Glimpses of leading thinkers and the human values they argued for include Immanuel Kant (moral and intellectual autonomy), Benjamin Constant (protection from arbitrary power) and John Stuart Mill (promotion of human individuality).

ECONOMIST: Liberalism

Gold bugs see reckless monetary and fiscal policy leading to plummeting currency values and out of control global inflation.

FORBES: The Fight of the Century: Bond Buyers versus Gold Bugs

Finally, the 2012 forecast showed each of the areas continuing the trend of improving home values, while leading the country in gains.

FORBES: Flooring in Florida: Is This the Start of Something Good for the Housing Market?

Nor do Asia's intellectuals and politicians come close to unanimity about the notion of Asian values propagated by the concept's leading promoters, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's senior minister, and Mahathir Mohamad, the prime minister of Malaysia.

ECONOMIST: What would Confucius say now?

My theory is that the workplace recognizes and values masculine over feminine ways of thinking, acting and leading and that this creates a disadvantage for women.

FORBES: Do Women Fear Power and Success?

One U.S. official said the new effort is proof the administration values the contributions of the Iraqi Governing Council, some of whose leading members have pressed for a greater U.N. role.

CNN: U.S. seeking U.N. support, help on Iraq

Raising securitised credit becomes more difficult when a flood of discounted new models hits the market, depressing used-car values and leading to yet more discounting.

ECONOMIST: Detroit's nine lives