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![]() Yes, it's the return of an old favorite. After seeing certain people (listed below) in the news, I just couldn't resist. Who could? For any newcomers, it works like this. I go through the news every month looking for people who behave like assholes. This isn't always a judgment of their overall worth - I've had people I like on American Asshole before - but a judgment of the particular behavior that seemed assholish in that particular month. After all, everyone is an asshole sometime. Your part is to look at the evidence provided in the links and choose the one you think should be that month's special asshole. You vote by clicking on the "Billy Goats" link below and leaving your vote in the comments. Make sure your name is on the comment...... anonymous votes are not counted! Results are posted after the voting dies down, in a week or so. You may nominate someone you see in the news, too. Just send a link to me in the comments here or on FB. I will consider and discuss all nominations, but retain the right of final say. As I have October assholes posted, all nominations should now be for November assholery. Previous AA fans will see some changes in the nominations. For one thing, people who do horrid criminal things like abusing loads of adopted children have left assholiness far behind. Let the justice system deal with them. Likewise, politicians and pundits are paid to be assholes (as many of you have repeatedly pointed out) and one person's assholiness is another's "yeah!" moment, so it will be more difficult (but far from impossible) for these people to be nominated. When it comes to politicians, I'll look for behavior that all but the staunchest of partisans can agree is just plain assholy. So what is nominatable assholiness? That is difficult to define, actually, as it involves intangibles galore. Highly unnecessary, self-centered acts by people who are oblivious to the effects on others, or simply don't care, stand out to me. So do people who don't mind causing others harm to gain a little convenience for themselves - or just out of spite. People who kick up a shitstorm when it would be easier to just keep their mouths shut are often considered. In the end, I may not be able to define assholiness, but I know it when I see it! Perhaps these individuals can help: Richard Strandlof - It's sad that all you have is a big mouth and delusions of adequacy. Cherri Wolbruek - Support our troops, but not in HER backyard. Keith Bardwell - Well, I guess we know what your opinion is. Do you remember what opinions are like? (1) Mark DeCraepeo- Okay, then don't make the mozzarella caprese. Yeesh. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe- That "people who disagree with me are traitors" bit is so 2003. Adam Manning - I'm sure you're going to be a wonderful influence on your son. Larry Whitten - You may understand the hotel business, but you sure as hell don't understand New Mexico tourism. Or, for that matter, New Mexico. (2) Richard and Muyumi Heene - You know, some people become famous by developing a talent or honing a skill. (1) |
| nat November 2, 2009 09:33 AM PST I'll do this later today, but I can sort of relate to the vet's thing. A former Catholic retreat center on the street right behind my house was sold to a Vet's group out of Worcester, MA. Outside their building in Worcester, near the center of the city, there are lots of homeless vets with signs, asking for handouts. They're mostly shabby looking, and are probably homeless drug addicts and/or alcoholics. You know, the same kinds of guys you see on the streets in cities all around. We're hoping this is not the case for this vet's center. I know, big shock from a vet married to a military retiree, isn't it? I'm not worried about flashbacks, for crying out loud; that woman has seen too many Vietnam War flicks. I know the guys need a place to get help, job training, or whatever. That's fine. I feel like some of the vets don't really want to be helped; they only want to help themselves to handouts to go buy their next fix of whatever it is. No, I didn't protest this center. I'm willing to give the thing a chance and see what happens. | ||
| Jeff Warren November 2, 2009 09:33 AM PST Larry Whitten, the best combination asshole in the group... | ||
| Nat November 2, 2009 06:39 PM PST This is tough! For me, it's a toss-up between Larry Whitten and Keith Bardwell: both bigoted asswipes. I think perhaps Whitten wins out, since he tried to pull this crap on his employees and would have had to keep looking them in the eye every day. One of my grandfathers changed the spelling of the surname when he emigrated from Prussia over a century ago, but it was his choice and his idea. I know that many immigrants were assigned new names at Ellis Island, and simply went along with it. What a crummy practice to force on people in 2009! | ||
| Paula November 2, 2009 09:03 PM PST LOL @ Adam Manning! Really tough to decide between Bardwell and the Heenes. I think the Heenes possibly fall more in the desperate idiot category though, so I'm going with Bardwell ... yet the Heenes cost us more money. But Bardwell might have a higher indirect cost to society overall, hmm. Yah, sticking with Bardwell. He really makes me sick. | ||
| Cheezy November 3, 2009 01:26 AM PST A welcome return! I'll have a look and cast my vote later today... | ||
| TIM November 4, 2009 10:47 AM PST I'm goin with the Heenes. Total attention whores | ||
| Nat November 5, 2009 12:55 PM PST Just to be clear, Whitten wins out for me. | ||
| JoeP November 8, 2009 10:59 AM PST Gotta chime in for Metcalfe here. The guy is a hyper right wing douchebag of the first order, but this time he's really overstepped. He also recently campaigned against extending additional protections for victims of domestic violence because the law would cover same-sex domestic partners. | ||
| JoeP November 8, 2009 11:00 AM PST I forgot to add to my Metcalfe vote, that he is a good friend of my partner's boss. Metcalfe has a severe overestimation of his own importance in person as well as in print. | ||
| JoeP November 8, 2009 01:02 PM PST Heenes. More proof that "Idiocracy" is coming true. Plus, that Richard dude seems like the epitome of an asshole. | ||
| O' Tim November 15, 2009 10:41 PM PST Sorry I spaced getting to this, JtT. I'll pick DeCraepeo, because it's not every day that I get to vote for a macho gun-toting hothead on your blog. What a load ! | ||
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