NO TV DAY
I don't know if hunkering down in a bunker of the mind by not watching TV actually serves anything but here goes. The Olympics induce nausea and the "news" as entertainment only serves the corporate fascist agenda. So I'm not missing much. Besides I have to devote two hours this morning to the Key Audit and still have to scan another 75 negatives for the Yale project and do my laundry. My laundry basket is singing four part harmony in the tune of The Who's Rock opera "Tommy". Clean me, clean me, cleeeeean me. ha ha, Roger Daltrey in my laundry basket, go figure?
I checked my bank account yesterday and see that I'm flat broke but not overdrawn. I made sure when I set the account up that I would never use the overdraft function. All my bills have been covered and my groceries are covered
so its only my outside coffee habit that has to be curbed. If I could manage my impulse control by not succumbing to the tactile feel of a suede covered journal
at one of the Chapters stores, whose owners politics are abhorrent to me, I would at least have $35.00 still in my account.
Their destruction of small shop book stores has lead to an actual lack of choice of what is available to read. I'm not a fan of corporate promoted "best sellers" that they hit you over the head with as soon as you walk into the store. I'm also reminded on a regular basis of the plight of my friend Bob "C" whose job was eliminated in part by the large "Chapters" outlet and bottom feeders like Book Warehouse which are the only booksellers in the major population areas of downtown Vancouver.
Some interesting used bookstores still exist but they are in the path of gentrification and will succumb to the juggernaut of grossly inflated land values and taxed out of existence. A similar fate awaits our Housing Co-op as the land we lease from the city becomes more valuable by the day. So far the city still views us as an island of affordable housing but if we keep electing developer friendly city councils that could end in a heartbeat. In fact my brother predicted that if we lasted another ten years he would be very surprised.
La Dolce Vita!
Ciao. JWL
Anytime politicians interfere in the market to the benefit or detriment of
one group over another, they only succeed in screwing it up. Other than
imposing rules to ensure fairness, politicians ought to let the market work
out its own problems. Yes, your co-op won't last another 10 years. The
politicians will justify selling it by saying they can use the money to
build two co-ops elsewhere on cheaper land. Sadly, they might have a point.
If your comments about the chronic whiners and complainers with whom you
have to deal are any indication, co-ops are full of people who have an
unjustified sense of entitlement. They seem to think the world owes them
something rather than the other way around. Why should whiners and
complainers get to live in expensive parts of town just because they think
they're entitled to it? Give it to people who actually contribute something
to the greater whole instead of those who're just being ***holes.
I have a friend named Lame Bufflalo who plays blues harp and is a master
with the harmonica - he makes it talk and sing - met him last year at the
willbond fest in Lanark ON - he has plays with my brother Paddy's band and
we jammed together - his train sounds are wonderful and we play different
types of harmonicas so the sounds are eerie, indeed - I bought you some
great coffee for your birthday - organic etc - I believe you liked the 3
sisters in the past so will send you a package of that - be well my friend
- billy