Economics and Investing:

Reader Fred Z. sent this: No Accounting for Benefits: Our taxes barely cover our social-welfare programs; everything else is on credit.

KAF suggested this piece over at Zero Hedge: CME Margin Hike Is 4th AND 5th – Charting The Parabolic Rise In CME Silver Margin Hikes

How the Fed triggered the Arab Spring uprisings in two easy graphs. (SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate G.G. sent the link.)

Troy H. recommended a recent newsletter, wherein Jeremy Grantham gets downright Malthusian.

Items from The Economatrix:

China Said May Buy $1 Trillion in Gold

US Service Sector Expanded at Much Slower Pace

Economic Stress Drops to 3-Month Low

Rise in Layoffs, Gas Prices Cloud Hiring Outlook