In America, a warehouse store. A fully roasted chicken costs five dollars, the raw chicken beside it costs seven, and I stood between them like a man between two truths. Golden. Hot. Seasoned. Spinning in glory under the lights, in a line of its brothers. Four dollars and ninety-nine cents. I checked the raw birds. Seven dollars. Pale. Cold. You must do everything yourself. This is not commerce. Commerce does not move backward. Somewhere in this building, mathematics lies defeated. I asked the man at the counter. "How is the cooked bird cheaper than the raw bird?" "Been five bucks forever. They keep it that way." "But the store loses." "Yep. On purpose." On purpose. I held my receipt with both hands. In my land, a lord who lowered the price of rice in a hard winter was remembered for generations. They built him a small shrine. This store does it every day, with chicken, and tells no one. A woman behind me grew tired of my reverence. "It's just a chicken, sir." It is not just a chicken. It is a wound the merchant takes on purpose, so that anyone, on any day, with five dollars, eats like a lord. The bird is the message. The price is the vow. I will confess: I bought two. I did not need two. The second was not hunger. It was gratitude, and it was delicious. Some prices are not prices. They are promises. I return every week now. I take one bird. I bow toward the deli, briefly, so as not to alarm the staff. They have begun nodding back. The vow holds. The bird turns. Five dollars. Long may it spin.

World Cup notes: 1. 48 teams is too many 2. Hydration breaks are the worst 3. 5 subs is way too many 4. Hilarious that 99% of players are wearing pink cleats/boots 5. How is Alexi Lalas still a thing?

When you turn on the World Cup game and they stop play for a “hydration break.”

The Far Side was so fucking good it’s still ahead of its time …

How can the expanded World Cup include Haiti, Curaçao, Saudi Arabia & Uzbekistan but not Italy? 🇮🇹 it doesn’t seem right. Previous World Cup winners should all automatically qualify imho.

#NewProfilePic #Pride

Why do we tax people for owning property? For making an honest income? For being a sound, smart investor? For growing a business that creates value? The only thing we should be taxing is consumption.