GETYOURMONEYFORNUTHIN'ANDYOURCHICKSFORFREE

(this beer costs $1M in . . . oh jesus, what are they calling it now? the zim? the rhodesian dollar? bearer checks? i digress . . . according to "official" figures, that beer should cost about $33US, but the "real" price, that is, the black market price would be closer to less than $1US. and you know, i'm all about cheap beer. well, actually, i hate beer, but wine . . . ooh, a nice gewurztraminer or riesling . . . now we're talkin'!)
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i just found a country where the US greenback is STILL worth something!

ZIMBABWE!!!

yes, friends, if you hurry to your local travel agent NOW and hop a flight to zimbabwe this instant you could be able to go to a magical land where your american currency would be able to buy you stuff . . . lots of stuff . . .

ok, you might lose your life in the process, but hey, it's worth it, right? i mean, life is about acquiring more and more and MORE crap until you explode and if you can't do that, then is there even a point in taking in another breath?

exactly . . .

seriously though, people . . . news outlets are reporting that zimbabwe's economy just hit 100,000% inflation!!! AS IF they didn't have enough problems already, right? i didn't even know that THAT was possible!

there were several interesting articles about the situation all over the net. i've posted some of them for you below, if you're interested.

there is some particularly good information over THERE on the link to your right: voices without votes.

or, ethan zuckerman has a wonderful piece about it at: http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/

or if you prefer, newsweek, too, has an article about zimbabwe: http://www.newsweek.com/id/129010?GT1=43002

why do i care, you ask? why might YOU care? well, just a few days ago, our president had the gall to come out and say that the us economy is going through a "rough patch" . . . saying that inflation is nothing to worry about.

oh no?

i know, I KNOW! let's ask the people of zimbabwe and see what they have to say.

fine, i get it: we're NOT zimbabwe. thank god. we're not even remotely close to being in the same situation. but as americans, we're so insulated from troubles . . . from our own and the world's . . . that it's important, i think, to take a look at what's going on around the world . . . to get outside of ourselves and really think critically about where we stand, where we COULD stand . . . unless we become more informed and then use that information towards positive change.

many americans think that peaceful protest and voting are passe. that peaceful protest and voting are the zeitgeist of a bygone era; activities that only hippies engaged in in the 60s and 70s. but this is not so. protesting and voting require--or ought to require--critical thinking, which never goes out of style . . . and contrary to present popular belief, is the crux of a modern, high-functioning, ethical, humane, and civilized society.

it's hard for me to listen to people who say that there is no point in protesting or voting; that no-one is listening. the truth is that for however bad america might be right now, WE STILL HAVE A VOICE. if enough of us speak up, speak out, then our government will have no choice but to listen. it is our DUTY as citizens to keep this country's leaders on the straight and narrow.

the moment we lose sight of that is the moment we lose everything.