Bear Left!

Fact of the Week

**Fact of the Week**
President Bush is trying again to convince Americans that is is wise to give up some guaranteed Social Security benefits in exchange for control over the respective investments. By his math, investing in stocks would yield much higher benefits than are currently available. When Americans do have substantial control over retirement savings, they do not put their investments in the stock market. From the end of 1994 to the end of 2000, the average 401(k) account increased by 55.1%, from $31,700 to $49,160. Over the same period, the S&P 500 index increased 287.5%. But if Americans are cautious with their retirement savings, they have reason: in 2001, most stock investments lost money. Source: National Defined Contribution Council.

Race and Incarceration in the United States: Many American jurisdictions disproportionately incarcerate African Americans and Latinos (Human Rights Watch).
Washington Broods over X-Ray Prognosis: The Bush adminsitration is regretting the charade of "military tribunals" (Matthew Engel, The Guardian).
Iran-Contra Rehab: The Bush Administration is becoming a reunion of sorts for Iran-Contra conspirators (David Corn, The Nation).
Graham Regrets Jewish Slur: Billy Graham, the advisor to several presidents, can't remember maligning Jews (on tape) in the Nixon Oval Office (BBC News).
The Great Florida Ex-Con Game: The purging of ex-felons from Florida's voting lists in 2000 was both ludicrous and criminal (Greg Palast, Harper's).
Current Time: The famed nuclear clock moved two minutes closer to midnight this week (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists).
The Beijing-Washington Back Channel and Henry Kissinger's Secret Trip to China: What Nixon and Kissinger wanted to keep hidden (National Security Archive).
No Recourse: The price of securities deregulation is higher than you think (Barbara Langer, Utne Reader online).

"Bear left!"/"Right, Frog!" (Kermit and Fozzie, The Muppet Movie)

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