Signs the economy is bad: May 18, 2018 edition.

Welcome to another edition of "Signs the Economy is Bad" here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is the semi-regular (as in when I have time and/or feel like doing it) feature where I scour the Internet in search of the oh so subtle hints that the economy is bad. Sure, pundits may say things are getting better, but what do they know? And to show not all is bad, once in a while we look at how good the uber rich have it.

Here we go again, another week of "signs the economy is bad." This week I learned that pet leasing is a thing; yes, like you lease a car. Who knew? I did not until this week.  After last week, this week seems relatively quiet. Let's find out more, and also see what else has been going on.

• For many, the big news this week is that Supreme Court of the United States made a decision that may open the way for legalized gambling across the United States (outside of places like Las Vegas, Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey). So naturally speculation is that many states will legalize it in search of more revenue. However, as this article states, sports betting may not be as big a market as many think. Story via The Conversation.
• In exploitation news, turns out that one of the "happiest places on Earth" regularly and consistently exploits their workers. Disney parks workers are basically treated like serfs when it comes to pay. So consider that the next time you buy tickets and spend the day there, think about those who make it possible. Story via In These Times. 
• Yet another study to tell us what those  of us paying attention already know: that school teachers are paid so poorly and their school districts often so badly funded (thanks to whiny locals who refuse to pay taxes to educate their children and elect politicians to enforce that) that teachers have to pay for school supplies out of their own pocket. Story via The Christian Science Monitor. 
• If having a medical disaster happen to you was not bad enough, if the often outrageous bills you get for the care are not terrible enough, not to mention the very real possibility of bankruptcy due to said medical crisis, it turns out this all can also fuck up your credit score. Story via Truthout.
• Speaking of health care, with the Pendejo In Chief's administration wanting to make life harder for immigrants, it could add to the medical doctors' shortage in rural areas. Story via The Rural Blog.
• Speaking of shortages, there is a severe shortage of commercial truck drivers. This means that prices for shipping and moving products goes up. Story via WKYT.
• And because in the good old U.S. of A., people need to find new and better ways to fuck up the poor, the Party of Stupid is pushing for changes to SNAP and food assistance to make it even harder for the poor to get assistance. Hey, that surplus population ain't going to decrease itself. Story via In These Times.
• For my lesson of the week, via USA Today, I learned that pet leasing is a thing. And like other items you lease, if you do not make the payments, said item can get repossessed. Yes, lease a pet, miss the payments, and Fido gets repossessed. In New York, they are looking to ban this leasing practice. Folks, this is how shit like Planet of the Apes gets started. Enslave animals (or "lease them"), teach them basic skills so they do the work of humans, keep them as "companions," and before you know it, they get smart and take over. Hot damn!

Let's have a peek at how the uber  rich may be doing this week:

• Demand for $30,000 sneakers is up, and so are the prices. Video story via The New York Times.
• And finally for this week, if your Tabasco sauce is just too plebeian, and you got some money to burn, Tabasco now released a new premium hot sauce: the Diamond Reserve Tabasco Hot Sauce. And what can justify the higher cost? Well, it does come in a champagne bottle. Story via Inc.