Toilet Paper with Wood Chips

Photo: Ileana Johnson

Huffing and puffing, I lug the large package of toilet paper from our local Costco into the house. It’s not that the price is better; I just don’t want to go to the store more often than I have to. I stood in lines enough during my twenty years of living under the boot of communism. Continue reading

Socialism, Failure, and the Progressive Deception

A 1989 video exposed the socialist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu visiting a Bucharest grocery store and a bread store. Greeted outside the door with flowers which he unceremoniously dumped into the arms of his minions, Ceausescu waved at the “adoring crowds.” He touched a few loaves of bread as if he really cared about what his people ate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxao_-TZ840 Continue reading

The Bright Colors of Freedom

Wikipedia palette of nature Nature’s palette Photo: Wikipedia
The shelves are bursting at the seams with colorful merchandise. Spring is here and there is something new for everyone’s budget, no lines anywhere. I picked my favorite color, teal, and took it to the cash register. The young man, a Millennial no doubt, smiled and casually asked me if I liked bright colors. Continue reading

Food Lines Coming?

Venezuela Food line Venezuela Food Line Distribution Photo: Wikipedia
Americans willingly stand in line for hours waiting for a store to open during Black Friday or to purchase tickets to a sought-after football game or concert. They don’t mind freezing in the cold, sleeping in a tent on the side-walk hours and days before the store opens – they want to save $50 for a television set, find a toy that everybody else wants for Christmas, a popular electronic gadget, first issues of geek gear, or tickets to a favorite concert. Continue reading

Dental Floss and Castro Care

The economy is not experiencing scarcity yet but I did notice lately that the range of choices for various goods has diminished. It has been three months or longer since my favorite dental floss and toothpaste have been missing on store shelves. They finally reappeared recently, to disappear again, an obvious sign of manufacturing shortage. This prompted me to check out the new sonic care air flossing gadget. The price alone could buy 40-80 rolls of floss, not to mention the need of electricity to make it work.
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