Brief but depressing thought: isn't it amazing that Republicans, aided by their RWS™ deception machine, have yet again managed to make this election about abortion, same-sex marriage, and Christian paranoia. And, let us note, that was even before it began to appear that, despite their best efforts to prevent it, the economy is improving.
Just goes to show you: once you've got your audience thoroughly endumbed and sheepified by non-stop distortion and distraction, preying on their worst instincts and lying to them, you've got them forever.
Jeez,
ReplyDeletedoesn't anyone else comment here anymore?..Its like a website just for me, tossin in a nice fat BP fastball to swat into the stands everyday before I go to work with all those idiots who....
are even more "Conservative" than me, seriously, in Georgia, I'm considered a "Lefty".
Umm well I AM lefthanded, but there was a whole week I got dirty looks and middle fingers drivin my ZO6 with the faded "McCain/Palin08" bumper sticker.
Probably cause my youngest daughter had replaced it with a "Heritage, not Hate" confederate flag bumpersticker, and my commute goes through, shall we say, some of the more "industrial" areas of Atlanta...
Anyway, was slappin in a pre-op Spinal a few weeks back, and I jokingly asked the circulator if we needed to turn the table to face Mecca, She laughed, I laughed, the Patient laughed,
Dr. Moehammed-Kareem-Skyhook-ali-Khameni didn't laugh, infact seemed to be quite offended, when I was only tryin to be sensitive to his religious needs, unlike our President and his Muslim faith...
Frank
Yeah, it doesn't exactly speak well of this blog that you're the mainstay of the commentariat. Or of me, for that matter, for continuing to click the "publish" button.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when I had standards...
People read your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteMeant to add ...not sure why people in many of med blogs ..don't comment as frequently. I think using readers may have something to do with it. It seems when they actually came into the blogs ...they commented more for some reason. That's my take on it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read from my feeds ...it seems more distant. When I come into a blog ...I feel like I've gone visiting and am likely to comment.
I love comments - they're like getting a post card in the mail. :) Of course I get way less than you.
I put a post up about "You may be and OR nurse if" My favorite is her thinking the surgeon uses his personality for birth control. :)
Thanks, SeaSpray. I appreciate you, no matter how it looks.
ReplyDeleteSid,
ReplyDeleteThe first blog I ever participated in was this one, and it was just a couple years ago. I had developed a medical problem, was researching it which led me to Surgeonsblog, which led me here. I found a political like mind to have coffee with every morning, your words are my morning company. At the time I was (and probably still am) naive about the blogosphere (and a lot more). I had read the comments sections associated with news articles before, but was very turned off by the haters and name calling that seemed to be predominant, an internet trash dump of rudeness and vulgarity. If I remember correctly, I think my first comment ever was to politely and respectfully question and challenge Frank, however, that was very stupid of me, mostly just a waste of my time and yours. I didn't fully comprehend the nature of his intent... After his not so polite or respectful reply/response to me on your blog, I also suffered his retribution on my feeble attempt at a blog... It happened again just recently, Franky doesn't tire of it, he seems to thrive on it. It doesn't take long to conclude his intent is malicious, and he's just another one of those internet hater trolls. I'm not the only one with Frank issues. So I ask you- why would any one want to associate with, or take the chance of subjecting themselves to Franks sharp retribution and malicious intent? I've considered, that it might be, you get more comments because of folks wanting to challenge Frank... but I don't think so. My guess is you censor Frank and folks might feel a bit more comfortable airing their thoughts on your page. I don't know, I'm just guessing. And I'd bet Franks reply to this comment will again make my case.
Cory, that's a pretty interesting point. I hadn't thought about it, but I have noted that long ago, there were a lot more comments here. It hadn't occurred to me that some were specifically turned off by Frank.
ReplyDeleteIt's also true that various troll-like commenters have come and gone, and I've assumed that was because I argued with them on their own terms, and kept pointing out how specious and superficial their arguments were.
As to Frank, specifically: I admit I have no idea what his game really is, but I've never taken his comments very seriously. At least, I don't see them as personal; I just consider them mostly (with the occasional exception, and, yes, I have censored him) funny. When he's not repeating the same shtick over and over, he can be pretty witty.
That he harasses others on their blogs is something about which I don't know what to think, or do. Whatever else his role is on this blog, I've not considered it harassment. Not of me, anyway. A couple of people take him on here once in a while, and seem to enjoy it. Either his comments elsewhere are of a different character, or I'm being naive. More often than not, I just give him a pass, publish his comments without reading them very carefully. I'll have to think about it.
And I realize my posts are hardly sweetness and candy all the time, so I don't expect disagreers to do so in another tone. But I do prefer to be engaged on the issues I raise, rather than the more typical "I know you are but what am I" or fatuous attempts at gotchas.
When comments disagree thoughtfully I like it, and, hopefully, respond mostly in kind.
I don't know what to call Frank's, though, and never have.
I am a fan of your blog. Don't comment often as I don't generally feel I have anything to add.
ReplyDeleteAs for Frank, I am entertained by his comments as I was by his blog and think some of the others here take him too seriously.
Jeezo-Beezo, Cory c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c aint we j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j ust g-g-g-g-g-get a l-l-l-l-l-ong?
ReplyDeleteand I'm pokin(gentle)fun at R-R-R-R-Rodney King, not S-s-s-s-s-s-s-tutterers...
and when you've been told(thanks Dad!) since childhood that your responsible for the Crucifixion of Jesus, maybe you do develop a twisted sense of humor...
and I'm sorry, that dude that fell to his death tryin to catch a foul ball at the Rangers game was funny, heck, even the announcers laughed, before they realized he died.
anyway, I'm sorry if my comments about your (lame) blog got in your head, thats what constructive criticism's supposed to do, and to this day, when I toss the baseball with my daughters I still hear,
"@#$%^! "DRACKMAN! YOU'RE OPENING YOUR #$%^&* FRONT SHOULDER TOO SOON!"
Of course I hear it, my Mom's got a loud voice.
and if you don't think Sid's made a few Residents cry...
and I mean back when he really operated, not now, when they cry when having to "Assist" him...
Its cool Sid, you can Censor that one.
and to Jim, High Five, Down Low, Up High, Flip Side, and No Homo, but I'll pass on huggin one out...
Artists can't afford to get too close to the fans, just Google Rebecca Schaeffer some time..
And I'm still writin, just can't afford to give it away for free anymore, and I'm hopin to endup like Hemingway, except for the whole Idaho-Shotgun-Suicide thang..
But hey, I'll tone it down if you P-words can't take it.
Well at least during your times of the Month..
And that thang about Women living together's Menstrual Cycles Synchronizing? total Bullshi*
Frank
Fair enough to all. Maybe I do have my panties in a wad. I wonder how many African American or Muslim readers you have, or would be entertained by Franks "humor"? Am I wrong or are there racial undertones? Even if I am wrong, it's the perception that matters. Quite a few pertinent main stream blogs have flag triggers for a reason don't they? Once in a great while, the jokes ok, however the constant barrage does offend even me- and I'm not even Muslim... And Frank, I damn well know the difference between constructive criticism and deliberate meanness, thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteMuslim Readers?
ReplyDeleteI hope Sid doesn't have any, cause they don't really have a sense of humor about Atheists, although the thought of a Million A-rabs carrying Fa-twat signs with Sid's mug on em' is tempting...
And ditto with the African Americans, since Sid's refused to take his blatanly racist cartoon from last week down, you know, the one with the Bantu Tribesmen holding a "Safety Net" (European invention BTW)
"Mean-ess"? My daughter's friends are "Mean", Perez Hilton's "Mean" Sha Ne Ne' from "RHWOA"is "Mean".
I'm "Edgy"
Frank
Dr S:
ReplyDeleteI read this blog (my "first"), because I like to see what you are thinking--Even though I dislike politics, I have an interest in how people perceive it.
Could be that people don't comment often because discussing politics (intelligently) takes mental effort.
DD