• Bernanke Calls for Action on Reform – Ben is kindly reminding everyone that maybe we should try to make some regulatory changes since, you know, the world almost ended. [WSJ]
• The pyramid principle – Small banks are not doing so hot. [The Economist]
• Critics: Executive Pay Cuts A Sop To Taxpayers – Campaigns are starting people, progress will have to wait. [NPR]
• Man Pleads Guilty To DWI In Motorized La-Z-Boy – Doing anything with a BAC of 0.29 is probably illegal. [AP via NPR]
• Bank claim that is out of this world – Dalton Chisholm has to present additional evidence today in order to give him a prayer at becoming the first ever billion-trillionaire. [BBC]
Related Posts
Preliminary Analytics | 12.14.09
• H.R. 4173, Summary of Accounting and Audit Related Provisions – Lots to digest here but it’s all important, including a possible GASP name change for the PCAOB. [FEI Financial Reporting Blog]
• Invitation to a Conversation: If the Auditors Were Missing from the Financial Crisis — Let’s Ask Why – Jim Peterson doesn’t mince words: “The simple if depressing reason is that their core product has long since been judged irrelevant. The standard auditor’s report is an anachronism — having lost any value it may once have had, except for legally-required compliance.” [Re: Balance/Jim Peterson]
• Accenture Makes Right Decision, Drops Tiger Sponsorship – The awkward inappropriateness of the whole situation is now hitting T. Dubs in the wallet, as Accenture jumps into the “your services are no longer needed” camp. He won’t starve. [The Big Four Blog]
• Open Letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (Part 5): Issuer Retaliation Complaint Against Overstock.com – Patrick Byrne’s attempt to develop his own Richard Nixon-esque enemies list has been met with fierce resistance. [Sam Antar/White Collar Fraud]
• CPA firms face pricing pinch – “After years of gains since the government started keeping track in December 2003, overall prices for CPA firm services plummeted with the onset of recession in December 2007.” [CPA Trendlines]
• Citigroup to Repay $20 Billion of Government Bailout – $25 bil to go. Get on it. [Bloomberg]
Preliminary Analytics | 12.16.09
• U.S. gave up billions in tax money in deal for Citigroup’s bailout repayment – “While the Obama administration has said taxpayers are likely to profit from the sale of the Citigroup shares, accounting experts said the lost tax revenue could easily outstrip those profits.” Thanks Treasury! [WP]
• The Estate Tax Debate: Watch the Rate, Not the Exclusion – “In some perverse way, it’s fun to watch lawmakers dive into a mess largely of their own making. But as you do, don’t be distracted by the argument over the size of estates that should be excluded from tax, or whether the rules are extended for one year or two. The real argument is over the rate. That’s where the bucks are.” [Tax Vox]
• Lump of Coal: How to Deal With a Bad Bonus – Besides crying in the corner obviously. [FINS]
• Rajaratnam, Chiesi Charged in Insider Case – Raj is looking at 17 counts and a possible 145 years. All over a measly $20 million? Someone in North Carolina is unimpressed. [WSJ]
• SEC Mulls Surprise Audits For Investment Advisers – “Under the May proposal, the surprise audit would apply to about 9,600 of the 11,000 registered investment advisers including those who have physical custody and those deemed to have custody or the ability to deduct fees from their client’s assets.” [Reuters via NYT]
• EU Formally Ends Microsoft Antitrust Case – “The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, agreed to abandon its case against Microsoft over whether the software giant is illegally abusing its dominance in the Internet browser markets without a fine, in return for a legally binding commitment from Microsoft to start marketing rivals’ browsers alongside its own Internet Explorer.” Doesn’t everyone hate Explorer now anyway? [WSJ]
Preliminary Analytics | 08.07.09
• Obama likely in no rush to nod on Bernanke’s fate Apparently this is the one thing that doesn’t need addressed immediately. [Reuters]
• U.S. Payroll Losses Slow, Unemployment Rate Declines 247,000 lost, 9.4%. Is that green shoots? [Bloomberg]
• France targets bankers’ bonuses – Soon, pols are going to have to find something else to pander to the masses with. [BBC]
• AIG Posts $1.82 Billion Profit, First Since 2007 – You can just sign that over to the us, thankyouverymuch. – U.S. Taxpayer [Bloomberg]
• Willis Group Sued by Stanford’s Venezuelan Clients – Sure, why not? [DealBook]
• Judge Approves Lawyer Fees in Madoff Liquidation – In other news, Madoff victims are still pissed. [DealBook]