SAR #9260

Maybe we should make our own plan.

Lone Ranger? Richard Cramer, a key ICE veteran anti-drug official has been arrested for acting in concert with a Mexican drug cartel, shipping large amounts of cocaine to Spain via the US, and selling US law-enforcement databases to the drug lords. Given all the money in the drug trade, do you think he's the only one?

Just the Facts, Ma'am: Someone in 27% of all US households has been laid off or lost their job. 41% of households report a cut in pay or work hours. The recession is over, Ben says.

Just Say'in: Why is the $856 billion 10-year price tag the first thing reported on the health care bill? At a paltry $85 billion a year it is far less than the money that's beenwasted every year for the past 8 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Quote: “We need segregated buses.” Rush Limbaugh, American spokesman.

Energizer Healthcare: Senator Bacus' proposal mandates insurance coverage for every American, but has no public option. In other words, the bill would turn every American into a customer for the insurance industry, and if they could not afford the premium, the government would pay for the insurance. A gift that will keep on giving.

Oily Days: China is putting $16 billion into Venezuelan oil exploration following Russia's announced $30 billion deal. Bidding wars beat real ones – and real wars take lots of petroleum.

Consider the Source: The man who didn't see the crash coming, even though he was paid to do just that, now says the recession is over, because he's paid to end it. But, he cautions, “"It's still going to feel like a very weak economy for some time because many people will still find that their job security and their employment status is not what they wish it was." Depends on what your definition of 'is' is.

Warm Bath: NOAA reports that this summer's average ocean temperature – at 62.5F (16.95C) - was the warmest since 1880.

Familiar Tunes: Norway's giant Victoria gas field isn't so giant after all. Tullow Oil says it has made a giant discovery off Uganda. Three big firms are competing for big reserves in the Gulf of Thailand

Different, But the Same: Single family housing starts, down 3% m/m, total starts up 1.5%. Initial unemployment claims were down 2.2% from last week, at 545,000 and down 1.5% m/m. Nothing to see here, move along.

Statistic: The American Journal of Public Health reports that 45,000 Americans die each year simply because they have no health insurance.

Giddy - Up! 12% of Wachovia's construction and development loans ($38 billion) are in default, compared to the nationwide average 3.6%. Wachovia was swallowed by Wells Fargo, with government encouragement and approval, so Uncle is probably on the hook for much of the potential losses.

Shoe / Foot : Telling Iran they can have a nuclear energy industry only if they get their fuel from a source friendly to the US is like telling them them they can have an oil industry as long as they use our oil.

Future Fads: Once peak oil percolates through the economy, everything will change: your city, your state, your transportation, your food, your housing and your way of life.

Can't Eat Just One: Massive amounts of bank securities are coming due and the only thing to be done, the banks say, is to revive the securitization market so they can roll them over into new worthless assets . This didn't work out so well the last time around.

Porn O'Graph: Who's to lead, who's to follow?