Domestic Polices of Johnson and Eisenhower Essay Example for Free

Domestic Polices of Johnson and Eisenhower Essay The decades of 1950s and early 60s were periods of unprecedented affluence, prosperity and economic growth for USA, at scales that is difficult to match by any other country in human history. Years of persistent industrial growth, technological advances, and a full-time developed economy during the Second World War set the platform for USA to experience continued improvements in its industrial outputs, living standards, individual income, business and commercial profits, and infrastructural and capital growth. With its GDP and GNP repeatedly touching new record heights, USA had undisputedly become world’s richest behemoth. However, amidst this spectacular mantle of prosperity, there remained large patches of poverty, racial discriminations, unemployment and inequality that did not conform to high level of affluence generally attained through out the nation. To bridge this yawning gap, President Johnson launched the concept of ‘Great Society’ with aim to bring equality and justice in US and distribute fruits of growth and prosperity to every citizen. Policies and Programs of ‘Great Society’ The landslide victory of Lyndon Johnson in 1964 general election gave him suitable platform introduce a series of legislations concerning education, healthcare, environmental protection, consumer rights, regional and urban development, civil rights, employment opportunities, social welfare and income supplement programs, as part of his vision towards the great society. As Johnson himself belonged to middle class family, his ideas were well shaped and oriented towards the exact framework that he wished to create. Pursuant to this vision he proceeded to introduce a number of legislations that included, Food Stamp legislation, Civil Rights Acts, Economic Opportunity Act, Mass Transport Program, Public Work and Employment Act, and Medical Health Car, Social Support, and Education Programs. The notable programs under Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ were 1. Income Assistance: Under the Income Assistance program, financial coverage and assistance were provided to people to enable them to support themselves and become self-dependent. People were counseled, advices and encouraged to strive to meet their own requirements, under government aegis. 2. Education and training: Johnson was of firm view that education and training had crucial role in uplift deprived people to general levels of prosperity and affluence, providing tools and paths to break the vicious cycle of poverty and seclusion. Therefore, he put special emphasis on providing equal educational opportunities to economically deprived children. In the ‘Great Society’ Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, special provisions were included to provide financial help, services and required assistance to schooling agencies and boards covering areas with economically disadvantaged families. Further, provisions were instituted that provided direct financial help and support to individual disadvantaged students. A number of training programs were launched in semi urban and rural areas to provide work exposure, work related training and vocational training to people, to enable them to earn and break free of poverty. 3. Healthcare and Medicare Programs: Recognizing the requirement of healthcare for all, an integral part of ‘Great Society’ vision was to provide medical care for elder and poor people, who are unable to look after themselves. The Social Security Act of 1965 and 66 ensured health care and medical treatment for people belonging to all age groups. 4. Housing: A rapidly emerging urban America required houses to support the millions that came to cities to full fill their dreams. Concurrent were the problems of providing secure shelter to thousands homeless poor, left stranded on streets in inclement conditions. Therefore through Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 one the one hand government targeted construction of 26 million additional rehabilitation units and on other provided for easy flow of real estate credit, liberalized loan market, expanded public housing fund, and low installments to enable people in low and middle income groups to own houses. 5. Environment: One of significant achievements of Great Society vision was launching policies to make environment as free of pollutants and chemicals as possible, and thus imitating the drive towards environmental awareness. Armed with a number of acts and legislations such as Clear Air, Water Quality and Clean Water Restoration Acts and Amendments, Wilderness Act of 1964, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965, Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act of 1965 etc, Johnson tried to create a social culture that is aware of its responsibilities in protecting environment. Differences with Eisenhower People, and especially poor oriented polices launched by Johnson stood in contrast with the generally industrial and business focused programs adopted by Eisenhower in his regime from 1953-61. During the Presidency of Eisenhower, social welfare programs had taken backstage before large-scale industrial, infrastructural, and military programs. Although the entire nation as an entity move ahead, serious gaps had remained in its fabrics that Johnson tried to cover with his welfare programs under ‘Great Society’

Between the Self and the Community: The Lost Identity in Morrisons Sul

Aristotle once said, "I count him braver who overcomes his desires †¦ for the hardest victory is over self." Unfortunately, most people don't understand the sheer meaning of Aristotle's quote because they live as servants of their community where one's identity losses its shape. Such end is the inevitable result of living under the constraints of binaries. Toni Morrison's Sula is packed with numerous binaries that define the nature and acts of the novel's characters such as the Self/Community binary. The identities of Sula, Nel and Eva are sketched out by the diverse choices they make in relation to this binary: controlling the privileged side, being controlled by the unprivileged side or sticking in between. To begin with, Sula enjoys the superiority of her pivotal self. Galehouse in her article, "New World Women" states that "despite any real or perceived limitations imposed by her family, her community, or the era in which she is depicted, Sula does not put any limits upon herself"(341). Her disinterest in what the Bottom community glorifies forms her narcissistic identity and creates her "I want to make myself" motto (Morrison 121). For Sula, all the worn-out traditions promoted by her community worth nothing more than her own "dirt" for at least the latter is her own production. Sula`s identity as a new world woman is highlighted by her "daring, disruptive, imaginative,†¦ out-of-the-house, uncontained and uncontainable" personality, as Morrison puts it (qut in. Galehouse 339). Moreover, throughout the novel, Sula`s self controls every aspect of her social and intellectual life resulting in full appreciation of her angelic, as well as, demonic actions. On the one hand, w hen cutting her finger in an attempt to... ...ng? Finally, I idealize Eva, but does she idealize her own self? Questions remain unanswered just as the Self/Community binary remains unchanged even in our legendary 21st century. (1,187) Works Cited Bergenholtz, Rita. "Toni Morrison's Sula: A satire on Binary Thinking." African American Review 30.1 (1996): 89-99. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 March 2012. Galehouse, Maggie. "New World Woman: Toni Morrison's Sula." Papers on Language and Literature 35.4 (1999): 339-355. Jstore. Web. 21 March 2012. Morrison, Toni. Sula. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. Print. Pessoni, Michele. "She was laughing at their God: Discovering the goddess within Sula." African American Review 29.3 (1995): 439-442. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 March 2012.

Learning Team Industry Averages and Financial Ratios Essay

Watch the Industry Averages and Financial Ratios video and use the industry classification from the financial services website to locate the company’s SIC code on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website. Find the industry ratios for the company using the Dun &  Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios link in the Week 2 Electronic Reserve Readings. If your company’s SIC code does not appear in the dropdown menu, choose another company. Assume the inventory ratio is based on a traditional inventory system, but globalized markets and the supply chain make it critical to adopt lean principles to create a more efficient system. Calculate the 14 ratios (show your calculations) for the company using the two most recent annual financial statements found on the financial information website you used earlier. Be careful not to use quarterly information, and include ratios for both years. Note. You can access a downloadable Ratio Guide PDF by clicking the Help Guide link in the upper-right of the Dun & Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios window. Compare the ratios for the company you selected with the appropriate industry ratios including profitability, solvency, and efficiency ratios shown on the Dun & Bradstreet ® report. Write a 350-word response about how the company you selected performed compared with the industry. Instructor Notes: Also upload the following: Formula and calculations of your company’s financial ratios for most recent two years (Excel) Dun & Bradstreet financial ratios for your company’s SIC code (exported to Excel) (Please delete the text in yellow-highlight above) Industry Averages and Financial Ratios Paper The purpose of this analysis is for our team to analyze how Amazon.com Inc. performed compared with the industry based on financial ratios. In Attachment 1, our team provides the industry ratios for the company using the Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios. In Attachment 2, we provide the Balance Sheet and Income Statement information for the company’s most recent two years. In Attachment 3, our team calculates the company’s 14 financial ratios. In Attachment 4, we compare the financial ratios with appropriate industry ratios including profitability, solvency, and efficiency ratios. Analysis of Company’s Financial Ratios Compared to Industry’s Financial Ratios Xxxx Provide an analysis of the selected company’s 14 financial ratios compared to the industry’s financial ratios. Compare the most recent two years from D&B industry average to the same two years from your calculated financial ratios. Use the â€Å"Median† from the D&B industry average Remember to select financial ratios related to profitability, solvency, and  efficiency ratios. Note: the analysis includes interpreting the importance of the company’s vs. the industry’s financial ratios. 3 points out of 3 possible points (please do not delete these lines with point scoring) Conclusion References [Insert references here.] Attachment 1 Industry’s ratios from Dun & Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios Solvency Ratios Solvency ratios measure the financial soundness of a business and how well a company can satisfy its short- and long-term obligations. D&B uses six key financial business ratios to measure a company’s solvency: †¢ Quick Ratio, also called â€Å"acid test† or â€Å"liquid† ratio, considers only cash, marketable securities and accounts receivable because they are considered to be the most liquids forms of current assets. A Quick Ratio less that 1.0 implies â€Å"dependency† on inventory and other current assets to liquidate short-term debt. Cash + Accounts Receivable à · Current Liabilities †¢ Current Ratio is a comparison of current assets to current liabilities, commonly used as a measure of short-run solvency, i.e., the immediate ability of a business to pay its current debts as they come due. Potential creditors use this ratio to measure a company’s liquidity or ability to pay off short-term debts. Current Assets à · Cu rrent Liabilities †¢ Current Liabilities to Net Worth Ratio indicates the amount due creditors within a year as a percentage of the owners or stockholders investment. The smaller the net worth and the larger the liabilities, the less security for creditors. Normally a business starts to have trouble when this relationship exceeds 80%. Current Liabilities à · Net Worth †¢ Current Liabilities to Inventory Ratio shows, as a percentage, the reliance on available inventory for payment of debt (how much a company relies on funds from disposal of unsold inventories to meet its current debt). Current Liabilities à · Inventory †¢ Total Liabilities to New Worth Ratio shows how all of a company’s debt relates to the equity of the owners or stockholders.  The higher this ratio, the less protection there is for the creditors of the business. Total Liabilities à · Net Worth †¢ Fixed Assets to Newt Worth Ratio shows the percentage of assts centered in fixed assets compared to total equity. Generally the higher this percentage is over 75%, the more vulnerable a business becomes to unexpected hazards and climate changes. Fixed Assets à · Net Worth Efficiency Ratios Efficiency ratios measure the quality of a business’ receivables and how efficiently it uses and controls its assets, how effectively the firm is paying suppliers and whether the business is overtrading or undertrading on its equity. D&B uses five key financial business ratios to measure a company’s efficiency: †¢ Collection Period Ratio is helpful in analyzing the collectability of accounts receivable or how fast a business can increase its cash supply. Accounts Receivable à · Sales x 365 Days †¢ Sales to Inventory Ratio provides a yardstick for comparing stock-to-sales ratios of a business with others in the same industry. A high ratio may indicate that sales are being lost because of low inventory and/or customers are buying elsewhere. A low ratio may indicate that inventories are obsolete or stagnant. Annual Net Sale à · Inventory †¢ Assets to Sales Ratio shows how efficiently a business is usingits assets to generate revenue. A high ratio may indicate the business is not aggressive or that its assts are not fully used. A low ratio may indicate a company is selling more than can safely fulfilled by its assets. Total Assets à · Net Sales †¢ Sales to Net Working Capital Ratio shows the number of times working capital turns over annually in relation to net sales. A high turnover rate may indicate that the business relies heavily on credit. Sales à · Net Working Capital †¢ Accounts Payable to Sales Ratio shows how a company pays its suppliers in relation to the sales volume being transacted. A low percentage may indicate a healthy ratio. A high percentage may indicate that the business may be using suppliers to help finance its operation. Accounts Payable à · Net Sales Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios measure how well a company is performing by analyzing how profit was earned relative to sales, total assets and net worth. D&B uses three key financial business ratios to measure a company’s efficiency: †¢ Return on Sales (Profit Margin) Ratio measures the profits after taxes on the year’s sales. The higher the ratio, the better prepared the business is to handle downtrends brought on by adverse conditions. Net Profit After  Taxes à · Net Sales †¢ Return on Assets (ROA) Ratio shows the after tax earnings of assets and is an indicator of how profitable a company is. Return on assets ratio is the key indicator of the profitability of a company. It matches net profits after taxes with the assets used to earn such profits. A high percentage rated indicates the company is well run and has a healthy return on assets. Net Profit After Taxes à · Total Assets †¢ Return on Net Worth Ratio measure the ability of a company’s management to realize an adequate return on the capital invested by the owners in the company. Net Profit After Taxes à · Net Worth Median Median is the value from the midpoint that falls halfway between the Upper and Lower Quartiles. Industry Quartiles Industry Quartiles are static values taken directly from the KBR database tables. The value from the midpoint that falls halfway to the top of the list is selected as the Upper Quartile. The value that is halfway between the median and the bottom of the list is selected as the Lower Quartile.

Battle of Fuentes de Onoro - Peninsular War - Duke of Wellington

The Battle of Fuentes de Oà ±oro was fought May 3-5, 1811, during the Peninsular War which was part of the larger Napoleonic Wars. Armies and Commanders Allies Viscount Wellingtonapprox. 38,000 men French Marshal Andre Massenaapprox. 46,000 men Buildup to Battle Having been stopped before the Lines of Torres Vedras in late 1810, Marshal Andre Massena began withdrawing French forces from Portugal the following spring. Emerging from their defenses, British and Portuguese troops, led by Viscount Wellington, began moving towards the border in pursuit. As part of this effort, Wellington laid siege to the border cities of Badajoz, Ciudad Rodrigo, and Almeida. Seeking to regain the initiative, Massena regrouped and began marching to relieve Almeida. Concerned about the French movements, Wellington shifted his forces to cover the city and defend its approaches. Receiving reports regarding Massenas route to Almeida, he deployed the bulk of his army near the village of Fuentes de Oà ±oro. The British Defenses Located to the southeast of Almeida, Fuentes de Oà ±oro sat on the west bank of the Rio Don Casas and was backed by a long ridge to the west and north. After barricading the village, Wellington formed his troops along the heights with the intention of fighting a defensive battle against Massenas slightly larger army. Directing the 1st Division to hold the village, Wellington placed the 5th, 6th, 3rd, and Light Divisions on the ridge to the north, while the 7th Division was in reserve. To cover his right, a force of guerillas, led by Julian Sanchez, was positioned on a hill to the south. On May 3, Massena approached Fuentes de Oà ±oro with four army corps and a cavalry reserve numbering around 46,000 men. These were supported a force of 800 Imperial Guard cavalry led by Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessià ¨res. Massena Attacks After reconnoitering Wellingtons position, Massena pushed troops across the Don Casas and launched a frontal attack against Fuentes de Oà ±oro. This was supported by an artillery bombardment of the Allied position. Surging into the village, troops from General Louis Loisins VI Corps clashed with troops from Major General Miles Nightingalls 1st Division and Major General Thomas Pictons 3rd Division. As the afternoon progressed, the French slowly pushed British forces back until a determined counterattack saw them thrown from the village. With night approaching, Massena recalled his forces. Unwilling to directly attack the village again, Massena spent most of May 4 scouting the enemys lines. Shifting South These efforts led to Massena discovering that Wellingtons right was largely exposed and only covered by Sanchezs men near the village of Poco Velho. Seeking to exploit this weakness, Massena began shifting forces south with the goal of attacking the next day. Spotting the French movements, Wellington directed Major General John Houston to form his 7th Division on the plain south of Fuentes de Oà ±oro to extend the line towards Poco Velho. Around dawn on May 5, French cavalry led by General Louis-Pierre Montbrun as well as infantry from the divisions of Generals Jean Marchand, Julien Mermet, and Jean Solignac crossed the Don Casas and moved against the Allied right. Sweeping the guerillas aside, this force soon fell on Houstons men (Map). Preventing a Collapse Coming under intense pressure, the 7th Division faced being overwhelmed. Reacting to the crisis, Wellington ordered Houston to fall back to the ridge and dispatched cavalry and Brigadier General Robert Craufurds Light Division to their aid. Falling into line, Craufurds men, along with artillery and cavalry support, provided cover for the 7th Division as it conducted a fighting withdrawal. As the 7th Division fell back, the British cavalry harried the enemy artillery and engaged the French horsemen. With the battle reaching a critical moment, Montbrun requested reinforcement from Massena to turn the tide. Dispatching an aide to bring up Bessià ¨res cavalry, Massena was furious when the Imperial Guard cavalry failed to respond. As a result, the 7th Division was able to escape and reach the safety of the ridge. There it formed a new line, along with the 1st and Light Divisions, which extended west from Fuentes de Oà ±oro. Recognizing the strength of this position, Massena elected not to press the attack further. To support the effort against the Allied right, Massena also launched as series of attacks against Fuentes de Oà ±oro. These were conducted by men from General Claude Fereys division as well as General Jean-Baptiste Drouets IX Corps. Largely striking the 74th and 79th Foot, these efforts nearly succeeded in driving the defenders from the village. While a counterattack threw Fereys men back, Wellington was forced to commit reinforcements to break Drouets assault. Fighting continued through the afternoon with the French resorting to bayonet attacks. As the infantry assault on Fuentes de Oà ±oro faltered, Massenas artillery opened with another bombardment of the Allied lines. This had little effect and by nightfall the French withdrew from the village. In the darkness, Wellington ordered his army to entrench on the heights. Faced with a strengthened enemy position, Massena elected to retreat to Ciudad Rodrigo three days later. The Aftermath In the fighting at the Battle of Fuentes de Oà ±oro, Wellington sustained 235 killed, 1,234 wounded, and 317 captured. French losses numbered 308 killed, 2,147 wounded, and 201 captured. Though Wellington did not consider the battle to be a great victory, the action at Fuentes de Oà ±oro allowed him to continue the siege of Almeida. The city fell to Allied forces on May 11, though its garrison successfully escaped. In the wake of the fighting, Massena was recalled by Napoleon and replaced by Marshal Auguste Marmont. On May 16, Allied forces under Marshal William Beresford clashed with the French at Albuera. After a lull in the fighting, Wellington resumed his advance into Spain in January 1812 and later won victories at Badajoz, Salamanca, and Vitoria. Sources British Battles: Battle of Fuentes de OnoroPeninsular War: Battle of Fuentes de OnoroHistory of War: Battle of Fuentes de Onoro