READING FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND OF 2014

A Nobel Prize in economics? Meet the economic movement that really deserves praise, and the prize (Yes Magazine).

Was it "public service" or his first step to the private gravy train? Former Treasury Secretary "Pallet Tim" Geithner is now leading one of the biggest financial firms on Wall Street ... surprise, surprise (Truth Out / Jim Hightower).

Why I love Christmas ... Teen, upset at not getting an iPhone, pulls a knife on his father (CNET).

How China just grabbed 90% of Ecuador's oil (Oil & Energy Investor).


NATIONAL SECURITY AND YOUR RIGHTS (and more)
District judge rules that the U.S. government can search and hold electronics at the border (NY Times).

Constitution exemption zone spans 100 miles inland of U.S. border, according district judge (RT).

U.S. Custom's officials won't apologize for destroying musician's rare flutes (Foreign Policy).

Obama NSA review panel: Strip NSA of power to collect phone data records (The Guardian).

U.S. nuclear weapons plans to cost over $355 billion over a decade: CBO report (Reuters).

It only took them 4 years to report ... The Washington Times (finally) reported in 2012 that the U.S. Border Patrol spent over $8 million in 2008 to sponsor a NASCAR team for recruitment purposes, which didn't work (Washington Times).


MORE NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES (and info)
What Edward Snowden revealed, and why he deserves a pass (NY Times Editorial).

What to do about Edward Snowden: The NY Times gets it right (CNET).

ACLU sues for details of U.S. surveillance under executive order (Reuters).

Inside TAO: Documents reveal top NSA hacking unit (Speigel Online).

No al Qaeda links seen in Benghazi attack ... militia and insults to Islam are the culprit (NY Times).

U.S. announces 6 sites for commercial drone testing (BBC).

'Military Style' raid on California power station spooks U.S. (Foreign Policy).

Keep your hands off the NSA? It may be fashionable to bash the premiere spy agency, but it's also wrong (Foreign Policy).


OBAMACARE
Obamacare enrollment surges past 2 million (SF Chronicle).

The Obamacare we deserve (NY Times / Michael Moore).

Justice Sotomayor grants temporary Obamacare exemption to nuns (Los Angeles Times).


MISCELLANEOUS
Fracking Hot: North Dakota man 'sets tap water on fire' ... with video (RT).

The Americanization of Canada's - and IKEA's - labor standards (Truth Out).

Uber Rides as public transportation (Reuters).

Ten hopeful things that happened in 2013 to get you inspired for what's to come (Truth Out).

- Mark