Professor Elam

Accounting & Investing Info for San Antonio A & M

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  • Professor Elam

    whatwilltheylearn.com

    I mentioned that Prof Tom Sowell was one of my favorite columnists and thinkers. Another great thinker on the opposite coast at George Mason University, is Walter Williams.

    In this linked column Dr. Williams takes aim at Education Light, the fact that the more expensive the university the lighter the graduation requirements.   UT Austin and flagship A & M make the list of basic requirements. By the way, Walter Williams often sits in on Fridays when Rush is not at his microphone. Never mind whether you are a Rush fan or not, Williams will sometimes interview Sowell on the radio. No bag of wind educator or institutions is safe when these two are on the air. 

    Here in San Antonio you will note I have a writing requirement in my classes. Prof Williams  column is a good example of why we do just that.  Lightweight education requirements area  frequent topic for both Sowell and Williams.  Often a book review is required, same idea. We find that our non traditional students expect a serious education. I am delighted to be a part of this campus in meeting the expectations of

    whatwilltheylearn.com. 

    By the way I went to the above site, go there and click on Rice with its 90% graduation rate, you will be surprised. A & M rates an A.

  • Professor Elam

    Monday Night Managerial Accounting

    All

     

    I usually do not get into specific class matters on he blog but we are having difficulty with Blackboard this week and we had various issues with the class monday evening. So to recap for youy

    The textbook site has a great narrated powerpoint on each chapter, See my previous post with screen shos of the page and how to use it. Please plan to veiw the narrated or silent power point for each chapter. then plan to take the online multiple choce exam to test your understanding of the concepts.

     

    You will also sign up for Homework manager on this site. Click the box with that name in it.

    Now, wanna save a lot of money?  click for Homework Manger Plus, you will get an online copy of the book and Homework Manager for $70, this means yopu are only paying $35 for the book ,a deal to be sure.

    Once you obtain your online access password to Homework Manager you need to log on to

    http://mh10.brownstone.net.classes/ManAcct-Sec850/

     

     to do the homework problems. Yes the probolems are the same ones that are in the textbook assigned in the syllabus and that appear on homework manager.

    Note there are dates you will be expected to complete the homework. The reason for this is to assure that you have finished the  Homework before we have an exam in class.

    I realize some of yoi are having probolems accessing Black board.  The Deming Handout is too long to post here so for an alterantive I looke dup some links for you that provide the saem information.  Indees there is more i will use these in the future.

    http://www.mftrou.com/edwards-deming.html

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Deming

        contains 14 points and seven deadly diseases

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_assurance

        quality assurance

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma

        Six Sigma  

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Baldrige_National_Quality_Award

    Baldridge Award

     

    Okay I hope this helps, let me know if I can be of assistance.

     

     

  • Professor Elam

    Monday Night Managerial Accounting

    All

     

    I usually do not get into specific class matters on he blog but we are having difficulty with Blackboard this week and we had various issues with the class monday evening. So to recap for youy

    The textbook site has a great narrated powerpoint on each chapter, See my previous post with screen shos of the page and how to use it. Please plan to veiw the narrated or silent power point for each chapter. then plan to take the online multiple choce exam to test your understanding of the concepts.

     

    You will also sign up for Homework manager on this site. Click the box with that name in it.

    Now, wanna save a lot of money?  click for Homework Manger Plus, you will get an online copy of the book and Homework Manager for $70, this means yopu are only paying $35 for the book ,a deal to be sure.

    Once you obtain your online access password to Homework Manager you need to log on to

    http://mh10.brownstone.net.classes/ManAcct-Sec850/

     

     to do the homework problems. Yes the probolems are the same ones that are in the textbook assigned in the syllabus and that appear on homework manager.

    Note there are dates you will be expected to complete the homework. The reason for this is to assure that you have finished the  Homework before we have an exam in class.

    I realize some of yoi are having probolems accessing Black board.  The Deming Handout is too long to post here so for an alterantive I looke dup some links for you that provide the saem information.  Indees there is more i will use these in the future.

    http://www.mftrou.com/edwards-deming.html

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Deming

        contains 14 points and seven deadly diseases

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_assurance

        quality assurance

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma

        Six Sigma  

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Baldrige_National_Quality_Award

    Baldridge Award

     

    Okay I hope this helps, let me know if I can be of assistance.

     

     

  • Professor Elam

    Prof Sowell on the Great Escape

    New students will discover that one of my favorite Professors and writers is Tom Sowell.

    He holds the Milton Friedman chair at Stanford and has authored over 40 books. Learn more about this great thinker at http://www.tsowell.com. Any of his books would be a good choice for a book review in one of my classes.

    In this linked column he offers a great observation to begin our semester. Students choose to acquire or not acquire education, it is not something that is doled out to them like ration coupons. Life is short, we all make choices.  At Tx A & M San Antonio our non traditional students have committed to the time and effort to obtain a college degree. Let's make the most of it.

    My blogs exist so we an visit 24/7 about what we learn in class. It is an interactive experiment on display for all to see. Critical thinking is stimulated by writing and speaking, take advantage of it.

    I recently saw a tv interview with Olympic swimmer and medal winner Michael Phelps.  The crew also interviewed his swim coach. The coach noted Phelps practiced every day.  Aghast the reporter responded, you mean birthdays, Christmas, New Years, yes the coach replied. The coach went on to note that IF

    one wants to be a champion swimmer, exercise such as weights, running are good but what you really need to do is

    Get in the Water….

    No kidding, let's get in the water.

  • Professor Elam

    McGraw Hill Text Book Sites, A Wealth of Student Assistance

    I am using McGraw HIll books in all three classes, there are several reasons for that. ONe reason is that the free textbook site offers lots of assistance. 

    Below is a partial screen shot of this site, but all MH sites feature the same layout
    mhhe.com/garrison13e

    Note all MH sites begin with mhhe.com then a slash / then the author's last name and then the number of the book edition, now what don't all publishers  do it that way, beats me. 

    to purchase Hiomework Manager, yes, click on Homework Manager.

    Picture 3H 

    Now click on student edition in blue above, well on the actual site this is  just a picture you silly. 

    Picture 4

    I selected chapter 2 in the drop down box which brings up these choices. 

    Each chapter has a multiple choice quiz which you can answer to test your understanding, It will return your grade. 
    The Excel Templates are for the problems in each chapter that have an excel icon by them, you did read the preface in the book about that right?
    Practice exams are just that. 
    Next there are powerpoint presentations with no narration and then the same with narration. I highly recommend you sit down and let the chapter explain itself to you,I mean it even talks to you. 
    Ipod content allows narration to be downloaded to your iPod. I have had students use this feature, no extra charge. 

    So there you go, lots of study aides, free if you use them!

  • Professor Elam

    WEB CT Becomes Blackboard

    on the tamuk website there are lists of orientation classes for the new Blackboard. 

    Blackboard bought WEB CT and of course promptly changed everything. This is not what Dr. Deming would suggest in Total Quality Management.  But this is what typically happens, the buying company becomes Conan the Barbarian and wipes out the conquered company keeping only the customer list. Microsoft of course does this to its own customers constantly changing Windows Office whether we like it or not, saying they fixed it, and then charging users to fix their own admitted mistakes, good work if you can get it I say. 

    At any rate plan on getting used to Blackboard we will be using it a great deal. 

  • Professor Elam

    The Other Blog

    I have another blog at

    A recent post describes the article on Sears in the latest Barrons. 

    Barrons is a weekly magazine published on news print by the Dow Jones Corp, the well former owner of the Wall Street Journal. You will recall that Rupert Murdoch bought the WSJ from the family that had owned it. 

    Please go to that site and read my post on the lead Barrons article this week, Trouble at Sears, study the chart and the stock price action. Earnings matter!  I will be distributing this article in class, it is an excellent example of stock analysis which we will study shortly in cost managerial. 

    Intermediate acct students please take note of the many phrases from accounting that are in the article. 
    This is why we study accounting, so we can be better analysts of business matters. 

  • Professor Elam

    Accounting Certifications

    I am linking to the most complete list of accounting certifications I know.

    Take a look, I suggest you pick one of the 'less complex' certifications and give it a go. 
    This is a way of letting you know where you stand on passing such exams. then set your sights higher. 
    It is important to set your goals and adopt a plan to get there, now. You will be graduating into a very difficult job market. Certification means a lot, especially if you are not certified!

    We will be discussing this more in class.

  • Professor Elam

    109 Billion

    That is the dollar amount of bonds to be sold this WEEK by the Treasury. 

    I can remember when Lyndon Johnson's entire annual budget was $100 B and that made headlines. 

    This overhang has made it very difficult for Treasury prices to rally. 

    Yeah no kidding…

  • Professor Elam

    Cash for Refrigerators

    The stimulus program was such as success for the car makers

    dealers have left the program as they have not been paid by the govt and are out lots of bucks
    the program ends today

    that another facet of the stimulus allows for cash for appliances. 

    Whether that will rob future sales to the present remains to be seen. 

    Sound off, is any of this stimulus working or should the govt cease and desist?