GM announced record profit today —  more than $7.5 billion last year. That’s up 62 percent from 2010, but analysts were expecting better.

We’ve got some brand new and good-looking job news this morning. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell again last week. It’s near a four-year low.  And U.S. housing starts rose more than expected last month.

Nestle says sales fell in 2011 and it’s not expecting 2012 to be much sweeter.

European Markets are also lower this morning amid new fear that Greece might not be able to get more bailout money and will default on its debt within a month.

If you’re a fan of Snickers or Twix and you like to get the big king size candy bars, you better stock up now. By the end of next year, the Mars Company that makes them will stop selling all of its chocolate products with more than 250 calories. The King Size is 540. It’s part of a push for ‘responsible snacking’. But of course, if you’re still feeling irresponsible, I suppose you could always just get two Snickers bars.

Goats. Turns out the farm animals can develop individual goat-accents, and those accents change when they start hanging out with other goats.  According to researchers goats are now part of a limited group of animals known to pick up accents – including elephants, dolphins, and of course people.

To suburban Detroit, where there’s a speed limit sign telling drivers to slow down to 25 mph on school days. If your morning commute takes you past a school you’ve probably seen this kind of thing. But there’s a big difference: the Michigan sign includes 6 sets of times the rule applies… 6:49 to 7:15. 7:52 to 8:22. 8:37 to 9:07. And on…and on… The Oakland Press says that a frustrated driver complained, making the point that to actually read the sign, you’d need to stop.