Matt Padilla at the O.C. Registers interviews the CEO of a bank that recently acquired a failed bank: Profiting from an Irvine bank failure Note: This regards the failure of MetroPacific Bank in Irvine, California on June 26th (just over a week ago). Q. How did you learn a bank was going to ... Read more

Here are some green shoots ... property tax appeals are growing like weeds! From Jack Healy at the NY Times: Tax Bill Appeals Take Rising Toll on Governments Homeowners across the country are challenging their property tax bills in droves as the value of their homes drop, threatening local gover ... Read more

Looks like TheStreet has not missed a beat since giving Lenny the heave ho. Enter Ron Insana, fresh off his wildly successful stint as a fund of funds maven. This, from Michael Commeau. I’ve always viewed Ron as a pretty thoughtful and even-handed guy, so I was pretty baffled at what I ... Read more

From Don Lee at the LA Times: Another wave of foreclosures is poised to strike Just as the nation's housing market has begun showing signs of stabilizing, another wave of foreclosures is poised to strike, possibly as early as this summer, inflicting new punishment on families, communities and the ... Read more

This article provides a history of brokered deposits, and discusses the potential dangers, and the inability of regulators to limit the practice. From Eric Lipton and Andrew Martin at the NY Times: For Banks, Wads of Cash and Loads of Trouble [B]rokered deposits ... is one of the primary factors ... Read more

... Read the full post ... Read more

Loudon Wainwright III performs at Madison Square Park in NYC (June 17, 2009) "Fear Itself" Repeat: "The Krugman Blues" *No, I don't think the economy is in a depression ... ... Read the full post ... Read more

...or have I mentioned that before. :-) Of course, the multitudes are going by generic signposts erected by established and sanctioned experts. No wonder they were selling in March and agonizing whether to buy in June as hope drags its tired ass on and on, seemingly interminably. Yes, this bl ... Read more

Click on graph for larger image in new window. These are spot prices for Cushing WTI from the EIA ( source ). It is fun to look back ... I started speculating in March '08 about a sharp decline in oil prices in the 2nd half of 2008. And I posted many times in the late spring abo ... Read ... Read more

So now we know CNBC's formula for success. Dennis Kneale's comic stylings at night, followed by Amanda Drury's Australian Open blouse in the morning. And to think, you have all convinced me not to watch any more Bubblevision. Apparently she was on loan from CNBC Asia all week. As she was t ... Read more