It's me, it's me, it's Earnest T.!

This week's Earnest T. Bass daftness award goes to some knob who left his common sense at the door when walking in. Again, it has to do with that land of fools called the HTR community forum. Our hero (we'll call him "knob A") has a gripe with one of the other posters ("knob B") and, apparently letting the weight of the week get the better of him, called his nemesis out for the rube that he is.Well, a number of folks on the forum are newbies and they had no idea of the history of idiocy displayed by "knob B." They only saw "knob A" rattling "knob B's" cage, apparently without provocation. "Knob B" has a history of rudeness and stupidity that he has directed at "knob A" and other forum participants. "Knob A" justifiably (in my humble opinion) dislikes "knob B" and mocks his stupidity from time to time. However, "knob A" is a fairly intelligent chap who really ought to know better, and when he smacked "knob B" online he suddenly found himself the target of those other forum dwellers who only saw an unprovoked attack by "knob A" on "knob B."
"Knob A" was defiant and dealt with the criticism (which was somewhat justified) pretty well, and even had one or two other folks throw their support his way, which of course was gratifying to "knob A."

My certificate of achievement

Let this be a lesson to you other knobs out there. Forum combat is most often a losing battle, regardless of the justification of your cause. There are just too many dimwits and sourpusses in that land of fools. You'll get raked over the coals regardless. I should have known better...wait, I mean "knob A" should have known better! Yeah, that guy!

Election Year Daftness

Now that the election is over we can hopefully get back to the every-day-garden-variety daftness of the coffee shop. I read and heard more daft pronouncements from friends and acquaintances concerning both major party candidates than I care to recount. Neither camp was immune to dopiness, and I'm sure you've already heard your share of curious opinions and statements concerning either candidate.
I ran into one friend who was/is an ardent Obama supporter..."ardent" might be an understatement...and they (I'm using "they" rather than he or she so as to completely avoid any identification, because these folks are friends and while I think they deserve a little teasing, I don't wish to embarrass) became a little peeved with me when I didn't take their position as seriously as I apparently should have.

Let me be clear that I am an equal opportunity teaser. Zealotry for either Obama or McCain would have and did receive some good-natured ribbing.

They said that they may not have been in the shop lately ostensibly because of something I may have said in jest and that "This is serious [presumably Obama getting elected]. There are poor people in the world."

"Well, go get 'em, tiger," I replied.

"There are poor people in the world." (?)
The inferences are that if Obama were to get elected there would be either less, or perhaps even no poor people in the world as a result? And that the other candidates perhaps weren't as concerned about poor people as Mr. Obama? Puh-leeze. What does one say to that kind of blind devotion (obamania)? Well, "go get 'em, tiger" is as good as anything I suppose.

On the other side, a supporter for Mr. McCain, while in the shop brought up the idea that Obama might just be that fellow that the Book of Revelations refers to as ushering in the end-times. Yup, that honey-tongued deceiver of biblical prophecy. When you hear something like that it's difficult to not reply, at least it is for me. "You're not serious are you? Good grief, that's even more ridiculous than some of the drivel I've heard from the Obama camp."

My opinion: Both of those men (Obama and McCain), as well as their running mates (and the attacks on Palin were particularly nasty and childish), are a combination of honorable and opportunistic. Neither one of them deserved some of the criticism they received and they both did deserve some of the criticism they received. We always hear about how the public hates it when campaigns go negative and attack the other side. That's bull. The public does not hate that kind of campaigning (and both Obama and McCain engaged in it) because the public engages in it themselves! Nothing either candidate said concerning their opponent could rival some of the nonsense that we say ourselves (e.g., Obama is going to eliminate poverty; McCain only cares about rich people; yada, yada, yada... Such nonsense).

People have been asking me who I voted for. The candidate I voted for did not get elected. I have real concerns about the new President-elect's philosophy and stated policy desires. I do, however, believe that he will do the very best he can, I hope that his tenure is a positive one for our country, and that the system of checks and balances will keep things...well...balanced and in check.