We Don't Have Much to Complain About...

When you think that our prices are rising too fast, you only need to look at a place like Zimbabwe to get perspective on how good we really have it. No, I'm not happy with the rapid rise in fuel prices, but we can adjust (ride the bike, park a vehicle, walk, etc.) if it doesn't rise too fast.

The corrupt government of Robert Mugabe has caused the collapse of the economy. He is only held in power by gangs of youth and old war vets taht are paid to terrorize and brutalize people into submission. It's terrible. Not only are people living in real fear of death if they say anything or do anything but exactly what Mugabe wants, day to day living is next to impossible.

Here's an example of how fast prices are rising there:

As hyperinflation spiraled last year, Fidelity printed million-dollar
notes, then 5-million, 10-million, 25-million, 50-million. This year, it has
been forced to print 100-million, 250-million and 500-million notes in rapid
succession, all now practically worthless. The highest denomination is now 50
billion Zimbabwean dollars (worth a U.S. dollar on the street). Despite the
recent currency shortage, the Zimbabwean dollar has continued to slide against
the U.S. dollar and shopkeepers are still increasing their prices steeply. The
price of the state-owned Herald newspaper has leaped from 200,000 Zimbabwean
dollars early this month to 25 billion now. Before the crunch, a beer at a bar
in Harare, the capital, cost 15 billion Zimbabwean dollars. At 5 p.m. July 4, it
cost 100 billion ($4 at the time) in the same bar.An hour later, the price had
gone up to 150 billion ($6).

Meanwhile, Mr. Mugabe lives in luxury - far removed from the sufferings of the people that he once liberated (1980). Here's a description of his mansion:

And
the house? (it's cost could have built 4 hospitals)*

Arab artists spent a year decorating the ceilings*

3 acres of accommodation

* estimated 26 million USD to build

* 25 en-suite bathrooms*

there are underground rooms reinforced with concrete

* it is 3 times the size of the State House.

* has 44 acres of landscaped grounds*

50 crack riot response police guard it on a 24 hour watch

Meanwhile it is estimated that 80% of Zimbabweans are unemployed and a quarter of the population has left the country any way they can to seek survival for themselves and their families elsewhere.

Someone once said, 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
How true it is. This is a government that has got to go - and fast!