The ‘Big Business’ Of Inequality

The ‘Big Business’ Of Inequality

4/13/2020 by NPR Fresh Air

Episode: https://play.podtrac.com/npr-381444908/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/npr/fa/2020/04/20200413_fa_fapodmon-5495d6ee-402a-43bd-a9dc-e2496cacd9c2.mp3?awCollectionId=381444908&awEpisodeId=833306833&aw_0_1st.cv=yes&orgId=1&aggIds=812054919&d=2892&p=381444908&story=833306833&t=podcast&e=833306833&size=46173782&ft=pod&f=381444908

Nelson Schwartz, author of ‘The Velvet Rope Economy,’ says special privileges for the super-rich are dividing America: “The result is less sympathy, less empathy and a sort of a harder-edge society.” Schwartz talks about private helicopter rides to the airport, concierge doctors, and elite college counseling โ€” and their impact on our society. Schwartz writes about economics for the ‘New York Times.’

This is an interesting podcast that I was listening to last night. It kind of sucks that the wealthy can pay their way around so much of life’s inconveniences and pay for research that connects them with the very best in health care and other government services.

That said, I very little interest in cruise ships and airplanes not just because of the vigorously enforced class differences due to differences in price, but also because such environments seem super constraining, enclosed and regulated.

Who really wants to be forced on a schedule when your on vacation? Even if I had the money for constierege services I think I’d rather use it to invest, buy land and do things on my own time by my own rules.

April 15, 2020 Morning

Good morning! Happy Tax Day ๐Ÿ’ฐ! Today the State of New York gets rich and I get poorer. Next Wednesday is Earth Day ๐ŸŒŽ. I’ll have to burn extra plastic this weekend and produce more black smoke to make up for it. Keeps it out of the landfill by recycling โ™ป the carbon dioxide. After all, if not for Mother Earth where on earth would I be able to sling mud ๐Ÿฝ in my big jacked up truck. Plus it grows the grass ๐ŸŒพ to feed the cows ๐Ÿฎwhich produce the best beverage ๐Ÿต on earth ๐ŸŒŽ. The God bless the grass and the earthy smell of spring ๐Ÿ’ฉ in farm country.

Cold and sunny this morning. Mostly sunny and 40 degrees in Delmar, NY. โ˜€ There is a northwest breeze at 8 mph. ๐Ÿƒ. I mean if it was February it would be a nice day but it’s chilly out with wind. Temperatures will drop below freezing at around 2 am tonight. โ˜ƒ๏ธ

I am hoping it warms up enough to work part of the day day outside ๐Ÿ’ป but only time will tell. I’m not convinced that it will be warm enough to work down by the river this afternoon and truth be told I think it’s going to cloud up later.

Today will be mostly sunny ๐ŸŒž, with a high of 49 degrees at 3pm. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 27th. West wind 7 to 17 mph. That’s going to feel kind of cold. A year ago, we had light rain in the morning with a few breaks of sun the afternoon. The high last year was 63 degrees. The record high of 86 was set in 2003. 2.4 inches of snow fell back in 2014.โ„

Today I really need to get to the store ๐Ÿฌ that is wearing the banada over my face and maybe the laundromat. ๐Ÿ‘–I should also gas up for the weekend. โ›ฝ Going to be a pretty decent weekend even if a bit cold so I should plan some time social isolating in the wilderness. ๐ŸŒฒ

Solar noon ๐ŸŒž is at 12:56 pm with sun having an altitude of 57.4ยฐ from the due south horizon (-13.5ยฐ vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 3.8 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour ๐Ÿ… starts at 7:00 pm with the sun in the west (278ยฐ). ๐Ÿ“ธ The sunset is in the west-northwest (285ยฐ) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:38 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 59 seconds with dusk around 8:07 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. ๐ŸŒ‡ The best time to look at the stars is after 8:43 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies ๐ŸŒ„ and temperatures around 44 degrees. There will be a west-northwest breeze at 9 mph. Today will have 13 hours and 25 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 46 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have a slight chance of rain showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 11pm and midnight, then scattered snow showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy ๐ŸŒง, with a low of 29 degrees at 3am. Nine degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 26th. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. In 2019, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 37 degrees. The record low of 22 occurred back in 1981.

Cool but fairly sunny this weekend. Saturday, mostly sunny, with a high near 53. ๐Ÿ˜Ž Sunday, a chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Typical average high for the weekend is 60 degrees.

All things considered that isn’t too bad for the weekend. โ˜€ I enjoy lots of sun although I don’t think it will be warm enough to spend much time in the hammock but I can certainly go hiking and get some fresh air. ๐Ÿšถ

As previously noted, next Wednesday is Earth Day ๐ŸŒŽ when the sun will be setting at 7:45 pm with dusk at 8:15 pm. On that day in 2019, we had partly sunny, warm weather and temperatures between 74 and 51 degrees. I’ll take an Earth Day like that but I think that unlikely. Typically, the high temperature is 61 degrees. We hit a record high of 86 back in 1985.

Above the Ravine