##### 



Exhibit 12.1

Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|------------------------------------------------------------------------ |  | ----------------------------- | ------ | ---------------------------- |  | ---- | ------ | ---- |  | - | ------- | - |  | - | ------ | -
|                                                                         |  | Three-Months Ended August 31, |        | Nine-Months Ended August 31,
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                             
|(Dollars in thousands)                                                   |  | 2002                          |        | 2003                         |  | 2002 |        | 2003
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |     
|Income (Loss) from continuing
operations before taxes                    |  | $                             | (1,029 | )                            |  | $    | (2,942 | )    |  | $ | (26,365 | ) |  | $ | 12,406 |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Fixed Charges:                                                           |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Interest                                                                 |  |                               | 8,610  |                              |  |      | 9,249  |      |  |   | 28,596  |   |  |   | 25,941 |  
|Interest factor
portion of
rentals                                       |  |                               | 480    |                              |  |      | 413    |      |  |   | 1,440   |   |  |   | 1,238  |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|                                                                         |  |                               | 9,090  |                              |  |      | 9,662  |      |  |   | 30,036  |   |  |   | 27,179 |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Earnings (Loss) before fixed
charges                                     |  | $                             | 8,061  |                              |  | $    | 6,720  |      |  | $ | 3,671   |   |  | $ | 39,585 |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Preferred stock dividends accreted
or accrued                            |  | $                             | 3,718  |                              |  | $    | 4,168  |      |  | $ | 10,949  |   |  | $ | 12,274 |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
and preferred stock
dividends         |  |                               | N/A    |                              |  |      | N/A    |      |  |   | N/A     |   |  |   | 1.00   | x
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  
|Earnings inadequate to cover fixed
charges and preferred stock
dividends |  | $                             | 4,747  |                              |  | $    | 7,110  |      |  | $ | 37,314  |   |  |   | N/A    |  
|                                                                         |  |                               |        |                              |  |      |        |      |  |   |         |   |  |   |        |  

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