There’s been a bit of heat about this comic today. The NY Post defended itself with this statement:

“The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist.”

Wake up! It’s a new week, with more terrible information! This time around, let’s look at how many jobs have recently evaporated:

RTFA: http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=1683

This chart compares the job loss so far in this recession to job losses in the 1990-1991 recession and the 2001 recession – showing how dramatic and unprecedented the job loss over the last 13 months has been. Over the last 13 months, our economy has lost a total of 3.6 million jobs – and continuing job losses in the next few months are predicted.

By comparison, we lost a total of 1.6 million jobs in the 1990-1991 recession, before the economy began turning around and jobs began increasing; and we lost a total of 2.7 million jobs in the 2001 recession, before the economy began turning around and jobs began increasing.

RTFA: http://infosthetics.com/archives/2009/01/if_the_wo…

A gigantic isometric eBoy-like infographic, based on the concept of summarizing world statistics as a village of 100 people [binsworld.com]. As a result, all the objects and characteristics within it become a percentage: 6 cars, 24 televisions, 9 English speaking people, 10 homosexuals, and so on. The village is divided into 5 navigable zones: Economy, Life, Food, Danger and a World map.

However, somewhere the concept became a bit lost, as I suppose the 300 million bottles of wine and 2500 million cups of coffee are not destined to be consumed by a meager 100 people?

Tragically, it seems like the site is down now (slashdotting?) …but nevertheless the idea is great, so I’ve linked to information aesthetic, which in turn links to binsworld.

RTFA: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28549145/

Seems everyone is lining up for a government handout, but in the case of the porn industry, you may wonder where the hands have been.

TMZ is reporting that Hustler’s Larry Flynt and “Girls Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis are asking for a $5 billion federal bailout of adult entertainment because “the economy has made America’s appetite for sex go limp.”

Larry Flint Holds Press Conference Requesting 5 Million in Taxpayer $$ From Congress

RTFA: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28545081/

Hustler’s Larry Flynt and “Girls Gone Wild’s” Joe Francis say it’s the adult entertainment industry’s turn for a bailout, TMZ reported.

The economy has hurt their businesses, too, Flynt and Francis said — sales of XXX DVDs are down 22 percent — and they want $5 billion from the government.

Congress must “rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America,” Flynt said.

The only editorializing that can augment this story is to say: Yes, this is for real.

RTFA: http://finance.google.com/finance?cid=983582

…not to fan the flames or anything, but the DOW has returned to September 11, 2001 levels. Really, that’s not such a bad thing, given how overvalued everything became during the deregulation of the last 8 years. …but in 52 weeks, the volume of the DOW has been cut in half, and that level of shock is going to … reverberate.

Here’s the upside: there is still actual value in the US economy. Yes, we’re the collective victims of massive pump-and-dump fraud, but it’s hardy like “we” aren’t producing anything. In other words, the market needs to bottom out at some value above zero. That will happen when people start to believe that things are undervalued, so it will make sense to invest again. This very process can be hindered if there is no effective monetary system that functions as a medium for the transmission of value, and that just might happen if the dollar fails.

Why, dear reader, might the dollar fail? Get ready for Bretton Woods III.