CAPITALIST-CARNIVORUS RECENTLY I'VE BECOME VICTIMIZED ONCE AGAIN BY ALL THAT'S WRONG WITH THE GREEDY CAPITALISTIC NATURE OF OUR ONCE PROUD COUNTRY. I, AND OTHERS, WERE LURED INTO THE EVER-PRESENT DIEITY KNOWN AS THE INTERNET WITH PROMISES OF WEALTH, FREE INFORMATION, SELFLESS COMMUNICATION, AND DOZENS OF OTHER PROMISING CLAIMS. MY INCOME LEVEL DUE TO MY DISABILITIES, HAS PREVENTED ME FROM ATTAINING A SUITABLE ISP. I LIVE IN AN AREA DEVOID OF LOCAL PHONE ACCESS TO AN ISP. FREE ISP'S WERE MY BEST BET, UNTIL MOST OF THEM DECIDED TO GO "BELLY-UP" IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. THEIR PROFITS WERE APPARENTLY NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE BOTTOM 50% OF THE CITIZENRY A LIFELINE IN THE FEEDING FRENZY KNOWN AS THE AMERICAN WAY. OF COURSE, IF ONE UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE OF ADVERTISING, AND THEIR EARLY CLAIMS OF WEALTH, HEALTH, AND THE PURSUIT OF EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING, ONE COULD ONLY WONDER AT THEIR SINCERITY. ONCE MORE I WAS FOOLED AGAIN. ONCE THE HIGH PRIESTS OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB DISCOVERED THAT MOST OF US ON THE BOTTOM OF MASLOV'S PYRAMID, DO NOT HAVE THE WEALTH AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SUPPLY A SIGNIFICANT PROFIT FOR THEIR DEPTHLESS GOLD LINED COFFERS, THEY WITHDREW THEIR PLAN TO PUT A PC IN EVERY HOME. I FEEL THERE ARE SERVICES WHICH SHOULD BE FREE, OR AT THE LEAST LOW COST TO EVERY CITIZEN. SOME THINGS JUST SHOULDN'T BE CONTROLLED BY PROFITS. MEDICAL SERVICE, FIRE FIGHTING, EMERGENCY SERVICES, TELE- COMMUNICATIONS, SCHOOLING, POLICE PROTECTION, COLLEGE, MILITARY READINESS, AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION. MUCH LIKE THE POLITICAL CLAIMS OF YESTERYEAR, WHEREBY A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT WAS TO GUARANTEE PROSPERITY, WE THE AMERICAN CITIZENRY HAVE BEEN FED A CROCK FULL OF NOTHING, WHILE ASKING ONLY FOR A PROMISE OF FULFILLMENT, JUSTICE AND A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. WE ARE NOT WITHOUT FAULT IN THIS RAPE. OUR DESIRES TO BE LIKE THOSE ON TOP OF THE HEAP, AND TO BETTER THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN, MAKE US SLAVERING, WILLING VICTIMS TO THEIR SPEILS. MOST OF US ARE CONTENT WITH FAR LESS THAN OUR WEALTHY NEIGHBORS, BUT WE ARE LEFT BATTLING FOR A SCRAP OF ROTTEN MEAT LEFT FESTERING BENEATH THEIR SILVER PLATED GARBAGE CANS. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE WEALTHY GAIN SOME SADISTIC PLEASURE IN THEIR VAPID ATTAINMENT OF ALL THAT GLITTERS. IT SEEMS UNNATURAL TO ME THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN COMMUNITY, NEED TO AMASS EVERYTHING THEY CAN, AND AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS. IT HAS GONE FAR BEYOND THE OLD ADAGE ABOUT "KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES". I ENVISION UNCLE SCROOGE MCDUCK WALLOWING IN ONE OF HIS MONEY VAULTS, WHILE HIS NEPHEW DONALD IS STUCK ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE, WAITING FOR A CHECK TO BE ISSUED SO HE CAN FEED HIS THREE NEPHEWS HUEY, DEWEY, AND LOUIE. OF COURSE, THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE CANNOT ISSUE A CHECK BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FUNDS IN CIRCULATION TO COVER THE CHECK. YET UNCA SCROOGE PLAYS ON AND ON... ON DECEMBER 11, THE LOCAL SPORTSCASTER (...AN OTHERWISE USELESS WASTE OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR), ANNOUNCED A RECORD BREAKING CONTRACT FOR A BASEBALL PLAYER, WHO WILL RECEIVE OVER 250 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS! EXCUSE ME! AM I HEARING THIS RIGHT? ONE BASEBALL PLAYER IS TO RECEIVE MORE MONEY THAN THE GNP OF SOME SMALL COUNTRIES? WHILE IN OUR COUNTRY ALONE, MORE THAN HALF OF ALL FAMILIES LIVE BENEATH THE NATIONAL POVERTY LEVEL? IN A RECENT ARGUEMENT WITH MY SISTER'S BOYFRIEND ABOUT THE UNBRIDLED WEALTH AND CHARACTER OF SPORTS FIGURES, HE AVERRED HIS SYMPATHY FOR BALL PLAYERS WHO HAD TO SUBSIST ON A MERE $70,000 A YEAR! I HAVE WORKED MOST OF MY LIFE. I HAVE OFTEN HELD MULTIPLE JOBS. SINCE I BECAME 100% DISABLED, I HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO LIVING ON $600 A MONTH. THAT WORKS OUT TO $7,200 A YEAR. THIS POTATO HEAD LIVES WITH MY EXTREMELY WELL OFF SISTER, AND CONTRIB- UTES PROBABLY 10% OF THE HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES. THE ONLY THING OF IMPORTANCE IN HIS LIFE IS ESPN, SPORTS, AND MY SISTER'S BANK ACCOUNT. HE ALSO FELT THAT THESE "HEROES" WERE TO BE ADMIRED FOR THEIR CHAR- ACTER. YEAH, SOME CHARACTER! DENNIS RODMAN, DARRYL STRAWBERRY, PETE ROSE, TY COBB, OJ SIMPSON, MIKE TYSON, MARK MCGUIRE, ETC. I'D LIKE MY SON TO GROW UP AND BE JUST LIKE OJ! I DON'T THINK THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS MUCH BETTER. JIM CARREY, THE CURRENT KING OF THE OVER RATED, RECEIVES $40 MILLION A PICTURE. SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY THINK HE'S FUNNY. OH WELL, THE FRENCH LIKE JERRY LEWIS. I GUESS IT TAKES ALL KINDS. WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY BUILT ON PRINCIPLES WHICH HAVE LONG SINCE DIS- APPEARED. WE NO LONGER CAN TAKE PRIDE IN OUR NATION, OR OURSELVES. WE ALLOW A POLITICAL PARTY TO FIX AN ELECTION, RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES, AND WE COMPLAIN WHEN THE LOSER/WINNER CRIES FOR A RECOUNT. EXCLUDING FOR THE MOMENT FLORIDA, GORE WOULD WIN THE PRESIDENCY HANDS DOWN. HE NEEDS ONLY THREE ELECTORAL VOTES TO WIN. THE 25 ELECTORAL VOTES FROM FLORIDA WILL ASSURE BROTHER BUSH'S VICTORY. DESPITE THE THOUSANDS OF CLAIMS BY PRIVATE MINORITY CITIZENS THAT THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE WAS AT THE LEAST MANIPULATED. DESPITE THE EVIDENCE THAT THOUSANDS OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE TAMPERED WITH, AND IN SOME CASES NOT EVEN ALLOWED. EXCUSE ME! SHOULDN'T ANY AND ALL VOTES BE COUNTED ANYWAY? AREN'T ALL VOTES REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE? WHY IS IT NECESSARY, FOR THE COUNTING OF ANY BALLOTS/VOTES, TO BE AN ISSUE FOR THE SUPREME COURT? A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WATCHED AN AMERICAN SPORTS "HERO" TRIED FOR MURDER AND ACQUITTED DESPITE OVER WHELMING EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY. HE PROVED ONE THING...AMERICA IS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, WHERE EVEN A BLACK MAN CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER, AS LONG AS HE HAS ENOUGH MONEY. OF COURSE, IF HE'S UNEMPLOYED, FINDING A JOB WOULD BE A PROBLEM. WHAT A COUNTRY! WE COMPLAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME ABOUT A PARTICULAR MOTOR COMPANY PLAYING DICE WITH OUR LIVES. YET THEY ARE STILL MAKING AUTOMOBILES! DESPITE PUBLICLY ADMITTING THAT IT WAS CHEAPER TO PAY OFF ON THE WRONGFUL DEATH LAW SUITS, THAN IT WAS TO FIX THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH! STILL FORD MARCHES ON! WE CONTINUALLY ELECT AND RE-ELECT REPUBLICANS/REPUGNICANS BACK INTO OFFICE DESPITE THE FACT, THEY REPRESENT BIG BUSINESS, AND ONLY BIG BUSINESS. THEY SING US LULLABYES ABOUT LESS TAXES AND LESS GOVERNMENT. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO CONVINCE US THAT THEY WILL MAKE US FREE. THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON FOR GOVERNMENT. TO PROTECT THE CITIZENRY FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE ENEMIES OF THE STATE! DEMOCRACY'S BIGGEST ENEMY IS UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM. UNFORTUNATELY, CAPITALISM IS A CARNIVOROUS PROCESS. WE NEED MORE GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT US FROM THE BIG COMPANIES. BUSINESS HAS PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN, IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO "RUN IT- SELF". THE NATURE OF BUSINESS IS FOUND IN A PYRAMID, AND THE LARGER THE BOTTOM, THE MORE SUPPORT THE TOP HAS. THE NATURE OF HUMAN POLITICS SEEMS AKIN TO THE "ALPHA PACK" MENTALITY. IN WOLF PACKS THE "ALPHA MALE" CONCEPT HOLDS SWAIN. ONE MALE, WHO IS THE SUPPOSED GENETIC "FITTEST", IS THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO MATE WITH THE FEMALE HARUM. OTHER MALES MAY CHALLENGE HIM TO EITHER DEATH, OR EXILE. STILL OTHERS MAY RUN WITH THE PACK, BUT ONLY AS SUBSERVIENT TO THE ALPHA MALE. THIS SOUNDS A BIT LIKE THE HUMAN OBSESSION WITH ROYALTY. CERTAINLY LIKE THE LOVE AFFAIR THE PUBLIC HAS WITH CELEBRITY. IT IS THIS VICARIOUS "CINDERELLA-STORY" WHICH SEEMS TO OCCUPY OUR NATIONAL CON- SCIENCE, AND MAKE US FORGET LITTLE THINGS, LIKE OUR CHILDREN, OUR LOT IN LIFE, OUR POVERTY, OUR HEALTH, OUR FUTURE, AND OUR IDENTITY.