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Following his bullish streak, Barry Ritholtz says, “I am now starting to pull my horns in a bit, as this rally looks to be getting a little tired and showing signs of technical deterioration.” He predicts a 5 percent to 15 percent correction over the next 60 days. Ritholtz lists five indicators that inform his renewed caution:

This week, Kenneth Feinberg, the government’s special master for executive compensation, said that the seven largest companies that haven't yet paid back their government bailout funds have to slash their top executives' compensation.

Felix Salmon discusses a “stunning” selection from Andrew Sorkin’s new book, Too Big to Fail, which was released today.

Obama’s pay czar, Kenneth Feinberg, made a less-than-bold move today, says Felix Salmon. Feinberg requested that former Bank of America (BAC) CEO and Chairman Ken Lewis not receive his $1.5 million salary for 2009. Lewis will, however, still walk out with $125 million—$53 million in pension and $72 million in accrued and deferred stock compensation.

For the first time since 1975, Social Security recipients won’t be getting a cost-of-living adjustment—also called a COLA—next year. In other words, more than 57 million Americans who draw Social Security checks won’t see an increase in their monthly payments. What gives? Cost of living adjustments are tied to inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Up until this year, inflation had risen annually and, as an offset, social security payments were increased annually as well.

Press reports of Bloomberg’s purchase of Business Week seem largely to miss the point. The Wall Street Journal story this morning, for example, sees McGraw-Hill’s desire to shed the title as part of a pattern of publishers "closing print titles and slashing investments in traditional publications, a sign they don't expect these businesses to return to strong health as the economy recovers."

Relationships are tough. Breakups are even tougher.

Last week, Mark Gimein stood up for the increasing numbers of Americans who have walked out on their mortgages; it’s within their legal rights, he says. And the laws are meant to keep banks responsible and honest.

But there’s always another side of the story. And many of our readers have commented, arguing for both positions.

Later this month, TBM editor James Ledbetter will conduct an exclusive one-on-one video interview with Robert E. Kennedy of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and coauthor of The Services Shift: Seizing the Ultimate Offshore Opportunity.

Back in June, TBM took a look at the terrible financial lessons we’ve learned from our favorite board games. Most of the games we mentioned were classics—like Monopoly or the Game of Life. Now, there’s a newly-released game to give a whole new generation of kids some more timely—but still not-so-great—financial advice. It’s called Bailout!

All,

Comrades,

Last Friday, the G20 leaders endorsed a statement recommending new controls on banker pay. The stricter rules—which include forbidding guaranteed bonuses and deferral of payment over time—are meant to deter the kind of risk-taking that led to the financial collapse.  Also included is a provision for the “clawback” of compensation previously earned.