Archive for May, 2010

Volcanic Lemonade

By Francine • May 10th, 2010

This piece posted in full by permission of my friend Rob Nance, Publisher of Accounting Web, Inc. They can be found on Twitter and Linked In.
“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” so goes the saying. My business trip to the UK was cancelled today (and for the unforeseeable future) due to Iceland’s volcanic [...]

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Not To Be Twistin’ Hay… Auditors Mucking It Up In Ireland

By Francine • May 4th, 2010

“The regulator said auditing firms needed to pay “particular attention” to guidance that it had previously issued on monitoring transactions taking place around year-end, as well as the procedures expected to be followed by auditors…” If that sounds like Lehman Brothers, it’s because the kinds of tricks and techniques used there, such as Repo 105, are neither new nor unique.

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Keeping Watch

By Francine • May 2nd, 2010

This was my first blog post.  It was originally published in October 12 of 2006.
Financial Times, “Merger moves see firms boost their global credentials,” October 11, 2006
The big four firms such as KPMG and Deloitte never miss an opportunity to plug their global business credentials and their commitment to serving clients across borders – [...]

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A Poem From The “Barefoot Accountant”

By Francine • May 2nd, 2010

An Accounting Firm in Connecticut

What thoughts I have of you tonight, Arthur Andersen, for
I reviewed financial statements through dinner hour ad nauseum
subconsciously thinking of my audit fee.
In my hungry fatigue and looking for adjustments, I examined
balance sheet accounts, vouching countless transactions!
What errors and irregularities!  Multiple assertions
misstated outright!  Loans in the revenues!  Improvements
in the expenses, interest in notes [...]

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re: The Auditors Mentioned In The Columbia Journalism Review

By Francine • May 1st, 2010

It’s been my great pleasure to get to know Ryan Chittum, the reporter for the Columbia Journalism Review’s (CJR) The Audit, a blog devoted to the critical look at business journalism.  Ryan and I have not yet met in person, but  The Audit is a daily must read.
I did have the opportunity to meet some [...]

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