War in Central America Essay Example for Free

War in Central America Essay Central America is the southernmost part of the North American continent. It lies south south of Mexico and form the land connection with South America. Central America is commonly defined as including Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The total land area is roughly 200,000 square miles (518, 000 km2), about three-fourths that of Texas. Central America is long and narrow, tapering to a width of barely 30 miles (48km) in parts of Panama. On the east is the Caribbean Sea, on the west, the Pacific Ocean. Both coasts are deeply indented in places, and offshore islands are numerous, especially in the Caribbean. The land is mostly mountainous, with scattered active volcanoes. Except for the coastal plains, which are narrow in most places, there is little flat land (Woodward, 1999). In the early 1900’s, there was unrest in several Central American countries. The United States intervened militarily in the region several times to restore order and protect its interests. After World War II, most Central American countries had dictatorial governments. In 1951, the Organization of Central American States was formed to promote economic and cultural cooperation among the countries. One of its achievements was the creation of the Central American Market in 1960. Cooperation began to break down, however, when national antagonists started to resurface in the late 1960’s. Many of the countries experienced violence between the left- and right- wing political factions, as well as guerrilla insurgencies, inflation, and foreign debt (Woodward, 1999). Political turmoil increased in the 1980’s. Nicaragua’s government was controlled by a leftist group called the Sandinistas, which restricted political freedom in Nicaragua and was accused of supporting a strong Communist insurgency in El Salvador. The United States began giving aids to rebels called contras, who were trying to overthrow the Sandinista regime. There were also abuses of human rights and restrictions of political freedom in other countries in the region. In 1987, the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica signed an agreement designed to end the region’s civil wars and foster democracy. The author of the agreement, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, received the Nobel Peace Prize (Woodward, 1999). This paper discusses and compares two countries of Central America, Guatemala and Panama, focusing on the challenges for democratic consolidation and economic development. II. Background A. Guatemala Guatemala or republic of Guatemala is an independent country of Central America. Its borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador and lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Guatemala has an area of 42, 042 square miles. Maximum distances are roughly 280 miles north-south and 250 miles east-west. Narrow lowlands run along the pacific and Atlantic coasts. Between them lie the highlands, covering about half of the country. Dominant features are mountains, volcanoes, high plateaus, broad basins, and many valleys. Forests are one of Guatemala’s richest resources. The Atlantic lowland and the Peten are largely covered by tropical rain forests. Savannas predominate along the drier pacific coast. The highlands are covered by grasslands and forests that are deciduous at low elevations and coniferous higher up. B. Panama Panama or Panama City or Republic of Panama is a city and the capital of the republic. It is on the bay of Panama at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal, 38 miles southeast of Colon on the Atlantic. The city’s economy is largely supported by the canal and by tourists. Products include furniture, beer, handicrafts, and clothing. Panama is a hilly country crossed by several mountain ranges, the highest of which are in the west. Near the Costa Rican border is Volcan Baru, an extinct volcano rising 11, 401 feet above sea level. III. Discussion A. Guatemala †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1985, which went into effect in 1986, Guatemala is a republic governed by a president and one-chamber Congress, both elected for four years popular vote. A council of ministers is appointed by the president. The judiciary is headed by a nine-member into 23 administrative departments. Voting is mandatory for all literate citizens age is 18 or over (Grandin, 2000). †¢ History The Maya Indians inhabited Guatemala as early as 2400 B. C. They developed an advanced civilization and flourished there, but declined after 900 A. D. In the 16th century, the Mayas were subdued by Spaniards under Pedro de Alvarado. He governed the captaincy general of Guatemala, which included all Central America except Panama. For nearly three centuries the region was under Spanish rule (Lovell, 2002). In 1821, the five provinces making up captaincy general of Guatemala declared their independence, but the next year they became part of the New Mexico Empire under Agustin de Iturbide. When Iturbide was driven from power in 1823, the province gained independence as a confederation called the united provinces of Central America. During 1838-39, the confederation collapsed. Guatemala became an independent state in 1839 (Grandin, 2000). Rafael Carrera, leader of the conservative forces that helped to bring about dissolution of the confederation, made himself president of Guatemala in 1844 ands became the dominant political figure in Central America. In 1854, he was made president for life. He died in 1865. Vicente Cerna, one of Carrera’s generals, succeeded him as president but was overthrown in 1871. General Justo Rufino Barrios, a liberal, came to power in 1873, and the nation made economic progress under his rule. He was killed in 1885 in a war with El Salvador, while attempting to set up a union of Central American states. In 1898, Manuel Estrada Cabrera became president. In 20th century, Estrada Cabrera ruled as a despot for 22 years. He favored the wealthy classes and encouraged industrial development. He was overthrown in 1920. Relative order prevailed until 1930, when economic depression led to another uprising. In 1931, General Jorge Ubico came to power. Under his dictatorship, order was maintained and economic stability restored. In 1944 an alliance of students, liberals, and dissident members of the army forced Ubico out of office and seized control of the country. Many social and economic reforms were introduced by presidents Juan Jose Arevalo and Jacobo Arbenz Guzman. During their presidencies, Communist influence in the government began to grow. When Arbenz instituted land reforms and encouraged the growth of labor unions, his opponents claimed that he was under Communist control. The army, with covert aid from the United States, overthrew Arbenz in 1954 and outlawed the Communist party. Two corrupt and largely ineffective military dictatorships followed (Grandin, 2000). In 1963, Colonel Enrique Peralta Azurdia led a successful revolt. He governed by decree, but promised to hold elections after a new constitution was enacted. The constitution took effect in 1965 and a civilian government was elected. In attempted economic and social reforms, but its programs were blocked by resistance from conservative businessmen and wealthy landowners. Reform was also delayed by a civil war that raged for several years between Communist guerrillas and the army. Both sides used terrorism, including assassinations and kidnappings. In the 1970’s a series of conservative military governments held power and suppressed the insurgents. A presidential election was held in 1982. Soon after, the government was overthrown by the army, whose leaders promised a return to democracy. A new constitution was approved in 1985, and later that year Marco Vinicio Cerezo was elected president. †¢ Economy Guatemala’s economy is still in an early stage of development. Private enterprise prevails; government regulation is negligible. A small group controls most of the nation’s wealth, while the vast majority of the people, especially the Indians, live in extreme poverty. Guatemala is largely an agricultural country, one favored by a diverse climate and rich soils, especially the volcanic soils of the highlands. Peasant landholdings are usually small and crudely worked, but provide a livelihood, at the subsistence level, for most of the people. Corn and beans are the main crops. In contrast, commercial plantations specialize in export crops and are generally large, modern, and owned. Coffee is the leading export; cotton ranks second. Bananas, sugar, and meat are also significant exports. Livestock consists mainly of beef cattle, sheep, and pigs (Grandin, 2000). B. Panama †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1972, and later amendments, Panama is a republic. The president, assisted by a cabinet, exercises executive power. He is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and may not serve consecutive terms. The legislature consists of the National Legislative Council (the upper house). Members of both houses are popularly elected. Assembly members serve four-year terms; Council members serve for six years. The judiciary is headed by a supreme court of nine justices, appointed by the president for 10-year terms. Each of the nine provinces is headed by an appointed governor and is divided into municipal districts. Panama has a military force known as the National Defense Force (Hedrick, 2000). †¢ History The Caribbean coast of Panama was explored by a Spanish expedition under Rodrigo de Bastidas about 1500. The region was inhabited by several tribes of Indians, the Cuna being the largest. In 1502, Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast to the central part of the isthmus and claimed the area for Spain. The northern coast of Panama was the location of the first Spanish settlement on the mainland. In 1509, the Spanish government issued licenses to Alonso de Ojeda and Diego de Nicuesa to settle the regions explored by Bastidas and Columbus. The first colonies were established in 1510 at San Sebastian (on what is now the northern coast of Colombia) and Nombre de Dios. They did not flourish, however, because of disease, famine, and conflicts with the Indians. The first successful settlement, Santa Maria, was founded in 1510, when Vasco Nunez de Balboa convinced the settlers at San Sebastian to move to a new location on the west shore of the Gulf of Darien. The Indians at the new site were quickly subdued and Balboa became governor of the new colony. In 1513, balboa made his way across the isthmus and discovered the Pacific (Hedrick, 2000).

Essay --

Andrew Almeida Huck Finn Self Reliance This quote from Lauren Oliver speaks volumes on the mindset of Huck FinnÍ ¾ â€Å"I’d rather die my way than live yours.† Huck Finn is a young kid growing up in at a very chaotic time in America. Many ideas and bias are either forced upon him or he has no help but experiencing. Rather than putting up with this Huck decides he would be better off on his own as opposed to trying to adapt to everyone else's standards. Living by himself lead to many more challenges and opposing forces than a kid of only 13 should have to be faced with. This lead to Huck being more mature than other kids his age because he had to constantly rely on himself to solve his problems and come up with his own morales on what is right and wrong without the guidance from others.Along with how this changed Huck as a person for better or worse. Huck Finn is a very independent character. Being without a father figure and parents of any kind leads him to have to grow up by himself. In doing so creating a character who is able to react and make decisions to help himself get out of the mess he or his friends have gotten him into. Huck at such a young age is forced to look for jim to guidance on the river but Jim is no more educated than Huck is. This leads to Huck having to not only lead himself but also try and take a leadership role to get Jim to safety. A great example of where Huck is able to take his fate into his own hands by making an elaborate tale is when he is on shore dressed as a girl. He is caught in a lie but instead of risking the fate of Jim he thinks quick and saysÍ ¾Ã¢â‚¬  I told her my father and mother was dead, and the law had bound me out to a mean old farmer in the country thirty mile back from the river, and he treated... ...hing because he is able to do it all himself. Nobody at that time period in the south was willing to help him so he simply did what was right with no caution as to whether not people would judge him Í ¾"Well, I did. I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a lowdown Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don't make no difference. I ain't agoing to tell, and I ain't agoing back there, anyways. So, now, le's know all about it." (8.52, 8.53). This self reliance and separation from society is what allows Huck to be more accepting of new ideas and ultimately is what makes this story takes place in the first place. Without Huck’s self reliance none of this ever would have been possible and Huck would have most likely never left the small town with his drunk deadbeat father and slave owning Miss.Watson and Miss.Douglas.

Analyzing SQ3R Process

Associate Level Material Appendix H SQ3R Worksheet Selected reading: p 193 Chapter 7 SurveyDescribe the value of surveying the reading. Surveying the reading is almost like skimming the assignment. In my opinion, it is like the appetizer of the assignment, almost the teaser to the full reading that will be done in the near future. QuestionWhat questions did you ask as you were reading? †¢What are the important points? †¢What are the new vocabulary words? †¢What is the topic and how does the reading pertain to it?ReadHow did surveying and questioning help you read better? I like surveying an assignment before I start really reading it thoroughly. Surveying allows me, in a sense, to whet my appetite for the reading assignment. Plus, surveying and asking questions gives me a chance to highlight key words and passages. ReciteHow did you decide what parts of your reading you needed to recite? For me, I personally recite the words that are highlighted and the words that are in bold type.These are word that I do not know or in some cases, words I need to learn. In my process of studying, these words are the ones I write out and then type to learn them better. ReviewHow often do you plan to review? My process for reviewing occurs pretty frequently. When I was learning medical terms, I had a cd I would listen to in my car while I drove. I also review every evening with vocabulary by using index cards. I find these methods to work the best for me personally.Wrap-up questions: How successful was the SQ3R process in helping you grasp the concepts in the section you selected? Will you use SQ3R in the future as a way to master the content in academic readings? I think the SQ3R method is an excellent way for me to learn. I think it is very similar to the way I already do my studying so I would have no trouble incorporating it into my studies. Not everyone uses these methods, but I definitely find them to be simple for me.

Garage Mate For Your EV How About A Minivan

What is the ideal garage companion for your electric vehicle? If you’re an active family where one, or both, parents regularly have to drive cars in different directions and you need something big enough for the weekly soccer practice or school runs, a seven- or eight-seat minivan should be a strong consideration. The three-row crossover SUV may have usurped the minivan as today’s popular kid-schlepper choice for frazzled parents, but really, a minivan is a better choice. Here’s why. High Seating Position: Like crossovers, minvans have a higher driver’s seating position than cars that provides a good view of the road ahead. Sliding Doors: Sliding doors are simply easier to open and close than SUV doors that open out. And, combined with a lower ride height, the minvan’s sliding door means little ones can get in and out easier than a taller SUV. Car Seats: Putting child seats in an SUV can be a real pain. Minivans allow frustration-free child seat installation, and getting kids in and out is easy. Versatility: With a minivan, you can easily change seating arrangements any way you want. Cargo Space: No grocery or Costco haul is too large to get home with a minivan. Low Insurance Costs: Minivans are one of the cheapest vehicles to insure; considerably less than an SUV. Use the savings to add a few options to the van. Not A Forever Vehicle: And remember, you don’t have to keep it forever. Kids grow up, get their own cars and eventually move out. Once car seats, strollers, sports gear and little league car-pools are no longer part of the equation, you won’t need the minivan any more. Until that time arrives, here are two minivan choices to park next to your electric vehicle: the all-new-for-2015 Kia Sedona and the refreshed-for-2015 Toyota Sienna.   2015 Kia Sedona If you haven’t taken a look at a Kia Sedona minvan in awhile, the all-new 2015 edition will probably surprise you, as it did me. This is no warmed-up version of its predecessor. It’s grown in length, has a new look, is more powerful and, with new upscale trim levels, is no longer just a pedestrian minivan. What hasn’t changed is it is still a value leader. The 2015 Kia Sedona’s styling breaks from the minivan norm with an appearance that is, on purpose, more crossover SUV-like. Kia’s aggressive â€Å"Tiger† mesh grille is upright, accentuating the muscular hood that meets a deeply swept windshield. Adding to the SUV look is a cab forward design with the wheels pushed to the corners. Where Kia missed the mark is the sliding door tracks are not camouflaged, they’re an open gap. That, unfortunately, says minivan. Kia says the new Sedona has something for everyone with the addition of three new trim levels: L, SX and the premium SX Limited, which join the LX and EX trims previously offered. Prices range from $26,795 (including $895 destination charges) for the base L to, gulp, $40,595 for the SX Limited. In addition to abundant storage and cupholders, the Sedona offers seven- or eight-passenger seating, and standard Slide-n-Stow second-row seats are easy to use and create additional cargo space by sliding into a vertical position. There’s also a second row â€Å"First Class† lounge seating.   Third-row seats, like those of most minvans, fold and tumble into the floor.   Maximum cargo capacity is 142.0 cubic-feet. Continuing the SUV theme, Kia gave the Sedona a high seating position and positioned the shifter between the front seats, just like SUVs. Front seats serve up good comfort and Sedona is the only minivan outfitted with standard YES essentials stain-repelling fabrics. The leather on our SX Limited test driver felt really good — soft, smooth, almost plush. The horizontal design of the dashboard with its tidy row of straight switches is simple and pleasing to look at. Models equipped with a navigation system get an eight-inch touchscreen with crisp graphics, and Kia’s UVO infotainment system is one of the best in the auto industry. Standard features are what most buyers look for: rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a four-speaker audio system, satellite radio and a USB port. Available as expected are power-sliding rear doors and power liftgate. Also available are features not offered by rivals such as a surround-view parking camera system and adaptive cruise control. All the expected safety features are standard. Power is provided by a direct-injected 3.3-liter V-6 engine rated at 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, and is directed to the front wheels via a six-speed shiftable automatic transmission. The 3.3 gave the Sedona plenty of scoot, even carrying a full load of passengers and luggage. There’s an abundance of torque for takeoffs from a full stop, and plenty of heavy-breathing passing power. The transmission shifted unobtrusively and held a gear on steep accents and steep descents to increase engine braking. In highway driving, the Sedona proved comfortable, stable and quiet. Even when cruising at 75 mph on grooved pavement, road and engine noise were virtually absent. The electric power steering had good on-center direction but didn’t offer much in the way of driver feedback. Throwing out the anchor at 60 mph halted the 4,700-pound minivan in quick fashion without shakes and shudders. Fuel economy depends on trim level. Lower trims are EPA rated at 20 mpg combined and 18-city/24-highway. Electric power steering on the SX yields 21 combined, but on our SX Limited with 19-inch wheels and virtually all options, the EPA estimate is 19-mpg combined (17 city/22 highway). We averaged 20.7-mpg after driving 247 miles. Until now, Kia has been a somewhat minor player in the minvan segment. The 2015 Sedona has all of the essentials of the breed as defined by the original formula invented by Chrysler more than 30 years ago — a full fledged, full featured, conventional-size minivan. Add the better-than-most-luxury-cars 10-years or 100,000-mile warranty, and the Sedona delivers a value-packed punch.   2015 Toyota Sienna For 2015 the Toyota Sienna receives a mild exterior refresh (updated grille and taillamps), a retuned suspension, a stronger body structure and a redecorated cabin with more soft-touch surfaces. It continues with a trump card to play against all other minivans — it’s the only one to offer all-wheel drive (AWD). The exterior is pleasingly handsome, maybe not beautiful, but spare and void of plastic junk. Tracks for the sliding doors are camouflaged, an esthetic plus. The lineup consists of L, LE, SE, XLE, and Limited trim levels. All are front-wheel drive, with AWD optional on the LE, XLE, and Limited. Sticker prices start at $29,985 for the base L, including destination charges, while at the top end of the spectrum, a fully loaded all-wheel drive Limited model can nudge $50,000. The Toyota Sienna offers a choice between seven- and eight-passenger configurations. With seven-passenger setups,  second-row captain’s chairs slide fore or aft to increase sprawl-out comfort or cargo space. Eight-passenger Siennas come with a 40/20/40-split second-row bench, and its center section slides close to the front seats for easier access to the little one seated there. Cargo volume behind the upright third seat is 39.1 cubic feet, more than any other minivan. Drop the third row and cargo volume goes to 87.1 cubic feet. Maximum cargo space is 150 cubes and can handle 4 x 8 sheets of plywood, but it’s not easy. Second row seats have to be removed and they are heavy back breakers. Up front, comfortable bucket seats provide a commanding view of the road and excellent side and rear vision. A new dash is more attractive than the funky asymmetrical trim-swoosh separating two glove boxes that it replaces and it’s more functional. Materials quality is quite good and the dash layout features big, easy-to-use climate controls and a simple touch-screen infotainment system. The gear shifter, conveniently located in the center console, falls easily to hand. An optional rear entertainment system has a 16.4-inch screen that can display two inputs — like a movie and a game — at the same time. Used as a single screen, it can be easily seen from the third row. New for 2015 are Blu-Ray capability, an HDMI input and an SDXC card reader that can play 10 different audio and video formats. Keeping an eye on youngsters in the rear seats is easy with the standard convex mirror integrated into the overhead console. Need to calm things down in back without shouting? The new optional Driver Easy Speak uses a microphone to amplify the driver’s voice through the vehicle’s audio speakers. The base model is reasonably well equipped with standard features such as a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a USB port, tri-zone automatic climate control and a touch-screen audio system with a 6.1-inch display. A host of available features includes leather upholstery, a power-folding third-row seat, power-sliding rear doors and power liftgate, a navigation system as well as safety gear like blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. A 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 266 horsepower and 245 pounds-feet of torque powers all 2015 Sienna versions. The engine is paired with a competent-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that deftly manages that output. With our Limited test driver, pedal response was quick and quiet. There was no hesitation when accelerating from a stop, and no need to get a running start with a full load of passengers to climb some mountain hills. The Limited tracked faithfully straight down the road without jiggering the steering wheel and it was relatively agile, gripping the pavement on curves with an acceptable amount of body roll. Today’s minivans aren’t all that mini but the Sienna was nimble and maneuverable in squeezing into parking spaces. Fuel economy is on par with the minivan class with an EPA estimate of 18-mpg city/25 highway/21 combined for front-drive versions. The extra weight of all-wheel drive has a penalty of reducing the estimates to 16/23/19, but it is a winter-weather plus. After a week driving the Sienna the trip meter showed 257 miles, and we had squeezed a little more than the EPA combined rating — 22.3 mpg. If it’s time to park a minivan next to your electric vehicle, the Sienna’s two-years/25,000 miles complimentary scheduled maintenance; stellar reliability record and excellent resale value will make you think twice about buying a big crossover SUV. Give it a long, hard look.

Should College Athletes Be Paid Essay - 1225 Words

In my previous essay, I chose to address one of the biggest debates in collegiate sports; should college athletes be paid. For decades now school administers, alumni, boosters, and student athletes have been torn between the two sides, and I, for one, am in agreement with the idea of student athletes be compensated financially for all their time and dedication to their respectable sport. As you can imagine, there are many who oppose the idea, but as I stated in my previous essay there are great benefits for allowing student-athletes to be compensated. However, this is easier said than done. Deriving to a solution that fairly compensates all student athletes on every level of competition is no small feat, and will possibly take a few years of deliberation before actually being implemented. In this essay, I will make attempt in providing solutions on how student athlete can be compensated for their hard work. My proposal will include what actions need to be done first, and by whom cou ld assist in the issue. Along with my resolutions, I will provide financial statistics to give support to my proposal and the realness of how compensating college athletes can actually be made possible. In my prior essay, in support of paying college athletes, I made an argument of how scholarships don’t necessarily provide an adequate amount of money for the student to survive an entire school year. In many cases, although the scholarship pays for the athletes education entirely, many of theShow MoreRelatedShould College Athletes Be Paid?1578 Words   |  7 PagesAshay Mehta Nou Per 8 Should College Athletes Be Paid? One of the hottest debates in the sports industry is if college athletes should be paid. If you want to pay these athletes, how would the college determine the dollar amount that should be paid? Should the basketball team make more than the football team? Should the the soccer team be paid as well? Cheerleading? Chess team? Should everyone on the team get a salary? What if your college is good at football and your basketball team is awfulRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1398 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieve that college athletes at the highest performing schools are better treated than others. Although they do not get paid, they do receive some benefits for being athletes that other students would not get. One advantage for playing a sport is access to scholarships that some schools reserve for their athletes. Depending on the school and the athlete’s performance, money towards tuition is often given. Only some schools are willing to grant â€Å"full-ride† scholar ships for certain athletes. AccordingRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1289 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the years college sports have been about the love of the game, filled with adrenaline moments. However, the following question still remains: Should college athletes get paid to play sports in college? Seemingly, this debate has been endless, yet the questions have gone unanswered. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) plays a vital role in this debate. The NCAA is a billion dollar industry, but yet sees that the athlete should get paid for their hard work and dedicationRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1334 Words   |  6 Pagesrising to the surface is â€Å"Should college athletes be paid?†. This has become a burning question. The NCAA is a multibillion-dollar industry, that makes millions, if not billions, in revenue. Yet it’s still maintains the non-profit status meaning that the industry is not set on making a profit and none of the revenue that is made is distributed to its members, managers, or officers. While most players who play in college sports are under a scholarship, that pays for the college tuition, books, and housingRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1364 Words   |  6 PagesHave you paid attention to all of the news that has been surfacing about collegiate sports lately? It is a big topic now days in the world of sports on weather college athletes should be getting paid to play sports. College athletics have gained great popularity of the past few decades, and have brought schools lots of revenue. A lot of college athletes think they should be getting paid for their services they do for their school. College sports like basketball and football generate over six billionRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1130 Words   |  5 PagesWhat college athlete would not want to be paid to play the sport that he or she loves? The real question is, though, should college athletes be paid fo r their roles in a college’s athletics? 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College athletesRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1239 Words   |  5 PagesLindsey Simmerman Speech 102 T/Th 1:00-2:15 October 25, 2016 Should college athletes be paid to play? Specific Purpose: To persuade the class to agree with my stance on paying college athletes to play sports Thesis: College football is the hours players spend practicing and performing, the number of injuries the players face, and the persona these athletes must portray every day all the while watching their schools, coaches, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) get all the compensationRead MoreCollege Athletes Should Be Paid1254 Words   |  6 PagesSome college athletic departments are as wealthy as professional sports teams. The NCAA has an average annual revenue of $10.6 billion dollars. College athletes should be paid because of the amount of revenue that they bring to their college. Each individual college should pay its athletes based on how much revenue they bring to the college in which they attend. The colleges that win their Division title, their Conference title, or the National championship, give bonuses to the Head coach of thatRead MoreCollege Athletes Should Not Be Paid1558 Words   |  7 Pagesstudent-athletes participate in a variety of different s ports, and currently they do not receive paychecks for their performances. College athletics have attained an extensive popularity increase among Americans over the past few decades. This has resulted into increased revenues for the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] and the participating colleges, which has fuelled the debate of whether or not college athletes should collect an income. College athletes should not be paid to play

Tesco Plc Financial Statements Analysis Essays - 5555 Words

Assignment Module Financial Statement Analysis 1. Introduction to the company and its role within the wider international market; including competitors and current market conditions that may impact on its financial performance. Tesco plc is a British multinational grocery and these days the third- largest retailer worldwide in terms of revenues, operating in 14 countries across Europe, Asia and Nord America.The retailer was founded in 1919 and operated exclusively within the UK until the early 1990s when it started diversifying geographically. Tesco in its early years only offered foods and drinks in its stores but then successfully diversified its product range to electronics, books, household appliances, clothes, financial services†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â€" ª â€Å"Range and quality†: The retailer plans to focus more on its value range, e.g. Tesco Finest to remain competitive compared to Sainsbury’s which has launched its value range ‘Taste the difference’ very successfully. ââ€" ª â€Å"B rand and Marketing†: Compared to its competitors Tesco spends a tremendous amount of money on its marketing and advertisement. This strategy remained relatively unsuccessful as the slogans the retailer uses do not make clear what it stands for. Sainsbury’s being very successful with hiring the popular cook Jamie Oliver for its advertisement is only one of the reasons Tesco wants to focus on clear marketing messages and a modernized advertisement. ââ€" ªÃ¢â‚¬Å"Clicks and Bricks†: As a last point Tesco want to put a focus on its offer to pick up parcels in its stores. Hence the internet shopping is still growing it is very convenient for customers to pick up their parcels in one of the local shops. Before the start of the campaign only 770 of Tesco’s 2,700 stores in the UK were offering this service which Tesco wants to expand. Tesco started working on this plan from April 2012 on. The plan involved the investment of  £1bn and led to a drastic dropdown in profits for the year 2012, compounded by the general slowdown in sales in the UK. Within the first 6 months 2012 Tesco’s profits in the UK were down more than 12.4 % at  £ 1.1 bn. Internationally, Tesco is especially strugglingShow MoreRelatedA Report On Tesco Plc1711 Words   |  7 Pages1.0 Introduction The purpose of this report is to applies financial ratios analysis indicators in specific to analysis ,comparisons and evaluation of annual report of Tesco PLC and Wm Morrison supermarket PLC .It will be focus on following respects (1)Comparing Tesco PLC and Morrison PLC between 2013 and 2014 respectively. (2) Comparing Tesco PLC and Morrison PLC in 2014. 2 .0 Three limitations of ratio analysis (1)Although Tesco and Morrison operates in similar sectors ,but it is impossibleRead MoreIntroduction to J. 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Essay3657 Words   |  15 Pagesï » ¿ Financial Ratio Analysis on Morrison Supermarket PLC: Assignment 1 Contents Page 1.0 Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2 2.0 Calculations and Analysis of Findings with Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2-6 3.0 Discussion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 4.0 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8-11 Reference List †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12-13 Read MoreAnalysis of a Financial Performance of an Organization6927 Words   |  28 PagesAnalysis of a Financial Performance of an Organization | | Table of Contents Executive Summary....................................................................................................4 Introduction................................................................................................................5 Company Background...............................................................................................5 Financial Report Analysis....................Read MoreAnalysis Of X Ray Tesco : Financial Analysis3132 Words   |  13 PagesSCIENCE FINANCE AND FINANCIAL REPORTING X-Ray Tesco PLC - Financial Analysis Jessica Franco STUDENT NUMBER: 149041918 May 2015 Executive Summary The company Tesco PLC is currently the biggest retailer in the UK and it is one of the top five on the world stage by market share. At the time of writing (April 2015) the business giant faces a costly scandal for inconsistencies in its financial statements. This report aims to analyse the financial performance of Tesco during the last five years

Macro-economic Sample Solutions

Introduction The floods in the Queensland region in the year 2010-11 was more crucial as it came after previous year witnessed draught in the region. The state of Queensland faces rainfall from the periods of December to March. But the crisis like situation in the region developed due to excessive rains in the period of November. This was also the second highest flood in the region not seen since twentieth century (Raiffa, 1997). Queensland experience of floods is not new but in 2010-11 period it was peculiar especially on account of the La Nina weather pattern that brought with it heavy rain events and storms. During La Nina weather pattern the waters in the Northern coast became extremely warm making Queensland more susceptible for rains. Damages to roads, communication links, and losses to the tune of $ 900 million to the primary industries were noted. In response to the damages the Australian government decided to invest a massive $ 5.6 billion in the rehabilitation and restoration work in th e flood hit areas. Number of measures was taken to ensure that the impact of the natural calamity could be mitigated. One such measure by the Australian Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Julia Gillard was the introduction of one off levy. The one off levy was imposed on the middle income earning citizens, and was of 0.5 percent (Joint Flood Taskforce, 2011). As per the estimates of the Queensland floods the total damage is close to $ 16 billion. It is estimated that the damages were much higher compared to some of the other natural calamities that happened in Elbe flood in Germany in the year 2002, and Mexico City earthquake in 1985. (Table 1) Impact of Floods on Income As stated in the early part of the study, a one off flood levy of 0.5 percent was introduced on the middle income group. The application of the levy can be seen in the Table 2. The income slabs were decided and it was noted that the person earning an income of more than $ 50000 will be liable for a levy of 0.5 percent, while those earning an income of more than $ 100000 will be liable for a slab of 1 percent. Arguments put forward in favour of Levy While imposing the levy Australian president mentioned that the levy was more or less similar to the income tax slabs and was imposed on the income of certain group of people. The people that were affected by the floods were not liable to pay the levy. The levy rates were justified by saying that anyone who earns $ 60000 in a year will be paying only $ 1 extra per week according to the levy system. The application of the levy for the only year 2011-12 was also given. The estimated recovery from this levy was $ 1.8 billion. There was a challenge in front of the government in terms of the budget of damage and therefore this levy was one of the means to mitigate the expenditure (Coates, et al., n d). The government segregated this expenditure and mentioned that the short term assistance to the flood affected citizens was $ 600 million, while subsidies given to businessmen and farmers were $ 120 million. The government also ensured that the extra resources were put in place so that the r elief measures were on a fast track mode. Colson (2011) is of the view that the people have the option to reject the surprises from their elected leaders. They are better off when they are provided with the predictable options. The compulsion being put on the people has been the sole reason for rejection rather than anything else, states Colson (2011) indicating the argument of Gittins in his blog. Arguments against Flood Levy Keane (2011) criticized the policy of levy as an approach by the lazy government. The criticism of the tax was on the manner the funds were being misused and the debt levels of the country that was lower in advanced economies. The government measure was more of being charging the people for being sympathetic and it was more of a voters gimmick. Coorey (2011) mentions that the levy could have been avoided and instead the budget estimates could have been curtailed. However, cuts in the budget could have caused another wave of criticism. The higher costs of living in Australia were cited as one of the reasons by opposition and critics like News.com (2011). News.com (2011) mentions that already the cost of living is very high especially in Sydney, and Prime Minister has failed in terms of the administrative and political approach. Berg (2011) points out on the policies like Automotive Transformation Scheme by the government and mentions that the scheme will directly route $ 3.4 billion of tax payers money in the automobile industry. These kinds of measures could have been avoided and instead the tax has been put in the name of disaster management. The money offered to the car industry to revive itself at the expense of the tax payers was not a wise decision. Cost Benefit Analysis Options The Queensland disaster is not the last one considering the rainfall and geographical location. Therefore an adequate cost and benefit plan is required to avoid such calamities or atleast mitigating the same. This can be done by a program that ensures the building of new houses that can tackle the problems of cyclones (Deloitte, 2013). The benefits cost ratios for building the new houses has the capability for reducing the risks of natural calamities by 2/3rd. Chart 1 mentions the ranges of cost and benefits analysis that will be possible if counter measures to avoid disasters are taken. The other option is to increase the wall size of Warragamba Dam by 23 meters. The estimates from Deloitte, (2013) states that the present value of the cost of the floods could be reduced by $ 3 billion from a period of 2013 to 2050. This measure also creates a benefit cost ratio value of almost 9, as seen in Chart 1. The other measure that has been though by Queensland Government (2014) is the building of new dams in the region to lessen the impact of the floods. The changes in the timing of dam operations have been also thought of as a measure to counter the risks. This is due to the fact that in case of floods there is the requirement of streamlining the water so that the floods in the downstream regions are avoided. The government has identified the locations where the new dams are to be build (Queensland Government, 2014). Engagement of public so as to increase the land usage in a proper manner and planning for the floods is very important (Coates, 2012). Conclusion From the report it becomes clear that the measure of levy in case of the floods in Australia was not the last remedy. Raising $ 1.8 billion from the levy has invited criticisms for the government that is already spending $ 3.4 billion of tax payers money for the recovery in the Automobiles market. It should be about getting the priorities at the right place. The studies also mentioned that the geographical location of Queensland is such that it remains affected from flood, draughts, and problems like cyclones. For this a strong measure is required to be taken like building of infrastructure that can up the ante against the natural calamities (Clemen, 1997). The option of raising the dam wall and creating a cost benefit analysis is sound enough to minimize the extent of losses. Putting a levy in times when the other options are available is not a sound strategy especially in the cases when the cost of living is higher in the region. The government should also be promoting schemes like the environmental awareness programmes in the region and the analyses and forecasts of the rainfall and cyclones should be made. The paper clearly points out that the arguments in favour of the levy tax have not been taken in good faith by the critics. There was a strong resilience from the public that is already cutting down its expenses in order to take into account the costs. Weather patterns in Queensland keeps on changing every year and therefore the requirement of effective policy measures that can counter risks of natural disasters is required. References Australian Government n d, Australian Budget, The Australian Government Budget 2013-2014 handed down on 14 May 2013, allocated $50 million per year over two years to reduce flood risk. Berg, C 2011, Drowning In Gillard's Flood Levy Spin [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Clemen, R T 1997, Making Hard Decisions: An Introduction to Decision Analysis, PWS-KENT: Boston, MA, USA. Coates, L, Haynes, K, Gissing, A, Radford, D n d, The Australian experience and the Queensland Floods of 20102011, In The Handbook of Drowning: Prevention, Rescue, Treatment, Bierens, J J L M , Ed. Springer-Verlag Publishing: Berlin, Germany, 2012; Chapter 1017. Coates, L 2012, Moving Grantham? Relocating Flood Prone Towns Is Nothing New [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Colson, P 2011, [Online] Coorey, P 2011, Gillards flood levy sets of wave of criticism [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Insurance Council of Australia 2011, Flooding in the Brisbane River Catchment, ICA Hydrology Panel: Sydney, Australia. Joint Flood Taskforce 2011, Joint Flood Taskforce Report March, Report prepared for the Brisbane City Council, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Johnston, E, Needham, K, Tovey, J 2011, Insurers Say no to Brisbane; Brisbane Times: Brisbane, [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Keane, B 2011, Labors Lazy Levy [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. com 2011, No Excuse For Flood Tax Abbott [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Queensland Government 2014, Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Option Revealed [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Raiffa, H 1997, Decision Analysis: Introductory Readings on Choices under Uncertainty, McGraw Hill: New York, NY, USA. SMH 2011, Gillard Confirms one-off Flood Levy [Online], Accessed on 19 August 2014. Appendices Table 1: Table 1: Estimates of Damage, PMO, IBIS Table 2: Income Slab Levy (In % terms) $ 50000 Nil $50001-100000 0.5 $ 100000 Above 1 Table 2: Levy as per income slabs, SMH Chart 1 Chart 1: Cost Benefit Analysis, Deloitte (2013) Chart 2 Chart 2: Bribane River Catchment, Queensland Government (2014)