Soundtrack: Front Line Assembly, "Don't Trust Anyone"
Mood: Bitter
My friend Jake, who is an avid reader, loaned me the planet's most dismal book. "You'll appreciate it," she said. "It fits your politics." The book is entitled Fast Food Nation, and I hate it. More accurately, I hate what it is telling me about my society.
I've finished two chapters now. In one chapter, I learned that the automobile industry (GM, specifically) destroyed light rail during the 1920's by using front companies to buy up trolley lines and then replacing the trolley lines with GM-made busses. They were indicted for, and convicted of, antitrust activity in 1947.
The judge fined them $5000.
The executives who planned the whole thing were charged $1 apiece.
In the second chapter, I learned that American public schools are so strapped for money that they negotiate advertising and product sales agreements with fast food and beverage corporations - Coke, Taco Bell, McDonald's. These corporations then receive government kickbacks for "supporting education".
What the fuck?
I'm afraid to read the remaining 209 pages. I'm not sure I want to know how much more angry and frustrated I can get.
Mood: Bitter
My friend Jake, who is an avid reader, loaned me the planet's most dismal book. "You'll appreciate it," she said. "It fits your politics." The book is entitled Fast Food Nation, and I hate it. More accurately, I hate what it is telling me about my society.
I've finished two chapters now. In one chapter, I learned that the automobile industry (GM, specifically) destroyed light rail during the 1920's by using front companies to buy up trolley lines and then replacing the trolley lines with GM-made busses. They were indicted for, and convicted of, antitrust activity in 1947.
The judge fined them $5000.
The executives who planned the whole thing were charged $1 apiece.
In the second chapter, I learned that American public schools are so strapped for money that they negotiate advertising and product sales agreements with fast food and beverage corporations - Coke, Taco Bell, McDonald's. These corporations then receive government kickbacks for "supporting education".
What the fuck?
I'm afraid to read the remaining 209 pages. I'm not sure I want to know how much more angry and frustrated I can get.
olivia:
crap! no i didn't, i guess we figured it was just that one band with the long haired dude. you know bcm? he used to be my roommate in australia. nice to meet you 