Is Google Turning Into Big Brother?

The Debut of Chrome, Google’s New Browser, May Have Been Quiet for a ReasonWhile we’re transfixed by the presidential election, in the world of high tech another duel between two well-funded, take-no-quarter candidates has just emerged & and in the long run the impact on our daily lives may be nearly as great — and [...] continue reading world news

Gold demand soars. Price falls. What’s going wrong?

Physical demand for gold is surging but the price keeps taking serious knocks. What’s happening.LONDON - Gold market manipulation conspiracy theorists should be having a field day.  The past few weeks have seen solid evidence that physical gold demand from individuals is soaring. We have seen the U.S. Mint having to suspend one ounce Gold [...] continue reading world news

Merrill Lynch Cut to `Sell’ at Goldman on Writedowns

Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) — Merrill Lynch & Co., down 50 percent in New York trading this year, was cut to “sell” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on concern the firm may post more writedowns tied to credit-related investments.Goldman added the third-biggest U.S. securities company to its “conviction sell” list, according to a report by analysts [...] continue reading world news

U.S. House Price Decline Could Be Worse than Great Depression, Economist Shiller Says

Eight years ago, Yale superstar professor and MacroMarkets chief economist Robert Shiller famously called the top of the stock market in his book Irrational Exuberance. Then, a year before the housing bubble peaked, he predicted the colossal bust we are now experiencing.If you recognize Shiller’s name, it’s because the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price indexes, [...] continue reading world news

U.S. Rescue Seen at Hand for 2 Mortgage Giants

Henry M. Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, and Ben S. Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairmanWASHINGTON - Senior officials from the Bush administration and the Federal Reserve on Friday called in top executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance giants, and told them that the government was preparing to place the two companies [...] continue reading world news

People should work until they are incapacitated

Britain’s workforce should keep working until they are no longer physically able to do so, according to former cabinet minister David Blunkett.In a speech to the Counsel and Care charity in London, he said people should stop assuming that the Government had “prime responsibility” for supporting them through “the ever increasing years of retirement”.The former [...] continue reading world news

U.S. seizes Fannie and Freddie

Treasury chief Paulson unveils historic government takeover of twin mortgage buyers. Top executives are out.NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Federal officials on Sunday unveiled an extraordinary takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, putting the government in charge of the twin mortgage giants and the $5 trillion in home loans they back.The move, which allows the [...] continue reading world news