RealMoney contributor Dan Dicker says the old investment bank model is dead so the Goldman we know doesn't need to exist.

R.I.P., Goldman Sachs

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) -- More oil output reductions aren't likely this month because OPEC members haven't yet fully enforced previous quotas and the organization needs more data before it reaches a decision, the cartel's president said Sunday.

Chakib Khelil's comments came as Iran called for a new output cut of at least 1 million barrels per day, in addition to the 1.5 million cut decided by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries on Oct. 24 to try to sustain slumping prices.

Oil output cuts not likely - OPEC chief

The Americans learned one lesson from Vietnam: don't count the civilian dead. As a result, no one knows how many Iraqis have been killed in the five years since the invasion. Estimates put the toll at between 100,000 and one million, and now a bitter war of numbers is raging. Jonathan Steele and Suzanne Goldenberg report
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Finally, they point out that more recent data confirm their findings and even suggest a higher figure. The British polling firm Opinion Research Business (ORB) asked 1,720 Iraqi adults last summer if they had lost family members by violence since 2003; 16% had lost one, and 5% two. Using the 2005 census total of 4,050,597 households in Iraq, this suggests 1,220,580 deaths since the invasion. Accounting for a standard margin of error, ORB says, "We believe the range is a minimum of 733,158 to a maximum of 1,446,063."

What is the real death toll in Iraq?

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Few observers have ever seen anything like the economic data that will be released in the coming week, with the consumer price index and housing starts each expected to breach records dating back to the late 1940s.

With the global economy descending into a nasty recession, the October data could send a chill down the spine of policymakers, who are pulling out all the tricks in their tool kit to prevent a wider meltdown.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said last week that "market turmoil will not abate until the biggest part of the housing correction is behind us."

It's not behind us yet.

Housing starts expected to hit half-century low - Consumer prices falling at fastest pace in 60 years, economists say

WASHINGTON — Sorry, Mr. President. Please surrender your BlackBerry.

Those are seven words President-elect Barack Obama is dreading but expecting to hear, friends and advisers say, when he takes office in 65 days.

For years, like legions of other professionals, Mr. Obama has been all but addicted to his BlackBerry. The device has rarely been far from his side — on most days, it was fastened to his belt — to provide a singular conduit to the outside world as the bubble around him grew tighter and tighter throughout his campaign.

Lose the BlackBerry? Yes He Can, Maybe

CNBC said the move is aimed at soothing market concerns that Citigroup is not doing what needs to be done to deal with difficulties including deteriorating share prices. Citing people close to the company, the report said the precise dimensions of the job cuts were not known Saturday afternoon but the organization might cut almost 40,000 jobs from its international workforce, estimated at 350,000.

CBNC's source said Pandit will likely announce that the layoffs will take effect in the relatively short term -- perhaps during the next five or six months.

"The object here is for people to take notice," a source told CNBC. "The exact number is still a moving target but it will be dramatic."

Report: Citigroup to lay off thousands

Senior intelligence officers are lobbying the outgoing president to look after the men and women who could face charges for following his orders in the war on terrorism.
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Most vulnerable are US intelligence officers who took part in intensive interrogations against terrorist suspects, using techniques including water boarding, which many believe crossed the line into torture.
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"An effort is under way to get pre-emptive pardons. The White House has indicated that the matter is under consideration."

George W Bush could pardon spies involved in torture

President Bush could pardon officials involved in brutal interrogations -- but he may also face a sweeping investigation under the new president.

Nov. 13, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- With growing talk in Washington that President Bush may be considering an unprecedented "blanket pardon" for people involved in his administration's brutal interrogation policies, advisors to Barack Obama are pressing ahead with plans for a nonpartisan commission to investigate alleged abuses under Bush.

Obama's plans for probing Bush torture

Interesting read none the less.

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Last week we solicited your questions for Congressman Ron Paul.

There was such a big response (more than 400 comments) that we have split Paul’s answers into two batches, the first of which is posted below.

Thanks to Paul for his answers and all of you for your good questions.

Ron Paul Answers Your Questions: Part One

Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- A trade group whose members include Lockheed Martin Corp., Dow Chemical Co. and General Motors Corp. is pressing Congress to help close a record $200 billion deficit in U.S. pensions created by this month's global stock-market collapse.

The Committee on Investment of Employee Benefit Assets is kicking off a lobbying effort today to delay provisions of the Pension Protection Act that it says will force companies to drain cash flow to comply with funding rules set to take effect next year.

``This will be real money that companies will have to come up with,'' said Judy Schub, managing director of the Bethesda, Maryland-based group, which represents 110 of the nation's largest retirement plans holding almost half of U.S. assets. ``The law will be forcing people to be taking money out of operations at the worst possible time.''

Lockheed, Ryder Drain Cash as Crisis Hammers Pensions