And what's Fonzie like?
Before he jumped the shark, anyway?
And yes, sorry to tell you, but I have actually seen black people in person. Yep, right up close and in the flesh. Even had friendships with some. Even went to a - gasp - black doctor once! Even worked for a black doctor once. Holy moly, I even own books written by black people like bell hooks. Shocker!
It's never crossed my mind to say to people tossing accusations of racism my way that I have white friends. It sounds like a stupid thing to say in any event.
Never feel the need to state, "I am not a racist," either. What the hell would that prove?
I'm from Chicago, so most of the doctors I went to were from Southeast Asia. Chicago Hope and E.R. take place in some parallel universe.
Are any of the black people here even capable saying how many white people they've worked for? I never kept track, to be honest.
Any of the women here keep track of the number of men they worked for?
How about the men who've had women managers? Ah, thought that one would work.
Books written by white people? Um, again, don't really think about it that much when I buy or read the things.
And yet, I'm not the one claiming not to notice race.
Hey, ho, funny old life.
Meanwhile, in the backwoods, GOCinAtlanta makes a serious tactical error:
Aaron's the guy over at uppity-negro who thinks all of us warbloggers are, in his words, 'racist motherfuckers'. I was talking to my sister last night about his comments and what he called Andrea but when I pointed my Netscape 4.7 browser at his site, it, and I am not making this up, got This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. I know there's a joke in there somewhere. He took exception to some of the things I said about him, mainly that he was a racist. However, I did not call him an MF. He was miffed that I didn't have a comment function on my blog. That's what my e-mail address is for. I would gladly publish anything negative that he may send me. So, if anyone knows Aaron, pass on these instructions.
- If your e-mail program is Outlook Express, select Compose Message.
- Type in your vitriolic (if you don't know what that means, find a dictionary) comments.
- Click on Send.
I've mentioned that I usually run Linux, right?
Outlook Express? Oh, them's fighting words, bitch. Even when I go into Windows, I use Mozilla's mail program. Or Eudora, if I'm in a goofy mood. But Outlook Express? Fuck that noise.
I've noted that Netscape 4.x users are fucked and abandoned, although normally the site just looks totally effed up; no clue why his mom's sister's computer crashed.
Yes, I'm taking liberties with that remark; he didn't say whose computer it was, just that he was showing it to her. Shut up.
Oh, and
Randolph, one of my readers, and a source of information, told me [Aaron] was a real racist MF
Ok, technically Denny himself did not call me an MF. He was merely relaying information.
No comments section on his site, naturally
Wouldn't call that miffed. Bemused, maybe.
Hey, ho, funny old life.
Update 8/15: What is it with these people?
Earlier, Chuckles said:
Well, let's suppose that Aaron wants to go diving. He might not have time to steal a decent computer. (And let the hate mail begin.)
Ah. This must be that "political incorrectness" I've heard so much about.
At least I ain't using Netscape 4.7 and Outlook Express, luser.
He also added:
In case Aaron is reading, the vernacular is the everyday use of language. The spoken or narrative as opposed to the literary. Oh, wait a minute. He's probably watching Star Trek reruns and commenting on how the black guys are always the ones who get killed.
I've mentioned the linguistics degree, right?
Tom Lehrer notwithstanding, satire is still possible. Hell, Jeff got a laugh out of me for making fun of the worn-out catchphrases I toss around with abandon. But that's just. . . sad.
Black people steal things and are stupid, and I talk about Star Trek. Um, ok. You wound me, sir. Your Neopet and mine, in the Battledome, at dawn. Choose your second.
Didn't Montgomery and Randolph place the bet in Trading Spaces?
Randolph...I'm discriminating against that name for sure.
I'm really unnerved by the whole lack of comments thing on a lot of these sites. I don't get it.
when I was working in education (student affairs to be exact) all my bosses were white women.
Now that I'm in entertainment (err...television), all my bosses have been white men.
3 women, 4 men.
Sorry, just thinking out loud.
trading places.
ugh...
Oh. My. God. If you only knew how many times I had dumbass users call me up in a blind panic saying someone had taken control of their computer. "What's it say?" sez I. "It says 'this program has performed an illegal operation'".
My users have, at one time or the other:
Swear to god, jerk knows no color, and it's stupid people that will be the end of me.
Oh, and if you visit my site, please keep in mind that my brother was delivered to us by martians. I don't care how much he looks like me, he's martian.
Aaron, for fuck's sake. It's nice to see that you are checking my site regularly (as I obviously am yours), but get a goddamn grip and stop quoting me out of context and insinuating that I've said something I haven't. It's getting really old.
This is what you have written about me today:
"It's never crossed my mind to say to people tossing accusations of racism my way that I have white friends. It sounds like a stupid thing to say in any event. Never feel the need to state, 'I am not a racist,' either. What the hell would that prove?"
I NEVER FUCKING SAID THAT ANYBODY CALLED ME A RACIST OR EVEN FUCKING SUGGESTED IT. Your readers may trust you enough to not bother reading the actual piece you copied that from, but if they don't trust you that much and DO CHECK IT THEMSELVES, they will see that I don't even use the fucking word RACISM. As a matter of fact, sorry to disappoint you but so far, not one single solitary person has called me a racist. In my entire fucking life.
And, you might want to check your ego. What in the fuck makes you think I'm writing about YOU when I talk about anything to do with race? That little bit you quoted me on, the bit about working for black doctor, etc - that was in response to some asshole who wrote to tell me that it was obvious as hell that I had never in my life talked to a black person, that I had my head up my ass if I thought that black men were ever the boss in any professional capacity and that I might pick up some "black literature" such as bell goddamn hooks.
Fuck!
And the reason I can count how many bosses I've had, Aaron, is because I've had SIX FUCKING BOSSES in my life. Two were white women, one was a black man, and the other three were white men. It's not that hard to count or remember.
Apparently making nice with Aaron is a futile endeavor. And it's clear that every single fucking time I mention anything to do with black people or race, you're gonna trot it out here and misrepresent it. Are you that bored?
In case you didn't notice while trolling over on my site, I fucking DELETED the 'watermelon' rant and put a note on the link to it, saying I had misunderstood. I obviously did that before I discovered your little tantrum about the latest transgression on my part. Tryin' to be nice, I was. So fuck off.
Hey Jason? The reason some of us don't have comments is because we have other stuff to do. There's no way I could keep up with my LIFE if I had comments on my web site. Don't be so creeped out about it. I have links to my e-mail and feedback form plastered all over the damn place, anyway.
Well it feels good to use the word 'fucking' a lot. Now you can take this post and stick it on your blog somewhere and make it sound like something it's not.
And aren't you the one who said you were tired of this shit??????
Rachel, I said we were gonna be like little Fonzies. What was Fonzie again?
Jason, apparently you are seven times less prejudiced than Rachel.
Scott, I did tech support for a software program for real estate agents.
I was a pleasant, happy-go-lucky sort of person before that.
Fonzie is cool.
I'm limiting my comments from now on to just the pop culture stuff.
Like that will last.
Michelle, I'm laughing with you, not at you.
You're laughing on the inside, right?
Oh.
Fuck.
And I can't believe I forgot to say it.
Correct-amundo.
you should really do the weekly puzzles on KCRW's weekend edition...the way you tie it all together...
10 dollars says the tourists still don't get the connections.
10 more dollars there's an angry response about using pop culture references rather than speaking clearly.
How many 10 dollar bets would I have to make to start a loop of "should I respond? Should I not respond?" internal debats.
10 more dollars says its 3.
You ain't taking my money.
Any idea what brought that on, by the way? Or was it just my dangerous, uncontrollable mutant powers?
At first, I thought Aaron had been part of the government sponsored LSD tests. Most violent mood swings I ever saw. That perfectly condescending kindergarten teacher voice wasn't meant to be condescending. He had to purse his lips real tight to prevent the foul bile of eternal torment brimming up inside him. After work, you might have mistaken him for a mentally stable individual.
How's this:
"I should tell 'em to end apartheid, hehe"
"Have you been in a fucking cave for the last decade?"
Do you think he understands yet why you nearly jumped the cube wall and strangled him to death for continually calling you "boy"?
Ahhh, wistful memories of when REALTORS® were the worst of my worries...
Jason, when I was saying the many references got in the way of clarity, I referred numerous times to Dennis Miller. You know, Dennis Miller like at www.dennismiller.com.
It totally changes the meaning. I happen to think that Aaron has an incredible sense of contemporary design.
Sorry if I confused you.
Outlook Fucking Express?!?
Time to whip out the big guns and call her an AOL user.
Fucking keerist, someone wants a cookie. Some of my best friends, blah. Place your bets for cracker quote of the year, 2002. But really the whole "couldn't keep up with my life if I had comments" thing points to a different sort of ego slavishness. If there's any big conceptual thing that's supposed to be proven or healed here, numbers of associations are not communicating it well at all. It looks from here like arguing is prolonging it. So maybe it's time to cut one's losses and stop?
Looks like I put comments up just in time.
Laura, your comments will never be as good as the ones at Right Wing News and Free Republic. I'm sure you're as broken up about that as I am.
Not that what I said about comments was directed at Rachel -- neither was the Outlook Express thing, Jessica -- but I think she needed to vent.
Or she's always like that, in which case, dude, seriously, switch to decaf.
Insults, probably not helping the situation. But Rachel, normally your ass would be dead as fuckin' fried chicken. But you happened to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period. I don't wanna flame ya, I want to help ya.
All I was doing was comparing how you responded to charges of racism/prejudice/cultural insensitivity/whateverthefuck with how I have. Figured the differences highlighted the different way we saw things. Maybe it's just because I get hit with the stuff more often, but I tend to just blow it off instead of even trying to defend against it. Or I see my life and my choices as a defense against it.
Either way, it wasn't a subtle attack, and I ain't think you were talking about me. However, next time you might consider including excerpts (with names removed to protect the guilty and stupid, natch) when you're answering charges.
We cool now?
Damnit to hell somebody order me the new Mirimax Collection Pulp Fiction that is available August 20th. I added it to my wishlist and everything.
Tell that bitch to be cool Ringo.
Aaron,
"Aaayyyy." I always loved how the Fonz would come in, say "aaaayyyy", and the "live studio audience" would cheer. God, I miss the 70s.
We're cool. You know you're right, excerpting the comments would probably help. Shit, I wouldn't even have to worry about deleting the names. The haters don't leave their names for me, except for a goofy cyber-handle like "badass@mofoville".
Jessica, my ego has nothing to do with my lack of comments on my site. Except in the sense that I'd cry whenever I got mean ones. The main reasons are I have work and school and I'm already terribly addicted to the web and the comments would just suck me in to the point of Borg-like devotion. The other reason is my mother would keel over if she saw any curse words, and I know there would be cussin'. And I love my mommy and don't want her to freak out. And the Outlook Express thing wasn't about me. And god a'mighty, I am on a personal life mission to eradicate AOL from the planet. Fucking AOL. I hate AOL.
Back to Aaron. I actually think Fonzie stopped being cool when he fell in love with and married that whats-her-face Linda Purl character with the little kid from Poltergeist. That was lame-o-mundo.
Cool.
Can I join the club late and say 'hey bell hooks is from Hopkinsville, Kentucky which is only two counties away from where I'm from.
Thank you, thank you very much.
allow me to break out my sociology degree.. ahem
THE NEGRO CAN'T BE A RACIST BEACAUSE RACISM HAS TO BE SYSTEMATICALLY SUPPORTED.
In short, there is no anti-cracker brigade wihtin the US Govt.
Ignant Ass Fuggin white folk... it just kills me that they don't have to know shit about anything and can still think they are arguin' effectivelty... and colored folk got to know the whoel damn system inside and out jsut to appear human ina debate.
My kingdom for an intelligent whiteman.
The Cro-mags were a fun band!
Let's see, I still run Netscape 4.7 because I'm on Windoz fucking 98 and IE, not matter what fucking release, will not run. Netscape 6.2 is intermittent. I need to dump my apps, format my drive and reload my code or buy a new PC. I don't have the time to do that because I'm too busy trying to be as politically incorrect as possible and trying to piss off as many politically correct people as possible. In Aaron's case, it is working. No comments on my site for the same reason that Rachel has none on her site. That's what e-mail is for. And as for stereotyping, all 'warbloggers are white racist motherfuckers' sounds surprisingly similar to stereotyping to me. One good stereotype deserves another. And the Star Trek reference, I got off your own website. Please. Please. Continue writing bad things about me. I can use the hits.
Rachel, I'd forgotten about the marriage. Ugh. Why can't more shows realize when it's time to quit? Before they start sucking?
Uppity-Shinob, not sure about the whole racism = power + prejudice thing. Regardless, Lord knows Negroes can be prejudiced. Think that's why it ain't more of 'em here. I'm just not black enough for those people.
Denny, I can send you some old Red Hat install cds. Or, if you got a decently-fast connection, you can download yourself a real operating system.
You wanna talk hate mail, wait until the Debian fans see that one. . .
No comment on my political correctness, but need I point out you can't even bring yourself to say what I called Andrea? Who I had a very civil conversation with recently. Keep this up, I won't have any enemies left.
And upset? Hardly.
I'm five by five.
As the token Debian user who frequents the site I'll bite: We're all using the same kernel, pal.
As much as I allude to RH being, well, lame I'm speaking from my experience using it. Did I mention that it was RH 5.x? Showing my age here too...
My biggest problem with RedHat is actually their package management. RPMs are a tool of the man. If I was really l33t I'd be using Gentoo anyhow.
Denny, there isn't an ounce of code on that box of yours. It's illegal for you to look at Windows source. Actually it's even worse for me to look at Windows code given the terms of their new "sharing" initiatives.
I choose the green destiny.
Still running RH 7.2 on the desktop, and (yeesh) 6.2 on the Toshiba 486 laptop I mostly use to keep people in the coffee shop from trying to start conversations. Seeing as the battery only runs for a half-hour if I can't plug it in anywhere.
I could feign leetness by crosscompiling everything for the underpowered laptop on the slightly less underpowered desktop, but that would be, like, sensible. And far, far too geeky.
Which Debian release did you start with?
You showed up late, so you can't be Li Mu Bai, or use his sword.
You also cannot be Cowboy Guy.
Debian was pretty recent for me. I was using SuSE for a while but when the whole United Linux thing surfaced I thought it was time to switch to a non-commerical distro. I started off with Woody (when it was still testing) but now I run a mix of testing and unstable. Debian's idea of unstable is a little ridiculous. For a desktop machine it's very solid.
One of the things that really bothered me about RH was the broken gcc package in 6.0. That prompted me to move to Slackware for a little while before blowing an entire disbursement check on a new machine.
Hardware is so cheap now relatively speaking. I went from a 233 to 1.33 in one intergalatic leap.My machine was so old and decrepit it was frightening. The floppy drive and CD drive died in same week. I (can) actually run X now. Woo hoo. Pretty pictures.
Goneaway, I agree 100% When I do retire, I'm gonna get me a big ol' server and run Linux (at least Aaron does have one redeeming feature) I've been in the computer industry since 1977 working on shit that actually works and stays up for 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I hate Bill Gates and I hate Windows. Unfortunately, I do have a job, and don't have time to do a lot of PC shit. And I do have a life outside of computers. Blogging is just a hobby that keeps me off the streets. And it's fun pissing people off. Got under Aaron's skin a few times, and will probably continue to do so.
re: tom lehrer
leave it to you to name drop the beloved author of "poisoning pigeons in the park", "the old dope peddler", etc.
if you don't have at least one of his records in vinyl, shame on you. steal one today.
Lehrer rules. But I have moved enough times, and helped enough people DJ, to realize that vinyl is the work of Satan.
That, and finding a turntable that'll even play my grandfather's old 16 RPM discs is close to impossible.
Denny, are you trying to tell me that you can't abide by Windows, yet instead of spending your time learning an alternative -- a marketable skill -- you'd rather try, and in my case miserably fail, to get under the skin of random people you've never met?
Yay you.
Got me a marketable skill. Gives me a six figure income. It's called dinosaur programming. But, since there's a shortage of us and they haven't come out with anything as reliable or as stable as MVS yet, I'm good until I retire. Which could be anytime. Then I contract for a while. When someone pays me to learn Linux I'll do it. Until then, I'll chug along on what I got until I find the time to learn it on my own. I got no problem teaching myself as I've taught myself all the programming I do now. I'm only a geek at work. After work, I got Ethel. See today's blog. BTW, Randolph is multiracial. Another stereotype at work.
And I got Tom Lehrer on tape. An Evening Wasted With and That was the Year That Was.