Question:

NEBRASKA http://www.unogateway.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/03/29/4248e409e1ef6 No safe haven for Nebraska children Scott Stewart March 29, 2005 The state of Nebraska is one of four states that have no kind of "Safe Haven" law. Such a law would allow unwilling parents to give away their newborn child without fear of charges for child abandonment or neglect. Safe Haven laws have been passed in forty-six states in response to a growing concern about child abandonment, perhaps prompted by stories about children being left in dumpsters or other locations. For instance, last Thursday, the Omaha World-Herald reported that Maria Vargas, 18, gave birth in her family’s bathtub on Saturday, March 20. Police found the baby under clothes in a laundry basket, hidden in a closet. There was some injury to a child. Cases like these have renewed questions about why Nebraska joins Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont as the only states without some sort of Safe Haven laws. Senator Elaine Stuhr of Bradshaw (district 24) proposed Legislative Bill 307 calling for the state to create a task force on safe havens for abandoned infants, provide duties and declare an emergency. The task force, if approved, would research issues involving child abandonment in Nebraska and make recommendations to the Unicameral by the start of 2006. A proposal made by Stuhr last year, LB 933, would have given Nebraska a Safe Haven law similar to Colorado’s, where unharmed infants younger than 72 hours could be turned over to hospitals, fire stations, substance abuse centers and some churches and licensed child placement agencies. The submission would be made anonymously, with some basic health questions (such as propensity for diabetes) being asked. Stuhr’s 2004 proposal would have also allowed for a one-month waiting period where parents could change their minds before placing the child up for adoption. Residences of Iowa can turn over newborns two weeks old or younger to hospital emergency rooms or other medical facilities. Residences of South Dakota have 60 days, Kansas 45 days and Missouri and Wyoming have 30 days. UNO senior Henry Karpf said, "I think Nebraska should have a Safe Haven law." He also said he didn’t know why Nebraska wouldn’t have one while nearly every other state does.

Response:

In the legislative jungle, there is a cardinal rule, Monkey see, monkey do. Not a word on effectiveness, not a word on adoption, it’s all about, "Hey, every other state has one, why don’t we?" It’s like a hula-hoop, or Nike’s.

Response:

<<<It’s like a hula-hoop, or Nike’s. Let’s talk about the efficacy of Nikes and hula-hoops. Nikes still sell more then almost any athletic shoe in the world, that’s effectiveness. They also continue to improve their model of athletic performance. Hula-hoops are still as much fun as they were over three decades ago, solid efficacy. They still provide that same fun for many generations, and are known as a household name. If either product was a so-called fad they would have disappeared from existence long ago. Of course the effectiveness of Baby Safe Haven laws is now very clear. Just look at the model here in Massachusetts. Prior to our law passing, going back four years, 13 newborns were abandoned, six died, four came within minutes of death, three were safely surrendered under what some parents thought were laws from adjoining states.  Well over half were stripped of their identities in both life and death. That’s the efficacy of the opponents of Baby Safe Haven laws. Since passage one newborn was safely surrendered under the law, a second was three months older then the law allowed, but the Mom was properly counseled, kept in full confidentiality, and both Mom and baby are doing well.   Both Moms have the full immunity from prosecution that allows all medical/familial historical information to go along with the baby. Your prior model of non-passage, you advocated for, was a horrific disaster. Now 99% of the US population knows better Ms

Response:

Let’s talk about the efficacy of Nikes and hula-hoops. Nikes still sell more then almost any athletic shoe in the world, that’s effectiveness. They also continue to improve their model of athletic performance. Hula-hoops are still as much fun as they were over three decades ago, solid efficacy. They still provide that same fun for many generations, and are known as a household name. Thanks for proving my point, that baby dumps are about branding and nmae identification; in the first case the genius of Phil Knight in getting kids to shell out $120 for sneakers he pays 5 bucks for, the second for Whammo for patenting a plastic hoop. Of course the effectiveness of Baby Safe Haven laws is now very clear. Clear as mud. In California, the state has absolutely no mechanism for accounting for lethally abandoned infants, and was embarassed to discover that it had failed the minimum standards of doing so set forth in the 2001 Safe Haven law. As far as can be determined, as many babies have been lethally abandoned after 2001 per annum as before. Some effectiveness. We’ll see how it goes over the years in Mass, but I don’t see any data to indicate that Safe Havens will fare any better in decreasing lethal abandonment there than here. No matter, PT Barnum had it right, a sucker is born every minute. just because you can convince a ghetto kid he "needs" $120 sneakers, or a little girl that she "needs" to buy a $10 plastic hoop, or a legislature that they "need" baby dumps doesn’t make you anything other than a huckster. Ron

Response:

<<<It’s like a hula-hoop, or Nike’s. Let’s talk about the efficacy of Nikes and hula-hoops. Nikes still sell more then almost any athletic shoe in the world, that’s effectiveness. They also continue to improve their model of athletic performance.

That’s effectiveness of the marketing spin, not of the actual product. Big difference. Hula-hoops are still as much fun as they were over three decades ago, solid efficacy. They still provide that same fun for many generations, and are known as a household name. If either product was a so-called fad they would have disappeared from existence long ago.

Hula hoops did dissapear from popularity for decades, only to resurface when the marketing campaign is renewed. Body piercing has been around for generations, but only became popular in the 90’s.  Same with red meat, thanks to Atkins.  Neither is particularly good for you, so what’s your point?? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Of course the effectiveness of Baby Safe Haven laws is now very clear. Just look at the model here in Massachusetts. Prior to our law passing, going back four years, 13 newborns were abandoned, six died, four came within minutes of death, three were safely surrendered under what some parents thought were laws from adjoining states.  Well over half were stripped of their identities in both life and death. That’s the efficacy of the opponents of Baby Safe Haven laws. Since passage one newborn was safely surrendered under the law, a second was three months older then the law allowed, but the Mom was properly counseled, kept in full confidentiality, and both Mom and baby are doing well.   Both Moms have the full immunity from prosecution that allows all medical/familial historical information to go along with the baby. Your prior model of non-passage, you advocated for, was a horrific disaster. Now 99% of the US population knows better Ms

Yeah, sure they do.  Good luck with that newly minted law in MA…here’s what California has experienced: "In California, the number of infants that are illegally abandoned still exceed the number of those safely given up anonymously. Since the Safely Surrendered Baby Law was passed in 2001, 56 babies were legally abandoned, while another 98 have been illegally abandoned, according to the Associated Press." http://66.195.16.55/nat648.html Chickeyd

Response:

Question:

I talked to my Mom tonight and discussed my suspicions of ADD with her.   I’d emailed and asked her if she could look up my old report cards, especially my elementary school ones, but Dad wasn’t sure where they were, so she’s going to have him really look for them over the next little while. Mom was really good about it.  I explained my reasons for thinking I might have ADD, and I read her some descriptions and traits that really are *me*.  I also had her complete a checklist from Thom Hartmann’s book – I came out with over half of the questions as being ‘Yes’, where it had to be at least 40% to register as probable ADD. She’s supportive and said that I should do what I need to do in order to find out for sure, but she also warned me not to get all obsessive about it – a good warning for me, because I tend to go overboard (all that impulsive enthusiasm for projects, I guess).  I reassured her that I’m confining myself mostly to reading and attempting to implement the solutions I find online for organizing my life. Mom also came up with a system for us to work together to get some things under control in our own lives.  She’s a Type II Diabetic, and her diet is a big issue for her.  Me, I’m an impulse spender to the point that I’m often strapped for cash and basically never know where my money went.  So every evening, I’ll email her an accounting of my spending for the day and she’ll email me an accounting of what she ate that day.  It’ll keep us accountable to someone besides ourselves, and get us in the habit of writing everything down like we ought.  I think it will also be good if she sends me the dietician’s orders; she knows what I make, but I don’t know what she’s supposed to eat, so I can’t keep her accountable to follow her diet without the orders… while she can easily remind me when I overspend. -JL

Response:

<< Mom also came up with a system for us to work together to get some things under control in our own lives.  <BR<BR that’s a very nice plan for one another.  good work!                   \  - –  //                      oooO   (    )                       (     )     )  /                          (     (_

Response:

Good idea. There’s plenty of info on the web on how much dieters shouldn’t be consuming.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I talked to my Mom tonight and discussed my suspicions of ADD with her.   I’d emailed and asked her if she could look up my old report cards, especially my elementary school ones, but Dad wasn’t sure where they were, so she’s going to have him really look for them over the next little while. Mom was really good about it.  I explained my reasons for thinking I might have ADD, and I read her some descriptions and traits that really are *me*.  I also had her complete a checklist from Thom Hartmann’s book – I came out with over half of the questions as being ‘Yes’, where it had to be at least 40% to register as probable ADD. She’s supportive and said that I should do what I need to do in order to find out for sure, but she also warned me not to get all obsessive about it – a good warning for me, because I tend to go overboard (all that impulsive enthusiasm for projects, I guess).  I reassured her that I’m confining myself mostly to reading and attempting to implement the solutions I find online for organizing my life. Mom also came up with a system for us to work together to get some things under control in our own lives.  She’s a Type II Diabetic, and her diet is a big issue for her.  Me, I’m an impulse spender to the point that I’m often strapped for cash and basically never know where my money went.  So every evening, I’ll email her an accounting of my spending for the day and she’ll email me an accounting of what she ate that day.  It’ll keep us accountable to someone besides ourselves, and get us in the habit of writing everything down like we ought.  I think it will also be good if she sends me the dietician’s orders; she knows what I make, but I don’t know what she’s supposed to eat, so I can’t keep her accountable to follow her diet without the orders… while she can easily remind me when I overspend. -JL

Response:

Question:

anyone out there who happens to have schizophrenia and works in the financial services industry? e-mail me or post something about your work and how you do it or how you landed the job. I am interested in working in this industry and am studying some soc-economics. — Peter Timusk B.Math Carleton University presently studying for a BA in law minor in philosophy ptim…@sympatico.ca www.crystalcomputing.net web master/math tutor/security guard/poet/musician/community volunteer/mental illness activist. Union delegate/secretary, GPOOC volunteer coordinator, debian linux user/newbie, Perl/C programming newbie(2002), former Fortan IV hacker

Response:

"Peter Timusk" <ptim…@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:smFB9.19598$2×4.1790335@news20.bellglobal.com… > I am interested in working in this industry and am studying some > soc-economics.

Oh God…that is so boring. Economics was like my worst class in school…or at least in high school. I simply was not interested in it. However, I did do very well in an accounting class I took when I was at the university. I also did well in my business law class. But, despite doing well in these, I wasn’t interested in either. If I had the ability, I would like to get into some science field. That does interest me…but I would have to work around my stupidity. It will be quite a challenge. I also like writing, but I wouldn’t want to study that in school. I’d rather just do that on my own time. I’ll just have to find a good book on English grammar, to touch it up a bit on it. Actually, I have a pretty good one – "U.S. News & World Report Stylebook". I just haven’t gotten around to reading much of it. As far as the spelling goes, I can always run a spell checker, I guess. I’m just usually too lazy to do that.

Response:

"Peter Timusk" <ptim…@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:smFB9.19598$2×4.1790335@news20.bellglobal.com… > anyone out there who happens to have schizophrenia and works in the > financial services industry? > e-mail me or post something about your work and how you do it or how you > landed the job. > I am interested in working in this industry and am studying some > soc-economics.

I work as finance manager, but that’s mainly payroll, cash flow that sort of stuff, is that what you mean? I love it, I love working with figures and I have a passion, almost an obsession for efficiency and accuracy. I would say I make on average about one mistake/error per year.  Sometimes I go months and months and months before I make a mistake.  I have a PASSION for being dependable. Michelle

Response:

Question:

would listen: I have noted that in at least major instance, the CPA firm used consultants to assist them in looking at the validity and assumptions of the actuarial forecasts.

I would imagine that these "specialists" would need to be actuaries themselves.  The sciences (more an "art" really) used to make these assumptions are beyond the scope of most CPA’s professional knowledge. Heck, they are beyond the scope of most mortal men’s knowledge.  I think the actuarial examination series is up to something like 19 separate exams now? Anyone know? Are there CPA firms of any size that specialize in pension funds?

I have seen ads for firms that do just this.  Whether this means that they have actuaries on staff to make the assumptions or whether they just know a lot about figuring pension expense I can’t say. — Todd Stephens

Response:

I would imagine that these "specialists" would need to be actuaries themselves.  The sciences (more an "art" really) used to make these assumptions are beyond the scope of most CPA’s professional knowledge. Heck, they are beyond the scope of most mortal men’s knowledge.  I think the actuarial examination series is up to something like 19 separate exams now? Anyone know? Are there CPA firms of any size that specialize in pension funds? I have seen ads for firms that do just this.  Whether this means that they have actuaries on staff to make the assumptions or whether they just know a lot about figuring pension expense I can’t say.

When we audited pension plans at Andersen, we typically relied on the actuary provided they had a good reputation in the industry.

Response:

Thanks again. Actually, knowing which book helps a lot.  There were so many Kieso Intermediate Accounting books listed (more than a dozen) I didn’t know which one it was.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – listen: Thanks for your response. I went to Barnes and Noble’s website and came up w/ A LOT of Kieso Intermediate Accounting books, e.g. textbooks, study guides and working papers.  I am using Kieso’s 10th ed. <snip Could you please give me an ISBN number or the title?  Thanks! If you have found all this stuff already, this may not be of any help. The book is called the "Problem Solving Survival Guide".  The 10th ed is ISBN 0471376302.  This book covers ch. 15-25.  There is another one covering ch. 1-24. It ain’t cheap though. Amazon has it for $42.60.  B&N’s price is $39.75. My prof had a great way of teaching the subject and used a slightly different worksheet than the one presented in the book. –? Todd Stephens

Response:

listen: Thanks for your response. I went to Barnes and Noble’s website and came up w/ A LOT of Kieso Intermediate Accounting books, e.g. textbooks, study guides and working papers.  I am using Kieso’s 10th ed.

<snip Could you please give me an ISBN number or the title?  Thanks!

If you have found all this stuff already, this may not be of any help.  The book is called the "Problem Solving Survival Guide".  The 10th ed is ISBN 0471376302.  This book covers ch. 15-25.  There is another one covering ch. 1-24. It ain’t cheap though. Amazon has it for $42.60.  B&N’s price is $39.75. My prof had a great way of teaching the subject and used a slightly different worksheet than the one presented in the book. — Todd Stephens

Response:

Thanks for your response. I went to Barnes and Noble’s website and came up w/ A LOT of Kieso Intermediate Accounting books, e.g. textbooks, study guides and working papers.  I am using Kieso’s 10th ed. By and large, I love Kieso.  But, for whatever reason, I’m simply stuck when it comes to pensions. The practice test has ten questions on pensions.  I’ve only managed to answer one. =( There are several college bookstores within an hour’s drive of where I live. I’d be more than glad to drive to any of them to get this extra book you’re talking about before the midterm. Even though I don’t plan to have an accounting career, I’d still love to learn this material.  So, even if I can’t get this book before the exam, I’d still be interested in it. Could you please give me an ISBN number or the title?  Thanks! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -  —– Original Message —–   Newsgroups: alt.accounting   Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 10:18 AM   listen:   In the past, I’ve had good luck learning accounting/finance concepts   on my own from net sources when I just didn’t understand the same   concepts the way they were presented in my textbooks.  Other times, I   knew the concepts already but just needed a refresher or more   practice problems.  I "learned" cost variances, job costing and   installment sales that way.   Alas, pension accounting is one of the trickier areas of the field.  Very   few non-accountants know or even want to know the nuances of it.  I am   afraid that your book and your professor are all you have to use.  OTOH, if   you are using the Kieso, Weygandt Intermediate Accounting text there is a   book available with extra problems and solutions.  You can get it from   Amazon among other places.  I doubt you will have time to get it before you   get tested on the subject though   –?   Todd Stephens listen: In the past, I’ve had good luck learning accounting/finance concepts on my own from net sources when I just didn’t understand the same concepts the way they were presented in my textbooks.  Other times, I knew the concepts already but just needed a refresher or more practice problems.  I "learned" cost variances, job costing and installment sales that way. Alas, pension accounting is one of the trickier areas of the field.  Very few non-accountants know or even want to know the nuances of it.  I am afraid that your book and your professor are all you have to use.  OTOH, if you are using the Kieso, Weygandt Intermediate Accounting text there is a book available with extra problems and solutions.  You can get it from Amazon among other places.  I doubt you will have time to get it before you get tested on the subject though –? Todd Stephens

Response:

listen: In the past, I’ve had good luck learning accounting/finance concepts on my own from net sources when I just didn’t understand the same concepts the way they were presented in my textbooks.  Other times, I knew the concepts already but just needed a refresher or more practice problems.  I "learned" cost variances, job costing and installment sales that way.

Alas, pension accounting is one of the trickier areas of the field.  Very few non-accountants know or even want to know the nuances of it.  I am afraid that your book and your professor are all you have to use.  OTOH, if you are using the Kieso, Weygandt Intermediate Accounting text there is a book available with extra problems and solutions.  You can get it from Amazon among other places.  I doubt you will have time to get it before you get tested on the subject though — Todd Stephens

Response:

Hello. I just got another practice test in preparation of the coming midterm exam in an intermediate accounting course. Could someone please point me to some resources on the net where I can learn more about how to figure out how to do the necessary calculations for Prior Service Cost, Total Pension Liability, Projected Benefit Obligation, and etc? I have had no experience w/ pensions before and I’m totally lost trying to following the textbook or the professor. Thanks!

Response:

I’m afraid you aren’t going to find a resource on the internet that will explain it to you better than an accounting textbook.   Have you tried a tutor?

Response:

Thanks for the reply. No, I haven’t yet.  I’ll look into it.  In the meanwhile, can anyone here give me some more suggestions? In the past, I’ve had good luck learning accounting/finance concepts on my own from net sources when I just didn’t understand the same concepts the way they were presented in my textbooks.  Other times, I knew the concepts already but just needed a refresher or more practice problems.  I "learned" cost variances, job costing and installment sales that way. Other times, I get stuck, the way i did w/ one of the problems on my last practice test and now w/ pensions.  The only way I solved the problem on the last practice test was w/ help from Bill here.  ::waving to Bill::  So, I thought I would try my luck here again. Sometimes, these "net" sources are actually excerpts or entire chapters from textbooks on the same subjects by different authors.  Other times, it’s class notes from different professors who post their notes on websites. I have a college closeby.  If you or someone else can recommend a good intemediate accounting textbook, I can go and buy it.  For some reason, I just don’t seem to be able to follow my textbook. Thanks! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -  —– Original Message —– I’m afraid you aren’t going to find a resource on the internet that will explain it to you better than an accounting textbook. Have you tried a tutor?

Response:

Question:

trance…@aol.com (Trance909) wrote in message <news:20020522065639.29501.00000096@mb-fn.aol.com>… > Yup. Here, let everyone tell you about all the wonderful friends and women you > will supposedly meet at work. For your sake, I hope your experience in that > area will be different than mine has been.

Sorry that your job experiences have been so lousy.  I’m not even sure what to expect in this new job from a social standpoint, since I only know a few people who work there.  I think most of the people in the firm are older than me by a few years, which might make it a little difficult to relate.  As for dating, I’m not so sure that dating a coworker is such a good idea in the first place or if it’s even allowed (though the company is a small one, so at least there aren’t 200 pages of employee conduct regulations like my old employer). Elston

Response:

>Sorry that your job experiences have been so lousy.  I’m not even sure >what to expect in this new job from a social standpoint, since I only >know a few people who work there.

I’ve worked at many different places, and the consistency of the type of people in these offices has been amazing. I find it very depressing. As I’ve said before it’s no wonder why I come home feeling like I have nothing to say…….I mean how could I not feel like an uninteresting bore after being in that environment all day? Work is not the cause of all my problems, but I’m implicating it for a whole lot of them.

Response:

gunn_els…@hotmail.com (Elston Gunn) wrote: > Hopefully it won’t be as bad for me since I > don’t want to climb the corporate ladder and I don’t define myself by > my job.  

Same here.  The next logical career move for me would be management, and that’s so far from what I’d want to do.  I did try it briefly, just to see what it would be like, and it was exactly what I thought it would be: utterly unfulfilling and spirit breaking.  Could you imagine reviewing employees and preparing department budgets for the rest of your life? > I’m just looking to fill a niche somewhere and save up some > money so I can downshift to temporary employment or early retirement > in two or three decades.

That’s the track I’m on too.  An ex-boss of mine who was a mentor is almost 40 and semi-retired, living on a plot of land in the middle of a forest.  I’m not that far behind, though the forest thing is a bit too extreme for me.

Response:

trance…@aol.com (Trance909) wrote: > I’ve been doing it since 1998, and my soul is pretty much crushed. I’ve never > met anyone at work but a bunch of obsessive-compulsive brown-nosing assholes.

This has often been my experience too.  Maybe you need to seriously look for a new job?  I’ve had two that were really bad like you described.  My current one is one of them… it *was* good when I started, but it turned really bad.  I’m on my way out any day now.  I might even take the summer off. > I have also never seen a remotely attractive woman while on the job.

I have had jobs where there were attractive women, I was just too damn shy in the past to even talk to them.  And I’ve had jobs where there were cool people who would have made good friends. I completely blew it at my last job.  I worked at a popular (at the time) dot-com, with many young energetic people (I was young too , yet I shunned them all, kind of like Mr. Naturallyweird did to people in his world. I was so completely stuck up and "morally superior" to those people, that I couldn’t see them for what they were: just a bunch of people who liked to have fun.  We had a big after-hours party on the day of our IPO, and I didn’t even go.  What a fucking idiot I was!!  We had a web design department with more hot chicks than I could count, and yet I never talked to any of them.  The only women at my current job are old and married. > The people I > have worked with in my life, with no exceptions, perpetuate the live-to-work > mentality I find so distasteful. They need their shitty little jobs to make > them feel important.

Yep, I’m work-to-live all the way.  Didn’t use to be, though.  You should really try to shop around for a new job.  A good change can make all the difference.

Response:

>And I was able to find a job, which was the >whole point of college in the first place.

That’s part of what is wrong with college these days – it’s just become a farm system for bullshit corporate America.

Response:

>Don’t feel too bad about it.  I’ve been doing it since (gasp) 1989, >and I still have a soul.  I’ve met some interesting people at >work over the years, and in the last few years, I’ve finally wised >up and realized how to start making long-lasting friends of those >people.

I’ve been doing it since 1998, and my soul is pretty much crushed. I’ve never met anyone at work but a bunch of obsessive-compulsive brown-nosing assholes. I have also never seen a remotely attractive woman while on the job. The people I have worked with in my life, with no exceptions, perpetuate the live-to-work mentality I find so distasteful. They need their shitty little jobs to make them feel important. My god, I may be boring and uninteresting but at least I’m not *that* boring and uninteresting.

Response:

"Elston Gunn" <gunn_els…@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:28b0c72f.0205211136.d013b7d@posting.google.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Just finished my last college final ever.  No more exams or classes, > I’m finally free… > for two weeks.  Then I start the mind-numbing, soul-deadening drudgery > of full time employment. > Anyway, I usually get depressed around graduation time, since I always > feel that I’ve squandered opportunities to make friends and form > relationships and the like. Even though I didn’t make any friendships > during college, though, I don’t feel as bad as I have before.  For > one, at least I’ve made some strides (albeit small ones that "normal" > people have made long before) and attempted to do something, even if > it didn’t really work.  And I was able to find a job, which was the > whole point of college in the first place.  (Another reason that I > don’t feel bad, admittedly, is that I’m just not very emotional about > anything right now.) > Elston

It took time, but I made a female friend who helped change my thinking through work.

Response:

Jet Nebula <thi…@spamfreezone.com> wrote in message <news:2bdleuot7heasvlrd4jo9qof0doflteofa@4ax.com>… > Just out of curiosity, what’s the job?

It’s as a staff auditor for an accounting firm. Elston

Response:

restless_scor…@yahoo.com (Restless Scorpio) wrote in message > Don’t feel too bad about it.  I’ve been doing it since (gasp) 1989, > and I still have a soul.  I’ve met some interesting people at > work over the years, and in the last few years, I’ve finally wised > up and realized how to start making long-lasting friends of those > people.

The "soul-deadening" part was tongue-in-cheek (well, mostly).  I worked full time over the summer and I survived, though I can’t say I enjoyed it or anything.  Hopefully it won’t be as bad for me since I don’t want to climb the corporate ladder and I don’t define myself by my job.  I’m just looking to fill a niche somewhere and save up some money so I can downshift to temporary employment or early retirement in two or three decades. Elston

Response:

On 21 May 2002 12:36:53 -0700, gunn_els…@hotmail.com (Elston Gunn) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Just finished my last college final ever.  No more exams or classes, >I’m finally free… >for two weeks.  Then I start the mind-numbing, soul-deadening drudgery >of full time employment. >Anyway, I usually get depressed around graduation time, since I always >feel that I’ve squandered opportunities to make friends and form >relationships and the like. Even though I didn’t make any friendships >during college, though, I don’t feel as bad as I have before.  For >one, at least I’ve made some strides (albeit small ones that "normal" >people have made long before) and attempted to do something, even if >it didn’t really work.  And I was able to find a job, which was the >whole point of college in the first place.  (Another reason that I >don’t feel bad, admittedly, is that I’m just not very emotional about >anything right now.)

Just out of curiosity, what’s the job?

Response:

gunn_els…@hotmail.com (Elston Gunn) wrote: > for two weeks.  Then I start the mind-numbing, soul-deadening drudgery > of full time employment.

Don’t feel too bad about it.  I’ve been doing it since (gasp) 1989, and I still have a soul.  I’ve met some interesting people at work over the years, and in the last few years, I’ve finally wised up and realized how to start making long-lasting friends of those people.

Response:

>I’m finally free… >for two weeks.  Then I start the mind-numbing, soul-deadening drudgery >of full time employment.

Yup. Here, let everyone tell you about all the wonderful friends and women you will supposedly meet at work. For your sake, I hope your experience in that area will be different than mine has been.

Response:

Just finished my last college final ever.  No more exams or classes, I’m finally free… for two weeks.  Then I start the mind-numbing, soul-deadening drudgery of full time employment. Anyway, I usually get depressed around graduation time, since I always feel that I’ve squandered opportunities to make friends and form relationships and the like. Even though I didn’t make any friendships during college, though, I don’t feel as bad as I have before.  For one, at least I’ve made some strides (albeit small ones that "normal" people have made long before) and attempted to do something, even if it didn’t really work.  And I was able to find a job, which was the whole point of college in the first place.  (Another reason that I don’t feel bad, admittedly, is that I’m just not very emotional about anything right now.) Elston

Response:

Question:

We received the draft "Yellow Book" on Government Auditing Standards a couple of days ago, excluding recent actions on independence.  I presume its available on GAO’s web site.

Yellow book information from the GAO should be available via the following link: http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm Note that the 2002 exposure draft on the site has a comment deadline date of April 30, 2002 *and* that the GAO is requesting that comments be sent via email rather than USPS. The specific independence standard can be found at the following link: http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/agagas3.pdf Additionally, there are a number of documents discussing these changes on the AICPA website available on their main page at http://www.aicpa.org. Included there is a document comparing the GAO independence rules with those found in the AICPA Code of Ethics.  Note that even for states that don’t "officially" adopt the AICPA rules, their rules tend to be awfully close to the AICPA ones–so the comparison sheet is likely still useful even if you may need to modify it for your state’s specific rules. But, as always, please consult your state board of accountancy rules specifically and remember that, as always, you are going to be subject to whichever standard is the *most stringent* for the engagement you are involved in.  So where the GAO standards are stricter than the AICPA or state board ones, the GAO standards will rule on audits where their standards are applicable.

Response:

The AICPA has posted on their site an exposure draft that would replace SAS 82 with regard to the auditor’s responsibilities with regard to fraud.  The exposure draft can be found at: http://ftp.aicpa.org/public/download/members/div/auditstd/finalEDSASC… Comments are due by May 31, 2002 and can be sent by email to Standards, File 2691, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8775.  All written comments will be a matter of public record and will be made available for public inspection at the AICPA offices for a period of one year beginning on June 30, 2002.

Response:

We received the draft "Yellow Book" on Government Auditing Standards a couple of days ago, excluding recent actions on independence.  I presume its available on GAO’s web site. Tippy

The AICPA has posted on their site an exposure draft that would replace SAS 82 with regard to the auditor’s responsibilities with regard to fraud. The exposure draft can be found at:

http://ftp.aicpa.org/public/download/members/div/auditstd/finalEDSASC… ationofFraud.pdf – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Comments are due by May 31, 2002 and can be sent by email to Standards, File 2691, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8775.  All written comments will be a matter of public record and will be made available for public inspection at the AICPA offices for a period of one year beginning on June 30, 2002.

Response:

Question:

 There is no plausible deniability with Enron.

Too soon to say.   Frankly, I find it almost impossible to find anyone connected with it who wasn’t at some level contributory. That includes, employees, investors, congress, accountants, financial community, SEC, Justice, the State folks, on and on…..

The ultimate, relevant, prevailing opinion will most likely be neither yours nor mine, but that of yet to be selected jurors. I am totally convinced that genuine diligence on the part of honest people is essential to keeping fraud and abuse down to a tolerable level.  We cannot rely totally on government and whatever harsh penalties that government might choose to impose. If people are, it still is only going to work up to a point.  It isn’t going to stop everyone from slipping through.  

The only way to stop them all is to stop the economy, clearly not an acceptable alternative.  I’m pushing to keep it down to a tolerable level. A repairman would be someone who could fix the problem.  None of you did, can, or will.  I can’t play the fiddle either.  There is no one on this forum who in anyway, shape or form has, is, or will become an agent of change.  We are all actors, not playwrights or directors.

Public opinion will be the agent of change if there is to be change.  We all contribute – some more – some less. We can no more fix the problems that cause Enrons than we can control the weather.

Hopefully we can disagree agreeably. — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA   http://survivalworks.com

Response:

… If you are familiar with "plausible deniability" you will also know that it is extremely difficult to get the real perps.  It is easy enough to put away a few disposable designated perps, but the person or persons who are truly abusing us generally go free because they are smart enough to insulate themselves and to take advantage of the safeguards in our legal system.

Plausible deniability only works when people let it work.  There is no plausible deniability with Enron.  Frankly, I find it almost impossible to find anyone connected with it who wasn’t at some level contributory. That includes, employees, investors, congress, accountants, financial community, SEC, Justice, the State folks, on and on….. I am totally convinced that genuine diligence on the part of honest people is essential to keeping fraud and abuse down to a tolerable level.  We cannot rely totally on government and whatever harsh penalties that government might choose to impose.

If people are, it still is only going to work up to a point.  It isn’t going to stop everyone from slipping through.  There is only one Enron this year, in another decade there will be another one.  Anyone who sez he can put forward a 100% solution is selling horse sweat… That is not to say that I don’t advocate harsh penalties, because I do advocate harsh penalties where appropriate.  I also know that I need to be diligent on my own behalf.

Harsh penalties.  Ha  The last person to be quickly executed for murder was Timothy McVey.  ONLY because he killed a half dozen Federal Police Officers (not the civilians in the building, almost no one gets the rope for killing civilians) and only because he wouldn’t let his lawyers defend him.  Didn’t Gebhart have his wife on the payroll for nothing? Oh, so sorry, bookkeeping mistake, by gones…… The current U.S. is not the land of harsh penalties or even ones that fit the crime, if you can get anyone convicted of anything.  Heck, the State has been trying to execute Steve Anderson for twenty years! Believe it or not, I largely agree with your comment about the Enron failure and the audit failure behind it being little more than a pimple on a wart on the rump of the world; a symptom of something that has gone very wrong.  What I vehemently disagree with is your statement that "it probably cannot be fixed as there is no repairman available".  I’m a repairman.  Meyers is a repairman.  Zollars is a repairman.  Many of the other regulars here are repairmen, as are many of the irregulars and lurkers.  You could also be a repairman if you chose to be.

A repairman would be someone who could fix the problem.  None of you did, can, or will.  I can’t play the fiddle either.  There is no one on this forum who in anyway, shape or form has, is, or will become an agent of change.  We are all actors, not playwrights or directors. I said it before and I say it aging, the next century is not going to be an American century.  We no longer have what it takes and what little we have is dissipating.  Are culture has been under steady attack for the last hundred and it is worn out.  We can no more fix the problems that cause Enrons than we can control the weather. — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *    From the Socialist People’s Republic of Kalifornia,      * *           the Seventh worst state for business,             * *                   Ayn Rand was right                        *

Response:

IMHO we should bear in mind what "behavioral finance" confirms: The sense of justice and the perception of working in a reasonably just social and political environment with "level playing fields" are very highly motivating factors in respect of economic productivity. Insisting of compliance with basic ethical tenets, which BTW are remarkably similar in most cultures, contributes directly to the economic well-being of our fellow humans and our "goodselves". A. Lucien Meyers, CIA, CMA — If you receive this by error, please delete it and inform the sender. http://www.consult-meyers.com recommends e-mail encryption with GnuPG. Key fingerprint = F1C0 D9AE 1B18 1405 4DFA  B4CC 6DC7 FF78 C76E FB15 To Big Brother Echelon from "spook": Soviet jihad explosion Panama bomb strategic Serbian kibo North Korea

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Familiar with that, the big plan, critical theory, progressive thought, how the world really works, how politics functions, some of the real motives people have, history, what doesn’t work, why the grand plan doesn’t work, and on and on…… In one sense audit has been broken a long time.  In a larger sense it really doesn’t matter that much.  The Enron failure and the audit failure behind it really are not much in the grand scheme of things. The economic impact is little more than a pimple on a wart on the rump of the world.  It is a symptom of something that has gone very wrong and probably cannot be fixed as there is no repairman available. In a similar note, the 9/11 sneak attack really didn’t have a measurable effect on the economy.  The huge Clinton tax increase of eight or so years ago and all the anti commerce administrative rules and regulations sunk the expansion. …. Ron, Are you familiar with "plausible deniability"?

If you are familiar with "plausible deniability" you will also know that it is extremely difficult to get the real perps.  It is easy enough to put away a few disposable designated perps, but the person or persons who are truly abusing us generally go free because they are smart enough to insulate themselves and to take advantage of the safeguards in our legal system. I am totally convinced that genuine diligence on the part of honest people is essential to keeping fraud and abuse down to a tolerable level.  We cannot rely totally on government and whatever harsh penalties that government might choose to impose.   That is not to say that I don’t advocate harsh penalties, because I do advocate harsh penalties where appropriate.  I also know that I need to be diligent on my own behalf. Believe it or not, I largely agree with your comment about the Enron failure and the audit failure behind it being little more than a pimple on a wart on the rump of the world; a symptom of something that has gone very wrong.  What I vehemently disagree with is your statement that "it probably cannot be fixed as there is no repairman available".  I’m a repairman.  Meyers is a repairman.  Zollars is a repairman.  Many of the other regulars here are repairmen, as are many of the irregulars and lurkers.  You could also be a repairman if you chose to be. My nine-month-old grandchild is upstairs playing with her grandmother as I write this.  I owe it to her to give this the best shot I can.  If this problem is not resolved, and soon, there will be no USA as we know it by the time she is my age. Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA http://survivalworks.com Washington, USA

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yes, I did read it and thought very little of it. A system should be setup…. The Exchange should hire the auditors….. Yep, I see what he is doing.  The SEC will need to more closely regulate the Exchange to assure that the audits are carefully done and on and on.. It opens the door, for the end of independent accountancy in the world. On the other hand, maybe the independent accountants no longer have enough ethical and moral capital to do the job.  Maybe the level of rot has passed the point of no return.  Of course all this happened under Levit’s SEC, where all the legally required forms were filed by the I said it before and I will say it again.  If anyone was really serious about cleaning this situation up you would see twenty-five year disbarments from practice before the SEC being handed out.  I haven’t heard anyone mention that.  (If twenty-five doesn’t work, then life time disbarments, bar them from tax work too.)

Ron, Are you familiar with "plausible deniability"? — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA   http://survivalworks.com

Response:

Familiar with that, the big plan, critical theory, progressive thought, how the world really works, how politics functions, some of the real motives people have, history, what doesn’t work, why the grand plan doesn’t work, and on and on…… In one sense audit has been broken a long time.  In a larger sense it really doesn’t matter that much.  The Enron failure and the audit failure behind it really are not much in the grand scheme of things. The economic impact is little more than a pimple on a wart on the rump of the world.  It is a symptom of something that has gone very wrong and probably cannot be fixed as there is no repairman available. In a similar note, the 9/11 sneak attack really didn’t have a measurable effect on the economy.  The huge Clinton tax increase of eight or so years ago and all the anti commerce administrative rules and regulations sunk the expansion.

… Ron, Are you familiar with "plausible deniability"?

… — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *    From the Socialist People’s Republic of Kalifornia,      * *           the Seventh worst state for business,             * *                   Ayn Rand was right                        *

Response:

I wonder whether the AICPA has any liability from the standpoint that it is supposed to "police" the profession.

Who says the AICPA polices the profession. For what it’s worth, the AICPA doesn’t even seem capable of policing its own membership. Hypothetically, if it didn’t act or act timely or with appropriate action for the offender and the firm/individual did something similar—one could always sue —  but seems like one could find a nexus.

Try posting this question on misc.legal.moderated. Regards, Bill

Response:

I wonder whether the AICPA has any liability from the standpoint that it is supposed to "police" the profession. Hypothetically, if it didn’t act or act timely or with appropriate action for the offender and the firm/individual did something similar—one could always sue —  but seems like one could find a nexus. Jim E.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yes, I did read it and thought very little of it. A system should be setup…. The Exchange should hire the auditors….. Yep, I see what he is doing.  The SEC will need to more closely regulate the Exchange to assure that the audits are carefully done and on and on.. It opens the door, for the end of independent accountancy in the world. On the other hand, maybe the independent accountants no longer have enough ethical and moral capital to do the job.  Maybe the level of rot has passed the point of no return.  Of course all this happened under Levit’s SEC, where all the legally required forms were filed by the I said it before and I will say it again.  If anyone was really serious about cleaning this situation up you would see twenty-five year disbarments from practice before the SEC being handed out.  I haven’t heard anyone mention that.  (If twenty-five doesn’t work, then life time disbarments, bar them from tax work too.) Doesn’t really sound like a solution, just another layer of people and a way to get the blame passed off on someone else. Since it would lead to more bureaucracy and government involvement, I can see why the Post published it.  It would definitely get another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government.  Kind of like the argument I have with my Dentist.  He can’t seem to understand that if there is only one insurance payer, the next step is he is no longer an independent contractor. I think it would be more interesting to let someone else try it out first.  I think the EU should try it first. Did you even read the article Ron. … — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *    From the Socialist People’s Republic of Kalifornia,      * *           the Seventh worst state for business,             * *                   Ayn Rand was right                        *

Response:

Yes, I did read it and thought very little of it. A system should be setup…. The Exchange should hire the auditors….. Yep, I see what he is doing.  The SEC will need to more closely regulate the Exchange to assure that the audits are carefully done and on and on.. It opens the door, for the end of independent accountancy in the world. On the other hand, maybe the independent accountants no longer have enough ethical and moral capital to do the job.  Maybe the level of rot has passed the point of no return.  Of course all this happened under Levit’s SEC, where all the legally required forms were filed by the I said it before and I will say it again.  If anyone was really serious about cleaning this situation up you would see twenty-five year disbarments from practice before the SEC being handed out.  I haven’t heard anyone mention that.  (If twenty-five doesn’t work, then life time disbarments, bar them from tax work too.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Doesn’t really sound like a solution, just another layer of people and a way to get the blame passed off on someone else. Since it would lead to more bureaucracy and government involvement, I can see why the Post published it.  It would definitely get another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government.  Kind of like the argument I have with my Dentist.  He can’t seem to understand that if there is only one insurance payer, the next step is he is no longer an independent contractor. I think it would be more interesting to let someone else try it out first.  I think the EU should try it first. Did you even read the article Ron.  

… — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *    From the Socialist People’s Republic of Kalifornia,      * *           the Seventh worst state for business,             * *                   Ayn Rand was right                        *

Response:

Right you are, Jim. What can we do to support Dave aside from sending him a nice email? (Done.)

Keep beating the drum.  Quote from his article.  Forward the URL to any European publications you know to be following this story. Here we have an "insider" speaking out and telling it like it is.  In my opinion that is truly significant. It is highly likely that this guy will be viciously trashed within the "In" crowd.  Support from us could mean a lot more to him than we have any way of knowing. I’m not presently a member of the AICPA.  If a guy like Cotton were to make a serious attempt to capture one of the top offices I would strongly consider joining so I could vote for him. In my opinion, this sort of effort from the "grass roots" is our best hope to restore the prestige of what was once a fine profession. — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA   http://survivalworks.com

Response:

Doesn’t really sound like a solution, just another layer of people and a way to get the blame passed off on someone else. Since it would lead to more bureaucracy and government involvement, I can see why the Post published it.  It would definitely get another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government.  Kind of like the argument I have with my Dentist.  He can’t seem to understand that if there is only one insurance payer, the next step is he is no longer an independent contractor. I think it would be more interesting to let someone else try it out first.  I think the EU should try it first. CPAs (and I’m One) Can Reverse Their Losses

… — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *    From the Socialist People’s Republic of Kalifornia,      * *           the Seventh worst state for business,             * *                   Ayn Rand was right                        *

Response:

Doesn’t really sound like a solution, just another layer of people and a way to get the blame passed off on someone else. Since it would lead to more bureaucracy and government involvement, I can see why the Post published it.  It would definitely get another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government.  Kind of like the argument I have with my Dentist.  He can’t seem to understand that if there is only one insurance payer, the next step is he is no longer an independent contractor. I think it would be more interesting to let someone else try it out first.  I think the EU should try it first.

Did you even read the article Ron.  Dave Cotton is certainly not advocating a government solution.  Quite the opposite. In his third paragraph Dave states that, "We can restore trust in the CPA profession, and there are two ways to do that with minimal government intervention, red tape and regulation. One is to make accounting firms work directly for the people with the most to lose — investors. Let’s set up a system by which the stock exchanges would use a competitive process to select CPA firms to audit the financial statements of companies whose stock is traded on their exchanges. That would take auditors off the payroll of the firms they’re supposed to be monitoring." The first sentence of his fourth paragraph starts with, "Another measure would be to beef up the strength of the accounting industry’s ethics review panel." How do you get "another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government" out of that? — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA   http://survivalworks.com

Response:

Looks like "good" thinking.  But of course it’s just a start.  You have the problem of the CPA not being paid by the client.  Now he doesn’t want to cooperate as fully.  Or this client is in better condition than another. Who decides how to allocate costs, which I suspect will some way find its way back to the firm audited.  It wouldn’t be fair to charge costs equally — no firm is alike.  But those are all problems that can be dealt with if one gets a buy in on the concept of  working for the investors, at least with a middleman involved.  As I said, somehow, the costs have to get back to the client.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Doesn’t really sound like a solution, just another layer of people and a way to get the blame passed off on someone else. Since it would lead to more bureaucracy and government involvement, I can see why the Post published it.  It would definitely get another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government.  Kind of like the argument I have with my Dentist.  He can’t seem to understand that if there is only one insurance payer, the next step is he is no longer an independent contractor. I think it would be more interesting to let someone else try it out first.  I think the EU should try it first. Did you even read the article Ron.  Dave Cotton is certainly not advocating a government solution.  Quite the opposite. In his third paragraph Dave states that, "We can restore trust in the CPA profession, and there are two ways to do that with minimal government intervention, red tape and regulation. One is to make accounting firms work directly for the people with the most to lose — investors. Let’s set up a system by which the stock exchanges would use a competitive process to select CPA firms to audit the financial statements of companies whose stock is traded on their exchanges. That would take auditors off the payroll of the firms they’re supposed to be monitoring." The first sentence of his fourth paragraph starts with, "Another measure would be to beef up the strength of the accounting industry’s ethics review panel." How do you get "another step toward having the independent CPA made an employee of the Federal Government" out of that? — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA http://survivalworks.com

Response:

CPAs (and I’m One) Can Reverse Their Losses [Outlook] The Post’s opinion and commentary section runs every Sunday. By Dave Cotton Sunday, January 27, 2002; Page B01 Last year, a public opinion survey put certified public accountants solidly in the middle of a short list of most-trusted professionals. Thanks to Enron Corp. and Arthur Andersen LLP, we CPAs might be lucky to outrank journalists, lawyers or used-car salesmen in the next survey. <snip Unfortunately, the plan announced Jan. 17 by Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt and my own organization, the AICPA, is a collection of cosmetic half-measures. Setting up an autonomous body to oversee ethics enforcement, discipline and SEC practice-monitoring processes is not a bad idea, but it does not address the root causes of the Enron debacle. <big snip of excellent material – must read Dave Cotton is a partner with Cotton & Company LLP, an auditing firm in Alexandria, and a member of the AICPA’s Professional Ethics Committee’s Technical Standards Subcommittee. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of the AICPA. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41302-2002Jan26.html The above is "must read" stuff.  I find this article extraordinary in that is written by CPA member of the AICPA’s Professional Ethics Committee and published in The Washington Post. For those of you who would like to send Dave an atta-boy, his email is — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA   http://survivalworks.com

Response:

Right you are, Jim. What can we do to support Dave aside from sending him a nice email? (Done.) A. Lucien Meyers, CIA, CMA — If you receive this by error, please delete it and inform the sender. http://www.consult-meyers.com recommends e-mail encryption with GnuPG. Key fingerprint = F1C0 D9AE 1B18 1405 4DFA  B4CC 6DC7 FF78 C76E FB15 To Big Brother Echelon from "spook": Semtex fissionable NORAD quiche FBI Honduras supercomputer cracking bomb

Response:

Question:

I think a good accountant could answer that question, and I think the answer would be along the lines of what you have written. Selling Price  ( Average market value ) less liens less cost of clearing (liens/contracts/etc.) less cost of selling ( and perhaps delivery ) The next two are money in your pocket, but have nothing to do with the value of the  airplane. PLUS any insurance refund PLUS any contracted maintenance  refund Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can someone please explain to me what they believe is the most correct way of calculating capital or equity value in an airplane when you’re in a partnership ?  Most people I speak to say "fair market value minus liens etc equals equity."  So how do we calculate "Capital value" or is it just the same ? Thanx.

Response:

Partnership capital is based on cost, not fair market value.  Presuming that the partners purchase the plane outright (trade-ups and situations where one partner owns 100% of the plane before creating the partnership gets more complicated), you record the cost that you incurred in acquiring the plane. You can capitalize all costs related to the acquisition such as transportation costs to get the plane to your airport, costs incurred in finding the plane to purchase, and cost of pre-purchase inspections.  If you made any "capital improvement" that added to the life or value of the plane such as an engine overhaul, or a prop overhaul, you add the cost of those items to the plane.  Sometimes it gets tricky in determining whether you made a "capital improvement" or just a repair.  Consult with your accountant when you are not sure.  Then subtract accumulated depreciation and outstanding lien balance.   That would give you the collective equity for the partnership.  If you have two partners who contributed equally to the partnership, each partners owns half of the total partnership equity. Partner’s capital usually doesn’t correspond well to the fair market value since you are tracking historical cost rather than value of the plane; you are primarily tracking partner’s capital for tax reasons.  Recommend that you sit down with your accountant during the first year and go over this in detail. Kent Shaw, CPA N9396C

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can someone please explain to me what they believe is the most correct way of calculating capital or equity value in an airplane when you’re in a partnership ?  Most people I speak to say "fair market value minus liens etc equals equity."  So how do we calculate "Capital value" or is it just the same ? Thanx.

Response:

Can someone please explain to me what they believe is the most correct way of calculating capital or equity value in an airplane when you’re in a partnership ?  Most people I speak to say "fair market value minus liens etc equals equity."  So how do we calculate "Capital value" or is it just the same ? Thanx.

Response:

Question:

In a bit of a quandary and was hoping to prevail upon the newsgroup. I have two separate clients who are currently using PeachTree.  In one case, it is a shipping company and PeachTree is simply not well designed for their uses.  In the other case, the company has recently expanded their network to include a VPN between three locations in different cities and PeachTree is network-unfriendly to say the least. I need to recommend a new package and/or options to these clients.  I’d like something that has a similar look and feel to PeachTree, not cost-prohibitive, and able to convert their data over.  Alternatively, if anyone knows of a way to get PeachTree network friendly (over a VPN) I’m open to that as well (and it would in fact be preferable).  Any suggestions are welcomed — admittedly, this is not my area of specialty. James

Response:

Depending upon size, there are a number of different options. For the shipper, QB might be a solution since it seems to have more flexibility in operation. If they want to go bigger, then look at a "real" software suite like BusinessWorks or Red Wing (we resell). This also may be a good solution for your network client as both are networkable. After that, you’re headed up in cost. Luck,  Dana To reply, please remove NOSPAM from the address Visit our web site at http://www.tailored-computing.com

Response:

James – There is a product called BUSINESSWORKS by SAGE (which currently owns Peachtree as well) that will accomplish your needs.  Additionally, there is a conversion utility available that will convert the current Peachtree data into the BW database and save the client many hours of input required to change accounting software packages.  You will find a TEST DRIVE download on the www.sota.com web site for review.  Please include my name as Reseller of choice if you choose to do this as I will get credit for the lead.   DeeDee Heyne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In a bit of a quandary and was hoping to prevail upon the newsgroup. I have two separate clients who are currently using PeachTree.  In one case, it is a shipping company and PeachTree is simply not well designed for their uses.  In the other case, the company has recently expanded their network to include a VPN between three locations in different cities and PeachTree is network-unfriendly to say the least. I need to recommend a new package and/or options to these clients.  I’d like something that has a similar look and feel to PeachTree, not cost-prohibitive, and able to convert their data over.  Alternatively, if anyone knows of a way to get PeachTree network friendly (over a VPN) I’m open to that as well (and it would in fact be preferable).  Any suggestions are welcomed — admittedly, this is not my area of specialty. James

  dbhent.vcf

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Response:

We recommend (and sell and support) UA Corporate Accounting systems. One of our staff developers is skilled in VPN and similar technologies. Please let me know more about your requirements. Respectfully,  - Carl Dick 800-997-7944 www.cpaccess.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In a bit of a quandary and was hoping to prevail upon the newsgroup. I have two separate clients who are currently using PeachTree.  In one case, it is a shipping company and PeachTree is simply not well designed for their uses.  In the other case, the company has recently expanded their network to include a VPN between three locations in different cities and PeachTree is network-unfriendly to say the least. I need to recommend a new package and/or options to these clients.  I’d like something that has a similar look and feel to PeachTree, not cost-prohibitive, and able to convert their data over.  Alternatively, if anyone knows of a way to get PeachTree network friendly (over a VPN) I’m open to that as well (and it would in fact be preferable).  Any suggestions are welcomed — admittedly, this is not my area of specialty. James

Response:

You can read an overview of VPN issues at: http://www.timestep.com/Html/VPNPrimer.htm In my view, both Peachtree and Businessworks have the same problems handling this kind of installation.   If the client has the budget, they should aim for a client-server system based on MS SQL 7.0.  - Carl – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Depending upon size, there are a number of different options. For the shipper, QB might be a solution since it seems to have more flexibility in operation. If they want to go bigger, then look at a "real" software suite like BusinessWorks or Red Wing (we resell). This also may be a good solution for your network client as both are networkable. After that, you’re headed up in cost. Luck, Dana To reply, please remove NOSPAM from the address Visit our web site at http://www.tailored-computing.com

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Question:

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