Earlier this month, Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City, the 567-store electronics retailing giant that filed for bankruptcy protection in November, announced that it was going to liquidate. It's closing all its stores and laying off its 34,000 workers.

Officials of the nation's No. 2 electronics retailer, which had been restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and its creditors agreed to the closing after negotiations with two potential buyers seeking to continue the company as a going concern broke down. The company said that no value will remain for shareholders.

Top 10 Books 2008

1. Hot, Flat and Crowded - Thomas Friedman

2. The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

3. A Mercy - Toni Morrison

4. People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks

5. The Tales of Beedle the Barb - J. K. Rowling

6. Anathem - Neal Stephenson

7. Books: A Mmemoir - Larry McMurty

8. Chagall: A Biography - Jackie Wullschlager

9. Promised Land: 13 Books that Changed America - Jay Parini

10. America: A History in Art - William Scheller

Top 10 Albums 2008

1. Viva La Vida - Coldplay

2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

3. Rockferry - Duffy

4. To Survive - Joan As Policewoman

5. Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket

6. Konk - The Kooks

7. Fearless - Taylor Swift

8. Rook - Shearwater

9. Carried To Dust - Calexico

10. We Sing - Jason Mraz

11. Gossip In The Grain - Ray LaMontage

12. Saturday Night and Sunday Mornings - Counting Crows

January 8, 2009 — The University of Virginia offers students the best education for their money of all the nation's public universities, according to "Best Value Colleges for 2009," a ranking released today by The Princeton Review and USAToday.

Based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private colleges and universities, The Princeton Review measured more than 30 factors in three general areas: academics, cost of attendance and financial aid. It announced its rankings of the top 50 public and private universities in today's edition of USA Today.

"Few schools can match University of Virginia’s potent combination of phenomenal faculty, intelligent students, remarkable intercollegiate sports, and extraordinary academics. Indeed, students are continually impressed by the high caliber of opportunities available to them, both within the classroom and outside it. Notably, unlike other public institutions, there doesn’t seem to be a tendency for UVA students to be lost amid the paperwork and bureaucracy. Professors are accessible and devoted; many go out of their way to ensure that students are comfortable with the material."

It continued. "UVA exerts a tremendous effort to ensure its undergraduates have access to an affordable education. Between grants, loans, work-study, and numerous scholarships, students are able to find a means of financial support." ...read full article here...