Foreclosure frenzy, Facebook follies

GOOD DAY FOR: Home shopping, after RealtyTrac reported that U.S. home foreclosures jumped 81 percent in 2008, as more than 2.3 million homeowners were subject to foreclosure proceedings. In all, 860,000 properties were repossessed by lenders. The highest foreclosure rates were in Nevada, Florida, Arizona, and California. (AP in Yahoo! Finance)

BAD DAY FOR: Hot property, after New Zealand police tracked down a would-be safe robber by posting security video footage on Facebook. The 21-year-old thief removed his balaclava at one point, because the room was hot, revealing his face for the video camera. “He was a very silly young boy,” said Mel Kelly, the assistant manager of the burgled bar. “The room is really small and it gets really hot in there at the best of times.” (Reuters)

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