The rate guarantee language has been removed from all marketing materials including the state-specific booklets and rate sheets.

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The year also saw Arctic sea ice hit a record low in more than 30 years of satellite observations and studies that found the world's major ice sheets have been shrinking at an increasing rate.

CNN: NOAA: 2012 broke U.S. heat records

In mature markets, with the turbo-boost of leverage gone and bank balance-sheets still to be slimmed, a growth rate in line with GDP is probably as much as can be hoped for.

ECONOMIST: Banks will still make money, just less of it