SAR #15058

At least one side prepares for war well in advance.

Neutered: The FCC has classified broadband internet service a public utility in a move to preserve “net neutrality” and to prevent Balkanization of service by how rich you are. It must have been the right decision; all of the Republican commissioners voted against the new rules, claiming that the government should not get in the way of private profits, no matter how outrageous and unwarranted they are.

Salt Mines: If (if?) the Republicans don't get around to funding Homeland Security by Friday, the impact will be minor; over 80% of the 240,000 employees will be required to keep on working. Sure, they won't be getting paid, that's why Republican congresscritters have sworn to forego their pay in a display of cynicpathy. Not.

Second Helping: The EU, which 'saved' Ireland's banks by making the Irish taxpayer assume their debts, says that Ireland now has too much debt (no snickering) and their banks need even more money. Guess where it's going to come from. Right. And, the boys from Brussels note, there is too much unemployment in Ireland because the Irish peasantry has not responded properly to the massive suffering inflicted on them. In closing, they also note that all of the above applies nearly uniformly, everywhere and the world's only hope is to embrace even more austerity and even more money printing Quantitative Easing by central banks. Everywhere. Any questions?

Inquiring Mind: In what universe should Portugal be able to sell 10-year bonds with a 2% interest rate?

Crash & Burn: As we've all known, and pretended not to, China's GDP numbers (and most of the rest of China's economic statistics) are essentially fiction. Hyperinflation has taken root in Ukraine and the Greek banks are once again swirling around the drain. Yet Janet Yellen clings to her talking points: everything is hunky dory in the US except... “jobless claims surged unexpectedly” last week. And the CPI fell 0.7% - but that's all gas. She said. 
 
Quit Bugging Me: The CDC says that C. difficile, a bacteria usually found in hospital, can be contracted in your doctor or dentist's office and that about half a million Americans are so infected every year, with 15,000 of them dying. Add that to the 70,000 who die from crap they get infected with in hospitals, and not having health insurance starts to sound like a good thing.

Mushrooms: The secret torture chamber operated by the Chicago police for years is drawing a lot of interest in the media. Expect more stories to surface. Expect them to be ghastly. 
 
Big Wheel Keep On Turning: Anti-government protesters are back in the streets in Athens, now that their new and improved government has turned out to be as spineless and useless as the previous guys. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the protest was that the riot police simply stood by, even while the protesters smashed up a pastry shop.

Sticks & Stones: NY Governor Andy Cuomo is a little short on subtlety these days; he has ordered the mass deletion of government emails just as a federal investigation of public corruption in Albany is getting underway. Imagine, corruption in Albany...

Fifty Shaded Grey: Lies from the Fox's den of iniquity.