SAR #15213

The main function of consumer credit is to postpone reality. 

 
Down For The Count: Sandra Bland, arrested for a minor traffic violation, died in a Texas jail, July 13. Kindra Chapman, charged with theft of a cell phone, died in an Alabama jail July 14. Joyce Curnell, shoplifting, died in a Charleston, SC jail on July 23. Ralkina Jones, arrested for a domestic dispute, died in a Cleveland Heights, OH jail on July 26. Raynetta Turner, shoplifting, died in a Mt. Vernon, NY jail on July 27. All were black.

Noted: “The ruling theory behind conservative notions of health reform is completely wrong.” 
 
Three Part Dis-Harmony: Cars, cows and copyrights have saved us, temporarily, as what were supposed to be the final TPP negotiations ground to a halt without a final agreement. New Zealand insists on unfettered access to US and Canadian dairy markets, Japan and the US can't agree with Canada and Mexico over where cars are “made” when they're assembled out of parts from all over, and the US insists that pharmaceutical companies get to rule the world. There has been no agreement on when next to meet, suggesting that the TPP will be around for the US presidential season next year. 
 
Dumber Than A Fourth Grader: The principal of an elementary school in West Texas has suspended a nine-year-old for threatening to make a classmate dissapear through the power of his magic Hobbit ring. The principal justified this by saying that terroristic threats against other children were not acceptable and would not be tolerated. Apparently complete idiocy is. 
 
You've Been Warned: Windows 10 is going to spy on everything you do on your computer. No wonder it's free. Supposedly you can turn some of the spying off, supposedly.

Walks Like A Duck: GE says it will move $10 billion of manufacturing work overseas because the Republicans have defunded the Export/Import bank and forced the company to look elsewhere for funding (for which read subsidies). The company claims it is not doing this “just to make a point,” but they certainly are making a point. Boeing is “actively looking at moving key pieces of its operations to other countries” that would offer export credits. Republicans like Ted Cruz said that the private sector would step up and profit from the demise of the Ex/Im bank, but as GE's Rice noted “they don't really understand how global business is conducted.” 
 
Big Boys Don't Cry: Exxon Mobile turned in its worst quarter since 2009, with earnings down 51% y/y and revenues down 33%.

Back To Basics: Governor Robert Bently (inspired by TX gov Abbott), newly appointed vice chair of the National Governors Association's education committee, has selected a Christian fundamentalist who hates public schools to a seat on Alabama's Board of Education. Having never attended nor had any involvement whatsoever in public schools will let him bring a “unique perspective” to his new position. 
 
Outrageous: A $15 minimum wage would add 17 cents to the price of a Big Mac and about 30 cents to an order in most fast food restaurants. Well, it would add that to the cost, how much the chains would raise the price is another matter. 
 
Revisionist History: Conservatives have forced the AP history standards to be perverted to celebrate “American Exceptionalism” and encourage misinformed patriotism among our brightest kids. 
 
Mirror, Mirror: Texas Governor Gregg Abbott vetoed a bi-partisan bill that would provide more resources to mental health professionals because Scientologists convinced him that there is no such thing as mental illness and that he doesn't have one. 
 
Porn O'Graph: Ebb and flow.