Re: DC Thread

1

Sure, sure, we know you really just killed them and are covering. 'Bastards are late' is code for 'I haven't figured out their blog passwords yet so I can post as them and rule the world!'

horizontal rule
2

maybe where you are anonymous online, they're being anonymous in real life...

horizontal rule
3

Late, as in the late Dentarthurdent. It's hardly even code.

horizontal rule
4

I didn't say it was a good code.

horizontal rule
5

Bastards are illegitimate.

I once remarked in passing that someone had predeceded me. Judging from the reaction I got, that's apparently the kind of thing you can only say if you're dead.

horizontal rule
6

Well, I would say that it implicates that you're dead. Or maybe it presupposes it. Probably presupposes.

OK, "Yorick died before Smythies did" suggests that Smythies died, but "Yorick died before Smythies told him about the pelican" does not suggest that Smythies told him about the pelican. Does this illuminate implicature vs. presupposition? Probably not.

In fact, there are some contexts in which I think "X predecededed Y" does not suggest that Y is already dead. Suppose that John Adams had awoken an hour later and had been better informed, and had said, "Jefferson died before me, the bastard! Ha ha!" I think that would have made sense. So would "Jefferson predeced me!" Or "Jefferson has predeceded me!" Although if Jefferson had died 25 years before, and someone said to Adams on his deathbed "You'll be the first ex-president to die," Adams could have said "Jefferson predeceded me"; the difference between the simple past and the present perfect is the recency of Jefferson's death.

The interesting thing here is that we will all die*, so that might satisfy the presupposition for "X died before me." But in most cases the speaker's death isn't salient.

*Except for SB, who like Tyrone Slothrop or V. is a shadowy conspiracy, a biomechanical being, or a concept, and who will never die but if anything will be dispersed.

horizontal rule
7

Bastards are late!

You were expecting maybe something different?

ash

['Ah, those online meetups of yore.']

horizontal rule
8

Didn't you have a lateness problem before, with a previous meet-up in Chicago? Surely you have heard of cell phones.

horizontal rule
9

Oh, and if he does show up, be sure and give Apostropher a big kiss for me.

horizontal rule
10

It wasn't so much a lateness problem as a massive breakdown of communication.

horizontal rule
11

Communication and pleated pants.

horizontal rule
12

Well, I was late. You hadn't heard of cell phones.

horizontal rule
13

Oops.

horizontal rule
14

Communication breakdowns and lateness = both solved by cell phones. Pleated pants, however, there is no solution for.

Suddenly I'm like the cell phone pusher. I'm quite happy to live without them, but it does provide a good chance to give Ogged shit, and who would pass up one of those?

horizontal rule
15

I was giving Ben shit. Ogged was an innocent bystander. (Kotsko mysteriously evades responsibility.)

horizontal rule
16

It wasn't so much a lateness problem as a massive breakdown of communication.

*AHEM*. You were maybe expecting something different?

ash

['At least no guns, knives, or very large men on acid were involved!']

horizontal rule
17

What the hell are you talking about, ash?

horizontal rule
18

Is it better to be late, or an arriviste on time?

horizontal rule
19

What the hell are you talking about, ash?

Meeting up with people you have never met usually involves lots of snafus, screwups and whatnot, particularly if you have never spoken with them on the phone. A meetup that went even 90% smoothly is so improbable as to be ridiculous, cell phones ('Damn, what's his number? I left it at home!') notwithstanding.

The kicker line is a reference to personal experience with this sort of thing.

Clear enough?

ash

['Didn't you have you guys have this problem the last time too?']

horizontal rule
20

No, the last time (me + bphd + Wolfson + Kotsko) went pretty smoothly, as Ben and I arrived at the front of the restaurant at the same time--the only snag IIRC was that, when we called Kotsko, it took a while to get it through our thick heads that he and b were inside the restaurant we were standing outside of.

horizontal rule
21

We were late because we were enjoying breakfast tacos, of which Ogged was not able to partake. But we survived the encounter.

horizontal rule
22

You're not fooling anyone, Ogged.

horizontal rule
23

Smasher, tell Sausagely that I said his Harvard QB ain't shit. 5 picks, 2 in the end zone. That's what happens when you spend too much time reading books and playing grabass at the Lampoon, I guess.

horizontal rule
24

Adam kept saying he was "here", and I kept saying that I didn't know where "here" relative to Adam was.

horizontal rule
25

Well, Chopper, looks like the big showdown is next week, and surprisingly it will mean something. I'm not going to talk too much trash because Ben R. has been looking a bit hurt. You can thank the Steelers for keeping you in the division race, anyway.

horizontal rule
26

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that game--I've got 4 suite tickets (thank you, kiss-ass vendor!), so I'll be there to see it happen. If we win, then I'll start talking trash, but our comeback has really been against pretty poor teams.

horizontal rule
27

Chopper, I'll add those failings to the list of reasons why Harvard's QB ain't shit.

horizontal rule
28

Cowboys score! Yesss!

(Won't hear me say that too often.)

horizontal rule
29

Talking about sports = instant bannination.

horizontal rule
30

Only for you, young Ben.

horizontal rule
31

From now on, for everyone, alter Matt.

horizontal rule
32

Who's going to stop me, after all? Unf?

horizontal rule
33

I'll back Ben up on this one. After all, he has a naked picture of me, I pretty much can't afford to cross him.

horizontal rule
34

No, the last time (me + bphd + Wolfson + Kotsko) went pretty smoothly

The time before that then? I remember somebody not showing up because they to the wrong place and then went home.

From now on, for everyone, alter Matt.

How is he supposed to be altered? Would this involve...snippage?

ash

['Well, my deceased grandmother would be happy. With the win.']

horizontal rule
35

After all, he has a naked picture of me, I pretty much can't afford to cross him.

How ungentlemanly. Is he 'drunk wid power'?

ash

['Oh, dear.']

horizontal rule
36

ash, you're right. Here is the blogburst (the first link goes to my aggrieved explanation in Wolfson's comments rather than to his account, but that's my privilege as the linker).

horizontal rule
37

How have I been ungentlemanly? I assure there's been no behind-the-scenes coercion.

horizontal rule
38

No object for "assure" because my assurances are completely general and all-encompassing.

horizontal rule
39

I'll back Ben up on that, too.

horizontal rule
40

People aren't already talking about everyone else? What's going on?

horizontal rule
41

Tom has his comments.

horizontal rule
42

The breakfast tacos were as tasty as I had been led to believe, Saiselgy and Smasher have quite the awesome entertainment center set up, and ogged does have a skinny Chris Noth thing going on. Grand to have met everybody.

horizontal rule
43

Funnily, "mythopoetic" is how I think of myself.

I will happily report that I did not find the metaphorical pint (budweiser, not pints, was ordered*) to be awkward. I had a lot of fun meeting everyone. The seediness of our chosen tavern was confirmed by the little roach which took up Ogged's leftovers.

*Chosen for their economy, which is a real shame, because at the end about $150 was thrown down for what turned out to be a $77 bar tab.

horizontal rule
44

Oh, and if he does show up, be sure and give Apostropher a big kiss for me.

Despite the undeniable sexual tension in the air (and showing me that comment on his fancy-assed cell phone), Ogged did not deliver your kiss. You'll just have to send me a nekkid picture instead.

Interestingly, everybody's real-life personas matched up pretty closely to their online personas. Saiselgy is a bit more cantankerous in person, and Michael is a bit less smart-assed, but all in all, everybody seemed quite familiar. Also, Ogged looked very much like my mental picture of him, except clothed.

Smasher and Wehttam make mean breakfast tacos. Mmmm, chorizo.

horizontal rule
45

I do wonder what the barman thought. As the 6 of us settled into the table around the swarthy man in shadows and a moment's silence ensured, I realized as I asked "So, what shall we call you?" that I had said it loud enough for the barman to hear.

Saisegly was eerily reminiscent of a Scottish philosophy professor who used to teach at LSU, a coincidence which I'm sure means nothing to anyone else.

Armsmasher was just as manly as his moniker implies.

The Apostropher is even sexier in person than in his flasher photos. (Hence the sexual tension in the air.)

horizontal rule
46

Impression of Ogged: More laid-back and with a deeper voice than I had imagined. Not as skinny as I had imagined. No disfigurements; the length since the resetting of the Tivo must be due entirely to the unavailability of nonRussian women in Oggedville.

horizontal rule
47

#44: Ogged not delivering my kiss means that *Ogged* owes you a nekkid picture.

horizontal rule
48

Well then, hurry up and send him one so he can pass it along.

horizontal rule
49

LOL, well played.

horizontal rule
50

So what did he have you call him?

Or rather: was it "ogged"?

horizontal rule
51

Impression of Ogged: More laid-back and with a deeper voice than I had imagined. Not as skinny as I had imagined. No disfigurements; the length since the resetting of the Tivo must be due entirely to the unavailability of nonRussian women in Oggedville.

Does this mean he's suitable to play the lead in a gay cowboy movie?

ash

['Were there any chaps involved?']

horizontal rule
52

Apostropher is even sexier in person

Actual quote from Michael: "You're much thinner than I expected from your topless photos."

horizontal rule
53

Apostropher is even sexier in person

Actual quote from Michael: "You're much thinner than I expected from your topless photos."

horizontal rule
54

Weird. Well, it was a point worth emphasizing.

horizontal rule
55

Matt Weiner -- your comparison of Standbridge Pipeplate to Tyrone Slothrop leads me to wonder whether you are the same Matt Weiner -- he was a waste disposal engineer of some sort and lived in or near Pittsburgh IIRC -- who posted regularly 5 or 6 years ago to the pynchon-l, and got in screaming insult-battles with an older Pynchonophile named Doug.

horizontal rule
56

Nope.

(OMG, SB is Thomas Pynchon! Of course!)

horizontal rule
57

That's a relief (2 reliefs actually -- a. The pynchon-l Matt Weiner was an arguably nasty piece of work; and b. I had been hoping TRP was hip to the blogosphere -- come to find that not only is he, he's been commenting all along here on Unfogged!)

horizontal rule
58

That's a relief (2 reliefs actually -- a. The pynchon-l Matt Weiner was an arguably nasty piece of work; and b. I had been hoping TRP was hip to the blogosphere -- come to find that not only is he, he's been commenting all along here on Unfogged!)

horizontal rule
59

2 reliefs, 2 posts. Do the math!

horizontal rule
60

(OMG, SB is Thomas Pynchon! Of course!)

That is so cool!

So, SB, wtf was up with that useless Vineland?

horizontal rule
61

Anyone who skipped the DC meetup is missing out on a hefty collection of mix CDs from Nick S. Thanks for making those—quite an effort put into them.

horizontal rule
62

Hey I and (IIRC) Jackmormon were both hoping to get our hands on one of those mix CD's -- will they be making the journey with -gg-d up to NYC?

horizontal rule
63

cw, don't go talking Vineland down.

horizontal rule
64

No, we hogged them all. But I think my household probably owns the complete Nick S collection; could we dropload them to you? And tell the RIAA you'll be sending the check in the mail?

horizontal rule
65

That would work for me. As long as I can stick it to the Man.

horizontal rule
66

So, who from the NY meetup is arriving at 6? I've got this thing at 7 that I can't get out of, but I'm going to try to hang out at Old Town until at least 6:30.

horizontal rule
67

more when i have a real internet conx but was a lot of fun and i do have cds for ny.

horizontal rule
68

I am a parlor game played chiefly in the comments.

horizontal rule
69

And an occasional tease.

horizontal rule
70

Joe -- I can get there at 6.

horizontal rule
71

Cool. I'm wearing a blue turtleneck and a dark brown jacket. I have shaggyish sandy-brown hair.

horizontal rule
72

There is a picture of me at the top of my blog. (I am the taller one.)

horizontal rule
73

And, are you still going to be wearing the same turtleneck and jacket tomorrow evening?

horizontal rule
74

I'm wearing a blue turtleneck

The meetup is tomorrow night, correct? Or are you saying you will be wearing the blue turtleneck? Just don't want you to be waiting for a really long time...

horizontal rule
75

Whoa -- it's not tonight? Ok, never mind. No idea what I'll be wearing tomorrow night, but I don't think I'll have to leave early.

Thanks, Becks, that would have sucked.

horizontal rule
76

I have less Greek, but doesn't the signature for 69 abbreviate "Standripe Bridgeplate"? (Or, to be pedantic--not that I would be such a way--"Standripe Bridge.")

horizontal rule
77

It is, of course, possible that Standpipe Bridgeplate used a correct Greek monogram, and has a middle name beginning with an R.

Like "Rumpus", maybe.

horizontal rule
78

I am willing to burn more copies of the various compilation CDs that I sent to DC (for anyone with an address that they can use as a mail drop that they're willing to share). Offer applies to lurkers but void when I get tired of burning / labeling /addressing)

As an audio snob) I believe that if it's something people feel like they're going to listen to more than a couple times I'd rather do what I can to try to share the music at as high an audio quality as possible.

(Note: A couple months ago, as a present to myself for switching jobs, I got a used masterlink. It's the most expensive thing I've bought myself in a couple of years, but it's great. And part of the motivation for sending the CDs to the meet-up was that it's new and I'm still getting a kick out of playing with it).

P.S. I'm definitely interested in feedback from the people who ended up with copies.

horizontal rule
79

more when i have a real internet conx but was a lot of fun and i do have cds for ny.

kthxbi STOP

horizontal rule
80

I'm definitely interested in feedback from the people who ended up with copies.

Now I want to email Nick high-pitched screechy noises, but I don't have a copy of the CD to justify it.

horizontal rule
81

pwned.

Comments perhaps?

horizontal rule
82

I don't understand why this thread is trackbacked.

horizontal rule
83

high-pitched screechy noises

It's possible that he already owns it.

horizontal rule
84

I don't understand why this thread is trackbacked.

Obviously because we're talking about racial violence in Australia. They've merely broken the secret code we've been using.

horizontal rule
85

Is there a racial dimension to -gg-d's ongoing campaign of terror against -nf-gg-d commenters? I think we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg here.

horizontal rule
86

Jesus H. Christ, look at that -- tell people in comments you have posted a pertinent review or article, and maybe you will get a few referrals over the course of the next few days. Say "There is a picture of me at the top of my blog" and the world comes streaming thither! For gosh sakes you guys, I am clothed! (And probably not half as sexy as bitchphd anyways.)

horizontal rule
87

But your coblogger there is pretty cute -- worth the click-through, certainly.

horizontal rule
88

Well, I'm not going to link to a picture of myself, since I'm anonymous, but I will link to a picture of Susan George that looks a lot like me, and would probably look even more like me if I were in the habit of wearing that much black eyeliner.

horizontal rule
89

88 -- you look like the Fortune City logo? This will be odd...

horizontal rule
90

Susan George is married to Simon McCorkindale, of Manimal fame.

horizontal rule
91

Nevermind, some confusing weirdness on my browser's part. I see now the picture that you purport to resemble.

horizontal rule
92

Not your browser, it's a referrer check.

horizontal rule
93

No one is as sexy as Bitch PhD. Not even the person who writes her blog.

horizontal rule
94

So it's a Jesse Malkin-type affair over there, eh?

horizontal rule
95

Who?

horizontal rule
96

Oh, right, that. No, hardly. Just that imagined perfection inevitably disappoints in person.

horizontal rule
97

He is the husband and rumored puppet-master of Michelle Malkin.

horizontal rule
98

So, so very not a puppet here. Trust me.

horizontal rule
99

The person who writes Bitch PhD is too modest.

horizontal rule
100

100!

horizontal rule
101

Osner: Say "There is a picture of me at the top of my blog" and the world comes streaming thither!

Aha! Another middle-aged guy!

ash

['Where's my fucking ushanka???!?!?']

horizontal rule
102

#99: Either that or you and Kotsko are too chivalric.

horizontal rule
103

After all, he has a naked picture of me,

Lucky bastard.

#99: Either that or you and Kotsko are too chivalric.

You're not just sexy, but learned! I never heard/read the word "chivalric" before.

horizontal rule
104

Definition.

horizontal rule
105

Does Bitch, Ph. D. have the same working definition of chivalry as Matt Weiner? I'm not saying she doesn't, just that the question deserves to be raised.

horizontal rule
106

In a lot of ways, chivalry is horndogging, yes. The difference is one of tone. As with so many things.

horizontal rule