Hannah, Celine Hit Some (Bank) Notes

We take a look at the top-earning music stars and the millions they make.

Gravel: Bush worst President ever, Florida Giuliani's grave

Rising food prices are a threat to many; they also present the world with an enormous opportunity

Seeing US slowdown, Mexico cuts growth (AP)

AP - Mexico indicated Wednesday it expects the downturn in the U.S. will mean much slower growth this year for its own economy, which depends on its northern neighbor for the bulk of its trade and investment.

Woolworths reshuffles management (Reuters)

Reuters - British sweets-to-DVDs retailer
Woolworths Plc said it had replaced management at its
EUK wholesale unit, as an analyst said he expects the company
to announce the renegotiation of its bulging debt shortly.

10 Tips: Beat 'Gotcha Capitalism'

New book provides step-by-step instructions to help ordinary consumers fight back against the fly-by-night companies and the Goliaths that are nickel-and-diming us to death.

Before You Run to The Polls: Grab Paper and Pencil

South Carolina's Republican presidential primary last weekend raised new concerns. In Horry County, which includes Myrtle Beach, election workers were unable to get about 80 percent of the touch-screen machines running on time. Many voters had to use emergency paper ballots. And some were told to come back later when the paper ballots ran out.

Next Michelin 3 Star: Cafe Le Delta?

Delta and other airlines bring in new celebrity chefs to improve their meals.

The naked truth about women in Russian politics

Heated debates in Russia's State Duma could be about to get even hotter. Among the brand new deputies to win seats are four female ex athletes who have a history of letting it all hang out - for the cameras. All eyes are now on the Duma, to see whether these beautiful ladies bring a new kind of passion to political discussions.

Go to any Best Buy tomorrow and just TRY to buy these DVDS!

Silly Jason. He thought a Best Buy sign reading "2 for $25" meant he could buy two DVDs for $25. He obviously didn't read the part of the sign that requires customers to buy Saw IV.Oh, that's not part of the sign? Then why did the manager of the Best Buy in Beaumont, TX refuse to honor the in-store advertisement? Read Jason's story.

REAL ID KILLED IN 17 STATES! JOIN US!!

REAL ID killed in 17 states. 33 more to go! No2RealID.org

Spidey's Studio Scores Deal With Writers

Marvel and Lionsgate studios signed interim deals with striking H'wood writers.

Mortgage analysis firm to cooperate in NY probe (Reuters)

Reuters - Mortgage loan analysis company
Clayton Holdings Inc , in an agreement with New York's
attorney general, said on Saturday it would detail how Wall
Street firms disregarded its warnings about the quality of home
loans later sold to investors.

ANON leaks whole tom cruise movie (45minz)

Anon PWNS , Spread t3h word, we are legion.

The French Fraud King - $7.14 billion fraud by one man

French bank Societe Generale said Thursday it has uncovered a $7.14 billion fraud -- one of history's biggest -- by a single futures trader who fooled investors and overstepped his authority. The trader, who was not named, used his knowledge of the group's security systems to conceal his fraudulent positions, a statement from the bank said.

Goldman, Credit Suisse to cut about 2,000 jobs (Reuters)

Reuters - Goldman Sachs Group and Credit
Suisse Group on Friday said they will cut about 2,000
job worldwide as a credit crisis puts a damper on fixed-income
trading and corporate dealmaking.

WHO FED ROMNEY THE ANSWER?? LISTEN AGAIN

Someone whispers "he raised taxes" to Romney before he began to answer the social security question.

Your money is no good at the Taj Mahal

In yet another troubling sign for the greenback, at least one of the seven wonders of the world is now off limits if you have only U.S. currency in your pocket.

As economy tumbles, retirees dodge fallout

Rising food and fuel prices, falling interest rates and screeching declines in global stock markets have retirees paring spending to levels some haven't seen in decades.

Investing Ivy League Style

Why does Yale do better than the S&P 500 and how can you beat the index?

Answer Desk front page

Interest rates are down and may go down more. That’s not so hot if you want to buy bonds or put money in the bank. So where’s the best place to put your fixed-income holdings?

Live on Camera - News Crew attacked by Palestinian Snipers

A must see movie - a short while after Palestinian snipers shot dead a volunteer from Ecuador, the news team covering the incident became the next target. The camera caught it all - the fear, the uncertainty, knowing your life can end with the next bullet.

Market surges late (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks rallied late in the session on
Wednesday, led by rising shares of financial companies on
speculation about capital infusions for bond insurers.

Obama Faces White Resistance In South, Polls Show

Barack Obama is heading into the January 26 South Carolina Democratic primary powered by a solid lead in each of the most recent 11 polls taken here, with African American voters and a slice of the white electorate set to put him over the top next Saturday.

Ford Unveils Upgraded Hybrid in D.C.

Ford: '09 Escape gas-electric hybrid has better fuel economy and more power.

Taxpayers getting more privacy with new rule

The final rules issued by the IRS on Thursday require tax preparers to get informed consent before disclosing tax information to third parties or using it for non-return purposes.

Obama Calls Hillary Out On Being A Wal-Mart Board Member

OMG CONFLICT. Hillary just lied about what Obama said about Reagan. I don't know why Obama has to characterize this as "statements that are not factually accurate," probably because that has more syllables and he's kinda very off his game tonight.

British Media Confirms FBI Nuke Cover-up

The Sunday Times has obtained a document that confirms that a file, which the FBI denied existed, could contain information about American officials stealing nuclear secrets for Turkish and Israeli spies, who would then sell the secrets to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Steamy Airline Drama Grips Thailand

Thai Airways objects to steamy Thai soap opera about flight attendants.

Huckabee gave speech to white supremacists

well before he was a nationally known political star, Huckabee nurtured a relationship with America's largest white supremacist group, the Council of Conservative Citizens. The extent of Huckabee's interaction with the racist group is unclear, but this much is known: he accepted an invitation to speak at the group's annual conference in 1993.

Obama wins Nevada -- for real.

While Clinton did edge out Obama in the popular vote by 6%, she only did so by capturing the populous Las Vegas area. Obama won broader support statewide, especially in the more rural areas that Democrats usually flounder in, and thus earned more state delegates than Clinton. Obama is now two delegates ahead of Clinton, and closest to nomination.

Texas judge rules in favor of strip-club tax

A judge has denied a request from owners of nude entertainment clubs to temporarily block Texas' upcoming $5-per-person strip club fee from taking effect.

Fed Chief Testifies as Economy Teeters

Ben Bernanke hints he is open to a stimulus package to avert recession.

Slide takes $50 mln in funding amid Facebook craze (Reuters)

Reuters - Social network software maker
Slide Inc said on Friday it had closed a $50 million
institutional financing round, marking the rising valuations of
start-ups riding fast-growing Facebook's wave of popularity.

Former JAG lawyer: Only America 'parses' torture

"When they go into a diplomatic meeting ... it's the first thing on the agenda," Swift said. "It starts to jeopardizes cooperation in intelligence gathering, police work, and ultimately potentially extradition and other issues."

What Will Bush's $140 Billion Tax Break Get You?

President Bush calls for tax stimulus package, most taxpayers will get refund.

Retailers seek ways to become recession-proof (Reuters)

Reuters - Apparel retailers may be
facing a doom-and-gloom sales environment in the near future,
but many are anxious to prove to a skeptical marketplace they
have got what it takes to be recession-proof.

Obama's accomplishments more substantial than Clinton's

He has a longer record in elected office than she does, as a 2nd term NY senator. Obama was elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996, when Democrats were in the minority. He proposed hundreds of new laws, including universal health care, tougher gun control and expanded welfare, but saw most of them spiked by Republican leadership.

Coca-Cola Urged to Close an Indian Plant to Save Water

An environmental group says a Coca-Cola bottling plant in the drought-stricken state of Rajasthan is depleting scarce water supplies.

Democracy Now Re-Hosts NBC debate to Include Kucinich

Kucinich was missing from the stage at last night’s Democratic debate hosted by MSNBC. Democracy Now decided to break the sound barrier and give Kucinich a chance to take part. In an exclusive broadcast, with excerpts of the debate, the Ohio Congressman answers the questions he might have faced if he hadn’t been been silenced.

Study: Finances bigger concern than health

After record mortgage foreclosures and slumping home prices, Americans are more determined to shape up their flabby finances in 2008 than their bodies, according to a study.

Housing Slump? Not in Manhattan

Some New Yorkers still shell out millions for lavish apartments.

How to recover from holiday ‘debt hangover’

As the credit card bills start rolling in this month from the recent holiday season, many consumers are going to get that queasy feeling that they've overindulged.

Oil falls sharply on economy worries (AP)

AP - Oil futures dropped sharply Tuesday as a dismal retail sales report confirmed a growing view among investors that the economy is slowing and that demand for energy is likely to fall.

Pirate leader: "Our enemy lacks intellectual capital!"

The battle over legal filesharing is hotter than ever in Sweden - 13 MPs from the main ruling party have already joined the copyright rebels in Europe's leading pirate country. "The copyright lobby realized they were under serious attack and mounted every piece of defense they could muster", tells Rick Falkvinge, the leader of the Pirate Party.

10 Tips: Fix credit-report errors

Have you ever been horrified to discover errors on your credit report? Such inaccuracies can and should strike fear into any conscientious consumer’s heart. Here are some helpful tips.

Pull Over: Worst States for Speeding

Even a first offense can bring a four-digit fine in some parts of the country.

Town may pay seniors to work off taxes

A New York town is pushing a program that would let seniors work part-time, for $7 an hour, to help pay off some of their property taxes.

This man predicted the 1987 Economic Recession in 1983.

More color in the hair but the message remains the same.

10 Tips: Happy returns after the holidays

Want to return an unwanted gift? If you attempt to return stuff this year, these tips can help you play the returns game successfully or decide in advance to avoid the game altogether.

Ten Recurring Economic Fallacies, 1774–2004

As an American historian who knows something of economic law, I became intrigued with how the United States had remained prosperous, its economy still so dynamic and productive, given the serious and recurring economic fallacies to which our top leaders (have subscribed and from which they cannot seem to free themselves.

Worst Contextual Ad Mess Up of All-Time!

This one defies description. You've got to see it to believe it.

Iran releases its own video of US Navy boat incident

Iranian state TV aired video Thursday purporting to show a weekend standoff between small Iranian boats and U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf.

$200 a Barrel of Oil - Oil Futures Trading Predicts

Algae oil. We need it now please.

Study: Airport Screening Process Pointless

All the security restrictions don't make flying any safer, a study finds.

2nd Finish in Fifth Fails to Dim Paul's Hopes

Despite coming up short in New Hampshire, a race that many people considered his best opportunity, Ron Paul indicated that his campaign would go on.

Saudi regulators hear calls to open up bourse (FT.com)

FT.com - The head of Saudi Arabia's stock market regulator on Thursday said his agency was open to ideas mooted by western institutions to allow foreign investors to tap into the Middle East's largest bourse.

2007: Safest Year to Fly Since 1963

Last year saw the least number of accidents in decades; 965 people died.

London's FTSE-100 index down 16.3 points (AP)

AP - Share prices on the London Stock Exchange were lower at midday Thursday.

Even Conservative Media Chorus Sings Obama's Praises

Barack Obama, now the media's odds-on favorite to win the White House, is drawing effusive praise from the chattering classes.

Target CEO Ulrich to retire (AP)

AP - Target Corp. said Wednesday that President Gregg Steinhafel would take over for retiring CEO Bob Ulrich, a long-expected handoff that comes just as the nation's second-largest retailer hits a rough patch.

Money tips for cash-strapped retirees

More and more retirees are struggling to make ends meet in their golden years, in large part because they’re being walloped by the effects of inflation.

Iraqi Reports: US Soldiers Kicking Pregnant Woman When Shot

Yesterday news reports said an Iraqi soldier shot and killed two US soldiers during a joint mission. The rather startled reports repeated assertions that the attack was for "reasons unknown." But Iraqi reports say the US soldiers were kicking a pregnant Iraqi woman when shot. Here’s what we’ve been able to learn so far:

Reverse Home Mortgage: Risks vs. Rewards

GMA Contributor Mellody Hobson discusses the pros and cons.

IRS may restrict tax-refund loans

The Internal Revenue Service said Thursday it may restrict tax preparers such as H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service from offering refund loans to customers to prevent fraud.

McCain: I would have started Iraq war regardless of WMD

(w/video) When Russert asked him if, like Bush, McCain would have supported the Iraq war even if no weapons of mass destruction were believed present in Iraq, McCain seemed to dismiss the question as irrelevant.

What $1 Million Buys in Homes Worldwide

From one-bedroom apartments to McMansions, tour real estate around the globe.

Oil Rising: How to Save at the Pump

Inflate your tires, empty your trunk, get oil changes regularly and other tips.

Kucinich Files Complaint on ABC Debate

Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich filed a complaint with the FCC on Friday after ABC News excluded him, fellow Democrat Mike Gravel and Republican Duncan Hunter from its prime-time debates on Saturday.

Americans in the Spanish Civil War

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), 2,800 American volunteers took up arms to defend the Spanish Republic against a military rebellion led by General Franco and aided by Hitler and Mussolini. To the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which fought from 1937 through 1938, the defense of the Republic represented the last hope against international fascism.

Tax Tactics front page

Although Uncle Sam might not usually be included in your holiday plans, wrapping up a few simple financial tasks before the end of the year can help carry the joy of the season all the way through April 15. ?Financial Editor Jean Chatzky shares practical advice on how to prepare your accounts for the new year.

Auto Insurance … for Your Pet?

One insurer is offering up to $500 if a dog or cat is hurt or dies in a car cras

Answer Desk: Questions we didn’t get to in 2007

We get all kinds of business and financial questions at the Answer Desk. Here are some we didn’t get to in 2007. The Answer Desk, by msnbc.com’s John W. Schoen.

Take that New Year’s resolution to the bank

Want to save money or boost your earnings in the coming year? TODAY Financial editor Jean Chatzky shares tips on how to get your finances into shape for 2008.

Blogger Andrew Olmsted dies in Iraq

"I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.)"

More job cuts expected in mortgage banking (Reuters)

Reuters - The pace of job losses in mortgage
lending slowed in December, as some companies shifted workers
to other areas of financial services, but the losses may pick
up again in the new year as the U.S. housing market continues
to weaken and credit remains tight.

2007's Savviest Celebrity Businesswomen

From Jennifer Aniston to Heidi Klum, these women made millions in 2007.

10 Tips: New Year’s resolutions from readers

Are you wishing you could do a better job financially in 2008? If so, many msnbc.com readers took the time to send all sorts of practical, money-saving ideas.

Second Act: MC Hammer Goes Hi-Tech

Former rapper now a player in Silicon Valley; looks to take on YouTube.

Crush Time in the City ... Grapes, That Is

Forget the vineyard vistas -- this new wine country is right down the street.

Badass Dir. Oliver Stone to Negotiate w/ "Terrorist" Rebels

The controversial filmmaker is becoming part of real-world drama as he has been invited to meet with dangerous Colombian rebels to discuss hostage release.

Profit projections slide for fourth quarter (Reuters)

Reuters - Projections for S&P 500 companies'
fourth-quarter earnings swung to a 6.1 percent drop on Monday
from an 11.5 percent rise on October 1, in the biggest
quarterly move since Reuters Estimates started compiling
analysts' forecasts in 1999.

Worried About Foreclosure?

Tell Your Story to ABC News