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14 Jan 2009 09:31

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Biz: Citi wants to play “good bank, bad bank”

  • The good bank. After years of attempting to be a “financial supermarket,” Citi’s looking to move back to its old ways. On Jan. 22, the corporation plans to shed its current approach and slim up. They will focus primarily on corporate, investment and retail banking. The company recently agreed to merge its Smith Barney brokerage with Morgan Stanley.
  • The good bank. After years of attempting to be a “financial supermarket,” Citi’s looking to move back to its old ways. On Jan. 22, the corporation plans to shed its current approach and slim up. They will focus primarily on corporate, investment and retail banking. The company recently agreed to merge its Smith Barney brokerage with Morgan Stanley.
  • The bad bank. Nearly one-third of Citi’s assets, or $600 billion, would be separated from the rest of the company, to eventually be sold off. By segregating the bad assets, the company could find itself on stronger ground in the long run, some analysts say. Citi was one of the recipients of some federal bailout money. They got $25 billion in October and another $20 billion in November.

14 Jan 2009 09:09

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U.S.: A fugitive investor story’s cinematic end

  • He muttered “Die” before he was caught. Marcus Schrenker, the daredevil amateur pilot on the run from the law for sketchy business practices, was caught last night. He was bleeding from his wrist and barely conscious. Schrenker attempted to fake his own death in a plane crash on Sunday, then sped off on a motorbike. source

14 Jan 2009 08:57

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Offbeat: In her text-scrawled words, how she did it

  • Uhm i’m not sure really. In june i had cheer camp so like alot of my friends had texted me. And when i wasn’t at camp i’d text my friends and girls on my team. i don’t like talking on the phone so i’d prefer texting people.
  • Emilee Cox • in a text message about her texting habits • source

14 Jan 2009 08:54

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Offbeat: This teenage girl is 2.5x the texting addict of the other one

13 Jan 2009 19:20

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Offbeat, Tech: To anyone who ever claims that Twitter is useless …

… don’t hate until you’ve seen this washer tweet when a load’s ready. source

13 Jan 2009 17:59

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U.S.: Hillary Clinton on how she’d handle diplomacy

  • America cannot solve the most pressing problems on our own, and the world cannot solve them without America.
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton • going up against the Senate in confirmation hearings to become Secretary of State • source

13 Jan 2009 17:01

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Offbeat: Laid off? This dream job would be a good rebound

  • Island living, nice salary … … ever wanted to live by the ocean, spend your days snorkeling, feeding fish, delivering a little mail and scuba diving? Look no further than the job being offered by the state of Queensland, Australia. They created the job as an antidote to the economic slump, because they’re awesome. source
  • Island living, nice salary … … ever wanted to live by the ocean, spend your days snorkeling, feeding fish, delivering a little mail and scuba diving? Look no further than the job being offered by the state of Queensland, Australia. They created the job as an antidote to the economic slump, because they’re awesome.
  • The requirements? Cake. The job, which last six months, pays $150,000 Australian dollars and accommodation in a luxury house, is open to anyone with a passion for the Great Barrier Reef. All you have to do is send a video application and beat out the hundreds of other people assuredly applying. Good luck. source
 

13 Jan 2009 16:46

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Tech: The skinny on the new Toyota Prius

  • 50 mpg The mileage on the third-generation model of the hybrid. That’s 4 mpg more than the last one. source

13 Jan 2009 15:31

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U.S.: Minnesota and Wisconsin have started dating

The two states will split the bill when it comes to essentials. Like, you know, dinner. source

13 Jan 2009 15:13

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U.S.: Bailing out of a plane to bail out of a heap of trouble

  • What happened? Authorities say that Marcus Schrenker, a 38-year-old money manager wanted on financial fraud charges, attempted to fake his own death on Sunday by crashing the plane he was flying in Florida, while parachuting out safely in Alabama. source
  • What happened? Authorities say that Marcus Schrenker, a 38-year-old money manager wanted on financial fraud charges, attempted to fake his own death on Sunday by crashing the plane he was flying in Florida, while parachuting out safely in Alabama.
  • Cinematic getaway? Schrenker, when plotting his escape, hid a red motorbike in a shed near the point where he jumped out of the plane. The bike is gone, and his clothes were left behind. “He could be anywhere at all,” said Huntsville, Ala. Police Chief David Latimer. “Within 10 hours he could be in New Orleans, halfway to Houston, in Atlanta, anywhere.” source
  • What happened? Authorities say that Marcus Schrenker, a 38-year-old money manager wanted on financial fraud charges, attempted to fake his own death on Sunday by crashing the plane he was flying in Florida, while parachuting out safely in Alabama.
  • Cinematic getaway? Schrenker, when plotting his escape, hid a red motorbike in a shed near the point where he jumped out of the plane. The bike is gone, and his clothes were left behind. “He could be anywhere at all,” said Huntsville, Ala. Police Chief David Latimer. “Within 10 hours he could be in New Orleans, halfway to Houston, in Atlanta, anywhere.”
  • A high-flying lifestyle Schrenker, an investment manager who lived on the edge as an experienced pilot who was unafraid to pull off impressive stunts, saw his shady business dealings catching up with him. He faces charges in Indiana and his company recently lost a judgment in Maryland. He also faces charges for the plane crash. source