Friday, October 25, 2019

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Veterans :: Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

As with many other diseases, early detection and treatment of mental disorders are key components to rehabilitation and a cure. The prognosis for a better quality of life for veterans suffering with PTSD is increased through early intervention. The VA has developed the Seamless Transition program for the target group of soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan (Currey, 2007). The focus of the program is to deliver the highest level of care in a timely manner, according to Dr. Roswell, M.D. (Currey, 2007). A holistic approach is taken by social workers to treat the whole person and not just the symptoms. Social work practice often requires advocating and navigating for clients within bureaucratic systems. New soldiers entering the war are at risk of being exposed to trauma, which increases the chance of being diagnosed with PTSD. Other target groups at heightened risk for PTSD are those required to serve multiple deployments and female service members. According to the NADCP (2007) 1 in 5 veterans report symptoms of a mental disorder. These figures can be utilized to predict and implement future treatment needs and funding requirements. Streamlining the application process, by allowing timely access to benefits, can result in reduced benefit necessities. A policy which improves access to benefits for veterans is supported by veteran’s organizations everywhere. A recent change in the policy removes the requirement for veterans to submit written documentation of a stressful event during military service. The most critical support for this change is that of U.S. politicians who make policy decisions. President Obama, in his speech on July 10, 2011, expressed his support for veterans, specifically those suffering with PTSD. He understands the plight of soldiers of war, whether in combat or non-combat, being affected by the war’s trauma. President Obama understood the necessity for new policy as the old policy prevented many of those with PTSD from receiving the care they needed. As stated by the President â€Å"I don’t think our troops on the battlefield should have to take notes to keep for claims applications† (The White House, 2010). The Texas Veteran Commission, realizing the growing number of vete rans with PTSD, is optimistic in its view that the new policies will allow this vulnerable group easier access to benefits (Cervantes, 2010). B. Christopher Frueh, a professor of psychology and director of the Division of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii, is not a supporter of the rule change.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Frankenstein Summary Essay

Frankenstein opens with a preface, signed by Mary Shelley but commonly supposed to have been written by her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley. It states that the novel was begun during a summer vacation in the Swiss Alps, when unseasonably rainy weather and nights spent reading German ghost stories inspired the author and her literary companions to engage in a ghost story writing contest, of which this work is the only completed product. Summary: Letter 1 The novel itself begins with a series of letters from the explorer Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret Saville. Walton, a well-to-do Englishman with a passion for seafaring, is the captain of a ship headed on a dangerous voyage to the North Pole. In the first letter, he tells his sister of the preparations leading up to his departure and of the desire burning in him to accomplish â€Å"some great purpose†Ã¢â‚¬â€discovering a northern passage to the Pacific, revealing the source of the Earth’s magnetism, or simply setting foot on undiscovered territory. Summary: Letters 2–3 In the second letter, Walton bemoans his lack of friends. He feels lonely and isolated, too sophisticated to find comfort in his shipmates and too uneducated to find a sensitive soul with whom to share his dreams. In the brief third letter, Walton tells his sister that his ship has set sail and that he has full confidence that he will achieve his aim. Summary: Letter 4 In the fourth letter, the ship stalls between huge sheets of ice, and Walton and his men spot a sledge guided by a gigantic creature about half a mile away. The next morning, they encounter another sledge stranded on an ice floe. All but one of the dogs drawing the sledge is dead, and the man on the sledge—not the man seen the night before—is emaciated, weak, and starving. Despite his condition, the man refuses to board the ship until Walton tells him that it is heading north. The stranger spends two days recovering, nursed by the crew, before he can speak. The crew is burning with curiosity, but Walton, aware of the man’s still-fragile state, prevents his men from burdening the stranger with questions. As time passes, Walton and the stranger become friends, and the stranger eventually consents to tell Walton his story. At the end of the fourth letter, Walton states that the visitor will commence his narrative the next day; Walton’s framing narrative ends and the stranger’s begins. Summary: Chapter 1 The stranger, who the reader soon learns is Victor Frankenstein, begins his narration. He starts with his family background, birth, and early childhood, telling Walton about his father, Alphonse, and his mother, Caroline. Alphonse became Caroline’s protector when her father died in poverty. They married two years later, and Victor was born soon after. Frankenstein then describes how his childhood companion, Elizabeth Lavenza, entered his family. Elizabeth was discovered by his mother, Caroline, on a trip to Italy, when Victor is about five years old. While visiting a poor Italian family, Caroline notices a beautiful blonde girl among the dark-haired Italian children; upon discovering that Elizabeth is the orphaned daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman and that the Italian family can barely afford to feed her, Caroline adopts Elizabeth and brings her back to Geneva. Victor’s mother decides at the moment of the adoption that Elizabeth and Victor should someda y marry. Summary: Chapter 2 Elizabeth and Victor grow up together as best friends. Victor’s friendship with Henry Clerval, a schoolmate and only child, flourishes as well, and he spends his childhood happily surrounded by this close domestic circle. As a teenager, Victor becomes increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the natural world. He chances upon a book by Cornelius Agrippa, a sixteenth-century scholar of the occult sciences, and becomes interested in natural philosophy. He studies the outdated findings of the alchemists Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus with enthusiasm. He witnesses the destructive power of nature when, during a raging storm, lightning destroys a tree near his house. A modern natural philosopher accompanying the Frankenstein family explains to Victor the workings of electricity, making the ideas of the alchemists seem outdated and worthless. Summary: Chapter 3 At the age of seventeen, Victor leaves his family in Geneva to attend the university at Ingolstadt. Just before Victor departs, his mother catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth, whom she has been nursing back to health, and dies. On her deathbed, she begs Elizabeth and Victor to marry. Several weeks later, still grieving, Victor goes off to Ingolstadt. Arriving at the university, he finds quarters in the town and sets up a meeting with a professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe. Krempe tells Victor that all the time that Victor has spent studying the alchemists has been wasted, further souring Victor on the study of natural philosophy. He then attends a lecture in chemistry by a professor named Waldman. This lecture, along with a subsequent meeting with the professor, convinces Victor to pursue his studies in the sciences. Analysis: Preface and Letters 1–4 The preface to Frankenstein sets up the novel as entertainment, but with a serious twist—a science fiction that nonetheless captures â€Å"the truth of the elementary principles of human nature.† The works of Homer, Shakespeare, and Milton are held up as shining examples of the kind of work Frankenstein aspires to be. Incidentally, the reference to â€Å"Dr. Darwin† in the first sentence is not to the famous evolutionist Charles Darwin, who was seven years old at the time the novel was written, but to his grandfather, the biologist Erasmus Darwin. In addition to setting the scene for the telling of the stranger’s narrative, Walton’s letters introduce an important character—Walton himself—whose story parallels Frankenstein’s. The second letter introduces the idea of loss and loneliness, as Walton complains that he has no friends with whom to share his triumphs and failures, no sensitive ear to listen to his dreams and ambitions. Walton turns to the stranger as the friend he has always wanted; his search for companionship, and his attempt to find it in the stranger, parallels the monster’s desire for a friend and mate later in the novel. This parallel between man and monster, still hidden in these early letters but increasingly clear as the novel progresses, suggests that the two may not be as different as they seem. Another theme that Walton’s letters introduce is the danger of knowledge. The stranger tells Walton, â€Å"You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.† The theme of destructive knowledge is developed throughout the novel as the tragic consequences of the stranger’s obsessive search for understanding are revealed. Walton, like the stranger, is entranced by the opportunity to know what no one else knows, to delve into nature’s secrets: â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?† he asks. Walton’s is only the first of many voices in Frankenstein. His letters set up a frame narrative that encloses the main narrative—the stranger’s—and provides the context in which it is told. Nested within the stranger’s narrative are even more voices. The use of multiple frame narratives calls attention to the telling of the story, adding new layers of complexity to the already intricate relationship between author and reader: as the reader listens to Victor’s story, so does Walton; as Walton listens, so does his sister. By focusing the reader’s attention on narration, on the importance of the storyteller and his or her audience, Shelley may have been trying to link her novel to the oral tradition to which the ghost stories that inspired her tale belong. Within each framed narrative, the reader receives constant reminders of the presence of other authors and audiences, and of perspective shifts, as Victor breaks out of his narrative to address Walton directly and as Walton signs off each of his letters to his sister. Analysis: Chapters 1–2 The picture that Victor draws of his childhood is an idyllic one. Though loss abounds—the poverty of Beaufort and the orphaning of Elizabeth, for instance—it is always quickly alleviated by the presence of a close, loving family. Nonetheless, the reader senses, even in these early passages, that the stability and comfort of family are about to be exploded. Shining through Victor’s narration of a joyful childhood and an eccentric adolescence is a glimmer of the great tragedy that will soon overtake him. Women in Frankenstein fit into few roles: the loving, sacrificial mother; the innocent, sensitive child; and the concerned, confused, abandoned lover. Throughout the novel, they are universally passive, rising only at the most extreme moments to demand action from the men around them. The language Victor uses to describe the relationship between his mother and father supports this image of women’s passivity: in reference to his mother, he says that his fathe r â€Å"came as a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care.† Elizabeth, Justine Moritz, and Caroline Beaufort all fit into this mold of the passive woman.Various metanarrative comments (i.e., remarks that pertain not to the content of the narrative but rather to the telling of the narrative) remind the reader of the fact that Victor’s narrative is contained within Walton’s. Victor interrupts his story to relate how Elizabeth became a part of his family, prefacing the digression with the comment, â€Å"But before I continue my narrative, I must record an incident.† Such guiding statements structure Victor’s narrative and remind the reader that Victor is telling his story to a specific audience—Walton. Foreshadowing is ubiquitous in these chapters and, in fact, throughout the novel. Even Walton’s letters prepare the way for the tragic events that Victor will recount. Victor constantly alludes to his imminent doom; for example, he calls his interest in natural philosophy â€Å"the genius that has regulated my fate† and â€Å"the fatal impulse that led to my ruin.† Victor’s narrative is rife with nostalgia for a happier time; he dwells on the fuzzy memories of his blissful childhood with Elizabeth, his father and mother, and Henry Clerval. But even in the midst of these tranquil childhood recollections, he cannot ignore the signs of the tragedy that lies in his imminent future; he sees that each event, such as the death of his mother, is nothing but â€Å"an omen, as it were, of [his] future misery.† This heavy use of foreshadowing has a dual effect. On the one hand, it adds to the suspense of the novel, leaving the reader wondering about the nature of the awful tragedy that has caused Victor so much grief. On the other hand, it drains away some of the suspense—the reader knows far ahead of time that Victor has no hope, that all is doomed. Words like â€Å"fate,† â€Å"fatal,† and â€Å"omen† reinforce the inevitability of Victor’s tragedy, suggesting not only a sense of resignation but also, perhaps, an attempt by Victor to deny responsibility for his own misfortune. Describing his decision to study chemistry, he says, â€Å"Thus ended a day memorable to me; it decided my future destiny.† Summary: Chapter 4 Victor attacks his studies with enthusiasm and, ignoring his social life and his family far away in Geneva, makes rapid progress. Fascinated by the mystery of the creation of life, he begins to study how the human body is built (anatomy) and how it falls apart (death and decay). After several years of tireless work, he masters all that his professors have to teach him, and he goes one step further: discovering the secret of life. Privately, hidden away in his apartment where no one can see him work, he decides to begin the construction of an animate creature, envisioning the creation of a new race of wonderful beings. Zealously devoting himself to this labor, he neglects everything else—family, friends, studies, and social life—and grows increasingly pale, lonely, and obsessed. Summary: Chapter 5 One stormy night, after months of labor, Victor completes his creation. But when he brings it to life, its awful appearance horrifies him. He rushes to the next room and tries to sleep, but he is troubled by nightmares about Elizabeth and his mother’s corpse. He wakes to discover the monster looming over his bed with a grotesque smile and rushes out of the house. He spends the night pacing in his courtyard. The next morning, he goes walking in the town of Ingolstadt, frantically avoiding a return to his now-haunted apartment. As he walks by the town inn, Victor comes across his friend Henry Clerval, who has just arrived to begin studying at the university. Delighted to see Henry—a breath of fresh air and a reminder of his family after so many months of isolation and ill health—he brings him back to his apartment. Victor enters first and is relieved to find no sign of the monster. But, weakened by months of work and shock at the horrific being he has created, he immediately falls ill with a nervous fever that lasts several months. Henry nurses him back to health and, when Victor has recovered, gives him a letter from Elizabeth that had arrived during his illness. Analysis: Chapters 3–5 Whereas the first two chapters give the reader a mere sense of impending doom, these chapters depict Victor irrevocably on the way to tragedy. The creation of the monster is a grotesque act, far removed from the triumph of scientific knowledge for which Victor had hoped. His nightmares reflect his horror at what he has done and also serve to foreshadow future events in the novel. The images of Elizabeth â€Å"livid with the hue of death† prepare the reader for Elizabeth’s eventual death and connect it, however indirectly, to the creation of the monster. Victor’s pursuit of scientific knowledge reveals a great deal about his perceptions of science in general. He views science as the only true route to new knowledge: â€Å"In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know; but in scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder.† Walton’s journey to the North Pole is likewise a search f or â€Å"food for discovery and wonder,† a step into the tantalizing, dark unknown. The symbol of light, introduced in Walton’s first letter (â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?†), appears again in Victor’s narrative, this time in a scientific context. â€Å"From the midst of this darkness,† Victor says when describing his discovery of the secret of life, â€Å"a sudden light broke in upon me—a light so brilliant and wondrous.† Light reveals, illuminates, clarifies; it is essential for seeing, and seeing is the way to knowledge. Just as light can illuminate, however, so can it blind; pleasantly warm at moderate levels, it ignites dangerous flames at higher ones. Immediately after his first metaphorical use of light as a symbol of knowledge, Victor retreats into secrecy and warns Walton of â€Å"how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge.† Thus, light is balanced always by fire, the promise of new discovery by the danger of unpredictable—and perhaps tragic—consequences. The theme of secrecy manifests itself in these chapters, as Victor’s studies draw him farther and farther away from those who love and advise him. He conducts his experiments alone, following the example of the ancient alchemists, who jealously guarded their secrets, and rejecting the openness of the new sciences. Victor displays an unhealthy obsession with all of his endeavors, and the labor of creating the monster takes its toll on him. It drags him into charnel houses in search of old body parts and, even more important, isolates him from the world of open social institutions. Though Henry’s presence makes Victor become conscious of his gradual loss of touch with humanity, Victor is nonetheless unwilling to tell Henry anything about the monster. The theme of secrecy transforms itself, now linked to Victor’s shame an d regret for having ever hoped to create a new life. Victor’s reaction to his creation initiates a haunting theme that persists throughout the novel—the sense that the monster is inescapable, ever present, liable to appear at any moment and wreak havoc. When Victor arrives at his apartment with Henry, he opens the door â€Å"as children are accustomed to do when they expect a specter to stand in waiting for them on the other side,† a seeming echo of the tension-filled German ghost stories read by Mary Shelley and her vacationing companions. As in the first three chapters, Victor repeatedly addresses Walton, his immediate audience, reminding the reader of the frame narrative and of the multiple layers of storytellers and listeners. Structuring comments such as â€Å"I fear, my friend, that I shall render myself tedious by dwelling on these preliminary circumstances† both remind the reader of the target audience (Walton) and help indicate the relative importance of each passage. Shelley employs other literary devices from time to time, including apostrophe, in which the speaker addresses an inanimate object, absent person, or abstract idea. Victor occasionally addresses some of the figures from his past as if they were with him on board Walton’s ship. â€Å"Excellent friend!† he exclaims, referring to Henry. â€Å"How sincerely did you love me, and endeavor to elevate my mind, until it was on a level with your own.† Apostrophe was a favorite of Mary Shelley’s husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who used it often in his poetry; its occurrence here might reflect some degree of Percy’s influence on Mary’s writing.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Balance Sheet and Inventory

Chapter 4 Discussion Questions |4-1. |What are the basic benefits and purposes of developing pro forma statements and a cash budget? | | | | | |The pro-forma financial statements and cash budget enable the firm to determine its future level of asset needs and the| | |associated financing that will be required. Furthermore, one can track actual events against the projections. Bankers | | |and other lenders also use these financial statements as a guide in credit decisions. | | | | |4-2. |Explain how the collections and purchases schedules are related to the borrowing needs of the corporation. | | | | | |The collections and purchase schedules measure the speed at which receivables are collected and purchases are paid. To | | |the extent collections do not cover purchasing costs and other financial requirements, the firm must look to borrowing | | |to cover the deficit. | | | | |4-3. |With inflation, what are the implications of using LIFO and FIFO inventory methods? How do they affect the cost of | | |goods sold? | | | | |LIFO inventory valuation assumes the latest purchased inventory becomes part of the cost of goods sold, while the FIFO | | |method assigns inventory items that were purchased first to the cost of goods sold. In an inflationary environment, the| | |LIFO method will result in a higher cost of goods sold figure and one that more accurately matches the sales dollars | | |recorded at urrent dollars. | | | | |4-4. |Explain the relationship between inventory turnover and purchasing needs. | | | | | |The more rapid the turnover of inventory, the greater the need for purchase and replacement. Rapidly turning inventory | | |makes for somewhat greater ease in foreseeing future requirement s and reduces the cost of carrying inventory. | | | |4-5. |Rapid corporate growth in sales and profits can cause financing problems. Elaborate on this statement. | | | | | |Rapid growth in sales and profits is often associated with rapid growth in asset commitment. A $100,000 increase in | | |sales may cause a $50,000 increase in assets, with perhaps only $10,000 of the new financing coming from profits. It | | |is very seldom that incremental profits from sales expansion can meet new financing needs. | | | |4-6. |Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of level production schedules in firms with cyclical sales. | | | | | |Level production in a cyclical industry has the advantage of allowing for the maintenance of a stable work force and | | |reducing inefficiencies caused by shutting down production during slow periods and accelerating work during crash | | |production periods. A major drawback is that a large stock of inventory may be accumulated during the slow sales | | |period. This inventory may be expensive to finance, with an associated danger of obsolescence. | | | | |4-7. |What conditions would help make a percent-of-sales forecast almost as accurate as pro forma financial statements and | | |cash budgets? | | | | | |The percent-of-sales forecast is only as good as the functional relationship of assets and liabilities to sales. To | | |the extent that past relationships accurately depict the future, the percent-of-sales method will give values that | | |reasonably represent the values derived through the pro-forma statements and the cash budget. | Chapter 4 Problems 1. Eli Lilly is very excited because sales for his nursery and plant company are expected to double from $600,000 to $1,200,000 next year. Eli notes that net assets (Assets — Liabilities) will remain at 50 percent of sales. His firm will enjoy an 8 percent return on total sales. He will start the year with $120,000 in the bank and is bragging about the Jaguar and luxury townhouse he will buy. Does his optimistic outlook for his cash position appear to be correct? Compute his likely cash balance or deficit for the end of the year. Start with beginning cash and subtract the asset buildup (equal to 50 percent of the sales increase) and add in profit. 1 Solution: Eli Lilly Beginning cash$120,000 – Asset buildup(300,000)(1/2 ? $600,000) Profit 96,000(8% ? $1,200,000) Ending cash($84,000)Deficit No, he will actually end up with a negative cash balance. 2. In problem 1 if there had been no increase in sales and all other facts were the same, what would Eli’s ending cash balance be? What lesson do the examples in problems 1 and 2 illustrate? 4-2. Solution: Eli Lilly (continued) Beginning cash$120,000 No asset buildup—– Profit 48,000(8% ? $600,000) Ending cash$168,000 The lesson to be learned is that increased sales can increase the financing requirements and reduce cash even for a profitable firm. 3. Gibson Manufacturing Corp. expects to sell the following number of units of steel cables at the prices indicated under three different scenarios in the economy. The probability of each outcome is indicated. What is the expected value of the total sales projection? OutcomeProbabilityUnitsPrice A0. 20100$20 B0. 5018025 C0. 3021030 4-3. Solution: Gibson Manufacturing Corporation |(1) |(2) |(3) |(4) |(5) |(6) | | | | | | |Expected | | | | | |Total |Value | Outcome |Probability |Units |Price |Value |(2 ? 5) | |A |. 20 |100 |$20 |2,000 |400 | |B |. 50 |180 |$25 |4,500 |2,250 | |C |. 0 |210 |$30 |6,300 |1,8900 | | | |Total expected value |$4,540 | 4. The Alliance Corp. expects to sell the following number of units of copper cables at the prices indicated, under three different scenarios in the economy. The probability of each outcome is indicated. What is the expected value of the total sales projection? OutcomeProbabilityUnitsPrice A0. 30200$15 B0. 5032030 C0. 2041040 4-4. Solution: Alliance Corporation |(1) |(2) |(3) |(4) |(5) |(6) | | | | | | |Expected | | | | | |Total |Value | |Outcome |Probability |Units |Price |Value |(2 ? ) | |A |. 30 |200 |$15 |$3,000 | 900 | |B |. 50 |320 |$30 |9,600 | 4,800 | |C |. 20 |410 |$40 |16,400 | 3,280 | | | |Total expected value |$8,980 | . ER Medical Supplies had sales of 2,000 units at $160 per unit last year. The marketing manager projects a 25 percent increase in unit volume this year with a 10 percent price increase. Returned merchandise will represent 5 percent of total sales. What is your net dollar sales projection for this year? 4-5. Solution: ER Medical Supplies | |Unit volume 2,000 ? 1. 25 |2,500 | | |Price $160 ? . 10 |$176 | | |Total Sales |$440,000 | | |Returns (6%) |22,000 | | |Net Sales |$418,000 | 6. Cyber Security Systems had sales of 3,000 units at $50 per unit last year. The marketing manager projects a 20 percent increase in unit volume sales this year with a 10 percent price increase. Returned merchandise will represent 6 percent of total sales. What is your net dollar sales projection for this year? 4-6. Solution: Cyber Security Systems |Unit volume 3,000 ? 1. 20 |3,600 | |Price $50 ? 1. 10 |? 55 | |Total Sales |$198,000 | |Returns (6%) |11,880 | |Net Sales |$186,120 | 7. Sales for Ross Pro’s Sports Equipment are expected to be 4,800 units for the coming month. The company likes to maintain 10 percent of unit sales for each month in ending inventory. Beginning inventory is 300 units. How many units should the firm produce for the coming month? 4-7. Solution: Ross Pro’s Sports Equipment |+ |Projected sales |4,800 |units | |+ |Desired ending inventory |480 |(10% ? ,800) | |– |Beginning inventory | 300 | | | |Units to be produced |4,980 | | | | | 8. Digitex, Inc. , had sales of 6,000 units in March. A 50 percent increase is expected in April. The company will maintain 5 percent of expected unit sales for April in ending inventory. Beginning inventory for April was 200 units. How many units should the company produce in April? 4-8. Solution: Digitex, Inc. |+ |Projected sales |9,000 |units (6,000 ? 1. 5) | |+ |Desired ending inventory |450 |units (5% ? ,000) | |– |Beginning inventory | 200 |units | | |Units to be produced |9,250 |units | 9. Hoover Electronics has beginning inventory of 22,000 units, will sell 60,000 units for the coming month, and desires to reduce ending inventory to 30 percent of beginning inventory. How many units should Hoover produce? 4-9. Solution: Hoover Electronics + |Projected sales |60,000 |units | |+ |Desired ending inventory |6,600 |(30% ? 22,000) | |– |Beginning inventory | 22,000 |units | | |Units to be produced |44,600 |units | 0. On December 31 of last year, Barton Air Filters had in inventory 600 units of its product, which costs $2 8 per unit to produce. During January, the company produced 1,200 units at a cost of $32 per unit. Assuming Barton Air Filters sold 1,500 units in January, what was the cost of goods sold (assume FIFO inventory accounting)? 4-10. Solution: Barton Air Filters |Cost of goods sold on 1,500 units | | | | | | | |Old inventory: | | | | Quantity (Units) |600 | | | Cost per unit |$ 28 | | | Total |$ 16,800 | | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | Quantity (Units) |900 | | | Cost per unit |$ 32 | | | Total |$28,800 | | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$45,600 | 11. On December 31 of last year, Wolfson Corporation had in inventory 400 units of its product, which cost $21 per unit to produce. During January, the company produced 800 units at a cost of $24 per unit. Assuming that Wolfson Corporation sold 700 units in January, what was the cost of goods sold (assume FIFO inventory accounting)? 4-11. Solution: Wolfson Corporation |Cost of goods sold on 700 units | | | | |Old inventory: | | | Quantit y (Units) |400 | | Cost per unit |$ 21 | | Total |$ 8,400 | | | | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |300 | | Cost per unit |$ 24 | | Total |$ 7,200 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | 12. At the end of January, Lemon Auto Parts had an inventory of 825 units, which cost $12 per unit to produce. During February the company produced 750 units at a cost of $16 per unit. If the firm sold 1,050 units in February, what was its cost of goods sold? a. Assume LIFO inventory accounting. b. Assume FIFO inventory accounting. 4-12. Solution: Lemon Auto Parts a. LIFO Accounting |Cost of goods sold on 1,050 units | | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |750 | | Cost per unit $ 16 | | Total |$12,000 | |Old inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |300 | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | Total |$ 3,600 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | b. FIFO Accounting Cost of goods sold on 1,050 units | | |Old inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |825 | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | Total |$ 9,900 | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |225 | | Cost per unit |$ 16 | | Total |$ 3,600 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | 13. Convex Mechanical Supplies produces a product with the following costs as of July 1, 2009: Material$ 6 Labor4 Overhead 2 $12 Beginning inventory at these costs on July 1 was 5,000 units. From July 1 to December 1, Convex produced 15,000 units. These units had a material cost of $10 per unit. The costs for labor and overhead were the same. Convex uses FIFO inventory accounting. Assuming that Convex sold 17,000 units during the last six months of the year at $20 each, what would gross profit be? What is the value of ending inventory? 4-13. Solution: Convex Mechanical Supplies |Sales (17,000 @ $20) | | |$340,000 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |5,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | | | |Total | |$ 60,000 | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |12,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 16 | | | | |Total | |$192,000 | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold | | |$252,000 | | |Gross profit | | |$ 88,000 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending | | | | | |inventory: | | | | | |Beginning inventory | | | | | |(5,000 ( $ 12) | |$ 60,000 | | | |+ Total production | | | | | |(15,000 ( $16) | |$240,000 | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale | |$300,000 | | | |– Cost of good sold | |$252,000 | | | |Ending inventory | |$ 48,000 | | | |or | | | | | |3,000 units ( $16 = $48,000 | 14. Assume in problem 13 that Convex used LIFO accounting instead of FIFO. What would gross profit be? What is the value of ending inventory? 4-14. Solution: Convex Mechanical Supplies (Continued) |Sales (17,000 @ $20) | | |$340,000 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |15,000 | | | | | Cost per unit †¦.. |$ 16 | | | | |Total †¦.. |$240,000 | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) †¦.. |2,000 | | | | | Cost per unit †¦.. |$ 12 | | | | |Total †¦.. | |$ 24,000 | | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold †¦.. | | |$264,000 | | |Gross profit †¦.. | |$ 76,000 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending | | | | | |inventory: | | | | | |Be ginning inventory | | | | | |(5,000 ( $12) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |$ 60,000 | | |+ |Total production | | | | | |(15,000 ( $16) †¦.. | |$240,000 | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale †¦.. | |$300,000 | | |– |Cost of good sold †¦.. | |$264,000 | | | |Ending inventory †¦.. |$ 36,000 | | | |OR | | | | | |3,000 units ( $12 = $36,000 | 15. Jerrico Wallboard Co. had a beginning inventory of 7,000 units on January 1, 2008. The costs associated with the inventory were: Material$9. 00 unit Labor5. 00 unit Overhead4. 10 unit During 2004, Jerrico produced 28,500 units with the following costs: Material$11. 50 unit Labor4. 80 unit Overhead5. 20 unit Sales for the year were 31,500 units at $29. 60 each. Jerrico uses LIFO accounting. What was the gross profit? What was the value of ending inventory? 4-15. Solution: Jerrico Wallboard Co. | |Sales (31,500 @ $29. 0) | | |$932,400 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |28,500 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 22. 50 | | | | |Total | |$641,250 | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |3,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 18. 0 | | | | |Total | |$ 54,300 | | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold | | |$695,550 | | |Gross profit | | |$236,850 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending inventory: | | | | | |Beginning inventory | | | | | |(7,000 ( $18. 10) | |$126,700 | | | |+ Total production | |$641,250 | | | |(28,500 ( $22. 50) | | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale | |$767,950 | | | |– Cost of good sold | |$695,550 | | | |Ending inventory | |$ 72,400 | | | |OR | | | | | |4,000 units ( $18. 10 = $72,400 | 16. J. Lo’s Clothiers has forecast credit sales for the fourth quarter of the year as: September (actual)$70,000 Fourth Quarter October$60,000 November55,000 December80,000 Experience has shown that 30 percent of sales are collected in the month of sale, 60 percent in the following month, and 10 percent are never collected. Prepare a schedule of cash receipts for J. Lo’s Clothiers covering the fourth quarter (October through December). 4-16. Solution: J. Lo’s Clothiers | |September |October |November |December | |Credit sales |$70,000 |$60,000 |$55,000 $80,000 | |30% Collected in month of sales | | | | | | | |18,000 |16,500 |24,000 | |60% Collected in month after | | | | | |sales | |42,000 |36,000 |33,000 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | |$60,000 |$52,500 |$57,000 | 17. Victoria’s Apparel has forecast credit sales for the fourth quarter of the year as: September (actual)$50,000 Fourth Quarter October$40,000 November35,000 December60,000 Experience has shown that 20 percent of sales are collected in the month of sale, 70 percent in the following month, and 10 percent are never collected. Prepare a schedule of cash receipts for Victoria’s Apparel covering the fourth quarter (October through December). 4-17. Solution: Victoria’s Apparel | |September |October |November |December | |Credit sales |$50,000 |$40,000 |$35,000 $60,000 | |20% Collected in month of sales| | | | | | | |8,000 |7,000 |12,000 | |70% Collected in month after | | | | | |sales | |35,000 |28,000 |24,500 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | |$43,000 |$35,000 |$36,500 | 18. Pirate Video Company has made the following sales projections for the next six months. All sales are credit sales. March$24,000June$28,000 April30,000July35,000 May18,000August38,000 Sales in Janu ary and February were $27,000 and $26,000, respectively. Experience has shown that of total sales, 10 percent are uncollectible, 30 percent are collected in the month of sale, 40 percent are collected in the following month, and 20 percent are collected two months after sale. Prepare a monthly cash receipts schedule for the firm for March through August. Of the sales expected to be made during the six months from March through August, how much will still be uncollected at the end of August? How much of this is expected to be collected later? 4-18. Solution: Pirate Video Company Cash Receipts Schedule | |January |February |March |April | Forecasted unit sales |4,000 |10,000 |8,000 |6,000 | |+Desired ending inventory |15,000 |12,000 |9,000 | | |–Beginning inventory |6,000 |15,000 |12,000 | | |Units to be produced |13,000 |7,000 |5,000 | | |Cash Payments | | |Feb |March |April |May | |Units produced |8,000 |13,000 |7,000 |5,000 | |Materials ($7/unit) month after production | | | | | | | |$56,000 |$91,000 |$49,000 | |Labor ($3/unit) mon th of production | | | | | | | |39,000 |21,000 |15,000 | |Fixed overhead | |10,000 |10,000 |10,000 | |Dividends | | | |14,000 | |Total Cash Payments | |$105,000 |$122,000 |$88,000 | 21. Dina’s Lamp Company has forecast its sales in units as follows: |January |1,000 | |February |800 | |March |900 | |April |1,400 | |May |1,550 | |June |1,800 | |July |1,400 | Dina’s always keeps an ending inventory equal to 120 percent of the next month’s expected sales. The ending inventory for December (January’s beginning inventory) is 1,200 units, which is consistent with this policy. Materials cost $14 per unit and are paid for in the month after purchase. Labor cost is $7  per unit and is paid in the month the cost is incurred. Overhead costs are $8,000 per month. Interest of $10,000 is scheduled to be paid in March, and employee bonuses of $15,500 will be paid in June. Prepare a monthly production schedule and a monthly summary of cash payments for January through June. Dina produced 800 units in December. 4-21. Solution: Dina's Lamp Company Production Schedule | |Jan. |Feb. March |April |May |June |July | |Forecasted unit sales |1,000 | |900 |1,400 |1,550 |1,800 |1,400 | |+ Desired ending inventory |960 |1,080 |1,680 |1,860 |2,160 |1,680 | | |– Beginning inventory |1,200 | 960 |1,080 |1,680 | 1,860 | 2,160 | | |= Units to be produced |760 |920 |1,500 |1,580 |1,850 |1,320 | | |Summary of Cash Payments | | |Dec. |Jan. |Feb. |M arch |April |May |June | |Units roduced |800 |760 |920 |1,500 |1,580 |1,850 |1,320 | |Material cost ($14/unit) month after purchase | | | | | | | | | | |$11,200 |$10,640 |$12,880 |$21,000 |$22,120 |$25,900 | |Labor cost ($5/unit) month incurred | | | | | | | | | | |5,320 |6,440 |10,500 |11,060 |12,950 |$9,240 | |Overhead cost | |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 | |Interest | | | |10,000 | | | | |Employee bonuses | | | | | | |15,500 | |Total Cash Payments | |$24,520 |$25,080 |$41,380 |$40,060 |$43,070 |$58,640 | 22. Graham Potato Company has projected sales of $6,000 in September, $10,000 in October, $16,000 in November, and $12,000 in December. Of the company’s sales, 20 percent are paid for by cash and 80 percent are sold on credit. Experience, shows that 40 percent of accounts receivable are paid in the month after the sale, while the remaining 60 percent are paid two months after. Determine collections for November and December. Also assume Graham’s cash payments for November and December are $13,000 and $6,000, respectively. The beginning cash balance in November is $5,000, which is the desired minimum balance. Prepare a cash budget with borrowing needed or repayments for November and December. (You will need to prepare a cash receipts schedule first. ) 4-22. Solution: Graham Potato Company Cash Receipts Schedule |September |October |November |December | |Sales |$6,000 |$10,000 |$16,000 |$12,000 | |Credit sales (80%) |4,800 |8,000 |12,800 |9,600 | |Cash sales (20%) |1,200 |2,000 |3,200 |2,400 | |Collections in month after| | | | | |sales (40%) | | |3,200 |5,120 | |Collections two months | | | | | |after sa les (60%) | | |2,880 |4,800 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | | |$9,280 |$12,320 | Graham Potato Company (Continued) Cash Budget | |November |December | |Cash receipts |$ 9,280 |$12,320 | |Cash payments |13,000 |6,000 | |Net Cash Flow |(3,720) |6,320 |Beginning Cash Balance |5,000 |5,000 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |1,280 |11,320 | |Monthly Loan or (Repayment) |3,720 |(3,720) | |Cumulative Loan Balance |3,720 |-0- | |Ending Cash Balance |$ 5,000 |$ 7,600 | 23. Juan’s Taco Company has restaurants in five college towns. Juan wants to expand into Austin and College Station and needs a bank loan to do this. Mr. Bryan, the banker, will finance construction if Juan can present an acceptable three-month financial plan for January through March. Following are actual and forecasted sales figures: Actual |Forecast |Additional | | | |Information | |November |$120,000 |January |$190,000 |April forecast |$230,000 | |December |140,000 |February | 210,000 | | | | | |March | 230,000 | | | Of Juan’s sales, 30 percent are for cash and the remaining 70 percent are on credit. Of  credit sales, 40 percent are paid in the month after sale and 60 percent are paid in the second month after the sale. Materials cost 20 percent of sales and are paid for in cash. Labor expense is 50 percent of sales and is also paid in the month of sales. Selling and administrative expense is 5 percent of sales and is also paid in the month of sales. Overhead expense is $12,000 in cash per month; depreciation expense is $25,000 per month. Taxes of $20,000 and dividends of $16,000 will be paid in March. Cash at the beginning of January is $70,000, and the minimum desired cash balance is $65,000. For January, February, and March, prepare a schedule of monthly cash receipts, monthly cash payments, and a complete monthly cash budget with borrowings and repayments. 4-23. Solution: Juan's Taco Company Cash Receipts Schedule |November |December |January |February |March |April | |Sales |$120,000 |$140,000 |$190,000 |$210,000 |$230,000 |$230,000 | |Credit sales (70%) |84,000 |98,000 |133,000 |147,000 |161,000 |161,000 | |Cash sales (30%) |36,000 |42,000 |57,000 |63,000 |69,000 |69,000 | |Collections (month after credit sales) | | | | | | | |40% | |33,600 |39,200 |53, 200 |58,800 |64,400 | |Collections (two months after credit | | | | | | | |sales) 60% | | |50,400 |58,800 |79,800 |88,200 | |Total Cash Receipts | | |$146,600 |$175,000 |$207,600 | | 4-23. (Continued) Juan’s Taco Company Cash Payments Schedule | |January |February |March | |Payments for Material Purchases (20% of current month’s sales) |$ 38,000 |$ 42,000 |$46,000 | |Labor Expense (50% of sales) |95,000 |105,000 |115,000 | |Selling and Admin. Exp. 5% of sales) |9,500 |10,500 |11,500 | |Overhead |12,000 |12,000 |12,000 | |Taxes | | |20,000 | |Dividends | | |16,000 | |Total Cash Payments* |$154,500 |$169,500 |$220,500 | *The $25,000 of depreciation is excluded because it is not a cash expense. 4-23. (Continued) Juan’s Taco Company Cash Budget | |January |February |March | |Total Cash Receipts $146,600 |$175,000 |$207,600 | |Total Cash Payments | 154,500 | 169,500 | 220,500 | |Net Cash Flow |(7,900) |5,500 |(12,900) | |Beginning Cash Balance |70,000 |65,000 |67,600 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |62,100 |70,500 |54,700 | |Monthly Loan or (repayment) |2,900 |(2,900) |10,300 | |Cumulative Loan Balance |2,900 |-0- |10,300 | |Ending Cash Balance |$ 65,000 |$ 67,600 |$ 65,000 | 24. Hickman Avionics’s actual sales and purchases for April and May are shown here along with forecasted sales and purchases for June through September. |Sales |Purchases | |April (actual) |$410,000 |$220,000 | |May (actual) |400,000 |210,000 | |June (forecast) |380,000 |200,000 | |July (forecast) |360,000 |250,000 | |August (forecast) |390,000 |300,000 | |September (forecast) |420,000 |220,000 | The company makes 10 percent of its sales for cash and 90 percent on credit. Of the credit sales, 20 percent are collected in the month after the sale and 80 percent are collected two months later. Hickman pays for 40 percent of its purchases in the month after purchase and 60 percent two months after. Labor expense equals 10 percent of the current month’s sales. Overhead expense equals $15,000 per month. Interest payments of $40,000 are due in June and September. A cash dividend of $20,000 is scheduled to be paid in June. Tax payments of $35,000 are due in June a nd September. There is a scheduled capital outlay of $300,000 in September. Hickman Avionics’s ending cash balance in May is $20,000. The minimum desired cash balance is $15,000. Prepare a schedule of monthly cash receipts, monthly cash payments, and a complete monthly cash budget with borrowing and repayments for June through September. The maximum desired cash balance is $50,000. Excess cash (above $50,000) is used to buy marketable securities. Marketable securities are sold before borrowing funds in case of a cash shortfall (less than $15,000). 4-24. Solution: Hickman Avionics Cash Receipts Schedule | |April |May |June |July |Aug. |Sept. |Sales |$410,000 |$400,000 |$380,000 |$360,000 |$390,000 |$420,000 | |Credit Sales (90%) |369,000 |360,000 |342,00 |324,000 |351,000 |378,000 | |Cash Sales (10%) |41,000 |40,000 |38,000 |36,000 |39,000 |42,000 | |Collections (month after sale) 20% | | | | | | | | |73,800 |72,000 |68,400 |64,800 |70,200 | |Collections (second month after sale) 80% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |295,200 |288,000 |273,600 |259,2 00 | |Total Cash Receipts | | |$405,200 |$392,400 |$377,400 |$371,400 | 4-24. (Continued) Hickman Avionics Cash Payments Schedule | |April |May |June |July |Aug. |Sept. |Purchases |$220,000 |$210,000 |$200,000 |$250,000 |$300,000 |$220,000 | |Payments (month after purchase—40%) | | | | | | | | | |88,000 |84,000 |80,000 |100,000 |120,000 | |Payments (second month after purchase—60%) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |132,000 |126,000 |120,000 |150,000 |Labor Expense | | | | | | | |(10% of sales) | | |38,000 |36,000 |39,000 |42,000 | |Overhead | | |15,000 |15,000 |15,000 |15,000 | |Interest Payments | | |40,000 | | |40,000 | |Cash Dividend | | |20,000 | | | | |Taxes | | |35,000 | | |35,000 | |Capital Outlay | | | | | |300,000 | |Total Cash Payments | | |$364,000 |$257,000 |$274,000 |$702,000 | 4-24. (Continued) Hickman Avionics Cash Budget | |June |July |August |September | |Cash Receipts |$405,200 |$392,400 |$377,400 |$371,400 | |Cash Payments |364,000 |257,000 274,0 00 |702,000 | |Net Cash Flow |41,200 |135,400 |103,400 |(330,600) | |Beginning Cash Balance |20,000 |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |61,200 |185,400 |153,400 |(280,600) | |Monthly Borrowing or (Repayment) |– |– |– |*80,600 | |Cumulative Loan Balance |– |– |– |80,600 | |Marketable Securities Purchased |11,200 |135,400 |103,400 |– | | (Sold) | |– |– |250,000 | |Cumulative Marketable Securities |11,200 |146,600 |250,000 |– | |Ending Cash Balance |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 | *Cumulative Marketable Sec. (Aug)$250,000 Cumulative Cash Balance (Sept)–280,600 Required (ending) Cash Balance 50,000 Monthly Borrowing–$80,600 25. Carter Paint Company has plants in nine midwestern states. Sales for last year were $100 million, and the balance sheet at year-end is similar in percentage of sales to that of previous years (and this will continue in the future). All assets (including fixed assets) and current liabilities will vary directly with sales. BALANCE SHEET (in $ millions) AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash$ 5Accounts payable$15 Accounts receivable15Accrued wages6 Inventory30Accrued taxes4 Current assets50 Current liabilities25 Fixed assets 40Notes payable30 Common stock15 Retained earnings 20 Total liabilities and Total assets$90 stockholders’ equity$90 Carter Paint has an aftertax profit margin of 5 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 30  percent. If sales grow by 10 percent next year, determine how many dollars of new funds are needed to finance the expansion. (Assume Carter Paint is already using assets at full capacity and that plant must be added. ) 4-25. Solution: Carter Paint Company [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic][pic] [pic] 26. Jordan Aluminum Supplies has the following financial statements, which are representative of the company’s historical average. Income Statement Sales$300,000 Expenses 247,000 Earnings before interest and taxes$ 53,000 Interest 3,000 Earnings before taxes$ 50,000 Taxes 20,000 Earnings after taxes$ 30,000 Dividends$ 18,000 Balance Sheet AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash $ 8,000Accounts payable$ 6,000 Accounts receivable20,000Accrued wages2,000 Inventory62,000Accrued taxes4,000 Current assets$ 90,000 Current liabilities$ 12,000 Fixed assets 100,000Notes payable10,000 Long-term debt20,000 Common stock80,000 Retained earnings68,000 Total liabilities and Total assets $190,000 stockholders’ equity$190,000 Jordan is expecting a 20 percent increase in sales next year, and management is concerned about the company’s need for external funds. The increase in sales is expected to be carried out without any expansion of fixed assets, but rather through more efficient asset utilization in the existing stores. Among liabilities, only current liabilities vary directly with sales. Using the percent-of-sales method, determine whether Jordan Aluminum has external financing needs. (Hint: A profit margin and payout ratio must be found from the income statement. ) 4-26. Solution: Jordan Aluminum Supplies [pic] Change in Sales = 20% ? $300,000 = $60,000 Spontaneous Assets = Current Asserts = Cash + Acc. Rec. + Inventory Spontaneous Liabilities = Acc. Payable + Accr. Wages + Accr. Taxes [pic] The firm needs $1,200 in external funds. 27. Cambridge Prep Shops, a national clothing chain, had sales of $200 million last year. The business has a steady net profit margin of 12 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 40 percent. The balance sheet for the end of last year is shown below. Balance Sheet End of Year (in $ millions) AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash$ 10Accounts payable$ 15 Accounts receivable15Accrued expenses5 Inventory50Other payables40 Plant and equipment 75Common stock30 Retained earnings 60 Total liabilities and Total assets$150 stockholders’ equity$150 Cambridge’s marketing staff tells the president that in this coming year there will be a large increase in the demand for tweed sport coats and various shoes. A sales increase of 15 percent is forecast for the Prep Shop. All balance sheet items are expected to maintain the same percent-of-sales relationships as last year*, except for common stock and retained earnings. No change is scheduled in the number of common stock shares outstanding, and retained earnings will change as dictated by the profits and dividend policy of the firm. (Remember the net profit margin is 12 percent. ) a. Will external financing be required for the Prep Shop during the coming year? b. What would be the need for external financing if the net profit margin went up to 14  percent and the dividend payout ratio was increased to 70 percent? Explain. * This included fixed assets are the firm is at full capacity. 4-27. Solution: Cambridge Prep Shops a. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] A negative figure for required new funds indicates that an excess of funds ($3. 06 mil. ) is available for new investment. No external funds are needed. b. [pic] [pic] The net profit margin increased slightly, from 12% to 14%, which decreases the need for external funding. The dividend payout ratio increased tremendously, however, from 40% to 70%, necessitating more external f

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Corporate Elite essays

Corporate Elite essays Elitist theory holds that the majority of political power is held by a relatively small and wealthy group of people, which share similar principles and interests. Most members of this group are born into affluent families. The majority of top leaders in the United States come from this privileged group. The power elite utilizes a variety of resources to dictate public policy. These individuals tend to hold top management positions within big corporations. These corporations are used as a powerful tool to dominate the political arena. Corporations are granted immense power, which they use, to protect their own interests, as well as, shape the interests of ordinary citizens. The leadership role that business has in the economy gives executives of large corporations an unusual kind and degree of influence over governmental policy making. (Lindblom 1993:p91) The economic control of corporations plays an essential role in public policy. Depending on how they choose to play the game, large corporations dictate to economic conditions. Politicians must accommodate corporate interests to protect our sensitive economy. These accommodations can be called corporatism. Big businesses receive a privileged position by donating huge amounts of money and support to politicians and their political parties. This monetary support buys access into the system. This access, known as corporate welfare, can be achieved in the forms of favored rates on goods and commodities, higher interest bond issues, tariff protections, emergency funding, tax breaks and incentives, guaranteed investments, and weak safety standards. The rewards are endless, and they must be worth something because corporations spend a tremendous amount of money to obtain them. Corporations have existed as early as the eighteenth century. The framework of the constitution protects corporations through its interpretation of property rights. Our co...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Elementary School Science Fair Projects

Elementary School Science Fair Projects It can be a challenge to come up with an elementary school science fair project idea thats fun and challenging. Even at the grade-school level, there will be fierce competition to come up with the winning idea- but winning first prize should not be the focus of your childs project. Learning and making the project fun and encouraging a genuine interest in science should be your top priority. Elementary School Science Fair Project Basics Elementary school projects arent supposed to be rocket science (though of course, they can be). Keep in mind, judges will disqualify projects if they suspect parents did too much or all of the work. Part of science is making a reproducible procedure. Resist the temptation to let your child make a display or do a demonstration. Instead, gear the project toward answering a question or solving a problem. Start by finding a video an online tutorial for a project that appeals to your child and then let him or her try to reproduce it. Make sure to follow all directions and safety precautions outlined in the experiment to the letter. Documentation is also essential to the success of your childs project. Keeping careful notes and taking pictures as the project progresses is a great way to document data. These notes should include how well his or her results match those of the original project. How Much Time Should Be Devoted to the Project? Time is a factor that has to be considered for all science projects. Even though the actual number of hours spent to complete any given project may be the same, some science fair projects can be done over the space of a weekend, while others that involve recording data over a period of time (say, 10 minutes per day over the course of a few weeks). Finding out if theres going to be a year-end science fair that your child will be expected to participate in will allow you to plan accordingly. Weekend Projects The following projects can be accomplished fairly quickly. Make sure your child sets a specific goal to be achieved or question they will be attempting to answer. Gather the specific items needed to complete the project in advance. Have your child document the steps in the experiment as they go along and also record his or her conclusion at the end. Try making colored bubbles. Can you color them with food coloring? If so, what differences do you notice between colored bubbles and regular bubbles?Can you predict what things will glow under a black light?Will chilling an onion before cutting it keep you from crying?What ratio of vinegar to baking soda produces the best chemical volcano eruption?Are night insects attracted to lamps because of heat or light?Can you make Jell-O using fresh pineapples instead of canned pineapples?Do white candles burn at a different rate than colored candles?Compare using saltwater (a saturated solution of sodium chloride) and freshwater to dissolve Epsom salts. Will the saltwater dissolve the Epsom salts? Does the freshwater or saltwater work more quickly or effectively?Does the shape of an ice cube affect how quickly it melts?Do different brands of popcorn leave different amounts of unpopped kernels?How do differences in surfaces affect the adhesion of tape?If you shake up different kinds or brands of soft drinks (e.g., carbonated), will they all spew the same amount? Are all potato chips equally greasy (you can crush them to get uniform samples and look at the diameter of a grease spot on brown paper)? Is greasiness different if different oils are used (e.g., peanut versus soybean)?Can you use a household water filter to remove flavor or color from other liquids?Does the power of a microwave affect how well it makes popcorn?If you use invisible ink, does a message appear equally well on all types of paper? Does it matter what type of invisible ink you use?Do all brands of diapers absorb the same amount of liquid? Does it matter what the liquid is (water as opposed to juice or milk)?Do different brands of batteries (same size, new) last equally long? Does changing the device in which the batteries are used (e.g., running a flashlight as opposed to running a digital camera) change the results?Is the nutritional content of different brands of a vegetable (e.g., canned peas) the same? Compare labels.Are permanent markers really permanent? What solven ts (e.g., water, alcohol, vinegar, detergent solution) will remove the ink? Do different brands/types of markers produce the same results? Is laundry detergent as effective if you use less than the recommended amount? More?How does the pH of soil relate to the pH of the water around the soil? You can make your own pH paper, test the pH of the soil, add water, then test the pH of the water. Are the two values the same? If not, is there a relationship between them?Do clear flavored drinks and colored flavored drinks (same flavor) taste the same? Does it matter if you can see the color?What percent of an orange is water? Get an approximate mass percent by weighing an orange, liquefying it in a blender, and measuring the strained liquid. (Note: other liquids, such as oils, will be present in trace amounts.) Alternatively, you could bake the weighed orange until it is dried and weigh it again.Does the temperature of a soda affect how much it sprays?You can refrigerate a soda, warm one in a hot water bath, shake them up, measure how much liquid is sprayed out. How do you explain the results?Do all brands of soda spray the sam e amount when you shake them up? Does it matter if its diet or regular soda? Do all brands of paper towels pick up the same amount of liquid? Compare single sheet of different brands. Be sure to use a teaspoon to measure incremental additions of liquid and record the number accurately. Continue to add liquid until the sheet until it is saturated, let any excess liquid drip off, and then squeeze the liquid from the wet paper towel into a measuring cup. Week-Long Projects These projects may take more than a few days to complete, as the processes they involve dont always happen overnight. If one of these projects interests your child, make sure he or she will have enough time to see it through to its conclusion, and again, make sure they document the steps they take along the way. What type of plastic wrap best prevents evaporation?What plastic wrap best prevents oxidation?Figure out how much of a weeks worth of your familys trash could be recycled. Compare the recyclables against the total amount of trash to determine what percentage is thrown away what could be re-used.Does light affect the rate at which foods spoil?Do the same types of mold grow on all types of bread?How does temperature affect the growth of Borax crystals? Crystals can be grown at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in an ice bath. Growing crystals takes from two to five days. Since boiling water is required to melt the Borax, make sure to supervise your child.What conditions affect the ripening of fruit? Look at ethylene and enclosing a fruit in a sealed bag, temperature, light, or nearness to other pieces or fruit. Plant Germination and Growth (Long-Term Projects) Projects that involve growing plants over a period of time to see how different factors affect growth rate and germination are very popular with kids but they do take time and careful tending. You want your child to be excited by science. If it seems like a chore, they may lose interest. Younger children or those with short attention spans may be better off with a project from which they can see the results more quickly. If your child is good at keeping up with commitments and has the patience to watch things unfold, these projects are excellent examples from which they can learn and draw their scientific conclusions. How do different factors affect seed germination? Factors that you could test include the intensity, duration, or type of light, the temperature, the amount of water, the presence/absence of certain chemicals, or the presence/absence of soil. You can look at the percentage of seeds that germinate or the rate at which seeds germinate.Is a seed affected by its size? Do different size seeds have different germination rates or percentages? Does seed size affect the growth rate or final size of a plant?How does cold storage affect the germination of seeds? Factors you can control include the type of seeds, length of storage, the temperature of storage, light, and humidity.Does the presence of detergent in water affect plant growth?What is the effect of a chemical on a plant? You can look at natural pollutants (e.g., motor oil, runoff from a busy street) or unusual substances (e.g., orange juice, baking soda). Factors that you can measure include rate of plant growth, leaf size, life/death of the plant, the color of ​the  plant, and its ability to flower/bear fruit. Does magnetism affect the growth of plants? Science Fair Projects Beyond Grade School If your child loves science and is nearing grade school graduation and you want to keep their enthusiasm engaged, you can plan ahead by getting familiar with these science project ideas geared toward more advanced levels of education. Middle School ProjectsHigh School ProjectsCollege Projects

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Ancient Greek and Roman Similarities.

The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations of Europe began to progress toward a more civilized order of society. As there were no previous establishment to base their ideals on, it was understandable that there were some difficulties in their progression as a society. Although the ancient Greek and Roman governments fell, both had similar paths of creation, conquest, and destruction. Greek society began by the formation of the city-state. The city-state, based on tribal allegiances, was generally the first political association during the early stages of civilization. ( Perry, 45) This was the first step in the progression toward early self-government.   Greek city-states generally moved through four stages: rule by a king (monarchy), rule by landowning aristocrats (oligarchy), rule by one man who seized power (tyranny), and rule by the people (democracy).   (Perry, 46) Plagiarism Detection >Roman society began by the influences of surrounding cultures and quickly grew beyond the confines of a city-state status economy.   The more advanced civilizations of both Etruscans and Greeks were gradually absorbed by the Romans.   From them, Romans acquired architectural styles and skills in road construction, sanitation, hydraulic engineering (including underground conduits), metallurgy, ceramics, and portrait sculpture. (Perry, 84)   Their need for growth led them to form a republic.   As in the Greek cities, the transition from theocratic monarchy to republic offered possibilities for political and legal growth.   (Perry 85)Both Greeks and Romans tried to realize some form of democracy.   It is to Greece that we ultimately trace the idea of democracy and all that accompanies it: citizenship, constitutions, equality before the law, government by law, reasoned debate, respect for the individual, and confidence in human intelligence.   (Perry, 52)Because Rome tried to maintain a republic it had different needs compared to the Greeks.   The Romans, unl ike the Greeks, were distinguished by practicality and common sense, not by a love of abstract thought.   In their pragmatic and empirical fashion, they gradually developed the procedures of public politics and the legal state.   (Perry 88)The fall of the Greeks was a direct result of a breakdown of social theories.   When people no longer regarded the law as an expression of sacred traditions ordained by the gods but saw it as a merely human contrivance, respect for the law diminished, weakening the foundations of the society.   The results were party conflicts, politicians who scrambled for personal power, and moral uncertainty. (Perry 55) Plagiarism Detection >The Romans suffered a similar fate as a result of an unfocused administration.   Instead of developing a professional civil service to administer the conquered lands, Roman leaders attempted to govern an empire with city-state institutions, which had evolved for a different purpose.   (Perry 95)The Greek and Rom an cultures truly revolutionized the art of civilization.   They initiated new ideals for the interaction of people in a society. They both had similar paths of creation, conquest, and destruction.   They shared similar beliefs and as a result shared similar fates. Future societies can look at the mistakes made in the past and build from them, but if we are not careful, future mistakes may be built from past societies.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Law of Insurance Contract Disputes Personal Statement

Law of Insurance Contract Disputes - Personal Statement Example For consideration also is the choice-of-law analysis as Travelers Insurance is located in New Jersey while Aetna Casualty and Surety are in Virginia.  Ã‚   The court is correct in siding with Aetna in this case. A failure to exercise the right to respond to an offer for settlement (either by acceptance or rejection) is construed as a waiver on the part of the claimant. Two years is a long enough period of time to make a reasonable response and failure to do so constitute unreasonable delay (Stempel, 1998). The statute is presumed to have started or accrued from the time of the accident (October 1981) and not on the date of the initial offer by Aetna Casualty (November 08, 1982). The claimant, in this case, did not file any case within the two-year limitation of the statute. Civil claims should be filed within two years from the date of the accident in order to avoid the possibility of a dismissal (Schneider April 26, 2004). The offer to settle was initiated instead by the adverse party of the claimant. Further, the record shows claimant's counsel did not contradict the evidence showing customary industry practice is to respond to a settlement offer within a few weeks, not in months or years. Additionally, the claimant did not indicate immediate acceptance but only signified it a year and three months after the initial offer was made – on February 4, 1984, from the offer date of November 08, 1982 (Matthews, 2009).   Â