All About the Great Lakes of North America

Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, form the Great Lakes, straddling the United States and Canada to make up the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. Collectively they contain 5,439 cubic miles of water (22,670 cubic km), or about 20% of all the earth’s freshwater, and cover an area of 94,250 square miles (244,106 square km). Several other minor lakes and rivers are also included in the Great Lakes region including the Niagra River, Detroit River, St. Lawrence River, St. Marys River, and the Georgian Bay. There are 35,000 islands estimated to be located on the Great Lakes, created by millennia of glacial activity. Interestingly, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are connected by the Straits of Mackinac and can be technically considered a single lake. The Formation of the Great Lakes The Great Lakes Basin (the Great Lakes and the surrounding area) began to form about two billion years ago, almost two-thirds the age of the earth. During this period, major volcanic activity and geologic stresses formed the mountain systems of North America, and after significant erosion, several depressions in the ground were carved. Some two billion years later the surrounding seas continuously flooded the area, further eroding the landscape and leaving a lot of water behind as they went away. More recently, about two million years ago, it was glaciers that advanced over and back across the land. The glaciers were upwards of 6,500 feet thick and further depressed the Great Lakes Basin. When the glaciers finally retreated and melted approximately 15,000 years ago, massive quantities of water were left behind. It is these glacier waters that form the Great Lakes today. Many glacial features are still visible on the Great Lakes Basin today in the form of glacial drift, groups of sand, silt, clay and other unorganized debris deposited by a glacier. Moraines, till plains, drumlins, and eskers are some of the most common features that remain. The Industrial Great Lakes The shorelines of the Great Lakes stretch a little over 10,000 miles (16,000 km), touching eight states in the U.S. and Ontario in Canada, and make an excellent site for the transportation of goods. It was the primary route used by early explorers of North America  and was a major reason for the great industrial growth of the Midwest throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, 200 million tons a year are transported using this waterway. Major cargoes include iron ore (and other mine products), iron and steel, agriculture, and manufactured goods. The Great Lakes Basin also is home to 25%, and 7% of Canadian and U.S. agricultural production, respectively. Cargo ships are aided by the system of canals and locks built on and between the lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes Basin. The two major sets of locks and canals are: The Great Lakes Seaway, consisting of the Welland Canal and the Soo Locks, allowing ships to pass by the Niagra Falls and the rapids of the St. Marys River.The St. Lawrence Seaway, extending from Montreal to Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Altogether this transportation network makes it possible for ships to travel a total distance of 2,340 miles (2765 km), all the way from Duluth, Minnesota to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In order to avoid collisions when traveling on the rivers connecting the Great Lakes, ships travel upbound (west) and downbound (east) in shipping lanes. There are around 65 ports located on Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. 15 are international and include Burns Harbor at Portage, Detroit, Duluth-Superior, Hamilton, Lorain, Milwaukee, Montreal, Ogdensburg, Oswego, Quebec, Sept-Iles, Thunder Bay, Toledo, Toronto, Valleyfield, and Port Windsor. Great Lakes Recreation About 70 million people visit the Great Lakes every year to enjoy their water and beaches. Sandstone cliffs, high dunes, extensive trails, campgrounds, and diverse wildlife are just some of the many attractions of the Great Lakes. It is estimated that $15 billion is spent every year on leisure activities every year. Sportfishing is a very common activity, partly because of the Great Lakes size, and also because the lakes are stocked year after year. Some of the fish include bass, bluegill, crappie, perch, pike, trout, and walleye. Some non-native species such as salmon and hybrid breeds have been introduced but have generally not succeeded. Chartered fishing tours are a major part of the Great Lakes tourism industry. Spas and clinics are popular tourist attractions also, and a couple well with some of the serene waters of the Great Lakes. Pleasure-boating is another common activity and is more successful than ever as more and more canals are built to connect the lakes and surrounding rivers. Great Lakes Pollution and Invasive Species Unfortunately, there have been concerns about the quality of water of the Great Lakes. Industrial waste and sewage were the primary culprits, specifically phosphorus, fertilizer, and toxic chemicals. In order to control this issue, the governments of Canada and the United States joined to sign the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. Such measures have drastically improved the quality of water, though pollution still finds its way into the waters, primarily through agricultural runoff. Another major concern in the Great Lakes is non-native invasive species. An unanticipated introduction of such species can drastically alter evolved food chains and destroy local ecosystems. The end result of this is a loss of  biodiversity. Well-known invasive species include the zebra mussel, Pacific salmon, carp, lamprey, and alewife.

An Analysis Of Huston And Wright s Stories - 921 Words

I first want to say marriage can be a beautiful experience, if it is done right. It takes a lot trial and error to have a perfect marriage. There has to be a clear understanding of what kind of lifestyle they both want to live. Sharing the same goals and dreams creates a solid foundation for the future. My parents have been married for twenty years. Every year that passes, I wonder how many more years they will put up with each other torment. Being around my parent’s kills me because I know the truth, and the ill truth is that the passion and love they once shared with each other is no longer there. This scares me because how is that you can love a person for some many years, and then turn around and treat each other like strangers. Sadly, I can relate to Huston and Wright’s stories because of the hostile environment I grew up in. My mother never had a special skill so she joined the Air Force where she attended college. She got the opportunity to travel to Japan, Hawa ii, and even Korea. Now, she is dedicated stay at home mom who is still trying to find out where she can fits in the corporate world. On the other hand, my dad has not been passed the Georgia state lines, however he is a hard workingman who takes care of his family at any cost. Apart from each other my parents are not bad, they love my siblings and I but are enemies to one another. And don’t get me wrong they gave everything they had to raise my siblings and I but some things are not meant to last forever.Show MoreRelatedThe Socio-Cultural Impact on Love, Marriage, and Kinship1747 Words   |  7 Pagesseems that no one really knows the differences between lust and love, so the two words are commonly mistaken and used in the wrong way. Even in movies and mass entertainment, love and relationships are portrayed negatively with glamour. The typical story begins with a man who convinces a girl with the idea and possibility of love. Once she is vulnerable the couple would most li kely indulge in sexual intercourse. When this happens the man then leaves, the woman regrets the decision. These things areRead MoreThe Effects of Advertising on Children33281 Words   |  134 PagesFOOD AND BEVERAGE PREFERENCES Food and beverage advertising, including for chain restaurants, comprises a major category of all advertising on Australian television (New South Wales Department of Health content analysis indicates approximately one quarter in 2006). The same content analysis found 43 per cent of all food advertising was for high fat/high sugar foods and 36 per cent was for core foods (such as dairy breads, pasta). Around 48–49 per cent of food advertising in times defined by the studyRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore

Analysis of Financial Performance of Ji Hi Fi

Question: Discuss about theAnalysis of Financial Performance of Ji Hi Fi. Answer: Introduction Financial management is most important consideration for every organisation and shall be managed in most appropriate manner. Financial management includes preparation, presentation and analysis of financial statements of the organisation. In this report, discussion related to cash flow statement of JB HI FI has been undertaken. Cash flow statement presents flow of cash of the organisation during reporting period. In this report, analysis of cash flow from operating, investing and financing activities of JB HI FI has been conducted. Cash Flow Analysis Cash flow statement of the business is one of the most important financial statements since it reflects inflow and outflow of cash and cash equivalents of business organisation. Investors are always keen to analyse cash flow statement as they are interested in identifying cash management efficiency. Cash flow analysis can be done using cash flow statement prepared for the reporting period (Statements, 2012). Cash flow statement contains three main components in it and they are; cash flow from operating activities, cash flow from investing activities and cash flow from financing activities. Following are brief introduction of these activities: Operating activities- This section covers cash flow in primary business operations or activities undertaken during the reporting period. It includes business operation expenses, sales revenue, debtor and creditor management, etc. Investing Activities- Under this section, cash flow is measured in terms of cash and cash equivalents invested by JB HI FI Company in investment opportunities. It includes capital expenditure, capital recepts and interest received on investment. Financing Activities- This section covers information related to cash and cash equivalents used in financing the business operations. It includes debt and equity transactions undertaken by business organisation during the year (Treloar, 2003). Following statement reflects three years (June 2014 to June 2016) analysis of cash flow of JB HI FI: Activities 2014 2015 2016 % change in 2015 % change in 2016 Operating Activities 41,326 179,896 185,140 335.31 % 2.92 % Investing Activities (38,240) (44,370) (52,001) 16.03 % 17.20 % Financing Activities (27,609) (129,640) (130,565) 369.56 % (200.71 %) Net Increase / Decrease in cash (24,523) 5,886 2,574 (124.00 %) (56.27 %) Cash and cash equivalent in beginning 67,368 43,445 49,131 (35.51 %) 13.09 % Exchange rate difference 600 (200) 179 (133.33 %) (189.50 %) Cash and cash equivalent at the end 43,445 49,131 51,884 13.09 % 5.60 % Analysis From the above statement it can be analysed that JB HI FI has maintained adequate cash flows from its business operations during the reporting period. It can be analysed that receipt from customers of JB HI FI has been drastically changed. During 2015, their revenue has been increased by 335.31 % and in 2016 there is increase in 2.92 %. During 2015 and 2016 their payment to supplier has been maintained. On the other hand another reason for lower cash from operating activities is higher tax expenses during 2014. In 2015 and 2016, there is reduction in tax expenses as compared to 2014. On the other hand, cash flow from investing activities has shows negative results in all three years (2014 to 2016). Main reason for negative cash flow from investing activities is purchase of plant and equipments (capital expenditure). From the above statement, it can be analysed that JB HI FI has made more investment purchasing more capital assets for business. So this negative cash from investing activities can be seen as positive move in terms of expanding business operations. During all three years of analysis (2014 to 2016), JB HI FI has also sold some its capital assets but they have generated very less amount from the sale of capital assets (Saravanan, 2013). It can be analysed from cash from financing activities of JB HI FI, that during 2014 they had issues shares and some securities and generate cash from the same. On the other hand, in 2014 JB HI FI has also taken some debt from the market or financial institutions. From the analysis, it is analysed that JB HI FI has paid dividends at higher rates during all the three years. In 2016, maximum dividends have been paid to shareholders. It can be observed that JB HI FI, has maintained interest of stakeholders by spending more on dividends and attracted many investors to invest more. During all three years, JB HI FI has brought back some of its shares which has been core reason for negative cash flow from financing activities (Miao et al., 2016). Assessment of Other, Relevant Information Retained earnings: Relevant information includes level of retained earnings of JB HI FI that had maintained during all three years. Retained earnings are those accumulated which is reserved to be used in business expansion activities. Therefore it is important aspect in terms of financial strength of JB HI FI. It can observe that during all three reporting period they had maintained adequate level of retained earnings that has made them financially strong. During 2015, JB HI FI has used retained earnings for their business activity (Berrington and Bhandari, 2012). But at the end of 2016, they had maintained adequate level of same. Earnings per share: Information that has attracted investors in JB HI FI is its level of earnings per share. From the analysis of income statement of period under consideration, JB HI FI has maintained adequate level of earnings per share. In 2014, 2015 and 2016 their EPS is $ 128.39, 137.91 and 152.76 respectively. It can be analyse that there is increasing trend in EPS of JB HI FI and this can be deciding factors for investors and other stakeholders in terms of decision making (Pedler, 2007). Conclusion From the above analysis of JB HI FI from its financial statements it can be concluded that they are financially strong. This can be observed from better results in terms of cash from operating activities that shows operational efficiency of JB HI FI. There are some concern matters for JB HI FI during all three years also like decline cash from financing activities. Other information like EPS and level of retained earnings has shown financial strength of JB HI FI. Therefore it can be concluded that JB HI FI has shown great improvement during 2015 and 2016 as compared to 2014. References Berrington, M., Bhandari, V. (2012). Pinnacle financial statements. IFRS System. Miao, B., Teoh, S. H., Zhu, Z. (2016). Limited attention, statement of cash flow disclosure, and the valuation of accruals. Review of Accounting Studies , 473 - 515. Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J., Boydell, T. (2007). FM in Investment. Journal of Financial Management , 205-215. Saravanan, P. (2013, October 22). Positive cash flow crucial to survival of a company. Financial Express . Athena Information Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Statements, F. (2012, 12). Financial Statements. Review of Income and Wealth . Treloar, D. (2003). Financial Management and its Tools. Sydney: Gourmet Hall.