THR 14 January News Articles & Opinion

The day's news articles and columns which were of interest to this writer follow.


Doomsday Clock to Move Closer to or Farther from Midnight

The abject real failure to make any progress on addressing global warming and climate in Copenhagen in December has spurred the decison to make this move. The closest it has been to midnight since this was started by scientists in 1947 was :02 'til in 1953 and :03 'til in 1954. Currently it sits at :05 'til after getting as far back as :17 'til in 1991. Up to now, all decisions concerning the clock's movements concerned nuclear weapons and the arm race.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1242823/Doomsday-clock-moved-worlds-scientists-today.html

http://www.turnbacktheclock.org./

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Clock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risks_to_civilization,_humans_and_planet_Earth

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GDP Outlook Long Range Looks Very Poor at Best

The finding strongly point out that GDP will be anywhere from four to nine percentage points less each year over the next decade due to the economic collapse. The ramifications of this are most directly a gigantic amount of fewer jobs over the next decade.

http://business.theatlantic.com/2010/01/scariest_chart_of_the_day.php

http://seekingalpha.com/article/182072-here-comes-the-double-dip-recession

http://seekingalpha.com/article/182477-4-economic-scenarios-you-d-better-hope-won-t-materialize

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Musings on Reversing the Great American Decline

For some, optimism is eternal, as is living in fantasyland.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/201001/american-decline

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The Evil and Greed of Wall Street and Mega Banks Must Be Addressed

The Obama Administration must somehow accomplish some regulatory and punitive measures toward these corporations and their executives and management for their heinous and criminal behaviors and acts in spite of Congress and the many lackeys in those bodies who seemingly work exclusively for banks, corporations, and Wall Street "investors", a.k.a., GAMBLERS.

http://robertreich.org/post/331917854/why-obama-must-take-on-wall-street

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=adKOoaB7QKwU

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2010/01/if-government-wont-break-up-giant-banks.html

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/145153/why_can%27t_we_get_anyone_to_ask_a_wall_st._ceo_the_hard_questions/?page=entire

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Recommended Poignant Book

http://www.alternet.org/story/145152/empire_of_illusion%3A_why_millions_of_fans_get_their_dose_of_%27real_life%27_from_pro-wrestling_on_tv?page=entire

http://www.nationbooks.org/book/192/Empire%20of%20Illusion

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Looking Deeper into the Growing Grim Unemployment Numbers

http://www.mybudget360.com/the-capture-of-our-government-by-wall-street-a-70-percent-stock-market-rally-lines-up-with-an-additional-27-million-jobs-lost-since-march-of-2009-how-wall-street-reflects-the-interest-of-the-corp/

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/01/swiss-cheese-recovery-more-holes-than.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9527995

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Foreclosures Numbers Frightening, Worsening

An expected increase of at least 15 - 25 % in these numbers for the year 2010 is going to occur.

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/01/realtytrac-2009-was-record-year-for.html

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MON 11 January News Articles & Opinions

Here are the news articles of the day that caught my attention with some brief opinion on them.


Heavy Dead-on-Right Observations

This is why this writer firmly believes the Unites States' days are numbered.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/10-4

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Reich on Paying for Health Care Reforms

Its bad enough the government is going to mandate that everyone has to get health insurance from a corporation ( a blatant illegal unconstitutional mandate), but now it looks as if many will get stuck with huge taxes and fees to fund the program that are simply unable to bear these increases and costs. Expect major ramifications as consequences for these major poor sighted governmental acts.

http://robertreich.org/post/328990297/the-last-big-question-will-health-care-reform-be-paid

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The US Senate is Acting Illegally

It is gotten far past the point of being bad when our only hope for restoring any political sanity within the US Senate lies with the US Supreme Court. To sum things up in one word: hopelessness - with both these bodies of government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/opinion/11geoghegan.html?

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The Brookings Institute on the First Year of the Obama Administration

http://www.brookings.edu/about/status-report.aspx

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The End of a Long-Term Trend of American Mobility

Statistics indicate an end to the seemingly eternal trend of Americans moving and relocating in mass numbers. The writer disagrees. This is just a blip which will end in the next few to several years as the economy stabilizes with fewer job losses and more consistent predictable economic conditions.

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/a-nation-of-hunkered-down-homebodies/

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From Across the Pond: The US is in an Economic Depression

No disagreement on that. Right now it is bad all over unless one is employed by government, or in the securities industry.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/6962632/America-slides-deeper-into-depression-as-Wall-Street-revels.html

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US Government Default on National Debt: A Good Idea ?

Although it is still unlikely to happen, a declaration of default on all debts or a bankruptcy by the United States Government is slowly becoming a distinct possibility. The arguments and conclusions put forth in this column are ones that are justifiable, particularly from a historical perspective. But there would be a harsh economic price for most everyone if a bankruptcy were to happen in 2013.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8486284-fee9-11de-a677-00144feab49a.html

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Buying Houses Just For Couples Who Want to Have a Family

In this age of plunging home values and prices, the only logical individuals that should commit to this sort of serious purchase are family types. For some others, it is an investment with some tax credits and gains possible; but the numbers of those who stand to gain financially from buying a home with a short term view in having the commitment are become much fewer in number.

It now strongly appears that for a home to provide a decent return on the investment, one must commit themselves to home residency for 15 years, probably longer. And unless there is a family being started or underway, that is not an achievable objective for most people in our strongly fluid and topsy turvy nation which will only worsen significantly in the coming generation and beyond.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/garden/07men.html?source=patrick.net&pagewanted=all

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The Dark Foreboding Future Outlook Concerning Unemployment

At least 4.2 million jobs were reported to have been lost in 2009, and that number is probably underreported by at least 20 %. Can a number so large be lost again in 2010 ? Probably not, but expect about 2.8 to 3.5 million job losses in this year, with most occuring in the second half of the year. U-6 unemployment is headed towards exceeding 20 %, with some metro areas having rates nearing 30 %, and rural areas upwards of 33 - 35 %. The social consequences of these numbers are staggering, appalling, and dangerous. The political consequences for many Democrats in critical areas of the nation look fatal.

And now its increasingly apparent all those billions of stimulus dollars that went into highway project have not helped whatsoever with unemployment across the nation.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/514394/the_2010_political_timebomb_is_unemployment

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34769831/ns/business-careers/

http://www.salon.com/news/unemployment/index.html?story=/opinion/feature/2010/01/11/jobs_democrats

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010762109_apusstimulusunemployment.html

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American Border Security Technology Boondoggle

One could see this coming right out of the gate when it was proposed and then funded. The entire process was bankrupt, which has cost taxpayers over $1B and certainly significantly more. This plan will not become effective anytime soon, and is at least more than a decade away from being implemented in even half of the border zone.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/07/60minutes/main6067598.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;segmentUtilities

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Another Noah's Ark is Figuratively Under Construction

Not a moment too soon with the widespread animals extinction underway and expected to significantly heighten in the coming decades. Bringing back extinct animals ? This writer expects to see that in the case of the Woolly Mammoth and other species within a decade.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/07/60minutes/main6067594.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;segmentUtilities

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SAT 9 January News Articles & Opinion

As usual, the weekend is usually light on news, but there are a few articles that have been worth looking at and considering.

US Economy Only Looks Good to Those Uninformed and Misinformed

....and always of course, the foolish, the stupid, the manipulated, the gullible, and particularly the manipulators and lackeys themselves.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/09-4

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2010/01/military-industrial-compex-is-ruining.html

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Senator Bernard Sanders for President

This is without question the best US Senator we currently have. If he were to run for President, he would have this writer's complete support.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/01/09/sanders_a_growing_force_on_the_far_far_left/

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More on North American Cold Climate Anomaly

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/cold-patches-in-a-warm-world/

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FRI 8 January News Articles & Opinion

Here are the recent news articles and columns which I was interested in today.

December 2009 US Climatology Results

All in all, a little below normal, but nothing close to record breaking. However, Alaska was quite historically toasty,

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=national&year=2009&month=12&submitted=Get+Report

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Warnings of Unrest on the Horizon

http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/01/the-coming-fury-of-an-angry-america/

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Very Alarming News from the Arctic

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8437703.stm

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We All Want this Health Care Plan !

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/gop-rep-mike-coffman-says_b_414542.html

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Banks are Simply Shysters, Mobsters, Hoodlums, Gangsters, Loan Sharks Nowadays: Take Two ....

http://airamerica.com/ringoffire/blog/01-07-2010/papantonio-banking-industry-americas-new-thu/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/08/bonus-time-city-banks

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Yemen: Insight about the Next Serious American Foreign Policy Quagmire to Come

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/01/post-about-yemen

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Despite Ruthless Winter Storms, Look for a Record Hot 2010 Globally

http://climateprogress.org/2010/01/08/science-met-office-cold-weather-global-warming-el-nino-hottest-year/

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The Negative December '09 Jobs Loss Reports and More: Simply Disappointing and Alarming

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/economy/09jobs.html

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/01/08/broader-u-6-unemployment-rate-increases-to-173-in-december/

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/labor-force-participation-rate-plunges-5-year-low-646

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/01/reflections-on-boomer-demographics.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&sid=ad08vsb1VciM

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/01/employment-population-ratio-part-time.html

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/record-40-unemployed-without-job-27-weeks

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MmU5NzgyMzZlMDdhZGE0OWUyMzRlNjVhOWJiNGE0YmM=

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/01/06/trumka-to-solve-job-crisis-we-must-create-different-kind-of-economy/

http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/jobs_picture_20100108/

http://robertreich.org/post/323699652/the-bad-job-numbers-and-the-secret-second-stimulus

http://climateprogress.org/2010/01/08/clean-energy-global-warming-science-news-obama-clean-tech-manufacturing-jobs/

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Comparing International Health Care Costs

http://blogs.ngm.com/blog_central/2009/12/the-cost-of-care.html

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Hawaiian Public Education Continues to Slip

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20091020_Hawaii_cuts_school_year_to_shortest_in_U_S_.html

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More on Impact on Congressional Apportionment by 2010 Census

http://www.southernstudies.org/2010/01/politics-souths-clout-to-grow-after-2010-census----but-by-how-much.html

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Dreams and Hopes Continue to Increasingly Wane

http://www.indypendent.org/2010/01/07/hope-left/

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Serious Constitutional and Privacy Issues Must be Addressed

http://themoderatevoice.com/58650/body-scanners-health-insurance-mandates-and-the-constitution/

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The Perfect Storm of Strong Negatives will End America

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/747176

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Home Values and Prices will Continue Downward for Quite Some Time into the Future

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1952132,00.html

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Corrupt Dishonest Geithner Must Go; Likely to be Prosecuted

http://www.newdeal20.org/?p=7329

http://www.newdeal20.org/?p=7348

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The Insight and Wisdom of Gary Hart

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-hart/getting-the-government-we_b_413243.html

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Climate Reforms ? Hardly at All, with the Status Quo Likely Long into the Future

http://www.themediaconsortium.org/2010/01/08/weekly-mulch-climate-reforms-good-bad-and-ugly/

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Hawaii's Republicans on the Rocks

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-hawaii-gop9-2010jan09,0,4400225.story

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21st Century Teabagger Qualifying Test

http://www.alternet.org/story/145005/you_know_you%27re_a_conservative_when...

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Dashtop Computers on the Way; The Next New Hot Product

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=9511411

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THR 7 January News Articles & Opinion

These are the news articles of the day that I felt were of importance.


James Hansen - and on Plans to Address Climate Change

This is the greatest expert on global warming and climate change, and anything he states must be taken with complete seriousness.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100111/hansen

http://www.stormsofmygrandchildren.com/

http://www.columbia.edu/~mhs119/

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Significant Major Long Droughts Loom

Most of the American West is already undergoing serious changes due to climate change and global warming, but the most serious and deadly ramifications have yet to come; when they do, a major change in lifestyles and quality of life will be felt for decades ahead and beyond.

http://www.newwest.net/city/article/long_drought_ahead_from_global_warming_study_says/C8/L8/

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Fascinating Places to See and Experience

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-offbeattraveler18-pg,0,6637721.photogallery

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New Tougher EPA Regulations in the Works

I do not know how these most strict air pollution oversights will able to be implimented with the current transportation and energy systems in the places where problems will be greatest - perhaps a ban or restrictions on lawn mowing, and closing freeways between 10 and 3pm.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-epa-smog-rules8-2010jan08,0,7163115.story

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Now Arriving: Full Internet Access in One's Motor Vehicle !

I expect this to become widespread in the next few years, but safety measures need to be increased to prevent viewing while driving. Audio option webpages ?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/technology/07distracted.html

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More on Very Warm Arctic Temperatures this Winter and Beyond

The wrath of climate change is already well under way to the far north and will only become greatly worse in the coming years as these reports and models indicate.

http://westcoastclimateequity.org/?p=2767

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The End of the Myth of Clean Coal

It sounded so good and so hopeful, but any illusion of this kind of circumstance has now been clearly disproved. Sadly, we will be mining coal and burning it for energy for many decades to come, regardless of all the consequences, almost entirely negative and catastrophic.

http://climateprogress.org/2010/01/07/science-clean-coal-mountaintop-mining-removal/

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America Just Does Not Work Anymore

Is there anything one can be optimistic about when it comes to the United States ? Beyond one's family and offspring, the answer is no.

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175187/tomgram%3A_orville_schell%2C_what_doesn%27t_work_in_america/

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WED 6 January News Articles & Opinion

I found these recent news articles of interest.

Very Disturbing News from the Arctic and Polar Regions

These findings are quite unsettling and may set the foundation further for an ice-free Arctic Sea in as soon as two years, particularly if solar activity increases profoundly as forecast. Solar activity always has its greatest impact on polar regions, which will exacerbate warmth and melting in a greater increased way, with consequences on global climate that can be fully understood in the details just yet.

http://climateprogress.org/2010/01/06/science-nsidc-warm-greenland-arctic-rotten-ice-multi-year-arctic-oscillation/#more-17125

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The Year 2020: It Will Not be Pretty or Any Better

Four key macro-elements to be aware of with the approach of the third decade of this century: An ever rising China, an ever collapsing America. an emerging Southern Hemisphere, and momentous and epic global warming and climate change.

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175186/tomgram%3A__michael_klare%2C_the_blowback_effect%2C_2020/#more

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Chinese Green Motor Vehicles Enter US Market

An increase in competition is always welcome, and this entry will help to keep prices under wraps to an extent from other Asian manufacturers. But a successful plunge into this market may result in further losses for American manufacturers GM and Chrysler, further imperiling their existence.

http://climateprogress.org/2010/01/06/clean-energy-and-global-warming-science-qingyuan-boost-electric-car-sales/#more-17096

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Magnetic North Pole Moving Rapidly towards Russia

This is supposed to be a normal regular geomagnetic phenomena according to scientific experts.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1215_051215_north_pole.html

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Land Regulations in Metros' Periphery Around Nation
An interesting read, with insightful analysis, in brief by Krugman, and in greater detail by the Brookings Institute.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/desert-bubbles/

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American Citizens Suffer from Indignant Actions of US Treasury Department

This was simply an outrage, and there will be political and other consequences and reprisals for these unconscionable and insulting acts and decisions.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/181190-the-christmas-eve-massacre-of-the-u-s-taxpayer

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Banks are Simply Shysters, Mobsters, Hoodlums, Gangsters, Loan Sharks Nowadays

We are talking about large multi-state banks that have revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars, disgusting gross profits, and executives and managements with obscene pay that can only be described as criminal and immoral.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14127222

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Epic Foolishness Only Continues in Arizona

A more inept governmental entity on the state level in the United States cannot be imagined, and cannot be remembered.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/01/06/20100106buildingsale0107-ON.html

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Richard Cheney: A Larger Monster Than Limbaugh, Palin, and Others ?

He certainly leaves everything to be desired and apparently has rejected everything about the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2010/01/who-is-dick-cheney.html

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Nebraska Employment, Revenue, and Income Opportunity

Yet another place that could greatly benefit from expanded wind power energy, but state government will have to provide incentives to get the ball rolling; and when it does,the citizens in Nebraska will be rolling in money from others states and their energy demands.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/04/AR2010010401314.html

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TUE 5 January News Article & Opinion

A few noteworthy items I observed in recent days:

Dorgan Bows Out, Ensuring GOP Gains

This is quite surprising as Byron Dorgan from North Dakota opts to retire after three terms in the US Senate, which all but endures the GOp will regain fillibuster numbers again to block any much need progressive federal legislation in the Senate during the 2o11-2012 term. If he is not a lameduck already, Obama will certainly soon be in less than one year.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2010/01/dorgan-will-not-seek-reelectio.html

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Further Grim News from Statehouses, and Local Governments
The house of cards tax structure state and local governments have formulated together over the last three decades is now in a state of collapse. Its going to get considerably worse in most states, and will never get better again with the current framework.

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4676

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Europe Moves Boldly Forward on Making Alternative Energies Grid Mainstream

Most excellent ! Too ba we will not see this anytime soon in the United States, as the evil triad and other corporations will harshly and strongly oppose it, crushing any attempts to realize its planning let alone its creation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/03/european-unites-renewable-energy-supergrid

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Housing Prices and Values Still Continue to be Out of Kilter

The current structure of prices and values remains still too high from a historical viewpoint, as well as from a point of being fair, just, and family-friendly. And individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, and society suffers from the overpricing and overvaluation.

http://www.mybudget360.com/buying-a-home-in-america-today-is-expensive-thanks-to-the-banking-sector-examining-income-and-home-prices-from-1950-to-the-present-can-home-prices-fall-another-38-percent/

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Top Twenty-five Unreported News Items of 2010 to Come

I never read or hear about these all too critical news items when reading newspapers, watching television news, or checking out mainstream media news magazines. All those entities are fixated with celebrities, gossip, or the police blotter. Thank goodness for the internet.

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/category/two-thousand-and-ten-book/

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NC: Not Cleared, the new fear for Previously Fearless Americans
A truly sad development. Why anyone would choose to fly is rapidly becoming passe unless circumstances absolutely compels one to.

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/the-new-scarlet-letters-%E2%80%98nc%E2%80%99-by-sibel-edmonds/

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Workplace Unhappiness, Boredom Continues to Soar

This writer has not had a job or paid employment that he has liked, found interesting,or was not largely bored with in so long that he cannot remember when. Every job this writer can remember having became utterly boring or thankless in a matter of weeks usually at best.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/01/05/20100105unhappyworkers0105.html

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Central Intelligence Agency Wisdom and Vision ?!
The CIA actually commits itself to doing something humanitarian and globally thoughtful in scope !

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/science/earth/05satellite.html

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Real Estate: It All Depends on One's Viewpoint and Expectations

Real Estate is now an investment abyss except for those who view as it should be, as a home ....

http://www.financialarmageddon.com/2009/12/whats-really-happening-in-real-estate.html

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Unemployment Stats and Info on Metros and Cities

The U-3 unemployment picture and statistics in cities and metros nationally. To be really honest about what the real numbers, increase them by at least 75 % and probably more than double them in many cases. To say it is grim or horrible is to still understate the depth of the problem.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.nr0.htm

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Tremendous Tragedy in Solomon Islands

Global warming and climate change will result in similar horrific occurrences like this on Earth this year and increasingly more so with even worse results in the coming years.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fgw-solomon-tsunami5-2010jan05,0,4907366.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20latimes/mostviewed%20%28L.A.%20Times%20-%20Most%20Viewed%20Stories%29

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The Long Decline: A View Internationally

I agree with the arguments and conclusions in this column.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3ef8f012-f969-11de-8085-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

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Right Wing Talk Radio Hosts' Feathers Ruffled by "Avatar"
This writer wishes these selfish blathering boobs would just shut up and get a new life, far away on the golf courses of a place like Costa Rica or the United Arab Emirates.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/01/avatar-why-do-conservatives-hate-the-most-popular-movie-in-years.html

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An Insult to Our Feline Friends Everywhere

Cats, watch out when you become mischievious -- your caretaker may call you a Wall Street Greedy Fat Cat !

http://www.alternet.org/story/144935/calling_greedy_wall_street_bankers_fat_cats_is_an_insult_to_cats

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