is negative, and in psychology therapists are trying to change their patients for the better not the worse.... Free Essays on Abnormal Psych Free Essays on Abnormal Psych Before reading this chapter the term abnormal only reflected the one end of a spectrum ( Manic-depressant, etc.). Abnormal was defined by me as someone who â€Å"freaked† me out. Two real good examples of this would be Russell Crowe’s character in A Beautiful Mind, and the many characters in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It was the extreme bottom that triggered the word abnormal to me. Webster’s dictionary defines abnormal as anything from the norm. Using this definition leaves a lot open for interpretation. This definition makes it appear that someone who is above the norm is than also considered as abnormal. But what is the norm? Theoretically, the average IQ for a person is roughly around 100. If someone was to have an IQ of 120 is that person then considered abnormal? Taking this one step farther, if that same person was placed in a school in which the average IQ is then 120, now could this person no longer be considered abnormal but part of the norm? Within ever group, a research is able to find a subgroup (the IQ example). Having a subgroup can then make someone who is out of the norm now part of another norm. A more accurate definition for abnormal could be â€Å"a behavior that is seen as harmful or destructive to either themselves or others around them. With such a definition alcoholism, or any addiction for that matter can than be considered as abnormal. This version of abnormal indicates that a person is in need of a change, and a change for the better. Abnormalities maybe be above and below the norm but someone who is above the only change that can be made is one that is negative, and in psychology therapists are trying to change their patients for the better not the worse....

Final Paper on Christian Stewardship and Sustainability Essay

Final Paper on Christian Stewardship and Sustainability - Essay Example The property that Christians handle includes their bodies, animals, plants, and the environment such as water and the air in the atmosphere (Lowenthal 29). The most recent concept of stewardship on matters of Christianity was on the issue of the responsibility human beings had especially when handling their environment or Earth itself as a whole (Albers 196). On ecological bases Christian stewardship takes up another definition. In this field, stewardship is referred to as the conviction that every grace or gift of nature comes from God and human beings are the stewards and trustees of the marvelous gifts (White 35). Christians are urged to appreciate and respect the theological importance of earth by practicing ecological stewardship deeds that are meant to protect both earth and the resources that it possesses. The unique gifts of creation were not created only for human use, but they also have their own integrity, value and dignity. The aspect of ecological stewardship dates way back to the creation story. In the story, God gave mankind dominion over all his creations (Mumford 65). Sadly human beings have misinterpreted the mandate and have incalculably abused and exploited nature. Sustainability on an ecological base refers to the response made to tackle the call made on ecological conversion (Marsh 30). The sustainability of ecological systems is achieved by informing the community and individuals on the significance of the environment. The actions of individuals should be mindful about matters of global equity and the generations that will succeed them (Marsh 36). The community should also portray attributes such as responsibility, care and respect when handling the environment .Sustainability of the ecology also requires evaluation of scientific developments and balanced judgments on the impact the environment may have in the future; especially on social matters as speculated by catholic teachings. Christian stewardship

Brotherhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brotherhood - Essay Example The brotherhood love makes people to share and support each other in times of joy, pain and sorrow. Brothers trust and rely on each other, allowing one to be prepared for all circumstances that might arise. A brother will not permit another to venture into the world or face a challenge when not well prepared. Men offer to join brotherhood groups so that they can improve and help each other. Joining a new country which has a new culture and language was meant to be a major challenge. Adapting to the lifestyle, meals, culture as well as communicating using a new language would prove to be a challenge. This made it necessary to form and join a group of people who face the same challenge. Since Blue Ridge school is a boy’s boarding school, all group members were of same gender. This proved to be a challenge at first but it had its own advantages. Group members could share freely and openly and others would understand and intervene without discrimination. Being a new member of a boy’s boarding school, it was through the intervention of others that adapting and settling to the school routine was made easier. Communication barriers were well bridged by the group members who better understood English. The older members assisted new members in settling in including teaching the new members how to tie a neck tie, which was quite a new experience. It was after spending some time in the institution that the interaction with other students led to meeting with other Korean students. Sharing the same background improved the relationship between these twenty Korean students leading to organized interaction sessions during the school hours reserved for sporting activities. Sharing Korean meals, getting involved in similar activities and studying together made the bond between the group members to be stronger every passing day. Through the intervention of the brotherhood group, I was able to