Monthly Archives: April 2019

Charles Krauthammer on Bioethics

In his statement to the President’s Council on Bioethics in 2002 on the issue of stem-cell research using embryos: “We want to bequeath to them [referring to our children] a world, a moral universe, in which they ought to live. … Continue reading

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Creative Accounting Is Still With Us

Howard Schilit, a forensic accounting expert, has provided us with some valuable information. Uber and Lyft have some interesting notions about accounting. Both ride-share services offer discounts, coupons, incentives, freebies, and all manner of lures to get folks into an … Continue reading

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Leading by Example: A Dress Code for Parents

Noting that, “The parents were coming in risqué clothes. They were coming in a manner that was not presentable for the educational setting.” Principal Carlotta Outley Brown of James Madison High School, Houston, Texas. So, the principal passed a dress … Continue reading

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The Barometer is Passing Judgment on Lori Laughlin and Mossimo Immediately

Mossimo Giannulli, husband of Lori Laughlin, wrote the following in a e-mail to a cooperating witness in Operation Varsity Blue (the college admission cheating investigation), and copied Ms. Loughlin on the e-mail: “We just met with (our older daughter’s) college counselor … Continue reading

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A Korn Ferry Study: Parents Care More About Top-Tier Schools Than Their Children

A March 2019 survey by the executive search firm indicates that 81% of parents care about their children getting into a top-tier school, meaning that only 19% of their children do. The kids probably have this one right — the … Continue reading

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“Colloquial” vs. “Legal” Recusal: Jussie Smollett’s Prosecutor, an Amoral Technician

Cook County State’s Attorney, Kim Foxx, indicated that she had recused herself from the Jussie Smollett debacle because she had communicated with outsiders (representatives for Smollett) who were concerned about Mr. Smollett’s fate. When text messages emerged that indicated her … Continue reading

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The Hallmark Channel’s Lori Laughlin’s College Admission Defense: Who Knew?

A friend of Lori Laughlin and her designer husband told ET (Entertainment Tonight, not the Spielberg character (the Barometer checked because, well, with this story being so over the top that it is hard to believe 90% of it all, … Continue reading

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22% of New York City Bus Riders Do Not Pay Their Fares

That rate is double the average free-riders in other cities and well above the 3.4% of subway riders who do not pay. Between the subway and bus free-riders, New York City loses $225 million in revenue per year. A reporter … Continue reading

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Huh? After Paying a $15-Million Fine for Failure to Disclose Conflicts, McKinsey Is Rewriting the Conflicts Rules

One guesses that successful burglars could list all the weak point in home security systems and advise accordingly. However, there is also the possibility that they might withhold some or employe false premises to convince homeowners to take or not … Continue reading

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A Stunning Tale of the Financial Adviser Who Received $500,000 From a Client After Her Death

All done outside of probate, financial adviser Lawrence J. Mieras, Jr. received $500,000 from two annuities owned by his deceased client, Addie Belle Jones. The two variable annuities paid Mr. Mieras the sums outside of her probate. Not bad work … Continue reading

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The Ethically Challenged Mayor of Baltimore and Her Book Sales

As an author, the Barometer can appreciate how difficult it is to write a book, even more difficult to work for sales. However, the mayor of Baltimore, Catherine Pugh, has streamlined the whole process. Her Honor has a series of … Continue reading

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A Credit to the Profession: Finally, A Lawyer Who Knows How to Plead Guilty and Apologize with One Nit

Gordon Caplan, former partner (and co-chair) at the Wilkie Farr & Gallagher law firm said in disclosing his plannedplea, “the remorse and shame that I feel is more than I can convey. I apologize not only to my family, friends, … Continue reading

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Harvard Fencing Coach Sold His Home to Father Seeking Admission for His Son: $400,000 Above Appraised Value, But There’s Much More!

This is one for the book on the human mind having no limitations on creativity when it comes to desperation. Harvard is investigating its fencing coach, Peter Brand’s, sale of his home in Needham, Massachusetts to Jie Zhao, a wealthy … Continue reading

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Duke and the $112.5 Mil Grant Fraud

An astonishing settlement by Duke University with the federal government received minimal coverage.Duke agreed to pay $112.5 million to settle claims that it knowingly submitted false data in federal grant work that brought in $200 million to the university for … Continue reading

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