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Shawn Duffy › Likes
Google Unexplained Phenomenon Mystery Solved… Or Is it?
Shawn Duffy liked this
We’ve all seen it, and we’ve all been bashing our heads all weekend trying to figure what did Google mean with their cryptic tweet and odd logo in which the aliens have abducted the letter “O”. Well, while we’re still not sure that the mystery has been completely solved, some new clues have emerged. September 5th was the 20th anniversary of the game Zero Wing, from which the phrase and one of the most popular Internet memes of all time – “all your base are belong to us” – originates. That bit of information completes most of the puzzle. Google was celebrating the anniversary of the game; the aliens that were stealing the “o” from Google could be aliens from the game, which also explains Google’s tweet which, when translated, says “All your o are belong to us”. Mystery solved! I’m not entirely sure, though. First of all, the folks at Google have given a statement about the “incident”: “We consider the second ‘o’ critical to user recognition of our brand and pronunciation of our name....
We’ve all seen it, and we’ve all been bashing our heads all weekend trying to figure what did Google mean with their cryptic tweet and odd logo in which the aliens have abducted the letter “O”. Well, while we’re still not sure that the mystery has been completely solved, some new clues have emerged. September 5th was the 20th anniversary of the game Zero Wing, from which the phrase and...
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(jeff)isageek, Mark H, Moghamer and 4 other people liked this
Kevin, Daniel Rowley, Valley and 129 other people liked this
i love this :)
- Hayk
me too, hayk. :)
- Mona Nomura
Mona :)
- Hayk
geeky comics, i likey!
- imabonehead
heh
- Charlie Anzman
Yar!
- Jay Wiegmann
awesome!
- Harold Green
heck yes :)
- Mona Nomura
*chuckles*
- The Fat Oracle
what an idea
- macro
Sorry for all the bumpage, people. I'm using "search" for the first time ever.
- Mona Nomura
You are lucky if you take one, maybe two good pictures in a year. ~ Thomas Hoepker #photography #quotes
Olivier and Shawn Duffy liked this
I will no longer refer to last week's protests as "tea parties". I'm going to call them exactly what they were - "whiny Palin-voter temper tantrums".
Rob H., Jonathan Lee, Medical Alarm Concepts and 16 other people liked this
+1 Steven. "tantrums" works for me.
- Bill Sodeman
+1 Steven.
- Ian May
I prefer "idiots who don't even know what teabagging means or what the original tea parties were about parties"
- Scoble, Alex Scoble
I wish these cretins would stop sending teabags to the rich cretins on The Hill, and send them to me instead. I'll brew them up, and drink the tea, and then recycle them.
- Ian May
Your freedom is at risk and all you can talk about is Sara Palin!
- bob wood
Hey, Bob. Thanks for proving my premise. I talk smack about wingnuts all the time, and hardly anyone shows up to challenge me. I talk smack about Caribou Barbie, and suddenly you're hunting down all of my threads and posting what I can only assume is what Limbaugh or Hannity told you all last week. Way to man up, Bob.
- Steven Perez
Actually Bob it's my money that's at risk, not my freedom. Money != freedom. Our freedom is no more at risk now than it was when our federal government was given the go ahead to legally spy on its citizens several years ago.
- FFing Enigma
I have not listen to either in a very long time, I don't get my values from them they just happen to be the same!
- bob wood
Thanks, Bob. You've just proven the old saying: "Say nothing, and people will believe you to be an idiot. Open your mouth, and remove all doubt."
- Steven Perez
from IM
What values do you have that make you any better?
- bob wood
Whatever my values are, Bob, at least they're not recycled talking points from the Clinton years.
- Steven Perez
from IM
You are just like every other lib...you can't answer the hard questions!
- bob wood
And you're just like every wingnut I've ever met in five years, Bob: you throw crap on the wall and ask why I don't think it's art.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Why don't you just answer the question?
- bob wood
Because my values aren't the issue here, Bob. I didn't go stomping around into the streets, blaming the newly elected president for the messes of previous administrations. Speaking of which, where were you last Wednesday, Bob?
- Steven Perez
from IM
"Just the answer the question!"? Nice. Last time I heard that one, someone was asking me, "Why do you hate America?" Nice to see that the old memes never die.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Why?
- bob wood
Why are you intent on derailing the conversation, Bob?
- Steven Perez
from IM
And I'll head you off at the pass right now, Bob: "SEE? STUPID LIBURALS NEVER GIVE YOU A STRAIGHT ANSWER! THEY HAVE NO VALUES!"
- Steven Perez
u asked where I was on wed and I asked Why!
- bob wood
U said it!
- bob wood
Why are you afraid to answer the question..did you forget it?
- bob wood
Because I figure you for one of those formerly chest-thumping Palin-worshipping wingnuts who never got over the fact that she got beat by a black dude.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Me, me, me. Yep, typical wingnut tactic. It's sad, really. I did mention that I've done this rodeo for a few years now, right, Bob?
- Steven Perez
from IM
Steven, why the personal attacks on those opining with contrasting points of view? Aren't you above the whiny finger-pointing that you decry?
- Mattb4rd
Matt: I suppose "he started it first" does sound a bit infantile, but in truth, this is just a bit of entertainment for me on a Monday morning. If Bob had a point, then he should have made it, instead of spreading his discontent on every political thread he could find this morning. But I suspect that you already knew that.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Oh, and Bob: I don't need to know where you were on Wed. See, George Soros gave us liburals access to his secret array of webcams that he had installed in all TVs. So that, when the black helicopters come and the UN Shock Troops invade, we'll all have a great view of you defending your homes and eventually being taken away to the Bill Clinton Re-Education Camps. [/a little sarcasm]
- Steven Perez
Bob, I'm not Steven but he and I share some similar viewpoints, so if it's alright with you I'll tell you my values. Mostly, I really despise hypocrisy. I'm tired of people rallying for a flat tax with no deductions and a simplified tax code when they happily take every deduction they can at tax time. I'm tired of people saying corporations pay too much in taxes when according to the...
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- FFing Enigma
My name is Steven Perez, and I am down with the list of Tina's values. :)
- Steven Perez
from IM
Corporations don't pay taxes ...they pass them on to the consumers!
- bob wood
It's all money, isn't it, Bob? 4000 kids get their heads blown off in a country they never should have been in, and not a peep from the wingnuts. A city drowns in apathy, and wingnuts bleat about how they they don't want "those people" in their neighborhoods. But let the government get near your wallet, and suddenly, it's all TO THE STREETS!!! VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!! SECEDE SECEDE SECEDE!!! I'm beginning to wonder, Bob, if you meant to ask, "What are the values in your portfolio?"
- Steven Perez
@Steven /hat-tip. I read your stuff and will continue to do so.
- Mattb4rd
So Bob, you're upset that corporations might pass their tax burden on to you the consumer knowing that those taxes are used for the public good. But, you have no issue that the corporations are also taking about half the sales price for profit and that money is being used for the private good of like 0.1% of the population?
- FFing Enigma
Tina, If you had a business-would you want someone telling you how to run it or how much profit you are allowed to accept and how to spend it?
- bob wood
Bob, I'm not talking about the business. I'm talking about you the consumer. You have no issue with corporations taking more of your money as profit than the federal government takes as taxes?
- FFing Enigma
How are they taking my money..if I choose to purchase their product or use their services than I agree to what ever price they set ...THAT is freedom!
- bob wood
So, if you live in an area that doesn't allow in ground gardening or small animal farming (say, chickens), and you are therefore required to buy food rather than providing it yourself, that's freedom of choice?
- FFing Enigma
Then move to where "they" will allow you to have a garden...freedom of choice!
- bob wood
Bob, I've used that same argument for people who don't like federal income tax: move to a country without one. My idea was shot down saying some people couldn't afford to move, so I'll use that same point with you.
- FFing Enigma
One's lack of $ is not another person's responsibility!
- bob wood
So, like I said, all about the Benjamins, right, Bob?
- Steven Perez
from IM
Benjamins...?
- bob wood
Moolah, money, cash, greenbacks, coin, the vig, Benjamins, - you know, money.
- Steven Perez
from IM
OK, Bob, so what you're saying is that people with financial means have freedom of choice, not that everyone has freedom of choice. People without financial means simply have to take what they're given? If they live in an area where they can't grow their own food and they can't afford to move, they have to suck it up and deal with the fact that so much their money is going to corporations as profit?
- FFing Enigma
I prefer to call it the giant teabagging orgy.
- mjc
That actually sounds more fun than what I saw on the tube. :D
- Steven Perez
from IM
K...what does that have to do with personal responsibility and freedom of choice.
- bob wood
Are you asking me or Tina?
- Steven Perez
from IM
Both.
- bob wood
Because I made the point that people gripe about taxes but don't raise an eyebrow about their money being eaten up as corporate profits. You made the point that people have freedom of choice to buy things. I made the point that some items (i.e. food) aren't always a choice because of legal restrictions. You said they have freedom of choice to move. I said some people can't afford to...
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- FFing Enigma
I sure hope that you're asking me, because if you're asking Tina that after the chunk of conversation you just had with her, I'd worry that you were having short-term memory problems, Bob.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Then make more $ ...freedom of choice!!!!
- bob wood
Just u stevie but it could apply to her as well!
- bob wood
Which we can't do, because corps take away our money. Bob, meet "circular logic".
- Steven Perez
from IM
Alright, the solution is make more money. I live in a state with about 12% unemployment, there really aren't taht many jobs. People who have jobs are taking paycuts. What you're saying is those things are the fault of poor people? They should just make more money even though nobody out there is paying? When they do that it's through things like drugs and prostitution, which seems to put...
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- FFing Enigma
Boredom on a Monday morning, for me. He's a funny guy.
- Steven Perez
from IM
Tina, he'll probably say, "move." :)
- Steve Lowe
Scott: I like debating.
- FFing Enigma
U act like everyone that falls down should just let people walk on them..when u run into a wall go around it, jump over, go under it...fuckit go through it! Don't let anyone tell you how high you can go!
- bob wood
On a lighter note..I am listening to Kraftwerk on last fm and they ROCK! All I am saying is that the min. you give up U have lost!
- bob wood
o_O
- Steven Perez
from IM
Bob, I agree with you that giving up isn't the only option. What I asked for, however, were actual suggestions. "How would you suggest people make more money, legally, in an economy where people aren't hiring or giving raises?"
- FFing Enigma
Start by looking for a new job that pays more, or go to school invent something just don't accept things the way they are if u are not happy stand up and find a better route for u.
- bob wood
Soooooooo, ... what does Obama have to do with this, again?
- Steven Perez
from IM
Like I said, Bob, we're at 12% unemployment. Lots of people are looking for jobs, and not for better pay but for any pay. Getting a new job right now rarely means getting a pay increase, at least in my state. And if you're poor you can't afford to pay for school. And before you toss out getting a grant, scholarship, or loan remember that lots of people of a certain political bent want...
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- FFing Enigma
What do you want ..do you just want to live in a nanny state?
- bob wood
Coming from the side that has daddy issues (Reagan, anyone?), that comment is high-larious.
- Steven Perez
from IM
stevie u don't even make any sense.
- bob wood
Not at all, Bob. I already live in a nanny state, where my government can listen to my phone conversations and monitor the books I buy or check out of the library. That to me is a MUCH greater affront than the thoughts of giving someone in need a hand up. What I want is for you to give me suggestions on how a poor person in a crappy economy can legally make more money without spending...
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- FFing Enigma
Hitler. </thread>
- tehKenny
From the guy who gave us "Obamunism", that's high praise, Bob.
- Steven Perez
from IM
No I did not say that ...that is what u wanted to hear..U are free to make what ever decision u want to make as long as u take responsibility for your own actions..so if make the right choices and you profit from that then great if not you have the freedom to go in another direction. U don't earn freedom, as Americans we are born free! People that have $ is due to the fact for the most part is they earned it. They did not get it by saying I am poor so I deserve to have extra help.
- bob wood
Actually bob, you did say that "Then make more $ ...freedom of choice!!!! - bob wood". And I totally agree, in America freedom should be a given and not something that is earned. I should have the same freedom of choice as someone who makes 10x as much money as me. But I don't. Whether we like it or not wealth brings opportunities and options that are not available to others. It's...
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- FFing Enigma
"Then make more $ ...freedom of choice!!!! - bob wood" I meant u have the freedom to make more $...what is stopping u from trying?
- bob wood
"Whiny Palin-voter temper tantrums". So far, hasn't been disproved.
- Steven Perez
+++++++ SP! i kept hoping in vain that one of them would produce an actual tenable alternative rather than a foot-stomping arm-crossing NO!
- Marco(aureliusmaximus)
Nothing is stopping anyone from trying, Bob. But to think that everyone who tries to do so will succeed, or that the most deserving are the ones that do succeed, is naive at best. At this point, I think we're going to both have to concede we're never going to change the other person's point of view and move on to something more productive.
- FFing Enigma
eesh, I just blocked him. It's not like he was contributing to any discussions here.
- Andrew C (✓)
why -because it was not what u wanted to hear!
- bob wood
If there is only one point of view than how does that help anything?!
- bob wood
How about: because it's the right point of view? How about that?
- tehKenny
Bob, I'm not saying there's one point of view. I'm saying you have your view and I have mine, and neither one of us seems capable of convincing the other one to change positions. I've made as reasoned and legitimate argument as I know how, and all you've done is retort with "Work hard and you'll make more money and it'll all work out!". Since you're not engaging in an actual discussion, I don't see the point in continuing.
- FFing Enigma
Tina- sorry I was unable to make my case to you -I was responding to Andy C-You wanted to Know what u could do legally to earn $-anything you set your mind to -do you want me to give you a job? If so I might have one for you -but it takes a creative thinker and a drive to better yourself...do you have what it takes?
- bob wood
Bob: here's a hint - the only creative thinker around Palin is the one who crafted her into a female version of the Smiler. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...
- Steven Perez
I'm actually happy with my current job, but thanks. There have been times when I couldn't find a job for months, and I remember all too well how frustrating it was.
- FFing Enigma
I fully understand the frustrations of unemployment myself too, glad you are doing fine.-take care
- bob wood
Watching the temper tantrums, it suddenly occurred to me why my father LOL'd when I, at the all-knowing age of 6, told him that I was running away from home and never coming back.
- Steven Perez
Unfollowing anyone who mentions Kutcher, Oprah, or uses the word Internets. Satisfying. #unfollowfriday
Pico Seno, Robert DeBord, Dan Sheppard and 102 other people liked this
... Oh noes... *goes to delete FriendFeed entires*
- Johnny
God yes! I'm with you Leo. The whole thing just feels so cheap.
- Jeremy
Hehe :-), Leo doing that is quite nice :-)
- Richard A.
But Leo, you just mentioned them arggh! :)
- Scott Dexter
But leo has his reality distortion field. ;-)
- Richard A.
I have cut the cord with twitter. No longer having an account is soo freeing. Going the opposite way of the world.
- Scott H
Oh, did Twitter enabled the functions?
- Outsanity
Hey, good idea. I think I might do the same.
- Adam Martin
I like it
- G Dub of the Carolinas
from twhirl
Agreed! Those people are hurting the internet...
- Nenad Nikolic
from twhirl
Why so many people do not like Oprah?
- IV
lol
- Technical Support
re: #unfollowfriday Whoa, Leo, do we unfollow you too since U used the "O" name in yr last post? I am a tech who loves and follows your show and websites for years. My boyfriend was on your show. I hope you retract this one quickly as it is not like you. Some of these you will unfollow are your readers and viewers too. I will have a few tech questions to come later. But I had to say that, Hope you don't mind. Still love ya.
- Cher A
Why so many people like Kutcher ?
- Haluk Hafızoğlu
I don't understand why so many people like him either? Hes a little punkass.
- Tom
This must be "Jump the Shark" day.
- Charles George
from twhirl
Amen!
- Mary DeSive
How about unfollowing anyone who Britney Spears? lol
- Greg
Kutcher, Oprah and Spears, oh my! It's the twitter trifecta. I'm gonna do it!
- NikkiPixel
Oh noes! What about da intertubes? Or da interwebs? Verboten as well? #unfollowfriday is interesting concept. Q: Will it blend?
- caj needs a haircut
I bet you still talk about it ad nauseum on Twit though... ;o)
- halfmanhalfgeek
i wish i could get you to follow me (on friendfeed), let along have to worry about you unfollowing me #unfollowfriday #greatidea
- Chris Heath
Even if you were following me, it would be worth loosing 1 follower to post "CNN declares Ashton Kutcher: The World's Biggest Twit". Finally, we have it from a respected source.
- Jeff Fischbach
What haz happened to teh internets??
- Josh Haley
[HAL] : I'm sorry Leo. I'm afraid I can't let you do that.
- dpurrington
How about adding Fail Whale to the list?
- tojfs7931
Will the follower contest between Kutcher/CNN and Oprah getting on twitter be remembered as the point at which twitter jumped the shark?
- Andy Bakun
Probably not andy, although many already are/have been - i don't think 'jumped the shark' is the right term for what's happening here... maybe it is...
- Chris Heath
Leo, your 'bromance' used "internets" this morning...do I smell a breakup?! Oooh controversy ensues. Great shows, love TWiT and the network.
- Michael Johnson
I'm thinking of unfollowing @aplusk at least because twitter has started to be more of a celebrity contest. Note: I followed him before this whole tweeteace thing.
- Howell Selburn
from BuddyFeed
Leo doesn't follow me anyway, so never mind.
- Morton Fox
following isn't your style anyway from what I can tell. If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes! So keep on leading and let the rest of us sniff you butt on the path to success! I for one will happily sniff, but no licking will be done (for free, anyway....)
- Morgan
does that mean you will be unfollowing Ashton Kutcher? because apparently you can't: http://www.flickr.com/photos...
- alexia tsotsis
@alexia You can type "off aplusk" as a tweet. "off USERNAME" is another way of unfollowing someone.
- imperator3733
from twhirl
LOL
- Hutch Carpenter
Ashton Kutcher and Evan Williams Talk Twitter With Oprah
- Haluk Hafızoğlu
TWEETIE for Mac is BEing Released very soon!!! - http://www.atebits.com/tweetie...
Frode Stenstrøm, TheHenry and Shawn Duffy liked this
We've seen Tweetie on the iphone - but check out the new release for the MAC platform - yummy MAC-alicious!!!
- Aline Ohannessian
I wish we'd abolish withholding, so every taxpayer had to write a big fat check for their full liability on 4/15. I have the funny feeling we'd have a smaller, more responsive government (and/or a much more outraged and attentive population.)
mjc, anna sauce, MicahBear78 and 25 other people liked this
Actually, I think we'd just have banks that were flush with cash (people saving their money for tax time) and still have a crappy time trying to get a loan.
- FFing Enigma
Oh that wouldn't work out well! We'd have a nation of IOU's and installment payments. The government takes theirs as you earn it! Uncle Sam don't front you no cash!
- Adam Turetzky
@Adam - they take *yours* as you earn it, not mine. ;) @Tina: that assumes people would be disciplined about it. I tend to think most wouldn't, and we'd end up with a situation like Adam's describing. Which is what I was talking about with my "funny feeling".
- Anthony Citrano
Actually, I think we'd end up with a lovely old-fashioned tradition called "debtors prison". And the irony of course is that the people who didn't pay their taxes would then be living on the government dole, so in reality the situation wouldn't be all that much different than it is now.
- FFing Enigma
Anthony, surely you must make at least quarterly estimated payments. That qualifies for pay as you go.
- Tinfoil 2.0
LE, I'm pretty sure Anthony is no longer on US soil.
- FFing Enigma
Ah, then why is he worried about US tax procedure?
- Tinfoil 2.0
I've been so tempted to claim the most allowances I can and just actually...*gasp* save the money and let it earn ME interest.
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Mike: as I said on a previous post, the penalties you would pay would wind up being greater than the interest you earned in the course of a year.
- FFing Enigma
If there were no withholding, people wouldn't save enough to pay their year-end liability and they'd just end up making payments on the previous years' debt. You'd get a "holiday" for one year, then everybody would be in debt to the government, no?
- Ken Sheppardson
@LE - my situation is top secret. ;) Suffice it to say I pay, to use a scientific term, a fuckton of US income taxes. But on another note - wow, I sure despise the general concept you put forth - that if something doesn't affect one directly, then one shouldn't give a shit. That has led us into tons of trouble, historically.
- Anthony Citrano
But is it a metric fuckton or imperial fuckton? I'm sorry, I truly couldn't resist... =D
- FFing Enigma
@Tina I assume you mean a virtual “debtors prison”, since it is not a crime to not pay your US income taxes. @Ken, not sure why it would last only one year. But anyway, don't you think that might help wake people the fuck up? @Tina: imperial, unfortunately.
- Anthony Citrano
Anthony: It'd only last a year because in all subsequent years you'd still be paying out every month/quarter... you'd just be making payments on the prior years' taxes.
- Ken Sheppardson
@Ken: ahh, I see what you meant.
- Anthony Citrano
The worst part about tax withholding is when people get tax refunds and think the government is giving them money. It was actually their money all along!
- Morton Fox
Anthony, you really think that if the government made paying taxes a once-per-year versus auto-withholding, they'd leave the rest of the tax code untouched?
- FFing Enigma
Morton, if that were truly the case all the time, I wouldn't hear people always bringing up examples of the no-income people getting big checks at tax time. It can't be both ways.
- FFing Enigma
Withholding was only instituted during WWII to improve government's cash flow during the war. It was supposed to be temporary.
- Dave Roth
@Tina - "the government" is us. If we wanted it changed, it would be changed. And yes, I do not think Congress would - especially on the heels of abolishing withholding - add criminal penalties for nonpayment. Added: BTW, having employed a lot of people, I can tell you that most folks do it to themselves - they do not set their withholding properly and, as Morton says, the gov't ends up with a free loan.
- Anthony Citrano
People are so cute when it comes to thinking about their taxes. It brings out the most childlike responses! We really need to figure out how to get some higher visibility of all the good we actually get for our money. Srsly, I mean does anyone doubt this is working better than the old chiefdom system we had going back in the day?
- Edward Zwart
You know, we could get this all taken care of and your lives would really all be much better if you'd just put me in charge of everything.
- Ken Sheppardson
+1 Ken. @Edward: I commend you for your optimism, but that glass ain't anywhere *near* half-full.
- Anthony Citrano
Interesting, Anthony. I'm figuring in a nation where the leading cashcrop has been ostracized and the revenue it could generate has been ignored, criminal penalties for non-payment are a distinct possibility in your scenario. They already are, actually, it's tax evasion.
- FFing Enigma
Better yet, make tax day be the first Monday in November.
- dpurrington
Edward, actually I'd prefer no government at all and at the very least they stay the hell out of my life. Also, back in the chiefdom days, what people knew was the truth. Information wasn't as widely available as it is now. People were literally thought of as too stupid to make their own decisions. The problem now is we have a mix of too smart for my own good, and too stupid it should be illegal and everything in between.
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
@Tina: I don't see Congress having the courage. And tax evasion must meet a higher standard than the mere avoidance of paying an already-assessed tax liability. There needs to be active conduct of avoidance. Evasion is almost always someone who is trying to prevent assessment, not merely blowing off the bill.
- Anthony Citrano
@Jason - I agree, and I said in another thread recently that each American should sit down and figure what their share is of everything. So, for every $10k you pay in taxes, figure $2100 to blow people up in Arabia, $800 to pay the interest on our debts, $1400 to bail out bankerZ and hedge fund boyZ, etc. (I know it's not that simple but it might help Americans get a clue about this.)
- Anthony Citrano
@Jason - more paperwork, yay! ;)
- Anthony Citrano
The abolition of withholding would cause a tax revolt. Thus, it will never be allowed to happen.
- Joey Gibson
@Joey - "allowed"? Are we subjects now? As I said above, it would be abolished within months if enough people wanted it.
- Anthony Citrano
Anthony, I think you miss the gist of what Joey was trying to say. The people, the voters: they don't want it. They might gripe about their taxes and whine about how much goes gets pulled out every month, but when it comes right down to it, it's easy. Having the money taken out for you is easy and you don't have to think about it or have the self restraint to not spend it during the year. THAT'S why it won't happen: the people won't allow it.
- FFing Enigma
@Tina - gotchya; sorry. p.s. why are you always right all the time? ;)
- Anthony Citrano
I'm just that good. Either that, or all those voices I hear are really smart ;-)
- FFing Enigma
Right now I have to pay my own taxes. Which honestly I like a bit more then having them taken out every week. Because I'm in control of when I pay my taxes. The only downside, I don't have any unemployment benefits, so I have to make sure that I save money for that just in case loss of employment.
- Mathew™ aka Youngblood
Thanks Tina, you got most of what I meant. The rest was that *if*, through some miracle, a real movement to abolish withholding started, those who want to keep it would instantly frame it as just another attempt to keep "the rich" from paying their "fair share" or some other class warfare tactic. Then, no matter how large the movement was, you'd still need congressmen with balls to get it done. There are no congressmen with balls any more.
- Joey Gibson
@Joey - not none. There's a ball or two in the 111th, but yeah, still close to zero, sadly. :</
- Anthony Citrano
My Dad's idea was simpler: every payday, people would be paid the full amount and then have to count back the tax money; seeing the actual money would wake them up.
- Robert Hafer
@Robert - definitely a fun illustration - but highly impractical. (I know mine is, too, but..)
- Anthony Citrano
@Chris, quarterly payments are fine, too. Either way, I want people to fully understand how much they are being screwed by our government. When it's essentially hidden by withholding, they don't appreciate the level of screwing.
- Joey Gibson
Joey, that really depends on the person. I just deposited my check today, I know what my gross was, my net, and the rough % of what got deducted where. It's not hidden, people just choose to keep their heads in the ground and not look.
- FFing Enigma
True, Tina, it does depend on the person. But I would bet the change in my pocket that the vast majority of taxpayers are the type who don't have a clue how much they are paying.
- Joey Gibson
How many people look at the amount of taxes on their utility bills? (Don't get me started on the Al Gore secret phone tax). We need a way wake up the average taxpayer.
- Robert Hafer
@Robert - I do. Re: waking them up, I agree with you (despite the Al Gore finger-pointing).
- Anthony Citrano
The Al Gore secret phone tax is just one example of Government skulduggery.
- Robert Hafer
Was Gore King for a few weeks and I just missed it, Robert? Anyway, not sure how this relates to withholding. Start a thread on it, maybe?
- Anthony Citrano
I'm trying to figure out which exactly is the Al Gore phone tax: the FUSF, the e911, what.
- FFing Enigma
Well, I still think paying taxes for the upkeep of a democratic republic is still better than serfdom or indentured servitude.
- Victor Ganata
The idea is that Americans should look at all the taxes they are paying, and what they are getting for their money. Of course we pay taxes, citizens in dictatorships also pay taxes. The Government is, in theory, subject to the will of the people. If We the People don't have a firm grasp of what's going on, we can be lied to and manipulated.
- Robert Hafer
Theoretically, all this information is available. The government has to publish a budget. Your taxes and contributions to entitlements should be on every paycheck. While I realize politicians try very hard to hide expenses that they don't want the electorate to see, if you don't know where your money is going, who should you blame for that?
- Victor Ganata
Chris and Tina, you guys crack me up! :D
- Edward Zwart
Oh, btw, what WAS the secret Al Gore phone tax all about exactly?
- Edward Zwart
The Al Gore secret phone tax is an addition to your phone bill to support some Government programs. The anger-inducing part is the provision in the law that makes it illegal for phone companies to itemize it on the bill.
- Robert Hafer
Ah, you're talking about the surcharge which goes to offset phone service to government entities such as libraries and the fed. Which may or many not be bundled into your FUSF/EUCL depending on which company you're with. I'm not really sure why that's frustrating to you: the taxpayer will pay for that one way or the other, either on the phone bill or via the federal income tax. It makes...
more...
- FFing Enigma
Yes, I used to work for a phone company.
- FFing Enigma
The relative merit of the tax is not the point. It's the fact that it is deliberately hidden from taxpayer. It is a calculated effort to redirect anger from "the Greedy Government" to "the Greedy Corporation". That kind of fraud angers me.
- Robert Hafer
So I take it you're equally frustrated that when you buy gas you don't have a line itemization of the cost per gallon vs. the tax per gallon?
- FFing Enigma
The pumps do tell you how much tax you're paying per gallon, at least in California. I do think it's shady that the phone companies don't itemize it. What's up with that?
- Victor Ganata
The pumps tell you something like "43 cents per gallon" just like anyone can research and find out how much the "Secret Al Gore Phone Tax" is. But your receipt from the gas station doesn't say $30.00 fuel, $10.00 gas tax, total $40.00 any more than your phone bill itemizes this particular "Secret Al Gore Phone Tax".
- FFing Enigma
@Tina, yes I am.and tobacco taxes too
- Robert Hafer
May I ask, whose secret tax is the gas tax? Because if you're equally as mad then I would've expected reference to "Person X's Secret Gas Tax". Otherwise, it seems as though you're throwing out the name Al Gore just to gain attention rather than as a rational argument.
- FFing Enigma
Liked for Tina's comment. Keep 'em straight!
- JCunwired
How about this: We're going to invade Iraq, but before we do, we need every US Citizen to pay for the cost up front. Every man, woman and child needs to put up $3,333 each before we can drop any bombs. As the father of a family of four, I need to write a check for $13,332. How would that have gone over?
- stretta
I'm going to guess it would no longer be considered unpatriotic to question the war...
- FFing Enigma
Ah yes Tina, that reminds me... *starts another thread*
- Anthony Citrano
Not equally mad, also mad. People should be mad at every tax and every bill they pay. They should look at it and say "Why am I paying this much? Am I getting value for my dollar?" otherwise, the people in charge get away with whatever they want. The country runs on dollars, control the dollar and rule the country.
- Robert Hafer
A government is only as strong as the strength of their tax enforcement, really.
- Victor Ganata
@Robert I look at my bills, and my taxes, to varying degrees, and I conclude that, on the whole, I do get value. That would be my main point on this whole thread. I'm sure there are inefficiencies, but we still gotta pay for what we get! We are, collectively, working that out. That's the whole point (for me) why govt is NOT broken. (Caution: objects in mirror may appear as overly optimistic.)
- Edward Zwart
@Anthony Do you think it's better to start a new thread than change the conversation in an existing one? ..cuz it seems that way... just curious. :)
- Edward Zwart
Face it. There is no viable alternative to government. Utopian anarchy is unachievable. While a lot of people will argue there isn't a difference, I'd rather voluntarily (and I use that word quite loosely) pay taxes than be forced to cede my labor and property to people in power completely without my consent, at their unaccountable whim, on the threat of violence against my person, which historically seems to be the other way governments have obtained funding.
- Victor Ganata
Unless we can set it up a la Star Trek. I'd be willing to cede a fair bit if it involved a holodeck, replicator, and all the medical visits I needed ;-)
- FFing Enigma
Don't forget a brain soothe with the counselor!
- Edward Zwart
Maybe it's time we re-think this whole "representative democracy" business, now that we have real-time entries and commenting in FriendFeed.
- Ken Sheppardson
Funny thing, I was just thinking of Brave New World the other day, and maybe a totalitarian government wouldn't be so bad if everyone really did have guaranteed access to unlimited recreational drugs.
- Victor Ganata
@Victor, bring on the Soma, baby! :-)
- Joey Gibson
Somehow, this always brings out an "all or nothing" arguement. Less taxes is not the same as no taxes. I just don't think we should trust politicians to have our best interest at heart. We need to question things like, what does my State to pave a mile of road? Could it be done with less, and if so, why are my gas taxes so high?
- Robert Hafer
I agree with the premise, Robert. But the cost to pave that mile of road depends on the amount being charged by a private entity that was awarded the contract. That private entity, in a capitalistic society, is obligated to make as much profit as they can which either means charging more money (and hence higher taxes on the people it employs) OR cutting their costs (and firing some of...
more...
- FFing Enigma
I just finished working for the federal govt for a year. I HATED how inefficient and mindless and stupid and full of shit the whole process was. So, I'm with you on the project of making govt (at least SEEM) to operate in a more realistic and competitive manner. But, that doesn't lead me to wanting to tear it down, and more to the point, mistrust it. It's a difficult problem, cuz really, for REAL competition at the bureaucratic level, you need MORE bureaucracy, not less!
- Edward Zwart
That's what anti-tax arguments sound like, though—a call for the complete abolition of taxes. I agree, in a republic, there needs to be oversight, but I disagree that every tax needs to arouse outrage in every citizen.
- Victor Ganata
But that saved tax money could employ twice as many in the private sector. Government spending can't create wealth because every penny spent comes out of the private economy, which you then put back in, minus waste. Government needs to spend as little as possible to perform its function, so the rest can be left in the private sector, where it can possibly create more wealth. Wealth creation isn't a smooth process, which is why you have downturns.
- Robert Hafer
Where's the data that saved tax money employing twice as many in the private sector? And again, my example above was including the private sector (in this discussion, a construction and paving company that received the gov't contract to do the roads). Assuming the taxes are lowered across the board, the company proper can employ more people but the employees who are paying less taxes...
more...
- FFing Enigma
How are you saving money when now you don't have a paved road? Government does things that the private sector would never do, because it wouldn't yield them a profit. And yet the private sector can profit off of the infrastructure that the government builds.
- Victor Ganata
Tina just reminded me of Dave Winer's comment earlier this year that we should just print our way out of the current crisis. http://www.scripting.com/stories... I tend to agree. Money's a made up concept anyway, kinda like daily affirmations.... Value is what matters.
- Edward Zwart
Twice was an arbitrary number. But if those companies make more profits, they pay more taxes. That's why tax cuts have always lead to a net increase in Government revenue. A business will only hire more workers of they make increased profits or have a reasonable expectation of doing so. And if those workers spend some of their new salary in a business that employs you or you own, you see a direct benefit.
- Robert Hafer
money is a made up concept, wealth is not. You can't create wealth by printing money. That printed money has to be covered by taxes or debt. Both of witch remove that wealth from the economy.
- Robert Hafer
Wealth is not a made up concept, neither is money. Money is any common material used for the exchange of goods, it can just as easily be gold. Wealth is possessions worth someone else's possessions. Money can be a possession. Fiat money (money made by govt decree) is an agreement between all parties to accept a certain specified material for the exchange of goods. It's a self-perpetuating currency so long as someone wants it. Only it's "worth" is the sorta made-up concept, ie, controllable by govt if needed
- xero
Wealth is not agreed upon by society, but it can only exist in the event of multiple parties with one desiring to acquire something they do no possess but the other does. Wealth only needs possessions (material or non) and a desire to have something else. So long as the idea of a barter exists, then money exists, whether its chickens, water, services, etc. when there is something to barter with and need to do so, then there is money.
- xero
By "money", I will assume you mean printed paper fiat currency, since you're obviously not using the definitions that I have been writing about. With that in mind, if all you have is "money" and nobody wants it then you do not have wealth. But if someone does want your "money" then you do have wealth. Replace "money" with alternatives and think about it: chickens, water, farming skills, carpentry skills, knowledge, etc.
- xero
If the store is in a developing region (including rural America) then they'll probably take your chickens and gold in exchange for liquor.
- xero
Jason, don't pay your taxes and make the IRS come get your big rock
- Robert Hafer
I wonder what the exchange rate is for giant rock to US Dollar?
- xero
Google are building a social network under our very noses. It could be bigger and better than Facebook. - http://thenextweb.com/2009...
Edward Zwart, Shawn Duffy, Anthony K. Valley © and 5 other people liked this
I'd like to see them give it a go but yeah it needs a LOT of work to catch up with the rest. Vanity URLs are a tiny step in the right direction, but even Facebook doesn't have those and they are doing pretty well. ;-)
- Kol Tregaskes
As I said before I would prefer for yahoo to buy twitter than Google. Google would take twitter, make it disappear for a few months and throw up something similar with a new name.
- Richard A.
Google has got know what's at stake with search w/o being a big player in social networking.
- Andy Fox
How to Make a DIY Ring Flash [Tutorial] - http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-...
Kol Tregaskes and Shawn Duffy liked this
Here's a really clean DIY tutorial for making a ring flash adapter to fit your strobes. Handy!
- Brian Auer
I'm currently thinking about the Hokey Pokey and wondering if that's really what it's all about...
Robyn Hawk, Shawn Duffy, Christian Burns and 6 other people liked this
Perhaps if you put your left foot in?
- Threepwood
Apparently it's the injection and withdrawal of random body parts into an undefined space, the shaking of said body parts all through said space and full body rotation with your hands held under your chin...
- Johnny
I believe its really all about burning off some of the toddler's limtless energy.
- DGentry
And for some reason, this video of an animated wolf performing the Hokey Pokey scares me: http://www.youtube.com/watch...
- WiseYoda (aka Patrick)
Johnny, since that description makes it sound like the hokey pokey is a metaphor for sex, and many scientists say sex and the urge to reproduce is in fact what it's all about, then I think we must conclude the hokey pokey is what it's all about.
- FFing Enigma
iLibrarian » 10 Websites for Book Lovers - http://oedb.org/blogs...
Shawn Duffy, Chris Loft and Kol Tregaskes liked this
Why alligators pray for heavy traffic - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel...
Thomas Tracey, SteVe C, Anne Bouey and 16 other people liked this
Oops. :-)
- Kol Tregaskes
from Bookmarklet
And that's why I live in the desert.
- Steven Perez
Geesh I'd rather have a car kill my ass
- BEX
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway
Shawn Duffy liked this
;-)
- Kol Tregaskes
:O
Лёша, Bret Taylor, Jemm and 168 other people liked this
lolness
- Brandon
oh behave!
- Pascal
hahahaha
- Anna Haro
We should never shake hands. :)
- Morton Fox
:P
- Alemsah Ozturk
Look at his face... the dude on the very right. HAHA!
- Mona Nomura
omg, a cracker
- Dobromir Hadzhiev
Truth hurts!...Ahahaha!
- Olcayto Cengiz
hahahha, super
- Özkan Altuner
alls fair in (self)love and thumb war!
- Joe "Brrzzzzzzt" Pierce
HEE! :-D
- Ladyepiphanybug
lolls.
- Danny Peck
Awww, too late!
- Shey
lawl!
- Christian (Simply X)
ROFL
- Abbas Haider Ali
just showed this to Tad in a restaurant and he's laughing so hard people are staring. LOL!
- Lindsay
Excellent!! rofl!!
- Penny
I don't know who bumped this, but thanks. I forgot I even posted this. That very last character's face is PRICELESS. And Lindsay. LOL!
- Mona Nomura
LOL!!! This is great!!!
- David Cook
Smiles
- Bob Gannon
haha
- Ted Roden
Holy FUNNIEST. COMIC. EVER!!!!
- Morgan
hahahhahahhaha
- Mona Nomura
You guys, this is SO old - from November LOL
- Mona Nomura
Hey, Mona! Pull my finger!
- Steven Perez
ROFL
- Anika
hahaha, cool
- Peter Efland
Ha ha
- Brandy Lea
hehe :p
- alessandro
C&h ftw
- mjc
love it!
- Greg
ROFL
- knagayama
that's wrong. so wrong. :)
- felix
This was really posted 97 days ago?
- Jason Shultz
from twhirl
Not that I'm complaining, it is funny. :)
- Jason Shultz
from twhirl
Facebook group opens in loving memory of the geese that lost their lives from Flight 1549 - http://www.facebook.com/group...
Shawn Duffy, bcultral, Jesse Stay and 12 other people liked this
Oh jeez.
- Mona Nomura
The geese aspect of the story is not confirmed yet.
- bill giltner
Oh give me a freaking break. I love animals, but some people go way too far. And I know Canada (that's what they are, they aren't Canadian) Geese are protected, but they are becoming a big pain in the ass.
- Mol, FF Music Lover
The definition of affluence.
- Prokofy Neva
I cooked a goose once. It was extremely greasy. I won't do it again.
- MiniMage, enterRUPPted
This has to have been done in humor! Pretty funny lol
- Robert DeBord
Robert, that's my guess too.
- Steve Rubel
from IM
F A I L
- JA Castillo
Twitter should join that group :) Is there a navel gazing group for Twitter?
- coldbrew
Clever!
- Sean Kelly
addiction to Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos...
Michael W. May, amirHP, Anthony K. Valley © and 19 other people liked this
:)
- ardiba
:D
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
Mahdi: it remembers me of this sentence, "If this was a woman, I would marry it" http://wakoopa.com/softwar...
- ardiba
Alireza: i am addicted to Flikr. i have same idea with you about marriage :D
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
:))
- Pouya Koushandeh
You can use some anti filter software like ultrasurf, Gpass, freegate and ...
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
Mahdi: okay, sounds good, It's a favorite of mine too but actually that's not my idea, I'm not ready for marriage yet ;D
- ardiba
Alireza: please accept her. she is so cute :D
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
Hamide: if you are a firefox user there is another simple way to Bypasses the flickr.com : http://friendfeed.com/e...
- ardiba
I love flickr too
- saeedeh
Mahdi: well, are you tempting me buddy? mmm, so let me think more about this ;D
- ardiba
Alireza: please thinking. you will lost an excellent opportunity :))
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
Sara, and Shawn Duffy liked this
Eric P, Tyson Key, Shawn Duffy and 3 other people liked this
"This picture makes none"
- Kol Tregaskes
Hackers completely break SSL using 200 PS3s - http://hackaday.com/2008...
Like, Tanath, Ken Stewart | ChangeForge and 14 other people liked this
That's pretty cool!
- Shevonne
Well at least the PS3 is finally good for something. ;-p
- ronin
Not as cool as the LAN party they hosted afterward.
- Hao Chen
Hao, I didn't see that in the article. hmmmmm...Do you own a PS3?
- Shevonne
No, and I'm j/k. :)
- Hao Chen
I like the creative use of the PS3s, but to be correct SSL was not "completely" broken ... a known weakness in the MD5 hash was exploited to fake valid certificates ... as the story reports, the "fix" is to use the SHA-1 hash instead ... a wake up call to anyone still using MD5
- Christopher Perry
Rap music originated in medieval Scottish pubs, claims American professor - Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture...
Shawn Duffy liked this
"Rap music originated in the medieval taverns of Scotland rather than the mean streets of the Bronx and Brooklyn, an American academic has claimed."
- Kol Tregaskes
from Bookmarklet
I would totally start 2009 with a squeaky-clean apartment if it didn't mean spending the rest of 2008 getting it that way.
Shawn Duffy and Joshua Hatfield liked this
Blasphemy - http://www.fugly.com/picture...
Jason (not an Argonaut), Bibi, Mark Layton and 27 other people liked this
LOL my favorite is the guy in the middle with his dirty shirt and belly hanging out, yet trying to appear oh ever so graceful ; )
- Adriana
haha...yeah, that "C" needs some work....
- Live4Emma (L4S)
That "C" is rather broken looking, just like our lord and savior. Heyoo!
- Jonathan Hardesty
Heyoooo!
- Mitch
Oh gees that is bad!
- Susan Beebe
Drive safely, there are a lot of "dicks" on the road!
Andy Bakun, mjc, ipek aral kişioğlu and 68 other people liked this
LMAO!
- Ladyepiphanybug
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha SKILL!
- Iain Baker
There are probably a lot but on that pic I can see only one. :D
- AJ Batac :)
HA HA LMFAO
- InPerpetualMotion(Gina k)
This was just sent to me in an interoffice email, go figure :)
- Nicholas Kreidberg
That's it! The internet is CLOSED for the day....Nicholas SHUT IT DOWN! HAHAHA!
- Live4Emma (L4S)
:: raises the roof ::
- Nicholas Kreidberg
Damn.
- Anika
Nick should be working, but he's clearing PWNING the interwebz. He'll be back tomorrow.
- Derrick
Love love love!!!
- Just Katie
lol
- mikepk
LOL!
- Mathew™ aka Youngblood
HAHAHAHHA
- Mona Nomura
I am still in awe of the fact they took the time to circumcise it! I suppose if you are going to erect a snow penis, why not pay attention to detail!
- Nicholas Kreidberg
Aren't erect penises...well, with regards to circumcision. Hmmm...how shall I put this?
- Derrick
huge!
- TiTi
Or rather, it should read, there's at least one big dick on the road....
- InPerpetualMotion(Gina k)
That is a good point Mark... /frosty_envy
- Nicholas Kreidberg
Pretty funny the first time one of my posts shows up on the "FFholic" top 10 it has to do with a frozen penis. FF FTMFW!
- Nicholas Kreidberg
LOL - Funny!
- Richard G
LOL!
- Dobromir Hadzhiev
:))))))))))))))))))))))
- mhmazidi
LoooooooooooL
- Papak
What a dick
- Amit Morson
84 likes, the moral of the story? don't forget your dick!
- Nicholas Kreidberg
now thats a dick move.
- Carlos Ayala
Oh come on Carlos, don't be a dick!
- Nicholas Kreidberg
Pano road
Yuri Vilnid, shâhin, cjmart and 13 other people liked this
very like！
- yefeng
i like this panorama more than other panorama
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
yes very very strong work :D
- Mahdi Ebrahimi
Kenner STAR WARS Line for 1978 - http://www.plaidstallions.com/kenner...
 |
·[▪_▪]·, edythe, Michael W. May and 21 other people liked this
My mom brought up all of my old Star Wars trading cards from when I was a kid for Thanksgiving and gave them to my oldest son Jackson. I've got to get the camera out and shoot some of those old cards. They're the best.
- Thomas Hawk
Trash Compactor!!! I totally forgot about that!!!!! Love it!
- Chris Rivait
TH, your mom is awesome--Jackson is a lucky one. And yes, you do need to shoot some of those old cards.
- Anna Haro
Had some of this stuff.
- Anthony Citrano
Mohammad Hosseinzadegan, Bryan Clark, nastaran and 4 other people liked this
اینم یکی از مکانها برای مطالعه
- ♥ D E V I L S ♥
این روزها فرشته ها هم بال ندارند ...
Shawn Duffy, and mhmazidi liked this
SѦGeet, Shawn Duffy, ژنرال فرهاد and 3 other people liked this
Ann Coulter's Jaw Wired Shut: Report - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008...
sean percival, Penguin, Melissa and 19 other people liked this
If the New York Post's Page Six report is true, Coulter broke her jaw and her mouth is wired shut...
- Derrick
from Bookmarklet
hahahahhahahahha!!
- Mona Nomura
This could almost convince me god exists.
- Jack&Cleo
You know, it's mean, cruel and petty, but: my day just became instantly better.
- Steven Perez
very funny. too bad it's not a permanent thing
- Cee Bee
Oooh I went thru that experience when I was 12 yrs old - 45 days - no food by mouth - all liquid diet and vitamins! augh!!! I lost a LOT of weigh and was really starving! awful! This is sorta funny happening to Ann Coulter - wow
- Susan Beebe
How did they get her to scamper down from her web long enough to wire her jaw shut?
- Derrick
OH SWEET IRONY I LOVE YOU. hahahahahahaha!
- Steve Isaacs
And the world breathes a sigh of relief. [cuts eyes at Palin...you're next]
- Anika
There is a God.
- anna sauce
but she still has fingers. damn.
- Clay Newton
NO one better teach her sign language
- Shevonne
ROFLCOPTER this brightens my day!
- Neal "thePuck" Jansons
Thank you, God! You DO exist!
- Peter Ghosh
Sorry to disappoint, but it probably won't make a difference - she primarily talks out of her *ss anyways.
- Sanjay
@Sanjay hahahaha
- Shevonne
Dear Santa, you really do exist!
- Jean Ann Van Krevelen
from twhirl
Oh hells yeah, Chris. I would give all my loose change to the cause.
- Anika
I'm in.
- dkb
Hmm -- continuing Sanjay's thought here - maybe we could pay the doctor to wire her ass shut as well?
- Brian Sullivan
But she can still type and sell books. :)
- Csturm
you know she deliberately broke her damn jaw so all of us liberals would be talking about her...:)
- Jean Ann Van Krevelen
from twhirl
God don't like ugly. How many times I gotta say it?
- Ms_Krista
You are all Latte drinking, terrorist, liberal defeatists -- you know that right? ;)
- Steve Spalding
Need to go buy Guilty tomorrow.
- Csturm
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