From David Leonhardt at the NY Times: Broader Measure of Unemployment Stands at 17.5% Excerpts: Officially, the Labor Department’s broad measure of unemployment goes back only to 1994. But early this year, with the help of economists at the department, The New York Times created a version that ... Read more

From the FDIC: East West Bank, Pasadena, California Assumes All the Deposits of United Commercial Bank, San Francisco, California United Commercial Bank, San Francisco, California, was closed today by the California Department of Financial Institutions, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insuran ... Read more

Note: This was before the FDIC seized four banks today. This is an unofficial list of Problem Banks. Changes and comments from surferdude808: The steady climb in members on the Unofficial Problem Bank list continued this week despite the failure of the multi-bank holding company FBOP Corporat ... Read more

Whats a "Prosperan"? A breakfast food, car or band? Answer: money pit Looming Gateway Arch Symbol of pioneer spirit Their bank now a ghost. by Soylent Green is People From the FDIC : Alerus Financial, National Association, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Assumes All of the Deposits of Pro ... Re ... Read more

Motor City crash. Home Federal has spun out. Bagholders totaled by Soylent Green is People From the FDIC: Liberty Bank and Trust Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, Assumes All of the Deposits of Home Federal Savings Bank, Detroit, Michigan Home Federal Savings Bank, Detroit, Michigan, was clo ... Read more

United Security Bank, Sparta, Georgia, was closed by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which appointed the FDIC as receiver. The two branches of United Security Bank will reopen during their normal business hours as branches of Ameris Bank. According to the FDIC as of September 14, 2009 ... Read more

It looks more and more like people will not be traveling or shopping this holiday season. The Federal Reserve released its monthly consumer credit report which showed activity decrease at an annual rate of 6 percent in the third quarter of 2009. Total US consumer credit fell $14.8 billlion in Sept ... Read more

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) has just reported its Q3-2009 earnings ahead of the formal expectations.  This will be perhaps one of the last similar earnings reports with a relative comparisons because of its recent acquisition of Burlington Norther Santa Fe (NYSE: BN ... Read more

"Feds!... Come and Take Them" United Security Sparta Bank is dead. by Soylent Green is People From the FDIC : Ameris Bank, Moultrie, Georgia, Assumes All of the Deposits of United Security Bank, Sparta, Georgia United Security Bank, Sparta, Georgia, was closed today by the Georgia Departmen ... Read more

The small cap Russell 2000 ($RUT) is not bullish. Nuh uh. Here's the chart, updating along since originally shown. It recovered back into the wedge and then pooped out of it again. MACD bearish divergence and below zero. No, me no like. A good weekend to you. I have got a newsletter to write, s ... Read more