What he said

And so it begins...

Frankly, I'm not sure there will be any more news from the protesters than from the actual announced speakers.

In any event, I can't help but pay attention; the First Amendment is my sentimental favorite (though the Ninth Amendment needs to get out more, come to think of it). I'm glad to see from the Boston Globe (1) that they ran a reasonably thorough rundown on protesters boycotting the Free Speech Pen and (2) that they cared enough to spell out "the Bl(a)ck Tea Society". Nevertheless, the media conventional wisdom on protests is an ill-disguised yawn, so I suppose we should expect the same when the GOP troop into Ground Zero.

I'll try not to get obsessed with this, since there will be convention gossip and weird tales aplenty. I tend to experience the conventions the way people I know might experience the NFL draft. The official breezy DNC blog makes kissy-face with bloggers, but while I'm glad to see that speech transcripts will be posted, I expect the real interest to be off in the corners. When the media say "X is happening, and it's news", I generally agree. When the media say "Y is happening, but it's not news", that's when I reach for my revolver.

If you have to ask, you assume there's an answer

Confuse yourself and your friends! Hat tip to good kitty.

Who, me? I'm the kind of postmodernist who thinks it's more fun for you to guess. I'll never tell. Never. Okay, maybe I'll tell, but it'll take a long, long time, OK?

Careless browsers?

This post has been edited to add the word "POPUPS" inside links to the shady site, which will seed your browser with them if you're not careful. If you don't have a smart browser to clear them, allow me to share the dicitionary's folksy, yet lawyerly small print:

More and more educational establishments use term papers in determining the grade. Term papers proved to be a good way for that because not only they demonstrate how well a student learned the material, but they also show whether a student is capable of thinking logically. Besides, professional term papers show the ability of a student in written English. Because of such importance, students are motivated in writing professional term papers. Professional term papers, however, require a lot of hard work, which includes extra hours of studying. That’s why many students prefer an easy way out—the services of Internet companies. These Internet companies specialize in writing professional term papers, so they are able to help with any topic on any subject. They have a staff of writers of different age groups and various levels of education, so the professional term papers they provide are adjusted for specifics of your situation. Educational establishments, however, protect themselves from cheating students. Before every term paper is graded, it is scanned for plagiarism with anti-plagiarism software. This software is designed to analyze the patterns of professional term papers and, in case it catches plagiarism, it is capable of tracing the term paper back to its source.

Anybody feel like counting the howlers in that paragraph? If I were grading (and thank Somebody I never will), I'd shitcan a whole paper for offering "help with any topic on any subject".

Why I likes to link

Yr fumble-fingered Fiddler reminds you that information isn't free, exactly, or even always cheap; fortunately, information has loose morals.

Case in Point: Who might have guessed that "dicitionary.com" would yield such a treasure trove of "professional term papers"! Are those papers really free of plagiarism, as Ivy Research (you bad girl, Ivy!) promises us? 'Cause they're certainly not free.

Hell, nothing's free; the "dicitionary" is proud to offer "The top ten bidded listings" for "Thesaurus". So don't panic, O desperate C-student with your big paper due, you can get help from a Thesaurus on line! Just click on the bright blue link and reach for your wallet!

The whole dicitionary.com racket is just tawdry. Personal Favorite: The important-looking Terms and conditions link at the bottom of every page just leads you right into the leftover-from-the-last-decade lame search portal.

What would Father say? Also, does anyone still wonder at those who mourn the agonizing decline of orthography? Never mind -- the "genuine article" seems hardly fit to be Caesar's wife.

With apologies for an arguably meretricious metaphor, I will go back to my old friend Bartleby. If you, Dear Reader, would prefer not to, be sure & leave a comment.

NC news

Personally, I'm a bit freaked out to hear that the NC GOP gubernatorial runoff won't happen. This is the worst news possible for Democratic incumbent and part-time empty suit Mike Easley.

I'll probably have more to say later; but in the meantime, it's nice to see the self-important conservative poster boy John Hood look foolish.

Can you say "also-ran"? I knew you could!

Read it now before Vinroot's staff dismantles their site!

Somebody Ping me!

Please, people in Boston, please promise to blog the Fleet Center's Free Speech Pen (not drawn to scale)! I don't care how many bloggers are getting their backs slapped by Midwestern car dealers inside. If this is truly a populist medium, we should remember that sometimes the truest story is outside the box.

I want to know moment-to-moment that there's wireless access to the world available for the (potentially) smart mob of underfed anarchists, anti-war veterinary assistants, and other citizens who will be surrounded by 2-meter chain-link fences topped with ROLLS OF RAZOR WIRE during the Democratic Convention.

Why should I care? Because what's sauce for the goose is hot sauce for the gander. Now Central Park is suddenly off the table. How hot does the water have to get?

Oh all right,

It's a catchy toon.

Meta-commentary

Because I'm too busy fiddling about to find clever writers online AND respond AND come up with new stuff here. Right now I'm just keeping pace.

Also, I must confess most blogs have comment sections easier to use than Blogger.

Yeah, probably we CAN all just get along.

Can one read Tom without some bemusement at the base assumption -- that whenever two guys who are strangers start a conversation, there's a chance it will lead to ass-fucking?

Not to say you've got it wrong, Tom (may I call you Tom?). It's a thoughtful, dare I say sensitive essay. You didn't invent the straight sign, you just noticed it; kudos for living consciously.

But isn't it a sad custom, really? Are we grown so alienated as all that?

As an erstwhile bisexual and longtime socialist --um, socialite --um, social person, I have been both signer and signee. And here's the thing: it doesn't happen much in line at the Kwik-E-Mart. I can think of two messages that have to be shared both ways:

(a) We have a common sense of place (same bar, same town, etc.), or interest (NFL team, political party).

(2) Your perspective on (a) is potentially valuable, or at least interesting, to me.

Is there anything more essential to the craft of flirting than that? (Eventually there's hand-touching and stuff, but that's usually a bit farther along.) Any reinforcements of the above messages lead in the direction of "The Straight Sign". Perhaps some enterprising grad student could devise a rubric (the more specific agreements in perspective, the fewer reinforcements?).

What we're really talking about is a more general "boundary statement", as Tom recognizes by noting "the Boyfriend Reference"; the boundary statement says, "Sex is right out". That's cool, and I think worthwhile. Let's just recognize that "I'm not putting the moves on you" isn't the same statement as "Dude, I'm straight". I've set the boundary in a couple conversations with a Boyfriend Reference.

The sad truth of the Straight Sign is that it can slam the closet door. A guy who's not fully out can duck into exchanging a "straight sign" just because he's not on the hunt, but doesn't want to risk misunderstanding or spend an awkward eternity discussing orientation issues. If I have to come out to every guy I want to argue politics with, I'll bore myself to tears and then some.

Anyhow I'm a grown-up, dammit. That means I can talk to strangers. I don't talk to strangers exclusively for the purpose of gettin' some action; I do it because I'm a social animal. We have to engage one another every now and then, or we lose a bit of our humanity. Guys who don't see that may have some trouble starting conversations with women, without knowing why.

apostrophizes Apostropher, with aside

O Apostropher, how disquieting are thy juxtapostions! From loss to a kind of redemption between 09:19 AM and 05:25 PM!

(Aside, as promised): Please to check out the posts if you haven't (& the comments if you've time), or the next post here in the Green will make but little sense.

Y'all come back now, y'heah?

So the Rally in Raleigh (who needs Don King anyway?) was a blast, but there are a few questions.

Most importantly, why be so exclusive in sucking up to the hosts? The speakers (inasmuch as they were audible from the cheap seats) made a big to-do over John E having gone to State, and made no reference at all to meeting his wife at UNC. I know it seems a small thing, but Tarheel fans are scattered all over the state (and then some) -- and the G-lover reports that the Dean himself was seated front and center. Did somebody think a fight would break out? Or is UNC School of Law not prole enough for the John E image?

It's not infuriating, but odd to see an opportunity missed.

Perhaps those nagging questions about the ticket stampeding to the "center" should be left for another post.

Opening Truth Barrage

I am neither actually a fiddler nor actually a Green.

I am grown fond of various forms of greens (except this sort, about which I hold a widely-held opinion ).

In simple, it's Fiddler's Green because I like the name. Maybe it's a bit of native cussedness, but I believe names carry power.

Please let the fiddler hear how he's doing, if you like. Also let me know: is Rome burning?

More anon...