Well Happy Thanksfuckingiving...
Let's see, I do actually have some things to be thankful for. Like...basic necessities. Food, shelter, etc. I'm definitely grateful for those things. And I'm thankful that the Ritz-Carlton hotel in downtown Toronto started serving its legendary hot chocolate this morning in the lobby. I'm also thankful for the music that moves my soul and for the devices that inject the music into all the right places - the mp3 players, the serious headphones, the laptop. I'm thankful there's a piano in my building's lobby, so I can tickle the ivories when I need some music therapy...
I'm thankful for the blues. There's nothing like the blues. When it's played to perfection, when you can feel the emotion pouring out of that guitar or that voice. Like this guy (Clapton) on stage, for example. When you've lived the blues - and I mean really lived the blues man....when you've lived the blues, there's nothing like listening to the blues. So I'm grateful I have my blues music.
It's scary to me when the large majority of an allegedly civilized 'society' is comfortable with the concept of putting human beings who commit minor nonviolent criminal offences in cages alongside violent criminals (i.e., 'real criminals'). For minor offences. Because it's the law. Because it's written. It's statutory. So it must be right, right? Right?? Just stick all the criminals in the same cage -- the psychopaths, rapists, pedophiles and murderers end up sharing cells with a tax evader or a guy who drove drunk one too many times or a wino who was caught shoplifting at the liquor store, and on and on and on. I've seen this happen. And it's ridiculous. But it's the 'law,' so that makes it right, right? RIGHT??
Wrong. It's one of the biggest diseases currently infecting America. The United States of Incarceration. Incarceration Nation. The same shit happens up here in Canada, but they're much more reasonable up here with regards to length of prison terms and such. Up here, they don't do things like send non-violent, repeat criminals to prison for life sentences. I read an article last week that said there's something like over 4,000 human beings currently serving life sentences in Unites States prisons for non-violent crimes. How is this even possible? Talk about cruel and unusual punishment. I don't understand how judges can sleep at night when they hand out such ridiculous sentences. Anyway, I digress...as I typically do.
So, yeah, I still have a little bit of a resentment about that little 'technicality' that totally shifted and altered my life in the blink of an eye. I watch the international news channels talking about how America is back to it's old bad habits. The government decided to print some more money, so the Fed is flush with liquid cash again. And now this facilitates the big investment banks in loaning 'free money' again just like they did for years before the bubble burst in 2008. When they got richer. And they'll get richer again when the next bubble bursts. So the income disparity continues to increase to the largest degree since before the Great Depression. It's totally insane. I mean I watch these 'pundits' on CNN talking about how they're destroying the country, and then they just shift topics like what's the latest on Lady Gaga or that storm system building up down the coast....the news. LOL. There's nothing new about the news. Really. It's just fear-mongering. The media has devolved into an industry that serves up fear in just about every possible format.
They push fear into my email 'breaking news' updates. They terrorize my Twitter feed with scary stories about something I need to keep watching so they'll get more ratings so the advertisers will pay more money to the....real people in control. The few smart, devilish guys who really pull the strings. In other words, the dudes with the most money. Follow the money, and you will always find the ugly truth about this planet Earth.
Eh, enough for now -- thanks for letting me vent. I need to refill my coffee and go kiss a pretty girl. And then I think I'll run for mayor...
-peace/warm regards
jeremy
