SAR #12288

Romney – at least he cares enough to fake it!

Opportunity: Turkey is continuing its push to become a major player in the Middle East by taking the lead in the anti-Assad effort. It has moved troops and aircraft into its border region with Syria, intercepted arms being flown into the country, and is loudly condemning the UN for its inaction. If this is all at or with US urging, we should be careful what we wish for.

No Place Like Home: Asked about the difference between visiting Athens and visiting Stuttgart, Frau Merkel mentioned that the 7000 Greek police kept the crowds far enough away so she couldn't hear them, whereas in Stuttgart they booed so loud and so long she gave up and went away. The Greeks should be so lucky.

GMO – Genetically Modifying Offspring: Australian scientists report that components of a new type of GMO wheat, when eaten, can enter humans and cause their offspring to “tend to die by the age of about five.” The research findings are “absolutely assured. There is no doubt...” except, of course, on the part of the companies who stand to profit from killing off their customers.

Being Prepared: There are a number of mobile apps that make it easy to record video and audio of your interactions with police, "to keep citizens safe from their local and federal governments.”

Democracy In The Streets: Pro- and anti-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators in Cairo exchanged views on the direction of the country, resulting in at least 100 being injured. Questionable decisions by the judiciary are at the base of the current demonstrations.

Choices: Tokyo Electric Power Company admits that it knew the power plants at Fukushima Daiichi were vulnerable and that they could have taken steps to prevent the disaster but management was afraid that averting the disaster would cut into their profits could have upset the people living near the power plants.

Another One Bites The Dust: Another senior Al-Qaeda operative has been killed this time in Algeria, bringing to 147 the number of senior Al-Qaeda lieutenants killed so far this year.

Fist Aid: Five Bahrainian medics who were thrown into dungeons for the crime of administering first aid to people injured during protests against the autocratic dictatorship of the tiny but rich US partner in defending access to Middle Eastern oil have begun a hunger strike, trying to shame the government into stopping their torture.

The Beatings Will Continue: Ms. Merkel says that there is no alternative to "arduous" overhaul of the Euro area. She didn't mention the Sudetenland. Citi has moved the date by which they expect Greece to exit the euro to 1H2014. and others suspect that Greece will be gone in six months, providing an object lesson pour encourager les autres.

Courage of Their Evictions: The increasing spread of the forced eviction of farmers and local rural residents from their lands and homes is giving rise to increasing protests by the dispossessed, who risk official violence and jail for complaining. This is "a serious threat to social and political stability."

No Means Yes: Senior EU/ECB/IMF officials – and their Greek lackeys – say that having the Greek authorities depopulate the smaller Greek islands to increase their attractiveness to rich investors was brought up “only at the technical level” and was never proposed at the ministerial level. . Mass relocation being, obviously, a technical matter.

Essay Assignment: For the usual prize, 10 words or less: What happens when the price of oil needed for marginal production exceeds the price the economy can afford to pay?

The Parting Shot:

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A puff piece.