Capitalism

 Within capitalism, the pursuit and accumulation of money rules.  The following  8 articles found in the December 17, 2023 edition of The New York Times relate to wealth. This essay provides a brief description of each article.

"Makeover" refers to a review of the book titled The Bill Gates Problem  Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire .  The author suggested that Bill Gates and his foundation are suspect.  He states that Gates was  primarily using his foundation for  more control over the business world . For example, he's now  more in control now over such things as AIDS, HIV , implants  all  related to the drug industry . Also, he's not critically  evaluated because individuals that do evaluate him , have received contributions from his foundation.  The author stated that generosity comes at a cost. On the other hand, is it better for the world, If he gives his money  away rather than  hoard it ? The money belongs to him.

“Financial Times"  relates to a book titled The Money Kings: The Epic Story of the Jewish Immigrants Who Transformed Wall Street and Shaped Modern America.  The author wrote about  banker Jacob Schiff and his influence that spread beyond Wall Street.  He provided the example when Schiff met with Adolph Ochs, the publisher of the New York Times,and Oscar Straus, Pres. Theodore Roosevelt's minister to The Hague about the potential war between Japan and Russia.  Schiff told his friends that he had been approached about arranging a loan to the Japanese government to help fund their war .  Schiff believed that  financing the war might help reduce and actually bring down the Russian Tsar and hopefully eliminate   the pogroms taking place. A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of massacuring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews.  Fiddler on the Roof comes to mind . Schiff wrote to British banker Nathaniel Rothschild about his reasons and then the money was loaned. Japan won the war. Of course Russia lost because of unnamed Jews. How could there be any other explanation? 

Anti-Semitism propaganda was one of the rationalizations of Jews  conspiring to shape world events and taking over the world . In 1903 ,around the time the  Russian - Japanese war ended, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" was  first published in Russia and then internationally .  This was a  fraudulent ,plagiarized, contradictory Jew hating book , with lies and the paranoid fear and “belief” that  there was a Jewish conspiracy filled with assassinations,  contradictory testimonies , secret societies etc  to  take over Russia and then the  world.  This book was used for propaganda by Hitler and the Nazis, and taught in their schools.  Its hateful influence was also noted in Switzerland, Italy, Greece and the Middle East .

In 1920,the Detroit anti-semite  Henry Ford published in his newspaper the Dearborn Independent and circulated 270,000 paid copies around the country a series of articles titled "The International Jew  The World’s Foremost Problem.” The articles were based on the anti semitic paranoid beliefs found in this  hateful , vague and irrational book .  Did the powerful Jews end the Russian Empire and bring  the Bolsheviks to power in 1917 ? This was an anti semitic conspiracy and fabrication  of the truth. .The powerful Jewish bankers did not support the Bolsheviks. In fact Schiff hated the Russian Zahr Romanoff with his pogrom policy. Note ,a distant cousin Boris  Leon Ganapol born in Kyiv ,Ukraine entertained Nicholas and his family and subsequently gave mom piano lessons in Detroit  as well .  

Ford's newspaper’s articles did not mention patriot  Haym Solomon .  Solomon was a Portuguese Jew and a member of  the New York branch of the Sons of Liberty, the secret society motivated to undermine British interest in the colonies.  He walked the walk and was a principal financier and supported Washington's armies with food, clothing and arms.  Thank you Hyam Solomon . George Washington thanks you, my grandparents, thank you, my parents, thank you and I think you.for your patriotism.

“Rod Stewart, Aiming to Spend More Time in Britain, Lists LA Mansion. “ Rod's  the one that recorded Da Ya Think I'm Sexy, Have I Told You Lately, Maggie May and others.  The home was listed at $80 million.  Stewart paid over 12 million in 1991 just for the lot.  The home has 28,000 sq ft , 3 acres , soccer field , theater, and speakeasy and  is just one of his residences in our country.  He also has a residence in Las Vegas and another home in Palm Beach, Florida.  His Beverly Hills neighborhood has some of the highest priced real estate in Los Angeles and his neighbors include Denzel Washington, Justin Bieber, Barry Bonds,  and Adele, who just paid $58 million for Sylvester Stallone's home.  He's open to selling his home furnished although his art is not for sale.

“ The Soul of a Cotswolds Cottage Sits in Los Angeles- before  developers could tear it down; an actor bought a 755 square-foot house. “ Many of the bungalows in this area have disappeared . Once upon a time,  Los Angeles was  not a tangle of vehicle choked freeways and it supported one of the largest electric railway systems in the world. The  listing occurred in 2016 for a one bedroom house built in 1903.  It’s  among the oldest in the neighborhood and sits on  1/10 th of an acre.  The actor was shocked  he was able to make an offer that the seller  entertained .  The seller was an architect who respected the bungalow's history and was proud of the improvements he had made.  He sold the house to the actor for $ 783,000 less than he would have gotten from other suitors .  The actor hired a designer for her first job and she renovated the home for about $75,000 including  a new energy efficient lighting throughout the home.  The home  has solar panels .  He discovered that the property is zoned for two houses and he dreams of adding another building, but for now, he said the prized dwelling is just right for him as he only spends 65% of the year there .

“Life in a Swampy New York Neighborhood  - Can The Hole , a poor, waterlogged area on the Brooklyn-Queens border be saved ?”  A home in this swamp has snakes, rats , septic tank leaks , groundwater pooling in the living room with mushroom like spores growing on the walls for  a stay-at-home mother.  This area is about 4 miles from Kennedy International Airport ,with small buildings, surrounded by vacant lots and flooded streets, dotted with potholes and abandoned cars.  The swampy area sits at one of the lowest elevations in the city about 4 feet above sea level.  Because of this,  it's not connected to the sewer system and residents have to rely on septic tanks and cesspools in the streets that flood just about every time it rains. Would this woman move ?  She said in a minute

“On the Market, A Greenwich updated 1870 house listed at $2,495,000.”  It's a three bedroom , 3 1/2 bath , 3943 square-foot house with original fireplaces, bookcases , crown moldings, a great room addition and a bonus room on 2.57 acres.  Taxes are $ 18,230  a year.  Pros include updates including a contemporary exterior and renovated bathrooms.  Well maintained.  Original details balance nicely with the modern renovations. Cons - The first floor air conditioning is partially and the basement is unfinished.  There is no garage. 

“ Lower East Side Co-Op listed at $ 639,000. “ This is a one bedroom ,one bath roughly 665 square-foot unit with the windowed bathroom on the top floor of the building, shared laundry and a video intercom.  Maintenance is $ 976 a month.  Amenities include 24-hour security , a gym, two parks,and  the Empire State building is visible from the apartment.  Cons the kitchen has limited counter space.  The concrete flooring may feel cold in the bedroom.

“The locals  Can Only Look at the Peak, and Weep.  “The Windham Mountain Ski Resort’s  just over two hours north of New York City was purchased by the founder of a national restaurant chain and a hotel group scion.  Memberships to access the new amenities would come at  $1 75,000 for those who joined right away and $ 200,000 for those who waited until March 1.  Current members, some of whom paid as little as $25,000 for their spots,  and if they did not opt in; memberships would be terminated on May 1.  These changes are designed to attract wealthier clients from New York City, accelerating the gentrification of the Catskills in recent years.  Numerous Windham residents circulated a petition calling on the town leaders to block the mountain's transformation into a semi private club.  Many residents are not  happy  and say they are offended by what's taking place.  Unfortunately, the town is now presented with a  problem because it relies on so many weekends to fuel its economy.  On the bright side , there are new restaurants, even a sushi restaurant. Great news for some, but not for the majority.

These articles do not suggest our country is a melting pot.  These few articles illustrate the tremendous financial differences that exist.  It's not surprising that there are so many feeling  fearful, resentful,  angry, envious of their neighbors and unable to keep up with the Joneses.  And Washington state ,in 2024 has a $16.28 per hour minimum wage. And this is considered high?  It's easy to not accept responsibility and find as an excuse someone or some group to  blame for one's misfortune.

PS

College football champions Michigan  Wolverines 34 and Washington Huskies 13.