What happens when candidates called by God drop out?

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/05/what-happens-when-candidates-called-by-god-drop-out/

On Wednesday, blogger and sitcom writer Kelly Oxford sent a tweet about the Republican race for the presidency that got a lot of folks asking: Is this God’s idea of a joke?

Oxford, whose Twitter feed was named by TIME magazine one of the 140 best of 2011, wrote, “Cain, Perry, Bachmann all claimed God told them to run for President, and all are out of the race. God is hilarious.”

It’s been reported that Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum have all suggested that God called on them to enter the presidential race.

But here we are: Cain’s out. Bachmann’s out.

After returning to Texas to “reassess” his campaign, Perry announced he’s not throwing in the towel. Judging by his poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and the debates so far, however, many political experts think it’s just a matter of time.

The only one with supposed divine guidance who’s still in the race is Santorum.

So what gives? Did the candidates misread God’s supposed message? Does the defeat of a divinely-inspired candidate necessarily contradict a message from God?

Bush tax cuts, stock market widen income gap

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/03/news/economy/income_inequality/index.htm

The rich have gotten richer, thanks to the stock market and the Bush tax cuts, a recent report has found.

Growth in income from capital gains and dividends has widened the divide between the wealthy and the poor in recent years, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. It supplanted wage inequality as the primary driver of the growing income gap, which helped spur the Occupy Wall Street movement last fall.

After-tax income for the top 1% of taxpayers soared 74%, on average, between 1996 and 2006. The top 0.1% benefited even more, nearly doubling their income over that decade.

By comparison, the bottom 20% of taxpayers saw their income fall by 6%, while the middle quintile experienced a meager 10% gain.

What's in a name? Possibly your shot at love, self-esteem and lung cancer

http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/What+name+Possibly+your+shot+love+self+esteem+lung+cancer/5946496/story.html

Forget mere playground jeers. A poorly chosen baby name can lead to a lifetime of neglect, reduced relationship opportunities, lower self-esteem, a higher likelihood of smoking and diminished education prospects, according to a new study of nearly 12,000 people.

The research, which appears in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, is thought to offer the firmest conclusions to date that "unfortunate" first names evoke negative reactions from strangers, which in turn influence life outcomes for the worse.

Doctors Join The 99%

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/05/smallbusiness/doctors_broke/index.htm?source=cnn_bin

Doctors are going bust as businessmen, and becoming employees. Can you say "new Democrat constituency"? I knew you could.

Goodbye, Privacy, Again.

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/03/9808600-7-signs-were-living-in-the-post-privacy-era

25 Worst Passwords

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/21/8937472-the-25-worst-passwords-of-2011

Even Microsoft Hates SOPA

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/22/8957694-software-alliance-yanks-support-for-piracy-bill?

Boeing Closes Wichita Plants

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45874707/ns/business-us_business/#.TwTV54HJbSs

The Future Military: Your Budget Strategy

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/02/us/you-cut-the-defense-budget.html?ref=us

$712 billion.

158% of $450 billion goal

Category
Cuts
Pct.
Benefits
$54
8%
Salaries
-
-
Personnel
$460
65%
Weapons
$56
8%
Nuclear, Missile
$13
2%
Operations, Maint.
$129
18%

Greece: Clinch Bailout or Face Euro Exit

http://www.cnbc.com/id/45854573/

Greece will have to leave the euro zone if it fails to clinch a deal on a second, 130 billion euro bailout with its international lenders, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

It was an unusually public stark warning from the embattled country, aimed at shoring up domestic support for tough measures and possibly also at the lenders themselves.

"The bailout agreement needs to be signed otherwise we will be out of the markets, out of the euro," spokesman Pantelis Kapsis told Skai TV. "The situation will be much worse."

Greece is racing against the clock to agree with the EU, the IMF [cnbc explains] and private bondholders on the details of the rescue plan before a major bond redemption in March. It risks a default if there is no deal by this date.

Athens and its EU partners have repeatedly ruled out a euro exit, which could drag the bloc even deeper into crisis, and usually avoid saying this is a possible scenario.

But top Greek officials, who need to push through unpopular reforms to clinch the bailout deal, have warned over the past few days that a return to the drachma would be "hell" and that the country must stick to austerity to avoid it.

EU, IMF and ECB inspectors are expected in Athens mid-January to flesh out the new bailout plan agreed in principle by EU leaders in October to avoid a Greek default and a euro exit.

Dunkin' Donuts to double U.S. locations

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/04/news/companies/dunkin_donuts_locations/index.htm?hpt=hp_t3

YESSSSS!

Congress Really Is As Bad As You Think, Scholars Say

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/27/144319863/congress-really-is-as-bad-as-you-think-scholars-say