The end of Prosperity.

A mob attack on women drinking in a college-town bar is laying bare the limits of freedom for young Indian women. This is where IBM cynically tells its employees is a swell place to move to: thanks a lot, punk.

Not one Republican voted for the House version of the stimulus plan.

Companies in Europe and the Middle East are planning to slash capital expenditure this year by a third on average, dealing a blow to wider economic activity, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. This was because they were conserving cash to preserve their credit rating and control their borrowing costs. Many were also finding they simply could not borrow funds.

During nearly two decades, Japan accumulated the largest public debt in the developed world — totaling 180 percent of its $5.5 trillion economy — while failing to generate a convincing recovery. The only thing that let Japan escape from its trap was a global boom that boosted the nation’s exports. Who will rescue America from a similar trap now that the whole world is slumping at the same time?
Bushenomix stoked inflationary forces purposely. Why? Who benefits from inflation? The answer is government, banks, and the already wealthy, because they are first in line to receive money. Everyone else is screwed. Inflation is theft from the middle and lower classes for the benefit of government, specifically the military, and the wealthy. This is why liberal Democrats and their pundits are so dangerous, the "Conscience of a Liberal" tag Paul Krugman champions is openly supporting policies that continue to destroy middle class America, while pretending otherwise. At least the policies advocated by the Hannity insanity and Mad Rush Limbaugh are truthful about their intentions to crush the proles under the Jackboot of the ruling class, for whom they are the unapologetic, simpering fauns. Whereas Krugman and his ilk pretend to be fighting for the downtrodden, they advocate policies that will ultimately leave them further debauched and crushed under an even more unpayable burden of debt.

Over 30 million Americans are on food stamps (SNAP!)

IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said last week that advanced economies are already in a depression.

The US Treasury alone needs to raise $2 trillion in 2009.

German orders fells 25pc year-on-year in December. French house prices collapsed 9.9pc in the fourth quarter, the steepest since data began in 1936....Polish homeowners have had the shock from Hell. Some 60pc of mortgages are in Swiss francs. The zloty has halved against the franc since July.