“Now his pension plan’s been cut in half and he can’t afford to die,” sings John Rich, of the country music duo Big & Rich, in his new, controversial song, Shutting Detroit Down. Two things nobody is ever financially ready for, especially if he or she is a money spender: retirement and death. Financially speaking, it is hard to die at the right time, unless you know much more than anyone else and can plan your death. People are so wrapped up in saving for retirement, 401k plans, life insurance plans, IRAs, money markets, or anything else they can find that will provide extra money for retirement and death. If you die too early, the paychecks your family was living off of are gone. If you die too late, you impoverish your family or confine yourself to an unpleasant local retirement home by depleting your savings.

One unexpected side effect of the recession is a jump in sales of fixed immediate annuities, which dispense guaranteed income for life. New York Life reported an 82% sales increase this quarter alone. A man at retirement age paying them $100,000 now will receive $650 a month for life, which is perfect for a retired man whose house and vehicle are paid off and bills are low. That’s equal to 7.8% of the total each year, double what most retirement investments pay out.

Christopher Blunt, who runs New York Life’s retirement division believes that annuities offer the best way to lock in guaranteed retirement income. Retirement income is  generated from a stock-and-bond portfolio requires keeping plenty of assets in reserve in case they’re needed to fund a long life or contend with a nasty bear market,” he says. The point is that you can get the same retirement income as you could from your portfolio, with 25% to 40% less principal.

The way they generate superior retirement income is by transferring it from those who do not collect it to those who do. For instance, if you pay them $100,000 and die three days later, your money is lost and goes to someone who is still collecting. However, if you live until you’re 85 and you have been collecting since you were 65, you have received $156,000 over the tenure of the relationship, over 50% profit. If you are lucky to live to 95, you have likely received $234,000, with a profit of nearly 150% of what you paid. For those who are healthy at 65, it is a good investment, especially if that person also has savings and stocks to tide over through bad times or to leave to their families. Assuming you are in good health, there are few downsides to a fixed annuity, especially if you keep your product features simple. You pay $100,000 of your savings to provide for the rest of your life. If you have been saving well for retirement, you likely still have $350,000 to leave to your family whether you collect or not.

1. The banks are really in survival mode, but they will never admit it.

I recently switched banks. Every single bank I walked into told me they were in good shape. Wow. In an economy that caused some people to commit suicide, every bank in Maryland was in good shape? Amazing! I did a little research and I found out that all but one were lying through their window bars. I started with Wachovia. The account management official told me that Wachovia was in great shape and ahead of the game. (I researched that claim and found out they had recently obtained a bank in the west coast that came with millions of dollars worth of sub prime mortgages and were currently in negotiations with Wells Fargo before collapsing.)

I walked into First Mariner Bank, local to Maryland, and found one teller who was bored out of her mind playing pin-the-tail-on-my-text-messages, so I walked right back out. When I walked into Provident Bank, also local here, there were boxes on desks and I was told they were bought by M&T Bank, also a local bank and sponsor of the Baltimore Ravens. The courtesy Ravens stadium blanket they give you for starting a checking and savings account is folded up in my dresser at home. I was so impressed there I switched my business accounts over too.

2. This is only the beginning of inflated fees.

If you are anything like me, you have gotten more notices than ever from your bank, often included in your statement envelope, about “changes to your account.” Those changes are fees, my friends. The fee you pay for an overdraft is likely at least $35. If you are part of the majority of bank clientele, you are flirting with $40. It is likely that your free account has been changed to “basic”, which secretly comes with fees. Your savings account fee for a low balance has changed from $3 to $5, or, like my last bank, from $11 to $15. (Now you see why I decided to leave.)

3. Interest rates change constantly.

If you are anything like the majority of consumers, the interest rate on your savings account has gone down, and any adjustable rate loan you are paying has adjusted you into poverty. Whether or not you have done anything wrong, you can have impeccible credit and one day receive a notice that your APR has gone from, say, 12% to 27% and your only option is to cancel the card and pay it off at the old rate. (President Obama has begun to rally against unfairly changing rates.)

4. If you’re not a student, your bank doesn’t care.

College campuses are a gold mine for banks. Some students have the option of getting student IDs that double as debit cards, courtesy of bank that is really hoping a few plastic spenders will have a few overdraft fees. Do you spend responsibly? Was your last overdraft 22 years ago when they called it “bouncing a check?” Your bank hates you. You make them a maximum of 3% of the money you put in your savings account and nothing on your checking account because they cannot invest it and have to leave it available to cover checks. You aren’t even worth the free checks anymore.

5. In debt? The courts will not help you.

Have you ever signed an “arbitration agreement?” I signed one a couple of years ago when I took out a small loan. What it does it mean? Well, it means you cannot sue, for any reason. If they raise your rates, charge you early, or do anything, you must see their arbitration mediator that is in their pocket. Even identity theft victims find themselves subject to arbitration agreements that make their situation three times worse than a stolen identity. You can find a lawyer, but you will be reduced comic relief that lightened his day.

6. Your bank is more excited about your trip to London than you are.

If you use a foreign ATM, your bank alone (not counting the foreign bank) will charge you upwards of $7 for a foreign currency transaction and using a competitor’s ATM. Visa and Mastercard charge 1% of the transaction for converting currency. Check and see if any of your cards, for instance, Capital One, waives the foreign currency fee. Also check and see if your bank has an agreement with a foreign bank it has good relations with to waive customary fees.

7. For all the fine print, banks sure leave a lot of things out. Everything you should really know is nowhere to be found.

Banks hand you all sorts of meaningless paperwork with lots of fine print. The Government Accountability Office sent investigators around to many banks to test their information disclosure. One-third of them failed the test, leaving out information altogether or informing the person after ten minutes and with a little prodding. More than half did not disclose information on their websites or brochures. Consumers just have no idea what they are signing up for until two years later when they are at home receiving letters that make them use four-letter words.

8. Your money is better off anywhere else, maybe even under your mattress.

Banks offer savings accounts, CDs, IRAs — all sorts of ways to invest your money. Unfortunately, most savings accounts offer no more than .5% interest. Even in this economy, you can find places as high as 3% to put your money. I wouldn’t mind multiplying my interest by five, would you?

9. When it comes to banks, smaller is better.

I am part of a small bank. After five years with a semi-national bank and a year with a regional bank, I decided that smaller banks were the right way to go due to more personalized service, lower fees, and higher interest rates. I was right. Even though larger, nationalized banks have more convenience and more ATMs to choose from, they make 54% of their revenue from fees while smaller banks make 28%. Also with low overhead, they can offer higher interest rates for interest baring accounts and lower maintenance and problematic fees. Somehow with low fees and higher interest rates, my bank still has enough money to sponsor the Baltimore Ravens — so much so that the Ravens’ stadium is named M&T Bank Stadium.

10. Your online account information is probably inaccurate.

If you are like me, you used your bank card to buy gas, sent two checks out in the mail and deposited a check in your account, all of which are currently pending. With a good online account system, that gas purchase is holding for $1.00 and will only show the true amount when it posts. Let’s say your balance before those transactions is $1,219.48. (I’m making these figures up.) You just bought $45.28 of gas for your Ford Expedition at Exxon. You went to Wal-Mart and bought $62.48 worth of hair care products, office supplies and clothing. You stopped at the post office and sent out a $65.72 cell phone payment and an $800 payment for rent. Before arriving at home, you deposited a $600 check. You just checked your bank information online like you do every couple of days and it said you have $1,218.48 in the bank. You liked how that looked so you bought a $350 Pez dispenser on eBay.

Oops. Your gas held for $1.00 if you’re lucky. If you keep your checkbook accurate, you know that your balance before the deposit, which will probably post last, was $246.00 and you wouldn’t have bought that pez dispenser until the deposit cleared. You will likely overdraw and a $38 fee will come out of that deposit when it posts, leaving you only with $458. It is a good idea to check your online statement, daily if possible, to safeguard yourself from identity theft, but keep your checkbook accurate and spend from that balance, not your online balance.

Here is the text of the speech:

“My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers … our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.”

Source

One mistake for example, was hanging a Mission Accomplished sign while the war in Iraq was ongoing.

However, he drew plenty of criticism when he said that after Katrina, help was there very quickly. From the AP:

He vigorously took issue with critics of the federal response to Katrina, the hurricane that devastated New Orleans. Gesturing and speaking with feeling, he said, “Don’t tell me the federal response was slow when there were 30,000 people pulled off roofs right after the storm passed,” he said. “Has the reconstruction been perfect? No. Have things happened fairly quickly? Absolutely.”

This was not his final television appearance before inauguration day next Tuesday, though. Thursday he will be giving a “farewell address” during prime time.

Source

In an interview at the International Consumer Electronics Show here, FCC chairman Kevin Martin said it’s important to make sure that the converter box subsidy program gets back on track, but that doesn’t mean delaying the analog turnoff is necessary.

“There are options they can do without having to delay to get coupons flowing immediately,” Martin said. Congress could give the program additional funding, or eliminate the 90-day expiration deadline on the coupons, he said.

“I’m concerned about a delay in the sense that if you can solve that issue other ways, a delay has actually the potential to confuse consumers,” said Martin, a Republican. “All of our messaging has been about Feb. 17 — not just ours — the industry’s.” – AP

Source

” ‘A new organization has been born today…. The charter has been agreed. The headquarters will be in Qatar,’ Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said after the meeting.

The forum groups Russia, the world’s biggest gas producer, with other gas-rich states such as Iran and Qatar and a dozen other gas-exporting countries.” – AP

Vladmir Putin said this will likely signal the end of “cheap gas.”

There are groups for everything these days and I suppose this means if you are a leading export of something, you have to be in a group to tell you what you should do. No one exporter can make a decision for themselves anymore.

Source

After the shoe incident, Zaidi was “subdued” by security guards and was taken to a Green Zone hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained that included a broken arm and broken ribs.

While it is not known whether or not Zaidi had a lawyer present at the hearing on Wednesday, Saddam Hussein’s former lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said on Monday he was making a team of lawyers to defend him and 200 lawyers would be willing to give their services for free.

The White House said that it is up to Iraqi leaders to punish Zaidi.

Bush shoe-thrower appears before Iraqi judge

In the Middle East, having a shoe thrown at you is a serious insult. The President just brushed the shoe-throwing off, saying it was just a way for someone to get attention.

His trip to Iraq was to mark the passage of an Iraq-U.S. security pact that states U.S. troops will pull completely out of Iraq by 2011.

Bush on farewell visit to Iraq dodges flying shoes

“Clearly it was inspired in part by the One Laptop Per Child organization and its XO computer for children in poor countries.”

The article from BusinessWeek says that the market was “just right” for the netbook wave.

Small, ultraportable laptops were not in an “affordable” price range. Some people need a laptop they can throw in their bag and go. A 15.4″ Dell Inspiron 6400 with an almost 8 lb. weight and 1 GB memory is not the most practical for the “person on the go.”Now the netbook has taken the market by storm and is only getting cheaper and more available by the minute.

With consumer confidence levels dismal and home prices the lowest they have been in many years, the markets overlooked this news and rallied all week.

This shows that I should just say what happens rather than saying what I think may happen. At the beginning of the week, I really thought this would be another bad week on Wall Street; with the auto industry begging for money (still) and the other news that came out during the week, it should have been, but for the first time it seems like the market didn’t react in the same way it has in the past months.

Here’s a weekly wrap-up from the Wall Street Journal Online:

TiVo’s raise in profits is impressive because it shows that users are sticking with the service and not going with generic cable or satellite offered DVR services.

My husband and I currently have a Metrocast generic HD-DVR service offered for a monthly fee. We once owned a single tuner TiVo system, and I, honestly, loved it. Switching from a TiVo to a generic system is not impossible, but difficult, and perhaps the gain in profits show that other consumers feel the same as I do; The generic systems are adequate, but TiVo systems are more desirable.

Not to mention, TiVo has had a change in billing, which went from almost $20 a month with no contract, to (now) $12.95 a month (with a 1 year contract).

The pirates have released a Greek-owned tanker after a ransom was paid by the ship’s management company. All crew and cargo was unharmed.

Some of the users who have the pirated software are angry because they see Microsoft blacking out the screens as holding their computer ransom. This is where I believe when you download the software illegally, you assume the risks associated with it. If I download a movie off a p2p network and get a virus, that’s my fault. It messes up my whole computer and I have to PAY to get it fixed. That’s the risk I assumed by downloading that movie.

I recently read an article about how after the third presidential debate, when polled, those making under $50,000 a year bumped up John McCain’s numbers. Hmm. Given that no other variables exist, this really doesn’t make since. Under Obama’s tax plan, those families would be seeing more cuts from Obama than McCain. Was it the whole story about “Joe the plumber”? I sure hope not, because he was posing a hypothetical situation. The real Joe isn’t even a licensed plumber, and makes around $40k a year. He is in no position to purchase this company (which only makes $100k a year anyway, so it too would benefit from Obama’s tax plan more).

I do understand that there are more variables when it comes to political views than just money. I, however, do not believe that they should be decided by government. I strongly support gay marriage/unions. I hate some of my best friends being shunned by the federal government because of who they are. They deserve the same rights everyone else has. I don’t think this is an issue that should be decided by the government because of the “separation of church and state” issue in the Constitution. If the government decided what should be practiced and what shouldn’t, religion-wise, would it “banish” all of the Muslims, Jews, and other religions and non-religions out of the country? Could it ban atheists from getting married? When does the tampering in our personal beliefs stop? This is one of those “variables” I was talking about.

What about defense? You really have to try hard to convince me why we still need to be in Iraq and why some are looking to invade Iran??? Yes, our policies and those of Iran’s and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, kind of clash, but we need to be diplomatic. We see what happens when diplomacy fails and we go to war instead. Right now, Americans aren’t viewed so well in the eyes of the world. Our military should be used to keep us safe, not put us in harm’s way by being used to start wars.

There are several more “variables” when it comes to who you cast your vote for in the next election. Whether it be taxes, the economy, change, religion, defense, health care, education, etc…

While all politicians do attack ads at some point, I believe more people would be more interested if less mud slinging was present in elections. I am so tired of people feeling like they have to vote for the nicer guy or who thinks the attack ads are right.

Attack ads are the last stand for most politicians when they know they’re losing. It’s not graceful, it’s not admirable, it only shows desperation. Please stop.

With the news on Friday, financial stocks rallied.

Here’s the list (If you’re particularly worried about a couple of stocks, try CTRL+F feature):

AAME….. ATLANTIC AMERICAN CORP

AANB….. ABIGAIL ADAMS NATL BANCORP INC

ABBC….. ABINGTON BANCORP INC PA

ABCB….. AMERIS BANCORP

ABCW…. ANCHOR BANCORP WISCONSIN INC

ABK……. AMBAC FINANCIAL GROUP INC

ABNJ….. AMERICAN BANCORP OF NJ INC

ABVA…. ALLIANCE BANKSHARES CORP

ACAP…. AMERICAN PHYSICIANS CAPITAL INC

ACBA…. AMERICAN COMMUNITY BNCSHRS INC

ACE…… ACE LTD

ACFC…. ATLANTIC COAST FED CORP

ACGL…. ARCH CAPITAL GROUP LTD NEW

ADVNA.. ADVANTA CORP

ADVNB.. ADVANTA CORP

AEG…… AEGON N V

AEL……. AMERICAN EQUITY INVT LIFE HLDG C

AET……. AETNA INC NEW

AF……… ASTORIA FINANCIAL CORP

AFFM….. AFFIRMATIVE INSURANCE HLDGS INC

AFG……. AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP INC NEW

AFL……. A F L A C INC

AGII…… ARGO GROUP INTL HLDGS LTD

AGO……. ASSURED GUARANTY LTD

AGP…….. AMERIGROUP CORP

AGX……. ARGAN INC

AHD……. ATLAS PIPELINE HOLDINGS L P

AHL……. ASPEN INSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD

AIB…….. ALLIED IRISH BANKS PLC

AIG…….. AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC

AINV…… APOLLO INVESTMENT CORP

AIZ…….. ASSURANT INC

ALL…….. ALLSTATE CORP

ALLB…… ALLIANCE BANCORP INC PA

ALNC…… ALLIANCE FINANCIAL CORP NY

AMCP….. AMCOMP INC NEW

AMFI…… AMCORE FINANCIAL INC

AMG……. AFFILIATED MANAGERS GROUP INC

AMIC…… AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE CORP

AMNB….. AMERICAN NATIONAL BANKSHARES INC

AMP ……. AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL INC

AMPH…. AMERICAN PHYSICIANS SVC GROUP

AMRB…. AMERICAN RIVER BANKSHARES

AMSF…. AMERISAFE INC

AMTD…. T D AMERITRADE HOLDING CORP

ANAT…. AMERICAN NATIONAL INS CO

ANNB…. ANNAPOLIS BANCORP INC

AOC…… AON CORP

APAB….. APPALACHIAN BANCSHARES INC

AROW…. ARROW FINANCIAL CORP

ASBI….. AMERIANA BANCORP

ASFI….. ASTA FUNDING INC

ASFN…. ATLANTIC SOUTHERN FINL GROUP INC

ASRV…. AMERISERV FINANCIAL INC

ATBC…. ATLANTIC BANCGROUP INC

ATLO…. AMES NATL CORP

AUBN…. AUBURN NATIONAL BANCORP

AWBC… AMERICAN WEST BANCORPORATION

AWH…. ALLIED WORLD ASSUR CO HLDGS LTD

AXA ….A X A UAP

AXG…. ATLAS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS CORP

AXS…. AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LTD

BAC…. BANK OF AMERICA CORP

BANF…. BANCFIRST CORP

BANR…. BANNER CORP

BARI…. BANCORP RHODE ISLAND INC

BAYN…. BAY NATIONAL CORP

BBNK…. BRIDGE CAPITAL HOLDINGS

BBT…. B B & T CORP

BBX…. BANKATLANTIC BANCORP INC

BCA…. CORPBANCA

BCAR…. BANK OF THE CAROLINAS CORP

BCBP…. B C B BANCORP INC

BCP…. BROOKE CAPITAL CORP

BCS…. BARCLAYS PLC

BCSB…. B C S B BANCORP INC

BDGE…. BRIDGE BANCORP INC

BEN…. FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC

BERK…. BERKSHIRE BANCORP INC DEL

BFF…. B F C FINANCIAL CORP

BFIN…. BANKFINACIAL CORP

BFNB…. BEACH FIRST NATL BANCSHARES INC

BHB…. BAR HARBOR BANKSHARES

BHBC…. BEVERLY HILLS BANCORP INC

BHLB…. BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP INC

BK…. BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP

BKBK…. BRITTON & KOONTZ CAPITAL CORP

BKMU…. BANK MUTUAL CORP NEW

BKOR…. OAK RIDGE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC

BKSC…. BANK SOUTH CAROLINA CORP

BKUNA…. BANKUNITED FINANCIAL CORP

BLX…. BANCO LATINOAMERICANO DE EXP SA

BMRC…. BANK OF MARIN BANCORP

BMTC…. BRYN MAWR BANK CORP

BNCL…. BENEFICIAL MUTUAL BANCORP INC

BNCN…. B N C BANCORP

BNS…. BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

BNV…. BEVERLY NATIONAL CORP

BOCH…. BANK OF COMMERCE HOLDINGS

BOFI…. B OF I HOLDING INC

BOFL…. BANK OF FLORIDA CORP NAPLES

BOH…. BANK OF HAWAII CORP

BOKF…. B O K FINANCIAL CORP

BOMK…. BANK MCKENNEY VA

BOVA…. BANK OF VIRGINIA

BPFH…. BOSTON PRIVATE FINL HLDS INC

BPSG…. BROADPOINT SECURITIES GROUP INC

BRK…. BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC DEL

BRK…. BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC DEL

BRKL…. BROOKLINE BANCORP INC

BSRR…. SIERRA BANCORP

BTFG…. BANCTRUST FINANCIAL GROUP INC

BUSE…. FIRST BUSEY CORP

BWINA…. BALDWIN & LYONS INC

BWINB…. BALDWIN & LYONS INC

BX…. BLACKSTONE GROUP L P

BXS…. BANCORPSOUTH INC

BYFC…. BROADWAY FINANCIAL CORP DEL

C…. CITIGROUP INC

CAC…. CAMDEN NATIONAL CORP

CACB…. CASCADE BANCORP

CADE…. CADENCE FINANCIAL CORP

CAFI…. CAMCO FINANCIAL CORP

CAPB…. CAPITALSOUTH BANCORP

CAPE…. CAPE FEAR BANK CORP

CART…. CAROLINA TRUST BANK

CARV…. CARVER BANCORP INC

CASB…. CASCADE FINANCIAL CORP

CASH…. META FINANCIAL GROUP INC

CATY…. CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

CB…. CHUBB CORP

CBAN…. COLONY BANKCORP INC

CBBO…. COLUMBIA BANCORP ORE

CBC…. CAPITOL BANCORP LTD

CBIN…. COMMUNITY BANK SHRS INDIANA INC

CBKN…. CAPITAL BANK CORP NEW

CBNK…. CHICOPEE BANCORP INC

CBON…. COMMUNITY BANCORP

CBU…. COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM INC

CCBD…. COMMUNITY CENTRAL BANK CORP

CCBG…. CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP

CCBP…. COMM BANCORP INC

CCFH…. C C F HOLDING COMPANY

CCNE…. C N B FINANCIAL CORP PA

CCOW…. CAPITAL CORP OF THE WEST

CEBK…. CENTRAL BANCORP INC

CFBK…. CENTRAL FEDERAL CORP

CFFC…. COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP

CFFI…. C & F FINANCIAL CORP

CFFN…. CAPITOL FEDERAL FINANCIAL

CFNL…. CARDINAL FINANCIAL CORP

CFR…. CULLEN FROST BANKERS INC

CHCO…. CITY HOLDING CO

CHEV…. CHEVIOT FINANCIAL CORP

CHFC…. CHEMICAL FINANCIAL CORP

CI…. C I G N A CORP

CIA…. CITIZENS INC

CINF…. CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORP

CITZ…. C F S BANCORP INC

CIZN…. CITIZENS HOLDING CO

CJBK…. CENTRAL JERSEY BANCORP

CLBH…. CAROLINA BANK HOLDINGS INC

CLFC…. CENTER FINANCIAL CORP

CLMS…. CALAMOS ASSET MANAGEMENT INC

CMA…. COMERICA INC

CME…. C M E GROUP INC

CMFB…. COMMERCEFIRST BANCORP INC

CMGI…. C M G I INC

CMSB…. C M S BANCORP INC

CNA…. C N A FINANCIAL CORP

CNAF…. COMMERCIAL NATIONAL FINL CORP

CNB…. COLONIAL BANCGROUP INC

CNBC…. CENTER BANCORP INC

CNBKA…. CENTURY BANCORP INC

CNC…. CENTENE CORP DEL

CNLA…. COMMUNITY NATL BANK LAKEWAY AREA

CNO…. CONSECO INC

CNS…. COHEN & STEERS INC

COBH…. PENNSYLVANIA COMMERCE BANCORP IN

COBZ…. COBIZ FINANCIAL INC

COLB…. COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM INC

COOP…. COOPERATIVE BANCSHARES INC

CORS…. CORUS BANKSHARES INC

COWN…. COWEN GROUP INC

CPBC…. COMMUNITY PARTNERS BANCORP

CPBK…. COMMUNITY CAPITAL CORP

CPF…. CENTRAL PACIFIC FINANCIAL CORP

CPHL…. CASTLEPOINT HOLDINGS LTD

CRBC…. CITIZENS REPUBLIC BANCORP INC

CRFN…. CRESCENT FINANCIAL CORP

CRMH…. C R M HOLDINGS LTD

CRRB…. CARROLLTON BANCORP

CRVL…. CORVEL CORP

CSBC…. CITIZENS SOUTH BANKING CORP DEL

CSBK…. CLIFTON SAVINGS BANCORP INC

CSFL…. CENTERSTATE BANKS OF FLORIDA INC

CSHB…. COMMUNITY SHORES BANK CORP

CSNT…. CRESCENT BANKING CO

CTBC…. CONNECTICUT BANK & TRUST CO

CTBI…. COMMUNITY TRUST BANCORP INC

CTBK…. CITYBANK LYNNWOOD WASHINGTON

CTZN…. CITIZENS FIRST BANCORP INC

CVBF…. C V B FINANCIAL CORP

CVBK…. CENTRAL VIRGINIA BANKSHARES INC

CVCY…. CENTRAL VALLEY COMM BANCORP

CVH…. COVENTRY HEALTH CARE INC

CVLL…. COMMUNITY VALLEY BANCORP

CVLY…. CODORUS VALLEY BANCORP INC

CWBC…. COMMUNITY WEST BANCSHARES

CWBS…. COMMONWEALTH BANKSHARES INC

CWLZ…. COWLITZ BANCORPORATION

CZFC…. CITIZENS FIRST CORP

CZWI…. CITIZENS CMNTY BANCORP INC MD

DB…. DEUTSCHE BANK AG

DCOM…. DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES

DEAR…. DEARBORN BANCORP INC

DFG…. DELPHI FINANCIAL GROUP INC

DGICA…. DONEGAL GROUP INC

DGICB…. DONEGAL GROUP INC

DHIL…. DIAMOND HILL INVESTMENT GRP INC

DLLR…. DOLLAR FINANCIAL CORP

DR…. DARWIN PROFESSIONAL UNDERWRITERS

DSL…. DOWNEY FINANCIAL CORP

DUF…. DUFF & PHELPS CORP NEW

EBSB…. MERIDIAN INTERSTATE BANCORP INC

EBTX…. ENCORE BANCSHRES INC

ECBE…. E C B BANCORP INC

EGBN…. EAGLE BANCORP INC

EIHI…. EASTERN INSURANCE HOLDINGS INC

EII…. ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE ACQUI CORP

EMCI…. E M C INSURANCE GROUP INC

EMITF….. ELBIT IMAGING LTD

ENH…. ENDURANCE SPECIALTY HOLDINGS LTD

ESBF…. E S B FINANCIAL CORP

ESBK…. ELMIRA SAVINGS BANK FSB NY

ESGR…. ENSTAR GROUP LTD

ETFC…. E TRADE FINANCIAL CORP

EV…. EATON VANCE CORP

EVBN…. EVANS BANCORP INC

EVBS…. EASTERN VIRGINIA BANKSHARES INC

EVR…. EVERCORE PARTNERS INC

EWBC…. EAST WEST BANCORP INC

FABK…. FIRST ADVANTAGE BANCORP

FAC…. FIRST ACCEPTANCE CORP

FAF…. FIRST AMERICAN CORP CALIF

FBC…. FLAGSTAR BANCORP INC

FBCM…. F B R CAPITAL MARKETS CORP

FBIZ…. FIRST BUSINESS FINL SVCS INC

FBMI…. FIRSTBANK CORP

FBMS…. FIRST BANCSHARES INC MS

FBNC…. FIRST BANCORP NC

FBP…. FIRST BANCORP P R

FBSI…. FIRST BANCSHARES INC MO

FBSS…. FAUQUIER BANKSHARES INC

FBTC…. FIRST BANCTRUST

FCAL…. FIRST CALIFORNIA FINL GROUP INC

FCAP…. FIRST CAPITAL INC

FCBC…. FIRST COMMUNITY BANCSHARES INC

FCCO…. FIRST COMMUNITY CORP SC

FCCY…. 1ST CONSTITUTION BANCORP

FCFL…. FIRST COMMUNITY BANK CORP AMER

FCNCA…. FIRST CITIZENS BANCSHARES INC NC

FCVA…. FIRST CAPITAL BANCORP INC VA

FCZA…. FIRST CITIZENS BANC CORP

FDEF…. FIRST DEFIANCE FINANCIAL CORP

FDT…. FEDERAL TRUST CORP

FED…. FIRSTFED FINANCIAL CORP

FFBC…. FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP OHIO

FFBH…. FIRST FEDERAL BANCSHARES ARK INC

FFCH…. FIRST FINANCIAL HOLDINGS INC

FFCO…. FEDFIRST FINANCIAL CORP

FFDF…. F F D FINANCIAL CORP

FFFD…. NORTH CENTRAL BANCSHARES INC

FFG…. F B L FINANCIAL GROUP INC

FFH…. FAIRFAX FINL HOLDINGS LTD

FFHS…. FIRST FRANKLIN CORP

FFIC…. FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORP

FFIN…. FIRST FINANCIAL BANKSHARES INC

FFKT…. FARMERS CAPITAL BANK CORP

FFKY…. FIRST FINANCIAL SERVICE CORP

FFNM…. FIRST FED NORTHN MI BANCORP INC

FFNW…. FIRST FINANCIAL NORTHWEST INC

FFSX…. FIRST FEDERAL BANKSHARES INC DEL

FHN…. FIRST HORIZON NATIONAL CORP

FIFG…. 1ST INDEPENDENCE FNL GROUP INC

FIG…. FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP L L C

FII…. FEDERATED INVESTORS INC PA

FISI…. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC

FKFS…. FIRST KEYSTONE FINANCIAL INC

FLIC…. FIRST LONG ISLAND CORP

FMAR…. FIRST MARINER BANCORP

FMBI…. FIRST MIDWEST BANCORP DE

FMER…. FIRSTMERIT CORP

FMFC…. FIRST M & F CORP

FNB…. F N B CORP PA

FNBN…. F N B UNITED CORP

FNFG…. FIRST NIAGARA FINL GROUP INC NEW

FNLC…. FIRST BANCORP INC ME

FNM…. FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSN

FNSC…. FIRST NATIONAL BANCSHARES INC SC

FPBI…. F P B BANCORP INC

FPBN…. 1ST PACIFIC BANCORP CA

FPFC…. FIRST PLACE FINANCIAL CORP NM

FPIC…. F P I C INSURANCE GROUP INC

FPTB…. FIRST PACTRUST BANCORP INC

FRBK…. REPUBLIC FIRST BANCORP INC

FRE…. FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORP

FRGB…. FIRST REGIONAL BANCORP

FRME…. FIRST MERCHANTS CORP

FSBI…. FIDELITY BANCORP INC

FSBK…. FIRST SOUTH BANCORP INC

FSGI…. FIRST SECURITY GROUP INC

FSNM…. FIRST STATE BANCORPORATION

FTBK…. FRONTIER FINANCIAL CORP

FULT…. FULTON FINANCIAL CORP PA

FUNC…. FIRST UNITED CORP

FWV…. FIRST WEST VIRGINIA BANCORP INC

FXCB…. FOX CHASE BANCORP INC

GABC…. GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP INC

GAN…. GAINSCO INC

GBCI…. GLACIER BANCORP INC NEW

GBH…. GREEN BUILDERS INC

GBL…. GAMCO INVESTORS INC

GBNK…. GUARANTY BANCORP

GBTS…. GATEWAY FINANCIAL HLDGS INC

GCA…. GLOBAL CASH ACCESS HOLDINGS INC

GFED…. GUARANTY FEDERAL BANCSHARES INC

GFIG…. G F I GROUP INC

GFLB…. GREAT FLORIDA BANK

GGAL…. GRUPO FINANCIERO GALICIA S A

GHL…. GREENHILL & CO INC

GIW…. WILBER CORP

GLBZ….. GLEN BURNIE BANCORP

GLRE…. GREENLIGHT CAPITAL RE LTD

GNW…. GENWORTH FINANCIAL INC

GOV…. GOUVERNEUR BANCORP INC

GRAN…. BANK GRANITE CORP

GRNB…. GREEN BANKSHARES INC

GROW…. U S GLOBAL INVESTORS INC

GS…. GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC

GSBC…. GREAT SOUTHERN BANCORP INC

GSLA…. G S FINANCIAL CORP

GTS…. TRIPLE S MANAGEMENT CORP

HABC…. HABERSHAM BANCORP INC

HAFC… HANMI FINANCIAL CORP

HALL…. HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES INC

HARL…. HARLEYSVILLE SAVINGS FINAN CORP

HAXS…. HEALTHAXIS INC

HBAN…. HUNTINGTON BANCSHARES INC

HBHC…. HANCOCK HOLDING CO

HBNK…. HAMPDEN BANCORP INC

HBOS…. HERITAGE FINANCIAL GROUP

HCBK…. HUDSON CITY BANCORP INC

HCC…. H C C INSURANCE HOLDINGS INC

HEOP…. HERITAGE OAKS BANCORP

HFBC…. HOPFED BANCORP INC

HFFC…. H F FINANCIAL CORP

HFWA…. HERITAGE FINANCIAL CORP WA

HGIC…. HARLEYSVILLE GROUP INC

HIFS…. HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SVGS MA

HMN…. HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP NEW

HMNF…. H M N FINANCIAL INC

HMPR…. HAMPTON ROADS BANKSHARES INC

HNBC…. HARLEYSVILLE NATIONAL CORP PA

HNT…. HEALTH NET INC

HOMB…. HOME BANCSHARES INC

HOME…. HOME FEDERAL BANCORP INC MD

HRZB…. HORIZON FINANCIAL CORP WASH

HS…. HEALTHSPRING INC

HTBK…. HERITAGE COMMERCE CORP

HTH…. HILLTOP HOLDINGS INC

HTLF…. HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA INC

HUM…. HUMANA INC

HWBK…. HAWTHORN BANCSHARES INC

HWFG…. HARRINGTON WEST FINANCIAL GRP IN

IAAC…. INTERNATIONAL ASSETS HLDG CORP

IBCA…. INTERVEST BANCSHARES CORP

IBCP…. INDEPENDENT BANK CORP MICH

IBKC…. IBERIABANK CORP

IBKR…. INTERACTIVE BROKERS GROUP INC

IBNK…. INTEGRA BANK CORP

IBOC… INTERNATIONAL BANCSHARES CORP

ICE…. INTERCONTINENTALEXCHANGE INC

ICH…. INVESTORS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LTD

IFC…. IRWIN FINANCIAL CORP

IFSB…. INDEPENDENCE FEDERAL SAVINGS BK

IHC…. INDEPENDENCE HOLDING CO NEW

IMP…. IMPERIAL CAPITAL BANCORP INC

INCB…. INDIANA COMMUNITY BANCORP

INDB…. INDEPENDENT BANK CORP MA

ING…. I N G GROEP N V

IPCC…. INFINITY PROPERTY & CASUALTY COR

IPCR…. I P C HOLDINGS LTD

IRE…. IRELAND BANK

ITC… I T C HOLDINGS CORP

ITG…. INVESTMENT TECHNOLOGY GP INC NEW

ITIC…. INVESTORS TITLE CO

JAXB…. JACKSONVILLE BANCORP INC FL

JEF…. JEFFERIES GROUP INC NEW

JFBC…. JEFFERSONVILLE BANCORP

JFBI…. JEFFERSON BANCSHARES INC TENN

JLI…. JESUP & LAMONT INC

JMP…. J M P GROUP INC

JNS…. JANUS CAP GROUP INC

JPM…. JPMORGAN CHASE & CO

JXSB…. JACKSONVILLE BANCORP INC

KCLI…. KANSAS CITY LIFE INS CO

KENT…. KENT FINANCIAL SERVICES INC

KEY…. KEYCORP NEW

KFED…. K FED BANCORP

KFFB…. KENTUCKY FIRST FEDERAL BANCORP

KFS…. KINGSWAY FINANCIAL SERVICES INC

KRNY…. KEARNY FINANCIAL CORP

L…. LOEWS CORP

LAB…. LABRANCHE & CO INC

LABC…. LOUISIANA BANCORP INC

LARK…. LANDMARK BANCORP INC

LAZ…. LAZARD LTD

LBBB…. LIBERTY BELL BK CHERRY HILL NJ

LBCP…. LIBERTY BANCORP INC MO

LEGC…. LEGACY BANCORP INC

LEH…. LEHMAN BROTHERS HOLDINGS INC

LFC…. CHINA LIFE INSURANCE CO LTD

LION…. FIDELITY SOUTHERN CORP NEW

LKFN…. LAKELAND FINANCIAL CORP

LNC…. LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP IN

LNCB…. LINCOLN BANCORP IND

LPSB…. LAPORTE BANCORP INC

LSBI…. L S B FINANCIAL CORP

LSBK…. LAKE SHORE BANCORP INC

LSBX…. L S B CORP

LTS…. LADENBURG THALMANN FIN SVCS INC

LUK…. LEUCADIA NATIONAL CORP

LYG…. LLOYDS TSB GROUP PLC

MAIN…. MAIN STREET CAPITAL CORP

MASB…. MASSBANK CORP

MBFI…. M B FINANCIAL INC NEW

MBHI…. MIDWEST BANC HOLDINGS INC

MBI…. MBIA INC

MBP…. MID PENN BANCORP INC

MBR…. MERCANTILE BANCORP INC

MBRG…. MIDDLEBURG FINANCIAL CORP

MBTF…. M B T FINANCIAL CORP

MBVA…. MILLENNIUM BANKSHARES CORP

MBVT…. MERCHANTS BANCSHARES INC

MBWM…. MERCANTILE BANK CORP

MCBF…. MONARCH COMMUNITY BANCORP INC

MCBI…. METROCORP BANCSHARES INC

MCGC…. M C G CAPITAL CORP

MCY…. MERCURY GENERAL CORP NEW

MER….. MERRILL LYNCH & CO INC

MERR…. MERRIMAN CURHAN FORD GROUP INC

MF…. M F GLOBAL LTD

MFC…. MANULIFE FINANCIAL CORP

MFLR…. MAYFLOWER BANCORP INC

MFNC…. MACKINAC FINANCIAL CORP

MFSF…. MUTUALFIRST FINL INC

MGYR…. MAGYAR BANCORP INC

MHLD…. MAIDEN HOLDNGS LTD

MI…. MARSHALL & ILSLEY CORP NEW

MIG…. MEADOWBROOK INSURANCE GROUP INC

MIGP…. MERCER INSURANCE GROUP INC

MKL…. MARKEL CORP

MKTX…. MARKETAXESS HLDGS INC

MNRK…. MONARCH FINANCIAL HOLDINGS INC

MOFG…. MIDWESTONE FINANCIAL GRP INC NEW

MOH…. MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC

MORN…. MORNINGSTAR INC

MRH…. MONTPELIER RES HOLDINGS LTD

MROE…. MONROE BANCORP

MS…. MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER & CO

MSBF…. M S B FINANCIAL CORP

MSFG…. MAINSOURCE FINANCIAL GROUP INC

MSL…. MIDSOUTH BANCORP INC

MTG…. M G I C INVESTMENT CORP WIS

MTU…. MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GP INC

MXGL…. MAX CAPITAL GROUP LTD

NAHC…. NATIONAL ATLANTIC HOLDINGS CORP

NAL…. NEWALLIANCE BANCSHARES INC

NARA…. NARA BANCORP INC

NATL…. NATIONAL INTERSTATE CORP

NAVG…. NAVIGATORS GROUP INC

NBBC…. NEWBRIDGE BANCORP

NBN…. NORTHEAST BANCORP

NBTB…. N B T BANCORP INC

NBTF….. N B & T FINANCIAL GROUP INC

NCBC…. NEW CENTURY BANCORP INC NC

NCC…. NATIONAL CITY CORP

NDAQ…. NASDAQ O M X GROUP INC

NEBS…. NEW ENGLAND BANCSHARES INC

NECB…. NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP INC

NEWT….. NEWTEK BUSINESS SVCS INC

NFBK….. NORTHFIELD BANCORP INC

NFS…. NATIONWIDE FINANCIAL SERVICES IN

NFSB…. NEWPORT BANCORP INC

NHTB…. NEW HAMPSHIRE THRIFT BNCSHRS INC

NICK…. NICHOLAS FINANCIAL INC

NITE…. KNIGHT CAPITAL GROUP INC

NKSH…. NATIONAL BANKSHARES INC

NMR…. NOMURA HOLDINGS INC

NMX…. NYMEX HOLDINGS INC

NOVB…. NORTH VALLEY BANCORP

NPBC…. NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES INC

NRIM…. NORTHRIM BANCORP INC

NSEC…. NATIONAL SECURITY GROUP INC

NSFC…. NORTHERN STATES FINANCIAL CORP

NSH…. NUSTAR G P HOLDINGS LLC

NTQ…. N T R ACQUISITION CO

NTRS…. NORTHERN TRUST CORP

NVSL…. NAUGATUCK VLY FINANCIAL CORP

NWFL…. NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP

NWLIA…. NATIONAL WESTERN LIFE INS CO

NWSB…. NORTHWEST BANCORP INC PA

NXTY….. NEXITY FINANCIAL CORP

NYB…. NEW YORK COMMUNITY BANCORP INC

NYM…. N Y M A G I C INC

NYX…. N Y S E EURONEXT

OCFC…. OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP

OFG…. ORIENTAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC

OKSB…. SOUTHWEST BANCORP INC OKLA

OLBK…. OLD LINE BANCSHARES

OLCB…. OHIO LEGACY CORP

ONB…. OLD NATIONAL BANCORP

ONFC…. ONEIDA FINANCIAL CORP

OPHC…. OPTIMUMBANK HOLDINGS INC

OPOF…. OLD POINT FINL CORP

OPY…. OPPENHEIMER HOLDINGS INC

ORH…. ODYSSEY RE HOLDINGS CORP

ORI…. OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORP

ORIT…. ORITANI FINANCIAL CORP

OSBC…. OLD SECOND BANCORP INC

OSBK…. OSAGE BANCSHARES INC

OSHC…. OCEAN SHORE HOLDING CO

OVBC…. OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP

OXPS…. OPTIONSXPRESS HOLDINGS INC

OZM…. OCH ZIFF CAPITAL MANGMNT GRP LLC

OZRK…. BANK OF THE OZARKS INC

PABK…. P A B BANKSHARES INC

PACW…. PACWEST BANCORP DE

PBCI…. PAMRAPO BANCORP INC

PBCT…. PEOPLES UNITED FINANCIAL INC

PBHC…. PATHFINDER BANCORP INC

PBIB…. PORTER BANCORP INC

PBIP…. PRUDENTIAL BANCORP INC PA

PBKS…. PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORP

PBNY…. PROVIDENT NEW YORK BANCORP

PCBC…. PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP NEW

PCBI…. PEOPLES COMMUNITY BANCORP INC

PCBK…. PACIFIC CONTINENTAL CORP

PCBS…. PROVIDENT COMMUNITY BANCSHRS INC

PEBK…. PEOPLES BANCORP NC INC

PEBO…. PEOPLES BANCORP INC

PFBC…. PREFERRED BANK LOS ANGELES

PFBI…. PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP INC

PFBX…. PEOPLES FINANCIAL CORP

PFED…. PARK BANCORP INC

PFG…. PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC

PFS…. PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SVCS INC

PGR…. PROGRESSIVE CORP OH

PHLY…. PHILADELPHIA CONSOLIDATED HLG CO

PICO….. P I C O HOLDINGS INC

PJC…. PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES

PKBK…. PARKE BANCORP INC

PL…. PROTECTIVE LIFE CORP

PLCC…. PAULSON CAPITAL CORP

PLFE…. PRESIDENTIAL LIFE CORP

PMACA…. P M A CAPITAL CORP

PMBC…. PACIFIC MERCANTILE BANCORP

PMI…. P M I GROUP INC

PNBC…. PRINCETON NATIONAL BANCORP INC

PNBK…. PATRIOT NATIONAL BANCORP INC

PNC…. P N C FINANCIAL SERVICES GRP INC

PNFP…. PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS INC

PNSN…. PENSON WORLDWIDE INC

PNX…. PHOENIX COS INC

PPBI…. PACIFIC PREMIER BANCORP INC

PRA…. PROASSURANCE CORP

PRE…. PARTNERRE LTD

PRK…. PARK NATIONAL CORP

PROS…. PROCENTURY CORP

PROV…. PROVIDENT FINANCIAL HOLDINGS INC

PRSP…. PROSPERITY BANCSHARES INC

PRU…. PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC

PRWT…. PREMIERWEST BANCORP

PSBC…. PACIFIC STATE BANCORP

PSBH…. PSB HOLDINGS INC

PSEC…. PROSPECT CAPITAL CORP

PTA…. PENN TREATY AMERICAN CORP

PTP…. PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS HLDGS LTD

PUK…. PRUDENTIAL PLC

PULB…. PULASKI FINANCIAL CORP

PVFC…. P V F CAPITAL CORP

PVSA…. PARKVALE FINANCIAL CORP

PVTB…. PRIVATEBANCORP INC

PWOD…. PENNS WOODS BANCORP INC

PZN…. PZENA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC

QCRH…. Q C R HOLDINGS INC

QNTA…. QUANTA CAPITAL HOLDINGS LTD

RAMR…. R A M HOLDINGS LTD

RBCAA…. REPUBLIC BANCORP INC KY

RBNF….. RUBAN FINANCIAL CORP

RBPAA…. ROYAL BANCSHARES PA INC

RBS…. ROYAL BANK SCOTLAND GROUP PLC

RCBK…. RIVER CITY BANK

RCKB…. ROCKVILLE FINANCIAL INC

RDN…. RADIAN GROUP INC

RE…. EVEREST RE GROUP LTD

RF…. REGIONS FINANCIAL CORP NEW

RGA…. REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA INC

RIVR…. RIVER VALLEY BANCORP

RJF…. RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL INC

RKH…. REGIONAL BANK HOLDRS TRUST

RLI…. R L I CORP

RNR…. RENAISSANCERE HOLDINGS LTD

RNST…. RENASANT CORP

RODM…. RODMAN & RENSHAW CAP GRP INC NEW

ROMA….. ROMA FINANCIAL CORP

ROME…. ROME BANCORP INC

RPFG….. RAINIER PACIFIC FINL GROUP INC

RVSB….. RIVERVIEW BANCORP INC

RY…. ROYAL BANK CANADA MONTREAL QUE

SAF…. SAFECO CORP

SAFT…. SAFETY INSURANCE GROUP INC

SAL …. SALISBURY BANCORP INC

SAMB…. SUN AMERICAN BANCORP

SASR…. SANDY SPRING BANCORP INC

SAVB…. SAVANNAH BANCORP INC

SBBX…. SUSSEX BANCORP

SBCF…. SEACOAST BANKING CORP FLA

SBIB…. STERLING BANCSHARES INC

SBKC…. SECURITY BANK CORP

SBNY…. SIGNATURE BANK NEW YORK N Y

SBP…. SANTANDER BANCORP

SBSI…. SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES INC

SCA…. SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTD

SCB…. COMMUNITY BANKSHARES INC S C

SCBT…. S C B T FINANCIAL CORP

SCHW…. SCHWAB CHARLES CORP NEW

SCMF…. SOUTHERN COMMUNITY FINCL CORP

SEAB….. SEABRIGHT INSURANCE HOLDINGS INC

SF…. STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP

SFG…. STANCORP FINANCIAL GROUP INC

SFNC…. SIMMONS 1ST NATIONAL CORP

SFST…. SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC

SGB…. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA FINANCIAL CORP

SHG…. SHINHAN FINANCIAL GROUP CO LTD

SIEB…. SIEBERT FINANCIAL CORP

SIFI…. SI FINANCIAL GROUP INC

SIGI…. SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP INC

SIVB…. S V B FINANCIAL GROUP

SLF…. SUN LIFE FINANCIAL INC

SLM…. S L M CORP

SMBC…. SOUTHERN MISSOURI BANCORP INC

SMCG….. MILLENNIUM INDIA ACQUISIT CO INC

SMHG…. SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS GROUP INC

SMMF…. SUMMIT FINANCIAL GROUP INC

SMTB…. SMITHTOWN BANCORP INC

SNBC…. SUN BANCORP INC

SNV…. SYNOVUS FINANCIAL CORP

SOCB…. SOUTHCOAST FINANCIAL CORP

SOMH…. SOMERSET HILLS BANCORP

SONA…. SOUTHERN NATIONAL BANCORP VA INC

SOV…. SOVEREIGN BANCORP INC

SRCE…. 1ST SOURCE CORP

SSBI SUMMIT STATE BANK

SSBX…. SILVER STATE BANCORP

SSFN…. STEWARDSHIP FINANCIAL CORP

STBA…. S & T BANCORP INC

STBC…. STATE BANCORP INC NY

STBK…. STERLING BANKS INC

STEL…. STELLARONE CORP

STFC…. STATE AUTO FINANCIAL CORP

STI…. SUNTRUST BANKS INC

STL…. STERLING BANCORP

STSA…. STERLING FINANCIAL CORP WASH

STT…. STATE STREET CORP

STU…. STUDENT LOAN CORP

SUAI…. SPECIALTY UNDERWRITERS ALL INC

SUBK…. SUFFOLK BANCORP

SUFB…. SUFFOLK FIRST BANK VA

SUPR…. SUPERIOR BANCORP

SUR…. C N A SURETY CORP

SUSQ…. SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES INC PA

SVBI…. SEVERN BANCORP INC MD

SWS…. S W S GROUP INC

SYBT…. S Y BANCORP INC

TAMB…. TAMALPAIS BANCORP

TAQ…. TRANSFORMA ACQUISITION GROUP INC

TAYC…. TAYLOR CAPITAL GROUP INC

TBBK…. BANCORP INC

TBHS…. BANK HOLDINGS THE

TCB…. T C F FINANCIAL CORP

TCBI…. TEXAS CAPITAL BANCSHARES INC

TCBK…. TRICO BANCSHARES

TCHC…. 21ST CENTURY HOLDING CO

TDBK…. TIDELANDS BANCSHARES INC

TFIN…. TEAM FINANCIAL INC

TFSL…. TFS FINANCIAL CORP

TGIC…. TRIAD GUARANTY INC

THFF…. FIRST FINANCIAL CORP IN

THG…. HANOVER INSURANCE GROUP INC

THRD…. T F FINANCIAL CORP

TIBB…. T I B FINANCIAL CORP

TIL…. TRANS INDIA ACQUISITION CORP

TMCV…. TEMECULA VALLEY BANCORP INC

TMK…. TORCHMARK CORP

TMP…. TOMPKINS FINANCIAL CORP

TNCC…. TENNESSEE COMMERCE BANCORP INC

TOFC…. TOWER FINANCIAL CORP

TONE…. TIERONE CORP

TOWN…. TOWNEBANK

TRH…. TRANSATLANTIC HOLDINGS INC

TROW…. T ROWE PRICE GROUP INC

TRST…. TRUSTCO BANK CORP NY

TRUE…. CENTRUE FINANCIAL CORP NEW

TRV…. TRAVELERS COMPANIES INC

TSBK…. TIMBERLAND BANCORP INC

TSFG…. SOUTH FINL GROUP INC

TSH…. TECHE HOLDING CO

TWGP…. TOWER GROUP INC

TWPG…. THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS GROUP INC

UAM…. UNIVERSAL AMERICAN CORP

UB…. UNIONBANCAL CORP

UBCP…. UNITED BANCORP INC

UBFO…. UNITED SECURITY BANKSHARES

UBNK…. UNITED FINANCIAL BANCORP INC MD

UBOH…. UNITED BANCSHARES INC

UBS…. U B S AG

UBSH…. UNION BANKSHARES CORP

UBSI…. UNITED BANKSHARES INC

UCBA…. UNITED COMMUNITY BANCORP

UCBH…. U C B H HOLDINGS INC

UCBI…. UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS INC GA

UCFC…. UNITED COMMUNITY FINL CORP OHIO

UFCS…. UNITED FIRE & CAS CO

UMBF…. U M B FINANCIAL CORP

UMPQ…. UMPQUA HOLDINGS CORP

UNAM…. UNICO AMERICAN CORP

UNB…. UNION BANKSHARES INC

UNH…. UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC

UNIB… UNIVERSITY BANCORP INC

UNM…. UNUM GROUP

UNTY…. UNITY BANCORP INC

USB…. U S BANCORP DEL

USBI…. UNITED SECURITY BANCSHARES INC

UTR…. UNITRIN INC

UVSP…. UNIVEST CORP OF PENNSYLVANIA

UWBK…. UNITED WESTERN BANCORP INC

VBFC…. VILLAGE BANK AND TRUST FINL CORP

VCBI…. VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP

VIST…. V I S T FINACIAL CORP

VLY…. VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

VNBC…. VINEYARD NATIONAL BANCORP

VPFG…. VIEWPOINT FINANCIAL GROUP

VR…. VALIDUS HOLDINGS LTD

VSBN…. V S B BANCORP INC NY

VYFC…. VALLEY FINANCIAL CORP VA

WABC…. WESTAMERICA BANCORPORATION

WAIN…. WAINWRIGHT BANK & TRUST CO BOSTN

WAL…. WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION

WASH…. WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP INC

WAUW…. WAUWATOSA HOLDINGS INC

WAYN…. WAYNE SAVINGS BANCSHARES INC NEW

WB…. WACHOVIA CORP 2ND NEW

WBCO…. WASHINGTON BANKING COMPANY

WBNK…. WACCAMAW BANKSHARES INC

WBS…. WEBSTER FINL CORP WATERBURY CONN

WCBO…. WEST COAST BANCORP ORE NEW

WCG…. WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS INC

WDR…. WADDELL & REED FINANCIAL INC

WFBC…. WILLOW FINANCIAL BANCORP INC

WFC…. WELLS FARGO & CO NEW

WFD…. WESTFIELD FINANCIAL INC

WFSL…. WASHINGTON FEDERAL INC

WGNB…. W G N B CORP

WHG…. WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP INC

WHI…. W HOLDING CO INC

WIBC…. WILSHIRE BANCORP INC

WL…. WILMINGTON TRUST CORP

WLP…. WELLPOINT INC

WM…. WASHINGTON MUTUAL INC

WPL…. STEWART W P & CO LTD

WRB…. BERKLEY W R CORP

WSB…. W S B HOLDINGS INC

WSBC…. WESBANCO INC

WSFG…. W S B FINANCIAL GROUP

WSFS…. WSFS FINANCIAL CORP

WTBA…. WEST BANCORPORATION INC

WTFC…. WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION

WTM…. WHITE MOUNTAINS INS GROUP INC

WTNY…. WHITNEY HOLDING CORP

WVFC…. WVS FINANCIAL CORP

XL…. X L CAPITAL LTD

Y…. ALLEGHANY CORP DE

YAVY….. YADKIN VALLEY FINANCIAL CORP

ZION…. ZIONS BANCORP

ZNT…. ZENITH NATIONAL INSURANCE CORP

The truth is, Sprint has some technologies they “want” to implement but “haven’t.” Take the Airave for example, it’s been in test markets for over a year. If you don’t know what it is, it is a femtocell base that plugs into an Ethernet port on your router and transmits Sprint’s signal, so you can get GREAT coverage in your house. It would be great for people like us, who are just outside their coverage area in our house. Even though roaming is free, there has been rumors going around they’re going to drop customers who roam more than 500 minutes a month.

Ok, that’s enough about that. It’s great you can read more about it at Sprint

So it’s no wonder that someone wants to take advantage of this company while they are down. After the first quarter and the write off of Nextel…Sprint’s been in a slump.

The FBI doing an inquest on a bank bailed out by the FDIC…interesting. They are really pumping a lot of federal government money into this mortgage “crisis.” It really seems like the housing market, which was once one of the largest driving forces of our economy is really in the gutter. I mean, at this point it is common sense.

I feel bad for all those people who have more than $100,000 in an account at this bank. If it’s in an IRA or other fund, they get more…but for those people everything above $100,000 in just a checking or savings account, they only get half of it. So if they have $200,000, they only get $150,000. Ugh.

I just don’t know when to expect to come out of this. Personally, I’d like to see a slumping housing market through July of next year, because that’s when we’re planning on moving. I would like to see the economy take a turn for the better before then, but for my personal economy…July.