1. Can We Save Social Security? » 3 hours ago   permalink

Www.parade.com

With Social Security predicted to reach insolvency within 30 years, lawmakers agree that something needs to be done—and fast. They even agree on the broad outlines of a solution. Unfortunately, none of the proposals currently under consideration is likely to be popular. “ Congress is going to have to tell people things they don’t want to ...

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Beat the Press / Economics Roundtable :   Parade Magazine's Propaganda Parade Against Social Security

Beat the Press :   Parade Magazine's Propaganda Parade Against Social Security

2. Healthcare bill poised to pass Senate test 43 minutes ago   permalink

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A broad healthcare overhaul was poised to clear its first Senate hurdle on Saturday as the last wavering senators said they would vote to begin debate on the legislation, giving Democrats the 60 votes they need.

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Business and financial news CNN.com: Senate to vote on health care debate   —  Washington (CNN) -- To debate or not to debate the Senate's health care reform bill; that is the question. The legislative body on Saturday is expected to vote on whether to begin debate -- also known as invoking cloture -- on its version of the health care bill, which was introduced Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Msnbc.com Democrats have 60 votes to advance health bill   —  Two moderate lawmakers announced their support to begin debate on health care legislation, giving Senate Democrats the 60 votes needed to overcome a key hurdle and push the bill forward.

Inquirer Business Frist predicts Senate will pass health-care bill   —  Bill Frist, surgeon and former Senate majority leader, went out on a limb yesterday. Speaking at a Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce meeting in Center City on health reform, Frist said health reform is a done deal. The Seattle Times 1st Senate vote looms on health legislation   —  A crucial first Senate vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in a rare Saturday night session looms as a test of Democratic unity and the president's prestige. Tyler Cowen / Marginal Revolution Is the Senate bill fiscally responsible?   —  Matt Yglesias writes: The bill contains provisions that have front-loaded positive impacts on the deficit and also have provisions that have back-loaded positive impacts on the deficit. The bill, rather intelligently, seems to balance this out well leading to net...

3. Carr tells Hershey to pay up or face failure 48 minutes ago   permalink

the UK and world

Cadbury would prefer Hershey as a merger partner over Kraft but both American companies risk failure if they cannot finance generous bids according to the UK company's chairman Roger Carr.

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WSJ.com Hershey Trustees Back Cadbury Bid   —  The trust that controls Hershey is pushing it to launch a rival $17 billion bid for Cadbury that would include more cash than Kraft's offer.

JOSH KOSMAN / NY Post Hershey moves in pursuit of Cadbury   —  As one candy maker yesterday was girding to fight Kraft for British confectionery firm Cadbury, another took itself out of the running. The trust that controls Hershey is reportedly putting pressure on CEO David West to serve up a $17 billion offe...

Times Online Hershey prepares to trump $17bn Kraft bid for Cadbury$   —  The Trust which controls Hershey is pushing for the US food giant to make a $17 billion counter bid for British chocolate and gum group Cadbury.$ Yahoo! News Hershey mulls $17 billion solo bid for Cadbury: source   —  Reuters - U.S. chocolate maker Hershey Co is considering launching a bid of at least $17 billion for British chocolatier Cadbury Plc as it seeks to trump a hostile offer by Kraft Foods Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. BBC News Hershey 'mulls $17bn Cadbury bid'   —  US chocolate maker Hershey considers launching a solo bid of at least $17bn (�10bn) for UK firm Cadbury, reports say.

4. The Fed and Mortgage Rates 2 hours ago   permalink

Www.calculatedriskblog.com

Meredith Whitney expressed concern about what will happen when the Fed stops buying GSE MBS by the end of the first quarter 2010. From Bloomberg: Meredith Whitney Says Bank Stocks Are ‘Grossly’ Overvalued The Federal Reserve has begun slowing purchases in the $5 trillion market for so-called agency mortgage-backed securities after ...

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Mark Thoma / Economist Fed Watch: The Fed in a Corner   —  Tim Duy: The Fed in a Corner, by Tim Duy: Over the years, I have warned a seemingly countless number of undergraduates that Fed's hold on monetary independence was tenuous at best. Independence is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Congress...

Economistsview.typepad.com The Fed in a Corner   —  Over the years, I have warned a seemingly countless number of undergraduates that Fed's hold on monetary independence was tenuous at best.  Independence is not guaranteed by the Constitution.  Congress made the Fed, and Congress can unmake the Fed.   The Fed could only maintain the privilege of independence if ... CalculatedRisk / Calculated Risk :    Fed Watch: "The Fed in a Corner"

5. What is the average college tuition? 1 hour ago   permalink

Www.libraryspot.com

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Tim / The Mess That Greenspan Made :   Inside the UCLA student protests

6. Reliance bid to make India's largest global acquisition 49 minutes ago   permalink

India Business News

Reliance Industries has offerred to buy a controlling stake in the world's third largest chemical company LyondellBasell. RIL did not disclose how much it had bid but a senior merchant banker said it would have to pay at least $ 12 billion.

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India Business News India to be third largest economy by 2050: Carnegie Endowment   —  The total GDP of India, China and the US in 2050 will be over 70% more than that of the other G20 countries combined, the reputed American think-tank, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says.

LLC. / Financial Services LyondellBasell Statement on Reliance Industries   —  "LyondellBasell has received a preliminary non-binding offer from Reliance Industries Limited to acquire for cash a controlling interest in the company contemporaneously with the company's emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization. This offer is in addition to the previous non-binding equity financing proposals received by the company and ...

7. Own to Rent: Breaking Down Fannie Mae’s Deed for Lease Program 2 hours ago   permalink

Www.softwareadvice.com

The Federal National Mortgage Association, more commonly known as Fannie Mae, recently announced a new program designed to keep mortgage-challenged borrowers in their homes. The Deed for Lease (D4L) program allows qualified borrowers to relinquish the deed to their property and rent their home at the market rate for 12 months.

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Info / ConsumerAffairs.Com Financial News :   Mortgage Rates Hit Record Low

8. WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ 7 hours ago   permalink

Wanderingtaxpro.blogspot.com

Up-to-the-minute advice, information, resources, and, on occasion, commentary on federal and New Jersey state income taxes, and the various New Jersey property tax rebate programs, and insights and observations on tax policy and professional tax practice, by 38-year veteran tax professional Robert D Flach.

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Skbell1 / Don't Mess With Taxes :   A BUZZing tax Saturday

Administrator / Stock Market Analysis at DeepMarket :   Thanks for the Money Links!

9. Water companies face price curbs from Ofwat 56 minutes ago   permalink

the UK and world

OFWAT is expected to deliver a blow to the water companies this week with tough restrictions on customer price rises - making only small concessions to compensate them for increasing bad debts and higher business rates.

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Times Online Ofwat price review will force water bosses to cut jobs   —  WATER bosses have warned they will be forced to cut thousands of jobs if Ofwat, the regulator, pushes ahead with its tough price review.

10. Back to Business: Investment Funds Profit Again, This Time by Paring Mortgages 1 hour ago   permalink

LOUISE STORY / NYT

Investments funds are buying blocks of mortgages, trimming the size of some of them to the benefit of homeowners, and shifting any risk to the federal government.

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Alarm:clock Karolinska Development and EIF Start New Life Science Fund   —  Swedish investment company Karolinska Development AB and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have a co-investment agreement, in which the fund managed by the former will be invested in early-stage pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. With a contribution of €26.7M ($39.6M) this is EIF's single largest investment in Nordic region. This ...

11. Letters: A Break for Builders 1 hour ago   permalink

SAM GROBART / NYT

Re “Home Builders (You Heard That Right) Get a Gift” (Fair Game, Nov. 15), in which Gretchen Morgenson described a new tax break for builders:

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SAM GROBART / NYT Letters: Examining Doctors’ Pay   —  Re “Maybe a New Day for Doctors’ Pay” (Economic View, Nov. 8), which looked at paying doctors by salary instead of using the fee-for-service model:

12. FDIC Closes Florida Bank 5 hours ago   permalink

Info / ConsumerAffairs.Com Financial News

FDIC said it entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Central Bank, Stillwater, Minnesota, to assume all of the deposits of Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida. Commerce Bank had only one branch, which has become part of Central Bank.

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StarTribune.com Business Central Bank of Stillwater buys failed Florida bank   —  This is what the bank in Staples, MN did. They bought a bank in Florida, didn't know what they were doing, and wrote a ton of bad loans. … read more The bad loans in Florida ended up ruining both branches, in FL and MN. Better off staying in your own back yard.

Www.calculatedriskblog.com FDIC Bank Failure Update   —  Note: The FDIC will probably release the Q3 Quarterly Banking Profile next week. The report will show the number of banks on the problem bank list, and the status of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF).

WSJ.com Regulators Close Florida Bank   —  Florida regulators closed Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida in the 124th U.S. bank failure. Bizjournals Banking Central Bank of Stillwater buys failed Florida bank; fourth deal this year   —  Central Bank of Stillwater has acquired a failed bank in Florida. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / NYT Business Briefing | Economy: Regulators Close a Small Bank in Florida   —  Florida banking regulators on Friday shut down Commerce Bank of Southwest Florida, the 124th bank to fail this year. REUTERS / NYT Bank of Japan Sets Itself Up for Clash With Government   —  The central bank upgraded its economic assessment, setting itself up for a confrontation with a government pressing for a policy response to deflation.

13. Stabilities and Instabilities in the Macroeconomy 1 hour ago   permalink

Mark Thoma / Economist

More on what's wrong with modern macro, this time from Axel Leijonhufvud: Stabilities and instabilities in the macroeconomy, by Axel Leijonhufvud, Vox EU: Fifty-some years ago, students were taught that the private sector had no tendency to gravitate to full...

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Mark Thoma / Economist Links for 2009-11-20   —  Interest rates: the phantom menace - Paul Krugman A big Fed mess - Free exchange Relief for States and Families Boosts Employment - CBPP Stabilities and instabilities in the macroeconomy - voxeu.org Do elections in developing countries improve economic policy?...

14. Heritage Oil set to announce sale of its Ugandan oilfields 39 minutes ago   permalink

the UK and world

Heritage Oil the UKlisted exploration and production company is expected to announce the sale of its Ugandan assets for over �1bn as early as tomorrow.

15. Kidston seeks to bag investor 42 minutes ago   permalink

the UK and world

Cath Kidston the nostalgic clothes and homeware designer is seeking a new majority owner for her eponymous company which is thought to be worth up to �75m.

16. More Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving 2 hours ago   permalink

By NAFEESA SYEED / SFGate

The number of Americans traveling away from home for Thanksgiving will be up only slightly this year from 2008, according to a report from the AAA auto club. The group, which surveyed 1,350 households, said there will be about 33.2 million people traveling by... Thanksgiving - Airline - holiday - Travel - American Automobile Association

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Moneycontrol Top Headlines Obama asks Americans for patience on economy   —  President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to show patience over the economy and argued that his justconcluded Asia trip was critical for U.S. exports, countering criticism he had returned emptyhanded.

17. Corner Office: 68 Rules? No, Just 3 Are Enough 49 minutes ago   permalink

SAM GROBART / NYT

William D. Green, the chairman and chief executive of Accenture, says it is crucial for new managers to exude competence, confidence and caring.

18. Latest List of Startup and Small Business Events 4 hours ago   permalink

Smallbiztrends.com

This week’s compilation of small business events has some great opportunities to learn and connect with fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners – both live and online. This list is brought to you every two weeks by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.

19. Fair Game: Revisiting a Fed Waltz With A.I.G. 1 hour ago   permalink

GRETCHEN MORGENSON / NYT

A government report on the bailout of A.I.G. is must reading for taxpayers looking to know why the $182 billion “rescue” is the most troubling episode of the financial disaster.

20. Winning numbers drawn in CA 'Midday 3' game 1 hour ago   permalink

SFGate

The winning numbers in Saturday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Midday 3" game were: 6-0-2 (six, zero, two)... Noon - Games - Gambling - United States - California State Lottery