Managerial Economics 2nd Edition by William Boyes

Exercise 16

The Dodd-Frank financial regulation law (enacted in 2010 in reaction to the 2008-2010 financial crisis) establishes tighter requirements for capital and restricts risk-taking. It also contains a significant consumer watchdog component and seeks to prohibit banks from becoming too big to fail. The so-called Volcker Rule-named after White House economic adviser and former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker-restricts to 3 percent of Tier 1 capital the amount banks can hedge or put into private equity. Any financial entity that is deemed "too big to fail" is subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. The costs of complying with the law are considerable. Many financial firms took write-downs in 2010 in anticipation of the effects of the law on their earnings.
What is the significance of the title, "Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates"?