That’s probably a stretch but we have a tendency to over-dramatize some things, so hang with us.
Since we’re coming up on the end of Q3 next week and many of you are of the audit cloth, we’ll start a thread on inventory counts and how they have the uncanny ability to f*ck with your universe, particularly come December.
One source dropped us a response they received after requesting time off in December:
After the jump

At this time we are not granting any time off for associates during Christmas or New Years weeks – conditional or unconditional. Over the next few months as we receive inventory requests for the holidays, we will make sure that these requests are adequately covered, then we will be able to review our holiday policy and let you all know if time off will be granted and how.

So hold off on making plans because you might need to go to a chicken farm in the middle of Missouri on New Year’s Day. Get it?
Discuss in the comments how well/poorly your office handles the inventory sitch and feel free to give the new hires an idea of what they’re in for. We heard a story once that involved a headless chicken. Run with it.

Not surprisingly, the Big 4 find themselves on another best of list, this time the best for Working Mother 100 Best Companies for 2009. RSM McGladrey and Grant Thornton also made the list so it seems legit.
All these firms also made the magazine’s work/life balance list, although there doesn’t seem to be any difference sans one company we didn’t take the time to identify.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any kind of formal ranking, unlike the BW list, so no firm has the ultimate bragging rights, which is probably upsetting Deloitte who was probably going for the Grand Slam of magazine Best Of Lists.
A quick run down of some stats after the jump:

• Deloitte had the highest number of women on their Board of Directors at 29%
• 50% of PwC’s top earners are women
• 44% of E&Y managers are women and they have the most women partners, according to the list
• RSM’s total workforce is 55% women.
You can check more stats at each firm’s page. Frankly, for a major firm to NOT make this list doesn’t um, look too good (ahem, BDO).

Probably not. But the Company has been subpoenaed by the SEC again regarding its restatement of its financial statements for 2006 and 2008.
Patrick Byrne, the Overstock head honcho isn’t crazy about all the attention:
Bad numbers, after the jump

“All of the matters that are the subject of the subpoena have been thoroughly disclosed and we are disappointed, given the extensive public disclosures Overstock has previously made, that the SEC, given all of the challenges it faces, has apparently chosen to expend time and resources on another investigation of Overstock,”

The SEC’s problems are certainly a matter of record. However, we wouldn’t call Overstock financial reporting history stellar. Restatements occurred in 2006 for “freight costs” which, we’re pretty sure is covered in the first month of Intermediate Accounting. In addition, Audit Integrity has given the company a a ‘very agressive’ rating for Accounting and Governance for 9 of the last 11 quarters.
Regardless of this lack of basic accounting knowledge or borderline reckless financial reporting treatment, Byrne has no qualms about giving the whole sitch the Maxine Waters conspiracy treatment, “Byrne has accused some financial analysts and journalists of working with short-sellers to drive down his company’s stock price.”
This claim is made in addition to the company blaming its upgrade of its Oracle accounting system. Apparently this upgrade caused revenue to be overstated by over $12 mil and understated its loss by over $10 mil back in 2005.
So if wasn’t for Oracle, analysts, the media, and some hedge funds, we’re assuming Overstock would be turning a profit by now.
Overstock.com Hit with Another SEC Subpoena [Web CPA]

Pleasant surprise out of Chi-town, as Eddie Nusbaum got everyone on the phone yesterday and happily reported that GT had a better year than expected and there will be a “small bonus pool”.
Our source also said that the Baumer qualified the bonuses being for people that “have done something very special”. The rest of you that weren’t capable of doing anything special will get bupkis.
We’re not really sure what “doing something very special” could be but, depending on the parties involved we’re guessing it involves Def Leppard or Lover Boy and probably a Chippendale’s or French maid outfit.
Discuss your own thoughts on special in the comments