In a 2,200-page report released yesterday , a court examiner said that Lehman Bros.’ former CEO Dick Fuld, three CFOs, and auditor may be held liable for certain aspects of the company’s collapse, thanks to some artistic accounting. MarketWatch sums up the report’s most important findings: The report cited a practice known internally as “Repo 105,” in which Lehman allegedly used repurchase agreements — the... 

A stranger in an airplane sparked a conversation with me the other day. Rather than the usual awkward seatmate dialogue, we ended up having a good conversation. He told me about his time in Iraq and playing craps in Vegas. I told him about my visit to Laos, where he would be stationed next. Although our half-hour exchange may have felt like little more than a way to pass time, we were actually discovering connections, …  Read More →

Bank of America recently experienced a home seizure FAIL. The bank ransacked a woman’s home, padlocked her doors shut, and seized her parrot–by accident . The bank accidentally foreclosed on her home, even though her mortgage payments were up to date. She is rightfully suing them. ABCNews has the story : Angela Iannelli returned home one day in October to find her house ransacked, doors padlocked and pet parrot Luke gone. But it... 

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Bank of America has become the first financial institution to stop overdrafts , not just overdraft fees, from debit cards. That means that the bank won’t let you withdraw more money than you have in your debit-linked bank account. The card simply won’t work. From the AP : It’s a step that may become a common move ahead of new regulations limiting overdraft fees. Rules set by the Federal Reserve that will ban banks from charging... 

Image: Educate-yourself.org Seven US states are investigating market abuse by seed giant Monsanto. Attorneys general in Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Iowa, Illinois, and two more states are investigating Monsanto’s competitive practices. The US Justice Department is also investigating marketing at Monsanto. Bloomberg has more on Monsanto’s brewing storm: Monsanto rose to dominance via its genetically engineered Roundup Ready seed line,... 

Google opened the Google Apps Marketplace , where businesses can install and purchase a variety of apps, last night. The beauty of the Google Apps Marketplace (not to be confused with the Andriod store) is that all apps integrate with the Google’s sign-on and universal navigation. Lifehacker has more : …the Apps Marketplace brings an entirely new set of potentially useful tools to your Google Apps account—everything from accounting... 

This is a guest post by Stella Fayman of TransFS.com . Accepting credit cards is critical for most businesses. For many, it is the most important financial service. Unfortunately, most business owners pay much more than they should for the service. According The Merchant-Acquiring Side of the Payment Card Industry: Structure, Operations and Challenges (a Federal Reserve publication), businesses with less than $1M in credit card receipts per... 

What narcotic cocktail would it take for you to recognize this baby as yourself? Actress Lindsay Lohan is suing E-Trade after recognizing herself in one of the company’s baby ads. The ad features a baby named Lindsay who steals boyfriends and is a known “milkaholic.” Lohan’s lawyer claims E-Trade used the actress’s “name and characterization” for business use without approval, according to the New York... 

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Today is International Women’s Day , an annual day that honors women around the world. To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re offering one reader a brand new HP iPAQ Glisten smartphone for leaving a comment. Here’s what the iPAQ Glisten has to offer : * The HP iPAQ Glisten is a stylish, 3G smartphone designed for on-the-go professionals who need to stay connected to the people and information they care about. *... 

José “Pepe” Fanjul, who co-owns the Flo-Sun and the Fanjul conglomerate , was robbed at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills hotel during their Oscar-week visit. A man posing as a hotel employee stole jewelry and other valuables from the billionaire and his wife. The New York Post has the story : The Cuban-born sugar baron — one of the world’s richest men — and his wife, Emilia, were robbed by a man posing as a hotel... 

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What does your average workday look like? If waking up and falling asleep rim a day full of commuting, working, and TV, watch out. You just might be a zombie. At least that’s what Robert Pagliarini would call you, in a most endearing and well-meaning way possible. Pagliarini, a CFA, entrepreneur and author, wants you to stop frittering away your life on mindless tasks. He encourages you to streamline and harness those precious eight hours... 

The US Food and Drug Administration has told 17 food manufacturers to remove misleading labels from their products–or risk having those products pulled from shelves. ABC has more : The FDA said Wednesday that its commissioner, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, had sent letters to each company in question Feb. 22, along with an open letter to the food manufacturing industry demanding they take action against “false or misleading” labels....