SAR #7353

The question facing civilization is

“What happens after it doesn’t get better?”

Saying No! At least 14 states have rejected $15 million in Bush Administration funding for abstinence-only programs, which have been proven to be ineffective. Now if they'd only reject the NCLB funding...

Getting Malled: Shares of Centro Properties, owner of 700 US malls in 40 states, plunged 76% after cutting its profit forecast as it struggles to refinance debt. The company's traditional sources of funding are "shut for business" and it cannot refinance more than $4 billion in outstanding debt, equal to 44% of its assets. More than my waistline has become over-expanded.

Dark Side of the Moon : Money is not a thing, it is a process. We give money to the grocer for food, who in turn pays others who pay others who pay those who burn down the Amazon and grind up nature to grow our food. We buy clothing from the corporation which in turn pays others to rape the land and and poison the sea to bring garments made by enslaved children to us in all their many colors. Even the most peaceful of us buys books on climate change with money that goes into taxes which pay for 'defense;' which has become little but government sanctioned cruelty, torture, and death.

Cod Damn It: Open-net salmon farms are a haven for parasitic sea lice, which then infect nearby populations of wild salmon. Affected pink salmon populations have been rapidly declining for four years. Scientists expect a 99% collapse in another four years. I've still not over not having cod, now this.

In at the Krill: The Antarctic Peninsula is warming five times faster than the average rate of global warming. The vast Southern Ocean has warmed all the way down to a depth of 3000m. Sea ice covers 40% less area than it did 26 years ago off the West Antarctic Peninsula. This decrease has led to reduced numbers of krill, a key resource in the aquatic food chain..

Dieting: The Department of Agriculture predicts global corn stocks will fall to a 33-year low of 7.5 weeks of consumption, while global wheat stocks will plunge to their lowest level 47 years at 9.3 weeks. Maybe I should lay in another 25# bag.

Mr. Bubbles: Greenspan, who only knows what he's read in the papers about the housing collapse, thinks that direct subsidies to financially strapped homeowners is the way to go. He's afraid of "distorting the housing market." About time.

Good News: Home builder sentiment held at a record low for a third consecutive month, weighed down by a huge supply of unsold new houses. It is at 19 for the 3rd month, an all time low. Anything below 50 is pessimistic. But it didn't go any lower. The scoring system my be scored so that 19 is the minimum score.

One For We the People: A Regan era Federal Judge ruled that White House visitor logs are public documents. The Bushies have been fighting the release of records showing visits by lobbyist Jack Abramoff and prominent religious conservatives to the White House, and oil magnates to Cheney's office and home.

Fairness: Behind the 60-Minute report on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is the amusing fact that discharges for being gay are way down when the troops are deployed. Gay soldiers in Iraq get to stay at their posts, finish out their 15 month tours. They don't get discharged "at the convenience of the Army" until they are back stateside.

C'mon Down! Monday the European Central Bank announced it would offer unlimited funds at below market interest rates in a special operation to head off a year-end liquidity crisis. Unlimited funds. At below market rates. Would you buy a used car from these people?