My passion will not be interrupted by collective misery

Why do Americans travel?

In a recent survey taken by American Express Travel, 87% of respondents indicate taking trips for the pursuit of personal passions will continue or even increase over the next two years despite economic conditions.

One's 'personal passion' should not be hampered by an economic recession. To be concerned with or have the ability to indulge one's 'personal passion' in the form of elective travel while a nation's economy points toward collapse is a mark of wealth.

With wealth, the individual has the power to choose. The act of choosing, albeit in the form of negative freedom, is a hallmark of elite culture. They project this and believe that everyone has an equal freedom to make choices.

So what do wealthy Americans primarily choose as their motive for travel?

42% choose destinations for culinary reasons

Food. Exotic food.

Most people expressed they are also willing to spend more money and stay longer for vacations that further their personal dreams.

Again there is talk of dreams. Personal dreams. Dreaming that is not futile as has the potential to be realized is more probable with money and therefore is the property of our wealthiest citizens.

For the rest of us, we are left with the real.

From: http://www.luxist.com/2008/08/14/personal-passions-fuel-getaway-plans/

Our leaders must eat, too

Yesterday, the Prime Minister [Gordon Brown] and other world leaders sat down to an 18-course gastronomic extravaganza at a G8 summit in Japan, which is focusing on the food crisis.
The meal was served at the Windsor Hotel, on the shores of Lake Toya, where the presidential suite costs £7,000 a night.

The dinner, and a six-course lunch, at the summit of leading industrialised nations on the island of Hokkaido, included delicacies such as caviar, milkfed lamb, sea urchin and tuna, with champagne and wines flown in from Europe and the U.S.

On Sunday, Mr Brown called for prudence and thrift in our kitchens, after a Government report concluded that 4.1million tonnes of food was being wasted by householders.

He suggested we could save up to £8 a week by making our shopping go further. It was vital to reduce 'unnecessary demand' for food, he said.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1032909/Summit-thats-hard-swallow--world-leaders-enjoy-18-course-banquet-discuss-solve-global-food-crisis.html

I love the look of that king crab

"Safeway opens a posh downtown Bellevue store Friday designed to cater to an affluent crowd with extras such as a nut bar, wine cellar, fireplace, sushi bar and -- of course -- a Starbucks.

'In the Seattle division, this is our first elite-lifestyle store,' store Manager Patti Kennedy said Thursday, standing next to the gelato bar while employees readied the place for customers.



A baby grand piano has been set up near the cash registers to play live music through Sunday.



Up to 40 percent of the produce is organic, the pharmacy in the back is outfitted with cherry wood and looks like a doctor's office and the wine cellar is temperature controlled, encased in glass and features bottles that cost up to $550. A wine steward will be on hand each day to help luxury condominium dwellers choose the perfect bottle.

Among other upscale features, the seafood bar has doubled in size and features whole octopus, shark steaks and Chilean sea bass. [...] Safeway has brought in a chef from Chateau Ste. Michelle to prepare crab leg samples.

An entire king crab was on display Thursday.

'I love the look of that king crab,' Wampler said. 'They flew that in from Alaska a couple of days ago.'"





From: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/368597_safeway27.html