1. Can We Save Social Security? »  permalink

Can We Save Social Security? »
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 ...

discussions

2. Healthcare bill poised to pass Senate test  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
Healthcare bill poised to pass Senate test 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
Healthcare bill poised to pass Senate test 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.

3. Carr tells Hershey to pay up or face failure  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
Carr tells Hershey to pay up or face failure 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...

4. The Fed and Mortgage Rates  permalink

The Fed and Mortgage Rates
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 ...

5. What is the average college tuition?  permalink

Www.libraryspot.com

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

Reliance bid to make India's largest global acquisition
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
Reliance bid to make India's largest global acquisition 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  permalink

Own to Rent: Breaking Down Fannie Mae’s Deed for Lease Program
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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8. WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’  permalink

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’
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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9. Water companies face price curbs from Ofwat  permalink

Water companies face price curbs from Ofwat
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
Water companies face price curbs from Ofwat 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  permalink

Back to Business: Investment Funds Profit Again, This Time by Paring Mortgages
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  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  permalink

FDIC Closes Florida Bank
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
FDIC Closes Florida Bank 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 Closes Florida Bank 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).

13. Stabilities and Instabilities in the Macroeconomy  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  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  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  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
More Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving 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  permalink

Corner Office: 68 Rules? No, Just 3 Are Enough
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  permalink

Latest List of Startup and Small Business Events
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.  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  permalink

Winning numbers drawn in CA 'Midday 3' game
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