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These reader posts suck
I'm only writing this because I'm procrastinating and there's nothing worth replying to. If we're lucky, it will receive enough recommendations to push gotalife off the recommend list.
1. Destor23 on why obama doesn't suck
Destor, I know that you're new to this whole Obama thing, but we've been making these arguments for the past 6 months.
2. JedReport on how Obama criticized the war before Clinton
Shocker
3. Elisabeth Baumann on how McCain should not conflate withdrawal and surrender
Thanks for the heads up; I almost got suckered.
4. Michelle A. on how Wolfson owns stock in a company that's getting paid to promote a trade agreement with Colombia
Not sure how team Clinton will be able to recover from this one
5. Ben Hocking on trolls
Troll-bashing is so last week's recommended list.
6. Merlot makes light of post-traumatic stress disorder and John McCain
PTSD is of course endlessly funny.
7. Flufferwink on Bill Clinton's Columbia connection
This one is the closest to news. But if there's no drug connection or sexual escapades, I really don't care.
8. Merlot yammers some more about McCain PTSD
What's amazing is that both of his posts made the recommended list. I like this sourceless assertion: "The psychological literture makes it clear, McCain did and does suffer from PTSD".
9. azpaull on how everyone should apologize for being mean to Clinton about the hospital story
Sorry Hillary
10. hunter thompson on how everyone should apologize for being mean to Clinton about the hospital story
I said I was sorry
And for a finale, over at Election Central (which doesn't have flufferwink's post because he/she forgot to check the "Election Central" box
11. gotalife makes its debut on the recommend list by reprinting dembillc's laundry list of alleged Obama lies (which were in turn plagiarized from somewhere else)
I can't decide which is more appalling: that gotalife made the recommendation list or that its inane post received 103 comments. (Granted, half of them are gotalife's.) And where is dembillc to protest the theft of its best material?
Comments (148)
Despite that this was obviously put together with much less effort than your usual work, my long-standing policy of recommending snark has compelled me.
April 8, 2008 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fair enough. It was a boredom play. I'm kind of hoping that it doesn't recommended for that reason. (It would be very sad if it outperforms the stillborn Dance Dance Nomination which I labored long and hard on.) Also because I like some of posters that I snarked on. They usually write good stuff.
April 8, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
DDN was awesome, BTW. Maybe it fell into the generation gap?
April 8, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks. But only part 1 made the recommended list, and that was only after I submitted it twice. For anyone who missed it, here's part 3, which I thought was funniest (certainly funnier than this post), though reader, storm, preferred the first two:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/dance-dance-nomination-the-fin.php
Give it a recommendation to make it feel better, even though it's long past recommended list possibility.
April 8, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
This post is up to #3. This is no DDN! Oh, for the good old days.
P.S. I re-read DDN3 and it was good. Maybe at the time there was some dance snark desensitization going on.
April 8, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent. stYMied's post on TPM bias has vaulted on to the recommended list. That should stimulate a profound and edifying discussion.
April 8, 2008 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
This post not suck because I am in it.
April 8, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
gotalife, you're sucker for attention. Good, bad, you just don't care. Congratulations on your recommended post. You must be very excited. How many of the recommendations are your own?
April 8, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I did notice you could do that and I think two or three.
There, I just gave you one.
Unity!
April 8, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
What do you have against beer, Genghis?
April 8, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Beer? I love beer. I'm on my second already, which may interfere with the work that I was failing to do even before I had the first one. So if you're partaking as well, cheers!
BTW, tonight's snark notwithstanding. I'm a big fan of your personal blog-style. It's almost as if we know you. And I loved the way you took out Lalo (I think it was lalo) a few weeks ago with the whole Liz-Lis and "what's the big deal about goddamn America" response. I've never seen him/her shut up so quickly. I don't know what you see in DF though.
April 8, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Crap. Now my own sucky post is on the recommended list. At least gotalife is off. My work is done. No more recommendations please.
PS gotalife, you've sabotaged yourself
April 8, 2008 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shit, gotalife is back on the list at election central. Who did that!?
April 8, 2008 10:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha! I recommend this at my own expense. Though, seriously... I know I went too far but destor23 backlash? What am I, Amy Winehouse?
No, no, no.
April 8, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're Rick Flair. Know your own avatar. I'll give a pass this time, as gotalife would say, but next time I expect something deeply insightful, controversial, or entertaining. Preferably all three.
April 8, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um... blow me?
No way that's gonna work a second time...
April 8, 2008 10:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I laughed, so I guess it worked
April 8, 2008 10:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, but I claimed the TPM Sucks genre a long time ago...
April 8, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
The worst think about TPM is that whatever your write, some asshole will claim to have written it first.
April 8, 2008 10:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe they have and it's just no longer on the list.
April 8, 2008 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is the thing about the internet, no matter what you post some one HAS posted it before.
April 9, 2008 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is the thing about the internet, no matter what you post some one HAS posted it before.
April 9, 2008 12:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.
Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them breaks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.
I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.
Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.
When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."
This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.
There can be only one.
April 9, 2008 12:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dawkins - is that you!!!?
April 9, 2008 3:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is absolutely hilarious.
April 9, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome.
April 9, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hate to break it to you all b/c it is hilarious, but it's all over the web. I believe that's angry's subtle punchline: somebody has posted it before.
April 9, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I figured it was at least used somewhere else before, so I am not disappointed at all. But it is as you note, a clever contrivance.
April 9, 2008 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
jeezus you're funny. nice prose there.
April 9, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
*blushing*
Golly, guys.
Seriously, though...I'm just me. A concerned American with a heartbeat. You guys here make my heart beat a little stronger. That goes for the chicks here too (Amber, Tena, et. al.).
I'm loving that we all have a way to talk about this stuff. I place to do it. I might not always agree with Greg and Josh and the slant, I might not always like what the trolls are spouting, but it's democratic, and it's fair, and I've seen so many cool people here since I joined a few months ago.
My aim is to see us all meet up in Washington DC next year, at Obama's inauguration address (did I spell that right?) and have a lot of drinks together, compare notes and make friends, and get our Obama rally cards autographed by the guy himself.
Meet me there. I'll start booking our hotel rooms accordingly, based on your responses.
Love,
Lis
April 8, 2008 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I bet that DF has already booked his ticket. It will be the lovefest of his lifetime.
PS Lis, does your boyfriend know?
April 8, 2008 10:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
That sounds like fun. Can I come?
April 9, 2008 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm....not a bad idea, Lis!
I'll be sure to wear this shirt so you can recognize me :)
April 9, 2008 1:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank God for another metapost.
Posts about posts are most highly recommended.
Peace!
April 8, 2008 10:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn you and your stupid guidelines. That's why my destor endorsement post was so hot as well.
April 8, 2008 10:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
It matters not whether we endorse Destor. For he endorses us. Or something like that.
April 8, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis -
We can't help it - it's like that blind O-devotion we're accused of -- I see your name and the Recommend button and Pavlov would be proud...
I laughed - thanks.
April 8, 2008 10:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's medication for that you know
April 8, 2008 11:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I rather enjoy all of my addictions and neuroses -so I choose to let them blossom unfettered -- unless of course I can substitute one dependency for another -- so what's the drug you're 'recommending'?
April 9, 2008 12:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glue. It's the new meth.
April 9, 2008 12:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sh*t. A place to do it. Not I place...
Oh, and AnnieLiz. I like her posts and her avatar too. She's not as sexy (to me) as DF, but she's just as smarf. Oops. Smart.
I meant smart.
April 8, 2008 10:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey we've finally got a half-decent post on the list by Mrs Panstreppon. It like totally has like research in it. Doesn't follow articleman's guidelines though, so I don't know how it will do. Good luck to it. There's also a new old post by dgbledsoe on Wright that snuck back on from this afternoon. I didn't read it. The title was sufficient for me. gotalife also still hangin in there.
April 8, 2008 10:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice to know I'm not the only programmer that procrastinates here, I was being an equal opportunity procrastinator and spreading my wasted minutes around elsewhere before I started blogging here.
It seems I have noticed by inference several others that are obviously programmers on here over the past few weeks.
Wonder where I be blowing time away at in another few months or after my next lengthy contract, any recommendations?
April 8, 2008 11:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
www.asiantransexualXXXschoolgirltalkingpoints.com
PS The sad thing is that I'm mid-contract and under deadline
April 8, 2008 11:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
You need help. Might I recommend Leechblock?
April 9, 2008 12:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ha!
If I can't enforce the discipline without that, I'd disable the thing and ignore it in the end. The other thing is, all too often I am stumbling upon new interesting places when I see or hear something I want more complete background on, or some thought from years back or some 'hey research that' idea - that I'd end up blocking out half the damn Net.
But really - once I have engrossed myself - like so many others - I get wrapped up so much that I forget to eat, get impatient with my coffee maker, work 15 hours and more straight etc. etc. etc. You know the cycles.
No doubt though - before service became reasonably available here in 95 or so, I was somewhat less distracted, plus you had to be out on the road for days at a time then too, just so you could effectively interact with the end users of your custom work. Use to drive me nuts - losing four hours driving....
April 9, 2008 2:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've literally worked around the clock 3 nights in the past 10 days. Didn't leave my computer for 20 hours or so aside from bathroom breaks.
I know the cycles.
On the upside, my boss TOLD me to go home at noon today.
April 9, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Get this -
Back when I first started doing meaningful programming on PC.s (aside of some dedicated machine control stuff, which by today's standard - was rudimentary) in 1981, I would spend the untold hours and then WONDER - wow, I must not be as good as I need to be, if it takes this much time.
I live in a small town (about 18,000) in NW Ohio, I knew I was in a fairly insular situation. There really wasn't anyone else to relate to that I knew of in the first 4 years or so after that. And the first guy I met after that already had 20 years on mainframes under his belt.
When programmers that had seen my work elsewhere started calling me in the early 90's to 'get advice' I thought - wow - maybe everyone else has been strung out - too. It was then that I found the difference between dilettantes and real coders the dilettantes would not face up to the fact that IT DOES take copious quantities of time and truly mind mending thought processes occasionally - to do the sort of work that opens new trails.
April 9, 2008 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like YOUR posts and YOUR avatar, and I think you and DF are BOTH smurfy.
April 8, 2008 10:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
What, no love, anneeliz? I smurf your posts and avatar.
April 8, 2008 11:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, the Smurfos. You see, that was meant to be in reply to LisB, who said that DF was sexier than I, which is probably not even a matter of opinion but objective fact. My love is inclusive rather than exclusive--of snark. Therefore, Genghis, I salute you.
April 9, 2008 12:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like I'll be calling DC's best hotel and reserving the Bridal Suite, Au Pair's suite, Entourage Suite, Fiesta Lounge, Brady Bunch Bunk Room......and the penthouse that was previously reserved for the contestants of DDN.
April 8, 2008 11:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Reserve the Vitter Room. Trust me.
April 8, 2008 11:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent. Please book the Emperors' Club VIP room for me.
April 8, 2008 11:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is Room 871 available?
April 8, 2008 11:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it's not allowed. It's like "abortion" on google. In this case it it John McCain's age.
April 9, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Would it be unseemly snark for me to point out the existence of a small community here, emitting a hint of a vibe of exclusivity? The thing Andrew and Josh raise their lip ever so slightly at? That it seems to happen anyway? In which case why not aid it instead of fighting it?
April 8, 2008 11:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
No snark is too unseemly for a Genghis thread (except perhaps post-traumatic stress disorder jokes; what's with that dude?). The inside jokes and meta-posts have certainly been growing. Not sure about exclusive though. If gotalife can join the TPM community, in his troll-y way, then anyone can. It takes a little effort, but if you comment in a few threads, people will get to know you, and then you too can achieve the supreme honor of a recommended reader post.
I've often wondered what Josh & Co. think about us. Obviously, they want to foster a community--they built the cafe after all--and they highlight posts over at the coffee house. But there is something that seems just a little disdainful. Perhaps it's that they so rarely comment in cafe threads or link to cafe posts--I can only thing of a few occasions. But I don't know. I can't quite put my finger on it. What makes you mention the raised lip (which was well-put, btw)?
April 9, 2008 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I will quote from email Andrew sent me after I suggested it was time for another update, on March 13:
"A lot of the criticisms that I've heard from you and other folks who got comfortable with the Cafe have to do with the fact that you enjoy having your own little space. This is a challenge for us, because while we want to preserve what we had there was also a sampling bias in which the community was small cause folks had a harder time understanding it, so the folks that were able to figure it out settled in and like it, and the community stayed small so as to allow the longer discussions you're talking about. Our goal is to broaden the community, and keep tweaking and working so that that intimacy is still there w/o the exclusiveness that was bred by the old technology and design. If that paragraph isn't clear, let me know and I'll try to explain again. Just trying to give you a sense of what we're thinking."
Yes, we enjoy our little playpen. What Andrew doesn't seem to get is that at parties groups always break up into smaller conversations. You can't have those if everyone is trying to shout loud enough for the whole gym to hear it.
And some conversations are better than others. Keep 'em coming.
April 9, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
you could always try the Mayflower.
As for me, I ain't going. Not with you lot there.
Kidding.
I'll probably go for the day and drive back.
April 8, 2008 11:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis, I like the running commentary here in the comments section regarding the status of the recommend list. How many times a minute are you hitting that refresh button?
April 8, 2008 11:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
6,023,834,472
approximately
April 9, 2008 12:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
posts that suck ARE EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR HILLARY!!!
April 8, 2008 11:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
What the fuck? How many layers of meta-snark can we pile on here?
That comment is the perfect blend of the poetic and the pathetic.
April 9, 2008 12:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just in case I sounded harsh, that was in jest. Its always good to here from you, idiotic.
April 9, 2008 12:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
idiotic, you are always welcome. You are truly the Harpo Marx of this website. I've often wondered, do you ever have the urge to write anything else, or are you content to delight us with excellent news? Perhaps you have an alter ego? Fake Sinbad? Troll Critic? Josh Marshall?
April 9, 2008 12:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I always figured that you were Fake Sinbad.
(if I ruined your alter ego, I truly apologize.)
April 9, 2008 1:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I considered trying to steal credit for him, but no, I have only one ego, which spends too much time on TPM as it is.
April 9, 2008 1:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I followed your intention. Hence my abject bitterness at having been once again outdone by DF. On my own thread, no less. But I'll accept your salute and salute you back. (There's more than one finger in that salute I hope.)
April 9, 2008 12:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Shit. These damn bugs. This was supposed to be a reply to anneeliz.
April 9, 2008 12:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
These reader posts suck
In the face of central bank contraction of the intellectual(?!!) currency and closing down of the exchange(no more ratings, you quarrelsome beasts) the free market in "0"s and "1"s rears it's ugly (curly?!!) head.
April 9, 2008 12:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...I think you and DF are BOTH smurfy."
I just had flashbacks to being about 9 years old watching toons at 6am Saturday morning on (gasp!) regular old network tv.
Oh yeah, eating crap sugar cereal from a mixing bowl too.
Thanks, life was good before cable television =-)
April 9, 2008 1:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
I keep trying to come up with a sitcom analogy for the echo chamber, but you people have reached a level of sappiness beyond TV. I'm looking forward to the day when the echo chamber becomes a support group for disillusioned neophyte politicos. I will be here to pour salt on your wounds. In the meantime, hold fast to the thought that if he can just beat her in PA, she'll go away.
April 9, 2008 9:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't be bitter. You can be Archie Bunker.
April 9, 2008 9:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't invert things. This is about how sappy you are. And I'm tired of your avatar. Are you afraid to show your real picture or something?
April 9, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if it's your Michael Biehn avatar or what, but everytime I read one of your posts the lights in the room grow dimmer.
April 9, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis, you only think those posts suck because you suck. Just say NObama.
April 9, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. Thank you dembillc. We missed you. Go help your buddy gotalife by rebutting roo_P's rebuttal of your laundry list of lies.
April 9, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't forget to take along a flat stick to scrape yourself off with afterwards.
April 9, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually I need to watch the RedSox quite a bit now and it cuts down on Blogging Time.
Just say Nobama.
I will be selling T Shirts soon.
I say Mama,just say Nobama.
I may have a rap song here.
April 9, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good morning folks. State of the recommended list: Getting better but not there yet.
Eloquent, if untimely, post from waldengirl on why words aren't just words.
roo_P debunks gotalife's list of lies, point by tedious point. I commend the effort, I guess, but I didn't bother to read the original list, let alone the rebuttal.
anotherreader: funny on McCain without even mentioning PTSD. (Violates own guidelines but still manages to make the recommended list. Just goes to show that "snark" and "McCain" should have been in the guidelines.)
flavious complains that no one is talking about how awesome Obama was at the Petraeus hearings. Comments are better than the original post.
gotalife still stubbornly clinging to the recommended list. Now has 121 comments, which is 108 more than its recommendations. That has to be some kind of record.
Mrs Panstreppon sadly behind gotalife and completely off the list at the cafe. That's what she gets for ignoring articleman's guidelines.
And of course, irony of ironies, this post now at the top the list. It has received more recommendations than all the DDNs combined. The only saving grace is that my reference garnered a few new recommendations for DDN3.
April 9, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
These reader posts may or may not suck, but what I would like to see is a clear and prominent link to them on the front page. Not having one sucks.
April 9, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Billy it is of supreme arrogance to believe that people who don't support the same candidate as you must be "neophytes." I understand that this is hard for Clinton supporters to believe, but it just might be that SOME of Obama supporters are people who follow politics very closely and have come to the rational decision that he is the better candidate and would be the better president. MOST are crazy people with a kool-aid addiction, of course.
As for this "disillusioned" thing I've seen it quite a bit on these here internets. Many Hillary supporters have kindly predicted our emotional downfall, predicated on this neophyte idea, that we're all suffering a mass delusion and are going to get our hearts broken the first time John McCain says something mean or President Obama is forced to compromise or "shows his true colors." I already went through that the first Clinton administration so I'll be just fine. More interestingly, though, is the obvious logical leap--these Clinton supporters already expect their candidate to be corrupt, so they'll have nothing to be disappointed by.
April 9, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't support either candidate. But that makes me no less arrogant. I read the comments here. I've been looking for a word to describe most of them for a while now. Finally found it. Sappy. I notice you don't challenge that.
April 9, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't mind a little late night sap. I appreciate many of the commenters here for their wit--in the John Donne sense, the Jon Stewart sense, and, occasionally, the wit and wisdom of George W. Bush sense.
So, what is this avatar, anyway?
April 9, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Google this, anneeliz: The 600 series had rubber skin
April 9, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Haha, wait.. you're going to call comments here? You? After your love-letter to Hillary? Seriously, if you're really just some sort of Kaufmanesque anti-comedian you just might be a genius.
April 10, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope that this thread doesn't deteriorate (further) into Clinton vs Obama antagonism, which is why I didn't take Billy's bait. But I must say, that was very well put anneeliz.
April 9, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't try to change the subject to the candidates. This is about how sappy you and your friends are. If I want to talk about the campaign, I'll go over to Taylor Marsh.
April 9, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
But I must say, that was very well put anneeliz. Archie and Veronica.
April 9, 2008 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oops, that was a sappy compliment. So sorry Billy. How's this? Billy Glad has become like a cranky old man in a nursing home who hates all the other residents, whom he considers idiotic, and complains constantly of the bad food and poor acoustics (read "echo chamber") but can always be found in the community room yammering away to anyone who will listen about the importance of Pennsylvania.
April 9, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds ageist or something. I know plenty of cranky men in shelters who hate all the other homeless men and consider them idiotic, etc. Also plenty of professionals who happily bill clients for time they spend smoozing with their sappy friends on the internet.
April 9, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know plenty of cranky homeless men at the Park Slope Starbucks who hate all the other cranky homeless men at Park Slope Starbucks.
Wait. What are we talking about?
April 9, 2008 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't get that one either.
April 9, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. Me too. We used to live at the clock factory.
April 9, 2008 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I lived next to St. Saviour School on 8th Ave. Two blocks from Dizzy's. My picture's on their new menu. Used to go to the 7th Ave. Starbucks a lot.
April 9, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Amazing. Before we bought our coop we lived right there on 9th street between what? 9th Ave and the Park? We used to block the aisle at Dizzy's with our stroller!
April 9, 2008 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was you, Billy Glad?! Sorry if I scowled at you that one time.
April 9, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ex-girlfriend on 3rd St. & 8th Ave. Spent a fair amount of time in those parts. Heck of a subway ride though. The F train and I don't get along very well.
April 9, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a reason it's called the F train.
April 9, 2008 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do not and never have billed a client for my personal time. And that is the only personal attack that I've received on TPM and actually resented.
April 9, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
So don't let his smile fool ya!
April 9, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
What have you done with the old angry, brittle readytoblowagasket? I like the new witty one, but I'm slightly concerned.
April 9, 2008 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've always been witty.
April 9, 2008 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
You've always been witty? You consider yourself a wit? Well, you're HALFWAY THERE!
April 9, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll take your word for it. But what did my comment have to do with you?
April 9, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Fifteen minutes outside the echo chamber for losing your cool.
April 9, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gilligan's Island.
April 9, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
It was upthread. I wrote about how I was procrastinating client work. I assumed that was your reference. My assumption was probably driven by guilt because while I haven't been billing my client personal time, I haven't been not been doing what I'm supposed to be doing either. On that note...
April 9, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, that plays well with my theory that you're only supporting Obama because you missed out on the real civil rights and anti-war movements and want to get your ticket punched. Google that one.
April 9, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
That, my friend, is bullshit.
April 9, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFL. Don't hold back, man. Tell me how you really feel!
April 9, 2008 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a fun experiment for the kids at home. Enter the following into Google:
I've got 44 hits
April 9, 2008 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I didn't even invent the phrase.
April 9, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't credit you with invention. Just obsession.
April 9, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
As far as I can tell, you don't credit anyone with anything unless their a member of the club.
April 9, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's true. I'm a close-minded, insular, kool-aid drinking, echo-loving, sappy-complimenting, client-cheating ass. Thank you so much for setting me straight.
April 9, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
It would have been much better put had I not said, "More importantly" then changed my mind about how the sentence was going to unfold and forgot to reread. Alas.
April 9, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't believe you'd stoop to kitchen sink tactics to get to the top of the list, Genghis.
April 9, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
The South American country is spelled "Colombia" not "Columbia".
April 9, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for that. What would I have done without you? I spelled it right the first time, so I'm 1 for 2.
April 9, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
All this comparison among the bloggers seems to me far more personal than political. What's the purpose? It doesn't attract new bloggers.
April 9, 2008 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we may in fact have reached Eschaton comments-list status (i.e. total uselessness to the wider world).
April 9, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Crap. I'm supposed to be off this thread, but I can't resist. This is at least an interesting topic, as opposed to the Billy Glad sniping above, for which I'm 50% responsible.
There was no purpose in this post expect for me to procrastinate and chide the other bloggers a bit. But it took on a surprising life of its own in the comments, which seems to happen often these days (so maybe it shouldn't be surprising). Much of the commentary on threads like these is certainly "exclusive" in the sense that there are a lot of inside jokes and some personal back-and-forth. That probably doesn't attract new members, but I don't imagine that it alienates them either. They can always read another thread. It might be a problem if the whole recommended list were threads like this, but that seldom happens. I would bet that the poor quality of yesterday's posts was more problematic than their insularity.
I'd also hazard a guess that most new members come in through the Election central or Muckraker rather than directly to the cafe. That's at least what happened to me. You start entering comments there, begin to recognize names, and eventually find yourself wasting hours at the cafe.
Finally, I think that we do it because we enjoy it. I genuinely like most of the regulars at TPM (even Billy Glad when he's not being an ass), and I enjoy the banter as much as the political debate. Indeed, sometimes I like the banter more than the political debate because there are too many trolls and drive-by posters (like Otto F below) who shout their opinions and scurry away. The community may be insular, but it does serve a nice filter sometimes.
I recommend reading Tom Wright's comment upthread in which he discusses TPM's take on all this.
April 9, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
"That probably doesn't attract new members, but I don't imagine that it alienates them either."
You got that wrong.
April 9, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
You probably mistook me for someone who cares whether you stick around or not. If you want to stay, say something less meta. Try explaining the divide between Clinton supporters and Obama supporters. That's what I'm working on. You want to hang around with us, earn your spot.
April 9, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Billy, I thought that you weren't part of the club. I apologize for losing my cool earlier.
April 9, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
In that case, I apologize for alienating you. I liked your post the other day and hope that you're not giving up on the TPM community just yet.
One of the things that I appreciated about TPM when I first started posting here was that a few people welcomed me and told me that they appreciated my posts. So please allow me to welcome you. I'll head over to your second post now, as I missed it then you posted it originally.
April 9, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I told you you're in kitchen sink mode.
April 9, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha. I can be nice to from time to time. Maybe the the insular criticism got to me.
(I really haven't digging for recommendations. This thread has received far more than it's fair share. I think Alex39 was spot on downthread.)
April 9, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um, blow me.
April 9, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't read other people's comments, unless you are either looking for approval, or enjoy arguing. These forums are wonderful if your goal is to make a statement, and nothing more. That's why I come here. If you need to read responses or look at other people's comments, you're likely to find it less than enjoyable - unless that is why you are here in the first place.
April 9, 2008 12:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Billy Glad--Forgive me for falling into Manicheanism. If you do not like either candidate, who would you put as the Dem nominee in the Billy Glad primary?
April 9, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a helpful question. I actually still like Hillary, though I don't support her now. I may come back to her after PA and IN. But I think we ended up with the two best candidates. Nobody else comes to mind as someone I wish had run. As it turns out, Edwards was probably the most electable of the original candidates, but I didn't see that at the time. I'm going to vote the way my son votes. Seems to be a lot of that going on these days and I'd like to understand that better. But support? Work for and give money to? Neither candidate right now, maybe Hillary if she stays in.
April 9, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Really the new format has spoiled TPM as place of conversation and exchange of views.
April 9, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Edwards was our choice in the beginning--though he couldn't have survived once the media decided to chew him up and spit him out. My first choice would be Al, whom I have entirely forgiven for his stupid campaign in 2000. (Yes, he technically won, but he was running as the VP of a popular sitting president against someone who is functionally retarded.)
April 9, 2008 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
WTF, this thread still going?
April 9, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know. Shocked me too. I didn't even think that it would be recommended. It's like Frankenstein's monster.
April 9, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
You've given voice to the spirit of the moment.
And the spirit of the moment is -- profoundly bored.
No primaries for the last four weeks. Nothing to talk about. Obama's going to win the nomination. McCain sucks, and is 847 years old. Bush sucks worse. Yadda yadda.
Dear God, deliver us from these doldrums.
In the meantime I count 63 recs for a post on how bored we all are. Oops -- 64.
April 9, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Insightful as always
April 9, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ghengis, now this is a post with some staying power - you should be proud of yourself!! :)
April 9, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cousin! Where you been buddy?
April 9, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holy crap - this post is like an episode of Seinfeld. It's about nothing but I find it funny too.
April 9, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I may chime in...the posts that bother me the most are the truly lazy ones, where someone sees a headline, repeats it, and posts that one sentence as a blog, and asks for comments. No ideas, no effort at explaining their own thoughts; not even a link as to where they got the info so we might read SOMEONES's take on the situation.
And they get recommended!! Of course they recommend their own, but whatever!
April 9, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
You seem to excel at repeating other people's bullshit. Well done.
April 9, 2008 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis,
I often appreciate your snark, but I'm not sure a post about how other contributors "suck" is very productive to a discussion community.
April 9, 2008 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amazingly, this post is still garnering recommendations even though it's off the list. It's unstoppable. Related: DDN3 has picked up a 7 new recommendations and 1 new comment as a result of my shameless promotion, which means that it now has 4.81% as many recommendations as These Reader Posts Suck. But I'm talking to myself because this post is off the list. If anyone reads this, please comment. I'll check back later and be amused.
April 10, 2008 12:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read this, but I can't think of anything amusing to say. So, I apologize for my lack of wit and hope that my mere response will somehow be amusing in and of itself. I think I may be coming down with a cold and my brain hasn't been firing on all three cylinders today.
And, yes, the Geo Metro hatchback was made with a three cylinder engine. Bonus points if you already knew this.
April 10, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
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