We'll always be more famous

This article on political cartoons is the funniest thing the Onion's published in a long time, if you ask me.

And I support the replacement of the payroll and income taxes with a consumption tax. Because I have to pay taxes a lot now. (I plan on posting something long to explain what I mean, but not right now, I have to go to wednesday night church supper). And Ryan, you were right (as is often the case) -- getting out of school did make me a lot more interested in the details of politics that I considered boring before.

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood

I like to think of myself as the Mr. Rogers of telemarketing (except not dead). Every single person I telemarket is a special individual to me, not a faceless name, but a warm, breathing dasein. I care about each of you, even though you do not realize it. I especially care about you, Mr. Vincent Gallo in New York, NY, because I hoped, if only for a brief moment, that you might be THE Vincent Gallo, somehow transported into a job as an IT supervisor. But my point is that I care about all of my contacts, just as Mr. Rogers cared for those puppets on the inside of walls of his house, even the creepy ones.

The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 2

Over on Paul's blog, Action at a Distance, I think we come across a key point that informs (often silently) the debate between conservativism and liberalism and libretarianism and neoconservatism and communism and all those other silly isms. The point is provided unintentionally by commentator Timmy:

"Broken into economics, if you have $11 and I have $3, liberals want to take $4 from you and give it to me so that we are both equal at $7 (regardless of who hard you may work or how lazy I may be). Conservatives on the other hand will say, "hey, there's more than $14 in this world. If you use your capital ($11) and I use mine (ability to work) we can both make more money and both be better off" and be able to move within the social structure based on what we do with what we've been given."

I think that perhaps a more fundamental question than questions about the proper role of personal responsibility or attempts to discern whether governmental structures or individual persons are more susceptible to the effects of a corrupt nature is a question that might be phrased about economic limits. Is there a maximum level of wealth? If so, how close are we (the world as a whole) to achieving that level of wealth? In other words, is economics really a zero-sum game or not?

In the past (i.e. in my conservative, World-Magazine-reading past, not my current politically confused state), I had not really considered the possibility that it is. However, I am becoming increasingly convinced that the world's economic system is essentially a zero-sum system (although I am not certain exactly where the limit at which the zero-sum effect would come into effect is).

This is what worries me about Americans being fat. Its not that I'm bothered or offended by fatness. On a person to person level, I find it more "too bad" or just something unfortunate -- certainly not something people should be berated for. Making fun of fat people is definently not particularly funny. What I am worried about, though, is that our being a fat culture is symptomatic of a real disease, a disease of overconsumption that is burning up resources so quickly that it will consign other generations to poverty. I'm not certain that this is the case (although I am pretty sure that overconsumption is driving us to spiritual poverty), but I think that it is a serious enough proposition that it should not be dismissed out of hand.

More connections could be provided if this is incoherent.

The king of carrot-flowers, pt. 1

Cheer up! McDonalds is eliminating the super-size option! Soon we will all be slim and Swedish!

In other news, scientists are not sure why the elk are dying.

In Chris Holton-related news, Chris is a really straight man! That is because he tells it straight! When I say that you rock a camel's hoof (or whatever it was I said), I refer to that esteemable, but sadly deceased, troubadour Wesley Willis!

Head on down the road

What I want to know is, is America the fattest country that has ever existed? Now, I understand that it can be difficult to avoid getting fat in this country. Everywhere you turn, you're surrounded by things like McDonalds FattBurghers, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese & Processed Grease, and even subtly fattening things like Mountain Dew 128 oz soft drinks at EZ-Up Slob Convenience stores. But I think that what we're experiencing in America right is probably an unparalled expansion. Or bloating. I think its more like a bloating.

Interestingly, opposite of how natural substances like gases or liquids (and fats, as they are often liquid-like) behave, our spaces are expanding to fit our bodies. The average movie theater seat is now 23 inches, rather than 19 inches. Our SUVs are growing larger to accomadate our ample posteriors. I think doors are getting wider to. The only thing that isn't growing is the seating in college classrooms.

Also interestingly, unlike in previous societies, in 21st century America, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to be fat. Which explains why I can't find any shirts that fit me: all the shirts at Richs-Macys fit but are too expensive and all the shirts at Goodys are priced reasonably but fitted to gorilla-like dimensions. This is because poor people in America are rich enough to afford food that tastes good but too poor to afford healthy food that tastes good -- and unwillingly to sacrifice good tasting food (Kraft Mac & Grease) for healthy food (rice, beans, what poor folk eat in other countries... less meat, less grease).