Finally, a fresh idea—In a radio broadcast, Mexico’s economy minister, Fernando Canales, said the government would make cash available to help people who came up with good ideas for jobs. He emphasized the importance of creating your own job, even if it means making tacos or baking cakes.

P.S.—Reportedly the Mexican jobless ranks have swelled to their highest level since February 1999.

Capitalism’s best: screw the poor—“Schools serving the poor miss goals—California educators say the overwhelming majority of campuses with low income students failed to meet academic targets.”

Next, the death penalty—The state of Delaware has dismantled its gallows. Built in 1986, it hung one person that year and switched over to chemical injections (Dupont?). The massive wooden structure was knocked down after area historical institutions rejected taking it as a gift.

Better than we expected—“Corporate reform’s baby steps: The law to clean up Wall Street’s worst abuses is getting mixed reviews a year after its enactment. But some elements are a work in progress.”—Los Angeles Times headline.

Probably a maybe factor—“Volkswagen profits eroded by slow sales”—News headline.

Solidarity—The Cleveland Plain Dealer, runs a weekly “Thankful Thursday” column, some of it tripe.

One we liked: “Thanks to the staff of an area nursing home for their efforts to protect their patients, even though they now have lost their jobs.”

How about cooking books?—“NEW YORK—Federal prosecutors have reportedly opened an investigation into whether long-distance giant MCI defrauded other telephone companies of hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Los Angeles Times psst—Wal-Mart said it would partially obscure the covers of four women’s magazines sold at its checkout counters. The decision was supposed to be an effort to sell as many copies as possible while addressing concerns expressed by some customers about racy cover lines in some magazine.  
 
 
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