SPB News for Wednesday.

'Michael Steele, fugitive slave'[this is hilarious]

Feds 'to let CIA off the hook for tapes'

Google execs collect bonuses

Top executives at Internet search king get millions in job-related awards.

White House Knocks Jim Cramer For Calling Obama Budget “Greatest Wealth Destruction By a President” — NBC's Tom Costello, on duty at the White House today, asked press secretary Robert Gibbs about some comments made by his CNBC colleague Jim Cramer. On the Today show this morning …

Bernanke Says Insurer AIG Operated Like a Hedge Fund — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said American International Group Inc. operated like a hedge fund and having to rescue the insurer made him “more angry” than any other episode during the financial crisis.

New Whitehouse.gov Page: Iraq 'Its Own Responsibility'

Geithner: 'Obama Inherited Worst Fiscal Situation In U.S. History'

NYT: More Bush DOJ Memos May Be On The Way

GOPers' Letter: Investigate Intel Chief Freeman for Saudi Ties

Gov. Paterson's Approval Rating Plunges Lowest Gubernatorial Rating

KBR Posts $88 Million Fourth-Quarter Profit Engineering and construction firm. KBR Incorporated has reported a fourth-quarter 2008 net income of $88 million, up 23.9% year over year, on strong revenue across the board, especially in the Services business unit. Net income for the year totaled $319 million, compared with $302 million in 2007.

Pakistan declares: 'We are at war' --Pakistan in shock after masked gunmen ambush Sri Lankan cricket team, leaving seven people dead and six players injured . Pakistan declared that it was in a "state of war" after masked gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan cricket team as they were on their way to play a Test match, injuring six players and their English assistant coach as well as killing seven Pakistanis. The spectacular military-style raid in Lahore bore marked similarities to the assault in Mumbai last year, which left 172 people dead.

U.S. senator wants Fed to name loan recipients A U.S. senator berated Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday for refusing to name banks that borrow from the central bank and introduced legislation that would require public disclosure. In a testy exchange at a hearing before the Senate Budget Committee, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), said he found it "unacceptable" that the central bank risked taxpayer money without detailing where the funds went.

US banks may need more bail-outs, says Ben Bernanke The Chairman of the Federal Reserve warned that the US Government may have to pour even more cash into the twin bail-outs of its financial and economic systems. Ben Bernanke said the White House would have to consider increasing the scope of its $750bn banking rescue package, as well as readying further aggressive measures to shore up the world's biggest economy.

Scientists, Conservationists Cheer Obama at Interior Dept. By Chris Good The march away from Bush continues as President Obama issued a memorandum canceling (pending further review) a Bush edict pertaining to the Endangered Species Act, and evidently some Interior Department employees were happy enough to cheer about it.

Sarah Brown gives Malia and Sasha Obama clothes from Top Shop Sarah Brown has given Barack and Michelle Obama's daughters a gift of British style from the high street chain Top Shop. The Prime Minister's wife talked for more than an hour with Mrs Obama, the First Lady, in the East Wing of the White House. She personally gave the gifts to the President's daughters Malia, 10 and Sasha, 7. The Prime Minister's wife also gave the girls children's books by British authors. In return, Mrs Obama presented Mrs Brown with a model of the Presidential helicopter Marine One to give to her two boys Fraser and John.
Quigley Wins Dem Nomination For Emanuel's House Seat
Polly Klaas killer appeals sentencePolly's 1993 death led to creation of California's three-strikes law.

Steele joins stealing Minnesota choir

Puerto Rico to cut 30,000 govt. jobs