Good morning, everyone.  Let's see what is on the internet this morning.

I saw a blip of a story on this earlier.  First Arizona, now Texas.  I wonder how many more states will get dust storms.  Several people told interviewers they have never seen anything like this.  I don't doubt.  The last time Americans experienced anything like this was in the Dust Bowl years--70-odd years ago.

I was a bit amused by two interesting data points on the news over the last couple of days: September's retail sales numbers were up slightly and the largest banks saw a slight increase in credit card delinquencies.  Anybody wonder if the two might be linked?  And then Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism indicates that it isn't just credit card delinquencies that have ticked upward.  I agree with her assessment--the so-called recovery is so close to nonexistent that calling it a recovery stretches the definition to meaninglessness.

Then there is Herman Cain who seems to think he is running for Joker In Chief.  All we need--another candidate who shoots from the lip.  I don't know which is more disgusting: Cain's 'joke' or the enthusiastic response to a plan that might just electrocute someone.

Here are a couple of cute cartoons that capture the problem with our current economy.  Enjoy!!