Private Equity
Buckling: James Murdoch closes News of the World after claims the newspaper hacked voicemails of celebrities, murdered girls and terrorist victims. And, Murdoch axes paper to save News Corp.'s buy of BSkyB. Apple Rumors: iPhone 5 redesign is on the way but the company is expected to launch a new tablet called iPad HD. Baseball Not Just a Game Anymore: Judge overseeing Dodger's bankruptcy won't let team question MLB commissioner Bud Selig. On a Hike: How Mark Zuckerberg lures in new talent. Calexico: Top 10 tech entrepreneurs share their favorite food trucks. Amazing: Casey Anthony will be released next week. Enough said.
1 min read · 07 July 2011
Clarity: It looks like Tom Gores and Platinum Equity are treating the Pistons like a PE investment. No Playing: Labor negotiations fail and NBA players are locked out. Crumbling Case: DSK goes free while Nouriel Roubini is claiming that he knew DSK was being set up. And, hard lessons from the DSK affair. Price: Wikileaks spoofs MasterCard commercials. Probe: The FTC's antritrust investigation of Twitter's business practices begins. Have a happy July 4th, everyone!
1 min read · 01 July 2011
No Deal: Scripps Networks has decided against a sale. Mystery: Zuckerberg says Facebook will launch a new feature next week, possibly in the mobile or tablet arena. Leaving So Soon? Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is considering leaving the administration following the current round of budget negotiations They are in Danger: Judge rules that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to list polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act was reasonable. No Split: RIM says shareholder proposal to split Chairman and CEO roles has been withdrawn. And a senior exec tells all in open letter to Blackberry bosses. Gaining Ground: Twitter surpasses 200 million tweets a day. And, President Obama will hold a live town hall on Twitter on July 6. Next In Line: Living Social is preparing to go public.
1 min read · 30 June 2011
Taking On Facebook: Google launches social site, Google+. Up for Sale: MLB says Dodgers owner didn't have the authority to file for bankruptcy. And the Dodgers could go for more than $1 billion, Business Insider says. What Price: How to value your company for a sale. A New Sheriff in Town: Christine Lagarde, France's finance minister, is picked to lead the IMF. Pity Party: Bernie Madoff says he feels like a human pinata. Bad Behavior: The SEC is on the lookout for bubble-era practices. One More Time: Biz Stone and Evan Williams to relaunch Twitter incubator. Will This Break Now? Lady Gaga joins Tumblr. How To Keep Employees: Give them a bonus, FINS says. Not Just Yet: Tiger Woods says he's not rushing to get back to playing
1 min read · 28 June 2011
Finally, Busted: Court convicts ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. Freedom of Speech: The Supreme Court struck down a California law that prevents that prevents minors from buying video games. How Much Was That? The SEC wants Blackstone Group to provide more info on how much its top execs are paid. Reality Check: So Foursquare raised $50 million. But can it find revenue? Gotcha: Ex-Citigroup banker, Gary Foster, charged with allegedly embezeling more than $19 mln. Take the Cannoli: John Mack is expected to retire from Morgan Stanley at the end of the year. Dealbreaker wants to help him with the title of his book. Loser Deal: Lee Equity Partners suffers a blow as Deb Shops files for bankruptcy protection. Two is Better: Apple is supposedly coming out with two iPhones--iPhone5 and mid-range iPhone 4S-- in September. More Reality: How employees get screwed in PE deals.
1 min read · 27 June 2011
Mostly Vanilla: Why we need a black Zuckerberg. Under Siege: Hackers attack Electronic Arts and steal customer info. Bubble Time? Foursquare just raised $50 mln with its most recent round. This gives them a $600 mln valuation. Felix Salmon: Upgrading Skype and Silver Lake to evil. The Investigation Begins: Google says that FTC has begun reviewing its practices. A Solution: Ten things to include in your startup pitch presentation. Experimenting: Color's latest innovation is a handwritten note from its CEO. I Am With You: Hugo Chavez, the Venezuela's president who is in Cuba, broke his silence on Twitter. Eating Challenges: How a huge Crumbs' cupcake got the better of a Citi trader. Just Shameful: Why The Onion was ignored this year by the Pulitzer Board.
1 min read · 24 June 2011
Break Down: Budget talks near collapse after Rep. Eric Cantor walks out. Being Ruthless: FTC to serve Google with civil subpoenas as it investigates whether the company has abused its web dominance. Pottermore: J.K. Rowling's isn't writing an eighth novel but the Harry Potter novels will be available as ebooks in October. Beekeepers: How long before Nomura realizes its true passion, expands into jam & jelly production, and drops this banking crap? And The Winners Are: Bain, Hellman & Friedman beat out Carlyle and Stanley Black & Decker to buy Securitas Direct. Looking for $$$: Warburg Pincus is preparing to raise a new buyout fund. Noteworthy Youtube Video: Eli and Payton Manning star in a fictional TV series, Football Cops.
1 min read · 23 June 2011
News: Google has hired Richard Gingras, the former CEO of Salon.com, to run Google News and other upcoming products. Being Ungrateful: Ten things that can get you fired, from FINS. Pulling out: Obama to withdraw 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this year, Reuters says. It's Official: Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says the U.S. economy is recovering more slowly. U.S. stocks fall on the news. Up for Sale: Regions Financial has put Morgan Keegan up for sale. Goldman is advising. Hearing the Music: Alec Gores, who failed to buy Warner Music, may offer to buy EMI Group. Not yet: All those Neiman Marcus rumors? The retailer still isn't close to selling or an IPO. Gender Divide: Are men better than women at social networking? A Breakthrough: Facebook pages can now be personalized based on your Klout score. Seriously.
1 min read · 22 June 2011
Trading Up: Liam Beere, head of global M&A at UBS, is leaving to join Moelis & Co. A Deal: RIM shares have plunged and they're now an acquisition target. Will Microsoft buy them? Apple: The iPhone 5 may be a major update after all. Announcement and availability could come in August. And, Apple plans to enter the TV business. Saying No: Don't expect TPG to follow Carlyle and Blackstone into the IPO market. Slap on the Wrist: JP Morgan to pay a mere $153.6 mln to settle an SEC probe of a CDO sale. Wall Street Bloodshed: Morgan Stanley is cutting staff across the board, according to Dealbreaker. Sexting Aftermath: NY Governor Cuomo to call for a Sept. 13 special election to replace Rep. Anthony Weiner. Soapbox Limits: New York Times cuts the character limit of site comments to 2,000 from 5,000.
1 min read · 21 June 2011
Kicking a Dying Horse: Brian Wallace, VP of digital marketing and media at RIM, is jumping to Samsung. Groundbreaking: Study finds that consumers now spend more time on mobile apps than on the Web. Bad Form: Skype is firing senior execs before its sale to MSFT closes in an attempt to cut the value of their payout. Raising More Money: Morgan Stanley looks to raise a $688 million loan fund to be managed by GSO Capital Partners. The Zuck Distortion: Young entrepreneurs need Gen-X and vice versa. La Nina, Again: Summer starts tomorrow but snow falls in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Bad Ruling: Supreme Court rules that defendants failed to show that Wal-Mart had a company wide gender discrimination policy. Touch Train: Eleven stupid iPhone Apps that we can't believe are real. Near a Sale: Bankrupt Borders will name a stalking horse bidder by July. Not Another Wallet: What Dad really wanted for Father's Day. Just For Laughs: Here are the top 10 Old Spice Guy video responses with Isaiah Mustafa.
1 min read · 20 June 2011
