Just how toxic are Fannie and Freddie?

Toxic enough, it appears, that Putin thought that Russia and China could join forces to bring down the American economic system. Be very afraid...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=afbSjYv3v814

Names I never expected to see in the same sentence...

The Union League and Johnny Depp:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/real_estate/20100131_A_table-inspired_makeover.html

"Enter Dutch artisan Frans Bulder, whose credits include work for the Union League and actor Johnny Depp."

Maybe I should get him to do a faux finish somewhere in my house!

(EDITED TO ADD: I came in to the League House this afternoon to give a tour, which wound up taking an hour and a half because the visitors were very engaged with the building, its history, and its collections. Now I've become rooted to my seat in the business center, unwilling to get up on my feet again. Time to head home, though...)