SAR #15059

Bullying, like politics, is a way of forcing conformity on others.

Nutshelled: The idea behind net neutrality is simple: internet providers must treat all the traffic on their networks equally, no charging to let some data move faster, no slowing down or otherwise hampering content providers even if they compete with content providers owned by the internet providers. It is not an attempt to regulate free speech. Perhaps it is best understood in terms of those who oppose the idea: Republicans, ATT, Cox, Charter, Verizon and hordes of their lawyers.

Evidence: The Bundestag approved grinding Syriza and the Greeks even further into the dirt by a vote of 542 to 32, which pretty well settles the question of who got the better of the deal. Deflation in Greece is now galloping along at 1.2% per month. There is no way the Greeks can do anything but suffer or simply say 'no' in a way that even the Germans might understand.

Victory Parade Rescheduled: US GDP growth in 4Q/2014 slowed to 2.2% from the claimed 5% growth rate in 3Q/2014. The stock market did not react, because actual GDP – or an other aspect of reality – has no influence as long as the Fed keeps pumping out the money. 
 
I'm With Stupid: The New Mexico Museum of Natural History has caved in to pressure from two, count 'em, two folks who objected to a science museum mounting an exhibit honoring Charles Darwin because Darwin didn't believe in intelligent design. 
 
Behind The Curtain: Now that they've got all that PR for bumping their workers up to $9 an hour, Walmart feels free to keep hiding how drastic their gender pay gap is and they most certainly do not want to talk about how many hundreds of thousands of their employees can't get enough hours to make ends meet (because then they'd qualify for benefits, the dirty socialists). Let them eat cake, day old, from the dumpster apply for food stamps.

The Meaning Of ISIS Is: Rick Goodhair Perry says that “ISIS represents the worst threat to freedom since communism.” Newt warns that ISIS intends to take over America by supporting Hillary. And Scott Walker, taking time off from starving the Wisconsin university system while telling them they can cover up rape if they want to, says that if he can destroy teachers' unions he can easily defeat ISIS. 
 
Wet Water: Hedge funds are pretty much a con, always have been. As long as it is only the very rich they are fleecing, more power to 'em.

Misdirection: We hear lots of politicians (always a cautionary sign) claiming that the nation's weak job creation is due to the educational failings of the underclass. Evidence for this view is thin to non-existent. It is just another way of blaming the victim. If there were such a connection, why would the inflation-adjusted earnings of educated Americans have gone nowhere since the late 1990s?  Rising inequality isn’t about who has the knowledge; it’s about who has the power – the bankers and the guys (mostly white males) in the corner offices.

Porn O'Graph: Warm, Warmer.