Moving on, he stated that Apple's retail stores also had a record quarter (noticing a trend?), with about half of all Mac buyers in stores being first-time Mac owners.

ENGADGET: Apple reports fiscal Q4 earnings: $1.67b profit, Mac sales way up, iPod sales down, 'great new products' for 2010

But a Bloomberg story this week avers that officials who worked at Freddie Mac at the time deny having received any such advice.

ECONOMIST: After Mr Dopey and Mr (too) Friendly, Mr Grumpy gets his turn

"If all the authority were fully implemented, the federal government would directly fund, own, and lend to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the first time since the companies were created, " he said in a note to clients sent out Sunday evening.

FORBES: Rescuing Fannie And Freddie