Saturday, November 30, 2019

Presidential Election Of 1856 Essays - Bleeding Kansas,

Presidential Election of 1856 Title: The Contenders For the presidential election of 1856, the Democrats nominated James Buchanan and John Breckenridge, the newly formed Republican party nominated John Fremont and William Drayton, the American [or Know-Nothing] party nominated former president Millard Fillmore and Andrew Donelson, and the Abolition Party nominated Gerrit Smith and Samuel McFarland. Buchanan started his political career as a state representative in Pennsylvania, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1821, appointed minister to Russia in 1832, and elected US Senator in 1834. He was appointed Secretary of State in 1845 by President Polk and in that capacity helped forge the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican War. He was appointed by President Polk as minister to Great Britain in 1853. As such, he, along with the American ministers to Spain and France, issued the Ostend Manifesto, which recommended the annexation of Cuba to the United States. This endeared him to southerners, who assumed Cuba would be a slave state. He was one of several northerners supported over the years by southern Democrats for being amenable to slaveholders' interests, a situation originating with Martin van Buren. Buchanan's two major rivals for the nomination, Franklin Pierce and Stephen Douglas, were both politically tainted by the bloodshed in Kansas. Buchanan was untainted, since he had been abroad during most of the controversy. Even so, he did not secure the nomination until the seventeenth ballot. Fremont was best known as an explorer and a war hero. He surveyed the land between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, explored the Oregon Trail territories and crossed the Sierra Madres into the Sacramento Valley. As a captain in the Army, he returned to California and helped the settlers overthrow Mexican rule in what became known as the Bear Flag Revolution, a sidebar to the Mexican War. He was elected as one of California's first two Senators. The infant Republican party was born from the ashes of the Whig party, which had suffered spontaneous combustion as a result of the slavery issue. The party's convention was a farce; only northern states and a few border slave states sent delegates. Sticking to their Whig roots, they nominated a war hero, albeit a minor one. William Drayton's runner-up for the VP slot was Abraham Lincoln. Fillmore, having been the thirteenth president following the death of Zachary Taylor, found himself representing the American party after many northern delegates left the convention over a rift caused by the slavery issue. Their objection was that the party platform was not strong enough against the spread of slavery. The party's vice presidential nominee was a nephew of Andrew Jackson and the editor of the Washington Union. The party, also known as the Know-Nothings, was extremely antagonistic towards immigrants, Catholics and other assorted minorities. The party was born in 1850, when several covert "Native American" societies joined together, their secret password being "I know nothing." Smith was nominated by the Abolition party in New York, which had nominated Frederick Douglass for New York secretary of state the year before under the label New York Liberty Party. The Campaign: Neither Buchanan nor Fremont campaigned themselves. Republicans declared Buchanan dead of lockjaw. Fremont, however, had a splendid campaign substitute, his beautiful wife Jessie, prompting "Oh Jessie!" campaign buttons. The Democrats tried desperately to avoid the slavery issue altogether, opting instead to pursue the conservative effort to preserve the Union. The Republicans, on the other hand, actively attacked slavery. Their campaign slogan was "Free Soil, Free Men, Freedom, Fremont". [Shields-West, pgs 78 & 80] The self-serving efforts of Stephen Douglas did more to mold the campaign of 1856 than did any other single event. Although he did not intentionally destroy the North-South balance created by the Compromise of 1850, his focused quest for the White House caused him to make some foolish choices. Douglas coveted a rail head in Chicago for the new transcontinental railroad. This would make Chicago a major trade center for the country, not unlike New York City when the Erie Canal was completed. He knew increased economic power for his home state would translate as increased political power for him. The South, on the other hand, wanted the rail

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

CREDE Standards

CREDE Standards CREDE standards are the standards usually applied by teachers in order to make their pedagogy more effective. These standards are the rules that were established after a careful research of teaching practices and methods. The rules determined by the researchers are directed at the improvement of educative literature and techniques of teaching.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on CREDE Standards specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The standards are designed to help maintain the agreement between the literature and teaching materials and the cultural diversity in the classroom (The CREDE Five Standards for Effective Pedagogy n. d.). The need for standards appeared with the development of globalization in the world and with the occurrence of high level of cultural diversity in the schools of the United States of America. This diversity required the teachers to demonstrate individual approach in order to improve the productivit y and effectiveness of their teaching techniques. The researchers focused on the determination of clear norms that would work and bring positive outcome to any classroom and help any teacher. Another technique directed at helping a teacher and a class was created by Dr. Garcia. The strategies of Dr. Garcia are called â€Å"five R’s and one T†. These strategies recommend the teacher to be Respectful towards the students, another important aspect is the Responsiveness in the classroom, and the teacher must engage the students in conversations and maintain a dialogue between them. The students and the teacher are Responsible for their own active participation in the process of learning. Resourcefulness is the teacher’s capacity to stimulate the students’ desire to learn. Reasonable teacher will control the amount of work and the level of challenges they employ. Finally, the T is for theory. This means that the theory the lessons are based on must be correct and reliable (Redding 2010). When I teach I try to apply the five CREDE standards and follow Dr. Garcia’s strategies for better pedagogy. Evaluating my own teaching, I can say that I employ most of the standards and techniques. I try to make lessons collaborative, engage the students into dialogues and discussions that include the use of the thematic vocabulary, share own experiences related to the topic of the lesson, engage the students into group work. I also use tasks of various complexities to challenge the students, I provide my students with proper and clear feedback about their performance, I guide and direct the interaction between students, stimulate learning through the conversation.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, during the class that included reading about environmental protection, I encouraged my students to have dialogues with each other, talking about their own experiences with protection and pollution of the environment, and using the new vocabulary. I believe that during my work with the students in the classroom I effectively implement joint productive activity, by means of engaging in a conversation and stimulating a discussion with students in order to make them come to conclusions and be productive under my guidance. I also provide language development for the students, because the communication that is done in the class always includes specific vocabulary. I assist with written and oral tasks; I stimulate purposeful conversation, statements and questioning. I connect the student language with literacy, mixing the students’ familiar experiences and the topics of lessons together. Using new words in speech helps the students memorize them and develop own literacy. I also implement contextualization when I suggest the students making connections between the materials we study in class and their personal e xperiences. I challenge the students by offering them tasks of higher level of difficulty. I do this in order to increase my students’ thinking and study skills as well as interactions in the classroom (Reed Railback 2003). To my mind, the way of teaching could be more culturally responsive. I think I could bring more contextualization to the learning process of I engaged the family members of my students into the participation in classroom activities. This practice could add more contrast and provide more learning opportunities. Besides, it would increase the connections between the students’ life and the studies. Community based learning activities could bring the students’ life and the school closer. I also would be interested to try the practice of change of conversational styles, introduce my class to co-narration, call-and-response and choral practices. This strategy is also good for language development and forming of language objectives, which is a very important component of teaching ELLs (Wallace 2004). This specific adjustment would allow me develop the strategies formulated by Dr. Garcia such as respectfulness towards each other’s cultural backgrounds, better base for being responsive and communicate, creating more resources for learning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on CREDE Standards specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the topics such as family, work or holidays could be easily modified in order to allow me to introduce the students’ families to the class, create communication with the use of thematic vocabularies, contextualize the topic and the lives of the students, create responsiveness and instructional conversation. The parents could also help m stimulate and challenge the students, organize group activities and stimulate the students create more resources for discussion, learn though dialogue and be respectful and appreciative of ea ch other’s and own backgrounds. Reference List Redding, A. (2010). Blogspot. Web. Reed, B., Railback, J. (2003). Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers  of English Language Learners. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. The CREDE Five Standards for Effective Pedagogy. (n. d). CREDE. Web. Wallace, S. (2004). Effective Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners  in Mainstream Classrooms. Web.

Friday, November 22, 2019

7 Religious Christmas Quotes About Jesus

7 Religious Christmas Quotes About Jesus Christmas reminds us of  the trials and tribulations of Jesus Christ, and what better way to remember the reason for the season than religious quotes  that focus on the life of the savior.  The remarks that follow, both from the Bible and from prominent Christians,  serve as a reminder that good always triumphs over evil. D. James Kennedy, Christmas Stories for the Heart The star of Bethlehem was a star of hope that led the wise men to the fulfillment of their expectations, the success of their expedition. Nothing in this world is more fundamental for success in life than hope, and this star pointed to our only source for true hope: Jesus Christ. Samuel Johnson The Church does not superstitiously observe days, merely as days, but as memorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another; but there should be a stated day for commemorating the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger that what may be done on any day, will be neglected. Luke 2:9-14 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were so  afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. George W. Truett Christ was born in the first century, yet he belongs to all centuries. He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races. He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries. Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Larry Libby, Christmas Stories for the Heart Late on a sleepy, star-spangled night, those angels peeled back the sky just like you would tear open a sparkling Christmas present. Then, with light and joy pouring out of Heaven like water through a broken dam, they began to shout and sing the message that baby Jesus had been born. The world had a Savior! The angels called it Good News, and it was. Matthew 1:21 And she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Modern Diplomatic History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Diplomatic History - Essay Example In this paper, for the purposes of clarity, the researcher would define the first half of the nineteenth century from the years 1800 to 1850. In addition, the researcher would also try to look at the significant events in modern European history in these years, as well as the status of the major powers, in order to root out the causes of why no major war occurred in this period. One of the most important historical backgrounds of early nineteenth century Europe was the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars (McLynn 215). This war, which actually lasted from the years 1803-1815, actually proves to be the last major war between great European powers in the first half of the nineteenth century; in addition, this also set the tone for the establishment of the period of â€Å"Pax Britannica,† which would be a major reason why there would be no major war again in continental Europe until the second half of the nineteenth century, as the researcher would expound later in the paper (Fremon t-Barnes and Fisher 321). These wars were actually resulted by the creation of the French Empire by the French General Napoleon, which proved to be the last major challenge to the supremacy of the British Empire until the First World War. The final stages of the Napoleonic Wars (which covered the period of the early years of the nineteenth century) actually pitted the French Empire lead by Napoleon against various coalitions (from the Third to the Seventh Coalition) composed of the British Empire and its allies, most notably Russia, Prussia, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, and a number of German States (Fremont-Barnes and Fisher 259). At first, the French Empire (through the use of mass conscription and shrewd diplomacy) actually conquered most of continental Europe (except Great Britain), who at its peak created and/or controlled the client states of the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Italy, the Swiss Confederation, the Confederation of the Rhine, the Low Countries, and the grand Duchy of Warsaw, among others (Fremont-Barnes and Fisher 15). However, constant warfare with the continental alliances, along with their failure to conquer the British Empire, actually brought about the downfall of the French Empire, resulting in Napoleon’s defeat at Russia and finally at Waterloo (Fremont-Barnes and Fisher 306). The Congress of Vienna, where the terms of the surrender of the French Empire, the reestablishment of the French Bourbon Monarchy, and the restructuring of Europe was discussed by the â€Å"Four Great Powers† (Prussia, United Kingdom, Austria and Russia), one of the greatest manifestation of diplomatic negotiation and compromise in Modern European History was witnessed (Chapman 1). Of course, these four great powers actually had their own territorial ambitions, as well as other objectives; however, the main objective among these powers was to resolve the issues caused by the French Empire, and by creating stability in Europe through the balance of powers (Chapman 16). There are many diplomatic provisions that were provided in the Congress of Vienna; however, this paper would focus on the most important provisions that would result to the relatively peaceful Europe for the next four decades (Chapman 55). As a result of the Congress of Vienna, Russia actually received the former French controlled Duchy of Warsaw,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Business Stone Field's Limousine Company Essay

The Business Stone Field's Limousine Company - Essay Example Demographic analysis entails demographic data such as total population and its growth, change in employee demographics in the market etc. Operational analysis includes safeguarding continuity and company development in terms of company operations. Individual analysis focuses on looking at how well an individual doing his job and determining his capacity to do new and different tasks. It shows which employee needs training and how. Heathfield (n.d.) states a distinct method of conducting training needs assessment. Training methods can be of various kinds. For instance, reading assignments, simulations, on the job training, group discussions, lectures, demonstrations, audio visual presentations, brainstorming, oral presentations, problem solving workshops, case study, role playing, field trips and unstructured group interactions. The media included can be audio tapes, video tapes, computers, manuals, guides and the suchlike. There are certain principles that can help in employee training. For example, focusing on emotional maturity, integrity and compassion; the main of this is to develop a person on the whole, including skills and knowledge. Another principle can be to focus on learning, not training specifically. All of this would also contribute to training for learning skills or facts which would be of great benefit for the company. Written material such as case studies, manuals, guides etc with personal instruction or classroom lectures can be the basis for learning. Simply reading the texts would be really helpful in understanding them on your

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Rare Aging Disease Essay Example for Free

Rare Aging Disease Essay A 12 year old girl named Ontlametse Phalatse lives in Hebron, a small town just north of Johannesburg, South Africa. When she gets home from school, she does homework, watches tv, does her daily chores, and sometimes helps her mother cook. Ontlametse has bright plans for the future, to become a psychologist. This seemingly ordinary child is also known as the only living black person with the disease known as Progeria. This rare disease is a genetic condition that’s speeds up the aging process. There were only two other black children that were diagnosed with the condition, but they died. Ontlametse and a white child are the only Africans diagnosed and they both live in South Africa. They may live there because South Africa has some of the best medical care on the continent. Most children with Progeria die between the ages of 8 and 21, usually suffering from heart failure, strokes, and high blood pressure. By the age of three months Ontlametse suffered constant rashes, and before she was one year old her hair was falling out. Ontlametse At the age of six she was enrolled in school, where teachers and classmates scorned her because they thought she had AIDS. Ontlametse was not diagnosed until she was 10, when a doctor friend hinted on the condition to her mother. Even though she has this condition Ontlametse is a bright and strong little girl. She says â€Å"I don’t care what people say about me† referring to the mean classmates, but she says that she has two friends in her class. At school Ontlametse is self conscious about her bald head and always wears a hat, that’s why one of the things on her wish list is a specially designed wig to wear when she’s not at home. Ontlametse calls herself the first lady because she is the only black child with this condition. Ontlametse says she wants to be a psychologist when she grows up so that she can help others accept themselves for the way that they are, just like she does. This dream of the future would require a miracle knowing that she may only have a couple more years to live. Every school holiday, Ontlametse flies to the Progeria Research Foundation at Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Here she participates in research were she has access to cutting edge drugs. I think that this article is really shocking, interesting and sad. This little girl is the only black person with Progeria on the whole planet. I have seen a show about this condition on tv, there was a three day convention that brought together all of the children with this condition. It was really shocking to see these young children looking like old people and having all of the health related issues that old people have, they are so small and fragile. Even though Ontlametse has all these problems she still attends school, does chores, has dreams, and is so strong, which is very inspiring. She does not let this condition bring her down, she knows that it’s a part of her and she wants to be a model for others to accept themselves as they are. This article is also saddens me because in reality this little girl, so full of life and personality, may only have a few more years left to live.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Judicial Precedent Essays -- Law Legal

This essay will examine the doctrine of Judicial precedent that helps form the English Legal System. It will illustrate various views that have been raised by Judges and relating cases to the use of ‘Stare decisis’ when creating precedents. In addition it will discuss how the developments in the powers of the courts now also allow them to depart from these precedents to an extent. The doctrine of Judicial precedent applies the principles of stare decisis which ‘lets the decision stand’. ‘Whenever a new problem arises in law the final decision forms a rule to be followed in all similar cases, making the law more predictable’ making it easier for people to live within the law. An original precedent is where a point of law is decided for the first time. This was illustrated in Donoghue v Stevenson where there was a decomposing snail in a bottle of ginger beer. The House of Lords set a precedent that manufacturers owe a duty of care to customers in the law of negligence. A key factor of judicial precedents usually refers to decisions of a higher court being binding upon a lower court in the hierarchical structure of the courts. This is best illustrated in Donoghue v Stevenson . However, if the previous decision was made by a court of equal or higher status to the court deciding the new case, then the Judge should follow the rule of law set in the earlier case. These are known as Binding precedents. The courts access these previous judgements through the system of Law reporting. The system of precedents could not work without a precise and comprehensive compilation of the key decisions of superior courts readily available to all who need them. Authoritative reports compiled by legally qualified law reporters are formed prima... ... law to be developed without need for lengthy litigation. Nonetheless, a change in law needs to be brought before the relevant court. This usually means litigants for the Court of Appeal or the House of Lords do not necessarily have the means to take their cases that far. In conclusion, the doctrine of judicial precedent has been accepted to form our legal system, through the use of binding precedents. It has helped the law maintain certainty yet through flexibility of the courts and exceptions to depart from precedents the law has continued to develop in a just manner. Works Cited Penny Darbyshire, Darvyshire on the English Legal System, Ninth edition. Terence Ingman, The English Legal Process, Eleventh edition. Catherine Elliott Frances Quinn, English Legal System, Seventh edition. Gary Slapper and Davis Kelly, The English Legal System, Tenth edition.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Curriculum-What Is To Be Taught?

In making instructional decisions the instructors must consider the following factors which include what is to be taught, how it should be taught and the student’s needs. John Dewey was very instrumental in bringing the concept of decision making theory into the educational field. He further presented it in a process that was known as the reflective thinking which involved four phases which are; the problem phase, the criteria phase, the solution phase, and finally the implementation phase. (Auerbach, 2003)The Curriculum-What Is To Be Taught? Is the curriculum guaranteed such that is it taught in a way that it was intended? Is the curriculum viable such that it can be adequately addressed in the time available? Is the curriculum rigorous such that it ensures that all the students’ areas have been adequately challenged? Is the curriculum relevant such that it fosters smooth transitions between the elementary schools, the middle schools, the high schools, the post seconda ry schools and later to the world of work?Are the decisions about the curriculum uniformly applied to all the students?   Is there a lot of emphasis on mastering predetermined and common curricular objectives? Is the curriculum used standard for all the students?   Is the curriculum relevant to the students?   Does the curriculum have an outline that allows for the differences in the students backgrounds, abilities interests and prior knowledge and for the differences in the expectations from the community?

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Holly Fashion

cASE 6 HOLLY FASHIONS RAT I O A N A LYSI S Billion-dollal a pparel c ompanies s uch a s C alvin K lein a nd L iz C laiborne a re unusual i n t he g arment i ndustry, w hich c onsists p rimarily o f m uch s malier apparel m akers. O ne s uch f irm i s H olly F ashions ( HF), l ocated i n C herry F lill, New J eriey. H F w as s tarted 1 4 y ears a go b y W illiam H amilton a nd J ohn W hite, who b etween t hem h ad o ver 2 5:yearso f e xperiencew ith a m ajor g arment m anufacturer.A nd t he p artnership i nitially b lended v ery w ell. H amilton, r eserved and i ntrospective, i s e xtremely c reative w ith a r eal f lair f or m erchandising a nd trend s potting. M ainly a s a r esult o f h is g enius, t he H F l abel i s s ynonymous with q uality a nd † tn† f ashions. ‘ h ite, o Utgoing a nd f orceful, h as c ontributed important m erchandising a nd m arketing i deas, b ut h as m ainly a ssumed t he duties o f t he f irm's c hief o perating o fficer.Hamilton h as h a d l ittle i nterest i n t he f inancial a spectso f t he c ompany, m uch preferring t o w ork o n d esigning n ew f ashions a nd t he d evelopment o f m arketing s trategies. A f ew m onths a go, h owever', h e d ecided t hat h e h ad b etter' become m ore i nvolved w ith t hd c ompany's f inancials. His m otivation i s t wofold. F irst, h e i s c onsidering t he s ale o f h is 5 0 p ercent interest i n H F. T hough h e m joys t he c reative s ide o f t he b usiness,h e i s t ired o f the c ash c runches t hat t he f irm h as e xperiencedi n r ecent y ears.P eriodically, t he retailers H F d eals w ith h ave e ncountered f inancial p loblems a nd h ave s tlung out t heir p ayments, w hich o ften c aused a m ad s cramble f or c ash a t H F A nd i f Hamilton d ecides t o s ell, h e k nows t hat h e i s l ikely t o b e i nvolved i n s ome stressful n egotiations s urrounding t he c ompany's v a1ue. T hough h e w ould h ire a c onsultant t o a id h im i n a ny,negotiations,h e d ecides i t i s a g ood i dea t o e ducate h imself a bout H F's f inancials.Another r eason t hat H amilton i s i nterested i n t he f irm's f inancials i s s o h e can b etter j udge t he m anagerial c ompetence o f l Alhite. Ahen I IF w as s mall Hamilton t hought W hite d id a f ine j ob, b ut n ow h e w onders w hether / hite i s capable o f r unning a f irm a s l arge a s H F. A ctually, i f H amilton w ere c onvinced that W hite i s a c ompetent m anager, h e w ould n ot c onsider s elling o ut s ince h e 36 PARTI I F INANCIALA NALYSIS genuinely e ntoys b eing a n o wner o f a n a pparel f irm.B ut h e t hinks t he a pparel industry w ill f ace e ven t ougher t imes i n t he n ext f ew y ears, a nd w onders i f ltrhite i s t alented e nough t o s uccessfullym eet t hese c hallenges. BORROWING CONCEB. NS A4rite's p ersonality i s s uch t hat h e m akes v irtually a ll m ajor o perating a nd financial d ecisions. A n i mportant e xample o f t his w as h is d ecision t hree y ears ago t o r etire a ll l ong-term d ebt/ a m ove t riggered b y W hite's f ear t hat H F's b usiness r isk w as i ncreasing.H e c ited t he d ifficulties o f s eemingly r ock-solid r etailers l ike B loomingdale's a nd C ampeau t o s upport h is c laim. I M-Lite i s a lso concerned t hat f irms t he s ize o f H F h ave h ad d ifficulty m aintaining s table b ank relationships. D ue t o i ncreasingly s trict f ederal r egulations, s ome b anks h ave called i n l oans a t t he s lightest t echnicality, a nd m ost a re s crutinizing n ew b usiness l oans v ery c arefully. C onsequently W hite v iews b ank d ebt f inancing a s â€Å"unreliable† a nd t hinks t hat l oan o fficers a re c apable o f † chewing u p m y t ime. Harnilton isn't sure what to make of these arguments, but he is concerned that this debt avoidance has significantly reduced FIF's financial flexibility because it means that all protects will have to be equity financed. In fact, over the past five years t here h ave b een n o d ividends b ecausea ll e arnings h ave b een r einvested. And two years ago each of the partners had to contribute $15,000of capital in order to m eet t he c ompany's c ashn eeds. A nother i nfusion o f c apital m ay b e n ecessary sincet he f irm's p resentc ashp osition i s l ow b y h istorical s tandards. ( See xhibit 2 . E More j mportantly, h owever, H amilton f eels t hat t he c ompany i s n ot b enefiting f rom t he l everage e ffect o f d ebt f inancing, a nd t hat t his h urts t he p rofitabiiity o f t he f lrm t o t he t wo o whers. WORKING CAPITAL CONCERNS Hamilton s uspectst hat F {F'si nventory i s † excessive† a nd t hat † capital i s u nnecessarily t ied u p i n i nventory. † n/hite's p osition i s t hat a l arge i nventory i s n ecessary t o p rovide s peedy d elivery t o c ustomers. H e a rgues t hat † our c ustomers expect q uick s ervice a nd a l arge i nventory h elps u s t o p rovide i t. Hamilton is skeptical of t his argument and wonders if there isn't a mole efficient w ay o f p roviding q uicker s ewice. H e k nows t hat a c onsultant r ecommended t hat H I † very s eriously† c onsiderb uilding a s tate-of-the-artd istribution center. T he p roposed f acility w ould a liow F {F t o r educe i nventory a ld a lso handle big orders from retailers such as Kmart and Wal-Mart. VVhite rejected the suggestion a rguing t hat t he e sttnated $ S-million t o $ 8-mi11ion ost i s e xcessive. c Hamiiton a lso q uestions / hite's c redit s tandards a nd c ollection p rocedures.Hamilton t hinks t hat / hite h as b een q uite g enerous i n g ranting p ayment extensions t o c ustomers, a nd a t o ne p oint n early 4 0 p ercent o f t he c ompany's receivablesw ere m ore t han 9 0'davs o verdue. F urther. / hite w ould c ontinue t o . C ASE6 H OLLYF ASHIONS 37 accept and ship orders to these qetailers eyen when it was clear that their ability t o p ay w as m arginal. l hite's p osition i s t h at. he d oesn't w ant t o l ose s ales and that the rough times these retailers face are only temporary. Hamilton also wonders about the wisdom of passing up trade discounts. HF is frequently offered terms ol 1. 1. 0, net 30. That is, the company receives a l-percent discount if a bill is paid in ten days and in any event full payment is expected within 30 days. ffiite rarely takes these discounts because he â€Å"wants t o h old o nto o ur c ash a s l ong a s p ossible. † H e a lso n otes t hat † the d iscount isn't especially generous emd 99 percent of the bill must still be paid. † FINAL THOUGHTS Despite ill of Hamilton's concems, however, the retationship between the two partners has been relatively smooth over the years. And Hamilton admits that he may be unduly critical of y'hite's management decisions. After al1,†he concedes, † the m an s eems t o h ave r easonsf or w hat h e d oes, a rd w e h ave b een i n the black every year since we started , which is an impressive record, really, for a f um i n o ur b usiness. † Further, Hamilton has discussed with two condultants the possibility of selling his half of the firm. Since FIF is not publicly traded, the market value of the company's s tock m ust b e e stimated. T hesec onsultants b elieve t hat H F i s w orth between $55 and $55 per share, figures that â€Å"seem quite good† to Hamilton. QUESTIONS 1 Calculate the firm's 1995ratios listed in Exhibit 3. . P art o f H amilton's e valuationw ill c onsisto f c omparingt he f irm's r atios t o . the industry numbers shown in Exhibit 3. (a) Discuss the limitations of such a comparative financial analysis. (b) In view of these limitations, why are such industry comparisons so frequentlym ade? 3, Hamilton thinks thai the profitability of the firm to the owners hasbeenhurt by White's reluctanceto use ftuch inteiest-bearing debt. Is this a reasonable position? E xplain. 4. The case mentions that {hite rarely takes trade discounts, which are typically 1 /10, n et 3 0.D oest his s eeml ike a w ise f inancialm ove? E xplain. 5. C alculatet he c ompany'sm arket-to-book dV/BV) r atio. ( Therea re 5 ,000 O shares f c ommons tock. ) o 6. Hamilton's position is that White has not competently managed the firm. Defend this position using your previous an. swers nd other information in a the c ase. 38 PARTII FINANCIAL ANALYSIS 7. Vy'hite's position is that he has effectively managed the firm. Defend this position using your previous answers and other information in the case. 8. Play the role of an arbitratoi.Is it possible based on an examination of the firm's r atios a nd o ther i nformation i n t he c aset o a ssessW hite's m anagerial competmce? Defend your position. 9. ( a) A re t he r atios y ou c alcul:ited b ased o n m arket o r b ook v alues? E xplain. (b) W ould y ou p refer r atios b ased o n m arket c ir b ook v alues? E xplain. EXHIBIT 1 Holly F ashions'I ncome S tatements:1 993-1996 ( 000s) 1993 Sales Costo f g oods Grossmargin Adrrinistrative Dq)reciation EBIT lnterest EBT Taxes Net income 1994 1995 1996 $985. 0 748. 6 236. 4 169. 4 10. 8 56. 1 7. O 49. 1 19. 7 $1,040. 0 n4. $1,236. 0 $1,305. 0 978. 8 202. 8 1 14 51. 0 4t. 0 18. 0 $27. 0 a7a', 307. 8 236,I 13. 6 58. 1 53. 1 21. 7 _-$3L9 249. 3 '14 4 62. 6 58. 5 23. 5 ___$99! EXHIBIT 2 BalanceS heetso { t he H olly F ashionsC ompany: f 993-1996 ( 000s) 1993 ASSETS Cash $40. 4 Receivables r53. 2 Inventory 117. 0 5. 9 Other cwrent Current assets ‘u. 8 Grossf ixed Accumulaied depreciation (12. 0) 32. 8 Net fixed Totala ssets $349. 3 1994 1995 1996 $s1. 9 158. 9 121. 1 6. 2 338. 0 58. 9 (23. 4) __35t $38. 6 ‘t75. 1 $10. 6 224. 8 19L. 9 7. 8 435. 1 96. 4' (s1. 4) 45. 0 $480. 1 193. 4 7. 4 414. 5 78. 1. _a;l continued) C ASE6 H OLLYF ASHIONS 39 EXHIBIT 2 (Contirwed) t993 LIAB]LITIES & NET WORTH Accounts payable Debt due Accruals Current liabilities Long-term debt Common s tock Retained e arnings Total L &NW $53. 8 10 . 0 | 1 9. 7 , 8 3. 5 60. 0 150_0 1994 1995 r996 $v. f $85. 2 10. 0 24. 7 120. 9 40. 0 180. 0 114. 6 $u. 2 10. 0 26. L 120. 3 30. 0 180. 0 149. 8 $48q. 1 10. 0 26. 0 90. 7 50. 0 150. 0 82. 8 $349. 3 $455t EXHIBIT 3 Financial R atios { ot t hb H olly F ashionsC ompany: 1 993-1996 Ind*r11 (Presen] r993 r994 1995. 3. 7 3. 4 2. 6 ‘L7 1. 8 1. 3 1. 6 .8 r996 1993-19961. Liquidity RatiosCurlent Quick Leverage atios R Deb(%) 41.. 1 37. 7 35. 3 8. 0 8. 5 11. 6 6. 4 6. 4 4. 8 FixedA sset Turnover 30. 0 29. 3 30. 1 TotalA sset Turnovet 2. 8 2. 8 2. 7 Timesinterest eamed Activity Ratios lnventory Tulnover (CGS) 47 57 71 3. 9 1. 3 8. 1 6. 0 40 25 72 3. 5 2. 8 2. 0 (continued) P ARTI I F INANCIALA NALYSIS DGIIBIT 3 (Conrinued) Ifld – r) 1993 1994 1995 AverageCollection Period Days Pulchases Outstanding** (Present) 1996 1993-1996+ 50 68 18 31 25 32 ProfitabilityR atios M Gross argin ( %) 24. 0 25. 5 24. 9 Net Profit Margin (%) 3. 0 2. 6 2. 6 Return on Equity (%) 14. 3 11. 6 0. 8 8. 4 7. 2 7. 0 5. 8 6. 0 6. L Retum on Total ( Assets %) Operating Margin*** (%) 26 3. 1 ‘1. 2 27. 3 19. 5 7. 8 11. 8 8. 7 9. 9 7. 2 3. 1 iThe thrâ‚ ¬e numbers for each ratio arc comPuted in the following wsy. Ratios for all firms in dre indushy are arranged in what is considerâ‚ ¬d a strontest-to-weakest order' The middle number rePlâ‚ ¬senis the median ratioj that is, half the firms in the industry had mtios better than the median ratio and half had ratios that werâ‚ ¬ worse The top nunlber represents the uPPer qua4ile figure; meaning 25 Pelcent of the firms had ratios befter tlran this.The lower number represents the lowest quaftile, that is, 25 Percent of the firms had ratios worse than this. *†This shows the average lentth of time that trade debt is ouhtandint. AIso caled the averate Paymeni Period. Calculated ; is A /P – ( CGS/360). 1**Calculateda s ( EBIT + D ep)/Sales.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Companies

Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Companies Continued high gas prices have increased interest in compressed natural gas conversion kits and installation. There are a number of considerations before making the decision to convert your vehicle. However, if you plan to make the switch, the following is a list of companies providing kits and/or installation for CNG conversion. The following information (presented alphabetically) is an update to an earlier version of this list. These are the companies weve found that currently sell and/or install CNG conversion kits. CNG Conversion Companies A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems claims to have all thats necessary to convert your vehicle to CNG. They are based in Fresno, Calif. For more information, visit A-1 Alternative Fuel Systems. Agility Fuel Systems provides engines and conversion kits that are both EPA- and CARB-certified. They have products available for most GM and Ford vehicles. Visit Agility Fuel Systems to learn more. Alternative Fuel Systems of St. Louis specializes in CNG and LP vehicle conversions and compression systems. Learn more at Alternative Fuel Systems of St. Louis. BAF Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Clean Energy Company. Its alternative fuel vehicle upfitting capabilities include aftermarket CNG conversions of Ford-manufactured vans, cutaway shuttles, taxis, pick-ups, and light-duty trucks. Learn more at BAF Technologies. Baker Equipment is based in Richmond, Va., and converts OEM gasoline engines to run on CNG, offering sales, installation, and services throughout the eastern US. Learn more at Baker Equipment. Clean Fuel converts fleet and personal vehicles to run on CNG, specializing in EPA-certified conversions for sedans and light-duty pick-up trucks and vans. It operates conversion facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. Learn more at Clean Fuel. CNG Interstate notes that its compressed natural gas systems are aftermarket performance parts and do not change your vehicle’s current fuel injection system nor do they tamper with the Federal Emission Standards. CNG Interstate must equip your vehicle with your new kit. For more information, visit them at CNG Interstate. Energy and Water Solutions offers two types of conversion kits for gasoline engines and a low-cost kit for diesel engines. Find out more at Energy and Water Solutions. Environmental Vehicle Outfitters designs and installs alternative fuel systems for fleet and consumer cars, SUVs and trucks. Based in Marina del Rey, Calif., you can find more information at Environmental Vehicle Outfitters. FuelTek Conversion Corporations core business is the conversion of on- and off-road vehicles to CNG or LPG vehicles. Although located in the Denver metro area, they work with a network of providers in a number of states. Learn more at FuelTek Conversion Corp. Hendrix Industrial Gastrux provides EPA-certified conversion kits for a number of vehicles. They do not offer do-it-yourself kits; conversions must be done at their facility. Learn more at Hendrix. IMPCO Technologies is a business unit of Fuel System Solutions, Inc. and designs, manufactures, and supplies alternative fuel components and systems. For a full line of products and services available, visit IMPCO Automotive. Landi Renzo USA has acquired Baytech Corporation and now offers a dedicated CNG kit for GM 6.0L and 8.1L engines, as well as the Ford 5.4L engine. The company installs, calibrates, and provides extended service for its EPA and CARB certified systems. Learn more at Landi Renzo. NatGasCar Company has introduced a Dodge Ram 4.7L Conversion System, beginning with the 2010 model. To learn more, visit NatGasCar Company. NaturalDrive operates in Arizona and offers OEM-style retrofits with no underhood wiring modifications. They partner with a number of automotive facilities to offer CNG retrofits and warranty service in several states. Learn more at NaturalDrive. Omnitek Advanced Technologies offers proprietary technology for converting diesel engines to natural gas. The company says it has 5,000 systems installed worldwide. Visit Omnitek Engineering, Corp. for more information. Productive Concepts International is based in Union City, Ind., and claims to be the only high-volume production line in the US capable of almost any alternative fuels conversion, including CNG. For more information, go to PCIs website. Phoenix Energy Corporation offers CNG conversion, installation, and refueling equipment in Alabama and surrounding states. They are a registered contractor for the federal government. For more information, visit Phoenix Energy Corp. RGR Alternative Fuels is a Nevada-based certified dealer and installer of EPA-certified bi-fuel CNG conversion systems. For more, visit RGR Alternative Fuels. Thigpen Energy Services, LLC provides CNG conversion services. Learn more about this Texas-based company at Thigpen Energy Services.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Speech Topics to Meet Oral Communication Standards

Speech Topics to Meet Oral Communication Standards Speech topics are a key element for impromptu oral presentation activities. Coming up with them can be a challenge for the teacher. You can use this collection of speech topics for oral presentations or use them to inspire your own variations. Impromptu Oral Presentation Activity Put all of the topics on slips of paper and have your students pick out of a hat. You can either have the student begin the presentation immediately or give a few minutes to prepare. You may have a student pick the topic just before the student before them presents so they have that time to think. In this case, give the very first student a few minutes to prepare. Impromptu Oral Communication Speech Topics You are an ant. Convince an anteater to not eat you.Explain three different ways to eat an Oreo cookie.Tell us about a nickname you have and how you got it.Convince us to vote for you as president of the USA.Explain three uses for a pencil other than for writing.Read us a letter you might write home when you are staying at a circus training summer camp.Tell us about your summer plans.Convince us that homework is harmful to your health.Tell us about your favorite pet and why it should win the Greatest Pet Ever award.If you were an animal, what would you be?You are a salesperson trying to sell us the shirt you have on.Explain how a smart person might not be wise.If you were the teacher, how would our class be different?Tell us about the hardest thing you have ever done.You are a mad scientist. Tell us about your latest invention.You are a famous sports player. Describe your best moment of a game.You are a famous rock star. Explain what the lyrics of your latest hit song mean.Tell us ab out the best job. Explain the benefits of drinking milk.Tell us how to become a millionaire.You are 30 years old. Tell us how you became a millionaire by age 18.Tell us about the best dream youve ever had.Create a myth that explains why pelicans have large beaks.Tell us how to make a new friend.Tell us about the most fun recess activity.Tell us about your favorite holiday.Tell us how to make your favorite meal.Explain which came first: the chicken or the egg.Explain the rules to your favorite game.If everything in the world had to change to the same color, what color would you choose and why?Explain how you would use a hat to catch butterflies. Be sure to identify the type of hat that is required.You are a piece of paper. Describe how we should use you before you get recycled.Explain how to make a pizza.Explain four uses for a drinking glass other than for holding a liquid.Convince our principal to give students their birthdays off of school.Describe how you would modify a snail so it can go faster.Ex plain the best way to teach an old dog a new trick. Describe the life cycle of a frog or butterfly.Explain what you would do if you were a monkey suddenly set free from a zoo.Describe one school rule you would change and why.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Essay

Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Franklin Roosevelt - Essay Example aissez-faire attitude was due to beliefs that: the government should not be entirely responsible to the well-being of the people; and the government is incapable of regulating and controlling businesses.3 Hoover’s beliefs were partly due to the belief that the economy would be able to bounce back after several setbacks just like before, but these were unable to explain why decreases in costs of production did not allow the fall of prices and subsequent economic growth, and Hoovers’ policies on letting the market forces, private sector as well as the Federal Reserve to drive the economy was unable to stimulate employment.4 The downward economic spiral was aggravated further by the declining federal revenues, relying on the gold standard when it was already abandoned by other countries, and declining to spend and providing federal relief to people and wholly relying on local government and charity. Franklin Roosevelt also had to deal with some similar setbacks such as dealing with deflation, preventing wages and prices from falling further to maintain the incomes of workers and employers as well as restoring the reliability of the banking system.5 Some of the New Deal programs were effective in stimulating spending and eventually raising the levels of commerce among the people. Roosevelt’s experimentalist views were able to push through some policies that Hoover might have not even thought of, such as expanding the role of the government in the business and economic sectors, departure from the gold standard, aiming to increase industrial and farm price levels, and the provision for income redistribution, which became the Social Security legislation.6However, while being effective in reviving the economy, some of the programs in the New Deal policy were counterproductive in some strategies. The employment of people by the government kept them earning, and the increase in wages may have increased the spending of the workforce, but the tax increase compelled some