What’s a Little Didacticism in a Movie With Margot Robbie & Brad Pitt? Are collateralized debt obligations (“CDO’s”) easier to understand when a gorgeous Margot Robbie — enjoying a champagne bubble bath — explains them? (maybe, if you’re not too distracted). How about when the teacher is Selena Gomez or Chef Anthony Bourdain? That’s the...Read More
Dubious Campaign Promises — Exhibit A; How Many Loopholes Can YOU Spot? “If they’re too big to fail, make ’em smaller.” –George Shultz, Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State (and a former Treasury Secretary). At least in some parts of the country, Hillary Clinton’s thread-the-needle comment about big banks last week would be met with a...Read More
Subsuming Ideological Conviction for Constituent Service (They Say) “If you can’t take their money, drink their whiskey, screw their women, and vote against “em anyway, you don’t belong in the Legislature.”** –Jesse Unruh, California politician in the 1950’s and 1960’s. [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not...Read More
[Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.] Protecting Taxpayers From Bank Robbers Wall Street “The best way to rob a bank is to own it.” –book title; William K. Black “The biggest bank there is . ....Read More
Coming Soon: Fractional Home Shares? Wall Street’s fling with the housing market didn’t go so well (see, “2008 Financial Crash”). Will Silicon Valley’s housing-related ideas fare better? Consider this one, recently floated by a Silicon Valley venture capitalist: “Why not sell a portion of your home? With the right financial vehicle, a sovereign wealth fund...Read More
Not Biting the Hand That Feeds Them: Academe’s Deafening Silence on Runaway Pay “Yale President Richard Levin could have been in investment banking, he could have been in venture capital, he could have run a corporation. Obviously, if he’d gone into other fields, the compensation would be orders of magnitude greater.” –John Pepper, Yale compensation committee;...Read More
