Il Silenzio...

Via my mom:

Home Prices...

Down again.  Below is the latest update of the Case-Shiller index.  It's good news if you're buying a house, bad news if you're selling...

Budgets and Debt Ceiling...

The Washington Post has a couple of primers on the current budget plans before Congress and the history of the debt ceiling.  If you don't know this stuff, go study.