THE NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

"I am not worried about the deficit.  It is big enough to take care of itself."

                                                                                            Ronald Reagan

Jeff Parker, Florida Today

Tom Eagan, Editorial Cartoonist

Rick McKee, The Augusta Chronicle

Mike Keefe

Dave Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star

Patrick Chappatte, Le Temps & International Herald Tribune

R.J. Matson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Chris Britt, Washington State Journal-Register

Steve Kelley, The Times Picayune

Jimmy Margulies, The Record of Hackensack, NJ

 Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-Gazette

Michael Ramirez, Investors Business Daily

Jerry Holbert, The Boston Herald

WEATHER: 

UPDATES:

Europe freeze claims more victims...over 200 dead...snow snarls travel

Storm dumps up to 2 feet of snow on High Plains

NOW THAT'S COLD!

62 below: Deep freeze grips much of Alaska

LONG-TERM FORECAST:

'Northern US to see colder-than-normal temps for 2nd half of winter

South will be warmer than normal.  

(Weather graphics courtesy weather.com)

UN WEATHER AGENCY:

Concentrations of global warming gases are at record levels

INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PANEL: 

Warns world's leader to "Get ready for extreme weather" 

STUDY:

Climate change blamed for rise in rainfall levels in world's largest river basins

CLIMATE SCIENTISTS:

More weather disasters ahead

WORLDWIDE: 

Natural disaster refugees soar to 42 million

REPORTS:

Experts now predict a much bigger global warming sea level rise is likely

 2010 tied as warmest year on record, U.S. says

 Last decade warmest on record, review finds

GLOBAL WARMING STUDY:

Rising temperatures 'the new normal'

Worst-case scenario...7.2 F warmer by 2060's

News:

Quickly scan the latest news, business, sports and weather.

(Each story hyperlinked for more detail) 

   TOP STORIES: 

SUPER BOWL XLVI:

Eli and the Giants beat Brady and the Patriots for the title...again

Eli, cooler when it counts, voted Super Bowl MVP

Brady says 'we just didn't make enough plays'

Quarterback, Eli Manning on the right hoists aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy after guiding the

New York Giants to a thrilling 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.  He

was voted the game's MVP. Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, upper left, takes one final look

at the bad news on the scoreboard as the game ended at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. 

Manning, lower left, gives a congratulatory hug to DE Justin Tuck.

(Composite image courtesy mailonline.com from Reuters & Getty Images photos)

HALF TIME EXTRAVAGANZA:

Madonna brings it for 20 minutes of something old and something new

With a gladiator theme, a marching band drum line and cameos by a raft of popular

entertainers like Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and Cee Lo Green, Madonna delivered one of

the more memorable half time Super Bowl shows seen in years.  The Queen of Pop,

now in her 50's, seemed to be defying her years.  The game and the half time show

was watched by an estimated 111 million people worldwide.

(Photo courtesy Reuters)

OBAMA:

Diplomacy is 'preferred solution' on Iran

NEVADA:

Romney gets big boost with GOP caucus win

Gingrich 'happy' with campaign despite Nevada loss

INDIANA:

Republican election chief found guilty of voter fraud

Charlie White, Indiana's Republican Secretary of State and highest elections official.  He

was found guilty early Saturday morning, 02/04/12 of 6 of 7 felony counts of voter fraud by

a jury that deliberated for 13-hours.  White now faces forced removal from office, since

felons may not hold a public office.  The case presents an interesting twist on a favorite

argument of the GOP, which is that voter-ID laws should be enacted in order to prevent

voter fraud, which is nearly non-existent.  Critics maintain that such laws are merely

thinly-veiled attempts to stop minority voters from showing up at the polls.

(File photo)

UN:

China and Russia lead UN veto on intervention in Syria

Clinton lambastes 'travesty' of UN veto

At least 200 people reported killed Friday in a mortar barrage by government troops 

Dozens of bodies are lined up early Saturday morning during a mass funeral for victims of a

savage attack by President Assad's troops on the rebel stronghold of Homs on Friday,

02/03/12.  Reports say at least 200 people were killed in a mortar barrage, the worst single

day of killings since the uprisings began in Syria last year in March.

(Photo courtesy European PressPhoto Agency)

UN:

Civilian deaths in Afghan war hit record high in 2011 

OREGON:

3 mushroom pickers found alive after being lost for 6 days

KOMEN CONTROVERSY UPDATE:

DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA:

Panetta report fuels concerns that Israel will attack Iran

US to end combat in Afghanistan next year

White House says end of US Afghan combat role undecided

ANALYSIS:  US forces still at risk in region

PFIZER:

One million birth control pill packets recalled; may not prevent pregnancy

Pfizer reaches out to women after birth control recall

The world's largest drugmaker has recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 and 14 lots of the

generic counterpart Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol.  The recall sparked immediate

panicked exchanges on social media like Twitter.

(Photo courtesy Pfizer)

VERMONT:

State Police pranked with derogatory pig image on cruiser decals 

The decal on the doors of about 30 Vermont State Police patrol car looks innocent enough on the

left, but a closer inspection on the right reveals the image of a pig on the side of the cow.  Like

license plates, the decals are made by prison inmates, and the Department of Corrections is

looking into which inmate was responsible.  In the meantime, new decals are being made to

replace the offending ones.

(Composite image by WydeWorld.com from photos courtesy AP) 

GROUNDHOG DAY:

Punxsutawney groundhog sees shadow, predicting 6 more weeks of winter 

In many parts of the country, the question is:  What winter? 

WASHINGTON:

Senate to consider 30% 'Buffett' tax on rich

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE:

US deficit tops $1 trillion 4 years in a row

FLORIDA:

Passengers file class-action, sue cruise line for $460 million

Lead attorney calls $14,460 per passenger offer from Costa Cruises "insulting" 

UPDATE: Search called off for 16 missing cruise passengers

Costa Concordia removal could take up to a year

17 bodies found on wrecked Italy cruise ship

(Photo courtesy Reuters)

CALIFORNIA:

Ex-LA teacher charged with molesting 23 children

61-year-old Mark Berndt of Torrance, California was arrested in his home and accused

of molesting at least 23 boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 10.  Berndt was an

elementary school teacher in Los Angeles for 30-years.  He is being held in jail in lieu

of $2.5-million bond.

(Photo courtesy AP)

FEDS:

UPDATE:  Megaupload user data said to be saved for 2 more weeks 

Previous threat said all user data could be gone by 02/02/12 

Many users stored files on the site, including photos and legal documents

At least 50-million users may be affected 

TWITTER CENSORSHIP UPDATE:

Company's CEO says new policy is for transparency

Says there have been over 4,000 cease-and-desist notices issued since 2010

Twitter censorship outrage, now in cartoon form

LIARSCHEATERSRUS.COM

Lawyer sues ex-girlfriends over their online postings about him and their breakkups

NASA:

Launches Facebook space trivia game

An image from NASA's new Space Race Blast Off game on Facebook.  It's a multi-player

format and described as having a Space Camp "Jeopardy" theme.

(Photo grab from NASA Facebook page)

RUSSIA:

Thousands of cars, flying white ribbons & balloons, circle Moscow in anti-Putin protest

Begins investigation of bullet-riddled T-shirt image of Obama 

Photo posted by an Arizona policeman on his FaceBook page

The T-shirt, inset, shot up by a group of Arizona teenagers, some holding the shirt, others

holding rifles and pistols.  One gun, being held by youth on the right, is a semi-automatic with

a high-capacity clip.  The photo was taken by a Peoria, Arizona police officer, Sgt. Pat Shearer

and posted on his FaceBook page.  When questioned about it by a reporter, he said "it was

no big deal."  He's been placed on administrative leave.  Because of their ages, the faces

of the youths have been blurred out.

(Composite photo courtesy mailonline.com)

  This page was last modified on Monday, February 06, 2012 12:09:08 AM