A new Gallup survey shows that depression rose 25 percent since the Deepwater Horizon disaster in April. Proof that losing your livelihood + watching your environment be destroyed + utter sense of helplessness = major case of the blues.

Yesterday BP announced that the cement plug in the leaking Gulf oil well was a success, and that a relief well would be finished later this month. The company also said the spill has so far cost it $6.1 billion.

Tropical Storm Alex, currently hitting Mexico and Belize, "should have a very minimal effect on the cleanup" in the Gulf, says an oil industry weatherperson.