slowing run away deficits while at the same time increasing spending in a bid to lift the country out of recession. $53 billion in tax cuts, $50 billion in job creating measures and a spending freeze on several programs that you heard the president talk about last week. one of the nation's major newspapers going on a diet. thanks to the recession starting with today's edition, "the l.a. times"" shrinking in page width to 11 inches from 12 inches. now is, they're also laying off 80 press operators for the first time in decades. today's times was printed without a stand alone business section. for those of you out there who love to play the lottery, your luck may be changing. dozens of states are now selling both powerball and megamillions tickets. till now you could only buy tickets for one or the other in in your state. the next step could be a national lottery by spring of 2011. well, the government should be buying some lottery tickets and maybe that would help us pay down debt.