The ongoing debate over just what the TAF is and means for the financial sector. (Interfluidity)

Are we underestimating the systemic risk of the warnings on the monoline bond insurers? (Calculated Risk)

On the relationship between leverage, balance sheets and asset prices. (Alea)

Negative real yields. (InVivoAnalytics.com)

“..(T)he key question is not where a company is located, or what currency its stock is denominated in: the key question is rather where a company does business.” (Market Movers)

The August quant meltdown and the re-emergence of growth stocks. (FT Alphaville)

The challenges of trying to define volatility as an asset class. (Daily Options Report)

Yet another example of questionable trading behavior prior to a takeover. (DealBook)

How seriously should we take Barron’s bearish call on Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa)? (Jeff Matthews)

Emerging markets drove IPO volume in 2007. (FT.com)

More on the question of whether buybacks are ever a good thing for shareholders. (Zero Beta, blog.pmarca.com)

Investing is by definition a bet on the unknown. (A Dash of Insight)

Is Jim Cramer turning over a new (investing) leaf? (BusinessWeek.com)

A chapter-by-chapter review of Nassim Taleb’s “The Black Swan.” (CXO Advisory Group)

Follow the money, not surveys, when it comes to retail sales. (Big Picture)

How the Internet has reduced “information assymmetries” and made the holiday season more difficult for retailers. (NewYorker.com)

Speaking of retail sales, the Amazon (AMZN) should buy eBay (EBAY) meme, is spreading. (Silicon Alley Insider)

The MLBPA is the best entity to police the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. (Wages of Wins)

Thanks again to everyone who has donated to Abnormal Returns. For those interested the tip jar remains open.