Exceptional piece. I liked your blog early on, then became annoyed when it seemed like you kept taking shots at novels and fiction in general -- as this was/is my chosen field, the highest calling in my view, where I excel. I thought you were perhaps demonstrating some misgivings about how the writing of blogs might be viewed in the future (where, as Criswell reminds us at the beginning of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, we all shall one day reside); also, listening to some actor's performance on an audiobook does not equal the actual reading experience, end of fucking story (to invoke TRAINSPOTTING's Irvine Welsh).
Then the Comments section of your blog became taken over by a far-Right cabal which was just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes might have become. You came to realize this, it seems, but it took you a long time.
I brought your attention recently to the Netflix series based on my book just as a friendly gesture and I suppose because of the friendly feeling engendered by years of reading your blog. The show has become a phenomenon.
Grimson gave me permission to publish that. The Nexflix show is "Brand New Cherry Flavor":
And here's Criswell:
Posts
115 comments:
Do I need write more posts about my weed smoking to bring the comments section to the left a little? Could add some stuff about my ungodly lack of religious belief too.
I don't know that your blog was "taken over," exactly, there were always a lot of smart voices here, but the problem posters did often shout the loudest.
My only other observation is that Mr. Grimson is quite proud of his own standards, which, judging by the trailer, will not come through in his Netflix series (not to say it won't be successful, it just won't be art.)
#artist.
We are more of a coterie than a cabal.
The idea that the non-progressive posters here are "far right" is an obnoxious lie. Lefties always need to accuse any dissenters of being "far right" because they have no rational counter arguments to present, so guilt by association using lies is all they have. The Communists always call their opposition "fascists" and this is the same accusation.
I don't know why a novelist would mind someone "taking shots at novels and fiction in general." The novelists I've talked to or read about were always taking shots at novels and fiction.
Part of self-promotion — e.g., "I excel," "The show has become a phenomenon" — is running down the competition.
Re: Todd Grimson's email ...
The first two words were well selected, well constructed and held promise for an interesting and informative bit of writing. Nope.
It turned out to be self promoting of the "I have an interesting job, I know more than you and your commenters suck" variety. But I appreciate the effort.
"Far right cabal". In much the same way as Glenn Greenwald is "far right".
Hollywood is horrid. That Hollywood is a cabal of leftist a-holes only adds to my refusal to watch anything like that top clip. *groan*
Ugly garbage.
I found the "Taking shots at novels" comment extemely odd. I hope he doesn't read criticism in books, newspapers or magazines, since they also "take shots" at various authors. Even if famous novelists aren't running down the competition in public, they're usually doing so in private.
I've read a lot of literary biographies, and never read one where the famous author didn't trash someone else for being boring or inferior. Read twain on Cooper/Austen or Hawthorne proclaiming about "a damned mob of scribbling women". Hemingway never met a fellow novelist he didn't badmouth. IRC, Mailer/Updike/Vidal? went after Tom Wolfe, and Capote said of "On the Road" that's not writing, its typing.
This fellow not only has a thin skin, he seems proud of it.
A lot of people on the left seem unaccustomed to spaces that allow conservative voices at all.
""Then the Comments section of your blog became taken over by a far-Right cabal which was just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes might have become.""
These people are pathetic.
I have grown and sold tons of marijuana. In the literal sense, not as a euphemism for "a lot."
I think the drug war is a stupid waste of time.
I think abortion should be legal for at least the beginning of pregnancy. You can argue about details of when the fetus should be protected but I will not quibble with anything between 6-20 weeks.
I have supported same sex marriage for over 30 years now.
"Far Right" is a euphemism for opposing these fascist shitheads and their attempt to take our freedom and undermine our republic in fundamental ways.
What SGT Ted said.
"a far-Right cabal"
If I'm far right, where does that put Achilles? But I suppose that, viewed from the far left, anyone to the right of Mittens is "far" right.
""I excel," "The show has become a phenomenon""
Are we sure this isn't satire, a self-important prog engaging in subtle self-deprecation though the use of hyperbole? On second thought, nah.
“… as this was/is my chosen field, the highest calling in my view, where I excel…”
“I brought your attention recently to the Netflix series based on my book …. ”
“The show has become a phenomenon…”
Wow. Suck your own Dick much?
@SGT Ted
Its relative, if you are to the left of Mao then anyone who is slightly center-right seems far right to you.
That looks like yet another stunningly bad Netflix Original that I won't be watching. I wonder why I keep paying them, their content is so poor.
At 14, I personally laughed aloud during Nixon's resignation speech, glad to see the bastard finally forced to take some accountability for his malevolent actions. My hatred of Nixon was personal, not political, and I rejoiced in his disgrace.
The next political event at which I laughed aloud was while reading the Starr Report on the day of its release. Clinton deserved to be ridiculed out of office.
My parents were John Birchers, Tridentine Catholics, and way ahead of their time regarding race relations, women's rights, gay rights, and other hot topic issues. I married outside my religion and am inactive in politics.
One of my children went to Texas A&M, the other to University of Texas, Austin.
I avoid cabals like the plague, and I deeply resent any group that would have me for a member. Althouse Blog Comments is an exception to O'Sullivan's Law, “All organizations that are not actually right-wing will over time become left-wing.” Long may it continue.
I am not big on 'horror' as these days everyone employs the same tricks; people walking on the ceiling or in unnatural ways, for example.
But the 'Cherry' show doesn't look terribly produced, even if it does seem to be pandering to women's revenge porn fantasies...
Remember: In Hivespeak, "far right" equals "pro-freedom."
We are more of a coterie than a cabal.
I've always thought of us as a community.
'Do I need write more posts about my weed smoking to bring the comments section to the left a little?'
These days that's neither a left or right thing from what I've seen.
But I would like your opinion on smoking vs edibles...it seems to me that if one were to indulge, edibles would be better for the lungs in these days of covid...
The great thing about this blog is that it allows comments from assholes of every stripe. Thanks Ann!
tim in vermont: "We are more of a coterie than a cabal."
Not only that, our coterie does not report to any single higher authority, in particular not to a Commissioner.
Its more of a committee, some of whom are appointed, some elected and the rest co-opted on a bi-annual basis.
Its a quorum so to speak.
Kamala Harris on Same Day Biden Announces Vax Mandates:
‘When People Are Able to Make Choices without Government Interference… We Are a Stronger Society’
You can't make this shit up.
As an aside, why was advertising the artist's current project on Netflix an addition to the content of his email about your blog? I think Althouse got taken in by some clever social media advertising here, and I, for one, resent the leftist abuse of her commenters (myself included) by Netflix, while using Althouse's respect for her personal cabal of commenters to place an ad in her blog without paying.
Next time, Althouse, get payment up front for the social media ad placement.
Exposure isn't payment.
I'd offer up my apologies, but...eh...I can't.
I just looked at Todd's booklist and it's impressive. Though not my area of interest and not even remotely enticing (not really interested in another vampire story), one has to commend him for finding success as a writer and as "the greatest horror writer you've never read".
Writing is hard. Writing fiction is much harder than writing non-fiction. So I do give him credit for doing as much as he has. And maybe he knew the niche to get attention would be vampires, blood, and 'phantasmagorical dreamscapes'. I mean, someone's got to do it and apparently Netflix knows it has an audience for it. (this is my shocked face)
But I do have to ask, as an official member of a right wing cabal, isn't there a membership card I should be getting in the mail, or a secret handshake taught to me by Mike (MJB Wolf) or someone else on 'the team'? Maybe a small decal for the rear window of my car? Something?
Hmmm. Seems like giving the definition of cabal - "A "cabal" is "A small body of persons engaged in secret or private machination or intrigue; a junto, clique, côterie, party, faction" (OED)" - was a bit of a slam at Mr. Grimson, albeit sub silentio.
Can I get a plug for my Packaging Machinery Handbook?
Available on Amazon, please use the portal.
John Henry
If Grimson believes that the conservatives who comment here are “far right” then he needs to recalibrate where he stands relative to the political center.
"just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes" - Grimson
Finally, we have it in writing.
I'm tempted to get this engraved on a piece of shiny brass and wood for mounting in a prominent spot. Please leave ideas regarding the font. I'm thinking comic sans right now.
Is a cabalist similar to a caballero? Also, nice to learn that correct term for a group of assholes is a "gang." I always thought it was "pack."
Cabal? Coterie? You'll never find moi in either one--I'm much too elitist.
I spent 120 long seconds watching that trailer. It has everything that makes American pop culture despicable.
Hard pass.
So, this "Todd Grimson" sends an insulting self-promoting email as if he was somebody.
Thanks for the disclosure. We'll be sure never to watch.
Mr. Grimson modestly said...
"novels and fiction in general -- as this was/is my chosen field, the highest calling in my view, where I excel. "
tim maguire said, about the illustrious Mr Grimson ...
My only other observation is that Mr. Grimson is quite proud of his own standards
Well, Mr Gimson has REASON To Be PROUD, after all; here's his wiki page
The page "Todd Grimson" does not exist. You can ask for it to be created, but consider checking the search results below to see whether the topic is already covered.
Here's his IMDB page:
Todd Grimson
i mean, like; WOW! right?
Grimson was called "The Greatest Horror Writer You'll Never Read" by Damien Walter of The Guardian in the UK
I'm part of a cabal? Who knew?
How exciting. Can't wait to tell my kids.
Being accused by someone of being part of an evil cabal always makes me interested in watching their Netflix show.
It is a compelling experiment in self-promotion.
"...novels and fiction in general -- as this was/is my chosen field, the highest calling in my view..."
Why the view of a B-list fiction scribbler of what is "the highest calling" has any relevance to anything is beyond me. The idea that writing fiction is a "calling" is vaguely religious in a Brooksian sort of way. And just as off-putting.
Then don't click on the comments link. Just read and enjoy the posts.
Problem solved.
I was struck by the AA poll the other day on whether Trump should run, with a breakout of want-GOP-to-win or not. Last I checked GOP win votes totaled around 97%. So (as Zuck might transition) it stands to reason far right comments on AA political posts vastly dominate and ad hominem posters feel comfortable ignoring the nominal moderation standard. (FYI I voted under no Trump/GOP lose.) So, since moderation restarted letting most any kind of comment through, I mostly comment on non-political posts.
Who is Todd Grimson? If he excels, what are his numbers? Is he the next Tom Wolfe?
Ann was formerly married to a novelist and she reads many novels. She's an expert on the topic.
If this is a right-wing cabal, I'm proud to be in it.
I know one thing: the right and left have very little in common these days. Two movies on one screen.
Ann Althouse said...
I don't know why a novelist would mind someone "taking shots at novels and fiction in general." The novelists I've talked to or read about were always taking shots at novels and fiction.
I always thought that your posts about literature were more analytical in nature than anything else. But, hey, he got you to blog his email.
"I brought your attention recently to the Netflix series based on my book just as a friendly gesture..."
Good start with "Exceptional piece", but it goes south quickly. And of course, "it took a long time" for Althouse to realize the infiltration of her commentariat by the far-Right cabal. Such a dim bulb she is!
But, "just as a friendly gesture..."
He wanted you to publish this? What a peculiar approach to marketing. He chose to run down not the competition but the platform he chose for promotion.
Even the name "Grimson"...it kinda figures. And that trailer! Just the kind of movie I avoid. Heckuva job there, Todd!
Todd Grissom has a surfeit of like-minded sites to assuage his ego.
Leave this blog alone.
As per Criswell, I prefer - as regards so much of the last five years' gaslighting;
Criswell's Razor:
Can you prove it didn't happen?
I am not surprised that someone graciously allowed you to provide free advertising for a TV presentation based on his written work.
SGT Ted said something about ...
The idea that the non-progressive posters here are "far right"....
Serious Question; WHAT would you have to do, to be described in the MSM as "far left"?
Follow up: Robert Cook(sic?), do YOU consider YOURSELF, to be "far left" ???
A writer for CBS news, once wrote an oped piece for the WSJ.
And Dan Rather berated him for it; saying that "News Writers" shouldn't be working with such 'partisan' places like the WSJ. The writer was surprised at this, since he knew that Dan had regularly written for places like the NYT's.
So, he asked Dan; "if the WSJ is 'partisan', what do you call the New York Times?'
and Dan Rather replied: "Middle of the Road"
The writer said, that this explains a LOT about the left
"Far Right" in the San Francisco or Madison sense, I suppose...
Bernie Sanders is far right of Pol Pot.
Great, now I have a few additional books with no time to read
I do miss the artisanal comments from a month ago or so. More thoughtful.
As a Catholic, Republican, Trump-supporting, pro-lifer I have always seen myself as mainstream, albeit of the future. Plan 10 from the Heavens. Not appearing as a series on Netflix any time soon. Others might say I'm on the right of Genghis Khan or Temujin as his mother used to call him but I say I just have an individual angle mathematics hasn't identified yet. Part of the hexagon in the sixth dimension, perhaps. And so do others I read here. A cabal of individuals reading random books and idly wandering through random topics? No wonder we're on someone's book or Netflix promotion list. I've bought quite few books Althouse mentioned (though none by what's his name Wallace.) Kurosawa is my favorite found here. Yet it seems Mr. Novelist cringes at the thought of a real review by Althouse. Althouse is to mention him but We're to disregard Althouse's comments on anything he writes or Netflix produces - she listens to audio books and "takes shots" at fiction and novels. Ambivalence.
First, somebody's doing their own PR. Nice job poet guy...
...'Then the Comments section of your blog became taken over by a far-Right cabal which was just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes might have become. You came to realize this, it seems, but it took you a long time.'
Keep in mind, after the Democrats stole the election it was infuriating for the rational thinkers here to not only see how it was happening but also they and anyone who objected or tried to point to the evidence in public was canceled. They were (are) being silenced everywhere, including here, as Ann finds discussion of election fraud 'boring', to use her word. In that context things did get a bit ragged here...
This poet (#artist- hat tip Scott Adams) is miffed the forum is back and people he doesn't agree with have a place to discuss without being banned. Big whup...
I also think the more compelling question is not why Ann turned off comments, but why have they returned?
'We are more of a coterie than a cabal.'
I thought we were an autonomous collective...
This Grimson guy is pretty special.
It was striking that in your "Are you happy with Trump running again in 2014?" poll, fully 96.54% of those who bothered to respond said they "want the GOP to win" (1228 of 1272 as of the September 10 at 1:00 PM EDT).
Also interesting, of those 1228 who "want the GOP to win", 34% wanted Trump to run, 22% were neutral, and 43% were opposed. Which seems kind of low for "a far-Right cabal".
"(where, as Criswell reminds us at the beginning of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, we all shall one day reside"
Not to be picky, but that is not what Criswell says. He doesn't say "shall one day reside," but every day moving forward reside..."the rest of our lives." You would think a guy that "excels" could handle that.
So isn't a cabal an organized group. To paraphrase Will Rogers, "I don't belong to any organized party, I'm a Republican."
Funny how the first two posts I read seem to purposefully misuse the language to say one thing and mean another. Here we have a pompous self-absorbed writer hinting that your commenters are part of some "vast right wing conspiracy." And on the top post of the day we have some other hack writer, Mike Somebody, trying to conflate civil disobedience with civil disorder or more correctly treasonous behavior. The left is awfully good at subtly twisting the meaning of words, arent' they.
"just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes" - Grimson
Finally, we have it in writing.
I'm tempted to get this engraved on a piece of shiny brass and wood for mounting in a prominent spot. Please leave ideas regarding the font. I'm thinking comic sans right now.
Times New Roman, for the irony.
Watched the trailer… looks very uplifting…
Just added this one to the list of the 93.6% of Netflix product I have no interest in watching.
"isn't there a membership card I should be getting in the mail, or a secret handshake taught to me by Mike (MJB Wolf) or someone else on 'the team'? Maybe a small decal for the rear window of my car? Something?"
I think maybe tattoos done in invisible ink; that only show up under UV lights would be cool
Only the left would see the bulk of commentators here as "far right". There are a few who qualify, but I'd describe most of them as the "thoughtful right". I read the comments because of the large number of intelligent commentators, and to remind myself I am not alone. (In my views - no self promotion about my LSAT scores.)
Grimson got Althouse to promote his Netflix adaptation.
I just watched the first episode. It was really good. Check it out.
Todd Grimson… Grim*son… Son of Grim…
Teh candyapple did not fall far from the tree…
1. I will not be watching that tv series.
1a. Catherine Keener still looks great though.
2. I enjoyed the Criswell clip.
3. The last good movie I saw was Song of Back and Neck https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6150962/reference
4. Does a cabal keep tally on a cabal-abacus?
One man's far-Right cabal is another man's assembly of freedom fighters.
The comments mostly kept the blog from turning into a women's magazine, not counting the apparently uncontrollable troll and countertroll aspect. 3 words with troll.
Todd who?
Todd who?
"I'm part of a cabal? Who knew?
How exciting. Can't wait to tell my kids."
The first rule of a cabal is to never talk about the cabal.
"...this was/is my chosen field, the highest calling in my view, where I excel."
Well, bless his heart!
In today's parlance, "far right" = "not explicitly left".
If this is a cabal, why wasn't I told about the meetings?
I'm miffed.
“This Grimson guy is pretty special.”
Really?
I thought he was boring as hell.
And do you realize, coterie is a diaper brand?
So, I’m not taking part in that, thank you: no.
No one’s calling me full of shit by definition!
I going to go with galère for the Althouse collective. It sounds tonier.
Tank does not wish to be part of any cabal that would have him as a member.
Mr. Grimson, I will watch absolutely anything, utterly lacking shame, while making dinner, and so I might risk your show, though "blood sex magic" is not a preferred genre. I might even read an excerpt of your writing despite your slurs here, since I have long been an adherent to New Criticism.
But there's one thing you get unforgivably wrong.
What are audiobooks but a return to the oral tradition of conveying a text? Maybe knowing anything about Homer (Greek, not Simpson) isn't your cup of tea. Nor Aeschylus. Nor the oral traditions passing down and performing Gilgamesh, the Tales of Arthur, Chaucer, and so on. Maybe you've never heard of any of this. Maybe you think the world started post-Gutenberg. But you've got a pretty cocky attitude for someone who is apparently unaware of the origins and the future of literary culture, high, low, and even blood-sex-magic-e.
If that email is a fair sample, then this guy is a lousy writer.
If that email is a fair sample, then this guy is a lousy writer.
I'm just here for the Cabal!
His email is satire, right?
Sebastian said...
What SGT Ted said.
"a far-Right cabal"
If I'm far right, where does that put Achilles?
Currently somewhere between Pinochet and Ghengis Khan amrite?
Althouse takes shots at many things. In the main they are accurate, substantiated and pithy She is well appreciated by this crew. Grimson? Well photographed Tiger Beat.
I never got into the Kabbalah cabal when it was popular several years ago. I'm glad to have found cabal to call my own, though I'm not sure I want to be part of a cabal that would have me as a member, secret or otherwise.
Coterie is a brand of diaper.
So… I’d rethink that term…
I'm just here for the Cabal! - Ha.
The Grim Mr. Grimson, or as we know him "Grimey", makes an interesting point. THe book isn't the audiobook. Authors don't write for sound, they write words on a page. that's how they meant their books to be taken, words on a page.
Some books just are better read than heard. For example, Bukowski. Read two of his books (post office and Hollywood) and tried to listened to them on audiobook, and they're much better read. Partly its the narrators - they weren't bad - they just don't match the Bukowski voice in my head, But mostly its just the words on the page are better.
Which suprised me. I thought that Bukowski was just the sort of guy who'd be better read aloud, he's a poet after all. And he's great at reading his own poems. But that's not the case.
Personally, I hope one day to be part of a Juanta. Although I will have to move.
Sounds like a jerk to me. Loves himself. Somebody has to.
farmgirl said...
“This Grimson guy is pretty special.”
Really? I thought he was boring as hell.
I'm pretty sure, that (i think that) they meant special; as in: Short Bus
"In this house, we believe" go-alongs are usually extremely emotionally triggered by any environment which does not subscribe to what they themselves have submitted to, and don't like being confronted with their identity as "making a difference" as being phony+shallow. When everyone has a voice, some of them just keep coming back for more aggravation, usually to delusionally declare technical victories on the lowest-quality opposition. People need to bring ideas+arguments or else chill and avoid baiting the prevailing cultural values. Really, the whole thing devolves as soon as lower ability commenters are allowed to fill the space (no matter their affiliation). I miss Michael K and others.
Coterie is also a word, farmgirl.
I think it is rather interesting that you, a self-described hippy chick at the center (IIRC) ended up with a passle of right wing death beast commenters who enjoy your writing. Something unusual and pleasant is happening here.
Most comments come from the right, a few from the left. Virtually all are highly confident in their opinions. I am not so confident. Confident in my lack of confidence about politics. Althouse is the only journalist I trust anymore. Here I am not told what to think but allowed to make up my own mind.
I'm an Althouse reader since 2004, but only an occasional poster. I probably wouldn't agree with Mr Grimson on much, but there's some truth to what he said, mixed in with the self-promotion.
Before Ann shut down the comments earlier this year, threads seemed to always start out with strong right of center comments and strong pushback from a few left of center folks. Almost all of them soon became the two sides insulting each other and forgetting the original topic aside from it's pro-Trump or anti-Democrat characteristics. This is certainly not the only comment section to have taken this form. I'm not surprised Ann pulled the plug.
Now that (almost) free commenting has returned, it seems we now have lost most if not all the left of center folks, leaving a group of regular commenters agreeing with each other. I don't miss the insults, but it would be nice to see some civil disagreement every now and then.
Put me down as a fan of the "artisanal" comment format of a few months ago.
If far right assholes took over I missed it. I see a lot of assholery around here that ain’t right at all. Temujin, I believe we agreed on the OK sign but that could be another cabal I aspire to.
I have grown and sold tons of marijuana. In the literal sense, not as a euphemism for "a lot."
I wanna party with you!!
Far right? Lol. Not the majority on this blog. Just intelligent free thinkers. Questioning the government occasionally doesn’t make you a radical, it creates a better situation for checks and balances and I’m sure what our founding fathers framework was meant to do. Plus you guys are smart and witty. I’m reading a book now that John Henry recommended last year. Dreadnought, great read, but long...
“Then the Comments section of your blog became taken over by a far-Right cabal which was just as offputting as any conceivable Far Left gang of assholes might have become. You came to realize this, it seems, but it took you a long time.”
It sure was gratifying to read those words, Althouse, so I thank you for publishing that email. And thanks to Todd Grimson for writing and for allowing you to publish his email. Of course I never really attached “conservative” or “right wing” politics to the worst and most offensive of your commenters. The offenders are the Trump Cultists, and their connection to “the right” or conservatism is pretty tenuous.
It wasn’t quite clear to me, however, that you agreed that “[y]ou came to realize” what Grimson alleged about your comments pages. You did say something similar HERE:
Ann Althouse said...
"Even after losing some good old-timers, I'm getting the best mix of right-leaning commentary on the Internet and mostly interesting observations on the passing scene."
I am unhappy with the way right-wing commenters have squatted here and made it unpleasant for other people. I don't want to spend my time maintaining a safe space for right-wingers. I'm not even a conservative. I'm just someone who wanted the full range of discussion, but this is not happening. This is a relatively small group of right-wingers bent on owning the space and excluding others. I am not here for that.
4/4/21, 8:36 AM
So it sounds like you do have some agreement with Grimson and he’s more right than wrong about how he views your own concerns with comment moderation.
But again as I see it, your blog’s comments pages have never been made problematic by conservative politics. At least not traditional conservative politics. Your blog had some wonderful comments discussions from 2009 to 2015. Lots of Wisconsin politics holding the nation’s interest. Contentious subjects. But discussable. It was the flowering of Trumpism that was the problem.
>Tank does not wish to be part of any cabal that would have him as a member.
Include me with Tank.
Unless he is okay with me being included.
Gilbar, your anecdote about Dan Rather reminds me of a commenter "garage mahal" who used to post here. He was the most brainwashed, lockstep party-line regurgitator, who never met a tax or plan to expand the power of the State that he didn't like. Yet when I put him to the question, he labelled himself a middle of the roader. Really.He was a ludicrously extreme example, but I've found it is not uncommon for lots of lockstep, brainwashed
Statists to see themselves as "moderates" or "middle of the roaders."
Really, it's an honor just to be nominated.
I omitted a link in my previous comment.
Here is the .url for the Althouse 4/4/21 comment about some of her “right wing” commenters:
https://althouse.blogspot.com/2021/04/im-considering-changing-approach-to.html?showComment=1617543374361&m=1#c6339339775464418987
Chuck,
As one who might be counted among the "far-Right" people "squatting" here (what, whereas you're here by natural right?), I confess to finding the designation obnoxiously dismissive. I have done nothing here but say what I think -- like you, like Robert Cook, like Howard, like Arturo Ui, like Inga, like Freder Frederson. Ann in her last comments shutdown lost several dozen good readers, several of whom are suddenly not "far-Right" any more now that they have largely come back. They, and I, have been hanging out on a site that Ann will not give any of us the right to mention here; let's just say that several months interacting with these "far-Right" types -- and remember, I'm one too -- leaves me impressed with their range of knowledge and expertise in everything from chemistry to circuitry to computation to music of all kinds to agriculture to world history to cooking. These are amazing people, every one. It beggars imagination that they should all be chucked out (no puns intended there).
pro-marxist LLR Chuck: "It sure was gratifying to read those words, Althouse, so I thank you for publishing that email."
Yes Chuck, another leftist, though probably not as leftist as you, doesn't like non-leftist speech on Althouse's blog.
Just like you.
Revelation.
I thought we were an autonomous collective...
No one expects the autonomous collective!
Really, is there anything more "on the nose" than pro-marxist LLR Chuck, who had been banned several times, joining with his fellow leftists to complain that anyone to the right of Bernie Sanders is allowed to comment on Althouse blog?
Too rich!
"Is a cabalist similar to a caballero? Also, nice to learn that correct term for a group of assholes is a "gang." I always thought it was "pack.""
According to one former Australian political leader, the correct collective noun is "a conga line of assholes"
"far right cabal" sounds SO REDUCTIONIST.
I fondly remember so many strains of expressed thought, or strains of thought that were sought to be expressed, in those very weird days which will not come again - after all, one cannot step in the same river twice, and if YOU HAD READ THE ANGRY WORDS OF (I am guessing here) older angry men who (presumably) drank a couple of beers in the privacy of their homes and then said (typed, to be more precise) (in the less private confines of a comment section where the moderator's patience is close to infinite) the angry things they wanted to say, you could either say "they seem angry" or you could say "well, angry or not, here am I, reading the comments on the Althouse blog in 2017 (or whatever year), and come what may, the anger of bitter old men will sound different in later years". Oh well, God loves us all, and it is always interesting to think about what people would be like if they were who they wanted to be instead of being bitter about who they are not.
Hope that made sense.
"And do you realize, coterie is a diaper brand?"
Coterie:
n. A small, often select group of persons who associate with one another frequently.
n. A set or circle of persons who are in the habit of meeting for social, scientific, or literary intercourse, or other purposes; especially, a clique.
I guess that's another fine word lost to the culture. My bet is that the brand was named by somebody ESL, at best.
Nicely done Chuck.
Now post what she’s said about you.
"Almost all of them soon became the two sides insulting each other and forgetting the original topic aside from it's pro-Trump or anti-Democrat characteristics."
This was a problem. I suspect in hindsight that the degeneration into high school cafeteria food fights was a deliberate attempt to derail the discussion. In any case, it caused me to abandon more than one thread as posters began to trade itemized lists of each other's moral failings.
Yet another "phenomenon" I've never heard of
Blogger Michelle Dulak Thomson said...
Chuck,
As one who might be counted among the "far-Right" people "squatting" here (what, whereas you're here by natural right?), I confess to finding the designation obnoxiously dismissive...
“Squatting” was not my term; it was Althouse’s term.
Just how in hell could you have gotten that so preposterously wrong? Take it up with Althouse if you don’t like it.
“ THe book isn't the audiobook. Authors don't write for sound, they write words on a page. that's how they meant their books to be taken, words on a page.”
That’s an ongoing debate in the writing community. Authors who are themselves audiobook listeners are starting to adapt their styles to the medium. As one example, they’re reducing the number of dialogue tags, which are more obtrusive in audio. What was true of books yesterday may not be true tomorrow.
Dialogue tags are less necessary (not to say unnecessary) when a good narrator gives a distinguishable voice to each character. And if the book is third person with the narrator having one more voice, then “‘Get back!’ he shouted” has a voice change in the middle. Audiobook production involves a lot of style choices. I really respect talented narrators.
Dear Chuck,
I remember who used "squatting," thanks. As I didn't credit you with it, however, I fail to see what I got "so preposterously wrong."
What I did say is that an extraordinary and (in the strict and honest sense) diverse bunch of people were unceremoniously kicked out of the comments, by the extreme stratagem of kicking everyone out of the comments. Then the doors were slowly reopened, to see who'd peep back in. As a large number of the supposed "alt-Right" (or whatever) actually have done. Why we are welcome now when we weren't welcome then -- and why we were ever unwelcome when there was WaPo-comments-section-level vitriol coming at us every day from the other side here -- I don't know; you'd have to ask Ann. But she's generous; after all, you're still here, after several bannings. Whereas Bruce Hayden and Yancey Ward and DBQ and Angle-Dyne and Ice Nine and mockturtle and a dozen or so others have never been banned yet.
Show looks ugly and horrible.
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