Where did the bulls go?  (Bespoke)

Is somebody messing with the VIX?  (Daily Options Report)

Putting the Hindenberg Omen into some technical perspective.  (Barron’s)

More talk of the bond bubble bursting…eventually.  (Street Sweep, The Reformed Broker)

Some thoughts on whether Treasury bonds can ever truly be in a bubble.  (Pragmatic Capitalism, Brad DeLong, EconomPic Data, Felix Salmon, CWS, DJ Market Talk)

Time to switch from bonds to equities.  (FT Alphaville also  SurlyTrader)

Intel (INTC) to buy McAfee (MFE).  Heads are scratched.  (WSJ, Crossing Wall Street)

Why BHP (BHP) is willing to pay up for Potash Corp. (POT).  (Telegraph also FT Alphaville)

“BHP has achieved its dominant position through a combination of luck and good judgment. More than in many other industries, building a mining giant means striking the right deal at the right time.”  (Economist)

What should we make of the surge in M&A activity?  (Points and Figures)

The GM IPO is here.  However questions remain.  (WashingtonPost, NYTimes, Fortune, Economist)

Valuing Liberty Capital (LCAPA) as a closed-end fund.  (Minyanville)

How mutual fund managers are like cigarette makers.  (Bucks Blog)

From bars to bits:  how gold ETFs have changed the fundamental nature of the shiny metal.  (AR Screencast)

Reviewing the Druckenmiller decades.  (DealBook)

What the Druckenmiller retirement says about the state of global macro.  (Marketwatch, ibid)

Are states ready to oversee more hedge fund managers?  (WSJ)

A flattening yield curve is not great for bank earnings.  (FT Alphaville)

It seems obvious but bank bondholders should help absorb losses.  (Kid Dynamite)

Interesting interview on the state of the distressed debt/restructuring market.  (Distressed Debt Investing)

Checking in on the chances of a double-dip.  (Trader’s Narrative)

Recent economic releases provide more signs that the economy is slowing.  (Calculated Risk, Free exchange, Bespoke)

On the challenges of reducing the size of government:  we have collectively forgotten how to do stuff for ourselves.  (Business Insider)

“A recession as deep as the one we are experiencing will continue to put downward pressure on inflation, but this will get less and less obvious as we approach zero.”  (Gavyn Davies)

Derek Thompson, “Economic conditions, the character of the workforce and the tight budget of small companies is creating a perfect storm for a part-time nation.”  (Atlantic Business)

Why does the America as Japan theme keep popping up?  (Slate)

Taiwan’s export economy is roaring.  (beyondbrics)

Are we going to see more companies like McDonalds (MCD) issue yuan-denominated debt?  (Deal Journal)

Can Starbucks (SBUX) succeed in coffee country?  (beyondbrics)

On the value of social media for the trader.  (Aiki14)

Aaron Task plays blackjack with Jeff Ma.  (Tech Ticker)

Does Facebook “Places” change the whole check-in game?  (SAI, GigaOM)

On the meteoric rise of the Five Guys burger chain.  (DailyFinance)

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