Space for the deficit

New plan for the burgeoning U.S. budget deficit: blast it into outer space.

BBC reports that the American president has proposed blasting the deficit into the stratosphere. "The deficit is getting so big," he said, "we can't even fit it in Texas anymore! In fact, we've decided to send it to outer space." Fortunately, the deficit space program, nicknamed Operation Black Hole, won't go to waste. Colonel Lance Lourde of the Bush Budget Space Cadets has agreed to ride the deficit as far as Mars, then jump off and take a look around. That's noble of him, because by all indications, the deficit won't be coming back down any time soon.