Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Jason in North Idaho mentioned the documentary “Alone in the Wilderness about Richard Proenneke. Jason notes: “I saw it on on PBS. It was very good documentary.”

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The day’s economic news, starting with this from The New York Times, courtesy of Karl K.: The End of the Financial World as We Know It. Next, Jonathan B. sent this: The Economist magazine says its a depression. Allen sent us this sobering piece by the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of The London Telegraph: Asia needs to fully wake up to the scale of the West’s economic crisis. And top all that, come these from Cheryl: China, Crystal Maker Waterford Wedgwood Collapses [JWR Adds: Be advised that this corporate umbrella includes Doulton, the makers of the Big Berky ceramic filter elements. So stock up!] — Ford’s US Sales Drop 32% in DecemberBailout Costs Exceed All American WarsUS Asks Arab Nations for $300 Billion to Fund Auto BailoutIdle Ports Signals Two Bleak Years Ahead in World TradeWall Street Braces for 2009’s First Full WeekBuffet’s Berkshire “has nowhere to hide”Downturn Stress Impacting HealthAs Recession Deepens, So Does Milk SurplusAmerica Shifts to Cheaper Wines, and More of Them

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Justin M. flagged a piece in The Los Angeles Times that indicates that Asian Avian flus is still a threat: New bird flu cases revive fears of human pandemic