naked capitalism

Dear readers, I really did go looking for material, but I didn’t find anything that got my juices going enough to be post-worthy. Apologies.

Fresh hope for world’s fisheries BBC

World’s first computer may be even older than thought Short Sharp Science

Barclays and the monoline minuet FT Alphaville (hat tip Richard S)

Compensation Committees To Be More Like Audit Committees: Okie-Dokie Francine McKenna

China’s corporate world ruled by princes Elite Chinese Politics and Political Economy (hat tip reader Paul S)

Marc Faber: China’s numbers are fake Ed Harrison

Wall Street Analysts Keep Telling Big Earnings Lie David Pauly Bloomberg

The (almost) dollar crisis of 2007 … Brad Setser

Letter to the Queen: Why No One Predicted the Crisis Thomas Palley

Fiscal Policy and Banking Sector Repair Synergies Menzie Chinn

After Rescue, New Weakness Seen at A.I.G. New York Times. The fact set in the article is uglier than the headline.

GSEs Unlikely to Repay U.S. in Full Wall Street Journal (hat tip reader DoctoRx) Quelle surprise!

Billions in Lehman Claims Could Bury an Elusive Insurer New York Times

Bank Bonus Tab: $33 Billion Wall Street Journal

Japan logs record deflation as demand slides Financial Times

Rudd’s essay is on the money Steve Keen (hat tip reader Don B). Today’s must read. On how much we need to delever, and how long it will probably take. The example is Australia, but the implications are pretty sobering for the US. The US private debt to GDP ratio is higher than the level shown for Oz. Makes this humble blogger look like a raging bull.

Antidote du jour (hat tip reader Matthew E):

A wildfire in Santa Barbara, California last month helped forge some unlikely bonds. Rescued from the Jesusita Fire, a 3-week old bobcat kitten and 3 day old fawn became fast friends. The animal rescue in California brought predator and prey together. But these babies simply took comfort in each other’s company, snuggling under a desk at a dispatch office for hours.

The bobcat and fawn would not normally be placed together, due to regulations, but the rescuers had no choice. They snagged the bobcat kitten first, finding it dehydrated and near death. Later, they brought in the fawn and discovered they didn’t have a crate large enough for it. No matter – the kitten ran right over to the fawn, and the two became fast friends.

The organizations that rescued these and other animals in the fire are struggling:

All of these Santa Barbara area animal rescue organizations have put out a national plea for donations because of the overwhelming need for animal food, medicines, and space to house displaced animals. ART currently leases a 1.5-acre plot of land that houses rescued animals in enclosures on the property, which require around-the-clock care, and the organization is desperate to purchase the land. The morning after Di Sieno – along with an insanely cute bobcat cub and fawn photo – appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show – the landowner decided he needed to sell it and she’s concerned for the future of the animals she and her fellow workers just rescued. The WCN also seeks funds for their Oiled and Injured Seabird Rehab Center, and receive no City, State or federal funding. One of their volunteers, Nancy Callahan, runs W.I.L.D.E. Services which focuses on raccoons and opossums, had her home and facility burnt to the ground and must start over from scratch. After rehabilitation, the groups reintroduce rescued animals to the wild.

If you’d like to assist to the tireless dedication of volunteer efforts of the Animal Rescue Team, and the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, please click on the one of the links and make a donation. Every little bit helps.