I am considering making this an end-of-the-week feature as a news recap.? Comments?

 

Financials

 

• BofA?s Clash With Fannie Intensifies as Insurers Reject More Loan Claims http://t.co/fKgxwcVO Originators need to bear UW error results $$ Mar 03, 2012
• Life as Libor Traders Knew It Seen as Abusive http://t.co/H5o5cH3G An inside look at the problems of LIBOR. Collusion & marketless numbers Mar 03, 2012
• $AIG Earnings an Illusion of a Bend in US Tax Laws http://t.co/GCZHUKsu IRS gives AIG special treatment by allowing it to use NOLs post-BK Mar 03, 2012
• You have a good point, and I may reference it when I write this evening, but valuations have compressed for all insur? http://t.co/BRTuHnvf Mar 01, 2012
• Fannie, Freddie and the $180 billion hole http://t.co/Lnoh7VPH F&F transferred wealth to early investors from taxpayers & late investors $$ Feb 25, 2012
• Make losses and prosper, AIG edition http://t.co/EYykmbmZ Hey Q: how much $$ will $AIG make in the future in order to not pay taxes? $$ Feb 25, 2012

 

Berkshire Hathaway

 

• Contra: Warren Buffett on Investing http://t.co/OH0dQxXP Buffett has not been a deep value investor for 30 years; this article misses it $$ Mar 02, 2012
• +1 RT @valueprax: Thoughts On Mergers, Acquisitions And Conglomeration From Rothbard And Buffett (@AlephBlog, $BRK) http://t.co/khZH5Uiq Mar 01, 2012
• The Truthiness of Berkshire’s Performance http://t.co/5iSsrAHL Don’t think Buffett anticipated the P/B squeeze in insurance stocks. $$ Mar 01, 2012
• Buffett Plans More Solar Bonds After Topaz Deal http://t.co/pjrAKQub Buffett doesn’t give suckers an even break, no guarantees on solar $$ Mar 01, 2012
• RE: @TheStreet_News When I wrote for RealMoney, I was often critical of Buffett, but I have shifted.? He is a great e? http://t.co/r4z14uUC Feb 29, 2012
• When you think you made a great purchase (Warren Buffett edition) http://t.co/ME9RwqFf I was surprised to learn about this $BRKa sub also $$ Feb 28, 2012

 

Home Schooling

 

• Question of priorities, could conserve RT @ReformedBroker: “How am I supposed to live on $350,000 a year?” – you’re right, kill yourself $$ Mar 01, 2012
• @ReformedBroker Have his wife call my wife; can save lots of $$ if u go from private school 2 homeschool, & it is easier than 1 would expect Mar 01, 2012
• @ReformedBroker The downside is that it is a lot of work, but not hard work, and the challenge is controlling your children frequently $$ Mar 01, 2012
• @merrillmatter I know you’re kidding, but the mothers I know who homeschool would be fearsome in the business world were they redirected $$ Mar 01, 2012

 

Municipal Finance, or lack thereof

 

• If Stockton Is Broke, Then Why Isn?t San Diego? http://t.co/dzCE9FjX Govt Unions fight to keep benefits govts shouldn’t have granted $$ Mar 03, 2012
• Pension Pain Mounts, Low Rates Boost Liabilities http://t.co/NZndpR5g More evil results of Fed policy substituting debt 4 organic growth $$ Mar 01, 2012
• To Pay New York Pension Fund, Cities Borrow From It First http://t.co/feOXK8E3 Shell game at best; net contributions needed to DB plans $$ Feb 29, 2012
• Raiding the coffers http://t.co/5h2Fx5ZL State pension plans r borrowing from their pension plans 2 fund their own pension contributions Feb 29, 2012

 

North Korea

 

• @LSilverspar You made me laugh, yes, all of these have impacts on us… but given their counterfeiting, some action should be taken $$ Feb 29, 2012
• @dpinsen And access of the Dear Leader to his favorite Scotch… hitting him where it hurts. 😉 $$ Feb 29, 2012
• @dpinsen Agree, bigtime. We got them to the bargaining table last time by cutting off their financial access to the rest of the world. $$ Feb 29, 2012
• Then once NK starts to counterfeit it, go back to new $50s & $100s; make their life tough. Feb 29, 2012
• How the U.S. Could Pressure North Korea Tomorrow: Quit the $100 Bill http://t.co/DkXUZsy7 This is worth doing, and create a $75 bill $$ Feb 29, 2012

 

Eurozone

 

• Greek PSI exchange summary – an offer you can’t refuse http://t.co/K4OUOqm3 Yes, we all voluntarily give up 70% of the value of r claims $$ Mar 03, 2012
• Greek Crisis May Test the Value of Swaps http://t.co/hG27iIak ISDA wimps out and does not declare a credit event; will destroy Sov CDS mkt Mar 03, 2012
• A Primer on the Euro Breakup http://t.co/OB2sdwzB Explains why the Euro will break up, at least at the fringe &y this should not surprise $$ Mar 02, 2012
• ECB Free Money May Carry a Cost http://t.co/g1bNl281 Makes governments relax & ignore structural problems, & banks arb the ECB $$ Mar 01, 2012
• ECB Allots ?529.5 Billion in Long-Term Refinancing Operation http://t.co/8o0OE7XO Higher than anticipated takeup of cheap funding $$ Feb 29, 2012
• More signs of Draghi’s “stabilization” http://t.co/zdFol9Vj euro area banks show material tightening conditions in the banking system $$ Feb 28, 2012
• On PIGS on Drugs http://t.co/VtOZYdwt European states owe ?12-15 billion to the pharma industry; they stop paying suppliers b4 cutting staff Feb 28, 2012
• http://t.co/wQYFVFWH “Amused – Italian banks figured it out. An hour before LTRO results, 5 Italian banks issued & bought their own bonds.” Feb 28, 2012
• Europe Gets Ready for Round 2 of Bank Loans http://t.co/N0rpX9O7 Heightening the dependence of stressed banks and govts on the ECB. $$ Feb 28, 2012
• You may want to hold off on buying that Italian villa http://t.co/EP92Zd4m 66.5% of agents report a fall in housing prices during 4Q $$ Feb 28, 2012
• @japhychron Can’t think of anyone, btw, there is a theory that a decent # of stressed banks used LTRO 2 buy in their own debt… $$ Feb 28, 2012
• LTRO programs’ impact on sovereign bond purchases by banks (past and present) http://t.co/ffbNfY3B Indirect way of financing fringe govts $$ Feb 28, 2012
• Mario Draghi reveals the Grand Plan http://t.co/Dal4wEDo & http://t.co/KNj9mhgx Good austerity results in freer mkts, more growth $$ Feb 28, 2012
• Merkel torn by conflicting pressures in Greek vote http://t.co/0iCZV4kQ Any other Firefox users noticing that Reuters pages format badly? $$ Feb 27, 2012
• @moorehn Good piece, I think many will benefit @soberlook has been writing some good stuff also http://t.co/tAlkFpXR & http://t.co/jcLBc04c Feb 24, 2012

 

China

 

• China?s Billionaire Lawmakers Make US Peers Look Like Paupers http://t.co/d2haqyDc China’s lawmakers r absolutely more wealthy than US peers Mar 01, 2012
• China May Double Rare Earth Exports as Demand Rebounds http://t.co/MaDQX4rc Quite a change from prior, makes u wonder why they change… $$ Mar 01, 2012
• Why China Will Have an Economic Crisis http://t.co/xn3W2Wxa This is getting very mainstream, makes me think I could be wrong. $$ Feb 29, 2012
• Fortress? Michael Novagratz on Lessons from OWS, and China http://t.co/yTSqXqYR Cronyism raises the odds of domestic violence in China $$ Feb 25, 2012
• Evil Overlords or Lucky Devils: The Men Who Rule Hong Kong http://t.co/BEqw7Z0Z Long but interesting, re the influential wealthy in HK $$ Feb 25, 2012

 

Credit

 

• Junk Isn?t http://t.co/olYEeOGe Spreads are down and investor interest is up; this is my biggest intermediate-term concern at present. $$ Mar 02, 2012
• Junk vs. Loans http://t.co/JbIHAFtt & http://t.co/tccF8pML Loan participation funds cheap compared 2 junk, but downside still there. Feb 29, 2012
• The rating agencies are the farm teams for credit analysts, in the same way that Value Line is for stock analysts.? A? http://t.co/Qfj1lYhu Feb 29, 2012

 

Upcoming Book of Josh Brown

 

• I invite you to read his website http://t.co/Qom9t2Zy .? He writes a lot of clever stuff there.? One of ? http://t.co/r34pi1pR Feb 29, 2012
• Confessions of a Reformed Stockbroker http://t.co/B4dkJ5XI Another preview article 4 @reformedbroker ‘s forthcoming book $$ Feb 29, 2012

 

Personal Investing

 

• Dividends Rise Again http://t.co/gT6AcZXq Their coffers bulging with cash, companies are increasing the once out-of-favor common dividend $$ Mar 03, 2012
• IRAs Get Sexier http://t.co/XVG5u56g All manner of illiquid assets can b crammed in2 an IRA if you have a friendly custodian $$ #beware Mar 03, 2012
• Treasury yields and credit spreads divergence is not sustainable http://t.co/LvfHNU4t Ordinary times credit spreads r inverse 2 Tsy yields Mar 02, 2012
• The Myth of Commodity Diversification http://t.co/ZoMhgv7M A defense of why gold is a true diversifier of portfolios versus commodities $$ Feb 29, 2012
• Conflict of All Conflicts http://t.co/RgZmO3nv from @reformedbroker I rarely get angry, but this one annoyed me; skewed incentives $$ Feb 29, 2012

 

Accounting rules (yes)

 

• Standard Setters Strain 2 Avert More Revenue-Recognition Angst http://t.co/jRlnmLPa Industry-specific revenue policies r better; reject IFRS Mar 03, 2012
• Another “Case” of Terrible Decisions Borne of Terrible Accounting Rules http://t.co/wb2PB5BF Don’t compromise on revenue recognition. $$ Feb 29, 2012
• Mark-to-Market Pensions Show Brutal Year http://t.co/NhwMePZG Some companies are biting the bullet and moving pension acctg to mark2mkt $$ Feb 25, 2012

 

Corporate News

 

• Natural Gas Renaissance Sparks Favorable Chemical Reaction http://t.co/G0QHxkVu Petrochemicals benefit from cheap fracking feedstock $$ Mar 02, 2012
• Apple Dividend May Return Part of $98B Cash http://t.co/FzFTTr2X If $AAPL can’t use all of its cash then give it to shareholders $$ Feb 29, 2012
• @PlanMaestro Operating profitability is poor, and given their business mix, their P/B is fair for a company with a 5% anticipated ROE. Feb 29, 2012
• @ToddSullivan Now if they can achieve a decent ROE, and not have weak reserving… I was wrong regarding Maiden Lane when I wrote about it. Feb 29, 2012
• CNA: A P&C Insurance Turnaround Story http://t.co/WRwhf5sV A fair analysis of $CNA, worthy for insurance investors 2 read. O, he cites me $$ Feb 29, 2012
• One thing that is not mentioned frequently is that shale gas production profiles tend to peak and decline rapidly. Th? http://t.co/flnQvRwt Feb 28, 2012
• ?Hope Phase? for Stocks May End in Tears Again http://t.co/z6Sbfu7n Markets anticipate sustained US growth & soft landing for China $$ Feb 28, 2012
• Confronting a Law Of Limits http://t.co/kIFgxwk8 How does $AAPL grow into its valuation? Especially where obsolescence moves rapidly? $$ Feb 25, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

• FDA Warns on Statins http://t.co/7K37iJVe Every drug has side effects, w/statins it may be diabetes. Be wary, & avoid all drugs if u can $$ Mar 01, 2012
• Seriously? Any reason to avoid it? RT @kasie: Days since Mitt Romney has taken questions from the national traveling press corps: 17. Feb 25, 2012
• Slavery should be an issue where liberals and conservatives could agree for policy, and maybe apply the Palantir technology 2 root it out $$ Feb 25, 2012
• Fishing as Slaves on the High Seas http://t.co/0Bakkir5 Another place where slavery still exists; sex trade, Dubai construction & more $$ Feb 25, 2012
• Why Doctors Die Differently http://t.co/e3rnOTz8 Careers in medicine taught them the limits of treatment & the need to plan for the end Feb 25, 2012
• ‘Japanese Madoff’ Flagged http://t.co/U7vgrOap Industry Newsletter Warned in 2009 About Firm’s ‘Unnaturally Stable Returns’ $$ #ponzi Feb 25, 2012
• Killer App http://t.co/kUT8X9Ji Have a bunch of Silicon Valley geeks at Palantir Technologies figured out how to stop terrorists? Palantir. Feb 25, 2012
• At 35, I was a devoted Husband and Dad of 5 children, with the oldest being 7 years old.? Nominally, I was the invest? http://t.co/AYUuRMsi Feb 25, 2012
• War with Iran:Would you go bankrupt for your country? http://t.co/d5rVA9Ww War does not stimulate the economy, contrary 2 popular belief $$ Feb 25, 2012

 

Economy

 

• Is Japan Doomed? http://t.co/qZev2jSA What? There’s a free lunch where the Govt can borrow indefinitely? NO! Cash flows about 2 shift b wary Mar 02, 2012
• Core inflation is once again above expectations http://t.co/uxjbXofE There is inflation coming; stagflation even; bad policy begins to bite Mar 02, 2012
• A Wake-Up Call for Japanese Watchdogs http://t.co/r1JMhnM2 Bigger than MF Global, smaller than Madoff; how do you say Ponzi in Japanese? Feb 28, 2012
• Oil denominated in EU currencies is at record highs; demand destruction likely http://t.co/KwWkFvJM Wonder where breaking point is? $$ Feb 28, 2012
• Gundlach warns U.S. stock market vulnerable http://t.co/g8hKrNSJ Investors concede rally almost over; still expect to earn coupon-> danger Feb 28, 2012
• Architecture Billings Index indicated expansion in January http://t.co/nZV1OCdw leading indicator 4 new Commercial Real Estate investment $$ Feb 28, 2012