Misplaced In The Midwest: It Continues...

Today, Misplaced was planning on writing about the 2010 U.S. Census, and starting a brief series on my experiences running several Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC's) for the Census since today was the first "official" day they are open.

Instead, I have discovered that I'm going to have to talk about good ol' Lynn, and her media powerhouse Bloggapalooza once again. I must be missing something here, because if you read the comment section on her "blog", apparently Yours Truly has horns, two heads, and wears a swastika.

First, someone who is apparently a regular reader of this blog rose to my defense:

Cindy Jones - March 19, 2010

I’ve been following this very closely, and it seems to me that you do quite a bit of “borrowing” yourself!

You also state quite clearly here on your blog that you yourself will post copyrighted material without giving credit to the source to wit:

“This website may at times present copyrighted material, the use of which might not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.”

I’m sorry, but that tells me that you do exactly what you’re acting self-righteous about.

I’ve read every entry in both your blog, and his. I must say that while the two of you are both intelligent writers, your material is honestly quite cold, dry and sterile, while his has a warmer, more “human” feel to it.

You also seem to be taking this way too seriously, (I’ve read the comments on your facebook page… you’re not telling the people there the whole story) while he is taking a humorous (although RUDE) stance on the issue.

You should probably lighten up. He’s actually encouraging people to read your blog. The only reason I found it is because of him!

Just my two cents.

In Lynn's defense, it seems that the identical content I found may actually have been stolen from her... word-for-word. If that's the case, then I inadvertently did her a solid...

...Should I ask her to give me credit for helping her bust someone and a reciprocal link?

Nah.

This was followed by:

Elizabeth - March 19, 2010

I don’t understand how this guy’s friends can justify theft, and why they feel the need to go after *you* when you are the victim.

And, who the hell are they to tell you that you are taking it too seriously?

I found and read his pathetic blog (most of the articles, except the ones about you, seem to be stolen). He posted your correspondence, which seems civil and businesslike. He has taken offensive personal shots at you over and over and he doesn’t even know you. Yet his friends criticize you? What a bunch of people with “misplaced” ethics. And he’s a whiny little coward who LOST.

Go get ‘em, Lynn, good for you for going after these losers.

"pathetic blog"?

"most of the articles...seem to be stolen"?

"whiny little coward who LOST"?

"Go get 'em Lynn"?

Really?

What did I "lose"? Please tell me what exactly I've lost... Because the post is STILL THERE.

Mike Carlton (A good WASP-y name by the way Mike!) weighed in:

Mike Carlton - March 19, 2010

I thought those flyover states were supposed to be “keeping America’s values strong.” If this shithead and his dittoheads are any indication of what can be found there, I’ll stay close to the coasts!

Mike, you can rest assured that I am no Rush-Limbaugh-lovin "dittohead". In fact, I'd bet a princely sum of money that my politics are farther to the left than yours. Don't let the Army uniform fool you. I may currently reside in what you so pompously refer to as a "flyover" state, but I am a Native New Yorker... along with all the attitude that goes hand in hand with being from the Empire State. Screw you.

Next came Lynn herself:

Lynn, of Bloggapalooza - March 19, 2010

Thanks, Elizabeth. I don’t get it either. This girl Cindy, above, is the third chick to go out of her way to tell me I have my priorities screwed up by asking her friend for attribution… there must be something in the water with these midwesterners. At least our friend Cindy was somewhat more reasonable about it.

This mental midget can say whatever he wants on his blog as long as he doesn’t steal from me. Now there’s no need for me to visit his site again, since Google FORCED him to attribute my work to me, I’m glad to say. I’m taking a guess that he won’t be stealing from me again, though. As for taking it personal: I don’t know him, he doesn’t know me, why should I care?! lol

I find it rather amusing that simply by my making it known that I am in the Midwestern U.S. (Minneapolis, Minnesota to be precise), these defenders of Lynn, and Lynn herself show a level of arrogance that is astonishing. What I get from her and Mike's comments is that they seem to think that the entire Midwest is full of Red-State rabble... Only an arrogant left-coaster from the Bay area would jump to such a conclusion... kind of sad really... I thought they were supposed to be "accepting", and "open-minded".

By the way Lynn, Google didn't "force" me to do ANYTHING. Did I mention that the post in question is STILL THERE? You're putting WAY too much stock in an automated system designed to protect Google's ass, not what you consider "your intellectual property".

Oh well. You keep living in that fantasy world... at least they know you there.

Next, we heard from "Gaucho" (Seriously... he calls himself "Gaucho")

Gaucho - March 19, 2010

Lynn

I cannot believe this women (Cindy) would come on here and accuse you of stealing content ( I would have to assume that she is his friend). From what I have read, you seem to site original sources on anything that you have used.

Unfortunately I went to this guy’s site and read what he Shat out of his mouth. Does not say much for him to be that disrespectful towards you when he does not even know you. I would have to agree, you seem to come at this with a civil attitude, and then he turns it into a personal attack on you. Also, really disturbing that he would also take it to a sexual matter as well. I am sorry Cindy, I don’t see his approach as being humorous, Rude yes, and it amazes me that you see it as humorous. I am a married man, and I was offended, but I guess that comes with having a little more respect for women.

Bravo Gaucho! Bravo!

Kudos to you for rescuing the fair Lynn from the Evil, Misogynist, Dark-Skinned One! I bet that not only are you a closet "14 words" kind of guy, but also think that D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation is some sort of guideline for life in these United States.

Lynn was quick to bestow favor on her knight in baggy-below-the-knee-pants (I'm taking a guess that he's not really a Gaucho, but wears the pants that were a twisted fashion statement in the 1970's), and Mike, who I'd guess would be her second choice (Sorry Mike):

Lynn, of Bloggapalooza - March 19, 2010

Thank you, Mike and Gaucho. Thank goodness for men who respect women! AND for readers who understand that stealing, no matter what it is, is wrong

At some point, soon, this douchebag is going to finish the job he started of boring his readers to death with his self-indulgence, and maybe even piss off his low-self-esteem female protectors with his misogyny. I haven’t bothered with this guy or his blog for a good 36 hours except to read what people have e-mailed me about it; and unless Cindy can come back with specific verbiage that she says I’ve stolen, I’ll chalk her statements up to stupidity as well and move on.

Did you catch how she slipped that "personal attack" in there? Good for her!

Not really.

I've been called Porch Monkey, Coon, and Nigger in my life Lynn.

"Douchebag", especially coming from you is more like foreplay than an insult.

Thanks for trying to "zing" me though. Shows there's still a spark of what turns me on so much about you in there still.

Cindy Jones reappeared at this point, solely to defend herself for daring to have an opinion that didn't exactly match that of Lynn, Mike, or "Gaucho":

Cindy Jones - March 19, 2010

Actually, I don’t know either one of you.

I stumbled across his blog a few months ago, and I have to disagree with those commenting here. The reason I bookmarked his is threefold:

1. The guy is a good writer. You can’t deny that.

2. I like the “human” aspect of his blog. In addition to the fact that he often gives a fresh perspective on newsworthy events, he also talks about things he sees and does in everyday life. Plus, sometimes he just embeds an interesting or unusual video.

3. While he has been the rudest I’ve ever seen him as far as you’re concerned, the guy is just smart and sometimes very funny.

While I don’t condone the use of the “c” word, you have to admit, now all you’re doing is poking him with a sharp stick, and he continues to poke back. You’re crowing about your “victory” over him, when to a casual observer all you’ve done appear to be very petulant, while driving YOUR readership to HIS blog.

In turn, your readers come back here, or to your facebook page, and cluck about what a jerk they think he is, which I’m sure strokes your ego, but at what cost? I can see that your readers are spending a LOT of time on his blog, spamming his comment section, and generally DRIVING UP HIS PAGEVIEWS.

I see no victory here. The post in question is still on his page, with an added link, and “attribution” to you that is quite simply, unflattering.

I honestly don’t understand why you would fight this kind of battle on HIS terms. I’m beginning to think that his assessment of you as a “Don Quixote” type is frighteningly accurate.

Keep fighting though. This has become quite entertaining to watch

Rock on Cindy. At least you get it.

That was followed by this:

Lynn, of Bloggapalooza - March 19, 2010

I never denied he’s a good writer.

WHAT??!!??

(There was more to her comment, but the rest of it paled in comparison to that one sentence)

After all... if you go by what she's been publishing on her "blog" this is what she's been claiming I am all along:

Not to mention the fact that her "people" are apparently "rallying" around my alleged misogyny. I'm not too concerned with that though. Especially since my readers know pretty much everything about me... since most of them currently reside in New York.

But since her "people" will continue to wave that flag no matter what I do, I will close with this: