Review Comments | 09.11.09

• Brett Favre Returns to NFL, Signs With Minnesota – Look, we don’t like to talk much sports here but would someone do something about this FOR THE LOVE OF GOD? [Bloomberg]
• Backdating Likely More Widespread – “The study identified 141 companies with such advantageous options-granting practices that the researchers concluded they were highly likely to have been involved in backdating. Ninety-two of those companies never were publicly linked to investigations or announced earnings restatements related to backdating.” [WSJ]
• UBS’s American Clients Face U.S. Criminal Probes – “U.S. tax authorities are expected to obtain the identities of potentially thousands of other American UBS clients soon as part of a legal settlement finalized last week between the bank and the U.S. and Swiss governments.” [WSJ]
• Regulators urged Citi to replace CFO – In case you were short on the government meddling in private business affairs news. [FT.com]
• Bernie Madoff’s Greatest Scam Of All – Size matters? Whose size? [Dealbreaker]

• Fed Suggests Economy Is Stabilizing – “U.S. Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday left official interest rates near zero but suggested the economy is on more stable ground, more confirmation that the severe recession is either already over or will be very soon.” Does anyone know if this really means anything? Are we stabilizing in crappiness? [WSJ]
• Save This Store – A case for big bonuses. [Floyd Norris/NYT]
• Colonial: No 2Q report due to irregularities – FTW guys. [AP via Miami Herald]
• Simplifed Reporting: Forgotten in the Crisis? – An advisory group gave the SEC a 170 page report to recommend how to simplify accounting rules. Anyone see a problem here? [CFO]
• Presented Without Comment: Ragnar Danneskjöld Lives? Damn Swedes. [DB]
• Rivkah, an Israeli woman, paid $32K to fly her dog, Orchuk, in business class from Paris to Tel Aviv – ‘He is my child, not a dog. And he deserves the best.’ Appears reasonable. [NYDN]

• Ruth Madoff Can’t Spend $100 Without Telling Trustee – Don’t forget to call before buying that Metrocard Ruthie. [Bloomberg]
• Investor Ross: ‘Washington Is The New Wall Street’ – Blasphemy. [NPR]
• BofA settles Merrill bonus case with SEC for $33 million – Classic case of not admitting or denying charges, just throwing money at the problem. End of story. [Reuters]
• A.I.G. Appoints a New Chief Executive – The self-loathing is contagious today. [DealBook]
• Antidepressant Use in U.S. Doubled Over Decade to 10% in 2005 – Depressing news. Where the hell is our Prozac? [Bloomberg]