I'm a big fan of putting your name to what you write. If someone is not going to hire me because of something I say or write online, then odds are I don't want to work for them. That is, I understand, a luxury that not everyone has and I did recently come across a situation where my ability to be so strident with that principle was undermined. And I'm sure it will crop up again having gone into business for myself. So while I believe firmly in one side of the argument, I understand and empathize with the other side of the coin.
But what I really wanted to note out of this was the micro-fracturing becoming apparent in various "new media" networks. The traditional bloggers (can we assign such a qualifier already?) often see social networks like Facebook and Twitter to be a waste of time for a variety of reasons in the same way that some traditional writers and journalists used to (and in some cases still do) see blogs as a waste of time.
There's no great analysis here. I just find this cycle amusing in a benign sort of way. Given my chosen business model, I'm not inclined to call networks like Facebook or Twitter a waste of time. But I do think we have a tendency to over-apply the useful of these networks. Each has its own strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies and are ultimately best used when we bear those in mind vis-a-vis our chosen application.
@Good Grief, The Comedian's Incompetent, Negative, I let various of your other comments that didn't explicitly cross our policy stand. I could care less what your position on Prop 19 is. What I and the site do care about is how you choose to express that position in our comment threads. We have an agreed upon commenting policy that is clearly posted on the site. If you don't like it or don't want to follow it, then comment elsewhere.
@Transplanted Lawyer, Agreed. Comments by Good Grief, The Comedian's Incompetent and Francis have been removed pursuant to our commenting policy (http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/commenting-policy/).
@Carsten, we demand the best in judgment calls of those individuals we train to police society and authorize to use extreme force in very specific situations and when they fail to live up to those expectations we, rightly, question their failure in judgment.
@Mike at The Big Stick, I don't condone the actions of the girls, but I think the officer's response was inappropriate in the extreme. The poor behaviour of the citizens does not somehow justify what strikes me as extremely poor judgment call of trained police officer.
@Scott, no, I think he should have followed a course of action that did not involve blatantly assaulting a minor in public. I think that is what police officers are trained to do. And so I question why this officer failed to do so in this instance.
@Carsten, if it wasn't the best then why is it okay? Why aren't we talking about why that was the wrong response and the officer should have followed a procedure that did not involve punching a minor?
I still think that seeing the cop break free of the girl, stop, look at her, take stock of the situation, and then make the decision to haul off and clock a young girl in the face makes for even more startling viewing than even, perhaps, your average round of police brutality. Though, to be fair, there is footage of far worse incidents and watching this kind of activity is and should always be deeply offensive.
Freddie, I edited two words from the final paragraph of your comment for reasons that I think should be evident to you and that did not in any way alter the overall content of your comment. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact me via email to discuss.
Do you think people could stoke the fires of old hatred enough to do the trick? Joe's pollling coming out of HRC is pretty substanbtially low universally.
Here is a possible scenario: the Republicans have no love for him because ultimately he supported HRC, est. Dems might not mind him for the same reasons, but the left wing of the party are out for blood over the way HRC landed, they can't really go after the party so they go after Joe instead, and the est. Dems let them, offering Joe up as a sacraficial lamb to appease the progressives.
The only thing that Joe has going for him is that all of this won't go down until 2012 and everyone, not just the voting public, has a short memory.That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see DailyKos and FDL grudges resurface in two years by way of campaigns against Leiberman.
Mark says 2012 is too far for that scenario to hold, I say that progressives may just be wiling to hold this grudge. You decide.
On “Pseudonymity And Social Networking”
Quick rewrite:
"The traditional bloggers (can we assign such a qualifier already?) sometimes see social networks like Facebook and Twitter to be a waste of time..."
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I'm a big fan of putting your name to what you write. If someone is not going to hire me because of something I say or write online, then odds are I don't want to work for them. That is, I understand, a luxury that not everyone has and I did recently come across a situation where my ability to be so strident with that principle was undermined. And I'm sure it will crop up again having gone into business for myself. So while I believe firmly in one side of the argument, I understand and empathize with the other side of the coin.
But what I really wanted to note out of this was the micro-fracturing becoming apparent in various "new media" networks. The traditional bloggers (can we assign such a qualifier already?) often see social networks like Facebook and Twitter to be a waste of time for a variety of reasons in the same way that some traditional writers and journalists used to (and in some cases still do) see blogs as a waste of time.
There's no great analysis here. I just find this cycle amusing in a benign sort of way. Given my chosen business model, I'm not inclined to call networks like Facebook or Twitter a waste of time. But I do think we have a tendency to over-apply the useful of these networks. Each has its own strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies and are ultimately best used when we bear those in mind vis-a-vis our chosen application.
On “Prop 19 fails”
Even worse, I'm Canadian. So, you know, there's that.
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@Scott H. Payne, I think we're non-partisan in our propagandizing. If the givers be givin', then we're good for the takin'.
Note to Warren Buffett: you're late.
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@Mark Thompson, I blame the Koch brothers, personally. Don't they fund this obviously glibertarian claptrap?
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@Good Grief, The Comedian's Incompetent, Negative, I let various of your other comments that didn't explicitly cross our policy stand. I could care less what your position on Prop 19 is. What I and the site do care about is how you choose to express that position in our comment threads. We have an agreed upon commenting policy that is clearly posted on the site. If you don't like it or don't want to follow it, then comment elsewhere.
"
@Transplanted Lawyer, Agreed. Comments by Good Grief, The Comedian's Incompetent and Francis have been removed pursuant to our commenting policy (http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/commenting-policy/).
Thanks for the note.
On “Little Brother is watching”
@Cascadian, not sure why your comment was being held. Apologies.
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@Carsten, we demand the best in judgment calls of those individuals we train to police society and authorize to use extreme force in very specific situations and when they fail to live up to those expectations we, rightly, question their failure in judgment.
"
@Mike at The Big Stick, I don't condone the actions of the girls, but I think the officer's response was inappropriate in the extreme. The poor behaviour of the citizens does not somehow justify what strikes me as extremely poor judgment call of trained police officer.
"
@Scott, no, I think he should have followed a course of action that did not involve blatantly assaulting a minor in public. I think that is what police officers are trained to do. And so I question why this officer failed to do so in this instance.
"
@Carsten, if it wasn't the best then why is it okay? Why aren't we talking about why that was the wrong response and the officer should have followed a procedure that did not involve punching a minor?
"
@Scott, so punching a 17 year old girl in the face is the best way to deal with that situation.
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@Jaybird, I wondered the same thing and my conclusion was: I doubt it.
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I still think that seeing the cop break free of the girl, stop, look at her, take stock of the situation, and then make the decision to haul off and clock a young girl in the face makes for even more startling viewing than even, perhaps, your average round of police brutality. Though, to be fair, there is footage of far worse incidents and watching this kind of activity is and should always be deeply offensive.
On “No Fear of Citizens”
http://www.flowgo.com/funny/5921_im-watching-you.html
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No worries, figured it was an honest oversight.
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Freddie, I edited two words from the final paragraph of your comment for reasons that I think should be evident to you and that did not in any way alter the overall content of your comment. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact me via email to discuss.
On “Why the Senate HCR Bill is Dead”
And Barney Frank, I now see. And apparently there are others.
On “The Problem with Blue-Doggism (Hint: It isn’t the Blue Dogs)”
jetan, that has always been the intention. I'm sorry if your experience has proven otherwise.
On “Genius Internet Find of the Day”
Boss. MGG is the next generation of NPH.
On “Weekend Open Thread: Heartbreak Edition”
Do you think people could stoke the fires of old hatred enough to do the trick? Joe's pollling coming out of HRC is pretty substanbtially low universally.
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Re: this poll (h/t: Andrew), I say,
Here is a possible scenario: the Republicans have no love for him because ultimately he supported HRC, est. Dems might not mind him for the same reasons, but the left wing of the party are out for blood over the way HRC landed, they can't really go after the party so they go after Joe instead, and the est. Dems let them, offering Joe up as a sacraficial lamb to appease the progressives.
The only thing that Joe has going for him is that all of this won't go down until 2012 and everyone, not just the voting public, has a short memory.That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see DailyKos and FDL grudges resurface in two years by way of campaigns against Leiberman.
Mark says 2012 is too far for that scenario to hold, I say that progressives may just be wiling to hold this grudge. You decide.
On “Public Service Announcement”
Your guys' little go-fuck-yourself crush is so cute. Always has been.
On “A united progressive/tea-party front”
Interesting how you put "Progressives" in scare quotes. Is there a PINO movement afoot?