Thursday morning links

TOP STORIES
U.S. to Order Steep Pay Cuts at Bailout Firms - NY Times
Won't You Please Come to Chicago? - Huffington Post
Wall Street's Naked Swindle - Taibbi, Rolling Stone
The auto bailout: How we did it - CNN/Money
Recognizing a Bubble – Dynamics of Free Money - Merk, Safehaven
Here’s why commodity trackers lose you money - Reuters
An Unsustainable Path of Debt Expansion - Mises
AMERICAN PIE - Quinn, The Burning Platform
Inflation fears drive dollar dip - Wash. Post

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MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil slips below $81, retreating from 2009 high - AP
Gold Declines as Rally to Record Spurs Sales - Bloomberg
High-water marks for newsletters and gold - MarketWatch
World markets drop on China growth worrries - AP
House Agriculture panel approves derivatives legislation - MarketWatch
Kass: The Earnings Season Racket - TheStreet.com
Be wary of the gold trade… - Reuters

ECONOMY
Jobless Claims Rose More Than Forecast - Bloomberg
The growing case for a jobless recovery - MacroBlog
Pelosi explores for more economic fuel - Wash. Post
State by State Unemployment: Nowhere to Hide - Econompicdata
Mauldin: Prepare for the double-dip - Pragmatic Capitalist
Recovery Myths - Morgan Stanley

INTERNATIONAL
Property too hot to handle in Hong Kong - Asia Times
Top China banker warns on asset bubbles - FT
China’s Economy Grows 8.9%, Fastest Pace in a Year - Bloomberg
Weak dollar raises talk of alternative world currency -USA Today
Oligarchs Get an Earful From Russian President - NY Times
U.K. Bonuses May Soar 50 Percent in 2009, CEBR Says - Bloomberg
Recession-hit Spain goes back to black economy - Telegraph
Imperialism, Goldman Sachs Style - NY Times
Down with the dollar - Economist

REAL ESTATE
What housing bust? - CNN/Money
Tax Credit Must Be Extended to Sustain Stability - Mortgage News Daily
Patrick Killelea Interview: “It’s a fantastic time to be a renter” - Mortgage Calculator
O.C. builder gets $206 million loan from Neverland savior - O.C. Register

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Beige Book Sees Signs That Growth Is Stirring - Wash. Post
Deserted shopping mall bleak symbol of Fed bailout - Reuters
Economy picking itself off mat, Fed's Beige Book finds - MarketWatch
Plosser: The Fed must stop qualitative easing - Credit Writedowns

INTERESTING
Jake Tapper Defends FOX News - Atlantic Wire
The 8 Best Viral Advertising Videos of 2009 (So Far) - Business Pundit
Pontiac Silverdome Hits Auction Block - ZillowBlog
California: Too Big Not to Fail? - CNN/Money

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