Uniformity of Accounting Standard and Conceptual Framework Essay Example for Free

Uniformity of Accounting Standard and Conceptual Framework Essay Uniformity of Accounting Standard and Conceptual Framework Executive summery Harmonization of the accounting standard and conceptual framework is emerging as a requirement for of the international community. As business cross national boundaries so the transecting parties need uniformity in the financial reporting for better understanding of the business conditions. The process of harmonization gets accelerated by the initiative of the two major standard setting body of the world IASB and FASB. Although the two authoritative bodies try to uniform the accounting standard but the major concern arises here is the biasness of the influencing nations. In the assignment, pros of the harmonization process is discussed which is essential for international business community. The process is also disturbed by taking into account no consideration of the society and judgment of the professionals. In the assignment some recommendations are made for accelerating the harmonization process. Contents Introduction Economics and politics are the two major elements that shape the accounting standard of a nation. As each and every nation varies in their economic condition, customized accounting standard gets its appeal. Nowadays business is not confined in the national boundaries. With the integration of the worldwide market and the economic forces the process harmonizing the accounting standard has become an emerging issue. In the process independent rather than governmental organization is most appropriate. If we account for the advantages and disadvantages of the harmonization process then in the pros side of the ledger high quality standard of the FASB is the achievement and in the cons side I will posted the biasness of the standard setters. The process reduces the cost of the international community because adding an additional member in the process tends to zero marginal cost of standard setters. Why uniformity in the accounting standard and conceptual framework? With the widespread integration of the markets and policies all over the world, nowadays it becomes inevitable for the financial institutions all over the world to follow a uniform standard for financial reporting. Following the high quality accounting standard tends to a higher standard financial reporting. The pros for informing standard all over the world are as follows: (Ball, ,2005) Maintaining uniformity in financial data presentation: standards are set to guide the contracts of the financial institutions. In the case, if the financial reporting of the entities is different, it causes problem for both the contracting parties in the maintenance of the conditions of the contracts. For example- Company X lends money from Bank Y on the condition that landed amount must not exceed 60% of the total tangible. In the situation valuation techniques of the firms are different then it affects the contract adversely. So following a uniform standard for valuation of tangible asset is a solution of the problem Uniform presentation of financial performance: investors make investment decision based on the financial performance of any firm. In the situation, if the firms follow different standard to represent profitability then it becomes misleading for the investors. Following a uniform standard for reporting can resolve the problem (Lammle, ,2005) Adopting uniformity in the accounting standard offers the society the following three benefits: 1. Uniform accounting standard offers the benefit of economics of scale. Standard once are set, the cost of adding additions user is zero 2. The auditors tasks get easy because all the financial institutions follow uniform policy and procedure for reporting 3. Comparability can be made which reduce the cost of the firms contracting each other Extended cross border transactions: nowadays cross border transaction has been increased. Information about the foreign products and the financial information of the business are now available in internet. As a result, investors invest in foreign firms. In the situation uniform financial reporting gets very important (Buys, ,2011) Uniform financial reporting offers the investors the following benefits: IFRS standards offer a more accurate presentation of the financial data than that of the national standards. Information of some firms is not readily available. In the situation uniformity in accounting standard reduce risks in decision making Usually small investors cannot evaluate all the information than that of professionals. Following the IFRS standard improves the quality of information which ultimately gives the investors more information for access Following the uniform accounting standard serves the purpose of comparability and information accessibility cost gets reduced In IFRS standard emphasis is given for the comparability of information and it becomes more accessible. So integrating the entire world standard with IFRS yields the investors the above benefits. Some other passive pros of uniform accounting standard are as follows: Improve usefulness of financial data Increase transparency which ultimately benefits stakeholders The above two factors tend to reduce agency costs of the firms The above are some of the benefits of harmonization of the accounting standard. The process of harmonization is fueled by the process of globalization. As transactions occurs across national boundaries, there create a need for uniform accounting standard. In today’s business world, transactions cross national boundaries. As a result uniformity in reporting financial data gets very important. IFRS standard plays a vital role in the process of harmonization and many of the European nations follow IFRS. In the process an initiative is taken by USA to harmonize GAAP with IFRS. (HINES, ,2005) Arguments against uniform financial reporting Uniformity in financial reporting is made at the expense of the society. Culture differs in different nations, as a result in the process of uniform accounting reporting cultural aspects are considered. Economic condition of different nations also varies, for example- some are big, and some are small. Uniformity ignores the judgments of the professionals. The process also discourages research in the field and also discourages different ways of financial reporting. Shortcomings of uniform financial reporting are as follows: (Sunder, ,2007) Application of the concept uniformity: the concept of uniformity can never be defined specifically so that the standard setters can apply it in financial reporting. For example- in case of reporting the R D expenditure, management discretion is ignored. In recording the expenditure economic nature of the firm is considered. But the economic condition of the firms is not feasible in many cases. As a result, the uniformity issues creates problem Social norms: the process of uniformity in accounting standard barely considers the issues like cultural, social and political differences in the nations. As a result the process of implementation is affected largely. (Madawaki, ,2012) In applying the standard in the society the standard setters face the following three problems related with the practice in the society: 1. Information problem: in the process of developing standards, the stand makers have very little information about the social circumstances. Standard are set to replace the previous one but the process is very complex. Involvement in the social norms provide more information which is largely ignored in the process 2. Problem in design the standard: in designing standard, it becomes very important to attain representation, impartiality and consistency. The professionals set the standard may not be impartial. In the process, the influencing stakeholders try to influence the standard setting for their benefit. This influence distorts the proper standard setting of the standard setting body. 3. The gaming problem: the development of the standard alters the decision environment of the business firms. Standard also paves some new opportunities. The standard setters do not possess all the information for desired chances as a result misunderstanding arises. The standard setters should ensure that the standards ensure the mutual understanding between the standard setters and the business firms Legal situation of a nation: in the cases where standard is conflicting the low of the nation the jurisdiction of the nation imply it invalid to impose Education and research: in the process of uniformity new standards are set. As a result, the professional teams of the standard setting body have to train the local the professionals in the new standards. In the educational programs also the subject concern with the topic should be amended. This means that the whole system such as: educational materials, accounting software, reporting system all have to be restructured (Agrawal, ,1987) The process of uniformity is questioned by the dominance of some countries. Many nations argue that the head of IASB is the representative of USA. It is a major defense against the standard setting process. In some cases, the judgmental areas of the business firms vary. In the situations, uniformity is somehow impossible. Harmonizing standard with the US GAAP in the uniform of standard is also a major shortcoming. Recommendation The process of harmonization of the two standard setting bodies FASB and IASB has already been started. The process benefits the transactions across national border. Cost of providing information is also reduced. In the situation the process can be successful if it can maintain the following standards: (Barbu, ,2007) To cope with the changing global marketplace, the standard setting body should update the accounting standard in a regular basis and should communicate it with the related parties for implementation The standard setting body should be private and independent to avoid any political pressure of the government which ultimately ensures democracy. In case of governmental standard setting body, there is a chance to be biased in formulating accounting standard In setting the standard the economic variety of the nations should be considered There should be some areas for professional judgment because of the economic variety of the nations To implement the process of uniformity a monitoring sell should be developed. The department oversees the maintenance of the accounting standard. If any nation does not follow the prescribed standard then the department can panelize the nation (Buchanan, ,2007) Conclusion The process of harmonization gets appeal of the international community in the last ten years. The process gets accelerated by the Europeans as they are currently following IAS and IFRS for financial reporting. United States is also a pioneer in the issue by creating a bridge with the international standard with GAAP. In the process the stakeholders gets advantaged by sharing a uniform financial reporting. The cross border relationship is emerged in a new horizon now. The audit process gets the justification in the harmonization process.  But the process is not without some problems also. The process reduces the independent judgment of the auditors. The major stakeholders also influence the standard setting process. An independent private standard setting body is a possible solution to the problem.

Discussing the use of Expert Evidence in Trial

Discussing the use of Expert Evidence in Trial Expert evidence is becoming more established in the field of eyewitness testimony because jurors are frequently placing unjustified reliance on eyewitnesses. Jurors are being informed on the limitations of eyewitness identification as this can play a huge significance within a court case (Cunningham Tyrrell, 1976). section on reliability and validity of expert evidence Expert psychological witnesses are called before the jury to provide their knowledge of research and theories within the field of eyewitness testimony. They are not there to present facts about the specific case but rather provide scientific information of eyewitness accounts that help the jury make decisions (Vidmar Schuller, 1989, as cited in Leippe, 1995). This process can deliver better eyewitness accuracy as the jurors can evaluate the reliability and validity of testimonies and base their decisions from this (Monahan Walker, 1988, as cited in Leippe, 1995). However, Leippe (1995) stated that there is inadequacy in scientific research and theory as he argued that this field of research is not reliable because it cannot be generalised to the real world and lacks ecological validity. Some courts and several experimental psychologists have argued against research on eyewitness testimony as being scientific, as they have established that eyewitness research is not widely accepted as a science as findings have not been generally approved (Egeth, 1993). Previous research on a survey of 488 responses to expert witness questions and believability was carried out. This produced implications of reliability and validity of expert evidence. It was found that the majority of respondents stated that they would believe experts from their own community as they were sensitive to the issue of expert witnesses being a hired gun which refers to expert opinions that are not impartial due to being bias towards the party that called them (Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). A majority of respondents specified that they would believe experts who were not getting paid for their testimony; this allows respondents to believe that the experts are providing an honest judgement and are not stating information on the basis of expecting return (Cooper Neuhaus, 2000, as cited in Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). In addition to this factor, respondents conveyed a preference for testimony from experts that have previously testified for the prosecution and defence rather tha n one or the other (Boccaccini Brodsky, 2002). A number of cases have debated that expert testimony is simply common sense and this knowledge can be made by the un-educated jurors, and the deficiencies in the accuracy of identification can be conveyed to the jury over cross-examinations, and closing arguments (Woller, 2003). A study by Levett Kovera, 2008 indicate that there is a sensitisation amongst jurors on the validity of initial expert research when opposing expert research is introduced to address the validity of the initial expert research. Evidence was found that this process allows non-extreme judgements to be made by jurors but will not directly affect substantial decisions on the outcomes of a case. This shows inconsistencies when using initial expert research because the study illustrates that opposing experts give the opinion that initial expert research is inapplicable to the case. This suggests the question on whether the appropriateness on having an initial expert witness is needed at all as they frequently do not influence jurors decisions. Overall, eyewitness testimony reliability depends on many factors, in some cases it is reliable and in others it is not. Individual factors can contribute to whether the information given is correct or not. Personal opinion whether it would be appropriate to use experts in this case Expert evidence helps provide research and theory about well-known variables which can influence memory and recalling of memory. Therefore by using expert evidence in the case of evaluating eyewitness testimonies is crucial, as much research has supported the flaws which can contribute to misleading information. As a result of such a high dependency and impact of the judges decision of the eyewitness testimony in determining ones life outcome, it is important that all measures are put forward in order to prevent a person who is not guilty from going to prison. On the other hand, I believe that there were a number of variables within this case that is deemed to be too complex to measure individually. I think that it is much harder to get an accurate account of the event itself when viewing the variables in isolation. The theories are not established enough to concentrate on the variables combined which could potentially give a more accurate account of the event. If an expert witness was used for this case, I believe that they would significantly affect the decision of the jury. They somewhat take the role of the juror and directly affect the credibility of the eyewitnesses testimony. This should not be acceptable as an expert witness should only be there to provide facts about certain pieces of evidence and not about specific variables within the case. Overview of psychological evidence that may be brought before the court by the expert for the prosecution (Guilty) Around 20 Research states 3 highest accuracy levels :sex height and racei Freya remembered more detail-eyes-more accurate -watching and had more light more oppotunity Detailed descriptions Nature of event The nature of the event can have a profounding effect on the witnesss future recall. Witnesses who experience a traumatic event tend to have higher stress levels. This enables them to have a much detailed memory as they often think about the event after it has happened. Because of the disturbing nature of the event, it makes it harder for a witness to forget. All 3 witnesses within the case experienced a form of violence and therefore their levels of arousal would have increased. According to research findings, this could enhance the accuracy of the description of the event and suspect (Christianson, 1992). Yuille and Cutshall (1986) also found that higher stress levels lead to better memories of events than do witnesses with lower stress levels. Confidence (Meta-memory) A witness that is confident when providing their testimony to court officials are usually more believed to be accurate (Wise Safer, 2004 as cited in Krug, 2007). A study performed by Bradfield and Wells (2000, as cited in Bradfield McQuiston, 2004) found that a participant juror who reads a testimony from a confident witness is said to of had a better view of the event compared to a witness whose confidence was low. Even when the jury has stated that confidence is not an accurate determinant, there is evidence to believe that high confidence does allow the jury to express a better evaluation of the witness (Fox Walters, 1986). Pratima Hussain conveyed a high level of confidence when declaring her testimony as she stated that she categorically knew that the defendant was the person that pushed her to the ground. She also gave a very detailed description of the weapon. This may influence the prosecution of the suspect by the jury because her confidence can be a huge predictor of acc uracy. Bell Loftus, 1989 also established that when confidence is expressed, jurors are impressed with that confidence which makes them more easily persuaded. Number of Witnesses Witnesses, who are at the same crime and identify the same suspect under different conditions, are more likely to be accurate. A study by Haber and Haber (2000) shown that if a witness provides a description of a suspect and then later identifies them within a video identity parade, they are said to be 75% accurate. If another witness, who was present at the same crime, provides a similar description of the suspect and also identifies the same person from the identity parade, both of their identifications are said to be 90% accurate. This factor relates back to the case since Pratima Hussain and Emanuel Hargreaves both gave a similar description of Kevin Clough and both identified him from the mugshots and identity parade. Overview of psychological evidence that may be brought before the court by the expert for the defence: Womens eyesight was discredited (glasses came off) Pushed ground Glasses Less likely if realy old-age recogitionn The nature of event The effect of arousal on eyewitness memory is now commonly explored using the Yerkes-Dodson law (1908) which states that the connection between arousal and performance is based on a U-shaped curve whereby very high or very low levels of stress decreases the performance of the witness and that intermediate levels of stress is when performance is at its best (Deffenbacher, 1983 as cited in McCloskey Egeth, 1983). Therefore in relation to the event being violent, stress levels must have been very high which can cause discrepancies in the eyewitness testimonies given. Stress interferes with the ability of eyewitnesses to identify a central person in a stressful situation (Morgan et al, 2004, as cited in Wells, Memon Penrod, 2006). The high stress itself could be expected to lead to a narrowing of the range of perceptual focus, as Easterbrook (1959 some facts about weapons) has noted. Mugshot induced bias In this case, 2 of the witnesses were required to carry out mugshot identification and a video identity parade. Research by Cutler et al (1987, as cited in Ebbesen Konecni, 1997) has shown that exposure to mugshots after viewing the suspect at the scene of the crime may create a risk that the witness may become bias within the subsequent video identity parade. This is because the witness increases their ability to recognise a previously seen face. The witness may inflict a failure of memory due to previous exposure of other mugshots and therefore fail to identify the actual suspect from the event (Brown, Deffenbacher Sturgill, 1977, as cited in Deenbacher, Bornsteiny Penrod, 2006). as Garven, Wood and Malpass (2000, as cited in Hafstad Memon, 2004) found Retention of memory The ability to take in information and hold it is a very important factor to reflect on. Many studies have shown that memory may deteriorate after an event occurs. There is more than one reason that retention of an event may be lost, which can include post events that take over the memory of the original event or similarly, a witness being exposed to information from other witnesses (Woocher, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.) as cited in Baggett, 1975 Memory for Explicit and Implicit Information in Picture Stories). Another reason may include bad experiences of a particular event that might eliminate memory from a witness because they choose not to remember it. Shapiro and Penrod (1986, as cited in Smith, Stinson Prosser, 2004) performed a study on long vs. short delays and found that longer delays led to less correct and more false identifications. From this study, it is clear to see that retention plays an important element when making correct identifications. This is also true of the Kevin Clo ugh case, as all of the witnesses were required to identify the suspect from mugshots 2 days after the event occurred. They also had to identify the suspect from a video identity parade, 8 days after the event occurred. Perception A factor that can affect eyewitness perception is a term called an event factor. This is when natural conditions within an event can affect the witnesss perception when an event occurs. It might seem natural to think that witnessing an event in good lighting conditions, may improve perception compared to poor lighting conditions. However, this is not the case as research has found that different lighting conditions can be relatively complex (Woller, 2003). Adaptation to light and dark has a significant effect on perception. It has been found that when witnessing an event in a dark condition and then there is sudden changes to a light condition, or the opposite, the eyes are unable to fully recover right away and perception is distorted. This is the cause of a chemical reaction happening within the eye between the rods and cones which generates a short experience of blindness. In the case of Kevin Clough, this can have a profound effect on Freya Ogdens perception. On the evening of Ja nuary 12th, it would have been dark outside and Freya reported that a security light shone on the offender as he ran past her. Consequently, her identification of the offender may be unjustified as a result of light adaptation. Cross-Race Identification A major factor concerning eyewitness identification is Cross-Race Identification. A jury may be alerted when considering the condition of a witnesss race that is different to the race of the suspect and the accuracy of the identification. Research has found people from one race have great difficulty identifying people from a different race. This is because people that generally socialise with other people from their own racial group tend to absorb certain facial features more easily compared to people from another racial group (Malpass Kravitz, 1969). Members of one race tend to state that members of a different racial group have less homogeneity in the facial features in relation to their own racial group (Goldstein, 1979 as cited in Smith, Stinson Prosser, 2004). Ng and Lindsay (1994) stated that the more contact a person has with people from a differing racial or ethnic group, the ability to identify suspects correctly will be greater. This issue might be a contributing factor r egarding the Kevin Clough case because 2 of the witnesses, Pratima Hussain and Emanuel Hargreaves, are of a different racial group to the suspect. This could mean that their identification of Mr Clough may be invaluable to the case regarding the factor of cross-race identification. Individual factors Age Another factor which should be considered in accordance to eyewitness testimonies is age. Age is found to play a significant role in eyewitness testimonies. All witnesses are seen to be vulnerable, however children have been found to be the most vulnerable (Bruck Ceci, 1999, as cited in Wells, Memon Penrod, 2006). Children have been found to be susceptible to interviewer bias, as Garven, Wood and Malpass (2000, as cited in Hafstad Memon, 2004) found 50% of children who received positive reinforcement for reporting incorrect responses continued to answer yes to the misleading information, whereas 5% answered yes when no reinforcement was applied. This research suggests children are easily misled with what they experienced from the event. Research has also found a decline in memory for elderly witnesses. Cohen and Faulkner (1989) found elderly subjects were easily misled by false information. This states that expert eyewitnesses are crucial in cases where children and elderly witnes ses are testifying. Research has also found confidence and memory reports can easily be distorted in particular with vulnerable children, as children are believed to be overly optimistic with their memory proficiencies (Hafstad, Memon Logie, 2004). Weapon Focus The presence of a weapon can substantially indicate to an eyewitness that a crime is happening. The concentration on the weapon itself can reduce the ability to absorb other information from the crime (Loftus Messo, 1987, as cited in Mitchell, Livosky, Mather, 1998). Weapon focus is linked to arousal and Easterbrook (1959, as cited in Mitchell et al., 1998) found that perception decreases as arousal levels increase which is based on his/her cue utilisation theory. The theory also points out that the more intense the arousal is of an eyewitness, the bigger the reduction in perceptual cues. When a weapon is visible within a crime, the weapon focus effect states that all focus is pointed at the weapon and perceptual cues such as the criminals characteristics are decreased. The case of Kevin Clough is interesting because the victim Pratima Hussain was able to provide a detailed description of the weapon, and identify characteristics of the suspect correctly. Mrs Hussain was able to ide ntify the suspects age, race and eye colour correctly. Research by Dehon and Bredart (2001) as cited inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ has found that white people are able to make a more accurate age estimate for in-groups than out-groups. However, the accuracy of age estimates from people of other races that live or have lived predominantly in a white country did not differ based on the race of the face. Research was carried out by Anastasi Rhodes, 2006 as cited in Age Estimation of Faces on whether the age of the witness corresponds with the age of the suspect. Results found that age estimates are often bias towards their own age range. Research also found that witnesses that are much older than the suspect exhibit poorer performance regarding face recognition Adams-Price, 1992 as cited in Evidence for an Own-Age Bias in Face. Therefore, there is a possibility that Pratima Hussains age estimate of the suspect could have been wrong and that she may have guessed the age of the suspect. Indicate what you consider to be the strongest evidence for both the prosecution and for the defence. Prosecution Defence Retention of memory It is clear that memory declines over a period of time. I think this is an important factor because the longer the length of time between the learning experience and test of identification, the likelihood that memory will decrease will be greater. Conclusion selective attention, reconstructive memory, short exposure durations, vantage point, suggestion

Instant Messaging Essays -- Essays Papers

Instant Messaging Instant messaging is a tool used by a vast majority of Internet users. This new tools has some advantages and some disadvantages. IM is used a lot of the time in education. It’s used for recruiting and admissions, student-faculty communications, library consultations, group projects, and immediate feedback, and discussions during lectures. Businesses are also finding instant messaging useful, as well as the deaf community. Some of the disadvantages are that teachers don’t feel comfortable using IM, instant messaging might interfere with students work, and viruses can be passed via instant messaging through links. Instant messaging seems to have a more positive side than negative. Instant messaging has many benefits and that’s why so many people use it today. Instant messaging can happen instantly. One doesn’t have to sit around and wait for a response like with e-mail. Someone stated that, â€Å"You can check to see if a pal is online and available, key in a â€Å"Wassup?† and you’re chatting away† (Reid, 2004). Also, IM has a big impact on students. With instant messaging they’re able to, â€Å"create, join, leave, and rejoin at will what the Pew Internet group calls â€Å"virtual study groups† (Woods, 2002). There are always some communication delays because of dinner interruptions or a favorite television show may be on. A high school girl stated that, â€Å"Not only do I research online, but I also use it for chatting with people for school. If I forget an assignment or need assistance on a concept I cannot grasp, the Internet is an easy way for me to get in touch with a peer who might be an aid to me† (2002). If a student has a teacher’s screen name than he or she can get imm... ... American Life Project. Retrieved March 25, 2004 from Ebsco Host: http://web10.epnet.com/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=dbs+f5h%2Ceric+sid+8DCA235D%2DE69. Reid, Goldsborough. (2001). Instant Messaging for Instant Communications. Black Issues in Higher Education, 18. Retrieved March 25, 2004 from Ebsco Host: http://web10.epnet.com/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=dbs+f5h%2Ceric+sid+8DCA235D%2DE69. Robinson, Stacey. (2001). Morris Library serves students with instant messaging system. Retrieved March 22, 2004 from http://www.dailyegyptian.com/btc01/seca/im.html. Woods, Bob. (2002). Digital Divide between Students and Educators? Retrieved March 24, 2004 from http://www.instantmessagingplanet.com/public/print.php/10817_1447791. Yared, Diala. (2002). Instant Messaging. Retrieved March 28, 2004 from mason.gmu.edu/~dyared/NCLC348/Instantmessaging/competencies/diala.htm.

Marketing :: essays research papers

Hewlett-Packard/Compaq Merger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2002, the (HP/Compaq) merger announcement was made by Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Compaq head Michael D. Capellas. If in fact the merger goes through, it would be the largest merger in the computer industry history. Some may ask why this merger was so important to these companies. The truth of the matter is that both of these companies feel that this merger will benefit their company not only at the present time but in the future also. Along with a huge merger like this one, there are some pros and cons that affiliate with a huge merger like this one. According to a reference article these are some of the reasons why some may support the merger and some reasons why some may oppose the merger: Why to support the merger: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The new HP will become the market leader in servers, storage, management software, printing and imaging, and PCs, improving our ability to offer the end-to-end solutions customers demand. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We will double our profitable and growing services business, enhance our R&D efforts, and extend our customer reach in 160 countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We will achieve annual cost savings of $2.5 billion, adding $5 to $9 in present value to each HP share; and increase earnings per share by 13% during the first year following the merger. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By improving profitability in enterprise computing systems, in PCs and access devices, and in IT services, we will have the financial strength to extend our successful imaging and printing franchise into new multi-billion dollar categories like digital imaging and digital publishing. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The closer you look, the more you will see that the merger of HP and Compaq is the single best way to strengthen our businesses and improve our market position, deliver more of what our customers need, enhance opportunities for our employees, and increase the value of your investment. Why to oppose the merger: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Acquiring market share does not translate to leadership, i.e., demonstrated better business model, technology innovation or success at winning business from competitors. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Admission of no new significant technology/capabilities added to HP's portfolio. Significant overlap creates cost synergies which are offset by revenue losses from rationalized products and services †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large stock transactions statistically more risky. Upon announcement of the proposed merger, Moody's downgraded HP's debt rating and put it on negative watch, S&P has also put HP on negative outlook †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bigger, but in an unattractive business, commodity computing. Hardware as diminishing economies of scale and HP and Compaq already has significant scale.

Macbeth: Choices :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth: Choices         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare characters often could not escape the consequences of their choices. The choices that some characters made in the play put them in a position which they could not escape. In most of these cases the character feels remorse for the choice they had made. The characters that I will be concentrating on are Macbeth, Macduff, and Lady Macbeth. These characters are the best examples of how characters could not escape their choices in the play.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The actions of Macbeth during the play sometimes put him in a situation which he could not escape. An example of this is when Macbeth murders Duncan. After he does it he regrets it and is afraid to think about it. This is shown in the quote: I am afraid to think what I've done; look on't again I dare not./(50- 51, Scene 2, Act 2) Another example is after Macbeth had Banquo killed and he sees Banquo's ghost at the table. He goes crazy and starts yelling at the ghost and he realizes that he cannot change what he has done so he tries to ignore it. That same scene Lady Macbeth says: Things without all remedy should be without regard: what's done is done./(11-12, Scene 2, Act 3) These examples show how Macbeth cannot escape the choices he made.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macduff's allegiance to the country of Scotland leads to consequences which he cannot change. Macduff's allegiance is shown when he left Scotland and his family to go to England. There he met with Malcolm and started raising a army to overthrow Macbeth.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The result of this is the slaughtering of Macduff's wife and children by Macbeth's men.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He blames himself for their death and he knows he can do nothing to change it. This is seen in the qoute: Sinful Macduff, They were all struck for thee! Naught that I am, Not for their own demerits but for mine fell slaughter on their souls. Heaven rest them now!/(224-226, Scene 3, Act 4)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lady Macbeth cannot escape the consequences of her choices either. She pressured Macbeth into killing Duncan when he did not want to. She also smeared the blood all over the guards and put the daggers in their hands. She went along with the murdering of Banquo and tried to tell Macbeth that he could not change what he had done in the second quote of my second paragraph. All of the choices she made had a huge impact on her life and we see what she has become in the

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 32-33

Chapter 32 Stefan,† a disembodied voice whispered. I was in the labyrinth back at Veritas, the lush green hedges rising higher than my head, the sun beating down upon my shoulders. My collar was itchy and constrictive–for some reason I was in my Sunday best. From around the bend Damon approached, his blue eyes wide and innocent. â€Å"Want to race, brother?† he challenged. Of course I accepted. Suddenly, we were sitting on the porch swing, with Katherine wedged between us, mischief in her dark eyes, as she plucked petals from a daisy. Her leg was so close I felt it grazing mine. As her gaze shifted back and forth, I realized the game she was playing: The flower would determine which one of us she would choose. When she reached the final petal, her eyes locked onto mine, and I knew that I was the victor. She leaned in to kiss me, and I closed my eyes, anticipating the soft touch of her lips. But instead I felt a stake plunge into my heart. My eyes fluttered open, and there stood my brother, laughing as he dug the wood yet deeper into me, the flower petals crushed beneath my prone form. My head lolled to the side, and my eyes snagged on the girl who was bleeding to death next to me on the grass. Her hair was fire-red, and her skin was moon-pale beneath her freckles. Callie!I tried to shout. But Damon snatched up my words in his fist before sinking a knife over and over into Callies back. â€Å"Stefan!† a voice called again, louder this time. I recognized the lilting alto.Lexi. â€Å"Nooo † I moaned. I couldnt allow Damon to kill her, too. â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"Stefan .† She came closer still, kneeling down beside me, holding a goblet to my lips. â€Å"No,† I said again. She shook my shoulders violently. My eyes popped open. The walls around me were painted with cracked red paint, and I saw a gilt-edged portrait on the opposite wall. I sat up, touching my face with my hands, then glancing down. I was still wearing my ring. I touched the stone. It felt very real. â€Å"Lexi?† I asked thickly. â€Å"Yes!† She smiled, clearly relieved. â€Å"Youre awake.† I glanced down at my body. My arm still throbbed, and there was dried blood underneath my fingernails. â€Å"Am I alive?† She nodded. â€Å"Just barely.† â€Å"Damon?† â€Å"We didnt get him,† Lexi said darkly. â€Å"He ran off.† â€Å"Callie?† I asked. I didnt want to hear, but I needed to know. Lexi looked down at her fingernails for a long moment, then lifted her amber eyes to mine. â€Å"Im sorry, Stefan. We tried Even Buxton tried to save her â€Å" â€Å"But she was too far gone,† I finished for her. My head throbbed. â€Å"Where is she now?† Lexi pushed my matted hair off my temple. Her fingers were cool against my burning skin. â€Å"In the river. The whole citys looking for her † Lexis voice trailed off, but I understood everything that she wasnt saying. â€Å"Before you rest, you need to drink,† Lexi murmured, helping me sit up again. â€Å"Its your favorite, goats blood,† she said with a sad smile. I put my lips to the goblet. The brackish liquid tasted nothing like sweet, full-bodied human blood, but it was warm. And it contained something human blood never would: a dull spark of redemption. The more of this I drank, the less human blood would run through me. I wasnt naï ¿ ½ve, though. Guilt would always flow through my veins. Id killed too many in my short time as a vampire, destroyed too many lives. Whether or not I drank from her, Callies death was on my hands as well. I should have turned my back on her, told her I never wanted to see her. But Id been weak. â€Å"Good boy,† Lexi murmured as I finished drinking from the cup. I didnt feel good. I felt sick and scared and unsure of what to do. Damon was still out in the world, somewhere, and Callies blood was running through his veins. My stomach tightened. â€Å"I dont know what to do,† I admitted, searching Lexis eyes for answers. But Lexi was silent. â€Å"I dont know what to tell you,† she said finally. â€Å"But I do know youre a good man.† I sighed, ready to point out that I wasnt a man at all, I was a monster. But Lexi stood up and gathered the mugs from the night table. Chapter 33 When I woke up, I could tell from the light streaming through the crack in the curtains that it was daylight. I swung my feet onto the hardwood floor and grabbed the neat pile of clothes from the shopping trip with Lexi. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I put on a new shirt, slicked my hair back, and put the rest of the clothes in a makeshift carrying case formed from my tattered shirt from Mystic Falls–the only item I still had from my old life. I glanced around the room, my eyes taking in the familiar layers of dust in the corners. I wondered how many vampires had passed through this house and whether Lexi would find another young vampire to take under her wing. I hoped, for his sake as well as hers, that hed have a better time in this city of sin than I had had. Lexi was sitting in the living room. In her hands was the portrait of her brother. As soon as I stepped in, she glanced up. â€Å"Stefan,† she said. â€Å"Im sorry,† I cut in. And I was, for all of it. For coming to New Orleans. For disrupting her life. For bringing danger to the tiny spot of security the vampires had managed to carve out. â€Å"Im not. It was a privilege to have you.† Her gaze turned serious. â€Å"Im sorry about Callie–and about your brother.† â€Å"Hes not my brother anymore,† I said quickly. Lexi set down the portrait on the coffee table. â€Å"Perhaps not anymore. But as you said yourself, he was for your whole human life. Can you remember that and forget the rest?† I shrugged. I didnt want to remember Damon. Not now, not ever. Lexi crossed the room and put her hand on my arm. â€Å"Stefan, missing humans and your human life hurts. But it does get easier.† â€Å"When?† I asked, my voice cracking slightly. She glanced back at the portrait on the table. â€Å"Im not sure. It happens gradually.† She paused, then laughed, the sound so innocent and lighthearted that I wanted to sit down and stay at the house forever. â€Å"Let me guess. You want it to happen now.† I smiled. â€Å"You know me well.† Lexi frowned. â€Å"You need to learn to slow down, Stefan. You have an eternity ahead of you.† A silence fell between us, the wordeternityclanging in my ears. With a jerk, I pulled Lexi into a hug, inhaled the comforting aroma of our friendship, then sped out of the house without a glance back. Once outside, I chastised myself for my sentimentality. I had much to atone for, and feeling sorry for myself was self-indulgent. I paused at the spot on the street where Callie had died. There was no bloodstain, nothing to mark the fact that shed even existed. I knelt down, glancing over my shoulder before I kissed the pavement. Then I stood up and began to run, faster and faster. It was dawn, and the city was just waking up. Messenger boys zipped by on delivery bikes, and Union soldiers marched through the streets, their rifles nestled in their arms like infants. Vendors were already setting up on the sidewalk, and the air smelled like sugar and smoke. And, of course, like the tangy scent of blood and iron. I quickly reached the train station, where the platform was already bustling. Men in morning coats sat on worn wooden benches in the waiting area, reading newspapers, while women nervously clutched their purses. The entire station had an air of festive transience. It was the perfect hunting ground. And before I could help it, my fangs protruded from my gums. Bowing my face into my hands, I counted to ten, fighting the hunger that raced through me and waiting for my teeth to click back into their human form. The whistle blew, and the train roared into the station, kicking up a cloud of dust and breaking me out of my reverie. I followed the soldier on board, wondering if he and his lover would experience a happy ending. I took solace in knowing, at least, that should they not, it would not be because of me. I entered the coach compartment. â€Å"Ticket, sir?† a conductor asked, holding out his hand. I locked eyes with him, my stomach turning with disgust at having to rely on my Power. Let me pass.†I showed it to you,† I said aloud. â€Å"You must have forgotten.†

Leaving Home and Memories

Leaving home, yes, I remember leaving home, can you? Leaving home for me was quite unlike the leaving home of what I would call the usual. It December 27, 2009. That day I won’t forget for my entire life, that day when it was the change in everything, that day when I was saying goodbye, the teary goodbyes to relatives and friends. Getting closer to time to leave home, I started to remember and retell, in my head, the bittersweet memories of leaving the loving nest. As my family and I arrived to the airport, my heart was heavy, and I started to feel sad because of what I hate and I’ve always hated, it is separation from my best friends, however I knew the time has come to leave. I felt an unsettling feeling in my heart and a kind of longing to stay back forever. But at the same time, I was excited. I have been reflecting on what my life would become and what it could have been and, eventually, I plucked up the courage to walk away and started a new life. In the plane, I sat with closed eyes, reliving those wonderful and fond memories, I left behind.  Like read about memories? Read also  Flashbulb memory! Today is a life change. It’s awaking me and saving me, striving forth happy, confident and bold, into a world that’s familiar but friendly. Into this new life my spirit will send me, Living, laughing, and loving it all. Now I’ve been sitting around this life, I can see just where it all went, Cherish every moment of this new life. Later, I woke up; I could hear the faint humming of the airplane engines. We were over the Atlantic Ocean. I noticed the journey viewer showed that only 2 hours to go. I was going to be in Canada after what seemed a lifetime of waiting, anticipation, obsession with it all. I was going to touch down, to take a first Canadian breath of air, in only just two hours, what an exciting feeling. I couldn't even believe I slept in the first place, but I had. After almost 2 hours, my dad told that we are flying above Canada. Canada! A smile took over my face. I sat there Looking out the window at the vast earth we live in. somewhat calming being so high up above the clouds, its peace, its tranquil, and mesmerizing. Without moment’s notice, I was jolted form, my calming wander to the sound of a belt light; it was time to fasten our seat belts as we were going to start descending on Canada. Finally, smiles all over. Only moments away before I knew it, I saw clouds rushing past my window, faster and faster, it was like a moment of such anticipation, as to what will be at the end, through the clouds. What I will see, what is going to be my first image, my first real life visualization of Canada? More clouds rushed past, more and more, I never thought it was going to end. It was hilarious, where is it, I remember I kept on thinking, where is Canada, show yourself to me, â€Å"SHOW ME†. Within three minutes, I looked down and I knew I was staring into my new land, my new home. I know as soon as I touch down, I’m not leaving for a long time, I knew it. Afterwards, I took a breath as I walked through the tunnel. I saw the steps, I seemed to count how many there where, I reached the last one, 17 steps, it was the last one, and I went down. I felt good, that first touch, that first moment. I breathed my first Canadian breath of air, all I thought in this moment; this is a grand moment in my life. It was Toronto in December, so it was cold. I could see my breath each time I talk. There were Glittering mounds of fluffy white snow, streets illuminated with warm golden Christmas lights, stars twinkling in the night sky. It’s almost like a fairytale. The roads were long and never-ending, darkness cut through by powerful glowing headlights. When I went to the hotel, no one was talking, we’re all too tired. I wanted to take a hot, steamy shower and just go to my bed. I was really tired, however, I was able to sleep, I kept thinking about my day. And I was looking up for my future in this country. In conclusion, To all of you out there who are faced with or contemplating leaving home, cherish the sweet moments and battle with all your courage against the bitter moments until you find your final home – then vow never to leave it.