November 14, 2007

"Aside from the inevitable sniping I’ll get from people like Ann Althouse..."

Good lord, someone's got a bad case of Althouse Derangement Syndrome. His dog dies, and he thinks of me, mocking him?

CORRECTION: Cat, not dog. AND: Apparently, not his dog, someone else's. Believe me, I'm not going over that blog with a fine-tooth comb.

51 comments:

Joaquin said...

Amazing! Can you say.... wasted life?
God Save The Al.

MadisonMan said...
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MadisonMan said...

I decided that was too flippant.

paul a'barge said...

The dog was of reasonable intelligence, could not take it anymore and died on purpose.

Robert Holmgren said...

The people to feel it's their right to not to be criticized while engaging in criticism.

A surprising number of Democrats complain about not being able to have opposition-free campaigns.

Ann Althouse said...

Uh oh, don't say anything mean about the dog, or he'll feel justified. A man's pet died, and he's sad about it. It doesn't have anything to do with me.

People keep saying that I always think it's all about me. Let it be known, I don't think this dead dog is about me.

MadisonMan said...

A surprising number of Democrats complain about not being able to have opposition-free campaigns.

I've never heard such a complaint. Is it a regional thing?

KCFleming said...

Their dead dog is about me of course.

Seriously, though, he did a nice job in the song.

rhhardin said...

Its part of being a dog that dogs die (before you do). A master who dies first is dying out of order ; as masters eventually do, in their series of dogs, if they're living up to their obligations anyway.

I'm a little suspicious of capitalizing the death of your dog, first of all because I think it misses the point ; and second because it's easy to do.

Not that it isn't a common experience that you can notice. But it ought to tie up to something else that it actually draws on.

Vicki Hearne's _Oyez a Beaumont_ catches a little of it. Variously reprinted, but in her book _Animal Happiness_ fairly permanently.

My own inclination is thousands of dog photographs of dogs not dying. Take a camera with you when you go outside with the dog.

And then with the next, a series which is the real story of our relationship with dogs.

reader_iam said...

William looks like a cat to me.

Swifty Quick said...

"A surprising number of Democrats complain about not being able to have opposition-free campaigns."

It's akin to when Al Gore and his minions claim "the debate is over."

reader_iam said...

It mystifies what Althouse has to do with a video that Trex made expressing thanks to those who contributed funds for the care of Poppy Z's cat William in his last days.

Maybe TRex was setting up a little vortex of his own?

Not sure how that helps Poppy Z (whose blog I like, FWIW), but he says they're friends, so I'm certainly not qualified to speak to that.

Randy said...

I'm sorry to hear that that someone's obviously beloved pet died. The tribute was touching. It is very sad that one of TRex's thoughts was that Ann would mock him. I don't understand people like paul'abarge and I have no real interest in finding out why they think it appropriate to be so rude.

I don't know why RHHArdin thinks he was capitalizing on the death - he was reporting it. His friends were interested and concerned. They'd helped out.

Have a heart, people. Even someone you don't like deserves to be treated with some respect. Otherwise, you just lower yourself to the level of those you complain loudly about. It would be refreshing to see a thread full of compassion expressed in response.

reader_iam said...

Well, Randy, you know well, I think, that I can empathize with the loss of a pet, and it's clear Poppy Z is grieving. Reading Poppy's posts made me think of my own cat who died at 21 a few years back; I still miss him.

But TRex did throw in the gratuitous and irrelevant reference to Althouse and bad-faith actors, so I'm not sure that the neutral "reporting it" characterization is quite right.

Brian Doyle said...

Note: It was about Ann enough for her to call attention to the post and defend herself.

Nutcase.

reader_iam said...

And may I point out one more time that William was a cat.

reader_iam said...

And not TRex's pet, but Poppy Z's, whose post this wasn't.

reader_iam said...

Doyle: You don't think it's a little weird for TRex to reference Althouse, in context? I mean ... that seems at least a little nutty itself.

Brian Doyle said...

"His dog dies and he thinks of me, mocking him?"

Well you are, aren't you?

rhhardin said...


I don't know why RHHArdin thinks he was capitalizing on the death - he was reporting it. His friends were interested and concerned. They'd helped out.


It's entertainment, is why.

Entertainment doesn't mean made happy. It only requires engrossment, which people in fact seek for their own gratification.

The reason for sympathy, ``Sorry about your father,'' is that it means not that you're sorry (probably you're not), but that you're cutting the guy some social slack for a while. Say you'll understand if his work project is a little late, or if he doesn't laugh at the same joke you're told him a thousand times for a while.

That social slack is the reason your sympathy is of use to him, and its being of use to him is why it's offered.

If you don't know the guy, or if you have no standing to offer him slack about anything, you're entertaining yourself with your sympathy.

I am reminded of the NYT article Diana's Death Resonates With Women In Therapy .

So it's a policy question whether to increase the amount of soap opera. I think it dishonors the memory, myself.

It's a mind your own business thing.

Brian Doyle said...

So what? The two of them have been back and forth many times, and he's saying he's nervous about getting made fun of, and of course who is the most likely to do so?

That even in this case Ann couldn't just let it go is proof that she has the emotional maturity of a teenager.

Jason said...

The term "self-fulfilling prophecy" comes to mind.

Randy said...

I understand that, Reader. It is unfortunate that people find it necessary to respond in kind. It makes it easier for someone like to Doyle to parade around here making comments like he just did. Fairly or not, as we know, Ann gets blamed for comments here, and some make it easier to claim she's done exactly what the wretch thought she would. When she didn't.

It seems to me that How sad for Poppyz and how sad for TRex that he would think that is much more effective (and more apporpriate). But whatever...

rhhardin said...

If it's a cat, he's in good shape. People only grieve over a cat for a month, experts say. With a dog, it's three months.

Gray said...

"CORRECTION: Cat, not dog."

Yeah, I know how it is, Althouse. Have been suspecting, too, that Alzheimer is knocking on my door. Just like Dannie Craine. But, wtf, who cares about all those minor details anyhoo?
:D

Randy said...

RHHardin: Fair enough. (Suffice to say I disagree with just about everything in that last comment.)

no one said...

Randy, thank you for your thoughtful comments.

I'm afraid this is a subject that would have been better left untouched by Professor Althouse.

Brian Doyle said...

Uh oh, don't say anything mean about the dog, or he'll feel justified.

God you are a miserable harpy.

Randy said...

God you are a miserable harpy. No, she isn't. Your voluminous record here proves that you are one, however, so your choice of terms is interesting. Such a vile little man, so busy sowing hate, discord, and disinformation.

Brian Doyle said...

Hey at least I'd have the decency to leave her alone if she was mourning the loss of a pet.

And what disinformation?

KCFleming said...

Hey at least I'd have the decency

I rather doubt that decency is one of your attributes; at least I have seen no evidence of it here.

bill said...

I can't speak for her earlier works, but if you enjoy New Orleans and/or restaurants, I highly recommend Poppy Z. Brite's Liquor Series: Liquor, Prime, Soul Kitchen, and D*U*C*K.

Either search Amazon or order from Subterranean Press. Just published is Antediluvian Tales, the only fiction she's been able to write since hurricane Katrina. So instead of squabbling over Althouse and the FDL guy, go buy a book.

And if in New Orleans, her husband, Chris DeBarr, is the chef at the Delachaise.

former law student said...

ann - as I read him, he thinks you'd snipe about how he sounds on the video (first time voice recorded in n years), not about his grief, etc. Has he made fun of your vlogging, etc.?

john said...

Rhhardin, you have it right - it's not about a cat, its not about grief, its about Poppy. Read on.
He not only hit up his friends for costs of the cat's meds, he had enough left over to cremate it - what does that cost, about $300-$400? A box of cat ashes, how gross and pathetic, as now he has something to sprinkle over the cat's favorite meditation space, or mountaintop, or ocean, or maybe give a pinch to each of his friends who helped pay. Or just leave the box on the coffee table.

We bury our dead pets - cat, lizards, gerbil, in the back yard or in the desert, no music videos, slide shows or public blog-grief, just the family. Then we go home for lunch. (Always happens on a Saturday).

Ann Althouse said...

"'God you are a miserable harpy.' No, she isn't. Your voluminous record here proves that you are one, however, so your choice of terms is interesting. Such a vile little man, so busy sowing hate, discord, and disinformation."

I would expect better from the Governor of Wisconsin.

former law student said..."as I read him, he thinks you'd snipe about how he sounds on the video (first time voice recorded in n years), not about his grief, etc. Has he made fun of your vlogging, etc.?"

Yes, he has. In other words, his ideas about how I might act are based on his knowledge of how he acts. Yes, he's done videos parodying me and everything.

And in those videos, he has the temerity to make me look fat!

And not only would I not think of making fun of that video, I wouldn't even want to watch it. I don't go over there looking for things to mock. That's what he does to me. I just occasionally respond to his attacks on me. (I realize I can ignore them, but sometimes I feel like fighting back.)

Gray said...

"And in those videos, he has the temerity to make me look fat!"

Now, this really goes way too far!
Hehehehe!

And now excuse me, pls, I have to look for that old Carly Simon record...
:D

JohnAnnArbor said...

He does whole VIDEOS just to mock a blogger he disagrees with politically?

Wow. He needs a hobby. One that doesn't reveal how sad a human being he is.

Get a cat and going a stamp club or something.

john said...
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john said...

Ann, always remember, angle the torso 30 degrees from the camera, but look straight into it. Good for 10 lbs.

You know about solid colors.

Randy said...

I would expect better from the Governor of Wisconsin.

LOL! One can always hope, I guess.

Randy said...

Ann, always remember, angle the torso 30 degrees from the camera, but look straight into it. Good for 10 lbs.

John, In that case, Ann would end up looking one of the more severely anorexic models favored by Abercrombie & Fitch.

john said...

Oh, I forgot, hands on hips as it makes you look like your waist is smaller.

Randy, someone from Wisconsin need not worry about AF. I think its due to all the cheese.

lurker2209 said...

Hm...I'm really beginning to think that people just don't understand the point of Althouse. Mocking a public expression of grief over a beloved pet is not really Althouse. Now if the guy had sued his vet over the cat's death that was in some way ridiculous--that might be the sort of think Althouse would mock. The distinction is clear enough to me.

Randy said...

John: Obviously you have not ever met Ann in person. If you did, then you'd know that she doesn't have any need to act on these suggestions. It is pretty silly to pretend she does.

john said...

"And in those videos, he has the temerity to make me look fat!"

Randy, it's not that she's fat, its just those damn cameras.

Ann Althouse said...

It wasn't the cameras, John. It was the actor playing the role of Ann Althouse.

TRex said...

And in those videos, he has the temerity to make me look fat!

Huh?

I've only made one video about you, lady, and the only thing in it was me and some pieces of printer paper and an Amy Winehouse song. How that purportedly makes you look fat is completely beyond me.

Ann Althouse said...

Were you not pretending to be me... playing the character of me? (Or am I thinking of some video someone else made?)

TRex said...

Were you not pretending to be me... playing the character of me? (Or am I thinking of some video someone else made?)

Apparently you are talking about that chubby guy in the blond wig, and I don't know who that was. Wasn't it someone who's actual real-time friends with the guys at Sadly, No?

Ann Althouse said...

Oh, I was remembering that as you. Sorry. I didn't really watch it or the one you made, whatever it was. Didn't realize there were 2.

blake said...

This is why music is better than politics.

TRex has a nice voice (maybe a little rusty).