From the Yahoo! Newsroom

A touchy word has entered the public debate about the future of America’s economy. It’s a word that would shock the nation in normal times, but as even Republicans begin to whisper it, temporary “nationalization” of troubled banks is increasingly seen as the best option for fixing our financial system.

Michael Krumboltz, Buzz Log

Being a Texas billionaire who loved cricket should've raised some red flags immediately. Now Robert Allen Stanford may be charged as the newest scam artist on the financial block...once the Securities and Exchange Commission finds him.

We just came through a marathon presidential election and are in the midst of a massive economic meltdown. From debates and town halls to press conferences and congressional panels, we've all seen our share of neckties. But why is it they're almost always red or blue?

So New York's very wealthy are addressing their distress in discreet and often awkward ways. They try to move their $165 sessions with personal trainers to a time slot that they know is already taken. They agree to tour multimillion-dollar apartments and then say the spaces don’t match their specifications. They apply for a line of credit before art auctions, supposedly to buy a painting or a sculpture, but use that borrowed money to pay other debts.

Keeping corporate secrets — especially those of the delicious kind — is big business for, well, big business. Recently, KFC moved Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe while it upgraded security for the corporate gem. "It was very nerve wracking," KFC President Roger Eaton told the AP. "I don't want to be the only president who's lost the recipe."

Let's hope the White House kitchen has an extra apron on hand: The Obamas have asked Sam Kass, a 28-year-old Chicago native who was their private chef, to pack up his knives and head to Washington. The New York Times reports:

A recent poll by Pew Research Center found that a narrow majority of Americans, just 51%, support the stimulus. And that's down from 57% in January. Even worse for the administration, support seems to be dropping among people who say they've learned more about the stimulus:

With majorities in the House and Senate, not to mention the guy in the White House, Democrats find themselves in a good position for passing bills. But that doesn't mean Republicans are making their jobs easy. The heated debate over President Barack Obama's (now) $838 billion stimulus plan has given some GOP leaders a reason to claim the spotlight ... and a way to rally their wounded party.

With job losses continuing to mount amid a deepening recession, it can be hard for job seekers to stay positive. In fact, it's downright tempting to curl up in ball and stay in bed all day. But idle hands are the devil's tools, as they say, and some people are finding out that keeping busy can yield surprising results.

Even before the current economic meltdown, green was the new black. Suddenly, reducing your carbon footprint was sexy. Buying energy-efficient hybrid cars was hot. Whatever you call it — sustainable living, environmentalism or good old-fashioned frugality — people are finding creative ways to reduce their spending and save the planet at the same time.

Last week, the House passed the then-$819 billion stimulus bill — without a single Republican vote. GOP senators vowed to oppose it as well, calling it a colossal waste of money, packed with pork and non-essential spending.

Is it possible for Republicans and Democrats to just get along? Reach across the aisle? Work hand-in-hand? If the skirmishing over the massive stimulus bill is any indication, the answer would appear to be a resounding "no."

It could almost be a made-for-TV movie: Woman gives birth to a miraculous eight babies. Delight turns to shock when it's discovered she's a single mother with six children at home. Fertility experts and the public express indignation and anger.

Today, Nancy Killefer became the latest in a long line of Cabinent nominees who have admitted they failed to pay the tax man. Which begs the question: Why do rich people have such a hard time paying their taxes?

In the current economic crisis, it's just another day when more layoffs are announced. But January 26 is likely to go down in history as the job market's "Black Monday" — more than 50,000 jobs lost in a single day. Now the question is: Who is hiring?

Egged on by laughter from aides, reporters and corporate executives, Obama pushed ahead: "As my children pointed out: In Chicago, school is never canceled," he said. "In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you’d go outside for recess." There was more laughter. "You wouldn’t even stay indoors."

What do Bernie Madoff and Rod Blagojevich have in common? No, it's not the start of a bad joke. And we're guessing the cringe-worthy moments that started their weeks didn't get either man laughing.

If life were a Disney movie and the White House and Congress were inhabited by Pinocchios, it's entirely possible that many noses would be dragging on the ground by now.

As President Barack Obama works on getting Congress to pass his stimulus bill, retailers around the globe continue to work on their own Obama-inspired stimulus plans.

Are secretive world leaders the new Elvis? Ever since Cuba's ailing Fidel Castro and North Korea's Kim Jong Il disappeared from the world stage, news agencies have breathlessly reported possible sightings like paparazzi stalking Brangelina.

The 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, falls on just the second day of President Obama's administration. Up to 200,000 antiabortion activists are expected to take part in the annual "March for Life" in Washington, D.C.

Barack Obama has a lot of work to do. Fortunately, he's riding an extraordinary wave of political goodwill. If the new president plays his cards right, he should be able to get a lot done, especially in his first 100 days.

One of the 10 sparkling balls that President Obama attended last night was the Commander-in-Chief Ball, which honors the United States' active and reserve military. Two service members in particular were honored with a whirl around the dance floor with the first couple.

For the millions of jobless in America, the best that many can hope for are a few weeks of severance pay and a shrinking pool of state unemployment benefits.

We've all talked about now-President Barack Obama's historic inauguration for months. From momentous moments to little flubs, there was a lot to see on Inauguration Day. Here's our list of hits and misses from today:

From The New York Times' 100 Days blog

Much ado about nothing? After Rev. Rick Warren delivered the invocation this morning, the reaction to his prayer has been muted, if not silent.

Will Hillary Clinton be confirmed later today as Secretary of State? According to AP, maybe not: