Inside the Romney Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inside the Romney Campaign - Essay Example (Murray, 2012) It has been suggested that his compaign is based upon interlocking circles and contacts which he managed to win during his business days. It is however, critical to understand that campaign is managed by a manager however, Romney himself is considered as the man calling all the shots. This strategy therefore may fail to achieve excellent results because it is felt that too much involvement by the candidate in the details may distract the overall focus of the campaign. It is also been suggested that the campaign is actually been run as a business rather than for a Presidential election therefore may not serve the overall purpose for winning the elections. This paper will therefore discuss the structure of Romney’s election campaign and analyze from a strategist point of view whether the current structure is effective and efficient and can deliver required results to Romney in winning Presidential elections against Barrack Obama. At the start of the Campaign, Romney announced to form a exploratory committee to kick start his campaign for Presidential elections. This committee was considered as an initial organizational structure of the campaign and how it will be directed in the future. It is critical to note however, that since the start, there were plans to restart once Romney wins the nominations for Presidential elections. (Steinhauser, 2011). The plan therefore was to completely shakeup the existing set up and starts over again with new vigor and energy. Many however, still believe that there is a lack of one common figure at the top who can actually engineer the whole campaign and lack of such personality may not serve the purpose. Separation of candidate from the menial actions taken in day to day operations may allow Romney’s campaign managers to work more innovatively and creatively. It has been suggested that the people involved in the

Banking regulation and risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Banking regulation and risk - Essay Example The gravity of the problem is underscored by the length and the damage wrought by the slump, which some economists called as a recession and financial shock. In the effort of prevention, it is crucial to identify the causes of the financial crisis. Understanding the Slump Technically, it was the collapse of the American subprime lending market that has caused the crisis. But from its manifestation in the year 2007 towards its end in the latter part of 2009, the crisis proved to be an amalgamation of problems that facilitated and aggravated the crisis sparked by the subprime lending market crash. The consensus is that global macro-economic imbalances and financial innovation, which aggravated the excessive credit and liquidity expansion, combined with the failures in regulation, supervision and corporate governance collectively led to the financial crisis that has acquired global proportions. (UK Parliament, p. 7) The specifics of the causes of the financial crisis reveal a multi-face ted financial problem that, unfortunately, all boiled down to the matter of faulty and ineffective financial policymaking, regulation and supervision. For instance, central banks erred in keeping inflation in historic lows because it led to the ease by which credits were made available. Then financial institutions, in their greed to achieve higher returns, took more and more risks by introducing increasingly complex financial products which eventual taxed the long-term stability of financial institutions. September 2008 saw the peak of the crisis as ten large financial institutions failed or nearly failed, triggering a financial panic and resulted in the large contraction of the global economy. (Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission 2011, p. 417) In the early part of 2011, much of the world are still reeling from the financial crunch either recovering, rebuilding or are still in its clutches . The United States is still currently struggling, barely posting positive growth. The legacy of the 2008 financial crisis is undeniable, the current global financial system - its risk-based regulatory framework lacks a kind of efficiency and authority to check each and every element of the financial crisis as we watch them happen helplessly. This should already prompt us to questions existing frameworks and conventions such as the Basel II and the existing risk-based regulatory framework that govern the world financial systems. The Problem with Basel II The second installment to the Basel Accords, Basel II is a compendium of recommendations on banking laws and regulations drafted and implemented by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Basel II is supposed to be a mechanism that would prevent crisis such as what was experienced in 2008 from happening. The idea is to setup an international standard or best practices benchmarks that financial regulators could use in their policy- and decision-making. The standard is anchored on the establishment of risk and capital mana gement requirements that would supposedly force banks to maintain capital reserves according to the risks that a financial institution is exposed to as a result of its banking practices. The problem, wrote Padmalatha (2011), is that Basel II is a quantum leap from Basel I and that those tasked to implement and promote its standards were not ready and skilled, making Basel II problematic for regulators and banks themselves. An important argument is the Basel Committees own admission that risk based capital requirements - a fundamental element of Basel II - could inevitably lead to procyclicality, typified by how banks lend more due to an upbeat economy. Padmalatha stressed that "when business cycles take a downturn, banks downgrade the borrowers due to increased likelihood

Why Students Drop Out Of High School Education Essay

Why Students Drop Out Of High School Education Essay High school dropouts have become a crisis in the United States that is continuously increasing. There are various reasons as to why students drop out of high school. These reasons range from simple factors having an impact upon why a student drops out to complex reasons as to why a student drops out of high school. On the contrary, there are various factors that keep students in high school. These factors include being involved in extracurricular activities in and out of school and interaction with the family. However, dropping out of high school not only affects the individual who has dropped out. The action will also affect those who surround the individual and as the number of high school dropouts increases, this rate will continue to have an effect on the United States economy. The negative impact of high school dropouts worsens the economy every time a student chooses to drop out of school. There is no typical person who dropouts of school. This epidemic that is increasing has become a vicious cycle that must be put to an end. Studies have shown that one must attain a high school degree in order to combat poverty. Moreover, studies have also shown that high school degree is not seen the same now as it was in the past. More often than not, a high school dropout will earn less in a lifetime than an individual who has graduated high school and continued to further their education. This paper will seek reason as why the rate of high school dropouts has increased with the research that has been conducted in the past and is currently being conducted now. This paper will also propose why the rate of high school dropouts increases with the policies and programs that have been implemented by the government. The findings in this paper will not discuss minorities or gender in regards to high school dropouts. This analysis will discuss high school dropouts in the United States in general. There will also be research showing the correlation between why a student drops out of school and what program can assist them getting back into school. This research is significant to the society because high school dropouts not only effect them personally and those surrounding them. High school dropouts affect the economy and the society as a whole. Research must continue to be conducted to decrease these rare and eventually stop students from dropping out of high school. If student continue to drop out and this rate increases, eventually there will be very few skilled workers in the United States. This will result in the shipping of jobs overseas, which will weaken the United States economy. Furthermore, this research is significant in academia. Scholars and researchers must continue to conduct research as to why youth continues to drop out of high school. With the continuation of this research, there is a probability that there will be an end to high school dropouts or the rate of dropouts will significantly decrease. In addition, this research will allow other researchers in academia to draw conclusions and make recommendations in regards to the kind of programs and policies that should be implemented into the law in the future. Then, the government will have the ability to analyze the data that has been collected by scholars in order to put these policies into place. Theoretical Framework During this research, there was a use of quantitative data in order to show a cause and effect relationship between the increasing rate of high school dropouts and what needs to be done to decrease this rate. The data will also show how the programs and policies can reformed in order to decrease the rate high school dropouts. A survey was constructed in order to better understand why the rate of high school dropouts continues to increase with the research that has been conducted in the past. In addition, the data came from fifty students on campus. The survey consisted of twenty questions that asked general question about personally knowing high school dropouts. The survey also asked questions that were complex in regards to opinions about what kind of policies and programs the government should implement in the future. Literature Review There were four main areas that were discussed by scholars in during the research process. Those areas included (a) the personal and public effects of dropping out of high school, (b) educational equity, (c) dropout prevention and recovery efforts, and (d) the effects of high school dropouts not taking the advantage of second chance opportunities such as attaining a GED. There were other areas that were discussed as well; however, there was not as much emphasis as the former. Those areas were adolescent employment, parent involvement, and the effects those components have on high school dropouts. There are several effects that results from dropping out of high school. These effects mount upon one another, which results in one problem turning into another. Dropping out of high school impacts an individual personally and effectively in several ways. Everyday, there are seven thousand high school dropouts. If a student does not complete high school, they will obtain a low income, therefore, contributing less to the society (Rouse, 2005). An individual who has not completed high school is classified as having an inadequate education. High school graduates earn thousands of dollars less than high school graduates and one million less than college graduates in a lifetime. High school dropouts are more liable to slip into poverty than high school graduates. In regards to personal issues, high school dropouts are more likely to have worse health, employment issues, become pregnant as a teen, and be incarcerated than high school graduates are. This cycle will continue from generation to generation if more programs are not reformed and created (Rouse, 2005). In regards to high school dropouts and the society as a whole, there will be less productive workers, which will result in less revenue that would have been made. More often than not, high school dropouts will need government assistance, which is not likely not a need of a high school graduate (Rouse, 2005). Another topic of discussion that was debated among scholars was educational equity. The United States education is not equivalent among public school systems. There is an achievement gap among students, therefore, creating more dropouts. Studies show that there needs to be more basic work taught in schools and there needs to be tougher academic and attendance standards. These same studies go on to say that higher expectations produce higher achievement. There also needs to be more schools competing to get the best students. According to McLaughlin, this will create a rise in American education. (McLaughlin, 1990). There needs to be a higher standard held by the administrators and the students themselves. Dropout prevention and recovery efforts need reforming if there is going to be a decrease in the rate of high school dropouts. Some of the programs are not preventing high school dropouts efficiently. There are some programs that have had good results, but not good enough for what needs to be accomplished in the long run (McLaughlin, 1990). According to Christenson and Thurlow, there should be five factors taken into consideration when creating dropout prevention programs. Those five considerations towards completion and engagement, and the importance of empirical evidence.  [1]   Moreover, there were two areas of discussion during the research process that also impact high school dropouts. Adolescent employment and parent involvement have a major influence on how a student performs in school. According to McNeal, there is a possibility that students are being pulled out of school. McNeal discusses the effects what is occurring with students who work while attending grade school. He goes on to write how in previous studies of high school dropouts, the main focus was how demographics was the main cause of students dropping out of high school. However, there are a plethora of reasons as to why a student drops out of school. These reasons are referred to as push and pull factors that take a student out of school.  [2]   Additionally, parent involvement was considered to be another element that influenced a students performance in school and whether they remained in school or not. According to Crosnoe, parent involvement enhances academic competence. Parent involvement, just as adolescent employment, not been emphasized in previous studies of high school dropouts. Nonetheless, both are circumstances that effect whether a student will graduate from high school Interpretation of Results The results of the data revealed various answers that can be interpreted to understand the correlation between the climbing rate of high school dropouts and what will make this rate decrease. The survey showed how many people knew a high school dropout personally and why that individual did not attain a high school degree. There were several surveys that reflected little or no knowledge about programs and intervention for high school dropouts. This disclosed information that answered questions as to why the rate is so high and why the rate has yet to be decreased. Some of the data from the survey can be compared with statistics from other researchers. The results show that there is a lack of knowledge and awareness about the crisis that is occurring within the United States education system. In addition, there is a message that is conveyed through the data that has been collected. The message being conveyed is that there is not a sufficient amount of information being provided becaus e there has still not been a decrease in the number of high school dropouts. Likewise, there were many results that coincided with one another. There was little or no effect on the student if they were raised in a single parent home. However, if the student was raised in a single parent home and in a tumultuous environment, the student had more of a tendency to drop out of school. There were various factors that motivated a student to graduate from high school. Those factors included family, self-motivation, engagement in extracurricular activities, and school staff such as teachers, administrators, and coaches. There was also an abundance of feedback that showed a majority of the dropouts were dramatically affected by employment. The dropouts either found it difficult to obtain a job or they still are having difficulties in doing so. There were a few responses that showed that some of the dropouts came from good environments. These outcomes imply that there can be some chaos within a good environment. The environment as a whole may not be chaotic. However, the household which the student lives within may be in disarray. Some of the surveys showed that there were several students who dropped out between sophomore and junior year of high school. There were also answers that had a connection between a disorderly environment and the tendency to drop out of school. More often than not, if the answer was yes to living in the chaotic environment such as the inner city, the person also circled that the person they knew who dropped out was either pregnant or had a personal illness, in the criminal justice system, had family financial needs, and did not see the value of education. For the most part, these answers were linked together. Discussion Dropout Rate Increases The rate of high school dropouts continues to increase with the research that has been done. There is no specific answer as to why this crisis is occurring and will persist to worsen if drastic measures are not taken. This national crisis continues to worsen because there is not a single answer to decreasing the rate. The challenge of increasing the graduation rate is difficult because increasing the graduation consists of many components. There are several steps to accomplishing the completion of high school. A student must pass certain tests and must pass the required curriculum before attaining a high school degree. Therefore, the programs to keep students in school must essentially be compatible with each student because the reasons for dropping out of school differ from student to student. In addition, high school graduation rates have not significantly decreased since 1990. These challenges become more difficult when the national reform efforts push for higher academic standards. This problem calls for more effort because the students will not have the skills they need after graduating from high school.  [3]  Dropping out of high school is not something that occurs instantaneously. It is a process that must be stopped before it can stop. Allowing a student to become disinterested in school is a process that should not begin because it will be more of a task to end. Programs to End Crisis There have been a number of programs created to decrease the rate of drop outs. The programs assist at-risk youth, students who did not perform well in school, and programs to prevent students from dropping out. Recently, the Obama administration has been focusing on high school dropouts. President Obama has brought it to the attention of the nation that there is a national crisis. According to the National Center for Education (NCES), this is a crisis that has been occurring for over a decade now. The Obama administration is taking the necessary steps to reduce the number of dropouts. President Obama asked the states to pinpoint schools that had graduation rates below 60%. The administration has devoted $3.5 billion to transform schools that are not performing at their best.  [4]   Also, there are programs such as Americas Alliance Program (Grad Nation) and the Educational Equity Project. Americans Alliance Program is a partnership alliance committed to ensuring children experience the fundamental resources they need to succeed. The Educational Equity Project is to eliminate the racial and ethnic achievement gap in our nations public school system. Another program is Gateway to College. This program is a high school dropout recovery program. This program helps dropouts between the ages of 16 and 21 to earn a high school diploma. Dropping Out Before 18 Some states have risen the dropout age to 18. If a student is not 18, they are not permitted to dropout before 18 without parental consent. Several states have risen the age to 18. However, some states still have the age to dropout at 17 and some states remain at 16 years old. However, the lower the age, the worse the crisis will become. Raising the age to dropout will decrease the rate of dropouts. Some students will take the initiative to graduate instead of dropping out at 18 years old. Also, there are students who graduate high school at 17 years old. This will also decrease the rate of dropouts because they will not be 18 until after graduation. Therefore, legislators should not give not give the option to dropout. If a student chooses to dropout, he or she should receive consequences. However, if legislators do not want to require all states to graduate all students, every state should be made to raise the age to 18. Conclusion In conclusion, there is still an abundance of progress that must be made. The government should take serious measures in order to make the dropout rate decline. Education is the key to upward mobility. Students have to be motivated in order to remain in school. If not, they will become disinterested and the contemplation of dropping out will become a process. In addition, if this crisis is going to end, the schools need to have the best educators who are willing to not only teach, but to interact with the students to assure that they are doing their best. In regards to further research, there will have to be more research done after more programs and laws are implemented. More research has to be conducted in order for the researchers to better understand how to decrease the rate of high school dropouts and to keep the rate low. Furthermore, there was no research found in regards to how to end the crisis altogether. The main reason for this may be that the rate has to be decreased before researchers and scholars can look into how to rid the nation of dropouts. Appendix High School Dropouts, Effectiveness of Programs, Prevention Survey 1.) Do you know anyone who has dropped out of high school? a.) Yes b.) No 2.) What year did he/she drop out of high school? a.) Sophomore b.) Junior c.) Senior 3.) What kind of high school did he/she attend? a.) Public b.) Private 4.) What is he/she currently doing in regards to a career and/or their future? 5.) What kind of environment did he/she grow up in? a.) Suburban b.) Urban (inner city) 6.) Was he/she raised in a single parent home? a.) Yes b.) No 7.) Did he/she participate in any extracurricular activities? a.) Yes b.) No 8.) Some states allow students to drop out of high school at the age of sixteen (16). Should all states require students to graduate from high school? a.) Yes b.) No 9.) If you believe that more programs should be implemented to keep students in school, what kind of programs would you suggest? 10.) Why do you think that the rate of high school dropouts continues to increase? 11.) If you know someone who dropped out of high school, did they ever go back to? attain a GED? a.) Yes b.) No 12.) If they did not go back to school, what did they choose to do? 13.) Has that individual been dramatically effected in regards to employment because of dropping out of high school? a.) Yes b.) No 14.) Have you ever contemplated dropping out of high school? a.) Yes b.) No 15.) Who and/or what motivated you to graduate from high school? 16.) Have you heard about any of the programs or policies that are directed towards? keeping students in school and/or high school dropouts? a.) Yes b.) No 17.) Did he/she dropout due to personal illness or pregnancy? a.) Personal illness b.) Pregnancy 18.) Was the student in the criminal justice system? a.) Yes b.) No 19.) Did he/she dropout because of family financial needs? a.) Yes b.) No 20.) Did he/she dropout because they did not see the value of education? a.) Yes b.) No

Mummification Essay -- essays research papers

Mummification is the form of embalming practiced by the ancient Egyptians. The mummification process changed over time from the Old Kingdom, when only kings could be mummified to the New Kingdom, in which everyone could be mummified. The entire process of mummification to be completed took 70 days. After a body was delivered to the per nefer, which is where the embalmers conducted their tasks. The first thing that was done was put the deceased on a slanted table. The first thing that needed to be removed was the soft, moist body parts that would cause decay. As the embalmers removed these parts, blood and other bodily fluids came out and went down the table being collected into a bowl. During the old and Middle Kingdoms, the brain was left in the head, in which it just dried up over time. When these mummies are moved you can hear the hardened pieces of the brain rolling around in the mummies head. Then in the New Kingdom, the embalmers started removing the brain. They would break open the bone that separates the nasal cavity from the brain cavity. They did this by shoving a sharp instrument up the nose. After they broke the bone, the embalmers used a hook to either take the brain out piece by piece, or used the hook to stir the brain until it was liquefied. If it was liquefied they would turn the body face down so that the brain would spill out of the nostrils. The reason the Egyptians were so rough with the brain because they didn’t think that the brain had...

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Movie Review Essay

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, written by John Boyle is a fictional novel of the unlikeiest of friendships, the son of a Nazi commandant and a Jew suffering in the largest concentration camp. I believe innocence that is created by a sheltered and caring family is an important theme of the novel. Bruno was unaware that his father was a Nazi commander or that he is living right next door to Auschwitz concentration camp. His parents were trying to protect him from hearing the truth or understanding the reality of what was happening outside his window. Bruno’s innocence and vulnerability caused him to misunderstand the situation around him. He hears â€Å"Auschwitz† as â€Å"Out-with† and also incorrectly hears â€Å"the Fuhrer† as â€Å"the Fury. † Athough he was best friends with Shmuel, he was completely oblivious to the situation Shmuel was in. â€Å"No one’s ever given me an arm band,’ said Bruno. ‘But I never asked to wear one,’ said Shmuel. ‘All the same,’ said Bruno, ‘I think I’d quite like one. I don’t know which one I’d prefer though, your one or Father’s. † This shows that the innocence of a protected childhood results in a misunderstood reality. When looking back at my childhood, I can see how my parents protected me from some harsh realities that other children face. I had no idea what a broken family was since I had a stable and caring family. I would hear stories on the news of child abuse and violence but never really understood how that would feel. It was not until I was older and I realised issues like this are actually out there and it is the enviroment many children grow up in. I believe another important theme in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is bullying. Throughout the novel the Nazis demonstrated their hatred for the Jews. The Nazis believed they were much more important than the Jews and they deserved to die. Lieutenant Kurt Kotler was one example of a bully in the novel. He abused and hated the family’s Jewish servant, Pavel. â€Å"Pavel held his cap before him in his hands and nodded, which made his head bow even lower than it already was. ‘Yes, sir,’ he said in a quiet voice, so quiet that he may not even have said it at all. ‘And afterwards, when you return to the kitchen, make sure you wash your hands before touching any of the food, you filthy-‘ Lieutenant Kotler repeated the word he had used twice already and he spat a little as he spoke. This was how he spoke to Pavel. Lieutenant Kurt’s rank put him in a position of power over the Jews. I see a similarity of this in high school. Some older students believe they are much more important than the younger students just because they have been there longer. Some act like they are better than everyone else. Younger people then go through the younger high school years feeling terrible and miserable about themselves.

New Mexico’s Border Issues

Illegal immigration refers to the immigration of people across national border without visa or valid documents. The illegal immigration give rise to a larger set of social issues in areas, such as economy, social welfare, education and health, smuggling and crime. The international border between United States and Mexico runs for about 3,141 km which is frequently crossed over by countless illegal immigrants from Mexico. The reason for these illegal crossings is the difference in living standards and wages in US and Mexico. Even though there large group of border patrol personnel’s guarding the border, alien immigrants can still sneak in through various locations due to lack of funds and consistent patrol in the area. .According to an estimate over a million people who cross over to US, 45 percent end up in   becoming agricultural labors in various US states. The economic and social costs of illegal immigration are enormous. It is estimated that about 10,000 illegal aliens cross into US every day with annual figure reaching to   of 3 million. A third of these immigrants are caught and returned to their home country; while half of them become US residents permanently.   About 9 to 11 millions illegal immigrants reside in US at present. Due to the acceptance of low wages by illegal immigrants in New Mexico and other states, about1.8 million native workers suffer loosing not only their wages, but also jobs raising the cost of state welfare to US$ 15 billion annually. According to the National Academy of Sciences it costs $89000 to pay for an alien immigrants during his lifetime stay in US. However its not only the loss of job or revenue, but 80 percent of cocaine and 50 percent of heroin in US is smuggled through new Mexico borders by these illegal immigrants. The illegal immigrants cost billions of dollars every year to the American taxpayers; especially the free treatment offered to illegal aliens. Due to which many hospitals New Mexico, Arizona and California has been closed down. The total economic cost of illegal immigrants is estimated to in between 67$ to $87 billion. Since   1986 US has embarked efforts to restrict illegal immigration with the arrival of Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) which expanded the funding for the US border patrol. Between 1986 and 1996, Congress and President took a series of restrictive actions to regain the control of US and Mexico border. However despite these measure and IRCA act, both legal and illegal immigration continued to rise. The federal government in 1993 initiated another plan to install more officers at the border. These plans have fundamental weakness due to less defended border at many areas. For example when mobilization of forces was activated in El Paso and San Diego, the flow of migrants turned to Arizona and Texas creating new problems in these states. The push by US authorities pushed the immigrants to cross over from more remote deserts and mountains and rivers where its much more hard for border patrol to capture them. Another loss has been the higher rate of injury and death that also accelerated the cost of spending on already poor counties in New Mexico and border states. Even though the Border Patrol budget has been increased 10 times between 1986 and 2002, but the arrival of immigrants has also risen. In 2005, New Mexico declared emergency due to the rise in drug smuggling, kidnapping and murder in the state. The State governor criticized the federal government and Congress by mentioning total lack of support from the Border Patrol.   In recent days the illegal immigrant issue has become a national debate with politicians on both sides favoring and disfavoring the issue due to their own vested interests. There have been suggestions to construct fence, wall, and deployment of more Border Patrol agents to address the cross border issue. In reality the problem is much bigger than it seems. Constructing a few miles wall or fence will not bring any change, unless realistic approach is taken to tackle the issue. Even after the constructions of fence in San Diego the flow of immigrants increased; as fence provides an excuse for Border Patrol to be less careful Analyst believe that US polices have failed to produce any result. A new approach is needed to address the issue. The solution to the problem lies in the undocumented migration, which if made legal can prove   more productive.   Under the current immigration law, all countries have same quota of 20,000 thousand legal immigrants per year; which is same for the Mexico, the closest US neighbor.  Ã‚   A more realistic policy would be to   provide temporary visas, (which President Bush has recently announced), however greater emphasis should be paid to the Mexicans; as Mexico is the major part of the problem. Reference CNN, (August 13, 2005). Border emergency declared in New Mexico. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/12/newmexico/ 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic Cost of Illegal migration. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.cairco.org/econ/econ.html 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Douglas S. Massey, Beyond the Border Buildup. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: www.ailf.org 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fencing in Failure. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.ailf.org/ipc 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America Org, Illegal immigration a ‘real issue'. Retrieved February 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.americas.org/