All this time with "Bartleby" and I just learned this

[wretchmuffin]

Did everyone else know that John Jacob Astor was an opium smuggler?

I'm so uncool.

Comments

[ellisbell]

no; he doesn't CALL anymore, so I have no idea what he's been UP to.

[wretchmuffin]

Ahahahaa!

Weird synchronicity: after I posted this, I got the new Vanity Fair that had an article about Brooke Astor's sad last years (though she married into the fortune and wouldn't ever, ever smuggle opium).

Her grandson (also not officially an Astor) is a college professor and Buddhist. His views on opium smuggling are not discussed in the article.

[ellisbell]

Hmm...what are Buddha's views on drugs?

Also...I'll trade up to being a poor little rich girl ANYDAY.