Black helicopters
I’m leaving my copy of Defense News at a hippie coffeeshop. I assume two things will happen:
1. If they read it, they’ll realize they have no idea what they’re talking about three quarters of the time, and/or
2. They’ll be afraid a spook was here watching them.
Uncle!
Ever notice that those who are dubbed “uncles” though they aren’t related to the family tend to be porking either the wife or the kids?
Aggression
I’m trying not to be so angry. To release my aggression in positive ways. But I’m not willing to exercise. Suggestions?
Supporting the Troops
TIME, 21 Nov 2011
Mars Curiosity
Best thing about Twitter:following @MarsCuriosity: One week to launch! @NASA gave me the “GO” to proceed toward liftoff, 10:25am ET, Nov 25. Countdown page: http://t.co/fER8jwkL
The following should be your theme song for this session’s budget as it begins its (slow) movement through House floor debate and interminable amendment:
Facts Lead to Libertarian Head ‘Splosion on Facebook
Watch a libertarian’s head explode — I mean seriously go fucking haywire — when confronted with facts. (Emily was in an editorial and column writing class with me during undergrad. I see nothing has changed.) [Sorry I can't get a full screen shot of this interaction.]
My favorite part is “your facts are irrelevant to me.” But the musician and drugs/whore/abortion parts are close behind.
Emily Adams commented on Greg Wilson‘s link.
news.yahoo.com
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Jasmine Baker likes this.
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Emily Adams Corporate taxes drive BILLIONS in revenue and JOBS overseas. I’d rather have people employed in the US and have the money to put into our economy – thus creating even MORE jobs. Why does every dollar have to be laundered through our oh so competent government?? Is that really the answer??
Monday at 7:21pm -
Greg Wilson Because there are some things Japan, and we need that only our colelctive monies and govt can and should do. Infrastructure rebuilding is certainly one of them. I heart the private sector, but they are one part of a complex economy and llaissez-faire economics will not meet all of our needs.
Monday at 7:33pm -
Emily Adams I think its a big jump to say that free markets are synonymous with llaissez-faire economics. They simply put the power in the hands of consumers rather than in politicians. But fear mongering has won many an election.
Monday at 7:37pm -
One more thing. Sorry, don’t mean to status hog, but the billions are driven overseas because the tax code is fucked, not because of taxes. Corps. go overseas because they isn’t any tax incentive, or penalty for not doing that. Fix the tax code, incentivize behavior that keeps the jobs and money here and corps. will follow. Why don’t the Japanese companies leave? They are going to be paying more and are volunteering to. Because they have an interest in keeping their country and their economy healthy. Americans don’t. They serve the shareholder only and the tax policy reflects it.Monday at 7:41pm
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It is a big jump, true. But I don’t see GM or Google stepping up to rebuild New Orleans. I don’t see water treatment plants or fire stations springing up because Proctor and Gamble think it is a good idea. The sooner people realize that government has as much of a role in current economics as the private sector and individuals, the sooner we can talk about sane policy. And I didn’t mean to fear monger. I am seriously not trying to be a demagogue. I see other people doing things for the good of the whole. I see the US more and more looking out for their own self interest and wallets. And it wil be our end. I think anyway.Monday at 7:45pm
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Emily Adams You are right, the tax code is fucked. But how is it not keeping a country healthy to put MORE money into the pockets of WORKERS? In this country, we seem to think that the solution to everything is to tax or otherwise take money from the people or entities who earn it and do “helpful” things with it that ALWAYS end up being LESS efficient, totally corrupt and have unintended consequences that are worse than the original “problem”
Monday at 7:50pm -
Emily Adams btw – you can’t hog your own status
Monday at 7:55pm -
I just saw that other comment – must have posted at the same time. I don’t mean YOU are a fear monger. I think fear is used so that people won’t realize there are other solutions that don’t involve the IRS robbing us at gun point. I’ll take 20 business that decide New Orleans is a good place to set up shop over a government rebuilding program 7 days of the week and 200 times on Sunday. Look at all those empty FEMA trailers. I believe that’s a gov’t agency. GM (Gov’t motors) could have best helped Nawlins by putting a factory there and putting people to work.Monday at 8:21pm
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Greg Wilson Blah, blah, blah, I’m right…yada, yada yada, I’m making good points…meh, meh, meh I’m always right and everyone is always wrong…and PTTTHHHPT. Facebook discourse win for me in convincing everyone I am awesome and smart. Yay, Greg!
14 hours ago -
Greg Wilson And I get all my talking points and news from Daily Show. That is all. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-march-28-2011/i-give-up—pay-anything—
14 hours ago -
Gee, I don’t recall being “robbed at gun point”?? Actually, I seem to remember a tax cut….See, this is why I hate to get on FB Greg! It makes my head explode! Not to let facts get in the way but here are a few: 1) Americans are paying the lowest level of taxes since 1950 (http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm) 2) GE made billions in profit and paid ZERO in taxes in 2010. They, in fact, received a tax credit in the billions. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/ge-pays-no-taxes/irs/#) 3) Let’s add Bank of America, Ford, Verizon, etc, who paid nothing, or virtually nothing, in taxes. (http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/01/ge-exxon-walmart-business-washington-corporate-taxes_slide.html) 4) Corp taxes made up nearly a 3rd of federal tax revenues in the 50s and have been at about 10% since the 80s (http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1311) 5) Top marginal tax rates on individuals during the good old Republican fantasy Happy Days of the 1950s were 92%! 70% during Nixon’s heyday…. (http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/fed_individual_rate_history-20110323.pdf) 6) Those years of now-unimaginable top tax rates were a period of economic prosperity and expansion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_States#Postwar_prosperity:_1945.E2.80.931973). I could go ON and ON…I’m just SO sick of the whining about taxes!10 hours ago -
Greg Wilson Love to see you trolling Ty. I need another commie, pinko, socialist, Kenyan joining with me.
10 hours ago -
Ty Hurless Don’t forget Nazi Muslim! Bah, ha, ha, ha…(read: evil laugh). We will rule the world Greg!!
10 hours ago -
Ty Hurless And they want to talk about fear mongering! Classic!
10 hours ago -
Ty – your facts are irrelevant to me. You’re saying I get ass raped less than ever before so I should stfu and be happy. I dont believe the government can do ANYTHING better than the free market. And what’s more, if I don’t like how a business does things, I don’t have to give them my money. Why do we send our kids to schools that suck, why do we use the post office when the service sucks, why do traffic projects take 20 years to complete? Why does healthcare cost so much in the first place? You don’t look like an Econ major so I won’t wait with baited breath for your answers. I will tell you that the IRS has the full legal authority to ransack your home, your business, confiscate your property, put you in jail, garnish your wages, hound you for years, essentially ruin you life. If it turns out you ate inno net they get off with a shoulder shrug.3 hours ago
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Emily Adams Are innocent.
3 hours ago -
Emily Adams Also, are you a mucisian? I bet you think you should draw an art stipend or something beacause bc you can’t earn a living wage at it but its a noble calling that my tax dollars should support. Unless I’m mistaken and you’re touring with Clapton or something.
3 hours ago -
Emily Adams I’m waiting for you to call me a Republican. I’ll clarify for you – I’m a libertarian. Use all the drugs you want, go get a hooker and buy her an abortion. As long as you pay for it yourself, we’re all good.
3 hours ago
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Square Peg, Round Hole
First the Trinity, now this . . .
Just when I think I have it all reconciled.
Received in the mail from a Christian group based in Mississippi.
Bathroom Graffiti Purest Form of Art?
Invocation #3
Listen and/or view yesterday’s invocation here (starts at 3:50) and read it here or below. (The stenographer is back on his/her game!)
Heavenly Father, our creator, provider, and sustainer. It is to you our refuge, strength, the one God who is known by many names, to you God we give thanks for this day. A day in which we have another opportunity to manifest your divine essence upon the earth. You have given us another opportunity to demonstrate your love for us and how we treat one another. And so on this day, I lift Governor Rick Perry and the members and staff of the Texas Congressional House of Representatives to you. I pray your divine wisdom and guidance will consume them so they will understand the individuals, families, and yes, this grand state that has, and even still continues to influence this, your great nation, that will be impacted by their decisions today. I ask you to bestow upon the leadership that you have selected and ordained to lead us, pour on them your divine knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I ask you to teach them and teach all of us to seek you, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you our God. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now, I really, really like the beginning. I think this is something we should definitely be praying for:
It is to you our refuge, strength, the one God who is known by many names, to you God we give thanks for this day. A day in which we have another opportunity to manifest your divine essence upon the earth. You have given us another opportunity to demonstrate your love for us and how we treat one another.
That is a good opening. And I like how he refers to “the one God who is known by many names.” Very inclusive of him. But, in the next sentence, the whole “Texas Congressional House of Representatives” thing — wrong. Nix the “Congressional.” You gotta let the representative introducing you read over your prayer so mistakes like this aren’t made.
But this part:
I pray your divine wisdom and guidance will consume them so they will understand the individuals, families, and yes, this grand state that has, and even still continues to influence this, your great nation, that will be impacted by their decisions today.
Call me a blockhead (get it? blockquote, blockhead, meh) but is there a verb in that sentence? The entire middle of that sentence just throws me. I like me a good long, complicated, comma-ridden sentence, but it’s gotta make sense in the end. I think if he cut out that whole “and, yes, this grand state that has . . . great nation” part, he’d see how one could get quite mixed up with its addition.
He does end well, though. I like that last sentence.
So lessons we’ve learned thus far in our examination of invocations:
- Have a representative read your prayer before you give it. Pastors have already made too many mistakes regarding the name of the chamber in which they are praying.
- You can’t just make the beginning and ending sound good. Shoot for making the entire prayer make sense and sound awesome.
- Being inclusive is good, even if you end with your specific denomination’s closing.
- Don’t make it too complicated. These are politicians you’re talking to.
Even with its faults, I think yesterday’s prayer set a new bar, though. Let’s see what today’s is like.
