Comments on: Bitter http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/ America's favorite blog Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:51:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Jon http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-32502 Wed, 14 May 2008 21:05:09 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-32502 Doesn't offend me--it's just not funny. Ever. Maybe I don't get what Benny is trying to accomplish. Or why it's on this site (I guess because it is supposed to be satire). Whatever, I can skip it. Doesn’t offend me–it’s just not funny. Ever. Maybe I don’t get what Benny is trying to accomplish. Or why it’s on this site (I guess because it is supposed to be satire). Whatever, I can skip it.

]]> by: just plain Jack http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30419 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:09:35 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30419 Jon, I think you have the right idea. If it offends you, just skip right over it. Problem solved. You're welcome. Jon, I think you have the right idea. If it offends you, just skip right over it. Problem solved. You’re welcome.

]]> by: Dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30362 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:28:37 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30362 This is for Harold: Obama is here for a big event tomorrow, but tickets went faster than I could get downtown to get one. I could have gone to a private meeting with Chelsea Clinton last night, but that would have been rather hypocritical of me. Actually, the only reason I would vote for Hillary is because, after everything this country put her through, Chelsea deserves a White House wedding. This is for Harold:

Obama is here for a big event tomorrow, but tickets went faster than I could get downtown to get one. I could have gone to a private meeting with Chelsea Clinton last night, but that would have been rather hypocritical of me. Actually, the only reason I would vote for Hillary is because, after everything this country put her through, Chelsea deserves a White House wedding.

]]> by: Pope Benny Fan Club http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30357 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:00:01 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30357 Don´t listen to Jon, Benny--they told Jesus to be quiet too! Don´t listen to Jon, Benny–they told Jesus to be quiet too!

]]> by: Jon http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30347 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:35:54 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30347 Pope Benny, no offense, but let it go. I suspect everyone is, like me, skimming over your posts to read the on-topic comments. Sorry (since you are working so hard at this). Pope Benny, no offense, but let it go. I suspect everyone is, like me, skimming over your posts to read the on-topic comments. Sorry (since you are working so hard at this).

]]> by: SallyMutant http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30335 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:29:57 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30335 Must echo Dee... Want baby pix.... Strength waning without cuteness... Must echo Dee… Want baby pix…. Strength waning without cuteness…

]]> by: Pope Benny 16 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30329 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:39:05 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30329 Few things in life are more memorable than beating an espionage rap. When we landed in Thule, we were surrounded by Air Force security and ordered to deplane with our hands up. Father Quint, my valet, safeguards all my paper work, keeps track of my many security badges and pays me my allowance each Friday. Of course, he was on the Alitalia flight, along with the fake Pope and all his hangers on that had landed in Italy several hours after leaving New York. The only ID I had was an old passport for Joseph Ratzinger. The security force was primarily made up of Southern Baptists, Four Square Free Will Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, a smattering of other Anti-Papist cults. I know this because after I gave them my passport and mentioned in passing that I was the Pope, dozens of military issue hand guns were pulled from their holsters and cocked in unison. I guess you have to see it from their point of view - I was pretty gamey, dressed like a bum, in bad need of a shave and tooth brushing and I was claiming to be God's messenger on Earth. In the end, I think they believed I was just an old coot suffering from dementia and therefore regarded me as far less dangerous than if I had convinced them that I really <em>was</em> the Holy Father. The Russian pilot coughed from the other side of the room, conspicuously dropped a wad of hundred dollar bills on the floor and walked away. Soon, we were back on the plane and accelerating down the ice packed runway. Next: Flight into Tuzla!!!! Few things in life are more memorable than beating an espionage rap.

When we landed in Thule, we were surrounded by Air Force security and ordered to deplane with our hands up. Father Quint, my valet, safeguards all my paper work, keeps track of my many security badges and pays me my allowance each Friday. Of course, he was on the Alitalia flight, along with the fake Pope and all his hangers on that had landed in Italy several hours after leaving New York. The only ID I had was an old passport for Joseph Ratzinger.

The security force was primarily made up of Southern Baptists, Four Square Free Will Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, a smattering of other Anti-Papist cults. I know this because after I gave them my passport and mentioned in passing that I was the Pope, dozens of military issue hand guns were pulled from their holsters and cocked in unison. I guess you have to see it from their point of view - I was pretty gamey, dressed like a bum, in bad need of a shave and tooth brushing and I was claiming to be God’s messenger on Earth. In the end, I think they believed I was just an old coot suffering from dementia and therefore regarded me as far less dangerous than if I had convinced them that I really was the Holy Father.

The Russian pilot coughed from the other side of the room, conspicuously dropped a wad of hundred dollar bills on the floor and walked away. Soon, we were back on the plane and accelerating down the ice packed runway.

Next: Flight into Tuzla!!!!

]]> by: Harold http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30328 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:25:17 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30328 dee, cooper, and anyone who lives in the next wave of states (including Guam): your turn now. Please keep us up-to-date on the state of the campaigns where you are. Who is showing up where, what sort of events are they doing, and so on. If you can, please try to go to events by both candidates - I missed an opportunity to see Obama last Sunday, but I only found out about it at the last moment, and I believe it was tickets-only. I really wish I had gotten to see him. dee, cooper, and anyone who lives in the next wave of states (including Guam): your turn now. Please keep us up-to-date on the state of the campaigns where you are. Who is showing up where, what sort of events are they doing, and so on. If you can, please try to go to events by both candidates - I missed an opportunity to see Obama last Sunday, but I only found out about it at the last moment, and I believe it was tickets-only. I really wish I had gotten to see him.

]]> by: Chris Harlan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30321 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:44:31 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30321 Oh, Dee. I disagree. Policy positions do matter. In fact, they are essential. They might not be able to be carried out, but at least they offer definition of the candidate's mindset. These days party affiliation isn't nearly as defining as it used to be. "Liberal" isn't as defining as it used to be, either. I have friends who define themselves as liberal and are registered Democrats but are about as Libertarian as you can get. To them "The Great Society" concept is as much an anathema as it was to Ronald Reagan, and they are "liberal" because they believe drugs should be legalized, and that everyone has the right to build a twenty-foot phallus in their front yard if they want to. I think I'm a liberal because I believe deeply in the tenets of The Great Society. I believe that Libertarianism is misguided and potentially dangerous, and that the folks at the Cato Institute are, well, misguided. Back in 2000, George Bush seemed to be a moderate Republican cast in the mold of his father. If a few more of his actual policy positions had been visible, maybe history would have been different. Ron Paul, technically a Republican, puts his policy positions right out there for people to see, and I respect him for doing that, though the majority of his very Libertarian positions scare the poop out of me. Now, there are recent rumors--which are completely inaccurate or based on intentional lies--that BHO's chief advising economist is affiliated with and philosophically attuned to the Cato Institute. Strong policy statements on economics would make immediately clear that those rumors are ridiculous. Here, by the way, is a recent Goolsbee interview in US News that outlines many of Obama's economic policies. http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/04/11/goolsbee-speaks-obama-economic-adviser-resurfaces.html?PageNr=1 I found it a very pleasing read. Oh, Dee. I disagree. Policy positions do matter. In fact, they are essential. They might not be able to be carried out, but at least they offer definition of the candidate’s mindset. These days party affiliation isn’t nearly as defining as it used to be. “Liberal” isn’t as defining as it used to be, either. I have friends who define themselves as liberal and are registered Democrats but are about as Libertarian as you can get. To them “The Great Society” concept is as much an anathema as it was to Ronald Reagan, and they are “liberal” because they believe drugs should be legalized, and that everyone has the right to build a twenty-foot phallus in their front yard if they want to. I think I’m a liberal because I believe deeply in the tenets of The Great Society. I believe that Libertarianism is misguided and potentially dangerous, and that the folks at the Cato Institute are, well, misguided.
Back in 2000, George Bush seemed to be a moderate Republican cast in the mold of his father. If a few more of his actual policy positions had been visible, maybe history would have been different.

Ron Paul, technically a Republican, puts his policy positions right out there for people to see, and I respect him for doing that, though the majority of his very Libertarian positions scare the poop out of me.

Now, there are recent rumors–which are completely inaccurate or based on intentional lies–that BHO’s chief advising economist is affiliated with and philosophically attuned to the Cato Institute. Strong policy statements on economics would make immediately clear that those rumors are ridiculous.

Here, by the way, is a recent Goolsbee interview in US News that outlines many of Obama’s economic policies.

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/04/11/goolsbee-sp eaks-obama-economic-adviser-resurfaces.html?PageNr=1

I found it a very pleasing read.

]]> by: dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30319 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:09:12 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2008/04/23/bitter/#comment-30319 Well put, hedera. That's why I disregard any "policy positions" -- it's not like once either is elected he or she can wave a magic wand and everything will fall into place just like he or she envisioned it. For me, a more legitimate question is how would either of them deal with the opposition? Hillary is tough, no doubt, but would that toughness be construed as stubborness and obstructionist? Barack is more of a coalition builder, but would that be construed as weakness and naivete? There is nothing inherently wrong with either approach. I guess you just have to decide which you believe would work better, and since we don't know what Congress will look like after the elections, it's a crapshoot either way. Enough of all this silly political talk -- we want <b>baby pictures!!!!!!!</b> Well put, hedera. That’s why I disregard any “policy positions” — it’s not like once either is elected he or she can wave a magic wand and everything will fall into place just like he or she envisioned it. For me, a more legitimate question is how would either of them deal with the opposition? Hillary is tough, no doubt, but would that toughness be construed as stubborness and obstructionist? Barack is more of a coalition builder, but would that be construed as weakness and naivete? There is nothing inherently wrong with either approach. I guess you just have to decide which you believe would work better, and since we don’t know what Congress will look like after the elections, it’s a crapshoot either way.

Enough of all this silly political talk — we want baby pictures!!!!!!!

]]>