Ted Rall for March 30, 2000

Transcript:

A tense world watches and waits- as an arrogant cabal holds the global economy hostage... at the meeting of Dopec (Disposable obnoxious product exporting countries) Taking advantage of the global economic boom, Dopec has jacked up prices on the disposable obnoxious products it produces. (Man: Even Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't worth 200 rupees! Belgium is scum!) Outside the meeting hall, the world media discuss sky. Rocketing prices of movies, music, video games, plastic junk and other pop culture ephemera. (Woman: The Garfield phone you're holding now costs $70!) (Man 2: So what? Bangladeshis are flush!) Meanwhile, Dopec delegates catch the heat. (Congo: My people are starving! This week alone a "Matrix" DVD went up 32,000 Francs!) (Man 3: Get a job!) (Man 4: Keanu gets the big bucks, dude!) Every member nation caves in except for one holdout. (Man 2: You have to understand... my country has used up its natural resources. All we have to sell is action figures and web sites- why shouldn't we charge that the market will bear.) Finally, crisis is averted when Dopec agrees to increase production.