We previously made a brief mention of Jacob Lew’s signature, and its general state of illegibility.

As a reminder, Jacob Lew’s signature used to look like this:

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A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Common Financial Reporting Issues Facing Smaller Reporting Issuers (PDF) – SEC Corporate Finance Staff address common issues faced by smaller reporting companies.
• Comptroller Curry speaks at ICBA on Community Bank Supervision – Announces forthcoming booklet on a “Common Sense Approach to Community Banking.”
• OCC Proposes Annual Stress Testing Rulemaking – OCC proposal for annual stress testing of banks between $10 and $50 billion in total assets.
• 2013 Stress Test Results -Federal Reserve publishes detailed results of 2013 stress tests.
• March 2013 Beige Book Commentary – Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta offers commentary on the commentary of the economy provided by the Beige Books.
• The Federal Reserve is on Flickr – Need a picture of a Federal Reserve Governor, Federal Reserve testimony or the Federal Reserve hard at work?  That’s what the internet is for.

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Underwater and Drowning? - The Federal Reserve Bank of New York published this blog post about controversial plans for using eminent domain to seize and restructure underwater mortgages.
• Dollars and Cents – The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta brings an old print brochure into the 21st century with this online history of U.S. currency.
• 2013 Key Banking Issues for Congress - The American Bankers Associations provides background on the industry’s top policy issues, including the credit union tax exemption, Basel III, municipal adviser registration requirements and the Volker Rule.
• Map of Underwater Home Mortgages – Zillow provides this interactive map showing the percentage of homes underwater throughout the United States.
• What if the Hubble telescope was pointed towards Earth? – Not nearly as clear as I thought it would be.

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Comptroller of the Currency Speaks at Acquire or Be Acquired – The Comptroller spoke of the OCC’s need to balance holding directors responsible while also being supportive of directors that are doing the best they can.
• Fed Governor Duke Speaks on the Future of Community Banks – Speaking at the Terry College of Business’ Southeastern Bank Management and Directors Conference, which was sponsored by Bryan Cave, Betsy Duke emphasized the need for community banks to continue to speak up on the unique impact of banking regulations on community banks.
• FDIC Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, February 12th – The FDIC Board is considering providing notice of proposed rule making regarding the definition of insured deposits.
• FRED Excel Add-in – The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis makes available an Excel add-in to allow easy importing from the Federal Reserve Economic Data (i.e., FRED).
• Bryan Cave and New York City both lost a friend in the passing of Bryan Cave Partner Ed Koch.  Both the New York Times and BuzzFeed offered beautiful obituaries.
• Fed Cartoon Explaining the Central Bank System – The Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank provides this animated video to explain the history of the Federal Reserve System and how its three main functions help foster a stable financial system and a growing economy.
• Atlanta Fed Survey of Regional Employment Trends – “We can conclude that hiring activity in our region appears to be improving slowly.”  I can only think of snarky comments, so I’m going to let this speak for itself.
• What if you went swimming in a nuclear spent fuel pool? -Turns out it appears to be safer than the banking business generally.

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Treasury Announces Next Round of TARP Auctions – The latest round of Treasury auctions includes the first TARP recipients that are currently in deferral on their TARP CPP investments, which could provide significant guidance on the value of a significant portion of the remaining pool of TARP investments.  In contrast to earlier statements regarding the intent to allow “all-or-none” bids, the Treasury elected not to permit the submission of such bids.
• Winding Down TARP: A Progress Report – Overall, to date, Treasury has recovered nearly 93 percent ($387 billion) of the funds disbursed for TARP ($418 billion); and TARP’s five bank investment programs have earned a significant profit for taxpayers. To date, Treasury has recovered $268 billion through repayments and other income, which represents a positive return of more than $23 billion compared to the amount ($245 billion) initially invested.
• Economic Indicators Dashboard Updated – Russell Investments updated its Economic Indicators Dashboard, which attempts to provide statistical evidence to establish the state of the economy.
• American Bankers Association Publishes “Business of Banking” – “The Business of Banking: What Every Policy Maker Needs to Know” reviews the basics of banking and provides a foundation for understanding how banking policy decisions affect communities and constituents.
• Dallas Fed Publishes “Financial Stability: Traditional Banks Pave the Way” – Dallas Fed concludes America’s numerous community banks, small and traditionally oriented, demonstrated stability during the crisis and its aftermath.
• Atlanta Fed Analyzes Southeastern Housing Market – Southeastern housing contacts ended on a positive note in 2012.
• The Fed iPad App – An official app of the United States Federal Reserve System is now available for your iPad! According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, “This app is a must-have for anyone interested in the work of the nation’s central bank.”
• 75 Facts About Secretary Geithner – Fact Number 76.  You really have to stretch to come up with 75 interesting facts about Secretary Geithner.

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Doreen Eberley Appointed Director of Division of Risk Management Supervision – Former Acting Regional Director in Atlanta, Ms. Eberley will now be in charge of all risk management supervision for the FDIC.
• December 2012 TARP Monthly Report to Congress – Treasury reports that the bank investment programs under TARP have already generated $23 billion in positive returns to US taxpayers.
• Treasury Announces Another Delay to Pooled TARP Auctions – In light of “strong market receptivity” to the earlier auction rounds, Treasury is providing remaining smaller TARP entities another 90 days to opt-out of the pooled auctions.  This presumably indicates that Treasury has no plans to conduct pooled auctions until May at the earliest.
• Hilarious bad lip reading of NFL players – Worth it just to hear Peyton Manning extoll the benefits of potions to make his wide receivers run faster.  Rise up, Atlanta!
• Harvard Blog Post on Optimal Bank Capital Regulation – New paper concludes that BASEL III is a move in the “right direction” with regard to establishing better capital requirements in this review of the procyclical effects of bank capital.
• CFPB Publishes Revised RESPA and Truth in Lending Act Regulations – Further analysis forthcoming on BankBryanCave and a free webinar through BAI featuring Bryan Cave attorneys John ReVeal and Barry Hester on Tuesday, January 22, 2012.
• FSOC Extends Comment Period on Money Market Fund Reforms – The Financial Stability Oversight Council is providing another month for comments on for money market mutual fund reforms.
• Agencies Issue Final Rule on Appraisals for Higher-priced Mortgage Loans – The requirement for higher-priced home-purchase mortgage loans is intended to address fraudulent property flipping by seeking to ensure that the value of the property legitimately increased.

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• FDIC OIG Comprehensive Study of Impact of Failure of Insured Depository Institutions – As mandated by statute, the FDIC Inspector General studied the impact of of bank failures on other institutions, including the impact of loss-share arrangements, formal enforcement actions, the FDIC’s handling of private equity, and examiner implementation of appraisal guidelines.  We will publish a summary on BankBryanCave.com this week, but the study concludes “the regulators generally fulfilled their supervisory and resolution responsibilities as defined by statutes, regulations, accounting standards and interagency guidance in place at the time.”
• White House Rejects Petition to Build Death Star – While sharing the desire for job creation and strong national defense, the White House rejected on the petition to commence construction of a Death Star on three principal grounds: (1) construction costs estimated to be $850,000,000,000,000,000; (2) the Administration does not support blowing up planets; and (3) concerns regarding a fundamental design flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship.
• Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Releases iPhone App – The App, which is a currency trivia game, is currently getting good reviews.
• Treasury Nominee Jacob Lew’s Signature Described as Ridiculous – I personally believe my three-year old has a better signature (even with his currently broken collar bone.)
• Treasury provides background on the history of the Treasury’s bust of Alexander Hamilton – Also serves as a reminder that no matter how disfunctional our government may currently be, at least we don’t have the sitting Vice President killing the Treasury Secretary in a duel.  Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen delivered this speech on interconnectedness and systemic risk on January 4, 2013.  (I personally can’t see Joe Biden shooting anyone, and Dick Cheney only shot a friend.)
• CFPB’s Ability to Repay, Qualified Mortgages, Escrow, and HOEPA Rules Provide Clarity and Certain Opportunities – This BankBryanCave.com summary provides an initial review of CFPB’s actions this week, including links to the new rules.  Further updates forthcoming on BankBryanCave.com

For banking-related content from around the web on a real-time basis, follow @RobertKlingler on Twitter.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Characteristics of FDIC Lawsuits Against Directors and Officers of Failed Financial Institutions – Courtesy of Cornerstone Research.
• FDIC Publishes 3rd Quarter 2012 State Banking Profiles
• FDIC Publishes Winter 2012 Supervisory Insights – Includes articles on Mobile Banking and High-Yield Checking Accounts.
• FDIC Releases Community Banking Study, Supervisory Initiatives – The FDIC released the results of a study of community banking in the United States, as well as a series of supervisory and rulemaking measures relating to community banks, as the outcome of its yearlong Community Banking Initiative.
• OCC Highlights Risks Facing National Banks and Federal Savings Associations – Regulators highlight the risks associated with the potential for banks to take excessive risk in an effort to improve profitability, revenue challenges from a slow economy and financial market volatility, and lingering effects of real estate lending.
• WSJ’s Top 10 Economic Charts of 2012 – Hopefully the fiscal cliff doesn’t make them all irrelevant to a historical review.
• 100 Best Lists of All Time – Courtesy of the New Yorker.  Personally, I’m a big fan of #16 – 16. Hasbro’s “2-Letter Scrabble Words List”.
• The S.E.C. vs. the S.E.C. – Hailing from the South, I clearly take the football conference, notwithstanding my profession.

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• FDIC Releases Latest Stress Test Scenario Assumptions – Although directly applicable only to institutions over $10 billion in assets, regulators expect banks of all sizes to conduct appropriate stress tests.  In the FDIC’s severely adverse scenario, unemployment would hit 12.1% in the second quarter of 2014, and we would be in recession from the 4th quarter of 2012 through the 4th quarter of 2013.  Fortunately, the baseline scenario is far more attractive, with relatively strong GDP growth through 2015.
• FDIC Announces Closure of Temporary Jacksonville Office – The FDIC has determined that the pace of bank receiverships has sufficiently slowed to permit closure of the Jacksonville office (with absorption by the Dallas office)… by April 5, 2014.
• FDIC Provides Additional Guidance for Working with Customers Affected by Hurricane Sandy – Notably, the FDIC notes that “not all modifications are TDRs.”  Presumably, however, substantially all modifications will remain TDRs.
• SEC and Department of Justice provide FCPA Guide – This 120-page guide provides a detailed analysis of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and closely examines the U.S.’s approach to FCPA enforcement.
• Dalton, Georgia Resilience – This Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta blog post looks at the possibilities of recovery for Dalton, Georgia, the Carpet Capital of the World.  The takeaway for all banks facing upcoming exams is that (a) hopefully you can also find local pockets of resilience and strength, and (b) you need to find such evidence to counteract the regulators’ expectations when they come in, which will be based upon the macro data.
• A review of Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar in Times Square – Do you think a CAMELS 5 examination report would be more interesting if written entirely with questions?

A collection of new banking resources from around the internet:

• Treasury Announces Results of First Round of “Opt-Out” Auctions – Demand appears higher than expected by virtually all market participants, and all securities were sold at prices above the minimum, designated bidder threshold price.
• Treasury Announces Second Round of “Opt-Out” Auctions – Treasury moves quickly in hopes of continuing momentum.
• SIGTARP Releases Quarterly Report to Congress – Among other recommendations, calls on Treasury to review its auction process to confirm promotes financial stability.  (The Treasury has also posted a series of responses to the SIGTARP Report.)
• JOBS Act is Working to Boost Economy – The Congressional Financial Services Committee cites a Charlotte Observer news article quoting Bryan Cave partner, BT Atkinson, as evidence that the JOBS Act is working.
• 10 Worst Passwords of 2012 – If you see your password on this list, please change it.
• Gangnam Style – I consider it a banking resource as the Economist is writing about it.