Saturday, October 26, 2019

Pacifisim vs. Realism Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive War Essays

Pacifisim vs. Realism In this paper I will be analyzing and critiquing the theory of pacifism. This theory is the belief that war is never an option under any circumstance. Even if a nation is being attacked a pacifist will believe that retaliating is morally wrong for a number of reasons. Such reasons behind pacifism are supported by issues of morality and what the pacifist themselves feel to be morality. I will provide three arguments to the pacifist way of thinking. It is an inevitability that with war lives will be lost, but that also innocents not officially involved in a war will lose their lives. There is simply no way around the loss of innocent lives amidst war in this age of advanced weaponry, which is specifically designed to take the lives of many with just one use. The pacifist argues that the inevitable losses of innocent lives are unacceptable and therefore war is an unacceptable solution to a conflict. This is my first and most prominent argument for pacifism. Those in opposition of the theory of pacifism argue that the targets of all military operations are the enemy or those with evil intent, but history shows us through such events as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II that innocents can be lost in massive amounts, which far outweighs any possible good done by such military operations. The fact of the matter is, innocents are lost during times of war and that alone should be enough reason to make war unjus tifiable. Robert Holmes put it best when he wrote, "There must be a new conception of how to get along in the world, a recognition that only the individual person is of ultimate value - not governments, not abstractions, not collectivities - and that if we do not cherish the life... ... many to overlook. We do not live in a "John Lennon" world. We can imagine it, but to make it reality is an impossibility and our stance on war should reflect this impossibility. A country cannot survive alone on an optimistic look at things. Sometimes action is necessary. Sometimes the lives of many must be sacrificed to preserve a nation. Realism ensures safety through out the country. By keeping ourselves safe other countries may decide to follow our example and thus world peace is spawned. Though total world peace can never be reached due to the imperfect world we live in realism can lead us closest to it because of its ignoring of morality. Trusting facts will produce a far more positive result in the long run than trusting feelings. Feelings can cloud our judgments, but the realistic view helps us avoid that. It helps us ensure peace throughout the country. Pacifisim vs. Realism Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive War Essays Pacifisim vs. Realism In this paper I will be analyzing and critiquing the theory of pacifism. This theory is the belief that war is never an option under any circumstance. Even if a nation is being attacked a pacifist will believe that retaliating is morally wrong for a number of reasons. Such reasons behind pacifism are supported by issues of morality and what the pacifist themselves feel to be morality. I will provide three arguments to the pacifist way of thinking. It is an inevitability that with war lives will be lost, but that also innocents not officially involved in a war will lose their lives. There is simply no way around the loss of innocent lives amidst war in this age of advanced weaponry, which is specifically designed to take the lives of many with just one use. The pacifist argues that the inevitable losses of innocent lives are unacceptable and therefore war is an unacceptable solution to a conflict. This is my first and most prominent argument for pacifism. Those in opposition of the theory of pacifism argue that the targets of all military operations are the enemy or those with evil intent, but history shows us through such events as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II that innocents can be lost in massive amounts, which far outweighs any possible good done by such military operations. The fact of the matter is, innocents are lost during times of war and that alone should be enough reason to make war unjus tifiable. Robert Holmes put it best when he wrote, "There must be a new conception of how to get along in the world, a recognition that only the individual person is of ultimate value - not governments, not abstractions, not collectivities - and that if we do not cherish the life... ... many to overlook. We do not live in a "John Lennon" world. We can imagine it, but to make it reality is an impossibility and our stance on war should reflect this impossibility. A country cannot survive alone on an optimistic look at things. Sometimes action is necessary. Sometimes the lives of many must be sacrificed to preserve a nation. Realism ensures safety through out the country. By keeping ourselves safe other countries may decide to follow our example and thus world peace is spawned. Though total world peace can never be reached due to the imperfect world we live in realism can lead us closest to it because of its ignoring of morality. Trusting facts will produce a far more positive result in the long run than trusting feelings. Feelings can cloud our judgments, but the realistic view helps us avoid that. It helps us ensure peace throughout the country.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Explain errors of omission and errors of commission. Essay

Explain errors of omission and errors of commission. Ans – == Errors of commission == An error of commission occurs when you record an incorrect value in posting. Such errors include original entry errors, transposition errors, calculation errors and reversal of entries. An original entry error occurs when an incorrect figure is recorded and posted. A prime instance of this is the ten-key error, where you accidentally hit the number above the correct key. For example, if you enter 7, instead of 4, you would get a difference of 3, 30 or 3,000,000 even. The transposition error occurs when you switch two digits in a number. For example, if you enter 71 as 17 or 428 as 824, you have committed a transposition error. Notice that the difference between the two numbers in a transposition error is always evenly divisible by nine. The result of 71 – 17 is 54 and 824 – 428 is 396. Calculation errors occur when you use incorrect totals. For instance, if you properly record transactions in a sales ledger but incorrectly total this and use the incorrect figure in the income statement, a calculation error has occurred. Reversal of entries occurs when the correct figures are used in the correct accounts, but they were entered on the wrong side of the respective accounts. For instance, if you record a sales transaction by debiting Sales and crediting Cash/Bank, you commit a reversal of entries error. == Errors of omission == Errors of omission can be one of the more difficult errors to detect, since they involve failing to record a transaction partially or completely. An error of omission may be hard to detect because it could lead to a balanced accounting equation. This type of error demonstrates why accountants and accounting students should double check their work properly to see if anything was omitted, instead of using a balanced Statement of Financial Position as validation. For example, if you fail to record depreciation in a period or record a devalued asset, such errors of omission would only be detected through careful scrutiny of all particulars. == Errors of principle == Apart from being accurate and careful to include all figures, accountants must also ensure that they are procedurally accurate as well. An error of  principle is one that is contrary to the fundamental principles, concepts and assumptions of accounting. For instance, if you record capital expenditure as revenue expenditure or treat withdrawals by the business owner as an expense, these go against the fundamental principles and held concepts in accounting. Such errors will skew the figures in the income statement and statement of financial position. == Conclusion == In accounting, it is important to avoid making errors of commission, errors of omission and errors of principle. While seeing a balanced statement of financial position can be satisfying, it does not indicate that no errors exist in the recording and summarizing of transactions. It is easy to make any one of the three categories of accounting errors at any given time, hence the requirement that accountants be meticulous and alert.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Diva Shoes Questions

Questions for Diva Shoes Note: you have to address these questions but you can address other issues as well within the format constraints.1. What are Diva's projected profits for the fiscal year ending September 1995?2. What factors affect a firm's exposure to exchange-rate risk?3. â€Å"Forward traders quoted forward and futures prices based on the difference between foreign and U. S. interest rates. † Explain what this means in your own words and why ?4. â€Å"In addition, some of Diva’s foreign exchange risk was reduced by offsetting inflows and outflows in particular markets. † Explain what an operational hedge is with examples of your own.5. What did Bisno perceived as the cost of doing business overseas ? does his perception make economic sense ? Why or why not ?6. Explain exactly how to estimate the annualized standard deviation of lognormal returns of exchange rates relative to U. S. dollars. How would you do the calculation if the data were weekly instea d of monthly ? daily ? explain in detail.7. How much exposure to exchange-rate risk does Diva Shoes have in April 1995? explain in detail and with numbers.8. Suppose that Diva chooses to hedge its exposure in yen using the forward contract described in case Appendix A or the currency option described in case Appendix B. Assume that you lock in these contracts at the forward price implied by interest-rate parity for September 1995. Draw the payoffs to the position at maturity for each alternative with the exchange rate defined in USD/JPY x 10,000 units (i. e. , the same units as the currency option is quoted).9. What do you see as the trade-offs between the alternatives for hedging ? 10. Do you think Bisno should remain strictly a shoe salesman or do you favor hedging his exposure? If you favor hedging, which alternative would you recommend to him?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Advanced Audit Principles and Practice The WritePass Journal

Advanced Audit Principles and Practice Executive Summary Advanced Audit Principles and Practice Executive SummaryIntroductionOverview of Changes in Audit RegulationsReactions of Audit Firms to Regulatory ChangeEnron and Lehman – A ComparisonDetecting Fraud and ErrorsReporting on Business Going Concern Actions of Arthur Andersen and Ernst Young that could have Avoided Litigation ConclusionsReferencesRelated Executive Summary The recent financial crisis has led to a great deal of discussion about the role of the auditor and whether the increased regulations are now effective in reducing the chance of further difficulties of this type, in the future. By looking at the collapse of both Enron and Lehman Brothers, it can be argued that the ineffectiveness of the auditing profession and, in particular, the lack of independence between Arthur Anderson and Enron, were seen to be critical factors in the downfall of Enron. Bearing this in mind, there have been some fundamental changes to the auditing regulations, in order to rebuild investor confidence and also to ensure that there is much less chance of similar problems occurring, in the future. Introduction The failure of Enron in 2001 resulted in a dramatic shift in the approach to auditing, in the UK (Fazdly Ahmad, 2004). The collapse was largely due to the relationships between Enron and its auditors, where Enron was audited by Arthur Andersen LLP which was Enron’s main client.   Arthur Andersen provided substantial non-audit related services and worked attentively with the management to create procedures for suppressing the real figures for the financial statements. Questions that have arisen following the collapse of Enron and discussion were had over whether or not the auditing undertaken offered the level of certainty that is necessary for an effective economy (Alleyne Howard, 2005). Overview of Changes in Audit Regulations Following on from the collapse of Enron, the UK government established the Coordinating Group on Audit and Audit and Accounting Issues (CGAA) which comprises of high level groups of regulators and ministers looking at auditing. The matter was also deemed to be relevant in the US and, in 2002, legislation came into force in USA, where the Sarbanes-Oxley Act introduced, announcing changes to the regulation of financial practice and corporate governance. It contains 11 titles which aim to protect shareholders and stakeholders from creative accounting, fraud and embezzlement practices in US corporations. The act is monitored by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and places deadlines for compliance and publishes the rules’ requirements.   The aim of the Act is go through legislative audit requirements and to protect investors by advancing the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures. Nevertheless, it covers matters such as launching a public company, accountin g oversight board, audit independence, corporate responsibility and enhanced financial disclosure. The assumption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is that the regulations apply equally, as is makes no difference between US and overseas registrants. The CGAA in the UK was set up by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and is made up of high level group of regulators and ministers with the authority for managing the review of the regulatory framework. The foremost matters included in the review are audit independence and making recommendations for change. It was noted at the outset that auditing is a vital part of the accounting framework which then sustains the capital markets and legitimises the financial statements.   The main concept is to reassure the shareholders and stakeholders that the corporation’s financial statements are true and fair. Furthermore, it will add credibility and reliability to the financial statements, meaning that an auditor should be competent and independent. As a result of this, the CGAA has made several significant changes in relation to the rotations of audit partners and key audit staff (Church and Zhang, 2006). There is no obligation for the UK listed companies to change auditors after a number of years in office. Nevertheless, where the same audit engagement partner acts for an audit client, for a protracted period of time, threats are likely to occur, as a result of familiarity (Hussey, 1999). Consequently, the UK regulatory obligations are that, for listed corporations, the audit engagement partner cannot perform for more than seven years and cannot return to that role for further five years. The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) was also developed as regards to the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. This is principally in line with the present UK approach to audit independence, which is directing on the threats to audit independence and the safeguards. Furthermore, audit responsibilities have developed from looking at straight-forward error and giving true and fair audit opinion to the establishment of a value-added services for consumers and regulators; services consist of reporting on internal control deficiencies, identifying business risks and even providing guidance on these risks. Consequently, auditors are expected to be articulated in accounting and reporting standards and requirements, as well as in diverse areas varying from the technological to the legal aspects of business and finance. In this context, pressure on the audit function is increasing, due to audit related corporate failures and new regulations (Dunn, 1996). As part of the review and as a direct result of the collapse of Enron, the concept of auditor independence and the way in which providing non-auditing services impact on the level of independence came under particular scrutiny (IAS Plus 2002). As a result of this, five key areas have been looked at within the area of audit and review of the regulatory framework. This entailed, firstly, the need to increase transparency where disclosure is concerned; secondly, looking at all the potential threats to independent, auditing; thirdly, looking at issues associated with non-auditing services and how they should be managed; fourthly, looking at international variations, recognising that they could create difficulties in harmonisation if not achieved; and finally, the requirement to identify the role of the audit committee within these organisations. The regulatory framework in the UK was therefore developed in a much more robust manner, in order to ensure that the type of close-knit relationship experienced in Enron does not reappear and that organisations are placed under the appropriate level of scrutiny, in terms of their financial activities. This was also recognised to be important, not only from the point of view of achieving genuine independence and robustness within organisations, but also to increase consumer confidence. Moreover, in the current economic crisis, there are concerns that organisations might behave in an unscrupulous manner and therefore developing a regulatory framework which offers security to investors will be a critical part of the long-term recovery of the UK economy (Salter, 2008). Reactions of Audit Firms to Regulatory Change As a result of the changing regulatory structure, clear changes that have emerged within auditing firms, across the UK. Many of these changes have taken place in order to comply with the new regulatory standards. However, by identifying the way in which the auditing firms are changing their working procedure, it is possible to obtain a greater understanding of how influential the recent changes to the auditing practices in the UK have been on the economic recovery (Byrne, 2001). Substantial changes have happened in relation to the operation of auditing firms. The main change is that there is a greater requirement when it comes to auditor independence and this is seen as a crucial solution to the previous problems faced by auditing firms handling the management of an organisation. One of the main findings which emerged in Enron was the fact that the auditing firm Arthur Andersen and was so reliant on Enron for many of its projects and income, that it was not prepared to challenge the directors and was therefore highly unlikely to undertake a full and comprehensive audit. Regulatory changes have stepped in to prevent the amount of non-auditing services reaching such a high level that this type of independence is jeopardised (Collins, 2006). Another issue which has emerged from the regulatory changes is the fact that many auditing firms found themselves in financial difficulties. These firms, therefore, looked at ways of making the auditing process easier by standardising the approach and using common practices which would enable them to use checklists, in order to plan and record the auditing questions. Whilst this was an effective way of operating, in many cases, it did result in a lack of thoroughness. Furthermore, by increasing the level of regulation and the expectations that would emerge from a thorough audit, auditing firms have had to change the fundamental method of operation, to comply with these increased regulatory standards (ACCA, 2010). The regulations not only look at how each individual auditing firm operates but also look at the interaction between the auditing firms and institutions such as the Financial Services Authority, thus requiring a much higher level of interaction between the auditing firm and the large corporation and the FSA, to ensure greater scrutiny of particular accounting practices. The most notable change, however, when it comes to regulations is the replacement of Scheduled 2 of the Companies (Disclosure of Auditor Remuneration and Liability Limitation Agreements), which places a much greater reliance on disclosure relating to non-auditing services, so that issues relating to independence can be more transparently analysed. On the whole, however, it can be seen that auditing firms have looked towards changing their operations, both internally and externally. This is in recognition of the fact that, in order to achieve economic recovery, it is necessary for the public and investors to be able to trust the auditing profession to give a true and accurate reflection of the financial statements within a particular organisation. By recognising that the FSA has become much more involved in the interaction between auditing firms and the regulators, this has required auditing firms to become much more transparent in their operations, both as a result of regulatory changes, but also as a result of changing markets demands (Sukhraj, 2010). Further changes have been made as a result of the Companies Act 2006 which requires greater disclosure of financial statements and, in particular, areas such as the level of director remuneration and a more thorough statement from the auditors in relation to the contents of the financial statements. All of these changes have had a fundamental impact on the work of the modern day auditor. Enron and Lehman – A Comparison Enron and Lehman Brothers proved that corporate governance is vital to successful business and social welfare and after Enron filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, in 2001, further evidence appeared of corporate governance weaknesses and fraudulent activities. It is recognised that shareholders and stakeholders can be corrupted by a firm’s status and success; however, according to economic and finance theory, this should not happen due to them being rational economical agents. A serve lack of transparency in Enron’s balance sheets meant that no one was aware of this and other off-balance-sheet liabilities, until it was too late (The Economist, 1 November 2001). The main accusation covered fraud and material misstatement in the company’s financial reports. Even though Enron’s annual reports indicated financial prosperity, it was clear that Enron’s management knew a lot more than it was letting on (Kroger, 2004). Ultimately, the fundamental reason behind t he collapse of Enron was on account of deceiving financial statements, as they modified the data to show a successful performance. Enron was audited by Arthur Andersen, for over 20 years, and it was responsible for verifying that the financial statements were true and fair, as well as providing credibility and assurance for the shareholders and stakeholders (Fusaro and Miller, 2002). Although lack of audit independence was considered to have an impact on the collapse of both Enron and Andersen, the latter also provided internal, external and consulting services, where 70 % of the work was non-audit related. Previous Andersen staff had worked for Enron, as well, and the relationship between the consumer and auditor was too informal. There was no audit rotation, because Anderson had been working with the same client, for over 20 years, this familiarity was a particular threat to their independence. It was also argued that this would increase the level of self-interest threats. Arthur Andersen provided internal audit services to Enron, as well as external; therefore, this influenced the audit independence and integrity, as the duties of the external auditor are to review the internal auditor’s work and form an opinion, and based on that, Andersen refused to acknowledge the fraud and manipulation, while giving a true and fair review (McLean and Elkind, 2003). Lehman Brothers had fragile corporate governance arrangements which failed to safeguard it against even moderate risk taking and this was seen to be central to the collapse (Porter et. Al. 1996). The fundamental reason for the failure was the misconduct of the audit firm which was Ernst Young and the work of the board in conjunction with the auditors. The similarities between the collapse of Enron and the collapse of Lehman Brothers could be seen in the areas of audit risk and auditors giving incorrect audit reports.   Lehman Brothers filed for many reasons, corporate governance failures were the most important, especially risk management. Lehman Brothers failure and other failures that happened in the financial crisis will, in turn, spawn a new wave of corporate governance (Greer Tonge, 2006). Detecting Fraud and Errors A key question which has emerged from both the collapse of Enron and Lehman is to expand the role of the auditor when it comes to detecting fraud, within the organisation. Investors may well believe that the auditors should in fact be in a position where they are required to investigate and identify any potential, fraud that may exist within the financial position of a particular company; however, the matter is not so clear when specific auditing requirements are looked at (Cosserat 2004). This distinction can be seen as the expectation gap which exists between what the public and investors believe that the auditors are doing and what they are actually required to do. ISA 240 which looks at the auditors’ responsibility to consider fraud in the audit of financial statements clearly indicates that it is the responsibility of the management team to deal with issues relating to fraud, by establishing control systems within the internal accounting processes that would detect fraud (HM Treasury, 2010). The auditor simply has the role of establishing that no material level of fraud has been omitted from the financial statements and is not responsible for the prevention of fraud, in the first place, but rather insuring that any instances of fraud are accurately reported to the public. This simple distinction is particularly important when it comes to public perceptions, and although auditing practices are seen to be linked to the collapse of Enron and Lehman Bros, the r eality is that the management teams need to take an increased level of responsibility and it cannot simply be said that the auditors failed in their duty. Reporting on Business Going Concern As noted in previous sections of this report, an audit report on financial statement does not necessarily provide a full and frank disclosure of the position of the organisation. However, the precise role of the auditors has been somewhat muddied and one particular criticism which has emerged following the high-profile collapse of Enron and that of Lehman Bros was the lack of going concern opinion being presented by Arthur Andersen when auditing Enron for the last time (Porter, 1997). Regulatory changes now require auditors to â€Å"perform audit procedures designed to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence that the event at the date of the auditors report that may require adjustment of, or disclosure in, the financial statements have been identified† (Auditing Practices Board, 2004, p. 3). This discussion of going concern reporting can therefore be seen to be inherently important to the role of the auditor when identifying a threat to the solvency of a company. The role of the auditor is to identify that the financial statements have been prepared in a way that involves consistently applying accounting policies and that any judgements made as a result of management understanding has been done in a reasonable and prudent manner. It does not require a statement as to whether or not the business is likely to remain solvent over a prolonged period of time and a lack of going concern statements presented on behalf of Enron was potentially a real negative, in terms of the role of the auditors in this large organisation (Swartz and Watkins, 2004). In the case of Enron, it could be argued that the collapse of the organisation was as a result of poor managerial decisions and not necessarily as a result of fraud and error and therefore it is questionable whether the auditors would have a role in identifying the underlying problem. Despite this, there is a strong argument to suggest that had the auditors been required to give a going concern statement, it may have been possible that the investors were alerted to the problems within Enron, at a much earlier date (Venuti et. al 2002). Actions of Arthur Andersen and Ernst Young that could have Avoided Litigation Both auditing companies suffered substantial problems as a result of the collapse of Enron and Lehman Bros. In the case of Arthur Andersen, its role in failing to identify the problems within Enron could have been seen as fundamental to its ultimate collapse, with Ernst Young being charged for professional negligence, as a result of its role in the Lehman collapse (Ruddock et. Al 2004). This presents a potentially difficult situation for auditing companies and the discussion of what Arthur Andersen and Ernst Young could have done differently has been the subject of much recent debate. Conclusions One particularly obvious issue that has arisen during the analysis of how Enron failed is the fact that its auditor, Arthur Andersen, gained a large amount of revenue from Enron in relation to non-auditing services. Therefore, by allowing itself to become so reliant on Enron, Arthur Andersen put its auditing team in such a situation that it was unlikely to be able to undertake its activities with sufficient independence. The individual auditors themselves were, therefore, under an almost impossible level of pressure to keep the directors of Enron happy and also to ensure that they used their subjective abilities, so as to maintain the strength of relationships between the entities (Vanasco et al 1997). Similar problems were seen to be present regarding Ernst Young, and its relationship with Lehman Bros. Although the collapse of Lehman Brothers did not destroy Ernst Young, it certainly had a negative impact, with Ernst Young having to fight its corner in the US Supreme Court. When looking at the collapse of Lehman Brothers, however, it was found by the Supreme Court that Lehman Bros did not in fact violate accounting rules; therefore, whilst there were some questionable practices being undertaken by the management team at Lehman Brothers, this was not sufficient to require the auditors to behave in a different manner or to have reported differently. It seemed, therefore, that Ernst Young had done nothing wrong, but a lack of thoroughness in its audit and the reputational damage that the collapse did to the accountants was not helpful to the longevity of the firm, going forward (Tackett et al 2004). References ACCA, 2010,  Value regained: restoring the role of audit in society (1-10),  viewed April 12th  2011, Alleyne, P. Howard, M. (2005). An exploratory study of auditors’ responsibility for fraud detection in Barbados. Managerial Auditing Journal. 20(3):284-303 Auditing Practices Board, 2004  International Standard on Auditing (UK and Ireland)  560: Subsequent Events. London: APB Byrne, P (2001)  Auditor independence: an update  (Online) Available at: accaglobal.com/archive/2888864/3124 Collins, D. (2006).  Behaving Badly: Ethical Lessons from Enron. Dog Ear Publishing, LLC Cosserat G, W. (2004)  Modern Auditing; Chichester England, John Wiley Sons Ltd Church, B, K, Zhang, P (2006)  A Model of Mandatory   Auditor   Rotation   (online) Available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=874884 Dunn, J (1996)  Auditing Theory and Practise, 2nd edition, Essex, England Pearson Education Limited Fazdly, M. Ahmad, Z. (2004). Audit expectation gap. Managerial Auditing Journal. 19:897-915 Fusaro, P. and Miller, R. (2002). What Went Wrong at Enron: Everyones Guide to the Largest Bankruptcy in U.S. History. John Wiley Sons Greer L Tonge, A (2006)  Ethical foundations: a new framework for reliable financial reporting Business Ethics: A European Review, Vol 15 Issue 3, Page 259–270 HM Treasury, 2010.  A new approach to financial regulation: judgement, focus and stability. London: The Stationery Office Hussey, R (1999)  The Familiarity Threat and Auditor Independence, Vol. 7 Issue. 2 pg 190-197  Corporate Governance,  Blackwell Publishing IAS Plus (2002)  Principles of Auditor Independence and the Role of Corporate Governance in Monitoring an Auditor’s Independence Available at: iasplus.com/iosco/iosco2.pdf Kroger, J, R, (2004)  Enron, Fraud and Securities Reform: An Enron Prosecutors Perspective.  University of Colorado Law Review, Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=537542 McLean, B. and Elkind, P (2003). The Smartest Guys in the Room. New York: Portfolio Trade Porter, B., Simon, J Hatherly, D., (1996),  Principles of External Auditing, John Wiley Sons Ltd Porter, B. (1997). Auditors’ responsibilities with respect to corporate fraud: a controversial issue, in Sherer, M. and Turley, S. (Eds), 3rd ed., Current Issues in Auditing, Paul Chapman   Publishing. London, Ch. 2:31-54. Ruddock, C. M. S, Taylor, S. J, Taylor, S. L., (2004) Non-Audit   Services and Earnings Conservatism: Is Auditor Independence Impaired? Available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=303343 Salter, M. (2008). Innovation Corrupted: The Origins and Legacy of Enrons Collapse. Harvard University Press. Sukhraj, P 2010. Thinking about disclosure.  Accountancy Magazine, February, p. 22–23. Swartz, M. and Watkins, S (2004). Power Failure: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron. Broadway Business Tackett, J Wolf, F, Claypool, G (2004)  Sarbanes-Oxley and Audit Failure; A critical Examination, Managerial Auditing Journal, Volume 19, Issue 3 Vanasco, R, R, Skousen, C, R Santagato, L, R (1997)  Auditor Independence: An International Perspective, Managerial Auditing journal, Vol 12 Issue 9 Venuti, E; Holtzman, M. P, and Basile, A, 2002,  Due professional care in cases of high engagement risk.  CPA Journal. Vol. 72, no. 12

Monday, October 21, 2019

Quotes from Emperor Justinian I

Quotes from Emperor Justinian I The emperor Justinian I was a formidable leader in 6th-century Byzantium. Among his many achievements is a legal code that would influence medieval law for generations. Here are some quotes from The Code of Justinian, and some that have been attributed to him. The Code of Justinian Those things which seem to many former Emperors to require correction, but which none of them ventured to carry into effect, We have decided to accomplish at the present time with the assistance of Almighty God; and to diminish litigation by the revision of the multitude of constitutions which are contained in the Three Codes; namely, the Gregorian, the Hermogenian, and the Theodosian, as well as in those other Codes promulgated after them by Theodosius of Divine Memory, and by other Emperors, who succeeded him, in addition to those which We Ourselves have promulgated, and to combine them in a single Code, under Our auspicious name, in which compilation should be included not only the constitutions of the three above-mentioned Codes, but also such new ones as subsequently have been promulgated. - The First Preface The maintenance of the integrity of the government depends upon two things, namely, the force of arms and the observance of the laws: and, for this reason, the fortunate race of the Romans obtained power and precedence over all other nations in former times, and will do so forever, if God should be propitious; since each of these has ever required the aid of the other, for, as military affairs are rendered secure by the laws, so also are the laws preserved by force of arms. - The Second Preface For true and pious reasons, We direct that no one shall be permitted to remove from the holy churches persons who take refuge there, with the understanding that if anyone attempts to violate this law, he shall be considered guilty of the crime of treason. - TITLE XII If (as you allege), you, a minor of twenty years of age, have manumitted your slave, although you may have been fraudulently persuaded to do so, still, the imposition of the rod by which freedom is lawfully bestowed cannot be rescinded under the pretext of defect of age; the manumitted slave, however, must indemnify you, and this should be provided for by the magistrate having jurisdiction of the case to the extent that the law permits. - TITLE XXXI It was in your husbands power, in a fit of anger, to change the provisions which he had made in his will with reference to his slaves, namely, that one of them should remain in perpetual servitude, and that the other should be sold in order to be taken away. Hence, if afterwards, his clemency should mitigate his anger (which, although it may not be proved by documentary evidence, still, nothing prevents its being established by other testimony, especially when the subsequent meritorious conduct of the said slave is such that the wrath of the master has been appeased), the arbitrator in the action in partition should comply with the last wishes of the deceased. - TITLE XXXVI It is customary to come to the relief of persons who have attained their majority, where divisions of property have been made through fraud or deceit, or unjustly, and not as the result of a decision in court, because in bona fide contracts whatever is established to have been done unjustly shall be corrected. - TITLE XXXVIII Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to every one his due. - Institutiones, Book I Quotes That Have Been Attributed to Justinian Frugality is the mother of all virtues. Glory to God who has thought me worthy  to finish this work.  Solomon,  I have outdone you. Keep cool and you will command everyone. Rather let the crime of the guilty go unpunished than condemn the innocent. Safety of the state is the highest law. The things which are common to all (and not capable of being owned)  are:  the air, running water, the sea and the seashores.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Reduce the Amount of Junk Mail You Receive by 90%

Reduce the Amount of Junk Mail You Receive by 90% If you’re interested in living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, heres something you can do that will help protect the environment and preserve your sanity: reduce the amount of junk mail you receive by 90 percent. According to information from sources such as the Center for a New American Dream (CNAD;  a Maryland-based nonprofit organization that helps people consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice) reducing the amount of junk mail you receive will save energy, natural resources, landfill space, tax dollars, and a lot of your personal time. For example: 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct mail advertisements end up in U.S. landfills annually.The average American household receives unsolicited junk mail equal to 1.5 trees every year- more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined.44 percent of junk mail is thrown away unopened, but only half that much junk mail (22 percent) is recycled.Americans pay $370 million annually to dispose of junk mail that doesn’t get recycled.On average, Americans spend 8 months opening junk mail in the course of their lives. Register Your Name to Reduce Junk Mail OK, now that you’ve decided to reduce the volume of junk mail you receive, how do you go about it? Start by registering with the Mail Preference Service of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). It won’t guarantee you a life free of junk mail, but it can help. DMA will list you in its database in the â€Å"Do Not Mail† category. Direct marketers are not required to check the database, but most companies that send large volumes of bulk mail do use the DMA service. They realize there is no percentage in routinely sending mail to people who don’t want it and have taken action to prevent it. Get Off Junk Mail Lists You can also go to OptOutPreScreen.com, which can enable you to remove your name from lists that mortgage, credit card, and insurance companies use to mail you offers and solicitations. It’s a centralized website run by the four major credit bureaus in the United States: Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion. Most businesses check with one or more of these companies before accepting your credit card or granting you credit for a long-term purchase. They are also a huge source of names and addresses for credit card, mortgage and insurance companies that routinely send junk mail to attract new customers and solicit new business. But there’s a way to fight back. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires credit bureaus to delete your name from their rented lists if you make the request. Contact Companies That Send You Junk Mail If you’re serious about ridding your life of as much junk mail as possible, then simply registering with these services may not leave enough space in your mailbox. In addition, you should ask all of the companies you patronize to place your name on their â€Å"do not promote† or â€Å"in-house suppress† lists. If you do business with a company by mail, it should be on your contact list. That includes magazine publishers, any companies that send you catalogs, credit card companies, etc. It’s best to make this request the first time you do business with a company, because it will prevent them from selling your name to other organizations, but you can make the request at any time. Keep Track of Your Name to See How Junk Mail is Generated As an extra precaution, some organizations recommend that you track where companies are getting your name by using a slightly different name whenever you subscribe to a magazine or begin a new mail relationship with a company. One strategy is to give yourself a fictional middle initials that match the name of the company. If your name is Jennifer Jones and you subscribe to Vanity Fair, simply give your name as Jennifer V.F. Jones, and ask the magazine not to rent your name. If you ever receive a piece of junk mail from other companies addressed to Jennifer V.F. Jones, you’ll know where they got your name. If this all still seems a bit daunting, there are resources to help you get through it. One option is to use stopthejunkmail.com, which can provide further assistance or guidelines for reducing junk mail and other intrusions, from unwanted e-mail (spam) to telemarketing calls. Some of these services are free while others charge an annual fee. So do yourself and the environment a favor. Keep the junk mail out of your mailbox and out of the landfill. Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Discussion board 2.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board 2.2 - Essay Example The target behavior is one upon which people want to emphasize upon the behavior in essence. Similarly this is measurable and observable at the same time, and is stated within an operational capacity. Hence behavior is important to ascertain because it mentions the significant pointers that are a part of the human life. Behavior is hard to define due to a number of issues because its impacts are either short term based or one for the long term. Behavior leads towards practicing a general act or form that demands a change in attitude (Parnaudeau, 2011). There are a number of examples that have been mentioned in the power point, all of which have one context or the other as far as work manifestations are concerned for the human beings. The examples suggest the basis of success as to how the power point lists down the behavioral regimes and what kind of changes would be deemed as successful right from the onset of one such understanding. The power point also mentions the basis of the AB Cs of behavior which are clearly distinguished by the antecedent, the behavior and the consequence. These tenets list down the significant pointers which play a very imperative role at the formation of the ABCs of behavior in this day and age.