en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/293031 Comments by faruq http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/michael-smith-the-new-white-house-decorator-and-john-thains-bill/#IDComment14266215 this is cute: Obama made an apparent allusion to reports that former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain spent over $1 million renovating his office after he was hired as an executive at Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500), to which he sold Merrill late last year. He cited reports about companies &quot;going out and renovating bathrooms or offices&quot; and &quot;the lack of accountability and transparency in how we are managing some of these programs to stabilize the financial system.&quot; <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/23/news/economy/obama_economic_plan/index.htm?postversion=2009012311" target="_blank">http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/23/news/economy/obam...</a> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:34:16 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/michael-smith-the-new-white-house-decorator-and-john-thains-bill/#IDComment14266215 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/fun-with-google-trends-or-who-is-into-suicide-methods/#IDComment14231894 btw, Boston results for many terms searched could be skewed by students and academics writing their these and research papers. Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:05:10 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/fun-with-google-trends-or-who-is-into-suicide-methods/#IDComment14231894 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/fun-with-google-trends-or-who-is-into-suicide-methods/#IDComment14231864 <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/about.html#10" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/about.html#1...</a> Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:02:00 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/fun-with-google-trends-or-who-is-into-suicide-methods/#IDComment14231864 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14010112 yes and the new King should declare financial amnesty to all. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:17:39 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14010112 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14010004 Bear Sterns was acquired by JPM only with the federal guarantees as a part of that deal. as a matter of fact the Fed has already absorbed some of the losses. we do know that unlike JPM and Bear Sterns there were no explicit and legal guarantees. anyhow, you are absolutely right. it is interesting that Goldman Sachs people took over the country for a while. Paulson got to decide who lives and who dies, who by water and who by fire. tomorrow will be an interesting day. BofA moved its earnings announcement Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:09:37 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14010004 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009744 but your point is well taken, of course. i can&#039;t find it now but i remember how Lewis was explaining the lack of serious due diligence by saying something about how well he knew MER and its people. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:53:11 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009744 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009658 there were no original guarantees. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:47:15 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009658 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009562 whatever they got before in October was not connected to the acquisition of MER. when the deal was done there was no TARP funds at all. the money he is asking now was promised to him in December before the closing on Jan 1, according to the reports. and it could be that he is really after the federal guarantees similar to JPM and Bear Sterns. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:41:59 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009562 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009351 1. unfortunately, the value of their financial advice is all too clear from very real losses many investors are suffering right now. 2. small correction: BofA bought MER on January 1. According to the reports, Lewis blackmailed the Treasury in December that he will walk away from the deal unless he gets cash and guarantees. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:28:45 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/merrill-lynch-and-bank-of-america-ask-america-for-more-money/#IDComment14009351 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13966859 well, of course he will end up in jail. i meant how comfortably he was let to arrange his bail etc. compare this to a young black guy stealing a pair of $30 sneakers. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:33:52 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13966859 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13965512 you want to talk injustice, talk about Madoff not having to spend even a moment in jail!!! Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:54:44 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13965512 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13965434 yes! instead of baling banks out, the government should have grand show trials prosecuting bankers. i am sure the incoming Obama administration could find a talented Vyshinsky to stage a grandiose trial. then sentence Rubin and Lewis to death, give 25 years to other bank CEOs and publicly execute them on January 20. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:51:20 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/the-chasidic-court-of-bernard-madoff/#IDComment13965434 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/#IDComment13657585 what do you do when your only (only!) reference to Nizhinsky is from the Auden&#039;s poem? Tue, 6 Jan 2009 06:19:05 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/are-we-human-or-are-we-dancer/#IDComment13657585 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13654330 a yid from Franzensbad is my favorite! Tue, 6 Jan 2009 03:04:18 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13654330 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13654274 you meant Rashab of course. aren&#039;t these cups for &quot;vasser&quot; to drink? Tue, 6 Jan 2009 02:59:39 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13654274 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13653870 incredible. i think all of the postcards are older then 1930s. some of them are dated 1900, 1904, 1905, 1919. Tue, 6 Jan 2009 02:25:44 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2009/01/from-flickr-gruss-aus-marienbad/#IDComment13653870 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13420304 the informality of the inscription is beautiful Thu, 1 Jan 2009 07:19:04 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13420304 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13418937 again you on the money. שימני כחותם על לבך כחותם על זרועך Thu, 1 Jan 2009 07:10:13 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13418937 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13394222 it looks like a perfect mezuzah parchment Thu, 1 Jan 2009 04:43:06 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/tattoo-of-the-year/#IDComment13394222 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/%d7%a9%d7%a0%d7%94-%d7%98%d7%95%d7%91%d7%94/#IDComment13388620 nice to have you back. thank you. happy new year. תכלה שנה וקללותיה Thu, 1 Jan 2009 04:11:05 +0000 http://horizontalplane.com/2008/12/%d7%a9%d7%a0%d7%94-%d7%98%d7%95%d7%91%d7%94/#IDComment13388620