Link: http://socialistworker.org/2012/08/09/public-schools-for-sale

In July, Muskegon Heights, Mich., became the first American city to hand its entire school district over to a charter-school operator. More than 1.6 million American kids attend charter schools, which emerged in the early 1990s. Whatever their original intent, charters are fundamentally restructuring the school system by placing it in private--often for-profit--hands. They're making teachers and staff work harder and longer for less pay, usually without union benefits or protection.

Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-drought-drives-food-prices-110500793.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CZPwSNQb2QAq9TQtDMD

The drought that's drying up the Heartland isn't just an American problem. It's causing food prices to surge worldwide. And it could get worse.

Link: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/08/09

The world's oldest and largest acquifers, according to the study, have supplied civilization with water for agricultural and industrial use for thousands of years, but are now under threat from over-extraction and the underground reservoirs can no longer replenish themselves at a sustainable rate.

Link: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/confused-why-goldman-will-face-no-criminal-charges-heres-why

Yesterday, in a brief but informative post, we asked and answered a simple question: "Confused Why So Many Foreign Banks Are Suddenly Being Charged By The US? Here's Why." Naturally, the reference was to such foreign banks as Standard Chartered, Barclays and HSBC (but not UBS and Credit Suisse) which have recently fallen under the US pre-election scapegoating scythe and have found themselves in hot water with US regulators.