es that first-quarter revenue this year was down 13 percent from a year earlier. THE BIG PICTURE Small business owners don't want to take chances because they can see how troubled the national economy is, says Paul Merski, chief economist with the Independent Community Bankers of America, a banking trade group. "If you go through the litany of economic data, it is just not giving small businesses the confidence to hire, to expand," Merski says. "They don't see the future return on that (expansion), or the future cash flow to take on additional debt." One sign that small businesses may be poised to do more hiring is that they would take out loans to fuel expansion. But it's not just that companies aren't applying for loans. "Small businesses haven't even tapped their open lines of credit," Merski says. "I hear from community bankers saying, 'I wish I had loan demand." Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ. An insider's guide to politics and policy, available on the iPad or as a PDF download.
NEW YORK (AP) One of the art world's most recognizable images Edvard Munch's "The Scream" was auctioned for a record $119,922,500 at Sotheby's Wednesday. Only eight other works have sold at auction for more than $80 million. The pieces that have reached record prices, the artist, the auction date, the auction house, and the price are: "Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust," Pablo Picasso, May 4, 2010, Christie's New York; $106,482,500 (70,278,450 pounds). "L'Homme qui marche I," cast in 1961, Alberto Giacometti, Feb. 3, 2010, Sotheby's London; $104,327,006 (65,001,250 pounds). "Garcon a la Pipe," 1905, Pablo Picasso, May 5, 2004, Sotheby's New York; $104,168,000 (58,052,830 pounds). "Dora Maar au chat," 1941, Pablo Picasso, May 3, 2006, SNY; $95,216,000 (51,560,080 pounds). "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II," 1912, Gustav Klimt, Nov. 8, 2006, CNY; $87,936,000 (46,282,105 pounds). "Triptych," 1976, Francis Bacon, May 14, 2008, SNY; $86,281,000 (44,403,788 pounds). "Portrait du Dr. Gachet," 1890, Vincent van Gogh, May 15, 1990, CNY; $82,500,000 (49,005,049 pounds). "Le basin aux nympheas," 1919,toms sale, Claude Monet, June 24, 2008, Christie's London,toms shoes sale; $80,379,591 (40,921,250 pounds). Source: Sotheby's Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved,toms shoes sale. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ. An insider's guide to politics and policy, available on the iPad or as a PDF download.
LONDON (AP) Former News of the World editor and Rupert Murdoch lieutenant Rebekah Brooks will testify next week at Britain's media ethics inquiry, organizers announced Thursday. Brooks, who resigned in July as head of Murdoch's British newspaper operation, is one of the central figures in the scandal over tabloid phone hacking that is shaking the country and Murdoch's News Related articles:

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