SAR #15056

Germany is engaged in economic war, Greece is its first casualty.

 

Flashman: Is the next step for the Keystone XL pipeline an attempt by the Republicans to override Obama's veto, so they can blather, blather, or will they come up with something that has a chance of being relevant?. Note that Obama did not reject the pipeline outright, but gave himself a chance to play wishy-washy for a while before having to commit. A specialty. 
 
Just Wondering: Why do universities get to investigate (or not) rapes that occur on campus or in frat houses or are committed by college athletes? Are they little nation states? 
 
Dusky Desert? What if the Saudis are letting (or causing) oil prices to fall in order to undermine U.S. and Canadian oil production (fracking and tar sands) because Saudi oil field decline has peaked and will decline sharply within a decade and thus they need to get rid of the competition and drive the price way above $100 for as long as they can pump from their depleting reserves.

Phraseology: The US is investigating the possible rigging of precious-metal prices by the big banks. Possible.

Footnoted: Amid the roar of Wall Street singing 'Recovery and Growth Forever', a small voice, Robert Shiller's, notes that “The housing recovery is faltering. While prices and sales of existing homes are close to normal, construction and new home sales remain weak. Before the current business cycle, any time housing starts were at their current level of about one million at annual rates, the economy was in a recession.”

Protecting And Serving: After being adjudged mentally incompetent by a Florida court, the mentally ill woman was dragged through the courthouse by her schackled-together feet. 
 
Training Day: For years, Chicago cops have been operating a CIA-type 'black site' where prisoners were... interviewed.

Clown Car: Ron Paul accused the Congressional Black Caucus of opposing war – against ISIS in this instance – because its members want to use the money for food stamps. Nevada Republican state Assemblywoman Michele Fiore claims that cancer is a fungus you can flush out with salt water. Too bad you can't get rid of Republicans as easily. Christy Perry (Religiously Impaired, ID) says the government has no right to prevent parents from sending their kids to be with Jesus if they want to.

Spot Quiz: Remember those large, mysterious craters discovered in Siberia a while back, the ones that may have been caused by a huge release of methane gas? Well, several more – at least one of very recent origin – have been found. It would be a Good Idea to determine just what's going on.

Lawyer up! Australian scientists have concluded that at least two thirds of smokers die from smoking.

Pig In A Poke: The United States' top trade official, testifying with a hood over his head and using voice-disguising technology, urged Congress to give him and Obama the authority to cram new trade deals through Congress without letting them read the documents, much less change a single word. After being passed, senior officials will be permitted to read redacted a copy of the agreement. 
 
Below Zero: JPMorgan will begin charging its large institutional customers to hold their money – and we're talking about the legal stuff, not the drug money and all that. You'd think they were Swiss bankers.