As If Progressives Don't Have Enough Troubles Already...

This really has been the best week ever. And I do mean ever.

If I were a better human being than I actually am, I'd pity poor Barrett Brown. But I'm not, so at the moment I'm having a good laugh at his expense: That poor little progressive knob is in for a whole world of hurt and he doesn't even know it yet. You'd think someone on the left side of the blogosphere would be friends enough to pull him aside and say, "Barrett, you need to rethink this... You really need to rethink this."

Anyway... 

When I read in Vanity Fair that he was going to hook up with Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs to create a "loose network of bloggers" that will "coordinate on exposing the failures of certain news outlets", the first thing that went through my head was, "Hey, that's brilliant. Why the fuck didn't I think of that!" It's the story of my life... Somebody always comes up with that Next Big Thing idea before I do. The bastards.

Here's the nitty:

Later this year, we’ll be launching a two-pronged campaign by which we hope to increase both the reach and efficiency of the blogosphere, as well as to bring pressure to bear on the media at large. Much of this effort will involve a loose network of bloggers that we’re now in the process of recruiting in order that we might all coordinate on exposing the failures of certain news outlets, for instance. This campaign is being planned in large part around software that’s currently in development by open-source advocate and information technology specialist Andrew Stein and which we believe will assist bloggers in making better use of their medium’s existing advantages; this system will provide for a measurable advance in the manner by which bloggers may distribute, obtain, evaluate, and build upon segments of information. Between the software in question and that skill set unique to those bloggers who have successfully adapted to the information age, we expect that we’ll have some success to the extent that we receive the assistance of others who are similarly concerned about the manner in which Americans are informed about crucial issues.

As Johnson recently reminded me, he once attempted a similar improvement on the blogosphere in 2004 by co-founding the conservative blog compendium Pajamas Media. He later repudiated it as “just another right-wing parrot organization” and sold off his share in 2007. I suggested to him that, in contrast to that particular project, we try to recruit bloggers who aren’t completely deranged. He agreed that this might be an effective approach.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Hey Charles, I got a name for your steaming pile: Air America

No. Wait. How about... Axis of Asshole

 

Yeah, that captures the essence of it perfectly.

How can this not work?

Hey Barrett: If you value your sanity and your wallet, read all my posts under Mockery: Ragging On Raj. Make sure you start at the beginning, and take heed, my friend. Take heed.

From the 'He Only Lies When His Lips Move' Department of the Charles Johnson Files: The story Charles gave of his departure from Pajamas Media back then seems to be a bit different from the story he's peddling right now. Here's the announcement he posted December 1, 2007 on Little Green Footballs:

Announcement time: I am no longer affiliated with Pajamas Media in a management position. There's nothing gossip-worthy here, though; I enjoyed helping to found and start PJ Media, and this is a completely amicable departure. We mutually decided that my energy and resources are best focused right here on Little Green Footballs. LGF will continue to be part of the Pajamas Media network, and we'll continue to run PJ Media's well-monitored advertisements.

Sorry, but if there's a denunciation of a "right-wing parrot organization" in there, I must have missed it.

Update: Barrett Brown takes note of Dennis, but does not take heed. That's fine, sometimes lessons must be learned the hard way. He can reflect on that at his leisure once (the charmingly named) Operation Fuck Everyone goes down in flames. Anyway, Brown seems to think I've misunderstood the true import of this sentence:

He later repudiated it [Pajamas Media] as "just another right-wing parrot organization" and sold off his shares in 2007.

Here's what he says:

Johnson referred to Pajamas Media as a “right-wing parrot organization” in a conversation with me a few weeks ago. My article did not claim, nor did he, that he made any such characterization about the company at the time when he left; rather, that seems to be his opinion of it today.

Well if that is the case, why didn't you make that clear? What is implied by the sentence as it is written is that Fearless Charles Johnson loudly denounced the Rovians at Pajamas Media and then walked away in search of The Truth. I simply pointed out that such a sequence of events was complete bullshit. Tighten up your writing and there won't be these sorts of misunderstandings.

Note: We seem to have a misunderstanding: Johnson and Brown are using the name Operation Fuck Everyone of their own volition. It is not yet another example of Dennis' cruel and profane sense of humor. Next time I'll tighten up my writing.

Comments

[Randy Rager]

"who aren’t completely deranged."

Too late.

[just passin by]

You are neither as smart or as moral as a liberal, ergo your actual experience is trumped by Brown's rose colored lens. And when this boondoggle collapses, it will be due to a secret Republican cabal...and NOT because it will be a left wing parrot organization.

[Dennis The Peasant]

Indeed. Karl Rove is everywhere.

[David]

I never really read LGF. I found it disjointed and strident, and really didn't return after a few visits.

His blog-moment in the sun was the Dan Rather memo thingie. Against that is laid a litany of censorious and jerky behaviors which don't suggest a commitment to skepticism or open dialogue . . . he'll fit right in with the nutters on the left.

I love the sheer bullshit of the jargon in the piece. It's a masterpiece . . . of its kind.

[GM Roper]

Dennis: too,too funny. I've been away from this blog for far too long.

[Patrick]

Heh..... I love that quote from 2007...

[Simon]

Barrett Brown seems to spend his time digging through digital garbage cans for evidence of racism and then demanding line by line recantations.

Cock of the first order.

[Hector]

Hmmmmmm......Chucky adopts Obama and Obama tanks big time.

Chucky embraces global warming and a new ice age begins.

I'd say Barrett is toast............

[Mike C.]

Can I assume that this is in regard to this "True/Slant" thing ? I just stumbled across that earlier in the week. I see that Chaz mirrors his crap there. Still sniffing around for some loose change, as usual.

PJM II - there's a hot investment tip, all right.

[Simon]

Apparently Barry read your post Dennis and has put this up in response -

Johnson referred to Pajamas Media as a “right-wing parrot organization” in a conversation with me a few weeks ago. My article did not claim, nor did he, that he made any such characterization about the company at the time when he left; rather, that seems to be his opinion of it today.

What transparent bullshit.

This guy appears to be an ex-post facto re-writer of Johnsonian proportions. Marriage made in heaven.

[Tim Worstall]

Charles is a classical liberal? Does that mean I've got to hand in my classical liberal secret decoder ring?

'Coz I've read lots of Smith, Ricardo, Mill, Schumpeter, Hayek, Friedman and so on and I've really not come across stirring denunciations of either Islam or Creationism. Not much support of them either....in fact, the luminaries of the trade seem not to mention either at all.

[David]

Ah, true/slant, the place where super-genius Matt Taibbi hangs out. To quote Don Surber, "better a tea bag than a douchebag."

As for Brown, he seems . . . impressionable. He does have a nifty hat in the photo, though.

[Dennis The Peasant]

Tim-

Guys like Johnson think George McGovern invented classical liberalism.

[Rich Fader]

Axis of Anal? Anus of Evil?

[Brainster]

Chucky's proposal sounds more like FAIR, or Media Matters than Airhead America.

[Allen]

Oh boy, I can hardly wait. A bunch of folks are going to give us the "real" news with op/ed pieces, because the existing system is not through their op/ed pieces.

Axis of Daft.

[Dennis The Peasant]

Allen-

Actually, this sounds a bit like "Let's take down Fox News". For a guy like Charles, getting an acknowledgement of existence from someone like Glenn Beck is just the sort of validation he craves.

[Allen]

Dennis, also underneath, it comes down to the money. It's not the existence of a Fox News, or Glenn Beck, or whoever. It's the fact that those folks are making a handsome living at it while they are not. The sheer injustice of it all. Bwahahaha.

[Wm T Sherman]

Is the project predicated on the belief that Johnson can suddenly start providing original content, or that success will follow if he keeps doing what he is already doing, only more so?

[ThomasD]

...and that skill set unique to those bloggers who have successfully adapted to the information age

/Snort!

[just passin by]

Is there a difference in reporting between Fox and the other networks? Other then the things that Fox reports on that the other networks neglect, like ACORN corruption and voter dissatisfaction. In actual events reported on by Fox AND CBS,CNN,et al, is there any difference in reporting?

As an example, all networks gave us 24/7 coverage of michael jackson's death, while ignoring popular unrest in Iran. My impression of Fox's news coverage is that it is just as bobbleheaded and LCD as the others.

Or is just that Fox gives airtime to commentators that don't regurgitate the DNC's talking points? I don't think anything pisses off a pinko more then us unwashed heathens failing to grovel to their innate superiority. If Fox isn't feeding us 24/7 agitprop, then they must be the enemy.

[Dennis The Peasant]

jpb-

Fox News must be destroyed because it is controlled by nihilistic Rovian facists.

Plus, they're poopy-heads.

[wayne fontes]

Later this year, we’ll be launching a two-pronged campaign by which we hope to increase both the reach and efficiency of the blogosphere, as well as to bring pressure to bear on the media at large. Much of this effort will involve a loose network of bloggers that we’re now in the process of recruiting in order that we might all coordinate on exposing the failures of certain news outlets, for instance.

That sounds like the Journolist, which as near as I can tell has been done already.

[Mike C.]

"Later this year, we’ll be launching a two-pronged campaign by which we hope to increase both the reach and efficiency of the blogosphere, as well as to bring pressure to bear on the media at large. Much of this effort will involve a loose network of bloggers that we’re now in the process of recruiting in order that we might all coordinate on exposing the failures of certain news outlets, for instance."

Anybody else here ever work on or hang around a dairy farm ? Because that sounds to me EXACTLY like a cow making a new cow patty, something cows do a lot. "...increase both the reach and efficiency of the blogosphere..." Are you shitting me ? Can the author actually stand up and say that in front of a crowd and keep a straight face ?

[just passin by]

hmmm, I thought Fox was controlled by nihilist, opportunionist, Rovian parrots...Maybe Chuck and Barrett are on to something...

[Dennis The Peasant]

Mike-

Hey, Charles and Barrett are selling this to the type of folks who voted for Obama. They'll buy anything.

[JeffS]

"For a guy like Charles, getting an acknowledgement of existence from someone like Glenn Beck is just the sort of validation he craves."

This sort of validation, Dennis?

[Dennis The Peasant]

Jeff-

In a word, 'Yes'. In two words, 'Yes, yes'.

[McGehee]

Well if that is the case, why didn't you make that clear?

Barrett Brown make something clear? BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!