Conspiracy theorists thrive on Russia anxiety By Charles Clover in Moscow. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 19:54 | Last updated: March 8 2009 19:54. Analysts and politicians in Russia are increasingly frantic about the political fallout from the country’s six-month economic crisis, judging by the number of doomsday scenarios aired recently in the press and in speeches. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a9596ed4-0c14-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
Russia won’t chase Kiev over gas - Putin By Roman Olearchyk in Kiev. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 13:01 | Last updated: March 12 2009 13:01. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister, said his country would not punish Ukraine for purchasing less natural gas this year than agreed in January, when both sides ended an energy dispute that disrupted Europe’s supplies. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9c60c57a-0f01-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
North Korea declares rocket plans By Christian Oliver and Kang Buseong in Seoul. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 07:23 | Last updated: March 12 2009 14:21. North Korea has informed international shipping and aviation authorities it will launch a satellite between April 4 and 8, undeterred by foreign claims that it is actually testing a long-range missile that could hit the US. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d8c7146e-0ed0-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
Europeans debate castration of sex offenders By Dan Bilefsky. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 11, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/11/europe/castrate.php
Teenage gunman warned of rampage on Internet By Carter Dougherty and Victor Homola. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune
Published: March 12, 2009. WAIBLINGEN, Germany: A teenage gunman who killed himself and 15 people Wednesday in a rampage that began at his former school had apparently signaled his plans on an Internet chat room hours before embarking on the murderous spree, according to German officials on Thursday. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/12/europe/12germany.php
Obama sends Clinton to Mexico By Daniel Dombey in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 13 2009 20:38 | Last updated: March 13 2009 20:38. Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, will travel to Mexico this month to discuss co-operation against drug cartels. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/44cf5fbe-100b-11de-a8ae-0000779fd2ac.html
Obama eyes troops for Mexico drug war By Daniel Dombey in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 21:14 | Last updated: March 13 2009 00:27 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6efd6a0c-0f47-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
International Herald Tribune Editorial: Holding Bashir accountable. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 8, 2009. After the International Criminal Court last week ordered his arrest on war crimes, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudan's ever-ruthless leader, ordered the expulsion of 13 international aid groups that keep millions of impoverished Sudanese alive with food and medical care. If Bashir does not reverse the expulsion, it should be considered added proof of his guilt. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/08/opinion/edbashir.php
World Economic Woes
New York Times Editorial: While Everyone Fiddles. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 12, 2009. The world economy has plunged into what is likely to be the most brutal recession since the 1930s, yet policy makers in Europe and Japan seem to believe there are more important things for them to do than to try to dig the world, including themselves, out. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/opinion/13fri1.html?ref=opinion
Thomas L. Friedman: The Great Disruption By Thomas L. Friedman. Copyright by the International Herald Tribune. Published: March 8, 2009. Let's today step out of the normal boundaries of analysis of our economic crisis and ask a radical question: What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it's telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall - when Mother Nature and the market both said: "No more." http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/08/opinion/edfriedman.php
Financial Times Editorial Comment: A survival plan for global capitalism. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 18:28 | Last updated: March 8 2009 18:28 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b85b3572-0c0d-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
Swiss agree to relax bank secrecy rules © Reuters Limited. March 13, 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3386d3ac-0fcc-11de-a8ae-0000779fd2ac.html
EU banks must disclose toxic assets to receive aid By Nikki Tait in Brussels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 14 2009 12:13 | Last updated: March 14 2009 12:13 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/28a87cea-1091-11de-994a-0000779fd2ac.html
Plunging assets cost $50,000bn By Raphael Minder in Hong Kong and Alan Beattie in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 18:43 | Last updated: March 8 2009 23:31. Falls in the value of financial assets worldwide might have reached more than $50,000bn, equivalent to a year’s global economic output, the Asian Development Bank will warn on Monday. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f9a2bd8-0c0e-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
Japan in record current account deficit By Michiyo Nakamoto in Tokyo. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 9 2009 02:07 | Last updated: March 9 2009 05:39 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38a9d960-0c4d-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
Japan confirms sharp drop in GDP © Reuters Limited. March 12, 2009. TOKYO, March 12 – Japan’s economy shrank 3.2 per cent in the final three months of last year, revised government data showed on Thursday, confirming the sharpest contraction since the oil crisis in 1974. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/59fcb4bc-0ea9-11de-b099-0000779fd2ac.html
French industrial production plunges By Ben Hall in Paris. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 11:13 | Last updated: March 10 2009 11:13. French industrial production plunged dramatically by an annual rate of 13.8 per cent in January, the biggest drop since the official series began in 1980, as the deepening recession slashed demand for manufactured goods. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ae7c2c3a-0d5e-11de-8914-0000779fd2ac.html
German industrial output dives By Ralph Atkins in Paris. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 12:02 | Last updated: March 12 2009 12:02. Germany’s industrial slump deepened at the start of the year data have revealed as the European Central Bank warned global trade and demand is unlikely to revive in the near future. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9b89d91c-0efb-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
Hungary’s GDP revised down By Thomas Escritt in Bucharest. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 11 2009 10:40 | Last updated: March 11 2009 10:40. Hungary’s economy contracted faster than at any time since 1990 in the final quarter of 2008, according to GDP data released by the Hungarian government on Wednesday. On a calendar adjusted basis, the economy shrank by 2.5 per cent year-on-year and by 1.3 per cent compared to the previous quarter, more than earlier projected, implying a contraction of 5 per cent in 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/24f78d72-0e28-11de-b099-0000779fd2ac.html
In Iceland, struggling to stay afloat amid economic meltdown - Once credit-happy, nation battles major financial collapse By Laurie Goering . Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 1:32 AM CST, March 8, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-iceland-meltdown_goeringmar08,0,7386563.story
China
China’s Leader Says He Is ‘Worried’ Over U.S. Treasuries By MICHAEL WINES and KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 13, 2009. BEIJING — The Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, expressed unusually blunt concern on Friday about the safety of China’s $1 trillion investment in American government debt, the world’s largest such holding, and urged the Obama administration to provide assurances that the securities would maintain their value in the face of a global financial crisis. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/world/asia/14china.html?_r=1&hp
China prices fall for first time in six years By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 04:05 | Last updated: March 10 2009 06:17. Chinese consumer prices in February fell for the first time in more than six years with the benchmark consumer price index falling 1.6 per cent from a year earlier, down from a 1 per cent rise in January. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8225c532-0d28-11de-a555-0000779fd2ac.html
Chinese exports plunge 25.7 percent in February © Reuters Limited. Published: March 11, 2009. BEIJING: China's exports fell much more sharply than expected in February, data showed on Wednesday, as the economy finally felt the full force of the global financial crisis. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/11/business/11yuan.php
Seeking justice, Chinese land in secret jails By Andrew Jacobs. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 9, 2009. BEIJING: They are often tucked away in the rough-and-tumble sections of the city's south side, hidden beneath dingy hotels and guarded by men in dark coats. Known as "black houses," they are unofficial jails for the pesky hordes of petitioners who flock to the capital seeking justice. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/09/asia/09jails.php
US protests to Beijing over naval incidents By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 9 2009 19:51 | Last updated: March 10 2009 02:03. The White House urged Beijing to follow international law on Monday after a series of incidents in which the Chinese navy allegedly harassed US naval vessels in the South China sea. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b829c020-0ce2-11de-a555-0000779fd2ac.html
China hits out at US ‘illegal’ intrusion By Kathrin Hille in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 07:35 | Last updated: March 10 2009 19:13. China accused the US on Tuesday of “illegal” intrusion into its exclusive economic zone in a spat that could torpedo the two countries’ efforts to improve their military relationship following months of disruption. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/20ee3368-0d45-11de-8914-0000779fd2ac.html
Financial Times Editorial Comment: Tibetan wounds. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 20:34 | Last updated: March 10 2009 20:34. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f97d9cb2-0db0-11de-8ea3-0000779fd2ac.html
Mess-o-potamia
Financial Times Editorial Comment: Burning Pakistan. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 19:06 | Last updated: March 12 2009 19:06. To the victor the spoils. That is the reductive, zero-sum philosophy that underlies politics in Pakistan. It is giving a dangerous new dimension to the crisis in Pakistan, where government and opposition are going at each other as if their country were not fighting for its very survival. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/75fdeb76-0f36-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
New York Times Editorial: Closer to the Cliff. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 12, 2009. Pakistan’s rival political leaders seem determined to push their already unstable country over a cliff. Their increasingly out-of-control power struggle spilled out of the halls of government and the courtroom this week and onto the streets. The more time and energy they waste on selfish squabbling, the less they have to combat extremists who pose a mortal threat to their country. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/opinion/13fri2.html?ref=opinion
Signs of Possible Deal in Pakistan Turmoil By SALMAN MASOOD and WAQAR GILLANI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 13, 2009. LAHORE, Pakistan — As pressure mounted on the government to reach an accommodation with the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, politicians here suggested a deal was under way Friday night to roll back some of the measures taken by President Asif Ali Zardari against Mr. Sharif. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/world/asia/14pstan.html?hp
Pakistan claims a victory over the Taliban By Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah. Published: March 8, 2009. INAYAT KALAY, Pakistan: After a six-month campaign, the Pakistani military is claiming victory over the Taliban in Bajaur, a northern sliver of the tribal areas, saying the militants have suffered heavy losses and have been pushed over the border into Afghanistan. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/08/asia/pakistan.php
Bombing Leaves Dozens Killed, Wounded in Baghdad - Meanwhile, U.S. Announces 12,000 Troops to Exit Iraq Over Next Six Months By Anthony Shadid. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, March 8, 2009; 10:56 AM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/08/AR2009030800397.html?hpid=topnews
Iraq shoe thrower jailed for three years By Anna Fifield in Beirut. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 10:42 | Last updated: March 12 2009 13:19 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e9aec15c-0ef1-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
As U.S. weighs Taliban negotiations, Afghans are already talking By Carlotta Gall. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 11, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/11/asia/11taliban.php
Afghan civilian deaths a threat to U.S. Mission By Mark Mazzetti and Eric Schmitt. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 10, 2009. WASHINGTON: The commander of a secretive branch of U.S. Special Operations forces ordered a halt in February to most commando missions in Afghanistan, reflecting a growing concern that civilian deaths caused by American firepower are jeopardizing broader goals there. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/10/mideast/afghan.php
National
Supreme Court limits reach of the Voting Right Act By David G. Savage. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 10, 2009. WASHINGTON— The Supreme Court limited the reach of the Voting Rights Act Monday, ruling there is no duty to draw voting districts that are favorable to black candidates in areas where blacks are less than a majority. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-voting-rights_webmar10,0,170613.story
Senate approves $410bn spending bill By Daniel Dombey and Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 11 2009 00:48 | Last updated: March 11 2009 00:48 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/14973fda-0dd4-11de-8ea3-0000779fd2ac.html
At least 10 killed in Alabama shooting spree © Reuters Limited. March 11, 2009. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f05b674-0df3-11de-8ea3-0000779fd2ac.html
Madoff ‘deeply sorry’ as he pleads guilty to 11 charges By Joanna Chung and Alan Rappeport in New York and Brooke Masters in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 12:18 | Last updated: March 12 2009 16:00 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/78c71030-0ef5-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
Madoff to Plead Guilty; Charges Carry a Life Sentence By DIANA B. HENRIQUES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/business/11conflict.html?_r=1&hp
GOP Whacking
David Brooks: Taking a depression seriously By David Brooks. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 10, 2009. The Democratic response to the economic crisis has its problems, but let's face it, the current Republican response is totally misguided. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/10/opinion/edbrooks.php
Obama urged to let banks fail By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 20:35 | Last updated: March 8 2009 20:35. Two powerful Republicans on Sunday called on Barack Obama, US president, to let some big banks fail instead of propping them up with public money. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/81887d7c-0c1f-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
Memo to the GOP: Say you're sorry - Love means having to ... By Leonard Pitts. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 10, 2009.
Rush Limbaugh once described feminism as something invented to allow ugly women access to the mainstream. According to the media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, he once advised a black caller to his radio show: "Take that bone out of your nose and call me back." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0310pittsmar10,0,58819.story
R.N.C. Leader Under Fire. Copyright By THE NEW YORK TIMES. March 12, 2009. Michael Steele, whose rocky start as chairman of the Republican National Committee had already led to chatter about his job security, has more trouble on his hands. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/steele-under-fire/?hp
The Trouble With Michael Steele By Colbert I. King. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, March 14, 2009; Page A15 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031302808.html
Best Description Of Republicans EVER! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CezlbEIBlj0
Rush, The Thoughtful Voice Of The People http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK3vC0WIRBQ
Chicagoland
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial - 508 Chicago kids shot in just 16 months. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. March 9, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1466791,CST-EDT-edit09.article
Illinois income tax rate may rise by 50%. Gov. Pat Quinn mulls plan to increase income tax rate to 4.5% from 3%, sources say By Ray Long and Ashley Rueff. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 12:08 PM CDT, March 13, 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn-tax-hike-13mar13,0,7352846.story
Quinn says tax increase planned, but tax breaks for some. Posted by Rick Pearson and Ray Long. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
March 13, 2009. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/03/quinn-says-tax-increase-planned-but-tax-breaks-for-some.html
To fix fiscal crisis, Quinn must go for broke BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist. Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times. March 14, 2009
http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1476614,CST-EDT-carol15.article
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Art Institute is worth $18. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. March 12, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1472658,CST-EDT-edit12b.article
Art Institute admission raised to $18. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 3:40 AM CDT, March 12, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-artinstitute-admi,0,7582888.story
Your Lack of Money
Stewart seen as winner in showdown with Cramer. Critics and viewers see Stewart as victor after interview with "Mad Money" host. Pair squared off in an uncomfortable debate on "The Daily Show" iReporter: Surprised at how Stewart "attacked Cramer's credibility"
Howard Kurtz: "Important moment for holding financial journalists accountable" By Lisa Respers France. Copyright by CNN News. March 13, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/13/cramer.stewart.reaction/index.html
Stewart hammers Cramer on `The Daily Show'. Copyright by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. March 13, 2009. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1475423,w-jon-stewart-jim-cramer-daily-show-031309.article
Jon Stewart and Jim Cramer: The Extended Daily Show Interview http://blog.indecisionforever.com/2009/03/13/jon-stewart-and-jim-cramer-the-extended-daily-show-interview/
Cramer no scapegoat—no matter how humiliating 'Daily Show' appearance was By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 15, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0315pagemar15,0,4020916.column
Congress warns on mark-to-market rule By Tom Braithwaite and Sarah O’Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 19:57 | Last updated: March 13 2009 00:32. Congress will force regulators to relax the much-criticised mark-to-market accounting rule if they fail to take action themselves, Barney Frank, the chairman of the House financial services committee, on Thursday warned. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1e2700b6-0f3d-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
U. S. Economic Woes
The Audacity of Audacity By E.J. Dionne Jr. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, March 9, 2009; Page A15. President Obama faces three overlapping questions: When will middle-of-the-road voters start blaming him for the sick economy? When will he act decisively to deal with the mess that is our banking system? And can he keep managing his political two-step of appealing simultaneously to centrists and progressives? He has to confront all three at once. The economy will remain in crisis until there is a resolution to the problems facing the banks, and if things keep going bad, more and more voters in the middle will start blaming Obama for not fixing them. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/08/AR2009030801492.html
Bernanke urges regulatory overhaul By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 13:30 | Last updated: March 10 2009 14:16 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6d4f943a-0d6e-11de-8914-0000779fd2ac.html
Geithner faces economic tsunami without a fully staffed department By Edmund L. Andrews and Stephen Labaton. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 9, 2009. WASHINGTON: Rarely have so few people had so little time to prop up so many pillars of the economy as those in the U.S. Treasury Department under Timothy Geithner. In the six weeks since Geithner took over as Treasury secretary, he and a skeleton crew of unofficial senior advisers have been racing to make decisions that will shape the future of the banking, insurance, housing and automobile industries. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/09/business/geithner.php
Summers calls for boost to demand By Edward Luce and Chrystia Freeland in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 22:03 | Last updated: March 8 2009 22:03. Barack Obama’s top economic adviser has urged world leaders to pump more public money into the economy in a co-ordinated effort to boost demand and lift the world out of recession. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d8b5e18-0c14-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
One U.S. recession casualty: Conspicuous consumption By Shaila Dewan. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 10, 2009. ATLANTA: It is a sign of the times when Sacha Taylor, a fixture on the charity circuit in this gala-happy city in the United States, digs out a 10-year-old dress to wear to a recent society party. Or when Jennifer Riley, a corporate lawyer, starts patronizing restaurants that take coupons. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/10/america/10reset.php
US trade gap shrinks to lowest in six years By Sarah O’Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 13 2009 13:23 | Last updated: March 13 2009 15:17. The US trade gap shrank by almost 10 per cent in January to the lowest level for six years, as Americans’ once voracious demand for the world’s goods was further eroded by the recession. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/17bb3b20-0fc9-11de-a8ae-0000779fd2ac.html
US retail sales offer glimmer of hope By Sarah O’ Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 13:42 | Last updated: March 12 2009 13:42. US retail sales held firm in February following a surprise jump the previous month, providing hope that consumer spending might finally be stabilising in the US in spite of rising unemployment. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cc04aea0-0f05-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
Some Banks, Citing Strings, Want to Return Aid By STEPHEN LABATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 10, 2009. WASHINGTON — The list of demands keeps getting longer. Financial institutions that are getting government bailout funds have been told to put off evictions and modify mortgages for distressed homeowners. They must let shareholders vote on executive pay packages. They must slash dividends, cancel employee training and morale-building exercises, and withdraw job offers to foreign citizens. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/business/economy/11bailout.html?_r=1&hp
Another twist for the unemployed: Debit card fees. Pennsylvania one of several states offering debit cards in lieu of checks for jobless. Some who opted to go with debit cards outraged to get fees without notice. State labor official says debit cards have greatly improved distribution system. U.S. Department of Labor: States can do better in negotiating fees with banks By Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick
Copyright by CNN News. March 14, 2009 http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/13/unemployment.fees/index.html
International Herald Tribune Editorial: Citigroup buoys Wall Street. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 10, 2009. NEW YORK: Wall Street soared Tuesday morning after strong showings in Asian and European markets, with the Dow industrials rebounding more than 300 points, as investors got a taste of what they desperately craved: a glimmer of optimism in the financial sector. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/10/business/markets.php
Citi has strong start to the year By Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 05:32 | Last updated: March 10 2009 05:32. Citigroup has had its best profit performance in over a year in the first two months of 2009 and has generated revenue of more than $19bn despite growing uncertainties over its future, chief executive Vikram Pandit told employees. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbb79f02-0d33-11de-8914-0000779fd2ac.html
BofA chief says bank expects profit this year By Saskia Scholtes in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 23:09 | Last updated: March 12 2009 23:46 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/12082406-0f59-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
US wholesalers battle weak demand By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 10 2009 15:34 | Last updated: March 10 2009 16:23. Shrinking US wholesale inventories, a measure of lag in demand relative to expectations, fell for the fifth month running in January but failed to keep pace with much sharper declines in sales, signalling that economic growth could slow further this quarter. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/834e3fda-0d86-11de-8914-0000779fd2ac.html
G.M. Says It Won’t Need Finance Infusion in March By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: March 12, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/business/13auto.html?_r=1&hp
GE hit by credit rating blow By Justin Baer in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 14:08 | Last updated: March 12 2009 19:00. General Electric on Thursday lost the pristine triple A debt rating it had safeguarded for more than half a century as Standard & Poor’s downgraded the company, citing mounting concerns over its finance arm. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/40af99ba-0f0e-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
Berkshire loses top credit rating © Reuters Limited. March 13, 2009. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway was stripped of its ’AAA’ credit rating, barely hours after General Electric lost its top-tier rating, as the global financial crisis pummels America’s corporate titans. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f6d00648-0fa5-11de-a8ae-0000779fd2ac.html
Circuit City stores close for good, disappearing from retail landscape By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 4:56 PM CDT, March 8, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-circuit-city,0,3243597.story
Public transit ridership hits highest level in 52 years By Lena H. Sun. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post. March 9, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-transitmar09,0,7666865.story
Merck to Buy Schering-Plough for $41.1 Billion By DAVID JOLLY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/business/10drug.html?hp
Housing
Hard Lessons in Helping Homeowners By Martin O'Malley. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, March 9, 2009; Page A15.
For many months, because of federal inaction, the states acted alone to combat the rising tide of foreclosures across our nation. The plan recently announced by President Obama is a welcome effort that will help keep families in their homes. As critical details are worked out, it would be useful for federal leaders to look to the experience of states in crafting solutions. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/08/AR2009030801495.html
At Foreclosure Auction, Houses Sell, in a Frenzy By FERNANDA SANTOS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 8, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/nyregion/09foreclosure.html?_r=1&hp
Commodities
Hedge funds turn to gold By Henny Sender in New York and Javier Blas in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 8 2009 18:13 | Last updated: March 8 2009 18:13. Hedge fund investors who made money last year by betting against investment banks are now buying gold as a way of betting against central banks. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/37fcba70-0c0a-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html
Despite U.S. woes, dollar is riding high By Peter S. Goodman. Published: March 9, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/08/business/dollar.php
Swiss action sparks talk of ‘currency war’ By Peter Garnham in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 20:14 | Last updated: March 12 2009 20:14. The Swiss National Bank moved to weaken the Swiss franc on Thursday, the first time a big central bank has intervened in the foreign exchange markets since Japan sought to weaken the yen in 2004. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a9ec76dc-0f40-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
GLBT
Chicago Free Press Editorial: Do we count? Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 11, 2009. Never mind Massachusetts. Never mind Connecticut. Never mind Vermont, or any state with civil unions. Gay marriage, or any other form of recognized partnerships for GLBTs, is still not being accounted for by the federal government when they count households. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3255
Civil Unions: ‘Illinois is going to be Ground Zero’ By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 11, 2009. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3246
Gay marriage vs. democracy By Steve Chapman. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 8, 2009. You can catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar, the adage goes. But advocates of same-sex marriage have a deal for the citizens of California: all the vinegar they can drink. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0308chapmanmar08,0,6389507.column
Response to Steve Chapman By Carlos T Mock, MD. March 9, 2009. Copyright by Carlos T Mock, MD The Constitution set three different branches of government. The Judicial has the duty to protect the rights of minorities from the majority. If California were to put a proposition that euthanasia is permitted and it passed by a large majority, the Supreme court could easily ruled it unconstitutional because it desires to protect the rights of those that are to be killed. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/03/response-to-steve-chapman.html
The Story behind Sidetrack By Paul Varnell. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 11, 2009. Few bar owners in our community are as intimately and publicly identified with their bar as Arthur (“Art”) Johnston and Jose (“Pepe”) Pena of Sidetrack. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3253
Medical
International Herald Tribune Editorial:Science and stem cells. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 10, 2009. We welcome President Barack Obama's decision to lift the Bush administration's restrictions on federal financing for embryonic stem cell research. His move ends a long, bleak period in which the moral objections of religious conservatives were allowed to constrain the progress of a medically important science. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/10/opinion/edstem.php
New York Times Editorial: Progress on Family Planning. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/opinion/14sat4.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=opinion&adxnnlx=1237043977-JwswOShWs7Pnt9+RL7cCtg
Palin daughter left to face reality on her own. TEENS HAVING BABIES | She says her ex-fiance is a 'hands-on' dad, but when their child cries in the night, it's her responsibility By SUE ONTIVEROS sontiveros@suntimes.com. Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times. March 14, 2009
http://www.suntimes.com/news/ontiveros/1476682,CST-EDT-sue15.article
Combating a crisis HIV/AIDS and African Americans By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 13, 2009. There is a variety of reasons why, across the U.S., African Americans are so hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic: poverty, inadequate access to health care and education, racism—the list goes on. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3254
Technology
Financial Times Editorial Comment: Google searches. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 12 2009 19:39 | Last updated: March 12 2009 19:39. People can find out a lot on the internet. More and more, the internet is finding out a lot about them. Google said this week it will follow Yahoo and AOL and tailor web adverts to its users’ preferences, divined by monitoring their individual browsing patterns. This causes excitement among advertisers – and sends shivers down the backs of privacy activists. Both are justified. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/74cb0ad6-0f36-11de-ba10-0000779fd2ac.html
1984 Apple's Macintosh Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8
Other
Cheap summer airfare to Europe, Australia plentiful, but costs to carriers may be heavy - Cheap tickets to Europe, Australia plentiful; carriers may pay a price By Julie Johnsson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 9, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-mon-europe-airline-sale-mar09,0,924796.story
Humor
Lifeline was depressed last night so I called Lifeline. Got a call center in Pakistan . I told them I was suicidal. They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.
Children Science Exams Answers. If you need a good laugh, try reading through these children's science exam answers http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/03/childrens-science-exam-answers.html
Rx For Those Battling Exuberance= FDA Approves Depressant Drug For The Annoyingly Cheerful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd4tugPM83c
New! Carlos now has an online store. Order your books directly from Carlos and have them signed and dedicated.http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/
In Pride (orgullo),
Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
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