Checkered Lounge Pants

Wealth inequality has risen to stratospheric heights. The statistics, the real statistics, sound like fragments spun off from a madman’s dream. Eighty-five people have as much money as three and a half billion other people. Look at it like this: 85 people = 3,500,000,000 people. Forbes Magazine, which used to gleefully refer to itself as a “capitalist tool,” creates an annual list of the richest 400 people in the world. Ten years ago, their combined wealth was $1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion dollars). Now, after a world wide crash and all sort of bailouts, their combined worth is $2,000,000,000,000. They’ve doubled their money. How’ve you done? Did their money come to them because the magic of the market realised how ultra-special talented they were? Or because of power? Manipulating laws, buying politicians, even taking over governments. Has the power of money in the United States grown so great that democracy is just a charade? A large, frenetic, incredibly expensive one, but...

I am just touching base to bring the CLP up to date. May has been quiet and uneventful. I gym it up 3 times a week and have not been enthusiastic about the bike trails. My Ning has been skyping regularly but I have to run out to WiFi the Skype to keep my data down on my mobile. Trying to scrimp on expenses this summer. I have been unable to find economical internet here in cottage country so far. Bell assures me they have fiber-optics installation planned but nothing to date and I’m sure everything will be accompanied with contracts. I don’t plan to maintain the cottage this winter so I’m already plotting to abandon my satellite contract. Shitty times in Thailand. The military has staged a coup to scuttle the political protests. The elite class has sabotaged the democracy model in Thailand at every turn and it appears they have successfully influenced the military generals to join their cause and suspend democracy until reforms are adopted. The only reforms predictable are antide...

Just killing time at Starbucks while I download my favourite FX and NetFlix and Comedy Channel and HBO programs...Most traditional networks have gone for the reality crap to avoid overhead costs like ACTRA and SAG pay scales for the artists and writers. The end result is additional customer viewing fees to watch what used to be regular programming. I don't mind paying fees for sports or movie channels but I reverted back to my digital antennae and free tv. WOW..I am getting all twisted over tv. I must be bored.  Now if viewers want legitimate programming they will get gouged to pay for specialty channels. Oh well, we get gouged by oil companies and don't seem to mind. We get gouged by telephone companies and don't seem to mind. But, all bitching aside....have you seen the Fargo series. Holy Shit!! Fibre optics come to my side of town tomorrow. I will finally get internet and quit wifing all over the cafe, library, lunch bar, world now. Just a thought....a free WiFi laundr...