Bad Legal Advice or Bad Insurance Companies or Bad Laws?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

One of my favorite quotes is that from author Wendy Mass: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” And so it seems that this story may illustrate it well. The article and video discuss the case of Jennifer Connell who sued her nephew, Sean Tarala, for $127,000 over… Read more »

American Apparel Bankruptcy

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

American Apparel has been in the middle of a turnaround effort that includes store closings and some layoffs. The company also faces several lawsuits from ousted CEO Dov Charney. Now they face the bankruptcy court. Questions: 1. What were the allegations against previous CEO Charney and what types of financial strains has this put on… Read more »

New Mortgage Rules for Those with Student Debt

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

New rules could make it tougher to qualify for a low down payment mortgage from the Federal Housing Administration, particularly with respect to down payment gifts and deferments associated with student loans. Questions: 1. What is the role of debt-to-income ratios in this story, as they related to student loans? 2. What is the old… Read more »

A Poor Recordkeeping System

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

The department’s inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday that a total overhaul of the record-keeping system at the VA could take years. Questions: 1. In the scathing report, what was the estimate of the number of veterans that had already died waiting for treatment and why weren’t they removed from the… Read more »

Morbid Thought, but Necessary Resolution

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

When a young person dies unexpectedly, his or her family could end up with the burden of paying off student loans. How can that be avoided? Questions: 1. According to the article, which loans are forgiven after a student’s death and which ones are not? What is a rough estimate of the total amount of… Read more »

A Bizarre Story: Watch what you say!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

A man having a colonoscopy sued two doctors and their practices for defamation and medical malpractice last week, after he found that his cell phone had recorded a most horrific “trash talking” event during his procedure, as well as evidence of a falsified diagnosis. In the trial, the jury ordered the anesthesiologist and her practice… Read more »

The New Parameters of the Advertising War

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Electronic warfare has broken out between internet users and the $120bn online advertising industry. Questions: 1. According to the article, by what amount did the number of people using ad blocking software increase last year? 2. Do you agree with Mr. Zaneis, general counsel at the Interactive Advertising Bureau, that the free internet that consumers… Read more »

A Big Bet!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

Pfizer is making a $15.2 billion bet on the drug industry’s new, more elite class of generics, which are costly, complex copies of already expensive biotech drugs. Questions: 1. What are biosimilars? 2. Why are there questions about the durability of the market for these specialty drugs? 3. What is the dollar estimate of the… Read more »

That’s the Walmart Way!

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An Oklahoma City Walmart is asking employees to donate food to help their coworkers make ends meet during the holiday season. The company drew criticism for similar employee food drives a year ago. Besides incurring a total public assistance cost of $6.2 billion per year, Walmart has been criticized for running a corporate charity called… Read more »

Medical Malpractice Reform: Will it save money?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized, Video Updates.

According to the New York Times, many people believe that medical malpractice reform is the key to removing waste from the health care system and making the practice of medicine better. But a growing body of evidence shows that belief is most likely mistaken. Questions: 1. What is the rationale for malpractice reform as cost… Read more »