Things worth reading: 16th September 2009

OK, for all those of you who thought you could get away with a day without news headlines tough.  Here's today's things we're all taking notes about:

Today's must read

If Only Warren Buffett Knew How to Work His Cellphone... (Time)

'Bob Diamond of Barclays Capital "had come up with another plan, one in which Buffett would provide
insurance that might make it all work. It was all too complicated for
Buffett to take in in a quick phone call, so he asked Diamond to fax
him the details. Buffett got back to his hotel room around midnight and
was surprised to find ... nothing. Lehman went under, and within days,
the world was in a full-blown financial crisis.
Fast forward 10 months. Buffett, who admits he never has really
learned the basics of his cell phone, asked his daughter Susan about a
little indicator he had noticed on the screen: "Can you figure out
what's on there?" It turned out to be the message from Diamond that he
had been waiting for that night.'

Other news:

Bankers' pay will always be pushed higher, says Barclays chairman Marcus Agius (Telegraph)
Brussels may force Lloyds to surrender Halifax (Times)
Citigroup plans share offering to cut US Treasury's 34pc stake (Telegraph)
Wells Fargo fires executive who partied at repossessed Malibu (Bernie Madoff) mansion (Guardian)
Ireland taps taxpayers to buy up toxic loans (Times)
Intuit looks to mix some Mint into online banking (Javelin Research)

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