Japanese Reprising 80’s Buying Spree Remember the late 80s? The Japanese just couldn’t get enough of throwing their money around all over the world buying trophy assets. Well, they are back, but are being a little more careful this time around. They have to put their money to work as it is, because goodness knows it doesn’t earn much interest.

Pickens to NBC: My Army Will Get to You and You Will Run My Ad For those of you following the Pickens Plan these last two months, the legendary takeover artist turned de facto national energy policy director has not seen a camera he doesn’t like. And for good reason… no one likes paying $4 a gallon for gas. So if people in Iran are converting their cars to natural gas so that they can sell us more oil at triple digit prices, we ought to know about it, NBC.

“Because I’m a Bad Businessman, You Owe Me $11 Million” Stuart Ross, estranged father-in-law of Blackstone Senior MD David Blitzer, was arrested yesterday, charged with trying to extort millions from his son-in-law. The 71 year-old former licenser of the Smurfs cartoon who along the way lost much fo his fortune, insists Blackstone worked with the Manhattan DA to ruin him. Says a firm spokesman, “Utter nonsense.” Sorry Stewie, Schwartzman and Company are far from being your Gargamel.

Fannie Shakes It Up at the Top Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd is shaking up the executive suite to turn around the battered mortgage buyer. He’s taking a page from the sports world, as if he’s the general manager of a football team who by simply firing the coaching staff will change the fortune of the franchise. Sport is a business, but business is not always sport. If and when Fannie gets nationalized, how great will he look?

Hopefest Day Three: Obama Officially the Man. Bubba, Biden Awe Crowd. Day Three at the DNC saw the party nominate their first ever black candidate, while the Bill Clinton and Joe Biden got their moment in the proverbial sun. Tonight Obama will accept the nod.

Few make the trek to Vietnam. It's a long flight to a remote part of the world. But, spending more than a full day on a plane (the 24-hour kind, not a mere workday) could be worth the discomfort if you plan the right activities on the other side. If that trip involves bicycling from Hanoi to Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh), dining at the home of a local anthropologist and touring the infamous Cu Chi tunnels, logging all that airline time starts to seem worthwhile.

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Known for his folksy charm, frugality, prized annual shareholder's letter, and immense wealth, the "Oracle Of Omaha" Warren Buffet celebrates his birthday, this week on August 30th.

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In our secret hearts, many of us imagine that we belong elsewhere -- say, in England, at a great country estate, in good weather, where we enjoy every luxury because we are rich and titled.

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If you're headed to Denver for the DNC, here's a breakdown of the nightlife...

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Whether having committed an iconic prank of disgusting defiance or hilarity, instigators "George Metesky and friends" better known as Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Stew Alpert and other members of the Youth International Party (Yippies) swarmed the NYSE visitors gallery on August 24, 1967 and tossed dozens of dollar bills over the railing onto the trading floor below.

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So you stop buying bottled water and start filtering your water at home.

Then comes the disconnect.

When you're going out to exercise...

When you want to send water in your kid's lunchbox....

When you're missing the style statement that you used to get from sporting a bottle of Evian...

...where do you put your water?

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New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office, which is investigating Wall Street's sales practices in auction-rate securities, told JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley and Wachovia Corp on Monday that it wants to begin settlement talks immediately.

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When the grind of the trading desk has you itching to get on the road, you don't need to plan an escape of several weeks. For a quick weekend out of town or a longer retreat from the pressures daily life, Montreal may be the answer. Put yourself in a completely different environment for a little bit without turning your life upside down, and you'll find your sanity return in no time.

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Marking the triumphant return of World War II soldiers, the NYSE closed for business on August 15 and 16, 1945 in honor of the nation's V-J Day...and joined in the glorious parade up the hallowed "Canyon of Heroes" in the financial district.

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