Principia Discordia

blarg

Wow.  This one flopped.

It didn't flop.

I read it. Message understood.

Quote from: Buddhist_Monk_Wannabe on September 05, 2007, 05:00:30 AM
It didn't flop.

I read it. Message understood.

Naw.

I think the day of the rant is done.

4 years wasn't a bad run.

Actually I liked it but i didn't want to screw up the thread by saying something stupid.

oshit

(http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/9253/niceaa6.png)

Quote from: vexati0n on September 05, 2007, 05:12:18 AM
Actually I liked it but i didn't want to screw up the thread by saying something stupid.

oshit

Relax.  This ain't an "I'm angry" or "pity me" thing.  Honest.

It's just that there's nothing sadder than a fossil trying to stay relevant.  Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing, I will avoid becoming some pathetic Stang-esque relic, and just stop spouting for people whose tastes have changed (or a newer crowd, for that matter).

TGRR,
NOT trying to be the next Jerry fucking Lewis.

i've been trying with the pdf's.

we should start the FUCKING MARCH YOU MONKEYS! Cabal.

yeah the rants and vex's pdfs are pretty much as win as you can get.

Personally I invite the return of the angry rants

its just due to moving i can't spend the time

QuoteYeah, that's right...BUSH didn't do this shit to America.  AMERICA did this shit to America.  If that mealy-mouthed dumbfuck hadn't come along, someone else would have.  It's the nature of things...republics only last as long as people have the SPINE to RULE THEMSELVES...but eventually, they go looking for some Texan (there have always been Texans, even in Rome) to take the onerous burden of self-rule from their shoulders.

ok
decent rant
that paragraph above is hella good

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 03:09:22 AM
LOOK AROUND YOU.  YOUR NATION HAS BECOME A CARICATURE OF ITSELF.

:mittens:

Quote from: vexati0n on September 05, 2007, 05:12:18 AM
Actually I liked it but i didn't want to screw up the thread by saying something stupid.

oshit

100% agreed

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 05:17:03 AM
It's just that there's nothing sadder than a fossil trying to stay relevant.  Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing, I will avoid becoming some pathetic Stang-esque relic, and just stop spouting for people whose tastes have changed (or a newer crowd, for that matter).

well that's sad. I hope you don't think that the silly lowquality graphics meme is what the board is "about" now. Personally, I haven't enjoyed the recent brimstone deficiency.

This was an excellent rant to arrive to in the morning.

I agree with TI--I'd love to see a return of more rants. I've been pretty brain dead as of late, so I've been focused on getting my personal shit together before I work on contributing a whole lot to this board, seeing as I don't know how exactly I can contribute much of value right now.

However, this is a really great rant. Close to what I needed to hear, actually. I particularly like the part

Quote
You coulda had SLACK.  You coulda had FUN.  But NO, you had to have that fucking McMansion and that Hummer2...or maybe just that Xbox360 or that fucking "Wii" or whatever the fuck it's called.

Amen. A-fucking-men.

Also, as much as I like slamming Bush as much as every other bleeding heart whiny liberal, it's also good to be reminded that if it weren't him, it would've been someone else. A very accurate point.

Quote
republics only last as long as people have the SPINE to RULE THEMSELVES...but eventually, they go looking for some Texan (there have always been Texans, even in Rome) to take the onerous burden of self-rule from their shoulders.

YES.

Sometimes I just want to run around clubbing mindless idiots.

Obviously, I would gift you some mittens right now, but the lack of emotes makes it difficult.

It's nice to see another quality TGRR rant!

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 03:09:22 AM
Now, obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone.  There's still a few mutants out there.  Mutants who are SICK enough, DEPRAVED enough to see the HUMOR in these hideous times.  Are you ready for that?  Are you ready to LAUGH YOUR ASS OFF every time the DUMBFUCKS around you toss another right away?  Every time they SPIT IN THE FACE OF THEIR FOREFATHERS?

This paragraph seems like a new-ish direction for you, Rog... It implies that there is a chance of FUN, a chance for SLACK.  And there's still time.  Maybe.

Quote from: LMNO on September 05, 2007, 02:08:13 PM

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 03:09:22 AM
Now, obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone.  There's still a few mutants out there.  Mutants who are SICK enough, DEPRAVED enough to see the HUMOR in these hideous times.  Are you ready for that?  Are you ready to LAUGH YOUR ASS OFF every time the DUMBFUCKS around you toss another right away?  Every time they SPIT IN THE FACE OF THEIR FOREFATHERS?

This paragraph seems like a new-ish direction for you, Rog... It implies that there is a chance of FUN, a chance for SLACK.  And there's still time.  Maybe.

Alphabits makes a very good point. I dig it.

I liked it.  More of it is a good thing.  My ranter has been broken for months, otherwise I'd contribute more myself. 

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 04:54:46 AM
Wow.  This one flopped.

Two hours was enough time to tell?
Me thinks not.

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 05:17:03 AM
Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing,

This is true, though.

I really like this one too...I just didn't have a point to add to it other than the typical :mittens: .

And RHWN I agree, my ranter is le broke. I started one last week that was going great, then it turned into a spiel about ADHD children and I lost my rhythm before attracting the worm.  :evilmad:

TGRR - good stuff. Reminds me a lot of the book, 'Lapham Rising' which I read recently. The book is basically this rant, extended into a story about a man seeking to topple his pretentious, overblown, profligate neighbour.

One point which especially stuck in my mind was that historically, people who had a lot of money and did really dumb shit were widely ridiculed. However, it seems that instead of reviling them, the general populace aspires to join their ranks.

If you're into reading novels, then this could  be right up your alley in terms of subject matter (eg: blistering, unrelenting rage and the creative use of revenge).

Mang--you are absolutely correct about people wanting to be rich and stupid rather than intelligent. I've read some interesting studies about how people no longer want their president to be someone better than they are (what?!) but instead prefer someone they would want to have a beer with.

Like we should want to be FRIENDS with the people in charge, instead of having them be smarter, better trained, better educated, etc, than we are.

A fun book that I read, but that raises interesting points, was "Snobbery: The American Version." (http://www.amazon.com/Snobbery-American-Version-Joseph-Epstein/dp/0618340734/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9293605-4414532?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189011094&sr=1-1 for a quick blurb on it) I can't recall if it covered this "Rich Idiot" syndrome, but I am 98% certain that it did. It's pretty hilarious, though, either way.

But yes, you are correct. When we aspire to become the Paris Hiltons of the world, instead of reviling them, then there is something pretty flawed going on here.

I, for one, would rather be filthy rich than filthy smart.

thanks for the link DC. will check that out.

i did see a book a few weeks ago. cannot remember the title or author but it raised an interesting and related side point. it was about how 'luxury designer status items' were no longer any of those things anymore.

once upon a time, if you had money you could show off by purchasing a hand crafted, high quality item for a large sum from a family run company that had a reputation for great products. rich people bought 'em, poor people did not.

of course, all these items are mass produced, low quality, still pricey and available in your local mall.

personally, i couldn't give a damn about 'status' or 'designer' items. [if you saw (a) me (b) where i live and (c) how i live.....you'd know this to be the case]. however, many items that were once considered 'status' items aren't even that anymore. they're just the same cheap shit but sold out of an expensive outlet. then there's the people who will buy knock-off 'coach' or 'luis vuitton' bags so they can trick other people into believing that they did pay the full price for the cheap shit.

there's gotta be something wrong there. the psychology is:

"I am not rich, nor do I have any particular status. I would like to purchase this item which I believe will accord me with status. However, it is very expensive, even though it's just an ordinary item made in a factory by a large corporation. Therefore I will buy a counterfeit version so that people will think that I have that kind of money and that's good enough for me. Of course, when I go home, dinner will still be Diet Coke and Cheetos, but they don't have to know that."

Have you heard the term "house poor", Mang?

Applicable here.

Jonesin to be the Joneses.  Seems like it never ends. 

Quote from: LMNO on September 05, 2007, 02:08:13 PM

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 03:09:22 AM
Now, obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone.  There's still a few mutants out there.  Mutants who are SICK enough, DEPRAVED enough to see the HUMOR in these hideous times.  Are you ready for that?  Are you ready to LAUGH YOUR ASS OFF every time the DUMBFUCKS around you toss another right away?  Every time they SPIT IN THE FACE OF THEIR FOREFATHERS?

This paragraph seems like a new-ish direction for you, Rog... It implies that there is a chance of FUN, a chance for SLACK.  And there's still time.  Maybe.

Of course there is.

Do you think I'd bother hollering if I didn't think that?

Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on September 05, 2007, 02:52:31 PM
I liked it.  More of it is a good thing.  My ranter has been broken for months, otherwise I'd contribute more myself. 

So was mine.  But then I remembered about fun, and got all pissed off.

Quote from: hunter s.durden on September 05, 2007, 04:02:49 PM

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 05:17:03 AM
Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing,

This is true, though.

pff bullshit

there's waves and cycles

this board isn't "going" anywhere, nor is it "changing into" anything, it never has and never* will be.

also, it's large enough to have more than one kind of "thing", and i don't know where you get the idea that presence of one thing indicates the other should be absent.

does this board have tunnel vision? can we only do one thing at a time? of course not, if only for the simple fact that i can't do what most of you guys are doing, so i'm doing something else already.

but. yeah, PDcom is dead again lol

( * = probably. because you never know )

Quote from: triple zero on September 06, 2007, 10:53:39 AM

Quote from: hunter s.durden on September 05, 2007, 04:02:49 PM

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 05:17:03 AM
Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing,

This is true, though.

pff bullshit

there's waves and cycles

this board isn't "going" anywhere, nor is it "changing into" anything, it never has and never* will be.

also, it's large enough to have more than one kind of "thing", and i don't know where you get the idea that presence of one thing indicates the other should be absent.

does this board have tunnel vision? can we only do one thing at a time? of course not, if only for the simple fact that i can't do what most of you guys are doing, so i'm doing something else already.

but. yeah, PDcom is dead again lol

( * = probably. because you never know )

I've been talking forum drama cycle hypothesis for years now.

Quote from: LMNO on September 05, 2007, 06:16:31 PM
Have you heard the term "house poor", Mang?

Applicable here.

actually, no. haven't heard that expression before.

In cas you can't tell, it means that you have a house, but it's more than you can afford, so you basically have a very expensive shell that you can't furnish, you eat ramen noodles, and eventually go bankrupt, even though you "own a house."

Quote from: LMNO on September 06, 2007, 06:56:21 PM
In cas you can't tell, it means that you have a house, but it's more than you can afford, so you basically have a very expensive shell that you can't furnish, you eat ramen noodles, and eventually go bankrupt, even though you "own a house."

thank you. that pretty much describes a large portion of the numbskulls i had to speak to in my old job.

Caller: My council tax is too high!!!

Me: How so?

Caller: I live in a 5 bedroom, detached converted 17th century barn, with acres of land and a scenic view. Why are you charging me so much money!!??

Me: Well, not to be a dick, but WE don't charge you anything. Your local authority charges you the tax, we simply make the value assessments on your house.

Caller: But it's too much!! Argghh. We thought we were going to be in a low tax band!

Me: Uh...why? You live in a huge frikkin' mansion in a desireable area in the countryside with a low population density. Pray tell, why would you think that would be a cheap way to live? Especially when people like you are driving up property prices, forcing indigenous residents of your village out because they can't afford to live in the communities they were born and raised in.

Caller: ARGHGHHG. We only budgeted for band C.

Me: Well your house is a whopping Band F. So you bugeted wrongly, didn't you? Looks like you gotta live somewhere cheaper or subsist on generic store brand baked beans until you kick it. Have a nice day!

On the other hand, it is kinda fucked that somebody with no cash can put in years of hard work making his house just the way he likes it, and ends up unable to pay the taxes on property values resulting from his own hard work.

I guess the trick is, then, to build the perfect house that is perfect for you, but highly undesirable to everyone else to keep the value down. 

That happens to me and my mum. We sold the house (well, she did, but you know what I mean) that she and my dad built literally by themselves early on in their marriage. Over the years they expanded it, made it bigger and nicer and everything. It started out as a tiny house in a blue collar neighborhood, but they kept building it up till it was a gorgeous, huge house on a nice piece of property in what became a very upperclass area, etc. Unfortunately, then my mum could no longer afford taxes. Bye bye house.

As a side note, things worked out well for her, so I'm hardly complaining; it is most important to me that she is in a good situation. But it does REALLY suck when you put blood, sweat, and tears into a house, and then can't keep it. And it happens to many many people.

Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on September 06, 2007, 07:20:23 PM
I guess the trick is, then, to build the perfect house that is perfect for you, but highly undesirable to everyone else to keep the value down. 

Interestingly enough, my ideal home does pretty much fit that bill. However, in desirable areas, it won't matter. My old neighborhood is getting bought out left and right. The shitty houses are going for zillions of dollars, and then the yuppies are ripping them down completely and building brand new houses, just because the area is where they want to be. It's absolutely crazy. It used to be an adorable neighborhood full of capes and ranches, but now it's all mansions with barely a few feet between them because they're the size of their property!

Quote from: vexati0n on September 06, 2007, 07:16:27 PM
On the other hand, it is kinda fucked that somebody with no cash can put in years of hard work making his house just the way he likes it, and ends up unable to pay the taxes on property values resulting from his own hard work.

true. though in most cases, the people showed a woeful lack of research and made ill-informed assumptions about the kinds of properties they were buying and developing. they were so gung-ho about getting the dream house, they forgot to work out whether they could pay for it.

and typically, the people who complained most were often the wealthiest. the people who were getting totally crapped on by 'teh system' tended to be the most reasonable and polite.

DC - same kind of thing is happening here in this town. it used to be just a little, out of the way place. but there's yuppie overspill from the next town over which has a lot of retail & offices pouring money into the town. we have low population density and commerical income is extremely small.

mrs mang & i live in what was once supposed to be a cheap & cheerful summer cottage for occasional use when the original builders wanted to be near the lake. now it's a permanent residence for 5 and we're surrounded by people with fuck-off big mansions.

Quote from: Mangrove on September 06, 2007, 07:25:28 PM

Quote from: vexati0n on September 06, 2007, 07:16:27 PM
On the other hand, it is kinda fucked that somebody with no cash can put in years of hard work making his house just the way he likes it, and ends up unable to pay the taxes on property values resulting from his own hard work.

true. though in most cases, the people showed a woeful lack of research and made ill-informed assumptions about the kinds of properties they were buying and developing. they were so gung-ho about getting the dream house, they forgot to work out whether they could pay for it.

i don't get it, what are these taxes for?
let me get this straight, so you buy this piece of land, you pay taxes for it, okay.
what i don't get is, if you build a house on it, and improve the house you have to pay more taxes?

i have no idea if we have a similar problem over here, but as far as i know once you own a house, you own it. if you are really filthy rich you get to pay some sort of "wealth taxes" thing (but that's a laughable amount and you can deduct it from all sorts of stuff if you got a good accountant).
it's just that hardly anybody here really "owns" their house. even if they bought it, they bought it with a mortgage loan thing. that's just the way we do it over here, i was quite surprised to learn that in Austria (for example) once a couple gets together, they'll live in a cheap rented apartment for some 7-10 years, save up as much money as possible and then srsly just really buy the house :)

It's the value of the property that you are paying taxes on.

So you can own a really nice house in a shitty neighborhood and pay low taxes. Or you can own a shitty house in a really nice neighborhood and pay higher taxes. Because it's all about property value.

But what happened to me and my mum is that our taxes went up as the desirability of our neighborhood went up, thus upping the property values. So although our half acre never changed in size, the elementary school across the street from us went from being an empty shell into being the newest and most desirable elementary school in the district, tons of yuppies moved in and tore down the capes that had characterized our neighborhood and built McMansions, thus making it a "family oriented neighborhood," as the realtors call it, and eventually people were willing to pay out the ass for utter shit in that neighborhood. Thus, the property values went up, and so went the taxes.

I THINK.

I was busy being an angsty early adolescent at the time, so I'm a bit hazy on the details. Plus I've never owned property in my life, only rented, so I might be REALLY off on the whole property taxes thing. Anyone who wants to smack me around and tell me what's what is quite welcome to.

No you've pretty much nailed it.  The actual house on the lot is probably less of a factor on the property value then where the property is.  For example a shack on ocean-front property is going to be worth a helluva lot more than my moderately nice house on it's property. 

As far as what they are for, education and other local services. 

hmmm that's pretty weird

i mean it's not really "property" if you have to keep paying for it, right? especially not if you can't be sure the monthly pay might go up in the future or not.

but all i know about mortgages over here is the price of the house that is built somewhere .. but i'm pretty sure the price of the ground it's built on should factor into it as well somewhere, i just doubt that it's very much .. but on the other hand i'm pretty sure ground isn't particularly cheap in the netherlands as well, seeing how densely populated we are .. :)

Usually, the property tax is figured into your monthly mortgage payment, though I think you can pay it separately if you wish.  But, when you have a yearly tax bill in excess of $3000.  (yay me!) It seems less painful when it's worked into the mortgage. 

Quote from: Rev. What's-His-Name? on September 07, 2007, 04:29:27 PM
Usually, the property tax is figured into your monthly mortgage payment, though I think you can pay it separately if you wish.  But, when you have a yearly tax bill in excess of $3000.  (yay me!) It seems less painful when it's worked into the mortgage. 

Ahahahahahaha... Property taxes in southern CT are downright ABSURD.

That is one thing I do just love about renting!

DC - what you said totally describes the situation in my town currently.

000 - in the UK, you don't get penalized for improving your property. What happens is that the property is revalued if you sell it, so next person gets hit for the value of your improvements.

The exception to that is this: You buy say, an old barn and then convert it into a nice house. Although the structure itself pre-existed (as a barn) when the conversion is finished it is considered and valued as a brand new domestic residence.

In my area taxes aren't really that much to worry about.  If you have to pay $3000/yr for property taxes here, then chances are good that $3000 is less than you blow with your weekly call to the Home Shopping Network.

i figure the best solution is just to not pay your taxes...
that way you get to go to jail and don't have to pay for anything...

QuoteJust what the jabbering FUCK is wrong with you people?

This line says EVERYTHING!
:mittens:

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on September 05, 2007, 05:17:03 AM
It's just that there's nothing sadder than a fossil trying to stay relevant.  Seeing as how the board has changed into a graphic arts/23 skiddoo thing, I will avoid becoming some pathetic Stang-esque relic, and just stop spouting for people whose tastes have changed (or a newer crowd, for that matter).

What?
Screw the _______, do what you are good at fur kristsake. Ever submit your rants as opinion pieces to the local papers?

I think the swingback is on its way with fun, at least in the UK.  After at least thirty years of forcefed family crap, keeping the children safe from anything which may let them have a good time (like going outside without a spacesuit on) and sanitized public entertainment, I think something abit dangerous is exactly what people are looking for.

I remember when I was a kid, breaking into huge estates where nobles hunted pheasants, trespassing in private woods and getting hopelessly lost at least every other weekend.  Of course, that my parents don't give a shit about me and my welfare probably helped, but it was fun, mostly because of that thrill of danger.  Most people have forgotten what adrenaline feels like, I think.

I think they know what adrenaline is like, they just tend to waste it on things that don't require it.

Thrilling adventure? Adrenalize!

Watching the news? No.

I dunno.  They all treated that Dangerous Book for Boys like it was some wonder.  Hell, I did most of the shit in that book before I was 10.  Still, its a sign the pendulum is swinging the other way, I hope.

Quote from: Cain on September 11, 2007, 10:13:00 PM
I dunno.  They all treated that Dangerous Book for Boys like it was some wonder.  Hell, I did most of the shit in that book before I was 10.  Still, its a sign the pendulum is swinging the other way, I hope.

Hope so. When I was back in the UK in May, everyone was like "Holy Fuck!! You got out at the right time...ITS GETTING WORSE!!"  :x

It could just be the fact we havent had a political scandal for 2 months, getting everyones hopes up.

Quote from: Cain on September 11, 2007, 10:18:15 PM
It could just be the fact we havent had a political scandal for 2 months, getting everyones hopes up.

Whatever you might say, i quite like this rant of yours. one of my favorites.

going back to my little corner....
~bobo