Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Dell reports Q4 2013 earnings: $14.3 billion in revenue as profits plummet 31 percent year-over-year

Dell reports Q4 2013 earnings

Dell hasn't had good news to share during its quarterly earnings reports in quite sometime. And on the eve of it going private, things don't appear to be on the verge of changing. The fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2013 saw the company rake in revenues totaling $14.3 billion, which is up slightly from Q3, but down 11 percent from the same period last year. The story gets even worse when looking at profit. A net income of $530 million represented a 31 percent drop year-over-year. Again, not nearly as bad as last quarter, but still a stunningly steep drop off for a manufacturer that was once at the pinnacle of the industry. The crash is particularly stunning when you look at the consumer division, which was once Dell's bread-and-butter.

Revenue there was down 24 percent year-over-year and operating income has dropped by a staggering 87 percent. In fact, almost every division within Dell has seen its revenue and income drop, with the exception of servers and networking, which enjoyed an 18 percent growth from Q4 of 2012, pulling in just over $2.6 billion. As we've said before, though, the few enterprise-related bright spots are likely not enough to hold off the company's continued slide. Lets just hope that loan from Microsoft is put to good use. Check out the full financial monty after the break.

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Dell Reports Fourth Quarter, Full Fiscal Year Financial Results
Revenue of $14.3 billion in fourth quarter, $56.9 billion for the year


ROUND ROCK, Texas, Feb 19, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --GAAP earnings of $0.30 per share in quarter, $1.35 per share for full year; non-GAAP earnings of $0.40 per share in quarter and $1.72 per share for full year

--Cash flow from operations of $1.4 billion; $3.3 billion for fiscal year

Dell announced fiscal 2013 fourth quarter and full-year results today, with revenue of $14.3 billion for the quarter and $56.9 billion for the year. Revenue from enterprise solutions and services grew 6 percent in the quarter to $5.2 billion and was $19.4 billion, or 34 percent of Dell revenue for the fiscal year, a 4 percent gain over fiscal year 2012.

"We continued to execute our long-term strategy in Q4, and realized a 6 percent increase in our enterprise solutions and services business," said Brian Gladden, Dell CFO. "We also continued to generate strong cash flow from operations of $1.4 billion in the quarter. Our strong balance sheet and cash position enabled the company to invest almost $5 billion in new capabilities and intellectual property this fiscal year, including great assets like Quest, SonicWall, Wyse and AppAssure."

Results

-- Revenue in the quarter was $14.3 billion, an 11 percent decrease from the previous year, and a 4 percent increase sequentially. Revenue for the 2013 fiscal year was $56.9 billion, an 8 percent decrease. Dell's fiscal year 2012 had an extra week, which was incorporated into the company's Q4 results.

-- GAAP operating income for the quarter was $698 million, or 4.9 percent of revenue. Non-GAAP operating income was $954 million, or 6.7 percent of revenue. Gross margins for the quarter benefitted by approximately $250 million, primarily resulting from vendor settlements. For the fiscal year, GAAP operating income was $3 billion and non-GAAP operating income was $4 billion.

-- GAAP earnings per share in the quarter was 30 cents, down 30 percent from the previous year; non-GAAP EPS was 40 cents, down 22 percent. For the fiscal year, GAAP EPS was $1.35, down 28 percent year over year and non-GAAP EPS was $1.72, down 19 percent.

-- Cash flow from operations in the quarter was $1.4 billion, and Dell ended Q4 with $15.3 billion in cash and investments. Full-year cash flow from operations was $3.3 billion.

Fiscal-Year 2013 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Highlights

Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year
(in millions) FY13 FY12 Change FY13 FY12 Change
-------- -------- ------ -------- -------- ------
Revenue $ 14,314 $ 16,031 (11 %) $ 56,940 $ 62,071 (8 %)
Operating Income (GAAP) $ 698 $ 931 (25 %) $ 3,012 $ 4,431 (32 %)
Net Income (GAAP) $ 530 $ 764 (31 %) $ 2,372 $ 3,492 (32 %)
EPS (GAAP) $ 0.30 $ 0.43 (30 %) $ 1.35 $ 1.88 (28 %)
Operating Income (non-GAAP) $ 954 $ 1,143 (17 %) $ 3,973 $ 5,135 (23 %)
Net Income (non-GAAP) $ 702 $ 913 (23 %) $ 3,017 $ 3,952 (24 %)
EPS (non-GAAP) $ 0.40 $ 0.51 (22 %) $ 1.72 $ 2.13 (19 %)

Information about Dell's use of non-GAAP financial information is provided under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below. Non-GAAP financial information excludes costs related primarily to the amortization of purchased intangibles, severance and facility-action costs, certain settlement costs and acquisition-related charges. All comparisons in this press release are year over year unless otherwise noted.

Products and Solutions:

-- Dell server revenue increased 5 percent driven by strong growth in the company's hyper-scale data center solutions business and migration to the company's 12th-generation servers. The 12G-server line now represents almost 80 percent of Dell PowerEdge server revenue at average selling prices and margins that are a premium over previous-generation servers.

-- Dell networking continued to deliver strong growth, with a 42 percent revenue increase, including more than 100 percent growth in the company's Force10 business.

-- Dell Quest software delivered revenue over the company's stated target of $180-$200 million for the quarter. The company's security software business also grew sequentially.

-- Dell desktop and mobility business revenue declined 20 percent and was up 3 percent sequentially.

Business Units and Regions:

-- Large Enterprise had revenue of $4.7 billion in the quarter, a 7 percent decrease. Operating income for the quarter was $393 million, a 16 percent decrease. Server and networking revenue increased 25 percent and ES&S business grew 10 percent. Revenue for the full year was $17.8 billion, down 5 percent from the previous year.

-- Public revenue was $3.5 billion, a 9 percent decrease. Operating income for the quarter was $236 million, a 25 percent decrease. Servers and networking revenue grew 11 percent. Revenue for the full year was $14.8 billion, down 8 percent from the previous year.

-- Small and Medium Business revenue was $3.4 billion, a 5 percent decrease. Operating income for the quarter was $385 million, a 4 percent decrease. SMB enterprise solutions and services sales increased 9 percent for the quarter, driven by servers and networking growth of 13 percent and services revenue growth of 17 percent. Revenue for the full year was $13.4 billion, down 1 percent from the previous year.

-- Consumer revenue was $2.8 billion, a 24 percent decline for the quarter. Operating income was $8 million, an 87 percent decrease. Revenue for the full year was $10.9 billion, down 20 percent from the previous year.

-- EMEA revenue decreased 14 percent in the quarter, Americas was down 10 percent, and Asia-Pacific and Japan declined 9 percent.

Company Outlook:

Given the company's announcement Feb. 5 of a definitive merger agreement to take Dell private, the company is not providing an outlook for its fiscal 2014 or Q1.

About Dell

Dell Inc. DELL +0.33% listens to customers and delivers worldwide innovative technology, business solutions and services they trust and value. For more information, visit www.dell.com. The fourth-quarter analyst call with Brian Gladden, CFO, and Tom Sweet, Corporate Controller, will be webcast live today at 4 p.m. CST and archived at www.dell.com/investor. To monitor highlighted facts from the analyst call, follow on the Dell Investor Relations Twitter account at: http://twitter.com/dellshares or hashtag #DellEarnings. To communicate directly with Dell, go to www.dell.com/dellshares.

Segment Realignment:

In the first quarter of Fiscal 2013, Dell made certain segment realignments in order to conform to the way Dell internally manages segment performance. These realignments affected all of Dell's operating segments, but primarily consisted of the transfer of small office business customers from the Small and Medium Business segment to the Consumer Segment. Dell has recast prior period amounts to provide visibility and comparability. None of these changes impacts Dell's previously reported consolidated net revenue, gross margin, operating income, net income, or earnings per share.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This press release includes information about non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, and non-GAAP earnings per share (collectively with non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating expenses, the "non-GAAP financial measures"), which are not measurements of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In the following tables, Dell has provided a reconciliation of each historical non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure under the heading "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures." Dell encourages investors to review the reconciliation in conjunction with Dell's presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures.

Special Note on Forward Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release that relate to future results and events (including statements about trends relating to macroeconomic challenges, effects of our server business, and government demand) are forward-looking statements and are based on Dell's current expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by such forward-looking words as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "confidence," "may," "plan," "potential," "should," "will" and "would," or similar expressions. Actual results and events in future periods may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements because of a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including: intense competition; Dell's reliance on third-party suppliers for product components, including reliance on several single-sourced or limited-sourced suppliers; Dell's ability to achieve favorable pricing from its vendors; weak global economic conditions and instability in financial markets; Dell's ability to manage effectively the change involved in implementing strategic initiatives; successful implementation of Dell's acquisition strategy; Dell's cost-efficiency measures; Dell's ability to effectively manage periodic product and services transitions; Dell's ability to deliver consistent quality products and services; Dell's ability to generate substantial non-U.S. net revenue; Dell's product, customer, and geographic sales mix, and seasonal sales trends; the performance of Dell's sales channel partners; access to the capital markets by Dell or its customers; weak economic conditions and additional regulation affecting our financial services activities; counterparty default; customer terminations of or pricing changes in services contracts, or Dell's failure to perform as it anticipates at the time it enters into services contracts; loss of government contracts; Dell's ability to obtain licenses to intellectual property developed by others on commercially reasonable and competitive terms; infrastructure disruptions; cyber-attacks or other data security breaches; Dell's ability to hedge effectively its exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates; expiration of tax holidays or favorable tax rate structures, or unfavorable outcomes in tax audits and other compliance matters; impairment of portfolio investments; unfavorable results of legal proceedings; Dell's ability to attract, retain, and motivate key personnel; Dell's ability to maintain strong internal controls; changing environmental and safety laws; the effect of armed hostilities, terrorism, natural disasters, and public health issues; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in Dell's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended February 3, 2012. Factors or risks that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results we anticipate also include: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; (2) the inability to complete the proposed merger due to the failure to obtain stockholder approval for the proposed merger or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed merger, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction; (3) the failure to obtain the necessary financing arrangements set forth in the debt and equity commitment letters delivered pursuant to the merger agreement; (4) risks related to disruption of management's attention from the Company's ongoing business operations due to the transaction; and (5) the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on the Company's relationships with its customers, operating results and business generally. Dell assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed merger transaction, the Company will file with the SEC and furnish to the Company's stockholders a proxy statement and other relevant documents. These materials do not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval. Stockholders are urged to read the proxy statement when it becomes available and any other documents to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger or incorporated by reference in the proxy statement because they will contain important information about the proposed merger.

Investors will be able to obtain a free copy of documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, investors may obtain a free copy of the Company's filings with the SEC from the Company's website at http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/investor-financial-reporting.aspx or by directing a request to: Dell Inc. One Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas 78682, Attn: Investor Relations, (512) 728-7800, investor_relations@dell.com.

The directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees of the Company may be deemed "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders of the Company in favor of the proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of the stockholders of the Company in connection with the proposed merger will be set forth in the proxy statement and the other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC. You can find information about the Company's executive officers and directors in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2012 and in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on May 24, 2012.

Consolidated statements of income, financial position and cash flows and other financial data follow.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

DELL INC. Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income and Related Financial Highlights (in millions, except per share data and percentages; percentage growth rates and ratios are calculated based on underlying data in thousands) (unaudited)


Three Months Ended % Growth Rates
------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------
February 1, November 2, February 3, Sequential Yr. to Yr.
2013(1) 2012 (1) 2012
------------ ------------ -------------------- ------------------- -------------------
Net revenue
Products $ 11,212 $ 10,706 $ 12,925 5 % (13)%
Services, including software related 3,102 3,015 3,106 3 % -- %
------ ------ --------------
Total net revenue 14,314 13,721 16,031 4 % (11)%
------ ------ --------------
Cost of net revenue
Products 9,169 8,904 10,521 3 % (13)%
Services, including software related 2,036 1,945 2,125 5 % (4)%
------ ------ --------------
Total cost of net revenue 11,205 10,849 12,646 3 % (11)%
------ ------ --------------
Gross margin 3,109 2,872 3,385 8 % (8)%
Operating expenses
Selling, general, and administrative 2,104 2,013 2,218 5 % (5)%
Research, development, and engineering 307 270 236 14 % 30 %
------ ------ --------------
Total operating expenses 2,411 2,283 2,454 6 % (2)%
------ ------ --------------
Operating income 698 589 931 19 % (25)%
Interest and other, net (38) (38) (24) (2)% (59)%
------ --- ------ --- -------------- ---
Income before income taxes 660 551 907 20 % (27)%
Income tax provision 130 76 143 70 % (9)%
------ ------ --------------
Net income $ 530 $ 475 $ 764 12 % (31)%
=== ====== === ====== === ==============
Earnings per share:
Basic $ 0.30 $ 0.27 $ 0.43 11 % (30)%
=== ====== === ====== === ==============
Diluted $ 0.30 $ 0.27 $ 0.43 11 % (30)%
=== ====== === ====== === ==============
Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.08 $ 0.08 $ --
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic 1,738 1,735 1,778 -- % (2)%
Diluted 1,748 1,742 1,796 -- % (3)%
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Gross margin 21.7 % 20.9 % 21.1 %
Selling, general, and administrative 14.7 % 14.7 % 13.8 %
Research, development, and engineering 2.1 % 1.9 % 1.5 %
Operating expenses 16.8 % 16.6 % 15.3 %
Operating income 4.9 % 4.3 % 5.8 %
Income before income taxes 4.6 % 4.0 % 5.7 %
Net income 3.7 % 3.5 % 4.8 %
Income tax rate 19.7 % 13.8 % 15.8 %
Net Revenue by Product Category:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Servers and Networking (1) $ 2,623 $ 2,322 $ 2,220 13 % 18 %
Storage 434 386 500 12 % (13)%
Services 2,112 2,107 2,179 -- % (3)%
Third-party software and peripherals 2,275 2,258 2,558 1 % (11)%
Mobility 3,674 3,523 4,877 4 % (25)%
Desktop PCs 3,196 3,125 3,697 2 % (14)%
------ ------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 14,314 $ 13,721 $ 16,031 4 % (11)%
=== ====== === ====== === ==============
Percent of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Servers and Networking (1) 18 % 17 % 14 %
Storage 3 % 3 % 3 %
Services 15 % 15 % 14 %
Third-party software and peripherals 16 % 16 % 16 %
Mobility 26 % 26 % 30 %
Desktop PCs 22 % 23 % 23 %
Net Revenue by Global Segment:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 4,653 $ 4,156 $ 4,982 12 % (7)%
Public 3,473 3,824 3,833 (9)% (9)%
Small and Medium Business 3,396 3,282 3,560 3 % (5)%
Consumer 2,792 2,459 3,656 14 % (24)%
------ ------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 14,314 $ 13,721 $ 16,031 4 % (11)%
=== ====== === ====== === ==============
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise 33 % 30 % 31 %
Public 24 % 28 % 24 %
Small and Medium Business 24 % 24 % 22 %
Consumer 19 % 18 % 23 %
Consolidated Operating Income:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 393 $ 325 $ 467
Public 236 352 312
Small and Medium Business 385 349 399
Consumer 8 (65) 61
------ ------ --- --------------
Segment operating income 1,022 961 1,239
Broad based long-term incentives (68) (75) (96)
Amortization of intangible assets (188) (165) (104)
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs (68) (132) (108)
------ --- ------ --- -------------- ---
Consolidated operating income $ 698 $ 589 $ 931
=== ====== === ====== === ==============

(1) Includes the results of Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions from their respective acquisition dates. Servers and Networking includes our Fiscal 2013 Software acquisitions (Quest Software, SonicWALL, and AppAssure).

(2) Segment Results for Fiscal 2012 have been recast to conform to segment realignments that were completed during the first quarter of Fiscal 2013. See Supplemental Segment Information at the end of these financial tables for more information.

DELL INC. Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income and Related Financial Highlights (continued) (in millions, except per share data and percentages; percentage growth rates and ratios are calculated based on underlying data in thousands) (unaudited)


Fiscal Year Ended % Growth Rates
--------------------------------------- -----------------------
February 1, February 3, Yr. to Yr.
2013 (1) 2012
------------ -------------------- ---------------------
Net revenue
Products $ 44,744 $ 49,906 (10)%
Services, including software related 12,196 12,165 -- %
------ --------------
Total net revenue 56,940 62,071 (8)%
------ --------------
Cost of net revenue
Products 36,683 39,689 (8)%
Services, including software related 8,071 8,571 (6)%
------ --------------
Total cost of net revenue 44,754 48,260 (7)%
------ --------------
Gross margin 12,186 13,811 (12)%
Operating expenses
Selling, general, and administrative 8,102 8,524 (5)%
Research, development, and engineering 1,072 856 25 %
------ --------------
Total operating expenses 9,174 9,380 (2)%
------ --------------
Operating income 3,012 4,431 (32)%
Interest and other, net (171) (191) 10 %
------ --- -------------- ---
Income before income taxes 2,841 4,240 (33)%
Income tax provision 469 748 (37)%
------ --------------
Net income $ 2,372 $ 3,492 (32)%
=== ====== === ==============
Earnings per share:
Basic $ 1.36 $ 1.90 (28)%
=== ====== === ==============
Diluted $ 1.35 $ 1.88 (28)%
=== ====== === ==============
Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.16 $ --
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic 1,745 1,838 (5)%
Diluted 1,755 1,853 (5)%
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Gross margin 21.4 % 22.3 %
Selling, general, and administrative 14.2 % 13.7 %
Research, development, and engineering 1.9 % 1.5 %
Operating expenses 16.1 % 15.2 %
Operating income 5.3 % 7.1 %
Income before income taxes 5.0 % 6.8 %
Net income 4.2 % 5.6 %
Income tax rate 16.5 % 17.6 %
Net Revenue by Product Category:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Servers and Networking (1) $ 9,294 $ 8,336 11 %
Storage 1,699 1,943 (13)%
Services 8,396 8,322 1 %
Third-party software and peripherals 9,257 10,222 (9)%
Mobility 15,303 19,104 (20)%
Desktop PCs 12,991 14,144 (8)%
------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 56,940 $ 62,071 (8)%
=== ====== === ==============
Percent of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
Servers and Networking (1) 16 % 13 %
Storage 3 % 3 %
Services 15 % 13 %
Third-party software and peripherals 16 % 17 %
Mobility 27 % 31 %
Desktop PCs 23 % 23 %
Net Revenue by Global Segment:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 17,781 $ 18,786 (5)%
Public 14,828 16,070 (8)%
Small and Medium Business 13,413 13,547 (1)%
Consumer 10,918 13,668 (20)%
------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 56,940 $ 62,071 (8)%
=== ====== === ==============
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise 31 % 30 %
Public 26 % 26 %
Small and Medium Business 24 % 22 %
Consumer 19 % 22 %
Consolidated Operating Income:
(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 1,553 $ 1,889
Public 1,238 1,584
Small and Medium Business 1,505 1,581
Consumer (11) 433
------ --- --------------
Segment operating income 4,285 5,487
Broad based long-term incentives (312) (352)
Amortization of intangible assets (613) (391)
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs (348) (313)
------ --- -------------- ---
Consolidated operating income $ 3,012 $ 4,431
=== ====== === ==============

(1) Includes the results of Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions from their respective acquisition dates. Servers and Networking includes our Fiscal 2013 Software acquisitions (Quest Software, SonicWALL, and AppAssure).

(2) Segment Results for Fiscal 2012 have been recast to conform to segment realignments that were completed during the first quarter of Fiscal 2013. See Supplemental Segment Information at the end of these financial tables for more information.

DELL INC. Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and Related Financial Highlights (in millions, except for ratios; ratios are calculated based on underlying data in thousands) (unaudited)

February 1, 2013 November 2, 2012 (1) February 3, 2012 (1)
----------------- --------------------- ------------------------
Assets:
----------------------------------------
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 12,569 $ 10,991 $ 13,852
Short-term investments 208 281 966
Accounts receivable, net 6,629 6,187 6,476
Short-term financing receivables, net 3,213 3,151 3,327
Inventories, net 1,382 1,364 1,404
Other current assets 3,967 3,688 3,423
------ ------ --------------
Total current assets 27,968 25,662 29,448
Property, plant, and equipment, net 2,126 2,156 2,124
Long-term investments 2,565 2,908 3,404
Long-term financing receivables, net 1,349 1,354 1,372
Goodwill 9,304 9,191 5,838
Purchased intangible assets, net 3,374 3,511 1,857
Other non-current assets 854 664 490
------ ------ --------------
Total assets $ 47,540 $ 45,446 $ 44,533
===== ====== ====== ====== ====== ==============
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
----------------------------------------
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt $ 3,843 $ 3,724 $ 2,867
Accounts payable 11,579 10,556 11,656
Accrued and other 3,644 3,324 3,740
Short-term deferred revenue 4,373 4,207 3,738
------ ------ --------------
Total current liabilities 23,439 21,811 22,001
Long-term debt 5,242 5,310 6,387
Long-term deferred revenue 3,971 3,963 3,855
Other non-current liabilities 4,187 4,164 3,373
------ ------ --------------
Total liabilities 36,839 35,248 35,616
------ ------ --------------
Total Dell stockholders' equity 10,680 10,177 8,917
Noncontrolling interest 21 21 --
------ ------ --------------
Total stockholders' equity 10,701 10,198 8,917
------ ------ --------------
Total liabilities and equity $ 47,540 $ 45,446 $ 44,533
===== ====== ====== ====== ====== ==============
Ratios:
----------------------------------------
Days of sales outstanding (2) 46 45 42
Days supply in inventory 11 11 11
Days in accounts payable (93) (88) (89)
------ --- ------ ------ -------------- -
Cash conversion cycle (36) (32) (36)
------ --- ------ ------ -------------- -
Average total revenue/unit (approximate) 1,390 $ 1,410 $ 1,330

(1) Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified from accrued and other liabilities and other non-current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position to short-term deferred revenue and long-term deferred revenue, respectively, to conform to the current year presentation.

(2) Days of sales outstanding ("DSO") is based on the ending net trade receivables and most recent quarterly revenue for each period. DSO includes the effect of product costs related to customer shipments not yet recognized as revenue that are classified as other current assets. At February 1, 2013, November 2, 2012, and February 3, 2012, DSO and days of customer shipments not yet recognized were 42 and 4 days, 41 and 4 days, and 39 and 3 days, respectively.


DELL INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in millions, unaudited)
Three Months Ended Fiscal Year Ended
----------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
February 1, February 3, February 1, February 3,
2013 2012 (1) 2013 2012 (1)
-------------------- -------------------- ------------ --------------------
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 530 $ 764 $ 2,372 $ 3,492
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 321 249 1,144 936
Stock-based compensation 71 101 347 362
Effects of exchange rate changes on monetary assets and liabilities 3 14 18 (5)
denominated in foreign currencies
Deferred income taxes (321) 110 (428) 19
Provision for doubtful accounts -- including financing receivables 73 67 258 234
Other (3) (25) 19 21
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Accounts receivable (444) 137 (150) (53)
Financing receivables (142) (210) (193) (372)
Inventories (19) (6) 48 (52)
Other assets -- (251) (334) (28)
Accounts payable 1,030 558 (74) 327
Deferred revenue 192 190 382 701
Accrued and other liabilities 150 139 (126) (55)
-------------- -------------- ------ --- -------------- ---
Change in cash from operating activities 1,441 1,837 3,283 5,527
-------------- -------------- ------ --------------
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments:
Purchases (784) (2,237) (2,615) (4,656)
Maturities and sales 1,198 579 4,354 1,435
Capital expenditures (130) (165) (513) (675)
Proceeds from sale of facilities, land, and other assets 54 2 135 14
Collections on purchased financing receivables 31 74 167 278
Acquisition of business, net of cash received (136) 2 (4,844) (2,562)
-------------- --- -------------- ------ --- -------------- ---
Change in cash from investing activities 233 (1,745) (3,316) (6,166)
-------------- -------------- --- ------ --- -------------- ---
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock -- (537) (724) (2,717)
Cash dividends paid (139) -- (278) --
Issuance of common stock under employee plans 3 6 52 40
Issuance (repayment) of commercial paper (maturity 90 days or less), (39) 635 (331) 635
net
Proceeds from debt 521 733 3,311 4,050
Repayments of debt (426) (380) (3,248) (1,435)
Other -- 1 8 4
-------------- -------------- ------ --------------
Change in cash from financing activities (80) 458 (1,210) 577
-------------- --- -------------- ------ --- --------------
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (16) 9 (40) 1
-------------- --- -------------- ------ --- --------------
Change in cash and cash equivalents 1,578 559 (1,283) (61)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 10,991 13,293 13,852 13,913
-------------- -------------- ------ --------------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period $ 12,569 $ 13,852 $ 12,569 $ 13,852
=== ============== === ============== === ====== === ==============

(1) Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified from accrued and other liabilities and other non-current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position to short-term deferred revenue and long-term deferred revenue, respectively, to conform to the current year presentation. Prior period amounts on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

SUPPLEMENTAL NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The following tables include information about non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, and non-GAAP earnings per share (collectively, the "non-GAAP financial measures"), which are not measurements of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Dell has provided a reconciliation of the historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in the below tables. A detailed discussion of Dell's reasons for including the non-GAAP financial measures and the limitations associated with those measures is presented in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Results of Operations - Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in Dell's annual report on Form 10-K for the financial year ended February 3, 2012. Dell encourages investors to review the historical reconciliation and the non-GAAP discussion in conjunction with the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures.

DELL INC. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (in millions, except per share data and percentages; percentage growth rates and ratios are calculated based on underlying data in thousands) (unaudited)


Three Months Ended % Growth Rates
-------------------------------------------- ------------------------
February 1, November 2, February 3, Sequential Yr. to Yr.
2013 (1) 2012 (1) 2012
----------- ----------- ----------- --------- ----------
GAAP gross margin $ 3,109 $ 2,872 $ 3,385 8 % (8)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 138 120 83
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 11 21 15
----- ----- -----
Non-GAAP gross margin $ 3,258 $ 3,013 $ 3,483 8 % (6)%
=== ===== === ===== === =====
GAAP operating expenses $ 2,411 $ 2,283 $ 2,454 6 % (2)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles (50) (45) (21)
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs (57) (111) (93)
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 2,304 $ 2,127 $ 2,340 8 % (2)%
=== ===== === ===== === =====
GAAP operating income $ 698 $ 589 $ 931 19 % (25)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 188 165 104
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 68 132 108
----- ----- -----
Non-GAAP operating income $ 954 $ 886 $ 1,143 8 % (17)%
=== ===== === ===== === =====
GAAP net income $ 530 $ 475 $ 764 12 % (31)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 188 165 104
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 68 132 108
Aggregate adjustment for income taxes (84) (93) (63)
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP net income $ 702 $ 679 $ 913 3 % (23)%
=== ===== === ===== === =====
GAAP earnings per share - diluted $ 0.30 $ 0.27 $ 0.43 11 % (30)%
Non-GAAP adjustments per share - diluted 0.10 0.12 0.08
----- ----- -----
Non-GAAP earnings per share - diluted $ 0.40 $ 0.39 $ 0.51 3 % (22)%
=== ===== === ===== === =====
Diluted WAS 1,748 1,742 1,796
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
GAAP gross margin 21.7 % 20.9 % 21.1 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 1.1 % 1.1 % 0.6 %
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP gross margin 22.8 % 22.0 % 21.7 %
===== === ===== === ===== ===
GAAP operating expenses 16.8 % 16.6 % 15.3 %
Non-GAAP adjustment (0.7)% (1.1)% (0.7)%
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP operating expenses 16.1 % 15.5 % 14.6 %
===== === ===== === ===== ===
GAAP operating income 4.9 % 4.3 % 5.8 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 1.8 % 2.2 % 1.3 %
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP operating income 6.7 % 6.5 % 7.1 %
===== === ===== === ===== ===
GAAP net income 3.7 % 3.5 % 4.8 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 1.2 % 1.4 % 0.9 %
----- --- ----- --- ----- ---
Non-GAAP net income 4.9 % 4.9 % 5.7 %
===== === ===== === ===== ===

(1) Includes the results of Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions from their respective acquisition dates.

DELL INC. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (in millions, except per share data and percentages; percentage growth rates and ratios are calculated based on underlying data in thousands) (unaudited)


Fiscal Year Ended % Growth Rates
------------------------------- ----------------
February 1, February 3, Yr. to Yr.
2013 (1) 2012
------------ ------------ --------------
GAAP gross margin $ 12,186 $ 13,811 (12)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 455 305
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 67 49
------ ------
Non-GAAP gross margin $ 12,708 $ 14,165 (10)%
=== ====== === ======
GAAP operating expenses $ 9,174 $ 9,380 (2)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles (158) (86)
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs (281) (264)
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 8,735 $ 9,030 (3)%
=== ====== === ======
GAAP operating income $ 3,012 $ 4,431 (32)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 613 391
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 348 313
------ ------
Non-GAAP operating income $ 3,973 $ 5,135 (23)%
=== ====== === ======
GAAP net income $ 2,372 $ 3,492 (32)%
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization of intangibles 613 391
Severance and facility actions and acquisition-related costs 348 313
Aggregate adjustment for income taxes (316) (244)
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP net income $ 3,017 $ 3,952 (24)%
=== ====== === ======
GAAP earnings per share - diluted $ 1.35 $ 1.88 (28)%
Non-GAAP adjustments per share - diluted 0.37 0.25
------ ------
Non-GAAP earnings per share - diluted $ 1.72 $ 2.13 (19)%
=== ====== === ======
Diluted WAS 1,755 1,853
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
---------------------------------------------------------------
GAAP gross margin 21.4 % 22.3 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 0.9 % 0.5 %
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP gross margin 22.3 % 22.8 %
====== === ====== ===
GAAP operating expenses 16.1 % 15.2 %
Non-GAAP adjustment (0.8)% (0.7)%
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP operating expenses 15.3 % 14.5 %
====== === ====== ===
GAAP operating income 5.3 % 7.1 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 1.7 % 1.2 %
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP operating income 7.0 % 8.3 %
====== === ====== ===
GAAP net income 4.2 % 5.6 %
Non-GAAP adjustment 1.1 % 0.8 %
------ --- ------ ---
Non-GAAP net income 5.3 % 6.4 %
====== === ====== ===

(1) Includes the results of Dell's Fiscal 2013 acquisitions from their respective acquisition dates.


Dell Inc.
Supplemental Segment Information
Fiscal 2011
(in millions, unaudited)
Three Months Ended Fiscal Year Ended
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
April 30, 2010 July 30, 2010 October 29, 2010 January 28, 2011 January 28, 2011
------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance
Reported Reported Reported Reported Reported
---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------ ------------------ ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------
Net Revenue by Global Segment:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 4,246 $ 4,341 $ 95 $ 4,549 $ 4,618 $ 69 $ 4,326 $ 4,389 $ 63 $ 4,692 $ 4,763 $ 71 $ 17,813 $ 18,111 $ 298
Public 3,856 3,708 (148) 4,580 4,467 (113) 4,442 4,340 (102) 3,973 3,862 (111) 16,851 16,377 (474)
Small and Medium Business 3,524 3,096 (428) 3,535 3,083 (452) 3,665 3,179 (486) 3,749 3,250 (499) 14,473 12,608 (1,865)
Consumer 3,248 3,729 481 2,870 3,366 496 2,961 3,486 525 3,278 3,817 539 12,357 14,398 2,041
------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- -------------- ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 14,874 $ 14,874 $ -- $ 15,534 $ 15,534 $ -- $ 15,394 $ 15,394 $ -- $ 15,692 $ 15,692 $ -- $ 61,494 $ 61,494 $ --
== ====== == == ====== == == ============== == == ====== == == ====== == == ============== == == ============== == == ====== == == ============== == == ====== == == ====== == == ============== == == ====== == == ====== == == ============== ==
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise 28 % 29 % 1 % 29 % 30 % 1 % 28 % 28 % -- 30 % 30 % -- 29 % 29 % --
Public 26 % 25 % -1 % 30 % 29 % -1 % 29 % 28 % -1 % 25 % 25 % -- 27 % 27 % --
Small and Medium Business 24 % 21 % -3 % 23 % 20 % -3 % 24 % 21 % -3 % 24 % 21 % -3 % 24 % 21 % -3 %
Consumer 22 % 25 % 3 % 18 % 21 % 3 % 19 % 23 % 4 % 21 % 24 % 3 % 20 % 23 % 3 %
Consolidated Operating Income:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 283 $ 293 $ 10 $ 288 $ 289 $ 1 $ 400 $ 398 $ (2) $ 502 $ 510 $ 8 $ 1,473 $ 1,490 $ 17
Public 298 280 (18) 369 363 (6) 451 450 (1) 366 353 (13) 1,484 1,446 (38)
Small and Medium Business 313 301 (12) 323 298 (25) 391 365 (26) 450 419 (31) 1,477 1,383 (94)
Consumer 17 37 20 (21) 9 30 -- 29 29 69 105 36 65 180 115
------ ------ -------------- ------ -- ------ -------------- -------------- ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ --------------
Segment operating income $ 911 $ 911 $ -- $ 959 $ 959 $ -- $ 1,242 $ 1,242 $ -- $ 1,387 $ 1,387 $ -- $ 4,499 $ 4,499 $ --
== ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ============== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ==============

(1) In the first quarter of Fiscal 2013, Dell made certain segment realignments in order to conform to the way Dell now internally manages segment performance. These realignments affected all of Dell's operating segments, but primarily consisted of the transfer of small office business customers from the Small and Medium Business segment to the Consumer Segment. Dell has recast prior period amounts to provide visibility and comparability. None of these changes impacts Dell's previously reported consolidated net revenue, gross margin, operating income, net income, or earnings per share.


Dell Inc.
Supplemental Segment Information
Fiscal 2012
(in millions, unaudited)
Three Months Ended Fiscal Year Ended
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
April 29, 2011 July 29, 2011 October 28, 2011 February 3, 2012 February 3, 2012
------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance As Recast Variance
Reported Reported Reported Reported Reported
---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------ ---------- ---------- ------------------
Net Revenue by Global Segment:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 4,477 $ 4,587 $ 110 $ 4,584 $ 4,677 $ 93 $ 4,487 $ 4,540 $ 53 $ 4,909 $ 4,982 $ 73 $ 18,457 $ 18,786 $ 329
Public 3,767 3,621 (146) 4,457 4,329 (128) 4,375 4,287 (88) 3,949 3,833 (116) 16,548 16,070 (478)
Small and Medium Business 3,768 3,355 (413) 3,709 3,306 (403) 3,712 3,326 (386) 3,977 3,560 (417) 15,166 13,547 (1,619)
Consumer 3,005 3,454 449 2,908 3,346 438 2,791 3,212 421 3,196 3,656 460 11,900 13,668 1,768
------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ --------------
Consolidated net revenue $ 15,017 $ 15,017 $ -- $ 15,658 $ 15,658 $ -- $ 15,365 $ 15,365 $ -- $ 16,031 $ 16,031 $ -- $ 62,071 $ 62,071 $ --
== ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ==============
Percentage of Total Net Revenue:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise 30 % 31 % 1 % 29 % 30 % 1 % 29 % 29 % -- 30 % 31 % 1 % 30 % 30 % --
Public 25 % 24 % -1 % 28 % 28 % -- 29 % 28 % -1 % 25 % 24 % -1 % 27 % 26 % -1 %
Small and Medium Business 25 % 22 % -3 % 24 % 21 % -3 % 24 % 22 % -2 % 25 % 22 % -3 % 24 % 22 % -2 %
Consumer 20 % 23 % 3 % 19 % 21 % 2 % 18 % 21 % 3 % 20 % 23 % 3 % 19 % 22 % 3 %
Consolidated Operating Income:
(1)
--------------------------------
Large Enterprise $ 504 $ 516 $ 12 $ 448 $ 460 $ 12 $ 441 $ 446 $ 5 $ 461 $ 467 $ 6 $ 1,854 $ 1,889 $ 35
Public 370 352 (18) 484 466 (18) 463 454 (9) 327 312 (15) 1,644 1,584 (60)
Small and Medium Business 463 435 (28) 404 380 (24) 386 367 (19) 412 399 (13) 1,665 1,581 (84)
Consumer 136 170 34 73 103 30 76 99 23 39 61 22 324 433 109
------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ -------------- ------ ------ --------------
Segment operating income $ 1,473 $ 1,473 $ -- $ 1,409 $ 1,409 $ -- $ 1,366 $ 1,366 $ -- $ 1,239 $ 1,239 $ -- $ 5,487 $ 5,487 $ --
== ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ============== == ====== == ====== == ==============

(1) In the first quarter of Fiscal 2013, Dell made certain segment realignments in order to conform to the way Dell now internally manages segment performance. These realignments affected all of Dell's operating segments, but primarily consisted of the transfer of small office business customers from the Small and Medium Business segment to the Consumer Segment. Dell has recast prior period amounts to provide visibility and comparability. None of these changes impacts Dell's previously reported consolidated net revenue, gross margin, operating income, net income, or earnings per share.

http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&sty=20130219006965r1&sid=cmtx4&distro=nx

SOURCE: Dell Inc.

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Source: Dell

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4jAD7Yp37K4/

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The British Library Becomes First Non-University Institution to Join UK?s Futurelearn MooC

From a BL Announcement:

The British Library has announced its intention to join the UK?s Mooc platform FutureLearn offering participants of its online courses access to the Library?s unique digitised resources. The Library will be the first non-university research institution to join the initiative, and is among five university partners announced today during a major business and skills mission to India with the Prime Minister.

[Clip]

The first ever UK Mooc, FutureLearn was launched by the Open University last December and includes partnerships with eighteen UK universities. Existing Library digital resources will be made available on FutureLearn, complementing plans for large-scale participation in online lectures and courses which are due to start later this year. The Library?s freely available digital collections include over 800 medieval manuscripts, 40,000 nineteenth-century books and 50,000 sound recordings, and continue to grow eah year.

[Clip]

Roly Keating, Chief Executive of the British Library, said: ?FutureLearn is an exciting development in higher education, with the potential to enable mass access to valuable resources and teaching anywhere in the world, for free. As the home of a growing set of unique and valuable digital resources, the British Library is looking forward to partnering with The Open University and widening access to our collections\ for even more researchers online worldwide as the initiative develops.?

Read the Complete Announcement
Includes comment from Prime MinisterDavid Cameron.

Visit the Futurelean Web Sit

Source: http://www.infodocket.com/2013/02/18/the-british-library-become-first-non-university-insitution-joins-uks-futurelearn-mooc/

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The Walking Dead, Season 3

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon. Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon

Photo by Gene Page/AMC

In?Slate's?The?Walking Dead?TV Club, Chris Kirk will IM each week with a different fan of?The Walking Dead. This week, he discusses ?Home? with Forbes video game and television writer?Erik Kain.

Chris Kirk: "Home" opens with Rick Grimes, who needs some serious supervision, wandering outside the prison to chase visions of Lori. Whatever you feel about this plotline, at least the show is sticking to it; for him to suddenly get better after a few phone calls would have been a little too neat.

Erik Kain: Right, they need to resolve it properly at this point. I think I would find Rick's character more tolerable this season if there were other characters that filled the void. The real problem the show has been having lately is too much screen time for the worst characters and too little for the best. Andrea as a primary character this season still baffles me, and I'm increasingly confused with each passing episode.

Chris: Speaking of Andrea, back in Woodbury a seemingly remorseful Governor is commending Andrea for last week's pep talk and seems to abdicate to her. He explains that he really believed that if he kept his undead daughter alive long enough, Milton would find a way to bring her back.

Erik:?He knows just as well as we do that Andrea is a sucker. Besides, anyone who would say that speech was "good" we know is a liar. At this point, the hardest thing about watching Andrea is that she's left the realm of plausibility almost entirely. People have flaws, and one of those flaws is being a poor judge of character, but at this point it's just too much.

Chris: There's another apparent change of leadership at the prison. Since Daryl has left the group and while Rick "wanders crazy town," Glenn has become head honcho for some reason. His sudden realization that nobody?s on watch (not to mention nobody is watching Rick) is just one indication that he?s not very good at it. Why is he leader and not the wiser Hershel? Or even the more level-headed Carol?

Erik: Glenn?s assertion of a leadership role is mostly due to his need for revenge, not a desire to actually lead. Hershel, I think, is more interested in playing the role of the wise old adviser, which makes sense, but the problem right now is that nobody ever listens to him.

Chris:?I'm having trouble following Glenn?s dispute with Maggie. I understand that she feels guilty for revealing the group's location, but what precisely is she mad at Glenn about?

Erik: I get the impression that she feels like he blames her. It's really poorly communicated in the show and makes almost no sense. I know that victims of sexual assault can have a hard time in their relationships, but since they both underwent a traumatizing event together and, well, they're living in a zombie apocalypse, it seems like they'd seek out one another even more rather than push one another away.

Chris: Merle and Daryl are dealing with interpersonal issues of their own. While roaming through the forest, an argument between the two reveals that they were planning to rob the Atlanta survivors back in Season 1. In anger, Merle rips Daryl's shirt and reveals scars on his back. Daryl accuses him of abandoning him to their abusive father and announces he's going back to the prison. Merle looks teary-eyed for a brief moment, then reluctantly follows.?In the whole history of this show, we've never really seen Daryl and Merle alone together, except in Daryl's hallucinations.

Erik: The conflict between the Dixon brothers was terrific and one of the better moments in the season so far. The revelations about their abusive father and their planned robbery are nice additional backstory. Merle?s so unlikable, and he's done such awful things, one wonders if he's beyond redemption or will even have the chance.

Chris:?But there's more room for Merle in the group now! Axel is flirting with Carol when BAM! Shot down by the Governor.

Erik: I thought killing off Axel was lame. It's?Lost?syndrome?add new characters just to have them killed. It's lazy writing, and it doesn't carry really any emotional impact for viewers. Sure, they've killed off regulars also, but why bother introducing new cast if they're just going to kill them off?

Chris:?Still, it was a shocking way to start off a whirlwind of a final act. Everybody is pinned down by gunfire. Somebody drives a van through the gates, and zombies come pouring out of it. Glenn returns just in time to save Hershel, and Merle and Glenn arrive just in time to save Rick. The episode ends with zombies pouring into the prison.

Erik:?I loved the final act as a whole. I thought Glenn's re-entrance and the Dixon boys' arrival worked nicely (even if it was a little?too?nicely?hey, it's television) and the shoot-out was tense and well-played.

Chris: It?s certainly the most nail-biting moment since ?Sick? and perhaps even exceeds that. There are just so many different balls in the air?the Governor's men, the zombies on the inside, the zombies on the outside. I didn?t see the Governor?s attack coming so soon, and for a second I believed Rick, who seems useless enough to die, would actually be bit. If this show doesn?t always know how to do characterization, this season in particular has been very good at action.

Erik:?If they could translate that suspense into their character interactions, they'd have a magnificent show. That's what?Breaking Bad?does so well.

Chris: Perhaps the season will close with Rick on the telephone with Ghost Lori again: "I won." :click:

Erik: Rick would need a haircut, though.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=6ff23686b6b378576c72d268c0379ac5

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LA Mayor Villaraigosa Wants Dog Kennels in Shopping Malls, Do Voters Agree?

If Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gets his way, the next time you are dining at some romantic bistro with an outdoor patio in Los Angeles or having dental work in a local office, the background may no longer be filled with soft, soothing music and pleasant aromas, but rather with the sounds of barking dogs and the pungent odors that pervade a next-door dog kennel.

Obviously, the self-professed ?business-friendly? Mayor of a city on the brink of bankruptcy, begging voters to approve increased taxes next month, doesn?t grasp that maintaining a healthy business/investment environment means adherence to ordinances that protect public health and safety and the ability for businesses to rely on citywide laws and standards for all. This includes assuring that surrounding enterprises are compatible.

MAYOR?S PLAN IS NOT TRADITIONAL ?OFFSITE PET ADOPTIONS?

This new proposal by the Mayor should not be confused with the very successful and desirable offsite dog/cat adoptions that are provided by non-profit organizations which take animals from the shelters and offer them for adoption in large pet-supply stores or other locations around the city. These are done lawfully and are a humane effort to have the animals seen outside the shelter environment. However, the animals are taken back to the rescue organization?s facilities at night?not left in a kennel at a store.

SHOULD CITY LAWS BE CIRCUMVENTED?

We are talking about dog kennels, where dogs are caged and kept overnight in business locations. City law requires that dog kennels (housing more than 3 adult animals 24-hours a day) are maintained at least 500 feet from local residences and are in certain zones which will protect local businesses and their customers from noise, odor, disease, sewage and sanitation issues. They must also allow sufficient space and appropriate air flow to keep the animals healthy and avoid the spread of transmissible and zoonotic diseases?diseases that can affect humans.

Anyone who wishes to deviate from these and other restrictions under public health and safety laws must apply for a Conditional Use Permit through the City?s Planning Department.

In the case of housing adult animals?in contrast to puppies sold by traditional pet stores?large-breed or adult animals require lots of exercise and space in order to remain physically and mentally healthy. This means walking them outside the store location and (in the case of shopping malls) interacting with customers of other businesses or local residents.

The Mayor?s plan claims that it will be only for shelter animals, although the wording does not make that restriction. But if that were true, shelter animals are often not well because of the environment in which they have been living, nor is their sociability level assessed by Los Angeles Animal Services before they are released to ?rescue? organizations. Thus, the risk is increased.

WHAT?S THE MAYOR?S PROPOSAL?

Jim Bickhart, deputy for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is personally lobbying for a change in wording in the Los Angeles Municipal Code that would bypass the Planning Department and create a new type of ?pet store? which could maintain an unlimited number of adult dogs 24-hours a day in any commercial location, regardless of its distance from residences or other businesses.

This effort was initiated directly by the Mayor?s office in Council File 11-0754-S1 and is referred to as a ?minor? amendment. http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=11-0754-S1

Ironically, this ?minor? amendment, as referred to in the Council Report, was tacked onto the recent magnanimous and widely publicized ban of puppy-mill animals, but this aspect did not make the headlines.

NEW ?PET STORES? IN L. A. COULD BE FOR-PROFIT ?DOG KENNELS?

As worded, the Mayor?s report sounds like a very noble endeavor to save the lives of shelter animals; however, it would place dog kennels in the midst of other businesses by merely changing to the definitions of ?Kennel? and ?Pet Shop,? to eliminate the normal process of approval by the Planning Department.

Also, the proposed change in wording of the definition in LAMC Sec. 53.00 does not restrict this activity only to shelter animals or nonprofits, but would also open this opportunity to breeders, pet brokers or others who wish to offer any animal for sale. The puppy-mill ban has a sunset clause of three years. There is no definitive enforcement mechanism in the ordinance, and L.A. Animal Services is a complaint-driven, chronically understaffed department.

Here?s how it would work. The definition of a ?Kennel? would have the words, ?with the exception of a pet shop? added. ?Pet Shop? would add that it is ?irrespective of the age of the animals, provided it is not used for commercial boarding or breeding at any time.?

So if someone wishes to sell puppies or any adult dogs, they would be able to do so under this new wording, as long as they are not breeding on the premises or renting kennel space to individual dog owners.

IS IT OK TO DISCRIMINATE IF IT INVOLVES ANIMALS?

The Mayor?s new ?pet store? for adult animals is ostensibly designed to favor a certain group of people-- nonprofit organizations involved in ?rescue of animals? by removing the need for them to obtain a Conditional Use Permit. Even though they are called ?nonprofit,? 50l(c)3 organizations benefit by exclusion from sales tax, tax-free income from adoptions and tax-free donations.

This discriminates against everyone else because the thorough and careful CUP process is required of ALL other business entities, including nonprofits or individuals who wish to deviate from existing residential/commercial building and safety codes.

The first ?pet store? that was included in the Mayor?s discussion would be in a ritzy Brentwood location and a major non-profit organization is receiving the personal attention of the Mayor?s office in this endeavor.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl?s office (whose district includes the location) wrote in an e-mail on September 28, 2012, that it appears there is no legal way to circumvent the established Conditional Use Permit process in order to set up their described ?pet store.?

Even effusively animal-friendly Paul Koretz? deputy expressed reservations, ?Our office will inquire if this has to be sent to the Planning Commission or it is has to be reviewed by the land use section in the City Attorney?s office.?

Yet, after both Council offices had expressed their concerns, Jim Bickhart of the Mayor?s Office wrote on October 3:

?I think it?s a stretch (and a self-fulfilling disaster) to consider what I proposed a land-use amendment?Years of experience tells me that if they?d just go ahead with the kind of solution we?re proposing, there?s a 99% likelihood it would go through Council unnoticed and that would be the end of that. It?ll only be an issue if they turn it into one.? (Emphasis added.)

DOES THE COUNCIL ?NOTICE? WHAT THE MAYOR WANTS APPROVED?

On March 5, Angelenos will go to the polls to vote for a new Mayor. Yesterday all five Mayoral candidates spoke before a small group of animal activists at a forum sponsored by the League of Humane Voters. Without exception, the group of political hopefuls agreed that they would place the welfare of animals very high in consideration if elected.

Three of the candidates are either current or past Councilmembers--Eric Garcetti, Jan Perry and Wendy Greuel?all intelligent and experienced public officials.

Yet, Mayor Villaraigosa holds them in such little esteem that his deputy implies that the Council pays little attention to the content of matters on which they vote and that important items go through ?unnoticed.? In this case, he apparently believes they would hesitate to examine anything that ?sounds good? in regard to animals.

Let?s hope that the next Mayor of Los Angeles does not propose ?unnoticed? programs that could be detrimental to residents and business owners of the city by just making them ?sound good? for animals.

And, let?s hope that this proposal does not pass ?unnoticed? by the Council and is directed to the Planning Department for scrutiny?for the welfare of everyone, animal and human, in Los Angeles!

Read also:

Villaraigosa: Is L.A. Puppy Mill Ban an Assault on Business?

Mayor Villaraigosa Likes Animal Shelters More than Small Businesses?

Source:

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=11-0754-S1

Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/la-mayor-villaraigosa-wants-dog-kennels-shopping-malls-do-voters-agree

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Monday, February 18, 2013

The Deadly Opposition to Genetically Modified Food

2764921 Plant biotechnologist Dr. Swapan Datta inspects a genetically modified "golden rice" plant at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines in 2003. After a long delay, the rice, rich in Vitamin A, will finally be grown in that country.

Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images.

Finally, after a 12-year delay caused by opponents of genetically modified foods, so-called ?golden rice? with vitamin A will be grown in the Philippines. Over those 12 years, about 8 million children worldwide died from vitamin A deficiency. Are anti-GM advocates not partly responsible?

Golden rice is the most prominent example in the global controversy over GM foods, which pits a technology with some risks but incredible potential against the resistance of feel-good campaigning. Three billion people depend on rice as their staple food, with 10 percent at risk for vitamin A deficiency, which, according to the World Health Organization, causes 250,000 to 500,000 children to go blind each year. Of these, half die within a year. A study from the British medical journal the Lancet estimates that, in total, vitamin A deficiency kills 668,000 children under the age of 5 each year.

Yet, despite the cost in human lives, anti-GM campaigners?from Greenpeace to Naomi Klein?have derided efforts to use golden rice to avoid vitamin A deficiency. In India, Vandana Shiva, an environmental activist and adviser to the government, called golden rice ?a hoax? that is ?creating hunger and malnutrition, not solving it.?

The New York Times Magazine reported in 2001 that one would need to ?eat 15 pounds of cooked golden rice a day? to get enough vitamin A. What was an exaggeration then is demonstrably wrong now. Two recent studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that just 50 grams (roughly two ounces) of golden rice can provide 60 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. They show that golden rice is even better than spinach in providing vitamin A to children.

Opponents maintain that there are better ways to deal with vitamin A deficiency. In its latest statement, Greenpeace says that golden rice is ?neither needed nor necessary,? and calls instead for supplementation and fortification, which are described as ?cost-effective.?

To be sure, handing out vitamin pills or adding vitamin A to staple products can make a difference. But it is not a sustainable solution to vitamin A deficiency. And, while it is cost-effective, recent published estimates indicate that golden rice is much more so.

Supplementation programs costs $4,300 for every life they save in India, whereas fortification programs cost about $2,700 for each life saved. Both are great deals. But golden rice would cost just $100 for every life saved from vitamin A deficiency.

Similarly, it is argued that golden rice will not be adopted, because most Asians eschew brown rice. But brown rice is substantially different in taste and spoils easily in hot climates. Moreover, many Asian dishes are already colored yellow with saffron, annatto, achiote, and turmeric. The people, not Greenpeace, should decide whether they will adopt vitamin A-rich rice for themselves and their children.

Most ironic is the self-fulfilling critique that many activists now use. Greenpeace calls golden rice a ?failure,? because it ?has been in development for almost 20 years and has still not made any impact on the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency.? But, as Ingo Potrykus, the scientist who developed golden rice, has made clear, that failure is due almost entirely to relentless opposition to GM foods?often by rich, well-meaning Westerners far removed from the risks of actual vitamin A deficiency.

Regulation of goods and services for public health clearly is a good idea; but it must always be balanced against potential costs?in this case, the cost of not providing more vitamin A to 8 million children during the past 12 years.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=7eb16102c4f505dee3699678f81586d5

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