Thomas Jefferson Essays (3462 words) - Randolph Family Of Virginia

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), 3d PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. As the author of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, he is probably the most conspicuous champion of political and spiritual freedom in his country's history. He voiced the aspirations of the new nation in matchless phrase, and one may doubt if any other American has been so often quoted. As a public official--legislator, diplomat, and executive--he served the province and commonwealth of Virginia and the young American republic almost 40 years. While his services as a Revolutionary patriot have beenhonored by his countrymen with only slight dissent, his later and more controversial political activities have been variously interpreted. Believing that the government was not being conducted in the spirit of 1776, he turned against the administration in WASHINGTON's second term and remained in opposition during the presidency of John ADAMS. Jefferson, who was president from 1801 to 1809, was the acknowledged head of his political party, and his election to the highest office has been interpreted as a vindication of the right of political opposition. His ELECTION checked in the United States the tide of political reaction that was sweeping the Western world, and it furthered the development of political democracy. Throughout his life he sought to do that, though the term he generally used was republicanism. Opinions differ about his conduct of foreign affairs as president. He acquired the vast province of Louisiana and maintained neutrality in a world of war, but his policies failed to safeguard neutral rights at sea and imposed hardships at home. As a result, his administration reached its nadir as it ended. Until his last year as president he exercised leadership over his party that was to be matched by no other 19th century president, and he enjoyed remarkable popularity. He was rightly hailed as the "Man of the People," because he sought to conduct the government in the popular interest, rather than in the interest of any privileged group, and, insofar as possible, in accordance with the people's will. He was a tall and vigorous man, not particularly impressive in person but amiable, once his original stiffness wore off. He was habitually tactful and notably respectful of the opinions and personalities of others, though he had slight tolerance of those he believed unfaithful to republicanism. A devoted family man who set great store by privacy, he built his house upon a mountain, but he did not look down on people. A distinguished architect and naturalist in his own right, a remarkable linguist, a noted bibliophile, and the father of the University of Virginia, he was the chief patron of learning and the arts in his country in his day. And, with the possible exception of Benjamin Franklin, he was the closest American approximation of the universal man. Early Career Jefferson was born at Shadwell, his father's home in Albemarle county, Va., on April 13 (April 2, Old Style), 1743. His father, Peter Jefferson, a man of legendary strength, was a successful planter and surveyor who gained minor title to fame as an explorer and mapmaker. His prominence in his own locality is attested by the fact that he served as a burgess and as county lieutenant. Peter's son later held the same offices. Through his mother, Jane Randolph, a member of one of the most famous Virginia families, Thomas was related to many of the most prominent people in the province. Besides being well born, Thomas Jefferson was well educated. In small private schools, notably that of James Maury, he was thoroughly grounded in the classics. He attended the College of William and Mary--completing the course in 1762--where Dr. William Small taught him mathematics and introduced him to science. He associated intimately with the liberal-minded Lt. Gov. Francis Fauquier, and read law (1762-1767) with George Wythe, the greatest law teacher of his generation in Virginia. Jefferson became unusually learned in the law. He was admittedto the bar in 1767 and practiced until 1774, when the courts were closed by the American Revolution. He was a successful lawyer, though his professional income was only a supplement. He had inherited a considerable landed estate from his father, and doubled it by a happy marriage on Jan. 1, 1772, to Martha Wayles Skelton. However, his father-in-law's estate imposed a burdensome debt on Jefferson. He began building Monticello before his marriage, but his mansion was not completed in its present form until a generation later. Jefferson's lifelong emphasis on local government grew directly from his own experience. He served as magistrate and

The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Attempting to bring an earlier end to World War II, U.S. President Harry Truman made the fateful decision to drop a massive atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. On August 6, 1945, this atomic bomb, known as Little Boy, flattened the city, killing at least 70,000 people that day and tens of thousands more from radiation poisoning. While Japan  was still trying to comprehend this devastation, the United States dropped another atomic bomb. This bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people immediately and another 20,000 to 40,000 in the months following the explosion. On August 15, 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced an unconditional surrender, ending World War II. The Enola Gay Heads to Hiroshima At 2:45 a.m. on Monday, August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber  took off from Tinian, a North Pacific island in the Marianas, 1,500 miles south of Japan. The 12-man crew  was on board to make sure this secret mission went smoothly. Colonel Paul Tibbets, the pilot, nicknamed the B-29 the Enola Gay after his mother. Just before take-off, the planes nickname was painted on its side. The Enola Gay was a B-29 Superfortress  (aircraft 44-86292), part of the 509th Composite Group. In order to carry such a heavy load as an atomic bomb, the Enola Gay was modified: new propellers, stronger engines, and faster opening bomb bay doors. (Only 15 B-29s underwent this modification.) Even though it had been modified, the plane still had to use the full runway to gain the necessary speed, thus it did not lift off until very near the waters edge.1 The Enola Gay was escorted by two other bombers that carried cameras and a variety of measuring devices. Three other planes had left earlier in order to ascertain the weather conditions over the possible targets. The Atomic Bomb Known as Little Boy Is on Board On a hook in the ceiling of the plane, hung the ten-foot atomic bomb, Little Boy. Navy Captain William S. Parsons (Deak), chief of the Ordnance Division in the Manhattan Project, was the Enola Gays weaponeer. Since Parsons had been instrumental in the development of the bomb, he was now responsible for arming the bomb while in-flight. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight (3:00 a.m.), Parsons began to arm the atomic bomb; it took him 15 minutes. Parsons thought while arming Little Boy: I knew the Japs were in for it, but I felt no particular emotion about it.2 Little Boy was created using uranium-235, a radioactive isotope of uranium. This uranium-235 atomic bomb, a product of $2 billion of research, had never been tested. Nor had any atomic bomb yet been dropped from a plane. Some scientists and politicians pushed for not warning Japan of the bombing in order to save face in case the bomb malfunctioned. Clear Weather Over Hiroshima There had been four cities chosen as possible targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki, and Niigata (Kyoto was the first choice until it was removed from the list by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson). The cities were chosen because they had been relatively untouched during the war. The Target Committee wanted the first bomb to be sufficiently spectacular for the importance of the weapon to be internationally recognized when publicity on it was released.3 On August 6, 1945, the first choice target, Hiroshima, was having clear weather. At 8:15 a.m. (local time), the Enola Gays door sprang open and dropped Little Boy. The bomb exploded 1,900 feet above the city and only missed the target, the Aioi Bridge, by approximately 800 feet. The Explosion at Hiroshima Staff Sergeant George Caron, the tail gunner, described what he saw: The mushroom cloud itself was a spectacular sight, a bubbling mass of purple-gray smoke and you could see it had a red core in it and everything was burning inside. . . . It looked like lava or molasses covering a whole city. . . .4 The cloud is estimated to have reached a height of 40,000 feet. Captain Robert Lewis, the co-pilot, stated, Where we had seen a clear city two minutes before, we could no longer see the city. We could see smoke and fires creeping up the sides of the mountains.5 Two-thirds of Hiroshima was destroyed. Within three miles of the explosion, 60,000 of the 90,000 buildings were demolished. Clay roof tiles had melted together. Shadows had imprinted on buildings and other hard surfaces. Metal and stone had melted. Unlike other bombing raids, the goal for this raid had not been a military installation but rather an entire city. The atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima killed civilian women and children in addition to soldiers. Hiroshimas population has been estimated at 350,000; approximately 70,000 died immediately from the explosion and another 70,000 died from radiation within five years. A survivor described the damage to people: The appearance of people was . . . well, they all had skin blackened by burns. . . . They had no hair because their hair was burned, and at a glance you couldnt tell whether you were looking at them from in front or in back. . . . They held their arms bent [forward] like this . . . and their skin - not only on their hands, but on their faces and bodies too - hung down. . . . If there had been only one or two such people . . . perhaps I would not have had such a strong impression. But wherever I walked I met these people. . . . Many of them died along the road - I can still picture them in my mind like walking ghosts. 6 The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki While the people of Japan tried to comprehend the devastation in Hiroshima, the United States was preparing a second bombing mission. The second run was not delayed in order to give Japan  time to surrender but was waiting only for a sufficient amount of plutonium-239 for the atomic bomb. On August 9, 1945, only three days after the bombing of Hiroshima, another B-29, Bocks Car, left Tinian at 3:49 a.m. The first choice target for this bombing run had been Kokura. Since the haze over Kokura prevented the sighting of the bombing target, Bocks Car continued on to its second target. At 11:02 a.m., the atomic bomb, Fat Man, was dropped over Nagasaki. The atomic bomb exploded 1,650 feet above the city. Fujie Urata Matsumoto, a survivor, shares one scene: The pumpkin field in front of the house was blown clean. Nothing was left of the whole thick crop, except that in place of the pumpkins there was a womans head. I looked at the face to see if I knew her. It was a woman of about forty. She must have been from another part of town I had never seen her around here. A gold tooth gleamed in the wide-open mouth. A handful of singed hair hung down from the left temple over her cheek, dangling in her mouth. Her eyelids were drawn up, showing black holes where the eyes had been burned out. . . . She had probably looked square into the flash and gotten her eyeballs burned. Approximately 40 percent of Nagasaki was destroyed. Luckily for many civilians  living in Nagasaki,  though this atomic bomb was considered much stronger than the one exploded over Hiroshima, the terrain of Nagasaki prevented the bomb from doing as much damage. The decimation, however, was still great. With a population of 270,000, approximately 40,000 people died immediately and another 30,000 by the end of the year. I saw the atom bomb. I was four then. I remember the cicadas chirping. The atom bomb was the last thing that happened in the war and no more bad things have happened since then, but I dont have my Mummy any more. So even if it isnt bad any more, Im not happy.- Kayano Nagai, survivor 8 Sources Notes 1. Dan Kurzman,  Day of the Bomb: Countdown to Hiroshima  (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986) 410.2. William S. Parsons as quoted in Ronald Takaki, Hiroshima:  Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb  (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995) 43.3. Kurzman,  Day of the Bomb  394.4. George Caron as quoted in Takaki,  Hiroshima  44.5. Robert Lewis as quoted in Takaki,  Hiroshima  43.6. A survivor quoted in Robert Jay Lifton,  Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima  (New York: Random House, 1967) 27.7. Fujie Urata Matsumoto as quoted in Takashi  Nagai, We of Nagasaki: The Story of Survivors in an Atomic Wasteland  (New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1964) 42.8. Kayano Nagai as quoted in  Nagai, We of Nagasaki  6. Bibliography Hersey, John.  Hiroshima. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985. Kurzman, Dan.  Day of the Bomb: Countdown to Hiroshima. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1986. Liebow, Averill A.  Encounter With Disaster: A Medical Diary of Hiroshima, 1945. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1970. Lifton, Robert Jay.  Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima. New York: Random House, 1967. Nagai, Takashi.  We of Nagasaki: The Story of Survivors in an Atomic Wasteland. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1964. Takaki, Ronald.  Hiroshima: Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995.

English skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English skills - Essay Example udying abroad, a lot of students are able to develop optimistic attitudes to other countries, as they are able to interact with other persons, and appreciate their way of living through research. An exposure to international experience is useful as it allows for international understanding. Crossman and Clarke (2009) say that working or studying abroad allows individuals have knowledge and awareness on the issues that relate to national and global issues. The benefit of global experience is in this case, one that allows individuals become accustomed, solve and expand their cultural scope of analysing issues. Through working and studying abroad, it is palpable that intercultural competence will be attained. Crossman and Clarke (2009) are of the opinion that having a touch with the international world allows for intercultural know-how. This competence relates to an ability to communicate well in various cultural contexts, as opposed to the usual native or indigenous context. Through the international curriculums set for the training institutions require an application of a singular language for all the various participants from the different contexts (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). Comprehensive learning is then achieved, as the diverse persons are able to comprehend the need of being a people as opposed to one cultural community. However, it is vital to note that attaining global competence is not only focused on the physical presence in countries in the abroad countries, but through other means like developing contacts with other individuals in these countries (Crossman and Clarke, 2009). With peer to peer education successful in numerous instances, Crossman and Clarke (2009) would not be wrong to argue that studying and working abroad allows for international patriotism, especially with individuals being more open minded with issues touching on international significance. Conclusively, it is warranted to say that working and studying abroad have a myriad of

Employees' Access to the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employees' Access to the Internet - Essay Example It is clear from the discussion, an organization must allow its employees to use the Internet freely but it must implement strict measures to deal with security issues. According to Australia’s one of the major communications companies, Telstra, there has been a three-fold increase in Australian employers limiting the access of their workers to social network sites in the space of 10 months. In fact, throughout the same duration the total number of URLs usually permissible while working has reduced by approximately 60%. (Davidsson) gives an interesting response to the facts by saying that â€Å"organizations should not block their employee’s Internet usage, not even social networking sites.† No doubt, limiting the employee’s access to the Internet can bring in full of nasty worms and a wide variety of security threats. In view of the fact that the needs of a professional workforce can cause anger and augment valuable turnovers however, limiting the employe es’ access to the Internet access can also decrease efficiency by making difficult or interrupting execution as well as completion of organizational activities. In fact, companies restricting employees’ access to the Internet specifically social networking sites will also cause a risk of preceding online networking chances, identifying critical agreements, leads and take delivery of appropriate industry news (Davidsson). In addition, (Davidsson) discusses the viewpoints of various researchers such as the research carried out by Dr Brent Coker while working at the University of Melbourne showed that employees who make use of the Internet just for enjoyment and entertainment at work within a realistic limit of approximately 20% of their total time they spent in the office are more fruitful and active by approximately 9% as compared to those who don’t have these facilities. Additionally, Coker also says that employees need to zone out for a bit to retrieve their at tention. In this scenario, small and self-effacing breaks for instance a rapid surf of the Internet, allows the brain to rest itself, and as a result leading to a higher total net attentiveness for a days’ work, and consequently, greater than before output.† Certainly, companies must take care of their resources and confirm that their employees make use of the Internet for work as intended. In fact, an organization does not just permit its workers to have full Internet access, close its eyes and hope for the best. According (Davidsson), â€Å"an organization must put into practice formal policies on the use of social networking sites in the place of work and the suitable and efficient software tools that help maintain those policies† (Davidsson). Many researches show that if organizations do not stop their employees from using the Internet, employees with unlimited and unnecessary Internet access will misuse their lots of precious time and open the network to vir uses, spyware and a wide variety of other security threats. On the other hand, an organization cannot just disconnect from the world. In this scenario, there is need to implement a set of rules and regulations in order to ensure effective use of the Internet. In addition, it must establish suitable use strategies, choosing and implementing security technology, and finding the way to deal with ethical and legal concerns.  

Business assingment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business assingment - Essay Example Ethics is â€Å"the branch of moral philosophy that deals with moral judgments, standards, and rules of conduct† (Gundlach and Murphy, 1993, p.36). With this in mind, the basic business concept is ethically flawed at Monsters, Inc in terms of how the needs of humans are not considered when the business is seeking to scare them in the pursuit of gathering needed electricity. This is a form of emotional ethics and would be represented today, in real-time business, as an issue with corporate social responsibility. Several business experts identify that corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves â€Å"having a solid concern for the welfare of society† (Nickels, McHugh and McHugh, 2005, p.110). Concern for society is not only charity work, but involves the ethics of corporate policy as well. At Monsters, Inc., there is no such CSR as the monsters have a rather unified social belief that humans are dangerous to touch and contact with them should be avoided. This represent s an organizational culture which is not geared toward considering the needs of the stakeholder (the child). If the children are being emotionally-damaged due to business practices, this is an unethical business climate. In this ethical situation, virtually all of the monsters are guilty and few believe that scaring children for power generation is unethical. This unethical behavior impacted the organization positively, however, as this lack of corporate social responsibility has served as the only means to keep the business operating and profitable. At Monsters, Inc., new relationships with children made the monster workers believe that their scaring tactics were not good, ethical business practices and they eventually changed corporate policy to make children laugh instead of scream. This is the new focus on corporate social responsibility at Monsters, Inc. Of course, this lesson was learned only after meeting

VTE Prophylaxis after Joint Replacement

VTE Prophylaxis after Joint Replacement Clinical Management Plan Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses, Pharmacists  and Allied Health Professionals Student: Jade Keaney Background to Clinical Management Plan: Pharmacology, Monitoring and Evidence

Lee Tamahoris Once Were Warriors Essay -- Movie Film Essays Once Were

Lee Tamahori’s Once Were Warriors Filmic technique plays a vital role in the way an audience looks at a character or society in a whole. Lee Tamahori’s film â€Å"Once were warriors† uses filmic technique in the crafting of the characters, the roles they adopt and the society they live in. Filmic Technique helps to exhibit the Heke family as trapped in society, with a vicious cycle of alcohol, violence, male domination, unemployment and pointless parties. In order to try and free themselves from the vicious cycle or to just find peace and happiness; each character has a way of escaping the harsh reality of the society they live in. The choice to escape is theirs, and the route they take can be looked at as either real or fantasy. The opening shot of ‘Once were warriors’ begins with an idyllic and placid landscape, stereotypical of the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. It is presented as pure serenity; it can be any place, any time. The picture is frozen, pretty as a picture. There is no pollution or garbage to be seen. No signs of human life, and is free of all the hustle and bustle of city. The music supports the idyllic image, with a serene and tranquil tone in the flow of the music. The music benefits the picture, and helps the audience create a perfect moment in their mind. As the camera pans left, the audience is feed the sound of busy city life. The complete opposite to the image the audience had experienced just moments before. The soundtrack is vital, as it creates a direct image to match the visual that the audience sees. The audience at this point must recognise the difference between the two scenes and realise why it was used. The use of soundtrack and carefully structured images creates an uneasy tension in... ... warriors. But unlike your Jake, they were people with munnah, pride; people with spirit . If my spirit can survive living with you for eighteen years, then I can survive anything.† The use of filmic technique, at Grace’s funeral helps to convey the release of the Heke’s entrapment. The use of soft tones and a sun setting sky creates a sense that they are at peace now. Jake and his influences no longer trap them. Throughout the film â€Å"Once Were Warriors† filmic technique is used to convey each member of the Heke family as trapped in one way or another. If not by their own actions, resulting in their own downfall, then by their influencing society. Lee Tamahori takes full advantage of filmic technique to create a powerful and dramatic film. The film captures the audiences not just by looking at domestic violence, but the way it affect those it reflects on.

Teaching pronounciation

Teaching Pronunciation Pronunciation involves far more than individual sounds. Word stress, sentence stress, intonation, and word linking all influence the sound of spoken English, not to mention the way we often slur words and phrases together in casual speech. What are you going to do? ‘ becomes Whaddaya gonna do? English pronunciation involves too many complexities for learners to strive for a complete elimination of accent, but improving pronunciation will boost self esteem, facilitate communication, and possibly lead to a better Job or a least more respect in the workplace.Effective communication is of greatest importance, so choose first to work on problems that significantly hinder communication and let the rest go. Remember that your students also need to learn strategies for dealing with misunderstandings, since native pronunciation is for most an unrealistic goal. A student's first language often interferes with English pronunciation. For example, [p/ is aspirated in English but not in Spanish, so when a Spanish speaker pronounces ‘pig' without a puff of air on the / p', an American may hear ‘big' instead.Sometimes the students will be able to dentify specific problem sounds and sometimes they won't. You can ask them for suggestions, but you will also need to observe them over time and make note of problem sounds. Another challenge resulting from differences in the first language is the inability to hear certain English sounds that the native language does not contain. Often these are vowels, as in ‘ship' and ‘sheep,' which many learners cannot distinguish. The Japanese are known for confusing [r/ and Ill, as their language contains neither of these but instead has one sound somewhere between the two.For problems such as these, listening is crucial because students cant produce a sound they can't hear. Descriptions of the sound and mouth position can help students increase their awareness of subtle sound differences. Here are some ideas for focusing on specific pronunciation features. Voicing Voiced sounds will make the throat vibrate. For example, [g/ is a voiced sound while / k/ is not, even though the mouth is in the same position for both sounds. Have your students touch their throats while pronouncing voiced and voiceless sounds. They hould feel vibration with the voiced sounds only.Aspiration Aspiration refers to a puff of air when a sound is produced. Many languages have far fewer aspirated sounds than English, and students may have trouble hearing the aspiration. The English /p/, m, /k/, and /ch/ are some of the more commonly aspirated sounds. Although these are not always aspirated, at the beginning of a word they usually are. To illustrate aspiration, have your students hold up a piece of facial tissue a few inches away from their mouths and push it with a puff of air while ronouncing a word containing the target sound.Mouth Position Draw simple diagrams of tongue and lip positions. Make s ure all students can clearly see your mouth while you model sounds. Have students use a mirror to see their mouth, lips, and tongue while they imitate you. Intonation Word or sentence intonation can be mimicked with a kazoo, or alternatively by humming. This will take the students' attention off of the meaning of a word or sentence and help them tocus on the intonation. Linking We pronounce phrases and even whole sentences as one smooth sound instead of a eries of separate words. ‘Will Amy go away,' is rendered ‘Willaymeegowaway. To help learners link words, try starting at the end of a sentence and have them repeat a phrase, adding more of the sentence as they can master it. For example, ‘gowaway,' then ‘aymeegowaway,' and finally ‘Willaymeegowaway' without any pauses between words. Vowel Length You can demonstrate varying vowel lengths within a word by stretching rubber bands on the longer vowels and letting them contract on shorter ones. Then let the students try it. For example, the word ‘fifteen' would have the rubber band stretched or the lee' vowel, but the word ‘fifty' would not have the band stretched because both of its vowels are spoken quickly.Syllables Have students count syllables in a word and hold up the correct number of fingers, or place objects on table to represent each syllable. Illustrate syllable stress by clapping softly and loudly corresponding to the syllables of a word. For example, the word ‘beautiful' would be loud-soft-soft. Practice with short lists of words with the same syllabic stress pattern (‘beautiful,' ‘telephone,' ‘Florida') and then see if your learners an list other words with that pattern.

Profitable Ratio Analysis of Thorntons Plc

Profitablity Ratio Analysis This analysis ratio based on FAME report and annual report of Thortons (PLC) from 2007 to 2010. 1. Gross Profit Margin During period 2007-2010, Thorntons was achieved the highest gross profit margin in 2007. It was increased the sales/revenue 5. 3% (from ? 176. 60m to 186. 00 m). In 2008 the sales was increased 11. 9% (from ? 186. 00m to 208. 12 m) however the gross profit margin was decreased due to the high cost of good sales compare to previous year which was increased 19. 7%. In financial report 2009, the gross profit was declined from 105. 05 m to 104. 969m and declined of gross profit margin from 50. 5% to 48. 87$. In 2010, there was increased in gross profit margin though the sales was decreased from the previous year. In terms of performance against its competitors in similar industry, the performance of Thortons is relatively higher during period 2007-2010 (Figure. 1). The performance of other competitors, Dunhills, only could achieve the 42. 16% in 2010. Compare to its competitors , it was indicated that Thorntons has high gross profit margin, meaning that Thortons has high production efficiency.Having High gross profit margin, Thorntons could pay its operating expense, tax , employee benefits etc. 2. Operating Profit Margin In view of its Operating Profit Margin, Thorntons performance was increased in two consecutive years from 2007 to 2008 with ratio 3. 81 % and 4. 03%. This increase in operating margin was followed by declining in two consecutive years 2009 and 2010 with ratio 3. 77% and 2. 86%. These declined of operating profit margin due to increased in the expenses, especially in employee benefit and inventories expenses which continuously rose from 2007 to 2010.In addition the strategy of company to introduce many new products, increased our multi-channel offer and invested significant sums in new point of sale systems and factory automation has increased the cost. Furthermore the economic downturn from 2009-2010 wa s pressured the company to achieve better income. Compare to the Thorntons’s competitors, the performance of operating margin is less than Dunhills which achieved operating margin average in four years 16. 8% far above Thorntons and Farrero. The decreased of operating margin was happened with Cadbury which fall from 2007-2008. . RETURN ON SHAREHOLDER FUND (ROSF) ROSF measures the profit against total equity invests by share holder. In this regard, the calculation of profit is using profit before tax while other calculation, using profit after tax. Thorntons has stability performance in the middle range to returning the shareholder funds from 2007 up to 2009 compare to its competitors. However the ROSF was decreased in 2010 due to decrease in profit before tax 2. 4% from 2009 to 2010. On the otherhand, Thorntons still achieved Basic earnings per share which increased by 20. % to 6. 5p (2009: 5. 4p) and its Board was recommended a final dividend of 4. 10p (2009: 4. 85p), making the total dividend for the year 6. 05p (2009: 6. 0) Compare to its competitors, the ratio of ROSF of Thorntons is in the middle level and relatively stable. The company generated profit in continuously 4 years with high level achieved in 2009 with profit attributable to share holder ? 6. 068 m. Cadbury was slump down in 2008 but it was achieved the high ROSF in 2009 almost 90% of other competitors with profit attributable to share holder ? 68. 55 m . 4. RETURN ON CAPITAL EMPLOYED(ROCE) Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) is measured the operating profit generated against the long term capital in the business. ROCE ratio of Thorntons was increased from 2007 to 2008, and decreased from 2008 to 2010. Though Thorntons has successfully reduced the Net debt since 2008 to 2010 , however the low achievement is influenced by decreasing in operating profit from 2008 to 2010. Compare to its competitors, the ROCE ratio of Thorntons was in the middle achievement lower than Cadbury in 2009 to 2010 .Cadbury was in the negative ROCE in 2008. Dunhills has relatively constant in its ROCE ratio and close to Thorntons in ROCE ratio. If it is further reviewed both Thorntons and Dunhill has very close in average operating profit during period 2007-2010. RECOMENDATION Considering evaluation and analysis of profitability ratios of Thorntons during period 2007-2010 and compare its performance against the competitors in its industry , the following is list of recommendation that could be considered by Thorntons: 1.Since the Revenue (sales) over the years is relatively flat and higher compare to its competitor, it is recommended to reduced the cost of good sales to increase the gross profit by identifying the possibility to reduce the cost from its supply chain operations from procuring raw materials, reducing number of inventories, optimization in line production and goods stock, reviewing the networks selling and model of distribution.It is indicated and might be high opportunity to gai n sales revenue by putting right model of contract sales to anticipate the seasonal conditions. 2. To increase the Operating profit, it is recommended that Thortons to reduce the administration expenses or divested especially in outlet which is indicated unprofitable and focus on the optimum selling and distribution model. 3.Increase revenue by continuously develop new innovative product to generate differentiation from its competitors and maintain the domination of market share. Reference: FAME Report http://investors. thorntons. co. uk/download/pdf/annual_report_Final_sep_2010. pdf http://investors. thorntons. co. uk/download/pdf/ar09. pdf http://investors. thorntons. co. uk/download/pdf/Thorntons_AR2008. pdf http://investors. thorntons. co. uk/download/pdf/Thorntons_AR07. pdf

Free Essays on Emerson And The Soul

Emerson and the Soul I agree with Emerson when he writes about â€Å"the soul† and his ideal that there exists a unanimous connection throughout man’s value system. Our actions and decisions in making moral choices are combined and interwoven to compose the soul. The soul exists in every facet of life and is even found in the very basics of government and law. The idea of the soul is evident in and greatly influences religion and faith. It is inherent in the morals of all men, therefore there is truth to the existence of the soul. Emerson writes of the soul; â€Å"†¦that Unity, that Soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other; that common heart, of which all sincere conversation is the worship, to which all right action is submission; that overpowering reality which confutes our tricks and talents, and constrains every one to pass for what he is, and to speak from his character, and not from his tongue, and which evermore tends to pa ss into our thought and hand, and become wisdom, and virtue, and power, and beauty. In this quote, Emerson says that the common instinct instilled in man lets him see the truth for himself. Man has to look past all of the tricks and constraints of society and see what truth really exist. This reality found from the shared soul, is the purest form of truth. All men have this ability to perceive the truth, and a common knowledge of goodness unites and unifies us all. Man’s instinctive actions in making moral choices are all part of the soul. Man can perceive that which is ultimately good, only if he looks past the set laws and dogmas of the majority. It is true that all men have certain inherent morals. These morals that uniquely define man, are what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Man knows how to act within socially acceptable standards while animals do not have any social standards. This human characteristic to distinguish between what is ... Free Essays on Emerson And The Soul Free Essays on Emerson And The Soul Emerson and the Soul I agree with Emerson when he writes about â€Å"the soul† and his ideal that there exists a unanimous connection throughout man’s value system. Our actions and decisions in making moral choices are combined and interwoven to compose the soul. The soul exists in every facet of life and is even found in the very basics of government and law. The idea of the soul is evident in and greatly influences religion and faith. It is inherent in the morals of all men, therefore there is truth to the existence of the soul. Emerson writes of the soul; â€Å"†¦that Unity, that Soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other; that common heart, of which all sincere conversation is the worship, to which all right action is submission; that overpowering reality which confutes our tricks and talents, and constrains every one to pass for what he is, and to speak from his character, and not from his tongue, and which evermore tends to pa ss into our thought and hand, and become wisdom, and virtue, and power, and beauty. In this quote, Emerson says that the common instinct instilled in man lets him see the truth for himself. Man has to look past all of the tricks and constraints of society and see what truth really exist. This reality found from the shared soul, is the purest form of truth. All men have this ability to perceive the truth, and a common knowledge of goodness unites and unifies us all. Man’s instinctive actions in making moral choices are all part of the soul. Man can perceive that which is ultimately good, only if he looks past the set laws and dogmas of the majority. It is true that all men have certain inherent morals. These morals that uniquely define man, are what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Man knows how to act within socially acceptable standards while animals do not have any social standards. This human characteristic to distinguish between what is ...

Corporate Governance in Financial Services Essay

Corporate Governance in Financial Services - Essay Example The board of directors stands at the top of the organizational hierarchy. The role and responsibility played by the board act in the best interest of all stakeholders. This means that the board is the highest body that represents the interests of all the stakeholders in an organization. In the banking sector, the board of directors plays more or less the same role and responsibility. Specifically, the board supervises, monitors, and controls corporate officers, and also handles major decisions that relate to organizational operations. In the light of corporate governance, board effectiveness is critical both in the short run and long run. The subject of board effectiveness in corporate governance is provided for by the Combined Code on Corporate governance. Bank failure and the subsequent financial crisis in the UK can be explained through boards’ failure to be effective and efficient. Monitoring of executives in the banking sector was poor in the period preceding banking crisis in the UK. Many boards in the sector failed to discharge their duties and responsibilities accordingly. The implication was that banks were caught unaware of the underlying risks of poor board management. The board of directors sets strategic aims, provides entrepreneurial leadership, ensure understanding and realization of organizational obligations to stakeholders, and reviews/manages organizational performance (Adams, 2003, p.723). These aspects of the board’s role were poorly discharged and managed, resulting in failed corporate governance practices. UK banks were adversely affected by this failure due to the fact that they failed to realize the underlying risks of poorly managed and governed corporates.

The affect of the healthcare reform on for-profit vs. non-profit Research Paper

The affect of the healthcare reform on for-profit vs. non-profit hospitals - Research Paper Example Health insurance and public health have been in the front line in this kind of debates as well as to what extent should the state offer assistance. Provision of healthcare is a task that encompasses provision of various healthcare services, relevant equipments to hospitals, pharmaceutical products, life sciences funding and funding in biotechnology. The activities that relate to healthcare and the centers where this is carried out include the hospitals, nursing and elderly homes, those involved in provision of healthcare plans, provision of laboratory services, drug manufacturing and delivery, diagnostic substances and biotechnology itself. Therefore, this is a line that required care to handle in the case of governments as it is a resource intensive sector. This also shows how the introduction as well as implementation of reforms can be quite a task as the stakeholders involved are many resulting to many and divergent views (Woolhandler 1997). This is what characterized the healthcare reforms bill that Obama administration brought forth. Healthcare reforms in a broader sense aim at placing more people under the health care bracket with the intervention of the government (public sector) and the private companies which offer health insurance (Congressional Budget Office 2010). The other aim is to increase the accessibility of health services and health specialists while at the same time ensuring quality improvement in regards to health care and at a relatively lower cost. The reforms also should focus on increasing the number of the providers of health care among which consumers will choose. In the United States in particular issues of healthcare reforms mostly relate to the sustainability of programs adopted, government spending on these reforms, the right to heath care, the fairness to the various people in the society, quality of the health care provided and