Countrywide Financial, the company infamous for its role in the subprime [3] mortgage crisis, is now called "Bank of America Home Loans." Bank of America [4], which purchased Countrywide in July 2008, is using the name change "to separate itself [5] from Countrywide's reputation," reports the Wall Street Journal. "The company hopes the new brand will simplify its relationship with customers while also emphasizing that Bank of America is a 'responsible lender' and 'accountable' for sustained homeownership." Bank of America is also trying "to showcase its contributions to an economic recovery after receiving $45 billion in U.S. aid." Ironically, "new mortgage applications" are "one of the few bright spots in banking right now," since the collapsing economy had led to low interest rates. Bank of America "plans to hire about 1,000 people" for its newly-renamed mortgage unit, "and move 500 employees to mortgage processing from home-equity processing."