Wealth Bondage

Who Needs A Democracy Anyway?

Posted by The Happy Tutor

A. Mole continues to document the lethargy with which America greets the dwindling of our democracy. Thank you, Mr. Mole. Duly noted. What is on TV?

Protect Your Brand from Incivillity

Posted in Defense of Civility by Smoky Joe, JD, in Defense of Freedom

Feedburner:

Today we announce AdClimate, a new feature of the formidable FeedBurner ad server for blogs and RSS feeds. AdClimate gives marketers and advertisers the power to suppress their ads from being served into content they might deem questionable. By way of example, let's say you have an aversion to the word, "wingnut" .... AdClimate to the rescue. In addition to screening a multi-language default list of inappropriate language, advertisers can submit their own list of keywords next to which they don't want their ad to appear - wingnuts and all.

Wealth Bondage does not tolerate bad language, or political dissent.  Get civil, bloggers, or go hungry.

French Code of Blogger Conduct - Oui Oui!

Posted by The Happy Tutor

David Weinberger on a French code of blogger conduct:

From my point of view, it is one possible set of guidelines. We should have lots and lots of them so that — when appropriate — bloggers can make explicit the norms already implicit on their sites.

One code that David implicitly observes is to be painfully literal.  To make explicit the norms of Wealth Bondage would be to put myself on Candidia's slated for death list.  What about Wolf Blitzer? Does he have to make explicit the implicit norms of his show? Would he? Could he? Are you kidding? Such knowledge is enough to implode the brain. We are all, David, much better off deluded, posting delusory codes of conduct. The WB code is simple: "Always say what you mean and mean what you say." Violators will find their meaning explicated, laid bare, and posted for all to see. French code of conduct? David, did you ever read Derrida? Those French people are shifty. You can't take their word for anything. It is all difference and deferral and evasion. You been had, man. A French code of conduct is no more than a ruse. 

Civility Enforced

Posted by Joseph McPatriot

Watch what you see;
Watch what you hear;
Watch what you say.

Join me in making the internet safe for children of all ages.

The Private Joys of Private Foundations

Posted by Candidia Cruikshanks, CEO of Wealth Bondage

Albert on the meaning of big philanthropy.   He dares not mention me by name, lest I reduce him to tears, but he certainly implies that I fund Bill Schambra for selfish reasons. Actually, I do it for fun - watching him sit up and beg, roll over, bark on command - who wouldn't enjoy that? And the public can watch for free. That is my gift to humankind. No need to thank me. Your continued obedience is reward enough.

Boundaries

Posted by The Happy Tutor

What is acceptable behavior depends on the context. The newer blogging tools like Vox and Ning, like Live Journal before them, allow the user to control not only the post and the persona but also the audience: public or private, family, friends, neighborhood, etc.  Carnival was unbounded in space, but bounded in time. To use an alias or pseudonym is to draw a boundary, but Google will cross almost any boundary by linking identity to alias, and making us all, "own up" to our words - "You own your words" is a threat.  (Civility or business etiquette will be  enforced for public performances.) Should Wealth Bondage become a private club? A Speakeasy? There civility could take whatever form it wished without risk of attribution.

Beyond an invitation-only Speakeasy is art for attribution.  Given that our Author Function is dead that would be difficult, or even fraudulent, in our case. But if we could get a stand-in for the Author Function, this could be art. We have just not be able to fill that position. Is there anyone out there who would like to take moral and legal responsibility for Wealth Bondage?

Let the Well-Bred Man Speak

Posted by Sen (D - MA) Dick Minim

Science Daily — "A Purdue University communication expert says incivility is on the rise because people are lonely from lacking the basic relationships and friendships that are essential to human beings." My personal impression, however, is that civility goes back to good breeding.  A thoroughbred trotter must be bred to it, obviously.  So too a high class person. It is a matter of good bloodlines. Keeping the riffraff off the internet is probably the only way to enforce civility.  That or a stiff access charge.  More anon. I am off to the Porc. Must scoot!

Melancholy Pandemic

Posted by The Happy Tutor

Barbara Ehrenreich in the Guardian connects the history of "depression" or "melancholy," with anomie, disconnection from nature, and the end of Carnival. We learned to live in houses, in our rooms often alone looking in the mirror, writing our diaries, doing our account books, playing many roles, wondering about our self, our authenticity, our identity. Alas, Poor Yorick, I think she is right. We must police ourselves now. Civility is always enforced, leaving us pent up and sad.

Bloggaz with Attitude Are Forbidden To Comment Here

Posted by Captain Blowtorch

So-called "minorities" don't use the internet because they generally can't read and write. But as more come on line,  we do need speech codes to keep them in line.  We need strict blog comment policies to keep them out before they start rapping and stuff like that. "No Savages Allowed on My Blog." Does that work? Civilized? How can you civilize savages?  The most you can do is keep them in their place. You let them in and pretty soon you have Bloggaz with Attitude talking back to the White Man and stalking our Women. "Civility Enforced" - I got that on the bumper sticker of my pickup. I would advise you to do the same. Let's keep a united front.

Wealth Bondage Style Guide

Posted by Smoky Joe, JD, in Defense of Civility

Wealth Bondage is an American Icon. Wealth Bondage is beyond reproach. In your comments, remember that Wealth Bondage sets the standard by which all blogs are judged. Do not make comments or use language in your comments that might tend to bring Wealth Bondage into disrepute.  Violators will be prosecuted. Help Wealth Bondage clean up the internet. Promote the Wealth Bondage style guide on your blog today.