Periodically, I feel the need to remind people of a few things:
1) This web site exists for the sole purpose of publicizing and discussing whatever interests me, whenever it interests me, for whatever reason it interests me.
This includes whatever quirky whim strikes my fancy, at whatever time it strikes my fancy.
By the way, we've been talking about you, and we think you're getting paranoid. I hope you can deal with that.
2) "Liberal" means the following:
a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
That is a Platonic ideal I strive toward, not a paradigm I claim to represent. If at any time you think I fail to meet that ideal, I invite you to say so. The more polite you are in saying so, the more seriously I'm likely to take you. But I ain't Socrates, and I ain't Christ. You'll just have to live with that.
3) If my definition of "liberal" doesn't fit in within the confines of what Rush Limbaugh or Michael Moore tell you that "liberal" means, well, too freakin' bad. It's Dean's World, baby. You're just living in it.
4) So long as people remain reasonably civil, and make reasonable efforts to avoid ad hominem attacks, I'm willing to let them say damn near anything they want here.
5) I'm more tolerant of personal attacks on me than I am toward contributors. But I make no claims to perfection in either area. I do my best. But, I'd really rather you direct your heat toward ideas you don't like, rather than people who chafe your buttocks.
6) Don't get upset if you find me arguing with you. Don't get upset if several people argue with you. If you hang out here long enough, you'll find this can happen to anyone, at any time. Consider that you might be wrong, or, stand your ground and explain why everyone else is wrong.
There have been several times where I myself have been the only one defending my position against a dozen or more people who thought I was totally wrong. Other than hiring gypsy witches to put curses upon them and their progeny, I exacted no revenge at all.
7) I freely confess to this completely arbitrary standard: people I'm familar with will be cut more slack than people I'm not familiar with. Is that fair? Well, no. But I won't put up with trolls, or people who are abusive solely for the purpose of being abusive. My judgement on that point will, without apology, be tempered by how familiar I am with you and/or your writings.
Who's the final judge? Hey. It's Dean's World, baby.
8) I'll yank absolutely anyone's chain if I think they've crossed a certain line. Is the line always obvious, or set in stone? Nope. But regulars to this establishment respect it.
9) The longer you're here, the more slack you'll be cut. However, no one except my wife gets infinite slack.
So, does this mean I'll let Andrea Harris or Michele Catalano or Ara Rubyan or Tim the Soldier or Rick DeMent (or maybe--just maybe--cub4Bear or John Kusch) chew me out more than someone I'm not familiar with? Yep. Also, does that mean I'll let Arnold Harris or Casey Tompkins or Gary Utter rant more than I will someone I don't know at all? Yeah, it does. Them I've seen in action. You, I probably haven't.
Fair? Get your own web site, and we'll talk about fair.
10) Other than a few gifts I've gotten now and then from readers (by the way, Allison, I still owe you thanks for the Jelly Bellies and the cool books, and Arnold, that was some mighty fine beer), I get nothing for this. So, you know, if you don't like what you find here, don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.
11) There is no 11).
12) Argue. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell everyone else they're wrong. Play in Dean's World. Just remember whose it is. If you don't like it, you can appeal to Dean, or you can just leave.
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That will be all for now. You may resume your normally-scheduled lives.
What caused you to feel this needed reiteration?
The longer you're here, the more slack you'll be cut. No one except my wife gets infinite slack.
Dean, "Bob" offers all of us infinite "slack." Except for the pinkboys, of course— they're in line for an encounter with the Stark Fist of Removal.
Dowingba:
Dean does this almost quarterly. I don't think anything or anyone inspired it. Just been a while - I think. He's sleeping so I can't ask him.
While Rose is mostly right--I do seem to say something like this every few months--I've been getting a large number of snotty emails, comments, and remarks on other blogs lately. I felt the need to broadly address them.
Dean,
Your rules pretty much sum up why I love you, man!
And that's not just because you actually mentioned me in the post. (VBG)
It's who you mentioned, and why. And I still am amazed (and disgusted) at your tremendous level of toleration for differing viewpoints....
P.S. I am a little bit perturbed that you forgot to mention the now-legendary U.S.S. Esmay. Or do you hold a grudge about how the nacelles fell off? (grin>
P.P.S. Did you ever get the chance to fix them?
There is, in fact, an 11. I can understand why you choose not to mention it publicly, but to deny its existence is just COLD.
The first part of rule 11 is that you don't talk about rule 11!
In fact, it is forbidden even to refer to "the rule between Rule 10 and Rule 12."
Or "the rule six down from Rule 5." Or "the rule whose number is a palindrome."
But "the rule that proclaims its own nonexistence" is permissible in certain very limited circumstances.
Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a little shocked that Dean claims he's not the Messiah.
Only the true Messiah would deny his divinity.
Dean, you have any gourds lying around that might bring infinite wisdom?
He's not the Messiah; he's just a dirty little boy!
What? Well what kind of chance does that give me? Okay, I AM the messiah!!!
I feel your rules are fair, and respectful.
Because I get maybe more snotty comments and personal attacks than the average blogger, I've learned to accept, even embrace the nasty notes with as much enthusiasm as the kudos. That's because I figure they're all an indication that somebody's paying attention!
BTW -- apropos of nothing, I just realized you're in MI. I'm originally from Livonia. Graduated from Clarenceville High School. ;>)
I'm confused about rule #9 where you state, "...no one except my wife gets infinite slack."
the dogs and i are infinitely grateful to get a little slack around here, how'd you work out that deal - we'd like to get in on the giving part for awhile????
Hey I like the idea of let people know their boundaries in this way. I must do one myself.
Incidently my friends and I always say that there is no 3. Its a Monty Python thing.