The Conservative Cave

Behind the facade of normalization, even high-income lifestyles have been ghetto-ized.

Consider the defining characteristics of a ghetto:

1. The residents can't afford to live elsewhere.

2. Everything is a rip-off because options are limited and retailers / service providers know residents have no other choice or must go to extraordinary effort to get better quality or a lower price.

3. Nothing works correctly or efficiently. Things break down and aren't fixed properly. Maintenance is poor to non-existent. Any service requires standing in line or being on hold.

4. Local governance is corrupt and/or incompetent. Residents are viewed as a reliable "vote farm" for the incumbents, even though whatever little they accomplish for the residents doesn't reduce the sources of immiseration.

5. The locale is unsafe. Cars are routinely broken into, there are security bars over windows and gates to entrances, everything not chained down is stolen--and even what is chained down is stolen.

6. There are few viable businesses and numerous empty storefronts.

7. The built environment is ugly: strip malls, used car lots, etc. There are few safe public spaces or parks that are well maintained and inviting.

8. Most of the commerce is corporate-owned outlets; the money doesn't stay in the community.

9. Public transport is minimal and constantly being degraded.

10. They get you coming and going: whatever is available is double in cost, effort and time. Very little is convenient or easy. Services are far away.

11. Residents pay high rates of interest on debt.

12. There are few sources of healthy real food. The residents are unhealthy and self-medicate with a panoply of addictions to alcohol, meds, painkillers, gambling, social media, gaming, celebrity worship, etc.

13. Nobody in authority really cares what the residents experience, as they know the residents are atomized and ground down, incapable of cooperating in an organized fashion, and therefore powerless.

mvd (65,173 posts)
23. Hi Deb
Reply to debm55 (Original post)
Wed Apr 24, 2024, 12:00 PM
Never had an official one but now I work at home doing video games for goals and surveys. Doesn’t bring in a lot but it is a fun way to earn money.

How are you? I am ok now. That last donation I got really saved me and mom - I feel mom would have gone to the hospital. I have some plans for this month but even if I get short there will be no DU fundraiser. Would just have to go through it somehow.

The University of Southern California on Thursday scrapped its “main stage” graduation ceremony as the campus has been overrun with anti-Israel protests that have led to the arrests of nearly 100 students.

The university blamed new safety measures put in place this year for the cancellation of the 65,000-person ceremony at Alumni Park on May 10.

In a message to the school community, USC said that because of new measures it would take too long to process the large number of guests.

“We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC, including places to gather with family, friends, faculty, and staff, the celebratory releasing of the doves, and performances by the Trojan Marching Band,” school leaders said in the announcement.

The elite California school has been embroiled in pomp-and-circumstance controversy since it called off a speech by valedictorian Asna Tabassum earlier this month, pointing to “security” concerns after she was accused of promoting “anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric” over social media.

Iran-backed militias inciting US students to escalate university protests, mock calls for restraint

The Sabereen News, a Telegram channel affiliated with Iran-backed Iraqi militias is inciting American students to escalate university protests against Israel.

Per the Middle East Media Research Institute’s (MEMRI) Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM), the Telegram channel shared multiple photos of anti-Israeli protest across the U.S.

“From Columbia University to Brown University: ‘We will not abandon Gaza,’ the students in American universities chant during their sit-in solidarity of Palestine,” read a post on the channel, per MEMRI.

UT Austin says ‘outside groups’ involved in anti-Israel protests
UT Austin on Thursday said nearly half of those arrested in anti-Israel demonstrations the day prior were not affiliated with the university.

The university said that the protest, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, saw “significant participation by outside groups present on our campus yesterday.”

"This outside group presence is what we’ve seen from the affiliated national organization’s efforts to disrupt and create disorder,” UT Austin said. “Roughly half (26) of the 55 people who violated Institutional Rules and were ultimately arrested were unaffiliated with The University of Texas.”