ars economica

I read in a review of a history of the American economy (hey! you! wake up, I'm talking to you...) that despite our deepening trade deficit, we still do a land-office business in scrap and waste. (By the way: what the hell is a land-office, and if it's such good business how come they're not on every corner like a Starbucks?) So we can't really make much of anything anymore...we're rather like a depleted stud bull, still consuming vast shares of feed, but redeemed in part via the fertilizing beneficence of its excreta.