By Nicola Pring 4/26 11:29am

Land of the Lost

via Facebook

Jurassic Snark: NYC Teen Raises $2,000 to Build ‘Christopher Walken Rex’

Ethan Cyr has a dream. That dream is to build a 13-foot T-Rex with Christopher Walken’s head on it. And thanks to the Internet, his dream is going to come true.

Yesterday, Humans of New York received an email from the most awesome child in the world and posted it on Facebook.

It read: “I am a sixteen year old from the lower east side of Manhattan. I am building a 13 foot T Rex with Christopher Walkens head and I was wondering if you would be willing to help  Read More

By Patrick Clark 10/02/12 5:01pm

the shares that weren't there

Palm Beach County Jail

Adviser Who Sold Facebook Shares He Didn’t Own Faces Sentence Up To 45 Years

Remember when everyone wanted Facebook stock? When getting pre-IPO shares was a point of pride, when retail investors worried they weren’t big enough fish to rate allotments from their brokerages? That friends, was an opportunity, and there are some men who answer when opportunity knocks.

John Mattera, for instance, the Floridian charged last year with scheming to bilk investors for $12.6 million by promising them the chance to own pre-IPO shares of companies inlcuding Facebook and Groupon, was such a man. At the time of his ill deeds, Mr. Mattera was the chairman of the advisory board of something called Praetorian Global Fund, which offered investors the chance to buy into something called the “G Power Entities,” supposed special purpose vehicles which purported to own stock in the pre-IPO firms. Read More

By Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke 9/28/12 11:06am

Law & Order

nypd_logo

Police Shack Muckracker Claims Cops Sent ‘Threats’ After He Published NYPD Scoop

New York Post reporter Doug Auer allegedly became the target of police ire after he wrote a scandalous story about an illicit Labor Day BBQ on the roof of police headquarters. Apparently, nothing is as sacred to New York’s Finest as roasted meat, fire code be damned.

According to Mr. Auer, current and retired cops responded on an unofficial NYPD message board with jeers, threats and personal details (including the reporter’s home address and personal photos from his Facebook page), Gothamist reported at the time.

Mr. Auer, who said he took down his Facebook page in response, is back–and now he’s commenting on his private Facebook page. He’s also threatening “atomic wedgies” to those who come after him. Read More

By Patrick Clark 9/12/12 7:49am

Morning Read

Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Reach Deal; UBS Whitsleblower Got Prison Sentence, $104 Million: Roundup

Morgan Stanley and Citigroup agreed to value Morgan Stanley Smith Barney at $13.5 billion, more than the outside bankers hired to mediate the deal said the joint venture brokerage was worth. According to Bloomberg, Perella Weinberg Partners priced the brokerage at the lower end of the difference between valuations submitted by Morgan Stanley and Citi, which would have resulted in a final price of less than $11.5 billion. The banks agreed on the higher value, however, fixing the price at which Morgan Stanley will acquire Citi’s stake in the partnership. Read More

By Patrick Clark 9/07/12 7:03am

Morning Read

ECB Board Approves Bond-Buying Plan; Falcone Battles With LightSquared Creditors: Roundup

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi won wide support from his board for a plan to buy the sovereign debt of euro zone countries. Rates on Spanish 10-year bonds promptly fell to levels last seen in May, and the corresponding Italian bond fell to its lowest since April.

LightSquared, the wireless broadband company backed by Harbinger Capital founder Phil Falcone, is battling with creditors over control of the firm’s bankruptcy, according to Bloomberg. LightSquared has asked a judge to extend a deadline to file a Chapter 11 plan; the creditors say, “Having nothing to lose, Mr. Falcone wants to pursue a high-risk, high-return strategy.” Read More

By Patrick Clark 9/04/12 7:45am

Morning Read

New York AG Probes Private Equity Tax Practice; Pointing the Finger at Facebook Exec: Roundup

If you missed it over the weekend, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating the tax practices of private equity firms. At the center of the inquiry is the practice of converting management fees into investments that are taxed at more favorable rates. The private equity industry says such conversions are widely practiced and accepted; here’s a tax lawyer who says they’re illegal. Read More