$$$ Probe Adds to Rating Firms' Woes [NYT] $$$ "Some 71 new hedge funds launched in 2012 and managed $24.9 billion by the end of the year, the highest total since 2007" [AR] $$$ Choose your own adventure, sovereign debt trial of the century edition [FTAV] $$$ Venezuela Devalues Bolivar by 32% Amid Shortage of Dollars [Bloomberg] $$$ CBOE profit beats views, company in talks with SEC on probe [Reuters] $$$ "People like me tell the computer many words so that it knows how to change the tiny lights to look like a cat. We try to make the lights change very fast so that you don’t have to wait for your cats. Some days the lights are all wrong, and we have to tell the computer more words to make them look like cats again." [Mental Floss] $$$ A global consultancy is looking for a risk director to advise commercial/retail banking clients on stress testing, capital, and liquidity risk [DBCC] $$$ Appeals Court Hears Arguments Over Judge Rakoff’s Rejection of Citigroup Settlement [DealBook] $$$ "Our study documents that the information content and the information processing of stock recommendations differ fundamentally between expansions and recessions." [SSRN via Simon Hinrichsen] $$$ S&P Lawyer Keker Brings ‘Slashing and Smashing’ Tactics [Bloomberg] $$$ Overanalyzing George W. Bush’s Painting of Himself Taking a Shower [DI] $$$ You can get an IV hangover cure at a Chicago clinic [BW]