SAR #13107

Our economy, society, and our government are based on faith, mostly the blind kind.

Floridation: The US is refusing to accept Nicolas Madura's victory in Venezuela's presidential election unless the country does a complete recount of all the votes.

Cat's Away: PA Governor Tom Corbett (R) proposed privatizing the state's liquor stores and using the money from liquor licenses to fund the state's schools. Why this would be better than simply giving the profits from the state stores to the schools was a bit fuzzy, but it doesn't much matter. Corbet went on vacation and his GOP buddies have decided to go along with the privatization, but to use the money on roads.

The Human Spirit: Even after ten years of incarceration at the Guantanamo prison, at least 43 of the 166 remaining 'detainees' have enough self respect and inner strength to struggle against their captors.

By George, He Did It: A thorough, nonpartisan, two-year investigation headed by George Bush's undersecretary for Homeland Security has concluded that then President George Bush directed the CIA to “engage in conduct that is clearly torture,” which is a crime against humanity under International law. George says “I'm comfortable with what I did." He wasn't planning on extensive foreign travel anyway.

Call Me In The Morning: In 2010, the FDA raided Cetero Research in Houston based on insider allegations that it had been less than scrupulous in conducting drug trials. They were, with at least 4 years of drug trials being found to be essentially worthless. Nearly 100 prescription drugs had been approved for sale based on the tainted research. Why haven't you heard about this? Because the FDA views faking research as “confidential commercial information” which would give other research firms an unfair advantage if they learned Cetero's business secrets. As for Cetero, it has changed its name and left town, to continue its business in an undisclosed location.

For Whom The Gun Calls: Over 60% of US gun deaths are suicides; less than 1% are mass shootings. Which problem should get the attention?

Two Market, Two Market: Retailers are learning to survive in our divided economy by marketing ever more expensive items to the rich and progressively cheapened stuff to the rest of us. The shrinking of the middle class has forced companies to seek ways of pandering to the rich while plundering the poor.

Kiss Of Death: Employers prefer hiring someone with no relevant experience than an ideally qualified candidate who has been out of work for more than six months. There are now 4.7 million former workers who cannot even get their resumes read, who have become untouchable.

Priorities: Texas AG Greg Abbott (R) is sure that Obama and the Democrats are “far more dangerous” than North Korea's Kim Jong Un. He also thinks the UN is after our guns.

The Parting Shot:

 

Dodecatheon meadia. Shooting Star.