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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.
Will the Justice Department and the SEC Go After Blatantly Illegal RICO Activity by the Nation's Most Prominent Hedge Funds?
By bobo on 1/3/2009 4:29 PM
In which the bunny asks a rhetorical question: "Just how blatant does the illegality have to be before the wholly bought and paid for press acknowledges the crimes, and the co-opted lawmen are forced to do something, if only for appearances?"
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SEC Allows Deci-Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme to Run For Years
By bobo on 12/16/2008 3:34 PM
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd that the SEC is still a government agency?
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My Take On The Subprime Meltdown
By bobo on 12/8/2008 7:12 AM
It's all those damned sketchy sub-prime borrowers' fault! Or is it?
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The End Of The American Experiment - Of Fear, Greed, Stupidity, and Unprecedented Larceny...
By bobo on 11/25/2008 1:35 PM
Think Delivery Failures in the stock market are out of control? How about that wacky trillion dollar FTD Treasuries market?
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Lying, cheating and stealing. Hank Paulson's Wall Street legacy now US Government's legacy...
By bobo on 11/12/2008 8:55 AM
As predicted, the bailout was approved under completely false and misleading terms - so much for the, "We'll make money on the deal" blather from the hired pundits. Lies, lies, and more lies. Same as always...
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Why The $700 Billion Landgrab By Wall Street Won't Work, And Other Miscellanea - UPDATE 10/23 - NEW MUST SEE VIDEO
By bobo on 10/18/2008 5:29 AM
In which the bunny explains why you can't negotiate with terrorists. UPDATE - NEW NIPC VIDEO UPLOADED
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Did I Say I Was Innocent Of All Wrongdoing, and Call Patrick A Liar and A Cheat? UPDATE: NCANS & BYRNE SIGHTING IN PHILLY!!!
By bobo on 10/14/2008 1:10 AM
In the latest fanciful twist, the Overstock lawsuits continue to provide spectators with instructive information on how Wall Street functions. They lie, cheat and steal, deny everything, demand proof, smear anyone calling them on it, and basically behave like Mob thugs....
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Media Lies, Part 100,048
By bobo on 10/7/2008 2:21 PM
The media is busy ignoring some of the biggest stories in the financial devastation being wrought daily. Anyone surprised?
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Wikipedia and 'lilGW flat out busted and caught red-handed
By bobo on 10/1/2008 11:37 AM
As we watch the financial world fall apart around us, it's always fun to reflect upon the scummy and lowlife tactics that the bad guys have employed...
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I Hate To Say I Told You So, But...I Told You So.....
By bobo on 9/20/2008 2:51 AM
In which our favorite holiday rodent points out that plenty of warning of the coming disaster was available, and in fact jammed down the SEC and the media's throat, for years, with no effect.....
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The SEC May Be The Country's Worst Enemy
By bobo on 9/19/2008 12:26 AM
In the short term, they just saved the US financial system...
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On Scientific Reasoning, and the Testing of Hypotheses
By bobo on 9/17/2008 4:03 AM
The Bunny uses the latest idiocy from the SEC to demonstrate why science is a better logical predictor than metaphysics...IMPORTANT UPDATE 9.17.08
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How The West Was Looted
By bobo on 9/4/2008 6:10 AM
Back from vacation, I have a rather remarkable series of articles to share with you, which de-mystifies much of the how and the why of the looting of the American economy.
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How Big is the Failure to Deliver/Naked Shorting Problem? Yet More Information...UPDATED 8/13
By bobo on 8/8/2008 9:30 AM
The Editor of The Industry Standard recently asked the question, "How big is the delivery failure problem?" Essentially, asked how much of Patrick's concern over a systemic crisis is valid. So here's an answer that the swarm of flies who were obviously assigned to that message board to clutter it up can't obfuscate away...UPDATED 8/13
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Why The DTCC Is A Prime Mover In Securities Fraud and Naked Shorting
By bobo on 8/5/2008 4:29 AM
Read the blog in it's entirety. I was sent this analysis by a good friend who has been involved in this battle for years. I've never seen a more clear case of the DTCC's acting illegally in my life.
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A Survival Guide For Persecuted (or Prosecuted) Hedge Fund Managers - UPDATED 7/31
By bobo on 7/28/2008 8:27 PM
The Bunny has created an indispensable self-help primer for embattered masters of the universe(s).....
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The hedge fund industry howls with outrage over the new SEC temporary rule..."It's not a big problem"...is now...it could ruin the markets if curtailed...hmmm
By bobo on 7/21/2008 3:29 AM
First, the market makers basically force an exemption so they can continue naked shorting the financials at will. Now, the hedge fund industry issues a letter absolutely remarkable for it's tone and content.
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Cox: "Many people think naked short selling is already illegal, but that isn't true...."
By bobo on 7/17/2008 11:52 PM
In this episode, we contemplate the intellectual sleight of hand used by Wall Street's wholly captured SEC apologists....
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SEC Discovers That Unbridled Naked Short Selling Might Actually Be, Er, Not So Good....
By bobo on 7/15/2008 2:59 AM
In the latest CYA BS statements from the completely bent SEC, Cox declares the SEC's double standard as clearly as could be wished for.
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If you had hope the SEC wasn't completely rigged by Wall Street, here is your official notice to abandon it...
By bobo on 7/7/2008 4:51 PM
What if I told you that instead of the promised action to make a change in the rules to eliminate the patently unlawful Market Maker exemption, that the SEC had instead stalled it yet longer???
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The Contest To End All Contests
By bobo on 6/25/2008 8:46 AM
Patrick has created a contest with serious money behind it, to create awareness of Mark Mitchell's stupendous piece chronicling the entire saga of NSS, and our roles in the drama.
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A Random Collection Of Observations On The Decline Of American Civilization
By bobo on 6/14/2008 6:36 AM
And that was my optimistic working title....
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New SEC Rule Should Be Titled, "No More Suing The Prime Brokers" Rule...
By bobo on 5/20/2008 6:12 AM
The SEC, incapable of ending the rampant manipulation arising from the market maker exemption in Reg SHO, and which has stonewalled the NIPC petition cataloging the host of Federal securities laws being violated by their treatment of securities entitlements, can't rush a rule through fast enough to limit the liability of their paymasters at the prime brokers....
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The Greatest Story Ever Told...or at least a hell of a ride described in extraordinary detail - this is the big one, folks
By bobo on 5/6/2008 1:07 PM
For years, I have known and understood an awful lot of what is contained in the story you are about to read. I've alluded to bits and pieces of it, but now the whole shooting match is out in the open.
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A Suggested Comment Letter on the Latest SEC Absurdity - Proposed Rule S7-08-08
By bobo on 4/20/2008 8:36 PM
Yet another rule that does nothing to actually solve the NSS problem, and yet drapes itself in intent and sanctimony...
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NIPC Petition Now Up At SEC Site, Comments Needed
By bobo on 4/9/2008 3:34 PM
The NIPC Petition is now up at SEC.Gov, and we need everyone to go post comments to show some support here.
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National Investor Protection Coalition (formerly NCANS) Issues Landmark Petition to the SEC
By bobo on 4/3/2008 4:09 PM
The NIPC Petition is the final word on the sleight of hand the SEC has attempted, so that Wall Street can rip off investors with impunity.
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Bear Bailout, and What It Really Means
By bobo on 3/15/2008 11:12 PM
So, why did the nation's central bank approve a bailout for a non-member, non-bank? Curiouser and curiouser...
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New Patrick Byrne Podcast/Interview a Must Listen
By bobo on 3/12/2008 4:41 AM
Patrick is interviewed by The Register, and discusses NSS, Wikipedia, and a host of other interesting topics.
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Odds and Ends - Time Marches On
By bobo on 2/23/2008 10:14 PM
Some news and ruminations about the market, and NCANS
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World Coming To End, Film At 11
By bobo on 2/6/2008 9:54 AM
Is it just me, or is this the greatest crisis in confidence in Wall Street and the American banking system of our lifetime?
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Things that make you go, "Huh"...
By bobo on 1/15/2008 11:20 PM
Is that bad, when megabanks are putting their prime brokerages on the market? Too hot in the kitchen? Not as easy to steal a nation's wealth as it once was?
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Happy New Year - why I am optimistic....
By bobo on 1/8/2008 10:08 PM
It's a time of re-invention, right? Clocks reset, and a new horizon presents, and we are only limited by our imaginations......
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Judge Decides American Juries Too Stupid To Know Right From Wrong
By bobo on 12/20/2007 11:17 AM
While it is hard to argue that the average American isn't particularly gifted in terms of understanding the intricacies of securities law, one judge has decided that juries are too dim to differentiate criminal misconduct from playing by the rules...
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NY Times Tries To Get In Front Of The GAO's Harsh SEC Report
By bobo on 12/16/2007 6:25 PM
In a classic bit of trying to control the spin of seriously bad news, the NY Times does it's best to soften the blow of a report that basically shows the SEC to be completely incompetent to regulate the sale of ice water, much less the US markets...
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Lenin: Repeat A Lie Often Enough....
By bobo on 12/6/2007 3:03 PM
A stunning article in the Register (UK of course, as the US doesn't seem to allow real journalism anymore) outlines how Gary Weiss is part of the massive confidence game being run at Wikipedia, to control the spin of articles on Naked Short Selling
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A Refresher For Those Easily Distracted By Flashing Lights and Loud Noises - UPDATED 12/4
By bobo on 12/1/2007 7:49 AM
I was asked the other day to summarize things for someone who wanted a brief explanation of why this isn't just a small problem that we don't need to be worried about.
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Bethany, I Feel Like I've Nurtured A Viper At My Breast
By bobo on 11/28/2007 10:49 AM
In the continuing parade of captured journalists, Bethany makes a bid for the star spot of suck-up of the year. It's a crowded field, with all the NY fishwraps working fast and furious, however her latest certainly should place her in the final round.
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What's $192 Billion in Fails to Deliver and Receive Among Friends?
By bobo on 11/19/2007 11:24 AM
I mean, it's not like hiding the size of the delivery failure problem behind a wall of rhetoric is self serving for the securities industry, or anything?
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The Most Important Thing You Will Hear This Year
By bobo on 11/2/2007 10:50 AM
Everyone who wants to understand why the US market system is as compromised as an Afghani customs agent needs to set aside some time and listen to this landmark presentation.
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It's All About Free Speech!!! Er, Or, Maybe It Is That Patrick Is A Crook, Or A Kook...!?
By bobo on 11/1/2007 6:46 PM
What's particularly amusing to me is how the Gradient/Rocker matter was supposedly all about free speech, but now that the Supreme Court laughed that out of the room, now it is that Patrick is a, well, really bad man....
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Rico. Suave. Wheel of Justice Grinding Away...
By bobo on 10/23/2007 1:57 PM
Is it a problem when you are trying to get the suit against you thrown out, uh, you know, because, uh, well, you say it's all a pack of filthy lies....and the judge slaps you down like an errant schoolgirl?
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What we have heah, suh, is a failyuh to communicaate.
By bobo on 10/4/2007 5:21 PM
Patrick and Patch write stunningly clear comment letters indicating why the MM exemption is unnecessary, and actively harms equity investors. Of course, the SEC has little or no interest in any of that, preferring to stall any meaningful reforms for as long as possible....
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Musings on the market, and of desperate acts for desperate men
By bobo on 9/29/2007 7:54 PM
Is it just me, or does the industry hate the 1934 Act so much it can't even bear to mention it in its comment letters to the SEC?
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NCANS site to be integrated into this site
By bobo on 9/24/2007 7:11 AM
We decided to incorporate the NCANS material into this site, as it was a duplication of effort to keep both sites active.
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Weiss Charged with Felonies, Gradient Sings Anthem While Losing Stalling Ploy
By bobo on 9/19/2007 6:25 PM
Milberg Weiss partner Mel Weiss is charged with being a bad bad man, and Gradient and Rocker prepare to free themselves of the cumbersome burden of secrecy - before a jury. Not for want of trying to weasel out of it, though....
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NCANS Letter Posted At SEC Site, SEC Officially Screwing Everyone But Wall Street
By bobo on 9/18/2007 5:35 AM
NCANS' comment letter calling for the immediate elimination of the Market Maker exemption is now up, as are several from the industry bemoaning how much activity will slow in heavily manipulated stocks. And the GAO releases a report basically indicating the SEC is doing squat for investors, and actively harming those it investigates.
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Patrick Creates The Ultimate Series on Captured Regulators and the Market's Folly
By bobo on 9/6/2007 1:53 PM
If you only read one thing this year about the issues surrounding the stock market, the delivery failure crisis, the meltdown in our capital markets, etc. it should be this series.
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Important comment letter for the SEC
By bobo on 8/23/2007 3:37 AM
If you want to do something about the SEC's delay in eliminating the MM exception, which allows the options MM to naked short to their heart's content, legally, here's the template of a simple comment letter you can send. UPDATE: SIGNS THAT THE MELTDOWN COMMETH
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Don't worry, everything is fine, it's all just a little out of hand, is all....
By bobo on 8/14/2007 3:41 PM
As the financial markets melt down and liquidity evaporates from the system, a lone voice of reason (actually several, if you count Patrick and I) discusses why human nature ensures another meltdown commeth...
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