Apple Inc Stock Analysis :: Essays Papers

Apple Inc stock analysis Apple Computer Inc designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers and related personal computing and communication solutions. The return of Steve Jobs, the companies founder, as CEO has pulled the company’s stock price up 775-percent through his launch of innovative products such as the iMac computer line. On January 5, 2000, Jobs announced that he was dropping interim from his CEO title and taking the job full-time. With this news and Apple’s new products such as the iBook, a portable pc and Quick TV, an internet television access feature, Apple Computer is headed for success and is sure to increase their share in the computer market. The stock price is currently 103.31, down from a recent high of 121.50. The P/E ratio is declining at 28 and beta at .67, which is expected to grow closer to 1.0. A recent earnings surprise last December yielded a 15% difference from the lower expectations and the latest earnings reports late last month also surprised investors. Estimates for the 2000 fiscal year are being raised by a large majority of analyst who believe that earnings per share will increase and the stock price will reach close to 150. On January 25, 2000, Apple’s portable pc the iBook was ranked number 1 in its fourth quarter market and gives Apple a 10% share of all portable computers in the U.S. retail market and is estimated to have a 7% in foreign markets. I believe an increase in demand for this product over the next few months and Apple’s ability to supply the increase will be gradually pushing the price upward. The introduction of Apple’s new operating system is underway and is sure to boost stock price after the new product is highly marketed. Apple’s partnership with Earthlink, an internet service company will provide them with an opportunity for advancement into the industry. A new feature for Mac users is Quick TV, which allows users to watch TV on the internet.

Immanuel Kant and the Ethics of Leadership Essay

In chapter three of The Ethics of Leadership, Joanne B. Ciulla, introduces the moral philosophy of Prussian philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who developed a set of ethics to guide our decisions and help us judge whether certain actions are morally correct. Kant’s moral theory does not look at all into consequences and has a very strict view of morality which can sometimes conflict between duty and self-interest. Ciulla mentions the story of David and Bathsheba in the Bible and asserts, â€Å"Leaders are often tempted to lie because they believe they either won’t get caught, or they can cover up their lies. † (Ciulla, 94) This assertion rings ever so true in light of the recent scandals involving the increase in U. S. politicians that have confessed to adultery. As marriage and family are often regarded as a basis of society, a story of adultery often shows the conflict between social pressure and individual struggle for happiness. Adultery is a very American topic. We have been redefining the parameters of its acceptability and taboo with each new generation since the Scarlet Letter. Why is American society becoming so obsessed with these types of scandals and what does it say about the morality of our society? Perhaps society is not solely obsessed with the adultery itself; maybe society is more obsessed with its leaders â€Å"fall from grace†. Sexual affairs have been a part of U. S. politics since Thomas Jefferson. However, politicians’ affairs were generally kept outside the purview of the public eye. Over the years we have began to see a change. Society is somehow fascinated with the whole idea of adultery and the entertainment industry celebrates it and portrays it mostly in a very romantic light. I am guilty of watching shows such as â€Å"The Good Wife†, a show about the wife and family of a politician involved in a sexual scandal or â€Å"Desperate Housewives† that romanticize and make adultery seem like the right thing to do if you need a little excitement in your life. Perhaps by watching TV shows like this, one is being conditioned to do what makes him or her happy or do whatever feels good or â€Å"right†. Oftentimes, whatever feels â€Å"right† is described as whatever comes easily or naturally for an individual. Our society seems obsessed with finding â€Å"happiness† which the Kantian philosophy totally opposes. According to Kantian philosophy, every one of us is a moral agent. We give the moral law to ourselves by asking ourselves if we are doing the right thing only for sake of doing the right thing. One may never find happiness, feel comfortable making the â€Å"right†, or morally correct decision under the Kantian philosophy. The morally valued thing in the universe is the rational human being that can give the law to himself or herself and our moral actions should be treating human beings as morally valuable. According to Kant, we should never treat a human being in such a way that we fail to respect the intrinsic human dignity of the human being. In essence, we should never treat anyone as a means to an end or treat a person against his or her dignity. Now let us return to the issue of the politician and his or her effectiveness as a leader. Is the morality of the message dependent upon the morality of the messenger? Although the morality of the message is NOT dependent upon the morality of the messenger, I think that the message has a far greater impact coming from someone who practices or lives it on a daily basis. Perhaps Americans are so fascinated with politicians’ and their adulterous scandals given that they presented a false image of themselves. It would be refreshing to have a politician simply be honest and say, â€Å"I’m not currently living up to this ideal, but I do value it†. Granted that could cost a politician the election but that would be the right thing to do according to Kant.

Costco Wiki

Costco From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with COSCO, a Chinese shipping company. Costco Wholesale Corporation| | Type| Public| Traded as| NASDAQ:  COST| Industry| Retailing| Founded| 1983 (Kirkland, Washington)| Founder(s)| James D. Sinegal Jeffrey H. Brotman| Headquarters| Issaquah, Washington, U. S. | Area served| Worldwide| Key people| Jeffrey H. Brotman (Chairman) W. Craig Jelinek (President, CEO & COO)| Products| Discount stores, Merchandise, Cash & Carry/Warehouse club| Revenue| US$ 88. 15  billion (2011)[1]| Operating income| US$ 2. 439  billion (2011)[1]| Net income| US$ 1. 462  billion (2011)[1]| Total assets| US$ 26. 761  billion (2011)[1]| Total equity| US$ 12. 002  billion (2011)[1]| Employees| 92,000 (2012)[1]| Website| Costco. com| Costco Wholesale Corporation is the seventh largest retailer in the world. As of July 2012, it was the fifth largest retailer in the United States, and the largest membership ware house club chain in the United States. [2][3] As of October 2007, Costco is the largest retailer of wine in the world. 4] Contents * 1 Location * 2 History * 3 Costco today * 4 Sales model * 5 Membership * 6 Policies * 6. 1 Return policy * 6. 2 Food stamps in the U. S. * 6. 3 Cash Cards * 7 Products * 7. 1 Kirkland Signature * 8 Services * 8. 1 Online shopping * 8. 2 Costco Travel * 8. 3 Costco Connection * 8. 4 Food service * 9 Animal Welfare Concerns * 10 Labor relations * 11 International * 12 Locations * 13 Other wholesale formats * 13. 1 Costco Business Center * 13. 2 Costco Home * 14 See also * 15 References * 16 External links| LocationCostco is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, United States[5] and was founded in 1983 in Kirkland, Washington[citation needed] with its first warehouse in nearby Seattle. [6] Today Costco has locations in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the United States. [7] History Logo used until the early 1 990s. Founded by James (Jim) Sinegal and Jeffrey H. Brotman,[8] Costco opened its first warehouse in Seattle, Washington, on September 15, 1983. [9] Sinegal had started in wholesale distribution by working for Sol Price at both FedMart and Price Club.Brotman, an attorney from an old Seattle retailing family, had also been involved in retail distribution from an early age. [citation needed] Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton had plans to merge Sam's Club with Price Club. [10] In 1993, however, Costco merged with Price Club (called Club Price in the Canadian province of Quebec). Costco's business model and size were similar to those of Price Club, which was founded by Sol and Robert Price in 1976 in San Diego, California. [6] Thus, the combined company, PriceCostco, was effectively double the size of each of its parents.Just after the merger, PriceCostco had 206 locations generating $16  billion in annual sales. [11] PriceCostco was initially led by executives from both companies, but then Sol and his son Robert Price founded Price Enterprises and left Costco in December 1994. [6] The Costco in Moncton, New Brunswick Entrance in Henderson, Nevada In 1993, when growing competition threatened both Price Club and Costco Wholesale, they entered into a partial merger just after Price’s earnings dropped to 40%. The new company, named PriceCostco, Inc. , focused heavily on international expansion, opening stores in Mexico, South Korea, and England.Despite best efforts to recover losses, sales continued to drop. Disagreement between the two leaders, Robert Price and Jim Sinegal, regarding company direction and recovery policies soon left the merger in tatters. In 1994, the breakup was formally announced. Sinegal continued to manage PriceCostco while Price’s breakaway company was named as Price Enterprises. In 1997, the name of Sinegal’s company was changed from PriceCostco to Costco Wholesale. The first Price Club location was opened in 1976 in an old ai rplane hangar,[6][11] previously owned by Howard Hughes, and is still in operation today (Warehouse No. 01, located on Morena Boulevard in San Diego). In 1997, the company changed its name to Costco Wholesale and all Price Club locations were rebranded Costco. [6][11] CNBC premiered its documentary â€Å"The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant† on April 26, 2012. [12] Costco today In the United States, the main competitors operating membership warehouses are Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club. [13] Although Sam's Club has more warehouses[14] than Costco, Costco has higher total sales volume. [15] Costco employs about 142,000  full and part-time employees,[7] including seasonal workers.As of September 2009, Costco had 55 million members. [16] Costco was the first company to grow from zero to $3  billion in sales in less than six years. [11] For the fiscal year ending on August 31, 2011, the company's sales totaled $88. 915  billion,[7] with $1. 462  billion net pr ofit. [17] Costco is 24th on the 2012 Fortune 500. [17] The ACSI (The American Customer Satisfaction Index) named Costco number one in the specialty retail store industry with a score of 83 in Q4 2008. [18] As of September 2010,[19][dated info] Costco's board of directors is chaired by co-founder Jeffrey H.Brotman and includes three officers of the company: CEO/co-founder James D. Sinegal, President/COO W. Craig Jelinek, and CFO Richard A. Galanti. There are also eleven independent directors: Hamilton E. James (the â€Å"Lead Independent Director†), Benjamin S. Carson, Sr. , Susan Decker, Richard D. DiCerchio, Daniel J. Evans, William H. Gates, Sr. , Richard M. Libenson, John W. Meisenbach, Charles T. Munger, Jeff Raikes, and Jill Ruckelshaus. In the United States, Costco is closed on seven holidays: New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.Sales model Typical Costco warehouse interior Costco focuses on selling products at low prices, often at very high volume. These goods are usually bulk-packaged and marketed primarily to large families and businesses. Furthermore, Costco does not carry multiple brands or varieties where the item is essentially the same except when it has a house brand to sell, typically under the Kirkland Signature label. This results in a high volume of sales from a single vendor, allowing further reductions in price, and reducing marketing costs.If Costco management feels the wholesale price of a product is too high, they will refuse to stock the product. For example, on November 16, 2009, Costco announced that it would stop selling Coca-Cola products due to the soft drink maker refusing to lower its wholesale prices. [20] Costco resumed selling Coca-Cola products on December 14, 2009. [21][22] Costco also saves money by not stocking extra bags or packing materials; to carry out their goods, customers must bring their own bags or use the merchandise shipping boxes from the compa ny's outside vendors.Lighting costs are reduced on sunny days, as most Costco locations have several skylights. During the day, electronic light meters measure how much light is coming in the skylights and turn off an appropriate percentage of the interior lights. During a typical sunny day, it is very common for the center section of the warehouse to have no interior lights powered on. [23] Most products are delivered to the warehouse on shipping pallets and these pallets are used to display products for sale on the warehouse floor. This contrasts with retail stores that break down pallets and stock individual products on shelves.Costco limits its price markup on items to 15%. [24] Membership Costco in Tlalpan, Mexico City Costco is only open to members and their guests, except for purchases of liquor and gasoline in some US states because of state law; and prescription drugs because of federal law. [25] Memberships must be purchased in advance for one year. Purchases made at Costc o's website do not require a membership; however, a 5% surcharge is added to purchases made by non-members. Purchases made with Costco Cash Cards also do not require a membership, and there is no surcharge.Canadian and United States Costco locations only accept American Express, PIN-based debit cards (Interac in Canada), Costco credit cards, Costco Cash Cards, cash, checks, and EBT cards (food stamps). While Costco welcomes members to bring up to two guests, only the members may pay for items. American Express is the only accepted credit card (in the United States, Canada, and Japan) because they charge Costco very low interchange fees (a percentage of revenue from total sales made); as Costco's margins are low in comparison to other retailers[citation needed].Costco accepts Flexible Spending Account (FSA) debit cards for qualifying purchases at the pharmacy and optical departments in the US. Costco. com accepts the American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards. The website also accepts Bill Me Later accounts for payment. [26] As of November 2011, membership fees at Costco are $55 per year for a Gold Star (individual) or Business membership (older memberships are grandfathered in at $50 per year), which can be upgraded to Executive membership for an additional $55 per year. [27] Along with the additional benefits the executive membership offers (e. . home loans, car insurance, check printing services) Executive members also receive an annual â€Å"2% Rewards Check† of up to $750. 00 from Costco on all purchases made, excluding select items such as gasoline, tobacco, stamps and in some states, alcohol. [28] In Canada, membership is CDN $55. 00 a year for a Gold Star membership and includes a card for a spouse, or CDN $110. 00 a year for an Executive membership. [29] In the United Kingdom, membership is restricted to certain groups only. Trade membership is available to the owners or managers of businesses for ? 20. 00 (plus VAT).Trade members re ceive a complimentary spouse/partner card, and can purchase additional cards (at a cost of ? 12+VAT each) for employees. Qualified professionals such as solicitors, magistrates, accountants and engineers, as well as employees in certain specific sectors (such as medical services, education, local government, the civil service, airlines and banking) may apply for individual membership, which costs ? 25 including a spouse/partner card. [30] A Costco card issued in another country is valid in the U. K. ,[31] and as such, it would be possible for a U. K. esident to sign up elsewhere and use their card at home without meeting U. K. membership requirements. [citation needed] In Australia, membership is A$55. 00 a year for a business membership, or A$60. 00 a year for a Gold Star membership. [32] In Mexico, membership is MXN $450. 00 a year for a Gold Star membership, or MXN $1000. 00 a year for an Executive membership. [33] Costco is only open to members for all services and purchases. Me xican locations only accept cash and Visa Electron debit cards; purchases with MasterCard or Visa credit cards have a surcharge of approximately 4%.Purchases with the Mexican Costco credit card keep cash prices. Policies Australia's first Costco outlet, at Docklands, Victoria Return policy Costco memberships can be refunded in full at any time before they expire. [34] Costco guarantees almost all of their products with a full refund within a reasonable amount of time. Exceptions include televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, digital audio players, and cellular phones; these may be returned within 90 days of purchase for any reason for a refund.After 90 days those returns must be done through the manufacturer according to the terms of the warranty. Also excepted are tires (which are covered by their manufacturer's separate defects and treadware warranties) and batteries (which are covered by a 36/100-month warranty, where they may be replaced for free in the first 3 6 months and are covered under a pro-rated warranty for months 37-100). Costco has negotiated with manufacturers to extend the manufacturers warranty to two years for new TVs and computers (five years on TV's sold by Costco in the UK).Costco also offers a free â€Å"concierge† service to members who purchase electronics, to help answer questions regarding setup and use and avoid potential returns due to not understanding how to use the products. [34] Food stamps in the U. S. Until 2009, Costco did not accept food stamps. As of March 14, 2009, an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted Jim Sinegal, co-founder and president of the company, as saying, â€Å"Generally we don't have customers who use food stamps. [35] In response to the poor economy, as well as competitor BJ's Wholesale Club's decision in April to accept electronic food-stamp benefits chainwide,[36] Costco announced in May 2009 that it will accept food stamps on a trial basis in two New York City stores sta rting in June 2009 and depending on its success, might expand it to all New York City stores. [37] The company subsequently announced plans to expand the program beyond New York City, targeting first the â€Å"hard-hit areas likeMichigan, Indiana, and the central valley of California†, expanding to â€Å"half its roughly 410 U. S. stores by Thanksgiving†, and then going nationwide. [38] Cash Cards Costco Cash Cards can be purchased in the warehouse and members can load them with money to make non-cash purchases at all Costco warehouses in the United States and Australia. Because Costco gas stations take only Costco Cash, debit cards, American Express, and Costco credit cards, people who can only pay for gas by check or cash must purchase a Costco Cash Card inside the building before filling up.A Costco Membership is not required to make purchases with a Costco Cash Card. A non-member may not purchase or re-load a Costco Cash Card; however, they may spend more than the total value of their cash card in-store provided they pay in cash or approved debit cards for the remaining balance. [39] Products Over the years, Costco has gradually expanded its range of products and services. Initially it preferred to sell only boxed products that could be dispensed by simply tearing the stretch wrap off a pallet. It now[when? sells many other products that are more difficult to handle, such as fresh produce, meat, dairy, seafood, fresh baked goods, flowers, clothing, books, computer software, vacuums, home appliances, home electronics, solar panels, jewelry, tires, art, fine wine, hot tubs, furniture and caskets. Many warehouses have tire garages, pharmacies, hearing aid centers, optometrists, photo processors, and gas stations. Optometrists working at Costco locations will see patients without Costco memberships. Costco Optical ranks as the fourth-largest optical company in the US. [40] A membership is required to fill a prescription at the optical department. Some locations have liquor stores, often kept separate from the main warehouse in order to comply with liquor license restrictions. In some states (such as Texas), the liquor store must be owned and operated by a separate company with separate employees. [41] In 2006, Costco lost a lawsuit against the state of Washington in which it was seeking to purchase wine directly from the producer, bypassing the state retail monopoly. [42] In Australia, Costco has to comply with regulations set by each state they choose trade in; their first store in the state of Victoria benefits from some of the most liberal lcohol licensing laws in the country, with retailers permitted to sell alcohol on shelves within the store, in a manner similar to most European countries, yet they have chosen to have a separate checkout within the liquor section. [citation needed] Kirkland Signature Kirkland Signature logo Kirkland Signature branded bottled water Kirkland Signature is Costco's store brand, otherwise k nown in the retail industry as an â€Å"own-brand,† â€Å"house brand† or â€Å"private label. † It is found exclusively at Costco's website and Costco warehouses and is trademarked by the company.The name derives from the fact that Costco's corporate headquarters was located in the city of Kirkland, Washington between 1987 and 1996. [43] Costco introduced Kirkland Signature as its house brand in 1995. The idea was to identify categories in which a private label product could provide brand name quality at discounted prices. [44] To counteract the consumer confidence problem common in store branding, Kirkland Signature sometimes relies on co-branding. According to Costco, while consumers may be wary of same-store-branding, they are less likely to be wary of brands that they are familiar with and trust. 45] Services | This section does not cite any references or sources. (October 2009)| Costco acts as an investment broker and travel agent. Costco has an agreement with Ameriprise for auto and home insurance. In 2004 Costco offered an original artwork by artist Pablo Picasso on their online store; more recently[when? ] a highly regarded 1982 Mouton Rothschild wine was offered as well as other rare wines in rotation. [citation needed] Costco Photo Center is a multi-functional photography printing lab offering services at the warehouses as well as through their web site, costcophotocenter. com.The website provides free unlimited digital file storage with a current membership. Previous to May or June 2010, Costco had an agreement with Mypublisher. com for custom book and calendar publishing. Now,[when? ] they print the photobooks and calendars themselves. Online shopping The domain costco. com attracted at least 58 million visitors in 2008 according to a Compete. com survey. [46] Costco Travel Costco Travel is a wholly owned subsidiary of Costco Wholesale, and offers leisure travel to Costco members of the United States. [47] The program was esta blished in 2000 as a service to Costco members.Costco Travel's offices are located in Issaquah, Washington, adjacent to Costco's corporate headquarters. Costco Travel employs 290 travel professionals, all of whom are Costco employees. The program offers vacation packages to Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Orlando, the South Pacific, the Desert Southwest and Las Vegas. [citation needed] Other products include cruises, guided vacations, theme park packages, houseboat rentals, hotel-only lodging and luxury vacation rentals. [citation needed] Select products feature additional benefits for Costco Executive Members. citation needed] The program is marketed directly to Costco members through various Costco avenues, including the Travel Guide to Savings (found in all U. S. Costco warehouses), online in the Travel section of Costco. com. [citation needed] Costco Connection | This section does not cite any references or sources. (September 2012)| The Costco Connection is a magazine se nt free to members of the warehouse club Costco and includes articles which regularly tie into the corporation along with business, health and social articles. Food serviceA food concession stand at the Costco warehouse in Overland Park, Kansas Most Costco locations have a food court, offering a quarter-pound 100% beef hot dog or polish sausage and 20  oz drink (with refill) for $1. 50, the same price since 1985. [48] In Australia the hot dog is made of pork and is sold at A$2. 49 with large soda. In Canada the price for a hot dog and 20 oz pop drink with refill is 1. 50 CAD. [49] In Mexico, the hot dog is made of pork, and includes a drink (with refill) for $25 MXN. In the UK, the hot dog is also made from beef and you also get a drink (with refill) for ? 1. 50.Costco sold more than 82 million quarter-pound hot dogs in its food courts in 2008. [49] Pizza is also available in most locations as cheese, pepperoni, veggie, or combo, and can be ordered to go at many locations. Frozen yogurt is also served in chocolate, vanilla, or swirled together. Also offered are berry smoothies, mocha latte freezes, chicken bake, turkey provalogne sandwiches, twisted churros, chicken Caesar salads, and in some locations, gelato. French fries are also offered in some locations. Due to slow sales, the pretzel was replaced by the churro. [50] The nutrition data for the Costco Food Court items is posted online. 51] In April 2010, certain Costco warehouses in the U. S. and Canada replaced their Coca-Cola drink fountain selections with Pepsi, accompanied with a change in labels on the disposable cups. [citation needed] Animal Welfare Concerns In 2010, Mercy for Animals conducted an undercover investigation at Buckeye Veal Farm, a veal supplier to Costco. [52] Immediately following the investigative release, Costco adopted a policy against purchasing veal from producers that use the crate-and-chain production method. [53] The case prompted Ohio decision-makers to vote in favor of a veal crate phase-out in the state. 54] In 2012, Mercy for Animals conducted an undercover investigation at a pork supplier to Costco, Walmart, Safeway, Kroger, and Kmart. [55] Before the public release of the investigation, Costco announced they would begin requiring their pork suppliers to phase out gestation crates. [56] [57] Labor relations While some former Price Club locations in California and the northeastern United States are staffed by Teamsters,[58] the majority of Costco locations are not unionized although there seems to be a move in 2012 to unionize some locations in Canada. 59] The non-union locations have revisions to their Costco Employee Agreement every three years concurrent with union contract ratifications in locations with collective bargaining agreements. Only remotely similar to a union contract, the Employee Agreement sets forth such things as benefits, compensations, wages, disciplinary procedures, paid holidays, bonuses, and seniority. The employee ‘a greement' is subject to change by Costco at any time and offers no absolute protection to the workers. As of March 2011, non-supervisory hourly wages ranged from $11. 00 to $21. 0 in the United States, $11. 00 to $22. 15 in Canada, and ? 6. 28 to ? 10. 50 in the United Kingdom. In the US, eighty-five percent of Costco's workers have health insurance, compared with less than fifty percent at Walmart and Target. [60] Product-demonstration (e. g. , food samples) employees work for an outside company. In the western U. S. , the company is called Warehouse Demo Services, Kirkland, Washington. [61] Costco also uses Club Demonstration Services, based in San Diego, California. [62] In Canada, demonstrations are done exclusively by Professional Warehouse Demonstrations. 63] Demonstration employees receive a pay and benefit package that is less than that of Costco employees. [64][unreliable source? ] International Warehouses outside the US are similar to those in the US. Layout, signage, and even parking lot markings are generally identical to warehouses in the US. [citation needed] Food court menus are tailored to international tastes, with poutine on offer in Canada, seafood-topped pizza available in Asian and Mexican locations, clam chowder in Japan, Taiwan ; South Korea, jacket potatoes in the UK and meat pies in Australia. 65] The merchandise mix available in warehouses is also tailored to local tastes, with a mix of both American and local products available. Map of Costco warehouses in the US. Locations As of October 26, 2012, Costco has 611 warehouses:[66] * 442 in the United States (including 4 in Puerto Rico) * 82 in Canada * 32 in Mexico * 22 in the United Kingdom. The latest to open is in Coventry. * 13 in Japan. The latest to open is in Kobe * 9 in South Korea. The latest to open is in Gwangmyeong * 8 in Taiwan * 3 in Australia The latest to open is in Sydney In 2005 the world's largest Costco was located in Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S. [67][68] Other wholesale formats Costco has experimented with other formats. Plans for Costco Fresh, a gourmet supermarket, were abandoned in February 2003. The membership-based format was to include a pharmacy, bakery, olive bar, deli, cafe, garden center and photo and optical departments, with products packaged in smaller quantities. [69] Costco Business Center Costco Business Centers carry restaurant, hospitality, janitorial, convenience store, and professional office supplies; items are offered in bulk or in smaller quantities, and selection for a given category of product is much broader. 70] Delivery is available. Unlike traditional Costcos, products such as clothing, sporting goods, jewelry, tires, hearing aids, and optical products are not available. [70] A limited assortment of over-the-counter drugs and toiletries are sold, though there is no pharmacy. Some locations have a gas station and/or food court. All except San Diego have a Print & Copy Center. As of October 2012, there are ten Costco Busi ness Centers, located in California (Commerce, Hawthorne, Hayward, and San Diego), Washington (Lynnwood, Fife), Morrow and Tukwila, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona. [66] Costco HomeThe first Costco Home warehouse debuted in 2002 in Kirkland, Washington. The warehouse's concept was to combine the value, setting and members-only elements of Costco's warehouse clubs with the product array one would find at an upscale home store, such as Fortunoff or Crate & Barrel. The Costco Home warehouses sold furniture, housewares, kitchen products and accessories from higher-end brands such as Lexington, Ralph Lauren and Waterford[71] in a warehouse-club setting. Costco claimed that, similar to its main warehouses, it accepted lower margins in return for greater volume with minimal overhead.Over time, the concept was adjusted to include home electronics, some major appliances, office furniture, and a large selection of outdoor furniture and window treatments. Costco also partners with Glen tel subsidiary WIRELESS etc. to sell mobile phones and plans in Canada and Wireless Advocates in the US. On April 2, 2009, the company announced that it would be abandoning its Costco Home concept, closing the two existing stores in Kirkland, Washington and Tempe, Arizona on July 3, 2009, and abandoning plans for a third store on the West Coast. 72] The company cited cutbacks in consumer spending on home products and its interest in focusing on its core business as the main reasons. See also | Seattle portal| | Companies portal| * BJ's Wholesale Club * Bulk foods * Sams Club * Walmart * Privacy policy * About Wikipedia * Disclaimers * Mobile view * * The world’s fifth largest retailer by sales, Costco Wholesale Corp (Costco) known for its warehouse club model is also interested in coming to India and waiting for the right opportunity. [

Locke and Hobbes Views on State of Nature

Locke and Hobbes Views on State of Nature Introduction The state of nature, in political philosophy, is a term used in social contract theories to refer to the hypothetical condition that preceded governments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Locke and Hobbes’ Views on State of Nature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a broader sense, state of nature can be described as the condition before rule of positive law comes into being, thus it is a synonym for anarchy (Schochet, 1967). State of nature is fundamental in social contract theory since people seek to be governed by persons in higher authority in order to maintain their social stability. Hobbes and Locke were among the few philosophers who contributed immensely to the concept of state of nature. They were both natural law and social contract theorists who lived in the same era but had different views and arguments on the state of nature, justification of governments and the motives to move out of the state of nature. All other natural law theorists, except Hobbes, assumed that man was a social animal by nature. On contrary, Hobbes assumed very different conclusions and was infamous for several other unconventional results in mathematics and physics. Differences Thomas Hobbes wrote in his greatest work Leviathan, that nothing could be as worst as life without the state protection. As a materialist he borrowed a lot from the principle of conservation in motion from Galileo’s theory. He noted, that an object is eternally supposed to be in motion unless someone disturbs it. Using the principle of conservation of motion, he argued that, human beings are perpetually seeking for new things (Macpherson, 1990). In addition stated that, life itself is in a state of motion and can never be enjoyed without desire to move. He argued that, it is only through the search of well-being that human beings go to war with one another and that the fear of death is the only leading factor to the creation of a state. The state of nature is pictured by Hobbes as a state where all are at war with each other. The search for felicity results to men constantly trying to aggravate their power. According to Hobbes, human beings are made equal by nature since what they possess is equal in terms of strengths and skills. He argued that the weakest has strength enough to kill the most formidable, either by secret maneuvers or by coordinating with others. Hobbes cited that in a state of nature three reasons motivate human beings to attack each other, which included the desire for safety, glory, reputation or for selfish gains. According to Hobbes’ theory, in a state of nature there is no room for the unjust hence there is no space for immorality, something that he referred to as the National Right of Liberty.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Individuals wit h collective rationality are contrasted by Hobbes. When explaining the peculiarity of â€Å"prisoner’s dilemma† Hobbes argued that it is difficult to achieve cooperation when individuals with collective rationality diverge. He believed that an individual’s rational behavior leads to attack of other people. According to him, it is our duty to obey the laws of nature just as other people around us are obedient to it. Incases where an individual feels endangered by other people’s standing, in just an occasion one is termed as acting jealously. According to Hobbes theory the level of collective suspicion and fear is very high such that we are excused for not obeying the law and that we only act in a morally upright way when others act the same way. Hobbes assumes that one concedes his rights to the government in return for life. To him, the role of the society is to direct creation of state and a reflection of the will of the ruler and that whatever the state does is just by definition. On the contrary, Locke’s views and arguments differ a lot when compared to Hobbes’. John Locke believed he could live in a state of nature and in a life without a state government. According to Locke, the state of nature is a state of perfect freedom and a state of equality that is only bound by the law of nature. In his theory, Locke adds a moral and technological aspect where he states that due to the fact that we are all creatures of God we should not harm others except for purposes of self defense. All people have a duty to protect and help others without doing harming themselves. On matters of liberty, we have the freedom to do what is morally upright. Here Locke’s view clearly contrasts Hobbes’ who cited that every one has a right over every thing in a state of nature, even the right over other people’s bodies. Locke advocated for equality among human beings and stated that everyone has the power to enforce the la w of nature within a state of nature. According to Locke, harming somebody is only allowed in self defense and those who break the laws of nature should face punishment as a natural right. He argued that each offense should be severely punished according to its magnitude so as to act as an ill bargain for the offenders and to make them repent, thus terrifying others who may be wanting to commit the same transgressions (Olivecrona, 1998).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Locke and Hobbes’ Views on State of Nature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Locke the most important right to be secured in a state nature is private property. He claims that God created us to own property and live in satisfaction but not to end up starving. Locke cited that there is a natural reason to own property in the sense that if man was to ask permission from another man to use the earth then it would amount to starvation. Locke’s picture of the state of nature is very optimistic. He argues that nature is not ruled by morality and individuals act for their best but not for the best of the community as whole. According to Locke, the reasons that led to creation of states were; increase in resource scarcity and the invention of cash that is a means of non perishable exchange. People could exchange land produce for money avoiding loss, creating wealth and imbalances that Hobbes termed as a state of war. According to him, the role of the society was to ensure justice was done. Similarities There are similarities between Hobbes’ and Locke’s views on state of nature. Both are political philosophers and their writings have influenced to a great extent development of modern political thought. Both refer to the state of nature in which man lives without a government and both point out risks in the state. Both, Hobbes and Locke talk about the dangers of the state of nature. Man is referred by both of them as being equal to the state (Macpherson, 1990). Locke describes nature as a state of perfect equality where superiority over one another is not exercised but despite the equality both warn of dangers of state of nature. For instance, Hobbes says that if two men cannot enjoy the same thing they turn out to be enemies, something that ends in a state of war. Locke points out risks in cases where the law of nature is lacking and everyone executes duties, this may result to what Hobbes refers to as a state of war. Both Locke and Hobbes somehow seem to agree on the law of nature. They seem to agree the concept of law to imply a law enforcer; otherwise the law would be an empty concept. Conclusion I tend to agree with Locke’s point of view in his argument, that in a state of nature there are moral codes which guide and inspire human beings (Macpherson, 1990). My reluctance to support Hobbes argument is supported by the fact that people may choose follow individual re asoning instead of a collective reason. However, Locke’s law of nature is somehow weak since it requires somebody to enforce it and his argument that everybody is empowered may not be true and may result to what Hobbes termed as state of war.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Macpherson, C.B.(1990). The political theory of possessive individualism. Oxford: Clarendon Press Oxford Olivecrona, K.L.(1998). Appropriation in the State of Nature: Locke on the Origin of Property. Journal of the History of Ideas,78(67),90-123. Schochet, G.J.(1967). Thomas Hobbes on the Family and the State of Nature. Political  Science Quarterly,90,78-80

Niels Bohr Institute

Niels Bohr Institute The Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen is one of the most historically-significant physics research sites in the world. Throughout the early twentieth century, it was home to some of the most intensive thinking related to the development of quantum mechanics, which result in a revolutionary rethinking of how we understood the physical structure of matter and energy. Founding of the Institute In 1913, Danish theoretical physicist Niels Bohr developed his now-classic model of the atom. He was a graduate of Copenhagen University and became a professor there in 1916, when he pretty much instantly began lobbying to create a physics research institute at the University. In 1921, he was granted his wish, as the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen was founded with him as the director. It was often referenced with the short-hand name Copenhagen Institute, and youll still find it referenced as such in many books on physics today. The funding to create the Institute for Theoretical Physics largely came from the Carlsberg foundation, which is the charitable organization affiliated with the Carlsberg brewery. Over the course of Bohrs lifetime, the Carlsberg forked out well over a hundred grants to him in his lifetime (according to NobelPrize.org). Beginning in 1924, the Rockefeller Foundation also became a major contributor to the Institute. Developing Quantum Mechanics Bohrs model of the atom was one of the key components of conceptualizing the physical structure of matter within quantum mechanics, and so his Institute for Theoretical Physics became a gathering point for many of the physicists thinking most deeply about these evolving concepts. Bohr went out of his way to cultivate this, creating an international environment in which all researchers would feel welcomed to come to the Institute to assist in their research there. The major claim to fame of the Institute for Theoretical Physics was the work there in developing an understanding of how to interpret the mathematical relationships that were being demonstrated by the work in quantum mechanics. The main interpretation that came out of this work was so closely tied to Bohrs Institute that it became known as the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, even well after it had become the default interpretation the world over. There have been a number of occasions where people directly affiliated with the Institute received Nobel Prizes, most notably: 1922 - Niels Bohr for his atomic model1943 - George de Hevesy for work in nuclear medicine1975 - Aage Bohr and Ben Mottelson for work in describing the structure of the atomic nucleus   At first glance, this might not seem particularly impressive for an institute that was at the center of understanding quantum mechanics. However, a number of other physicists from other institutes throughout the world built their research on the work from the Institute and then went on to receive Nobel Prizes of their own. Renaming the Institute The Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen was officially renamed with the less-cumbersome name Niels Bohr Institute on October 7, 1965, the 80th anniversary of Niels Bohrs birth. Bohr himself had died in 1962. Merging the Institutes The University of Copenhagen of course taught more than quantum physics, and as a result had a number of physics-related institutes associated with the University. On January 1, 1993, the Niels Bohr Institute joined together with the Astronomical Observatory, the Orsted Laboratory, and The Geophysical Institute at the University of Copenhagen to form one large research institute across all of these diverse areas of physics research. The resulting organization retained the name Niels Bohr Institute. In 2005, the Niels Bohr Institute added the Dark Cosmology Centre (sometimes called DARK), which focuses on research into dark energy and dark matter, as well as other areas of astrophysics and cosmology. Honoring the Institute On December 3, 2013, the Niels Bohr Institute was recognized by being designated an official scientific historical site by the European Physical Society. As part of the award, they placed a plaque on the building with the following inscription: This is where the foundation of atomic physics and modern physics were created in a creative scientific environment inspired by Niels Bohr in the 1920s and 30s.

Final Constitution Project--the Country Of Houstatlantavegas Assignment

Final Constitution Project--the Country Of Houstatlantavegas - Assignment Example A Senate term will be four years while that of the house of representative is two years with both parties having unlimited number of terms they can serve. Both the president and the vice president shall be voted in by the citizens through free and secret ballot. The president will later nominate the cabinet and the Supreme Court justices who are eventually approved by the Senate. One shall have to attain the age of twenty -five years and been living in the country for at least seven years (Ritchie, 2006). If a vacancy in the elective posts occurs, the executive in charge shall issue a notice within sixty days. If it happens to be the president, the vice president shall automatically be the President for the remaining period. A runoff election occurs in the case of tied votes for any level of elective post. The president shall be required to get twenty-five percent of the total votes in twenty-seven states. Any candidate who proved to have violated the election regulations shall automatically not participate, and one can cease to hold an office through a vote of no confidence by three-thirds of the house (Ritchie,

SSSR Press Release Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SSSR Press Release - Essay Example The company was formed in 1996 to protect the scenic, aesthetic, recreational and wildlife values of the Santa Rita Mountains through education and outreach, including protection of the Santa Ritas from degradation due to mining activities. The SSSR always help people to protect the environment. They have successful cases previously. For example, in 2005 Augusta Resource, the SSSR found that Rosemont ranch was bought for a small mining company to dump their tailings and waste on public lands. They managed to find the manager to make the company stop damaging the environment. They achieved good result in this case that can make the organization more reliable. Tucson being at the mountains of Arizona will be affected since mining will be done in the mountains where water sources are found. This is the reason why the residents of South of Tucson condemn it in the strongest means possible. Residents of Tucson will experience economic downfall due to devastating effects of Rosemont mine. The supporters of the mining Augusta indicates that Rosemont mine has a good public relation with the residents of Tucson since the mining will be beneficial to the future generations of southern Arizona and improvement in economic stability of the area. The strong ethos makes the people to believe in the SSSR. For example, Tucson residents are known for their farming activities among other agricultural produce like rearing of livestock.. Within the Arizona region, there are wild animals that can make people have a look at the wonderful wildlife.