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The "Always a Bridesmaid" List of Software Companies

Here’s a cliché I’ve heard just about enough of: So-and-so analyst/commentator “expects a wave of software consolidation to begin.“ Barron’s Eric Savitz discussed Citigroup analyst Brent Thill‘s latest consolidation prediction this week and I was really embarrassed for all involved.  It’s almost amazing how many times this list has been regurgitated over the years. Here…

Obama's New Regulations

Here comes the heavy hand… At 12:50 pm today, The Street will get the news from the horses mouth as President Obama unveils some details on his new plans to regulate he financial industry. He’s already set the table, having released an 85 page document underlining the goals of this new spate of regulatory reform….

OK, So Where's That Crime Uptick?

Remember back in the September ’08 to March ’09 period when every day you’d read stories about people stocking up on safes and guns?    There were stories about police forces in major cities drilling to be ready for mass unrest. The prevailing wisdom was that as the recession built in intensity and joblessness trended toward 10%,…

Market Recap: Dollar Does the Warrior's Dance

  [vodpod id=Groupvideo.2726984&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] The Reformed Broker, AKA the Firestarter, here with today’s Market Recap… Let me get this straight…a Russian minister makes an offhand comment about how the US Dollar probably won’t lose it’s reserve currency status anytime soon and the entire market nosedives?  I guess we really are being led around by the commodities…it hadn’t…

The Avon Lady Army Advances

Is direct selling the solution for cash-strapped households looking to bring in some extra green? According to the AP, Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics etc. are seeing a swelling of their sales forces of late from part-timers trying to make ends meet. From AP: Armies of new Avon ladies, Mary Kay reps and Tupperware sellers…

TrimTabs: Bond Funds Over Stock Funds

Investment Flows While bond funds posted an estimated inflow of $16.1 billion on the first nine trading days of June, all equity funds posted an estimated outflow of $2.1 billion. Source: TrimTabs.com According to the TrimTabs Weekly Liquidity Report, investors continue to favor bond funds over equity funds with $16.1 billion headed to fixed income…

NY Post: Hedge Fund Turnaround Cheat Sheet

Your average passively-managed 401k account probably saw anywhere from 20 to 40% returns since February and is most likely flat to modestly positive on the year.  People close to retirement are not throwing a parade just yet, but still, things have obviously gotten…umm…less grim. How have the Masters of the Universe done, though? The New…

Cam'ron's "I Hate My Job" – The Hip Hop Recession Anthem

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.2728662&w=425&h=350&fv=] The Hip Hop genre of music is known for many of it’s more negative idiosyncrasies, but one of it’s more positive aspects is how aspirational the artists are.  The top MCs in the game have historically been those who’ve emphasized their hustle. Hip Hop music has basically become the official soundtrack for those…

Dodd-Watch: Peter Schiff Needs to Commit for CT's Sake

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.2723133&w=425&h=350&fv=autoplay%3Dfalse] Gail Collins wrote a balanced watered-down Op-Ed in the New York Times yesterday about how busy Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd‘s been over the last year, sponsoring basically every bill that comes before the Senate.  Yes, you always want to look busy in the workplace to cover up ineptitude. Collins works in Dodd’s incredibly…