Category Archives: News and Events

The Wall Street Journal reported this week on an alarming increase in the number of retractions of published research by scientific journals. Charitably titled, “Mistakes in Scientific Studies Surge,” the article probably should have worked in the word “fraud” somewhere … Continue reading →

The Barometer has had its chastisements for S & P over its failure to allow the concerns of its analysts to percolate up into actually stating publicly that the subprime mortgage instruments were junk. Not exactly equipped with an itchy … Continue reading →

That’s an insight gained from an experienced manager who was reflecting on how to manage ethical missteps by employees. He said if you believe it’s their first offense, you are probably wrong. Check back through their work to be sure … Continue reading →

The Barometer has added a new category for your reading pleasure — the “Under the Bus” news highlights. This category brings us those warm and fuzzy moments when friends, family, and co-workers save their own skins by finger-pointing others who … Continue reading →

In the news this past week were two events that could be used to drive home to employees those seemingly bureaucratic and overly cautious rules do have important purposes. The first was the tragic loss of three lives in Yosemite … Continue reading →

Companies that do business internationally are moving to switch their GAAP-based accounting to IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) accounting. The Wall Street Journal notes that under “principles-based accounting, companies use judgment in applying a set of guidelines.” The Barometer is … Continue reading →

The Barometer isn’t often taken aback by scandals, but Atlanta has succeeded in offering a real head-turner when it comes to ethical collapse. Lost in the Casey Anthony hoopla, the story is that the Atlanta Public School (APS) system is … Continue reading →

In what may be a new head-turner in recognizing how our ethical norms have shifted, several business schools have announced that they will be using Turnitin software to detect plagiarism in applicants’ admissions statements. Turnitin has long been used in … Continue reading →

Congressman Weiner backed off the “Someone hacked by Twitter account” story and admitted his problem with and habit of inappropriate texting, tweeting, e-mailing, and so forth. Inappropriate? Dang bad judgment! How do these men find time for this? The Barometer’s … Continue reading →

Arnold Schwarzenegger — at least Mr. Edwards only took two years to admit paternity. Mr. Schwarzenegger took 14 years. The timeline for the former governor is just too painful to recount, from the fact that his mistress and wife were … Continue reading →

John Edwards, twice a presidential candidate, once a nominee for vice president, once a United States senator, and a multi-millionarie trial lawyer, was indicted on six counts yesterday by a federal grand jury for violations of federal campaign finance laws. … Continue reading →

Andrew Fastow, the former CFO of Enron, who entered a guilty plea to fraud and other charges as part of a plea bargain, has left federal prison in Louisiana for a Houston half-way house. Mr. Fastow’s six-year sentence ends on … Continue reading →

In 2004, The Wall Street Journal called Loretta Fredy Bush, the founder of Xinhua Finance, one of its “Women to Watch” for 2004. We may have misunderstood the meaning of the term “watch.”  Ms. Fredy Bush was indicted on May … Continue reading →

Paul Wolfowitz resigned in 2007 as head of the World Bank after a tale emerged of his HR intervention on behalf of a bank executive he was dating. Managers not dating those who report to them is one of those … Continue reading →