Saturday Links

The most recent edition of the FDIC Quarterly features two studies--on on the feasibility of privatizing deposit insurance and one on the effectiveness of the FDIC's Money Smart financial education program.

The Employment Practice Group at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen P.C. has issued its Fall newsletter.  Included are articles on increased immigration enforcement, a case law update on the Americans with Disabilities Act, changes in the NLRB presumptions in backpay calculations, and a summary of Ollis v. Hearthstone Homes, an interesting case on religious discrimination.

In FTC v. Check Investors, Inc. the 3rd Circuit upheld injunctive relief and over $10 million in fines for violations of the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) involving collecting on defaulted checks (NSF checks).  (Check Investors is in the business of buying checks written with insufficient funds.  The court held that NSF checks are debts under the FDCPA, that the payors of the checks are consumers, and that defendants were debt collectors and not creditors under the FDCPA.

Red Sox v. Yankees, Cubs v. Cardinals, Ohio State v. Michigan, Macs v. PC's . . . credit unions v. banks.  As described in an article in American Banker, www.bankerspank.com features various videos parodying the Mac v. PC television ads with the out-of-touch PC user and young, hip Mac user.  In these ads, however, the young, hip guy represents credit unions while the other guy represents banks.  The author of the website remains anonymous.