Friday, October 23, 2009

SPB News for Friday



Allison: TARP Needs 'New Direction' As Markets Stabilize

Pay Czar Feinberg To Testify To House Panel On Oct. 28

Obama On Exec Pay Cuts: Bonuses 'Offend Our Values'
"We don't disparage wealth," Obama said. "But it does offend our values" when executives "pay themselves huge bonuses even as they continue to rely on taxpayer assistance."

New consumer agency approved
House Financial Services Committee passes key measure, 39-29.
Franken's Anti-Rape Amendment May Be Stripped By Senior Dem, Sources Say — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — An amendment that would prevent the government from working with contractors who denied victims of assault the right to bring their case to court is in danger of being watered …

Hate crimes bill passes Senate
Bill extends hate crimes protection to cover sexual orientation.

BofA CEO 'misled feds'CEO Lewis 'misled officials when he asked them to cough up $20 billion.'

Court Rules FBI Can Continue to Silence National Security Letter Recipient --Internet Service Provider Still Can't Speak About Secret FBI Demand For Records Issued More Than Five Years Ago A federal court today ruled that the government can continue to enforce a five-year-old gag order on an Internet service provider (ISP) that the FBI served with a national security letter (NSL) many years ago. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the ISP. Under a Patriot Act provision, the FBI can use NSLs to demand personal records about innocent customers from ISPs, financial institutions and credit companies without prior judicial approval, and then bar NSL recipients from disclosing anything about the record demand.

'U.S. to stand by Israel in the fight against Goldstone report' President Peres on Wednesday harshly condemned the Goldstone report and told the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Susan Rice that, "It is outrageous that a respected institution like the United Nations provides a platform to spread lies and stories about Israel." [!?!] The Goldstone report accuses Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian militants of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during their Dec. 27-Jan. 18 conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Kimberly-Clark Profits From Swine Flu Swine flu is the economic gift that keeps on giving. In today's iteration of that phenomenon, face masks to guard against swine flu helped boost Kimberly-Clark's third-quarter profit 41%. Coupled with cost cuts, higher prices and lower commodity and energy costs, Kimberly-Clark raised its full-year forecast. During the quarter, the maker of Kleenex tissues earned $582 million, or $1.40 a share, compared with $413 million, or 99 cents, in the year-ago period.

Public must learn to 'tolerate the inequality' of bonuses, says Goldman Sachs vice-chairman --Goldman Sachs is currently on track to pay the biggest ever bonuses to its 31,700 employees after raking in profits at a rate of $35m (£21m) a day. One of the City's leading figures has suggested that inequality created by bankers' huge salaries is a price worth paying for greater prosperity. In remarks that will fuel the row around excessive pay, Lord Griffiths, vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs International and a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, said banks should not be ashamed of rewarding their staff. Speaking to an audience at St Paul's Cathedral in London about morality in the marketplace last night, Griffiths said the British public should "tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity for all".

No comments: