Neighborhood Watch: Tuesday, Jan. 6

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The military will consider developing chat bots-virtual "parents" that would comfort children of deployed soldiers via A.I.-enabled online chatting. Via Digg.U.S. forces gave back Saddam Hussein's palace in Baghdad, and moved into their new (and very heavily fortified) embassy in the city.Recession silver linings: library use is up and skateboarders are enjoying all the empty swimming pools.Tony Blair will be awarded the U.S. Medal of Freedom next week. That's the highest civilian honor our country doles out.In case you missed it, here's Michael Lewis's economic autopsy for NYTimes: The End of the Financial World As We Know It.Banana Muffin. Banana Muffin. Banananana. Muff. Muff. Nana. Banananana. Muffin. Banana Muffin.(Image by Karina Puente.)