Merkel's coalition partners could defect!

Dangerous times indeed, as markets plunge across the world, Obama's speech merely adds to the falls, and Merkel's coalition partners consider withdrawal as their parties policies are trashed by the German Chancellor, read here.

Stocks Crash!

The Footsie tests November 2008 lows while the Dow retreats to levels last seen when one of the architects of the debacle was elected, namely Tony Blair, in 1997! Spend your weekend considering how to remove Gordon Brown, otherwise, quite seriously, YOU and your family are in deep trouble!

US Pension Contributions Shocker

US Capitalism is the world's wealth driver. Many Americans most direct contact with this reality lies in their 401 (k) retirement fund accounts where their annual contributions are often matched by their employers. Opening their January statements this year has frequently been a gut wrenching experience. After ofte zero or worse return last year the question now becomes are further contributions worthwhile this year AND according to this report will employers still be prepared to put up their matching contribution, link to abc report. Results from Bank of America, bailed out again by the Government after their ML losses incredibly came in at 15.3 billion for the fourth quarter, were awful and require a further input of 118 billion of federal funds. Estee Lauder off some 15 per cent this morning is more startling surely when women stop buying cosmetics things must really be dire. Never mind all that in London - things must be fine if the Leader of the Opposition can waste time on live internet links pontificating on greening up the National Electricity Grid while avoiding any policy to generate such electricity in the future.