My bad. Technically, you are correct of course. But what I didn’t specify was the context I was referring to. In this case, in a literary sense. When #15 Ben mentioned Stephen King, I had to point out the more specific reference in Pratchett’s opening for “The Colour Of Magic”.

Sorry about the confusion.

But related to this is the article from Cato about trade. The empirical and theoritical evidence evidence, as well as the consensus among economicsts, is very, very strong that free trade is good, and is indeed great for the most “common folk” in society. Yet we have “flat earthers” that believe we need protectionism.

When I hear someone spout the virtues of protectist policies, as an economist I cringe as much as a biologist cringes when someone says the earth is 6,000 years old. And for the same reason.

How many shows have featured a 100,000 yard renovation, or someone putting 50,000 in their bathroom?

And how many stories have you heard that go like this: “My brother in law refinanced his house to do some…”

The “name it and claim it” or “health and weath” gospel is not really a big movement.

Not to get into a fanboy flame war but allow me:

Great A’Tuin the Turtle comes, swimming slowly through the interstellar gulf, hydrogen frost on his ponderous limbs, his huge and ancient shell pocked with meteor crates. Through sea-sized eyes that are crusted with rheum and asteroid dust He stares fixedly at the Destination.

Most of the weight is of course accounted for by Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen, the four giant elephants upon whose broad and star-tanned shoulders the disc of the World rests, garlanded by the long waterfall at its vast circumference and domed by the baby-blue vault of Heaven.

The graphics on the shirt is an obvious representation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Just sayin’.

Gonzo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld

“It is exactly of the same nature as the Hindu’s view, that the world rested upon an elephant and the elephant rested upon a tortoise; and when they said, ‘How about the tortoise?” the Indian said, “Suppose we change the subject.’”

Obviously it speaks volumes to how stupid the argument of the first cause is.

BTW, I’m buying that turtle shirt.

Or…

“None of us is as stupid as we all are.”

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=92f5341494e2e61519eeaa7d94379713&t=874416

What do we have to do to kill this hydra?

Any self-respecting Terry Pratchett fan would.

As would any self-respecting Stephen King fan.

See the Turtle of enormous girth! On his shell he holds the earth, His thought is slow but always kind; He holds us all within his mind. On his back all vows are made; He sees the truth but mayn’t aid. He loves the earth and loves the sea, And even loves a child like me.

“Most are moving to embrace 20th-century economic policies that the world outside Latin America almost universally recognizes as unworkable, like the state takeover of industries. Their presidents seek to monopolize power, limit the freedom of the press and independence of the courts, and paint the United States as an enemy.”

And this seems to have been written completely without irony. Unbelievable.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Any self-respecting Terry Pratchett fan would.

;)