WOW!

The TRIPLE PEPPERONI SMACKDOWN PIZZA is back at Garlic Jim's.

Are you and your arteries impressed?

I'm sad

The headlines of several news sources are about the death of a multi-millionaire actor...

one who starred in very violent Hollywood films...

died.

I'm sad, aren't you?

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER (#50)

CINDI BIGELOW HIRES PHIL SIMMS TO HELP HER PLUG HER TEA...

INSTEAD OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU OR ME.

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER (#6)

SAMSUNG GALAXY HIRES LEBRON JAMES TO PLUG ITS PHONES...

INSTEAD OF YOU AND I.

HOW THE RICH GET MUCH RICHER (#44)

CAPITAL ONE BANK HIRING HOLLYWOOD'S SAMUEL L. JACKSON TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCT INSTEAD OF YOU OR ME.

A NEW VIOLENT HOLLYWOOD SHOW COMING

BUT... BECAUSE IT SHOWCASES THE USE OF A LOT OF ASSAULT WEAPONS... AND CANCER-CAUSING SMOKING, I DO NOT RECOMMEND WATCHING IT.

A NEW MOVIE AD CLAIMS...

WHEN YOU LOSE EVERYTHING, THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GET IT BACK.

THEN A GUN APPEARS.

SAD.

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER (#42)

CHRYSLER HIRES THE ALREADY VERY RICH WILL FERRELL TO PLUG IT'S DODGE DURANGO....

INSTEAD OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU OR ME.

RE: Tom Clancy

A lot of his works were turned into movies and tv shows which glamorized all kinds of assault weapons. He also influenced other writers to do the same. I wasn't impressed.

THOU SHALT NOT KILL...

EXCEPT BY EXECUTION BY LETHAL INJECTION IN FLORIDA... YESTERDAY.

A QUESTION FOR YOU

TONIGHT I GOT TEARY-EYED WHEN I SAW FOOTAGE OF WHEN THE MOST FAMOUS LEGAL ALIEN AND PLAYER IN NEW YORK YANKEE HISTORY LEFT THE MOUND FOR THE LAST TIME. DID YOU?

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER (#61)

WRANGLER HIRING DALE EARNHARDT JR., BRETT FARVE AND DREW BREES TO SELL THEIR JEANS...

INSTEAD OF FOLKS LIKE YOU AND ME.

IF I WAS NON-HOMELESS...

I WOULD NOT BUY A MATTRESS FROM SLEEPY'S BECAUSE IT'S MOM-RETURNS- HOME-FROM-WAR TV COMMERCIAL MADE ME TEARY-EYED AND ALL.

NO, I'D PURCHASE A SLEEPY'S MATTRESS BECAUSE THE ONE I HAVE HAS BLOOD AND OTHER STAINS ON IT.

ON THIS ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 I ALSO SAY NEVER FORGET....

NEVER FORGET THAT A LOT OF THINGS ARE FAKE IN THIS SO-CALLED GREATEST COUNTRY IN THIS WORLD.

INCLUDING FLOWERS.

IF TODAY'S FANATICAL CHRISTIANS HERE WERE GIVEN PERMISSION TO LIVE IN TODAY'S WORLD...

I WOULD INVITE THE EDUCATED OF THEM TO EXPERIENCE...

THE MUSIC OF PATTI SMITH

THE WORDS OF CHRIS HEDGES

SEVERAL VISITS WITH A MEDIUM (VERY DIFFERENT FROM A PSYCHIC)

AND MORE.

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER (#59)

DUNKIN DONUTS USING ELI MANNING - ALREADY A MULTIMILLIONAIRE - TO PROMOTE ITS PRODUCTS... INSTEAD OF YOU OR ME.

A DISCOVER.COM AD I AM LOOKING AT CLAIMS JOB LOSS SUPPORT...

BUT NOT HOME LESS SUPPORT.

LATEST RAGS' T-SHIRT IDEA...

YOU'RE ONLY NON-HOMELESS ONCE

MOMENTS AGO...

WHILE BEGGING FOR A CUP OF COFFEE OUTSIDE A McDONALDS, A WORKER STEPPED OUT FOR A CANCER STICK.

MY QUESTION FOR THE 40 SOMETHING LOOKING LOW WAGE EARNER...

SO, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE OF FAST FOOD RESTAURANT WORKERS TO INCREASE WAGES? EVEN DOUBLE THEM?

HER REPLY...

WHAT STRUGGLE?

ANOTHER QUESTION FOR... ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION...

WANNA KNOW WHAT SOMEONE WHO IS IGNORING THE CURRENT QUEST OF THE U.S. MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX LOOKS LIKE?

JUST LOOK AROUND.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS FROM MY LATEST REAL STREET INTERVIEW.

WHEN ASKED...

WHAT'S GETTING TOUGHER FOR THE NON-HOMELESS TO DO THESE DAYS? BUY AN ASSAULT WEAPON OR VOTE...

35 SAID: VOTE

12 SAID: BUY AN ASSAULT WEAPON

23 SAID: WHO CARES

AND 88 SAID: GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME RAGS!

THE VOICE IN THOSE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY DRUG ADS SHOULD SAY...

ASK YOUR EMERGENCY ROOM ATTENDING ABOUT CALLING FOR DRUG PRICING REFORM.

Hypocrites

Tens of millions of American hate the U.S. government... but will purchase products from the huge corporations that run the government.

Hyporites.

I HEARD C-SPAN IS SHOWING A CONVERSATION BETWEEN DICK CHENEY AND HIS DAUGHTER LIZ.

THAT'S NICE. BUT NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE BETWEEN DICK CHENEY AND HIS DAUGHTER MARY.

BUT I'M DREAMING, RIGHT?

DICK... BEING THE FORMER MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD -WHILE RUNNING THE BUSH PRESIDENCY, ANTI-GAY, AND A REPUBLICAN...

HE ISN'T ALLOWED TO APPEAR WITH HIS GAY DAUGHTER.

COMING SOON ON BOX TV...

THE SECOND OR THIRD SHOWING OF THE WASTED BROTHERS FILM, THE ASSAULT WEAPON MONOLOGUES.

IN A LIBRARY I TAKE A NAP IN ON OCCASION I SPOTTED A DVD RENTAL TITLED, CURSE OF ALCATRAZ.

AND IN ADDITION TO IMMEDIATELY THINKING OF THE CLASSIC ALCATRAZ ESCAPE FILM STARRING CLINT EASTWOOD...

I WONDERED IF THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCED CURSE... WOULD BE WILLING TO FOLLOW THAT DRAMA WITH A FILM CALLED...

CURSE OF THE 21st CENTURY AMERICAN WORKING CLASS.

JEOPARDY, ON BOX, CONTINUES

AND THE ANSWER IS:

BRUCE WILLIS.

THE CORRECT QUESTION:

WHO IS THE LATEST MULTI-MILLIONAIRE ACTOR TO KILL A CHILD IN A FILM?

EPITAPH I SAW ON SOMEONE'S NEWLY CREATED GRAVE STONE...

YEAH I SAW THAT LIGHT... CAUSED BY EXTRA BRAIN ACTIVITY AT THE END OF HUMAN LIFE.

NOT!

JUST SPOTTED A YOUNG ASIAN MAN WEARING A T-SHIRT THAT STATED... KEEP CALM AND CALL BATMAN.

HOW 'BOUT WEARING ONE THAT STATES...

F#%K CALMNESS, GET INVOLVED.

I'M BAD.

WHILE BEGGING AROUND NOON TODAY IN A DELI...

I APPROACHED A BEER DRINKER WHOM I COULD TELL HAD A FEW...

AND WHO WAS WEARING A REALLY BRIGHT SHIRT...

AND SAID, "BECAUSE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY CELEBRATING NEON GREEN T-SHIRT DAY, HOW 'BOUGHT HELPING ME OUT WITH SOME CHANGE SO I CAN GET A PIECE OF CHICKEN?"

MOST LIKELY KNOWING I WAS LYING...

ALSO KNOWING IT REALLY IS GROUND HOG DAY...

HER REACTION WAS... "BUG OFF, MATE!... IN MUCH STRONGER WORDS.

YEAH, I'M BAD.

254 GUNS OFF THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY IS GREAT NEWS.

BUT A HEADLINE OF...

254 HOMELESS MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN OFF THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY...

WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.

JUST PASSED A YOUNG NON-HOMELEES WHITE MAN WEARING A CAP THAT STATED,  I HEART CHINA.

FIRST TIME I'D SEEN THAT.

MAYBE HE SHOPS AT WALMART.

A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

WHICH SMELLS WORSE?

THAT OF A VERY RICH NON-HOMELESS WOMEN WHO SMELLS LIKE PERFUME AND CIGARETTE SMOKE...

A VERY RICH NON-HOMELESS MAN WHO SMELLS LIKE COLOGNE AND CIGARETTE SMOKE...

OR A HOMELESS WOMAN  WHO HAS NOT WASHED UP FOR SIX WEEKS?

I WILL NEVER CALL PENN STATE UNIVERSITY ...PSU... PEDOPHILE STATE UNIVERSITY... LIKE SO MANY OTHERS DO TODAY.

BUT I WILL FOREVERMORE THINK OF IT AS SO.
YOU TOO?

THE UGLY PART OF THE U.S., IN FICTION, IS OFTEN SHOWN IN HOLLYWOOD FILMS.

AND NOW... IN NON-FICTION... THE RAGS SHOW.

RAGS QUESTIONS OF THE MOMENT

WHERE DID THAT COME FROM... FIRETRUCKS SPORTING AMERICAN FLAGS?

AND WHEN WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME A FIREMAN, VOLUNTEER OR OTHERWISE, PLACE ONE ON THE REAR OF A TRUCK?

RAGS QUESTION OF THE MOMENT

WHAT DO YOU THINK CONTRIBUTES MORE TO CRIME TODAY?

ALCOHOL ADDICTION AND/OR CONSUMPTION...

OR INCOME INEQUALITY?

I WANDERED THROUGH THE UES IN MANHATTAN TODAY. A VERY COMFORTABLE DAY TEMPERATURE WISE.

AND WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT THE STORE FRONTS I NOTICEDTHE CLOTHING STORES APPEAR TO USE ONLY WHITE COLORED MANNEQUINSTO HIGHLIGHT THEIR GOODS.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IT SURPRISED ME A BIT.

JUST LEARNED FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BOOK DOWN IN THE CHAPEL...

THAT 20 PRISONS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE PAST 30 YEARS.

MY REACTION. QUESTIONS.

IS THAT THE BEST A THIS STATE CAN DO TO CREATE JOBS... WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TOSS AWAY PRECIOUS YET TROUBLED HUMAN LIVES?

AND DO SO IN THE SO-CALLED GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD?

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER TODAY (#42)

AT&T HIRING MARIANO RIVERA TO PLUG THEIR PRODUCT... NOT SOMEONE LIKE YOU, ME OR SOME OTHER MEMBER OF THE SHRINKING MIDDLE CLASS.

JUST HEARD ABOUT A NEW SHOW ON THE COMEDY CHANNEL CALLED DRUNK HISTORY...

WONDERING IF THEY'LL PLAY IT SAFE AND NOT EVEN CONSIDER  OFFERING HUMOROUS VERSIONS OF HISTORIC EVENTS LIKE:

U.S. BOMBINGS OF NAGASAKI AND HIROSHIMA

U.S. EXITING VIETNAM

BEATING OF RODNEY KING BY L.A. COPS

TERRORIST ATTACKS OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BY RADICAL MUSLIMS

U.S. INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ

ETC. ETC.

YEAH, THEY'LL PROBABLY PLAY IT SAFE.

THE BEHAVIOR OF THE NON-HOMELESS IS OFTEN EASILY PREDICTABLE...

WENDY'S TELLS ITS CUSTOMERS TO BUY ITS PRETZEL BACON CHEESEBURGER...

AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

BUY ITS PRETZEL BACON CHEESBURGER.

RAGS QUESTION OF THE... MOMENT

ARE SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS ALLOWED TO GO BEYOND THEIR COMFORT ZONE?

ADDITIONALLY...

NOW READING FROM A NAPKIN I WAS JUST HANDED...

AND WHICH I CAN BARELY MAKE OUT...

SOME OF THE PRIOR SEGMENTS OF THE RAGS SHOW WAS...

AND THE CORRECT WORD TO USE HERE IS WERE...

SOME OF THE PRIOR SEGMENTS OF THE RAGS SHOW WERE BROUGHT TO YOU BY... NOBUCKS.

WITH THREE, SOMETIMES FOUR FLAVORS OF OUR ESPECIALLY ADDICTIVE COFFEE TO CHOSE FROM... DROP ON IN.

AND BRING YOUR OWN MUG.

JUST PASSED A MONITOR A FEW MINUTES AGO AND SPOTTED ON IT THE STATEMENT...

THE NEW YORK TIMES: ACT NOW!

AND FOR A FLEETING MOMENT I GOT EXCITED AND ACTUALLY WONDERED IF THE STRUGGLING COMPANY WAS INVOLVED IN SOME SORT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTION.

BUT THEN THE STATEMENT WAS REPLACED BY ONE ANNOUNCING A SUBSCRIPTION SAVINGS OF 50%... ETC, ETC.

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, RIGHT?

THE AD I JUST SAW ON A TV FROM VANS FAMOUS FOOTWEAR CLAIMS...

VICTORY IS YOURS.

RIGHT... THE SHRINKING MIDDLE CLASS IS REAL VICTORIOUS THESE DAYS.

RAGS REAL STREET INTERVIEW

HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF MY LATEST REAL STREET INTERVIEW POSED TO THE BUMS OF HTOWN USA...

WHEN ASKED, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SUSPENSION OF ALEX RODRIGUEZ?...

24 SAID: HE DESERVED IT.

22 SAID: WHAT A SHAME.

1 SAID: HE'S SO GOOD-LOOKING I'D LIKE TO... CENSORED... TO HIM.... AND... CENSORED... ON MY BOX.

51 SAID: NEVER HEARD OF HIM.

AND 60 SAID: GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME RAGS!

I ALMOST FORGOT...

HERE IS MY REPORT ON HOW I THINK THE YANKEES HAVE DONE AT THE HALF.WAY POINT OF THE SEASON.

IN MY OPINION THE YANKEES HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB... AT PLACING ITS FANS IN FRONT OF ADS.

THAT'S RIGHT, IN FRONT OF ADS. ADS...

IN PRINT
ON TELEVISION
ONLINE
IN THE STADIUMS... HOME AND AWAY

AND ON THE RADIO.

ESPECIALLY ON THE RADIO WHERE I AT LEAST AM SICK OF THE FORD, BIGELOW TEA, WENDYS, KARS FOR KIDS, NY DAILY NEWS, GEICO AND OTHER ADS.

YEP, THE YANKEES HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PLACING ADS IN FRONT OF FANS.

AND HAVE DONE SO FOR A LONG TIME.

SO... A SECURITY ALERT HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO YOU, ME AND ANYONE ELSE TUNED IN TO THE MEDIA.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT?

A WHOLE LOT OF BAG WATCHING WILL BE TAKING PLACE...

AND RACIAL PROFILING IS RECOMMENDED.

I KNOW. I USED TO DO IT. AND IT IS STILL GOING ON.

POOR PEOPLE IN BARS DRINKING, WHILE LISTENING TO THE MUSIC OF THE RICH...

AND ALMOST AS OFTEN WATCHING TV MONITORS FULL OF THE RICH.

SAD.

HOMELESS AMERICAN EXPRESS JUST CONTACTED ME AND SUGGESTED IF I WANT THEM TO BE A SPONSOR OF THE RAGS SHOW I SHOULD PROVIDE MORE CONTENT.

MY REPLY: IF YOU CAN FIND A BUM OFFERING MORE... GO FOR IT.

HAD A NICE DREAM LAST NIGHT...

I WAS NON-HOMELESS, AT HOME ALONE, LISTENING TO SOME FAVORITE MUSIC  OF MINE ON A STEREO...

FIRST WAS DANCING NOW BY THE B52s... IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY STEVIE RAY VAUGHN'S DIRTY POOL. IT WAS GREAT.
GREAT UNTIL I WOKE UP TO MY PRESENT SITUATION.

ANYWAY, TRY IT YOURSELF.

THE CHURCH MESSAGE I JUST PASSED ON A BUS STATES, BECAUSE I AM HOLY. PERHAPS IT SHOULD STATE, BECAUSE I WAS HOLY WHEN I WAS ALIVE...

PERHAPS.

JUST HEARD SOMEONE TALKING ABOUT THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG, ETC., ETC.

THE ANSWER:

WHICHEVER COMES FIRST IN HTOWN GETS EATEN FIRST.

AS OF THIRTY MINUTES AGO I AM WEARING A BRAND NEW T-SHIRT.

ALL DUE TO A BIG GIVEAWAY AT THE PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL NEAR TIMES SQUARE, THE SHIRT STATES, BORGATA TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

IT OF COURSE IS PLUGGING ADDICTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND SPENDING IN THE STRUGGLING ATLANTIC CITY, NJ...

AND IN NO WAY AM I AN ADVOCATE OF ADDICTION IN ANY WAY...

BUT I AM IN NEED OF A NEW SHIRT RIGHT NOW AND APPRECIATE IT.

RAGS

WAYS THE RICH GET RICHER

WAYS IN WHICH THE VERY RICH GET RICHER  TODAY (#73)...

WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO GROWING INCOME INEQUALITY IN THE US:

COCA COLA HIRING MULTI-MILLIONAIRE TAYLOR SWIFT TO PLUG IT'S DIET COKE VERSUS SOMEONE FROM THE SHRINKING MIDDLE CLASS.

WHEREAS A LITTLE BOY FIGHTING CANCER, AND WHO IS A HUGE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL FAN HAS TOLD THE MEDIA HE HAS NAMED HIS DISEASE MICHIGAN, THE MAJOR RIVAL OF OSU...

I AM INFORMINGTHE FEW PEOPLE READING THIS THAT I AM NAMING ALL POVERTY THAT CAUSES HOMELESSNESS:

VIOLENCE
PTSD
WAR
ILLITERACY
DIVORCE
MEDICAL DEBT
CONSUMER DEBT
ADDICTION
ALCOHOLISM
MENTAL ILLNESS
INCOME INEQUALITY
LAZINESS
DEPRESSION
SEX ABUSE
RACISM
CELEBRITY WORSHIP
IGNORANCE
JOBLESSNESS

CAPITALISM.

UNLIKE A LOT OF HEADLINES ACROSS THE GLOBE TODAY I AM NOT EAGER TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE ROYAL BABY... A CHILD BORN INTO THE ONE PERCENT. YOU?

I'M EXCITED, AREN'T YOU? NOT! (NUMBER 57)

I JUST LEARNED IN TWO YEARS I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO A VIOLENT HOLLYWOOD FILM FEATURING SUPERMAN AND THE DARK KNIGHT... AND DO SO WITH THE MOVIEGOERS WHO FEEL THEY MUST AND WILL SEE THE FILM THE VERY FIRST WEEKEND IT COMES OUT.

I'M EXCITED, AREN'T YOU? NOT.

WHENEVER I COME ACROSS IT IN A NEWS STAND OR BOOK STORE I'LL CHECK OUT ADBUSTERS MAGAZINE.

EVER HEARD OF IT?

ANYWAY, BECAUSE ADS ARE EVERYWHERE. I REPEAT, EVERYWHERE. AND HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT EASY TO DO SO, I LIKE TO DO SOME ADBUSTING OF MY OWN.

SO STAY TUNED.

NEW YORK SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER HAD HIS SUNDAY PRESS CONFERENCE IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL TODAY, CHOOSING TO ADDRESS HEAT-CAUSED TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS AND THE PENDING INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES ON STUDENT LOANS.

I WAS PASSING BY WHEN HE BEGAN SPEAKING.

IF I HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO ASK A QUESTION AFTER HIS REMARKS IT WOULD HAVE GONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

IT'S MOSTLY WHITE KIDS THAT QUALIFY FOR STUDENT LOANS, SO HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE THAT RATES WOULD GO UP ON THEM?

I JUST READ IN A NEWS FEED THERE WERE 100 PROTESTS OF THE ZIMMERMAN TRIAL NOT-GUILTY VERDICT ACROSS AMERICA TODAY. YEAH...RIGHT! ONE HUNDRED.

NOT ONE HUNDRED AND SIX OR ONE HUNDRED AND TWO. OR ONE HUNDRED AND TEN. BUT EXACTLY ONE HUNDRED.

LYING SO-CALLED LIBERAL MEDIA.

Earlier today, while standing at a bus stop near an intersection I started wondering how my day in this hot city was going to be. Then a sharp sporty-looking convertible stopped right in front of me as the instrumental intro to a hit song by Aerosmith began over its sound system. The music continued as I tapped my right foot in sync with it. Then, just as the vocal part of the song began, Sweeeeeeet... Emoooootion.... the light turned green, the car turned the corner, and the music faded. It was fun.

So now I am asking myself... were the gods or universe giving me a clue as to how my day was going to be? Who knows.

AFTER LISTENING TO THE FAN THIS MORNING  ON THE RADIO ABOUT THE STATE OF THE  NEW YORK YANKEES... I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE COMMENTATORS.

IN DIFFERENT WORDS OF COURSE.

THAT THE STILL-INJURED  MULT-MILLIONAIRE NEW YORK YANKEE PLAYERS ARE NOT! GOING TO HELP THEM REACH THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR.

AND THAT THESE PLAYERS...

THOUGH INJURED AND NOT PLAYING.... STILL GENERATE  AN INCOME WHICH IS GREATER THAN THE EARNINGS OF AN ENTIRE HOME OR AWAY CROWD AT ANY GAME.

MY WORDS.

IT'S HOT. BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, RIGHT? SO JUST CONTINUE SHOPPING.

NOTHING YET. STAY TUNED.