Image © 2007 E. J. Barnes.
An expression of frustration at what little one person can do in the grand scheme of things, inspired by a misremembering of the “Butterfly Effect,” the principle in Chaos Theory that small variations in the initial conditions of a system (such as Earth’s atmosphere) can generate large variations in the long-term result. Properly stated as “Could a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?”, I garbled it as “Could a butterfly stamping its foot…?” and sat down to work. It is hoped that this piece will not have its own butterfly effect in spreading the garbled version of the expression.
A Friend of the Ling Master has reminded me that there is a Just So Story called "The Butterfly That Stamped", which as it turns out I read as a child many years ago but had forgotten. Was I subconsciously channeling Rudyard Kipling when I thought of this cartoon?