Economics and Investing:

Bill R. and El Jefe Jeff E. sent us the latest Friday Follies news: Banks shut in Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.

GG sent this Christian Science Monitor piece: China: the world’s next great economic crash

Items from The Economatrix:

World Bank Sees Risk of Recovery Losing Steam

UK: Markets Panicked About Inflationary Spiral

UK: Families Face Years of Pain, Says Bank

Empty Office Spaces Soar in Downtown Seattle

Bank of America Loses $5.2 Billion in Fourth Quarter of 2009

FHA Raises Fees, Tightens Loan Standards

2009 US Airline Revenue: Worst Plunge on Record