Thursday morning links

TOP STORIES
Bernanke confirmation hearing to be contentious - LA Times
Senator Moves to Hold Up Bernanke Confirmation - NY Times
Just 21% Favor Bernanke’s Reappointment As Fed Chairman - Rasmussen Reports
Goldman Gets All The Attention. Does J.P. Morgan Get a Free Pass? - WSJ
Wells Fargo Reportedly Closing Some California Branches - Consumer Affairs
Goldman Sachs - because we’re worth it - FT AlphaVille
BofA to return $45 billion to taxpayers - CNN/Money
Worse Than Enron? - The Daily Beast

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MARKETS/INVESTING
Oil rises above $77 despite weak US demand - Reuters
Gold May Extend Advance After Reaching Record - Bloomberg
Jim Welsh – The Real Elephant in the Room - The Big Picture
Morgan Stanley: The Dollar Has Bottomed - Business Insider
Here's The Real Peak In Gold - Business Insider
Why cheap oil is here to stay - CNN/Money

ECONOMY
Unemployment rises in almost half of metro areas - AP
U.S. Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Fall to One-Year Low - Bloomberg
The Economic Reality That No One Wants to Talk About - Reich, HuffPost
Economy improving modestly, Beige Book says - MarketWatch
Jobs - A Solution at Hand? - Bruce Krasting
Why Main Street isn't hiring - CNN/Money

INTERNATIONAL
The dark side of Dubai - The Independent
Barclays bankers to get 150pc pay rise - Telegraph
ECB leaves key rate unchanged; eyes on Trichet - MarketWatch
China Says Dollar, Not Yuan, Needs Global Attention - Bloomberg
Thrifty Britons cash in on low interest rates and falling bills - The Independent
As Crisis in Dubai Unfolds, Quick Answers Are Unlikely - NY Times
ECB prepares to tip-toe toward the exit on loans - MarketWatch
S&P acts again on Dubai - FT AlphaVille

REAL ESTATE
FHA wants more "skin in the game" - Chicago Tribune
U.S. housing market meltdown not over yet: Zandi - Reuters
Toll Brothers: Look, McMansions Are More Affordable Than Ever - Business Insider
If You Think Home Prices Are Rising, Think Again - Olick, CNBC

FED/TREASURY/BANKING
Bernanke's biggest fears - CNN/Money
Q&A: Former Fed Official Poole on Bernanke and Politics - WSJ Economics
Most Senators “Have Fingers in the Wind” on Bernanke - Naked Capitalism
Bernanke will survive confirmation hearing - MarketWatch

INTERESTING
Leaving the Right - Sullivan, The Atlantic
Search on for missing Ore. Christmas tree cutters - AP
FDIC: 9 million U.S. households have no bank accounts - MarketWatch
Dubai Shows What A Property Plunge Really Looks Like - Bloomberg
The Roubini rebrand - Salmon, Reuters

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