Signs the economy is bad: May 17, 2019 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 are with another week. Let's see what's been happening.

Education News

•  A look at how colleges often hold students' futures hostage based on debt garnishes like holding their transcripts if something, often small, is not paid. Via Hechinger Report. 
• In what I can only see as someone with too much time on their hands and not enough to do, someone at Inside Higher Ed asked "what percent of your academic salary would you trade for tenure?" The simple answer for me? None. And to be honest, tenure is not all it is cracked up to be given the adjunctification of faculty and other factors in the bad economy. And in my case, let us not even get started on the fact that though I am "faculty" as librarian I am not really faculty (it's complicated). But hey, if he wants to give up a chunk of his salary for tenure, I am not stopping him.

Rural News

•  Most people think that obesity is big in cities where people are often sedentary. Well, it turns out that now it is rural areas that are leading the way in obesity. Via The Rural Blog. 
• Speaking of rural folks, the farmers are about to take another hit due to the Pendejo In Chief escalating tariffs, yet again, on trade with China. Story via UPI. Oh well. Given that rural areas overwhelmingly voted for him and the Party of Stupid, I am sure they will get tired of all the winning. 
• Meanwhile, a major employer in rural areas exemplifies wage inequalities as their workers make barely enough and stay below the poverty line while their store managers make at least $175,000 a year on average? The employer? Walmart. So, in reality, what else is new? Story via The Rural Blog.

Meanwhile back in the US colony 

 

•  The vulture capitalists are out in force in Puerto Rico, especially after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. Read about what they are doing to the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve. Via Latino Rebels. 
• Meanwhile the island's colonial governor, basically a Pendejo In Chief wannabe, is happily handing out even more pieces of the island to vultures "real estate investors from abroad" left and right in the form of "opportunity zones." Via Latino Rebels. 
• To further illustrate the income inequality, you can read the moving and tragic account of families wanting to visit their loved one's graves on Mothers' Day (or any other day) and unable too because cemeteries devastated by the hurricane have not been repaired, and it does not look like they will anytime soon. But the vultures get all they want. Story via NPR.

The Bad Economy  Around the World

• At one point, the United States led the world in various endeavors. It was a nation respected and one that many other nations looked up to. Those days are long gone, and the Pendejo In Chief and the Party of Stupid are making sure it stays that way. Let's see some more examples of this: 
• UPI reports that next electric vehicle revolution will come from China and NOT the U.S.  
• Speaking of China, to make sure the Chinese keep on getting ahead, the Pendejo In Chief continues his tariff war with China and overall souring any chances at a constructive relationship. I am not saying the Chinese are angels, but US Americans are hell bent on really messing this up. Story via The Washington Post. 
• The Pendejo In Chief and the United States (controlled by the Party of Stupid) are also alienating the Mexicans. It is not just the immigration issue. Turns out the Pendejo In Chief also has Mexico in its sights, and the Mexicans are not taking it lying down. Mexico is preparing new retaliation duties and tariffs to get back at the U.S. Via Telesur. 
• And if all of the above was not bad enough already, "the U.S. remains the world leader in funding of scientific research but risks losing that spot to international competitors, warns a report released Tuesday." Story via Inside Higher Ed.  Well, the Chinese are certainly moving ahead in research and development (see above story), and they are not the only ones.
• At least the United States can console itself with the fact it still has the United Kingdom as its bitch; however, and it does not even have a firm grip on the bitch since the UK just may (may, as in maybe) increase its own military spending to please the United States. Story via Telesur. You know it's bad when the United States top ally bitch tells it maybe or maybe not hun. 
• Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, the rest of the world gets along. For instance, in Nicaragua they are getting benefit from Cuban tourists and setting tourism partnerships. Story via Telesur. You can have trade and good relations with others The U.S. is not the center of the world contrary to what they think. 
• In another sign the economy is bad, young South Koreans are deciding that dating is too expensive or too dangerous. Via CNN. Given the bad economy in the U.S. too, maybe they know something folks over here do not.

Hold My Beer

• In this week's serious fuckery in the bad economy: making children with school lunch debt into marked deadbeats by making them wear wrist bands identifying them as not being able to pay for their lunch. Rhode Island leads the way this week in school lunch shaming. Story via Big Think.

We end this week with:

Great Debates of Our Time

• Is a milkshake STILL a milkshake if you do not put a cherry on top? Steak 'N Shake's CEO is about to find out one way or the other as he moves a plan to ditch cherries in milkshakes in order to save at least $1 million a year if he does it. Story via VICE. Feel free to comment below on this week's debate topic (or any other topic from this post that caught your eye. Within reason of course).