This blog is dedicated to the memory of David Weintraub, who took on insidious astroturfers and won.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

This is Why I Love the Whiteysphere

I think he put up this specific entry in a bald attempt to steal mojo generated by the Across N. 24th Street dairy.

True dat, Soc, one diary certainly led to another, and fairleft is competitive that way, but in that sense I am pleased that mine spurred this one because Byron's is truly excellent work and it brilliantly responds and extends the discussion thats been building across the pwoggie division of the whiteysphere for a few weeks now, since the mid term elections and the Demotard's typically tepid reaction.

"What to do?"

The call and response fueling of the fire in diaries and threads is what makes this type of blog interesting. The discussion we are having here is of course verboten on most blogs and it would have been a livelier discussion two or three years ago when there was a much larger group of interesting and offbeat characters actually participating in the threads.

Where have they all gone? Victims of another vicious round of lay-offs or just re-assigned to monitor the more "important" blogs?

Today we are down to the few, the proud, the hard bitten addicts of the fake left. What does Gilroy call us? Dick thumpers? Great username, that.

Gilroy would fit right in here but he became turned off by all the Meta absurdity (alot for which I was responsible) at PFF and never has posted here or at FSZ to my knowledge.

I read the WWF banning thread which was drearily predictable but what really cracked me up was the presence of Miep. That chick shows up everywhere, and always dispensing Chicken Soup for the Blog Admin's Soul along her merry way.

RIOTOUS!

She reminds me of that woman of a certain age who used to post at BooMan and then at PFF. She had a similar knack for showing up in the middle of every huge meta blowout, like one of those movie star caricatures who wonders into and out of a whack Looney Tunes scene, y'know, Bogie dangling a Camel. "Stake a fellow American to a Meal?" while passing through the North Pole, or wtf, in the midst of Daffy battling Elmer Fudd in another of their to the death grudge matches.

She usually added some patented geezer wisdom and her calming spirit smack dab in the middle of the usual blog dystopia.

Scribe....she was a retired RN or wtf....where have you gone, scribe?

Miep writes an occasionally pretty fucking great poem.
Here upon the mountaintops
that don't exist
I stand, waving my arms, for a moment

and then standing still, looking around at the sky
which is all dark, but there should be stars

here soon. Because the clouds
don't last forever.

no clouds ever last forever.

Meanwhile, the hum occurs
it sings like locusts
like grillen
and all of those other unnameable critters
that bump in the night.

And there I am, in the dark
Waiting for stars, or comets, or wind, or anything
Anything.

With the world singing
in all its craziness
its crazed song breaks
its crazed metaphors
and everything else that breaks.

And there I am
starting to listen
starting to dance

And the wind starts up
my skirts fluff up

And I don't even wear skirts.
Not ever.
Ever.

And, now here are the frogs!
They are singing to me
even though they all died a long time ago.

They sing, as I sit in my rocking chair
that suddenly wasn't there a minute ago

And I dance in my chair, old lady I am
Dancing in my skirts
that were never there

To the frogs
that are gone.

I have a problem generally with people repackaging another person's work into a diary without being granted the author's permission beforehand, like, ahem, you tend to do. And which is why I'm doing it here too, of course. Because I can.

But Byron's work especially, since it contains some very controversial ideas, the kind that could very well draw the attention of the Maxwell Smart Brigades, if you know what I mean.

In fact, my first reaction was that Fairleft is a potted plastic plant here cleverly tipping off his handlers to add another potential terrorist to the watchlist without any of us suspecting....but, since I can't produce the paystubs...

[Socrates impersonation alert]

IMHO, if Fairleft became Byron's Boswell, the two of them would definitely go places together.....and I promise both I'll always bring them cigarettes on visitor's day after they land there....

14 comments:

donkeytale said...

The Byron diary referenced herein:

http://www.pffugeecamp.com/diary/908/davidbyron-rebellion-what-to-do-first

Tokyo Shemp said...

I agree it pertains to the question of what to do. However, it comes across to me as Hal Turner flushing out the crazies strategy.

I'm kind of glad you posted this here, so I don't have to respond to it over there.

Miep is most certainly a strange character. She is 52 but has not aged gracefully. She is the supersoling of the female persuasion. Always showing up in a blog form of omniscience.

That type of character has been represented by the entertainment industry. There's Forrest Gump. During SNL's down years, they had a guy not named Charles Rocket popping up like that. It can be a very funny schtick but only when portrayed as satire. Miep and supersoling are the real deal.

Maybe it's a form of blog maid mutation.

Byron is clever with his stirring up violent thoughts as part of his aiming higher campaign. He never names targets, only higher ups as a general idea.

Someone would have to be very foolish to go Hal Turner style. Hal says the FBI told him it was all good, that they explained to him what the line was not to be crossed.

Military spy factories are clearly all over the internet. They've admitted to it. But then it comes down to paystubs. We don't have them for too many, Hal Turner being the biggest catch.

So when I theorise a dude like David Byron could be a plant, I admit that's only an opinion based on what he has written. It's the same thing with fairleft. You think he's just picking up memes and repeating them. I don't think so. The ones he has pushed, from supporting Huey Long to wanting big brother cameras in urban areas, do not line up with how a lefty views the world.

It's the same with Byron's pushing patriarchy. That's the last thing a true lefty would push to the degree he has.

Major Flaw's another interesting blogger to wonder about if he's been on a payroll. The guy's a real estate lawyer who's spent a lot of time being a vigilante moderator for at least two major blogs. His attacks on Dave were out of far right field. What lefty would take offense to someone dissing Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity? Then it turned out that Major Flaw was from Long Island, the same geographical area of many of those zany right wingers.

Where I think Francis gets it wrong is that he turned good facts about Moulitsas into being a paystub for the CIA. It was good enough to show his right wing and authoritarian leanings. The same thing has been done with Huffington, Giordano, even a guy like James Carville has been shown to have blue dog routes.

There is definitely a spectrum to fake leftiness. The milieu we found ourselves in has had a very conspiratorial slant, as in right woos left.

Some are extreme like Blues and Stu Piddy. There was that Mattes poster who always had Michael Rivero in her signature.

I used to focus in on these anonymous usernames, but at a point it becomes useless. Francis did do good by investigating a real person with internet power in Moulitsas. He just needed to diversify. Once a nail is hammered in.....

Tokyo Shemp said...

I don't begrudge an Arthur Gilroy for never getting into the so-called META. I liked what he suggested to be asked to Noam Chomsky, as in why dudes like him and Zinn were never able to make a dent in the status quo. He even praised Chomsky. Diane Gee Willickers took it the wrong way.

Gilroy is definitely an interesting read. He was talking up his close associations with some big time musicians. I believe him. I remember right before you and him got bounced by Dana Houle at DKos, Arthur came up with a clever idea to turn blogging into a zeitgeist mover. I'd have to research it again to know exactly what I'm talking about. He got nothing but ridicule.

Those blogs are cooked, imho.

I admit I ruined my chemtrail forum the way these guys have destroyed DKos, MLW, WWL, FSZ, and Pffugee. The difference is, I usually messed things up like that as a subconcious attempt to cleanse my soul. One can only go so far with the weather modification schtick. I tried to find big or semi-big blogs to make a home with. I don't think there is one worth spending too much time on or trusting that it's anything but mostly a waste of time.

Peeder must have realised that the vast majority blogging at the Political Flesh Feast were rubbish individuals, low in intellect and high in trolling skills.

That's not a slight against yourself or perhaps if there were a few others worth reading. The wayback machine doesn't allow much perusing of the original PFF. By the time I heard of it, it was alreaqdy gone.

People like MattyJack, Maryscott, Fairleft, Blues, Miep, supersoling, Cometman, Melvin, and many more are the kind of people I would not allow in my living room. For that reason, I don't spend much time thinking about them anymore. That's the question I ask myself when considering whether to spend "quality time" on a blog. Would I break bread with these people?

That there are so many creepy people on the internet makes it easier to be more detached and in more control of how one spends their time on it.

I never looked at WWL too much. I think I checked it out when a guy named Shergald quit because they were being Joooo haters. And that dude is as pro-Palestinian as they are.

Diane G. was completely out of line with her reaction to Gilroy's pertinent question. I bet Chomsky would love to be asked things like that. Why do things never get better? Mr. Chomsky, why haven't you been able to lead any social movement? You can check out German sociologist Max Weber, perhaps the greatest of all history. He got involved in politics and tried to make a difference. What has Chomsky actually ever accomplished in making this a better world? Why should more people be aware of who Chomsky has been than let's say Adorno, Erich Fromm, Horkheimer, and many more? At least those dudes were making a difference in real time. What has Chomsky actually accomplished other than being the Cary Grant of lefties? Cary Grant created a cult of personality, same as Chomsky. I bet Grant regretted not getting more juicier roles. I bet Chomsky wishes he had gotten more done as an activist. It would have been nice to hear his thoughts on that. But nooooo.

donkeytale said...

You're being baited over at FSZ.

They made a wise crack about Dave.

"In death our name is Dave Weintraub."

Prior to that, comentman made his usual fool of himself.I got in a few good licks. Blues is pissed at Jack for some reason

Jack claims nobody is banned. You might try it out just to make sure.

But they definitely laid a trap for you.

Log in to see, but dont participate is my advice.....

Miep got all huffed/puffed over ender particpating at the Naked Blog or wtf they call it. The new docudharma. Buhdydharma is hanging them up. I remember Revisionist having a sock puppet at PFF called "buddydrama". RIOTOUS! Miep really just doesn't get the PFF zeitgeist, which lives on in its demented Mad Maxian carnation.

Everything goes and all assholishness is heavily encouraged.

She's kinda got a bit too much of the leftier than thou in her, like you in that way, takes it too seriously when its meant to be bread and circuses for trolls, all the time no matter what is said or who gets nicked in the process.

She draws some rigid lines. I think she's lookin for love in all the wrong places but generally speaking, I like her schtick. Alot of it is pretty good, some of it is quite good.

You have to worry about bloggers during the holiday season. Stuff gets really strange at this time. She bears watching and maybe a little outpouring of some encouragement from unexpected places....like you. Never been to sure why you dislike like her. The act gets old, I know, and we've seen it already so many times, but maybe thats why as mature boobtube addicts we can recognize the symptoms and help a fellow alkie thru a difficult stretch of the delerium tremens.

Supersoling generally acquits himself well in the past comment threads I have seen.

Early on, when he was still a noob at Booman, he had his moments but really nobody should be made to endure retrial based on their early days.

Once he settled in and saw the light he has been an able performer.

Byron wrote a good, provocative piece her. It was substantial. He's a polemicist, as am I at times. I don't think you interact well with that style of discourse, because its meant to be somewhat disruptive, and like satire in that it pushes the boundaries of credulity in order to make a point.

Generally speaking, Byron is a real intellect. You may disagree with his stance but you have to be impressed with his thought process.

The problem with communism is simple: it doesn't work. It objectifies and binds humanity in a way that simply remains subjective and uncontrollable: our our social nature. The market and the hierarchical nature are immutably human essence.

But as a litmus test, the ideal of a communist system helps define the travesties and injustices wrought by capitalism in the inevitable cycle of the rich holding all the wealth. And the threat of chaos truly is all the poor have in their power during the worst of times.

There is a real need and a natural desire for the human darkness, for the sickness unto death. I shudder when I type these thoughts but really we can't just keep ascending. The decline and fall is a natural consequence as surely as the resurrection.

Or so we maintain our hope, both for ourselves and our deities which reflect us.

Tokyo Shemp said...

Gilroy is posting at Booman's. Here's his profile page.

http://www.boomantribune.com/user/Arthur%20Gilroy

He's got some interesting diaries. The recent one is about his getting banned from WWL. Diane showed up. I was reading through the next couple. He has a nice writing style and is competent at getting one to think.

He's got one on DKos too from fairly recent. He blasts them for the hypocrisy of proclaiming themselves as freedom loving but mete out Stalinist moderating. Him and Shergald went after each other.

It's all kind of lame except for Gilroy. He is good at playing a curmudgeon. I picture him as the Spencer Tracy of blogs, as in good at delivering speeches. He's the white man's Jesse Jackson for blogs. Bet on it.

[/keep hope alive]

Tokyo Shemp said...

My last post was made before reading your new one. I just read it. It was very thoughtful. Give me some time, and I'll respond. By the way, have you any requests for a photo to go with this essay? I was thinking Rodney King with the caption, "Why can't we all just get along?" With your last entree, I had the article to provide a direct hit of a choice. But sometimes, I just can't come up with any ideas on how to liven it up with an image.

Tokyo Shemp said...

I don't have my old password to FSZ. But I'll say this. I agree it seems like a trap. MattyJack clearly fits the definition of a troll. I think he's that new poster copying and pasting what others write. Think about how he says banning doesn't mean anything. He's implying that I still post at FSZ with sock puppets. I never went back, and I rarely have read there since. I would just go back from time to time to see what you were posting. It's rather a boring blog, and those are not people I would want to know in real life. When I skimmed a bit of Booman, I noticed that same troll who repeats other's sentences. It's strange. I'm not into convolution. And that's an astute comment you made that I'm not big into conversations that get disruptive. They tend to bring out the worst in me. You are brilliant at counter punching nonsense. I get to the point where I feel I can't win for trying. For the most part I enjoy talking with you, because you are a good listener.

Tokyo Shemp said...

True we are approaching the seasonal disorder thingie time. Maybe I should write an entry at pffugee, titled something like here's a big hug for Miep. My problem is I don't like getting trolled on. I don't mind if it's just fairleft or a few others. But I don't like it when a whole clique is on my back. You know, the don't suffer fools maxim.

Tokyo Shemp said...

The US was never in any danger of becoming communist, ever. But, it could have evolved into more of a Western European kind of social welfare. The problem with capitalism is it doesn't provide a job for anyone who is able and willing to work. If it can't do that, then it better provide free rides. That it doesn't is what explains crime. Crime is a natural response to inequality. People shouldn't act all patriotic and call this the greatest country in the world when it isn't. Dukakis would have been a good President. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

donkeytale said...

I dont agree that all pictures fit or are needed for every post. Sometimes they work well. Depends on the topic.

How about a picture of Miep?

Her poem is front and center and its very good. Maybe youre not old enough yet to catch the feel of it.

All you have to do is send an email to retrieve your password.

But its up to you.

donkeytale said...

Yeah, you dont need to make a grand statement of a diary on Pffugee, more of just a be ready, court awareness, point guard type work.

Be ready to dish it off down low or suddenly stop and pop a quick 3.

refrain from the cheap shot retaliatory foul even when one is warranted.

donkeytale said...

Regardless of Byron's relative ability to photosynthesize, his writing and thinking on these subjects demonstrates a superb intelligence.

I believe his educational background to be in mathematics.

And he is surely not an American as you keep straining to confirm. His thinking and his uses of terms are too naturally not US of A like.

I admit I dont have a copy of his passport but my recollection is that he lives either in the US or Canada, and doesn't work. Married with a houseful of hound dogs.

But I dont have a copy of his marriage license or his veterinary bills.

donkeytale said...

As for Gilroy, I have a great deal of fondness for him, we go back a long ways and there was plenty of interaction at one time.

I admit that I tire of his style and his bludgeoning and havent followed him regularly even when sharing blog space. But he is very evocative, crisp and to the point which is also made polemically in a way that irritates many.

Like many of the best of us, when he's good he's very, very good. Plus, like a few of us, he never forgets the entertainment values.

But yes, exceedingly sharp and interesting background. I like his the non-sellout artistic nature of his persona. Very east coast and hard boiled. Man with a horn in the Big Apple. Works.

He of course frequently rubs the milder midwestern types like Diane and the ultra blandoid phony Californian MLW/DKOS types wrong.

Lots of energy and style but not much pace. Would benefit from a ballad or two interspersed with the hard driving uptempo numbers. But he long ago said music was his art that he worked daily to perfect and blogging was his release. He lets it flow.

But I like him just fine. For me, its good enough to know he's still out there chuggin away with undiminshed vitality.

Tokyo Shemp said...

Wow, I can log in at FSZ, but I really am not into posting there ever again.

I guess maybe you could give me the heads up if Miep shows up at Pffugee, or if by chance you are interacting with her, please tell her I send my sincere regards.

Yup on Byron. He might just get a kick out of shocking people. Maybe he was born British and moved to Canada or the US. I admit he's a smart cookie. I mean, that doesn't mean I'm in agreement with his ideas or like his schtick. "Aiming Higher" was wrong, as in Hal Turner wrong. Karl Rove is obviously a smart guy. Dick Cheney must be smart. You know what I mean. Or maybe I'm saying I know what you mean.

I liked Miep's poem above. I'd feel funny about posting her picture without her okaying it.

And the wind starts up
my skirts fluff up

And I don't even wear skirts.


That's just one crazy segment, but it's funny. Maybe back in the day she held in a hit of the purest weed for too long and she's perpetually buzzed.

I also like your thought of how one needn't retaliate every time even when justified. That was profound. Easier said than done [/alas].