"Full page ads in the May 22nd issues of The New York Times and Wall Street Journal tell us that Merrill Lynch now offers 'A new standard for investment research. A new level of confidence for investors,'" James Welborn writes for TomPaine.com. As a result of an investigation by the New York Attorney General, Merrill Lynch is apologizing and paying a $100 million penalty for failing to address past conflicts of interest. "High-profile corporate apologies are back in the news. A day after Merrill's mea culpa, Salomon Smith Barney announced it was following Merrill's lead, saying such moves will 'further enhance the quality and integrity' of their products. It's apparent that upper management at these firms believes that they can get away with just about anything, providing they manage to put the right spin on it. What's even more daunting is that they're probably right."