SAR #13347

Those who want speedy and tidy resolution of our problems do not want a democratic one.

Flim Flam Men: Remember the Good Olde Days when unemployment fell to 7.0% because everybody left the job market and 471,000 low-wage retail serfs were hired for the Christmas season? Remember back when fewer than 300,000 newly unemployed signed up for benefits? That was then. Y'know, last week. This week 368,00 filled for unemployment - a 23.5% increase. It'll give them time to walk around the mall looking at those lucky enough to have someplace to go, something to do. 
 
Different Difference: To expect people to act 'rationally' as the economists define 'rational' is irrational. Not everything reduces to money; even a few economists like their wives...

What's For Supper? Faced with the highest poverty levels in a quarter century - 15% of the population and 22% of American children - the House votes to pass a $633 billion defense spending bill while cutting food stamp spending by $40 billion over the next ten years - saving taxpayers 0.5% of what they spend on pissing money away in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria and wherever's next. Oh, wait. The money we spend on wars doesn't count against the defense budget, they're covered by special allocations. 
 
Multiple Choice: Why is the U.S. getting in the U.N.’s way of making drinking water a right? (a) Profits.

Global Warning: Average temperatures in Australia this spring were 1.57°C (3ºF) above the 1961-1990 average. September averaged 2.75°C ( 5°F) above normal. Last summer was the hottest on record - so hot that the weather bureau had to add new colors to its maps - which now top out at 129 °F. Naturally the Australian Senate is debating the repeal of its carbon tax.

Fill In The Blank: “_________ is a Greedy, Freeloading Corporation That Screws American Taxpayers and Workers.”

Them vs. US: A US drone killed 15 people on their way to a wedding. No, not in Pakistan, Yemen this time. The group "was mistaken for an al Qaeda convoy." 
 
Sky, Not Falling: Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, they're getting better. At least the kids are: The teen birth rate is at a record low - less than half what it was in 1991. Teen abortions are at an all time low - half of what it was in the 1970's. And teen pregnancy is also at an all time low - down 50% from 1990. Maybe it's the weak economy.

Fails Laugh Test: Vladimir Putin insists that Russia has no interest in becoming a superpower nor in telling others how they should live.

Banditos: Oil at all stages of production, refining and distribution has been the legal property of the Mexican people since 1938. But Mexican's are too poor and too dumb to properly exploit their resources, so the Mexican Congress - as bought and paid for as the American one - has decided to let companies such as BP and Exxon "develop" Mexico's petroleum resources. The change will also let companies such as BP and Exxon pay Mexico a pittance and send the profits to whatever off-shore tax haven they chose. Mexican oil production has fallen 25% since 2004 as their major oil fields become depleted. But big-bucks and faith will - it is hoped - defeat geology. If you don't think the people of Mexico are going to be the losers, you missed some of my earlier lectures.

The Parting Shot:

 Time to go. 
Sintra, Portugal