home

Wankers

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Media
Posted on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 11:46:12 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Atrios celebrates 10 years of blogging with a declaration of Wankers of the Decade. Up first, Jane Galt:

[T]his particular award is really going back to the beginning, when the libertarian case for war in Iraq was strong, and the metaphysics of "pre-emptive war" was debated alongside the metaphysics of "firm, pre-emptive" use of 2x4s against protesters. Throw in a bit of confusion about just what a 2x4 is, the fact that people on the internet are mean, and pleas for civilitude from those of us not wanting to blow up a bunch of people over there just because, and you have the perfect McArdle mix.

Read the whole thing. Including the links. Very funny and spot on. The countdown for Wanker of the Decade will be fun. I'm thinking Tom Friedman can't lose, but maybe a surprise will be sprung.

Speaking for me only

< Voice Biometrics Conference Convenes in NY | 5th Circuit Panel Overtly Jumps Into Political Arena >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Wankers | 45 comments (45 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    I must tell you, BTD, that ... (5.00 / 0) (#24)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 06:08:53 PM EST
    ... I'll be extremely disappointed in Atrios if the late Grand Poobah of High Broderism himself, David Broder, doesn't at least rate a Top Ten mention.

    Of course, latent sympathy for the deceased having died could well propel Broder to an outright posthumous triumph, not unlike the late Heath Ledger's post-overdose Oscar triumph for, of all things, a Batman sequel.

    Further, I'd offer that High Broderism's obvious and worthy successor at the Washington Post, Grand Poobette Ruth Marcus, is clearly deserving of an honorable mention for turning out "PostPartisan" schtick like this.

    Aloha.

    I think that Broder (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by Zorba on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 07:52:13 PM EST
    should definitely be given the posthumous "lifetime achievement award" of Wankerism.  

    Parent
    Am I the Only One Frightened by this? (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by msaroff on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 10:28:11 AM EST
    Seriously, if Megan "Math is Hard" McArdle is number t10 on the list (I would have put her in the top 3), there is a distinct possibility that the density of wankeritude in the top three will be so high as to collapse into a black hole and destroy the world.

    Kind of like CERN, only with wankeriffickness.

    Parent

    What I want to (5.00 / 0) (#27)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 06:55:48 PM EST
    know is why only 10? I think I could come up with probably at least 20, 25 people deserving of the wanker title.

    Real, real funny (none / 0) (#1)
    by me only on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:09:42 PM EST
    calling a young person with Leukemia wanker of the decade.

    Obviouslt the wrong NYT link (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by DFLer on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:21:12 PM EST
    which I'm sure BTD will correct anon. In the meantime, this looks like it, from Atrios:

    link

    Parent

    A 5 (5.00 / 0) (#20)
    by sj on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 04:11:43 PM EST
    for correct usage of "anon".

    Parent
    i second this (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by cpinva on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 05:10:19 PM EST
    first time (outside of shakespeare) i've seen the word used correctly.

    Parent
    Perhaps, then, we should also ... (none / 0) (#25)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 06:14:04 PM EST
    cpinva: "first time (outside of shakespeare) i've seen the word used correctly."

    ... seek to revive the terms "methinks" and "screw your courage to the sticking place."

    :-D

    Parent

    Are you kidding? (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 06:55:40 PM EST
    Every early 20-something male commenter on every blog types "methinks" and thinks they're real clever and witty for doing so.  (OK, not every one, but a heck of a lot of them.)


    Parent
    I guess I'm showing my age (52). (none / 0) (#30)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 08:08:40 PM EST
    My interaction with young 20-somethings is limited to my daughter's friends from college and a few others. If I were blogging with 20-year-olds, then I'd suggest that there'd be something seriously wrong with me.

    Parent
    Heh (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 09:08:28 PM EST
    Zing!

    I should be honest and say the reason I'm sure they're early 20-something males is exactly because they're so fond of typing "methinks."

    I think you'd agree anybody over the age of say 25 who "methinks" all the time on blog comments is seriously unbalanced, no?


    Parent

    Yes, the usage is risible. (none / 0) (#34)
    by observed on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 10:27:20 PM EST


    Parent
    No! Not methinks! (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by sj on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 11:40:17 PM EST
    Already overused. I vote for "mayhap".  Not Shakespearean but a lovely word.  If we're going with Shakespeare than either "perchance" or "by and by".

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#15)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:43:44 PM EST
    I was actually sending that link to someone who has a child who is very sick.

    Parent
    I'm the Wanker (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:43:07 PM EST
    screwed up the first link.

    I was trying to link to Atrios' post announcing the list.

    Parent

    So Atrios needs an honorable (5.00 / 2) (#19)
    by me only on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:48:42 PM EST
    mention category...

    Parent
    this is very confusing (none / 0) (#2)
    by CST on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:16:03 PM EST
    I'm not sure that is the correct link as it doesn't seem to refer to anyone being described in the post.

    Unless they are the same people with different names?  It seems like BTD messed up the link.  McCardle is not that young, nor does she have Leukemia.

    Parent

    The 'Neos'.. (none / 0) (#4)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:27:43 PM EST
    as in, cons and liberals, are the wankerS of the decade. And, there are too many worthy candidates to let Freidman hog the spotlight all by himself -- though he works well on a symbolic level.

    Parent
    pretty sure (none / 0) (#5)
    by CST on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:29:23 PM EST
    the one btd linked to isn't one of them though.

    Parent
    It was a mistaken link (none / 0) (#17)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:44:50 PM EST


    Parent
    It was my mistake (none / 0) (#16)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:44:31 PM EST
    I meant to link to Atrios' post announcing the list.

    Instead I put in a link I was sending to someone with a sick child.

    A bad goof by me.

    My apologies to all.

    Parent

    It happens to the best of us, BTD. (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 08:22:19 PM EST
    A little over a year ago, I had arranged a conference call for work and dutifully e-mailed our conference call number to the participants.

    I very soon learned to my chagrin and embarrassment that I had accidentally transposed a couple digits, which caused my clients -- from a faith-based non-profit, natch -- to call a phone sex line and be greeted by a sultry female voice telling them how really horny she was.

    Parent

    Oh dear (none / 0) (#36)
    by sj on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 11:45:02 PM EST
    Thanks for the laugh.  

    Parent
    That's the kinda typo.... (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by kdog on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 10:06:55 AM EST
    that helps close an account, provided Don coughed up the 4.99 a minute;)

    Parent
    Friedman has no chance against (none / 0) (#6)
    by BobTinKY on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:30:24 PM EST
    W.

    W is for Wanker (none / 0) (#7)
    by BobTinKY on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:30:53 PM EST


    Parent
    Tebow (none / 0) (#8)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:34:20 PM EST


    Parent
    he wanks so that we may all (none / 0) (#9)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:51:38 PM EST
    have life more abundantly..

    Parent
    had to throw with sore wrist (none / 0) (#10)
    by BobTinKY on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:58:20 PM EST


    Parent
    had=hard (none / 0) (#11)
    by BobTinKY on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 12:58:37 PM EST


    Parent
    if you think that's bad (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:21:43 PM EST
    try receiving the stigmata in the middle of a game..

    Parent
    LOL! (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by Zorba on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:25:04 PM EST
    Makes the ball slippery.  ;-)

    Parent
    not jim? (none / 0) (#18)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 01:46:37 PM EST


    Parent
    i think tom friedman may well be (none / 0) (#21)
    by cpinva on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 05:08:45 PM EST
    in contention for "Wanker of the past Half Century", having outwanked most of his contemporary competition. and i say that with a straight face.

    And how long would that be in ... (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by Erehwon on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 05:27:26 PM EST
    FUs?

    If one cannot measure Friedman's successes and failures in FUs, what good is it? ;-)

    Parent

    Is she really writing a book (none / 0) (#28)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 07:48:03 PM EST
    titled 'Permission to Suck'?  Please, say it isn't so!  If so, I think we need a coffee table photo book of wounded Iraq veterans titled 'Suck on This' because the title 'Shameless' has already been taken in the immediate.

    should the award be divided by gender? (none / 0) (#32)
    by observed on Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 08:30:38 PM EST
    I'd love to see an award for "wankette":)

    Gender schmender (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 06:04:44 AM EST
    Everyone wanks

    Parent
    but not everyone Wonks! (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by observed on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 09:56:12 AM EST


    Parent
    Yes, sadly there seems to be (none / 0) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 11:40:55 AM EST
    a lot of personal choice in building and exercising those neuropathways.

    Then mine goes wild reading about how after 18 the ability to build and grow that capability  kind of dries up, so if you raise your children to take pride in being ignorant they possibly never get the chance to recover............

    Parent

    if you're too ignorant (none / 0) (#42)
    by jondee on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 12:19:20 PM EST
    life has a way of knocking you out of the box and kicking your as* till you get back on the right track (as many times as it takes.) Sometimes even in this lifetime..

    As much exhaustive research as has been done, I think we've just scratched the surface of what our real potential is.

    Parent

    I hope so (none / 0) (#44)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 09:22:25 PM EST
    One of our friends is a research psychologist on the post here.  He's always letting me know how much of my potential has slipped away, I thinks he likes watching the faces I make hearing.

    But also read today that reading does create new connections...grows something new apparently?  If we just figured that out, how much do we really know at this juncture?

    Parent

    he sounds like one of those (none / 0) (#45)
    by jondee on Thu Apr 05, 2012 at 02:29:10 PM EST
    glass-is-half-empty types -- and probably stressed and overworked on top of it. (And maybe subtley hitting on you by implying you're with the wrong guy..:)

    Look at all the people who make great comebacks from strokes and traumatic injuries; how does THAT happen? We're far, far from understanding all of the intricacies and nuances..

    Parent

    Brooks or Friedman. (none / 0) (#43)
    by Addison on Wed Apr 04, 2012 at 06:31:33 PM EST
    David Brooks or Tom Friedman.

    Does homeland wankery trump international wankery because (in theory) Brooks should have a harder time ignoring the reality in his backyard (well, his domestic servants' backyards, anyway), making his wankery all the more impressive?

    Or is international wankery the bigger deal because it necessarily involves more people and places, and thus has a more consequential wank effect?

    We'll see. I agree with BTD and think that "Suck on this" assures Tom Friedman of the top spot. It's the Citizen Kane of pundit wanks.

    Wankers | 45 comments (45 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment