BG Group plc Accounting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BG Group plc Accounting - Coursework Example Of the three business segments of the company, the E&P segment is the largest in terms of non-current assets subject to impairment issues. Oil and gas exploration is a capital intensive activity and all costs incurred are capitalized as intangible assets until oil or gas is discovered. Once the reserves are proven, these costs are transferred to property, plant and equipment in the company balance sheet. Costs incurred on unsuccessful oil and gas fields are written off in the in the income statement (BG Report 2011, pp 89). This method of accounting based on â€Å"successful efforts† is not a term defined in the IFRS 6 but used by the oil and gas industry as a carry over from previous GAAP practices (KPMG, 2008). BG plc does not differentiate between development fields and production fields. This too is inline with accepted industry practice (KPMG, 2008). Non current assets are reviewed at least once a year for impairment. As on 31 December 2011, BG Group held a balance of $ 4,383 million in expenditure related to unproved oil and gas reserves within the category of intangible assets. In the previous accounting year, this figure was higher at $5,342 million (BG Report 2011, pp 89). For assessment of impairment, BG plc combines oil and gas production fields into cash generating units based on geographical location, use of common facilities and marketing arrangements (BG Report 2011, pp90). This disclosure is not usually made in Oil company reports (KPMG, 2008) and is therefore an improvement on industry practice. BG plc uses the net present value of future cash flows for impairment assessment using certain short term and long term assumptions depending on the nature of the asset. The Exploration & Production business segment is particularly sensitive to commodity prices. Impairment testing of oil and gas properties is based on assessment of proven and probable reserve estimates using the SEC definition (BG

Financial Control Auditing Essay Example for Free

Financial Control Auditing Essay If you use a computer to record your business activity and maintain this data electronically, you are a candidate for an electronic audit. * What are the Benefits of e-Auditing? †¢It saves time – Electronic audits are completed much faster than traditional, manual audits. Company personnel and tax auditors spend less time working on the audit. †¢It saves paper – Electronic tax auditing reduces the amount of paper normally needed during the audit. †¢It is less disruptive to business – Electronic audits permit tax auditors to work at the tax office most of the time. Computer-assisted tax audit techniques reduce on-site audit time. In this way, there is minimal interference with the normal business of your company. †¢It is more efficient – More efficient techniques for reviewing taxpayer information are used in electronic audits. * The process of e-Auditing? To corporate taxpayers: 1- The preparatory stage begins when a tax auditor contacts the company. 2- He then familiarizes himself with the accounting system of the company, and negotiates with company managers responsible for accounting and finance. 3- They make agreements on when and how the electronic material should be delivered to the tax authority, and what copies of files should be created for the purpose. The tax auditor receives the files and converts them into a special database format used by the Finnish Tax Administration. 5- Later, the chief auditor and the company management will discuss the time schedule of the on-site tax audit, i. e. the part of the tax examination that takes place on company premises. * What are the Auditor†™s Responsibilities towards e-Auditing? Our tax auditors have received special training on information technology; they are aware of information security considerations and work under strict rules of confidentiality. Their PC and laptop workstations are protected and secure. They store the original material in a locked cabinet, and they make sure that the work files created from the company-supplied electronic materials are removed from the computers immediately after the audit. Depending on what has been agreed, physical data media (CDs etc. ) will either be returned to the company or destroyed. After the tax authority has issued the assessment decision or tax debiting decision, any files saved in Tax Administration systems will be deleted. The company will receive a message confirming the deletion. The use of expert systems in e-Auditing As computer power is enhanced and auditors are faced with making decisions in more complex environments, some accounting firms have begun to develop expert systems to assist their personnel in the audit process, An expert system is a complex system of computer progams that models the decision process of a human experts. The psychological methods used to gain an understanding of the human experts decision process and conversion of this decision process into mathematical equations and computer programs are fair beyond the scope of this text. Legal Authority The right of the Finnish Tax Administration to receive computer files for the purposes of audit is based on the following tax laws:  § 14, Act on Assessment Procedure (1558/1995),  § 3, Ordinance on Assessment Procedure,  § 169, Value Added Tax Act (1501/1993),  § 10, VAT Ordinance, and  § 37, Prepayment Act (1118/1996). The Decision of 26 Jan 1998 (no 47/1998) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry concerns bookkeeping methods. The first section of this Decision concerns the use of computer automation in accounting. The Accounting Board has issued an official instruction on 22 May 2000 on the implementation of the provisions of the Decision. These instructions include more specific rules on the use of information technology in accounting. In the interest of expediency during tax audits, the Finnish Tax Administration urges corporate taxpayers to follow the recordkeeping rule of six years. In other words, full documentation showing each transaction separately including its entries in accounting records should be kept for six years after the closing of the accounting period. These records also include auxiliary documentation, and they are to be kept in a legible format. * Rules on recordkeeping and reproduction of data Companies are requested to keep the following files and details in a machine-sensible, software-independent format. They should cover the entire time periods to be audited: 1. Journal-type file of the accounting system listing each transaction separately , including the following detailed facts if applicable for the company: †¢Company number, business unit number †¢Document type Sequential number of the accounting voucher/document, which should be the same number as that of the original receipt, voucher or other document found in the books. †¢Date of accounting document / Date of transaction / Accounting period †¢Account number †¢Cost center number †¢Amount in euros (marks), amount in foreign currency, code of currency †¢Descriptions of accounting entries – several descriptions are accepted †¢ Project no, investment no, process no, product no etc. †¢Customer no, supplier no †¢VAT code †¢Any other data fields that help identify the transaction. . Additional files in case the names (of accounts or of cost centers) are not included in the accounting transactions files: †¢Chart of accounts showing every account used during the period, including account name and account number. †¢Lists of cost centers (and their numbers and names) used during various years. †¢Lists showing details of project numbers, investment numbers, process numbers, product numbers etc. used during various years †¢Lists showing VAT codes (with explanations) used during various years †¢Lists of accounting voucher types used Lists showing the sequences of sequential numbers used by the accounting system (can be delivered on paper instead of a computer file) †¢Registers of suppliers and registers of customers, as a computer file, including at least the following facts: ? Business IDs and European VAT numbers ?Customer no, supplier no ?Name ?Address ?Postal code ?Country code 3. Other details: †¢Specifications of records, descri bing each delivered file. †¢Detailed versions of balance sheet (showing each account separately) for the accounting periods to be audited. †¢Model list printed on paper, to show the eginning of the accounting transaction list file, in case numerical fields have been zipped / compressed. * What are the Permissible file types? The files should consist of fixed-length consecutive strings and be free of software-specific characters (and they should not be backup files). Accounting transactions and additional files such as charts of accounts and lists of cost centers should be delivered to us on a physical data medium, which is usually a CD or DVD. The following technical information is mandatory : * Encoding (ascii / ebcdic) Existence of zipped/compressed data elements (please unzip/uncompress) * Number of records * Length of records. If the company cannot deliver the accounting system files where transactions are primarily recorded, tax auditors can alternatively utilize repo rting files or list files. Accounting systems create reporting files and transaction lists associated with the general ledger and journal, accounts receivable and accounts payable What are the Pros and Cons of both manual and E-audit? (Conclusion) There are pros and cons to both the manual and electronic audits. The manual chart review is more time consuming and is subject to both the benefits and liabilities of requiring human judgment during the audit process. The electronic audit is much quicker, although it requires time and attention to careful set up before the first audit can be run. E-audits are independent of human judgment since determinations are made by internally programmed computer logic and are therefore more consistent than manual audits. Their accuracy is more subject to proper PCC documentation, coding and data entry issues. More and more facilities are opting to perform e-audits due to the time savings and ease of performing regular periodic audits once the initial setup has been completed. We encourage the use of electronic audits whenever feasible. For facilities wishing to transition from a manual to an electronic audit, it is imperative that they initially run simultaneous manual and e-audits to compare the results. In theory, the results from the manual and e-audit should be quite similar. If the results of one or more of the audit elements are significantly different, an investigation into the reason(s) for the difference needs to be undertaken.

Seagrams Essay -- Business Management

Edgar Bronfman’s value system is in jeopardy of not being sustained due to his failure to fully transition from charismatic to instrumental leadership as evidenced by the employee questions following the values program training. Analysis Seagram’s is currently undergoing strategic, anticipatory changes in the company’s value system to competitively reposition the company to take advantage of future growth opportunities, diversify the company globally, effectively manage business processes, and increase profits. Bronfman has successfully guided the development and introduction of this new value system. However, Seagram’s is lacking the instrumental leadership necessary for this reorientation to be successful. Specifically, the questions raised by management at the end of the values training program suggest that the three critical elements of instrumental leadership – structuring, controlling, and rewarding – have not been fully addressed. Without these, the new value system will not be â€Å"reinforced and institutionalized† and may fall victim to becoming â€Å"another program of the month†. Bronfman has not structured a sufficient mechanism to ensure the value system is sustained over time. No processes are in place to handle the recommendations for action raised by participants in the training program. Good ideas are being generated, but will be wasted if there is no system to ensure they are heard and implemented. Failure to provide this process will hurt employee morale and...

Ethical and Legal Preparations Required for Successful Prosecution of Cases

Most claims of malpractice are filed due to negligence and lack of information in professional relationship. The unprofessional and improper handling client-attorney relationship results in claims of negligence. These claims are founded on the services actually provided. Lawyers who fail to communicate with clients about the realities and difficulties of specific claims. Create the risk of malpractice lawsuits from clients who are dissatisfied, with the belief that the responsibility of loosing their case is basically their lawyer’s problem.Fees disputes are also involved in legal malpractice (Hagan, 1994). Clients are sued by their attorneys for fees, and most clients their defense on malpractice. This kind of defense can cause reduction if not total elimination, of the fees being recovered by the lawyer. There is a decline of frequency of such claims, perhaps due to the reluctance of lawyers to sue for fees recovery. The most prevalent offences are those of homicide and burg lary. Homicide and Burglary Offenses Throughout space and time, the most serious of crimes turns out to be the unlawful taking of human life.The crime of murder within most legal systems is devoid of statute limitations. This means that the killer faces the law without regard to the elapsed time after the crime has been committed. Investigators of homicide have their solemn duty of bringing the offenders to justice. They acknowledge that justice is not only reserved to the deceased victim, but the friends and family who require a healing process after being left behind. Community safety and human life sanctity demand that justice is served (Hagan, 1994).The closing of a homicide case is considered after the identification, charge and arrest of the suspect. In most case files of Police departments, many such cases dating back to the 60s are waiting still for closure. This is because such cold cases lack the critical evidence or information, required in the identification and charging of a suspect. One of the commonly most encountered crimes is burglary, often under police investigation. Burglary techniques and investigation procedures are usually outlined for particular scenes of crime.The responsibility of the first officer is to locate the suspect. Incases where the burglary is in progress, apprehending the suspect is the first consideration. Witnesses are located next and separated for later interviews (Fisher & Baca, 2003). The problem is that experienced burglars are fond of minimizing evidence for investigators for the crime scene. The investigator collects evidence left in the form of finger prints, tool marks and shoe prints at the scene of crime. Awareness of the investigator is also stressed on modus operandi or the burglar’s M.O. frequently suspects are responsible for various burglaries in the region, thus by comparing similar cases the investigator is able to narrow down and concentrate on one suspect. This is aided by choosing the safest an d easiest point of entry. Contemporary codifications create class of offences called homicide collectively. Murder is the most serious subclass, followed by the less serious manslaughter and finally ending with justifiable homicide that is at all no crime (Hagan, 1994).In general, intend in causing great harm to the body is not separable from the killing intention. This is because such acts are dangerous inherently that every reasonable individual must realize the possibility of fatality. Thus arguments by defendants harm during their action was not contemplated, does not often form part of the defense. There are different classes of murder degrees in the U. S. – fists , second and third degree. These are liable to varied penalties in the penal code. Conclusion Ethical codes that govern individuals practicing law are embedded in legal ethics.Model rules promulgated by the Bar Association of America, have influenced most jurisdictions in the United States. This model rules bas ically address the relationship between lawyers and clients. Certain features that define legal ethics include; honest statements to other people, the client’s confidence to be respected, forthrightness toward tribunal in addition to professional autonomy. References Fisher, B. & Baca, L. (2003). Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2003. Hagan, J. (1994). Crime and Disrepute. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Persuasive Letter

09/16/2012 Ms. June Watkins Principal Lone High School 12345 Out There Road Somewhere, KY 54321 Dear Ms. Watkins: It has come to my attention that the students of this school, in particular the incoming freshman, will be required to use IPads during this school year. The idea of using such technology is an advantage in some cases, like the continual ability to stay informed through the internet and the light weight of the device. However, there are other situations where IPads, being the only source for information, resources, and school supplies, are inappropriate for our students.Thus, I ask for your consideration in not implementing such devices in this school. First, we must consider the finances of most of the students and parents in this district. The option for payment of the device is given at the end of their high school careers with the school making the initial payment; however, the device could be outdated or broken by that time. What happens if one of the devices breaks during the school year or at any time during high school? Do the parents pay for the broken IPad as well a new one? Second, the students will be using the IPads at all points in time during school and at home.How will the issues of social networking, instant chat, and random browsing of the internet during class time be addressed? Students would need extreme restriction because of the inappropriate use of the internet; will there be a limitation set on the devices, and is it even possible to restrict the device? Lastly, I want to address the issue of word study and research by use of an IPad. Although there are many sources in which a student can gain more literacy, there are many more that encourage the use of poor grammar and spelling.Many times students rely on the computer to spit out the correct spelling, meaning, and content without the understanding that there are reliable and unreliable sources. How can we implement a device that goes against what we are trying to teach our students? With all of the positive uses of the IPad, there are an equal amount of negative uses for the same device. I hope you consider the points I have given before implementing such a major change in the school that will affect all students, teachers, and parents in this district. Thank you for your time. Sincerely,

Private School Vs Public School Essays

Private School Vs Public School Essays Private School Vs Public School Essay Private School Vs Public School Essay Private School Vs Public School BY mane12704 Private School Vs Public School: Some differences to consider before making a decision Private School Vs Public School: Some Differences to Consider before Making a Decision Education is a vital issue today. Choosing where to send their children to school is one of the hardest decisions parents have to make. Should they enroll their children in an expensive school? Or should they enroll them in a public school, in order to save money? Will the child still get a quality education? Will the child succeed in his/her studies? Will the child get the right values and grow up to be a roper citizen? These are Just a few of the questions that a parent should ask him or herself before enrolling his/her child in school. There are two types of schools from which parents have to choose to send their children for an education: private and public schools. These schools have similarities but are very different. In order to make a good decision, parents should know the differences between one and the other. Those differences lie in admission, financing, and management process. According to a comparative study, Public schools admit more applicants (36 percent) han did private schools (23 percent) and were less likely than public schools to admit students on the basis of test performance (55 percent and 65 percent respectively). Private schools retain the right to select their students. They accept any student it wishes according to its academic and other standards. It is not required to give a reason why it has refused to admit anyone.. Admission age to Dominican children is in most private institutions starting from two years old. By contrast, public schools must accept all students within their Jurisdiction with few or any exceptions, and they tart from five years old with initial level. Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition, rather than relying on mandatory taxation through public (government) funding. In private schools, charges are for every aspect of their programs and fees are determined by market forces. Private schools take no public funding. In contrast, Public schools are totally supported by the government or public funding and they are not allowed to charge any tuition fees. Private and public schools differ significantly in terms of their management organization. In most developing countries, public schools are financed and managed by the central government. Teachers are hired and deployed by a central agency, the curriculum is set nationally and admission to secondary school is often controlled by national examinations with students placed in schools through central agency. As a result, neither the local community nor the school principal exercises much control over key decisions. Unlike centrally control public schools, private schools in both develop and developing countries exercise managerial control ver a wide range of decisions. For example, research has found that, in U. S. private schools, principals, teachers and parents have significantly greater control over decisions about the curriculum, instructional methods, allocating funds, hiring public schools. Both, private and public schools, have the same goal, to teach and educate children in developing necessary skills for becoming a valuable and useful person in society. By making a comparison and looking at the mentioned differences, parents can make the right choice and of course the most convenient to them and their children.

Hybrid Cars essays

Hybrid Cars essays As gasoline prices increase and the environment becomes unstable, people will begin to look for other modes to power their automobiles. One of those modes is know as hybrid power. A vehicle is considered a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engines with the pedal power of the rider. Hybrid vehicles are an alternative being used to decrease the emissions of vehicles and to decrease the amount of fossil fuels being used. Hybrid vehicles also cost less to operate because of the decreased fuel usage. The gasoline-electric hybrid car is a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. Hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. According too How Cars Work, Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. There are two kinds of hybrids. The parallel hybrid has a fuel tank which supplies gasoline to the engine. But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels. In a parallel hybrid, both the electric motor and the gas engine can provide propulsion power. The other type is a series hybrid. In the series hybrid the gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission, so the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle. Hybrid vehicles have all of the parts that a normal gasoline powered car would have, with a few extra parts such as the electric motor, generator, and batteries. The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as wel...

Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia

Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia Richard Ewell - Early Life Career: The grandson of the first US Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert, Richard Stoddert Ewell was born in Georgetown, DC on February 8, 1817. Raised in nearby Manassas, VA by his parents, Dr. Thomas and Elizabeth Ewell, he received his initial education locally before electing to embark on a military career. Applying to West Point, he was accepted and entered the academy in 1836. An above average student, Ewell graduated in 1840 ranked thirteenth in a class of forty-two. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he received orders to join the 1st US Dragoons which were operating on the frontier. In this role, Ewell assisted in escorting wagon trains of traders and settlers on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails while also learning his trade from luminaries such as Colonel Stephen W. Kearny. Richard Ewell - Mexican-American War: Promoted to first lieutenant in 1845, Ewell remained on the frontier until the outbreak of the Mexican-American War the following year. Assigned to Major General Winfield Scotts army in 1847, he took part in the campaign against Mexico City. Serving in Captain Philip Kearnys company of the 1st Dragoons, Ewell took part in operations against Veracruz and Cerro Gordo. In late August, Ewell received a brevet promotion to captain for his heroic service during the battles of Contreras and Churubusco. With the end of the war, he returned north and served at Baltimore, MD. Promoted to the permanent grade of captain in 1849, Ewell received orders for the New Mexico Territory the following year. There he conducted operations against the Native Americans as well as explored the newly-acquired Gadsen Purchase. Later given command of Fort Buchanan, Ewell applied for sick leave in late 1860 and returned east in January 1861. Richard Ewell - The Civil War Begins: Ewell was recuperating in Virginia when the Civil War began in April 1861. With the secession of Virginia, he resolved to leave the US Army and seek employment in the Southern service. Formally resigning on May 7, Ewell accepted an appointment as a colonel of cavalry in the Virginia Provisional Army. On May 31, he was slightly wounded during a skirmish with Union forces near Fairfax Court House. Recovering, Ewell accepted a commission as a brigadier general in the Confederate Army on June 17. Given a brigade in Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregards Army of the Potomac, he was present a the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, but saw little action as his men were tasked with guarding Union Mills Ford. Promoted to major general on January 24, 1862, Ewell received orders later that spring to take command of a division in Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons army in the Shenandoah Valley. Richard Ewell - Campaigning in the Valley Peninsula: Joining Jackson, Ewell played key roles in a string of surprising victories over superior Union forces led by Major Generals John C. Frà ©mont, Nathaniel P. Banks, and James Shields. In June, Jackson and Ewell departed the Valley with orders to join General Robert E. Lees army on the Peninsula for an attack on Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac. During the resulting Seven Days Battles, he took part in the fighting at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill. With McClellan contained on the Peninsula, Lee directed Jackson to move north to deal with Major General John Popes newly-formed Army of Virginia. Advancing, Jackson and Ewell defeated a force led by Banks at Cedar Mountain on August 9. Later in the month, they engaged Pope in the Second Battle of Manassas. As the fighting raged on August 29, Ewell had his left leg shattered by a bullet near Brawners Farm. Taken from the field, the leg was amputated below the knee. Richard Ewell - Failure at Gettysburg: Nursed by his first cousin, Lizinka Campbell Brown, Ewell took ten months to recover from the wound. During this time, the two developed a romantic relationship and were wed in late May 1863. Rejoining Lees army, which had just won a stunning victory at Chancellorsville, Ewell was promoted to lieutenant general on May 23. As Jackson had been wounded in the fighting and subsequently died, his corps was divided in two. While Ewell received command of the new Second Corps, Lieutenant General A.P. Hill took command of the newly-created Third Corps. As Lee began moving north, Ewell captured the Union garrison at Winchester, VA before driving into Pennsylvania. The lead elements of his corps were nearing the state capital of Harrisburg when Lee ordered him to move south to concentrate at Gettysburg. Approaching the town from the north on July 1, Ewells men overwhelmed Major General Oliver O. Howards XI Corps and elements of Major General Abner Doubledays I Corps. As Union forces fell back and concentrated on Cemetery Hill, Lee sent orders to Ewell stating that he was to carry the hill occupied by the enemy, if he found it practicable, but to avoid a general engagement until the arrival of the other divisions of the army. While Ewell had thrived under Jacksons command earlier in the war, his success had come when his superior had issued specific and precise orders. This approach was counter to Lees style as the Confederate commander typically issued discretionary orders and relied on his subordinates to take the initiative. This had worked well with the bold Jackson and the First Corps commander, Lieutenant General James Longstreet, but left Ewell in a quandary. With his men tired and lacking room to re-form, he asked for reinforcements from Hills corps. This request was refused. Receiving word that Union reinforcements were arriving in large numbers on his left flank, Ewell decided against attacking. He was supported in this decision by his s ubordinates, including Major General Jubal Early. This decision, as well as Ewells failure to occupy nearby Culps Hill, were later severely criticized and blamed in causing the Confederate defeat. After the war, many argued that Jackson would not have hesitated and would have captured both hills. Over the next two days, Ewells men mounted attacks against both Cemetery and Culps Hill but with no success as Union troops had time to fortify their positions. In the fighting on July 3, he was hit in his wooden leg and slightly wounded. As Confederate forces retreated south after the defeat, Ewell was wounded again near Kellys Ford, VA. Though Ewell led Second Corps during the Bristoe Campaign that fall, he later fell ill and turned command over to Early for the subsequent Mine Run Campaign. Richard Ewell - The Overland Campaign: With the beginning of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign in May 1864, Ewell returned to his command and engaged Union forces during the Battle of the Wilderness. Performing well, he held the line at Saunders Field and later in the battle had Brigadier General John B. Gordon mount a successful flank attack on the Union VI Corps. Ewells actions at the Wilderness were quickly offset several days later when he lost his composure during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Tasked with defending the Mule Shoe salient, his corps was overrun on May 12 by a massive Union assault. Striking his retreating men with his sword, Ewell desperately attempted to get them to return to the front. Witnessing this behavior, Lee interceded, berated Ewell, and took personal command of the situation. Ewell later resumed his post and fought a bloody reconnaissance in force at the Harris Farm on May 19. Moving south to the North Anna, Ewells performance continued to suffer. Believing the Second Corps commander to be exhausted and suffering from his previous wounds, Lee relieved Ewell shortly thereafter and directed him to assume oversight of the Richmond defenses. From this post, he supported Lees operations during the Siege of Petersburg (June 9, 1864 to April 2, 1865). During this period, Ewells troops manned the citys entrenchments and defeated Union diversionary efforts such as attacks at Deep Bottom and Chaffins Farm. With the fall of Petersburg on April 3, Ewell was forced to abandon Richmond and Confederate forces began retreating west. Engaged at Saylers Creek on April 6 by Union forces led by Major General Philip Sheridan, Ewell and his men were defeated and he was captured. Richard Ewell - Later Life: Transported to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, Ewell remained a Union prisoner until July 1865. Paroled, he retired to his wifes farm near Spring Hill, TN. A local notable, he served on the boards of several community organizations and also managed a successful cotton plantation in Mississippi. Contracting pneumonia in January 1872, Ewell and his wife soon became gravely ill. Lizinka died on January 22 and was followed by her husband three days later. Both were buried in Nashvilles Old City Cemetery. Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Richard EwellCivil War: Richard Ewell HistoryNet: Richard Ewell at Gettysburg

Financial accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Financial accounting - Essay Example Return kind of ratios represents the ability of a company to measure its overall efficiency more so in generating the returns to the shareholders. On the other hand, ratios that indicate margin illustrate the ability of the company to translate its sales dollars into profits. This therefore implies that the main purpose of profitability ratios is to measure the ability of a company to generate its earnings relative to assets, equity and sales. Liquidity ratios indicates the ability of a company to meet or pay off its short term debt obligations or short term liabilities as they fall due. It indicates the company’s low default risk in case the ratios are more than one. The company’s current ratio is increasing over time indicating that the company’s ability is increasing as well. This means that the company is able to meet its short term liabilities with ease hence it is having a high performance. The company’s quick ratio is less than one implying that its most liquid assets are not enough to meet its short term obligations. This means that the company is over-leveraged, collecting its receivables slowly, paying its bills too quickly or struggling to grow or maintain sales. However, the trend indicates an increase in the company’s most liquid assets evidenced by increase in quick ratio. Efficiency ratio assist the company to measure how effectively it is utilizing its assets and or how well its liabilities are managed. These ratios show how efficient the assets of a business are working to generate sales. They therefore assist a business manager conduct business better. They show how quickly a company’s money from credit sales is collected or the number of times a company’s inventory turns over. Their main purpose is therefore to show how effective the management of the company is. The company has a high turnover ratios meaning that it is using few assets to generate more revenue hence it is very efficient in its

National cinemas are structurally marginal, fragile and dependent on Essay

National cinemas are structurally marginal, fragile and dependent on outside help. What value, if any, does a national cinema ha - Essay Example Everyone benefits from a lively national film industry, from those who are involved in making the movies to those who watch and even society as a whole, since ideas are transmitted from films to viewers to people around them. One very clear indication of the importance of financial support is the case of Alberta, Canada. In 1973 Alberta created its own provincial film board to encourage Alberta film productions at the advice of the National Film Board. The other provinces immediately followed the success of this plan, so Canada had both a National and Provincial film funding in each province, and it was important, because Canada’s regions are all different. The ethnic and national heritage of different regions stems from different waves of immigration plus the added cultures of the First nations People. Despite its phenomenal success until 1996, Ralph Klein went on a cost cutting spree and cut out the funding in 1996. The Alberta film industry went from a very successful $150- million in 1995 to $50-million by 1997 (FRASER, 2011). 2/3s of the production moved to British Columbia. Even the Alberta and national governments lost money on this deal, since the Alberta industry had created more tax income then the cost of the funding. Once the funding dried up the talent followed the industry move to BC. â€Å"Film is capable of both painting and shaping society.†(Bellucci, 2010) It is a well researched conclusion that film that records aspects of any conflict feeds an â€Å"us vs them† perception and tends to become a symbol of culture and create an â€Å"ethos of conflict† (Benziman, 2013). This can have an interactively reciprocal effect on how the different factions perceive the conflict, and on the culture as a whole. "The conflict shapes national identity, while changes in national identity influence the course of the conflict." (Bar-Tal, Raviv, Raviv, and Dgani-Hirsh 2009; Bar-tal 2010) So movies that depict present or past conflicts change how they are viewed and how the participants feel about themselves and others. The conflict does not have to be armed, or even serious, but just its existence and the acknowledgement of the differences and the perceptions of one being superior effects the national attitudes. This changes the â€Å"National Narrative† of the countries involved, which, in turn changes future history. Because the EU was created to encourage fair trade without tariffs. Any state subsidy or tax benefits essentially breaks this rule. However, because of the perceived need for support of cultural activities in the member states, the European Union introduced the Maastricht Treaty. It allows member states to support independent films important to their cultures. The idea was to allow member states to support non-commercial film making as long as trade and economies were not directly affected. However, some problems developed when defining what kinds of films would qualify. France and the UK w ere the main dissenters. France considers all film to be cultural and necessary, so wants to support all film, even commercial productions. The creation of a definition of â€Å"difficult films† for beginning enterprises, whach are considered worthy of support, was not enough for them. The UK adopted a very detailed definition of a â€Å"difficult film† using the possibility of profit, the size of the target audience and the popularity of the subject matter as criteria. Basically, the idea was to

Managing Employee Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Employee Relations - Essay Example The advantages and disadvantages of partnership are discussed and the situation existing in the current tensions between the UK government and the Fire Brigade Union is elaborated. Finally, the Strategy, tactics and models relating to HRM in managing Employment relations are discussed. The Main actor on the behalf of the government in consideration of relevant employee relation includes the Trade Unions. The provisions of the Employment Relations Act 1999 relating to compulsory trade union recognition for collective bargaining purposes came into force in the UK on 6 June 2000. The 1999 Act inserts a new schedule A1 into the Trade Union and Labor Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and this schedule contains the detail of the procedure for trade union recognition. The main elements of trade union recognition include: The first period is the period of ten working days after the request for recognition is made. If during the first period the parties agree the identity of the Bargaining Unit (BU) and that the union is to be recognized as entitled to conduct collective bargaining, the union is recognized. The second period is the period of 20 working days after the end of the first period or such longer period as the parties agree. If the employer indicates during the first period that it is willing to negotiate with the union, negotiations are to take place during the second period. The parties may request the assistance of ACAS in such negotiations. If agreement is reached during the second period the union will be recognized. Secret ballot The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) must arrange a secret ballot if one of three conditions is satisfied:- The CAC is satisfied that a ballot should be held in the interests of good industrial relations; or a significant number of trade union members within the BU inform the CAC that they do not want the union toconduct collective bargaining on theirbehalf; or the CAC doubts whether a significant number of trade union members within the BU want the union to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. The ballot must be conducted by an independent qualified person appointed by the CAC. The Recognition and De recognition Ballots (Qualified Persons) Order 2000 (SI 1306/2000) specifies the conditions which must be satisfied in order for an individual or partnership to be a qualified person. The ballot must be conducted within twenty working days of the appointment of an independent qualified person.. Schedule A1 sets out detailed provisions for the conduct of the ballot. There is also a Code of Practice on Access to Workers during Recognition and De recognition Ballots which came into effect on 6 June 2000. If the result of the ballot is that the trade union is supported by a majority of the workers voting and at least 40% of the workers constituting the BU, the CAC must issue a declaration that the trade union is recognized to conduct collective bargaining on behalf of the BU. Caroline Carr, Employment Law Consultancy - Trade Union recognition, August 2000. http://www.bto.co.uk/articles/elc_articles_3.htm Examination of the interests of Trade Unions and their importance 1. It can act as a

Helping teens grow emotionally Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Helping teens grow emotionally - Essay Example These two minds together shape our destiny. When we talk about the main theme of Emotional Intelligence in teens, as mentioned by Geoff Maslen in his article, we may see that several other writers also mentioned and explained the same concept. Daniel Goleman writes in his book â€Å"Emotional Intelligence† that the main idea or the concept of Emotional Intelligence, basically, argues the IQ. He further mentions that there are extensive areas of Emotional Intelligence that can further indicate that how successful a person is. Success desires something more than Intelligence Quotient. Intelligence Quotient is used to measure the intelligence only, and pays no heed to the essential behaviors and several other elements. There are many people who are rationally and academically brilliant and successful in their lives but they are socially inept. So it is not necessary fact having high IQ level directs to a totally successful and brilliant life. Teenagers mostly appear to be arousing, touching, unpredictable and sometimes violated as well. However, teenagers are always dependent on their teachers and parents. As far as teachers are concerned, they are responsible to supervise the students and to manage all the rising tensions and conflicts among them. So, teacher is always obliged to understand the emotional levels of the class. There is a need of proper consideration about emotional intelligence to manage the whole class. Robert Needlman, M.D, also mentioned in his article ‘Emotional Intelligence’ that the teachers should have the aptitude to forecast or predict and influence the student’s emotions. This is most significant and vital skill that a teacher can have. Actually teens always need inter personal intelligence to be established and accepted in the class, by their peers as well as teachers. Furthermore in this article, Karen Hansen says that it is a theory that teens with elevated levels of emotional intelligence can attain better than students

First nations approach to natural resource management Assignment

First nations approach to natural resource management - Assignment Example A recognition and reconciliation act was the proposed outcome of these negotiations but later on such legislation was dismissed as dead by the First Nations summit in August 2009. (All Chiefs Assembly 2009) Though the act in its proposed form was not acceptable to the majority of indigenous people, all these new debates have an importance of their own as stepping stones towards evolving consensus. The whole thing failed only because of the ambivalent acts of the Province as on one side the authorities said they were implementing the New Relationship while on the other, the court cases against the indigenous communities and conflicts lingered as usual. (All Chiefs Assembly 2009). But this debate provided a platform for the aboriginals to demand that â€Å"enforcement of (the) indigenous titles and rights as called for by the United Nations’ Declaration on the rights of indigenous people† is the only viable solution. Christian paper, 2009, para.3). Thus a tilt in public discourse is evident which in turn will put weight on the arguments of the First Nations people. So the negotiations have to continue and any new legislation must be based on deep consultation. Question 2-The authors of the Christian paper see their titles and rights as â€Å"inherited from (their) ancestral origins as indigenous people (Christian paper, 2009, para 4). This includes sovereign rights to the land they have inhabited in British Columbia for centuries. This also includes rights on the natural resources of that land. The Christian paper also declares without doubt that the Province had no jurisdiction over the indigenous titles and rights of the aborigines (Christian paper, 2009, para 2). The paper clearly states that the indigenous people would accept nothing less than an endorsement of the United Nations’ Declaration on the rights of Indigenous people (Christian paper, 2009, para 3).

Communicating in Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communicating in Context - Essay Example the major happenings that marked my journey as a young reporter in the time frame spanning 1880 to 1910 in arguably, the fastest and most active city in the world; New York. When I got to New York, I worked odd jobs in upcoming publishing houses for a period of 2 years until I landed a job at the New York World Newspaper. The paper was at the time for the most part, conservative with only a few stories catching the average reader’s attention. Then there came Joseph Pulitzer who purchased the paper in 1883: 2 months after I joined the organization. He was extremely passionate about the minorities of America: the immigrants, the poor, and the extremely marginalized working class at the time. However, in the same range his passion for competition with William Hearst of the New York Journal; burned just as bright. In that light, our informal job description evolved between keeping up with the minorities issues just as well as keeping tabs on William Hearst; lest he out do our employer. While at first, my interest was to ensure that I had a job at all, with time I grew direly passionate about the minorities as I worked with Pulitzer. However, his leadership strategy, which was more dictatorial than authoritative, soon overwhelmed me. I decided to try my hand elsewhere and what better place than at my former employer’s nemesis doorstep. I joined the New York Journal in 1888 while it was under the leadership of William Hearst. Much like my previous employer, Hearst was equally passionate. However, he was much more controversial as he constantly referred his readers to â€Å"the Maine.† This American Ship had exploded under mysterious circumstances in Cuba. One would even say it became an obsession of his: constantly mentioning â€Å"the Maine† in articles that had little or nothing to do with the topic. His remarks contributed greatly to the occurrence of the Spanish American War. Other than the constant tag of war between Hearst and Pulitzer, the journalism

First nations approach to natural resource management Assignment

First nations approach to natural resource management - Assignment Example A recognition and reconciliation act was the proposed outcome of these negotiations but later on such legislation was dismissed as dead by the First Nations summit in August 2009. (All Chiefs Assembly 2009) Though the act in its proposed form was not acceptable to the majority of indigenous people, all these new debates have an importance of their own as stepping stones towards evolving consensus. The whole thing failed only because of the ambivalent acts of the Province as on one side the authorities said they were implementing the New Relationship while on the other, the court cases against the indigenous communities and conflicts lingered as usual. (All Chiefs Assembly 2009). But this debate provided a platform for the aboriginals to demand that â€Å"enforcement of (the) indigenous titles and rights as called for by the United Nations’ Declaration on the rights of indigenous people† is the only viable solution. Christian paper, 2009, para.3). Thus a tilt in public discourse is evident which in turn will put weight on the arguments of the First Nations people. So the negotiations have to continue and any new legislation must be based on deep consultation. Question 2-The authors of the Christian paper see their titles and rights as â€Å"inherited from (their) ancestral origins as indigenous people (Christian paper, 2009, para 4). This includes sovereign rights to the land they have inhabited in British Columbia for centuries. This also includes rights on the natural resources of that land. The Christian paper also declares without doubt that the Province had no jurisdiction over the indigenous titles and rights of the aborigines (Christian paper, 2009, para 2). The paper clearly states that the indigenous people would accept nothing less than an endorsement of the United Nations’ Declaration on the rights of Indigenous people (Christian paper, 2009, para 3).

The Pyramids At Giza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Pyramids At Giza - Essay Example Christopher Dunn, an engineer, and craftsman are one of the promoters of the idea that the pyramids were built by a more advanced civilization. Dunn, 1998) claims that pyramids were not used as simple tombs for people, but they were developed as power plants that could develop energy from resonating with the earth. The researcher stresses that the size of pyramids as well as precision of the construction suggests that people could hardly build them with the help of technology and knowledge available at that time. Dunn (1998) adds that even modern technologies may fail to complete such demanding tasks. However, the vast majority of researchers agree that the pyramids were built by people and these edifices served as tombs for great Pharaohs. Lacovara (2004) states that the pyramids were erected as a symbol of the might of Pharaohs and they stand in line with many other grand monuments created by people. Brabin (2010) provides a number of plausible arguments that show that the pyramids were created by people. Thus, archaeological findings show that there were settlements near the pyramids. These settlements were created for people who built the great edifices. Discoveries of Lehner support this assumption and provide new insights (Shaw, 2003). Shaw (2003) stresses that Lehner found remnants of food that show the way the builders were treated, and it is clear that those were not slaves but free workers who got enough food and good shelter. Of course, there are still open questions as to the time needed for building the pyramids. Brabin (2010) suggests that the construction could last 300 years while Petroski (2004) assumes that even 23 years could be enough if the technology of using the pyramids as planes to lift huge blocks was used.

A Brief Summary of Russias History Essay Example for Free

A Brief Summary of Russias History Essay Russian history is filled with an immense amount of events. Many great and horrible rulers have also ruled over this piece of land. For example, Ivan the Terrible/Great was one of the first well-known and beloved tsars of Russia because he was the first to conquer the Mongolians in 1500. This feat earned him the rule and name as the great ruler of Russia. Over time, another great ruler such as Peter the Great would come. However in 1917, Lenin rose in the Russian revolution and ended the tsar’s rule. In 1922, the fall of the tsars led to the rise of a new government, the U.  S. S. R. Although it was meant to improve the economy, it did not do much and eventually felled in 1991. After many years of difficulty, they are currently on their way back to modernization with the election of President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s history consists of four parts and the longest and most eventful is its history of expansion. This time period lasted from the medieval ages all the way to 1917. However, Russians did not always have a rule on their land. Before the 1500s, the Mongols ruled a small piece of land that was known as Russia. The Mongolian soldiers were known quite fiercely for the battle skills and kept a tight hold on this land that they kept for manservants. This went on until the 1500s when the Grand Prince Ivan of Moscow (later known as Ivan the Terrible/Great) defeated and conquered the Mongols. Under his rule, Russia expanded immensely and even continued through his successors. Peter the Great also made a big impact despite his well-known and influential ancestor. Many things happened under his rule including expansion. Not only did he create a Navy (which did not exist in Russia at the time), he also moved the capital from Moscow all the way to St. Petersburg. He was also greatly known for his three goals that are to expand, Europeanize Russia, and for the czars to have absolute power. Throughout his lifetime, Peter the Great will make tremendous additions to Russia. After his death, there comes great czars and empresses who will expand even further like Empress Catherine the Great and Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. However, Nicholas the Second was the last tsar due to the rise of Lenin and the Russian Revolution.

Overcrowding in 19th Century Britain

Overcrowding in 19th Century Britain The Problem of Overcrowding in 19th Century Urban Britain During the nineteenth century urban populations grew at an extremely fast rate as industrial growth drew people into the cities in the search for employment. This rapid growth caused a great deal of concern amongst Victorian politicians and authorities regarding law and order, but they were at first unaware of the far greater danger which was the poor sanitation caused by the speedy building of back-to-back housing created to accommodate this population growth. The main points I will be addressing in this essay will be a) how far the growth of population was the main cause of bad health caused by overcrowding, and b) how the authorities dealt with such health problems and how far they were successful. I have chosen this particular subject because it can be argued that it was the main problem of urban living in the nineteenth century, and other problems such as pollution, cholera outbreaks or infant mortality could be said to be caused or exacerbated by such overcrowding. By the time of the 1851 census, and for the first time in the nation’s history, more people were living in urban areas than they were in rural areas. Between each census from 1841 to 1881, the population of urban areas grew by an average of 25% and by 1881 the urban population was 70.2% of the total population of England and Wales.[1] In Manchester, the city where the cotton industry caused massive urban growth, the population had increased six times within sixty years by 1831.[2] In order to cope with such numbers building of houses was undertaken as quickly as possible, often in small areas of land, which meant that in poorer areas houses were built back-to-back in high density in order to accommodate as many people as possible. In order to save space, they were built without gardens, around dark courtyards with communal privies at the end of each street. Some buildings in Edinburgh had more than ten storeys, which meant that people had to carry water up many stairs – and often didn’t bother. In Manchester, the large numbers of Irish immigrants created pockets of poverty-stricken communities living amongst the factories and smoke where ‘several families might be living under one roof or even in â€Å"the pestilential atmosphere† of one room.’[3] In London, in the period before the underground railway, when people still needed to be able to walk to work, building programs took place close to the city areas without any plannin g from central sources. Thus areas such as Bethnal Green and Whitechapel suffered from gross overcrowding, and in Covent Garden, older buildings were converted into tenements and cellars to provide for the poor settlers who swept into the metropolis, particularly in the area known as ‘The Rookeries’ where refugees from the Irish famine had settled. In 1847 Dickens described the ‘disorderly crop of beginnings of mean houses, rising out of the rubbish, as if they had been unskilfully sown there.’[4] Edwin Chadwick’s Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Classes, commissioned by the government to investigate sanitation in 1842 was undertaken through a system of interviews and visits carried out by Poor Law medical officers and commissioners. Its evidence revealed how many families lived in cellars, often several families at the same time, which were subject to flooding. In one example in Manchester, 40 people were discovered to be living in one cellar. Furthermore, unscrupulous owners of lodging houses, taking advantage of the need for housing, would put lodgers up in ‘poorly furnished, badly ventilated and overcrowded’ rooms.[5] Chadwick’s report revealed that mortality rates in urban areas were much higher than in rural areas, particularly amongst the poorer classes. In fact, the average age of death for labourers in districts such as Liverpool and Manchester was around 15 during the period 1839-40, indicating an extremely high infant mortality rate. Chadwick himself attributed these figures to squalid and overcrowded living conditions, although badly ventilated working areas and long working hours were also a contributory factor.[6] Chadwick’s report did raise awareness, yet many people, in particular the Conservative Party, did not support his recommendations, and the pressure group set up in 1844, the Health of Towns Association, found very little was being done in towns and cities to counteract the effects of poor sanitation. The attitude of laissez-faire was strong, and many authorities were opposed to sanitary reform for economic reasons. The evidence shown by Chadwick would seem to show an obvious correlation between overcrowding and poor health. However, the association between dirt and disease was not yet fully understood at this time. Outbreaks of cholera in the 1840s and 50s were the subject of much debate over its likely causes and very little was understood about how the disease was spread. It was noted, however, that the worst cases of cholera seemed to prevail in areas of towns where there was very poor sewerage or drainage, and Dr John Snow tried to demonstrate through scientific experiment that disease was water-borne. However, Snow met with huge opposition within the medical profession, and it was not until 1883 that his theory was proved. Thus, although people like Snow and Chadwick tried to encourage cleanliness amongst the working classes, very little effective work was done by the authorities. Chadwick did not suggest curative methods in his report. He declared: ‘engineers were needed for the task at hand not the medical profession’[7] He was more concerned with preventative measures, ensuring towns had regular supplies of clean water, and that houses had adequate drainage into proper sewers. However, this is not to say that medicine did not play a role in the developments that eventually led to improvements in town and city health. Medicine did in fact play a very important role in the improvements in housing. At the beginning of the century very little was known about the causes of disease, and doctors had very little equipment with which to carry out research. Surgery was extremely primitive and carried out in what we now know as unhygienic conditions. It was not until 1865 that Louis Pasteur proved his germ theory: that these micro-organisms could cause decay and disease. Robert Koch built on Pasteur’s work by showing that different types of germs caused specific illnesses, and that the answer to curing disease was to destroy the specific germ. It was Koch who, in 1883, identified the germ that caused cholera. From Pasteur and Koch’s work, vaccines began to be developed in the 1880s.[8] It was due to these discoveries, and the work of Dr. John Snow, that the authorities finally realised that it was necessary to make radical changes in the drainage and water systems in towns and cities. In 1866, the year after Pasteur had made proved his germ theory, the Sanitary Act was passed, forcing towns to appoint sanitary inspectors. Local government became responsible for public health, and eventually Public Health Act 1872 was formed, creating separate bodies each headed by a Medical Officer of Health. Despite these developments, it took a long time for housing to improve. Back-to-Back housing was still being erected in Leeds and Bradford up until 1937, despite some building regulations and strong calls for their demise.[9] In rural areas, especially around the mining towns of Wales, house building was still very hasty without due care for health, as is evidenced in this report on the area by Merthyr Tydfil: ‘If a new colliery is opened in an upland valley 200, 300 or 400 houses are built very rapidly, and they inhabited long before they are dry.’[10] However, some cities, such as Bury and Liverpool, forbid the building of back-to-backs in the 1860s. To sum up, the problem of overcrowding in urban and industrial Britain in the 19th century was one that was not widely recognised by the authorities in the early part of the century. Housing was created to accommodate vast numbers of industrial workers who flooded into the cities, and the speed at which they were built meant that little care was taken to provide adequate drainage and disposal of sewerage. Reformers such as Chadwick saw that there was a distinct connection between overcrowding and mortality rates, but it was not until scientific and medical advances proved that germs and bacteria carried by dirty water supplies caused diseases such as cholera that the government took any adequate action. The main sources I have used for this essay are Taylor, Best and Briggs. Taylor does not provide the highest academic level of text, but his clear chapters separated into different economic and social subjects, and his use of primary sources provides useful factual information. Best is one of the recognised authorities on Victorian Britain and he provides a detailed account of life in mid Victorian England. Briggs is also highly regarded as an expert in this field, and his detailed historical research provides a good, detailed overview of specific British cities during this period. Bibliography Best, Geoffrey, Mid-Victorian Britain 1851-75, Fontana Press, 1990 Briggs, Asa, Victorian Cities, Penguin, 1990 Taylor, David, Mastering Economic and Social History, Macmillan, 1988 Wilson, A. N., The Victorians, Arrow, 2003 1 Footnotes [1] Best, Geoffrey, Mid-Victorian Britain 1851-75, Fontana Press, p.24 [2] Briggs, Asa, Victorian Cities, Penguin, p.89 [3] ibid, p.92 [4] quoted in Briggs, A, p.346 [5] Taylor, David, Mastering Economic and Social History, Macmillan, p.303 [6] ibid, p.307-8 [7] Taylor, D., p.310 [8] ibid, pp.319-20 [9] Briggs, A., p.156 [10] quoted in Best, G., p.39

Speaker identification and verification over short distance telephone l

SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION OVER SHORT DISTANCE TELEPHONE LINES USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS Ganesh K Venayagamoorthy, Narend Sunderpersadh, and Theophilus N Andrew gkumar@ieee.org sundern@telkom.co.za theo@wpo.mlsultan.ac.za Electronic Engineering Department, M L Sultan Technikon, P O Box 1334, Durban, South Africa. ABSTRACT Crime and corruption have become rampant today in our society and countless money is lost each year due to white collar crime, fraud, and embezzlement. This paper presents a technique of an ongoing work to combat white-collar crime in telephone transactions by identifying and verifying speakers using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Results are presented to show the potential of this technique. 1. INTRODUCTION Several countries today are facing rampant crime and corruption. Countless money is lost each year due to white collar crime, fraud, and embezzlement. In today’s complex economic times, businesses and individuals are both falling victims to these devastating crimes. Employees embezzle funds or steal goods from their employers, then disappear or hide behind legal issues. Individuals can easily become helpless victims of identity theft, stock schemes and other scams that rob them of their money White collar crime occurs in the gray area where the criminal law ends and civil law begins. Victims of white collar crimes are faced with navigating a daunting legal maze in order to effect some sort of resolution or recovery. Law enforcement is often too focused on combating â€Å"street crime† or does not have the expertise to investigate and prosecute sophisticated fraudulent acts. Even if criminal prosecution is pursued, a criminal conviction does not mean that the victims of fraud are able to recover their losses. They have to rely on th criminal courts awarding restitution after the conviction and by then the perpetrator has disposed of or hidde most of the assets available for recovery. From the civil law perspective, resolution and recovery can just be a difficult as pursuing criminal prosecution. Perpetrators of white collar crime are often difficult to locate and served with civil process. Once the perpetrators have been located and served, proof must be provided that the fraudulent act occurred and recovery/damages are needed. This usually takes a lengthy legal fight, which often can cost the victim more money than t... ...phone speech†, IEEE Signal Processing Letters, vol. 2 no. 3 March 1995, pp. 46 - 48. [2] J.M.Naik, L.P.Netsch, G.R.Doddington, â€Å"Speaker verification over long distance telephone lines†, Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP), 23-26 May 1989, pp. 524 - 527. [3] A.L.Mcilraith, H.C.Card, â€Å"Birdsong Recognition Using Backpropagation and Multivariate Statistics†, Proceedings of IEEE Trans on Signal Processing, vol. 45, no. 11, November 1997. [4] G.K.Venayagamoorthy, V.Moonasar, K.Sandrasegaran, â€Å"Voice Recognition Using Neural Networks†, Proceedings of IEEE South African Symposium on Communications and Signal Processing (COMSIG 98), 7-8 September 1998, pp. 29 - 32. [5] V.Moonasar, G.K.Venayagamoorthy, â€Å"Speaker identification using a combination of different parameters as feature inputs to an artificial neural network classifier†, accepted for publication in the Proceedings of IEEE Africon 99 conference, Cape Town, 29 September – 2 October 99. [6] H.Demuth, M.Beale, MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox User’s Guide, The Maths Works Inc., 1996. [7] T.Kohonen, Self-organizing and associate memory Spring Verlag, Berlin, third edition, 1989.

Two Methods of Weightloss

Sarah M. Davies Rough Draft Com/155 Angela Robles 2-24-2013 The comparison of methods to lose weight In early 1999, over 61% of American adults were classified as overweight or obese. Since then, the rising rate of obesity in this country has continued to increase. Obesity has been known to cause many health issues that could result in death. With the rising rate of obesity in Americans, the Surgeon General suggests a reduced calorie diet and cardio exercise to lose weight; however, many become victims of â€Å"easy† weight loss methods such as the â€Å"Hollywood diet†.The Surgeon General is a good source to find methods of weight loss and therefore suggests a reduced calorie diet and rigorous exercise to lost weight. â€Å"Approximately 300,000 deaths each year in the United States may be attributable to obesity. † The first question that arises when the subject of losing weight comes up is: â€Å"Can I still eat what I want? † The answer could possibly be yes if you follow the suggestions of the Surgeon General. When a person is determined to lose weight, they could follow this type of diet to lose weight efficiently.A reduced calorie diet helps weight loss by lowering food intake and allows for fewer calories for the body to process. Another question that has been asked would be: â€Å"Am I going to be getting enough nutrients when I reduce my calories? † These reduced calorie diets do not deprive the body of nutrients but rather adjust the amount of calories one takes in. This type of diet should also include a daily regimented portion of exercise. Exercise helps reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes in those who are overweight or obese. The Surgeon General also tates â€Å"Overweight and obesity are associated with heart disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological disorders, such as depression. † The risk of all these health issues are drastic ally reduced when one begins exercise to lose weight. The Hollywood diet is a juice only diet that rids your body of chemicals and cleanses your system. However, it is believed by some scientists that the body is capable of ridding toxins from itself without the need for a fast, easy method such as this.The Hollywood diet drink is composed of mostly natural ingredients like water, fructose, pineapple, orange, prune, apple and white grape juices along with preserves and stabilizers. This diet reduces the caloric intake from the standard 2,000 calorie diet to that of only 400 calories per day. Instead of eating three to four square meals per day, the individual would be drinking this juice product four times per day along with water. Statistics show that 84% of people who have tried this diet enjoyed the results. The Hollywood diet can help increase energy, clears up skin and helps reduce constipation.There are also no red flag ingredients included in this drink that could cause issue s with one’s health. Caffeine and ephedra are two ingredients that are not included in this drink. Unfortunately, since this diet is a vitamin and mineral fortified drink, it is only known to be a short term weight loss method and has no known long term results. Experts who have studied this product have stated â€Å"this type of diet can be misleading because an individual would be losing water weight and not fat. † Also, because this is a low calorie diet, it may not be optimal for certain individuals with health issues.In comparison, with a reduced calorie diet and exercise, the individual is provided with all essential vitamins and nutrients to aid in weight loss; but with the Hollywood diet, you are not. The Hollywood diet does not provide an individual with proteins or fats which are essentials to optimal health. If an individual were to follow the Surgeon General’s suggestion, they would be provided these two essentials, just in a smaller dosage. Protein is essential to a healthy diet and fats help the body to function properly. If a person were to be diabetic, the reduced calorie diet with exercise will help maintain blood sugar levels.Unfortunately, with the Hollywood diet, specifically states â€Å"This type of diet is not recommended for diabetics or those with health issues. † Since the Hollywood diet is a very low calorie diet, a person who tries this diet could suffer from intestinal cramping, gallstones and cardiovascular problems. Therefore it is not recommended by the Surgeon General to try this type of diet for â€Å"rapid† weight loss. In conclusion, for optimal results with no underlying health risks, it is best to follow the Surgeon Generals suggestion of a reduced calorie diet and healthy exercise.When an individual follows this diet there is a drastically reduced risk of contracting cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure, and helps aid in losing weight the proper way. The Hollywood diet is a good di et for quick and easy weight loss. Unfortunately, there are certain risks with this diet, especially for those that have diabetes. The main concerns are the fact that with this diet, individuals are only losing water weight and not fat. The name of Hollywood diet allows the user to think of the stars and famous, but with the risk of cardiovascular issues and high blood pressure, there is no stardom inherited.It is imperative to control the rise of obesity and by following the Surgeon Generals suggestion. The body is very important to keep in good health. To quote Henry Ward Beecher: â€Å"The body is like a piano, and happiness is like music. It is needful to have the instrument in good order. † References: http://www. surgeongeneral. gov/library/calls/obesity/fact_whatcanyoudo. html http://www. faddiet. com/hollywooddiet. html http://www. dietsinreview. com/diets/Hollywood_Miracle_Diet/ www. surgeongeneral. gov/library/calls/obesity

Icici Bank Report

ICICI BANK ABOUT ICICI BANK: ICICI Bank is India's second-largest bank with total assets of Rs. 4,736. 47 billion (US$ 93 billion) at March 31, 2012 and profit after tax Rs. 64. 65 billion (US$ 1,271 million) for the year ended March 31, 2012. The Bank has a network of 2,766 branches and 9,363 ATMs in India, and has a presence in 19 countries, including India.ICICI Bank offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised subsidiaries in the areas of investment banking, life and non-life insurance, venture capital and asset management. ICICI Bank started as a wholly owned subsidiary of ICICI Limited, an Indian financial institution, in 1994. Four years later, when the company offered ICICI Bank's shares to the public, ICICI's shareholding was reduced to 46%.In the year 2000, ICICI Bank offered made an equity offering in the form of ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), thereby becoming the first Indian company and the first bank or financial institution from non-Japan Asia to be listed on the NYSE. In the next year, it acquired the Bank of Madura Limited in an all-stock amalgamation. Later in the year and the next fiscal year, the bank made secondary market sales to institutional investors.With a change in the corporate structure and the budding competition in the Indian Banking industry, the management of both ICICI and ICICI Bank were of the opinion that a merger between the two entities would prove to be an essential step. It was in 2001 that the Boards of Directors of ICICI and ICICI Bank sanctioned the amalgamation of ICICI and two of its wholly-owned retail finance subsidiaries, ICICI Personal Financial Services Limited and ICICI Capital Services Limited, with ICICI Bank.In the following year, the merger was approved by its shareholders, the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad as well as the High Court of Judicature at Mumbai and the Reserve Bank of India. ICICI Bank has its equity shares listed in India on Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited. Overseas, its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). As of December 31, 2008, ICICI is India's second-largest bank, boasting an asset value of Rs. 3,744. 10 billion and profit after tax Rs. 30. 14 billion, for the nine months, that ended on December 31, 2008. BRANCHESOFATMS:ICICI Bank has a wide network both in Indian and abroad. In India alone, the bank has 1,420 branches and about 4,644 ATMs. Talking about foreign countries, ICICI Bank has made its presence felt in 18 countries – United States, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Dubai International Finance Centre and representative offices in United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Bank proudly holds its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Russia and Canada out of which, the UK subsidiary has established branches in Belgium and Germany. Products Personal Banking * Deposits * Loans Cards * Investments * Insurance * Demat Services * Wealth Management NRI Banking * Money Transfer * Bank Accounts * Investments * Property Solutions * Insurance * Loans Business Banking * Corporate Net Banking * Cash Management * Trade Services * FXOnline * SME Services * Online Taxes * Custodial Services Board Members * Mr. K. V. Kamath,- Chairman * Mr. Sridar Iyengar * Dr. Swati Piramal * Mr. Homi R. Khusrokhan * Mr. Arvind Kumar * Mr. M. S. Ramachandran Dr. Tushaar Shah Mr. V. Sridar Ms. Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director & CEO Mr. N. S. Kannan, Executive Director & CFO Mr. K. Ramkumar, Executive Director Mr. Rajiv Sabharwal,Executive Director Head Office ICICI Bank 9th Floor, South Towers ICICI Towers Bandra Kurla Complex Bandra (E) Mumbai Phone: 91-022-653 7914 Website: www. icicibank. com SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths of ICICI Bank * ICICI is the second largest bank in ter ms of total assets and market share * Total assets of ICICI is Rs. 4062. 34 Billion and recorded a maximum profit after tax of Rs. 51. 51 billion and located in 19 countries * One of the major strength of ICICI bank according to financial analysts is its strong and transparent balance sheet * ICICI bank has first mover advantage in many of the banking and financial services.ICICI bank is the first bank in India to introduce complete mobile banking solutions and   jewelry card * The bank has PAN India presence of around 2,567 branches and 8003 ATM’s * ICICI bank is the first bank in India to attach life style benefits to banking services for exclusive purchases and tie-ups with best brands in the industry such as Nakshatra, Asmi, D’damas etc * ICICI bank has the longest working hours and additional services offering at ATM’s which attracts customers * Marketing and advertising strategies of ICICI have good reach compared to other banks in India Weaknesses of  ICICI Bank Customer support of ICICI section is not performing well in terms of resolving complaints * There are lot of consumer complaints filed against ICICI * The ICICI bank has the most stringent policies in terms of recovering the debts and loans, and credit payments. They employ third party agency to handle recovery management * There are also complaints of customer assault and abuse while recovering and the credit payment reminders are sent even before the deadlines which annoys the customers * The bank service charges are comparatively higher The employees of ICICI are bank in maximum stress because of the aggressive policies of the management to win ahead in the race. This may result in less productivity in future years Opportunities of  ICICI Bank * Banking sector is expected to grow at a rate of 17% in the next three years * The concept of saving in banks and investing in financial products is increasing in rural areas as more than 62% percentage of India’s popu lation is still in rural areas. As per 2010 data in TOI, the total number b-schools in India are more than 1500. This can ensure regular supply of trained human power in financial products and banking services * Within next four years ICICI bank is planning to open 1500 new branches * Small and non performing banks can be acquired by ICICI because of its financial strength * ICICI bank is expected to have 20% credit growth in the coming years. * ICICI bank has the minimum amount of non performing assets Threats of  ICICI Bank RBI allowed foreign banks to invest up to 74% in Indian banking * Government sector banks are in urge of modernizing the capacities to ensure the customers switching to new age banks are minimized * HDFC is the major competitor for ICICI, and other upcoming banks like AXIS, HSBC impose a major threat * In rural areas the micro financing groups hold a major share * Though customer acquisition is high on one side, the unsatisfied customers are increasing and ma ke them to switch to other banks. PORTER’S FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS: Bargaining Power of Suppliers: * Inputs have little impact on costs When inputs are not a big component of costs, suppliers of those inputs have less bargaining power. Low cost inputs positively affect  ICICI Bank. Bargaining Power of Customers * Large number of customers * When there are large numbers of customers, no one customer tends to have bargaining leverage. Limited bargaining leverage helps  ICICI Bank. Intensity of Existing Rivalry * Low storage costs (ICICI Bank) * Government limits competition (ICICI Bank) * Large industry size (ICICI Bank) Threat of Substitutes New Aspirants in Banking sector like AV Birla, Tata Group,  IFCI etc. Threat of New Competitors * Strong distribution network required (ICICI Bank) * High capital requirements (ICICI Bank) * High sunk costs limit competition (ICICI Bank) * Industry requires economies of scale (ICICI Bank) * Geographic factors limit competition (ICICI Ba nk) * High learning curve (ICICI Bank) SUBSIDIARIES COMPANIES: At March 31, 2012, ICICI Bank had 17 subsidiaries as listed in the following table: DOMESTIC SUBSIDIARIES * ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Limited * ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited ICICI Prudential Trust Limited * ICICI securities Ltd. * ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited * ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited * ICICI Prudential Pension Funds Management Company Limited * ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited * ICICI Home Finance Company Limited * ICICI Investment Management Company Limited * ICICI Trusteeship Service Limited INTERNATIONAL SUBSIDIARIES: * ICICI Bank UK PLC * ICICI Securities Inc. * ICICI International Ltd. * ICICI Bank Eurasis Ltd. Liability Company. * ICICI Securities Holdings, Inc * ICICI Bank Canada FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:As required by United States securities regulations, ICICI Bank Limited (NYSE: IBN) filed its annual report in Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2012 (FY2012) on July 31, 2012. The Form 20-F annual report includes the Bank’s consolidated financial statements under Indian GAAP and a reconciliation of consolidated profit after tax and net worth under Indian GAAP to net income and stockholders’ equity under US GAAP, approved by the Audit Committee of the Board. The consolidated profit after tax for FY2012 under Indian GAAP was Rs. 7,643 crore (US$ 1,502 million) and the net income under US GAAP was Rs. ,998 crore (US$ 1,375 million). Stockholders’ equity as per US GAAP was ` 63,872 crore (US$ 12. 55 billion) at March 31, 2012 compared to the consolidated net worth as per Indian GAAP of ` 61,277 crore (US$ 12. 04 billion) ICICI BANK Key Financial Ratios of ICICI Bank Mar’12 | Mar’11| Mar '10| Mar '09| Mar '08| investment Valuation Ratios| | | | | Face Value| 10. 00| 10. 00| 10. 00| 10. 00| 10. 00| Dividend Per Share| 16. 50| 14. 00| 12. 00| 11. 00| 11. 00| Operating Profit Per Share (Rs)| 76. 15| 64. 08| 49. 80| 48. 58| 51. 29| Net Operating Profit Per Share (Rs)| 346. 19| 281. 04| 293. 74| 343. 9| 354. 71| Free Reserves Per Share (Rs)| 376. 49| 358. 12| 356. 94| 351. 04| 346. 21| Bonus in Equity Capital| –| –| –| –| –| Profitability Ratios| | | | | Interest Spread| 4. 44| 4. 01| 5. 66| 3. 66| 3. 51| Adjusted Cash Margin(%)| 17. 45| 17. 52| 13. 64| 11. 45| 11. 81| Net Profit Margin| 16. 14| 15. 91| 12. 17| 9. 74| 10. 51| Return on Long Term Fund(%)| 52. 09| 42. 97| 44. 72| 56. 72| 62. 34| Return on Net Worth(%)| 10. 70| 9. 35| 7. 79| 7. 58| 8. 94| Adjusted Return on Net Worth(%)| 10. 70| 9. 27| 7. 53| 7. 55| 8. 80| Return on Assets Excluding Revaluations| 524. 01| 478. 31| 463. 01| 444. 94| 417. 4| Return on Assets Including Revaluations| 524. 01| 478. 31| 463. 01| 444. 94| 417. 64| Management Efficiency Ratios| | | | | Interest Income / Total Funds| 9. 07| 8. 41| 8. 82| 9. 82| 10. 60| Net Interest Income / Total Fun ds| 3. 89| 4. 01| 4. 08| 3. 99| 4. 29| Non Interest Income / Total Funds| 0. 03| –| 0. 08| 0. 08| 0. 02| Interest Expended / Total Funds| 5. 18| 4. 41| 4. 74| 5. 83| 6. 31| Operating Expense / Total Funds| 1. 89| 2. 09| 2. 59| 2. 60| 2. 76| Profit Before Provisions / Total Funds| 1. 91| 1. 77| 1. 41| 1. 30| 1. 40| Net Profit / Total Funds| 1. 47| 1. 34| 1. 08| 0. 96| 1. 12| Loans Turnover| 0. 8| 0. 17| 0. 17| 0. 18| 0. 20| Total Income / Capital Employed(%)| 9. 10| 8. 41| 8. 90| 9. 90| 10. 62| Interest Expended / Capital Employed(%)| 5. 18| 4. 41| 4. 74| 5. 83| 6. 31| Total Assets Turnover Ratios| 0. 09| 0. 08| 0. 09| 0. 10| 0. 11| Asset Turnover Ratio| 0. 09| 3. 55| 4. 60| 5. 14| 5. 61| Profit And Loss Account Ratios| | | | | Interest Expended / Interest Earned| 68. 00| 65. 29| 68. 44| 73. 09| 76. 28| Other Income / Total Income| 0. 37| 0. 02| 0. 92| 0. 86| 0. 17| Operating Expense / Total Income| 20. 77| 24. 81| 29. 05| 26. 22| 26. 00| Selling Distribution Cost Composition| 0. 73| 0. 94| 0. 72| 1. 4| 4. 43| Balance Sheet Ratios| | | | | Capital Adequacy Ratio| 18. 52| 19. 54| 19. 41| 15. 53| 13. 97| Advances / Loans Funds(%)| 65. 30| 64. 96| 58. 57| 69. 86| 72. 67| Debt Coverage Ratios| | | | | Credit Deposit Ratio| 92. 23| 87. 81| 90. 04| 91. 44| 84. 99| Investment Deposit Ratio| 61. 16| 59. 77| 53. 28| 46. 35| 42. 68| Cash Deposit Ratio| 8. 60| 11. 32| 10. 72| 10. 14| 10. 12| Total Debt to Owners Fund| 4. 23| 4. 10| 3. 91| 4. 42| 5. 27| Financial Charges Coverage Ratio| 0. 39| 0. 44| 0. 33| 0. 25| 1. 25| Financial Charges Coverage Ratio Post Tax| 1. 31| 1. 34| 1. 26| 1. 20| 1. 20| Leverage Ratios| | | | |Current Ratio| 0. 13| 0. 11| 0. 14| 0. 13| 0. 11| Quick Ratio| 16. 71| 15. 86| 14. 70| 5. 94| 6. 42| Cash Flow Indicator Ratios| | | | | Dividend Payout Ratio Net Profit| 32. 82| 35. 23| 37. 31| 36. 60| 33. 12| Dividend Payout Ratio Cash Profit| 30. 36| 31. 76| 32. 33| 31. 00| 29. 08| Earning Retention Ratio| 67. 19| 64. 49| 61. 40| 63. 23| 66. 35| Cash Earning Retention Ratio| 69. 65| 68. 01| 66. 70| 68. 87| 70. 51| AdjustedCash Flow Times| 36. 54| 39. 77| 44. 79| 49. 41| 52. 34| | | | Mar '12| Mar '11| Mar '10| Mar '09| Mar '08| | | | | | | Earnings Per Share| 56. 09| 44. 73| 36. 10| 33. 76| 37. 7| | | | | | Book Value| 524. 01| 478. 31| 463. 01| 444. 94| 417. 64| | | | | | Source:Moneycontrol. com ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: CURRENT RATIO: STUDY OF PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT: Meaning: It is a financial statement, which shows net profit & loss of a company for a specified period. The accounting year means calendar year 12 months or less or more then 12 months. Parts of the Profit and Loss Account The Profit & Loss Account aims to monitor profit. It has three parts. 1) The Trading Account. This records the money in (revenue) and out (costs) of the business as a result of the business †trading† ie buying and selling.This might be buying raw materials and selling finished goods; it might be buying goods wholesale and selling them retail. The figure at the end of this section is the Gross Profit . 2) The Profit and Loss Account. This starts with the Gross Profit and adds to it any further costs and revenues, including overheads. These further costs and revenues are from any other activities not directly related to trading. An example is income received from investments. 3) The Appropriation Account. This shows how the profit is â€Å"appropriated† or divided between the three uses mentioned above. HORIZONTAL ANALYSIS:When an analyst compares financial information for two or more years for a single company, the process is referred to as horizontal analysis, since the analyst is reading across the page to compare any single line item, such assales revenues. In addition to comparing dollar amounts, the analyst computes percentage changes from year to year for all financial statement balances, such as cash and inventory. Alternatively, in comparing financial statements for a number of years, t he analyst may prefer to use a variation of horizontal analysis called trend analysis. VERTICAL ANALYSIS:When using vertical analysis, the analyst calculates each item on a single financial statement as a percentage of a total. The term vertical analysis applies because each year's figures are listed vertically on a financial statement. The total used by the analyst on the income statement is net sales revenue, while on the balance sheet it is total assets. This approach to financial statement analysis, also known as component percentages, produces common-size financial statements. Price/sale ratio: About Price to Sales Ratio(P/S) The price to sales ratio (PS ratio) is calculated by dividing stock price by the revenue per share.It is most useful for comparing companies within a sector or industry because â€Å"normal† values for this ratio vary from industry to industry. In general, low price to sales ratios are more appealing because they suggest that a company is undervalue d. P/E ratio: About Price to Earnings Ratio The price to earnings ratio (PE Ratio) is the measure of the share price relative to the annual net income earned by the firm per share. PE ratio shows current investor demand for a company share. A high PE ratio generally indicates increased demand because investors anticipate earnings growth in the future.The PE ratio has units of years, which can be interpreted as the number of years of earnings to pay back purchase price. PRICE/BOOK VALUE RATIO: About Price to Book Ratio The price to book value is a financial ratio used to compare a company's book value to its current market price. Book value is an accounting term denoting the portion of the company held by the shareholders at accounting value (not market value). In other words, book value is the company's total tangible assets less its total liabilities. DCF METHOD: Beta(? ) The Beta (? of a stock or portfolio is a number describing the correlated volatility of an asset in relation to the volatility of the benchmark that said asset is being compared to. This benchmark is generally the overall financial market and is often estimated via the use of representative indices, such as the S;P 500. An asset has a beta of zero if its moves are not correlated with the benchmark's moves. A positive beta means that the asset generally follows the benchmark, in the sense that the asset tends to move up when the benchmark moves up, and the asset tends to move down when the benchmark moves down.A negative beta means that the asset generally moves opposite the benchmark: the asset tends to move up when the benchmark moves down, and the asset tends to move down when the benchmark moves up. It measures the part of the asset's statistical variance that cannot be removed by the diversification provided by the portfolio of many risky assets, because of the correlation of its returns with the returns of the other assets that are in the portfolio. Beta can be estimated for individual companies using regression analysis against a stock market index. The formula for the beta of an asset within a portfolio is here ra measures the rate of return of the asset, rp measures the rate of return of the portfolio, cov(ra,rp) is the covariance between the rates of return. The portfolio of interest in the CAPM formulation is the market portfolio that contains all risky assets, and so the rp terms in the formula are replaced by rm, the rate of return of the market. Beta is also referred to as financial elasticity or correlated relative volatility, and can be referred to as a measure of the sensitivity of the asset's returns to market returns, its non-diversifiable risk, its systematic risk, or market risk.The market itself is considered to have a Beta of 1. Using regression analysis, the beta of the stock is calculated. If the beta of the stock is greater than 1, this means the stock’s prices are more volatile than the market, and vice verse. For example, if a stock ha s a beta of 1. 2, this means that a 1% change in the market index will bring about a 1. 2% change in the stock’s price. Stocks with high beta are considered to be more risky compared to the ones with low beta. Bollinger Bands: Bollinger Bands  is a  technical analysis  tool invented byJohn Bollinger in the 1980s, and a term  trademarked   by him in 2011.Having evolved from the concept of trading bands, Bollinger Bands and the related indicators  %b  and bandwidth  can be used to measure the highness or lowness of the price relative to previous trades. Bollinger Bands consist of: * an  N-period  moving average (MA) * an upper band at  K  times an  N-period  standard deviation  above the moving average (MA  +  K? ) * a lower band at  K  times an  N-period  standard deviation below the moving average (MA  ? K? ) Typical values for  N  and  K  are 20 and 2, respectively.The default choice for the average is a simple  moving av erage, but other types of averages can be employed as needed. Exponential moving averages  are a common second choice. Usually the same period is used for both the middle band and the calculation of standard deviation. INTERPRETATION: The use of Bollinger Bands varies widely among traders. Some traders buy when price touches the lower Bollinger Band and exit when price touches the moving average in the center of the bands. Other traders buy when price breaks above the upper Bollinger Band or sell when price falls below the lower Bollinger Band.Moreover, the use of Bollinger Bands is not confined to stock traders;  options  traders, most notably  implied volatility traders, often sell options when Bollinger Bands are historically far apart or buy options when the Bollinger Bands are historically close together, in both instances, expecting volatility to revert back towards the average historical volatility level for the stock. When the bands lie close together a period of low   volatility  in stock price is indicated. When they are far apart a period of high volatility in price is indicated.When the bands have only a slight slope and lie approximately parallel for an extended time the price of a stock will be found to oscillate up and down between the bands as though in a channel. Traders are often inclined to use Bollinger Bands with other indicators to see if there is confirmation. In particular, the use of an oscillator like Bollinger Bands will often be coupled with a non-oscillator indicator like  chart patterns  or a  trendline; if these indicators confirm the recommendation of the Bollinger Bands, the trader will have greater evidence that what the bands forecast is correct.Monte carlo simulation: Risk analysis is part of every decision we make. We are constantly faced with uncertainty, ambiguity, and variability. And even though we have unprecedented access to information, we can’t accurately predict the future. Monte Carlo simul ation (also known as the Monte Carlo Method) lets you see all the possible outcomes of your decisions and assess the impact of risk, allowing for better decision making under uncertainty. Monte Carlo simulation is a computerized mathematical technique that allows people to account for risk in quantitative analysis and decision making.The technique is used by professionals in such widely disparate fields as finance, project management, energy, manufacturing, engineering, research and development, insurance, oil & gas, transportation, and the environment. Monte Carlo simulation furnishes the decision-maker with a range of possible outcomes and the probabilities they will occur for any choice of action.. It shows the extreme possibilities—the outcomes of going for broke and for the most conservative decision—along with all possible consequences for middle-of-the-road decisions.The technique was first used by scientists working on the atom bomb; it was named for Monte Carl o, the Monaco resort town renowned for its casinos. Since its introduction in World War II, Monte Carlo simulation has been used to model a variety of physical and conceptual systems. ICICI BANK CHARTS The annotated chart above shows a stock that opened with a gap up. Before the open, the number of buy orders exceeded the number of sell orders and the price was raised to attract more sellers. Demand was brisk from the start. The intraday high reflects the strength of demand (buyers). The intraday low reflects the availability of supply (sellers).The close represents the final price agreed upon by the buyers and the sellers. In this case, the close is well below the high and much closer to the low. This tells that even though demand (buyers) was strong during the day, supply (sellers) ultimately prevailed and forced the price back down. Even after this selling pressure, the close remained above the open. By looking at price action over an extended period of time, we can see the battl e between supply and demand unfold. In its most basic form, higher prices reflect increased demand and lower prices reflect increased supply. Interpretation:The Rate-of-Change (ROC) indicator, which is also referred to as simply Momentum, is a pure  momentum oscillator  that measures the percent change in price from one period to the next. The ROC calculation compares the current price with the price â€Å"n† periods ago. The plot forms an oscillator that fluctuates above and below the zero line as the Rate-of-Change moves from positive to negative. As a momentum oscillator, ROC signals include centerline crossovers, divergences and overbought-oversold readings. Divergences fail to foreshadow reversals more often than not so this article will forgo a discussion on divergences.Even though centerline crossovers are prone to whipsaw, especially short-term, these crossovers can be used to identify the overall trend. Identifying overbought or oversold extremes comes natural to the Rate-of-Change oscillator. Standard deviation chart that measures the amount of variability or dispersion around an average. Standard deviation is also a measure of volatility. Generally speaking, dispersion is the difference between the actual value and the average value. The larger this dispersion or variability is, the higher the standard deviation. The smaller this dispersion or variability is, the lower the standard deviation.Chartists can use the Standard Deviation to measure expected risk and determine the significance of certain price movements. BRIEF ABOUT PORTFOLIO Annexure: News Analysis Regarding Portfolio * Bajaj Corp Nirmal Bang is bullish on Bajaj Corp and has recommended buy rating on the stock with a target of Rs 228 in its October 9, 2012 research report. â€Å"We have upgraded our FY13E and FY14E earnings estimates for Bajaj Corp (BCL) by 6. 4% and 3. 7%, respectively, factoring in higher gross margins. Consequently, we have increased our target price on the stock to Rs228 (from Rs220 earlier) and retained Buy rating on it. † * DABUR INDIA LTD..AnandRathi has come out with its report on consumer sector. The research firm recommend`s buy on ITC, Nestle India, Colgate, GSK Consumer, Emami, Pidilite, Agro Tech Foods, Bajaj Corp. , Lovable Lingerie, Zydus Wellness, and Tilaknagar Industries. Dabur, Marico as Hold, and have Sell on HUL, Asian Paints, Britannia, and VST Industries. Consumer companies are expected to report 17% revenue growth, led by higher volumes and prices. We expect stable EBITDA margins, despite rise in raw material costs (up 7-8%) and reduced weights. With tax rates likely to rise 50-150bps, we expect net profit to increase only 15% yoy.Revenues on the rise:  We expect sector revenues to grow 17%, led by volume and price. Offtake from the Canteen Stores Department, comprising 8% of sales, would be subdued. However, rupee depreciation of 10-12% will benefit companies with more than 15% in exports (Asian Paints, M arico, Dabur). * Bharti Airtel Top telecom carrier  Bharti Airtel  Ã‚  will bid in an upcoming auction of mobile phone airwaves, said a company source, who declined to be named as the matter is not public yet. The airwaves auction is the result of a Supreme Court order to revoke permits issued in a scandal-tainted sale in 2008.Bharti Airtel is not affected by that court order but it could be looking to buy additional spectrum. Friday is the deadline for companies to submit their application to participate in the auction, which is scheduled to start on November 12. ICICI BANK: SBI  Ã‚  ,  HDFC Bank  Ã‚  and  ICICI Bank  Ã‚  are the best bets, says Sudarshan Sukhani, s2analytics. com. Jaiprakash Associates  Ã‚  , they had set a target of about Rs 100, much lower when it was Rs 80-81. It is almost there. So now for people who hold positions there are the potential of more gains, but at Rs 95 I do not know if a trader can actually buy. The targets are just in front of us .Perhaps the stocks will consolidate. Perhaps it could go up and it may not. † He further added, â€Å"The risk-reward is no longer in favor of a short-term trader. For actually people who still hold them I think there is more upside. † â€Å"The Bank  Nifty  itself becomes a buying opportunity as we just entered the last half an hour of trading. The Nifty is clearly above the 5700 level. I had explained earlier that we do not need a level on the Bank Nifty. If the Nifty is trading above 5700 we can buy the Nifty as well as the Bank Nifty and we should, at least the aggressive traders should. The CNX-IT can be left alone.Which are the best stocks in the Bank Nifty to go along with? It is State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. OBSERVATION: ICICI Bank- Key Fundamentals Market Cap (Rs Cr. ): 118,375 EPS – TTM (Rs):64. 19 P/E Ratio (x):15. 91 Face Value (Rs):10. 00 Latest Div. (%):165. 00 Div. Yield (%):1. 60 Book Value / sh. (Rs) :523. 79 P/B Ratio (x): 1. 96 CONCLUSION: There are many online services which offer tools that enable us to choose investments plus those which offer relatively affordable trade margins. These options are basically for everyone though experienced traders could be well versed with them.To evaluate a good online trading service we need to look at the several factors. Issues to do with fees plus commissions for doing business can quickly rise up. Comprehensive services should be able to provide extended markets in addition to investment services including other retirement options. Since purchasing and selling at online stock trading is nerve racking, overall best services provide instant messaging as well as phone support. Bibliography: www. Moneycontrol. com www. Bseindia. com www. Nseindia. com www. Wikipedia. com ANNEXURE :- As per 1st NOV 2012:-