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Bob O'Brien's Sanity Check Blog

Author: bobo Created: 1/10/2006 10:09 AM
This blog is dedicated to Bob O'Brien's Sanity Check editorials, and discussions about the Market Reform Movement, the SEC, failing to deliver/naked shorting, etc. It was created so that his many detractors and fans can tell him that he is full of it, correct his mistakes, rant and rave, kowtow, preen, or whatever seems appropriate. The only sins are being boring, or inarticulate, or dim. Humorous pieces can be found in the new Funny Bunny Blog area above, for a lighter-hearted take on being a bunny. Older Bobo blogs can be viewed by selecting a month under the calendar to your right.


Milberg Weiss Indictment Cites 245 Overt Acts of RICO Violations
By bobo on 5/30/2006 6:16 PM
You really have to shake your head in awe at the sheer scope of the larceny. And these are bit players compared to the prime brokers and hedge funds...
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Cal Maine FOIA Request Shows Yet Another SHO List Company with 10+% Of All Shares Failed
By bobo on 5/30/2006 6:10 AM
Huh. So, FTDs aren't a bit problem, and yet every time we get more FOIA data we see where 10 percent or more of a company's stock are FTDs. Which raises the question, what would a big problem look like?
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Article in Nebraska Paper Cites NCANS For Naked Short Selling Description
By bobo on 5/29/2006 2:23 PM
It's always fun when a paper cites NCANS as an authority on naked short selling...
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Clarification of the ramifications of the new UT FTD reporting bill.
By bobo on 5/26/2006 9:48 AM
It seems like there are quite a few who don't fully appreciate what the UT bill means. Here's my humble attempt at clarification...
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UT Governor Facing Wall Street Blackmail, Extortion
By bobo on 5/26/2006 4:49 AM
The story of the amount of pressure being exerted, and the dirty deeds pulled by Wall Street over the new bill recently passed by the legislature, is stunning in the level it reveals Wall Street's fear of exposure. And they have literally stopped at nothing. UPDATE: I JUST GOT AN EMAIL THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE BILL!
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UT Gov Feeling WS Heat; Great Article On Market Manipulation; 'lilGW Travails Continue...
By bobo on 5/25/2006 11:28 AM
The UT Governor is getting the full court press on pressure to veto the new FTD reporting bill. And there's a great article on market manipulation by a guy who gets it. And 'lilGW's saga on the Yahoo boards continues...
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Landmark Anti-FTD Bill Passes In Utah; Gary Weiss Message Board Basher?
By bobo on 5/25/2006 5:35 AM
Utah passed a landmark bill requiring real disclosure and transparency from the brokers. And "'lilGW" is first out of the gate to condemn it - yet he faces disturbing credibility issues of his own...
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New Bobo Blog - Humorous Video - The Market Shuffle
By bobo on 5/24/2006 12:00 PM
Jeff Mathews Versus Patrick Byrne, Set To Music...
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More Commentary on the SEC letter to the NV court clerk...
By bobo on 5/24/2006 5:41 AM
A few folks have sent me commentary - one, a regular poster on the MF board, and another, a former SEC attorney. Their perspectives are worthy of commemorating.
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SEC issues bizarre letter to NV court, DOJ getting involved in OSTK case
By bobo on 5/22/2006 8:51 AM
Every time the Bunny turns around, the situation gets weirder and weirder...
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Spitzer Returns Milberg Cash - Is Shocked That One Of His Larger Contributors Crooked
By bobo on 5/21/2006 9:04 AM
Is that bad, when you are running for office on a platform of ostensibly being honest, reforming crusader, but your campaign is being financed largely by Wall Street and crooked law firms and the like?
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Milberg Goes Down Hard, NFI Back On Reg SHO
By bobo on 5/19/2006 3:53 PM
The Bunny Roundup brings us Milberg Weiss indicted on 20 counts, including racketeering....and NFI, longtime Rocker Partners short/also sued by Milberg Weiss reappears on SHO list after 18% price decline on no news...
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Casey At The Bat...Fated to Strike Out?
By bobo on 5/17/2006 6:12 PM
Kathy Casey, Senator Shelby's staff director, is going to be nominated for the SEC Commissioner role...
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DMC Requests Naked Short Selling Probe
By bobo on 5/17/2006 2:01 PM
Yet another company's shares are plummeting, they recently appeared on the Reg SHO list, and the market is pretending that all is well...
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Another Day I Should Have Stayed In Bed - Congress On Hedge Funds
By bobo on 5/17/2006 5:50 AM
Just when you thought you had heard every imbecilic notion ever uttered by an elected official, new records are set...
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Regulation? We don' need no steenkeeeng regulation...
By bobo on 5/16/2006 5:54 PM
The Fed chimed in today with some amazing statements about hedge funds. The Bunny has a thing or two to say about that...
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How Wall Street and Hedge Funds Created An Alternative Banking System
By bobo on 5/15/2006 7:00 AM
This one is for the FBI, Homeland Security, DOJ, IRS. The SEC is clearly uninterested in dealing with the new reality of global money laundering and the like, so perhaps the law enforcement groups chartered with dealing with this will take a crack at it…?
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New Dr. Patrick Byrne Interview A Must Listen
By bobo on 5/14/2006 3:00 AM
Bobo brings you the latest radio interview, from NPR, with Dr. Byrne, which discusses naked short selling in some detail.
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Electronic Trading Group Versus The Prime Brokers
By bobo on 5/12/2006 4:00 AM
Bobo brings you the suit that is causing all the uproar...
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SEC Chairman Cox Speaks, Pile On at OSTK Continues...
By bobo on 5/10/2006 11:00 PM
The head of the SEC had inspiring words, which the Bunny will ruin for everyone, and more of the cockroach cadre scuttle back into the light, emboldened at least temporarily by their strength in numbers...
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As Predicted. The Usual Suspects Chime In On OSTK Subpoena
By bobo on 5/9/2006 11:00 PM
If only there was anything that didn't seem obligatory and transparent in all this...
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The farce continues unabated: OSTK receives subpoena from SEC
By bobo on 5/8/2006 11:00 PM
"911" "Yes, please, you have to help, they have broken in and robbed me again, and they are stealing everything, and I hear them talking, and they say they want to destroy me!" "I see. I'm afraid we need to audit you - can you please deliver all your records for the last 3 years of operations....?"
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Quickies From The Road
By bobo on 5/7/2006 11:00 PM
I am short on time, but these are noteworthy...
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TSCM's Arne Alsin Tells The Truth About Failure To Deliver, and Overstock
By bobo on 5/7/2006 11:00 PM
What can you say when only one of thousands of journalists working is willing to tell the truth about the structural problems in the US market, and describes the inevitable crisis in confidence that must ensue? Thank you might be a good start...
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In The News - Milberg, Short Sellers, Warren Buffett
By bobo on 5/6/2006 11:00 PM
Bobo will be traveling today and tomorrow, but wanted to drop off a few nuggets for the folks at home to consider.
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No Coverage Of NY Post "We Will Crush You" Comments; Gasparino Hears Milberg Going Down...
By bobo on 5/5/2006 4:00 AM
Bits and pieces from the bunny's busy day...
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NCANS Respectfully Submits An Amicus Brief In Nanopierce Case
By bobo on 5/2/2006 11:00 PM
NCANS filed an Amicus brief in the Nanopierce case, on Monday, which argues that the federal preemption asserted by the SEC doesn't in fact exist.
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NASAA Files Amicus Curiae Brief
By bobo on 5/2/2006 11:00 PM
NASAA also has also filed an Amicus brief challenging the Federal preemption the lower court and the SEC assert...
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From The SABEW Conference - What Is The Best Way To Obstruct Justice?
By bobo on 5/2/2006 4:00 AM
Bobo is again peplexed by the wisdom evinced by our business journalist professionals. Join him as he exposes a discussion on how best to keep your data out of the clutches of those evil-doers who issue subpoenas - you know, law enforcement, anti-terrorism, regulators, the courts.....
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Bobo breaks out MS Paint in order to offer the cheap seats at home a simplified explanation of the perspective of the SABEW speakers...
By bobo on 5/1/2006 11:00 PM
It is always nice when folks are clear on their positions. But given that some might be confused over the tone and sentiment expressed by some of the speakers at SABEW, Bobo has synthesized it all down into a series of.......badly drawn cartoons!!!
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SABEW Conference Update - Cox Speaks, and His Words Resonate
By bobo on 5/1/2006 4:00 AM
The Bunny brings you the latest from the SABEW conference, where SEC Commissioner Christopher Cox addressed the huddled masses...
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On The SABEW Conference, And The Arrogance Of Unbridled Power
By bobo on 4/30/2006 11:00 PM
Bobo got a transcript of yesterday's discussion at the SABEW conference, whose title was more of a giveaway than anything he could have come up with: "High-Tech McCarthyism? : Dealing with Today's New Business Journalist Bashers". --- In other news, Bobo scratches his head over the Citi broker who confirmed all of our worst suspicions about the market...
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Weekend Update: Milberg Guilty, REFCO Revelations, CXN Firestorm
By bobo on 4/29/2006 4:00 AM
Is that bad, when the attorneys suing companies that are shorted by powerful hedge funds turn out to have been violating the law, and inventing cases? How about when the biggest broker blowup scandal in history gets uglier? Or what about when a test of the system has the bashers working overtime? The Bunny has it all...
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Circle Group Holdings Declares War On Naked Short Selling
By bobo on 4/28/2006 4:00 AM
A small company out of the Midwest, listed on the AMEX, detonates a nuke in the ongoing battle against naked short selling.
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Judge stalls discovery in OSTK suit until appellate court can rule on tossed SLAPP motion
By bobo on 4/26/2006 11:00 PM
The Marin judge in the OSTK suit against Gradient and Rocker ruled that discovery had to wait for the appellate process to go through the motions on the SLAPP aspect. So we have to wait a few more months before celebrating Rocker and Gradient's innocence in this ugly stock manipulation scandal...
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SEC A Contemptible Boot-licking Lackey of Wall Street Special Interests? Canada May Run A Close Second...
By bobo on 4/26/2006 11:00 PM
A series of articles from the Vancouver Sun should serve as a wake-up call. Apparently money and power buys privilege, influence and special treatment up North as well, eh?
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Columbia Journalism Review Chastises NY Press For Treatment of NSS/Sedona Story; NASD Sanctions Broker for NSS
By bobo on 4/25/2006 11:00 PM
The Columbia Journalism Review. They hand out a little something called the Pulitzer. Are considered the quintessential observer and evaluator of the press in this country. And they don't seem thrilled with the job that the NY press corps is doing WRT Sedona, or stock manipulation via NSS. UPDATE: And breaking NASD news on a broker fined for NSS, incorrectly marking NSS orders long...
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Senator Bennett Covers A Lot Of Ground On Naked Short Selling
By bobo on 4/25/2006 4:00 AM
Today, Senator Bennett pretty much said it all in the hearing with SEC Chairman Christopher Cox...who basically said we are looking into all that....
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New NASD Bulletin on Naked Short Selling
By bobo on 4/24/2006 11:00 PM
A new issuance from the NASD underscores and highlights the SEC's recent declaration...
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The Harsh Truth From The Most Unlikely of Sources - Thestreet.com
By bobo on 4/24/2006 11:00 PM
Arne Alsin writes the first in what should be Pulitzer Prize pieces - from a "part-time" journalist. Roddy? Floyd? Jesse? Carol? Herb? You should hang your heads in shame...
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New Crosscurrents Yet Another Erudite and Succinct Commentary - On NFI and NSS
By bobo on 4/24/2006 4:00 AM
Hey, what's a little failing to deliver between friends? How about millions and millions, just in one company...?
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Brilliant Pieces of Journalism Today
By bobo on 4/22/2006 11:00 PM
This is yet another must read piece - from Philadelphia, not NY. And the second article sheds some light on why Spitzer is not coming down on hedge funds...
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Fabulous Op-ed Piece - A Really Good Read
By bobo on 4/22/2006 4:00 AM
I was emailed this today, and it was as though someone was writing for me - I found it to be a great read. Maybe you will too...
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Weekend Roundup - Hedge Fund MB Bashers, SEC Extends No-Uptick Trading, OSTK Proxy Critical Test Or System
By bobo on 4/21/2006 11:00 PM
You know all those fine folks (invariably bashers) who claim there is no such thing as paid message board bashers, and that the boards don't influence anyone? Think again. And the SEC has extended the "do whatever you feel like" trading "test". Most importantly, OSTK shareholders aren't getting their proxies.
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Floyd Norris of NY Times Offers Ominous Observation On Hedge Funds; Dr. Byrne Swats Flies
By bobo on 4/21/2006 4:00 AM
Today's installment has the NY Times making some rather ominous noises about hedge funds, lack of regulation, fraud, and possible dark days ahead - which sounds suspiciously like an aviso about systemic risk. And Dr. Byrne responds to the WSJ. UPDATE - BYRNE ISSUES ANNOUNCEMENT RELATED TO PROXY FRAUD IN OSTK
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Another Article Using the Words Systemic Risk; Hedge Fund SRO Considered
By bobo on 4/20/2006 4:00 AM
The Tinfoil Hat crowd has been using the term systemic risk for a while. Now it is appearing in Fed language. Huh. In different yet related news, Marketwatch discusses a hedge fund SRO. The Bunny's thoughts on that are predictable...
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Yet another hedge fund goes after brokers for naked short selling
By bobo on 4/20/2006 4:00 AM
Where are all the apologists who were around explaining that this just doesn't happen now? 'lilGW? Jeff Mathews? Remember, we are full of baloney, and wearing tin foil hats? Add yet another group of industry insiders to that group.
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New Article On Dr. Byrne and NSS - Great Read
By bobo on 4/19/2006 4:00 AM
A thorough and fair article on Dr. Byrne of OSTK's battle with a corrupt and complicit system.
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Canadian Firm Fined, for Among Other Things, Naked Short Selling (gasp)!!! Oh Canada...
By bobo on 4/18/2006 4:00 AM
Yet another case where a broker gets a wrist slapping over a host of issues, and buried in the middle, is naked short selling - repeatedly, and with impunity. Funny how so many Wall Street folks are saying this doesn't happen, and yet now we have the hedge funds suing the prime brokers over the issue, and Canadians shown to be knee deep in it...
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Astoundingly Well Written Report On The Anti-NSS Broker Lawsuit And The Implications Thereof
By bobo on 4/17/2006 11:00 PM
This is an absolutely must read. I differ in opinion in one small area, but overall, by jove, I think he's got it!
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