Credit: National Snow and Ice Data CenterThe graph above shows daily Arctic sea ice extent as of March 22, 2011, along with daily ice extents for 2006, which had the previous lowest maximum extent, and 2007, the year with the lowest minimum extent in September.

FORBES: U.S. Navy Scrambles for Piece of Arctic Pie

By the end of the 2011 fiscal year (March 31, 2012), national government debt will top JPY 670 trillion (see graph from Yomiuri).

FORBES: Of Sumo and Japanese Government Finances

Industry wide individual client brokerage commissions peaked in March 2006 at over JPY 300 trillion annually have been plummeting to a current level roughly half that (see graph).

FORBES: On-Line Brokers and the (Unfulfilled) Promise of Tokyo's "Big Bang"