"A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished."   Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 27:12  KJV   Word study on this verse

Meltdown far from over, new mortgage crisis looms google.com 11/29/8 ["he number of late payments and defaults will double, if not triple, by the end of next year, according to analysts from Fitch Ratings Ltd., which evaluates companies' credit. "We're probably in the first inning of the commercial mortgage problem," said Scott Tross, a real estate lawyer with Herrick Feinstein in New Jersey."]
UK: RBS to be taken over by British government google.com 11/29/8 ["The British government will take over Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC with a majority stake of almost 60 percent after the shareholders of the nation's second-largest bank shunned an emergency share issue."]
British Government Reports Abortions Set New Record Highs, Jumper Over 200K lifenews.com 11/29/8 ["The numbers show the British abortion rate is higher than the rest of western Europe, where abortions aren't legalize as late into pregnancy. The abortion figures also show the abortion rate -- the percentage of pregnancies that end in abortion versus childbirth -- is increasing and could eclipse the United States soon."]
Abortion Now Number One Cause of Death in Spain lifesitenews.com 11/29/8 ["...Spain has one of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe, allowing women to kill their unborn child for "psychological" reasons at any time during their pregnancy. ...The abortion rate is now approaching one in five pregnancies (18.3%), according to the report."]
 

Death Clouds Over a Lost Nation! lasttrumpetministries.org 11/28/8 [By Pastor David Meyer  "In ancient Israel, God's people made the same grave error. They demanded change. They entered into the spiritual auditorium of blind change, and it eventually destroyed them and brought them into Babylonian slavery and captivity. In Jeremiah 2:11-13 we read of this as follows: "Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.""]
Russia Organizing New Global Order newsmax.com 11/28/8 ["Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called on Wednesday for the first summit of major emerging market countries known as BRICs in Russia next year. The BRIC nations, a popular acronym for Brazil, Russia, India and China, have hastened moves to take a greater say in world affairs and the global economy in response to the world financial crisis emanating from the United States. "]
Merkel criticises US over crisis ft.com 11/28/8 ["...accusing the US and other governments of making “cheap money” a central tool of their economic management, thus planting the seeds of a similar crisis in five years. “Excessively cheap money in the US was a driver of today’s crisis,” she told the German parliament. “I am deeply concerned about whether we are now reinforcing this trend through measures being adopted in the US and elsewhere and whether we could find ourselves in five years facing the exact same crisis.”"]
ArcelorMittal to cut 9,000 jobs as steel demand slips iht.com 11/28/8 ["...the world's largest steel maker ...ArcelorMittal warned Tuesday that it might lay off 16 percent of its work force in the United States, or around 2,400 people, as it cut steel output there by 40 percent."]
UK: Woolworths and MFI crash threatens 31,000 jobs guardian.co.uk 11/28/8 ["More than 31,000 jobs were under threat last night as the credit crunch claimed its first two big-name high street casualties - Woolworths and MFI."]
 

For stores, the holiday season may already be over google.com 11/27/8 ["Major department stores and mall-based chains have cut prices up to 70 percent to move out mounds of excess inventory stuck in the pipeline since the financial crisis hit in September and people snapped their wallets shut."]
Sarkozy forever? EU uneasy on leadership bid: Paul Taylor reuters.com 11/27/8 ["His aides are working actively on ways to perpetuate his European leadership into 2009 and beyond, using the euro zone, NATO, the new Mediterranean Union, Middle East diplomacy and a continuing mediation role with Russia and Georgia as levers."]
U.S. Durable Orders Fall Twice as Much as Forecast bloomberg.com 11/27/8 ["Companies are likely to keep cutting back as sales slump. Regional reports have shown further weakness in manufacturing this month as access to credit dried up, indicating declines in business investment will hurt economic growth through the rest of the year and into 2009."]
US unveils new $800 billion plan to loosen credit csmonitor.com 11/27/8 ["Under a new Fed program for consumer debt, the US government will lend up to $200 billion to financial institutions that hold securities backed by various types of consumer loans such as credit cards and auto and student loans. The goal is to provide greater demand for these securities, which in turn should make more money available to the consumer loan market, in the end leading to lower consumer interest rates."]
Rathergate II: Certification of Live Birth a clear forgery wnd.com 11/27/8 ["If you were a natural born American citizen, would you spend thousands of dollars to fight the legal cases against you, or would you simply answer the legitimate question of whether you meet the constitutional requirements for office?"]
Papua Proposal: A Microchip to Track the HIV-Positive time.com 11/27/8 ["Dr. John Manangsang, who admits the case was an extreme one, has drafted a new bill that would legalize implanting microchips into HIV-infected people deemed to be purposefully infecting others with the life-threatening virus."]
 

Icelanders demand PM resign during violent protests france24.com 11/26/8 [" Thousands of Icelanders took to the street in violent protests in Rekjavik, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Geir Haarde and central bank governor David Oddsson in the wake of the country's complete financial collapse."  Editor: Get ready America...]
Miami judge opens door to gay adoption google.com 11/26/8 ["Miami Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said "there is no rational basis to preclude homosexuals from adopting" and rejected as unconstitutional a 1977 Florida state law that prohibits such adoptions, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on its website."]
Fed Bail Out Rich Arabs In Citigroup newswithviews.com 11/26/8 [By Cliff Kincaid "It will be interesting to see if O’Reilly and other commentators, having excoriated the American automakers, will take issue with the Citigroup bailout, which was subjected to no public debate and no congressional hearings."]
 

U.S. Pledges Top $7.7 Trillion to Ease Frozen Credit bloomberg.com 11/25/8 ["The unprecedented pledge of funds includes $3.18 trillion already tapped by financial institutions in the biggest response to an economic emergency since the New Deal of the 1930s  ...Federal Reserve lending last week was 1,900 times the weekly average for the three years before the crisis."]
Citigroup Gets Guarantees on $306 Billion of Assets bloomberg.com 11/25/8 ["...also will get a $20 billion cash injection from the Treasury Department, adding to the $25 billion the company received last month under the Troubled Asset Relief Program."]
Washington State Voters Legalize Physician-Assisted Suicide newswithviews.com 11/25/8 [By Sarah Foster  "...Titled the Washington Death with Dignity Act, the measure essentially replicates the Oregon law of the same name.  ...former Washington Gov. Booth Gardner, who sponsored the initiative and was one of its biggest single financial supporters – pouring $470,000 of his own fortune into the campaign’s coffers.  ...In Belgium and the Netherlands physician-assisted suicide did morph into direct patient-killing, and critics say it’s a likely scenario for this country."]
Shippers urge naval blockade of Somali coast iht.com 11/25/8 ["Some 20 tankers sail through the sea lane daily. But many tanker owners are considering a massive detour around southern Africa to avoid pirates, which will delay delivery and push costs up by 30 percent, Swift said."  Editor: interesting global dilemma over there...]
World Demand collapsing kitco.com 11/25/8 ["Over 100,000 factories in China are to close by the end of the year. ...riots are breaking out in Chinese cities, and even now there is 10 Pct unemployment in some of the biggest exporting cities in provinces like Guangdong. Unemployment in the cities is one thing that scares China. That’s why they came up with that $500 billion stimulus plan. Compared to the size of the Chinese economy, that’s like the US coming up with a $2 trillion economic stimulus."]
Worst of financial crisis yet to come: IMF chief economist google.com 11/25/8 ["The International Monetary Fund on Friday promised to help Latvia deal with its economic crisis after it assisted Iceland, Hungary, Ukraine, Serbia and Pakistan. But Blanchard said the IMF was not able to solve all financial issues, in particular problems of liquidity."]
Obama urges Congress to pass costly stimulus bill google.com 11/25/8 ["Bush said his administration's dramatic overnight rescue of Citigroup Inc. was necessary to safeguard the nation's financial system and help the economy recover. He said more such moves might follow if other institutions need help."]
Farm Income to Fall in U.S. as Corn Drops, Fertilizer Increases bloomberg.com 11/25/8 ["The USDA also may cut its 2008 estimate to $75 billion from the record $95.7 billion projected in August, he said. The drop from the revised forecast would be the biggest since 1983. Corn, wheat and soybean prices fell at least 49 percent from this year’s record highs, while costs for seed dropped less and fertilizer increased."]
Citi's woes reflect depth of crisis csmonitor.com 11/25/8 ["Barely three weeks ago, Citi was one of a handful of banks to receive big infusions of capital from the US Treasury – a move designed to bolster market confidence. But since then, the bank has lost about 70 percent of its stock market value and, by Sunday night, it became the recipient of a large new federal bailout. It isn't Citi alone that's faltering. The stock value of America's financial sector as a whole fell by nearly 40 percent in that same period since Oct. 28."]
Russian Presidential Term Extension Sailing Through Approval Process voanews.com 11/25/8 ["The upper house of Parliament, where the ruling United Russia also dominates, is expected to approve the amendment next week and so too are two-thirds of Russia's regional legislatures."]
 

FDIC Seizes Three Banks, Expanding Loan-Relief Effort washingtonpost.com 11/24/8 ["...expanding what is by far the most expensive crop of bank failures in modern American history and indicating that the pace of failures is increasing.  ...Downey, with $12.8 billion in assets, is the third-largest bank to fail this year, after Washington Mutual and IndyMac Bancorp."]
Gay activists focusing on rights issues other than marriage usatoday.com 11/24/8 ["Gay advocates predict swift action on a federal hate-crimes bill that would allow federal aid to investigate crimes committed because of sexual orientation or gender identity. The measure, which then-senator Obama co-sponsored, passed Congress last year but was dropped from a defense authorization bill after President Bush threatened a veto. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would extend workplace protections to gays, also could resurface for an early vote, says Rea Carey of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Obama has favored the bill. "]
Britain planning big fiscal stimulus iht.com 11/24/8 ["According to media reports, Brown would temporarily cut the value-added tax by 2.5 points to 15 percent."]
Campbell Beats Bear Market as Consumers Seek Out Soup  bloomberg.com 11/24/8 ["The appeal of a cheap meal is turning the world’s largest soupmaker, which says it sells to 85 percent of U.S. households, into an outperformer in hard times. The shares led the 12- company Standard & Poor’s Packaged Foods Index over the past three months before today, and their 1.5 percent gain this year beat the S&P 500 by 44 percentage points."]
Hard times and long lines for Southern Californians latimes.com 11/24/8 ["In Montebello, nearly 5,000 turned out for a food giveaway, a number that stunned organizers who had tried to keep it a low-key event..."]
Thousands glean fields in Platteville denverpost.com 11/24/8 ["They expected between 5,000 and 10,000 — but instead found themselves inundated with cars and people with buckets and wagons and barrels ready to harvest whatever was available. They estimated the crowd at more than 40,000 people."]
Homeless numbers 'alarming' usatoday.com 11/24/8 [""We saw family homelessness began to increase last winter," says Sally Erickson, Portland's homeless program manager. "There's definitely a spike in the last six months." The number of requests for emergency shelter doubled from fiscal year 2007 to fiscal 2008, which ended in June."]
Pelosi: stimulus could be several hundred billion dollars marketwatch.com 11/24/8 [""Economists tell us we need something in the several-hundred-billion-dollar category," Pelosi said..."]
Abraham Didn't Exist? Moses A Myth? newswithviews.com 11/24/8 [By Andy and Berit Kjos  "The accuracy of the Biblical record has been proven again and again. As Dr. Joseph Free wrote, "Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which had been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contrary to known facts."]
 

Supremes to review citizenship arguments worldnetdaily.com 11/22/8 ["Conferences are private meetings of the justices at which they review cases and decide which ones to accept for formal review. This case is set for a conference Dec. 5, just 10 days before the Electoral College is scheduled to meet to make formal the election of Obama as the nation's next president."]
US seeks 300 billion dlrs from Gulf states: report google.com 11/22/8 ["The United States has asked four oil-rich Gulf states for close to 300 billion dollars to help it curb the global financial meltdown, Kuwait's daily Al-Seyassah reported Thursday."]
Virginia Pro-Life Advocates: Cut Planned Parenthood Funds to Balance Budget lifenews.com 11/22/8 ["The Family Foundation, a pro-life group, held a press conference on Thursday urging lawmakers to cut the $250,000 the state has paid the abortion business."]
Argentine Stocks Fall as Biggest Shareholders Seized bloomberg.com 11/22/8 ["The Argentine Senate last night approved President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s plan to nationalize about $24 billion in private pensions, a move opposition parties called a cash grab and the government said is a way to protect retirees from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression."]
FDIC OKs backing for bank debt, deposits newsweek.com 11/22/8 ["The FDIC will provide temporary insurance for loans between banks — except for those for 30 days or less — guaranteeing the new debt in the event of payment default by the borrowing bank."]
 

GE in Talks With Four Asian Sovereign Wealth Funds bloomberg.com 11/21/8 ["General Electric Co., down 61 percent this year in New York, is seeking funds from China Investment Corp., Government of Singapore Investment Corp. and at least two other sovereign-wealth funds."]
China warns jobs outlook 'grim' as economy slows google.com 11/21/8 ["The global financial meltdown has dealt a body blow to China's vital export industries that account for 40 percent of the economy, causing thousands of factories making toys, shoes and cheap electronics to fold. Millions of laid-off migrant workers have flocked back to their rural homes and local governments nationwide have found themselves deprived of key sources of tax revenue."]
Calif. eHarmony Case Proceeds as Class-Action pcmag.com 11/21/8 ["EHarmony.com will provide a link to the CompatiblePartners.net site on its site, but the two sites, as well as the results, will remain separate. EHarmony will also include a note on Compatible Partners that says its "expertise" is in matching heterosexual couples and that it cannot vouch for matches it provides to gay customers."]
Huge fare hike proposed for NYC transit system google.com 11/21/8 ["The cost of public transit in New York City would skyrocket next year — even as bus and subway service is reduced — under a plan unveiled Thursday by the nation's largest such system. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it needs to raise fare revenue by 23 percent by June"]
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac suspend some foreclosures reuters.com 11/21/8 ["said the hiatus on foreclosures -- which will run from Nov. 26 through Jan. 9 -- will give mortgage servicers more to work out easier borrowing terms for troubled homeowners."]
Cow tax proposal would threaten agriculture viability wyfb.org 11/21/8 ["“With the economy in bad shape and the possibility of a deep recession looming, the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to levy new taxes—on cows and pigs,” American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Regulatory Relations Rick Krause told Wyoming Farm Bureau members at their annual meeting. "]
Hundreds of jobs axed at UK firms google.com 11/21/8 ["Almost 600 cuts were announced, some as part of wider global job losses."]
JPMorgan cuts investment banking jobs - sources reuters.com 11/21/8 ["...is cutting 10 percent of its investment banking staff -- about 3,000 jobs -- as the economic slowdown starts to bite into its earnings, people familiar with the situation said on Thursday."]
Obama Selecting the Most Anti-Life, Anti-Family Radicals He Can Find for Administration lifesitenews.com 11/21/8 ["Tom Dashcle has recently been named as the likely candidate for the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), an appointment Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said gives pro-lifers a "frightening glimpse" into the new Cabinet. "]
 

Amish sue US government for 'mark of the Beast' on livestock telegraph.co.uk 11/20/8 ["A group of seven Amish farmers in Michigan say the state's insistence that they use radio frequency ID devices on their animals "constitutes some form of a 'mark of the Beast' and/or represents an infringement of their 'dominion over cattle and all living things' in violation of their fundamental religious beliefs," according to their lawsuit."]
VeriChip Corporation Selected by Microsoft to Offer Personal Health Record through Microsoft HealthVault verichipcorp.com 11/20/8 ["Through this agreement, Health Link members will have the ability to open free HealthVault accounts and input, store, view and interact with their health data. Further, the data within Health Link members’ existing accounts will be directly accessible through their HealthVault accounts."]
Maine governor cuts budget now - waiting will make it worse reuters.com 11/20/8 ["sliced spending by $80 million"]
A sea of unwanted auto imports iht.com 11/20/8 ["Unwelcome by dealers and buyers, thousands of cars worth tens of millions of dollars are being warehoused on increasingly crowded port property. And for the first time, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Nissan have each asked to lease space from the port for these orphan vehicles. They are turning dozens of acres of the nation's second-largest container port into a parking lot, creating a vivid picture of a paralyzed auto business and an economy in peril.  ...There has also been a sharp drop in demand for the port's single largest export: recycled cardboard and paper products."  Editor: Statistically, cardboard and recycled products make a large bulk of our 'export' figures.]
China Passes Japan as Biggest U.S. Treasuries Holder bloomberg.com 11/20/8 ["China surpassed Japan in September to become the biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries, as foreign investors sought the relative safety of government debt as stocks plunged 9.1 percent that month."]
Farmers in US face up to credit squeeze ft.com 11/20/8 ["demand for loans remains strong as farmers require credit to pay for fertilisers and seeds. “Almost 20 per cent of respondents raised collateral requirements,” the bank said, referring to the guarantees that borrowers have to provide. The bank also forecast a reduction in agricultural capital spending, owing to higher input costs and lower crop profitability."]
IMF approves 2.1 billion dollar loan for Iceland google.com 11/20/8 ["The International Monetary Fund announced Wednesday that its executive board approved a loan of 2.1 billion dollars for Iceland to help the country rebound from a dire financial crisis. The two-year loan, accompanied by quarterly reviews, was designed "to support the country's program to restore confidence and stabilize the economy," the IMF said in a statement."]
As stocks and oil prices fall, Russians worry about the ruble mcclatchydc.com 11/20/8 ["Analysts aren't expecting a financial collapse like that of a decade ago, but many say that a further ruble devaluation is inevitable, and they worry that the public will overreact.  ..."Unfortunately, we know from the history of other crises that a panic may trigger devaluation, and it becomes self-fulfilling." One analyst summed up the government's fears: "They're concerned about a run on the bank.""]
Gays, lesbians to get eHarmony too google.com 11/20/8 ["In a statement, eHarmony said it would start a new service for same-sex matching called "Compatible Partners" and stressed that it had "not been found in violation of the law.""]
More layoffs at Focus on the Family coloradoindependent.com 11/20/8 ["In all, Focus pumped $539,000 in cash and another $83,000 worth of non-monetary support into the measure to overturn a California Supreme Court ruling that allowed gays and lesbians to marry in that state."]
Vampire Author's Fictionalized Jesus Promoted By James Dobson wayoflife.org 11/20/8 ["Her earlier works were a glorification of evil themes. Her novels on the life of Jesus violate the strict commands of the Bible not to add to or take away from the Word of God. And finally, her spiritual biography tells of her return to cafeteria Catholicism, where she picks and chooses which parts of the Catholic faith she will accept."]
Thoughts on the Marriage Amendment informedchristians.com 11/20/8 [By Daniel Valles  It never ceases to amaze me how Christians try to fight the symptom rather than the problem.]
 

Florida pension fund loses a quarter its value forbes.com 11/19/8 ["The fund, which covers state and local government employees including teachers, lost $37.9 billion - 27 percent - over 13 months through Oct. 31..."]
California Attorney General Asks Supreme Court to Rule on Prop. 8 lifesitenews.com 11/19/8 ["Brown also advised the Court to recognize that the scope of the lawsuits - which claim the proposition is a constitutional revision and not an amendment - means that the Court's review "will be limited in nature and will not have to 'consider or weigh the social wisdom or general propriety' of Proposition 8.'" Brown discouraged the court from enacting a requested suspension of Proposition 8, saying it would only perpetuate confusion on the status of certain unions."]
Schwarzenegger opens climate summit with Obama google.com 11/19/8 ["In a taped message to attendees, Obama said his administration is committed to a cause that has all but languished at the federal level during the term of President George W. Bush. "Once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change," Obama said."]
The world has never seen such freezing heat telegraph.co.uk 11/19/8 ["A surreal scientific blunder last week raised a huge question mark about the temperature records that underpin the worldwide alarm over global warming. ...Across the world there were reports of unseasonal snow and plummeting temperatures last month ...In the US, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration registered 63 local snowfall records and 115 lowest-ever temperatures for the month, and ranked it as only the 70th-warmest October in 114 years."]
NYPD opens new counterterrorism nerve center news.yahoo.com 11/19/8 ["The project will rely largely on 3,000 closed-circuit security cameras covering roughly 1.7 square miles in and around the financial district. So far, about 150 cameras are in place, with 250 more coming on line by the end of the year and the rest by 2011. The program was modeled in part after the "ring of steel" surveillance measures in London's financial district. But police officials here said it will exceed that effort in scope and sophistication."]
Homosexualists Protest against True Marriage in Over 100 Cities lifesitenews.com 11/19/8 ["Cities such as Seattle, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York saw homosexual protestors chanting, waving homemade signs, and marching around city halls to demand same-sex "marriage." Protestors also descended upon cities in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where state courts have already introduced same-sex "marriage." According to media reports the groups ranged in size from a few dozen to several thousand. "]
Admirals, generals: Let gays serve openly msnbc.msn.com 11/19/8 ["More than 100 retired generals and admirals called Monday for repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays so they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press.  ...Obama has expressed support for repeal"]
World freight prices collapse amid financial crisis google.com 11/19/8 ["The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said earlier this month that the financial crisis had begun to affect international trade, noting sharp falls to key shipping indices."]
Sparks fly as 'gay' activist mob swarms Christians worldnetdaily.com 11/19/8 ["The following day, approximately 20,000 people marched in San Francisco to protest passage of California's Proposition 8 protecting traditional marriage. Several thousand people conducted other protests around the nation in cities such as Manhattan, Chicago and Los Angeles. According to reports, many protesters feeling emboldened by the recent election chanted, "Yes we can!" – a slogan popularized by the Barack Obama campaign."]
Financial Crisis Tab Already In The Trillions cnbc.com 11/19/8 ["Try $4.28 trillion dollars. That's $4,284,500,000,000 and more than what was spent on WW II, if adjusted for inflation, based on our computations from a variety of estimates and sources*."]
 

Global crisis shows teeth with mass Citigroup cuts google.com 11/18/8 ["as US banking giant Citigroup announced a massive 50,000 job cuts and automakers begged governments to save them amid a spreading global recession.  ...It was the second largest US job-cut announcement on record"]
Auto-Parts Makers Push for Aid wsj.com 11/18/8 ["Democratic lawmakers Monday plan to unveil a bill that would give the Big Three auto makers access to the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program set up in October to help ailing banks and other financial firms. As written, the legislation wouldn't include auto-parts makers."]
What Congress and The Media Won't Tell You newswithviews.com 11/18/8 [By Devvy Kidd  "Barack Hussein Obama is a 'creation.' He has had so many names, no one can keep track of his real history. He refuses to release his records for Harvard and Columbia. It has been reported that Obama attended Harvard under a foreign student classification and that is the reason he refuses to open his records."]
 

 World asked to help craft online charter for religious harmony google.com 11/17/8 ["Armstrong's wish is to combine universal principles of respect and compassion into a charter based on a "golden rule" she believes is at the core of every major religion."]
 Iran switches reserves to gold: report reuters.com 11/17/8 ["Iranian officials in July denied reports Iranian banks were moving funds from Europe, with one report suggesting as much as $75 billion had been withdrawn and converted into gold or placed in Asian banks, because of a threat of tightening sanctions."]
 Food banks see more need, fewer donations reuters.com 11/17/8 ["Feeding America, which has more than 200 member food banks, said that almost all have reported an increase in the number of people they serve from a year ago and 80 percent cannot adequately meet the demand."]
 Los Angeles ringed by wildfires reuters.com 11/17/8 ["...charring thousands of acres and hundreds of homes in California's largest city and threatening the city's power supply."]
Activist: 'Pastor to presidents' replaced by gay bishop onenewsnow.com 11/17/8 ["...it's a sad omen for the Obama administration and the United States that Barack Obama has been seeking guidance from the Episcopal Church's first openly homosexual bishop."]
 Report: JPMorgan plans to ramp up job cuts iht.com 11/17/8 ["...the cutbacks will likely be on a comparable scale to those of JPMorgan's rivals. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs have cut about 10 percent of their work forces"]
 Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More nytimes.com 11/17/8 ["Pancake mixes and instant potatoes are booming. So are vitamins, fruit and vegetable preservatives and beer, according to data from October compiled by Information Resources, a market research firm."]
 Russian pawn shops boom in financial crisis uk.reuters.com 11/17/8 ["The world's worst economic crisis for 80 years has hit Russia hard. Its stock market has dived by over 70 percent since May and the government has promised to spend $200 billion (135 billion pounds) propping up its main banks and businesses."]
 Facing Deficits, States Get Out Sharper Knives nytimes.com 11/17/8 ["The astonishing decline in revenues is without modern precedent here, but California is hardly alone. A majority of states — many with budgets already full of deep cuts and dependent on raiding rainy-day funds or tax increases — are scrambling to find ways to get through the rest of the year without hacking apart vital services or raising taxes."]
G-20 to Back Stimulus, Smooth Over Regulation Split bloomberg.com 11/17/8 ["European Union nations, led by the U.K.'s Brown, want the world's top 30 banks to be placed under the supervision of a panel of regulators. At a Nov. 7 meeting in Brussels, EU leaders called for the creation of regulatory ``colleges'' that would bring together bank regulators from various nations to coordinate oversight. "]
 More Americans slipping into bankruptcy iht.com 11/17/8 ["The number of personal bankruptcy filings jumped nearly 8 percent in October from September, after marching steadily upward for the last two years"]
110 banks have asked for $170B under bailout plan apnews.excite.com 11/17/8 ["and many more are expected to have submitted applications before Friday's deadline."]
 

 Honduran floods: The disaster no one is reporting alertnet.org 11/15/8 ["Landslides and flooding in Honduras have affected an estimated 320,000 people, wiped out almost half the crops and prompted the government to declare a state of emergency."]
 Tennessee Governor: Prepare for ‘ugly’ budget timesfreepress.com 11/15/8 ["...has told his department heads to draw up 2009-2010 plans for an “ugly” budget that slashes spending by 10 percent or more."]
 Citigroup to cut 10 percent of jobs: source reuters.com 11/15/8 ["The cuts could result in a loss of roughly 35,000 jobs, based on the bank's reported 352,000-person workforce as of Sept 30. The cuts will be on top of the 23,000 jobs Citigroup has already slashed this year. Additional reductions would come from layoffs, the sale of units and attrition, said the person."]
 Fidelity Investments to cut 1,700 more jobs guardian.co.uk 11/15/8 ["on top of 1,300 already announced. Boston-based Fidelity had laid off 1,300 people on Wednesday..."]
 Mayors of Philadelphia, Phoenix seek bailout share breitbart.com 11/15/8 ["Three big city mayors asked the federal government Friday to use a portion of the $700 billion financial bailout to assist struggling cities. The mayors sought help with their pension costs, infrastructure investment and cash-flow problems stemming from the global financial crisis. "]
 Update: Nationwide Homosexual Anarchist Organization Behind Attack on MI Church Planning Further Disruptions lifesitenews.com 11/15/8 ["Church threats and vandalism are on the rise in protest-torn California, following the passage of the true-marriage measure Proposition 8 last Tuesday. The Sacramento Bee reports that in Fresno, a prominent pastor who supported Proposition 8 received death threats, prompting police protection. His church was also vandalized."]
 Mayor Daley: Prepare For Mass Layoffs cbs2chicago.com 11/15/8 ["Mayor Richard M. Daley says a parade of corporate chief executives have told him huge layoffs are planned around the city and will carry into next year."]
 

 US jobless claims hit 25-year high, imports plunge reuters.com 11/14/8 ["U.S. exports fell at the fastest pace in seven years as the credit crunch slowed economies around the world.  ...At a time when retailers are normally beginning to gear up for the holiday season, the trade data also showed imports of consumer goods fell nearly 7.9 percent in September."]
 Don't Succumb To Pressure newswithviews.com 11/14/8 [By Coach Dave Daubenmire  "Like it or not, believe it or not, there is a conspiracy at work in this nation. All that we hold dear is under assault. Banks are crumbling, our dollar is on the death bed, huge corporations are closing, and “government”, which caused the problem, is riding in to rescue us. I fear for this nation."]
 American Airlines offers mobile boarding passes businessweek.com 11/14/8 ["Passengers on American Airlines will be able to get boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones or PDAs at some airports beginning Thursday, avoiding the need for printed passes."]
 Vladimir Putin closes in on presidency telegraph.co.uk 11/14/8 ["The big question that remains unanswered, commentators say, is whether or not a crisis will have to be engineered to create a pretext under which power can be transferred. Georgia, relations with other ex-Soviet neighbours, or a row with the United States over missile defence are all areas which the Kremlin can manipulate to its own ends, analysts say."]
 Hedge funds lose $100bn in October timesonline.co.uk 11/14/8 ["Experts have predicted that as many as one in four hedge funds will be forced to shut within the next five to six weeks, with hundreds of billions eventually being wiped off assets."]
 Unprcedented Rape Of The American People Underway In DC newswithviews.com 11/14/8 [By Devvy Kidd  ""]
 U.S. Shifts Focus in Credit Bailout to the Consumer nytimes.com 11/14/8 ["Instead, Treasury will step up its program of injecting capital directly into banks and, for the first time, expand it to include financial companies that are not federally regulated banks or thrifts. Mr. Paulson made it clear he would not use Treasury money to help bail out the automobile industry, rebuffing pleas from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler as well as from top House and Senate Democrats."]
 What Homeschoolers Can Expect Under an Obama Administration lifesitenews.com 11/14/8 ["An immediate concern to watch is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although we do not know what Barack Obama's specific position on the treaty is, we know that future Vice President Joe Biden has publicly indicated that this UN Convention should be ratified by the United States.  It does appear that we will soon have the challenge of keeping the UN Convention from being ratified by the U.S. Senate, ratification requiring a two-thirds majority to pass."]
 

 EU leaders: World has 100 days to fix system ap.google.com 11/13/8 ["Sarkozy, who chaired a special meeting of EU nations, said the financial crisis and economic downturn required a quick deal on an overhaul at a Nov. 15 summit in Washington bringing together leaders of the world's 20 largest industrialized nations and emerging economies."]
 After Calif. loss, gays get right to wed in Conn. iht.com 11/13/8 ["Same-sex couples exchanged vows Wednesday for the first time in Connecticut amid cheers and tears of joy, while gay activists planned protests across the country over the vote that took away their right to marry in California."]
 Bailout Price Tag: $3.5T So Far, But 'Real' Cost May Be Much Higher yahoo.com 11/13/8 ["...and that's before a likely handout for the auto industry."]
 Saudi king promotes tolerance at U.N. forum reuters.com 11/13/8 ["U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and leaders and diplomats from some 60 other countries are taking part in the gathering."]
 Schwarzenegger Assures Same-Sex Couples Previous "Marriages" Intact lifesitenews.com 11/13/8 ["Despite continued dispute of legal scholars on the issue, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday affirmed that he believed same-sex "marriages" effected prior to the passage of Proposition 8 would certainly remain intact.  Asked on a CNN interview whether existing same-sex "marriages" would be "in jeopardy in any way," Schwarzenegger answered, "No, not at all, no," adding that the true marriage amendment of Proposition 8 would only last until "the Supreme Court turns it over.""]
 Stores see `seismic' shift as consumers clamp down ap.google.com 11/13/8 ["Analysts believe consumers — who usually account for about 70 percent of economic activity — will no longer be the key driver of the economy"]
 

 Brown says time to build global society uk.reuters.com 11/12/8 ["The financial crisis has given world leaders a unique opportunity to create a truly global society, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Monday. Brown, who has spearheaded calls for the reform of international financial institutions, said that Britain, the United States and Europe are key to forging a new world order."]
 Cell phone shopping makes wallets redundant in Japan reuters.com 11/12/8 ["The world's top firms such as Visa Inc and Nokia are still mostly testing phone use for payments, but in Japan, more than 50 million, or about half of all cell phone users, already carry phones capable of serving as wallets."]
 Ga. town advances cell phone parking payments ap.google.com 11/12/8 ["A handful of other cities around the nation employ similar systems. But Decatur is the first that uses technology that flashes the time bought on a meter instead of, say, a printed ticket, said Eric Groft, a StreetSmart project manager."]
 Bush, other leaders to promote Muslim-Christian dialogue at UN csmonitor.com 11/12/8 ["After a groundbreaking meeting between Roman Catholic and Muslim religious leaders last week, world political leaders this week are meeting to heighten the visibility and broaden the commitment to interfaith dialogue. On Nov. 12 and 13 at the United Nations, President Bush gathers with a dozen heads of state and other leaders to lend political backing to interfaith initiatives. The prime minister of Britain, leaders of several Muslim nations, and the presidents of Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine are among those participating."]
 Homosexualist Anarchists Storm Michigan Church During Sunday Service lifesitenews.com 11/12/8 ["...a church in Lansing, Michigan. ...“The real story here is the refusal of the mainstream media to cover what is surely one of the most disturbing events of 2008. If an organized group of gay bashers stormed a gay church, there is not a single sentient person in the United States who wouldn’t know about it."]
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's Niece: Abortion Means Obama Doesn't Fulfill Dream lifenews.com 11/12/8 ["Alveda King told LifeNews.com on Tuesday that the civil rights struggle for unborn children continues and noted that abortion adversely affects the black community."]
American Express Wins Fed Approval to Become Bank bloomberg.com 11/12/8 ["gaining access to government funds as credit-card defaults climb with economies slowing around the world. The Fed waived a 30-day waiting period on the application because of ``the unusual and exigent circumstances affecting the financial markets,''"]
New York Subway Riders Respond to Ad and Share Post-Abortion Grief, Agony lifenews.com 11/12/8 ["A subway advertising campaign in New York City reaching out to men and women who suffer from abortions or experienced the pain of an abortion through a loved one is yielding results. The woman behind the campaign said thousands have responded with their own post-abortion grief and agony."]
The Selection Of Comrade Obama newswithviews.com 11/12/8 [By Lynn Stuter  "Many believe he was elected. The rest know that he was (s)elected. There have been a few clues along the way; some more obvious than others."]
 Medvedev submits bill for 6-year presidential term ap.google.com 11/12/8 ["If approved as expected by lawmakers, the lengthy term means that Vladimir Putin, Medvedev's predecessor and the current prime minister, would be eligible for another 12 years in a second presidential stint.  ...The bill would also extend the term of the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, from four years to five. Medvedev also submitted a separate proposal to give the Duma more control over the Cabinet."]
 Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship ap.google.com 11/12/8 ["Broun cited a July speech by Obama that has circulated on the Internet in which the then-Democratic presidential candidate called for a civilian force to take some of the national security burden off the military. "That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist.""]
 God, humbug: Humanist holiday ads say just be good ap.google.com 11/12/8 ["Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday."]
 

Shipowners cut losses by scrapping orders ft.com 11/11/8 ["Last week, New York-listed Genco Shipping announced it was forfeiting $53m in deposits it had placed to buy six new vessels due to cost a total $530m.Hellenic Carriers, listed on London’s junior Aim market, said it was forfeiting a $6.97m deposit and making a further $1m payment to abandon a $69.7m contract sealed in July to buy a dry-bulk carrier."]
GM to cut production, idle 5,500 hourly employees boston.com 11/11/8 ["it will cut production in North America due to declining demand through the first quarter of 2009."]
DHL to cut 9,500 jobs at U.S. unit iht.com 11/11/8 ["DHL said it would close its U.S. Express ground hubs and reduce the number of stations to 103 from 412, resulting in 9,500 job cuts on top of the roughly 5,400 it has eliminated since January. The company said it would retain 3,000 to 4,000 U.S. Express employees to serve its international express customers."]
Circuit City files for bankruptcy protection ap.google.com 11/11/8 ["...the nation's second-biggest electronics retailer... The company said it decided to file for bankruptcy protection because it was facing pressure from vendors who threatened to withhold products during the holiday period."]
Fed Defies Transparency Aim in Refusal to Disclose bloomberg.com 11/11/8 ["The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral."]
Philadelphia Makes Big Cuts to Help Close a Budget Gap nytimes.com 11/11/8 ["Mayor Michael Nutter said Thursday that he would close 11 libraries, eliminate hundreds of jobs and take a 10 percent pay cut to help plug a $108 million budget gap caused by the national economic downturn."]
AIG gets $150 billion government bailout; posts huge loss reuters.com 11/11/8 ["The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department announced the new plan on Monday as AIG reported a record third-quarter loss of $24.47 billion, largely from write-downs of investments. The new package, at least $27 billion more than was previously extended, will leave the government exposed to billions of dollars of potential losses."]
Obama set to push ‘big bang’ reform package ft.com 11/11/8 ["Economists have estimated the US budget deficit could more than double next year to almost $1,000bn, raising concerns about whether Mr Obama could deliver on expensive campaign promises including $150bn in investments in alternative energy over the next decade and a $60bn-$110bn plan to provide universal health insurance for Americans."]
Stunned Icelanders Struggle After Economy’s Fall nytimes.com 11/11/8 ["the first wave of layoffs..."]
 

Comrade Barak Obama Is Not America's Next President newswithviews.com 11/10/8 [By Devvy Kidd  "Until those electors meet on December 15, 2008, cast their vote and those votes are counted on January 6, 2009, Obama is not the next president."]
Obama and our coming constitutional crisis worldnetdaily.com 11/10/8 ["Here are some of the unanswered issues hanging over the head of President-elect Barack Obama and the question of his American citizenship cited in an earlier article..."]
  11/10/8 [""]
Steep food price increases on way: experts reuters.com 11/10/8 ["U.S. food prices will rise by at least 7 percent in 2009 because of higher feed costs for chickens, hogs and cattle, said a group of food-industry economists on Thursday.  It would be the third year in a row that food prices rose faster than the overall U.S. inflation rate.  ...economist for the Chicken Council, who said producers intend to cut production by as much as 12 percent. "We need to recover these feed costs.""]
On Concerns Over Gun Control, Gun Sales Are Up nytimes.com 11/10/8 ["Mr. Nelson said sales at his store had risen about 30 percent since Mr. Obama declared his candidacy. “People are concerned about overreaching legislation from Washington,” he said. “They are educating themselves on the Internet.”"]
Citi readies for another round of layoffs: sources reuters.com 11/10/8 ["The layoffs are part of Citigroup's previously announced plans to reduce headcount by about 9,100 across the company by next October. The second-largest U.S. bank by assets has already eliminated about 23,000 positions this year."]
UK: Recycled steel market collapses as Corus values material at zero packagingnews.co.uk 11/10/8 ["Corus said that the price collapse had been caused by a massive decline for steel products in the construction and automotive industries, which are at a virtual standstill due to the credit crunch. Poor demand from China and India is also behind the low prices."]
Mormon canneries preserve self-reliance registerguard.com 11/10/8 ["The canneries are busier than ever. Their use in Washington and nationwide doubled over the last year.  Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught to prepare for emergencies by having at least three months’ of food, water and money on hand.  Now it appears many are intensifying that effort, stocking up in case a family member gets laid off or food prices keep going up. Some of the canneries are also producing goods for the church’s vast internal welfare system and for local food banks."]
Scrap-Steel Buyers Cancel Purchases as Prices Tumble bloomberg.com 11/10/8 ["Scrap steel buyers in Asia are canceling purchases after prices tumbled more than 80 percent in the past four months as demand slumps, traders said."]
Study Finds Automaker Failure Could Hit 2.5M Jobs foxbusiness.com 11/10/8 ["U.S. automakers already had been struggling amid a three-year domestic downturn in auto sales before the financial crisis increasing investor concerns that the companies would not be able to hold out until the market recovers."]
Stocks tumble, lose 10 percent in 2-day rout ap.google.com 11/10/8 ["Major indexes have lost about 10 percent since Barack Obama was elected president — a vote preceded by a steep rally — and the losses represent the Dow's worst two-day percentage decline since the October 1987 crash."]
China Announces Major Stimulus Plan wsj.com 11/10/8 ["China announced a stimulus program that could exceed half a trillion dollars, its biggest move yet to rebuild rapidly weakening confidence and unleash domestic demand to counter the prospect of global economic recession. The package of infrastructure investment and other stimulus measures is to be spread over the next two years and appears to include some measures that were already announced."]
Obama's first step: a stimulus package seattletimes.nwsource.com 11/10/8 ["In his first news conference since winning the presidency, Obama said he would tackle the nation's financial crisis "head-on" and called on Congress and the White House to approve a stalled stimulus plan that could include money for new public-works projects and aid for the nation's teetering automakers."]
Obama to use executive orders for immediate impact ap.google.com 11/10/8 ["...would not say whether Obama would return to the Senate for votes during the postelection session this month. Obama's presence would be extraordinary, given his position as president-elect, especially if Congress takes up a much-anticipated economic stimulus plan."]
President Dmitri Medvedev orders missiles deployed in Europe as world hails Obama timesonline.co.uk 11/10/8 ["...announced that Russia would base Iskander missiles in its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad – the former German city – next to the border with Poland. He did not say whether the short-range missiles would carry nuclear warheads. Taking advantage of the world’s attention on the US elections, Mr Medvedev also cancelled plans to withdraw three intercontinental ballistic missile regiments from western Russia by 2010. "]
Vladimir Putin could reclaim Russian presidency within months telegraph.co.uk 11/10/8 ["Dropping the clearest hint yet that Mr Putin, now prime minister, plans a swift return, senior government sources told the respected newspaper Vedomosti that Dmitry Medvedev could step down next year. Mr Medvedev is first expected to usher through constitutional changes that would allow Mr Putin to return to his old job for 12 more years."]
 

Study Finds Teens Who Watch Sex-Laden TV More Likely to Become Pregnant or Cause Pregnancy lifesitenews.com 11/4/8 ["Researchers found that 25 percent of adolescents who watched shows containing the most flirting, kissing, touching and references and/or depictions of sexual situations became pregnant or got someone else pregnant, while only 12 percent of teens who watched shows with the least amount of sexual material were involved in a pregnancy."]
JPMorgan Chase Freezes Foreclosures businessweek.com 11/4/8 ["...says it hopes to modify terms for 400,000 homeowners, accounting for $70 billion in loans. Among the steps it is taking: eliminating toxic "pay option" loans, offering new loan terms to homeowners before they default, and hiring an additional 300 loan counselors to bring the company's total to 2,500."]
Investors shun Greek debt as shipping crisis deepens telegraph.co.uk 11/4/8 ["The Baltic Dry Index measuring rates for coal, iron ore, and grains, and other dry goods plummeted below 1000 yesterday, down 92pc since peaking in June."]
Death of America jonchristianryter.com 11/4/8 [By Jon Christian Ryter  "The State legislatures in Virginia and Kentucky issued Resolves negating the four laws. They reminded the central government that it served at the pleasure of, and as an agent of, the States. The Resolutions were written by James Madison and Adams' Vice President, Thomas Jefferson. The resolutions argued that the federal government was created out of an agreement between the States, and thus, was subservient to the States. Further, that central authority was retained by the States and the People, and that all power not specifically delegated to the federal government was reserved exclusively for the States and the People through the Senate and the House, respectively."]
Stop The Election: Accurate Vote Count Impossible newswithviews.com 11/4/8 [By Devvy Kidd  "It is firmly established that Stanley Ann Dunham (Obama's mother) married Lolo Soetoro Mangunharjo, a Muslim Indonesian citizen. Her new husband adopted Barack Hussein Obama II; his name was legally changed to Barry Soetoro. Obama spent years in Indonesia and attended two Indonesian schools."]
Doubts persist about Obama birth certificate worldnetdaily.com 11/4/8 [""]
$900 billion in gov't borrowing seen through March ap.google.com 11/4/8 ["The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Budget estimates all the government economic and rescue initiatives, starting with the $168 billion in stimulus checks issued earlier this year, total even more — an eye-popping $2.6 trillion."]
California: School Clams Up on 'Gay' Pledge Cards Given to Kindergartners foxnews.com 11/4/8 ["During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners."]
Automakers face peril as October US sales dive afp.google.com 11/4/8 ["Hardest hit was General Motors, which said October US sales tumbled 45 percent from a year ago, raising fresh doubts about its ability to weather the economic crisis."]
Circuit City to Close 155 Stores; Sales Start Wed. pcmag.com 11/4/8 ["California will see the largest number of store closures, with 24 in cities like Compton, Palo Alto, and Santa Barbara..."]
 

Gay marriage votes may show changing U.S. reuters.com 11/3/8 ["Gay couples are not hiding any more and that has made all the difference  ...Tuesday's results will show how far attitudes to gay marriage have changed. Florida and Arizona will join California in voting on whether to stop gay marriage.  In the past, such propositions have almost always been approved, but polls show a close finish in California and many undecided in all three states."]
Germans freeze £21bn property funds independent.co.uk 11/3/8 ["The 11 funds involved suffered from a string of major investors pulling their cash to raise liquidity. In order to redeem the money, the funds have to sell assets in their property portfolios, which is costly as the real estate market is in freefall. The funds responded by not allowing redemptions for three to six months."]
Voters may add $66 billion of government debt reuters.com 11/3/8 ["Americans streaming to the polls to choose a new president amid a buckling economy are also deciding the fates of proposals by states and municipalities to add $66 billion of local government debt."]
A German lady remembers Nazi "Change" crossroad.to 11/3/8 ["In Germany, when Hitler came to power, it was a time of terrible financial depression. Money was worth nothing. In Germany people lost homes and jobs, just like in the American Depression in the 1930s, which we have read about in Thoene's Shiloh books. In those days, in my homeland, Adolph Hitler was elected to power by promising "Change." "]
 

State declares Obama birth certificate genuine ap.google.com 11/1/8 ["Health Department Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said Friday she and the registrar of vital statistics, Alvin Onaka, have personally verified that the health department holds Obama's original birth certificate."]
In Colorado, Voters Will Decide Whether Human Embryos Are People Under State's Constitution usnews.com 11/1/8 ["...voters will be considering whether or not to make Colorado the first state to give constitutional rights to human embryos."]
Florida's Freedom Bank Closes, 17th U.S. Bank to Fail bloomberg.com 11/1/8 ["Freedom, with $287 million in assets and $254 million in deposits, was shut by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was named receiver. Fifth Third Bancorp of Cincinnati will assume the deposits and buy $36 million of assets, the FIDC said. Freedom's four offices will open Nov. 3 as Fifth Third branches, the agency said."]
Libya offers to host Russian military base: report afp.google.com 11/1/8 [""The Russian military presence will be a guarantee of non-aggression against Libya from the United States, which is not in a hurry to embrace Kadhafi despite gestures of reconciliation," the newspaper said."]
The Next Civil War For Historic America: Are You My Enemy? newswithviews.com 11/1/8 [By Greg Evensen  "As much as it has truly pained me to the core, I have come to the irreconcilable fact that on Election Day, the line will be drawn. We will no longer argue amicably about politics or the latest imbecilic actions occurring in Washington, our statehouses, or in court rooms. We are considering for the first time in our lives, the unthinkable. That is, my neighbor, my associates in the office, my cousin, or my fellow citizen has become my potential enemy. They have betrayed me and what is left of my grandfather’s country."]