http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_36/b3999057.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology

Sign Of An Apocalypse In Private Equity?

The notion of a Microsoft buyout may signal a market gone batty

Could Microsoft (MSFT ) be bought out? That's precisely what the Financial Times of London recently called for. A consortium of private equity firms, the FT wrote, could cobble together the $288 billion needed -- nearly nine times more than the largest deal ever made.

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Oh, and, oh yeah, banks are the ones who lend the hundreds of billions to the highly leveraged 'private equity' (that would the same 'Barbarians at the Gate' LBO guys making nice behind a new smiley face) and highly leveraged hedge funds.

Remember that cute little number Alan Greenspan pulled to bail out Capital Investments when their imminent default, they couldn't cover their margin calls, threatened to bring down the whole system? Forced a consortium of banks, federally insured and stock market listed that they are, for the moment anyway, to put up a ton more in loans.

I'm still looking for where that's in the charter of the Fed.

You ain't seen nothing yet.

>>Well if the Dallas Ft Worth area in the 1980's is any guide, people will start mailing their keys into the bank and leaving in the night.<<

Hey, I was just released from my position as Fiduciary Tax Officer for Mercantile (umm...MCorp) National Bank in anticipation of their merger with RepublicBank.

Remember that one? Mercantile's huge portfolio of non-performing real estate development and O&G loans merged with Republic's staggeringly huge portfolio of equally non-performing Latin American 'development' and commercial real estate lending?

The auditors from the Comptroller of the Currency came in - what was is - 3 months later? - declared the whole damn thing insolvent?

Wow! Who's have thunk it?

Ain't seen nothing yet.

That would be stuff like this:

http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3409440

Beyonce and Jay-Z prepare for lavish wedding

August 25, 2006

Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z are reportedly set to marry in a lavish $3 million ceremony in late November.

The wedding will allegedly take place on the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

A source is quoted on website MSNBC as saying: "Beyoncé has been telling friends it will be 'the wedding to end all weddings.'

"She feels like she's living a fairy tale so why shouldn't her wedding be equally magical?"

One tenth of the massive cost will be spent on $300,000 worth of Beluga caviar alone.

Beyoncé, who went on a liquid-only diet for her latest film role, also plans to feast on lobster.

The bride and groom and their guests will only drink Dom Perignon champagne, as rapper Jay-Z has boycotted Cristal because of remarks made against the hip-hop community by the company's managing director Federic Rouzard.