SAR #13165

In a rational world... wait, anybody seen one of those lately?

In The Affirmative: Asked specifically if e-mails were being 'vacuumed' by the government, NSA chief Alexander declined to answer for fear of revealing too much. That would be a “Yes."

Surprise! The Supremes unanimously – unanimously! – ruled that human genes cannot be patented. The logic used would imply that no gene sequences may be patented because those seeking the patent did not create our genes.

Nation Of Laws, Less: In the process of arresting protesters, Turkish police rounded up at least 50 lawyers. This is not new, 9 lawyers arrested in January for representing clients the government doesn't like, are still in jail. No charges, no legal actions.

Twelfth of Never: When will the government stop lying to the people?

Disorderly Conduct: The World Bank, worried that China will undergo a sharp slowdown, is forecasting GDP growth to slow to 7.7% - the lowest in 14 years, leading to a disorderly unwinding...

Better Men: A strong embrace of laissez-faire free-markets ideology is linked to the rejection of established science regarding climate science, evolution, the HIV basis for AIDS or tobacco causes cancer. Those who reject climate change are also more likely to accept conspiracy theories. Rejecting reality seems a pre-condition for embracing bare-knuckled capitalism.

Quoted: “[T]he sequestration policy is doing exactly what it was intended to do: it’s hurting the nation’s economy and taking benefits from American families that need them. Worse, the sequester is undermining the country for no reason ”

Inquiring Minds: If housing is undergoing this terrific resurgence in sales and prices and the bands are playing and children throwing flowers and there's sunshine everywhere, why are the banks laying off people at about the same pace as they did back in 2009?

Patience/Virtue: Glyphosate, “the major component of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide” could “trigger . . . debilitating diseases like gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s” . Could; guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Math Class: Arctic permafrost soils contain “about half of all the estimated organic carbon stored in Earth’s soils” and they are warming “faster than Arctic air temperatures.” Speed kills.

Preposition Proposition: Texas' Gov. Goodhair decreed that the First Amendment does not provide freedom from religion, only freedom of. Chose whatever you want (as long it is a version of Christianity), but you gotta have one or suffer in silence.

Porn O'Graph: David vs. Goliath.

The Parting Shot:

Weed, unloved.