Archive for February, 2009
Notes From My Washington Trip
By David Feldman at 12 February, 2009, 2:36 pm
I just got back from my first visit to Washington since the Inauguration. I met with clients, regulators and one good old friend. Pushing as always to see if we can’t get any movement on the “evergreen” requirement in 144(i) and other issues. In any event, clearly, change has come. At least to our nation’s [...]
Read More >>And the Madoffs Continue to Impress
By David Feldman at 11 February, 2009, 12:58 pm
Both my parents graduated from Far Rockaway High School in Queens, NY back in the 1940s. So did Bernie Madoff and his wife, Ruth, who met there and were a few years apart, though they graduated a bit later in the 1950s.
If you go to the NYC schools website regarding FRHS, they list famous alumni: [...]
Economy Drives Manufacturers To Go Lean
By David Feldman at 10 February, 2009, 4:17 am
Today’s manufacturing leaders and plant managers are looking to extend the performance of their production assets, just as consumers are waiting another year to buy a new car or washing machine. A majority say they would outsource non-core functions, specifically, the maintenance of their production machinery and assets, in order to bolster against recession, according to a survey by Advanced Technology Services and Nielsen.
Read More >>But Wait…There’s More! (Stimulus that is..)
By David Feldman at 7 February, 2009, 8:18 am
We’ve all seen the informercials. America will buy just about anything for $19.99. And just when you think you are being offered the greatest thing ever, comes the famous line, “But wait, there’s more!” If you order in the next 20 minutes we’ll double your order, or offer free shipping, or throw in a free Ginsu knife.
Most [...]
A Possible Bright Spot for ‘09?
By David Feldman at 6 February, 2009, 2:50 pm
Despite the historically bad economic conditions in the United States and around the world, one bright spot for 2009 is the business of barter. In 2008, it was estimated that in North America alone roughly 250,000 companies conducted barter transactions worth over $16 billion. Most North American barter companies are reporting recent increases between 15 and 35 percent in transactions; the trend is expected to continue through 2009.
Read More >>On a lighter note…
By David Feldman at 5 February, 2009, 5:01 am
Every time I now see someone (in this case men) walking through Grand Central Station going to or from work in a baseball cap, I think, oh that reminds me of the shots of Mr. Madoff leaving his apartment before his house arrest began. Men: here’s a fashion tip. Thanks to Bernie, the baseball cap [...]
Read More >>Ms. Schapiro - Please Step Up on Madoff
By David Feldman at 4 February, 2009, 11:25 am
Several senior SEC staff members took to Capitol Hill today to talk about Bernard Madoff. Thanks to my friends at Securities Mosaic you can read the testimony at http://www.knowledgemosaic.com/gateway/Rules/TE.ts020409-joint.020409.htm.
In December, then SEC Chair Christopher Cox was very blunt, saying, “The Commission has learned that credible and specific allegations regarding Mr. Madoff’s financial wrongdoing, going back [...]
Reverse Merger Tip of the Week: Watch Out for “Hurry, Don’t Worry”
By David Feldman at 3 February, 2009, 4:16 am
In some cases, private companies and their investment bankers face tremendous pressure from a shell operator to complete a deal quickly. “We have someone else ready to take it,” he says, “Hurry up, don’t worry about due diligence, everything is fine, if you don’t take this by tomorrow you lose it.”
Read More >>Year-over-Year Drop Continues for Online Ad Prices
By David Feldman at 2 February, 2009, 5:05 am
It appears that the online advertising industry may not be as ‘recession proof’ as hoped for by industry experts. This past week, PubMatic, an ad revenue optimization company that works with over 5,500 online publishers, unveiled the PubMatic AdPrice Index for Q4 2008, a quarterly industry-wide measure of online ad network pricing for publishers.
Read More >>
