Mockery and Rant: I think they may be the mainstays of blogging (someone should start a blog with that title. It’s available), and as valuable as they are, both are so often and so predictably abused. Mockery is certainly a powerful and effective tool for those with less power and influence to use against those with more. It’s free and can be wielded alone, even on a lonely little blog. And rant has its uses too. It can be funny, cathartic, and use hyperbole to set bright lines delimiting the broadest area of common ground shared by a diverse group. We may disagree on many minor and major individual points, but we ALL agree David Letterman’s “jokes” were offensive, or that Prop Hate is a despicable piece of legislation.
Short rants also have their purpose. Contemplating the vast miasmic swamp that is the Islamic political and cultural treatment of women is enough to dismay even the staunchest political feminist from even attempting to understand, analyze, or criticize it. How does one work with THIS? In trying to, one gets swallowed up in THIS. Much easier to just cut to the quick (Islam sucks!), knowing (YES, I know there are good, brave, honorable, freedom-loving, feminist muslims. YES, I know there is much to criticize in all religions. YES, I know there is beautiful thought and philosophy in the Koran (actually, I don’t know it; but I’ll happily take your word for it.), so yes I know it is a simplification and and a one-sided machete with which to fight. So be it.
Islam sucks.
So, yes of course bloggers need to depend on mockery and rant to be heard and to influence or participate in the national discussion, but it’s SO easy for us to accidentally, or stupidly, start shooting at each other.
Molly Ivins was right about satire:
“Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful. I only aim at the powerful. When satire is aimed at the powerless, it is not only cruel — it’s vulgar.”
I’m with Steven Mather 100% on this. Make arguments using evidence and clearly state your opinions. Don’t call people names, either implicitly or explicitly, ESPECIALLY when you’re arguing with allies.
I guess it pumps up readership to engage in flame wars or whatever, but isn’t it kind of boring at the end of the day?
And the story in Honduras is IMPORTANT! Way too important to allow baseless ad hominem attacks to distract us from the story. We know the powers that be will use confusion and radio silence to keep us guessing and unsure. Anyone who pretends to know what the FACTS are in Honduras is most likely lying.
Did the U.S. train the military personnel who ousted President Zelaya?
If so, why is the obama administration condemning the coup? IS this a radical shift from the policies of the Bush era?
And oh my goodness, how’s this for rich irony? Left-wing know-it-alls at Daily Kos are now objecting to the replaced president, Roberto Micheleti, on the grounds that he is NOT A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN of Honduras. Seems, there’s a leetle bit of trouble with the new guy’s birth certificate:
“In other words, this coup was carried out by a graduate of a sinister U.S.-backed terrorist training school, for the purpose of overthrowing a legally elected president, who has been replaced by a man who may be constitutionally forbidden from ever holding the office of president. All international bodies and agencies, and every nation in the world that claims to support the concept of democracy, has every valid reason to stand firm against this coup. It’s important that they know it, that the coup leaders know that they know it, and that everyone knows that the world will not allow it.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! (Kos later corrected the misinformation about Micheleti’s birth certificate. I’m sure the wingers over there are prepared to admit they are BLATANT racists for believing that anyone with such a “funny sounding name” like Michelleti in Honduras is obviously not a citizen. But they didn’t change the original article, nor do they acknowledge the entire piece loses a fundamental basis for being published AT ALL once the inconvenient “update” is taken into account. Will the writers at the all-powerful Kos now allow some nuance to enliven and widen their arguments about the coup? Don’t hold your breath Pumas.)
{ 69 comments… read them below or add one }
murphy 06.30.09 at 2:38 pm
Al Franken has been declared the winner of the Senate seat in Minnesota.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/court-rules-franken-has-won-senate-seat/
Headclunker 06.30.09 at 2:43 pm
Repost:
Maybe even franken and 60 will not help BO now. He has lost his momentum. Rasmussen has his approval index at -2% again today. Hopefully some of the real Dems will junp ship and save themselves. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
Here is a slightly different presentation of the Rasmussen data where you can project him out to 6 months in office. BO Stinks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31592459@N08/3675266565/
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 2:47 pm
CONGRATULATIONS, MURPHY!!!
This is your 1000th Post on this configuation of the Puma PAC blog.
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 2:48 pm
Dang! That’s one hecka lotta posts!
Go take a nap if you care to.
Susie1945 06.30.09 at 2:53 pm
Murphy – did you get snail mail yet???????????????????????
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 2:54 pm
Wow a thousand thank yous oh brilliant Murphy.
I think one day I will pay for your ticket to a movie!
murphy 06.30.09 at 2:55 pm
it is??
i did not know that!
how funny that I ended up writing a post about blogging on my 1,000th post?
heh!
maybe I’ll have a cupcake instead, courtesy of headlclunker!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3229/2330901225_0dd25982db_b.jpg
persephone 06.30.09 at 2:56 pm
from murphy’s Wikipedia link above:
Controversy
Because of its highly critical attitude toward the Iranian legal system, the novel The Stoning of Soraya M was banned in Iran.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stoning_of_Soraya_M.
Susie1945 06.30.09 at 2:57 pm
Funny thing – even tho dirty old al – ha ha rape is funny – is now gonna be representing me, us, my state, whatever, – he’s not much of an improvement over coleman but I’m thinkin’ it’s gonna be tough to have to listen to him for the next 5 1/2 yrs – can’t listen to shrub (glad he’s in hiding or whatever), the fraud, biden, pancakes, reid (omg – sounds like english is his second language), gibbsie, & now franken – think I’ll just buy a pair of earplugs………………………..
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:02 pm
The Confluence is not a seamless whole. I own these comments.
—————————————————-
And that as they say is a good thing…………………
murphy 06.30.09 at 3:03 pm
YESS!!! I sure did susie (just now!!) and was going to post a picture on the blog!
The cupcake pictures are RIDICULOUS! My favorite so far is Pandamonium Cupcakes.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fp8GHtdlmRk/SBTIWVDvmBI/AAAAAAAAAZI/ZTzxfjSD46o/s320/IMG_0487.JPG
THANK YOU!!!
{{{{{susie1945}}}}
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:06 pm
persephone
You look good in the opening post…thinking you are always thinking.
I am of course laughing, not at you though.
It was Dances the funny she made on the screen we are looking
at……….
Susie1945 06.30.09 at 3:08 pm
Murphy – so glad you like – saw it and couldn’t resist -
just got an email reply from Peter King – congress critter from New York about the TARP bill – glad to know they jump right on that stuff – sent those prowls last September – wasn’t it……..
gist of letter:
Dear Friend,
Knowing of our shared interest in concerns for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), I’d like to share with you a brief update of my work in Congress.
Like you, I have concerns with the TARP program and the $700 billion of taxpayer money that was distributed to bailout our financial institutions. Many of these institutions that received TARP funds now want to return billions of dollars to the Treasury Department. I believe this money should be returned to the taxpayer; however, there are concerns that the returned funds will be recycled and redistributed to other programs.
To ensure that returned TARP money goes back to our nation’s hard-working taxpayers, I have become a cosponsor of H.R. 2119, which would require all repaid TARP money to go towards paying down the national debt.
Taxing and spending in Washington have become out of control, which is why I will do all I can to fight excessive spending and reduce our nation’s debt. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Sincerely,
PETER T. KING
Member of Congress
P.S. Please take the time to visit my new website – http://www.peteking.house.gov – to see more information on my work in Congress and helpful links to federal agencies.
Glad to know he thinks of me as a friend – even tho I signed my name & he sent it to my email address………….
michelina 06.30.09 at 3:13 pm
Persephone: I was expecting the BAN, I wonder
how long before it hits the US and or Europe.
I’m a little confused on this COUP and Honduras.
I thought CHAVEZ was the BAD GUY, not Michelletti or ZALEYA
Can someone Clarify for me, or am I mixing myslef up here??
michelina 06.30.09 at 3:16 pm
Susie: I just got a response from him also, SAME ONE
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:17 pm
HP dances called me a monkey?
confused.
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:17 pm
Michelina
Just travel directly East from your location West, and you’ll be fine.
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:18 pm
ME TOO! PETER T. KING WTF!! I deleted never read it!
I am not a register Democrat! Never will be again, and the Republicans …forgtaaboutit!
2PumaSisters 06.30.09 at 3:18 pm
Welcome back Murphy, from your busy morning.
Good afternoon to you and all Pumas!!!
Very interesting reading and congratulations
on your 1000th post.
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:21 pm
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:17 pm
HP dances called me a monkey?
confused.
————————————
No we are the monkeys Persy….Dances sent a funny message to us you are still thinking about it and I am laughing!
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:23 pm
wait wait wait…
I didn’t create the grapic at the top of this thread.
Murphy sent that message… I would never ever ever think such a thing about my co-commenters
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:24 pm
HP but I love it that you self-describe as that laughing monkey, while persephone is still trying to make heads or tails or an argument of whatever she’s reading on the screen!
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:24 pm
Susie
I’m in MA and I got the King/TARP letter too.
I think some of the TARP should be redistributed to the taxpayers to stimulate the economy. American citizens and residents only, of course.
murphy 06.30.09 at 3:26 pm
michelina,
the obama administration is taking a decidedly different tack with chavez than bush did. W basically treated Chavez like the south american version of Sadaam Hussein.
under obama, and Sec. Clinton, the US and Venezuela recently reopened embassies in each other’s countries. The new approach is to treat Chavez as a legitimate, elected, leader of his country. Chavez is a strong supporter of Zelaya, the president of Honduras who was just ousted. Our new “alliance” with Chavez makes it not too surprising that we are officially supporting the ousted Zaleya.
BUT — all of this is complicated and has to do with long-standing and evolving politics in a region we havent been paying nearly as much attention to as we have say, the middle east. SO, i think it’s crucially important that we learn and read widely before we draw conclusions.
I believe PumaBEAR at PatriotDEMS has written about Honduras and Central/South America. She is great because she digs deep and is not afraid to disagree with “conventional wisdom.”
oops, while looking for Honduras stuff at patriot dems, I came across this piece of brilliance:
“Choice isn’t just Rove v. Wade. Reproductive choice for women is the sine qua non of other choices: to be married or not; to have sex or not; to go to work or not; to have a career or not; to accept bad treatment within a relationship or not. The prevalence of unmarried women in the workplace has removed much of the stigma associated with divorce, Lesbianism and the terrible shame once known as “spinsterhood”.
What the religious right opposes is not just “choice”, it’s choices. That’s clear.”
amen sister.
murphy 06.30.09 at 3:26 pm
oops, link:
http://patriotdems.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/why-farah-fawcett-is-a-feminist-issue/
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:27 pm
dances and HP I have no effing idea what either of you is talking about.
except now i’m certain you’ve called me a monkey and thats racist.
now can we stay on topic, PUH-leeze!
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:31 pm
persephone
breathe. hp is referring to the graphic at the top of this post. She contends that the serious monkey represents you, while the laughing monkey represents hp. Apparently HP’s delusion includes something on the screen that I said that she thinks is funny… (even though I was dead serious when I said it.)
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:31 pm
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:24 pm
HP but I love it that you self-describe as that laughing monkey, while persephone is still trying to make heads or tails or an argument of whatever she’s reading on the screen!
——————–Not your graphic, I know…you got the gist..poor persy is STILL thinking!
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:39 pm
LOL!
I was a bit confused at first too
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:40 pm
oh bruther you two hyenas
che merde!
must find coffee now.
michelina 06.30.09 at 3:41 pm
Yes, persephone: HP is ROFLMAO, while your figuring it
out and she’s agitating you.
HP imagines, she’s one monkey in the picture above and your
the other one. Just her imagination, where DANCES came into
this,
That’s when you lost me.
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:42 pm
“In other words, this coup was carried out by a graduate of a sinister U.S.-backed terrorist training school, for the purpose of overthrowing a legally elected president, who has been replaced by a man who may be constitutionally forbidden from ever holding the office of president. All international bodies and agencies, and every nation in the world that claims to support the concept of democracy, has every valid reason to stand firm against this coup. It’s important that they know it, that the coup leaders know that they know it, and that everyone knows that the world will not allow it.”
Irony of ironies!
KOS = Yet another hypocritical ‘murican “moran”.
There, I’ve said it.
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:43 pm
*sigh*
yes, i get it michelina
one monkey (HP) is screwing around while the other monkey (ME) is trying to solve the world’s problems…*anothersigh*
dances is in her usual role as monkey antagonizer..
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:44 pm
Murphy my take on Chavez is he is a lot like O’Bombs. Gives a little takes alot. A savage dicktata!
Honduras comes as a shock…even Hillary was seemingly walking a tightrope.
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:44 pm
where DANCES came into
this, That’s when you lost me.
—————–
Michelina, I’ve said something on the screen persephone is trying to decipher, while HP “got it” right away and is laughing at the comment. On top of it all, HP is laughing doubly hard because persephone is still trying to “get” what’s so funny. Now it’s compounded because it’s happening in the photograph as well as ‘live’ on this thread.
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 3:45 pm
We are the best Puma monkeys in the whole wide world!
persephone 06.30.09 at 3:46 pm
Michelina, I’ve said something on the screen persephone is trying to decipher, while HP “got it” right away and is laughing at the comment. On top of it all, HP is laughing doubly hard because persephone is still trying to “get” what’s so funny. Now it’s compounded because it’s happening in the photograph as well as ‘live’ on this thread.
_______________
so i guess the truth is now out and you know i dont read your comments
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 3:49 pm
dances is in her usual role as monkey antagonizer..
————-
hey now!
Go have a banana and chill.
michelina 06.30.09 at 3:51 pm
Thank you murphy, It’s a bit clearer now,
The impact for the US with the situation, still
isn’t except the ‘human rights’ point.
Is this Yet ANOTHER RIGGED election, is this their
problem??
michelina 06.30.09 at 3:57 pm
persephone: Ad I believe you have the combination
of Love, BRAINS and Wit, to do just that, Solve problems.
In the meantime, we’re all chuckling away…….
Dances was (I thought)—teasing me a bit up on top,
about Which way was East and Which way is West.
I THINK I’m in the EAST, but she’s in So CAL, so she
thinks I’m west.——-LOL——–
persephone 06.30.09 at 4:00 pm
hey now!
Go have a banana and chill.
_____________
ok fine, but don’t be talking ’bout me when I’m gone.
dances and HP both of you should watch this-it’s the least you can do after being so mean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y&feature=related
DancesWithPumas 06.30.09 at 4:03 pm
I THINK I’m in the EAST, but she’s in So CAL, so she
thinks I’m west.——-
——————
You are West… West of East, silly puma.
West of Boston. West of the Atlantic Ocean. West of Europe.
And you are East of me.
michelina 06.30.09 at 4:26 pm
Dances: And you are WEST of Me,
Everybody is WEST of ME, except Canada and Alaska
I really gotta get a map
michelina 06.30.09 at 4:29 pm
Gotta Go (((pumaland))))
If I can stay awake, I’ll be reading.
Peace and Love
scarlet 06.30.09 at 4:31 pm
LEGISLATION
MANAGERS AMENDMENT OF ENERGY BILL
&
FEDERAL ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS
More info at 411 in the 111 pumapac forum:
http://pumapac.org/forums/411-on-the-111/comment-page-5/#comment-345686 posts 241-242
murphy 06.30.09 at 4:32 pm
South Boston is East of East Boston, which is North of the North End of Boston, and West Roxbury is north of Roxbury.
put that in GPS pipe and smoke it!
murphy 06.30.09 at 4:41 pm
thanks scarlet — you swooped in and prevented us from REALLY going off the rails! (in a north-west-southerly-eastern direction)
the commenters on dakinikat’s post are really excellent for links and background, especially okasha-saki, WMCB, fif, and dak herself:
http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/22374/#comment-364429
still searching patriot dems.
I dont know about you, but I find the absence of ideological conventional wisdom to be a great weight off my shoulders. If at the end of my reading/thinking I end up agreeing 1000% with the far left, or the far right, I’m fine with that. But I’m much happier to make that knowledge journey unencumbered.
that’s why I really love Puma commenters, smart and opinionated, but not jackasses!
on the one hand, hugo chavez is NOT an axis of evil dictator and the equivalent of stalin-hitler-lenin with a Spanish accent. On the other, he’s no gandhi-populist hero either. The truth is way more interesting.
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 4:55 pm
OH my godess the trunk monkey..lmao :lol
persephone 06.30.09 at 5:35 pm
murphy
thanks for all your help with those two blog-bullies
speaking of bullies…It still looks like Zelaya was trying to make himself *President Forever*, like Chavez did-which we know is an outright power grab.
Reminds me soooo much of Obama tactics!
Some at TC have disputed this and said it was technically not possible for Zelaya to extend his term. I disagree.
If the term-extending referendum wouldn’t have mattered why was he pushing so hard for it?
So he could wave it around, of course, and say, *see-it’s the will of the people!*
As for the decency of President Forever Hugo Chavez.
I’ve read that he throws mere crumbs to the poor and that he’s not really this Robin Hood he’s been made out to be by the left.
It’s all very interesting-will be carefully reading the info at the State Dept. website-especially Hillary’s press releases.
There’s so much foreign policy stuff going on right now.
michelina 06.30.09 at 5:58 pm
Hi Persephone: checked the map, 455 miles—West then east of
east and north of north——-no problem, found Washington,
without a hitch, but my puppy got car sick—FIRKEN 95 degrees.
Sounds like a BLAST
HP: I got the STEAKS——gotta have it with the shrimp
HP:
michelina 06.30.09 at 6:02 pm
had a second thought, being North EAST,
STEAK = LOBSTER instead, but I don’t think
shrimp and Lobster go together, but it’s okay
with me.
I can’t make Lobster.
scarlet 06.30.09 at 6:20 pm
OOPS
Aide Claims John Edwards Made Sex Tape
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/us_world/NATL-Aide-Claims-John-Edwards-Sex-Tape.html
If true, he is really stupid.
Puma-SF 06.30.09 at 6:23 pm
I’m still in Palm Springs are vacation but just saw this. Left leaning “Friends of the Earth” are against cllimate bill:
http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/story/friends_of_the_earth_goes_it_alone_urges_no_on_climate/
scarlet 06.30.09 at 6:23 pm
another ooops
Prescriptions Halted Due
To Hacker
Updated: Monday, 29 Jun 2009, 11:44 AM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. – State officials say people with excruciating pain are unable to receive powerful painkilling drugs they need because of the response to a hacker’s attack on the state prescription drug database.
Two Virginia legislative panels took aim Monday on the state’s troubled computer superagency and its $2 billion, 10-year contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation.
The hacker accessed about 35 million computerized prescription records in late April.
A House panel learned that powerful drugs such as Oxycontin, Valium, Vicodin and Ritalin are being withheld because pharmacists can’t check with the prescription drug database that still allows limited access.
One delegate, Bob Purkey, asked whether the breach was sufficient to cancel or renegotiate the Northrop Grumman contract.
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/virginia/062909_prescriptions_halted_due_to_hacker
HP Boston 06.30.09 at 6:25 pm
scarlet 06.30.09 at 6:29 pm
Nancy Pelosi will not commit to giving the public five days (as the Obama administration promised) to read the healthcare bill before it is voted on. She knows that the more we know the harder it will be to pass this monstrosity.
Pelosi Won’t Give Public a Week to Review Text of Health-Care Bill Before House Votes on It
This final bill is likely to be well over 1,000 pages long and will include mandates and regulations that could permanently transform the U.S. health care system.
Like Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also said last week that he would not commit to giving the public a week to review the final text of the health-care bill.
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=50229
—
What about at least giving the legislators five days to read the bill?
michelina 06.30.09 at 6:30 pm
HP: HE MAKES ME SICK, and to think he was ALMOST my
FIRST choice in this election.
FOR all the FARCE and FRAUD these past two years,
HE is the one I DESPISE the MOST !!!
Hell isn’t good enough for him, as far as I’m concerned.
scarlet 06.30.09 at 6:31 pm
The cover charge at this club? An RFID implant
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/145515
michelina 06.30.09 at 6:32 pm
SCARLET: WHat planet are these people ON
WE gotta make sure WE READ IT
Issue is TOOOOOOO IMPORTANT!—like we did to LETTERMAN,
we will do to CONGRESS——COUNTRY over PARTY,
we will have to CALL ON EVERYONE—except the bots of course.
michelina 06.30.09 at 6:32 pm
SCARLET: WHat planet are these people ON
WE gotta make sure WE READ IT
Issue is TOOOOOOO IMPORTANT!—like we did to LETTERMAN,
we will do to CONGRESS——COUNTRY over PARTY,
we will have to CALL ON EVERYONE—except the bots of course.
michelina 06.30.09 at 6:33 pm
sorry for the duplication, been losing alot of posts.
normapapuma 06.30.09 at 6:59 pm
Wow-That rant against Kat was really over the top. Unseemly!
Thank goodness we’re in a more tolerant culture here.
As I said yesterday, HRC seemed conflicted with the Honduran situation at her press conference, but it doesn’t surprise me how stronly BO came out to defend the Chavez-like Zelaya.
Sorry-no link! You all saw the press conference!
normapapuma 06.30.09 at 7:06 pm
Did anybody see BO’s press conference today? Promising to pass out “Federal assistance” to grassroots non-profit organizations. At first I thought ok. But on second thought What the heck? He’s giving them money which he doesn’t have. More for taxpayers to pay. Does he think he’s Santa Claus?
persephone 06.30.09 at 7:10 pm
norma
do you have any good, just the facts sources of info on Chavez?
I don’t know much about him but saw a youtube of him that was circulating last year, in which he was leading large crowds in prayer.
That was sorta weird!
Hoping Pumabear will show up with some S. America info..
murphy 06.30.09 at 7:12 pm
Bloggers Gone Bad posted,
take it upstairs!
bring links and comments!
normapapuma 06.30.09 at 7:17 pm
Chavez is a pretty well-known entity. He’s been Pres for Years in Nicaragua. He controls Citgo and offered different States and Puerto Rico discounted gasoline during the shortages to gain prestige, he gave Obama a book trashing the US recently…I’ll do a google search for some of his rants against the US.
normapapuma 06.30.09 at 7:23 pm
Take a look at this. He’s a total dictator. He controls the media, like Obama!
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aQ7Rlwf3KKus
normapapuma 06.30.09 at 7:33 pm
Chavez and Castro are socialists/communists and great friends. Recently he said Obama’s take over of GM was greater than any nationalization in Venezuela. I want that clip!
This article is telling what he’s up to now.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE55R1S820090628?sp=true
waterpanther 06.30.09 at 11:20 pm
Chavez is indeed a socialist.
He is not a “total dictator,” nor has he ever been President of Nicaragua.
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