Free Essays on My First Race

My First Race My first mountain bike race was an experience I will never forget. The day started off before the hot sun had even rose. The morning dew was still lying on the ground like a blanket of crystals. As I loaded up the car with the help of my parents, I realized that I was extremely anxious and ready to go. Pulling out of the drive way there was no stopping until we reached the race site, an hour and a half away, at Kickappoo State Park. When arriving I remember seeing bright neon orange signs directing us through the park and to the registration table. After registering and buying a one day racing license, I realized that I was not ready to go. So I frantically ran to the car, unloaded everything that I was going to need including my bike. Then I quickly put my bike together and made sure everything was in the best working shape it could be. However, I would find out later that this was not the case. So after getting everything ready I jumped on my bike and went for a quick warm-up ride to get my aching muscles loosened up. When I returned from this ride, I did a quick look over of my clean bike and was ready to start the race. When it was time to start the race my stomach was a nervous mess. I honestly thought I was going to be sick, but the time had come to start the race. The starter explained all the rules and how the course would be marked off, then counted down from three. As I heard him say go my adrenalin took over my body and the race was on. Riding this course before I had some insight on the harder parts of the trail, this allowed me to pace myself and not burn all of my energy at the very beginning. As the race went on my heart and breathing started getting faster and more intense. As this happened I realized that I had to bear through the excruciating pain and plow on. Once we got further into the trail, everyone realized that it was a muddy mess that smelled of rotten leaves. So much to our surprise a... Free Essays on My First Race Free Essays on My First Race My First Race My first mountain bike race was an experience I will never forget. The day started off before the hot sun had even rose. The morning dew was still lying on the ground like a blanket of crystals. As I loaded up the car with the help of my parents, I realized that I was extremely anxious and ready to go. Pulling out of the drive way there was no stopping until we reached the race site, an hour and a half away, at Kickappoo State Park. When arriving I remember seeing bright neon orange signs directing us through the park and to the registration table. After registering and buying a one day racing license, I realized that I was not ready to go. So I frantically ran to the car, unloaded everything that I was going to need including my bike. Then I quickly put my bike together and made sure everything was in the best working shape it could be. However, I would find out later that this was not the case. So after getting everything ready I jumped on my bike and went for a quick warm-up ride to get my aching muscles loosened up. When I returned from this ride, I did a quick look over of my clean bike and was ready to start the race. When it was time to start the race my stomach was a nervous mess. I honestly thought I was going to be sick, but the time had come to start the race. The starter explained all the rules and how the course would be marked off, then counted down from three. As I heard him say go my adrenalin took over my body and the race was on. Riding this course before I had some insight on the harder parts of the trail, this allowed me to pace myself and not burn all of my energy at the very beginning. As the race went on my heart and breathing started getting faster and more intense. As this happened I realized that I had to bear through the excruciating pain and plow on. Once we got further into the trail, everyone realized that it was a muddy mess that smelled of rotten leaves. So much to our surprise a...

Analysis of Argentina Balance of Payments

The economic situation of Argentina was interesting between 1998 and 2007. However, it can be assumed that the worst year of the Argentinean economy was 2002. Before 1998, some factors such as a huge debt reaching 55% of the GDP, a currency pegged to the US $, the â€Å"Tequila† crisis in 1995, the devaluation of Mexican and Brazilian currencies, were responsible of the crisis Firstly we compared trade and GDP, to obtain the trade openness ratio. It increased strongly in 2002, due to a high increase in trade (133% 2001 to 2002) compared to the GDP that declined 11bp. The relatively high level of trade openness registered in 2002: 10. 08%, is based on the steep drop in imports 56%, related to the peso devaluation. As the peso stabilized and GDP undertook an ascending trend trade openness bounced back to low level again. Secondly, the balance of payments of Argentina can be analyzed in order to compare the exports to the GDP. The trade index of the country is under 20% until 2005, which is lower than the Global Trade Index at this time (30%). Nevertheless, it increased to reach a better level in 2007 (25%). For the valuation of the liquidity level, we compared the reserves to the imports, in volume and number of days. Since 1998, it is decreasing, sharply in 2001 and 2002, then recovering a better level between 20% and 30%. Therefore we can not consider that 4 months of reserves to be sufficient for maintaining a good level of liquidity, it’s a bit lower than the 6 months objective. In 2006, reserves influenced by the crisis in Mexico, dropped to 10%. To assess the debt service, we assumed a 5% interest rate, applied to interest payments and exceptional financing. Debt declined in terms of export multiplies especially due to the rise in exports and not to reimbursements. The highly indebted Argentina actually resorted to IMF financing and additional loans in 2001, when confronted with $3bn capital flight. Fluctuating between 900% in 1998 and 380% in 2007, the debt service ratio, far away from the optimal level of 33% , clearly emphasizes the state’s debt burden. The interest ratio is high, but still decreasing jointly with the debt, reaching a sane level below 0,25 in 2006 and 2007. Still this figure is actually deceiving, the interest ratio plunging due to ascending exports and not decreasing debt service. All liquidity indicators point out to a disappointing position for Argentina, still the reimbursements made in the recent years and the IMF account clearing entice improvements at this level. We can notice a huge change, in the current account since 2002. The negative current account which lasted for several years, had been replaced by a positive one in 2002. This change was attributable to the big decision of switching from a pegged currency (to the US$), to a floating currency. Consequently, the Argentinean peso was devalued. On a current account view, this means less imports, and an increase of the exports. Actually the volume of the exports didn’t take off the day when the decision of devaluating the Argentinean peso, but 2 years after. This phenomenon could be explained by the J curve theory. 2001 was a turning point in the history of Argentina. Forecasting the devaluation of the peso, investors revised their position towards the Argentinean market, foreign direct investment dropping by 80% from 2000 and 2001. This way FDI decreased drastically its role as a financing source (before 2001, Argentina was financing between 5 and 10% of its debt by the Foreign Direct Investment). Faced with such a drastic cut in foreign direct investment and portfolio investment, Argentina issued additional debt worth $ 10 bn. Over the last ten years Argentina experienced serious turbulence in its financial position that has negatively impacted its state rating and fuelled even more financial distress. Still, in recent years, rescue came and it was in the form of economic growth. This restored investors’ confidence, translating into higher absolute FDI inflows, and allowed for debt restructuring. With an outstanding debt of $6 bn towards the Venezuelean government, obligations of $ 500 m in the international debt market and a state rating of B (Moody’s), any investment in the Argentinean market will carry high risk that might not necessarily be offset by a high return. For the time being, we recommend not investing in Argentina.

Red Spot Markets Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Red Spot Markets Company - Essay Example Possibly, a third and more strategic issue is the decision to close down the Providence center and shift all operations to Newburgh. First, we try and understand the impact of the first problem. Shrinkage directly impacts retailer margins since it is a loss of inventory. This is of concern to the senior management. At the operational level, this leads to a different kind of conflict. The DC (Distribution Center) loads cartons in which, as per the delivery note or shipment advice, a specified number of bottles or packs of a particular product is packed. However, when the stores receive the goods and they find shortage, then they report it as short receipts and make a note accordingly. Often, the DC employee states that it is not his problem and blames in-transit loss of goods. For the stores, it is a problem since the shelves would not be fully stacked. Repeated complaints from stores would imply the seriousness of the problem. Yet, managers who seek to address such problems need to d iscuss with DC personnel and with the store teams on these issues. Decisions cannot be taken without consulting both sides. The second problem is handling a dominant employee who seems to exert both a positive and negative influence on his team members. The situation would have been positive if, even in Bigelow’s absence, the DC operated smoothly with very minor lapses due to lack of leadership. But we find clear evidence that he has been able to influence his co-workers to sabotage daily operations because of his unjustified suspension. This kind of negative influence is bound to affect the company in the long run. It shifts the focus from an impartial, unbiased dedication to work to dependence on a single person, who can drive day-to-day activities. For an aggressive DC manager, Bigelow is bound to create problems. He is unlikely to take orders from his superior. In fact, Bigelow has been trying to lord over his superiors. A second problem is that such a leadership (Bigelow ’s) would foster a cover-up of real problems. For instance, if two or three poor performers are there in his team, then Bigelow would try to cover their shortcomings. This would impact worker morale and productivity. A similar attitude of covering up of performance metrics (such as shrinkage) would ensue since we have glimpses of such acts towards the end of the case. The third issue, more strategic in nature, calls for a decision to shut down the DC in Providence and shift to Newburgh. This could have a bigger impact on the company. The first is that there must be a thorough assessment of whether the Newburgh facility can handle the volumes which were earlier managed by the Providence DC. It needs proper computation of DC space, forklift movement space and additional personnel needed to man operations. The second point of concern is the distances which need to be served if all logistics were to be managed from the Newburgh center. Response time may increase leading to empty or partially replenished shelves at the retail stores. This would directly hit the store revenues. The third issue would also lead us to the problem of managing retrenchment or re-allocation of personnel from the Providence DC. Employees with strong roots may resist any attempts to re-locate and they may be willing to give up their jobs. Additionally, this could result in legal problems if any of them decide to sue the company. Plus, there could be talented, good performers at the Providence DC, who may not

Paintings of Picasso during the Modernism Essay

Paintings of Picasso during the Modernism - Essay Example The essay "Paintings of Picasso during the Modernism " will help to understand the role of Pablo Picasso's art in the modernism. Art paintings that emphasizes material content and the social perception is perceivable as incomplete compared to art paintings in which the content is down played, and formal elements emphasized. The principles of modernism period are clearly visible in the works of Pablo Picasso, who perhaps can be considered as the most illustrious modern painter; conversely, the difference that exists between content and form is not one-sided or simplistic. Considerably, Pablo Picasso's paintings were not absolutely abstract; in most instances the paintings contained references, though unclear, to the material art world. Furthermore, while Pablo's paintings were characteristically concerned with the Cubism and universality, it helped shape and model abstract art. Social elements that were of interest then were incorporated in most of his works. Incorporation of social e lements in his works further complicated Picasso’s stature as a modernist artist. Consequently, though Picasso's art paintings encompass modernistic elements they are considerable as more complex in a modernistic sense because of all the elements incorporated in them. In the early 1900s, Picasso instigated his first unique style, which is referred to as the Picasso’s blue period. He restricted the color scheme he employed to blue, Picasso illustrated withered and solitude body forms whose figures and appearance signified the inferiority.

The Holocaust in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay -- essays research papers

Author: Elie Wiesel Do you see that chimney over there? See it? Do you see those flames? Over there- that's where you're going to be taken. That's your grave, over there. Haven't you realize it yet? You dumb bastards, don't you understand anything? You're going to be burned. Frizzed away. Turned into ashes. The Holocaust lasted from 1939-1942. During these tough and traumatic years Hitler killed over 6,000,000 people, mostly Jews, but the retarded, homosexual, and handicapped were also murdered. But the Jews did make it through these rough times. They survived only on courage, dreams, and hope. Before World War II, Elie Wiesel led an ordinary life for a teenage Jew at the time. He went to synagogue and he went to school, (which at the time not many people went to), and that was a normal day for him up until the Germans came and took them away to the concentration camps. He liked having long discussion with a homeless person named Moshe. One day Moshe moved to a different town. When he came back to Sighet, Transylvan...

High School Life Essay

Ask any teenager today and they will tell you that they are nothing like their parents, that their parents just don’t understand them. This may be true and this may be false, it just depends on how you look at it. Teenagers of the Rebel Without a Cause, meaning the parents of today’s teens, did face a lot of the same problems and issues that we now face. Yet I am left thinking did the past teens face all the same problems at the same time as we do and were some of their â€Å"problems† not as much of a problem as it is to us. Teens from the past and present are faced with problems such as school, relationships, and friends. There were many teenage problems back then in â€Å"Rebel Without a Cause† and today’s teenagers. Most of these problems that Jim Stark and the other teens faced were similar, but my own belief is that these same problems were not as big of problem back when they were growing up. Let’s take school and homework for example, oh sure your parents had it too but I just don’t believe that there was as much pressure upon them to get good grades. Also, get into a good college as there is for us. And of course with the knowledge that college is right around the corner most teens also need to work. They need to save money for college, or a car, or to make the girl/boy of their dreams happy by taking them out on dates once in a while. Plus, all this pressure and work can build up for a teen and to most of us it seems like we never have a chance to just relax and hang out with friends anymore. It relates to the movie because some of the teens do not care about homework or going to school. The reason is that was back then it was easy to get a job by only having a high school diploma with no college education. But, now in our teen lives it is hard to get a job with a high school diploma. Another thing that is different from the past from the present is the fashion that students wear. In the past, boys wear plain regular clothes and the cool guys always wear black jackets or blazers. It is similar like what a gang member usually wears right now. Except the gangs have their baggy pants or shorts and show their boxers in black or white. It is weird how those kind of guys like to show-off their boxers or underwear. For the girls in the past, they all mostly put on dresses. Now girls mostly wear skirts or short shorts. Plus, girls always try to put on the sexiest clothes to wear because to get all the attention and be popular. Like in the movie, Jim Stark wears different clothes from his classmates. The reason is that he moved to a lot of different high schools because he never made any friends and doesn’t fit in with the other teens. Also, in every high school he went to the teens called Jim, â€Å"Chicken†. Why he is called that because the teenagers see him acting like a chicken, when Jim does not want to get into trouble. I think back then music for teens like, â€Å"Rebel Without a Cause†, probably listened to rock and roll. But now teens prefer rapping and hip hop music. It’s interesting how music has changed so much in the past because teens loved to get crazy on rock and roll. I wonder how teens will react if music never came to rock and roll. Probably teens will make their own music or have to try out their parent’s music, which were more hip hop and dance music. Now teens today have a mix of genres they like to listen. Most teens in the present relate their music to their emotions. The reason is because they must have some problems in their lives and music helps teens release stress. Plus, I am sure that it happens to the teens in the past except not big problems compare to our teen years. I bet Jim Stark and his classmates love to listen to rock and roll. Even though it does not show in the movie that they played rock and roll, but back then there was a lot of rock and roll. The teens in the early years prefer rock and roll because it was something they can be themselves with their friends. Sometimes parents cannot stand their teen’s music and tells them to turn it off or take it away from them. It is weird how in the movie, it shows parents like Jim’s parents how they do not care about his school issues. For instance, when Jim’s classmates call him chicken, he tells them to stop and be angry to his parents. Then Jim’s parents decide to move somewhere else again, which happen several times. Jim does not want that because he thinks it is going to happen all over again. So, basically Jim’s parents do not really help him and his life that much. But comparing to today’s teens, Jim’s parents and other parents show more concern for each of their son/daughter’s education to make them successful in life. I can see that every year new parents learn from their past seeing their mom and dad on how they take care of their son or daughter. Then later on the new parents learn from their parent’s mistakes and become a better parent. There are things that are similar between our time and the movie, â€Å"Rebel Without a Cause†. One is that teens hate doing homework and waking up early for school. Teens in the past and present struggle with their emotions like in relationships or family issues. Jim shows his emotions to his parents in the movie. He tells them how he feels every time when he transfers to a new school and he is not good at making any relationships or friends. The main reason is everyone calls him chicken because he is different from his classmates and they think he is afraid of them. I just want to say that I am not saying that teenagers of the past did not have their own problems, but of course they did, every single teen alive faces problems that they think is hard and that their whole world is crumbling down around them well at least once in a while. But now that they have grown up and turned into the parents of today’s teenagers I feel that they put more pressure upon their own teenage child in order for them to achieve more than they were able to. A common expression is, â€Å"My parents are so strict, overprotective, or too involved in my life, because they don’t want me making the same mistakes they did when they were my age but they need to trust me and just leave me alone. † And that expression can sometimes is kind of true. But all in all I feel that our parents do understand what we, as teenagers, are going through because they did face the same problems that we face today, but maybe with just a little less pressure.

Economics Csec Sba - 2403 Words

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF THE MONOPOLY â€Å"THE JAMAICA PUBLIC SERVICE LTD† ON JAMAICA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 2011 Centre #: 100016 Candidate #: 1000161860 Jessica Dewar Campion College Economics SBA An Investigation into the impact of the monopoly â€Å"Jamaica Public Service† on Jamaica throughout the year 2011. TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (i) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (ii) METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED (iii) DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS 1 CONCLUSION 7 RECOMMENDATIONS 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 8 APPENDICES 9 DATA COLLECTION amp; ANALYSIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT This project would not be made possible without the help of certain individuals and I would like to express my†¦show more content†¦According to an article entitled â€Å"How does Jamaica source energy?† written by Patricia Bell and contributed to the website ‘eHow’ (Appendix 1), Jamaica is one of many nations that is largely dependent on energy produced by other nations and exports approximately seventy-five thousand barrel of oil per day. The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is a company devoted to relaying imported energy to the island. JPS, founded in 1923, has been and still is the monopoly distributor of electric energy in Jamaica. In relation to ‘Legal battle to break JPS Monopoly begins’ an article written by Paul Henry for the Jamaica Observer on September 11, 2011 the firm was granted a license by the acting Minister of Mining and Energy Bobby Pickersgill in 2001. Relative to the article entitled â€Å"Jamaica Public Service Company Limited Standard Offer Contract for the Purchase of As-Available Intermittent Energy from Renewable Energy Facilities up to 100kW†, the main purpose of ‘the License’ is to â€Å"establish the framework for the planning and implementation of incremental additions of generation capacity to the national electric grid†, which is permitting JPS to provide the entire Jamaica with electric energy. In Appendix 4 earlier cited, a lawsuit conducted by displeased customers is currently in progress to seek specificShow MoreRelatedThe Production Option (Pob Sba Guideline)4598 Words   |  19 PagesESTABLISHING A BUSINESS PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS SCHOOL BASED ASSESSEMENT INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Principles of Business School Based Assessment (SBA) This will be a very exciting and rewarding experience for you, if you take the time to put your all into this research project. This SBA component of the POB subject is Paper 3 and is 20% of your CSEC CXC grade. It is compulsory, so do not ignore the importance of working hard throughout the school terms. The Theme of the project is â€Å"EstablishingRead MoreEDPM CSEC15093 Words   |  61 PagesCARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate ® CSEC  ® ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT PREPARATION AND MANAGEMENT SYLLABUS Effective for examinations from May-June 2014 CXC 34/G/SYLL 12 Published by the Caribbean Examinations Council All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the author or publisher. Correspondence