.This blog is for my various interests, such as bicycling, karaoke, clean living, internet memes, video games, roleplaying games, progressive politics, humor, and futurism.
They walked in silence for a moment.
‘Ah,’ said Susan dully, ‘Trickery with words. I would have thought you’d have been more literal-minded than that.’
I AM NOTHING IF NOT LITERAL-MINDED. TRICKERY WITH WORDS IS WHERE HUMANS LIVE.
‘All right,’ said Susan. ‘I’m not stupid. You’re saying humans need … fantasies to make life bearable.’
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
‘Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little —’
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
‘So we can believe the big ones?’
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
‘They’re not the same at all!’
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET — Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD. AS IF THERE IS SOME… SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
‘Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point…’
MY POINT EXACTLY.
— Terry Pratchett, Hogfather, 270. (via thirstygargoyle)REM’s Losing My Religion, shifted into a major scale. It’s a totally different song, but I might like it better.
(via yousuckflounderlemming)
This is not what you think it is. You owe it to yourself to watch this. Especially if you’re a proud nerd. Do it.
Do it.
Also, am I the first to notice that “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” by Trace Adkins is the exact same tune as “Feed My Frankenstein” by Alice Cooper? Seriously, it’s eerie as hell. Completely ripped off, just new lyrics and different instruments.
by Sakupen
aaahh good old Newgrounds.com
In southern Minnesota (Paul Wellstone country), a new revolt against money in politics has started. Should this revolt spread, it would provide a far quicker and more effective grassroots strategy to get big and corporate money out of more elections than the popular but misguided campaign to pass municipal resolutions in favor of a constitutional amendment against corporate personhood.
On February 7, eight Minnesota precinct caucuses adopted one version or another of a resolution that calls for a 100 percent tax on all money used to influence an election that comes from outside the state, and, with varied options, for a $0-500 deductible from outside any local electoral district, too.
One proponent of the resolution reported that at her caucus: “I read the tax contribution resolution … and it got a hearty laugh, but then people were really taken with its simplicity and effectiveness at solving the current problem. The resolution passed as it was read by a 14-0 vote.”
[…]
The power to tax is included in the power to prohibit. The Minnesota approach therefore benefits from two separate grounds for claiming that it is constitutionally valid, which increases the chances of withstanding review. First, a tax on special interest electioneering expenditures has not been prohibited by the court, either expressly or impliedly. Second, imposing the tax only on those not resident in the district is consistent with the court’s Bluman decision endorsing the federal prohibition of foreign electioneering expenditures.
Interesting development.
Great idea! Nothing scares rich people more than taxes!!
a 100% tax on all money spent on politics from out of state. Meaning, any rich mofos or major corporations that try to buy ad space or commercials, gets nothing and just gives their money to local government. I will run for mayor just to do this.