Here we go with another week. Spring is sprung, your eyes are itchy and you want to be anywhere but at work. It may look like you're stuck, that things are not getting better anytime soon, but with the economy in such a sad state, at least be thankful that you have a job and always remember: It could be worse. For as bad as things get, as much as you find yourself in that hole of debt, at least you can sleep easy knowing that you're not an: Immokalee Worker Immokalee is a small town in Florida that's best known for its tomatoes. It is a favorite of companies such as Whole Foods, Burger King, McDonalds and Yum! Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John Silvers and Taco Bell, who are able to purchase the tomatoes at a small price so you can eat a gordita for 99 cents. But, as usual, there's a cost to these cheap little tomatoes. In 1993 the Coalition of Immokalee Workers was created, made up of Haitian, Mayan Indian and latino immigrants who had been subject to harsh conditions more familiar to the third world than the richest country in the world. While working in the tomato fields, the workers were forced to live in shacks, which they were expected to pay for out of their checks. The living expenses put the farmers into so much debt that they're forced to continue working to pay it off, adding up to a sly type of slavery just given another name. A Florida federal prosecutor even dubbed the town "ground zero for modern-day slavery." Rather than being paid hourly or salary, the workers are paid for what they pick, averaging out to about 50 cents for 32 pounds of tomatoes. And you complain when you have to pick up a ten pound box! Just last year, it was agreed that the Immokalee workers would get 1 cent more per pound by its corporate buyers. Shockingly, this 1 cent raise was fought against for over 10 years until Burger King was the first to give in, followed by Yum! brands. But still, the workers receive about $12,000 per year, with most of that going toward their housing. I guess that's one of those 'jobs that no one else wants to do' that we love to talk about.
So next time you're in a hurry and stop by the drive-in at Taco Bell, remember, there's a reason why you were able to eat a 3-pound steak burrito for 2 bucks. Be sure to enjoy that taste of refried beans and Mayan tears and remember, it could be worse.
 Obama, in 2003 posing with Teodoro Obiang, whose suit is made from burnt Guinean kids Did we have a tough day at work today? It was an awful nice one here, sun shining. People are cheering in the streets because Bin Laden is dead and they're waving flags and you want to be a part of it. Maybe you forgot your lunch at home and had to sip a cold soup at the cafeteria, just knowing that the rest of the day would be torture. Well, it's okay, just remember that it could be worse, much worse. Because remember that no matter how things are going throughout your day, at least you're not a:  Now when I say 'citizen' I mean a regular citizen, not a member of the ruling elite. If you're in that crowd, then you have one of the sweetest positions on this Earth. That picture to the side is the President/Dictator's son's house in Malibu, California. Nice huh? Now let's look at why he is able to live in a place like that. Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest countries in Africa, but also one of the most prosperous. That would be a good thing except that the wealth doesn't extend beyond the ruling class, hence that house that looks like a small city. The president is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, not quite as easy to remember as Sadaam Hussein, right? But Teodoro isn't much better, a ruthless dictator that flashes his riches without the least amount of compassion for his people, who live in some of the most crippling poverty, even within the third world. How did Equatorial Guinea get so uneven? Oil, of course, how else does it happen. The country imports 70% of its oil to the US, which has created a cozy relationship between us and Teodoro, as you saw with the smiley picture above. The US didn't care about the country for a while, even closing its embassy in the 80s, supposedly due to the harsh treatment of their people but really because there were no resources worth caring about. This changed in 1996 when oil was discovered off the coast and we were suddenly interested. In 2003, the embassy was opened again under G.W. Bush and we were friends again. It's nice to see people make up isn't it? Since the oil find, Teodoro has had an even easier time suppressing his people and blowing the oil money on extravagent palaces and cars. All thanks to our country's thirst for oil (well, 70% of it anyway).
So the next time you're complaining about how high gas prices, remember the human cost that comes with our need to drive to the corner store rather than walking the 20 feet. And always remember, no matter how bad things are in your life, it could be worse.
 Wanna switch jobs? By Bobby James (Email BJ)
Another Monday, another slog through the work week. Hey, see that sunshine outside? Oh, too bad you're stuck inside a cubicle all day while your back begins to resemble a silly straw and your brain gets as much stimulation as munching on shag carpet. But you know what?
It could be worse
Be thankful for that soul sucking job because at least you have a job and that job isn't: Ivorian Cocoa Farmer While we're all well aware of the madness going on in Libya, the events in nearby Ivory Coast have gone virtually ignored in our country. Why? Absence of oil possibly, or maybe we only have enough time in our news programming for 1 African story. Regardless, the Red Cross has estimated that nearly 1000 people have been killed over the past few months due to the former president refusing to step down and the country going bat-shit crazy as a result. So what does this have to do with farmers? A lot, it turns out. And interestingly enough, we have a minor role in creating the chaos. Surprised? I didn't think so.
 'Hey Luonda, you wanna hit up Happy Hour at Chucky's after work and get some 25 cent gorilla wings?' Another Monday, another depressing start of the work week. Sure, no one is excited to get back into the office after the otherworldly fantasia that is the weekend. Maybe some of your friends have Patriot's Day off, if they live in Boston anyway, and you're jealous that they get to drink in the streets while watching the marathon. Maybe the commute was hell and you spilled your coffee on your pants. Or maybe you just know it's going to be one of those shitty weeks, with non-stop work and your boss riding your ass like you were Dolly Parton in 9 to 5. Whatever the reason, Mondays are never fun. But we here at Mindwafers want to give you this encouraging, yet somewhat depressing fact: It could be worse. Your life isn't that bad. You have a job, a car, shelter and anything else that's needed in life. If you didn't, then why the hell are you on the internet?
So how worse could it be? Well you could be an:
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