I still don't get why Madoff didn't run or ride the bullet train. Here are the things you need to do if you've got means and need to flee the country.

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Yes, it's clearly fundraising for a good cause . But did they come up with this gala idea before the economy collapsed? I'm actually skimping and going for the $25,000 ticket, because times are tough.

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Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=DTJJ...

Prepare for the end of civilization now with your very own war garden. Google Books has a full scan of the 1918 classic, “War Vegetable Gardening and the Home Storage of Vegetables.” The section on turnips is especially fascinating.

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Link: http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=12313

Even the Christian Right is suffering in this economy. Who would Jesus fire? I guess 202 people just found out in Colorado Springs.

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BUSINESS BUZZ: Bank holding companies are the new hotness. Just transform your business from whatever it is now — say, American Express or Petco — to a bank holding company, and you can line up for some that sweet bailout cash. It's not so easy. But a number of companies are mulling the change to get more help from the government in the form of cold, hard currency.

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The Best Links:

1. Houston Bank Applies for Treasury Infusion
2. CIT Group Applies to Become a Bank Holding Company
3. What is a Bank Holding Company?
4. Petco Applying To Be A Bank Holding Company, Too (Joke!)
5. The Fed Approves American Express’ Application To Become A Bank Holding Company

BUSINESS BUZZ: The major U.S. electronics retailer bites the dust. Welcome to the Christmas Shopping Season of Doom (TM)! Yes, this year, instead of having big end-of-year sales, it's going to be all about layoffs and padlocked doors.

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The Best Links:

1. “You’re gong to see a record number of retailer bankruptcies and closings.”
2. It Might Not Be The End For Circuit City Just Yet
3. Circuit City Files for Bankruptcy

BUSINESS BUZZ: A collection of bad news emails from some of the suddenly smaller startups out there. Hard economic times are also full of opportunities: For instance, the opportunity to practice firing people via email.

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The Best Links:

1. I Have Some Bad News (Nick Denton, Gawker)
2. How To Handle Layoffs (Jason Calacanis, Mahalo)
3. I Thank Your For All You Do As Yahoos (Jerry Yang, Yahoo)
4. A Difficult Decision and Refocus (Allen Murabayashi, Photoshelter)
5. How To Tell If You’re Going To Be Next

CULTURE BUZZ: The pop culture magazine is shutting down (again). The web site will stick around for now, though they’re revamping it to be a TMZ competitor. Sad times.

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The Best Links:

1. A New Website Will Emerge From The Ashes
2. Radar’s Laying Everyone Off

BUSINESS BUZZ: Naked short selling has played a key role in the current financial crisis, but what the hell is it? Here’s one definition : Naked short selling, or naked shorting, is the practice of selling a stock short, without first borrowing the shares or ensuring that the shares can be borrowed as is done in a conventional short sale. When the seller does not obtain the shares within the required time frame, the result is known as a “fail to deliver”. However, the transaction generally remains open until the shares are acquired by the seller or the seller’s broker, allowing a trade to occur when the order is filled.

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The Best Links:

1. Here’s How Naked Short Selling Works (Truths and Myths Exposed)
2. Naked Shorting Definition from Investopedia

A map of the no votes from the House on the failed bailout bill. Click through to see more data: Who voted no, where the no votes came form and where they fall on the political spectrum.

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