The rich get richer ...

In this article about the extraordinary rise in executive pay, there was this:

From 1985 to 2005, the incomes of taxpayers in the top 10th of earnings rose about 54 percent after inflation, to an average of $207,200, according to Thomas Piketty of the Paris School of Economics and Emmanuel Saez of the University of California, Berkeley. But among the top 1 percent of taxpayers it increased 128 percent, to $812,500. And among the top 0.01 percent it nearly quadrupled, to $14 million on average.

Note that the two-decade period includes Bill Clinton's years of unprecedented "prosperity." Policies do affect people. The U.S. has become a nation of haves and have-nots (ushered in by Reagan) and the Rs have done a great job of distracting many to vote against their own interests by raising "morality" issues, usually centered around sex and reproduction. But never economics; poverty, to them, is only a moral issue in that they think that those who are struggling have failed and deserve their lot in life.

Not that it matters, but for those who like to point out hypocrisy: The Jesus of the New Testament had much much more to say about economic justice and the treatment of the poor than he did about sex.

Not much to report

There's a lot going on in my personal life, but nothing I feel comfortable writing about in "public."

Paid work has not been very forthcoming and I didn't get the assignment I had thought and hoped I would. There's my second choice, but they're dragging their feet with the process. I'm pretty frustrated.

As for the immigration process, we're no further along than the last time I posted. We'll have our medical exams in Vancouver in early June. It is a lot cheaper to do it there. A friend will drive us there and back on the same day. Even paying for gas, it's still a lot less money. One thing I need to remember is that the doc literally wants cash (Canadian) for payment; so I need to figure the best way to do that.

We're still waiting for the FBI; I sent the requests in a full three months ago. And no word from the IRS; that's been a month.

I'm not sure, but I think we have been the first ones to have the CIC request certified (or any) tax returns. Lucky us! But at least we heard from them and what they asked for is do-able.

Well, that's my boring post for May. I'll let y'all know anything as soon as we do.

We keep up with all the blogs in our "family" and appreciate the updates from everyone. Wherever you are in the process, you're in our thoughts.

Best wishes, for those in the U.S., for a safe and restorative three-day weekend!