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Saturday, January 18, 2020

“Financial Statement Analysis of Apple Inc.”

Company Background Apple Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively â€Å"Apple† or the â€Å"Company†) designs, manufactures and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Company’s products and services include iPhone  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , iPad  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , Mac  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , iPod  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , Apple TV  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and Mac OS  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  X operating systems, iCloud  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings.The Company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , App Store  SM  , iBookstore  SM  , and Mac App Store. The Company sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, and direct sa les force, as well as through third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and various other accessories and peripherals, through its online and retail stores.The Company sells to consumers, small and mid-sized businesses (â€Å"SMB†), and education, enterprise and government customers. The Company’s fiscal year is the 52 or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September. Unless otherwise stated, all information presented in this Form 10-K is based on the Company’s fiscal calendar. The Company is a California corporation established in 1977. Business Strategy The Company is committed to bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, peripherals, and services.The Company’s business strategy leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating systems, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative design. The Company believes continual investment in research and development and marketing and advertising is critical to the development and sale of innovative products and technologies. As part of its strategy, the Company continues to expand its platform for the discovery and delivery of hird-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. As part of the iTunes Store, the Company’s App Store and iBookstore allow customers to discover and download applications and books through either a Mac or Windows-based computer or through â€Å"iOS devices,† namely iPhone, iPad and iPod touch  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  . In January 2011, the Company opened the Mac App Store to allow customers to easily discover, download an d install applications for their Macs. The Company also supports a community for the development of third-party software and hardware products and digital content that complement the Company’s offerings.The Company’s strategy also includes expanding its distribution network to effectively reach more customers and provide them with a high-quality sales and post-sales support experience. Consumer and Small and Mid-Sized Business The Company believes a high-quality buying experience with knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the Company’s products and services greatly enhances its ability to attract and retain customers. The Company sells many of its products and resells third-party products in most of its major markets directly to consumers and businesses through its retail and online stores.The Company has also invested in programs to enhance reseller sales by placing high quality Apple fixtures, merchandising materials and other resources within selected third-party reseller locations. Through the Apple Premium Reseller Program, certain third-party resellers focus on the Apple platform by providing a high level of product expertise, integration and support services. The Company’s retail stores are typically located at high-traffic locations in quality shopping malls and urban shopping districts.By operating its own stores and locating them in desirable high-traffic locations, the Company is better positioned to ensure a high quality customer buying experience and attract new customers. The stores are designed to simplify and enhance the presentation and marketing of the Company’s products and related solutions. To that end, retail store configurations have evolved into various sizes to accommodate market-specific demands. The Company believes providing direct contact with its customers is an effective way to demonstrate the advantages of its products over those of its competitors.The stores employ experienced and knowledgeable personnel who provide product advice, service and training. The stores offer a wide selection of third-party hardware, software, and other accessories and peripherals that complement the Company’s products. Enterprise and Government The Company also sells its hardware and software products to enterprise and government customers in each of its geographic segments. The Company’s products are deployed in these markets because of their power, productivity, ease of use and the simplicity of seamless integration into information technology environments.The Company’s products are compatible with thousands of third-party business applications and services, and its tools enable the development and secure deployment of custom applications as well as remote device administration. Business Organization The Company manages its business primarily on a geographic basis. Accordingly, the Company has determined that its reportable operating segments, which are generally based on the nature and location of its customers, consist of the Americas, Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific and Retail.The results of the Americas, Europe, Japan and Asia-Pacific reportable segments do not include the results of the Retail segment. The Americas segment includes both North and South America. The Europe segment includes European countries, as well as the Middle East and Africa. The Asia-Pacific segment includes Australia and Asian countries, other than Japan. The Retail segment operates Apple retail stores worldwide. Each reportable operating segment provides similar hardware and software products and similar services.Further information regarding the Company’s operating segments may be found in Part II, Item  7 of this Form 10-K under the subheading â€Å"Segment Operating Performance,† and in Part II, Item  8 of this Form 10-K in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 8, â€Å"Segment Information and Geographic Data. † Pro ducts The Company offers a range of mobile communication and media devices, personal computing products, and portable digital music players, as well as a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions and third-party hardware and software products. In addition, the Company ffers its own software products, including iOS, the Company’s proprietary mobile operating system; Mac OS X, the Company’s proprietary operating system software for the Mac; server software and application software for consumer, SMB, and education, enterprise and government customers. The Company’s primary products are discussed below. iPhone iPhone combines a mobile phone, an iPod, and an Internet communications device in a single handheld product. Based on the Company’s Multi-Touchâ„ ¢ user interface, iPhone features  desktop-class email, web browsing, searching, and maps and is compatible with both Macs and Windows-based computers. Phone automatically s yncs content from users’ iTunes libraries, as well as contacts, bookmarks, and email accounts. iPhone allows customers to access the iTunes Store to download audio and video files, as well as a variety of other digital content and applications. In October 2011, the Company launched iPhone 4S, its latest version of iPhone, which includes Siriâ„ ¢, a voice activated intelligent assistant. In addition to the Company’s own iPhone accessories, third-party iPhone compatible accessories are available through the Company’s online and retail stores and from third parties. Pad iPad is a multi-purpose mobile device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, viewing photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and more. iPad is based on the Company’s Multi-Touch technology and allows customers to connect with their applications and content in a more interactive way. iPad allows customers to access the iTunes Store to download a udio and video files, as well as a variety of other digital content and applications. In March 2011, the Company introduced iPad 2, its second-generation iPad.In addition to the Company’s own iPad accessories, third-party iPad compatible accessories are available through the Company’s online and retail stores and from third parties. Mac Hardware Products The Company offers a range of personal computing products including desktop and portable computers, related devices and peripherals, and third-party hardware products. The Company’s Mac desktop and portable systems feature Intel microprocessors, the Mac OS X Lion operating system and the iLife  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  suite of software for creation and management of digital photography, music, movies, DVDs and websites.The Company’s desktop computers include iMac   Mac Pro and Mac mini. The iMac desktop computer has an all-in-one design that incorporates a display, processor, graphics card, storage, memory and other components inside a single enclosure. The Mac Pro desktop computer is targeted at business and professional customers and is designed to meet the performance, expansion, and networking needs of the most demanding Mac user. The Mac mini is a desktop computer in a compact enclosure. . iPodThe Company’s iPod line of portable digital music and media players includes iPod touch, iPod nano  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , iPod shuffle  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  and iPod classic  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  . All iPods work with iTunes. In addition to the Company’s own iPod accessories, third-party iPod compatible accessories are available, through the Company’s online and retail stores or from third parties. The iPod touch, based on iOS, is a flash-memory-based iPod with a widescreen display and a Multi-Touch user interface. iPod touch allows customers to access the iTunes Store to download audio and video content, as well as a variety of digital applications.The iPod nano is a flash-memory-based iPod that features the C ompany’s Multi-Touch interface allowing customers to navigate their music collection by tapping or swiping the display. The iPod nano features a polished aluminum and glass enclosure with a built-in clip. The iPod shuffle is a flash-memory-based iPod that features a clickable control pad to control music playback and VoiceOver technology enabling customers to hear song titles, artists and playlist names. The iPod classic is a hard-drive based portable digital music and video player. iTunes  Ã‚ ® Tunes is an application that supports the purchase, download, organization and playback of digital audio and video files and is available for both Mac and Windows-based computers. iTunes 10 is the latest version of iTunes and features AirPlay  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  wireless music playback, Genius Mixes, Home Sharing, and improved syncing functionality with iOS devices. Mac App Store In January 2011, the Company opened the Mac App Store allowing customers to discover, download and install applic ations for their Macs. The Mac App Store offers applications in education, games, graphics and design, lifestyle, productivity, utilities and other categories.The Company’s Mac OS X operating system software and iLife and iWork  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  application software are also available on the Mac App Store. iCloud In October 2011, the Company launched iCloud, its new cloud service, which stores music, photos, applications, contacts, calendars, and documents and wirelessly pushes them to multiple iOS devices, Macs and Windows-based computers. iCloud’s features include iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream, Documents in the Cloud, Contacts, Calendar, Mail,  automatic downloads and purchase history for applications and iBooks, and iCloud Backup.Users can sign up for free access to iCloud using a device running iOS 5 or a Mac running Mac OS X Lion. Software Products and Computer Technologies The Company offers a range of software products for consumer, SMB, education, enterprise and government customers, including the Company’s proprietary iOS and Mac OS X operating system software; server software; professional application software; and consumer, education, and business oriented application software. Operating System Software iOS OS is the Company’s mobile operating system that serves as the foundation for iOS devices. In October 2011, the Company released iOS 5, which supports iCloud and includes new features such as Notification Center, a way to view and manage notifications in one place; iMessageâ„ ¢, a messaging service that allows users to send text messages, photos and videos between iOS devices; and Newsstand, a way to purchase and organize newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Mac OS X Mac OS X, the operating system for Macs, is built on an open-source UNIX-based foundation.Mac OS X Lion is the eighth major release of Mac OS X and became available in July 2011. Mac OS X Lion includes support for new Multi-Touch gestures; iCloud integr ation; system-wide support for full screen applications; Mission Controlâ„ ¢, a way to view everything running on a user’s Mac; the Mac App Store; Launchpadâ„ ¢, a new home for a user’s applications; and a redesigned Mail application. Application Software iLife iLife ’11 is the latest version of the Company’s consumer-oriented digital lifestyle application suite included with all Mac computers. Life features iPhoto  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , iMovie  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , iDVD  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , GarageBand  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , and iWebâ„ ¢. iPhoto is the Company’s consumer-oriented digital photo application and iMovie is the Company’s consumer-oriented digital video editing software application. iDVD is the Company’s consumer-oriented software application that enables customers to turn iMovie files, QuickTime files, and digital pictures into interactive DVDs. GarageBand is the Company’s consumer-oriented music creation application that allows customers to p lay, record and create music. Web allows customers to create online photo albums, blogs and podcasts, and to customize websites using editing tools. iWork iWork ’09 is the latest version of the Company’s integrated productivity suite designed to help users create, present, and publish documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. iWork ’09 includes Pages  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢09 for word processing and page layout, Keynote  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢09 for presentations, and Numbers  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢09 for spreadsheets. The Company also has a Multi-Touch version of each iWork application designed specifically for use on iOS devices. Other Application SoftwareThe Company also sells various other application software, including Final Cut Pro  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  , Logic Studio  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  ,  Logic  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Express 9, Logic Studio  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Pro, and its FileMaker  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  Pro database software. Displays  & Peripheral Products The Company manufactures the Apple LED Cinema Displa yâ„ ¢ and Thunderbolt Display. The Company also sells a variety of Apple-branded and third-party Mac-compatible and iOS-compatible peripheral products, including printers, storage devices, computer memory, digital video and still cameras, and various other computing products and supplies.Apple TV Apple TV allows customers to watch movies and television shows on their high definition television. Content from iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, and Flickr as well as music, photos, videos, and podcasts from a Mac or Windows-based computer can also be wirelessly streamed to a television through Apple TV. With the release of iCloud in October 2011, content purchased on Apple TV can be re-downloaded on iOS devices. Product Support and Services AppleCare  Ã‚ ®Ã‚  offers a range of support options for the Company’s customers.These options include assistance that is built into software products, printed and electronic product manuals, online support including comprehensive product informat ion as well as technical assistance, and the AppleCare Protection Plan (â€Å"APP†). APP is a fee-based service that typically includes two to three years of phone support and hardware repairs and dedicated web-based support resources. Markets and Distribution The Company’s customers are primarily in the consumer, SMB, and education, enterprise and government markets.The Company uses a variety of direct and indirect distribution channels, such as its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, and third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. The Company believes that sales of its innovative and differentiated products are enhanced by knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the hardware and software integration, and demonstrate the unique solutions that are available on its products.The Company further believes providing direct contact with its targeted customers is an effective way to demonstrate the advantages of its products over those of its competitors and providing a high-quality sales and after-sales support experience is critical to attracting new and retaining existing customers. To ensure a high-quality buying experience for its products in which service and education are emphasized, the Company continues to expand and improve its distribution capabilities by expanding the number of its own retail stores worldwide.Additionally, the Company has invested in programs to enhance reseller sales by placing high quality Apple fixtures, merchandising materials and other resources within selected third-party reseller locations. Through the Apple Premium Reseller Program, certain third-party resellers focus on the Apple platform by providing a high level of integration and support services, and product expertise. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2011 or 2010. One of the Company’s customers accounted for 11% of net sales in 2009. CompetitionTh e markets for the Company’s products and services are highly competitive and the Company is confronted by aggressive competition in all areas of its business. These markets are characterized by frequent product introductions and rapid technological advances that have substantially increased the capabilities and use of mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and other digital electronic devices. The Company’s competitors who sell mobile devices and personal computers based on other operating systems have aggressively cut prices and lowered their product margins to gain or maintain market share.The Company’s financial condition and operating results can be adversely affected by these and other industry-wide downward pressures on gross margins. Principal competitive factors important to the Company include price, product features, relative price/performance, product quality and reliability, design innovation, a strong third-party software and pe ripherals ecosystem, marketing and distribution capability, service and support, and corporate reputation.The Company is focused on expanding its market opportunities related to mobile communication and media devices. These industries are highly competitive and include several large, well-funded and experienced participants. The Company expects competition in these industries to intensify significantly as competitors attempt to imitate some of the features of the Company’s products and applications within their own products or, alternatively, collaborate with each other to offer solutions that are more competitive than those they currently offer.These industries are characterized by aggressive pricing practices, frequent product introductions, evolving design approaches and technologies, rapid adoption of technological and product advancements by competitors, and price sensitivity on the part of consumers and businesses. The Company’s digital content services have face d significant competition from other companies promoting their own digital music and content products and services, including those offering free peer-to-peer music and video services.The Company believes it offers superior innovation and integration of the entire solution including the hardware (iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iPod), software (iTunes), and distribution of digital content and applications (iTunes Store, App Store, iBookstore and Mac App Store). Some of the Company’s current and potential competitors have substantial resources and may be able to provide such products and services at little or no profit or even at a loss to compete with the Company’s offerings.The Company’s future financial condition and operating results depend on the Company’s ability to continue to develop and offer new innovative products and services in each of the markets it competes in. Research and Development Because the industries in which the Company competes are characte rized by rapid technological advances, the Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily upon its ability to ensure a continual and timely flow of competitive products, services and technologies to the marketplace.The Company continues to develop new technologies to enhance existing products and to expand the range of its product offerings through research and development, licensing of intellectual property and acquisition of third-party businesses and technology. Total research and development expense was $2. 4 billion, $1. 8 billion and $1. 3 billion in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Licenses The Company currently holds rights to patents and copyrights relating to certain aspects of its iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod devices, peripherals, software and services.The Company has registered or has applied for trademarks and service marks in the U. S. and a number of foreign countries. Although the Company believes the ownership of such patents, copyrights, trademarks and service marks is an important factor in its business and that its success does depend in part on the ownership thereof, the Company relies primarily on the innovative skills, technical competence and marketing abilities of its personnel. The Company regularly files patent applications to protect inventions arising from its research and development, and is currently pursuing thousands of patent applications around the world.Over time, the Company has accumulated a large portfolio of issued patents in the U. S. and worldwide. The Company holds copyrights relating to certain aspects of its products and services. No single patent or copyright is solely responsible for protecting the Company’s products. The Company believes the duration of its patents is adequate relative to the expected lives of its products. Due to the fast pace of innovation and product development, the Company’s products are often obsolete before the patents rel ated to them expire, and sometimes are obsolete before the patents related to them are even granted.Many of the Company’s products are designed to include intellectual property obtained from third parties. While it may be necessary in the future to seek or renew licenses relating to various aspects of its products and business methods, based upon past experience and industry practice, the Company believes such licenses generally could be obtained on commercially reasonable terms; however, there is no guarantee that such licenses could be obtained at all.Because of technological changes in the industries in which the Company competes, current extensive patent coverage, and the rapid rate of issuance of new patents, it is possible that certain components of the Company’s products and business methods may unknowingly infringe existing patents or intellectual property rights of others. From time to time, the Company has been notified that it may be infringing certain paten ts or other intellectual property rights of third parties. Foreign and Domestic Operations and Geographic Data The U. S. epresents the Company’s largest geographic market. Approximately 39% of the Company’s net sales in 2011 came from sales to customers inside the U. S. Final assembly of the Company’s products is currently performed in the Company’s manufacturing facility in Ireland, and by outsourcing partners, primarily located in Asia. The supply and manufacture of a number of components is performed by sole-sourced outsourcing partners in the U. S. , Asia and Europe. Single-sourced outsourcing partners in Asia perform final assembly of substantially all of the Company’s hardware products.Margins on sales of the Company’s products in foreign countries, and on sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers, can be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulat ions, including tariffs and antidumping penalties. Information regarding financial data by geographic segment is set forth in Part II, Item  7 and Item  8 of this Form 10-K and in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 8, â€Å"Segment Information and Geographic Data. † Seasonal BusinessThe Company has historically experienced increased net sales in its first fiscal quarter compared to other quarters in its fiscal year due to increased holiday seasonal demand. This historical pattern should not be considered a reliable indicator of the Company’s future net sales or financial performance. Warranty The Company offers a limited parts and labor warranty on most of its hardware products. The basic warranty period is typically one year from the date of purchase by the original end-user. The Company also offers a 90-day basic warranty for its service parts used to repair the Company’s hardware products.In addition, consumers may purchase the APP, which extends service coverage on many of the Company’s hardware products in most of its major markets. Employees As of September  24, 2011, the Company had approximately 60,400 full-time equivalent employees and an additional 2,900 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors. APPLE INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Ratio Analysis | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | Liquidity Ratios| a. Current Ratio:A liquidity ratio that measures a company's ability to pay short-term obligations. The Current Ratio formula is:Also known as â€Å"liquidity ratio†, â€Å"cash asset ratio† and â€Å"cash ratio†. | Current Asset/Current Liability| 32311/14092| 36265/19282| 41678/20722| 44988/27970| | 2. 293| 1. 881| 2. 011| 1. 609| industry average| 2. 00| 1. 8| 2. 1| 1. 5| Current Ratio Comparisons :Ratio is stronger than the industry average. | | b. Acid Test Ratio:A stringent indicator that determines whether a firm has enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities without selling inventory. The acid-test ratio is far more strenuous than the working capital ratio, primarily because the working capital ratio allows for the inclusion of inventory assets.Calculated by: | (Current Asset- Average inventory)/Current Liability| (32311-509)/14092| (36265-482)/19282| (41678-753)/20722| (44988-913. 5)/27970| | 2. 257| 1. 86| 1. 961| 1. 581| industry average| 2. 20| 1. 80| 2. 00| 1. 50| Acid Test Ratio Comparisons :Ratio is weaker than the industry average in first 3 years but stringer at last year. | | Summary of the Liquidity Ratio Comparisons * Strong current ratio and weak acid-test ratio indicates a potential problem in the inventories account. * Note that this industry has a relatively high level of inventories. | Financial Leverage Ratios| a.Debt to equity:A measure of a company's financial leverage calculated by dividing its total liabilities by stockholders' equity. It indicates what proportion of equity and de bt the company is using to finance its assets. Note: Sometimes only interest-bearing, long-term debt is used instead of total liabilities in the calculation. Also known as the Personal Debt/Equity Ratio, this ratio can be applied to personal financial statements as well as corporate ones. | Total debt/Shareholders ‘ Equity| 18542/21030| 26019/27832| 27392/47791| 39756/76615| | 0. 882| 0. 935| 0. 573| 0. 519| industry average| . 89| . 95| . 5| . 50| Debt to equity Ratio Comparisons :Has average debt utilization relative to the industry average. | | b. Debt to total asset:A metric used to measure a company's financial risk by determining how much of the company's assets have been financed by debt. Calculated by adding short-term and long-term debt and then dividing by the company's total assets. | Total debt/Total asset| 18542/39572| 26019/53851| 27392/75183| 39756/116371| | 0. 469| 0. 483| 0. 364| 0. 342| industry average| . 45| . 50| . 35| . 35| Debt to total asset Ratio Compa risons :Has average debt utilization relative to the industry average. | c. Total Capitalization:The capitalization ratio measures the debt component of a company's  capital structure, or capitalization (i. e. , the sum of long-term debt  liabilities  and  shareholders' equity) to support a company's operations and growth. | | | | Debt/capitalization| 18542/25480| 26019/34569| 27392/54461| 39756/88401| | . 73| . 75| . 50| . 45| industry average| . 75| . 75| . 50| . 45| Total Capitalization Ratio Comparisons :Has average long-term debt utilization relative to the industry average. | | Coverage Ratios| a. Interest Coverage:A ratio used to determine how easily a company can ay interest on outstanding debt. The interest coverage ratio is calculated by dividing a company's earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of one period by the company's interest expenses of the same period: | EBIT/Interest charges| 6895/2242| 7984/2360| 18540| 34205| | 3. 075| 3. 383| -| -| industry avera ge| 3. 2| 3. 5| -| -| Interest Coverage Ratio Comparisons :Has below average interest coverage relative to the industry average. | | Summary of the Coverage Trend Analysis * The interest coverage ratio for Apple Inc. has been falling since 2008. It has been below industry averages for the past two years. This indicates that low earnings (EBIT) may be a potential problem for BW. * Note, we know that debt levels are in line with the industry averages. | Activity ratios| a. Receivable Turnover:An accounting measure used to quantify a firm's effectiveness in extending credit as well as collecting debts. The receivables turnover ratio is an activity ratio, measuring how efficiently a firm uses its assets. Formula: Some companies' reports will only show sales – this can affect the ratio depending on the size of cash sales. | Annual net credit sales/ Average receivables| 32497/2422| 36537/3361| 65225/5510| 108249/5369| | 13. 17| 10. 871| 11. 838| 20. 162| industry average| 15| 10| 1 3| 20| Receivable Turnover Ratio Comparisons :Ratio is stronger than the industry average. | | b. Average collection period:The approximate amount of time that it takes for a business to receive payments owed, in terms of receivables, from its customers and clients. Calculated as: Where: Days = Total amount of days in period AR = Average amount of accounts receivables Credit Sales = Total amount of net credit sales during period| Days in year/receiveable turnover| 365/13. 417| 365/10. 871| 365/11. 838| 365/20. 62| | 27. 204| 33. 576| 30. 833| 18. 103| industry average| 25| 36| 30| 20| Average collection period Ratio Comparisons :Has improved the average collection period to that of the industry average. | | c. Inventory turnover:A ratio showing how many times a company's inventory is sold and replaced over a period. The days in the period can then be divided by the inventory turnover formula to calculate the days it takes to sell the inventory on hand or â€Å"inventory turnover da ys. † | Cost of goods sold/Average inventory| 21334/509| 25683/482| 39541/753| 64431/913. 5| | 41. 914| 53. 8| 52. 51| 70. 53| industry average| 42| 53| 53| 70| Inventory turnover Ratio Comparisons :Has relatively good turnover. | | d. Total asset turnover:The amount of sales generated for every dollar's worth of assets. It is calculated by dividing sales in dollars by assets in dollars. Formula: This ratio is more useful for growth companies to check if in fact they are growing revenue in proportion to sales. Also known as the Asset Turnover Ratio. | Net sales/ total asset| 32479/39571| 42905/53851| 65225/75183| 108249/116371| | . 821| . 797| . 868| . 930| industry average| . 2| . 80| . 85| . 90| Total asset turnover Ratio Comparisons :Has relatively strong turnover. | | Profitability Ratios| a. Net profit margin:A ratio of profitability calculated as net income divided by revenues, or net profits divided by sales. It measures how much out of every dollar of sales a company a ctually keeps in earnings. | Net profit after tax/Net sales| 4834/32479| 8235/42905| 14013/65225| 25922/108249| | . 149| . 192| . 215| . 239| industry average| . 15| . 20| . 20| . 24| Net profit margin Ratio Comparisons :Has average Net Profit Margin. | | b.Return on investment:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Return on investment(ROI)  rate of return  (ROR), also known as ‘rate of profit' or sometimes just ‘return', is the ratio ofmoney  gained or lost (whether realized or unrealized) on an  investment  relative to the amount of money invested. Similar financial measures with variations on how ‘investment' is defined: * Return on assets  (ROA), * Return on net assets  (RONA), * Return on capital employed  (ROCE) * Return on invested capital  (ROIC) * Social return on investment  (SROI)| NPAT/Total asset| 4834/39572| 8235/53851| 14013/75183| 25922/116371| | . 122| . 153| . 87| . 223| industry average| . 125| . 15| . 18| . 20| Return on investment Ratio Comparisons :H as strong Return on Investment. | | c. Return on equity:The amount of net income returned as a percentage of shareholders equity. Return on equity measures a corporation's profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested. ROE is expressed as a percentage and calculated as: Return on Equity = Net Income/Shareholder's Equity Net income is for the full fiscal year (before dividends paid to common stock holders but after dividends to preferred stock. Shareholder's equity does not include preferred shares. Also known as â€Å"return on net worth† (RONW). | NPAT/Shareholders equity| 25922/21030| 8235/27832| 14013/477931| 25922/76615| | . 229| . 296| . 293| . 338| industry average| . 23| . 29| . 29| . 350| Return on equity Ratio Comparisons :Has average Return on equity. | | Summary of the Profitability Trend Analyses * The profitability ratios for Apple Inc. have ALL been average since 2008. Each has been below the industry av erages for the past four years. * This indicates that COGS and administrative costs may both be too high and a potential problem for Apple Inc. Note, this result is consistent with the low interest coverage ratio. | Summary of Ratio Analyses * Inventories are too high. * May be paying off creditors (accounts payable) too soon. * COGS may be too high. * Selling, general, and administrative costs may be too high. | Common Size Analysis- Particulars| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| Assets| | | | | | | | | | Current assets:| | | | | | | | | | Cash ; cash equivalents| 11875| 5263| 11261| 9815| | 30. 01| 9. 77| 14. 98| 8. 43| Short term marketable securities| 10236| 18201| 14359| 16137| | 25. 87| 33. 80| 19. 10| 13. 7| A/R| 2422| 3361| 5510| 5369| | 6. 12| 6. 24| 7. 33| 4. 61| Inventories| 509| 455| 1051| 776| | 1. 29| . 85| 1. 40| . 67| Differed tax assets| 1447| 2101| 1636| 2014| | 3. 66| 3. 90| 2. 18| 1. 73| Vendor non-trade receivables| -| -| 4414| 6348| | -| -| 5. 8 7| 5. 46| Other current assets| 5822| 6884| 3447| 4529| | 14. 71| 12. 78| 4. 59| 3. 89| Total current assets| 32311| 36265| 41678| 44988| | 81. 04| 67. 34| 55. 435| 38. 659| Long-term marketable securities| 2379| 10528| 5391| 55618| | 6. 01| 19. 55| 7. 171| 47. 794| Property, plant and equipment, net| 2455| 2954| 4786| 7777| | 6. 20| 5. 486| 6. 336| 6. 83| Goodwill| 207| 206| 741| 896| | . 52| . 383| . 986| . 769| Acquired intangible assets, net| 285| 247| 342| 3536| | . 72| . 495| . 455| 3. 039| Other assets| 1935| 3651| 2263| 3556| | 4. 890| 6. 780| 3. 010| 3. 056| Total assets| 39572| 53851| 75183| 116371| | 100| 100| 100| 100| | | | | | | | | | | LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:| | | | | | | | | | Current liabilities:| | | | | | | | | | Accounts payable| 5520| 5601| 12015| 14632| | 13. 942| 10. 401| 15. 981| 12. 574| Accrued expenses| 3719| 3376| 5723| 9247| | 9. 398| 6. 269| 7. 612| 7. 946| Deferred revenue| 4853| 10305| 2984| 4091| | 12. 64| 19. 136| 3. 969| 3. 516 | Total current liabilities| 14092| 19282| 20722| 27970| | 35. 611| 35. 806| 27. 562| 24. 035| Deferred revenue – non-current| 3029| 4485| 1139| 1686| | 7. 654| 8. 329| 1. 515| 1. 449| Other non-current liabilities| 1421| 2252| 5531| 10100| | 3. 591| 4. 182| 7. 357| 8. 679| Total liabilities| 18542| 26019| 27392| 39756| | 46. 856| 48. 317| 36. 434| 34. 163| Commitments and contingenciesShareholders’ equity:| | | | | | | | | | Common stock, no par value; 1,800,000 shares authorized; 929,277 and 915,970 shares issued and outstanding, respectively| 7177| 8210| 10668| 13331| | 18. 37| 15. 246| 14. 189| 11. 456| Retained earnings| 13845| 19538| 37169| 62841| | 34. 987| 36. 282| 49. 438| 54. 001| Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)|   Ã‚  8| 84| (46)| 443| | . 020| . 156| (. 061)| . 381| Total shareholders’ equity| 21030| 27832| 47791| 76615| | 53. 144| 51. 683| 63. 566| 65. 837| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity| 39572| 53851| 75183| 11637 1| | 100| 100| 100| 100| Index Analysis- Particulars| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| Assets| | | | | | | | | | Current assets:| | | | | | | | | | Cash ; cash equivalents| 11875| 5263| 11261| 9815| | 100| 14. 13| 27. 019| 21. 897| Short term marketable securities| 10236| 18201| 14359| 16137| | 100| 39. 204| 34. 452| 35. 870| A/R| 2422| 3361| 5510| 5369| | 100| 9. 27| 13. 221| 11. 934| Inventories| 509| 455| 1051| 776| | 100| 1. 26| 2. 522| 1. 752| Differed tax assets| 1447| 2101| 1636| 2014| | 100| 5. 79| 3. 925| 4. 477| Vendor non-trade receivables| -| -| 4414| 6348| | -| -| 10. 591| 14. 111| Other current assets| 5822| 6884| 3447| 4529| | 100| 18. 983| 8. 271| 10. 067| Total current assets| 32311| 36265| 41678| 44988| | 100| 67. 34| 55. 435| 38. 59| Long-term marketable securities| 2379| 10528| 5391| 55618| | 100| 19. 55| 7. 171| 47. 794| Property, plant and equipment, net| 2455| 2954| 4786| 7777| | 100| 5. 486| 6. 336| 6. 683| Goodwill| 207| 206| 741| 896| | 100 | . 383| . 986| . 769| Acquired intangible assets, net| 285| 247| 342| 3536| | 100| . 495| . 455| 3. 039| Other assets| 1935| 3651| 2263| 3556| | 100| 6. 780| 3. 010| 3. 056| Total assets| 39572| 53851| 75183| 116371| | 100| 100| 100| 100| | | | | | | | | | | LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:| | | | | | | | | | Current liabilities:| | | | | | | | | |Accounts payable| 5520| 5601| 12015| 14632| | 100| 10. 401| 15. 981| 12. 574| Accrued expenses| 3719| 3376| 5723| 9247| | 100| 6. 269| 7. 612| 7. 946| Deferred revenue| 4853| 10305| 2984| 4091| | 100| 19. 136| 3. 969| 3. 516| Total current liabilities| 14092| 19282| 20722| 27970| | 100| 35. 806| 27. 562| 24. 035| Deferred revenue – non-current| 3029| 4485| 1139| 1686| | 100| 8. 329| 1. 515| 1. 449| Other non-current liabilities| 1421| 2252| 5531| 10100| | 100| 4. 182| 7. 357| 8. 679| Total liabilities| 18542| 26019| 27392| 39756| | 100| 48. 317| 36. 434| 34. 63| Commitments and contingenciesShareholders’ equity:| | | | | | | | | | Common stock, no par value; 1,800,000 shares authorized; 929,277 and 915,970 shares issued and outstanding, respectively| 7177| 8210| 10668| 13331| | 100| 15. 246| 14. 189| 11. 456| Retained earnings| 13845| 19538| 37169| 62841| | 100| 36. 282| 49. 438| 54. 001| Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)|   Ã‚  8| 84| (46)| 443| | 100| . 156| (. 061)| . 381| Total shareholders’ equity| 21030| 27832| 47791| 76615| | 100| 51. 683| 63. 566| 65. 837| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity| 39572| 53851| 75183| 116371| | 100| 100| 100| 100|

Friday, January 10, 2020

Why Did America Withdraw Its Forces

By 1973, after a decade of brutal armed contact and with nearly 60,000 Americans dead, the once proud and mighty USA had been brought to its knees. Feeling isolated the USA decided to abandon its commitment in Vietnam after rising pressure from years of mistakes. America withdrew from Vietnam due to several main reasons; some were long-term e.g. Protests of the American citizens, and others were short-term factors e.g. Morale of American soldiers. In this essay I will discuss the main factors for American withdrawal from Vietnam and try to process the most important ones. I will show how the US media combined with protests in the USA was the most important reason for American withdrawal and ultimately led to the American withdrawal from Vietnam. America’s first mistake regarding the war was the most fundamental. Their tactics. All of America’s tactics were inappropriate, brutal and they were only looking for fast solutions and never the bigger picture. America did the worst thing possible in a war and based all of their tactics on assumptions, which by matter of coincidence were all wrong. The first indication of American tactics being reckless and inappropriate was the infamous â€Å"Operation Rolling Thunder† ordered by LBJ and subjected the Ho Chi Minh Trail and other suspected communist bases in South Vietnam to bombing for 8 weeks. 3  ½ years later more bombs had been dropped on South Vietnam than all the bombs that were dropped in the Second World War, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was still intact and the most casualties inflicted were those on Vietnamese civilians leading America to lose the â€Å"Hearts and Minds† of the Vietnamese. After the very first battle of Vietnam, set in The Ia Drang valley, America set a pattern for their tactics which would remain for the rest of the war; tactics which would question the very competence of the American government. General Westmoreland was convinced that if the communists maintained heavy losses they could not and would not continue the war, and also that the American people would accept the American losses if it meant the communists could be defeated. This lead to America measuring their success in the war by using kill to death ratios. In other words, if communists were losing more soldiers than America, then America was winning, and vice versa. General Westmoreland continued to believe that a use of superior firepower over the communists would lead to victory in any battle combined with the usage of search and destroy missions (for lack of a better word, wandering aimlessly into communist territory and expecting to surprise them). In light of the above it’s not surprising that whilst American tactics were failing, the communist’s guerrilla tactics yielded success over the Americans. After the first battle in The Ia Drang Valley the Vietcong knew they could not win large battles with the US as they had backing artillery and air support. They instead opted to do ‘Hit & Run’ guerrilla raids on unsuspecting American troops during search and destroy missions. This would mean much fewer casualties and also having the element of surprise over the Americans. If they were forced into a large battle the Vietcong would try to stay close to the enemy to stop the Americans from calling artillery and air support (they wouldn’t want to hit their own troops of course). Over 51% of Americans killed in the war were killed by small arms i.e. pistols, machine guns, basic military equipment. The communists never tried to think they could go face to face with the full might of the American army and so devised guerrilla tactics to fight a war the Americans were unfamiliar with and were reluctant to fight. Whilst America was always on the lookout for NVA troops to have a large battle they assumed that the less trained Vietcong guerrilla fighters would be of little threat and left them to the ARVN. Whilst the Americans hopelessly looked for the NVA, the Vietcong would watch on and when they least expected would raid the Americans, and before US troops could call for back-up the Vietcong would be gone with miner losses and the Americans in severe distress. The Vietcong were not only dependent on ‘Hit & Run’ operations but also used booby traps and mines. Booby traps were simple and easy to make and would mainly consist of a trip wire and some sharpened bamboo sticks. Mines were more sophisticated but had the same idea. ‘Bouncing betty’ mines would be triggered when a soldier stepped on them, fly up a metre in front of the man walking behind and go off (they were designed to reach the height of a man’s genitals). Over 11% of men killed in the war were caused by booby traps and mines and left the survivors frustrated that no enemy was seen, no one to shoot at. Guerrilla war success was due to Americas stubbornness over its tactics, reluctant to believe that such simple ways of fighting could defeat all the fire power in the US army, and also how the communists always learnt a lesson from their mistakes until they had a strategy for defeating Americans in combat, and seeing as America didn’t want to think it made a mistake in the first place it’s tactics stuck and a pattern was set for the rest of the war. American soldiers were left frustrated that they could never get a good full on fight with the communists like they were trained for, and with no one else to express their anger on they turned on the civilians. This leads onto my next point that through America’s brutal tactics they inadvertently lost the support of Vietnamese civilians. The Americans knew from an early stage that winning the support of the South Vietnamese peasants was a vital key to the war ( the policy was called winning the â€Å"Hearts & Minds† of the people) but unlike the Vietcong the USA didn’t know how to do it and the South Vietnamese government didn’t want to do it. The main issue was land reform and the Vietcong made sure to take land from the rich landowners and give it to the poor peasants, a decision the South Vietnamese government were unwilling to make. Happy with the communist’s ideas peasants would give food, weapons and intelligence to the Vietcong as well as housing them, making it almost impossible for American soldiers to distinguish between friend and foe. Soldiers were angry they were fighting an enemy that could not be seen and would mercilessly kill them in surprise attacks, and so felt they had no choice but to eliminate all threats from nearby-by villages, always suspecting anyone could be a Vietcong and believing it was better to be safe than sorry. â€Å"Zippo raids† were frequently carried out on villages (which mostly weren’t collaborating with the Vietcong) where soldiers would destroy all supplies in the village including animals and then execute suspected communists. Defoliants would be sprayed on all the food and surrounding forest area so Vietcong wouldn’t be able to find supplies or hide (with the most used defoliant called Agent Orange, which was known to cause cancer, and would be washed into the streams by rain and drunk by soldiers on both sides). Although soldiers were directly told not to harm civilians, most peasants couldn’t be distinguished between innocent and guilty as the Vietcong wore civilian clothes. Soldiers would kill the civilians from anger and mistrust over months of low morale and failure (which would lead onto massacres like My Lai). Innocent civilians would be mutilated, raped or killed without a trial, and when the GI’s would leave only resentment and a lust for revenge would be left behind ironically turning most anti-communist civilians into communists themselves. An account from one GI after completing a raid was â€Å"if they weren't pro- Vietcong before we got there, they sure as hell were by the time we left†. Frustrated with their failure to break the support of the peasants for the Vietcong, America initiated the â€Å"Strategic Hamlet† operation in 1962 where peasants were moved away from areas where the NLF was strong and into guarded hamlets, kilometres away from their homes. The operation was a complete failure. In many cases the NLF would already have supporters inside the villages and all that would have been done is moving communist supporters to a new area to spread their ideas. Those villagers who weren’t already in the NLF often would become supporters because of the way they were treated. GI soldiers were always told to see their enemy as subhuman and before long they would treat civilians as they treated the enemy. In the jungle GI’s couldn’t trust anyone who was not an American, as they had learned from past experiences, and weren’t prepared to spare the life of a peasant who could possibly be conspiring to kill them in a moment without mercy. American soldiers started wondering why they were fighting for a group of civilians that just wanted them dead anyway, and without a just cause many of the soldiers lost belief in the war. The argument that will be put forward here is that combined with the realisation that guerrilla warfare tactics dominated over US tactics and the understanding that they were surrounded by enemies, all alone in a country whose citizens didn’t want their help, US soldiers lost sight of the point of their occupation. The soldier questioned why he should fight and risk his life for someone who just wanted to kill him. Over time the average US soldier lost faith in his mission and morale dropped to new lows. Without the morale of the soldiers, fighting an already superior enemy was hopeless. At the beginning morale wasn’t an issue at all. All the soldiers in the army were career soldiers who believed in whatever cause the US government believed in, but after time more and more of them died, leaving only drafted soldiers who didn’t want to be there nor fight for a cause. A one year tour of duty was thought to keep morale high, but unfortunately this tactic was also a horrible failure. A constant supply of replacements was needed for men who had either died or finished their tour of duty and those who were close to the end of their tour of duty (being ‘short’) were desperate to avoid combat or risks, making them less effective. Replacements or ‘cherries’ as they were nicknamed, were inexperienced and would be put into squads with more seasoned veterans of war, whom would not except the cherries until they had proven themselves in combat. Platoons would be divided in two causing a breakdown in communication between the soldiers, making the unit less effective. ‘Fragging’ also became a major problem in platoons. Relationships between conscripted soldiers and officers would usually be strained. Many officers were career soldiers looking for promotion and so needed a high body count of enemy kills, whereas most GI’s who were conscripted just wanted to stay alive until their DEROS (Date Eligible for Return from Overseas). Hostility towards the officers sometimes led to their men killing them and 3% of all officers who were killed in Vietnam were killed by their own men. During 1970-1971 there were over 700 cases of Fragging alone. Another case of low morale among the GI’s was drug-taking, which further diminished the effectiveness of the US forces in Vietnam. Marijuana was the most popular drug among GI’s in ‘R & R’ (rest and recreation), but cocaine, heroin and amphetamines were also used to get ‘High’. In 1971, 5000 men were treated in hospital for combat wounds and 20,000 were treated for drug abuse. The fact that more troops were treated for drug abuse than combat wounds as well as sometimes Fragging their officers is definitive proof of low morale. More important reasons for low morale occurred during the war also. All soldiers need to know that the cause they are fighting for is a good one as well as knowing that the people back home support them and the cause. If they think that the war isn’t a good one or that the people back home are opposing them then they quickly lose faith in their duty. Between 1966 and 1973 there were 503,000 cases of desertion in the US army in Vietnam (Note – The figures include ‘Draft Dodgers’ and people who deserted multiple times). The truth is drafted soldiers no longer wanted to fight when they were despised by everyone, even their own people at home, and they couldn’t find any good reason left to stay in Vietnam unlike the North Vietnamese who were fighting for their homeland. All the soldiers were broken men and how could the US imagine winning a war if their own troops weren't willing to fight anymore. All of this helps to explain that the war was not just lost for military reasons alone, and that politics played a large part too. At the start of the war the media and people believed the war was the right course of action but as time passed people started questioning the purpose of it all. People began to realize that America wasn’t really at threat from communism and the war wasn't worth the lives of thousands of young soldiers. In 1966 the North Vietnamese finally let a reporter from the New York Times visit north Vietnam. He reported on the destruction of civilian areas and casualties caused by American bombing raids. The US army always denied bombing civilian areas or if there were civilian casualties, they claimed, there weren’t many of them. The reporters’ views widened still the ‘Credibility Gap’ and US citizens began distrusting what the American military was telling them. After the Tet offensive in 1968 the American people were outraged that the North Vietnamese so easily infiltrated South Vietnam with such numbers. For years they had been told that they were on the verge of winning the war but now they seemed further away than ever. Media coverage also helped to portray horrors committed by the American troops towards civilians such as My Lai. The American people were appalled with what they saw and began wondering who the bad guy really was, asking how they could support their own men when they were killing innocent women and children. The war was costing US citizens $20 billion dollars a year which meant that taxes would rise dramatically and LBJ would have to cancel his ‘Great Society’ programme of reform. This was obviously not a popular decision with the Public. President Johnson decided not to stand for re-election in 1968 knowing the war would cost him any chance he had of winning. What finally sparked off the entire nation was when the new president, Nixon ordered the initiation of ‘Operation Menu’. The order included the invasion & bombing of communist bases in neutral Cambodia and Laos. This only appeared as another act of war and a chance of another ‘Vietnam’, which greatly angered the American public. Protests sprang up in universities across the country at the escalation in their country’s role. In one of these protests 4 students were shot and killed by the National Guard at Kent University in Ohio. This Sparked off a further 400 protests in other universities. Other huge protest marches took place in 1969, 1970 and 1971 under the Anti-war movement, and in April 1971 as many as 500,000 people protested in Washington. Two weeks later another demonstration in favour of the war was launched. Only 15,000 took part. It was clear now that the people had spoken and with no other options Nixon began his process of vietnamisation. So after 10 years of hard gruelling war America finally left Vietnam in 1973, accomplishing nothing and leaving behind a corrupt government which would inevitably fall into communist hands. Because of the media it was the first television war and clearly had an effect on their success, lowering the confidence of GI’s and American people in the war. With taxes rising from costs of the war and not knowing if they could trust their own government anymore, the anti-war movement raged in America sparking riots and protests all across the country. The Vietnam War was a huge blow for American foreign policies, showing that communism was a force to be reckoned with if it could beat America. The policy of containment had failed and America’s domino theory was a flop, as the world hadn’t succumbed to communism as America had feared (apart from Laos). A complex chain of cause and effect lead to the dramatic events of 1973, events which still cast a shadow over American policy today.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Analysis Of Friedrich Nietzsche s The Hell Essay

â€Å"For if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.† – Friedrich Nietzsche. I stare into the abyss soiling my mind with its endless chasm of white as the laptop glares its artificial light through the air. My fingers tap on the wooden kitchen table, newly stained. On my right, I have a pink notebook. Its insides are notes, scribbles, and a few dog-eared corners. Placing the ball point of my pen on the college ruled page, I glance at the right corner of the screen and jot down the date, 9/1/2015. Thinking, I look around. It’s early. The sun’s bright outside and the lake’s waves glitter, reflecting its luminosity. The kitchen is dirty. There are piled dishes in the sink, grease on the stove, and crumbs scattered all over the counter. I should fix that. I think my writing process; the brainstorming, the rough draft, and the revisions frolicking hand in hand with more polishing. I know the hardest part will be starting the r ough draft, but it is also the most important. Finally, an idea hits. My pen starts writing. Ideas pour like a waterfall out of my ears, rushing down my arms and into my fingertips. They leak into the pen and soon my thoughts are legible words, written in red ink. At first, I write down random things like the objects on the table or the stickiness underneath the fridge where my little sister spilled the lemonade and didn’t clean it right. Soon I start thinking of things related to the topic I’m brainstorming about. I write them down.Show MoreRelatedPhilosophy Are Filled With Debates, Arguments, And Theories1757 Words   |  8 Pages the term moral means â€Å"concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character† (google.com). In other words, being â€Å"a person s standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do† (google.com). In terms of this argument and my analysis, God means â€Å"the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe† (di ctionary.com). We need to take into consideration the ethical issue of whether God commands whatRead MoreComparison of Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart and Stephen Kings Misery2211 Words   |  9 Pagesnervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story. (Poe, 1843) Poe states that he does not know how he first acquired the idea but that once it had entered into his mind that the idea overtook himRead MoreReligion Is Poison8248 Words   |  33 Pagesset of beliefs or teachings about the deepest and most elusive of life’s mysteries. So, from this point of view, I will leave my paper to research those that have a belief in a ‘theistic god’ rather than the all-inclusive. Deprived of this belief, it s really not a viable theistic religion. George H. Smith in his book, â€Å"Atheism: The Case Against God,†1974, commented, â€Å"†¦the belief in god is irrational to the point of absurdity; and that this irrationality, when manifested in specific religions suchRead MoreCleanth Brookss Essay Irony as a Principle of Structure9125 Words   |  37 PagesMarx’s economic theories as such: we shall confine our discussion to their methodological premises and implications. It will in any case be obvious to the reader tha t the present writer upholds the validity of their content. Secondly, a detailed analysis of Rosa Luxemburg’s thought is necessary because its seminal discoveries no less than its errors have had a decisive influence on the theories of Marxists outside Russia, above all in Germany. To some extent this influence persists to this day. ForRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufact urers

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Effects of Climate Change on Right Whales - 1389 Words

The effect climate change has on the environment is astounding, especially the effects targeted at right whales living within the ocean. The preservation of right whales is threatened due to the rise in temperatures, salinity changes, and sea level rise. By researching the effects of climate change on these whales, three things can be identified: the decrease in food sources for whales as a result of climate change, the effect of climate change on whale migration patterns and reproduction, and the effects of temperature and salinity variation on their communication. Understanding the effects climate change has on right whales is extremely important because they are influential to scientific research and understanding the stability of the ocean. Without the presence of whales, the oceanic food chain will be destabilized, leading to various problems that affect the economy, science, and the ocean’s productivity. If life within the ocean becomes destabilized, certain species will die off, others will overpopulate, and ultimately, humans will suffer the consequences. Right whales feed off of one general food source – calanus finmarchicus or plankton (www.rightwhales.neaq.org). However, due to the temperature rises and higher carbon concentrations in the ocean as a result of climate change, plankton populations have been affected. Through conductive testes, it was discovered that increased levels of CO2 in the ocean have lowered hatch rates and embryonic development ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Seaworld And San Diego1215 Words   |  5 Pagesout its killer whale shows. This decision is what PETA and other oppositions of SeaWorld has been seeking, but there is no news of ending these shows at their Orlando and San Antonio locations. There is Federal legislation in the works to ban orca breeding, importing and exporting them for public display. This legislation is called the Orca Act and is still in its early stages of proposal. Passing of th e Orca Act would most likely be the only way Orlando would stop its killer whale shows. StakeholdersRead MoreGlobal Warming and Climate Change: Melting the Marine Life Essay668 Words   |  3 PagesPacific region since they are being less adaptable, yet that area is fished more. â€Å"Climate change: The effects on ocean animals† (400 words) Many other animals besides the coral trout are being affected my global warming. The â€Å"poster child† for it is the polar bear, and some others are sea turtles, right whales, penguins, and seals. The polar bear lives up in the Arctic region where global warming and climate change are melting the ice caps that the bears thrive on. They use the ice as a platformRead MoreThe Effects Of Climate Change On Our Planet1172 Words   |  5 PagesClimate is the weather conditions over a long term. 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Climate patterns play such an important role in constructing an essential ecosystem, human economies and cultures that rely on them has raised the surface of the worlds oceans in recentRead MoreNoise Pollution Case Study Solution866 Words   |  4 Pages Noise Pollution Your Particular Case Study: http://e360.yale.edu/features/how_ocean_noise_pollution_wreaks_havoc_on_marine_life Table of Contents: Click here to jump to the right spot.î ¿ ¿ Research Notes Background on your topic: Your topic: Provide Solutions: Resources: Storyboard Rubricî ¿ ¾ Starting Point for Research Research Notes Background on your topic: Why is the ocean so important? (Food webs, oxygen producer, CO2 sink etc.) The ocean is important because it is a home to many different animalsRead MoreThe Sea Of The Mediterranean Sea1632 Words   |  7 Pagesto have hot, dry summers and wet winters except for the Southern regions considering they have desert-like climates. Early civilizations thought that the Mediterranean was the center of their region considering they had not traveled out of their boundaries yet, therefore giving its Latin name â€Å"mediterraneus†, meaning â€Å"middle of land.† Its combination of strong winds and an arid climate results in intense evaporation, causing a deficit of water in which nearly three million tons of water is evaporatedRead MoreNegative Impact of Whaling in Japan1125 Words   |  4 Pages Biodiversity often appears as an under the radar issue that is put on the backburner to other environmental problems such as: climate change, ocean acidification, or ozone depletion. When in reality, it should really be a frontrunner as it explicitly involves all living things that dwell within our shared biosphere. While the human population did not really start making waves to remedy the endangerment or extinction of plants and animals until the 1970s with laws that included, the Marine MammalRead MoreWhales and Interference654 Words   |  3 PagesEight out of 10 right whales bear the scars left behind by accidental encounters with fishing rope. These thick lines can wrap so tightly around the whales that they die from lacerations. (Ragen et. Al., 2005) Noise from numerous anthropogenic sources is both extensively and increasingly present within the marine surrounding. Human activities are leaving both deep and profound acoustic footmarks in the oceans of the world, and this is because of technological innovation and climate change. New and currentRead MoreAnimal Safety : Endangered Species1645 Words   |  7 Pageshorns in order for them to sell them in markets. So today tracking the rhino movements is necessary in order to help the program set up hotlines to help stop the poachers from approaching the rhinos. Many polar bears today are dying because of the climate change. Ice is beginning to melt and this equals a loss of sea ice for these animals to live in. WWF aims to preserve the rich biodiversity of polar bears in order to save them. The marine turtles are perhaps the most well know endangered species. ThisRead MoreOn April 29Th, Marking The First 100 Days Of The Trump803 Words   |  4 PagesOn April 29th, marking the first 100 days of the Trump administration, throngs will assemble in Washington, D.C. for the People s Climate Mobilization, a march to support action against climate change. Organizers say the number of participants could rival that of a similar 2014 event in New York City which drew 400,000 people. Activists in Massachusetts have already chartered dozens of buses to take demonstrators to D.C. I decided to join the march without a moment’s hesitation. Despite the prospect

Monday, December 16, 2019

Health Education Reduction Of Teenage Pregnancy - 1647 Words

HEALTH EDUCATION REDUCTION OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (2010-2015) Introduction Teenage pregnancy (known as under-18 conception) negatively affects the health and wellbeing of both the young mothers and their children. Early parenthood is prone to the risk of postnatal depression, poor health (including mental health), social exclusion and by the age of thirty (30) there are more likely to live in poverty, have limited education, career and economic prospect. There is high risk of infant mortality and poverty living of children given birth to by teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy is classified as the updated record of pregnancy (both the ones delivered and terminated) that occurs before the mother is eighteen (18) years of age. With the goals and objectives of the United Kingdom (UK) Governments to reduce teenage pregnancy, it still remains incredibly high. One of the objectives that was put in place was to improve the standard of living (that is, life chances) of these teenage mothers by ensuring they are educated. The statistics of under 18 conceptions is used to watch and record the trends of pregnancy by teenagers. This statistic is estimated as the number of conceptions in girls that are under 18 years of age divided by the population of females that are aged 15-17 and this is presented by per 1,000 girls. Health education is used widely to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy as well as given effective knowledge to young people with regards sex andShow MoreRelatedReflecting on Sources: An Assignment1879 Words   |  7 Pageshelp in reducing and preventing of teen pregnancy. The organization is called The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. She is influential because she has served on many advisory boards which promote the values and policies towards the prevention of teen pregnancy ADDIN EN.CITE The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy201197(The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2011a)979712The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy,Sarah Brown20111776 Massachusetts AvenueTheRead MoreEssay on British Pregnancy and Condoms799 Words   |  4 Pages The number of pregnancies across England and Wales, conceptions compared with 896,466 in 2009. An increase of this group with the exception of women aged under twenty. The teenage pregnancy rate in England and Wales has reached its lowest level since 1969,men and women of these countries hold a similar opinion, â€Å" Family may also be valued more highly during to be out of work, they may have more time to spend on a child due to financial concerns cause by recession.† According to most of BritainRead MoreThe Success Of The Teen Pregnancies1486 Words   |  6 Pages The Success of an Integrated Approach in the Prevention of Repeat Teen Pregnancies Suzan A. Dede Eastern Michigan University The Success of an Integrated Approach in the Prevention of Repeat Teen Pregnancies Teen mothers are at an increased risk for having subsequent births due to multidimensional and complex needs. These risks contain complex social and economic aspects and public health issues. These mothers appear to have a recurring theme associated with â€Å"poorer medical, educationalRead MoreTeen Pregnancy, Do We Really Know The Facts?1169 Words   |  5 PagesTeen pregnancy, do we really know the facts? Do we even know the common early signs of early pregnancy? Teenagers tend to close themselves off when they find out they are pregnant. Teenagers can not predict what life will be like with a new baby. They will go through several different emotions, exhaustion, and peer pressure-related stress. Teenage mothers are more likely to have lower school achievement and often drop out of school and develop health problems and also face unemployment as youngRead MoreBirth Control Access to Teens1463 Words   |  6 PagesFormal Outline Topic: Birth control access to teenage girls Thesis statement: Although teenage girls are prohibited from purchasing birth control, laws should be implemented to allow access to birth control as a means of managing safer sex, preventing the health risks and guarding them from the cycle of poverty. 1. Reasons for not allowing birth control to be given to teenagers A. It encourages sexual activity (Sex with many partners -promiscuity) B. Abstinence should be promoted Read MoreEssay about Sample Research Proposal on Teenage Pregnancy1172 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Sample Research Proposal on Teenage Pregnancy    Introduction This research proposal implies on teenage pregnancy and its effect on academic progression. There will be association between teenage pregnancy and academic progression places evidence that education should put weight on reality adhering to teenage pregnancy. Understanding teenage pregnancy within UK context is adamant to the purpose of study. Thus, the expectation that teenage pregnancy will be reduced by proper academic programsRead MoreThe Issue of Teen Pregnancy1458 Words   |  6 PagesTeen pregnancy The issue of teen pregnancy is a fact that can no longer be overlooked in terms of its magnitude in the society today. Despite the widespread sex education and peer counseling and guidance, there still is a wide prevalence of teen pregnancy, a challenge that does not only affect the teenagers but the society at large. Effects of teen pregnancy The aspect of teen pregnancy is one of the most challenging situations to be in as a young person as it could interrupt flow of schoolRead MoreThe Dangers Of Adolescent Pregnancy1453 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescent pregnancy occurs between the ages of 15-19 (as defined by the World Health Organisation) (Adolescent Pregnancy., 2014) and most commonly occurs in developing countries (Such as sub-Saharan Africa [Teen pregnancy statistics, 2016]). As many of the pregnancies happening are to young girls from under-developed countries, they are often unable to afford the necessary healthcare that most developed countries could provide expectant mothers. Due to the fact that under-developed countries haveRead MoreThe Popularity Of Teen Pregnancy1660 Words   |  7 PagesThe popularity of teen’s pregnancy worldwide has become a major concern in recent years. It is viewed as a global crisis as the increasing number of teenage girls bearing children outside of marriage or before graduating high school continue to rise. There are many reasons to scale down the teen pregnancy rate, and the financial costs of teens giving birth are important. After highly dropping for almost a decade-and-a-half, United States’ teen birth rate percentages began edging skyward in recentRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Essay examples1012 Words   |  5 PagesTeenage Pregnancy, Why is this Important Kimberly O. Johnson American Sentinel University Nursing 505: Theoretical Foundations Dr. Ami Bhatt December 30,2012 Teenage Pregnancy: Why is this Important Teen pregnancy is a critical public health issue that affects the health and educational, social and economic future of the mother and child. Teen pregnancy is also a significant factor in numerous other important social issues: welfare dependency, out-of-wedlock births

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Academia and Text Matching Software free essay sample

Scabies (2007) argued that the electronic text matching software is not the solution to eliminating plagiarism because the soft. Are only focuses on text matching of paper under review with documents (journals, articles, e-books and conference papers) found on the internet or which has been previously submitted and this is a limitation because the only detection are focused on electronic materials without considering some non-electronic paper based documents which could still be plagiarisms.Walker (2010) stated that with the development of text matching software such as the turning plagiarism detection was made easier, however he emphasizes that the turning detection software is not 1 00 per cent efficient, it merely identifies and matches materials present in a document uploaded to turning website to materials available on the internet. Walker (2010) describes the electronic text matching software as a tool only suitable for detecting word for word or direct plagiarism in electronic form and the refined ones from the paper based sources are not easily detected. We will write a custom essay sample on Academia and Text Matching Software or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Moreover Carroll and Appleton (2001) argued that the turning is just an option for measuring plagiarism and that alone cannot be used as a basis for judging good scholarship practice. In addition Carroll and Appleton (2001) insist that the use of electronic software for detecting plagiarism requires human application and interpretation and that using turning alone as a medium for plagiarism detection is not proficient.According to Barrett and Malcolm (2006) the electronic text matching software (turning) only indicates possible plagiarism without any certainty, it is left to the tutor to determine the extent to which the writer has plagiarisms or included some sources in the paper without acknowledging where they were acquired. In conclusion the concept of plagiarism cannot be overemphasized. It has become a factor that has affected good academic scholarship practice and has created an avenue for educators to develop methods for detecting and dealing with plagiarism.The development o f the electronic detection software such as the turning has enhanced the detection of plagiarism however it cannot be relied upon completely because it is not effective. In addition it is important to understand that the best way to detect plagiarism is to use both the manual method which involves educators and he use of electronic text matching software such as turning.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Death Of A Salesman Essay Willy Gets Fired Example For Students

The Death Of A Salesman Essay Willy Gets Fired Instability Lead Life to Its EndThe character Willy Loman from the play Death of a Salesman has been read throughout the years with distinct interpretations. Many people have given different reasons to what led to Willys tragic fate. One interpretation I took was that Willys instability in his life led to his death. Some point that led in to my interpretation were his early family life, his relationship with Biff, and his job. Willys early family life was a difficult one with its many inconsistencies. In Willys early childhood his father left; this left him with many questions about his father and how to be a father. In one scene we see Willy talking to Ben and Willy voices questions and comments about when their father left. Willy asks Where is Dad? and says Dad left when I was such a baby and I never had a chance to talk to him. Willy also voices his concerns about being a father. He says sometimes Im afraid that Im not teaching them the right kind ofBen, how should I teach them? In this early life Willy and his family move around a lot. People and places changed around them fairly swiftly. Another inconsistency in his early family life was his relationship with his brother, Ben. Ben left Willy without looking back. Ben comes in and out of Willys life. We will write a custom essay on The Death Of A Salesman Willy Gets Fired specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Willys relationship with Biff has its highs and lows throughout the play making it difficult to establish a feel for their feeling towards each other. In the eyes of an early Biff there is nothing but love and devotion towards his father. Even Willy says Biff would go into the jaws of hell for me. This type of affections changes after Biff finds out about his fathers infidelity. Biff loses total respect for his father and calls Willy a liar and a fake. Willy saw early Biff as being a son he could be proud of with all Biffs football victories and successes with girls. As time passes and Biff comes home from the west it is evident that Willy no longer feels pride towards Biff. Biff has no job and wasnt making much money at his last job therefore Willy feels no pride towards Biff. Near the end of the play Willys feelings towards Biff change once again. Willy comes to believe that Biff loves him. Willy starts to says things like that boy is going to be magnificent. Willy was once again f eeling love towards Biff. Willys job causes him extra stresses involving loneliness and money. Willy continually was on the road causing him to have a lack of constant surrounding. We see this with all the people that come in and out of his life and his head. We also see a consequence of this with Willys loneliness. Willy gives the reason for his infidelity as being that he was lonely, terribly lonely. Another repercussion of Willys job was his money problems. At times Willy worked on commission causing extra stress on selling his product. Towards the end of the Broadway production, we saw a scene where people were rotating around Willy while Willy was also rotating. This scene shows nicely the instability that Willy was going through. Willy Lomans tragic death was in direct consequence to his instabilities. Words/ Pages : 582 / 24