| How to ride the market rollercoaster
City analysts are deeply divided about where the markets are going next. Some predict this is the start of a new bear market, warning that last week’s emergency US rate cut has come too late to stave off a recession in the world’s biggest economy. UK and European shares typically fall by 33% during American recessions, investment bank Morgan Stanley said. If history is repeated, the Footsie could drop to 4,500. Others think this is one of the best buying opportunities for 30 years, especially if there are further aggressive rate cuts on both sides of the Atlantic. The Fed could cut rates by a further half a percentage point next week, with the Bank of England following with a quarter-point cut a week later. Ian Jones at Lehman Brothers, an investment bank, said: "With the notable exception of the last bear cycle in 2001, stocks have bottomed an average eight months after the onset of recession.
Bomb Threat Closes Harnett County Courthouse
Lillington — Authorities closed the Harnett County Courthouse after receiving a bomb threat against the building Monday morning. An anonymous caller made the threat to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office at 8:44 a.m. The courthouse was evacuated, and bomb detection K-9 units searched the building, at 301 W. Cornelius Harnett Blvd. Police officers, fire officials and emergency medial personnel also responded. The search turned up no explosives in the courthouse. Officials said the courthouse reopened at 1 p.m., and officials prepared to resume proceedings by 1:30 p.m. The bomb threat came from a nearby pay phone, but authorities said they did not know who the caller was. Anyone with information about the incident should call the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office at 910-893-9111.
Carty: You wanna go to the movies? Better hurry
Good morning. Today is Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007. Tomorrow is a special day for me, Lauren and Max, our fuzzy refugee from an animal shelter up North: On Christmas Eve, we celebrate our wedding anniversary - Lauren and I, that is - and we all celebrate Max's birthday. He's 13 this year, which means he's been running our lives for more than a decade. The Christmas season also is a time to think about movies. You know the list: "A Christmas Story," "It's a Wonderful Life," "White Christmas," "Holiday Inn," "Miracle on 34th Street," "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Lemon Drop Kid" (you forgot about that one, right?). I was around when two of those were made, and I'll let you guess which ones. .
BRIEF: Columbus Real Estate Franchise Wins Award
Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Deloitte Research Leading Index of Consumer Durables Spending, introduced last month and applied retroactively to prior periods, declined for the fourth consecutive month, providing strong indication of future weakness in consumer spending on durables. .
American Opinion
Dept. of Justice (DOJ) - has been leading an aggressive effort to eradicate the illegal "diversion" of certain prescription painkillers. A particular target has been OxyContin, one of a class of drugs known as opioids, which was aggressively marketed by its manufacturer, Purdue Pharma. In 2001, the DEA launched a campaign called the "OxyContin Action Plan". The DEA says the plan is necessary due to increasing abuse of prescription drugs, particularly by youth. The agency, which has teamed up with state and local authorities, typically employs law enforcement methods developed in the government's "War on Drugs", including aggressive undercover investigation, asset forfeiture, and informers. It says its goal is to stop violations of the Controlled Substances Law. But critics charge that the DEA has focused too narrowly on doctors, exacerbating the already widespread problem of untreated or under-treated pain.
Peden named Patriotic Veteran of Year
Tom Peden, a native of Gray Court, S. C., who fondly adopted the Cleveland/Bradley County community more than 45 years ago, is this years Bradley County Patriotic Veteran of the Year. Peden Peden was presented the annual Raymond H. Miller Patriotic Citizens Award at today's 11 a.m. Bradley County Veterans Day program at Johnston Park. Growing up in South Carolina, Peden was a 1938 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor of science degree in textile engineering. His military career began at Clemson, where he was commissioned an officer in the ROTC. He was called to active duty in December 1941 after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Peden first reported to Camp Wheeler in Georgia, advanced to Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga., Camp Blanding in Florida and later to Fort Ord, Calif.
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