Wednesday, April 30, 2014

SEIU organizing adjunct faculty at Howard U

Howard University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Said to be rarity in the world of Historically Black Colleges.
http://chronicle.com/article/Faculty-Union-a-Rarity-at/146259/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Republicans hammer Duncan on gainful employment, college grading and state regulation

The DOE's record on regulatory activity is less than stellar by anyone's measure.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/04/30/republicans-spar-administration-over-gainful-employment-and-college-ratings#sthash.56l1xnSR.dpbs

The deponent who claims he doesn't know what a photocopying machine is

English: copying machine at lee hysan hall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here's an hilarious video based on a real case out of Ohio.
(With thanks to a friend in Western Mass.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/opinion/verbatim-what-is-a-photocopier.html?_r=0

Court rebuffs voter ID law in PA

English: Tom Corbett at the McCain rally at the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

James Ottavio --

Yesterday a judge denied Tom Corbett's ill-advised attempt to bring back his Voter ID scheme.

It's time to finally end this! Tom Corbett's spent millions of taxpayer dollars on lawyers and misleading ad campaigns to confuse and suppress Democratic votes.

The ruling can still be appealed, so we're doing everything we can to make sure that Tom Corbett can't take away the right to vote.

The buzz on Wall Street: Jebb is better but Hilary is acceptable

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Hillary-Clinton-Wall-Street-presidency-acceptable/2014/04/28/id/568084/?ns_mail_uid=63138517&ns_mail_job=1566823_04282014&promo_code=caecq1xz

Sure, the fat cats would rather reinstate the duck dynasty in D.C. But there are signs that H. Clinton will do nicely. Well, why not? Husband Bubba deregulated the financial industry when he wasn't being felated in the Oval Office. More than anyone else, he gets the credit for 2008 in my view. So why would they be worried about the Mrs. ?

Perhaps they are not getting enough practice?

many minutes to you suppose she suffered?

English: The room at , completed in 2010. Español: La cámara de ejecución de la Prisión Estatal de San Quentin, construido en 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Oklahoma halts second scheduled execution after the first one is badly botched. The prisoner died of a heart attack after writhing on the table.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OKLAHOMA_DOUBLE_EXECUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-04-29-20-22-02&utm_source=digg&utm_medium=email

You may feel less sympathy for the prisoner if you know that he shot a 19 year old woman with a sawed off shotgun, then watched as his buddies buried her alive. How many minutes do you suppose she suffered?

Coastie Commandant testifies on transnational drug smuggling

U.S. Coast Guard Flag of Commandant Websafe Colors (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Written testimony of USCG Commandant for an April 29 House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and House Committee on Foreign Affairs joint subcommittee hearing titled “Confronting Transnational Drug Smuggling: An Assessment of Regional Partnerships”

04/29/2014

Written testimony of USCG Commandant for an April 29 House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere joint subcommittee hearing titled “Confronting Transnational Drug Smuggling: An Assessment of Regional Partnerships”

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Admiral Robert Papp, Jr. addresses the Coast Guard’s Drug Interdiction mission.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Upcoming programs from my friends at McDevitt & Kline… and watch for my employment law update CLE program an August 2nd

McDevitt & Kline, LLC
Continuing Education Providers
www.ceworkshops.com

Buy a 2014 Membership and save 40-50% off our regular prices.

Our live seminar membership for CPAs allows you take 5 live courses at our Temple University locations at a 54% discount! Once you purchase our membership, you will receive a personal discount code that gets you access to 5 courses (live seminars or webcasts) of your choice until December 31st, 2014. You will also have access to 2-hour webcasts (at no charge)!

Our live seminar membership for attorneys allows you take 2 live courses at our Temple University locations at a 40% discount! Once you purchase our membership, you will receive a personal discount code that gets you access to 2 courses (live seminars or webcasts) of your choice until December 31st, 2014.

Our live webinar membership for CPAs allows you take 5 live courses at our Temple University locations at a 50% discount! Once you purchase our membership, you will receive a personal discount code that gets you access to 5 full-day webcasts of your choice. You will also have access to 2-hour webcasts (at no charge)!

See our website for details! Note: there are a limited number of memberships available so act now.

Upcoming Courses:

International Financial Statement Analysis
Presenter: Dr. Regan Carey, CPA
Saturday, May 17th, 2014, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST
Via Live Webcast Only
Credits: 7 Substantive CLE, 8 Accounting CPE
Price: $119.99

During this program, our speaker will introduce techniques for analyzing and interpreting international financial statements. We will review the tools accountants and attorneys use to gain a complete and accurate picture of a company's financial and competitive positions. Subject areas include: international financial reporting mechanics, standards, and convergence with U.S. GAAP, as well as techniques for examining income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Participants will learn valuable concepts that will help in evaluating economic damages claims, forecasting performance for financial reporting, and assisting clients with valuations and financial planning.

Introduction to Stock Options
Presenter: Thomas McDevitt, CFA, CFP
Friday, May 23rd, 2014, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST
Via Live Webcast Only
Credits: 2 Substantive CLE, 2 Finance CPE
Price: $49.99

In this live webinar, Thomas A. McDevitt, CFA, CFP, will review the basic characteristics of puts and calls, including breakeven analysis, profit potential, maximum downside risk, and option pricing models. He will then provide participants with a comprehensive review of advanced options strategies generally ignored by the financial media including covered call writing and cash secured put writing. These strategies can potentially enhance portfolio returns and help to manage personal risk.

Ethics Programs & Activities: An Auditor's Perspective
Presenter: Jim Hallinan CPA, CIA, CFSA, CBA
Saturday, June 7th, 2014, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST
Temple University - Fort Washington or via Live Webcast
Credits: 4 Ethics & 3 Substantive CLE, 4 Ethics & 4 Auditing CPE*
Price: $149.99 for the Live Seminar & $119.99 for the Live Webcast

Sound ethics programs and controls are at the heart of establishing a proper tone at the top and overall governance framework of any organization. Ethics play a major role in supporting the overall environment of an organization and is an essential component of both an organization’s internal control and enterprise risk management integrated frameworks. Auditors are in a unique position to add value from an independent assurance perspective when evaluating ethics programs, controls and activities. This program will explore the vital audit/ ethics linkage supporting an organization’s entity wide controls, governance, risk management and control frameworks, via reference to prevalent professional guidance in these areas.

2014 Tax Income Update
Presenter: Richard Furlong & Renzo Cerabino, Esquire, CFP
Friday, June 20th, 2014, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST
Temple University - City Center Campus or via Live Webcast
Credits: 7 Substantive CLE, 8 Income Tax CPE*
Price: $149.99 for the Live Seminar & $119.99 for the Live Webcast

Part I: IRS Update
This “IRS Update” seminar will cover a variety of current IRS programs of interest to tax professionals:
- This presentation will cover recent income tax law changes impacting clients.
- When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010, the IRS was charged with administering a number of new tax provisions. This presentation will discuss the new health care marketplace provisions to be administered by IRS that may affect individual and business clients.
- Employment Tax Issues including information on employment tax form changes, worker classification and fringe benefit issues, and the IRS Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) will be discussed.
- IRS Automated Underreporter (CP 2000) and Correspondence Examination programs impact many tax professionals. This presentation will discuss these processes, notices, and emerging issues.

Part II: Asset Protection Strategies: How Well Do They Prevent Problems and Protect Property?
Many successful business owners spend their lives running through a gauntlet of potential adversaries. They are left to defend themselves from law suits, the federal government and even their own spouse and family. These topics are likely accompanied by strong emotions and the expectation of a magic bullet type solution for maximizing wealth. Naturally, that solution should also provide a tax advantage as well. In practice there are many diverse options with varying degrees of effectiveness and tax implications. Often multiple strategies are necessary. This program will separate fact from fiction and discuss the basics of common asset protection strategies and their tax implications. Topics will include the creation of business entities, titling of assets, foreign and domestic asset protection trusts, prenuptial agreements, qualified retirement plans, captive insurance companies and factoring arrangements. In addition, we shall explore case studies detailing practical applications of these strategies.

Register today at www.ceworkshops.com or by calling William Kline, Ph.D., CFA at 267.251.3805.

McDevitt & Kline, LLC is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Web site: www.nasba.org.

* McDevitt and Kline's live, internet-based courses are approved as Distance Learning courses by the PA Supreme Court CLE Board. For additional information, please visit http://www.pacle.org/. ; Check with your State CLE Board for rules pertaining to live webcasts. These rules differ from state to state. For example, PA attorneys may earn up to 4 CLE credits per compliance period via live webcasts (or 4 out of 12 credits per year); NJ and DE attorneys may earn up to 12 CLE credits per compliance period via live webcasts (or 12 out of 24 credits per two years).