NOTEFLIX’s update on current events from “Troubles in the Garden”: The above photo is both a meme and the set-up for a quiz. After reading this post, can you tell how the picture relates to any of the writing below? (*Answers at bottom)
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A few important thoughts; but first, these:
Words & Phrases:
- Skimpflation: This is where you sort of get the same deal; but then you don’t. For example; you pay the same price for a hotel room as you did before; but they don’t change the sheets everyday, or maybe the toilet paper roll is not new, or you don’t get the chocolate on the pillow, maybe even fewer pillows. In the past few weeks we mentioned Dinflation (rising prices on menus), and Shrinkflation (less content in the box) and Stagflation (where the cost of things is up and just dangles there. not going anywhere. All these words are an attempt to avoid using the dirty, foul , unspeakable ugly word: “INFLATION”. There, I said it. Here are others: *Billioflation…an increase in the number of Billionaires. Coming soon, if they are not here already: *Anti-flation (where more and more people are ‘Anti’ …i.e., Anti-masks, Anti-vaccines, Anti-abortion, Anti-Wealth Tax…Anti, Anti. ad en infinitum. *Blahflation, (A word tribute to Greta Thunberg, who says the world’s leaders are just saying “Blah, blah” about solving Climate problems) & *Milkflation (The price per gallon is going to all-time highs.)
- Over-Income: This term refers to an amount of income a family is not allowed to earn in order to be able to obtain Government subsidized ‘affordable housing’. There are 1.1 million families on Subsidized housing and it is estimated 2.6% of them (that’s 28,600 in all of America) are earning more than they should. This drives many on the ‘Right’ insane with rage. (Are they Over-Emphasizing the situation? Maybe. However, I have not found a term relating to the problem of Over-Wealth.
- Optogenetics: The technique which allows researchers to turn brain cells on and off with a combination of genetic manipulations and pulses of light. (Why would they want to do this? And have they done this to me already?)
- Grobots: Robots who (or which) work in grocery warehouses and pick the food orders for home delivery. Today, 12% of the grocery business is on a home delivery basis – and is growing exponentially.
- Roblox: (A quiz to see if you are in the know: Roblox is (Pick one); 1) An expensive watch from Switzerland; all the rage. 2) A META game that 75% of kids from 9-12 are playing; perhaps addictively. 3) A new, inexpensive, medicine which deals successfully, with constipation. (If you selected #2, go on to the rest of this posting.)
Now for The Thoughts:
- It has been said: “Power Corrupts & Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.” I’ve been thinking about this and I think that might be true, but; it is also true that : Powerlessness Corrupts and Absolute Powerlessness creates corrupt entities like the Mafia, Street gangs, and some of our world’s terrorists…
- Remember the TV ad where Mother Nature gets mad because she was tricked into thinking margarine was butter. She threw a tantrum in the ad and all hell broke loose. The slogan was: “It’s not nice to Fool Mother Nature!” Well, we are not trying to fool Mother Nature these days; but we are fooling with Her – and I fear She is going to throw more than a tantrum our way if we don’t start acting nice. And Blahflation is not going to calm her down. My readings tell me it is going to be: Mother Nature against Fossil Fuels, Deforestation and a few other Carbon related activities. Who do you think is going to win?
- Songs: In our musical past, we have had: Horse songs, Train songs, Car songs, Truck songs, Boat songs, Airplane songs. What is next? Self-driving vehicle songs? Magnetic high speed multi-passenger songs? Billionaires flying in outer-space songs? Keep tuned.
- Presidents: I have been thinking about some of our past Presidents. In my lifetime, I have had a General for a President, a Son of a President for a President, a Movie/TV actor for a President, A Real Estate guy/TV actor for a President, several Lawyers for President. (I used to worry all our leaders were going to be lawyers; but those days are over, for now.) Currently, many of us put a premium on the Celebrity status ranking of a candidate for President. Now, a lot of our Politicians are becoming Celebrities through their ability to do outrageous things over Social and Anti-Social media. If this keeps up, soon we will have a Politician for President. What could be worse?
- A planet has been discovered outside our Galaxy, in the ‘Whirlpool Galaxy’, 29 million light years away, and is orbiting either a neutron star, or a dark hole. More will be revealed on this as more is learned. It is nice to know not all our studies are dealing with problems of the here and now.
And now a word from MATHUZALA, our guest Columnist:
MATHUZALA SPEAKS:
- Today, we read in The New York Times (which does not lie) that we rats are running all over the place…subways, streets, restaurant kitchens, elevator shafts, living rooms, dining room tables – all over the place. Finally, we may be getting your attention. We know what we are doing. This is Plan “A”.
If you want to know more about MATHUZALA and Plan “A”and why his rats are running all over the place, go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and buy “THE RAT PAPERS”.
NOTES FROM TUSCANY:
- NO COIN: I have noticed some Tuscans do not seem to be up to date on the need to get their cash as soon as possible. Several times, my landlord has asked me not to pay my rent…”until later”…whatever “later” means. I went to a physical therapist the other day and asked him how much I owed…I had my credit Card in hand. He asked me to come back next week ‘sometime’ when it would be more convenient. Vanni, the man I lease a car from, tells me I can pay him “…near the end of the month”. Sometimes his shop is closed “…near the end of the month”. So I end up paying him “…near the beginning of the next month”. Sometimes Vanni pays for my Espresso when he sees me at the local cafe. In this day of PayPal, Touch & Go credit cards, Cash, AltCoins…it is nice to experience a relaxed attitude about all this – although I do not understand how it works.
A few quotes:
- “All people are born alike – except Republicans and Democrats.” Groucho Marx.
- “Not only do I not know what’s going on, I wouldn’t know what to do about it if I did”. -George Carlin
- “Everything’s Gonna to be alright. Rock a bye” -Shawn Mullins, Song
Take care, out there …and “Hello” to Luke, wherever you are…
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(* You are correct if you realized the Rats in the picture are a depiction of what The New York Times has to say about what is going on…and you get a credit bonus, if you noticed the top photo is smaller than usual…an example of SKIMPFATION at work.)
