I'd vote for RuPaul in a heartbeat but I don't think he's running is he? Ron Paul is sort of scary but I don't think he could really do much damage and he sure would shake things up.
Currently my first choice in '08 is Cthulhu, why vote for a lesser evil?
Greg @24
I stand corrected. I wasn't trying to lay blame though. Merely pointing out that America as a whole is much more conservative than perhaps we sometimes realize. Large numbers of people believe in a young Earth and in angels. Probably a good number of people still believe that Saddam had something to do with 9-11.
"And some of them have managed to get government jobs."
We voted them into office. America voted for Bush twice and I think someone said the the only reason the war is unpopular is because we are losing. If it was clear that we were winning the majority would be all for it. Bush's crime is not that he is a murderous sociopath, but that he is an incompetent murderous sociopath.
"I do it too, but I'm coming to think it's a dodge."
I agree. Think of it as a technique to avoid being paralyzed by despair. The world is a mess, it's always been a mess and always will be. One is best off cleaning up your own little corner, your own sphere of influence, and maybe encouraging others to do the same.
What do we do?
I don't know, fight it as best one can. Get money out of politics I suppose. Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
Isn't this just a timeless struggle between power, which always seeks to expand it's self, and our better impulses? It's part of a cycle, the great wheel grinds us all in the end and it grinds exceedingly fine. (Looking at things as abstractions seems to help)
It's hard not to despair.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." Orwell
"In this instance, the TSA is clearly in the right."
No, it isn't clear to me that they are in the "right". What is "right" has no meaning any more. All that exists is power.
"it's pretty clear that Monica Emmerson -- that's the female passenger -- spills the liquid on the floor on purpose, as a deliberate act of defiance."
Yeah, because the rules are arbitrary and therefore leave room for officers to act like assholes. Monica exercised poor judgment but we Americans are not used to living in a police state so I think we can cut her some slack. She was angry because of the stupid TSA rules that would have made her leave the security area to empty the sippy cup. But the whole "liquids are bombs" is a farce based on bad intelligence back by paranoia to begin with. How are you "right" when you enforce absurd rules that don't really do what you claim they do?
Monica Emmerson committed an act of civil disobedience against TSA thugs. She should be applauded.
Schnier says:
"But there's a larger lesson here. Remember the Princeton professor who was put on the watch list for criticizing Bush? That was also untrue. Why is it that we all -- myself included -- believe these stories?"
Yeah well, I'll believe that when I get to examine the contents of Cheney's man sized safes. Cripes, these are the people who invented enemy lists and spying on your political opponents 40 years ago and have now raised it to a fine art.
Oh, and there is a simple explanation for why they seized Chris Walla's HD. Because they can. Fascists have never needed any other justification that that.
I like YKK and of course Miyazaki. Ghost in the Shell was ok, A little too philosophical in parts but great in others. I've seen bits of Alchemist and Bleach and Naruto. All quite popular but I don't have cable (can't afford it).
In the bikini rodeo pie fight that he links to someone comments that those are not rocking horses the girls are riding but Japanese sex chairs.
“The Freedom To Download Fan Subbed Anime Is The Right of All Sentient Beings.†That's a great line but I'll be damned if I know how you work out copyright issues in the age of the internet. My guess is it'll be be solved for us and not to our liking.
Adrian
"I have a question for JKRichard, and others who use the tactic of confronting hostility or cluelessness with, "Oh yeah? Well, here's this personally identifying information you thought you were keeping private!" Does it ever reduce hostility or build community? Or is it just a counter-attack? Are there clearly-recognizable types of situations where it helps?"
Just to honest here it was the threat of even more personal information being revealed that sobered me up and led to my apology.
As a general tactic I think it could seriously backfire. If I were JKRichard I'd be careful how I used that. It could easily escalate into a real world confrontation. That has happened... with tragic results.
"When you've had, on the close order of, a dozen people say "that came over as aggressive" the only sane response is to recognize that is how it came over. The best you can do at that stage is to say "sorry, I didn't mean it like that", not harp on in a way that still implies everyone else is wrong."
I was under the impression I did that @ 157.
I don't think that I am due an apology. I said some pretty awful things and I knew what I was doing. As to giving newbies some rope I don't know, maybe, but I swung right into attack mode with my second post. There are no excuses.
"Hint: an apology would be a good start."
I'm sorry. It was not my intent to be hostile but I understand that was how I was received. I do know I was very rude after my first post. I am sorry that I chose to act that way.
"Apologize, figure out a more tactful way to say what you meant to say, and carry on. Extra credit if you do so in verse."
I'm not a versifier. Not even a little.
"you could have phrased that last sentence much better. It doesn't take much to read it as an attack."
Still don't see it that way. I don't see how it could be perceived as an attack. Is challenging someone the same as attacking them?
"I could not possibly be attacking you; I am far too polite."
Oh I understand that. It seems terribly cold though, doesn't it?
What on earth is this stuff about UFO's? Surely you don't believe in that sillyness?
Thank you Diatryma but I doubt I could stay as I pretty much ruined that. I understand that you think I was rude from the beginning but I really and truly do not think I was. Not at all.
Of course it was strategically unwise. I knew that. From my point of view I asked a question and was met with open hostility. Do you see that? If that is what your "Fluorosphere" is all about then no thanks.
I still want to know how JK did that. That's pretty impressive.
Thank you Betsey Langan and yes, I was wrong. I'm sorry.
JKRichard
How?
JKRichard
Lastly Brenda VonAhsen a.k.a. noen --- let's not be rude to folks here. Still living in MN? How's the weather there?
The weather is too warm for MN, I don't like that. How did you do that? I really wasn't hostile. There is no way you'll convince me that just asking a question is "hostile".
Thank you for actually being polite Diatryma. Is that your real name? Even if not I think I'll still listen to you. Are you saying that even "straight" (whatever that means) detergents will not dissolve bacterial cell walls? If so then I stand corrected and I'm sorry. I wish you had replied a little sooner, we could have avoided all this unpleasantness.
And of course I agree that the mechanical action is probably more important. I said that earlier just as I was also careful to only use "bacterial".
James
"I took that closing of yours to be hostile."
My God that is just nuts. Hostile? Confrontational? No, no way. It is a challenge I suppose. Is that how you always react to challenges? Maybe that is why Patrick thinks your little commentariat is a tad "insular"?
I will admit that I picked up on your own hostility and gave some in return. Did you notice that you were hostile to me or are you pure as the driven snow here? If you did notice that your response to me was hostile how did you think that you were helping any?
Patrick:
"I don't think you know what you think you do." That is confrontational!? Really? That is just bizarre. Then you go on to say "Making Light's commentariat is dialed a little high". No shit and interesting word choice there. You compare your own blog commentors to Soviet style rule and I'm the one that's out of line?
I know, let's do a little thought experiment shall we? Take a culture of staff and add a drop or two of any liquid detergent, incubate. What do you think the results will be? Unless I've suddenly been transported to Bizzaro World I've got a pretty good idea what will happen. But I have an open mind so if anyone can prove me wrong I'm up for it. I'll even apologize.
You made the claim, prove it.
I got your name wrong James, sorry about that. Still looking for any proof that soap detergents do not kill bacteria. "Go Ask Alice" and "Myth Busters" don't really make it as scientific references in my book. The CDC reference was good but didn't really address my question.
All I did James, was ask a simple question and I got attitude from you about it. I admit that I am now giving attitude in return. Honestly, I didn't come here with one, though I sure as hell got one now. Why do you suppose that is?
"So what is the Germ Brigade's take on seasoning one's iron skillet?"
Wow.. I mean just wow. What an incredibly stupid question. (Hey! See how that works? I'm making light! I bet Nicole and I are gonna be the best of friends right? Right?)
Not too many living organisms can withstand temps of 300 to 400 degrees. This has been another episode of blindingly obvious answers to incredibly stupid questions you should already know. Thanks for viewing.
What a hate filled reception. My first thought was "Wow, interesting blog, maybe I'll stick around." But you put an end to that pretty quickly. I'll never come to this fucking blog ever again. Thanks folks.
All I did was follow the link from boingboing and ask a simple question followed with a few personal anecdotes. For that I get shit on by the likes of you. You might want to re-examine this "making light" BS of yours. From over here all you are doing is patting each other on the back and making enemies of anyone who happens by. Way to take the high road.
"Since I'm willing to sign my name and you aren't, why should anyone listen to you?"
I wasn't asking you to listen to me. I wasn't lecturing you or anyone. I asked a question. Do you also not listen to "fidelio" and "shadowsong" since they also do not use their real names?
BTW John, I followed the link and read the CDC report. Nowhere did I see an answer to my question. What I saw was a lot of good pragmatic advice for the general population and slightly different advice for healthcare professionals. All of which was backed by research showing those who wash are better off than those who don't, more or less and with a few caveats, (surgeons shouldn't shower too soon before entering the operating room) and so on.
Here is the truth, soaps or detergents really do kill bacteria. They do so by dissolving the bacterial cell wall. This is probably not as important as the mechanical action of washing followed by rubbing with a paper or cloth towel. None of this makes your hands sterile and you wouldn't want to anyway. John's advice is actually very good but the idea that soap does not kill bacteria is false.
So gosh kids, thanks sooo much for the warm welcome. Good luck with the "making light" thing. Concept is good but the execution needs work. This could have been a positive interaction but you chose otherwise. Is this how you treat all newcomers? How's that working out for you? I suspect you thought you were "defending" John from some evil interloper, you guessed wrong. I suggest you all read Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder. It has some good advice for you along the lines of "How not to be an ass". Good luck.
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 21 |
Total: 21 comments. View all these comments on a single page.
The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Brenda von Ahsen:
Show all comments by Brenda von Ahsen.