Friday morning links

TOP STORIES
Unemployment Hits 7.2%, 16-Year High - New York Times
Citigroup supports measure giving courts big say on mortgage reductions - LA Times
Hedge Funds Lost Record 18.3% as Managers Misjudged 2008 Market - Bloomberg
Obama Begins Selling Americans the Stimulus Plan - AP
Gas for Europe Is Contingent On Monitoring, Putin Says - Washington Post
Falling US consumer spending making tough times tougher - CSM
Lehman deal on private equity close - Reuters
Paul Davidson: Reforming the world’s international money - Credit Writedowns
Fed buys $10.2 billion in mortgage-backed assets - MarketWatch

MARKETS/INVESTING
Gold softens as dollar firms after U.S. jobs data - Reuters
Oil's Sinking Fortunes - Time
Demand for Physical Gold "Amazing" - Ash, GoldSeek
Why Your Financial Advisor Failed You - The Last Good Idea
A Minsky Meltdown? - Index Universe

ECONOMY
U.S. Payrolls Post Biggest Annual Drop Since 1945 - Bloomberg
Recession to worsen in first half: Boston Fed chief - MarketWatch
Roubini forecasts recession will last 2 years - MarketWatch
Consumer credit drops record $7.9 billion - MarketWatch
Calling All Inflationists… - Ackerman, GoldSeek
Obama's Prescription: FAIL - The Market Ticker
Peter Schiff: Obama Stimulus Will Destroy Jobs - Clusterstock

INTERNATIONAL
Ranks of jobless swell in Canada - Globe & Mail
China Risks the Madoff Treatment From Treasuries - Bloomberg
Government should buy homes on verge of repossession - Telegraph
Europe's manufacturing recession deepens - MarketWatch
South Korea cuts interest rate to record low - MarketWatch
U.K. Manufacturing output falling at fastest rate since 1980s - Guardian
Pension plans suffer historic losses - Globe & Mail

HOUSING
Mortgage help gains momentum - CNN/Money
Here's what to do if your home-equity line is slashed - MarketWatch
Lenders Backlogged By Refinancing Rush - Washington Post
New Data Say House Prices May Be Nearing a Bottom - Time
Wells Fargo Exits Jumbo Wholesale Lending - HousingWire
Realty woes finally hit nome in Manhattan - New York Post

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Paulson Bailout Didn’t Give Taxpayers What Goldman Gave Buffett - Bloomberg
Geithner Preparing Overhaul Of Bailout - Washington Post
Questions loom over use of Treasury bailout money - AP
Feds uncover two more investor Ponzi schemes - USA Today
Warsh’s Crisis Skills Propel Him Toward New York Fed Candidacy - Bloomberg
Federal Reserve Assets Decline - Calculated Risk
30-year mortgage rate drops for 10th straight week week - Reuters

INTERESTING
For the Post Office: Snow, Rain and Now Gloom of Recession - Time
New homes being built smaller - USA Today
N.Y. Faces Snow Tomorrow, Frigid Wind for Giants Game - Bloomberg
Brokers Disdain Toaster Salesmen in Bank America’s Merrill Deal - Bloomberg