* James Altucher: The five reasons Freakonomics was a bestseller

* Blackstone on pensions: “We oppose scapegoating public employees”

* Morning Call: U.S. futures look flat, London drops early, European shares extend losses and the Nikkei falls.

* Larry Cheng: The web’s most popular VC bloggers

* Growth industry? As cremations rise, ocean burials also gain

* Felix Salmon: How Larry Summers hobbled Obama’s economic policy

* Nicholas Carson: PE firms throw a billion dollars at MLB.com, but strike out

* Sid Savara: 7 reasons you should never check email first thing in the morning

* Sarah Lacy: The Founder Institute expands to South America. Where should it go next?

* This must be why most Starbucks have public restrooms: New “trenta” cup is larger than your stomach

* Ouch: Cleveland Plain-Dealer interviews owner of the Washington Generals, to opine on the woeful Cavaliers

* Understatement of the day: Eileen Rominger, former CIO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, has been named director of investment management at the SEC. Peter Lattman suggests that “her first few days could be a bit awkward.”

* Tim Geithner declines Rep. Darrell Issa’s invite to testify before the House Oversight Committee. To bad, because he could have come with a video monitor and this Issa chestnut about how TARP could cost taxpayers over $23 billion (h/t Politico)

* The bears are talking Chinese currency:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnAT7FZpmg0]