MID-WEEK READING (7-29-14)

Federal complaint filed against small Texas city's new ban on housing border kids and, of course, Muslims (Center for Public Integrity).

A silly clip that I'm betting you will watch more than once (YouTube).

Man gets run over by his own truck after road rage episode that he started (Gawker).

Target has stopped asking job applicants if they've been convicted of a crime ... here's why (Nation Of Change).

IN THE 'I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ...' DEPARTMENT
Poll finds that 64% of Americans believe Wall Street hurts them, and that the market is rigged against them (LA Times).

The U.S. has passed Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer (Nation of Change).

The government rulebook for secretly labeling you a terrorist goes far beyond bombings, assassinations, and hijackings to include damaging computers used by financial institutions and acts intended to influence government policy through intimidation, among others (First Look). Then check this out.

European Court rules that Poland violated terrorist suspects' human rights by allowing their transfer to a secret Polish detention center (a "black site") run by the CIA (NY Times).


INDUSTRIALIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Families sick from fracking turn to scientists (Center for Public Integrity).

What do Chinese dumplings have to do with Global Warming? A lot when you consider the larger modernization of China picture (NY Times).

How oil and gas gained influence and transformed North Dakota (Center for Public Integrity).


THOUGHTS ON WALL STREET, TAX AVOIDANCE & GREED
Mark Cuban threatens to dump corporations that move off shore to avoid paying U.S. taxes (Huffington Post).

President Obama is going after the loophole that sends corporations to cheap tax haven countries (Business Insider).

Commentary: Astoundingly legal tax thievery by America's corporate elite (Nation of Change).


DETROIT
Detroit, other cash strapped cities, states slashing pension benefits while subsidizing professional sports stadiums (International Business Times).

The end game behind shutting off residential water in Detroit is a likely privatization attempt (Buzz Flash).

Thirsting for democracy in Detroit: Activists resist water service shutoffs, Wall Street, and privatization (Truth Out).


MISCELLANEOUS
People kept complaining that this restaurant sucked ... look what they found out (The Meta Picture).

Ukraine under siege by the religious right (Buzz Flash).

The militarization of small city police departments continues ... Newington, CT (pop. 30,000) was just awarded an $733,000 armored vehicle from the U.S. military (The Courant).

It's mindless Modernization Theory all over again ... after spending millions of U.S. tax dollars on promoting soy-based products Afghans still don't like the stuff (Center for Public Integrity).

- Mark