SAR #11256

You may be less sophisticated than you think.

Extend and Pretend: After a party-line call with George, Angela and Nicky again pronounced the Union sound and promised to support the error euro. The world's banksters, in need-driven belief, celebrated, and Greece assured everyone that they'd really, really, do austerity this time. But Soros isn't a believer and in the background there are murmurs that Austria has failed to approve an increase to 21.6 billion euros required as its part of the euro rescue fund (EFSF), but Germany will Anschluss shush them and the Dutch promised to save the euro – but didn't mention saving Greece, Portugal or any of the other party-poopers. Hope that clears things up.

This Just In: The International Monetary Fund, which has forced austerity and privatization on third-world countries for the last 30 years now says that fiscal austerity “lowers incomes in the short term, [and] also raises unemployment, particularly long-term unemployment.” All they had to do was ask their victims.

Dumb: “Geology doesn’t create oil; capital creates oil.” Go pour money down a hole in your backyard and see how it works out.

Thinking Cap: “A paradox has emerged as oil prices remain high amid declining demand forecasts.” Maybe supply has dropped more than demand? Or perhaps the market doesn't believe the forecasters.

Up, Up, and Away: The US is selling 18 F-16 fighter jets to Iraq to help in its fight against Iran Israel insurgents.

Bush League: In the spirit of Bush's "Clean Air Act", killing Social Security will be called “Tax Reform” and “Promoting Retirement Security”.

Check It Out: Wells Fargo is offering “free checking” to customers, if the customer has at least a $7500 deposit. Otherwise it'll cost 'em $15 a month. Before you get too upset, the break-even would be if you can get 2.4% on your money anywhere else.

Rugged Individualists: The Census Bureau reports that 48.6 million Americans are covered by Medicaid – which is health-care for the poor. There are 44.3 million covered by Medicare, they all vote, and they want the government to keep its hands off their health-care.

One Thing and Then Another: The deep waters of the Antarctic shelf are warming ever so slightly. Enough so that more than a million King crabs have moved 120 km across the shelf and colonized the area for the first time in millions of years. The residents were not prepared and sea lilies, brittle stars, asteroids and sea urchin, which generally are common and diverse in Antarctic waters, were wholly absent in the crab zone. This will have devastating ecological effects for Antarctica's unique web of life.

An Obvious Solution: Rick 'wannabe' Santorum says the problem with Social Security is that “people are living too long.” Something should be done about that, he said. Like repealing Obamacare.

Factoid: The cost of becoming over-qualified to be a barrista has increased 400% in the last 30 years, but the product – the college degree – remains pretty much unchanged.

Money Quote: “It is highly improbable that the remarkable extreme weather events of 2010 and 2011 could have all happened in such a short period of time without some powerful climate-altering force at work. The best science we have right now maintains that human-caused emissions of heat-trapping gases like CO2 are the most likely cause of such a climate-altering force.” Dr. Jeff Masters

Porn O'Graph: Undulation, illustrated.