SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

Full News Archive

• Headline: Barclays Acquires Lehman Unit for $1.75 Billion. Impact: Barclays' $1.75 billion deal not only saved thousands of jobs, but it inadvertently led to a spike in coffee consumption among former Lehman employees who now needed caffeine to cope with their new Barclays culture. Who knew corporate mergers could lead to a java-fueled renaissance?. Fact: Did you know that Robert E. Diamond Jr. once tried to expand his reach by using a giant rubber band? He quickly learned that wasn’t the most effective approach..
• Headline: Time to Shift Economic Strategies. Impact: This call to play offense could be traced back to a cosmic realization that sometimes, just sometimes, a good offense is the best defense—except in politics, where it's usually just a good way to confuse everyone.. Fact: Did you know that 'playing offense' was originally a term used in dodgeball? Clearly, the government was trying to dodge accountability while throwing around ideas..
• Headline: A.I.G. Is Still Profitable, With a Wide Array of Enterprises. Impact: A.I.G.'s profitability and diverse enterprises created a ripple effect that eventually led to the birth of the phrase 'too big to fail', which became a favorite in corporate boardrooms and barroom debates alike. Thanks for that!. Fact: Maurice R. Greenberg once attempted to diversify into the fast food industry. 'A.I.G. Fries' didn’t quite catch on, though..