Letters to the Editor
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The Intentionally Obtuse 101
there's a growing trend among griefers to play the role of the Intentionally Obtuse. while not entirely pointless, this characterization serves the purpose of demeaning (in most cases) intelligent thought through the lamely satirical discourse that pretends to "not get it" - usually wrapped with a punchline that was clearly the first thought (and around which the entire preceeding "commentary" is then spewed out).
it's unfortunate that salon continues to allow this kind of pseudo-intellectual graffiti in the Tom Tomorrow cartoon area, but there obviously it makes for a fine counterpoint to the subject matter at hand.
which, come to think of it, is probably the entire point.
lame griefers using the Intentionally Obtuse gag - only serving to underscore the messaging of the content they are trying to slag.
i love morons. they are their own reward.
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Who are you and what have you done with Dan Perkins?
Phhtt!
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what's so hard to understand?
doesn't anyone read newspapers? the subprime market is going bust, lenders are going out of business and lendees are losing their homes, all over the place.
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Do Penguins have fleas?
The dog has a real interest in getting out of that fleabag hotel. The Penguin should consider his side of it. Most likely the dog will end up with kidney failure from eating tainted pet food, and since there are no laws about this kind of civil union, the Penguin will be evicted, even if he can make the payments. So much for the ownership society.
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Strange
Using many different pseudonyms to issue mindless jibes at an excellent comic is a very, very strange hobby. I hope someday st. fuad/david sugarman/etc. can find a more worthwhile use for his time.
Maybe he could try producing a comic of his own. I doubt it would be as good as TMW, but who knows?
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Penguin humor
Laugh, I thought I'd die.
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Perhaps TT missed the real issue here
The interesting thing about the sub prime mortgage market was that for the last 8 years, less well off people, have been losing their homes left and right. The sub prime lenders and those they sell their paper to, have done just fine because they have been able to turn the houses after foreclosure, and make their money all over again. They get the equity already paid, and get to sell the house again at the same or higher maket value. It is only now with the soft housing market and the foreclosed properties are going unsold, this has become an issue of concern. This weeks toon does not do a particularly good job of pointing out the fact that this was not a story in the main stream media until the market capitalists began getting hurt. The fact that ordinary citizens were being ripped off was not a story a few years ago.
Here in Ohio there have been several attempts to crack down on predatory lenders. Unfortunately they have had too much grease with the Republicans in the state legislature. As a result Ohio has been gound zero for people having their money stolen by these capitalists. It goes to show how Locke was right. We need well regulated markets to insure the best for all. Finding the balance between over regulation and allowing the market to be exploited by a few, is the real challenge of good government. Unfortunately, we only see a call for action when those who have taken advantage of other begin getting hurt. The punch line for this week. Funny? Unfortunately not.
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I'm writing to criticize
Really, I have to complain here about the letters which complain about letters which criticize a cartoon.
I feel this is three layers of wasted time too many.
Your criticism of this letter is invited.
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Larry: tsk, tsk
It is their God-given right to defend Dan Perkins against all who would dare besmirch his reputation! For if the comic they slavishly worship might be not perfect, then too, might not the rest of their tawdry existence be...perhaps, at least worth examining if not outright wrong?
Drink the kool-aid, Larry. Perkins is God. If you don't like it, lump it. I'd shut up, but I don't have any shutters. I know you are, but what am I?
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So What?
In most cases the monthly mortgage payments for the borrowers were less than their rent at the time. So they got booted in two years? Big deal. In the end they did no worse than if they continued to rent.
The real story is the lenders and how their risky practices are catching up to them. But then again, even the lenders knew the risk of a downturn in the housing market.
,
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How to spot the troll
Newbies to TT comments should know that letters are dominated every week by a single troll who posts under a variety of pseudonyms. He starts out each week with the "phoned it in" comment, then follows up under a variety of names. Key phrases to watch out for: people who like TMW are "sycophants" who think TT is "God." TMW is "neither ironic or funny." Etc. Etc. Anyone who reads the thread each week can add their own.
After the troll provokes a few responses, it's time for phase two: he posts under a more "reasonable" personality, often pretending he likes TMW, as a clumsy attempt at misdirection. Then the bulk of the post is devoted to explaining why the troll is not obsessive, he's just a guy having fun, but everyone who responds to him is obsessive and pathetic, and you all just need to accept that other people have different opinions than you.
The troll is not going to go away. Debating the troll is pointless, he's only here to insult and provoke. So instead let's play Spot the Troll! he's at least three or four of the posters below, and he'll be the guy who responds aggressively to this post.
If you saw some a crazy homeless person talking to himself on the street, you wouldn't jump in and try to join the conversation. Why bother here?
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Poverty Industry
Hurray for TT. I enjoy his usual forays into the large letter issues of the day like the Iraq War, but subjects like the poverty industry wherein predatory lenders prey on the most vulnerable in society deserve exploration. It's been said that being poor is expensive, and under the guise of the free market latter-day usurers continue to target the poor. Many of these operations (check cashing operations, rent-to-own centers, etc.), which appear in the poorest of areas underserved by traditional banks, are financed by well-known "respectable" corporate entities such as Ford, American Express, Western Union and Bank of America (just to name a few). I encourage Mr. Tomorrow to continue his explorations of lesser-known issues.