SAR #13237

If our lives and liberty were not at stake, this whole affair would be a hilarious sitcom.

Plot Thickener: The Independent attributed a sensational revelation about Great Britain running a “secret internet-monitoring station in the Middle East” to “documents obtained from the NSA by Edward Snowden.” Trouble is, Snowden said he was not the source for this or any other revelation made by The Independent. Okay, then who? And why?

No-Fly Zone: The Obama administration wants Congress to allow Obama to sign the super-secret Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty – turning sovereignty over to international corporations – before the document is even presented to Congress for debate. Fat chance.

Inconvenient Coincidences: A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that the closer the source of your water is to a hydraulically fractured gas well, the more likely it is that your water will be contaminated with methane. Correlation does not prove causation, but it might put a damper on fracking. 
 
Sauce: The Army sergeant who killed 16 Afghan civilians on a killing spree as been given life without parole for the massacre. How long should Bush/Cheney & Friends get for the massacre of tens of thousands of civilians in their Great Adventure in Iraq? Or Obama, for his rising toll in Yemen?

Enthusiasm Lite; New home sales fell 20% M/M in July, and sales for April, May, and June were revised downward 1,5%, 4.3%, and 8.4%respectively (all are SAAR). There will be a slight pause while exculpatory myths are rounded up.

The Headline: “JPMorgan Chase Not Akin to Nazis, Report Finds.” I feel better already.

Magic Elixir: That part of the story about US energy independence that depends on the falling demand for petroleum has been put on temporary hold as US demand rose sharply in July to the highest level in three years. 
 
The Story Behind The Story: Al Jazeera America debuted with a half hour presentation on climate change, which was more than CNN and Fox had given the issue – the most important of our time – in the past 4 months. How long before Al Jazeer realizes that the American viewer has been too dumbed down to appreciate being treated like a sensible, thinking adult?

Jobs Description: "A big part of the capitalist exercise is to find or create workers to exploit."

Eye of the Beholder: The Columbia, SC City Council has instructed the police to remove “unsightly homeless people” from the business district in order to improve the city's “quality of life.” The police chief was reluctant to enforce the ordinance because “homelessness is not a crime.” Even if they are unsightly.

Breadwinner: Elton McCabe just keeps trying. First he kidnapped a businessman in South Sudan and held him for ransom. US Sen David Vitter (Reptile, LA) interceded and got McCabe freed from that one. Now he's been convicted of extorting a $60,000 bribe in order to steer a $3.2 million military contract in Afghanistan to 'friends'. His defense: He was “trying to provide for his family." Found guilty, he must serve ten months in a federal facility. He'll probably end up leasing it to someone.

The Parting Shot:

 Original equipment.