SAR #11195

I'm not sure I should believe everything I think.

Words in a Certain Order: Greece's default is now accepted as inevitable, and the banksters are scrambling to find a way to structure a default so that it isn't legally a “credit event or selective default”. Instead the "intention [is] to make Greek debt more sustainable," with interest rates lowered, maturities extended and the "flexibility and scope" of the eurozone bailout fund "enhanced". The big problem is Germany, which says there is no hurry to address the problem. Ireland's debt has been lowered to 'junk' status – and their problem had been 'solved' by the same set of financial wizards. Italy is going to solve its problems with more severe austerity plans – the kind that have worked so well in Greece, Ireland and Portugal and are the Republicans' favorite tonic for the USA.

Caveat Emptor: Radioactive beef has found its way to market in Japan. The US Forest Service reports that spraying fracking waste-water on trees isn't good for them and we already knew it was contra-indicated for humans. By 2100 global climate change will have driven 10% of today's species to extinction – the article wasn't clear if humans were part of that 10%.

Long Knives: Two lead Florida AG investigators assigned to the Economic Crimes Section have been forced to resign because they were investigating the economic crimes of foreclosure mills.

What Goes Around...Early in the 20^th Century GM went around the country buying up and dismantling public transit companies – mostly trams. Now it wants to help out cities that don't have decent public transit by electrifying buses.

No Rest: US hedge funds are placing big bets on the collapse of Italy. Nice to see the vultures will be well fed.

Parts Is Parts: The National Association of Realtors has acknowledged the need for some revisions to their sales numbers. For example, in Illinois the NRA exaggerated the median price of of a condo in Chicago by claiming prices increased 10% when they had actually fallen 23%. They've been “overestimating” existing home sales volumes, too. Wait for the revised edition.

Sick: Every politician who plans on saving “the government” money by cutting Medicaid and Medicare should have to work a week in the emergency room of public hospitals or free clinics, and tour the shut in and elderly sick who depend on Meals on Wheels before they congratulate themselves on their virtue.

Devil/Details: Obama says we have to eat our peas, but not for a couple of years. He says “Nobody has talked about increasing taxes now. Nobody has talked about increasing taxes next year. We’re talking 2013 and the out years.” Yep. Chaste, but not yet.

If Only: A Harvard doctor says we should take fat kids away from parents and not return them until the parents have undergone “instruction on parenting.” Could we make the instruction a mandatory pre-requisite for parenthood?

Timing Is Everything: The Financial Times ran a piece claiming that government could and would bail out the banks the next time around. Of course, but why are they bringing this up now?

Keep On Keeping On:Wisconsin Democrats defeated the GOP's fake candidates in local primary elections. Seems the voters aren't quite as dumb as the Republicans hoped.

Unintended Consequences: One of the more serious consequences of the Republican shutdown of Minnesota's state government is the closure of the state tax office which collects taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. No tax stamp, no sales. The natives are getting restless

Just Doing It: A breathless report informs us that Nike, Adidas, Puma and everyone else making stuff in China is dumping toxic chemicals into China's rivers. Just like here, when they can get away with it.

Something Else: Preliminary studies in the Midwest suggest that genetically modified crops threaten butterflies by depriving them of their habitat.