Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for December 29, 2013

Hi-way men; it’s a lost art. Now they rob you legally… it’s called Taxation and the robbers are called government.

I guess he really wanted that hat.

Homer is feeling a little crook.

Interesting history, Mr. Miller. I taught history and didn’t know that. But it sure makes sense……I salute you sir…..

Wiley, the artwork on this one is great, especially that last panel.

Vindobona, Colonia Agripinensis and Aquincum may have had inns [tho’ I believe they were more likely Roman Armycamps located at or near earlier settlements.] None, however, was on the Via Appia, which lay entirely in Italy. (But don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story!)

Carol C, I hear the Senate also voted to cut Caesar….

I love to quote Shakespeare, and there’s no better or more apropos than this from "Coriolanus""

“Care for us! True, indeed! They ne’er cared for usyet: suffer us to famish, and their store-housescrammed with grain; make edicts for usury, tosupport usurers; repeal daily any wholesome actestablished against the rich, and provide morepiercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrainthe poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; andthere’s all the love they bear us.”

Some things never change…..

so what, its crap…..

So… Homer didn’t like his earthly appearance and went for the angelic image of short, dumpy with a bulbous nose and poofy hair?

You get the government you deserve. You elected them. Recall them. Impeach them, vote in others. Run yourself ,write your congressman. Get involved. They do listen and they will respond. Been there.

“Like Roman history …”The “metrosexual” Romans were in charge during the growth of the empire more than during the fall. Julius Caesar is one famous example of them.The Roman Empire fell after the Christians took over, and they, as you may know, frowned upon sexual license, particularly of a gay sort.

This is a hairy sheep story (and a bit boring)

So, by hook or by crook? Okay, I’ll groan for you.

Wow! You earn the dubious award of the most bigoted (and ignorant) comment on Non Sequitur’s corner I’ve ever seen. First off, Rome fell because it got too big (more like Soviet Russia than America but we’re getting there with “US-controlled territories”). Rome was divided into two, with the Western Roman Empire falling. The Eastern, also known as the Byzantium Empire, flourished for another millennia.

.Oh, and calling those of us with ancestry from south of the border “savages” is just plain racist. Then again I’m a mixed blood so neither side likes me.

Compliments on the history. One small nitpick… Neither Vienna nor Belgrado are along the Via Appia (Appian Way) and Vienna also was a miltary camp.

denis, the interest charged by credit card companies would be called ‘vigorish’ in the criminal vocabulary or ‘usury’ in the legal one. the reason they incorporate in the states they do is because those states allow the 25%+ interest to be charged while the others have caps on fees charged for credit.

when people can’t keep up with the nonsensical added fees and constantly raised interest rates, eventually the cc companies write off the whole balance, get a tax credit and have collected the interest, the payments, the fees AND gotten credit for the balance owed. not a bad business for a crook but made worse because it’s legal!

oh, and don’t forget that the cc companies now don’t raise rates based on your history with their specific card… they all raise their rates now if you’ve ever had an issue with ANY credit, even if you’ve always been A+ with their own instrument.

bottom line: yes, there should be a quid pro quo but not the ridiculous r.o.i. the moneylenders make.bottom line #2: everyone borrows at some point, whether to begin/grow a business, purchase something necessary or so many other rational reasons that your suggestion is not applicable in today’s financial world.

wiley is the best!