Apparently some suit had their headphones ripped out of their ears that caused their iPod to go flying one too many times because Thomas Pink is now presenting the commuter tie for your mp3 device.
Maintaining a stoic demeanor regardless of the circumstances thrown at you on your commute is crucial for any straphanger. The new commuter tie will now guarantee that you’ll be able to listen to Shakira uninterrupted while maintaining your Blue Steel that puts the rest of your fellow commuters to back the F off because I have headphones in and must be respected.
Author: Caleb Newquist
Founding editor, Going Concern.
Rumor of the Morning: No raises for SA’s at Deloitte
Big D is the now officially in the toilet frozen pay camp, as we have received a tip that senior associates in the Northeast region will not receive raises this year. On the less-bleak side, B. Salz and his fellow partners are doling out bonuses out of 2.2% pool which will probably amount to barely enough to pay for one night of your now three day drinking binge.
Rumor is that the disappointing word for associates should come down tomorrow but if you’ve got the scoop for us early or have more details on the cold news let us know at tips@goingconcern.com.
Preliminary Analytics | 08.13.09
• Retail Sales Dipped in July Despite Clunkers Program – “U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell in July despite the debut of the government’s ‘cash for clunkers’ program meant to jump-start the auto business and help turn around the economy.” [WSJ]
• France and Germany exit recession – FTW. [BBC]
• U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Increased to 558,000 Last Week – “Applications rose to 558,000 in the week ended Aug. 8 from a revised 554,000 the week before, the Labor Department said today in Washington, while staying under 600,000 for a sixth time. ” Under 600k? Does that mean the recession is over? [Bloomberg]
• Cheney Uncloaks His Frustration With Bush “[Bush] showed an independence that Cheney didn’t see coming.” [Washington Post]
• Ex-AIG CEO, others to pay $115 million to settle lawsuit: source – Tough month for Hanky [Reuters]
• UBS shares climb further on U.S. tax case deal – Closure helps. [Reuters]
Review Comments | 08.12.09
• Fed Suggests Economy Is Stabilizing – “U.S. Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday left official interest rates near zero but suggested the economy is on more stable ground, more confirmation that the severe recession is either already over or will be very soon.” Does anyone know if this really means anything? Are we stabilizing in crappiness? [WSJ]
• Save This Store – A case for big bonuses. [Floyd Norris/NYT]
• Colonial: No 2Q report due to irregularities – FTW guys. [AP via Miami Herald]
• Simplifed Reporting: Forgotten in the Crisis? – An advisory group gave the SEC a 170 page report to recommend how to simplify accounting rules. Anyone see a problem here? [CFO]
• Presented Without Comment: Ragnar Danneskjöld Lives? Damn Swedes. [DB]
• Rivkah, an Israeli woman, paid $32K to fly her dog, Orchuk, in business class from Paris to Tel Aviv – ‘He is my child, not a dog. And he deserves the best.’ Appears reasonable. [NYDN]
Thank God There’s a Facebook Specifically for Accountants Now
Social networking has reached new heights people. Now there’s a professional networking site that is specifically for “accountants, lawyers, and lenders”. HubStreet.com allows you to network professionally without that guy in IT trying to add you as connection because god, he’s such a geek.
No, HubStreet is here to make sure that those lesser beings out there can’t impose upon you in the virtual networking universe because you must enter your license number to even be allowed to register with the site*.
Get more details on this new method of wasting time at work, after the jump
HubStreet also claims “Take the Work Out of Networking” because God forbid you talk to anyone face to face or leave your home or office to meet other people. Or actually call them on the phone. THE HORROR.
HubStreet just finds people that thinks you’ll interact well with professionally and puts you in contact with them. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any sort of physical attraction widget implemented yet so you will probably most certainly continue to fail hooking up with your chosen “connections”.
Accounting Social Network Launches [Web CPA]
*Okay, not really
The IRS Should Really Reconsider Their Employee Screening Process
In another case of former a IRS Agent having reckless disregard for their old employer (i.e. the Federal Govt.), a 76 year-old former agent was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for his part in a fraudulent tax scheme that went on from 1998 to 2000. Thomas Steelman was also ordered to pay more than $10 mil back to the Service.
The old guy really worked hard at his craft too:
He took part in promotional meetings, conferences, rallies and telephone conference calls to promote Renaissance’s services and recruit clients, according to prosecutors. Steelman was also a featured speaker on Renaissance’s promotional videotapes.
From the sound of it, this guy Steelman was the Peter Olinto Tim Gearty Rick Duffy of Renaissance, The Tax People, the defunct company he worked for. It disappoints us how the pleasure of serving your country, as crusader for tax compliance, would eventually lead to a life of a scofflaw and tax avoidance. We are truly saddened that there continues to be very few true tax heroes among us.
Ex-IRS Agent Sentenced to 46 Months for Tax Fraud [Web CPA via TaxProf Blog]
The SEC Doesn’t Care if ‘The Numbers Don’t Work’
Try to control yourselves, the SEC continues to kick some ass. The Commission has charged Terex Corporation of Westport, CT with accounting fraud:
Check out the details, after the jump
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Terex Corporation, a Westport, Conn.-based heavy equipment manufacturer, with accounting fraud for making material misstatements in its own financial reports to investors, as well as aiding and abetting a fraudulent accounting scheme at United Rentals, Inc. (URI), another Connecticut-based public company.
The Commission had previously charged URI executives with fraud back in September when the company paid $14 mil to settle with M. Schape and the gang. Terex is settling for $8 mil.
The complaint alleges that both companies engaged in some shady revenue recognition which enabled them to meet earnings forecasts. It also states that from 2000 to 2004, accountants at Terex couldn’t figure out some of their inter-company transactions so they just decided to RAM some journal entries in there to make it work.
We understand that. Every once in awhile it’s 1 am-ish and you’re looking at a bunch of numbers that are getting blurry and you say “F THIS“. Entry gets made. Done.
Problem is, the SEC doesn’t like that.
SEC Charges Terex Corporation With Accounting Fraud [SEC.gov]
UBS is Naming Names (Finally)
In what probably amounts to UBS caving out of pure exhaustion from the nagging of U.S. Tax authorities, the Swiss Bank reached an agreement in which it will turn over names of wealthy clients. The Wall St. Journal is reporting that it could be between 8,000 and 10,000 names which will likely get UBS on the list at Hop Sing’s with Ned Isakoff.
More, after the jump
The whole sitch has caused many to confess their offshore banking sins and may make for more begrudgingly honest reporting of offshore accounts in the future but we hope that in hindsight, future Swiss negotiators see the wisdom of considering the undying power of the cocoa bean.
UBS Tax Lawsuit Settled by U.S., Swiss Governments [Bloomberg]
UPDATE: Read more at our sister site, Dealbreaker.
KPMG Europe Makes an Announcement that Won’t Upset Anyone
In a demonstration of spreading the wealth or possibly just a strategic international ploy, KPMG Europe is adding seven new nations to its firm.
Regardless of the motivation, it clearly demonstrates that the most positive news that the Scrooge American firm is capable of announcing is that it is ruining everyone’s holiday season prior to the start of football season so you have plenty of time to get over it.
KPMG Europe will add Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia to its stable of bean counters. They join the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands and will increase the Europe revenues to over £4bn which probably could pay for a few parties (but not full bar) in the States.
KPMG Europe spreads wings to take in seven nations [Accountancy Age]
Preliminary Analytics | 08.12.09
• Economists Call for Bernanke to Stay, Say Recession Is Over – “Economists are nearly unanimous that Ben Bernanke should be reappointed to another term as Federal Reserve chairman, and they said there is a 71% chance that President Barack Obama will ask him to stay on, according to a survey.” Sure, why not? [WSJ]
• U.S. Firms Probed in Mexico Oil Scam – “The probe is part of a broader two-year joint U.S.-Mexican investigation into a network of Mexican oil smugglers supported by the Gulf drug cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful and brutal criminal organizations.” Appears reasonable. [WSJ]
• Lying Low After a Layoff – Are you really going out of your way to look employed? [Washington Post]
• Amex, Discover to end fees going over credit limit – Back to maxing out! [AP via Miami Herald]
• Feinberg’s Pay Decisions May Set the Template for Wall Street – “companies must tell him how they plan to pay the 25 top-earning employees. Feinberg will rule on the plans within 60 days after they’re completed.” Uh oh. [Bloomberg]
Madoff CFO Used a Spork for Breakfast Today
A quick correction:
We mentioned yesterday how nice a lady Frank DiPascali’s sister was for putting her house up for bail. We’re sure she is very nice but the judge wasn’t convinced that DiPascali wouldn’t bolt so he didn’t let him out on bail regardless of the agreement prosecutors had with defense attorneys.
Review Comments | 08.11.09
• Bankruptcy Filing Near for Taylor Bean – “The motion, submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, was filed on Aug. 6, one day after the privately owned Ocala, Fla., company ceased its lending operation and dismissed most of its work force.” No surprise, but that sucks guys. Try to keep truckin. [WSJ]
• Benmosche Said to Start AIG Tenure With Croatian Trip “plans to spend part of his first month leading the insurer in Croatia on vacation, according to two people familiar with the situation.” The guy’s got stones, that’s for sure. [Bloomberg]
• IRS Impostors Burglarize House “The IRS impersonators made off with a weed trimmer, chain saw, jewelry and a utility trailer.” [Web CPA via TaxProf Blog]
• The Sweet Sixteen: A List of Audits I Need in my Life [Accounting Nation]