I greatly enjoyed reading “ Telecommute Safely ” ( JofA , Aug.06, page 39). The step-by-step instructions, including pictures and different typefaces, were straightforward and easy to follow. It was informative to learn of the virtual private network (VPN) options available, along with the corresponding levels of relative pricing and setup time for each.

The article not only tells the reader the “how to” but also mentions such realities as managers’ slow but increasing pace in embracing telecommuting technology. It also addresses the need for companies to keep a handle on the security of their private sensitive company data.

I am most appreciative that I can view all of the JofA articles online by simply going to the aicpa.org Web site. I actually have a monthly reminder set up in my Microsoft Outlook to alert me when I should take time to read the latest JofA online articles.

Thank you for encouraging letters to the editor. Most important, please keep posting these free, well-written, informative and useful articles!

Douglas R. Swartz, CPA
Director of Finance and Administration
Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors
Ann Arbor, Mich.

I enjoyed reading about Vinay & Puneet Behl in The Last Word column ( JofA , Aug.06, page 96). It’s so lovely to hear from foreign-born individuals who are happy to be here in the United States.

When I see and read about how much hate there is in the world for America and Americans, I get very frustrated and sad for all of us. How nice that these two CPAs are so proud to be here!

Rosalie J. Gerding, CPA
Columbia, Mo.

Having read “ The Work/Life Balance Sheet So Far ” ( JofA , Aug.06, page 45), I am not surprised that success of these initiatives is lacking. I certainly agree that the failure of the leadership of any firm to support these programs is a key component in preventing widespread success. However, I wonder whether the profession has really addressed the issues that drive people out in the first place.

I noted in the article that one CPA arranged a flexible work schedule that ultimately wound up with work being done at home after the children had gone to bed. How is this a “work/life balance” if we are simply moving our work from the office to the home? The article said that people entering the workforce today are opposed to promotions if the requirements are longer hours or more work being brought home.

I have to wonder whether the profession is simply “dressing up” the same stigmas and slicing the pie in a different manner. As one who has worked in the accounting profession, work/life balance means that I am free to cultivate real relationships with my family, work on a hobby, pursue a graduate degree in something other than accounting or perform civic or church work that is meaningful to me. Work/career has its proper place and time, but the three initials after my name are not the be-all and end-all of my existence.

While we can do little with respect to the deadlines imposed by the IRS that so consume our lives from January 1 to April 15, I have never heard anyone ask whether there is a better way to manage the work flow. Is it really necessary to work 60 to 80 hours a week and every Saturday for four months?

Certainly there have to be viable options. This is where I believe the true solution to the work/life balance issue begins. We must challenge our status quo and antiquated mentality and find creative ways to give our people a real sense of balance.

Widespread success will not happen until we decide to make it happen. It may take the next generation of leadership in our profession to make any real progress, but we must start somewhere.

Jeff Porter, CPA
Morristown, Tenn.

I find it incongruous that Top Line ( JofA , Aug.06, page 16) had side-by-side stories about the additional ethics lessons to be learned from Enron and a television show in which a CPA moves into an office formerly occupied by a private detective and starts to take on some cases intended for the detective (“The Lesson of Enron” and “CPA as Private Eye?”). It seems to me that the latter behavior is clearly wrong and probably a violation of our professional code of conduct.

What kind of message do we send when we encourage this type of television program without indicating the behavioral problems associated with it? It is bad enough when a layman cannot recognize the ethical implications of his or her actions, but for a CPA to act in violation of those ethics and have it publicized in the JofA is unacceptable.
I believe most unethical behavior starts with small violations and builds to more major ones. This promotion of the new television show shows how easy it is, even for the most knowledgeable, to not recognize an ethical issue. I encourage you to use this mistake to highlight the problem in a future edition.

Steve Berlin, CPA
Tulsa