• Japan’s first trade deficit since 1980 raises debt doubts (Reuters)
• Freddie Mac: What it did, what went wrong (CNN Money)
• Amid Attacks on Private Equity, Efforts to Study Its Value (DealBook) see also At Davos, a Big Issue Is the Have-Lots vs. the Have-Nots (DealBook)
• George Soros on the Coming U.S. Class War (The Daily Beast)
• Solar Proving Cheaper Than Diesel in India Making Mittal Believer: Energy (Bloomberg)
• Why Brokers Still Needn’t Put Clients First (Smart Money)
• In Europe, a Conflict Over Bank Capital (DealBook) see also Merkel Becomes Master of Markets With Euro Austerity Mollifying Investors (Bloomberg)
• Obama Urges Tougher Laws on Financial Fraud (NYT)
• 1984: The Swinging Days of Newt Gingrich (MoJo) see also Gingrich is Obama’s best surrogate (Washington Post)
• Google announces privacy changes across products; users can’t opt out (Washington Post)
• This is Tim: Apple’s CEO in his own words (Macworld)
• WTF headline of the day: Billionaires at Davos Bemoan Inequalities (Bloomberg) see also Davos Man Diminished by Scandal With Murdoch Perennials Missing (Bloomberg)
• Will Emerging Markets Fall in 2012? (Jeff Frankel)
• Fascinating history: How Slavery Led to Modern Capitalism (Bloomberg)
• Hi-larious! GREETINGS FROM DAVOS!!! (The Reformed Broker) see also Davos dodges the future of capitalism (Reuters)
• A Way to Make People Buy Homes Again (NYT) Lower prices?
• Carried Interest Debate Gains Momentum With Romney’s Income-Tax Disclosure (Bloomberg)see also Mitt Romney Is in the Top 0.0025% (WSJ)
• Fumblerules of Grammar (Lists Of Note)
• How Do We Identify Good Ideas? (Wired)
