A Chicken Is Not Pillage

The Rules

Being 4 months shy of having done this gig for 5 years, I guess it's time to post a few.  This is based very loosely on Craig's "Da Rules", basically because he's 'da man', and I think he's spot on in expectation and enforcement.

1)  My dime, my rules.  Unlike blogspot users and many others who use free services, I pay for my website, and I've done so from day one.  That means it's mine.  Look no further than this rule before leveling complaint about your role on my property.  I own this space.   I own copyright on everything here, including your comments.  If you don't want me to own it, don't write it.  If you simply *must* express yourself, then allow me to quote from MetaFilter, "GYOBFW".

2)  Pursuant to rule 1, I don't owe you a platform.  I ain't the government, I don't represent you, you don't pay me, and any claims about your free-speech here or elsewhere will be met with the appropriate amount of derision.  If I delete your comment, alter your comment or ban you by word or IP ... tough noogies.  The founding fathers certainly never intended for you to have "rights" over my property.  And indeed, you don't.  So don't whine about it.

3)  I am not a 'citizen journalist'.  Don't expect me to be one.  I don't get paid for this, and I have little use for your opinion of my 'credibility'.  I am a writer.  Good, bad, fair to middlin', writing is what I do.  It is not reporting.  If I you want to see  real citizen journalism, I have a few suggestions.  Don't expect it here.  You won't be disappointed and then you won't annoy me.

4)  'Foul' language is not only allowed here, but sometimes encouraged.  If you have a problem with that, you'd best not hang 'round these parts.  I did not have a highbrow upbringing, and I've spent some too much time around military folk.  Try not to think of it as invective; consider it ...  punctuation.

5)  Insult is allowed here, within limits.  Few things are more mewling and disgusting than those who think that insult cheapens an argument.  Really, it doesn't.  There are many forms of insult, both genteel and vulgar.  An argument stands based on reason and logic, not the words that add flavor (remember rules number 3 and 4).    Anyone who wants to call me an "asshole" is welcome to do that ... if you have an argument to make.   If not, remember: my dime, my rules.

6)  Do not insult my friends if they're not insulting you.  This should be simple.  If it isn't, I will take action.  Or not.  The choice is mine.  Remember: my dime, my rules.

7)  I've learned a few things in the past years.  I'm over some forms of amusement.  One of them is cheap pop psychology applied to me from those who know nothing of me or my life.  On this website, my job, my life, my existence beyond blogging is strictly out of bounds.  You don't know me.  Don't pretend you do (unless, of course, you do.  But then I'll need you to prove it.)

8)  Racism and sexism will not be tolerated.  Gay bashing will not be tolerated.  Any adult would know that these are 'no-nos'.  Don't do them.

9)  My website is not the pinnacle of well-read.  I kinda like it that way.  Adding comments to older posts is futile.  The only person who will read them is me.  Don't waste your time.  And if you do:  my dime, my rules.

10)  Unlike some, I don't print e-mails.  I think that's kinda icky.  But if you send me one, it's my property.   Piss me off unduly and I will print it with appropriate alteration and/or commentary.  Don't like that?  Too bad.   You've been warned.

11)  As I've indicated, my website is not the most popular on the block.  I like it that way.  So trolling me only proves you to be a moron.  Don't do that.  Trolling me only wastes your time.

12)  If you don't like any of these rules, tough shit.  This is an adult website for adults, and it is not a "play nice" zone.  But all things lead back to rule number 1:  my dime, my rules. 

Very Odd

I've just tried to leave comments at 4 different Wordpress driven sites (Intelligent Discontent, MTPolitics, Pragmatic Revolt and Piece of Mind).  None of them have appeared.   The earlier access problems with Pragmatic Revolt seem to be fixed.  All I can surmise is that Typepad is really screwing around with stylesheets.

I really wish they'd knock it off.

The Editors Still Got It

There was a mercifully brief period where The Editors was nowhere to be found.  The Poorman Institute fell silent, and we grieved with the loss of the Keyboard Kommandos, and all the funny which flowed so freely before.  Turns out, The Editors was just writing a book.

But now he's back ... with a attitude!  He corrects John Cole's incomplete thinking concerning the Deep Thoughts of the wingnut response to Barrack Obama's fine speech.

When you respond to wingnuttery of this sort, you are not responding to sincerely-held beliefs. You see, when the wingnut feels threatened, it excretes a foul substance which forms a protective layer of disingenuous stupidity designed to deflect dissonant facts and beliefs which could damage the wingnut’s tender underbelly of pure stupid. In order to harden this protective layer into an impervious carapace of ignorance, the wingnut needs to come to believe this tactically-held nonsense - needs to incorporate this protective layer into its body of stupid beliefs by making itself believe them for real. But then, of course, if this carapace is threatened, it too will have to be protected by a layer of disingenuous stupidity, and so on and so on until you start writing books called Liberal Fascism. It is very similar to the process by which an oyster creates a pearl, except that instead of being ‘beautiful’ it is ‘fucking stupid’, and instead of being ‘worth money’ it’s ‘fucking embarrassingly stupid’, and scallops don’t run the country and get treated as very serious people whose every rancid effluence is a noble contribution to political discourse. Indeed, in the course of my study I have identified 15 distinct types of stupid and pantomime stupid which make up the Wingnut Ego Defense Superstructure, and I’d love to talk some more about them, but I have to go rub habanero juice in my paper cuts.

Comedic brilliance.  Of course, after this post here, I really want to have The Editors' love baby.

Worthy Causes

I wasn't going to do this because those whom the message would reach on this website either are already aware of the need, or have a somewhat irrational view of the topic.  Regardless of all that, Orcinus is having a fund drive, and folks ought to be aware of it.

By now, most of my readers probably know that David Neiwert is an author, and free-lance journalist, who has specialized in exposing the most ridiculous, racist and harmful elements of the hate-machinery operating within this country, and especially within the Northwest.  He was a popular voice in discrediting the so-called 'journalism' of Michelle Malkin's book on racially based abuse ... and why we shouldn't follow her cry to do it again.  He has written the definitive work (my opinion) on the militia movement in the northern mountain west.  And now, he's taken to kicking Jonah Goldberg's ass over the Pantload's poor attempt at scholarship.  All of these are worthy efforts, and deserve a bit of monetary payback.

Money's tight for me right now, but I'm trying to scrape together a few bucks to send David's way.  You ought to think about doing the same.

(And David, if you read this, I really don't need a shout-out.  Just keep doin').

Even When He Claims To Be Right, He's Wrong.

Steve levels the "Gotcha" on Jay Stevens.

Jay Stevens of Left in the West thinks that he is vindicated by the Missoulian article about the Justice Department probe of Burns had been "chilled." When I saw the headline, I thought, could it be that I was wrong? But then I read the article and realized that it was the usual low quality of analysis that passes for "professional journalism" these days. The ruling that the article mentions relates to Rep. William Jefferson, D-LA who objected to the taking of documents from his office and home by the FBI. The Appeals Court ruled that under the Speech and Debate clause, those are protected and could not be seized.

And this Steve knew all along because of of his acute sense of law.  Only one problem.  He apparently didn't read the article well enough.

(Burns' Lawyer) Caccia did say that an article Friday in the Washington Post about the end of the Burns investigation summarized Justice's viewpoint on the matter. The article said that unlike others being prosecuted, Burns was not accused of accepting personal gifts from Abramoff.

It also noted that Justice lawyers said two weeks ago that an August decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit could impede remaining aspects of the Abramoff investigation.

It appears the headline (and Steve's delusion of poor analysis) didn't come from Jay, was only reported by the Missoulian, and really came from an article touted by Conrad Burns' own lawyer.  Jay, in asking his hypothetical question, was precisely accurate.  So, completely ignoring the question of exactly what Jay Steven's was supposed to be 'vindicated' of,  it seems that Steve's real disagreement isn't with Jay, or the Missoulian, but with his own reading comprehension.

But then, I think we all knew this was going to happen.

Okay, NOW I'm Pissed

I just went over and read the diary of Nancy Drew.  Oh, wait that was the rumor rag of Carol Minjares.  Either way, she makes a good point, a point I can't ignore.  The point that matters is this:  I got screwed and I want my money.

About three some odd years ago, Matt Singer (*PTHEW*) took a trip to the East.  He desired folks to sub for him on his website, and he promised us that we'd be 'well compensated' for our efforts because he was so 'well connected'.  I was naive, fresh off the bus ... perhaps my shirt was too tight and my shorts were too short.  It probably seemed like I was ripe for the picking.  But I agreed to cover for Matt while he was wined and dined by Communist royalty.  I worked my fingers until the tips bled and my Cheetos ran out.  When Matt returned, I got a thank you, and a wink.  But no call in the morning, and I received no money.

And now, so many years later, I find that Matt has been receiving huge bucks from George Soros!  Matt is, according to at least one Special Olympian, laundering funds for Soros, and I haven't seen a dime.  I feel so used!   He promised me grassroots and all I got was concern for the communities of Montana.  I don't live in the palatial estates  like Singer.  I can't singlehandedly arrange rock concerts for the people I own thrown by their friends (I mean really, Singer must own everybody that his politicians have friends who are Rock Stars.)  I can't start and personally fund organizations three years before they get the big OutOfState bucks.  And I can't personally circumvent and break rules that don't exist.  That takes a special kind of guy.  That takes Matt Singer.

But he still owes me, dammit.  I want my Soro's bucks.  Not one single left leaning blogger in this state writes without the promise of big moneys.  This is astro-turfing,l dammit, and I'm due my share.  Pay up, Singer.  Pay up now!

(When I get my money, I'm going to buy pumpkin cards, and a blanket ... for when I wait out for the Great Pumpkin.  I heard that he's a supporter of Forward Montana too, so I'm guaranteed some toys on Halloween night ... but they obviously won't be as big as Singer's ...)

Raised From The Dead

First, a personal note to Steve:  Since you never seem to understand the arguments of your opponent (consistently claiming that they don't make sense),  I think we've discovered your root difficulties as a lawyer.  Take that as constructive criticism.  'Just glad I could help.

Now, the intermittent power outages in the Bozone on Saturday morn kilt my computer.   Of course, I had to work much of the weekend, including a meeting yesterday.  I have just now resurrected it from the dead, and I've been able to recover all the files that were 'lost'.  I still have a ways to go, software wise, but I think I'm in the clear.

So, I positively had to comment on the 'cyber-fraud' nonsense that seems to fill others with glee.  Let's be clear:  Matt was right for chiding a campaign for displaying web-wise ignorance.  It's a new world out there, and candidates who forget that are idiots.  Candidates who whine about it are even worse.

There is always opportunity in adversity ... always.  Whoops, sorry if I sound all Republicant in that, but I will repeat:  there is always opportunity in adversity.

1)  Why are candidates relying on .com?  Are politicians a business now?  I highly doubt it ... or maybe I don't.  I know that the most searched-for suffix will be .com, but let's us get a grip.  There is opportunity with .org, .gov or even .biz (if politicos want to be honest.)  The 'loss' of a .com URL is an admission that you aren't for hire, or to buy, but those are the only terms your opponent can think in.  Promote that.

2)  Be first.  The way to absolutely crush a squat on your .com is to have a website that surpasses the opposition in any Google search for your name.  Most of us commoners don't search for BlowmeQCandidate.com.  We search for "Jon Tester", or "Bob Keenen" or "Linda McCulloch".  Make damned sure that your name from your website comes up *first* in such a search, and their possession of your .com doesn't matter for shit.

3)  If you are a Democrat, use the fact that we own the online sphere against your Republicant opponent.  QUIT WHINING about unfair tactics.  The tighty-righties are attacking Kos and MoveOn and Media Matters because they are afraid.  Their bullshit is being exposed online, and they actually think that their brand of lies will carry sway here.  It won't.  They might be able to convince the simple FAUX NEWS viewer that anything said by MoveOn is bad ... but the simple FAUX NEWS viewer won't discern the difference.  Attack 'em where it hurts and use the online community to do that.  You don't need a simple ".com" to be successful in that effort.  You need links, and most of us who will support you will provide the hotlink ... regardless of whether it's a .com or a .cow.  People will find the message if you provide it.  Or you can provide the whining and the righties will make damn certain that folk find that as well.

Let's get it done, people.

A Few Links

Just for the fun of it.

Oliver lays it out simply.  The civility argument so prevalent is not about bettering discourse.  It's about losers trying to feel like winners.   Witness how quickly the whiners turn feral , forsaking their sanctimonious worship of military figures, when it suits their desires.

The "dynasty" argument is a crock of shit, perpetrated by folks who are afraid that we might have an intelligent woman as our next President.  Next thing you know, they'll be equating her with Hitler, or calling her the anti-Christ.  Whoops, these maternal mavens of polite discourse already have ...

Politics is not football, and anyone who knows the game would see that.  Ya' see, unlike football, in politics all the desire and heart in the world won't help you if your gameplan truly sucks.

The rotund author of Star Trek novels celebrates our victory in Iraq.  After all deaths are down for a month ... if you look at it the right way.  The truly charming part is the comment from exDemo.  Of the 11 points he brings up, the State Department, CIA and Pentagon disagree with ... all eleven of them.  And they even like Bush.

Would any Republican reader care to comment on the GOP's Convention logo?

I am convinced that Jonah Goldberg (Doughbob Loadpants) is having Budge ghost-write his book.  The sad thing is ... that might actually make it readable.

She Gonna Party Like It's Two Zero Zero One!

It's always a treasure when Michelle Malkin celebrates Rudy Ghouliani Day.  Shorter Michelle Malkin:

"I remember so much more betterer than you bitches.  Now is the time on sprockets where we are sad.  ~Don't cry for me, Amarillo~.  Have you bought my books yet?  Be Mad!  Durka durka durka, fatwa, jiHAD! ... on liberals.  I'm so much prettier than Cindy Sheehan.  Don't forget to report your neighbors, and nevar Forgit ... in the ideologically correct manner, of course.  (Jesse, get me another Fresca, you lazy bitch!)"

Sadly, that really is shorter than what Michelle penned.

Dave Neiwert lobs another hand grenade at Michelle's fantasy force field.  Dave, you know I love you, buddy, and I respect the hell out of you for trying to breach Malkin's wall of denial.  But it ain't gonna happen.  This woman wears the Armor of Ignorance, and carries the Shield of Vanity, and the perky little Cap of Hypocrisy.  Keep up the good work, but don't expect reason to ever breach her beautiful (little) mind.

Since I'm poking the fun at the genus Wingnut, I should mention that a funny thing happened on the way to this post.    I stumbled on a new website that should actually have content soon.  This is how the author describes it:

The blog will include writing by myself and other men writing on the state of manhood and masculinity in the 21st Century.

At a time when it's difficult to distinguis the men from the girls at times, us "real" men need a place to vent, scream, beat our chests and share ideas and stories about our manhood.

It would probably be advisable for wives to read the blog for better understanding.

All I can say is if you like sports, guns, action movies, reading the paper in the john and consider french fries a vegetable of its own, you'll love Testosterone HQ.

I'll have more soon on our illustrious contributors.

Untill then: Long live Clint Eastwood!

Yes, the spelling and grammar errors are all his.  He calls the place ... Testosterone HQ, and this ought be a comedy riot.  You wives out there better sharpen your thinking caps and hustle your bustle right to that site if'n you want to know what a real man like you got is thinkerin'.

Any bets on whether or not this poser will link to Michelle Malkin?  (Jesse, get me another beer, you lazy bitch!)

The Injured Reserve

Since I've introduced the Good the Bad and the Ugly of the new Montana wingnut-o-sphere, I've upset at least one of the old guard, who no doubts feel slighted because those others are the new hotness, and he's just the old and busted.  So, just for Steve, I'll take a quick peek (critique) at the aging players of the Montana fantasy-based community.

Before I begin, let's get a few things clear.  I will not write bad things in a generic way about either MTPolitics or the Electric City Weblog.  Both Craig and GeeGuy are thoughtful hard working folk who do not conform to the standard wingnut blueprint.  Neither of these gentlemen are "concern trolls", they offer generalizations but do not personalize them into their mythologies and they aren't dismissive of disagreement.  When I engage them, I have and will continue to do so directly and personally, with the respect that they are due and that they have offered in return.  If you expect to see a slap fight between either of them and myself, this is not the day or the post.  So move along.

Let's begin with the Granddaddy Glibertarian, Mr. Dave Budge.  Though Dave will go long periods without posting, he then gets a bug up his butt and posts a storm.  I still find him to be among the best writers on the web in Montana.  But like many of those who identify to the right, he's beginning to lose it a little.  Rather than deal with people honestly, he's showing a much greater tendency to belittle and revile based on ideas that he finds personally demeaning, and not so much on the merit of the idea.  He's always been contrarian, but he's slipping a little further towards silly in doing so.

Case in point, he's taken to referring to those who disagree as "neo-socialist hand wringing pussies".  If the "pussy" part isn't a projection, I don't know what is.   Just like 'Raaaeeeaaain on your wedding day' Dave takes a post from Matt Singer explaining the challenges faced by the young and under-privileged, a call to use the collective power and compassion of us all to aid us all,  and uses it to promote his fantasy that personal motivation will solve the problem.  In one fell swoop, he places rather unspecified blame on all who don't live to his lofty standards and feels ever so much personally better because he doesn't have to look at his own failings in regard to a very real problem.  He claims that what is desired is a "permanent mindset of victimhood', taking for himself his own forced sense of superiority.  Simply put, Dave uses a fabricated Ad Hominem for self support.  Ironic and handy, isn't it?

This is becoming an ever more prevalent tactic among the wingnut-o-sphere.  It's odd coming from Dave, considering how often he admits his own vagaries of fortune and personal struggles.  Perhaps he's just being egged on by his personal cheerleader, the master of the illusion "I did myself  and the truth is what I say it is", Mr. Mike Harris.  Regardless, Dave Budge is still an interesting and powerful read; just don't engage him in arguments that devolve into the size, shape and texture of gnat nuts.  Being right and correct in the minutia on the Internet ain't that important, except maybe to Dave.  Now if we could only get him over his fascination with DoughBob Pantload.

Along the lines of self-importance, one has to begin to respect Eric Coobs.  He was ever so very proud of having the premier wingnut website in state, and now, he's just a has been.  His claims to fame are still there ... lack of reason, racist commenters and trollish aspirations.  But he's just not any fun.  He posts very irregularly, and when he does, his comments are immediately stolen from him by the trolls that run his website.  It would, no doubts, have been better for him not to delete a years worth of his content (and others more bright than himself), but Eric apparently couldn't stand responsibility that came with speaking freely, and allowing others to do the same.  If Dave is seeking a hand-wringing pussy, he need look no further than Billings.  The laughable part is that Eric claimed his deletion was to protect his other authors, as if their efforts were his own.  And now, bereft of the intelligence they provided, Eric is alone.  Many of the other right wing websites won't even link him.  'Kinda sad, really.

I've next to nothing to say about the Montana Misanthrope, except that you should read him.  He gets it all right.  He's personal, personable, humble and thoughtful.  I seriously hope that he's gonna be around for a long time.  He is a man that I would like to one day call "friend".

Montana Headlines remains erudite, but I think he's starting to lose it.  As things become more desperate for the right wing, the right wingnuts reflect the angst.  So it is with MH.  Over the last several days, MH has been all about Jon Tester and the tainted money of Hsu.  In doing so, he's fallen (and the "he" is just an assumption because MH is one of those brave forthright bloggers) into most of the wingnut pitfalls available for folk to lose themselves in.  He boldly claims what the left was deriding Conrad Burns for (tainted money) completely forgetting the number of us who showed quite clearly what Jack bought from Conrad with that tainted money (rich casino schools, child rape in the Marianas ...)  Talk about moral equivalence!  Supposedly, Jon Tester claimed to be a saint ... only in the fantasy of MH. 

But MH is a clever little weasel.  Just as the Burns campaign tried to tie Jon Tester to Chuck Schumer, MH is trying to tie Tester to Hillary Clinton.  That's pathetically weak logic, though sinister.  Tie Tester to someone not favored by Montanans.  It's also pretty dumb.  If this were Tester's reelection year, it might make sense.  As it is, it's flailing around with a cotton pillow attempting to bruise an issue no one gives a fuck about.  And don't think that MH is above lie and spin.  Check this:

But then, since the donors in question are in New York, Tester may be concerned about offending his New York constituents -- he knows he'll need them again in 2012. (While 7 of the top 10 zip-codes on the Conrad Burns donor list were in Montana, 5 of the top 10 zip-codes for Tester were in New York City.)

Seriously, I invite you to follow the link.  Unlike MH, I trust my readers to be able to count and think.  *4* of the the top 10 zip codes for Tester were in New York City, not 5.  3 of the top ten zip codes for Conrad Burns were in Billings alone.  But Billings isn't as big as New York is it?  The millions of online contributers to the success of Jon Tester are logged as one city, and that's what MH wants you to focus on, because MH is lying to you in a spin kinda way.  And, as the website "open secrets" says so not plainly, where the donations came from may not be reflected in where they were registered, or reflective of who gave them.  MH is promoting lies, and thinks you stupid enough to believe it, dressed with candy and all.  Please notice a couple thing:  1)  how much money did Conrad Burns have on hand before the election cycle and, 2) where did that come from?  How willing to swallow crap are you, Montana?

Still, Montana Headlines is a worthy read.  It is very well written, and appears personal.  Just be willing to check up on what you're handed there, before taking a bite.  I understand bullshit doesn't taste so good.

Not Farm Boy Ryan is useless.  He hardly posts, and it's so mundane even the wingnuts won't link him.  Two Helena Handbaskets is even worse on posting.  7 posts  since New Years.  Not a recipe for success, or even a worthwhile endeavor.

Andy Hammond is the wingnuttiest of the wingnuts.  And let me just come out and say that I don't think Andy Hammond is his real name ... duh.  He posts whatever the gun-counter-gomer posted the day before.  Waste of time, and the true enemy of anyone rational.  We should flee these people as lepers were shunned in the middle ages.  They're more toxic, and vastly more barfy to be around.  Hammond makes absolutely every wingnut error possible to be made.  When Stephen Colbert takes the stage and speaks to 'his people' ... it's a vision of Andy Hammond he has so embraced for mockery.

And then there is Steve.  He's more thoughtful than Hammond, and more intelligent, but vastly more lame because he's so entrenched in his Narcissistic Personality Disorder.  He sees himself as a defender of the people, while willfully and angrily wasting the people's resources (he's entitled, don't you know!)  He engages the enemy while shrugging off all responsibility for the enemy being engaged.  (Don't start somethin', it won't be somethin' ... asshole.)   I offer you this, gentle reader:  Read better websites than Steve's.  Captain Ed, the Gun-Counter-Gomer. Michelle fucking Malkin.  Read LaShawn Pinhead Barber before reading Steve.  You will enjoy it more, learn more, and be more hysterically amused.  Steve really offers nothing, save potential amusement at the waste of material.

I guess we're done here.