Second Opinion

Five Reasons to Worry About Google: Signs of mortality as the company nears its Q4 earnings report ... (Motley Fool) Presidential Ratings: From Truman to Bush. (WSJ) Combs His Face Backward: Trump could be preparing to file for bankruptcy, a fabulous Chapter 33, Dealbreaker writes. But keeeep attending those "get rich selling real estate" classes, kids. Fabulously I'm sure: Today Bush found out how his stocks and bonds portfolio performed over the last eight years. (Page six) This Is The Dawning Of: A new era for venture capitalism and entrepreneurship? The Deal's Matthew Wurtzel asks. (Dealzone)

Guess: Who funded the most expensive inauguration ever? Citigroup, Revlon, D.E. Shaw, and several hedge fund names. (Dealbook) Of Course: Someone will benefit from the Madoff scandal, and it may as well be the journalist who called him out in 2001. She's got a book deal. (Dealzone) Love Him or Hate Him: Timothy Sykes' blog made $83,358 in December. Via Abnormal Returns: Why is it that CEOs take offense at good questions? Partly, because they're encouraged by "hangers on." It's the story of failed CEOs and why capitalism collapsed. (Jeff Matthews)

Not So Vitamin-y: Vitamin Water, which you may remember TSG Consumer Partners made a fortune on, is being sued by health advocacy groups that say Coke (Vitamin Water's parent) is selling "sugar water" and "claiming it has vitamins that boost immunity and reduce risk of disease." But what a great branding strategy. (NY Post) Multi Bylines: Watch out. ABC has launched a special investigation as to what is being done with the billions of taxpayer dollars funneled into TARP. Oh, and they point out that the spokesman for Bank of America has been a jerk. (ABC) Lists: 10 most unethical people in business. Plenty to choose from these days. (Marketwatch via Naked Capitalism) Lifeline to Luxury: NRDC is helping out Lord & Taylor, along the same lines as Leonard Green-backed Neiman Marcus' recent layoff news. Dealzone: Poses a very good question-who is going to buy assets from Citi?

Breakfast Wars: A staunch supporter of breakfast sandwiches, I followed Wendy's foray into the breakfast world quite closely. Sadly, I had a hunch as both a consumer and a witness to the company's investor presentations, that the strategy was doomed from the start. Maybe it'll come back after the recession. (Daily Bread) Finance Comics: Bankruptcy Bill, and haikus. Ups and Downs: Schwarzman gets a little good news this week, after an insider trading scandal tainted his firm. The firm is allowed to walk away from Alliance Data without paying the breakup fee. What's Better For the Economy: Fiscal or Monetary policy? (Daniel Gross)

CEO One Liners: Silicon Alley Insider likes Yahoo's new CEO-here are a few of her greatest hits (including plenty o' four letter words). Not Cool AT&T: Now merely owning a cell phone is inviting unsolicited ads from your service provider? (Bits) Steve Schwarzman's Bulletin: On Chakrapani: He's "personally infuriated" about the insider trading scandal. (Deal Journal) Layoff Etiquette: Thanks Business Pundit. NEWSFLASH: PE relied on debt!, the FT reports. That's obvious enough, but how much of the profits came from debt? For as many of you that tout operational know-how, the results of this study are surprising. (FT)

CNBC: Clusterstock points out that the calibur of advertiser on CNBC has really sunk. My personal favorite is the one for Grand Prospect Hall (probably becuase it's in my neighborhood). The commenters chime in with a few, including the VC favorite, Cash4Gold! Stress Relief: Businesspeople in Japan are blowing off steam by breaking plates at a store called the Venting Place. (Business Pundit) Here's A Wild Idea: Breaking Views suggests its time for KKR to take Dollar General public. With a lot of caveats. MBO Fail: The SEC caused Landry's to pull its planned MBO, because it required the firm to break its confidentiality agreements with lenders. Landry's decided to keep mum so it could at least obtain alternative financing. There is something wrong with this picture. (Reuters)

Daniel Gross Asks: The health care industry was supposed to be recession-proof. So why is it in trouble? (Moneybox) Rants: Why the Times article stating that Google is bad for the environment is bunk. (Altgate) Sir Michael Rake says: He won't "name and shame" private equity firms that don't comply with new British transparency rules. (FT) Sigh Of Relief: TPG investors, bruised this year by WaMu and Harrahs, muust've been happy to read that the sale of Alltel to Verizon is finally, officially, once and for all, closed. (Deal Journal)

PIPE Dreams: Ron Burkle's investment vehicle Yucaipa has taken a stake in Whole Foods, the company Leonard Green recently made a PIPE investment in. (Dealscape) Headcount: Has Google laid off 6,000 and then tried to keep it a secret? (Layoff blog) Drunken Ann Coulter/Olive Oyl Comparisons: What do you get when you cross a music-mixing Microsoft Surface with a sleep-deprived Al Roker? Engadget shows us here. Dealscape asks: Will Maxim keep Steve Rattner from becoming car czar?

Propagandists: How China's '50 Cent Army' Could Wreck Web 2.0. That is not a reference to the 50 of ‘In da Club' fame. (Datamation) Heidi Asks: Isn't is about time for SWFs to express anger over the horrific performances of their Wall Street investments? ( Deal Journal) Whopper Sacrifice: The latest in a slew of attention-grabbing ad campaigns, Burger King will give you a free Whopper if you "un-friend" 10 of your Facebook friends. Example: "Caroline sacrificed Josh Lowensohn for a free Whopper." (The Social) In Related, But Still Off-Topic News: Price & Prejudice translated to Facebook. (Austenbook) No Surprise: About as ugly as expected: Retail sales fell 2.2% during the holiday season. (Dealbook)

Had to Happen Sometime: Apollo is getting burned on the distressed Lyondell Chemical Co. debt it purchased. (The Deal) Porn Adult Entertainment Industry Bailout: Yes, thank you Fox Business News for covering this big story. "Girls Gone Wild" CEO Joe Francis and "Hustler" magazine publisher Larry Flynt have said they will petition Congress for financial aid along the lines of what the Big Three auto makers are getting." (Fox Business) FYI: The Ascent of Money, a Niall Ferguson documentary and book about the financial crisis, is airing on PBS Jan. 13. (Very Short List) With Dignity, I Guess: How Satyam's Chairman announced his massive fraud. (Clusterstock) Don't Count On Exits: The IPO Chill may last through 2010. (Deabook)