Banks Cheat, Taxpayers Lose

The Article: How Banks Cheat Taxpayers by Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone.

The Text: A good friend of mine sent me a link to a small story last week, something that deserves a little attention, post-factum.

The Bloomberg piece is about J.P. Morgan Chase winning a bid to be the lead underwriter on a $400 million bond issue by the state of Massachusetts. Chase was up against Merrill for the bid and won the race with an offer of a 2.57% interest rate, beating Merrill’s bid of 2.79. The difference in the bid saved the state of Massachusetts $880,000.

Afterward, Massachusetts state treasurer Steven Grossman breezily played up the benefits of a competitive bid. “There’s always a certain amount of competition going on out there,” Grossman said in a telephone interview yesterday. “That’s good. We like competition.”

Well … so what, right? Two banks fight over the right to be the government’s underwriter, one submits a more competitive bid, the taxpayer saves money, and everyone wins. That’s the way it ought to be, correct?

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There’s A Madness In Us All

So American by Portugal The Man off of In The Mountain In The Cloud.

Watching Unemployment Rates

200,000 jobs were added to the economy in December. Here’s a look at the oscillating unemployment rates coded by the residing president’s party affiliation starting in 1989. Interesting patterns.

Aww-cupy Dog

Yes, protesting actually can be cute. But only if you’re a canine.

Fur is one of the most prominent physical features of a dog. So, it’s not surprising that so many pet owners worry about making their little friends look beautiful. Are you one of them? Then you’re in luck because we’re going to give you some tips on making your dog’s fur look wonderful.

No one likes to see their pet fur shedding, although it’s very common. According to recent surveys, that’s one of the main reasons why people take their dog to the vet. That’s because shedding at abnormal times or too excessively could be a sign of a health problem. Your dog’s food should always be good quality. A good diet isn’t based on quantity but on quality. Buy food with the necessary nutrients and vitamins that will make your dog’s fur healthy and beautiful.

Just like our hair, our dog’s fur needs essential vitamins and minerals. You don’t need to give them pills. Just talk to your veterinarian and ask him/her to help you choose a diet rich in minerals that favors healthy, shiny hair. As an extra tip check this cbd dog shampoo which can nourish your pets hair.

When taking care of where they sleep, Wash it often to keep parasites and mites away. Be careful not to use blankets or cloths with synthetic components, because those can cause pet allergies in some cases. Dogs are so cute to us because they have all of the characteristics of kinderschema. They have rounded heads, which are usually large in comparison to their body size. Dogs also have very big, round, forward facing eyes that you can get lost in, along with big, rounded ears that are either pointed or floppy.

Beyonce’s Baby, Gingrich, And Santorum?

Playing off of the basketball gaffe, here’s a meme of Gingrich proving his irrelevance once again!