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Zero Sum Game: The Black Box of the Congressional Budget Process
So, how do you do your household budgeting? Millions of us use QuickBooks or some variation thereof. For those who are technologically challenged (I...
The Silver Lining in the U.S. Debt Downgrade
No matter which side of the political fence or economic Continental Divide you sit on, few can deny that this was the week that...
Of Debt Ceiling Debates, Non-Denial Denials and Non-Default Defaults
In 1980, Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan asked the American people: "Are you better off than you were four years ago... Is America more...
On Cell Phone Hacking and Privacy: A Modest Proposal for Mr....
The recent revelations regarding the outrageous escapades of certain News Corp. subsidiaries, and the employees thereof, have been so scandalous as to capture and...
Un-Warrented: American Consumers Lose Their Biggest Defender
At long last, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launches officially this week. Unfortunately, so far it seems that what happens on Thursday, July 21st...
Child Identity Theft: The 17-10 Solution
This week I had the opportunity to attend a fascinating forum in Washington, DC, to explore the myriad issues surrounding child identity theft, including...
The Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Breach: Losing Client Data the Old...
A few days ago, a friend of mine received several letters dated June 24, 2011 from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, where he has kept...
The Weakest Link: Feds Fail with Cyber Security Proposal
Last week I expressed my concern over efforts in Congress to delay, defang and ultimately defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I called upon...
The Elephants in the Room: The GOP’s War on Consumer Protection
Saturday, June 25th, represents a seminal day for Bank of America credit card holders. It is Penalty Rate Increase Day. From that day forward,...
In Defense of Consumer Protection
The Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wants to prevent President Obama from appointing Elizabeth Warren, Raj Date (or frankly anyone...
Daddy, Make the Bad Man Go Away
So, it’s 10:15 PM and your eight-year-old just woke up with a nightmare. While you’re tending to him, the phone rings and of course...
Play It Again, SAM
This country is in the midst of a housing crisis — a devastating housing crisis reminiscent of the 1930s — and no one, not...
Herding Cats: Regulating Online Tracking
There was a time, when the World Wide Web was young, that many entrepreneurs counted on the idea they could make money the old-fashioned...
The Michaels & Fox Data Breaches: Coincidence or Cohesion?
Well, two fascinating—and repellant—things happened in the last few days, which but for the broadest possible subject matter connection, would seem to be unrelated....
Bin Phishin’?
Last week, the President and Commander in Chief announced something many Americans had been anticipating (though less and less, as time passed) for nearly...
When You’re the Apple of Their Eye
The World Wide Web seems to be making the world less wide. Everyone is connected to everyone and everything else, and that is changing...
S&P Downgrades U.S. Debt… Will Repo Men Come for Air Force...
By now, nearly every American should know that a “credit report” and a “credit score” represent a measure of our personal financial integrity. Those...
What Do Data Breaches, Globalization and Unprotected Sex Have in Common?
In the 21st century, the data breach apology letter has established itself as a new literary art form. Countless CEOs from corporations big and...
The End of Digital Innocence: What Does the Epsilon Breach Mean?
Spot Quiz: What does the word epsilon mean to you? It is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet. As I recall, in its...
The CFPB and Congress’ Need for an Adult Conversation
The Republicans, now in control of our House of Representatives, love to talk about having adult conversations about things, and so I can’t for...