This shortened holiday week, the stock indices didn’t look like they were going anywhere. Until, that is, the disappointing non-farm payroll statistics sent markets scurrying downward today. If you thought the attention given to every single economic statistic was bad before, rest assured that the election will only make it worse. While we try our best to keep cool in the sweltering summer heat, here’s what we’re reading headed into the weekend.

• Drought conditions are threatening the largest corn crop in years (BusinessWeek)
• One the best pieces on the LIBOR scandal we’ve seen (Economist)
• Still wondering what, exactly, this Higgs thing is? Here’s the breakdown (Starts With a Bang)
• Blazing heat shatters records across the country (Weather Channel)

And just for fun…

• The 4^th of July by the numbers (The Big Picture)