He was here from the get go (earlier than I was at least and I go back a ways) and, when he wasn't entertaining himself by driving people into a frenzy, was a fun and clever commentor and a stellar writer. There's no triumph in his departure.
It's in the comments on this item. Bob continued his Bob'isms and E.D. lost patience and put him on moderation so that people could allow the interesting Bob posts to come through and ignore the Evil Bob trolling posts. Bob of course isn't going to submit to that so bid us adieu. I'm wearing an uncomfortable black business casual T-shirt in honor of his departure. I'll miss him.
I'll echo Burt's measured sentiments Bob, this is a pity.
You're a very capable writer and a learned individual; you've forgotten more about theology and philosophy than I've ever learned. You have written some great stuff (mostly elsewhere) and you've written some witty stuff (here sometimes). Alas the problem is illuminated most starkly by your very virtues. As a mere troll you could have been written off ages ago if you had no indications of wit or writing skill but it's obvious you're fully capable of both and moreover that you are willfully turning those gifts to the purpose of injecting heat into conversations (at the expense of light) and lowering the discourse (instead of raising it). On top of that you've been a poor guest; what a tawdry thing that is to get censured over. I'd congratulate you on achieving your ends (martyrdom) but it's just too sad.
I wish you'd reconsider your writing style here. The League is a fine corner of the internet and it deserves better than this from you; (plus you still owe us a guest post about demons).
E.D. for what it's worth I feel that you have no good choices in this. Still I'd hesitate to lend the validation that Bob seeks by this action; on the other hand I don't have to be responsible for the entire site, you have all my sympathy.
I'd like to think conservatives have better reasons for disliking change than I do. My problem is I am very very lazy and change requires effort on my part to adapt to it.
I have an instinctive dislike of pretty much any change to familiar online digs so I'm far from thrilled. On the other hand since my reaction is always negative (even when the changes are objectively improvements) I can't say that these changes are bad.
Yep. That sounds about right. Unfortunately the concept has some rocky soil to deal with if it wants to take root:
-Establishment liberals of course dislike the idea.
-Nonestablishment liberals disagree generally with the idea.
-Establishment libertarians in America by and large don't know how to speak anything but rightwingeese and so what inclination they have to try and push the concept is hampered by communication barriers.
-All conservatives, of course, loathe the idea. They consider libertarians their own pet sub-constituency.
Great piece my Tod. I agree with the lot of it. My own question: can the party/movement reverse course on this and pull back from the brink or have they been caught in the current and been swept past the event horizon (of apparently some kind of river running into a black hole it seems.. sheesh North..).
Which is to say if Romney nails down the nomination can he steer back to the center in the general. Will his base follow him back? Will they defect?
My own uneducated guess is that they won't; he just doesn't have the conservative laurels to make them ignore his actual movements (unlike say Bush the lesser who could have vivisected nordquist on public TV and still landed a majority of the conservative vote because of his mannerisms and pedigree). If he tacks left I suspect they'll revolt and the wheels will fall off.
I'm hypothesizing that the only cure for what's got the GOP right now is a really thorough electoral drubbing. Like the lost decade the Dems endured post Carter for instance.
James, for some reason I am mentally punctuating your sources various pronouncements with the sound of him angrily gulping swigs of something very potent. Every period accompanied by the sound of a shot glass thumping down.
To be honest I wasn't aiming so high. In a world where we are immortal, can mold our environment, bridge the yawning vast (VAST!) chasms of space and mold the environments of the worlds we find on the other side then yes we may be like unto gods, certainly Olympian gods.
But if we gain immortality alone and are unable to escape our world or fully control our environment or population then we'll be damned (in a purely secular sense).
Humans being what they are I imagine that most, especially once immortal, would sooner or later decide to try out the whole "creating another life" thing.
As an agnostic I found the whole post great fun to read Jason, kudos. I had, in the end, only one somewhat morbidly pragmatic thought: If we do at some point in the near future discover the secret of immortality we're gonna need to conquor space right quick or else we're going to run out of room to stand.
I've read in several sources that the two campaigns are quite friendly. There's regular communication and, when the Paul campaign jet broke, Romney arranged for Paul to use his jet to get to Texas. On a legal and political principal level they are very far apart but on a personal level the seem to get along great.
I think it's a little early to say flat out alliance but it's patently obvious Ron Paul likes Romney and would prefer he get the nod (above anyone but Ron Paul himself of course).
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Trust, Standing, and Communication”
He was here from the get go (earlier than I was at least and I go back a ways) and, when he wasn't entertaining himself by driving people into a frenzy, was a fun and clever commentor and a stellar writer. There's no triumph in his departure.
"
It's in the comments on this item. Bob continued his Bob'isms and E.D. lost patience and put him on moderation so that people could allow the interesting Bob posts to come through and ignore the Evil Bob trolling posts. Bob of course isn't going to submit to that so bid us adieu. I'm wearing an uncomfortable black business casual T-shirt in honor of his departure. I'll miss him.
That said I also understand why it happened.
On “Confusion followed by Mild Panic followed by Understanding”
Bwahaha, those damn UFO controlled Ohio Republicans ran off with his seat.
On “Tinker Tailor Soldier Blogger”
That's unfortunate Bob. Happy trails, my best to the missus.
"
I'll echo Burt's measured sentiments Bob, this is a pity.
You're a very capable writer and a learned individual; you've forgotten more about theology and philosophy than I've ever learned. You have written some great stuff (mostly elsewhere) and you've written some witty stuff (here sometimes). Alas the problem is illuminated most starkly by your very virtues. As a mere troll you could have been written off ages ago if you had no indications of wit or writing skill but it's obvious you're fully capable of both and moreover that you are willfully turning those gifts to the purpose of injecting heat into conversations (at the expense of light) and lowering the discourse (instead of raising it). On top of that you've been a poor guest; what a tawdry thing that is to get censured over. I'd congratulate you on achieving your ends (martyrdom) but it's just too sad.
I wish you'd reconsider your writing style here. The League is a fine corner of the internet and it deserves better than this from you; (plus you still owe us a guest post about demons).
E.D. for what it's worth I feel that you have no good choices in this. Still I'd hesitate to lend the validation that Bob seeks by this action; on the other hand I don't have to be responsible for the entire site, you have all my sympathy.
"
Welcome back I guess.
That said E.D. isn't a liberal. He's an in between.
"
Pretty good.
"
Well played sir.
"
I'd like to think conservatives have better reasons for disliking change than I do. My problem is I am very very lazy and change requires effort on my part to adapt to it.
"
Bob, ol' boy, I'd say you're very fortunate that the missus
A) doesn't read the league much and so likely won't catch this comment.
B) is (obviously) an astonishingly tolerant forgiving woman.
Because otherwise I suspect you'd be sleeping on the couch tonight. For shame sir.
"
I have an instinctive dislike of pretty much any change to familiar online digs so I'm far from thrilled. On the other hand since my reaction is always negative (even when the changes are objectively improvements) I can't say that these changes are bad.
"
I appreciate the sentiment behind the name change but it sure doesn't roll off the tongue.
On “Koch v. Cato – Some Further Thoughts”
Yep. That sounds about right. Unfortunately the concept has some rocky soil to deal with if it wants to take root:
-Establishment liberals of course dislike the idea.
-Nonestablishment liberals disagree generally with the idea.
-Establishment libertarians in America by and large don't know how to speak anything but rightwingeese and so what inclination they have to try and push the concept is hampered by communication barriers.
-All conservatives, of course, loathe the idea. They consider libertarians their own pet sub-constituency.
On “I Honestly Can’t Tell Which Thing I’m Feeling More…”
Well it's nice to see there is a bottom to the hole.
On “Sailing Away to Irrelevance: Rush Limbaugh & The Right’s Self-Destructive Dependency on The Media Machine”
Oh yes, you may be right Kimmi, 2 womens' testimony equals that of one man.
"
Great piece my Tod. I agree with the lot of it. My own question: can the party/movement reverse course on this and pull back from the brink or have they been caught in the current and been swept past the event horizon (of apparently some kind of river running into a black hole it seems.. sheesh North..).
Which is to say if Romney nails down the nomination can he steer back to the center in the general. Will his base follow him back? Will they defect?
My own uneducated guess is that they won't; he just doesn't have the conservative laurels to make them ignore his actual movements (unlike say Bush the lesser who could have vivisected nordquist on public TV and still landed a majority of the conservative vote because of his mannerisms and pedigree). If he tacks left I suspect they'll revolt and the wheels will fall off.
I'm hypothesizing that the only cure for what's got the GOP right now is a really thorough electoral drubbing. Like the lost decade the Dems endured post Carter for instance.
"
James, for some reason I am mentally punctuating your sources various pronouncements with the sound of him angrily gulping swigs of something very potent. Every period accompanied by the sound of a shot glass thumping down.
"
Jay, I don't believe in Saudi that women can testify.
On “What Gives”
Powerful article Chris, I'm rootin for you. I have no doubt in the long run your perseverence will be rewarded.
On “Fun with Azathoth”
To be honest I wasn't aiming so high. In a world where we are immortal, can mold our environment, bridge the yawning vast (VAST!) chasms of space and mold the environments of the worlds we find on the other side then yes we may be like unto gods, certainly Olympian gods.
But if we gain immortality alone and are unable to escape our world or fully control our environment or population then we'll be damned (in a purely secular sense).
"
Humans being what they are I imagine that most, especially once immortal, would sooner or later decide to try out the whole "creating another life" thing.
"
As an agnostic I found the whole post great fun to read Jason, kudos. I had, in the end, only one somewhat morbidly pragmatic thought: If we do at some point in the near future discover the secret of immortality we're gonna need to conquor space right quick or else we're going to run out of room to stand.
"
Oh Russell, here I thought I couldn't love you any more and you break out one of my favorite little Asimov shorts! *swoons*
On “Is Ron Paul secretly working for the Mitt Romney campaign?”
I've read in several sources that the two campaigns are quite friendly. There's regular communication and, when the Paul campaign jet broke, Romney arranged for Paul to use his jet to get to Texas. On a legal and political principal level they are very far apart but on a personal level the seem to get along great.
"
I think it's a little early to say flat out alliance but it's patently obvious Ron Paul likes Romney and would prefer he get the nod (above anyone but Ron Paul himself of course).
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.