SAR #9357

Don't count Palin out, water seeks its own level.

Pudding's Proof:   Sunday night the Senate's health care bill passed its initial hurdles.  Monday morning health care stocks took off nearly straight up, which tells the whole story about health care, reform, and the state of democracy in the U$A.

Gilbert & Sullivan:   Observers in Israel warn that Iran's Keystone Kops seizure of a lone, non-producing oil well in Iraq was not the farce many made it out to be. It may have been a carefully composed message to the US&Company that Iran does not have to sit around waiting for someone else to start the troubles. And no-one should be surprised when America's plans for Iran go awry, we've got tradition to uphold.

Somewhat Pregnant:  How can the Congress pass a bill requiring citizens to buy a product from private companies? Social Security and Medicare taxes they get away with because they are, well, taxes. But there is no national health insurance that these mandatory payments will purchase, so how is this remotely legal?

My Slice:  It would take 187 new nuclear plants to meet US CO2 emission goals, but the nuclear industry will settle for 25 or 30 – enough to keep their “share” of electricity market profits, but not enough to do any good for the environment.

All In Favor...  Simply put, the reason there are fewer and fewer jobs in the US is because international corporations and Wall Street and the big retailers and everyone who sits at those brainstorming sessions in Washington will make more profit from goods manufactured in China or Bangladesh. Profit from lower wages. Profit from lower taxes Profit from evading environmental controls.  Profit.

Dow(n) Theory:  Which is the better investment strategy, 'Buy and hope' or 'Buy and hold your breath'?   Are you going to bet on deflation or inflation or hyperinflation?

On ICE:  “If you don’t have enough evidence to charge someone criminally but you think he’s illegal, we can make him disappear.” James Pendergraph, then ICE executive director, Office of State and Local Coordination.

The Little Man Upon the Stair:   Scientists say they are 75% sure they have finally found evidence – 2 fleeting particle tracks deep in a iron ore mine a half mile underground – of the dark matter that makes up 90 to 99% of the universe. In that dark matter is thought to be the scaffolding on which the universe as we know it is suspended, this is good news.

Bringing in the Sheaves:   Israel has admitted “harvesting” organs from dead Palestinians and others, without the consent or knowledge of their families. It was okay, Israel claims, because it used only “found” cadavers and did not kill to order. Israel’s health ministry said all harvesting was now done with permission.

The Rub:   Last week's stock market moved a little here, a little there and mostly nowhere. These sideways sessions are... tiresome. Boring. Where's the adventure? The zing? But wait, the nation's economy, like an ocean liner, has immense inertia. There is very little, if anything, that can – given today's information technologies – make a company worth 10% more this week than it was last. Not in the real world. But in the fantasy world of the stock exchanges, companies' value not only can, but should, change that much, every day. Up, up, up! Nonsense.

Porn O'Graph:   Where the jobs aren't.