Oilers in 4!
Canuck | 05.22.06 - 2:26 pm | #

my $ is on the way
8)
smoke | 05.22.06 - 2:35 pm | #

I'll try to put a crowbar to my wallet and pry out some money.

But, regarding the longer term, any thoughts on selling stock?

I'd certainly love the opportunity to invest in Americablog.
mh | 05.22.06 - 2:35 pm | #

When hosting the "more video and audio" please keep in mind us poor slobs with dial-up connections when putting content on the front page.
My 2¢ | 05.22.06 - 2:36 pm | #

No.
Holly in Cincinnati | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 2:50 pm | #

done so recently, will skip to the next time, soooooo, back to the shit

http://mparent7777.livejournal.c...om/ 8757944.html

Ex -US soldier: 'If he didn't answer the way we liked, we would shoot his youngest kid in the head'

May 21, 2006
Jessie Macbeth, a Former Army Ranger and Iraq War Veteran Tells All

This 20 minute interview will change how you view the U.S. occupation of Iraq forever. I cannot possibly recommend this more highly. An Iraq war veteran tells of atrocities he and other fellow-soldiers committed reguarly while in Iraq. I have never seen this level of honesty from a U.S. soldier who directly participated in the slaughtering of Iraqis.

Excerpts:

"When we were doing the night raids in the houses, we would pull people out and have them all on their knees and zip-tied. We would ask the man of the house questions. If he didn't answer the way we liked, we would shoot his youngest kid in the head. We would keep going, this was our interrogation. He could be innocent. He could be just an average Joe trying to support his family. If he didn't give us a satisfactory answer, we'd start killing off his family until he told us something. If he didn't know anything, I guess he was SOL."

and

"For not speaking out, I feel like I'm betraying my battle-buddies that died."

Watch the video here. ( http://www.peacefilms.org )

http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog...ting/ 000394.php

Crossposted with commentary at 'If he didn't answer the way we liked, we would shoot his youngest kid in the head': Ex-US soldier

MARC PARENT
CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS
http://mparent7777.livejournal.com/
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/14409
http://www.dailykos.com/user/ccnwon
tofubo | 05.22.06 - 2:53 pm | #

tofubo, in a lot of ways, not surprising. Still, holy fuck!!
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 3:05 pm | #

[ No.
Holly in Cincinnati | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 2:50 pm | # ]

Not pro-LIEberman enough for ya?
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 3:06 pm | #

Oil companies cleared in gas price-fixing probe. Investigators told to wait until first of month to cash checks

http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/22/...dex.htm? cnn=yes
8)
smoke | 05.22.06 - 3:15 pm | #

http://www.breitbart.com/news/20.../ D8HOTOEG0.html

Gas Price Gouging after Katrina
Matt O. | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 3:17 pm | #

the open source community mocks you, John. on their behalf, i mock you too.

you're wasting a ton of money on things that you would have gotten for free if you'd have had the gall to ask. hell, a well worded plea for input on slashdot.org would have yielded more FREE resources than most major corporations can afford to buy.

you chose, forcefully, to self-finance. i still submit the reality that 100% of your endeavor can be done at no cost to yourself. no exagerration, John... 100% free. all of it.

your public relations skills suck once you get beyond that elitist crust of media manipulation. and, no that's not abusive... just an observation wrapped in an opinion. and, before you conjure up an abusive reply, bear in mind that I'm one of the people capable of providing the things I describe as being "FREE" as for free. Instead of lashing out and telling your readers that we're ignorant... why not ask your readers if this free stuff is true?
resident | 05.22.06 - 3:17 pm | #

Here it comes...
THANKS!!
Jump to the Left | 05.22.06 - 3:19 pm | #

$18,000 a year just in bandwidth costs? I don't believe it. Let's see some numbers, please.
Rufus | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 3:22 pm | #

Jumpsteeeeeeeeerrrrr!

can't talk now. must work
8)
smoke | 05.22.06 - 3:22 pm | #

Bold. Italics. Red. Ff0000. 12.

This was a test of the emergency text format system.
Testing | 05.22.06 - 3:24 pm | #

resident | 05.22.06 - 3:17 pm | #

are you any relation to pResident ??
tofubo | 05.22.06 - 3:25 pm | #

smokester
I can't talk either, but sending a feel good hello. Catch you later...
:)
Jump to the Left | 05.22.06 - 3:25 pm | #

Sorry John, but you ain't CrooksandLiars.

I don't support your continuous attacks on Mary Cheney. Just to be clear, in no way, am I a fan of hers. But by giving her real estate on your site, you give those rethugs the attention (albeit negative) that they crave.

If you could start doing features on HOW the Dems could help fix the mess or highlight positive Dems, then I'd be willing to reconsider.

America is a fucking mess, thanks to our commander'n thief and his loathsome cronies.

Focus on what we CAN do to help our country get out of these dark times.
Thanks.

NOTE FROM JOHN: Actually, if you re-read my "attacks" on Mary Cheney, you'll see that most of them are efforts to drive a (legimate) wedge between the religious right and the rest of the Republcans.

Edited By Siteowner
no way jose | 05.22.06 - 3:25 pm | #

If you like this site and want to keep it going, you should give at least a small donation. Don't be a girl.
SkippyFlipjack | 05.22.06 - 3:25 pm | #

Testing,
Cute. Don't forget about the preview feature--I missed it for months.
Jump to the Left | 05.22.06 - 3:27 pm | #

Don't be a girl is sexist.
John and others should quit using the phrase. John would go apeshit if someone used derogatory language when refering to gays and lesbians.
no way jose | 05.22.06 - 3:31 pm | #

Yeah, tofubo,
I saw that yesterday...still sick about it, the raw carnage of the incompetence and deceit laid bare like that. Thanks for posting the link--it must be seen.
Jump to the Left | 05.22.06 - 3:32 pm | #

I frankly don't know what in the hell I would be paying for!

Links to other websites where writers have actually done their job?

Great stuff from Chris and Joe occasionally. But let's face it, John. You're a slacker.

You get nothin'.
Mark | 05.22.06 - 3:34 pm | #

And once again the trolls that you rarely see, save for donation time and when the wankstain chimp tanks in the polls yet again, show up to try and be disrupting and encourage people NOT to donate. Sad to think they are just jealous knowing they couldn't even muster up one tenth of the work, wisdom, information, and blog that John and the guys do. It's laughable when you think about it. Ta trolls, going up thread, you can stay here and piss and moan to yourselves.
rikc | 05.22.06 - 3:47 pm | #

hi girls -

wow -- what a bunch of ryhmes with hunts. some of these comments are just nasty - nothing like giving bitter queens a chance to rant and then ask them to pay for it. some of their true colors come out, and it ain't pretty (just like ken mehlmans manhole) lol!!!!.

anyway, i enjoy the site and the topics and the nasty queens who play here. i plan to contribute - modestly but participating nonetheless.

let's remember, w, rummy and aunt tom are our biggest enemies - not john or his co-laborers.
DWS | 05.22.06 - 3:51 pm | #

With all of the negative remarks out there, I just want to say that "I heart Americablog" and a check is on the way!

Keep up the good work John (and Joe & Chris)!

Love ya guys!
shaki-devi | 05.22.06 - 4:05 pm | #

are you any relation to pResident ??
tofubo | 05.22.06 - 3:25 pm

Nah. I'm just some oddball who happens to have an educated opinion on John's assertion that you need to give him money because he's wasting all of your donations on a resource which he could have had for free.

The open source (FOSS) community exists to defy the mindset that IT development and infrastructure has to be expensive. This would be the same community which invented blogging and the technology by which it is driven... Instead of asking for their continued development and embracing a true force of human innovation, John is taking the elistist route. To him, money will pave the road to his future successes. The community that built the road by which he travels are just not the 'right' kind of people for him (read: free).

He could engage that available talent for free OR buy it from one individual... what's offensive is that he's asserting these costs as necessary. That is a stance which simply is not true.

The FOSS community is comprised of thousands of IT professionals and enthusiasts. Most of them are actively volunteering their work, bandwidth and hardware resources toward developing solutions to situations such as John's. They work for free or, at most, their name in the credits. On the other hand, John knows this guy who costs a lot and seems to be taking his time (at an hourly rate) in developing and implementing a solution which thousands of similarly talented minds have already created.
resident | 05.22.06 - 4:11 pm | #

Check's in the mail, John!
Grant in Houston | 05.22.06 - 4:12 pm | #

No.

I'm a big girl.
Ferry Fey | 05.22.06 - 4:12 pm | #

you tell 'em resident! I agree with you 100%
no way jose | 05.22.06 - 4:30 pm | #

No more of my money, John, after you became unhinged on me, for an unknown reason when I replied to your rant abt. McKinney, you screamed at me and said"because you give me money, you don't tell me what to do!" Never did, never will now.
Kate | 05.22.06 - 4:40 pm | #

Be that as it may . . . my PayPal contribution is paid.
Indigo | 05.22.06 - 4:44 pm | #

resident -

You're FOS. (Full of SHIT)

And I'm not going to say any more than that - just to insure that I don't drag the thread down arguing with you.

If you don't like it, then don't donate. But the rest of us appreciate this blog, and know that there's a little more to creating and maintaining a top notch blog then your little diatribe would have us believe.

And don't start lecturing me about development costs or whatever, I'm IT, too man - and have also owned and operated businesses - and would rely upon those "volunteer developers" about as much as I'd rely upon YOU.

Get it?

And for me? I'm sending in a money order today. Don't really do "pay pal" - but am very appreciative for John's blog -and for putting up with all you trolls that are constantly trying to drag the discourse down to the Rethuglican level of Propaganda and empty double-talk.

So there.
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 4:44 pm | #

GWB may be right saying that politics is "hard work". It is for people lacking political skills. The political skills displayed on Americablog - such as deleting dissenting posts, banning people for making dissenting posts and telling the audience how stupid or unimportant they are and then asking for their money - indicates that someone on the blog should develop some political skills. Until they do they are well out of line asking for funds to maintain a censored one-note blog.
Chris | 05.22.06 - 4:49 pm | #

no.

I don't pay for someone to belittle me when I make a an observation. Maybe you should pay attention to some of the constructive criticism when it's offered instead of calling them names and yelling at them.
nancyboy | 05.22.06 - 4:52 pm | #

[I don't support your continuous attacks on Mary Cheney.]

I also don't support continuous attacks on Mary Cheney--that's what the other site is for. I do love his continual attacks of Mary Cheney, though.
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 4:53 pm | #

What 900 lb said and more.

Yes, sometimes Ablog is a "clipping service". But I also notice that some folks here don't watch TV and may not have the time to peruse all of the news services. So I consider this site as resource in and of itself.

Of course things happen here that really piss me off, but it's not that often. If that were so, I'd move on.

I use paypal and that works for me. I am happy that John travels, or attends camp, and have never understood the whining about that.

This is a good blog. I read many. It's got it's own personality.

:)
erin | 05.22.06 - 4:56 pm | #

900 lb. Gorilla, that's classy. I think you personally kind of got chewed out a bit by John a few weeks ago for one of your comments, and regardless of whether or not any of it was a misunderstanding or overreaction, it's cool that you're still coming around and posting, and it's extremely cool that you're not trying to sabotage discussion by obsessing over what happened.
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 4:57 pm | #

I'm not sure my totally ripped guns could support such an enterprise. I mean, canoodling with Starbuck is one think, but not a humongous, arrogant, insensitive emu. I like to let my freak flag fly with birds of a different feather. I also like to just read TPM and Atrios directly. Less ads that way.
Jamie Bamber | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 4:58 pm | #

900 lb gorilla, when a liberal blog owner says that weak men are women, then refuses to acknowledge that perhaps some of his readers might have an issue with that, saying it's just gay vernacular, then tells all readers who disagree with him to screw off, then begins an ongoing process of deleting any posts on the subject -- who's dragging the discourse down? in all seriousness, 24 hours ago I would have given money to this site, which I've read on a daily basis for a couple of years. i'm giving to TPM instead; josh marshall doesn't throw fits. (maybe that's because he doesn't allow comments :) )

more on topic, as another IT guy, i agree that FOSS evangelists can be a little... optimistic. open source development of applications is one thing. but relying on the goodwill of strangers for company bandwidth -- FREE! -- is a recipe for failure.
SkippyFlipjack | 05.22.06 - 4:59 pm | #

MY NEEDLE IS BEING PEGGED!! I'M OFF THE CHARTS! CIRCUITS...OVERLOADING...MUST SHUT...DOWN...TOO MUCH...CHUTZPAH>

*BWOOooooooop*
Chutzpah Detector | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 5:01 pm | #

I'm really conflicted about giving. I LOVE this site...visit two or three times a day, as a matter of fact. And I don't expect to agree with everything I read here.

But the "big girl" comment was really offensive, and it bothered me greatly that John refused to take it down, edit it, or apologize. Instead, when the trend of the comments became obvious, he deleted the whole thread.

A little humility, a little humanity, and a willingness to occasionally admit error are the hallmarks of maturity.
Anonymiss | 05.22.06 - 5:01 pm | #

We got a hot one here. Coming in fast!1! Go to Alert Level 5: total and complete chundermiffin!!!!
Munchwagon Control | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 5:03 pm | #

Peace to you all. I mean no offense to anyone and certainly wouldn't encourage you to withdraw your support of this site. I read this site daily. Hell, I even give money (once).

And, 900lb... I have a valid point. Visit www.slashdot.org for proof. Use Linux or Firefox or Open Office... My point is valid in as many ways as your tantrum is incorrect. I haven't outright insulted anyone... how're you feeling on that topic? Your response is outta line.

The only person who could take offense might be John Aravosis and the whole underlying point of my post is that John Aravosis has no interest in my input. Or yours. I'm only trying to get him to reconsider his options and re-evaluate his approach. It could save him mega cash which could be more appropriately utilized elsewhere

I wish him well. I wish you well. I wish everyone well. I just disagree with his approach to laying the foundation of his work... And I said so. Nothing for anyone to get crazy about. Ultimately, it's none of my business... which is why it's in the comments section. =)
resident | 05.22.06 - 5:04 pm | #

I think a lot of people who were around for the "Big Girl" thread were pretty upset, including me.

In fact I was shocked and still am. I basically stayed out of the fray, but was reading it.

I haven't forgotten it completely, but I'm think it's worth staying.
erin | 05.22.06 - 5:07 pm | #

[My point is valid in as many ways as your tantrum is incorrect. I haven't outright insulted anyone.]

Well, you just insulted 900 lb. Gorilla by referring to his chastisement of you as a tantrum. And it seems pretty outright.
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 5:09 pm | #

resident are you talking mostly about development or bandwidth? firefox development is different than free bandwidth, which seems to be John's primary cost. do you really think he should risk his entire enterprise on the continuing goodwill of some guy from slashdot who likes Americablog and has a spare T1 coming into his garage?
SkippyFlipjack | 05.22.06 - 5:10 pm | #

So many new handles popping up here I have never seen here before in my year and a half of visiting this site. Probably those who never supported this site (nor any other) but like a free ride for their comments.
Grant in Houston | 05.22.06 - 5:10 pm | #

Actually, our tech guy isn't "some guy I know," he's one of the most brilliant people I've ever had the privilege to meet and know. He can run circles around anyone techie I've ever met, and has a penchant for either not charging or charging far less than he should. So, rest assured I wouldn't hire some incompetent drinking buddy and put my blog in their hands.

As for getting stuff free, I've usually found that stuff for free is worth what you pay for it, as the saying goes - free consultants and free computer helpers don't usually come running when you have a crisis and they have a dinner party. And putting that aside, my tech guy is pure geek, he knows all this stuff, he knows the open source community, he's up on all of it. It just so happens that his advice is that rather than trying to glue together various services from various people, he'd rather have ONE provider give us everything, hosting etc. And I agree.

This is a 100,000 person a day blog. It's not some volunteer project on local cable access. I think we have an obligation to our readers and the issues we care about to do it right. And that means doing it professionally and making sure it works. We can't afford to make a mistake by doing it on the cheap and having the blog die for a few days, or even hours. And as I said, my tech guy is brilliant, and I'm no slouch either, so rest assured he's familiar with all the options and has already explored them.

And finally, $1500/month or so is what the monthly bandwidth costs (actually, it's around $2000/month in techie costs and bandwith combined, so bandwidth might be a bit less). We already got bids from lots of vendors, in addition I've also talked to the other top blogs with similar traffic. I suspect we use far more bandwidth than some of you realize (and I've had more than one doubting Thomas say "oops, you're right" when we got through the details of our traffic).

I certainly appreciate the offers of help, but please don't assume that I'm approaching this project without doing my due diligence. This has been a year in the making. We know what we're doing, and we're using our (and your) money wisely.

Thanks, JOHN
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 5:13 pm | #

"So many new handles popping up here"

Reality alert!!
People with actual lives posting comments.
Put on your tin hat and wait for futher instructions from Grant in Houston.
Greg | 05.22.06 - 5:15 pm | #

hi girls --

i will repeat my mantra

w, rummy and aunt tom are the enimies. save the piss and vinegar for them (maybe even some excrement - lol!!! - although melhman would try to eat it).

no infighting as we gear up for fall elections -- too much work to be done (including putting santorum into retirement - my main focus in the coming months, in addition to raising a child, holding a job, and dishing on the blogs).

don't contribute if you don't want to - just don't spray the urine around on us -- save it for the red-state losers.

cheers, girls.

dave

a big girl in philly -- lol!!!
DWS | 05.22.06 - 5:15 pm | #

One more thing. Don't get me wrong: I tell my tech guy all of the suggestions I get from you guys, via the comments or emails. It's just that every time I've told him one he responds "I know, we're talking to them" or "I know, I've already considered that." I will suggest the open source stuff, but I'm just letting you know that he has had every base incredibly well covered, that's why I'm not too worried.
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 5:17 pm | #

Anonymiss and SkippyFlipjack

Thanks for your posts on the 'big girl' remark. I really appreciated it.

Unfortunately, degrading women and overweight people have become acceptable forms of slurs in the 21st century -- (taking the place of racist and homophobic phrases so common in the 20th century).
no way jose | 05.22.06 - 5:19 pm | #

Hey... Thanks, tireiron and erin.

I think it just pretty darn unfair to try to make John something like a superhuman. Like he doesn't have feelings too - or is supposed to be omnipotent and benevolent at all times... He's human just like us...

And for dudes like Chris...

I'd have to say:

If you followed those threads to their conclusion, then maybe you'd get a little better idea of what happened.

John only has to put up with so much you know - and there is a small group of "concern trolls" - that always manage to chime in at just the right time to try to fan the flames and turn a little dis-satisfaction with a phrase - or whatever - into a major conflagration.

Get some perspective, please. Can YOU imagine having to put up with a constant flow of BS from trolls and the like?

I too didn't like seeing the thread disappear, but am not going to cry in my soup about it for the rest of my life.

It was a good post - that was LOST - because of one, perhaps mis-interpreted, phrase. - then trampled on by all those who would 'feign offense' - just to try to somehow turn people against John...

And it didn't work.

You may have had a right to be legitimately offended or hurt or whatever - and John didn't discount that either - but he can't come in here and personally apologize to every one.. and certainly can't waste all of his time trying to differentiate between Troll and genuine a-blogger...

So it was what it was.. a minor mis-use of a phrase in the vernacular, that was attempted to be seized on by those who would like to see John loose some of his supporters.

We owe him a bit more than just to throw him to the wind because he used the term "big girl", for cripes sake.

I hope (and think) that most would agree.... especially after seeing that it was really just a few concern trolls that were trying desperately to get us to dislike John for 2 little words...

OH - and he explained later (if you missed it) that the reason he deleted that thread, was because that "sand in the vagina" thing got a little offensive and vulgar - especially when it was directly at a particular female blogger..

---

resident -

My comment wasn't a tantrum, it just seemed more than a bit naive for you to imply what you did - and I think John explained it more than he should have to in his last thread.

This is an excellent and totally professional and reliable blog - and that doesn't just happen without a LOT of effort and a bit of $$$ as well.

JOHN - We appreciate all that you do and can only imagine what must go into making this the superb blog that it is. Thanks for putting up with our transgressions from time to time - and for putting up with all the trolls...

AmericaBlog is still the best place to be.
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 5:21 pm | #

John,

If you're going to ask for money it is only fair you disclose all your costs including, your salary. You should also divulge other indirect compensation you receive, such as the asset value of the site and advertising revenue.
Lee | 05.22.06 - 5:31 pm | #

gorilla:
You may have had a right to be legitimately offended or hurt or whatever - and John didn't discount that either
um.. yes he did, he said dismissed it with 'it's just part of gay vernacular, let's focus on the real enemy.' he never came close to acknowledging that his use of the term might legitimately rub some people the wrong way.

So it was what it was.. a minor mis-use of a phrase in the vernacular, that was attempted to be seized on by those who would like to see John loose some of his supporters.
I'm one of those supporters, and I was and continue to be amazed by his pissy response(s)

We owe him a bit more than just to throw him to the wind because he used the term "big girl", for cripes sake.
I guess you weren't following the whole discussion; it was all about his seeming refusal to even consider that other people might be offended by his words.

i agree with you this blog is terrific, and rarely has a day gone by in the past 2 years that I haven't checked the site. don't do yourself the disservice of dismissing the feelings of the many people who john disappointed yesterday.
SkippyFlipjack | 05.22.06 - 5:36 pm | #

"I think you personally kind of got chewed out a bit by John a few weeks ago for one of your comments"

- tireiron.

-----------

he he he... yeah, I tend to stick my nose in it sometimes :)

I think I would have worded things a bit differently if I had it all to do again... and perhaps he would to the same... but que sera, sera...

We tend to get a little huffy sometimes here... we just have to check ourselves from time to time - to make sure we don't lose our perspective...

Contrary to what some believe, AmericaBlog isn't a public service - it's more along the lines of a privelege.

And the best medium for saying what you have to say....

He puts up with a lot to make it that way, too...

So I'll do my part and kick in...
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 5:36 pm | #

Thanks for the info, John. I've already acknowledged that it's none of my business... Thanks for the background and the opportunity to use that input as a vehicle to stfu. =)
resident | 05.22.06 - 5:38 pm | #

Skippy,

I can only assume that you missed that rest of what happened.

and will NOT drudge this stupid non-incident back up. Such a waste of time. WE wasted that great post on Pat Roberts -and I won't be a part of wasting another post.

You are entitled to feel however you want to feel.
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 5:39 pm | #

Ahhh, the trolls sure are MAD as hell that they're little strategy FAILED, huh?

ah ha ha ha!

WE LOVE AMERICABLOG - GET IT?

Go back into your caves and sulk on your own!

:)
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 5:42 pm | #

Resident, the advice is useful and welcome :-) All I ask is that you not get mad when you offer it - meaning, don't just assume we're intentionally screwing up!
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 5:51 pm | #

No.

I'm another big girl.

(And, no, I'm not a first time poster although I rarely post.)

I run a small non-profit organization that depends on donations for its survival and I know this much: you don't insult the hand that feeds you.

John needs to learn some basic people skills.
Ellie F. | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 5:59 pm | #

Skippy, I so don't want to get into this again because every time I try to respond, things get twisted yet again.

I didn't not initially reply "pissy" at all. I explained that this was gay vernacular, and later explained what I meant by that - the phrase "big girl" is gay male slang for "big fag." Several folks then erupted and said that was ridiculous, they'd never heard of it, etc. - as if I was just making it up - and then they called me a misogynist, and more - that's when all hell break lose.

The fact remains that the phrase "big girl" (often written "big grrrrl") IS gay male slang. That fact doesn't change because someone hasn't heard of it. Now, some folks don't like it, I get that, some find it sexist, I get that too. I don't happen to agree with them, even if I understand their concern.

But after I explained why I used the word, folks turned rude. Far too many were not simply disagreeing or expressing concern, they were downright rude. And after you enter that territory, you shouldn't expect a "nice" reply.

And what seems to have hurt some folks more is that I simply don't agree with them on this. I respect their point of view, but I don't agree. I happen to believe that sometimes when people think they have a grievance they're actually wrong, even if they're good people. I've gotten numerous letters from feminists saying they agree with me, the use of "big girl" was fine with them, they got the snark, they got the joke. Are they right? Are you? And who is to decide? Or are those feminists sexist misogynists too?

Either way, things got bad when a number of people started acting rudely because they didn't like my explanation. They weren't just complaining, they weren't just offering a suggestion, they were acting rudely. They were treating me the way you'd treat Ann Coulte - not the way you'd treat a friend and colleague who has already proven repeatedly whose side they're on.

I respect your opinion, and I disagree.

JOHN
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 6:05 pm | #

I would like say that I wasn't so upset about the "Big Girl" comment, especially when it was explained.

I was upset when the entire thread was erased.

When that thread erupted I knew it was going to be an issue come fundraising time. And I knew that fundraising was overdue.

I remain greatful, that Americaglog is here, 24/7, and I support it warts and all.
erin | 05.22.06 - 6:12 pm | #

thanks john, that's a fair explanation.

Are they right? Are you? And who is to decide?

the decider of course, and we all know who that is :)
SkippyFlipjack | 05.22.06 - 6:15 pm | #

Ellie -

OK, I use my last post today to address you, 'cause I've seen your posts before... and know you're a fellow a-blogger.

I wish you would have / could have seen that incident to it's conclusion.

I think you would feel little differently...

There were a few trolls that were really trying to plot against John that night... as evidenced by the following threads.

He was using that term as a coloquialism - and we certainly can take offense to that if we wish.

But have you never said something - or more accurately, written something - that you wish you would have stated differently after the fact?

You can feel hurt - I would just hope that you don't hold on to that forever. You know he didn't mean it to hurt or offend anyone.

I just read his thorough explanation as I'm writing this, and I think he explained it as I saw it.

It really got blown up into something it wasn't. He has been on our side the whole time - and I would hope that we would stick with him even if he uses a term that could be misinterpreted to mean something potentially offensive.

John has done a lot of good for alot of people - it's not a bad idea that we give him a little back.

...and that is the Word for today :)

(ca-chung)
900 lb Gorilla | 05.22.06 - 6:24 pm | #

So many names I've never seen before. . . . .
Kevin | 05.22.06 - 6:35 pm | #

I don't usually give to blogs, but I use this one too much to blow it off.

Check's in the mail.
Bush Bites | 05.22.06 - 6:36 pm | #

I think that many of us here in this thread, at least, are coming to a common understanding of this.

And actually, someone above, far above, did a great job explaining what actually happened, in terms of having hundreds of comments, including a lot of "sand in your vagina" replies to several of the woman, which honestly, I found vulgar (though oddly many of you found it funny). At that point, things were way out of control, some folks were trying to take things into oher threads, and that's why I deleted the thread. That is the first thread that I have ever deleted in 2 years, Erin. I've said it before, but it's worth repeating - run a big online community and see how long you get before you start having to delete things in order to not have a total war on your hands. At that point, the normal people leave and don't come back - I've seen it time and again on communities I've run since 1998.

As for deleting things overall, every day we delete scores of trolls that you guys never even see. If we didn't you'd never have a civilized conversation here about anything other than discussing with Republican trolls why you're not a traitor and a pervert.

As for Pinko, he/she is a troll, and is one of the folks who has been fomenting this from the beginning. Their comments have been and will continue to be deleted because they're not here to have a civil debate, they're just trolling to stir everybody up. Thanks again, JOHN
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 6:37 pm | #

John, I'm glad you deleted Pinko's comment. :-)
KayInMaine | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 6:37 pm | #

John, I was on your side that day. Why? Because my cousin Johnny was gay (he died of AIDS in March of 2000) and you two could have passed for brothers! Not only do you two look alike, but he had the same charisma and the same sense of humor as you do. I get you and I wished others would too.
KayInMaine | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 6:41 pm | #

It's cool that John actually pays his bloggers. I hear the conservative bloggers only pay their help with Cheetos.
Glen | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 6:46 pm | #

*rolling eyes*
Kevin | 05.22.06 - 8:16 pm | #

I agree - it wasn't a big deal at all.

I mean, who here could write a hundred posts a week and not state something that is perceived by someone as offensive?

= no one.

This is a great blog - and the trolls can't ruin that as much as they try.

Keep up the great work, John.
InCognito | 05.22.06 - 8:19 pm | #

[As for deleting things overall, every day we delete scores of trolls that you guys never even see. If we didn't you'd never have a civilized conversation here about anything other than discussing with Republican trolls why you're not a traitor and a pervert.]

Whoa! Wait a second, we're not perverts?
tireiron chef | 05.22.06 - 8:21 pm | #

http://photos1.blogger.com/ blogg...mericablog1.jpg

:+:
Celestine Profit | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 8:24 pm | #

Live and learn, re the late kerfuffle.

Selective censorship of reasonable posts is likely just to aggravate things. Leaving the thread alone, or closing the thread entirely, would cause things to resolve faster. Like it or not, the thread phrasing was poor because reasonable people called you on word choice, and your defense of using in-group slang on what is meant to be a general blog. If you have a general public, you write for the general public. This is another example of how absense of non-verbal cues makes conversational internet writing difficult.
NancyP | 05.22.06 - 8:50 pm | #

Damn. For a second there I thought I was on Datalounge.
scottinsf | 05.22.06 - 8:54 pm | #

No.

(And I would appreciate your not deleting what is a civil, if critical, comment this time. That's a rightwing tactic, and not appropriate.)
Rana | Homepage | 05.22.06 - 9:07 pm | #

Actually, this is not a general blog, it's a blog that focuses on US politics, the religious right, and gay rights. That has been very clear from day one. And my open gayness, and gay-influenced writing, has also been clear from day one.

As for comments options, those are good suggestions, but unfortunately it is not possible with the comment service we use to close a thread, or it would have been closed. That will come with the new blog in a few months. As for now, once there are 400 comments and more coming fast, it's impossible to sift through them, I tried. This is the first time I have ever had to delete a thread.

Finally, I just deleted Mike's post because it contained so many rehashed inaccuracies, I am just not going to keep debating whether I stopped beating my wife for each new person who wants to revisit this topic but doesn't have the facts right. I have responded to your concerns - I'm just not going to let folks reignite the fight by reposting untrue accusations that I've already responded to but they just didn't read.

Guys, we've come to some agreement. The discussion is over. Please, can we please let it go?. And Rana, that includes you, I'm sorry. We had an all out war on this topic, and a lot of readers, the majority of readers, were and are sick of it. We've been able to come to some accord here, I am therefore now asking folks to let it go. I do not want this topic to keep ruining the conversation here for the majority. And I won't let it. There is nothing more that I or anyone else can add to this conversation, other than beating a dead horse, knowing full well it's just going to start another round of recriminations.

So, officially, I am asking you to consider this topic closed. Any more posts that attempt to rehash this will be deleted.
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 9:26 pm | #

Can't you get some cash from your buddy at daily kos?
He's doing tv commercials now!
Big bucks in TV, not like the internet I guess?
bang | 05.22.06 - 10:38 pm | #

Meat Puppet Association [5:30 p.m.] is the same person who used the handle Pinko Punko as they both linked to the same homepage where Punko is still carrying on his war with John, even quoting John, as I type. He has 15 comments! WOW!!! Sour grapes that his little blog is buried among thousands???

http://blog.3bulls.net/

I didn't even blink the other day as having been "out" since 4 years before Stonewall, I was used to walking into a bar and being called "big girl" and "Mary" even though I am so butch, nobody believes it when I "out" myself to them. I took such monkers as "terms of endearment" back-in-the-day.
Grant in Houston | 05.22.06 - 11:06 pm | #

It's amazing that some people can get upset about a damn THREAD being deleted. Were they planning on using their comments on a resume? Collecting them for a memoir? Did a publisher want to read them before deciding whether to offer a million dollar book deal? Were their few sentences the best and most profound writing of their life, to be passed on to their children? WHAT?

Geez, it's just a comment thread - why should John knock himself out to comb through the entire thing to individually remove comments that are vulgar or whatnot, when he can just trash the whole thing with a click?

Just drop it, why don't you - if you don't want to donate, don't. But if John occasionally feels that a thread should be trashed, it's his blog and his decision. either trust his judgement or go somewhere that you feel can be counted on to never do anything you might not like, if you can find it. If you want to save your comments, cut and paste them or whatnot - give the rest of us a break from this endless moaning over your priceless commentary being deep-sixed - GROW UP.
cynthia | 05.22.06 - 11:25 pm | #

Everyone, please, let's all stop commenting on this okay. End of discussion. Please.
John Aravosis | 05.22.06 - 11:28 pm | #

I like orchids. :)
tireiron chef | 05.23.06 - 2:32 am | #

John, I'd like to contribute but I'd like more information first. Primarily, I'd like to know how much you pay yourself as a salary from these contributions? I think it's a fair question.
JaneOfTheUrbanJungle | 05.23.06 - 11:59 pm | #

Jane, the question actually is how much this product is worth to you.

You don't ask reporters how much they make before buying the New York Times. And you don't ask Nestle how much they earn before buying a candy bar. You pay what they ask based on whether you think the product is worth it. I expect AMERICAblog to be treated no differently.

If the writing and activism and community experience we've created is worth a latte a day to you, then that's what it's worth. If it's not worth anything to you, then don't give.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 12:05 am | #

Any chance of resetting the post or comments to reset from 0 or eliminating the comment posts from a few days back when this was initially published?
resident | 05.24.06 - 1:56 pm | #

Resident, I would have to basically delete all the old comments, and that would likely tick some people off. I try not to delete comments unless there's a very good reason for it.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 2:04 pm | #

I love Americablog.....
Just an Old Lady | 05.24.06 - 2:04 pm | #

Wow, $1500 a month for bandwidth? How much bandwidth are you guys pushing?

I am sending out about 2 terrabytes a month right now on another site I own through netfirms.com and that was only a couple hundred for the whole year.

Are you doing a dedicated server rack or something?

Anyways, good luck!
dz | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 2:23 pm | #

What about Cliff? He at least deserves a bottle of wine each week for his contribution. I'll consider sending a case of two-buck chuck if he keeps writing for you.
scottinsf | 05.24.06 - 2:24 pm | #

http://www.bradblog.com/archives...es/ 00002867.htm

VIDEO - Top CIA Officials Bolster Perjury Charge Against Scooter Libby
Dave of the Jungle | 05.24.06 - 2:24 pm | #

Dz, I'll have to ask my geek for the deteails on that - I know he's checked out all the options, the guy is scary smart, even for a geek. I'll ask him.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 2:26 pm | #

John, thanks for taking the time for this little Q&A. It means a lot.
Divided Sky | 05.24.06 - 3:10 pm | #

Just as a suggestion, in your main post here, it might be good to include the snail mail/check/money order option. Many of us put our cc information on the net as little as humanly possible.

.
ShockNAppalled | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 3:11 pm | #

Done.
Indigo | 05.24.06 - 4:01 pm | #

I love Americablog.....
Just an Old Lady

:+::+:
ditto what she said :)
sans-culotte | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 4:20 pm | #

You don't ask reporters how much they make before buying the New York Times. And you don't ask Nestle how much they earn before buying a candy bar. You pay what they ask based on whether you think the product is worth it. I expect AMERICAblog to be treated no differently.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 12:05 am

You took the words right out of my mouth John. No one asks a newspaper or TV station how they spend their money, or what their advertising revenue is! These people seem to forget this is a news site. John is providing news - get it? He's providing an invaluable service. If you can donate then do. If you can't then OK. If you just don't want to, then what the hell are you doing here?
BinNY | 05.24.06 - 4:23 pm | #

What did I miss?

I leave for 5 mins and the whole operation's in shambles!
Elruin | 05.24.06 - 4:28 pm | #

John, when I do my "Twenty Bucks, Same as in Town" blogwhoring post tonight, I'll link to this, since I've been getting several thousand hits a day and try to get whatever few non-AmericaBlog regulars that I get to give you some love. In fact, I was wondering today at work when you were due to start asking for donations again.

Anyway, Mo Do's latest, "Enter Ozone Woman", is up, in case you missed the morning link. Come peek through the knotholew before the Times shuts me down.
jurassicpork | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 4:31 pm | #

But those who frequently ask for donations (like non-profits) are asked and do provide information on salaries and costs so that those considering donating know something about the organiztion. That level of openness with potential donors (vs candy bar buyers) does wonders for building up trust with the public. Americablog may not want to be that open but I don’t see why they wouldn’t be if they want to build up trust with the community.
Greg | 05.24.06 - 4:35 pm | #

Greg, fair enough, but I'm not a non-profit. Non-profits are tax exempt, that's part of the reason they're so open - it's part of the bargain for avoiding some of the tax burden.

As for trusting folks, I can only imagine the bloodbath if any liberal blogger published their salary, their tax forms, or anything else money related on a blog. The liberal trolls who have to be angry about everything would be seething for weeks if any blogger made anything over a poverty wage. It's just not worth it.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 4:53 pm | #

I used to think that financial disclosure was appropriate. I no longer think Ablog should produce an "annual report".

It's only a request for support, not a demand. Remember this blogs motto

"A Great Nation Deserves the Truth"

I don't think John is in anyway playing us. Just my opinion.
erin | 05.24.06 - 5:14 pm | #

I trust him with the (meager) bucks I've sent his way.

And btw, I really have to wonder if the "guilty liberals" who supposedly believe in poverty aren't an urban myth. It seems that the kind of control and surveillance that people who demand to know the blog's expenditures is more of a rightie thing.
tireiron chef | 05.24.06 - 5:34 pm | #

I'm in...you're not getting rich off me, but I spend too much time here to expect you to do this for free.
Gumby | 05.24.06 - 5:45 pm | #

I'm in...you're not getting rich off me, but I spend too much time here to expect you to do this for free.
Gumby | 05.24.06 - 5:45 pm | #

Oh, you jest, Tireiron. I've written numerous times about the crap I've gotten in the past whenever I'd hold fundraisers on the blog. Let alone, who can forget how upset the minority gets if I ever travel - people even criticized me for going to NYC to an orchid show last year. Trust me, we got em on our side.
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 5:47 pm | #

OK, Mr. Aravosis, consier yourself linked.
jurassicpork | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 5:56 pm | #

I have a few comments to some of the above posters:

resident,

Your solution obviously isn't completely free -- In order to implement it, John would apparently have to deal with you, and from your posts I get the impression you're whiny and vindictive.

I would consider that too expensive also.

kate,

so let me get this straight...from now on, you're going to withhold something that you've never given out in the first place? Wow, you're hardcore.

And to everyone else who was offended by the "big girl" remark: If you were really so offended, why are you still coming back? In my book, that makes you a hypocrit pure and simple.

And no, I was not the LEAST bit offended by the deletion of the thread: It's John's blog and he can do as he damn well pleases.
jaydawg | 05.24.06 - 6:31 pm | #

worth a latte a day to you

Hmm. How much does/B> a latte cost? I've never looked.
Tukla in Iowa | 05.24.06 - 8:22 pm | #

Dang it! The one time I forget to hit the preview button, too.

Anyway, John, you hurt my feelings a few months ago when you didn't like the new "Doctor Who", so I'm going to throw a tantrum and never read this blog again!

Well, not until tomorrow morning, at least. G'night!
Tukla in Iowa | 05.24.06 - 8:39 pm | #

Well for what it's worth, I'm liking Dr. Who more now, it's starting to get its groove ;-)
John Aravosis | 05.24.06 - 9:19 pm | #

John A., yes, I've seen the crap they give you. I guess I kind of think there are fewer than what the case appears to be, since they come across as caricatures. Shrug. :)
Anonymous | 05.24.06 - 9:24 pm | #

Damn, what's with my cookies. Anyway, now that I think about it, particularly about the somewhat extreme and belabored reaction to the Pat Roberts post on some fairly well-known lefty blogs, I guess I can believe more readily that they're not an urban myth.
tireiron chef | 05.24.06 - 9:28 pm | #

Though I'm still sure that there must be a few rightwingers masquerading as leftie caricatures. :)
tireiron chef | 05.24.06 - 9:29 pm | #

NancyP was no wingnut, nor was Rana.
oddjob | 05.25.06 - 3:58 am | #

A financial statement is NOT necessary, this being neither a non-profit nor a publicly traded company. In order to do an accurate financial statement, John would have to spend far too long pulling together numbers and slotting them appropriately. Even then, people would give him a ration of shit for not dedicating himself to a life of poverty while ignoring that he is, essentially, involved in a life of service. And no matter how much or how little he made, it would be torn apart and pointed to and people would jump up and down on him for making anything at all.

I think his analogy of paying for product or, in this case, service, is appropriate. If you like the service, pay for it as you're able. If you don't like the service, why are you here? I don't always agree with the opinions here, or how things are phrased, but overall I think this is good work and I find much of it helpful both to me and to others I see linking to it.
Reba | 05.25.06 - 12:23 pm | #

Thanks Reba. And those who have been reading the blog know that this is an issue that interests me/concerns me, the way some on the left perceive money.

A former Republican friend told me how funders on the right will take ten good proposals and fund them all, and if one project hits pay dirt (swift boat style success, so to speak) they're ecstatic. The point is that you invest in 10 to get one big pay off. On the left, he said, the funder sifts through the ten projects and pick the one he thinks might succeed, then dumps all his money in that. And if it fails, then he never comes back, to the table.

We aren't very entrepreneurial with our money. If I were rich, and I'm not, I'd pick some kick-ass bloggers and activists, individual players, and make sure that they had enough cash to cause all the trouble they needed. Michael Petrelis in SF, total pain in the ass sometimes, but viciously good at what he does. Drop a load of cash on him and tell him you don't need to see the paperwork (which is ironic, since Michael is one of those who WANTS to see the paperwork from the nonprofits :-). Same goes for CREW here in town, the ethics group. Give them a million bucks and walk away. You know they're gonna do good thing. Towle Road, great gay blog, as is Pam's House Blend. Someone should be dropping a ton of cash on each of them to make sure they can do their blogs full time - again, give them what you think they need, then leave them alone.

I could go on with more ideas.

My point is that we need to stop focusing on process and start focusing on results. In my case, just like the others, if you follow the individual activist in question, you know their track record, you know what they do. And you know that the more you empower them, the more they can and do, do. So why worry about financial statements when you're dealing with folks who have an established track record of keeping the faith?

And in the end, how much is getting your country back worth?

Anyway, just food for thought aside from this particular fundraiser. I really do think the right uses their money much more effectively than we do, especially for small players who can cause big explosions (hell, they handed then-Republican David Brock a couple hundred thousand dollars to go get Bill Clinton, and Brock was like 26 years old and a newby - imagine anyone on the left doing that with some smart "kid" interested in taking on George Bush or John McCain.)
John Aravosis | 05.25.06 - 12:52 pm | #

A little over a year ago Bill Bradley made similar points.
oddjob | 05.25.06 - 2:42 pm | #