Archive for February, 2010
Commercial Mortgage Default Rate in U.S. More Than Doubles
February 25th, 2010Via: Bloomberg: The default rate for commercial property mortgages held by U.S. banks more than doubled in the fourth quarter and may reach a peak of 5.4 percent at the end of next year, according to Real Capital Analytics Inc. The default rate for loans on office, retail, hotel and industrial properties surged to 3.8 […]
Cryptome Forced Down Over Microsoft Law Enforcement Surveillance Compliance Document
February 25th, 2010Update: Microsoft Withdraws DMCA Complaint Against Cryptome Via: cryptome.org: Subject: DN: www.cryptome.org; Registrar: Network Solutions; Host: Network Solutions – Demand for Immediate Take Down – Notice of Infringing Activity – MS Ref. 304277 Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:22:59 -0500 From: “DMCA” To: “John Young” We would like to notify you that Microsoft has contacted […]
The Fourth Amendment is Gone. “Welcome to the fish bowl.”
February 25th, 2010Via: Reason: Last week the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied an en banc rehearing of the case United States v. Lemus, which dealt with a warrantless police search of a suspect’s home after he was arrested outside of it. As a result of the 9th Circuit’s denial, the search will stand, which has left […]
Please Rob Me
February 25th, 2010Via: New Zealand Herald: As more people reveal their whereabouts on social networks, a new site has sprung up to remind you that letting everyone know where you are – and, by extension, where you’re not – could leave you vulnerable to those with less-than-friendly intentions. The site’s name says it all: Please Rob Me. […]
Fur Really Flying Over Latest Telecom XT Outage
February 25th, 2010UPDATE: NOW EMERGENCY SYSTEM FAILS IN AUCKLAND Put a fork in it. Via: New Zealand Herald: Emergency services are experiencing difficulties with the 111 system, with some callers unable to reach police. Police said the problem appeared to be confined to the Auckland area, and Telecom was working on the problem. National Radio reported the […]
Nationwide Strike Paralyzes Greece
February 24th, 2010Via: Wall Street Journal: Tens of thousands of Greeks took to the streets Wednesday as much of the country went on a 24-hour strike against government austerity measures. A small group of youths threw Molotov cocktails at police, who responded with tear gas. However, the 20,000 people who filed through downtown Athens—a relatively large crowd […]
Secret AIG Document Shows Goldman Sachs Minted Most Toxic CDOs
February 24th, 2010In an e-mail message to select clients, Thomas C. Mazarakis, the head of Goldman’s fundamental strategies group, acknowledged that his unit often provided investment ideas that the firm had already traded on. Sometimes Goldman has even taken the opposite approach, betting against particular instruments that the group has recommended. “We may trade, and may have […]
Citigroup Warns Customers It May Refuse To Allow Withdrawals
February 24th, 2010Via: Business Insider: The image of banks locking their doors to keep customers from making withdrawals during a bank run is what immediately came to mind when we heard that Citigroup was telling customers it has the right to prevent any withdrawals from checking accounts for seven days. “Effective April 1, 2010, we reserve the […]
Oil Spill Reaches Italy’s River Po After ‘Sabotage’
February 24th, 2010Via: BBC: An oil spill has reached Italy’s River Po after the suspected sabotage of a former refinery led to large amounts of oil pouring into a tributary. The spill began early on Tuesday when someone broke into the plant near Monza, now an oil depot, and opened the taps, Italian news reports said. They […]
The Future Where Soda Cans Have Screens
February 24th, 2010My ability to grasp what many people consider to be “normal” is slipping away, a little bit each day. I wonder if this is how my dad felt when, over a decade ago, I explained to him that I didn’t always need to go to the office in order to do my work. My dad […]
