Selene Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Michael: Thanks. I have been openly opposing his re-election in this state. Now at least I can believe that he could be rediscovering what got him elected in the first place. Good to have him back, since he is an excellent point person for supporting a quality executive as part of their administration. A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.scherk Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, Selene said: 2 hours ago, william.scherk said: -- it looks like a few anti-Trump core stories are coalescing. Here is the panjandrum of language acquisition, on the subject of Donald Trump. Just as with Bidinotto, a grand theory -- but only half as convincing: Donald Trump Is Winning Because White America Is Dying A perfect example of the choice that you make to lead with when you frame an issue: So, you don't like the way the Chomsky quote from PuffHo was framed? I will tentatively accept a yes ... There are a few core Trump stories that The Haters and You People cling to. One is that his supporters are stupid, mad, angry, ripped off, and suffering -- at least some of them. This is sort of Bidinotto's theory, he expanded it to try to understand 'core' Trump support by wholesale psychology -- from a distance. Another core story is that Trump is an authoritarian and appeals to the authoritarian-minded. This story has some legs for the larger electorate but no impact on the GOP race so far at all. Framing a quote from somebody is a natural human right, within guidelines and good taste. It is plain I have apprehensions about a Trump presidency and obviously I am not alone. If you don't like my style or the frameworking, Adam, please take a number and the complaints department will get in touch with your people. We are currently serving ticket 001. -- to one central-to-his-argument point, the Dying, Chomsky takes his information from a much-discussed demographic study that found outsized death rates for a cohort of White America. It is a sad and revealing story in itself, or at the very least concerning, but I doubt his motives in discussing it. His central point is sort of without heart, at least on my first reading. One shitty outlet of the death rates due to drugs, alcohol and suicide story is that despite it being a very human story of individuals ... the usual suspects knit it together into a telling tale, and the villains are not the same villains for the prototypical OL front-porcher. The 'Nobel-winning' research is sobering and sad to me, and that emotion still goes along when I consider just how many whacks the 'typical Trump supporter' has taken via the shit outlets: if the statistics are true, then the disenfranchised-feeling folks who seem to take to Trump have a damn good reason to do so. Without so many words, Chomsky seems to be aware of them, the gulf between the promise and the struggle for the cohort who are pissed off and depressed about their economic and social futures. Reading many accounts of Trump supporters (as directed in my podcast conversation with MSK) .. there is a deepness there, of a kind of psychological suffering. Bidinotto gets categorical and unkind in his psychological probe -- and in his piece Chomsky doesn't actually show any more compassion. As always, Chomsky just wants us to think that his perceptions and conclusion are sealed-with-science-and-scholarship. They ain't. He is among the folks I think of as self-blinkered. So, aside from his attention to a suffering cohort aboutwhom he feels ambivalent at best, there isn't a lot of exquisite reasoning a la Rand. It is poured straight out of the teapot named prejudice. (as and aside, I 'hate' Chomsky in various aspects of his presumed sagacity. He does not know how to be wrong, so when he is wrong, sloppy, ideologically blinkered, doctrinaire and incorrect, uninformed as to details, etcetera -- he will not admit error. His awful and tendentious articles on Cambodia back when were my first tip-off that he was an unreliable commentator, and his flash-fire epistolary encounter with Sam Harris a year or so nailed down my judgment. Oddly, or not so oddly, Canadians of a certain crimson stripe tend to eat up Chomsky. I 'hate' that. Oh, and thanks for the article in re the Chomp.) Edited February 26, 2016 by william.scherk "Nobel Prize" (not); made sexy Google robot voice present Adam's argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Adam, I have a sneaking suspicion we are looking at the next VP. Trump said he needed a VP with political savvy to get legislation passed. Of all those around him right now, Christie looks like he's the one most qualified. And Christie wants to be prez. VP is a much better springboard than a new campaign from scratch 4 years down the road. The gotcha folks are going apeshit all over the Internet. I think they feel this possibility. They are calling Christie's endorsement of Trump the "Age of the Bullies." They got it partly right. Trump and Christie are fighters, but they are warriors who stand up to the progressive bullies everyone has had to bow down to for awhile. So people are electing Trump and would probably love to have Christie as his sidekick. The gotcha crew doesn't even realize that their bully accusation is advertising. People are pissed and they want their warriors to look and act like warriors who will kick some serious ass and get the job done. The only downside is both are from the New Jersey/New York area that could become a negative emotional thing for some other places... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 William: 3 minutes ago, william.scherk said: So, you don't like the way the Chomsky quote from PuffHo was framed? I will tentatively accept a yes ... There are a few core Trump stories that The Haters and You People cling to. Quote There are a few core Trump stories that The Haters and You People cling to. I stop reading right there. Who are you describing as "The Haters" and "You People?" You are employing plurals. Therefore, I would assume that your respective lists will have more than one name. A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 27 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: OOPs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 17 minutes ago, william.scherk said: Bidinotto gets categorical and unkind in his psychological probe -- and in his piece Chomsky doesn't actually show any more compassion. William, The problem is not lack of compassion. It's a lack of not seeing on the part of Biddibob and Chomsky. They misidentify the fundamental part of Trump supporters. Everyone likes compassion, I won't deny that. But Trump supporters don't need or want compassion to fix the current problem. Compassion implies there will still be an elite lording over them. Trump supporters want that boot off their necks. They don't care if it's a sadistic boot or a compassionate boot. They don't want any boot at all and they will take their own lives from there. They don't want any help from any elitist. Not progressive. Not conservative. They want the people with the elitist mindset gone and out of their way. Hell, compassionate? They want everybody, including elitists, to be responsible for their own lives instead of living to rule the lives of others like the elitists do. I even think they have compassion for elitists when they think of the ways the elitists would constantly fuck that up. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 I had forgotten how much I despise Chomsky. He appeared to be a brilliant general semantics guy in the late '60's, especially in Speech/Communications Arts and Sciences Departments. In the marxist training camp that I taught at in CUNY, he was a God. Quote An outspoken opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, which he saw as an act of American imperialism, in 1967 Chomsky attracted widespread public attention for his anti-war essay "The Responsibility of Intellectuals." Becoming associated with the New Left, he was arrested multiple times for his activism and earned a place on President Richard Nixon's Enemies List. While expanding his work in linguistics over subsequent decades, he also became involved in the Linguistics Wars. In collaboration with Edward S. Herman, Chomsky later co-wrote Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, an analysis articulating the propaganda model of media criticism, and helped to expose the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. I first ran into his theory(s) when I was researching counters to B. F. Skinner in graduate school, '66-'68: Quote Chomsky also played a pivotal role in the decline of behaviorism, being particularly critical of the work of B. F. Skinner. He has become a different individual than he was presented as back then. Still a brilliant man. Avram Noam Chomsky (/ˈnoʊm ˈtʃɒmski/; born December 7, 1928) is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, logician, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes described as "the father of modern linguistics,"[19][20] Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy, and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He has spent more than half a century at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is Institute Professor Emeritus, and is the author of over 100 books on topics such as linguistics, war, politics, and mass media. Ideologically, he aligns with anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism. From 1951 to 1955 he was appointed to Harvard University's Society of Fellows, where he developed the theory of transformational grammar for which he was awarded his doctorate in 1955. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky. A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 This is an excellent critique of Chomsky... Quote MJT: Were you ever a Chomskyite yourself? Benjamin Kerstein: That's a difficult question. I grew up in a community where he was popular, and I accepted many of his ideas without knowing where they came from. But I can't say I was ever a worshiper of his. The few times I tried to read his books I found them dull and repetitive. Chomsky is much more interesting when read with a critical eye. Nonetheless, I can't say I was unsympathetic to the basic worldview he was expressing. We all were. It was all around us, after all. But I don't think anyone becomes a Chomskyite by reading him. As Camus said of communists, “first they convert, then they read the scriptures.” Let's say that, had things gone differently, I might have become one. I certainly know a great many people who did. So I would have to say that, compared to Chomsky's true believers, no. But in terms of being sympathetic to a point of view that was influenced by him, I would have to give a qualified yes. MJT: For a while he denied Pol Pot’s genocide in Cambodia ever happened. Then when he could no longer deny it had really occurred, he blamed it on the United States instead of the perpetrators. What do you think was initially going on in his head? Was he lying? Was he in denial? How do you explain it? A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 3 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: William, The problem is not lack of compassion. It's a lack of not seeing on the part of Biddibob and Chomsky. They misidentify the fundamental part of Trump supporters. Everyone likes compassion, I won't deny that. But Trump supporters don't need or want compassion to fix the current problem. Compassion implies there will still be an elite lording over them. Trump supporters want that boot off their necks. They don't care if it's a sadistic boot or a compassionate boot. They don't want any boot at all and they will take their own lives from there. They don't want any help from any elitist. Not progressive. Not conservative. They want the people with the elitist mindset gone and out of their way. Hell, compassionate? They want everybody, including elitists, to be responsible for their own lives instead of living to rule the lives of others like the elitists do. I even think they have compassion for elitists when they think of the ways the elitists would constantly fuck that up. Michael I believe it was that very smart chap, Dennis Prager, who writing about the Left and its ways some time back, said: "For liberals, the intention trumps(!) results". My feeling is Trump is attracting a large base of voters who've finally had it with feel-good, look-good, road to hell "intentions", which have been their main diet for years. Compassion is fleeting - and why it needs to be continually stoked by politicians and media - results last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Bissell Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 3 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: I have a sneaking suspicion we are looking at the next VP. Trump said he needed a VP with political savvy to get legislation passed. [...] Trump and Christie are fighters, but they are warriors who stand up to the progressive bullies everyone has had to bow down to for awhile. Christi - VP? Oh, yeah, Vastly Pudgy. Or Viciously Pragmatist? Volubly Pusillanimous? Vainly Peacock-like? (Select all that apply.) But sure, I really enjoy the way those valiant fighter-warriors, Trump and Christie, have stood up to those craven progressive bullies, Cruz and Rubio. Smack 'em down, boys - and squeal like little girls when they fight back. REB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 5 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Trump supporters want that boot off their necks. They don't care if it's a sadistic boot or a compassionate boot. They don't want any boot at all and they will take their own lives from there. They don't want any help from any elitist. Not progressive. Not conservative. They want the people with the elitist mindset gone and out of their way. There's a thought I want to add to this. I have seen comments in a few places in O-Land to the effect that since it doesn't matter what Trump says, his followers are fundamentally tribalists. And this, to me, shows just how disconnected from reality these commenters are. I mean, it's OK to have an ideology with a specific jargon, but this should never replace looking at reality and identifying what you see. Here's the way this little game is played. People are constantly attacked and restricted so much they can't find work. They get a bunch of values shoved down their throat that they don't believe. They are forced to comply. They react by looking to their intellectual and political leaders. All they get is blah blah blah and the problem continues. This goes on for a couple of decades, just a little at first, but it grows and grows so much, nobody can live anymore without being picked and prodded to death. So they finally get fed up and get behind someone who says he's gonna fix it and he has one hell of a resume to prove it. He talks funny, but other than that, he stands for everything they want--not in words but in action. So they start electing him and no goddam words from elitists are going to stop them. Now the ignored intellectuals start hollering, "Tribalists! Tribalists!" You would think smart people would realize that Trump supporters are mostly drawn from people who are not politically motivated. They couldn't give a crap about tribes. Just look at how they live their lives. They do tribes for entertainment like sports, not clobbering others for real. Reality-wise, they want to take care of their families and professions and personal dreams. They're only in this political crap because some goddam tribes are attacking them. And the elitists are complicit in it. Once Trump gets elected and the dust settles, see what these people will do. Just pay attention. They will go back to their lives. As individuals. Tribalist my foot. Only friggin' elitists could come up with this stuff... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 5 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Adam, I have a sneaking suspicion we are looking at the next VP. They are calling Christie's endorsement of Trump the "Age of the Bullies." They got it partly right. Trump and Christie are fighters, but they are warriors who stand up to the progressive bullies everyone has had to bow down to for awhile. So people are electing Trump and would probably love to have Christie as his sidekick. The gotcha crew doesn't even realize that their bully accusation is advertising. People are pissed and they want their warriors to look and act like warriors who will kick some serious ass and get the job done. The only downside is both are from the New Jersey/New York area that could become a negative emotional thing for some other places... Michael Agreed. That is why I think he makes him Attorney General. Believe me, he has a prosecutorial personality. He could be extremely effective in that role. He should leave for Massachusetts tonight because The Donald has an excellent chance of sending a real calling card on the Dems in a NE blue state. With Scott Brown and Christie, they could push The Donald just over 50% in that open primary next week. A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Here's a comment for Rubio fans (helloooooo Marc... ). There's an old saying in showbiz for sudden splashes of fame like popstars: You have to be careful how you treat folks on the way up because you are going to meet them on the way down. This applies perfectly to Marco Rubio. On the way up he was not very gracious to his mentor. Right now, I don't see a path to victory for him. So after he leaves the race and goes home, he's going to regroup and figure out what to do for his next move. Guess who's waiting for him to give him the old-fashioned "Hello Hot-Shot" welcome? A very very disappointed Jeb Bush and the entire Bush clan, including Karl Rove and all of their connections... But there are Rubio's new political friends... do ya' think they'll be interested in protecting him from the onslaught after he can't become prez? We shall see and so shall he... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.scherk Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) 7 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Christie's endorsement of Trump the "Age of the Bullies." I am looking for that. It's a nice tight meme. 7 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: The problem is not lack of compassion. Ya think? Where did compassion come from -- I mean, how did it enter discussion of The Problem? Oh, right, I mentioned that Chomp and Bidiboo aren't really trying to 'feel' the feelings they attribute to others. A more apt word that has less cruel Objectivish zing to it is empathy. It is just a faculty of the normal human being, a useful aid in trying to figure out what folks are on about. I am still spanking Bidibob slowly in my mind the way he corralled Trump Support in yet another instance of You People, this time being Those People. The spanking could be administered to Chomp for citing the suffering only as a cipher in his larger design: and here Chomp is in a league of his own. Politically correct to a high Marxist shine, but aching with emptiness where passionate involvement with people could be. Or I could be entirely wrong about this. My anti-Chomp prejudice is probably interfering. 7 hours ago, Selene said: William: I stop reading right there. Who are you describing as "The Haters" and "You People?" The same lumpy lump that MSK denotes with his various formulations of categories. You People aka People Like You and The Haters is shorthand for the mass of opinion one can dismiss with a flick of the finger. You should maybe get someone else to read my posts, or just use the audio. As a hit-and-miss reader you represent a special case in my failure to communicate. If you don't read my stuff because of Editorial Tone and Rhetoric, then I have won. Hah. Because I want you to skim and misunderstand and get gimped over things that get up your nose. In other words, my free speech trumps your picky wee fussbudget. 7 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Everyone likes compassion, I won't deny that. But Trump supporters don't need or want compassion to fix the current problem. I am inclined to quite reading right there. I wonder why you put on the hat of Trump Support pundit-of-panjandrums instead of just saying "I" ... I don't need or want compassion (except for the times when I do) ... it makes more sense to me that you know what you think than that you know how a big bloc of individuals "think." So, yeah, that is where you miss me, and it makes a great subject for tomorrow's podcast event. 5 hours ago, Selene said: This is an excellent critique of Chomsky... To know him is to 'hate' him. 4 hours ago, anthony said: I believe it was that very smart chap, Dennis Prager, who writing about the Left and its ways some time back, said: "For liberals, the intention trumps(!) results". My feeling is Trump is attracting a large base of voters who've finally had it with feel-good, look-good, road to hell "intentions", which have been their main diet for years. Compassion is fleeting - and why it needs to be continually stoked by politicians and media - results last. This is several yards off the green, but hey. If one wants to know what makes Trump Support operate, and how it thinks, one needs to ask for best approximations. I don't know that compassion comes into play when asking questions, but an empathetic knowledge of the other person's soft spots (Skeptic!) prevents ouchies. Or, compassion is fleeting for those one 'hates' ... or better yet, if you cannot empathize with a person you seek to understand, your understanding will be more difficult to achieve, and prone to error. Your feeling is like my feeling -- intrinsically interesting to the give and take of discussion. I think by feeling and thinking our way past impressions, clairvoyance and advanced Gotcha, we can figure out any puzzle put before us. 4 hours ago, Roger Bissell said: Christi - VP? Oh, yeah, Vastly Pudgy. Or Viciously Pragmatist? Volubly Pusillanimous? Vainly Peacock-like? (Select all that apply.) But sure, I really enjoy the way those valiant fighter-warriors, Trump and Christie, have stood up to those craven progressive bullies, Cruz and Rubio. Smack 'em down, boys - and squeal like little girls when they fight back. Your nasty personalized insult language has been reported to the complaints department. We are still working on resolving 001 ticket, so I cannot promise you even a fair process, but listen up, Roger -- riffs on names are about as useful and amusing as Adam's endless character Evita. Just kidding. Ha ha ha. As for the little girls, let little girls alone. Let big men duke it out without the girls, and then the biggest and toughest can take on She Who Must Be Obeyed. I know, I know, Trump will stomp Hillary sez the wishbook. Stomp stomp stump. But still, on the Christie front, his girth is not relevant to either his support for Trump (wow, all 3 percent) or his uselessness as a governor. He reminds me of someone who thinks belligerent behaviour is part of a skill set. 2 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: I have seen comments in a few places in O-Land to the effect that since it doesn't matter what Trump says, his followers are fundamentally tribalists. And this, to me, shows just how disconnected from reality these commenters are. Well, ya got yer Elitists and your basic You People and the Gotcha and so why not a new lump term for Them? The goldarn tribalists are accusing the Love Stunned to be tribes. And you don't even need to mention a single name! We all know who They are. Quote It's a lack of not seeing on the part of Biddibob and Chomsky. They misidentify the fundamental part of Trump supporters. Everyone likes compassion, I won't deny that. But Trump supporters I don't need or want compassion to fix the current problem. Compassion implies there will still be an elite lording over them me. That is what me and the Podcast team are going to have fun with. I hope you don't mind, MSK, and I hope you enjoy the next podcast. Thanks again for your cheery notes on my public voice, my radio voice. Quote They don't want any help from any elitist. Not progressive. Not conservative. Sure sound like fun. But I digress. Edited February 27, 2016 by william.scherk Added audio version, with sound effects and music, to soothe the soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 At any rate, this Christie endorsement is putting pressure on the Governor of Massachusetts: Quote Commentary: Has Gov. Baker Conceded The Mass. GOP Primary To Donald Trump? Yes he has. If he is smart, he should get on board with his bud Chris Christie. Quote In January, I wrote about Gov. Charlie Baker’s “quandary” — whether he would “stay silent” on the Republican presidential race. Right before the New Hampshire primary, Baker endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. New Hampshire polls made clear that Christie would lose big and be out of the race, but it seemed expedient for Baker to endorse his old friend for a few reasons: 1) He owed Christie for past support. 2) He could later claim to have supported a candidate against Donald Trump, whom he had criticized. 3) He could then revert to neutrality so he didn’t get embroiled in the GOP demolition derby, and thus maintain his nonpartisan image, which is part of his popularity in this heavily Democratic state. The state’s media have been unusually supportive of Baker. Flattering media coverage is certainly a factor in the governor’s high popularity. But the State House press corps did him no favors by not pressing him on an obvious question: Once Christie quit the race, would Baker endorse another alternative to Trump — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio or Ohio Gov. John Kasich? With no pressure from the media — no editorials, columns, talk show commentary — Baker felt free to stay neutral. It was the path of least resistance. There was no pressure to explain how he could do nothing and allow Trump to coast to victory in this state GOP primary. Now, when polls suggest it’s too late to stop Trump in Tuesday’s primary here, a Boston Globe editorial and op-ed urge Baker to announce his support of another candidate. “Baker shouldn’t allow Trump to win Massachusetts without a fight,” the Globe editorial said. “Um, Charlie, wake up; the GOP needs you,” is the headline of Scot Lehigh’s column. Time to re-read Profiles In Courage Charlie... Think Good and Plenty and get on board... https://youtu.be/ExSlyoVTX3I ttp://www.wbur.org/2016/02/26/baker-mass-gop-primary-trump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 11 minutes ago, william.scherk said: I am inclined to quite reading right there. I wonder why you put on the hat of Trump Support pundit-of-panjandrums instead of just saying "I" ... I don't need or want compassion (except for the times when I do) ... it makes more sense to me that you know what you think than that you know how a big bloc of individuals "think." William, That's easy and I have no problem making a substitution. Replace "Trump supporter" with "I as a typical Trump supporter." I'm fine with that. But, just for the sake of curiosity. Do you think grouping Trump supporters under the the term "tribalism" works just fine when it's criticism to diminish their mental and moral capacities, but when a typical member of a group (like Trump supporters, meaning me) talks about more elevated shared characteristics of the group that he knows because he lives it, that's a no-no and he should only talk about himself? Inquiring minds do so seek enlightenment... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 22 minutes ago, william.scherk said: I hope you don't mind, MSK, and I hope you enjoy the next podcast. William, Of course I don't mind. Knock yourself out. I am sure I will enjoy it. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 30 minutes ago, william.scherk said: We all know who They are. William, Goddam right! I don't mention a lot of names because there are a lot of elitists running around. They can get as thick as flies on dung at times. Calling out individuals instead of using the elitist archetype like I do just wastes a lot of time I don't have with bickering. Lots of noise but very little signal. So, even though it was said in jest, most readers actually do know who They are. (Now all I need is for you to ask me the names of "most readers." ) Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 FYI Michael: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.scherk Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 23 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: So, even though it was said in jest, most readers actually do know who They are. (Now all I need is for you to ask me the names of "most readers." ) The name of most readers (judging by monitoring readership via the OL tool) is Guest. Lately, and especially on the weekends, the regular registered readers are you, me, Adam, Brant, turkeyfoot, KorbenD, and a few outspoken other individuals of note. We get a whole lot of guest attention -- and the spiders and robots do an excellent job of scraping up all the keywords for Google and Bing. It is astonishing how fast an OL meme shows up in the search ranks. Usually there are at least 25 readers during my sessions, less in the wee hours. Guests, front-porch fixtures, tumbleweeds and a well. It is interesting to see what a wide range of topics and sub-forums attract the passing visitor. Signed, I am also You People. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william.scherk Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Do you think grouping Trump supporters under the the term "tribalism" works just fine when it's criticism to diminish their mental and moral capacities, but when a typical member of a group (like Trump supporters, meaning me) talks about more elevated shared characteristics of the group that he knows because he lives it, that's a no-no and he should only talk about himself? Let me think this through before I give you a flip answer. There is a conceptual hierarchy I have to work though to get at the gist. It isn't that the question is malformed, but that it is clause-y. It is a damn good question for Episode Two. I think. If you had any other questions you would like to hear me tackle, or that you think Others might like answered, please don't hesitate. A podcast thriives on tough or crucial questions. (all three people I asked if they would do a Skype-thing for a future podcast of Conversations with the Greats said no. Maybe Adam is on to something in my presentation. Or I could be asking the wrong people. Hey, Tony, if you are reading, do you have a question I would probably squirm over? Put it up or put it in message. The awful truth could be that I must forever converse with robots. Meanwhile, erstwhile Objectivish interleckchewal Bobby the Big Hate Tracinski rolls out another meme for the machine. I haven't been to his site in donkey years, has anyone kept checking his pulse through the campaign? I get the feeling most GOP supporters who do not favour Trump will still touch the screen for him, not the She-Hag with an Angry Pussy. Then again, it doesn't take many dips in Twitter waters to scoop up apparently Republican folks who say they will do just that. What is the frequency, Kenneth? What is the frequency? Does anyone have a read, from gut or survey or finger in the wind? The genius of what Rubio is doing now is that there's no narrative Americans love more than "underdog turns tables on bully." 1/9 — Robert Tracinski (@Tracinski) February 26, 2016 Edited February 27, 2016 by william.scherk I just can't help myself; added sound file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 21 minutes ago, william.scherk said: The name of most readers (judging by monitoring readership via the OL tool) is Guest. William, That's exactly right. The last I looked at Analytics, we get over 5,500 unique visitors a month and over half of them are returning visitors. Many Guests are the cream of O-Land and L-Land. They just read. They don't post for reasons of their own. Over the years I have detected lots of small indications of this. And I am quite flattered they read OL. We're doing something they find interesting. We're relevant to them. Frankly, that's all the public I want for OL right now. The point is, be glad our small-to-medium-size audience is high-quality. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Heh. Yes @tedcruz; @realdonaldtrump did fire me on Celebrity Apprentice. But he's about to fire your ass too! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) February 26, 2016 Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Bissell Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 12 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: The last I looked at Analytics, we get over 5,500 unique visitors a month and over half of them are returning visitors. Many Guests are the cream of O-Land and L-Land. [...] Michael Sorry to burst your bubble, Michael, but that is just me signing in from over 2,000 different libraries with Internet access. (I get around a lot.) But you're right about my being the cream of O-Land and L-Land. REB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Bissell Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 41 minutes ago, william.scherk said: The name of most readers (judging by monitoring readership via the OL tool) is Guest. Lately, and especially on the weekends, the regular registered readers are you, me, Adam, Brant, turkeyfoot, KorbenD, and a few outspoken other individuals of note. I'm a musician. Were you referring to me? REB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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