Although my mom has no idea of the current goings-on within HP, this little
gem she sent me fits perfectly... :)  [feel free to replace "businessman"
with "CEO of a company contemplating merger" if you wish...]

-----Original Message-----
From: Sally Emerson

Subject: The Economy

A businessman was in a great deal of trouble. His business was
failing, he had put everything he had into the business, he
owed everybody -- it was so bad he was even contemplating suicide.
As a last resort he went to a priest and poured out his story of
tears and woe.  When he had finished, the priest said, "Here's
what I want you to do: Put a beach chair and your Bible in your
car and drive down to the beach. Take the beach chair and the
Bible to the water's edge, sit down in the beach chair, and put
the Bible in your lap. Open the Bible; the wind will rifle the
pages, but finally the open Bible will come to rest on a page.
Look down at the page and read the first thing you see. That
will be your answer, that will tell you what to do."

A year later the businessman went back to the priest and brought
his wife and children with him. The man was in a new custom-tailored
suit, his wife in a mink coat, the children shining. The businessman
pulled an envelope stuffed with money out of his pocket, gave it to
the priest as a donation in thanks for his advice.  The priest
recognized the benefactor, and was curious.

"You did as I suggested?" he asked.
"Absolutely," replied the businessman.
"You went to the beach?"
"Absolutely."
"You sat in a beach chair with the Bible in your lap?"
"Absolutely."
"You let the pages rifle until they stopped?"
"Absolutely."
"And what were the first words you saw?"
"Chapter 11."

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