America: The Dumbening™ continues apace. BusinessWeek tells the story this time:

Many people in the U.S.—perhaps 20 million to 40 million—believe there will be a Second Coming in their lifetimes, followed by the Rapture . In this event, they say, the righteous will be spirited away to a better place while the godless remain on Earth. But what will become of all the pets?

Bart Centre, 61, a retired retail executive in New Hampshire, says many people are troubled by this question, and he wants to help. He started a service called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets that promises to rescue and care for animals left behind by the saved.

According to the story, "the service has attracted more than 100 clients, who pay $110 for a 10-year contract ($15 for each additional pet.)" I wish I had thought of this; scamming people who believe that they are so morally superior to everyone else that they're going to go to an always-open, always-free Cold Stone Creamery in the sky is the kind of business that I could really sink my teeth into.

(Thanks to Scary Tyler Moore for the tip.)