MySQL program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MySQL program - Essay Example MySQL is a database administration application. A database is a prearranged compilation of information. It is the subsequent most extensively applied open source RDBMS (relational database management system) (DuBois, 2013). The strategic role of MySQL in a company is to manage their database. The MySQL Database Software denotes a client/server application that comprises of a multi threaded SQL server, which maintains diverse backends, numerous different client applications and libraries, managerial tools, and a broad variety of APIs (application programming interfaces) (DuBois, 2013). A relational database keeps data in different tables instead of putting the entire data in one huge storeroom. The database frameworks are prearranged into material files optimized for pace. MySQL role in the company is to assist in retrieving and accessing relevant data from the database. The fact that there is optimization in retrieval and management of the data in the organization due to MySQL, the company can optimize their operations since time to serve customers is extensively reduced by the software. The key to an excellent database is the first procedure for classifying and comprehending the commerce drivers involve. This is to assess why the software is required and what it is needed to perform.  Other assessments include: the kind of the databases information, how data will be input and retrieved, kind of data to be stored, and the interrelations of information or data stored. Another main aspect is the design technology, or structured strategy, to assist separate the data that is need. To enhance this it is essential to agree in advance, construct, then advanced and triad until it is accurate.    MySQL adequately satisfies the requirements of the business since it optimizes time of data retrieval and provides the above requirements. MySQL is a quick, user-friendly being

USB Banks Take $2 Million Hit, a Detrimental Impact Essay

USB Banks Take $2 Million Hit, a Detrimental Impact - Essay Example Since the Swiss and European banks operate in a different way, this new scenario poses new challenges for implementing controls. The economy in the past years has been weak to say the least. Banks have been defaulting in loans as creditors have failed to pay their loans. These trickled effects have been a domino effect internationally. When one bank is hit by a fraud, it has a dynamic impact throughout the banks in the international front. One of the major banks that recently was charged for dealing with unauthorized revenue was UBS. The bank already was mounted with numerous amounts of risks and troubles prior to this massive problem. The Wall Street Journal reports that UBS was charged $2 billion for conducting unauthorized trades. The news pretty much shocked the financial market as the UBS AG accumulated a hefty $2 billion in losses. The crisis slammed shares of UBS, which on Thursday fell nearly 11% in Swiss trading and 10% in New York Stock Exchange trading. The British Police arrested a man for committing fraud and playing with equities. The news that UBS lost $2 million took a big detrimental hit as the losses crippled the European economy. The Europeans have become increasingly uneasy about withdrawing equity from Euro Zone banks. The convicted felon was a man known as Kweku Adoboli, a London-based trader who worked in the exchange desk. The British police confirmed that they arrested an individual who was committing fraud but have not charged him yet. According to officials, Mr. Adoboli was certified to work in the securities business since March 2006. Mr. Adoboli’s past experience in trading enabled him to conduct this fraud in a very passive manner. The felon was under a different alias in the popular job site called LinkedIn. Authorities are still not aware whether he still works for that bank. The bank officials made the discovery late when the London police informed the administration. Around 3.30 at night, the police confirmed their arrest of the felon. However, some parts of the how Mr. Adoboli conducted this scheme seem vague to officials. The officials were also unable to determine the casualties since UBS operates in major countries including United Kingdom. In midst of all these things, UBS discovered the hefty losses that they incurred. The UBS bank is still working hard to assure that all the positions are closed. In addition, the bank took a deep hit as their reported revenue fell from $8.2 billion to a $2.7 billion loss. The new shock undoubtedly raised the p roblem of the internal management control that were lacking in the band. Additionally, the unawareness the managers possessed was shocking. The management internal controls lacked the adequate understanding of mitigating the risks as this felon was free to conduct trades at his own will. Clearly, the bank’s risk-management system had flaws since it had to write down $50 billion in securities exchange. Collins Stewart, a key analysis of financial markets depicts the demise of this situation as he states, â€Å""A loss of this magnitude will very likely have occurred in the [fixed-income, currencies and commodities] division, the very division UBS has been systematically rebuilding after shrinking it by 40% during the credit crisis.† Undoubtedly, this will trouble the foreign markets. In addition, it might hurt the currency exchange as the Euro rate will dip down. It will also cause collateral damage as other banks might default in their loans. This

Evolution of Investment Banking

Evolution of Investment Banking INTRODUCTION At a very macro level, ‘Investment Banking as term suggests, is concerned with the primary function of assisting the capital market in its function of capital intermediation, i.e., the movement of financial resources from those who have them (the Investors), to those who need to make use of them for generating GDP (the Issuers). Banking and financial institution on the one hand and the capital market on the other are the two broad platforms of institutional that investment for capital flows in economy. Therefore, it could be inferred that investment banks are those institutions that are counterparts of banks in the capital markets in the function of intermediation in the resource allocation. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to conclude so, as that would confine investment banking to very narrow sphere of its activities in the modern world of high finance. Over the decades, backed by evolution and also fuelled by recent technologies developments, an investment banking has transf ormed repeatedly to suit the needs of the finance community and thus become one of the most vibrant and exciting segment of financial services. Investment bankers have always enjoyed celebrity status, but at times, they have paid the price for the price for excessive flamboyance as well. To continue from the above words of John F. Marshall and M.E. Eills, ‘investment banking is what investment banks do . This definition can be explained in the context of how investment banks have evolved in their functionality and how history and regulatory intervention have shaped such an evolution. Much of investment banking in its present form, thus owes its origins to the financial markets in USA, due o which, American investment banks have banks have been leaders in the American and Euro markets as well. Therefore, the term ‘investment banking can arguably be said to be of American origin. Their counterparts in UK were termed as ‘merchants banks since they had confined themselves to capital market intermediation until the US investments banks entered the UK and European markets and extended the scope of such businesses. Investment banks help companies and governments and their agencies to raise money by issuing and selling acquisitions and other types of financial transactions. Investment banks also act as intermediaries in trading for clients. Investment banks differ from stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. However some firms operate as both brokerages and investment banks; this includes some of the best known financial services firms in the world. More commonly used today to characterize what was traditionally termed† investment banking† is â€Å"sells side. This is trading securities for cash or securities (i.e., facilitating transactions, market-making), or the promotion of securities (i.e. underwriting,research, etc.). The buy side constitutes the hedge funds, and the investing public who consume the products and services of the sell-side in order to maximize their return on investment. Many firms have both buy and sell side components. Definition An individual or institution, which acts as an underwriter or agent for corporations and municipalities issuing securities. Most also maintain broker/dealer operations, maintain markets for previously issued securities, and offer advisory services to investors. Investment banks also have a large role in facilitating mergers and acquisitions, private equity placements and corporate restructuring. Unlike traditional banks, investment banks do not accept deposits from and provide loans to individuals. Also called investment banker. Who needs an Investment Bank? Any firm contemplating a significant transaction can benefit from the advice of an investment bank. Although large corporations often have sophisticated finance and corporate development departments provide objectivity, a valuable contact network, allows for efficient use of client personnel, and is vitally interested in seeing the transaction close. Most small to medium sized companies do not have a large in-house staff, and in a financial transaction may be at a disadvantage versus larger competitors. A quality investment banking firm can provide the services required to initiate and execute a major transaction, thereby empowering small to medium sized companies with financial and transaction experience without the addition of permanent overhead, an investment bank provides objectivity, a valuable contact network, allows for efficient use of client personnel, and is vitally interested in seeing the transaction close. Most small to medium sized companies do not have a large in-house staff, and in a financial transaction may be at a disadvantage versus larger competitors. A quality investment-banking firm can provide the services The main activities and units The primary function of an investment bank is buying and selling products both on behalf of the banks clients and also for the bank itself. Banks undertake risk through proprietary trading, done by a special set of traders who do not interface with clients and through Principal Risk, risk undertaken by a trader after he or she buys or sells a product to a client and does not hedge his or her total exposure. Banks seek to maximize profitability for a given amount of risk on their balance sheet An investment bank is split into the so-called Front Office Middle Office and Back Office. The individual activities are described below: Front Office Investment Banking is the traditional aspect of investment banks which involves helping customers raise Corporate Finance (often pronounced corpfin). mutual funds) . Research and Structuring. Sales desks then communicate their clients orders to the appropriate trading desks, which can price and execute trades, or structure new products that fit a specific need. Research is the division which reviews companies and writes reports about their prospects, often with buy or sell ratings. While the research division generates no revenue, its resources are used to assist traders in trading, the sales force in suggesting ideas to customers, and investment bankers by covering their clients. In recent years the relationship between investment banking and research has become highly regulated, reducing its importance to the investment bank. Structuring has been a relatively recent division as derivatives have come into play, with highly technical and numerate employees working on creating complex structured products which typically offer much greater margins and returns than underlying cash securities. Middle Office * operational risk and the assurance Middle Offices provide now include measures to address this risk. When this assurance is not in place, market and credit risk analysis can be unreliable and open to deliberate manipulation. Back Office Operations involve data-checking trades that have been conducted, ensuring that they are not erroneous, and transacting the required transfers. While it provides the greatest job security of the divisions within an investment bank, it is a critical part of the bank that involves managing the financial information of the bank and ensures efficient capital markets through the financial reporting function. The staff in these areas are often highly qualified and need to understand in depth the deals and transactions that occur across all the divisions of the bank. New products Investment banking is one of the most global industries and is hence continuously challenged to respond to new developments and innovation in the global financial markets. Throughout the history of investment banking, many have theorized that all investment banking products and services would be copyrighted, they are very often copied quickly by competing banks, pushing down trading margins. For example, OTC contract has to be uniquely structured and could involve complex pay-off and risk profiles. Listed option contracts are traded through major exchanges, such as the CBOE, and are almost as commoditized as general equity securities. In addition, while many products have been commoditized, an increasing amount of profit within investment banks has come from proprietary trading, where size creates a positive network benefit (since the more trades an investment bank does, the more it knows about the market flow, allowing it to theoretically make better trades and pass on better guidance to clients). Potential conflicts of interest may arise between different parts of a bank, creating the potential for financial movements that could be market manipulation. Authorities that regulate investment banking (the Chinese wall which prohibits communication between investment banking on one side and research and equities on the other. Some of the conflicts of interest that can be found in investment banking are listed here: Historically, equity research firms were founded and owned by investment banks. One common practice is for equity analysts to initiate coverage on a company in order to develop relationships that lead to highly profitable investment banking business. In the 1990s, many equity researchers allegedly traded positive stock ratings directly for investment banking business. On the flip side of the coin: companies would threaten to divert investment banking business to competitors unless their stock was rated favorably. Politicians acted to pass laws to criminalize such acts. Increased pressure from regulators and a series of lawsuits, settlements, and prosecutions curbed this business to a large extent following the 2001 stock market tumble Many investment banks also own retail brokerages. Also during the 1990s, some retail brokerages sold consumers securities which did not meet their stated risk profile. This behavior may have led to investment banking business or even sales of surplus shares during a public offering to keep public perception of the stock favorable. Since investment banks engage heavily in trading for their own account, there is always the temptation or possibility that they might engage in some form of front running. Types of investment banks underwrite (guarantee the sale of) stock and bond issues, trade for their own accounts, make markets, and advise corporations on capital markets activities such as mergers and acquisitions Merchant banks were traditionally banks which engaged in trade financing. The modern definition, however, refers to banks which provide capital to firms in the form of shares rather than loans. Unlike Venture ca pital firms, they tend not to invest in new companies. Investment banks provide four primary types of services: Raising capital, advising in mergers and acquisitions, executing securities sales and trading, and performing general advisory services. Most of the major Wall Street firms are active in each of these categories. Smaller investment banks may specialize in two or three of these categories. Raising Capital An investment bank can assist a firm in raising funds to achieve a variety of objectives, such as to acquire another company, reduce its debt load, expand existing operations, or for specific project financing. Capital can include some combination of debt, common equity, preferred equity, and hybrid securities such as convertible debt or debt with warrants. Although many people associate raising capital with public stock offerings, a great deal of capital is actually raised through private placements with institutions, specialized investment funds, and private individuals. The investment bank will work with the client to structure the transaction to meet specific objectives while being attractive to investors. Mergers and Acquisitions Investment banks often represent firms in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Example projects include the acquisition of a specific firm, the sale of a company or a subsidiary of the company, and assistance in identifying, structuring, and executing a merger or joint venture. In each case, the investment bank should provide a thorough analysis of the entity bought or sold, as well as a valuation range and recommended structure. Sales and Trading These services are primarily relevant only to publicly traded firms, or firms, which plan to go public in the near future. Specific functions include making a market in a stock, placing new offerings, and publishing research reports. General Advisory Services: Advisory services include assignments such as strategic planning, business valuations, assisting in financial restructurings, and providing an opinion as to the fairness of a proposed transaction. Terms Related To Investment Bank Buying and Selling Buying Deciding on the proper time to purchase a security that you would like to add to your holdings can be a daunting task. If the price drops immediately after you buy, it may seem as if you missed out on a better buying opportunity. If the price jumps right before you make your move, you may feel as if you paid too much. As it turns out, you should not let these small fluctuations influence your decision too much. As long as the fundamentals that led you to decide on the purchase have not changed, a few points in either direction should not have a large impact on the long-term value of your investment. Similarly, the fact that an investment has been increasing in value of late is not a sufficient reason for you to purchase it. Momentum can be very fickle, and recent movement is not necessarily an indicator of future movement. Therefore, buying decisions should be based on sound and thorough research geared toward discerning the future value of a security relative to its current price. This analysis will probably not touch upon price movement in the very recent past. As you learn more about investing youll get better at deciding when to buy, but most experts recommend that beginners avoid trying to time the market, and just get in as soon as they can and stay in for the long haul. The proper time to buy a security is quite simply when it is available for less than its actual value. These undervalued securities are actually not as rare as they sound. However, the problem is simply that they are never sure bets. The value of a security includes estimates of the future performance of factors underlying the value of the security. For stocks, these factors include things like earnings growth and market share. Changes can be predicted to a degree, but they are subject to fluctuation due to forces both within and beyond the control of the company. The overall economic climate, changes in the industry or even bad decisions by management can all cause a security poised to ascend in value to become an under performer. Therefore, it is essential to practice your analysis before putting your money into action. Make some mock purchases based on your personal analysis technique and track the results. Not all of your decisions will lead to the results you were expecting, but if most of your choices turn out to be good and there are mitigating factors that you can learn from to explain your missteps, then you may be ready to put your analysis technique and investing strategy into action. At this point, the need to continuously monitor your investments does not disappear. Both under performers and overachievers should be studied carefully to fine-tune your strategy. You should also regularly look at your securities to make sure that the fundamentals for success that led you to buy in the first place are intact. If not, you may need to prepare to cash in and start looking for the next opportunity. One way to avoid the hassles of deciding when to buy altogether is to practice dollar-cost averaging. This strategy advocates investing a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals. The price when you first invest is relatively unimportant (as long as the fundamentals are sound) because you will be purchasing shares at a different price each time you buy. The success of your investment then lies not with short-term fluctuations, but with the long-term movement of the value of the security. Selling: There comes a time when investments must be liquidated and converted back into cash. In a perfect world, selling would only be necessary when investment goals have been reached or time horizons have expired, but, in reality, decisions about selling can be much more difficult. For one thing, it can be just as hard to decide when to sell as it can be to decide when to buy. No one wishes to miss out on gains by selling too soon, but, at the same time, no one wishes to watch an investment peak in value and then begin to decline. Investors often seek to sell investments that have dropped in value in the short-term. However, if conditions have not changed significantly, drops in price may actually represent an opportunity to buy at a better price. If the initial research, which led to the purchase, was sound, a temporary decline does not preclude the success that was originally predicted. Of course, things change, and if the security no longer meets the criteria that led to its purchase, selling may in fact be the best option. Selling may also become necessary if investment goals change over time. You may need to reduce the amount of risk in your portfolio or you may have the opportunity to seek out greater returns. Additionally, a security may have increased in value to the point that it is overvalued. This creates an excellent opportunity to cash in and seek out new undervalued investments. Often you will need to make this type of sale in the course of rebalancing a portfolio necessitated by gains and losses in different areas. Selling can be especially difficult when an under performing stock must be dumped. Some investors let their emotions dictate their actions and hold on to stocks that have fallen in value rather than to sell, thinking that selling at a loss is like admitting that they made a mistake. However, realizing the loss and moving on to better investments is often preferable to continuing to hold onto a loser in the hopes that it will somehow rebound. When considering any sale, you must factor in the costs of the sale itself. Fees and taxes will eat into profits, so they must be subtracted from any increases in value to understand the true impact of the transaction. Capital gains taxes are higher for gains on investments held less than one year, so its often wise to invest for the long term rather than to buy and sell quickly. On the other hand, it can be dangerous to hold an investment longer than you want to, simply to reduce the tax burden. It is essential to remember that just because an investment increases in value after it has been sold does not necessarily mean that it was sold prematurely. Managing risk and diversification are often more important than capitalizing on short-term gains in a particular security. Keeping in mind the initial goals for the investment and adjusting them to fit your present goals will allow you to make smarter decisions about selling. Principles of Investing 1. Start Investing Now We say this not just to discourage procrastination, but because an early start can make all the difference. In general, every six years you wait doubles the required monthly savings to reach the same level of retirement income. Another motivational statistic: If you contributed some amount each month for the next nine years, and then nothing afterwards, or if you contributed nothing for the first nine years, then contributed the same amount each month for the next 41 years, you would have about the same amount. Compounding is a beautiful thing. 2. Know Yourself The right course of action depends on your current situation, your future goals, and your personality. If you dont take a close look at these, and make them explicit, you might be headed in the wrong direction. Current Situation: How healthy are you, financially? Whats your net worth right now? Whats your monthly income? What are your expenses (and where could they be reduced)? How much debt are you carrying? At what rate of interest? How much are you saving? How are you investing it? What are your returns? What are your expenses? Goals: What are your financial goals? How much will you need to achieve them? Are you on the right track? Risk Tolerance: How much risk are you willing and able to accept in pursuit of your objectives? The appropriate level of risk is determined by your personality, age, job security, health, net worth, amount of cash you have to cover emergencies, and the length of your investing horizon. 3. Get Your Financial House In Order Even though investing may be more fun than personal finance, it makes more sense to get started on them in the reverse order. If you dont know where the money goes each month, you shouldnt be thinking about investing yet. Tracking your spending habits is the first step toward improving them. If youre carrying debt at a high rate of interest (especially credit card debt), you should unburden yourself before you begin investing. If you dont know how much you save each month and how much youll need to save to reach your goals, theres no way to know what investments are right for you. If youve transitioned from a debt situation to paycheck-to-paycheck situation to a saving some money every month situation, youre ready to begin investing what you save. You should start by amassing enough to cover three to six months of expenses, and keep this money in a very safe investment like a money market account, so youre prepared in the event of an emergency. Once youve saved up this emergency reserve, you can progress to higher risk (and higher return) investments: bonds for money that you expect to need in the next few years, and stocks or stock mutual funds for the rest. Use dollar cost averaging, by investing about the same amount each month. This is always a good idea, but even more so with the dramatic fluctuations in the market in the past 10 years. Dollar cost averaging will make it easier to stomach the inevitable dips. And remember; never invest in anything you dont understand. 4. Develop A Long Term Plan Now that you know your current situation, goals, and personality, you should have a pretty good idea of what your long-term plan should be. It should detail where the money will go: cars, houses, college, and retirement. It should also detail where the money will come from. Hopefully the numbers will be about the same. Dont try to time the market. Get in and stay in. We dont know what direction the next 10% move will be, but we do know what direction the next100% move will be. Review your plan periodically, and whenever your needs or circumstances change. If you are not confident that your plan makes sense, talk to an investment advisor or someone you trust. 5. Buy Stocks Now that youve got a long term view, you can more safely invest in riskier investments, which the market rewards (in general). This requires patience and discipline, but it increases returns. This approach reduces the entire universe of investment vehicles to two choices: stocks and stock mutual funds. In the long run, theyre the winners: In this century, stocks beat bonds 8 out of 9 decades, and theyre well in the lead again. According to Ibbotsons Stocks, Bonds, Bills and Inflation 1995 Yearbook, here are the average annual returns from 1926 to 1994 (before inflation): Stocks: 10.2% (and small company stocks were 12.1%) Intermediate term treasury bonds: 5.1% 30-day T-bills: 3.7% But is it really worth the additional risk just for a few percentage points? The answer is yes. 10% a year for 20 years is 570%, but 7% a year for 20 years is only 280%. Compounding is Gods gift to long-term planners. If you buy outstanding companies, and hold them through the markets gyrations, you will be rewarded. If you arent good at selecting stocks, select some mutual funds. If you arent good at selecting mutual funds, go with an index fund (like the Vanguard SP 500). 6. Investigate Before You Invest Always do your homework. The more you know, the better off you are. This requires that you keep learning, and pay attention to events that might affect you. Understand personal finance matters that could affect you (for example, proposed tax changes). Understand how each of your investments fits in with the rest of your portfolio and with your overall strategy. Understand the risks associated with each investment. Gather unbiased, objective information. Get a second opinion, a third opinion, etc. Be cautious when evaluating the advice of anyone with a vested interest. If youre going to invest in stocks, learn as much as you can about the companies youre considering. Understand before you invest. Research, research, Read books. Consider joining an investment club or an organization like the American Association of Individual Investors. Experiment with various strategies before you put your own money on the line. Examine historical data or participate in a stock market simulation. Try a momentum portfolio, a technical analysis portfolio, a bottom fisher portfolio, a dividend portfolio, a price/earnings growth portfolio, an intuition portfolio, a mega trends portfolio, and any others you think of. In the process youll find out which ones work best for you. Learn from your own mistakes, and learn from the mistakes of others. If you dont have time for all this work consider mutual funds, especially index funds. 7. Develop the Right Attitude The following personality traits will help you achieve financial success: Discipline: Develop a plan, and stick with it. As you continue to learn, youll become more confident that youre on the right track. Alter your asset allocation based on changes in your personal situation, not because of some short-term market fluctuation. Confidence: Let your intelligence, not your emotions; make your decisions for you. Understand that you will make mistakes and take losses; even the best investors do. Re-evaluate your strategy from time to time, but dont second-guess it. Patience: Dont let your emotions be ruled by todays performance. In most cases, you shouldnt even be watching the day-to-day performance, unless you like to. Also, dont ever feel like its now or never. Dont be pressured into an investment you dont yet understand or feel comfortable with. The following personality traits will hurt your chances of financial success: Fear: If you are unwilling to take any risk, you will be stuck with investments that barely beat inflation. Greed: As an investment class, get rich quick schemes have the worst returns. If your expectations are unrealistically high, youll go for the big scores, which usually dont work. It is generally a good idea to avoid making financial decisions based on emotional factors. 8. Get Help If You Need It The do-it-yourself approach isnt for everyone. If you try it and its not working, or youre afraid to try it at all, or you just dont have the time or desire, theres nothing wrong with seeking professional assistance. If you want others to handle your financial affairs for you, you will nevertheless want to remain involved to some degree, to make sure your money is being spent wisely. Initial Public Offerings Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are the first time a company sells its stock to the public. Sometimes IPOs are associated with huge first-day gains; other times, when the market is cold, they flop. Its often difficult for an individual investor to realize the huge gains, since in most cases only institutional investors have access to the stock at the offering price. By the time the general public can trade the stock, most of its first-day gains have already been made. However, a savvy and informed investor should still watch the IPO market, because this is the first opportunity to buy these stocks. Reasons for an IPO When a privately held corporation needs to raise additional capital, it can either take on debt or sell partial ownership. If the corporation chooses to sell ownership to the public, it engages in an IPO. Corporations choose to go public instead of issuing debt securities for several reasons. The most common reason is that capital raised through an IPO does not have to be repaid, whereas debt securities such as bonds must be repaid with interest. Despite this apparent benefit, there are also many drawbacks to an IPO. A large drawback to going public is that the current owners of the privately held corporation lose a part of their ownership. Corporations weigh the costs and benefits of an IPO carefully before performing an IPO. Going Public If a corporation decides that it is going to perform an IPO, it will first hire an investment bank to facilitate the sale of its shares to the public. This process is commonly called underwriting; the banks role as the underwriter varies according to the method of underwriting agreed upon, but its primary function remains the same. In accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, the corporation will file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The registration statement must fully disclose all material information to the SEC, including a description of the corporation, detailed financial statements, biographical information on insiders, and the number of shares owned by each insider. After filing, the corporation must wait for the SEC to investigate the registration statement and approve of the full disclosure. During this period while the SEC investigates the corporations filings, the underwriter will try to increase demand for the corporations stock. Many investment banks will print tombstone advertisements that offer bare-bones information to prospective investors. The underwriter will also issue a preliminary prospectus, or red herring, to potential investors. These red herrings include much of the information contained in the registration statement, but are incomplete and subject to change. An official summary of the corporation, or prospectus, must be issued either before or along with the actual stock offering. After the SEC approves of the corporations full disclosure, the corporation and the underwriter decide on the price and date of the IPO; the IPO is then conducted on the determined date. IPOs are sometimes postponed or even withdrawn in poor market conditions. Performance The aftermarket performance of an IPO is how the stock price behaves after the day of its offering on the secondary market (such as the NYSE or the NASDAQ). Investors can use this information to judge the likelihood that an IPO in a specific industry or from a specific lead underwriter will perform well in the days (or months) following its offering. The first-day gains of some IPOs have made investors all too aware of the money to be had in IPO investing. Unfortunately, for the small individual investor, realizing those much-publicized gains is nearly impossible. The crux of the problem is that individual investors are just too small to get in on the IPO market before the jump. Those large first-day returns are made over the offering price of the stock, at which only large, institutional investors can buy in. The system is one o

Computer Technology :: Argumentative Technological Computer papers

Computer Technology I. Introduction Over the past few decades, the advances of computer technology have undoubtedly increased the rate of information exchange. Communication across the globe is now done with ease, convenience, and speed. Accessing online bank accounts, instant messaging, online auctions, and communication via electronic email are just few examples of normal transactions that occur today. Although these advances have provided a tremendous positive impact on our society, it has also caused some controversial ethical issues, namely the privacy of personal information. Computers have been used as a tool to invade personal privacy for various purposes such as direct marketing, the sharing and selling of consumer information, and government surveillances. Furthermore, the advent of the Internet as an infrastructure of connected computers has been used to exchange non-public personal information to unknown parties. As a result, privacy concerns have risen as computer technology rapidly becomes pervasive. Beca use of the depth and many facets of the privacy of personal information, this research paper focuses on the privacy of consumer information. II. Current State on the Usage of Consumer Information Consumer information is used for a wide variety of applications. Typical usage of consumer information today include target selling/marketing, sharing databases, and the credit bureau's use of consumer information to gauge personal credit ratings. Businesses may obtain consumer information from various sources such as customer questionnaires, surveys, commercial transactions, web activity, application forms, and many more. Personal consumer information gathered from these examples are then used by businesses to customize marketing efforts, data mine consumer databases to recognize buying patterns, and evaluate credit risks of applicants. A few examples of the kinds of information collection and usage practices are: An automobile dealership's web site offers help to consumers in rebuilding their credit ratings. To take advantage of this offer, consumers are urged to provide their name, address, social security number, and telephone number through the web site's online information form. Consumer information may then be sold or shared to other automobile dealerships to provide specific, targeted offers for the consumer. A mortgage company operates an online pre-qualification service for home loans. The online application form requires that each potential borrower provide his or her name, social security number, home and business telephone numbers, e-mail address, previous address, type of loan sought, current and former employer's name and address, length of employment, income, sources of funds to be applied toward closing, and approximate total in savings.

A List of Famous Short Stories

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. ~ Sir Francis Bacon A LIST OF FAMOUS SHORT STORIES Famous short story writers are Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant, Anton Chekov and O Henry. Some of these authors have gained much fame and recognition in the literary world entirely through their brilliant narrative of short stories while some of them like Charles Dickens, P. G.Woodehouse and Rudyard Kipling are highly accomplished in the fields of writing short stories and novels. Short stories are actually more difficult to write as it revolves around a single incident and it has to have the ability of captivating the reader. Because of its length a short story cannot be rambling or dealing with detailed descriptions. Whatever the plot maybe, the elements of a short story are clear and c omprehensive while the ending of most famous short stories are abrupt and dramatic with a twist at the end. Here is a list of famous short stories. Famous Short Stories About LoveHere is a list of famous short stories About love. †¢ Antony and Cleopatra ~ William Shakespeare †¢ About Love ~ Anton Chekov †¢ The Thing's The Play ~ O. Henry †¢ An Imaginative Woman ~ Thomas Hardy †¢ Old Ghosts ~ A. J. McKenna †¢ Return to Paradise ~ Anton Chekov †¢ Blues in the Night ~ Jennifer Jenkinson †¢ The Three Letters ~ Nels Schifano †¢ Gift of the Magi ~ O. Henry †¢ Scarlet Stockings ~ Louisa May Alcott †¢ A Lickpenny Lover ~ O. Henry †¢ Love ~ Anton Chekov †¢ Some Ways of Love ~ Charlotte Mew †¢ The Love Quarrel ~ Agnes Strickland Famous Short Stories for High SchoolHere is a list of world famous short stories that can be read by high school students. †¢ The Purloined Letter ~ Edgar Allen Poe †¢ A Piece of String ~ Guy de Mauppasant †¢ The First Miracle ~ Jeffrey Archer †¢ The Five Orange Pips ~ Arthur Conan Doyle †¢ A Deception ~ Mark Twain †¢ The Gentleman Dressed in Newspaper ~ Agatha Christie †¢ The Minister's Black Veil ~ Nathaneil Hawthorne †¢ The Third and Final Continent ~ Jhumpa Lahiri †¢ The Man Who Would Be King ~ Rudyard Kipling †¢ Providence and the Guitar ~ R. L. Stevenson †¢ An Affair of State ~ Guy de Maupassant †¢ The Girls in Their Summer Dresses ~ Irwin ShawList of Famous Short Stories Here is a list of some of the most loved and famous short stories of all time. †¢ A Matter of Sentiment ~ Saki †¢ The Stolen Bacillus ~ H. G. Wells †¢ The Chinese Statue ~ Jeffrey Archer †¢ The Devil in the Churchyard ~ A. E. Coppard †¢ The Affair of the Pink Pearl ~ Agatha Christie †¢ Twice-Told Tales ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne's †¢ Ward No. 6 ~ Anton Chekhov †¢ Going to Meet the Man ~ James Baldwin †¢ T he Wisdom of Solomon ~ Jeffrey Archer †¢ The Musgrave Ritual Arthur ~ Conan Doyle †¢ Rip van Winkle ~ Washington Irving †¢ The Things They Carried ~ Tim O’Brien Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ~ R. L. Stevenson †¢ The Lottery ~ Shirley Jackson †¢ The Enormous Radio ~ John Cheever †¢ In the Eye of the Beholder ~ Jeffrey Archer†¢ Earth Is Room Enough ~ Isaac Asimov †¢ A Legend of Old Egypt ~ Boleslaw Prus †¢ An Ordinary Soldier of the Queen ~ Graham Joyce †¢ Monday or Tuesday ~ Virginia Woolf †¢ Nobody's Business ~ Jhumpa Lahiri †¢ Everything That Rises Must Converge ~ Flannery O Connor †¢ The Room ~ William Trevor †¢ The Man in the Black Suit ~ Stephen King †¢ The Eleventh Edition ~ Leo E. Litwak †¢ Errand ~ Raymond Carver †¢ Lily ~ Jane Smiley The Coming-Out of Maggie ~ O. Henry †¢ Four and Twenty Blackbirds ~ Agatha Christie †¢ Afterward ~ Edith Wharton †¢ The Ambitiou s Guest ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne †¢ Araby ~ James Joyce †¢ The Tell-Tale Heart ~ Edgar Allan Poe †¢ The Rajah's Emerald ~ Agatha Christie †¢ The Thousand-And-Second Tale of Scheherazade ~ Edgar Allan Poe †¢ Timbuctoo ~ Guy de Maupassant †¢ The End of the Party ~ Graham Greene †¢ The Wreck ~ Guy de Maupassant †¢ The Great Carbuncle ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne †¢ The Theft of the Royal Ruby ~ Agatha Christie †¢ Hunters in the Snow ~ Tobias Wolff †¢ The Best Sauce ~ P. G. Wodehouse The Calash ~ Gogol †¢ Markheim ~ Robert Louis Stevenson †¢ Lamb to the Slaughter ~ Roald Dahl †¢ The Last Leaf ~ O. Henry†¢ The Lottery Ticket ~ Anton Chekhov †¢ The Door in the Wall ~ H. G. Wells †¢ The Baron of Grogzwig ~ Charles Dickens †¢ The Open Window ~ Saki †¢ Rocking-Horse Winner ~ D. H. Lawrence †¢ The Ransom of Red Chief ~ O. Henry †¢ The Dressmaker's Doll ~ Agatha Christie †¢ Rappaccini's Daughter ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne †¢ The Storyteller ~ Saki †¢ Stranger ~ Katherine Mansfield †¢ The Private History of a Campaign That Failed ~ Mark Twain †¢ A Small, Good Thing ~ Raymond Carver A Silver Dish ~ Saul Bellow †¢ The Cask of Amontillado ~ Edgar Allan Poe †¢ A Burlesque Biography ~ Mark Twain †¢ The Boarded Window ~ Ambrose Bierce †¢ The Kugelmass Episode ~ Woody Allen †¢ The Case of the Perfect Maid ~ Agatha Christie †¢ The Girl Who Sang with the Beatles ~ Robert Hemingway †¢ Hall The Ledge ~ Lawrence Sargent †¢ In Sickness as in Health ~ Martha Gellhorn †¢ The Blue-Winged Teal ~ Wallace Stegner †¢ Man and Wife ~ Katie Chase †¢ One Night Stand ~ Jeffrey Archer †¢ Miss Marple Tells a Story ~ Agatha Christie †¢ An Eye for an Eye ~ Jeffrey Archer

Can One Be Non-Religious but Still Believe in God

Can one be non-religious but still believe in God? â€Å"My grandfather believed that the greatest religion of all was to ensure that we wipe the tears from every eye and bring hope and decency to every life. If performed with utmost humility, he said, this service would grant us the magnanimity to recognize and accept the many ways we are called to see God in humanity. † –Sankara Saranam (Saranam, 2005) One can still believe in God without associating with religion.This is possible when people believe in searching for God through themselves, by choosing to distance themselves from religion because they do not want to be bound by religious ideals, and by staying away from religion due to one’s belief that the name of religion is misused in today’s time with the name of God. People often believe in God by searching for the divine power through their inner selves. God exists within every human heart in the form of the love, compassion, understanding, and oth er positive traits that the human kind is capable of, yet they choose to suppress (Saranam, 2005).Often, one does not realize that regardless of what religion one follows, God is inside each human heart through all the positive qualities and emotions that one possesses. All the emotions that one feels are God given, therefore the search to connect with him can be done through one’s reflection of their life and the choices they have made. God is everywhere, so in order to connect with Him; one can choose to worship his power and existence without involving any religious aspect to their relationship.One may choose to distance themselves from religion because they believe that indulging in it will restrict them from living their life on their own terms. Some people may choose to believe that what religious holy books teach, may tie them down to follow it faithfully. Moreover, if one decides to marry someone out of their religion, they may be accused of not being loyal enough to it. For example, Islam teaches that marrying outside of the religion is permitted only when the social and cultural values of Islam become the dominant values of the society, in which the man and the woman are living in.Therefore, if a Muslim man were to marry a Hindu girl, the girl would have to give up her religion and devote herself to her spouse’s religion. People would rather choose to believe that God accepts the union of every man and woman regardless of their race or color, because love is above all. Some people do not agree with these societal boundaries that are created by the difference of religion and that is why they choose to distance themselves from it. Some people may believe that religion is being misused in today’s time using the name of God.People who are currently having a bad phase in their life may be lured into false promises by priests of their religion that they can solve all their problems in their life and regain happiness if they conduct rel igious prayer ceremonies to â€Å"appease† the Lord. Furthermore, it can be believed that people often fear God and because of this, they believe that priests and vicars are living the right kind of life that is free of sin, a one that God would want them to.So, they become misguided and donate to these priests in hopes that that will be included as a genuine good deed and that God will be happy with them. As L. Ron Hubbard had once said, â€Å"If you want to make a little money, write a book. If you want to make a lot of money, create a religion† (Hubbard, 2012). Religion is supposed to be sacred and considered a logical explanation of how God and the world came to be, although it has been made a mockery of in today’s society.Every year, people donate hundreds of dollars to religious institutions, unaware of where their hard earned money is really going. Therefore, some people choose to not involve themselves with these religious gimmicks and choose to practice their own religion, which is their personal relationship with God. Religion is not the only pathway that leads to the divine mystery we label as God, the Creator of Everything. Due to all the hatred, ignorance, and enmity that religion has caused amongst humans, some people believe to label their religion as just humanity.This religion does not have boundaries and restrictions, instead, it teaches everyone to love and respect one another. One can still believe in God without any involvement of religion. This is possible when people believe in searching for God through themselves, keeping away from religion because they do not want to be tied down by religious ideals, and by refraining from practicing religion due to one’s belief that the name of religion is misused in today’s time using God.

10 Warning Signs That Job Offer Is a Scam

10 Warning Signs That Job Offer Is a Scam Job offer scams are designed to prey on job seekers at their most desperate. And if you happen to be that desperate job seeker, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad. So how to tell if a job offer is legitimate? Here are 10 warning signs to keep you on the safe path through the wilderness. 1. â€Å"No Experience Necessary†Even if it’s an entry-level position, some experience is always necessary. Some work experience will always be required, and any job that states otherwise is a con. Not everyone can do every job.2. Crazy MoneyIf it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Above average pay offers, particularly without the proper vetting, can be a major red flag. You want the manager to evaluate you on your merits first, then offer you the big money.3. FeesDon’t ever give anyone your credit card information. Don’t ever give anyone money. Any job that asks you for these things is not for real. You don’t have to shell out for training o r new software or insurance on equipment. You just don’t. Run away instead.4. Instant HireYou’re great, but you’re not that great. If someone is willing to hire you without scouring your resume and having you in for at least one interview, they’re not worth working for.5. Requests for Personal InformationNever give out your credit card, bank details, address, or social security number until you’ve been officially hired and are filling out your IRS forms. Anyone who asks for this information first is scamming you.6. Typos in the ListingOr bad grammar. Incomplete sentences. Anything that looks as though it might have been generated or translated by a computer program, not written by an intelligent human being. If there are glaring flaws in the job description, there are probably glaring flaws with the job.7. After-Hours CallsAnything before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. is probably out of line. Even in industries that purport to work 24/7, hiring managers s hould have the decency to call you at a reasonable time. You deserve that respect.8. You Didn’t ApplyThis sounds ridiculous, and wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if jobs just fell out of the sky when we weren’t looking for them? But if you didn’t contact them first, you should be extra wary- just to make sure the company is legit.9. Multiple OpeningsIf you’re scanning job search websites and find multiple jobs at the same company: manager, district manager, sales manager, executive, etc., that’s probably a sign that company is a sham company, or at least a revolving door. They’re most likely trying to scam for as many keywords as they can to target job seekers across a wider range.10. MysteryIf you can’t actually summarize what the company is or does or what your job would actually be based on the job description, then it isn’t a very good job description- and likely not a very good job.Make sure to do your homework. Fiv e minutes of Googling can keep you from making a big mistake. Figure out what you can about the company, get a good sense of the job, and make sure you see a real live human being for an actual interview before making any promises. Trust your instincts, avoid these red flags, and you should be fine.