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DC Plastic Bag Tax Drops Monthly Bag Use from 22.5 Million to 3 million - a 19 million average drop only three months after the implimentation of the tax.
Also, with 3 million bags at a nickel apiece, that's $150,000 in extra state revenue.
Small ideas sometimes are the best ones.
Also, people in DC are clearly very cheap.
103
Ricky Martin Comes Out On His Website
Finally "she looks like a flower, stings like a bee" makes sense.
100
I cannot think of anything more fitting for a hundredth post than this collection of random pet accessories, most of the poop related.
1. Dog Poop Collector - Collect Straight from the Pup's Butt
2. Demeaning Doggie High Chair
3. This one is self-explanatory
98
I got a call this afternoon that my grandfather had died in his sleep last night. This song always reminded me of him.
97
Sigh, I miss literature. And actually doing something that matters.
Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito's wing that falls on the rails. Let us rise early and fast, or break fast, gently and without perturbation; let company come and let company go, let the bells ring and the children cry — determined to make a day of it. Why should we knock under and go with the stream? Let us not be upset and overwhelmed in that terrible rapid and whirlpool called a dinner, situated in the meridian shallows. Weather this danger and you are safe, for the rest of the way is down hill. With unrelaxed nerves, with morning vigor, sail by it, looking another way, tied to the mast like Ulysses. If the engine whistles, let it whistle till it is hoarse for its pains. If the bell rings, why should we run? We will consider what kind of music they are like. Let us settle ourselves, and work and wedge our feet downward through the mud and slush of opinion, and prejudice, and tradition, and delusion, and appearance, that alluvion which covers the globe, through Paris and London, through New York and Boston and Concord, through Church and State, through poetry and philosophy and religion, till we come to a hard bottom and rocks in place, which we can call reality, and say, This is, and no mistake; and then begin, having a point d'appui, below freshet and frost and fire, a place where you might found a wall or a state, or set a lamp-post safely, or perhaps a gauge, not a Nilometer, but a Realometer, that future ages might know how deep a freshet of shams and appearances had gathered from time to time. If you stand right fronting and face to face to a fact, you will see the sun glimmer on both its surfaces, as if it were a cimeter, and feel its sweet edge dividing you through the heart and marrow, and so you will happily conclude your mortal career. Be it life or death, we crave only reality. If we are really dying, let us hear the rattle in our throats and feel cold in the extremities; if we are alive, let us go about our business.
92
Drunk Pennsylvania Man Tries to Revive Opossum.
PUNXSUTAWNEY - State police have charged a central Pennsylvania man with public drunkenness after he was seen trying to resuscitate a dead possum along a highway.
State police in Punxsutawney say several witnesses saw 55-year-old Donald Wolfe, of Brookville, near the animal Thursday afternoon. Police arrested him along Route 36 in Oliver Township, about 3 p.m.
A state police news release did not specify how Wolfe was allegedly trying to revive the opossum.
The arresting trooper did not immediately return calls for comment Friday.
The Associated Press could not locate a home telephone number for Wolfe.
Oliver Township is about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
90
Fantastic Op-Ed in the NYT by Paul Krugman talking about the current state of the Republican party and its current lack of rational-behavior and policy. I loathe the fact that this article is a thematic supplement to the Meghan McCain speech I heard last night, and reinforces many of her more thoughtful points (I loathe that the article indirectly validates Meghan McCain as a legitimate, reasonable voice, not the points expressed themselves)
87
When I was in my undergraduate fiction courses, one of my professors gave us a rundown of different publications that we, without extensive resumes, might be able to get our work published in. My favorite of these was Spread Magazine, a periodical dedicated to desensationalizing the lives of sex workers within the United States.
While at first glance Spread seems like it must be one of many magazines dedicated to the denigration women, upon reading one finds it has a much more feminist foundation. The zine was founded with the "aim to build community and destigmatize sex work by providing a forum for the diverse voices of individuals working in the sex industry." I know that many would find this mission does little to make the subject less offensive and denigrating, and in many ways I agree. However, I fully endorse any and every attempt to educate the public on an issue - especially one as taboo as this one - and support all individuals' rights to make their own person choices. Similarly, it is refreshing to see that the magazine is not fluff porn, instead making a heartfelt attempt to get its readers to seriously consider their opinions about the sex trade and the right of women (and men) to take part in it.
Spread still does pack a bit of the whimsy you might expect (though whimsy probably isn't the best word). The most recent issue has an interview I simply must read entitled The Queen Mother: Nina Hartley on Pregnancy and MILF Porn. I must admit that it is very unlikely that the article will be as entertaining as its name suggests. However, I am contractually obligated to read every and any piece of literature that involves the word MILF. Please, don't ask why. It's personal.
83
The concept is that inept nationals from different countries will be challenged with infiltrating their home governments and wreaking zealous havoc from within.
Palin will provide counseling for the contestants peppered with her fabulous catchphrases, "Can you make it more maverick?" and, "I'm sorry, Tanya, you've been deported."
Seriously, though, will her fifteen minutes die already? I'm only consoled by the fact that even she seems to have accepted that she's an absolute joke.
82
81
Manager of Justin Bieber Arrested for not Tweeting Fast Enough
Also, looking for a picture, I found this hilariously-themed conspiracy theory piece:
Justin Bieber NOT Dead
Quote from the article: "Some think the rumors may have started because Justin hadn’t updated his Twitter for a bit, but as we all know, even celebrities need to take a break from the internet once in a while!"
I think Bieber has a good excuse for his absence: it takes a lot of time in the studio to completely destroy the state of contemporary music.
75
I woke up this morning to discover to the chagrin of my chin grin that ye old God of tellyvision Comcast had arbitrarily changed half of my channels to DIGITAL and they would no longer play on my antiquated three year old TV. Comcast generously informed me with a static image on each of the blocked channels that I could get them back, oh dilly willy oh oh, I just need to fork over a measly wad of cash every month to get one of their digital boxes.
DEAR COMCAST: I thought we had a deal: You send me an inflated bill for entertainment you do not yourself produce and I pay that bill. One of the caveats of this deal is that you actually send me this entertainment. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOU MORE MONEY SO THAT YOUR CABLE ACTUALLY BRINGS TV THINGS. Also, you smell unseemly.
Fortunately, this did not affect my glorious TBS or Comedy Central. Had it, words and fists a plenty would've been had.
UNfortunately, however, this change murdered my precious Cartoon Network. With it goes my two favorite animated shows, Chowder and The Misadventures of Flapjack. DAMN YOU, COMCAST. Anyone who is anyone knows that the most crapulent of cartoons are played on the Cartoon Network. As well, anyone who is anyone knows that I have the maturity of a seven year old, which puts me just above the Nickelodeon crowd and just below fans of Naruto. Not having these cartoons will wither my soul like Candace Bergen at the Optomist International Annual Happiness Hullabaloo.
Anyway, here's an open-casket wake for these shows now gone forever from my television (because god knows I am not giving those bastards another penny):
74
I find this song by Beast bizarre and hypnotic. Angry French-Candian white lady rap is the new hip hop?
The song reminds me of this number by TheThe, which is equally strange and mesmerizing:
73
Jupiter: Where Neon Falls Like Rain (Not to be confused with Neptune, where diamonds snow from the sky)
70
I went to the doctor’s for a checkup and he said, “I hate to tell you this, but your days are numbered.” and I said, “Doc, I hate to tell you this, but that’s how people keep track of them.”
68
Three gays were discussing what they thought their favorite sport would be.
The first says, "Definitely football. You know, 'cause of all those gorgeous guys bending over in their tight pants."
"I think wrestling," sighs the second guy. "Those skimpy little costumes, and think of the holds."
"Definitely baseball," says the third guy.
The other two are confused. "Why?" they ask.
"Well," he says, "I'd be pitching with the bases loaded, the batter would hit a line drive right to me, I'd catch it, and I'd just stand there while the other guys rounded the bases. Meanwhile the crowd would be going crazy, screaming, 'Throw the ball, throw the ball, you cocksucker!"
"And that's what I like - the recognition."
66
Clearly they selected the best and brightest to create the form for the 2010 census. Examples:
1. No LGBT identifier. Enough said.
2. The first person to fill out the form creates a "race" identifier for the entire household. Forget my house, where there are eight individuals of varying backgrounds. What about interracial couples? You better study your children carefully and figure out if you want to characterize their home as white, or black, or Asian, or whatever race you belong to, but not your spouse/partner. Seriously idiotic.
3. Individuals may only be male or female. God forbid they remember that they live in the 21st century and show respect for sexual identity differences.
4. The Census is literally a giant chart with two questions: what sex and what color are you? This kind of specificity will certainly solve all of our nation's woes.
65
Chuck Klosterman's 23 Questions: These are the 23 questions he asks everyone before he can decide whether or not he ‘really loves them’
8. You meet the perfect person. Romantically, this person is ideal:
You find them physically attractive, intellectually stimulating,
consistently funny, and deeply compassionate. However, they have one
quirk: This individual is obsessed with Jim Henson’s gothic puppet
fantasy The Dark Crystal. Beyond watching it on DVD at least once a
month, he/she peppers casual conversation with Dark Crystal
references, uses Dark Crystal analogies to explain everyday events,
and occasionally likes to talk intensely about the film’s “deeper
philosophy.” Would this be enough to stop you from marrying this
individual?
54
This song is a nice teeny popper pick-me-up. Check out the non-live version on Grooveshark (it's much better quality)
44
Musical Talent + Video Production Skills + Keeping Good Time + TV Theme Songs + Cute Boy(s?) = Must See
41
Great wikipedia article about vampire traits. I especially enjoy the examination of Count Duckula.
39
"Piracy" sounds too sexy, Rename it "Theft", say music rightsholders
BoingBoing quotes Ian Brown as saying such rebranding is not only incorrect (piracy =/= theft), but it is like rebranding jaywalking as "road rape".
38
Futurama returning to TV with new episodes on Comedy Central!! Check out the treaser tailer from last night:
35
Seldom have I been so embarrassed about being excited -- Hipster Tracks is exactly what it sounds like: a blog of songs that hipsters might like. There are hundreds and hundreds of pages, some bands I'd heard of, many I had not. Suggest a song, if you feel so inclined.
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