Interesting Items - Nov 12

Washington Post’s Robert Samuelson on the growth of the US welfare state

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/robert-samuelson-its-the-welfare-state-stupid/2012/11/11/e392868a-2ab0-11e2-bab2-eda299503684_story.html

US – The Top Oil Producer in 2020?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323894704578114492856065064.html

Fixing Finance

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/monopoly--competition--and-innovation-by-raghuram-rajan

Japan – Another Recession?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/business/global/japanese-economy-contracts-suggesting-return-to-recession.html