The stock market rose above pre-U.S. downgrade lows during intraday trade on Monday, but immediate fundamentals remain weak and policy makers in Washington seem hog-tied to do much about.

FORBES: No Double Dip Recession, But Companies Wary

In particular, James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Science Commitee, is annoyed that the station has become hog-tied by Russia's inability to pay for things, and feels Congress has been duped.

ECONOMIST: The space station

"The last two years were by far the most challenging in over 30 years, " Pope says, citing global recessionary conditions, fears about the H1N1 virus, the closure of some key export markets, spiking grain prices and extended low hog prices tied to oversupply.

FORBES

The things that have usually lived in the darker recesses or mad corners of our mind sexual obsessions and conspiracy theories, paranoid fixations and fetishes are now out there: you click once and you can read about the Kennedy autopsy or the Nazi salute or hog-tied Swedish flight attendants.

NEWYORKER: The Information