Nothing’s sacred!

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Over the past decade, the number of “hospice survivors” in the United States has risen dramatically. According to the Washington Post, this is, in part, because hospice companies earn more by recruiting patients who aren’t actually dying. Healthier patients are more profitable because they require fewer visits and stay enrolled longer. Questions: 1. How large… Read more »

A Christmas Miracle?

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A single father stumbles upon $50K in bonds in a discarded Christmas box and tries to return the money to the owner. Questions: 1. What are bearer bonds? What types of journal entries are associated with them for the issuer? Give examples. 2. What had Mr. Tran done that made these bonds worthless? What do… Read more »

Biotechnology Firm, Amgen, Acquires Anti-cancer Drugs

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Although Amgen is the world’s largest biotechnology company, they have not been in the anti-cancer drug market until now. Amgen, like other drug makers, is trying to refresh aging product lines through the acquisition. Questions: 1. What is the ranking of this takeover of biotechnology firms, in terms of historic purchases? What are examples of… Read more »

The Reinvention of Pawn Shops

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The pawnshop industry is growing. In 2007, there were approximately 6,400 pawn shops nation-wide. Now there are over 10,000. The expansion in pawnshops is fed, in part, by the increased number of Americans with tarnished credit which often bars them from the mainstream financial system. This article explains some of the niche services now offered… Read more »

Donald Trump is in the News Again!

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New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, has sued Donald Trump for $40 million as a result of what he terms a fraudulent educational program through “Trump University.” The program promised to make students rich but instead steered them into expensive and useless seminars. They also failed to deliver promised apprenticeships. Questions: 1. Instead of meeting… Read more »

Is it fair that some hospitals are charging 400% above their costs to deliver services?

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According to government data, hospitals charge Medicare wildly differing amounts — sometimes 10 to 20 times what Medicare typically reimburses — for the same procedure. This raises questions about how hospitals determine prices and why they differ so widely. Questions: 1. Discuss the data set and what was included. 2. According to the article, who… Read more »

Are you Due any Lost Funds?

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Ohio has returned more than $3.4 million in unclaimed funds to Elyria in what it says is the largest such payment in state history. Questions: 1. Where did the funds originate? 2. Are there unclaimed funds in every state? If so, how do you access the list in your state? 3. How do you think… Read more »

Product Chasing a Market – Fuzz Phobia

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When Veet hair removal cream came to China in 2005, sales were sluggish. It turned out that Chinese women did not worry about being too hairy. So the company selling the product promoted a new marketing plan with ads that equate hair-free skin with health, confidence, and “shining glory.” Questions: 1. How fast are sales… Read more »

It Beats Earning $20 an Hour?

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Flipping houses earned a bad reputation during the housing bubble, when speculators bought and sold millions of homes in search of easy profits. But as the real estate market is showing signs of life, the practice is gaining popularity again. Questions: 1. Which areas of the country have seen the most flipping action and why?… Read more »

The Unveiling of the Future?

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Apple’s iPad Mini will likely be unveiled at a special event on October 23. The device is expected to ship with a 7.85-inch screen and costs about half of what the current starting price for an iPad. Questions: 1. According to both articles, what have iPad sales to the K-12 market been doing to PC… Read more »