I am touched by this moving but realistic assessment and will forever look at things a little differently - that's a rather significant first post. Thanks and welcome, Marvin!

I realize that blogcritics.org and Eric, Phillip, etc. are in the USA, but when did the World Wide Web and weblogs become Us and Them? The Americas consist of two continents, dozens of nations, many languages, and a world-wide diversity of people.

But it all seems to come down to a bunch of insecure thumb-suckers who just want some validation. Really, everytime I see somebody whining about "anti-americanism", I just want to say what the hell do you stand for? Is that how you define yourself, what you think everybody thinks about you, or are you just threatening to go eat some worms?

Geez, you sound like some high-school kid trying to get the Heathers to notice you. Yes, I know, enough about me, what do _you_ think about me?

Ah... nobody likes me.

What I stand for is insecure thumb-suckers having the right to come here and state their views. Unlike many of the world's governments, the U.S. government still supports such a right.

I said nothing of my opinion on anti-Americanism, or for that matter anything else, except that I enjoy and at the same time am befuddled by the tolerance and variety in subject matter and opinion found here, as well as in the U.S.

If that offends, too bad.

As for me, when the "Heathers" invite me to the Sadie Hawkins dance, then I'll be happy.

Since when did the US government start hosting blogcritics.org?

As far as I know, while Eric may have some shady aspects to his past, being a front for the US government wasn't one of them. When did this become an Organ of the State? I thought the whole point of the blogosphere was freedom from the nation-state and the narrow binders of parochial nationalism?

Why are so many USAians so afraid to say "fuck the government" Isn't that the foundation of your country?

I believe Marvin was simply comparing some characteristics of the US with some characteristics of Blogcritics, which is American in plurality only. We are VERY happy to have members from literally around the world: Canada, UK, France, India, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Czech Republic, Israel, Germany, and I am sure I am forgetting others. We are global, if Anglo-American-centric.

First, I'm rather certain the U.S. government has nothing to do with hosting blogcritics, my point was in the similar nature of tolerance and an open acceptance of views not your own, as found in both BLOGCRITICS and the U.S. Perhaps you are reading challenged today, or perhaps you simply wanted to argue.

Second, while the choice of words you use, "fuck the government", would not be my first choice, the sentiment is much more common to me than you are reading into my previous comments.

Good day.

Just once if I could get a 'murrican to admit how annoying it must be to the entire rest of the fucking world to hear how great the USA is #1.

I don't want to debate status. What is annoying is the constant whining.

Just shut up! Is that what it takes to make you stop trash-talking like jerks?

Maybe if there is a perception you are jerks is because your nation puts out a brand which says: Jerks. (Well, they used to make decent industry, but that's all gone, and the financial infastructure is all on the internet, and they used to make decent software, but that's all in India, but hey, they can still deliver pizza in 30 minutes).

If you tie your internet persona to your nationality, then you are just Rev. Lovejoy watching your toy-trains passing a sad, sad man.

Is there a reason we're hazing the new guy?

this is rather generic venting as I don't see any of these crimes in Marvin's post

It sounds like you are the whining little child in the room.

The things I express on the internet are expressed for me just like your rants are for your own sake as you certainly aren't converting anyone with it. That being said, I realize that some will not want to read them, GREAT! I also realize that some may take offense. Too friggin bad.

I've not talked 'trash' and have only tried to explain my original commentary. Having traveled a bit, I found it note worthy, as many websites are less open minded than this one. And might I need to rethink that..... Perhaps not, I just need to remember what Canada was like.

Justene, it's not hazing, it's just anytime I encounter somebody in cyberspace who insists on making their avatar one of nationality, I smell a rat. And I don't have any trust in them because they have self-identified with a nation-state brand which is probably hostile, if not toxic to my best interests.

I don't like nation-states and their foot-troops. They impede my best interests, they are malevolent and they are toxic.

People who try to impose nation-states on the internet are damage to the 'net. We need to route around them, and sunshine is a great disinfectant.

Jim and Marvin, perhaps we could compromise by declaring my Culpepper Log to be the One True and Official embodiment of the "character of the United States of America." This seems fair.

This would also have the advantage of avoiding the influence of them danged foreign Canadians such as Carruthers, what with their famously "beady little eyes and their heads so full of lies."

"Culpepper Log"? Why do I think this is just one of those porno sites which is going to put a pop-up everywhere except in my pants?

Jim, you hate the constant whining? Sheesh! Gimme a break.

Here's a log for your fire, and Marvin, here's your reminder of what Canaduh is like:

I've been to downtown Canada recently and observed that it has traded places with New York over the years. Toronto was once the clean, gleaming city with friendly people, and New York was the trash-strewn stink pit with drug-addled beggars lining the streets.

I've been to North Bay, where I went into a bar and was served an 8-ounce Labatt's Blue. I asked for the rest of my beer, but was charged for a second. The band was doing covers of REO-fucking-Speedwagon and Loverboy, not as a put-on, but as real entertainment, and the crowd of toothless flannel draped mulletheads was eating it up as though Jesus hopped up on stage with Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Freaked out by this timewarped fuckage, I went across the street to the Irish pub and found the exact same kind of scene!

I've been to the north side of the St. Lawrence, through Chicoutimi and over to Sept-Iles, and never did I feel so badly for a group of people where living in a trailer that had been tossed in an Omaha tornado would have been trading up. It blew me the hell away to see the seperatists flying the US Confederate flag.

Can there be a greater affliction than the omnipresense of Tim Horton's? I mean, if you're going to have a donut and coffee joint on every intersection (I realize this means that you can go 50 miles or more between them in the moderately populated places), how about one with products that taste like they were made at some point during the week in which they were sold, and not imported from Madagascar on the slow boat? If you want to talk shit about the proliferation of American fast food, you have to turn the entire Tim Horton's chain into powder, immediately. Then you will become far more credible.

You know what's annoying? Hearing about how the USA isn't so great, but never hearing why some other place is better. You attack the US mercilessly and frequently, but never seem to offer us the best of Canada beyond a few country acts.

I get irritated with the US on a regular basis, but God bless you Jim, because you have reminded me just how good I have it here. Where's my #1 foam finger?

Mike, I hurt my back laughing - from a purely rhetorical standpoint, that was classic vitriolic wordsmanship

And I had a real good time in Toronto when last there in the mid-'90s, dragged to "Phantom of the Opera" by an old girlfriend who thought that shit was class-on-ice. But other than the Phantom, and the Hockey Hall of Fame (in a shopping mall), which she also dragged me to, and where I was nearly decapitated by a puck flying out of the "interactive" area, I enjoyed it rather a lot.

Baptism of fire.

heh.

Welcome to a back alley just off the information highway, Marvin.

Just like in America, you'll meet guys like Carruthers -- who carries a can of spray paint and a sematic TASER, ready at a moments notice to mug yer ass, especially if you start chanting U!S!A! -- or have an American flag pin in the lapel of your flak-jacket.

The World is a Dangerous Neighborhood.

And just like Unistat, there'll be an ambulance or a *cop along soon. The ambulance might run you down and the cop might beat you over the head with a nightstick, but thank gawd you still have the freedom to say, "Shit, that hurt."

* Justene

Oh, I almost forgot: if you own any slaves, don't mention it too early in the game.

xxoo
Shark of the Welcome Wagon


PS: Fuck the Government! (Whew, I feel better already!)

North Bay, fuck! The only time I've been to North Bay, was after driving during a sleet storm and the windshield whiper fluid gave out in the van, so we had to stop every couple of kilometers to wipe it off by hand. Then on New Years Eve, while we're in another building celebrating, a fire broke out in the hotel, they ran out of beer, and at 3 in the morning had to go to another hotel. Then I got a nosebleed, while a pair of lesbians made out. Happy fucking New Years. Yah, North Bay Sucks.

Lots of places suck, Which is why we have the internet. Don't bring your suckage here, we're trying to create something new and free. You already got your notional-past, why do you have to drag your stinky old shite here?

Marvin Hutchens said:

I said nothing of my opinion on anti-Americanism, or for that matter anything else. . . .

True. Which is why this is a balloon entry. (Just air.) I wish for the thousandth time that people would not waste readers' time with empty entries like this one.

Furthermore, I hope the Heathers don't value spelling or grammar or you won't be invited to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

We won't even reach the issue of brown-nosing this time around.

Fuck Me Gently With A Chainsaw, the Heathers don't care about spelling unless it is part of the Daily Poll, and only the dweebs at the Yearbook really care.

So, what do you have in your hand, a brewski, or bottled water?

I thought for a first post it outdid itself on the ass-kissing Richter scale. Turn it to 11 !!!

But, damn it, I'd think he was sincere if I could figure out why he Amazoned people - as fine as they may be - who do not represent a breadth of opinion at all, or little culture.

"Is there a reason we're hazing the new guy?"

It's just Jim being Jim.

"You can take the Canadian's finger out of his nose, but you can't take them off his keyboard" is what I always say.

Jim- Just had to have a little fun cutting loose with the dialogue, with you and Canada.

Actually, my wife and I honeymooned in Banff last year and it was outstanding. The natural beauty is so fine that I will not bother to louse it up with my descriptions. We got up close and personal with a porcupine, but fortunately did not run into momma grizzly bear and her two cubs. Finding her paw prints was quite sufficient.

Darryl and Ronnie Sutter were on our flight, which makes it a genuine Candadian experience, right? As we waited for our luggage, Darryl and I talked about the San Jose Sharks, and Ronnie teased my wife and I about our honeymoon activity plans.

To follow up the North Bay story, I could give you a day in Cochrane, and evening in Moosonee, and a swell 20 minutes at the New Brunswick border having my bags torn apart... but we'll save that for another day.

As to my sincerity, it was complete. My intent was not to kiss ass, nor was it self-promotion. I enjoy this site and it reminds me of things I enjoy about my country. My intent was to express that opinion and if others wished, discuss it with regard to both the blogosphere and in the U.S. As to those I recommended from Amazon, they are often mistaken as being less than open minded, I believe that they like myself are in fact open minded and quite tolerant. However, they do not represent a broad spectrum of our culture, and as you noted, this was my first post.

Welcome aboard Marvin! For starters, just the pure volume of responses to your first joint here puts you in the top 1% of the Blogcritics crew. Hope you get this much interest in every post.

I'd say the responses fairly well reflect some of the basic BC personalities. Jim objects to anything vaguely pro-American, Eric offers fatherly encouragement, Diva proclaims everyone else's inferiority to her own supposed amazing standards of literary excellence.

Then there's good ol' Shark, Rand bless his pinko heart, who tends to be snarky, but will often come around to offer words of encouragement when someone's getting slapped around.

God bless them every one.

i would like to state for the record that i did not haze the new guy.

thank you.

Marvin, you never know when the lightning will rod. I would agree with Al here: take the volume and intensity of response as a compliment, though it could also be viewed as a virtual hurricane to weather.