Green Mountain and coffee roaster and wholesaler Diedrich

Green Mountain and coffee roaster and wholesaler Diedrich said they expect to respond promptly to the second request for information from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

The companies expect to complete the $35-per-share buyout this year.

The offer to acquire Irvine, Calif.-based Diedrich is to expire Feb. 5, but Green Mountain said it would extend that if necessary to comply with the government's inquiry.

He called for a crackdown on illegal immigration but also a wholesale tightening of immigration policy so we admit fewer legal immigrants as well.

The radio talker was half-right. Americans must get serious about stopping illegal immigration, mostly by doing something we never seem to do with much enthusiasm: punish employers. But legal immigration shouldn't be dragged into the mix.

Legal immigrants -- with their energy, passion and optimism -- have always been this country's most valuable import. Even in bad economic times, we need more of them and not less.

Green Mountain shares rose 31 cents in after-hours trading to $85.99, after closing up $5.07, or 6.3 percent, at $85.68 on Wednesday. Diedrich shares fell 42 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $34.28, after closing down 8 cents at $34.70.

Green Mountain bought the Tully's Coffee brand and wholesale coffee business from Tully's Coffee Corp. in March 2009 for $40.3 million.

The rising price of rice undoubtedly imposes hardship to many people in these countries.

The rising price of rice undoubtedly imposes hardship to many people in these countries.

Thailand and Vietnam are the first two largest exporters of rice in the world and the latest news indicate Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia have imposed restrictions on their rice exports to assure having enough rice for their domestic consumption.

Vietnam has reduced its rice exports, Cambodia has banned exports of rice altogether and Indonesia has levied a new tax on its rice exports.

Afzal Ali, an Asian Development Bank economist, predicts shortage of rice and its higher price could cause some social tensions and that is the main reason some Southeast Asian countries have imposes restrictions on rice exportation.

Proprietary trading, it says, represents less than 10% of its revenue.

Goldman will do well again in 2010, though perhaps not as well as this year, and its revenue will shift, with more income from fee-based business such as M&A advisory so that the mix approaches the 50-50 fees-to-transactions balance it looks for.

More than most, Goldman’s success is confidence-based.

The firm has come in for unprecedented criticism over its role in the banking crisis and its influence in high places. The effects, if any, will emerge over a number of quarters. Some say a recent idea that Goldman Sachs would buy $3 billion of tax credits from Fannie Mae may have been leaked to the press by the Treasury to see if the idea would fly. It didn’t, and was dropped. Goldman can’t be seen to be overtly benefiting from the crisis.

If FICC activity becomes less profitable and more emphasis is placed on advisory business, will Goldman’s reputational problems come home to roost?

Social tensions can prove to be very dangerous, class tension destabilizes the countries and that is why Southeast Asian countries are so sensitive to the issue, he added.

The Philippines, with 58 million citizens, imports more than 2 million tons of rice annually and more than any other Southeast Asian nation is vulnerable.