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Ken gets Frosty with Accountancy Age
TS noted with some surprise that those in the news sweatshop of Accountancy Age wrote a nice story about the ICAEW. A nice story with Ken Frost, key ICAEW dissident, saying nice things. So TS wasn’t too surprised when Ken got decidedly Frosty over the story, claiming on his blog that the headline ‘long-term critics u-turn in institute cold war’ was wrong. The ‘tute had u-turned, by focusing on new markets and not rattling on about mergers and ‘consolidation’, said Ken.
‘I would tactfully like to remind Accountancy Age that the ICAEW (by accepting the argument made on this site for the last two years, that the ACA/FCA brand is superior) has in fact made a u-turn! The AA heading is misleading,’ he added.
Colin does the Three Peaks
Colin joined Accountancy Age on the Three Peaks Challenge. Click here to see how he got on.
Facebook your responsiblities
A little birdie told us recently that the ICAEW was looking at the whole social networking phenomenon, considering using sites like Facebook and MySpace to try and communicate with younger audiences.
Everyone’s doing it, don’t you know. TS even has its own Facebook page, if you look hard enough that is.
Only the ICAEW may find there is already a site devoted to it on the FB network, and it is already helping to, um, ‘communicate’ some of the issues the body faces.
TS doesn’t know how to put this delicately, but it’s called ‘ICAEW s***s b***s’, only, um, without the asterisks (this is a family magazine). Sample comments on the site include one from a member (or it may be a student) saying ‘I hate Tax’. Another says: ‘i [sic] can’t bloody believe there is a group called ICAEW s***s b***s!!?! Anyway it does.’
Still, the ‘tute was pleased that members were willing to at least talk about it.
‘It’s great members are using these platforms, and that it’s
member-driven,’ said an ICAEW bod, while desperately trying to remove
the group from the site.
Sand foundations
TS is sure DSH and BDO meant well. But it doesn’t change the fact that accountancy firms judging a pie-throwing contest, or aiming to build the most sandcastles to make it into the Guinness World Records, just isn’t the best way of showing your capabilities.
TS appreciates that in the first instance DSH was judging the World Custard Pie-Throwing Championships held at Mote Park in Kent, in aid of three charities.
And in the second instance, BDO was trying to show its team spirit for the most sandcastles by building 520 in an hour.
Still, can you imagine the reaction if KPMG sent John Griffiths Jones in to judge The Eurovision Song Contest, or PwC’s Peter Wyman took a team to Pamplona to see how many partners could survive a bull running?
TS hits the Peaks, all three of them
TS spent last weekend climbing some mountains. You’ll remember The Age offered readers the chance to join us on the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis all in quick succession.
Well, we managed it in just over 36 hours, ably assisted by Graham Robinson, an internal auditor at Accord Housing Association in West Bromwich, and Elaine Hudson, a sole-prac from Sheffield. Graham and Elaine both put up with TS’s lame jokes all the way through the ordeal, so well done to both of them.
Also, the event got us musing over the similarities and differences
between mountain climbing and accountancy. They’re similar in that once
you finish the job and get to the top, you still can’t really see
anything.
But there’s one big difference. Some would accountancy is a slightly
dry subject. Whatever else you could say about the weekend’s weather,
the word ‘dry’ never came into it.
The joke's on you
Following the Grin Up North post, TS was inundated with jokes about accountants.
Alright, we got a few jokes.
Anyway, here they are!
What's an accountant's favourite form of contraception? His personality!! - from Kate Hayward
What's the definition of a good tax accountant? Someone who has a loophole named after him. – from Robert Couzens
An accountant, having had a good interview is asked one final question from the Chairman of the company. "What is 7 times 3?" he asks. Quickly the accountant replies "23". he comes out of the interview, gets his pocket calculator out and checks the answer. He is therefore surprised to be subsequently offered the job. On his first day he meets the Chairman and tells him that, given his answer to the question, he was very surprised to be offered the job. "Oh" replies the Chairman " You were the closest!" – from Richard Oliver
A blog about accountancy jokes wouldn't be complete without mentioning Mark Lee's blog, which contains a welter of jokes aimed at number crunchers, view it here
Our funny friends up North
Why are accountants good lovers? Answer: Because they are great with figures! Did it make you chuckle?
Fancy hearing a few more accountancy-related jokes? Well, this is your lucky month because Pro Manchester, a business lobby group with ambitions to make Manchester the new financial centre of the world, is trying to attract the professional cream of the crop up North with a jokebook poking fun at finance experts.
The book, It’s Grin up North (geddit?), is hoping its hilarity will encourage ‘businesses from across the globe to use Manchester professionals because they are different and because they build long-standing relationships’.
Inspired, don’t you think? I mean, if a book of accountancy jokes doesn’t bring in the punters, nothing will. Grim or Grin? If you’ve heard better jokes send them in. Blue ‘uns are always welcome but won’t get published.
The book, It’s Grin up North (geddit?), is hoping its hilarity will encourage ‘businesses from across the globe to use Manchester professionals because they are different and because they build long-standing relationships’.
Inspired, don’t you think? I mean, if a book of accountancy jokes doesn’t bring in the punters, nothing will. Grim or Grin? If you’ve heard better jokes send them in. Blue ‘uns are always welcome but won’t get published.
Now you see it, now you don’t
What an odd bunch those European Commissioners can be sometimes. Last week, they posted responses to the group’s consultation on auditor liability, to which TS was alerted by a top industry figure the kind that TS talks to all the time.
But, alas, it was far too late in the evening, and TS wasn’t anywhere near a computer.
The next day, TS tried the website, but couldn’t access the responses anywhere.
A birdie from Brussels told TS that there were ‘two webmasters’ resulting in one of them posting the responses prematurely.
Hmm... curiouser and curiouser. Especially as several firms with an interest in such debates had by now phoned up to alert TS of their responses. TS tried again, but they were nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, the clever folk at PricewaterhouseCoopers had downloaded them all. As did a few of the others. The EC will have to work a bit more quickly to catch out auditors.
Izza's blog to go public
TS was delighted to hear ICAEW president Richard Dyson’s acceptance speech six months after taking the job. This was, of course, due to certain issues surrounding the ‘aborted’ appointment of Graham Durgan into the role. The speech was inspirational, focusing on the philanthropic ICAEW Foundation.
But TS was more intrigued to hear that Michael Izza’s blog was going public. It had previously been hidden by Economia and a password. Those with any nous could view the blog anyway. On hearing the news, applause rang out across the Great Hall but that was more an endorsement of Dyson’s speech than Izza’s blog.
Now EC sees it, now it doesn't
What an odd bunch those European Commissioners can be sometimes. Last week, they posted responses to the group’s consultation on auditor liability, to which TS was alerted by a top industry figure the kind that TS talks to all the time.
But, alas, it was far too late in the evening, and TS wasn’t anywhere near a computer.
The next day, TS tried the website, but couldn’t access the responses anywhere.
A birdie from Brussels told TS that there were ‘two webmasters’ resulting in one of them posting the responses prematurely.
Hmm... curiouser and curiouser. Especially as several firms with an
interest in such debates had by now phoned up to alert TS of their
responses. TS tried again, but they were nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, the clever folk at PricewaterhouseCoopers had downloaded
them all. As did a few of the others. The EC will have to work a bit
more quickly to catch out auditors.
Newman is wrong, TS thinks
Mr Pot, say hello to Mr Kettle. TS believes that you’re both of the ebony persuasion. Apparently, BDO Stoy Hayward top bod Jeremy Newman has taken umbrage after Accountancy Age described some of his comments on Big Four and competition as ‘explosive’.
The head honcho was covered in the Age over his blog. He expressed his
disappointment at the ‘explosive’ quote. But TS thinks he’s wrong.
The news scribblers didn’t say his comments were explosive, but ‘some
of the most explosive’ on the audit competition debate. More generally
he admits the debate has become a little dull. For what it’s worth, TS
thinks ‘some of the most explosive’ pretty much fitted the bill,
relatively speaking.
ICAEW logo better than Olympic effort
Ok, TS has now given out some (justified) stick out to ACCA and the ICAEW over their new logos, particularly about the tens of thousands of pounds they both cost.
But compared to the 2012 Olympic effort at 400 grand? Well....
The latest ICAEW council meeting slept through attended by TS heard member Alan Livesey ask during question time that, had it not now been proven what great value the ICAEW's £65k rebrand was, particularly compared to the epileptic-fit inducing Olympic squiggle?
Laughter ensued, and of course chief Michael Izza reiterated what great VFM the 'tute got out of its deal.
Warburton wins tax award
TS was very kindly invited to a rival magazine’s awards ceremony last week. We’d happily tell you the name, but our publisher might get shirty with us, and TS needs to earn the beer shekels somehow.
Not the least of the exciting moments at the tax bash was the news that Mike Warburton, who won a ‘lifetime achievement’ award (he’s only 60, TS understands, still plenty of time to go), has shaved off his beard. (If that URL doesn't work try this)
Regular readers will remember that Mike and his twin brother used to
alternate beards in order to confuse their girlfriends at university,
so we can only speculate what the latest development means.
TS is also happy to report that there are no hard feelings in the media
world we witnessed Dave (John) Whiting heartily congratulating Mike
on his achievement, despite their ongoing battle for column inches.
