| SEC probes WaMu loans
The Securities and Exchange Commission is probing how Washington Mutual Inc., the nation's largest savings and loan, handled mortgages that were possibly based on inflated home appraisals.
"We are voluntarily and fully cooperating with the SEC's inquiry as well as the [Office of Thrift Supervision] and look forward to bringing the facts to both the regulators and public," the Seattle company said. OTS is the company's federal regulator.
SEC spokesman John Nester declined to comment yesterday.
Shares of Washington Mutual fell 57 cents, or 4 percent, to close at $14.10 yesterday. The company's stock has traded between $13.99 and $46.38 in the past year.
Shares of WaMu have dropped about 65 percent since mid-September, following some dismal financial disclosures and a lawsuit filed last month by New York's attorney general against one of its real estate appraisers, purporting the companies colluded to inflate home values.
Carolina Thunder, tailor shop latest businesses in area
Kenneth Parker has recently opened Carolina Thunder, located off I-26 at Exit 5 in Campobello. Carolina Thunder is open Thursday through Saturday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., serving beer, wine, soda and snacks. Live music is presented nightly and there is a dance floor. Pool tournaments are scheduled for every Thursday. Angie’s Tailor Shop has opened at 40 E. Mills Street in Columbus. Owner Dolores Rivera says she is offering alterations of men and women’s clothing and tuxedo rentals. ERA LakesEdge has opened its third office at 2060 Lynn Road (Hwy. 108), Suite #7, Valley Plaza in Lynn. The realtors invite everyone to stop and visit the new office, open 7 days a week, or call 859-2787. The realtors in the business are members of both the Tryon-Polk Multiple Listing Service and the Western NC Multiple Listing Service.
Goliaths have edge in fight for recruits
Seattle tech recruiter Jeff Hibbert isn't seeing a shift toward bigger companies, especially with capital still flowing to startups. "But if you see a continued shake-up in the financial market, by the end of this year you will see that migration," he said. Meanwhile, Shahani is already figuring out how to position Appature to recruits with these concerns: "I don't think of the term 'startup' as negative ... but one of the things we do tell candidates is we offer candidates that security — you're not going to come here and get a pink slip in six months. "I would argue that you're not that much less stable at a company like ours than you would be at a large company," he explained. "Really, it comes down to revenue and need — if you're doing good work and you're adding value to the company and there's revenue to support your role, your role will never be eliminated." There's still a leap of faith involved, but Shahani may reel them in with his optimism.
Low-flow governor
But I've also appreciated Fred's unwillingness to be somebody he is not. He will not respond like a puppet when a debate moderator tells him to raise his hand to signify a childishly simplistic approval or disapproval of a certain policy. He will not be goaded by interviewers into saying things he doesn't feel comfortable saying. He won't divide us with class envy or pretend we can be friends with rogue regimes or terrorists. He does not promise a chicken in every pot or pander to liberals on global warming. {{{{{He will not otherwise tailor his positions to suit the demands of particular constituencies. For example, he has the courage to preach that Social Security is in trouble, but unlike most others, he doesn't surrender to the oppressive populist seduction to urge government fixes for it or for health care.
IN BRIEF
A photo ID or two non-photo forms of identification and $14 to take the test, which begins at 1 p.m., are required. Bring a lunch as a lunch break will occur around noon. Call Jerry at 727-9524 or Steve at 513-8632 for study materials and more information. Beta Xi meeting The regular meeting of Beta Xi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi will be at 6 p.m., Jan. 9 in the home of Lilia. Stella will present the cultural program. Please call Karo at 727-0680 for more information. Church grand opening Central Valley Baptist Church would like to invite the public to the official grand opening celebration on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 3170 S. Blagg Road. Devotion begins at 9 a.m., adult Sunday school at 9:45 a.m., morning service at 11 a.m., and children's Sunday school at 11:30 a.m.
New treatment can clear brain clots
It's a tiny vacuum cleaner for the brain: A new treatment for stroke victims promises to suction out clogged arteries in hopes of stopping the brain attack before it does permanent harm.Called Penumbra, the newly approved device is the latest in a series of inside-the-artery attempts to boost recovery from stroke, the nation's No. 3 killer.Now the question is how to determine which patients are good candidates - because, illogical as it may sound, unclogging isn't always the best option."Is the patient at a stage of stroke where you're going to hurt them by pulling a clot out, or show benefit?" asks Dr. Walter Koroshetz of the National Institutes of Health. "It's good we have devices. Now we have to learn how to use them."More than 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year, and more than 150,000 of them die.
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