Free Republic

New York (CNN Business)This year hackers have unleashed cyberattacks against pipelines, ferry boats, meat packers, even police departments. And now they've come for the cream cheese. In October, a cyberattack against the largest US cheese manufacturer contributed to a nationwide cream cheese shortage shortly before the holidays, Bloomberg News reported, endangering holiday treats for millions. Bloomberg reported the attack targeted plants and distribution centers. As a result, Wisconsin-based Schreiber Foods was unable to fully operate for several days — just as it was heading into its peak busy period before the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.....

Blackstone Group LP CEO Stephen Schwarzman said up to 45% of the world's wealth has been destroyed by the global credit crisis in little less than a year and a half," he told the Japan Society. "This is absolutely unprecedented in our lifetime." ......He put part of the blame on credit rating agencies. Rating companies have been the focus of intense criticism for granting top "AAA" ratings for complex bonds that later plummeted in value, resulting in subsequent rating cuts, in many cases to junk status. "Once you bought into ... the Triple A paper and it turned out was...