. . . last out

Financial Management, Oct 2007

We rummage through in-box and postbag to bring you astonishing insights from the business world. If you've been on the receiving end of such wisdom and would like to pass it on, please send the most obvious and the most obscure in corporate communications to rp1@caspianpublishing.co.uk clearly labelled "Last out".

HEADLINE HOWLERS

"Azurite powers ahead with reverse takeover"

Azurite Investments.

"Human Inference in visionaries quadrant of magic quadrant for data quality tools 2007"

Human Inference, "the market leader in the field of solutions that improve data quality and prevent data pollution".

"Diesel may be reaching saturation point in company cars"

Company Car Trends, produced for GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services.

"802.11n will put pervasive mobility on the fast track

Burton Group, IT research firm.

Pearls of wisdom

"Accountancy degrees and careers in business and finance go hand in hand." Report from Graduate Prospects.

"The rich should pay their fair share." Vince Cable, shadow chancellor for the UK Liberal Democrats.

"A group of volunteers from Ernst & Young took part in a weekend of workshops in dance, drama, poetry, puppetry, music and art as part of leading children's charity NCH's ARTiculation Youth Arts Weekend.

Run in conjuction with drama company HQ Arts, the weekend is the first stage in a year-long initiative that aims to give vulnerable young people the opportunity to develop creative skills and self-expression and give them a voice in issues that affect them, building their inner strength.

Sarah Cox, financial reporting advisory assistant director, said: Volunteering was extremely rewarding and a great reality check. When a young person gives you a hug in the middle of a workshop simply for being there with them, it really chokes you up.'"

Ernst & Young.

PRESS RELEASE OF THE MONTH: Wills bills cause unholy row

"The British Humanist Association (BHA) has challenged the rector of St Giles in the Fields, London, to justify the way he is trying to raise money from local businesses. The rector, William Jacob, has sent local non-domestic rate-payers a 'rate demand' that quotes their local authority rating reference numbers and rateable values. It is headed 'Formal notice of church rate due'... and attaches a remittance form.

Hanne Stinson, chief executive of the BHA, said: The demand is dressed up to maximise the chances that it will be treated as just another invoice by busy staff in accounts offices. Only a close reading reveals that payment is voluntary. The demand is legal - but also immoral. It has its roots in the rates that everyone... was once forced to pay to their parish church. When these were abolished in 1868, the legislation made church rate demands unenforceable. But the Church of England earned on issuing demands, merely adding the word "voluntary".

The rector has gone further. His demand says: The word "voluntary" is used to protect conscientious objectors from proceedings to enforce payment, but this does not affect the legality of the demand.' That suggests that anyone whose objections are for reasons other than conscience is liable to enforcement proceedings."

The British Humanist Association.