Category Archives: News and Events

The Barometer became an independent years ago because there was not a dead-cat-swing’s worth of difference between the two political parties in the United States.  Lest animal rights readers take offense, the Barometer has never swung a cat, dead or … Continue reading →

Dr. Tali Sharot, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University College of London, as reported by Melissa Dahl in New York Magazine. The Barometer would not know an amygdala from an insula, although if memory serves, there was an Amy Gdala … Continue reading →

Former Pennsylvania Attorney General, Kathleen Kane at her sentencing hearing, asking the judge to consider her teenage sons.  Her 15-year-old son, Chris, testified on her behalf, “My mom is like my rock.  We just know we can’t lose our mom.”  … Continue reading →

Wells Fargo Head of community banking  on the bank’s plan to restore trust.  Do you think so?  Where was Ms. Mack, during her 32 years at the bank, when the incentives were put in place? Also, she may have to adjust … Continue reading →

Former Wells Fargo employee on how he and others worked to target the least resistant, i.e, college students with their first accounts, the elderly who could not remember, Mexican immigrants who could speak little English, and small business owners with … Continue reading →

Mr. Fishman passed away — Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Mr. Fishman eschewed mortgage-backed securities as an investment vehicle for Travelers. His quote, “You just weren’t being paid enough to take that risk.” Travelers escaped the crunch as well as the AIG … Continue reading →

The Clinton Foundation is a fascinating study in conflicts of interest.  A conflict of interest is defined as a situation in which an individual is torn between two loyalties.  Let’s say an individual is secretary of state of, say, the … Continue reading →

Adele, a singer so famous she has only one name (take that Taylor Swift), was asked by the NFL to be the half-time show at the Super Bowl.  She turned the NFL down, explaining at her Los Angeles concert, “Come … Continue reading →

Because they trust. Parents involved in youth sports tend to have social interaction as well.  Thereby, they commit the error of having no internal controls.  One person controls the funds, one person pays the bills, one person writes the checks, … Continue reading →

The New York State Senate’s Ethics Committee has been lying dormant since 2009. No meeting record exists since 2009.  The chair of the Committee, John L. Sampson, was convicted of embezzlement and obstruction of justice, with the prosecutor asking for … Continue reading →

The Senate Ethics Committee reports the following: For the ninth straight year, it has not imposed any disciplinary sanctions Since 2007, the Committee has reviewed 613 allegations of wrongdoing and dismissed 90% of those allegations Only 75 of the 613 … Continue reading →

You can’t make this stuff up.  Mark Crumpacker, Chipotle’s chief creative and development officer, was one of 18 alleged buyers indicted in a cocaine drug ring.  The charges are a misdemeanor offense, and Mr. Crumpacker has been put on leave.  … Continue reading →

His conviction was the first time a high-ranking executive was convicted of a safety violation crime.  Now, Donald L. Blankenship, former CEO of Massey Energy Company, has received a one-year sentence for his conviction on a conspiracy-to-violate-safety-standards charge.  Mr. Blankenship … Continue reading →

Do you think so? New research confirms the obvious once again. (Evercore ISI) Companies with great pro formas are focused on numbers and managing numbers. Those in the exec ranks are no longer managing the business; they are fretting over … Continue reading →