The most important barrier is surprisingly prosaic--the IRS has for 25 years refused to rule on whether such contracts are mortgages--relegating them unnecessarily to a kind of legal limbo.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Mr. NOCERA: But surprisingly, this is pretty important stuff.

NPR: Bond Insurer Losses Could Have Broader Impact

And so, not surprisingly, I think the most important thing we can do right now is pass this jobs bill.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama at LinkedIn Town Hall

Surprisingly, his new cabinet gives important portfolios to Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji's first prime minister of Indian descent, ousted in a coup in May 2000.

ECONOMIST: The new regime may find it hard to return to democracy

In this Forbes.com video, The Three Key Traits that Will Get You Hired, Mike Bormant, the CEO of Blue Coats Systems, surprisingly argues that humility is the single most important attribute that a leader must have.

FORBES: Top 5 Ways to Cultivate Successful Character Traits

The most important lesson of Napster is that, surprisingly, people are willing to open their computers to, and share files with, complete strangers when they see value in doing so.

ECONOMIST: REPORT: COMPUTER NETWORKS

Not surprisingly, they talk about social networking , and how important it is to getting that next gig.

FORBES: Mr. President, Listen to Tech

This, in part, is because the single most important economic benchmark, employment, remains grim, surprisingly so.

ECONOMIST: Signs of economic cheer

Surprisingly, nearly 60 percent of property managers told us that a high credit score is actually not important.

FORBES: Financial Tips To Keep Your Apartment Search On Track

Then, what was perhaps more important was the fact that the numbers from the opening weekend of the holiday shopping season were surprisingly good.

FORBES: Casinos Still Offer Jackpots, Kinross Stays Golden