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Duck George, it's my shoe!
February 15, 2011 3:38 PM Subscribe

George Bush is bad, Iraq had no WMDs, dating is difficult, black people and white people are different, airplane food is unacceptable.

This thread is a perfect example of "stating the obvious" when it comes to certain repeating topics on Metafilter.

Call out, please stop flogging the dead horse of "George Bush is bad". I don't like the guy, and probably can attribute a portion of my general dislike of Americans to him, but I find myself facepalming when I see yet another thread which would have been really interesting in 2002/2003, but is just old news now.

posted by dougrayrankin to MetaFilter-Related at 3:38 PM (143 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite

Just dropping in here to say that no one has flagged that post or any of the comments in it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:41 PM on February 15, 2011 [10 favorites]

Hmmmm.....same initials as Rumsfeld....our next "Metafilter's own?"
posted by nevercalm at 3:43 PM on February 15, 2011

And at least one person hasn't moved on.
posted by katillathehun at 3:44 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

No of course, I don't think there's anything at all wrong with the post in terms of it breaking any rules or anything like that, just that... the theme of the post seems very "flogging the dead horse".
posted by dougrayrankin at 3:44 PM on February 15, 2011

so you're against discussing the reasons for entering a conflict that is ongoing because the president who started it is out of office?

until the harm he and his administration has done to the world is rectified, i think it's perfectly acceptable to discuss the reasons it all happened. i mean, some people have the mistaken idea that ronald reagan was an amazing president. i don't think it's too late to discuss the fallacy of that position either.

blah blah forget history blah blah repeat it.
posted by nadawi at 3:45 PM on February 15, 2011 [13 favorites]

Way to keep it low profile then...
posted by Babblesort at 3:46 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

also - you cared enough to shit in the thread and start a metatalk thread, but you couldn't be arsed to flag anything? is it flogging a dead horse to remind you of FIAMO?
posted by nadawi at 3:46 PM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

so you're against discussing the reasons for entering a conflict that is ongoing because the president who started it is out of office?

That would be a strawman. I'm saying that we all know Bush and his cronies were/are evil and that we don't need constant reminders.
posted by dougrayrankin at 3:47 PM on February 15, 2011

also - you cared enough to shit in the thread and start a metatalk thread, but you couldn't be arsed to flag anything? is it flogging a dead horse to remind you of FIAMO?

Why would I flag it? None of the reasons for flagging a post apply.
posted by dougrayrankin at 3:49 PM on February 15, 2011

Pretty sure dougrayrankin is reenacting the first two panels of a pictures for sad children comic here.

Third panel -- doug brings his arms back to his shoulders, closes eyes.
Fourth panel -- doug opens eyes, says "it's all so" -- extended his arms -- "tiresome."
Fifth panel -- he lays down in his cubicle.
Sixth panel to close -- his coworkers continue working, stepping awkwardly over his fetal form.

related to the MeTa trend lately.
posted by boo_radley at 3:52 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

There's an "other" flag.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 3:53 PM on February 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

Why would I flag it? None of the reasons for flagging a post apply.

If it's not flaggable, then why are you calling it out?
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 3:53 PM on February 15, 2011 [13 favorites]

Or, you know, you could just avoid the thread if you don't like the discussion going on.
posted by auto-correct at 3:56 PM on February 15, 2011 [7 favorites]

you think the average person knows who Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi is? Because that's what the thread is about - his place in the story.

and i don't really understand your accusation of strawman. you think it's flogging a dead horse to talk about bush or his administration or how "bad" they are. i asked if you were against discussing the reasons for entering a conflict that is ongoing just because the dude who started it reached the end of his term limit (again, what the thread you linked is about). if i've misrepresented your position, please let me know where...the only thing i can figure is that you propped up a strawman and then accused me of strawman-ing the strawman by discussing the actual topic of the thread you linked to.
posted by nadawi at 3:56 PM on February 15, 2011

Identifying a specific lie and liar is what elevates this beyond "Bush sucks." I refuse to let GWB get viewed through rose-colored glasses.
posted by Sticherbeast at 3:56 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Flagging to me is something I'd use if the post was something that immediately required the attention of a mod. This is less important than that, and more intended to be a point of discussion.

Like...

Problem post - flag
Something else - MetaTalk
posted by dougrayrankin at 3:56 PM on February 15, 2011

Why would I flag it? None of the reasons for flagging a post apply. --- Well, ok. How about just moving on then? There are dozens of posts made every week that I have no interest in, but you don't see me making a Metatalk post about them, do you?
posted by crunchland at 3:57 PM on February 15, 2011

Yeah, what's the deal with airline food?

Amirite?
posted by Joe Beese at 3:59 PM on February 15, 2011

You Are Cordially Invited To
IGNORE IT
And
MOVE ON
This February 15th, 2011
At
Metafilter.com
Followed By A Reception

R.S.V.P
1-800-SERIOUSLY NOW
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:00 PM on February 15, 2011 [145 favorites]

Well there's a huge thread earlier today about how Apple has done something new and that it is horribly evil, wrong, and will fail, and nobody seems to care much about that.

Except for that one guy getting his feelings hurt by proxy.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 4:01 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Given that most of us were probably totally unaware of this aspect of the Iraq lead up and the fact that the only negative thing the article says about the Bush Administration is that they swallowed this guy's line of bullshit hook, line and sinker, I can't help think your a little bit emotionally compromised here.

I guess that's stating the obvious, though.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 4:02 PM on February 15, 2011

dougrayrankin: "more intended to be a point of discussion."

Well maybe next time you want to discuss something, you won't be so sarcastic about your framing. Cause there's little room for discussion in how you wrote your post. Framing is everything, yes?
posted by boo_radley at 4:03 PM on February 15, 2011

Flagging to me is something I'd use if the post was something that immediately required the attention of a mod.

My grasp of the mods' setup is sketchy, but my understanding is that one person flagging a post does not immediately set off klaxons in their undersea lair. It's just a blip. When a bunch of people flag something, then the klaxons sound, but then, obviously, some consensus has determined that something is a problem.

Meanwhile, opening up a MeTa about what one person thinks is a problem is more of an immediate trigger. Jessamyn was the first person in here, and within 3 minutes of your post.

I think you should reverse your approaches.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:03 PM on February 15, 2011 [9 favorites]

and probably can attribute a portion of my general dislike of Americans to him,

Look, we're stuck him, we don't like him either, but we can't exactly drop him off on the moon and leave him there*, ok? So back off and cut the rest of us some slack.

* We tried. The Vulcans said we have to keep our trash on the planet or no warp drive in 2215.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:03 PM on February 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

we can't exactly drop him off on the moon and leave him there

This is why it's important that we continue funding NASA.
posted by Joe Beese at 4:06 PM on February 15, 2011 [10 favorites]

What's so difficult about dating?
posted by Eideteker at 4:07 PM on February 15, 2011

What's so difficult about dating?

The wet spot.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:11 PM on February 15, 2011

George Bush is bad, Iraq had no WMDs, dating is difficult, black people and white people are different, airplane food is unacceptable.

Have you guys ever flown Air New Zealand? THAT is good food. Even by ground food standards. And the skywaitresses are really nice about giving out free booze to all the flyers.

Call out, please stop flogging the dead horse of "George Bush is bad". I don't like the guy, and probably can attribute a portion of my general dislike of Americans to him, but I find myself facepalming when I see yet another thread which would have been really interesting in 2002/2003, but is just old news now.

Welcome to history. When you are president, people get to talk about you...as much as they want. Because at one time, you were the leader of the free world and made a lot of choices that still affect us today. Thats why we get to talk about Bush, Clinton, Obama, along with the rest of them.

Kim Kardashian, not so much.

And us Democrats talk about Bush like Republican National Conventions talk about Reagan: lots and lots.
posted by hal_c_on at 4:12 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

my general dislike of Americans to him

Generally disliking a category of humans as diverse as the citizenry of the United States of America is a million times more ridiculous than a Metafilter post linking an article that came out today in a British newspaper about a recent development in an ongoing story about the most significant ongoing event in global politics.

Seriously, do you have any inkling of an idea just how diverse a group of people "Americans" is? And did you realize that the article that you're calling out on MetaTalk is from your own country?
posted by The World Famous at 4:14 PM on February 15, 2011 [10 favorites]

"The wet spot."

Nonsense! That's the post-sex icebreaker. If you can't laugh about it with your partner, you have a sure sign of incompatibility.
posted by Eideteker at 4:17 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

my general dislike of Americans to him

I don't hold Blair against citizens of the UK, just as there's no reason to hold Bush against Americans.

Also, for what little it's worth, the number of people who voted for Kerry in 2004 is more or less equal to the entire population of the UK, at about 60 million, to say nothing of those who could not vote due to age or circumstances, or who voted for a third party candidate.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:22 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Did you guys see Bush at the Super Bowl? It was like, "Hey that's Bush! He's at the Super Bowl."
posted by ob at 4:22 PM on February 15, 2011

Where's the "dating is difficult" thread? I would love to flog it, in a safe and consensual way of course.
posted by Brocktoon at 4:24 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

My grasp of the mods' setup is sketchy, but my understanding is that one person flagging a post does not immediately set off klaxons in their undersea lair. It's just a blip

My cabal membership package includes a button that sets of klaxons.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:34 PM on February 15, 2011

That sets off sets of klaxon sets is what I meant, of course.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:34 PM on February 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

I don't hold Blair against citizens of the UK, just as there's no reason to hold Bush against Americans.

Also, for what little it's worth, the number of people who voted for Kerry in 2004 is more or less equal to the entire population of the UK, at about 60 million, to say nothing of those who could not vote due to age or circumstances, or who voted for a third party candidate.

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise. In part, for the fact that they elected Bush in the first place, then the whole Intelligent Design thing, the Healthcare thing (Repeal the Job Killing Healthcare Law, srsly?)

However, I do have some super awesome American friends, I just find that both in examining the whole American politics thing where it seems that number of votes received is related to number of times Jesus is invoked during campaign, as well as George Bush's "You're either with us or against us" stance... it's hard to adopt the base assumption that Americans are reasonable people (though I freely admit I may be jaded as a result of my line of work).

However, I digress from the original point of the thread, which, in light of what has been said by a number of people in the thread I will acknowledge was perhaps not the best way of putting forward my thoughts.

In retrospect, this thread is rather snowflakey, I guess I just cracked after one too many Anti-US/Bush threads.
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:42 PM on February 15, 2011

Wow. You must really hate Italians.
posted by The World Famous at 4:46 PM on February 15, 2011 [6 favorites]

Wow. You must really hate Italians.

Oh God don't get me started on Italians!
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:47 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm an Italian American. I find this offensive.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:57 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Those fucking Belgians, too.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:01 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm fucking a Belgian. I find this offensive.
posted by eyeballkid at 5:05 PM on February 15, 2011 [12 favorites]

Fuckers.
posted by dougrayrankin at 5:08 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise. In part, for the fact that they elected Bush in the first place

Interesting. As an ex-pat Brit, I have to say that I'm having a default position of disliking my fellow Brits because they elected Cameron and Cameron 2.
posted by ob at 5:09 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I like waffles.
posted by desjardins at 5:23 PM on February 15, 2011 [7 favorites]

Some of my best friends are Americans.
posted by The World Famous at 5:29 PM on February 15, 2011 [9 favorites]

dougrayrankin: "I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise. In part, for the fact that they elected Bush in the first place, then the whole Intelligent Design thing, the Healthcare thing (Repeal the Job Killing Healthcare Law, srsly?) "

I will default dislike the British due to the Opium War.
posted by Chrysostom at 5:34 PM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

This is my balloon, here, you can have this one.
posted by clavdivs at 5:36 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm fucking a Belgian. I find this offensive.

I'M NOT A FRENCHIE! I'M A BELGIE!
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 5:44 PM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

I will default dislike the British due to the Opium War.

Incidentally, I took the ending of Tim Burton's (awful) Alice in Wonderland as implying that Alice Liddell was indirectly responsible for the Opium Wars.
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:47 PM on February 15, 2011

I ate a whole doner kebab in naan tonight. It was delicious. Oh is this not an open thread? Someday I'll work out how to read.
posted by parmanparman at 5:53 PM on February 15, 2011

There is no button that sets off klaxons.
posted by the Cabal at 6:21 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

"Some of my best friends are Americans."

Worst Bowie sequel ever.
posted by klangklangston at 6:24 PM on February 15, 2011 [13 favorites]

Worst Bowie sequel ever.

Second only to Aladdin Competent.
posted by The World Famous at 6:37 PM on February 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

Who framed Ronald Reagan?
posted by flabdablet at 6:37 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Has the idea of allowing users to see how much posts are being flagged ever been discussed? I can understand there might be lots of reasons as to why not, but the number of flags is usually the first reason discussed in talking about deletion reasons. Just something to consider, maybe.
posted by beepbeepboopboop at 6:47 PM on February 15, 2011

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise.

There are 320 million citizens of the U.S. That's an enormous number of people to dislike until each and everyone one of them gives you a reason not to. It must tire you out.

I'd say you have an awful lot of wrong in your wrongness, there.
posted by tzikeh at 6:54 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise. --- I don't care what this bigoted wanker says. Americans are the good guys, after all, while the Brits and frenchmen are evil. And the germans are just stupid. (A billion people can't be wrong, can they?)
posted by crunchland at 7:06 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise

Wow. I've actually never met a single American I didn't like. Certainly I've met quite a few, as I was in the tourism industry off and on for a decade, and I used to travel extensively throughout the U.S. on water-skiing, windsurfing, and bicycling adventures, back before 9/11 when everything went into the dumpster.

I miss those road trips to the States a lot. There is something about the openness and willingness of Americans to engage with others that I find very refreshing.Americans are truly fabulous people, and if anyone to insist that I could only associate with citizens from one other country I'd pick the USA without thought. Which is why I find their corrupted political process so resoundingly sad. But to condemn an entire nation's citizens outright, by default? Give your head a shake, sir.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 7:10 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

For this: You Are Cordially Invited To

I hereby award Brandon Blatcher one factory sealed new in box collectible original internet deluxe package featuring a genuine pair of David Mirsky drunk browsing underpants and AOL 1.0 floppy disc.

But for this: The wet spot.

I hereby retract the previous award and replace it with a wedgie.
posted by loquacious at 7:26 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

This is possibly the most inane MetaTalk thread I've ever seen.

I kind of hate you for this.
posted by paradoxflow at 7:28 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

You found the wet spot!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:30 PM on February 15, 2011

doot-do-de doot
ma-na-ma-na
posted by clavdivs at 8:37 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yeah, lame, almost lame'.
People like reliving the politics and music from when they really felt alive though.
I feel for the Dukakis and Duran Duran crowd.

I'm grumpy because it's Nixon and Crocodile Rock for me.
posted by vapidave at 8:53 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Crocodile Rock is such an awful song. I have no opinion on Nixon - never heard him sing.
posted by item at 8:54 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Which internet is this?
posted by Burhanistan at 9:22 PM on February 15, 2011

The one with feathers.
posted by flabdablet at 9:39 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Language is not an artifact!
posted by Burhanistan at 9:41 PM on February 15, 2011

doot-doot-doo-doo-doo-doot.
ma-na-ma na
posted by clavdivs at 10:04 PM on February 15, 2011

strawman-ing the strawman

Yo dawg, I herd you like strawmanning strawmen, so I put a strawman in your strawman so you can strawman your strawman while you're strawmanning strawmen.
posted by zippy at 10:46 PM on February 15, 2011

man, does that word look weird now
posted by zippy at 10:46 PM on February 15, 2011

do do do do da da da da

is all i have to say to you.
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:16 AM on February 16, 2011

Every now and again while I'm engaged in some mildly unpleasant task like scooping the litterbox or waiting on hold to talk to a customer service representative I'll be struck by this thought: The Feelies really were a great band. I should buy some of their music.

And then I never do.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 12:21 AM on February 16, 2011

Call out, please stop flogging the dead horse of "George Bush is bad". I don't like the guy, and probably can attribute a portion of my general dislike of Americans to him, but I find myself facepalming when I see yet another thread which would have been really interesting in 2002/2003, but is just old news now.

I really don't get what the problem is. Yeah, it happened in 2003, but so what? It's not breaking news, obviously, but the Guardian series is doing a good job bringing the strange saga of Curveball more fully to light finally. I've been interested in him for awhile, and this is the first time I'm aware of that anyone has gotten the story in such detail from the man himself. But if you're not interested in this story, that's your prerogative.
posted by homunculus at 1:32 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

You know, I don't really mind airplane food.
posted by NoraReed at 2:24 AM on February 16, 2011

Yeah, but seriously, what's the deal with it?
posted by Night_owl at 2:42 AM on February 16, 2011

That's what's with airplane food: someone in October said that the noise in the planes makes that it tastes less, so they have to over-spice it. Hahahahahahahahaha. Ha. ha (self link).

(It's not the food that's new, it is how humans interact with it (no self link).
posted by Namlit at 4:12 AM on February 16, 2011

Shadoobie
my brains been battered
posted by Sailormom at 4:18 AM on February 16, 2011

Snark
When the walls Gelled
posted by The Whelk at 5:05 AM on February 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

the theme of the post seems very "flogging the dead horse".
posted by dougrayrankin at 11:44 PM on February 15

Until he and his partner-in-war-crime Blair are actually dead or in jail, I for one have no intention of refraining from flogging them. Sorry.
posted by Decani at 5:15 AM on February 16, 2011

... please stop flogging the dead horse of "George Bush is bad". I don't like the guy, and probably can attribute a portion of my general dislike of Americans to him...

Gee. Thanks a lot.
posted by Splunge at 5:32 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

The shoe throwing was literally my favorite part of the Bush presidency. Not because someone made an attempt at attacking him, but because his reaction after he ducked was priceless. There was a noticeable smile on his face. He actually seemed to enjoy the momentary lapse into the insanity that characterized his wild days. (As opposed to the insanity that was his rise to political power, and the wielding thereof.)

I've always been under the impression that if he had never gotten into politics, Bush would come off as the nicest asshole frat boy you'd ever met. A complete blast to hang out with if you could ignore his privilege and horrific social views.
posted by SpiffyRob at 5:50 AM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]

Are you saying that he's the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with?
posted by crunchland at 6:00 AM on February 16, 2011

There was a noticeable smile on his face. He actually seemed to enjoy...

I understand where this is coming from, but I'm doubtful. Alternative interpretations:
1) Smirk reflex (statistically the most likely one).
2) Rictus of a dead horse.

the insanity that characterized his wild days
Don't. TMI already.
posted by Namlit at 6:38 AM on February 16, 2011

Yeah, what's the deal with airline food?

I mean, who are the ad wizards that came up with this one?
posted by electroboy at 6:53 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Are you saying that he's the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with?

I'm pretty sure I could not ignore his privilege and horrific social views. Not to mention: That's the hypothetical pre-political Bush. These days, I wouldn't even sit down with him if offered a Great Lakes Christmas Ale on a sweltering August day.
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:57 AM on February 16, 2011

the wet spot

My wife has a theory that if teens were taught about the wet spot in high school sex ed classes, there would be a lot fewer unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Best way to get 'em to use a condom isn't to scare them, it's to make 'em sleep in the wet spot.
posted by nickmark at 7:23 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Did you guys see Bush at the Super Bowl? It was like, "Hey that's Bush! He's at the Super Bowl."

But yet the shithead couldn't be bothered to show up to see his Pappy get the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama a few days later at the White House. Asshole move, no matter how much he hates either his dad or Barack Obama. (I've been meaning to make a FPP but too busy this week.)

And, dougrayrankin, you do know the "I hate all X, except for my friends who are X's, who are wonderful," is the textbook definition of bigotry.
posted by aught at 7:28 AM on February 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

Did you guys see Bush at the Super Bowl? It was like, "Hey that's Bush! He's at the Super Bowl."

Yeah, and they sat him next to John Madden. Somebody must really hate Bush.
posted by Floydd at 7:37 AM on February 16, 2011

Are you saying that he's the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with?

Oh hell yeah! I'd love to be the guy that is there when he publicly falls off the wagon.
posted by quin at 7:38 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

I have no opinion on Nixon - never heard him sing.

Speculating from my vague childhood memories of his speeches on the TV, I am imagining a Leonard Cohen-y dirge/monotone thing but with significantly more boring lyrics.

"Today I talked to Kissinger and we made another enemies list,
And we plotted all the morning how to lie to in goddamn press kits,
And I tried once more to smile but I found that it still hurts me,
But when Checkers rubs against my leg I feel the hate ebb just a bit..."
posted by aught at 7:40 AM on February 16, 2011 [6 favorites]

I think saying you dislike Americans helped make the Americans on this site (I think there are a few) more receptive to your ideas. That was a good way to frame this.
posted by planet at 7:57 AM on February 16, 2011 [5 favorites]

> I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise.

It's refreshing to have someone come right out with "Hi, I'm a jerk, feel free to ignore everything I say."
posted by languagehat at 9:15 AM on February 16, 2011 [6 favorites]

I do have some super awesome American friends

And your patronizing attitude is sure to win you more.

I guess I just cracked after one too many Anti-US/Bush threads.

If that's all it take for you to crack, you may need to get out more. Here's the thing: there are a lot of people like me who feel that the very real and ongoing damage the Bush administration did to America is, to paraphrase Faulkner, "not even past." That is, we fear that Obama's explicit unwillingness to confront the skeletons in the closet of the previous administration, for fear, we are told, that it would just drag us backwards, has actually resulted in the meek and tacit approval of the policies that administration set into motion. I recently articulated this very view on metafilter, and the sentiment seems to have met with approval. I stand by my conviction that failure to directly confront the ghosts of Bush will continue to haunt America. This is not a knee-jerk reaction, or failure to "get over it," but rather an analysis of lack of accountability and deep structural changes (for instance, the growth of the Executive, the renewal of the Patriot Act, and the neutering of the Department of Justice).
posted by The Emperor of Ice Cream at 9:18 AM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]

This is the worst call-out I can remember.
posted by rollbiz at 9:33 AM on February 16, 2011

But yet the shithead couldn't be bothered to show up to see his Pappy get the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama a few days later at the White House. Asshole move, no matter how much he hates either his dad or Barack Obama.

That was a major dick move. Cool crowd, including Yo Yo Ma, Bill Russel and Stan Musial (didn't know he was still alive).

Not to mention Maya Angelou, Jasper Johns, Warren Buffett, the NRDC's John Adams and Congressman/civil rights activist John Lewis. (Wow.)

Though W might have been terrified Angela Merkel would be able to attend (she was also a recipient) and kick his pathetic shoulder-rubbing ass if he came anywhere near her.
posted by aught at 9:45 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Has anyone made the "flagging the dead horse" joke yet?
posted by Omnomnom at 9:50 AM on February 16, 2011

Has W been anywhere near the White House since leaving office? I wouldn't think he would have the stomach to set foot there.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:52 AM on February 16, 2011

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise. In part, for the fact that they elected Bush in the first place . . .
In retrospect, this thread is rather snowflakey, I guess I just cracked after one too many Anti-US/Bush threads.

You default to disliking Americans because they -- or at least some of them -- voted for Bush, and so you complain that there are too many anti-Bush threads.

I've got a better theory for why you "cracked," and it doesn't rely on making nonsense statements: You're rationalizing your parochial attitude. Poorly, I might add.
posted by Marty Marx at 9:55 AM on February 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

LAWRA!
posted by clavdivs at 10:12 AM on February 16, 2011

I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss a scandal involving greedy oil industrialists and their perverse plot to weaken America's defenses for the sake of their own personal gain. I'm talking, of course, about the Teapot Dome scandal, a sad chapter in our nation's history that besmirched our honor like none other. Soon the youth of this country will feel no compunction about being cheeky with their elders, dancing the Charleston, and showing all manner of ankle. Fie on thee, fie on thee and thy Hawley-Smoot-supporting ways!
posted by Afroblanco at 10:23 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Teapot Dome scandal? Crédit Mobilier or GTFO?

Also, did you hear about Aaron Burr?
posted by Sidhedevil at 10:31 AM on February 16, 2011

Has W been anywhere near the White House since leaving office? --- Yes. He was at the White House in January, 2010, along with Bill Clinton to discuss strategies for dealing with the crisis in Haiti caused by the earthquake earlier that month.
posted by crunchland at 10:33 AM on February 16, 2011

I like ~~waffles~~ turtles.
posted by deborah at 11:16 AM on February 16, 2011

It's turtles all the way down.
posted by fixedgear at 12:14 PM on February 16, 2011

No, he's over here.
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:40 PM on February 16, 2011

It's waffles all the way sideways, however. Don't look up.
posted by Burhanistan at 12:41 PM on February 16, 2011

"....President Harding is unavailable for five card stud, thank you everyone"
posted by clavdivs at 1:18 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Dating is difficult? I protest! As a handsome man, nothing could be easier. My wife disagrees, but marriage is all about compromise.
posted by Mister_A at 1:56 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Somehow, this thread : flameout :: real fire : the fire log channel.
posted by Beardman at 2:15 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

we have homemade jam....
posted by clavdivs at 2:25 PM on February 16, 2011

somehow, this thread : flameout :: real fire : the fire log channel.

Wasn't this about presidentship? Possibly on topic: "You're fired." (something something firefox channel coming up soon)
posted by Namlit at 3:37 PM on February 16, 2011

Well I make sure that I wear my "Teach the Controversy" t-shirt as often as possible so people don't mistake me for one of THOSE Americans.

But seriously, I live in NYC and I would be hard pressed to find one person who fits your idea of a typical American, dougrayrankin. (And I kinda wonder about your amazing American friends because I sure wouldn't become friends with someone who holds such a one dimensional view of Americans.)
posted by miss-lapin at 3:44 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can someone here explain why this dick got this? Seriously. WTF?
posted by Splunge at 8:10 PM on February 16, 2011

"We honor George Herbert Walker Bush for service to America that spanned nearly 70 years, from a decorated Navy pilot who nearly gave his life in World War II, to U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, from CIA director to U.S. envoy to China, to the vice presidency,"

i mean, agree or disagree, the reason is right there.

also - besides nixon, every president from #35-41 have them. i imagine clinton, baby bush, and obama will get theirs in due time.
posted by nadawi at 8:17 PM on February 16, 2011

Can someone here explain why this dick got this? Seriously. WTF?

Meh. Tony Blair got one, too. It's like the Nobel Peace Prize or an Oscar. It's not merit-based. It's political.

Plus, it gave Obama the chance to publicly slap Reagan in the face: "It was the steady diplomatic hand of President Bush that made possible an achievement once thought impossible - ending the Cold War without firing a shot," Obama said.
posted by The World Famous at 8:18 PM on February 16, 2011

Might as well place this here. Not gonna be an FPP. But worthy of consideration, regardless.
posted by Splunge at 8:24 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

I will default dislike the British due to the Opium War.

Call out, please stop flogging the dead horse of "Opium War is bad".
posted by Superfrankenstein at 9:36 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Superfrankenstein contains 28% more neckbolt than Frankenstein 1.0.
posted by Mister_A at 7:45 AM on February 17, 2011

Are those bolts connected to the vagus nerve? What the hell is the point of them being on the neck? If they are electrodes then they should be on his chest.
posted by Burhanistan at 8:11 AM on February 17, 2011

They're holding his head on. It's modular.
posted by The World Famous at 9:31 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

besides nixon, every president from #35-41 have them. i imagine clinton, baby bush, and obama will get theirs in due time.

"We honor George W Bush for service to America, from his time in the Texas Air National Guard, during Vietnam, where he completed at least two-thirds of his commitment to protect Houston from attack, to ..."
posted by zippy at 11:07 AM on February 17, 2011

I fully admit to having a default position of disliking Americans until they show reason for me to think otherwise.

Are we still allowed to use the word "douchebag?"

You're admitting you're a bigot, and you want us to join you in your bigotry. You'd be speaking German if it weren't for Americans saving your country, buddy.
posted by spitbull at 11:32 AM on February 17, 2011

You'd be speaking German if it weren't for Americans saving your country, buddy.

seriously? it's shit like that which has some people thinking all americans are blowhards. they also might not have spoken german if we americans didn't help fund the germans. history is too complex to reduce to a sentence like that, especially when it comes to the american savior complex.
posted by nadawi at 11:59 AM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Blowhard statement or not, the US has succeeded in many audacious challenges by being ridiculously confident and immodest.
posted by zippy at 12:47 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

and we have caused untold damage with the same outlook. neither of these points makes spitbull's statement any less offensive.
posted by nadawi at 1:58 PM on February 17, 2011

It is never "the US", it's people, like in any other country too.
posted by Namlit at 2:16 PM on February 17, 2011

the US has succeeded in many audacious challenges by being ridiculously confident and immodest.

I seem to recall a few other countries that have also succeeded in many audacious challenges by being ridiculous confident and immodest. France, for example. And England. Shall I go on naming others?
posted by The World Famous at 2:21 PM on February 17, 2011

Shall I go on naming others?

Sure!
posted by zippy at 2:29 PM on February 17, 2011

Actually, I'm not allowed to go on naming others because to do so would disclose the names of countries that only very important people are allowed to know about.
posted by The World Famous at 2:34 PM on February 17, 2011

I'll clarify my original statement - I think "blowhard" is a less than ideal term when describing an action that actually happened and was a thing of good in the world. Perhaps riding on this sentiment for generations, or when one wasn't personally involved in or affected by it, is blowhard-esque. But that's not how I read it.

But I'd also say that dougraykin's comment about viewing Americans in a negative light, which Nadawi then ties to as a consequence of actions by another poster on Metafilter, is stereotyping on dougraykin's part.

The actions of one speaker, blowhard or not, or even an ampitheater full of blowhards, shouldn't color one's perception of an entire nation. To behave this way is to form an opinion based on a stereotype. And to blame the speaker for the sterotype seems misguided.

That's what I meant to say.
posted by zippy at 2:42 PM on February 17, 2011

ok - how about this "You'd be speaking German if it weren't for Americans saving your country, buddy." is a shitty thing to say and not really backed up by history, or at least over simplifies the case to the point of irrelevancy. furthermore, it has no place in a conversation about acceptance of other countries and the citizens of those countries.
posted by nadawi at 2:56 PM on February 17, 2011

I think that's fine.
posted by zippy at 3:00 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Eh, if the Nazis managed to conquer England then people would still be speaking English there.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:01 PM on February 17, 2011

Wait. I am speaking German. What happened? what
posted by Namlit at 3:15 PM on February 17, 2011

"Eh, if the Nazis managed to conquer England then people would still be speaking English there."

They'd just all sound like Colonel Klink.
posted by klangklangston at 3:20 PM on February 17, 2011

They'd just all sound like Colonel Klink.

I once saw Colonel Klink in a production of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio. During the performance, he accidentally said one line in English.
posted by zippy at 3:31 PM on February 17, 2011

I keep hoping they'll do a Hogan's Heroes: The Next Generation starring Patrick Stewart as Colonel Klink.
posted by The World Famous at 3:39 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Hogan's Heroes: The Next Generation starring Patrick Stewart as Colonel Klink.

From "I see nothing!" to "I've seen everything?"
posted by zippy at 3:40 PM on February 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

can't we all get along?
posted by nathancaswell at 6:21 AM on February 19, 2011

Wow. I've actually never met a single American I didn't like.

Hi, I'm Xezlec. Feel free to peruse my comment history.
posted by Xezlec at 9:53 PM on March 2, 2011

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