End of Empire

No Empire has ended by conquest. Rather, they all fall from within, their very institutions rotted and filled with poison. Knowing this and acting with such knowledge could prolong an empire a great deal, but even it would not be immune to institutional infection.

Knowing this, you can consult for the Empire and make a lot of money.

I pledge

My pledge to you, dear reader, is to always mock flags. I get their symbolic function, but I laugh at it. Also, despair. Flags are tribe colors to designate sides, both to unite and divide. When you "pledge allegiance" you are of course proclaiming fealty to the political power that uses the flag as its tribe symbol. I pledge allegiance to all life, to the Universe as a whole, so what does a flag matter to me? Or, for that matter, what does the Flag Code matter to any Patriot? Violation, above. Violation, below.

So many Flag Code violations in today's American Empire.

lol america.

Tower Truths

I owe much to this tower, this Empire State Building. If not for it, I would not be in New Gondolin. So here's to you, the Original Tower (OT):

LADEE to space. To the moon, in fact.

Eyes of a Robot

It's cool visuals, but not realistic. There's no way we could ever smash all the cameras they'll deploy. In the sky, on the sides of buildings, on street poles, on power lines, etc. Drones flying overhead. Satellites far above. Cameras everywhere.

Curiosity, on Mars. Not sure how this photo is made, since Curiosity is all alone on Mars.

A new toga

The pantsuit is the new power suit, or toga, or whatever form of clothing denotes LEADER. And it comes in way more colors than purple. Behold!

All the colors of the rainbow!

When Hillary is elected in 2016 and America - Ruler of the World - has a woman leader, coupled with the wise and steady leadership of Germany under Chancellor Merkel, then the world will be ready. Ready at last. The Matriarchy is Nigh!

While Rome Burns

So we learn how Empires fall - by stupid people getting power, and being stupid. And thus today's American political scene: A bear ballet, dreamed up by Homer.

Which, like the nifty political drama for the Junkie, is funny! If not tragic.

Diligent (Sponsored By)

This photo has been begging to join our blog, for years now. Look at the irony, it said! Finally, I agree. But only ironically.

I forget

I'm too hip to watch TV, so I have no idea what the TV talked about today in regards 911. My sources on the Intertubes were remarkably muted. So muted I said to myself, "Redshirt, I think we're finally over 911 in some significant sense." Even the 911 jokes were kinda lame. As such!

A stylish 911 shirt.

Have some 911 candy! The nougat filling is made of irony.

Plenty of folks got 911 birthdays, and who could forget that? No one, never!

What I'll never forget is the way 911 was used by some in power to gain more power, and to engage in acts of empire. And get filthy rich. Never forget that, and the way the event is used to manipulate you. Laugh instead, even if you suffered tragedy. Because tragedy will always happen - it just happens, sometimes. It need not be a Kristallnacht. And so as I said before, I mock. I laugh. I post stupid jokes. Why not? The real terror is this reality.

To end with perhaps an actual funny joke, click below - but beware! Boobies.

A New Hope

An apt image that neatly captures today's political dynamics in America. On the one hand, you have the lock-step Authoritarians of the Right who will back anything and everything their leaders tell them to back - even if it contradicts what they were told to support the day before. And you have "Liberals", who could best be described as a herd of cats. A great concept and I celebrate the freedom of choice, but when it comes to the blood sport of team Politics, Liberals suck. Witness the myriad assaults on Obama from the Left - they're legion.

If we are going to fall into true Empire, all it will take is a persuasive Conservative at this point. Thankfully, none appear on the immediate horizon, as they're all insane.

Teach are children

Hey, consider this: A kid born in say, Germany, doesn't really ever have to worry about the cost of school, or the cost of healthcare after school.

US children, on the other hand, can easily walk out of school massively indebted, and if they are unlucky enough to get sick, that could be it - the end of any hope of financial stability.

But we got a kick ass military, man.

Too Late

Alas, it is far too late in this cycle to do anything real against these global beasts of money and power - American companies spread across the globe, fattening and suckling impressionable youths at the teat of "whatever you want, whatever you can dream". Or fry.

Hollywood, Madison Avenue, Silicon Valley, flooding the world with America, the empire that need not conquer you militarily to rule you, as you'll queue up for the chance.

America! Buy it or leave it!

The Least Revolutionary Revolutionaries

So when did America stop being Revolutionary? Washington crushing the Whiskey Rebellion? War of 1812 (note: Needs better name - something like "Revolutionary War 2: Red Glare")? Our first of the hundreds of invasions of the Caribbean and Central America?

Whenever, it's pretty clear we long ago stopped being a Revolutionary power and instead became an Imperial one. So, yeah, Revolutionaries suck! Says America, now. But not the whole world, yet. And not all Americans. So remember:

Well, with all this space age tech, they might! But the point still stands: Fight the power!

To Beat and Repress

Wingnuts would defend it, of course. "Shouldn't be in a riot, anyways!"

Your crime is being present. GUILTY!
But let us remember that whatever happens outside of American borders is of no consequence.

700+ people died at a sweat shop dedicated towards producing crap at Wal-Mart. Big whoop!

4 people are killed by some douchebag's cry for help:

And the Imperial Army is forcing Afghani kids to hold up signs commemorating "our loss".

Fair and balanced, you see.

Their bombs

Operation Sailor Hat was a military experiment to see the effects of 500 tons of explosives - without the now (1965) recognized issues of radiation. A wicked lot of TNT, stacked in cool domes. Like Brutalist igloos of DOOM.

For what purpose? Better means to wage war. For, as any Soviet would tell you, or anybody from Central and South America, or Asia, or the Middle East, the USA is always waging war, with their tanks and their bombs.

Enough! No more war and killing! Let us come together as Comrades!

Let us build groovy peace rockets and travel to the stars!

Let us live in peace and fraternity, and sorority! It will be groovy.

Also, too, here's what 500 tons of TNT exploding looks like:

 

 Awesome!

Here I sit

Graffiti from Pompeii. If you don't know about Pompeii, read the Wiki first. Here's how it looks today:

The volcano, Mount Vesuvius, in the background. Not my picture, and for that I am ashamed. The mountain plays a big part in Spartacus's revolt by the way. Anyways, the destruction of Pompeii and the manner of the destruction has been a blessing for humanity, as it gives us our best preserved example of Roman life from the period. Not so awesome for the poor folks who lived there at the time, of course:

Rome in a Gif

Some fun Rome chat! I've been really interested in Rome since I saw the show Spartacus. Lame, I know, but it's an awesome show and I think it gave a good feel for Rome of the day - sensationalized for X rated TV, of course. I've studied Roman history in the past in general classes (I studied Greece in far more detail, cuz of the philosophy, art, and cool science. But the conquering and wars were sweet too.), but never really got a feel for it, and recently I've learned I was sorely mistaken in a great many important details.  And so let's get to Rome chat!

Every would be warlord, strongman, king, dictator, Pope, you name it, since Rome has used Rome as an example, as a template. Here was an Empire that spanned the known world (sorry China - we knew about you and even traded with you but you play no big part in this myth). Look at Washington, D.C. for some evidence.

Fun fact 1! The words "Czar" and "Kaiser" are both derivations of Caesar, and who can argue with Caesar? Veni, Vidi, Vici brahs. In truth, the so called "Barbarian Germans" were not all so bad, and the ones who did finally cause Rome "to Fall" were Roman looking and acting, and in fact desired to rule the Empire, not smash it. The so called "Fall" of Rome is not so much a fall as a fading away, and even then, only in part. Read on!

America the Gif

The growth of America, gif style. Fun stuff - and as we're taught in our excellent public schools, entirely peaceful expansion! Manifest destiny! Go west young man! The truth, of course, is far different than what we were taught. American genocide is more accurate. But hey! I come here not to burden you with a heavy trip. Rather, here's some more fun maps:

We were this close to the Empire of Virginia.

Ever hear of Deseret? I hadn't either, until recently. Mormon Empire - thank your stars, San Diego.

A recurring proposal for the new state of Jefferson, made up from Northern California and Southern Oregon. Never gonna happen, but hippies can dream.

In the Shadow of Nam

Vietnam put a real dent in the American War Machine, and this, coupled with Civil Rights, was the crisis of the 60's/70's, which translated into the snap back of the Wingnuts, with St. Ronnie leading the charge.

Starting with the LIBERATION of Grenada, bringing FREEDOM to this important nation. Baby war steps, really. Vietnam took the piss out of US, then throw in the OPEC embargo and the Iranian hostage situation, and America was ready for some Olde Tyme Isolationism. But St. Ronnie made sure that didn't happen with an unprecedented peace time military build up. Leading to

The LIBERATION of Panama, bringing FREEDOM to this important nation. A bigger engagement than Grenada, and a near flawless victory. Big boy steps! So, why the hell not?

The LIBERATION of Kuwait, bringing FREEDOM to this important nation. America got the neighborhood all together and everyone took care of that mean old So Damn Insane (Saddam Hussein). Another near flawless victory, and this one on a yet much bigger scale still. Looks like Vietnam Syndrome is cured! But still, like a teenager, tentative forays into the adult world

Serbia Bosnia Kosovo Yugoslavia and all that - Jeebers! What a confusing assortment of insignificant nations LIBERATED by the USA, as usual. LIBERATOR of the world, don't you know. W will prove it to you, for you see, we're cured of Vietnam Syndrome! War on!

Iraq 2 was not near as fun as Iraq 1, for most. A few had a grand old time, however. The Generals and the Money Men. Here's David Patraeus, stuck in a metaphorical sand trap, in no way signifying W.'s war.

Oh yeah Afghanistan too, I almost forget. Did we all not? I mean, everyone was for this war, but then Iraq happened and everyone was all about that and we all forgot about poor old Afghanistan. And it's true - poor, old, Afghanistan, once an actual nation, now ground to dust. And since Obama, of course, all our soldiers have turned gay

Thanks, Obama. And we're pulling out, again. EGADS! Come end of 2013 America will not be engaged in any wars! What ever shall we do?!