POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

“Godel, Escher, Bach” Author Douglas Hofstadter Likely Guilty

of enabling anthrax letter senders by virtue of having supplied proto-Teabagger code that nudged the zeitgeist toward hateyness, subliminally.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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Barack Obama’s Self Fashioning

All of us narratize our lives in different ways, and as Freud would say, we subject them to revision. As honest as we would like to be---assuming one has the balls to be so---a certain degree of revision inevitably sneaks into our stories about ourselves. It cannot be otherwise, as the impulse to tell stories, particularly about oneself, is never purely motivated. That's true even of someone such as Kafka, who asked his best friend to burn the manuscripts of some of his most important writing. One can read it off against the relation between the impresario and the "hunger artist" in the short story so denominated. An elaborate self-abnegation is a powerful symbolic gesture, at least to one.

Jack Cashill and more recently John Drew have investigated various claims in President Obama's autobiographies (setting aside for the moment the question of who wrote the latter one, or shaped the raw material into the form that it now takes), and have come to the conclusion that there are inconsistencies between the narrative(s) and the historical facts. One involves the fork-in-the-road anecdote of young Barack Obama seeing his reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator that takes him to his job at what he represents as a Wall Street firm that analyzes investments. According to people who were employed by the same firm at the time, the job wasn't exactly all that Obama cracks it up to be, though it gives him a chance symbolically to reject an opportunity to pursue personal weath as an investment banker, or some such, in favor of the rough and tumble of community organization, in which inevitably he would demonstrate his commitment to the common man, the one who doesn't have a glittering stock portfolio. That he seems not to have the same skill sets and knowledge base as the common man makes no difference to the narrative, whose purpose is suasive. The man himself appears unlikely ever to have learned to start a lawnmower, and as I've stated before, I wouldn't trust him to change the oil in my car, if I had one right now. The lesson is that Obama has sacrificed for us---never mind that he's not yet reallocated the Nobel Peace Prize money that he acquired on the basis of . . . well, being an inspiring figure, I guess, and arguing against American exceptionalism, despite that exceptionalism's having worked so well for him. In this respect, he's not unlike white male academicians who have endorsed the idea of affirmative action, having already been annointed with tenure themselves.

Via Canada Free Press, we now find that The Chicago Tribune has performed, belatedly, an act of journalism, by having two of their reporters interview forty or so of President Obama's life acquaintances, who indicate that various of his self-representations do not comport with their recollections. Obama's narcissism has become a commonplace on the right, and elsewhere where the Won is not worshipped. Under normal circumstances, I'd be chary of such amateur psychoanalysis, but in this case it's based on a wealth of opportunities for observation. He's unprecedented in various ways that lead one to the conclusion. For example, one can cite his Dork Temple in Germany (or even the idea of addressing the Germans as the Leader of the World prior to his election); his creation of an Obama seal; his rhetoric regarding a post-racial America, abluted in his election; his rhetoric about stopping the rise of the oceans due to the (now discredited) theories of Anthropogenic Global Warming; his continuous presence on television; his rejection of the troublesome presser; his inability to grasp his own mistakes, preferring to regard all of his troubles as stemming from predecessors in office; his attempts to cow the MSM; his playing of the race card (about which much is made in the articles mentioned); his manufactured cult of personality, generally, including his insistence that those with particular enmity against the United States would reciprocate his open hand, despite all contrary evidence; his lack of embarrassment over his continuous press apotheosis, and so forth practically ad infinitim. So, post hoc, it's not surprising to discover that Barack Obama's actual background typifies what one would expect to find in a narcissist's case.

It is certainly possible to compassionate the young Obama, and to understand where the psychic malignancy begins. And he has been enabled by his bi-racialism and the desire of others to believe his narratives as presented, because it flatters their own understanding of the world. It is also inevitable, as elsewhere I've argued, that should Barack Obama fail because his convenient and arrogant view of reality, of the way things are as opposed to the way that we would like them to be, which is aided and abetted by agencies such as the Nobel panel, he will be regarded as a martyr in some quarters, and will be enabled in retrospect by them after his is finally (and in my view thankfully) out of office, so that he will never have to come to grips with his personal failures, absent a miracle which almost never befalls such a person.

The contradictions between Barack's self narratization and the more dispassionate facts of his personal history as given by his friends (such as they were) and acquaintances and the occasional documentary lapsus, certainly feeds the speculations of those who disbelieve his accounts. Recently, Jack Cashill stretched that speculation a little too far, to my mind, and misunderestimated the importance of Frank Marshall Davis (another self fashioner and malignant narcissist) in Barack's development. Likewise, having spoken to John Drew, and had him on the B-Cast where he made some fascinating contributions to our understanding of Barack's ideological orientation while a student at Occidental College (confirming the supposition that Barry, as he was then known, was a "red diaper baby"), and while I both like him and have great respect for his intellect (and Cashill's), I feel that he may be going too far in the direction of self fashioning aca-hagiography in his most recent writing for NewsReal. He's a natural fit there, and he has great political insight, so I hope that he won't try to go back to that well too often.

I'm not saying it's unseemly. I think his pride in his academic achievements is merited. I'm just saying that someone who's a noob to such a large soapbox may not reckon how important it is never to let the would-be piper call the tune.

Not unrelated is this Ed Driscoll piece.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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I’m Still Alive [UPDATE]

Darn it.

Nice to be home. Thanks to all for the very many well-wishes and to two readers for their generous donations. I'm still tired, so going to bed, but will write about it more tomorrow morning.

Hope all of you are well and happy, too.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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Tweeting About Joe Stack with a Lefty

I mean to do a round-up of people's interpretations of the Joe Stack anti-IRS suicide from two days ago, but first I'm going to recount a Twitter conversation with lefty @kjlintner that I had last night, for illustrative purposes.

I entered the conversation this way:

KJL: @id_misanthropy Amazing how y'all are coming up w/ months old news stories to detract attention from the Texas Tea-Party Terrorist. #p2

The story Lintner is referencing is the one about a group of 5 Muslims arrested for allegedly plotting to poison the food supply at Fort Jackson.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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CPAC Day 1 Redux: Conservatives Know How to Drink

a view from a Breitbart

I know I've been severely MIA lately, but here I am in DC, attending my first CPAC ever.

Yesterday was a complete whirlwind of meeting people, surprise speakers, and parties. I was operating on absolutely no sleep and arrived via train from NYC in the morning, so I wasn't even all there, but had SO much fun. No wonder everyone looks forward to this time of year.

Here's an idea of who I saw and heard and met on Thursday:

*Liz Cheney, who was expectedly awesome. She doesn't mess around. Of course the big surprise was that she brought Big Daddy Dick. He truly got the biggest ovation of the day, to which he replied "knock it off."

*Mitt Romney, who had TWO introductions, a gushy one from Jay Sekulow, and then one from (surprise) Scott Brown. Scott used the Truck thing and made the joke about the Daughters again. Mitt was really good-natured about the fact that Brown's popularity outshines his own at the moment. Thought Mitt's speech was fantastic, despite dancing around some issues. It's an experience to witness these people in person, you can smell the charisma.

*Andrew Breitbart, who was accepting an award from Accuracy in Media. A zillion people crowded into a tiny room to watch this, after a really boring long introduction during which even Breitbart looked kinda bored. Once he started speaking, it was great. He called out several NYT reporters, always asking if they were in the room before he declared them "despicable".

Then there was the BlogBash, held at the FreedomWorks building. Met Michelle Malkin and Dick Armey, and several great bloggers. Highlights were meeting Jimmie and of course The Other McCain. I even got to physically witness the writing of this.

The drinking: I don't know why I was surprised, but the hotel bar (which is expansive), was always packed. The BlogBash had booze, and then the real networking started after-hours at the bar. There were several drunken introductions and episodes of storytelling, and lots of sounds of broken glass as it got later and later. Lots of discarded "draft Cheney" stickers stuck to the Marriott floor. Crazy conservative punks, all. But so fun.

***thinking of Dan, and really hope he's going to be okay. Cannot really have fun until he is better.

Dahlhalla

Dahlhalla is a professional troublemaker and classical musician living in New York City. Schooled in Seattle (with Liz Mair), and college-d in San Francisco (where she played with the Grateful Dead once, no joke). She truly lives the plots of several telenovellas on a daily basis. Yeah. Just ask any anonymous blogger you know. Currently dating her way through the former Bush Administration, Dahlhalla is gathering enough material to hopefully post more than once every other month. But until then…OMG SHOES.

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Prayers for Dan

Dan was admitted to the Emergency Room this morning.

If you'll recall, some months back he was admitted for feeling dizzy, then faint, then became disoriented, and finally unresponsive.

It was thought at the time he had mistakenly taken someone else's meds.

But I am told this is not at all likely this time around.

So, please say some prayers.

Thx
Enoch

Update - 10:15DANTIME (EST) - Blood Pressure Up to normal levels.
Update - 10:22DANTIME (EST) - Blood Pressure Up but not to normal - still low. Sleeping. Can't stay awake. Running EKG
Update - 11:30DANTIME (EST) - Blood Pressure tanked again. Can't stay awake. Being Admitted.
Update - 1:40DANTIME (EST) - Blood Pressure still low. 3rd Unit of Liquids. Still can't stay awake. Doctors are doctoring.
Update - 4:18DANTIME (EST) - Blood Pressure still low. 4th Unit of Liquids. Still extremely sleepy. But is oriented when roused. Still speaking like a moderate drunk. Doctors are still doctoring, as far as we know.
Update - 8:00AMDANTIME (EST) - No new news, save for lots of tests this morning. Doctors are befuddled, but indicate "it" is presenting most like an environmental reaction (ie. Meds, Wrong Meds, Doubling up on Meds, Taking Someone Else's Meds by accident, etc). Let's hope. Hormonal tests this morning as well. More updates as I get them. Thanking all well-wishers.

As an aside: that someone (one person) would have the Audacity to post something shitty in these comments is so very sad. As you know, since the inception of this Blog, Dan has been adamant about NOT banning anyone - no matter how obnoxious and base their comments - a month or so ago, after some particularly NOT "okay" comments (and accusations of raaaaaacism) Dan mentioned maybe it was time to change this policy. That is, he considered maybe allowing all comments and commenters may have been a mistake. I am now tending to agree with him. Here is why: this is Dan's place. And Dan always provides the benefit of the doubt. But Dan's tolerance of the intolerant has run out. So, it seems we need to find a replacement troll - we have heard all it offers (nothing) and Dan and the rest of us guests at POWIP are more interested in reading the mostly thoughtful comments of each-another. With that, a hearty "pound sand" is offered from the depths of my heart to the sorry sap of a soul "who shall here forward be without name." May God bless you and keep you... but far away from here.

Enoch_Root

AKA. Bobby Donn Brubaker (the most popular man in Mesa, AZ), the Umbrella of Terror, Jack Ketch.

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Amy Bishop’s Husband: Tenure May Have Had Something To Do With It

ABC Exclusive!

Well, that and murderous disregard for other people's lives:

Whatever the reason for the shootings, a woman considered Bishop's best friend on campus told ABC News' "Good Morning America" this week that she saw Bishop pointing and firing a gun at the staff meeting, and may have survived only because the gun evidently jammed or ran out of bullets.

Debra Moriarity, 55, a professor with a lab next to Bishop's, said she pleaded for her life.

"I know I yelled at her, 'Amy, think about my grandson, think about my daughter," the Alabama professor told "GMA."

Moriarity said her friend was unmoved by her pleas.

"She ... pointed the gun at me and pulled the trigger. And it clicked and clicked again. She moved around a little. Click," Moriarity said. "I'm here talking to you today because the gun didn't fire."

Her husband says you just don't understand what it's like.

"I have worked around Ph.D.s before and they are pretty much the same," Anderson said. "Psychologically, they run hot and cold. That's why we are asking the news media to investigate that whole world that no one knows of. We are referring to an isolated group, like monks, and no one knows what goes on there."

That's why academics are so sympathetic to soldiers being court-martialed for splitting some terrorist's lip.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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Template 235: Go[ing] Away drinking Party this Friday After Work. revision 1.8.2.4

<>'s co-workers,

To celebrate <>'s last day here at <>, please join your fellow co-workers for a couple of drinks at <> after work on Friday. <> has been a fixture at <> for <>. <> was responsible for numerous projects including <>, and was a driving force behind <>. <> previously reported to <>. <> will be moving on to pursue other interests.

<> we be truly missed. If you can't make it Friday night, please stop by <>'s <> to wish <> all the best. <>'s replacement will be joining The Enterprise <>, or if a suitable candidate cannot be found, <> will be taking over <>'s duties .

Sincerely

<>

H/T Damonorama

Enoch_Root

AKA. Bobby Donn Brubaker (the most popular man in Mesa, AZ), the Umbrella of Terror, Jack Ketch.

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On the Political Uses of Joe Stack

I'm sure that the partisan pieces about the guy who flew a light plane into IRS offices in Austin, TX, are already being written. Before anyone says anything stupid, maybe they ought to read his rant, reproduced at The Smoking Gun.

Short summary: Anti-government, anti-IRS, anti-big business, anti-religion (Catholic in particular), anti-Moynihan, anti-Bush, anti-capitalist victim of everything and finally martyr.

What should one say about this? Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair?

UPDATE: Spruiell was already all over it.

REUPDATE: AND WHAT ABOUT THIS?

Also: J the R weighs in.

Morefurtherover: Drew M. notes that the Kostards have already labeled him a Teabagger.

Noel Sheppard: Time Magazine tries to pin it on Tea Partiers.

McCormack: WaPo writer, Dem. Congressman try to pin it on Tea Partiers.

Dan Collins

Dan Collins is a dude who blogs. He used to blog elsewhere. Now he blogs here.

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