The United States still has the world’s most competitive information technology industry, but its lead is slipping, according to a new study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the Business Software Alliance.
read more | digg story

The billionaire oilman played up his clean-energy wind power plan on Tuesday, but there’s a pipeline plan up his sleeve to screw Texas out of its own water. Company officials and experts agree that a continuation of the drought impacting large portions of the United States could turn Pickens into something of a water [...]

New Zogby poll asks: I believe the United States’ system is broken and cannot be fixed by traditional two-party politics and elections:
Agree: 44% Disagree: 53% Not sure: 3%
…. and.. 18% would support efforts for their state to secede from the US.
read more [...]

The Canadian dollar is making headway against the US dollar in currency trading this morning. FX trading with the loonie should consider that the currency has been strong all year, remaining very close to parity with the US dollar.