Strategic Response to Climate Change by Global Companies Essay

Strategic Response to Climate Change by Global Companies - Essay Example It will clearly show what the future holds for these companies as well as their sustainability. The study will use qualitative and inducive methods of investigation to capture these characteristics. Apart from the operations managers in the three companies, information from the people in the UK is also going to be of great help. It also purposes to prove that the three companies invest considerable amount of resources on ecology, they have strategic climate change policies, and that they promote climate change awareness among employees as well as other stakeholders. It also aims to show how climate change affects the internal organization of the companies, and the business itself. It will also prove that the companies are working towards carbon dioxide emission reduction, by using various policies. It will also show how climate change affects the nature of their emerging products, and how they involve third parties in the climate change awareness. The study also seeks to propose stud ies in other industries and on stragies organizations in third world countries are employing in combating climate change. TÐ BLЕ OF CONTЕNTS ABSTRACT 1. CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION 1.1 Outline of the study 1.2 Background of the research 1.3 Problem Statement 1.4 Rationale 1.5 Aims and Objectives 1.6 Significance 1.7 Research Questions 1.8 Research Methodology 1.9 Dissertation structure 2. CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 2.2 CorporÐ °tÐ µ RÐ µsponsÐ µs to ClÃ'â€"mÐ °tÐ µ ChÐ °ngÐ µ: ExÃ'â€"stÃ'â€"ng ClÐ °ssÃ'â€"fÃ'â€"cÐ °tÃ'â€"ons 2.3 EmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"on MÐ µÃ °surÐ µmÐ µnt Ð °nd TÐ °rgÐ µts 2.4 The Banking Sector 2.5 The Oil industry 2.6 Construction Companies and the Real Estate Sector 2.7 Automobile Industry 2.8... NÐ °turÐ µ Ð °nd clÃ'â€"mÐ °tÐ µ hÐ °vÐ µ Ð ° bÃ'â€"g rolÐ µ to plÐ °y Ã'â€"n thÐ µ Ð µxÃ'â€"stÐ µncÐ µ of mÐ °n kÃ'â€"nd. But wÃ'â€"th thÐ µ Ð °dvÐ µnt of Ã'â€"ndustrÃ'â€"Ð °lÃ'â€"sÐ °tÃ'â€"on, thÐ µ fÐ °tÐ µs of thÐ µsÐ µ forcÐ µs hÐ °vÐ µ chÐ °ngÐ µd. ThÐ µ Ã'â€"ndustrÃ'â€"Ð µs hÐ °vÐ µ usÐ µd nÐ °turÐ µ for thÐ µÃ'â€"r motÃ'â€"vÐ µ of profÃ'â€"t Ð °nd Ð µxploÃ'â€"tÐ µd Ã'â€"t wÃ'â€"thout Ð °ny concÐ µrn for Ð ° lÐ °rgÐ µ numbÐ µr of yÐ µÃ °rs. But thÐ µ tÃ'â€"mÐ µ hÐ °s chÐ °ngÐ µd Ð °nd thÐ µrÐ µ hÐ °vÐ µ bÐ µÃ µn cÃ'â€"rcumstÐ °ncÐ µs of nÐ °turÐ °l cÐ °lÐ °mÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð µs Ð °nd Ð ° rÐ °pÃ'â€"d chÐ °ngÐ µ Ã'â€"n thÐ µ clÃ'â€"mÐ °tÃ'â€"c condÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"ons Ã'â€"n vÐ °rÃ'â€"ous rÐ µgÃ'â€"ons. It hÐ °s sÐ µnt thÐ µ compÐ °nÃ'â€"Ð µs on Ð ° bÐ °ck foot Ð °nd undÐ µr prÐ µssurÐ µ from vÐ °rÃ'â€"ous communÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð µs Ð °nd Ã'â€"ntÐ µrÐ µst groups; thÐ µy no morÐ µ cÐ °n Ð µxploÃ'â€" t thÐ µ nÐ °turÐ µ Ð °t thÐ µÃ'â€"r wÃ'â€"ll Ã'â€"n ordÐ µr to sÐ °tÃ'â€"sfy thÐ µÃ'â€"r profÃ'â€"t motÃ'â€"vÐ µs. ThÐ µ compÐ °nÃ'â€"Ð µs of todÐ °y hÐ °vÐ µ bÐ µcomÐ µ much morÐ µ conscÃ'â€"ous Ã'â€"n thÐ µÃ'â€"r opÐ µrÐ °tÃ'â€"ons. (HoffmÐ °n, 1997, p.143)1.2 BÐ °ckground of thÐ µ rÐ µsÐ µÃ °rchOvÐ µr thÐ µ pÐ °st tÐ µn yÐ µÃ °rs, clÃ'â€"mÐ °tÐ µ chÐ °ngÐ µ hÐ °s mÐ °dÐ µ hÐ µÃ °dwÐ °y Ð °s Ð ° globÐ °l Ã'â€"ssuÐ µ, prÐ µmÃ'â€"Ð µr to thÐ µ Ð µmÐ µrgÐ µncÐ µ of nÐ µw Ã'â€"nstÃ'â€"tutÃ'â€"ons to hold bÐ °ck grÐ µÃ µnhousÐ µ gÐ °s (GHG) Ð µmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"ons. SÃ'â€"ncÐ µ thÐ µ Ð °doptÃ'â€"on of thÐ µ Kyoto Protocol Ã'â€"n 1997 Ð °nd thÐ µ lÐ °tÐ µr dÃ'â€"scussÃ'â€"ons on thÐ µ spÐ µcÃ'â€"fÃ'â€"cÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"Ð µs Ã'â€"n pÐ µrÃ'â€"ods of Ã'â€"mplÐ µmÐ µntÐ °tÃ'â€"on, Ð µspÐ µcÃ'â€"Ð °lly Ð µmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"ons dÐ µÃ °lÃ'â€"ng hÐ °s profÃ'â€"tÐ µd ground Ð °s Ð ° lÐ µgÃ'â€"tÃ'â€"mÐ °tÐ µ wÐ °y to dÐ µÃ  °l wÃ'â€"th thÃ'â€"s Ð µnvÃ'â€"ronmÐ µntÐ °l Ã'â€"ssuÐ µ. EmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"ons trÐ °dÃ'â€"ng Ð °llow countrÃ'â€"Ð µs whÃ'â€"ch drop undÐ µr thÐ µ Kyoto Protocol to dÐ µcrÐ µÃ °sÐ µ thÐ µÃ'â€"r GHG Ð µmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"ons by swÐ °ppÃ'â€"ng pÐ °rt of thÃ'â€"s rÐ µsponsÃ'â€"bÃ'â€"lÃ'â€"ty wÃ'â€"th Ð °nothÐ µr pÐ °rty to thÐ µ Protocol. HowÐ µvÐ µr, thÐ µ Ã'â€"mplÐ µmÐ µntÐ °tÃ'â€"on of thÃ'â€"s Ã'â€"ntÐ µrgovÐ µrnmÐ µntÐ °l Ð µmÃ'â€"ssÃ'â€"ons dÐ µÃ °lÃ'â€"ng rÐ µgÃ'â€"mÐ µ on Ð ° busÃ'â€"nÐ µss grÐ °dÐ µ hÐ °s glÃ'â€"mpsÐ µd lÐ °rgÐ µ dÃ'â€"vÐ µrsÃ'â€"ty worldwÃ'â€"dÐ µ

Education Improvements Essay Example for Free

Education Improvements Essay With a vast array of educational sources available online or by using technology which is involved with multimedia, it is only inevitable that a great deal of teaching will be used this way. Advantages may include improved efficiency, interested learning and a sense of enjoyment for younger learners. Traditional classroom based teaching will need to work together with the advances of computer based learning to fulfil and expand the learners knowledge. Bibliography www. computerweekly. com www. mit. com www. nhs. com www. bbc. co. uk. As technology has evolved rapidly in and around our environment, public services are now steadily introducing multimedia and other forms of computer based applications. The Territorial Army (TA) and the National Health Service (NHS) are two that have evolved dramatically within the last ten years in relation to technology. The TA has several high-tech intelligence and weaponry applications and the NHS has such vital modern equipment all implementing some form of multimedia. With this it should only make sense that multimedia be included in another very important sector, Education. Within the last five years multimedia and education have bonded well to produce some very informative information. This has become readily available for children as young as two up to adults participating in education via adult learning schemes. The most significant and straightforward way to view these types of information is from the World Wide Web (WWW). The similarity between primary and university study is that they need to be online indefinitely. Although they need internet access it must not be a limited package. The connection they apply must be quick and effective otherwise users will establish a lackadaisical attitude towards the idea. Inside the last twelve months there has been a surge in primary and secondary schools in particular enquiring about wireless connections. Many schools are looking at this form of connection due to its low cost and flexibility. Laptops can be transferred from one classroom to another, rather than having a fixed station. An example of multimedia used within education is a project aimed towards disaffected children to encourage them back into learning. Interactive mathematics, composing digital music and building virtual 3D art exhibitions are some of the applications which are used and created. The main idea behind the project is to establish a stable bond between pupil and teacher with the use of I. T. Other outcomes which are hopefully achieved is the better retention of the technology they are using (both pupil and teacher). If the time for this technology is used wisely and productively with the school environment it could play and integral part in the pupils advances post education, however if the pupil is not receptive to new forms of teaching then the answer must lie elsewhere. Ian Peacock chairman of Hackney Councils Education Committee said We need to ensure that the childrens use of computers in the classroom provides some of the buzz they get from playing media-intensive games in their leisure time. (ComputerWeekly, 2001). As education and multimedia within the ages of two to sixteen is of great importance, the education of the older age group should also be considered vital for those willing to expand their skills and acquire the relevant knowledge. This next form of learning via means of multimedia shows how far the technology has developed to cater for this age group. MIT Open Courseware is designed to: ?Provide free, searchable, access to MITs course materials for educators, students, and self-learners around the world. ?Extend the reach and impact of MIT OCW and the open courseware concept. There is a wide variety of courses to opt for, from history to nuclear engineering. The site is aimed at self-learners who can log on anywhere in the world and start accessing information on their chosen subject. Lecture notes and assignments are all included just as if they were studying in University. This form of studying is very familiar at present with more than 2000 courses available on the internet reported by 1996. That number has grown progressively and there are courses available today to suit the majority of users whatever their subject. These online courses prove to be significant to those who maybe cannot afford fees towards university or who reside to far from any teaching institute. We live in a very rural area. Access to quality educational materials is a 225-mile drive to the nearest library of any significance. (Self Learner MIT, 2005).

Analysis On Financial Statements Economics Essay

Analysis On Financial Statements Economics Essay ATandT Inc. (NYSE: T) is a United States telecommunications corporation headquartered in Texas. Founded in 1983 as SBC Communications, it became ATT Inc. upon purchase of ATT Corporation in 2005. It is the leading U.S. provider of wire-line and wireless communications. ATT delivers 3G wireless services through ATT Mobility LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary. Other major segments include broadband internet, digital television, directory publishing, and business communications. In 2006, ATT Inc. acquired BellSouth communications corporation, valued at $86 billion, absorbing its wire-line, wireless, and broadband interests. ATT has stated specific future goals in 4G wireless, speech recognition, telehealth, and digital convergence. Recently, ATT selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as equipment providers for its LTE (4G) wireless deployments. ATT has over 150 million customers and 280,000 employees. ATT reported a $124 billion operating revenue and $23 billion net income as of Dec. 31, 2008. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is a United States telecommunications corporation headquartered in New York. It was founded in 1983 as Bell Atlantic. Bell Atlantic acquired GTE Corp. in 2000 and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. It is the second largest U.S. provider of wire-line and wireless voice services. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture, with Vodafone Group holding 45 percent ownership. Through its FiOS product, Verizon provides fiber-optic delivery of internet, television, and digital voice. Other major operations include IP networks, applications, and professional services for business. In 2008, Verizon stated its goal to surpass ATT as the U.S. market leader in wireless voice and data communications in the United States. It is aggressively pushing fiber-optic deployments to combat industry-wide access-line losses. Verizon has over 91 million customers and 220,000 employees. Verizon reported a $97 billion operating revenue and $6.5 billion net income as of Dec. 31, 2008. Balance Sheet unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported a current ratio of 0.53, and a long-term assets / long-term liabilities ratio of 1.92. This mismatching indicates that too much short-term financing has been used to acquire long-term assets. ATT may have problems meeting its short-term obligations without additional refinancing. If additional financing cannot be obtained, a lack of asset liquidity poses a bankruptcy risk. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported goodwill at $71.8 billion, accounting for about 27% of their total reported assets. This stems from ATTs aggressive acquisition strategy. The high amount poses a great asset impairment risk. Only losses, not gains, can be recorded for goodwill. If the acquired entities lose value, as judged by an annual impairment test, the loss of recorded assets and corresponding write-offs against stockholders equity can be substantial. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported wireless licenses valued at $62.0 billion. These are indefinite-lived intangible asset which account for 30.6% of Verizons total assets. Wireless licenses are extremely important for a telecommunications company, but placing such large valuation on an intangible is a serious risk. Estimating fair value is very subjective, and any significant write-offs (as judged by a periodic impairment test) could threaten stockholders confidence. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported cash and cash equivalents of $9.8 billion. Having such a large amount of cash and cash equivalents (investments with a maturity of 90 days or less) is good for liquidity. However, a significant portion of this $9.8 billion could be converted to less-liquid, higher-interest investments that mature within a year, or even long-term investments. Having so much cash-on-hand is a problem because it is not being invested to return additional value to the business. Income Statement unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported basic earnings-per-share of $2.17. During the same period, their nearest market competitor, Verizon, reported $2.26 basic earnings-per-share. To the common stockholder, this is one of the most important factors to attract and maintain investment. Unless ATT can achieve higher earnings-per-share, investors will be more likely to invest in their competitors, posing a threat to ATTs future growth. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT recorded a net other income (expense) of -$589 million (versus +$615 million in 2007). A closer look at Note 4 to the financial statements reveals that this is entirely attributable to Consolidation and Elimination expenses. Reorganization due to acquisition and restructuring has been a significant part of ATTs market-growth strategy, but they must take care not to incur excessive expenses for the sake of growth. That could lead to an overall loss of competitiveness and lack of stockholders confidence. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon recorded a net income of $6.4 billion. Their nearest market competitor, ATT, posted a net income of $12.9 billion. In terms of absolute numbers, this gives Verizon less power in the market and also serves as an indication to investors that Verizon might not be managing its finances well enough. Income is essential to future value creation and expansion, so Verizon should strive to improve operational efficiency and attain an income thats more aligned with (or better than) its competitor. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon recorded a net profit margin (ratio of net income to revenues) of only .066, up from their 2007 profit margin of .059, but still lower than their 2006 profit margin of .070. In general, Verizons profit margin seems low compared to other U.S. telecommunications corporations (especially ATT), a sign of managements inability to generate strong returns. This weak financial performance should raise concerns for shareholders and financers, and it poses a survival risk to Verizon. Cash Flow Statement unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2008, ATT issued $9.5 billion in dividends to stockholders (which has been increasing gradually since 2004). Consistent dividends are good to attract sustained stockholders confidence and investment, but a dividend payout of $9.5 billion is unusually high. By paying out too many excess funds to stockholders, ATT may be missing out on more lucrative investment opportunities that would generate better returns. In 2008, ATT reported $5.6 billion in accounts payable and accrued liabilities. This amount, due to ATTs suppliers or banks, must be paid off within 12-months in order to avoid default. This significantly high amount is a constraint against ATTs working capital. If the company is not able to fully pay off the debt in time, its future operations could be hindered. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2008, Verizon reported net $15.9 billion in acquisitions of licenses, investments, and businesses. Such a substantial investment introduces a high level of business risk. If Verizons investments do not demonstrate profitability, not only will significant funds have gone to waste, but more doubt will be cast on the corporations future investing decisions by investors and financers. In 2008, Verizon accumulated net cash inflows from financing activities of $13.6 billion. In particular, $21.6 billion were proceeds from long-term borrowing, while there was a repayment of only $4.1 billion in long-term borrowing and capital lease obligations. It seems that Verizon is using this leverage to achieve their investing activities discussed previously. Such aggressive financing this fiscal year can put heavy constraints on Verizons ability to acquire additional financing in future years. Verizon is in a precarious position where, if they cannot repay the financing in a timely manner, they enter a high risk of declining into bankruptcy. Notes to Financial Statements unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported that $14.1 billion of its outstanding debt would mature within one year, compared to just $6.9 billion in the previous year (see Note 8). This current debt introduces a liquidity problem, since ATT must be able to generate enough cash in the next year to repay its financers. This is a significant business risk for AT&T; if it is unable to cover its debts in time, its future financing options will be limited and its business operations could be in jeopardy. As of Jan. 1, 2007, ATT indicated a loss of $123 million in goodwill related to the settlement of IRS audit in its wireless segment (see Note 6). Excess goodwill is already a problem because a high risk of asset impairment is introduced, but devaluation due to an IRS audit raises serious concerns about managements judgment for proper accounting. Investors are cautious about missteps such as this, and a recurring incident could further unsettle their confidence in ATT. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On Jan. 9, 2009 (beyond the reporting date of the financial statements), Verizons wireless segment closed the acquisition of Alltel Corporation, paying $5.9 billion for its equity, but also acquiring $22.2 billion of its debt obligations (see Note 2). Acquiring such a massive debt puts Verizon at a significant financing risk. The notes reveal that Verizon has relied on credit to immediately cover the acquisition cost and debt prepayments, with $2.5 billion debt that remains outstanding. Verizon faces potential insolvency in other words, a high risk of adequate repayment and future refinancing. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported obligations for all defined benefit pension plans at $29.4 billion (see Note 15). The future collection of this large liability poses a financial risk to Verizon, should they not be suitably prepared to cover the costs. Along with Verizons already large debt obligations, this is a noteworthy threat to the companys viability. Balance Sheet differences At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75 (total liabilities / total equity) and Verizon had a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.85. ATT and Verizon hold similar levels of total liabilities ($169 and $161 billion, respectively), but ATT has a great deal more stockholders equity ($96.3 versus $41.7 billion, respectively). ATTs much larger stockholder interest provides increased financial flexibility and an ability to service its debt, in comparison to Verizon which should be more cautious in its debt accumulation, at risk of being unable to generate enough cash to satisfy its debt obligations. ATTs lower debt-to-equity ratio may boost stockholders confidence since their investments are better protected in the event of business decline. On the other hand, ATTs lower debt-to-equity ratio may signify that it is not taking advantage of enough financial leverage to generate increased profits. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT lists Customer Lists and Relationships as a long-term asset valued at net $10.6 billion. Verizon does not such an item listed on their balance sheet, but Note 4 to the financial statements reveals that customer lists and relationships are a net $820 million component of Other Intangible Assets. This item is a limited-life intangible asset, and is subject to amortization accumulation. The relatively similar size of each companys customer base suggests that these valuations shouldnt be so drastically different. Estimating fair value of customer lists and relationships is very subjective, based on how each company judges the ability to generate returns. ATTs high valuation compared to Verizon leads to higher annual write-offs of the asset. Stockholders confidence could be shaken by too high write-offs arising from higher valuations, so Verizons more conservative valuation may be safer in the long-term. Income Statement differences As of 2008, ATTs income statements divide operating revenues into five segments: wireless service, voice, data, directory, and other. Verizons income statement only specifies a catch-all operating revenues item, but Note 17 to the financial statements identifies two segments: domestic wireless and wireline. Both companies wireless segments are equivalent in scope. Verizons wireline segment is the equivalent of ATTs voice data segments combined. Notably, ATT has a more diversified business portfolio, including its directory services which include the publishing of print directories, directory advertising, internet-based advertising, and local search; and the other segment which includes information services, payphone, and corporate operations. The presentation of ATTs income statement emphasizes their diversity of operations in comparison to Verizon. This shows two different approaches to business diversification. For Verizon, if one of its two segments were to fail, the financial i mpact would be catastrophic. For ATT, the failure of a single segment would be less severe on the company as a whole. Verizon lists minority interest as a distinct item under operating income with a recorded expense of $6.16 billion. ATT does not list a distinct item, but Note 4 to its financial statements indicate that $256 million of minority interest expense is part of its other income (expense) item. Minority interest expense refers to the share of profit belonging to minority shareholders. In this case, Vodafone owns a 45% interest in Verizon Wireless and receives that share of the generated income. For Verizon, this is a very large amount of income that it could be collecting for itself, if it was to take full control of its wireless subsidiary. If Verizon recognized the full income of its wireless subsidiary, its overall net income would be more competitive with ATT. Also, by giving Vodafone such a large stake in its wireless subsidiary, there is the potential for a future takeover. Cash Flow Statement differences In 2008, Verizon recorded $13.6 billion in net cash provided by financing activities, while ATT recorded $4.7 billion in net cash used in financing activities. That is, Verizon acquired net debt in its financing activities, while ATT was able to pay back more financing that it acquired. Because of this, ATT shows more financial solvency than Verizon, as its ability to repay previous financing activities boosts shareholder confidence and enhances its record as a reliable borrowing partner for future financing. Verizons big borrowing introduces significant business risks and a potential for bankruptcy if their operations dont return considerable income. On the other hand, Verizons aggressive financing activities may prove beneficial if it uses the finances to successfully grow its market-share, which would be a threat to ATT. In 2008, Verizon recorded $1.4 billion of purchase of common stock for treasury, while ATT recorded $6.1 billion of the same. The goal of these treasury stock repurchases is to increase the value of the shares held by stockholders. Both ATT and Verizon have repurchased shares over the past 5 years, with ATT averaging $4.3 billion in repurchases per year versus Verizons $1.3 billion per year. ATTs consistently larger repurchasing may signify that it views its shares as undervalued, or that it wants to improve its reported earnings-per-share. As noted earlier, ATTs 2008 earnings-per-share were $0.09 lower than Verizons, so this might be a legitimate strategy to attract future stockholder investment. However, the consistent treasury stock repurchases may be a sign that ATT is struggling to obtain legitimate interest from investors, so they are instead just acquiring their own shares to inflate the stocks value. References ATT Inc. 2008 Annual Report. ATT Investor Relations. Online. . ATT Inc. Form 10-K | 2008. Rep. no. 1-8610. Washington, DC: United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Online. . ATT Investor Relations. ATT Official Site. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. . ATT. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. . Top 10 Profit Margins by Industry, Telecom Domestic. The Online Investor. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . Verizon Communications Inc. 2008 Annual Report. Verizon | Investor Relations. Online. . Verizon Communications Inc. Form 10-K | 2008. Rep. no. 1-8606. Washington, DC: United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Online. . Verizon Company Profile. Verizon | Investor Relations. Web. 17 Feb. 2010. . Verizon Communications. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .

Essay --

Edith Corales Med 2049 Acute Renal Failure; PTX Tomie Nishime 11/11/2013 The human anatomy works is amazing in many ways and for the most part it all works together to keep a person alive. Every part of the body is essential, but the most important parts are the vital organs; hence the word â€Å"vital†. In most cases the organs start working when the baby is just in the womb but as person hits a certain milestone the body starts to have complications. Even a healthy person can start to have problems because it is inevitable to avoid harmful toxic that could have a negative effect on the body. In reference to toxic, the organ that eliminates toxics out of the body is the kidney. As stated by the National Kidney Foundation â€Å"Most people know that a major function of the kidneys is to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. These waste products and excess fluid are removed through the urine. The production of urine involves highly complex steps of excretion and re-absorption. This process is necessary to maintain a stable balance o f body chemicals† (2013). Therefore the kidneys need to be well cared for because any damage to it can cause a malfunction; for instance, acute renal failure (ARF) reduces or completely stops the kidney’s function to filter our waste from the blood and excreting it in a form of urine. There are three different cause of acute renal failure prerenal, intrarenal and post renal. Pre-renal is a case when there is a loss of fluid in the body; for example, hypovolemic shock due to internal bleeding can cause a prerenal ARF. Pre-renal happens outside of the body because of the depletion of vascular fluid. As noted by Needham in his article â€Å"Management of Acute Renal Failure†, â€Å"Pre-renal azot... ...ve a symptom of anorexia, nausea, vomiting and pruritus. The amount of urine being excreted out of the body can be measured and in a person has a urine output of 400ml within one day then it is considered oliguria. A even serious urination complication is anuria which is the complete suppression of urine in the kidney, so no urine is being made. Reference The National Kidney Foundation (2013). Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozTopic_KidneyDisease.cfm Needham, E M.D. (2005). Management of Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/1101/p1739.html WebMD (2013). Topic overview: Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/uremic-syndrome Livestrong (2013). Acute & Chronic Renal Disease. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/212266-acute-chronic-renal-disease/

Touching the Void

From Touching he Void Backgraund Joe Simpson's book â€Å"Touching the Void† was publised in 1998; translated into 23 languages and achieved sales of 500,000 across all editions. When Joe Simpson and his friend Simon Yates decided to go climbing in Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, he wouldn't imagine he would caught up in the most spectacular survival story. Fallen into a crevasse after Yates cuts the rope during an accident he was left for dead, but his will to survive was stronger than the odds. Main Characters Joe Simpson – mountaineer/first climber-optimistic, Joe falls, breaking his leg and heel when he impacts the bottom then Simon cut the rope which Joe was hanging asuming that Joe will die. Simon Yates – mountaineer /climber – 21-ear-old, was faced with the first of two terrible decisions: should he abandon his friend – whom they both knew was as good as dead – or try to get him down the mountain? Yates chose the second option. Plot In the mid-80's two young climbers attempted to reach the summit of Siula Grande in Peru; a feat that had previously been attempted but never achieved. With an extra man looking after base camp, Simon and Joe set off to scale the mount in one long push over several days. The peak is reached, however on the descent Joe falls and breaks his leg. Despite what it means, the two continue with Simon letting Joe out on a rope for 300 meters, then descending to join him and so on. However when Joe goes out over an overhang with no way of climbing back up, Simon makes the decision to cut the rope. Joe falls into a crevice and Simon, assuming him dead, continues back down. Joe however survives the fall and was lucky to hit a ledge in the crevice. This is the story of how he got back down. A man was on a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes Mountains where a fall broke his leg severely. Joe Simpson and his friend, Simon Yates were experienced mountain climbers but were not prepared for this grueling disaster in the hours that followed Joe's fall. Surviving in sub zero temperatures, treacherous icy cliffs and a severe injury left Joe helpless while his climbing partner, Simon had to make difficult decisions for both of their survivals. Simon decided to painfully lower injured Joe slowly with ropes in the blinding snow and used tugs on the ropes as their communications. A few hours went by as the climbing team tried in vein to avoid deep crevices and avalanches while the roaring wind and no visibility made the situation much worse. Simon felt no life on the other side of the rope for quite some time before he decided to cut his end, assuming his friend Joe had died from the descending attempts. The story progresses into unbelievable human emotion as Simon expresses the guilt he felt of not being able to save his friend and cutting the rope for his own survival as he makes the daring descend down to base camp to tell the sad news to others. Meanwhile, Joe was not dead at all but seriously injured and crawled and slid down the mountain with no water or food for two days in blizzard conditions. Simon was packing up Joe's belongings and getting ready to leave camp to tell Joe's family the horrible news when all of a sudden he heard a howling wolf. The howling was coming from Joe unbeknownst to Simon until he decided to go investigate and was flabbergasted to see his injured friend a few miles from base camp. Pharagraph by pharagraph

Madame Bovary and Written on the body Essay

Madame Bovary and Written on the body, penned by Gustave Flaubert and Jeanette Winterson respectively, encapsulate the essence of gender while breaking free of the stigma attached to it. The actions of both the protagonists from these works reflect a complete divorce of the influence of their genders from the course of action they took. The ambiguity of the sex of Winterson’s character along with the Volatile nature of Flaubert’s Emma twist many facets of gender and society together into solid plots. Both are narratives of the highest order and equally reflect ideas which are considered radical. Both novels place sexual structures and explanations of gender into question, i. e. is the male sex really superior? Are woman really constricted by their femininity? Through the narrative on Emma we get a taste of a woman who goes again societal norms and at times acts more masculine than feminine. Then we have the I-narrator in Winterson’s novel that continually transcends boundaries set for sexes because of his/her own unidentified and undefined gender. Similarly, one would have to notice that Winterson’s novel shuns sexes completely. Instead of working within a space where there is a fixed gender, which is further placed into a categorically constructed culture and society in order to pinpoint the wants and needs of an individual, we are left with imagery that shows us a being, which has an identity and subsequently wants and needs things based on that identity. (Sonnenberg 3) Typical to this fact both the characters tip toe around the limitations of the sexes. This is the reason Winterson’s character is easy to compare to Emma. The novels’ negate the traditional roles of the sexes, in particular they negate the role of women as passive object of exploration by following masculine paradigms, but also in ultimately rejecting such models in favor of reciprocity, they becomes an almost perfect illustration of a refusal of the role of woman and also the refusal of the economic, ideological, and political power of a man. The actions of both characters set them apart from normal behavior (Maynard, Purvis 151). One has to wonder whether Emma is a victim in the traditional sense or has the author deliberately downplayed the masculinity of the three main male characters i. e. Charles, Leon and Rodolphe. (Porter 263). The character does not follow the norms of one gender. This was the reason that Flaubert’s novel was greatly protested. On one hand she is extremely feminine but on the other hand she has extremely masculine markers in her personality. It was Charles Baudelaire who pointed out that Emma’s desires masculinized her, and he labeled her a â€Å"bizarre androgyne. † In reality, in the background of the 19th-century French anticipations about women’s conduct, Emma’s blatant sexuality and far-reaching aspiration did stand out as alien and unacceptable, as the trial of Madame Bovary on allegations of violating public morals showed. (Porter 124). She is definitely feminine in many ways, but very easily slips into the lead of forefront of her relationships which is usually reserved for the male counterparts. An example of this would be her relationship with Leon and also the fact that she wore monocles which was highly unlikely for a woman of that day and age. Likewise the I-narrator in â€Å"Written on the body† seems to be neither male nor female. As tempting as it would be, it does not work for the reader to search for the gender clues in this character, the mention of a shirt, a nipple, a motorcycle – for none of these provides conclusive evidence, there are however, many hints that suggest that the character is in fact female such as the description s/he awards to the objective of his/her affection i. e. Louise. It is that very fact which throws the plot into controversy; a plain tale of adultery would have been rather poetic, one which is filled with ambiguity and revolves around a woman stealing another mans wife is highly bizarre (Farwell 187). Explaining Emma’s character, Laurence porter writes, â€Å"Naomi Schor described Emma as a woman who desired to break the chain of passive femininity but who fails to accede to the phallic writing state. Roger Huss centers similarly on the impossibility of Emma’s incorporation of the masculine, the impossibility of gender plentitude, and the problem of the different itself. † (Porter 125). In a world where men ruled supreme, Emma’s charm stemmed from her education which had taken away some parts of her femininity because of the knowledge she had gained. She was now a part of the male world whether anyone admitted her into that world or not was not even a question. In the same way as the protagonist in â€Å"Written on the body,† who, if indeed a lesbian, failed to separate herself from the masculine side of her personality, and if a man, fell short of acting like the traditional Alpha. Another comparison could be the ideology of love and in fact the myth of romance. The protagonists of both novels have a very cliched understanding of love. They are deluded with their preconceived notions about love and how it is meant to play out in their lives. Emma becomes depressed with her life and her marriage because of this very fact. The narrator in ‘Written on the body’ also feels the same, which is reflected in the following words, â€Å"I was trapped in a cliche every bit as redundant as my parents’ roses round the door, I was looking for the perfect coupling, the never-sleep-non-stop mighty orgasm. Ecstasy without end. I was deep in the slop-bucket of romance,† (Written on the body 21). They are both looking for something which is basically too idealistic and utopian in nature to really exist. One more front on which both the novels collide is adultery. Both the protagonists wholeheartedly indulge. Emma does it by cheating on her husband not once but twice. She craves the kind of love that she had read about in her books and goes around looking for it till she finds it in Leon and Rodolphe. Winterson’s character is also infatuated with the idea of love and goes looking for it in the arms of another man’s wife. There seems to be nothing that can stop the two and their own selfish motives are the only ones they care about. The character in ‘Written on the body’ seems to be a narcissist who cares for no one but him/herself. Emma is indeed selfish in the same way because she cares only for her own self-satisfaction and disregards the pain she could cause her husband when she finds out about her affairs. Madame Bovary reflects the 19th century French society, while Winterson’s expose is from more recent times. What the works show us is that sexuality and gender have been conflicted since a long time and continue to stay so. Society will always gape and be appalled at such pieces of literature because they go against the dead rules that have been constructed for the existence of mankind. Traditionally men and women have both been assigned their places in the world and those places are not to be tampered with; one of the most sensitive areas one can go experimenting with is sexuality. In some ways both works reflect how anyone from a particular gender cannot stay happy once it has tasted the waters from the other side. The knowledge of the other side gives them an insane desire to climb onto it repeatedly, thereby causing friction and in fact a chaotic contradiction the roles that society had already laid out for them. Work Cited Farwell, Marilyn R: Heterosexual Plots and Lesbian Narratives: 1996 Flaubert, Gustave: Madame Bovary: 2004 Maynard, Mary & Purvis, June: Hetero) sexual Politics: 1995 Porter, Laurence M: A Gustave Flaubert encyclopaedia: 2001 Sonnenberg: Body Image and Identity in Jeanette Winterson’s â€Å"Written on the Body†: 2007 Winterson, Jeanette: Written on the Body: 1994