Comments for TheWordCynic http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog Saving the world through engineering and sarcasm Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:35:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on Emails, like life, are depressing, Part 2 by Cristen http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=95#comment-277 Cristen Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:45:31 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=95#comment-277 Gosh! I just left my hall this semester too. I dunno your story, but I think I feel ya. Where'd you go to? Gosh! I just left my hall this semester too. I dunno your story, but I think I feel ya.

Where’d you go to?

]]> Comment on Penis retraction and senior quotes by Ruth http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=86#comment-265 Ruth Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:18:34 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=86#comment-265 Does this happen to anyone else? Laura, of course. It happens to your future twin. One night I was bar hopping with Zach Ozer in New York, and he had been cracking penis jokes all day. ALL DAY. I got a picture message later in the evening, and stared at it for a while. I didn't realize what it was, until he asked "what, is it a penis or something?" I was like, yeah, that's what it is, showed him, and never heard another crack about it again. Does this happen to anyone else? Laura, of course. It happens to your future twin.
One night I was bar hopping with Zach Ozer in New York, and he had been cracking penis jokes all day. ALL DAY. I got a picture message later in the evening, and stared at it for a while. I didn’t realize what it was, until he asked “what, is it a penis or something?” I was like, yeah, that’s what it is, showed him, and never heard another crack about it again.

]]> Comment on News source win! by cheets. http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=85#comment-263 cheets. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:23:25 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=85#comment-263 wall street journal? wall street journal?

]]> Comment on Stop sexualizing me, seriously, no one wants that by Harrison http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=80#comment-255 Harrison Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:16:26 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=80#comment-255 HOT HOT

]]> Comment on Blog Action Day: Our Nation’s Greatest Injustice by kouji haiku http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=79#comment-252 kouji haiku Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:43:46 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=79#comment-252 cool. good for you for applying to tfa. for my part, i turn to sites like freerice (rice donation), kiva (microfinance), and goodsearch (donation per search), as ways to help alleviate poverty online. i also put up their banners on my blog. :) saw this post via the front page of blog action day. it's great that you're participating. :) cool. good for you for applying to tfa.

for my part, i turn to sites like freerice (rice donation), kiva (microfinance), and goodsearch (donation per search), as ways to help alleviate poverty online. i also put up their banners on my blog. :)

saw this post via the front page of blog action day. it’s great that you’re participating. :)

]]> Comment on Ugh, creepy much? by Jamie Holts http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=75#comment-250 Jamie Holts Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:58:25 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=75#comment-250 Hello. I was reading someone elses blog and saw you on their blogroll. Would you be interested in exchanging blog roll links? If so, feel free to email me. Thanks. Hello. I was reading someone elses blog and saw you on their blogroll. Would you be interested in exchanging blog roll links? If so, feel free to email me.

Thanks.

]]> Comment on An Open Letter to the Obama Campaign by Harrison http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-241 Harrison Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:10:02 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-241 Yknow it's people like you that cause the RNC to dump millions of dollars into New Jersey every year because they hear about these independent voters like you that live there but always end up trending blue come election time. If it weren't for people like you, Republicans would have more money to run those same dishonest ads across the country for more viable candidates instead of trying to take down older-than-dirt Frank Lautenberg. Sure everyone plays dirty tricks and launches slime, but I hardly think this is the jumping-off point for a Ms. Nicholson Goes to Washington reform movement. My view is that while it's unfortunate that this is the political climate we live in, we have to abide by these new rules (however awful they are) and play along until it's safe to run cleaner campaigns again. Or maybe Americans will remain stupid for a long time and it'll never change. It never used to be this way and hopefully it won't be again soon. Yknow it’s people like you that cause the RNC to dump millions of dollars into New Jersey every year because they hear about these independent voters like you that live there but always end up trending blue come election time. If it weren’t for people like you, Republicans would have more money to run those same dishonest ads across the country for more viable candidates instead of trying to take down older-than-dirt Frank Lautenberg.

Sure everyone plays dirty tricks and launches slime, but I hardly think this is the jumping-off point for a Ms. Nicholson Goes to Washington reform movement. My view is that while it’s unfortunate that this is the political climate we live in, we have to abide by these new rules (however awful they are) and play along until it’s safe to run cleaner campaigns again. Or maybe Americans will remain stupid for a long time and it’ll never change. It never used to be this way and hopefully it won’t be again soon.

]]> Comment on An Open Letter to the Obama Campaign by lnicks http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-240 lnicks Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:18:15 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-240 I'm staunchly independent, so I don't buy the sort of "one party plays dirtier than the other" bullshit. The problem isn't with the particular parties, it's with the party system, which is another issue altogether. I don't think Gore and Kerry lost primarily because of dirty tricks. I think Gore lost because of the electoral college (again, another topic for another day) and Kerry lost because he was a horrible fucking candidate- after 4 years of W, that was the best the Dems could come up with? Obviously dirty tricks play a part, but I think the dirty trick that has done our country the most harm was the sliming of McCain during the primaries in 2000 by saying he had an "illegitimate black baby." Playing on people's racism to win votes: the lowest of low. Who else has played that same exact trick? The Democratic Ice Queen, who told her campaign to spread the falsehood that Obama was educated at a Muslim school. So Dems are hardly innocent. Let's face it, they're all slime. I'm incredibly pissed off at John McCain as well, because I honestly expected much better from him. But considering that I've lost my faith in him to be a good leader after choosing the running mate that he chose, his campaign can drown itself in mud for all I care- I officially disown him and all respect I once had for the man. There, that sounds more like me. I’m staunchly independent, so I don’t buy the sort of “one party plays dirtier than the other” bullshit. The problem isn’t with the particular parties, it’s with the party system, which is another issue altogether.

I don’t think Gore and Kerry lost primarily because of dirty tricks. I think Gore lost because of the electoral college (again, another topic for another day) and Kerry lost because he was a horrible fucking candidate- after 4 years of W, that was the best the Dems could come up with? Obviously dirty tricks play a part, but I think the dirty trick that has done our country the most harm was the sliming of McCain during the primaries in 2000 by saying he had an “illegitimate black baby.” Playing on people’s racism to win votes: the lowest of low. Who else has played that same exact trick? The Democratic Ice Queen, who told her campaign to spread the falsehood that Obama was educated at a Muslim school. So Dems are hardly innocent.

Let’s face it, they’re all slime. I’m incredibly pissed off at John McCain as well, because I honestly expected much better from him. But considering that I’ve lost my faith in him to be a good leader after choosing the running mate that he chose, his campaign can drown itself in mud for all I care- I officially disown him and all respect I once had for the man.

There, that sounds more like me.

]]> Comment on An Open Letter to the Obama Campaign by Harrison http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-239 Harrison Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:09:31 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-239 I think it would be more effective if you concretely stated what was so dishonest about each of the ads you mentioned in the letter. Also, while your concern is genuine and a lot of people feel it, the problem is that in this day and age appealing to the lowest common denominator and leveling baseless attacks against your opponent will win you an election. It's how Bush won the election two years in a row--typical Rovian politics. The Republicans have figured out that you can personally attack your opponent with ad hominem bullshit (John Kerry looks French, etc.) and get outside groups and 527s to Swift Boat the guy (remember how Purple Heart band-aids suddenly came into vogue at the GOP convention?) and you'll win. They've even figured out that you don't even have to tell the truth, because the media will most likely not call you out on it and it's in their best interest to have a close race. The system is designed (or has been manipulated) to let McCain get away with all of this, and unfortunately the only real choice for Obama is to fight fire with fire. Dems have an unfortunate rep of being the nice guys and not resorting to GOP dirty tricks. While I laud their honest approach to politics, it's that same willingness to play fair that prevented Gore and Kerry from winning and seems to be crippling Obama right now. The game has been tilted against us and while it doesn't seem right we have to go along with it until such time as it's acceptable to be honest and open about government in America again. It's a sad state of affairs. Also, next time you go canvassing in NH you should tell me because I think I'd really enjoy that! I think it would be more effective if you concretely stated what was so dishonest about each of the ads you mentioned in the letter. Also, while your concern is genuine and a lot of people feel it, the problem is that in this day and age appealing to the lowest common denominator and leveling baseless attacks against your opponent will win you an election. It’s how Bush won the election two years in a row–typical Rovian politics. The Republicans have figured out that you can personally attack your opponent with ad hominem bullshit (John Kerry looks French, etc.) and get outside groups and 527s to Swift Boat the guy (remember how Purple Heart band-aids suddenly came into vogue at the GOP convention?) and you’ll win. They’ve even figured out that you don’t even have to tell the truth, because the media will most likely not call you out on it and it’s in their best interest to have a close race. The system is designed (or has been manipulated) to let McCain get away with all of this, and unfortunately the only real choice for Obama is to fight fire with fire. Dems have an unfortunate rep of being the nice guys and not resorting to GOP dirty tricks. While I laud their honest approach to politics, it’s that same willingness to play fair that prevented Gore and Kerry from winning and seems to be crippling Obama right now. The game has been tilted against us and while it doesn’t seem right we have to go along with it until such time as it’s acceptable to be honest and open about government in America again. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Also, next time you go canvassing in NH you should tell me because I think I’d really enjoy that!

]]> Comment on An Open Letter to the Obama Campaign by Adelaide http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-238 Adelaide Mon, 22 Sep 2008 01:22:05 +0000 http://scripts.mit.edu/~lnicks/blog/?p=70#comment-238 Aww, this is so cute. I mean, it's well-written, and is totally the kind of heartfelt thing they would publish if they were ever to do the "Well, we were putting out dishonest ads but then the American people, such as this young campaign volunteer, spoke to us and grounded us again" thing -- but seeing as it's coming from you, the contrast with your usual sarcasm kinda makes me want to go pat you on the head and grin at you. :D Aww, this is so cute.

I mean, it’s well-written, and is totally the kind of heartfelt thing they would publish if they were ever to do the “Well, we were putting out dishonest ads but then the American people, such as this young campaign volunteer, spoke to us and grounded us again” thing — but seeing as it’s coming from you, the contrast with your usual sarcasm kinda makes me want to go pat you on the head and grin at you. :D

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