Today in the news

++The Washington Post actually did a fact-check on the film Noah. They didn't get to the issue of whether the whole biblical episode is based on any facts.But you will be able to order the DVD from their owner Amazon.

++Thousands of Crimean Tatars fled to the Ukraine.

++John Boehner says that even if the Senate voted for an extension of unemployment benefits the House doesn't have time to consider it. This will not hurt the Republicans.

++Hungary opposes economic sanctions against Russia. Angela Merkel is toughening her stance on Putin despite internal opposition in Germany.

++President Obama will expand American covert operations in Syria. 

++Senate Democrats propose a 60-vote threshold for any changes in Medicate--good idea.

++Eric Holder will recognize Michigan's same sex marriages even if Governor Snyder won't.

++A Federal court upheld Texas' draconian anti-abortion law. Since another shot one down in Wisconsin, this will end up in the Supreme Court.

++Another reason for the right to hate Obamacare. It's estimated that 3-7 million new voters will be registered through Obamacare or roughly 10% that have been registered.

++Unemployment dropped in 29 states,rose in 10, and remained the same last month in 11. Hiring rose in 33 states and fell in 17.

Is There an Iceland in our Future?

The esoteric sounding Watson Wyatt Worldwide Report put the figure for pension fund losses in 2008 at $5 trillion and that's just the U.S. Little attention was paid to the disappearance of Florida's state pension fund when Lehman Brothers went bankrupt. The National Association of Business Economics, which has been monitoring business conditions since 1982, surveyed businesses and found that 39% said there would be significant layoffs over the next six months; only 17% said they would increase hiring. The loss of 2.6 million jobs this past year was the largest since 1945 and unemployment rose to the highest level in 16 years. Even with the Obama stimulus package, an additional 2 million jobs will be lost this year and unemployment is expected to hit 10% by the end of the year. The dust is settling for us to get a clearer view of the economy and the view is not pretty. As of today, most see the situation worsening in the short term and conditions extending into the first half of 2010. I hope we make it.