October 28th, 2009 / 3:21 pm
Mean

Mean Week is Your Week too, I guess

mean

Things don’t feel mean enough for Mean Week. Things feel like they should be more mean.

Please use this thread as a place to say mean things you feel no one else is saying. If the only way you feel you can say exactly what you mean is to be anonymous, go for it. I promise not to look at or share IP addresses, and no one else can see them. Total privacy. I won’t blame you for not coming out of the gate. Just want to hear some real spit and shit from anybody. About anything, myself included. Only respect can be gained.

Go?

Tags:

1,361 Comments

  1. Nathan Tyree

      Blake Butler is a goosegobbling snot bubble. That guy is a washed up jam rag who wouldn’t know mean if it crawled up his anus and grew wings.

  2. Nathan Tyree

      Blake Butler is a goosegobbling snot bubble. That guy is a washed up jam rag who wouldn’t know mean if it crawled up his anus and grew wings.

  3. Michael James

      he typed jam rag….

  4. Michael James

      he typed jam rag….

  5. Garett Strickland

      Reading this website makes ugly the soul & distorts the purpose of writing.

      So nyah!

  6. daniel bailey

      i hate myself.

  7. daniel bailey

      i hate myself.

  8. Amelia

      An ellipsis indicates an intentional omission. It is not a comma, period, or em-dash.

      GOD DAMMIT I AM FIRED UP ABOUT THIS.

  9. Amelia

      An ellipsis indicates an intentional omission. It is not a comma, period, or em-dash.

      GOD DAMMIT I AM FIRED UP ABOUT THIS.

  10. Nate

      i hate daniel bailey, too.

  11. Lincoln

      “An ellipsis can also be used to indicate a pause in speech, an unfinished thought, or, at the end of a sentence, a trailing off into silence (aposiopesis) (apostrophe and elipsis mixed). The ellipsis calls for a slight pause in speech.”

  12. Nate

      i hate daniel bailey, too.

  13. Lincoln

      “An ellipsis can also be used to indicate a pause in speech, an unfinished thought, or, at the end of a sentence, a trailing off into silence (aposiopesis) (apostrophe and elipsis mixed). The ellipsis calls for a slight pause in speech.”

  14. gena

      there are too many contributors to htmlgiant now. or at least too many posts everyday. it’s just too much when there are 10 posts in one day.

  15. Vaughan Simons

      I wish people would stop falling over themselves in a rush to perform necrophiliac fellatio on the corpse of David Foster Wallace. It’s put me right off reading him.

  16. gena

      there are too many contributors to htmlgiant now. or at least too many posts everyday. it’s just too much when there are 10 posts in one day.

  17. Vaughan Simons

      I wish people would stop falling over themselves in a rush to perform necrophiliac fellatio on the corpse of David Foster Wallace. It’s put me right off reading him.

  18. Nathan Tyree

      ditto that

  19. Nathan Tyree

      ditto that

  20. davidpeak

      the brandon book crisis made me feel like an idiot for giving tao lin my money.

  21. davidpeak

      the brandon book crisis made me feel like an idiot for giving tao lin my money.

  22. davidpeak

      i am annoyed that blake & co. have not released the identities of the serial anons

  23. gena

      at least you didn’t buy his myspace.

  24. davidpeak

      i am annoyed that blake & co. have not released the identities of the serial anons

  25. gena

      at least you didn’t buy his myspace.

  26. jereme

      seriously what is it about people not having the ability to be mean?

      being mean is easy if you have observational skills.

      i think a lot of people are too pussy to be mean because they think it will incur mean karama towards them or something and they are scared others will vocalize their inadequacies.

      wasn’t this how the last mean week went? i remember being severely disappointed then too.

  27. ce.

      i know part of me should feel pity and all that and support the ABA’s bitching and moaning to the government about the Walmart/Target/Amazon price wars, but I can’t bring myself to not agree with Jeff Jacoby’s recent column that in short tells them to shut the fuck up and start concentrating instead on why people should still spend a bit more money and buy books from them.

      http://www.jeffjacoby.com/6493/the-war-against-affordable-books

      Even though Jacoby looks like a more retarded version of Sasquatch and Jay Leno, his retort is pretty solid.

  28. jereme

      seriously what is it about people not having the ability to be mean?

      being mean is easy if you have observational skills.

      i think a lot of people are too pussy to be mean because they think it will incur mean karama towards them or something and they are scared others will vocalize their inadequacies.

      wasn’t this how the last mean week went? i remember being severely disappointed then too.

  29. ce.

      i know part of me should feel pity and all that and support the ABA’s bitching and moaning to the government about the Walmart/Target/Amazon price wars, but I can’t bring myself to not agree with Jeff Jacoby’s recent column that in short tells them to shut the fuck up and start concentrating instead on why people should still spend a bit more money and buy books from them.

      http://www.jeffjacoby.com/6493/the-war-against-affordable-books

      Even though Jacoby looks like a more retarded version of Sasquatch and Jay Leno, his retort is pretty solid.

  30. Amelia

      The day I use “impact” to mean “effect” is the day I use an ellipsis instead of an em-dash to indicate a pause in speech!

  31. Amelia

      The day I use “impact” to mean “effect” is the day I use an ellipsis instead of an em-dash to indicate a pause in speech!

  32. alec niedenthal

      i wish people wrote books that were also video games

  33. alec niedenthal

      i wish people wrote books that were also video games

  34. alec niedenthal

      i guess that’s not really mean

  35. ce.

      i really just want to fight somebody.

  36. alec niedenthal

      i guess that’s not really mean

  37. ce.

      i really just want to fight somebody.

  38. Nathan Tyree

      I got it free

  39. Shya

      All the authors and editors writing and publishing “flash fiction” have turned a once promising and innovative form into a massive crutch for people who are too lazy or talentless to write or read long fiction.

  40. Nathan Tyree

      I got it free

  41. Shya

      All the authors and editors writing and publishing “flash fiction” have turned a once promising and innovative form into a massive crutch for people who are too lazy or talentless to write or read long fiction.

  42. Nathan Tyree

      fuck this shit. you people don’t know mean

  43. gena

      if people were truly mean (or said their real thoughts, which i’m sure are mean), it would cause massive drama. i don’t think people want to deal with that.

  44. Nathan Tyree

      fuck this shit. you people don’t know mean

  45. gena

      if people were truly mean (or said their real thoughts, which i’m sure are mean), it would cause massive drama. i don’t think people want to deal with that.

  46. Nathan Tyree

      it was still overpriced

  47. Lincoln

      em dash really doesn’t denote a pause in speech, in denotes like a side comment.

  48. Nathan Tyree

      oh get fucked

  49. Nathan Tyree

      it was still overpriced

  50. Lincoln

      em dash really doesn’t denote a pause in speech, in denotes like a side comment.

  51. Nathan Tyree

      oh get fucked

  52. gena

      hahahahhahaha

  53. David

      Bitching about serial anons and assuming bad motives on their part shows a lack of imagination. Anonymity is one of the internet’s greatest attributes, and not all anonymous comments are from trolls. Some people just don’t feel like making their ass-born blog comments a part of their Google results. For those that do, bravo: it’s your public persona and it’s awesome to watch you do with it as you please.

      If you don’t believe that you distinguish between public and private personas, you’re deluding yourself and probably acting bolder online than you would otherwise, bolder certainly than those that appreciate anonymity. Bolder than trolls. That, too, is awesome. But saying your openness is right and others anonymity is wrong is just today’s way of saying “the way I prefer things is better than the way you prefer things.” And it’s just that.

  54. Lincoln

      I see way too much flash fiction that just feels like a lazy draft of some random idea these days.

  55. tao

      can there be a blog post about ‘the brandon book crisis’

      seems like there is demand for a ‘the brandon book crisis’ shit-talking post

  56. gena

      hahahahhahaha

  57. David

      Bitching about serial anons and assuming bad motives on their part shows a lack of imagination. Anonymity is one of the internet’s greatest attributes, and not all anonymous comments are from trolls. Some people just don’t feel like making their ass-born blog comments a part of their Google results. For those that do, bravo: it’s your public persona and it’s awesome to watch you do with it as you please.

      If you don’t believe that you distinguish between public and private personas, you’re deluding yourself and probably acting bolder online than you would otherwise, bolder certainly than those that appreciate anonymity. Bolder than trolls. That, too, is awesome. But saying your openness is right and others anonymity is wrong is just today’s way of saying “the way I prefer things is better than the way you prefer things.” And it’s just that.

  58. Lincoln

      I see way too much flash fiction that just feels like a lazy draft of some random idea these days.

  59. tao

      can there be a blog post about ‘the brandon book crisis’

      seems like there is demand for a ‘the brandon book crisis’ shit-talking post

  60. gena

      of course.

  61. gena

      of course.

  62. gena

      forreal. let’s get fucking ruthless.

  63. gena

      forreal. let’s get fucking ruthless.

  64. Ani Smith

      Fuck you, Jereme. Stop posing all hardass, I know there’s strawberry jam under all that ginger hair. Bitch.

  65. Ani Smith

      Fuck you, Jereme. Stop posing all hardass, I know there’s strawberry jam under all that ginger hair. Bitch.

  66. Lincoln

      Like, it really isn’t supposed to be a pause, but a parenthetical thought. Either that or a cut-off (not a trailing off, but a cut-off)

  67. Lincoln

      Like, it really isn’t supposed to be a pause, but a parenthetical thought. Either that or a cut-off (not a trailing off, but a cut-off)

  68. alec niedenthal

      “all”?

      i think that’s pretty true, but what will people read on their iphones?

  69. alec niedenthal

      “all”?

      i think that’s pretty true, but what will people read on their iphones?

  70. ce.

      this.

  71. ce.

      this.

  72. alec niedenthal

      someone needs an attitude adjustment

  73. Ben Spivey

      Fuck you for not being mean about books that were also video games. Ass.

  74. gena

      why do the people that post once every 3 months get to stay at htmlgiant? they don’t contribute shit. i’d rather have people overcontributing (even though it can be too much sometimes) than barely contributing at all.

  75. alec niedenthal

      someone needs an attitude adjustment

  76. Ben Spivey

      Fuck you for not being mean about books that were also video games. Ass.

  77. gena

      why do the people that post once every 3 months get to stay at htmlgiant? they don’t contribute shit. i’d rather have people overcontributing (even though it can be too much sometimes) than barely contributing at all.

  78. Ben Spivey

      Yeah. ‘Flash fiction’ often reads like an idea, not a story…

  79. Ben Spivey

      Yeah. ‘Flash fiction’ often reads like an idea, not a story…

  80. Nathan Tyree

      damn right

  81. Nathan Tyree

      damn right

  82. Vaughan Simons

      Yes, I’d really like a post about the Brandon Book Crisis. There hasn’t been nearly enough written about it in the internet. So far I’ve only been able to paper my entire 76-room mansion in leafy Surrey with print-outs of navel-gazing, self-referential shite about the Brandon Book Crisis. Please, give me more. More more more. Until I go to sleep at nights and see Brandon in my nightmares, having a Book Crisis while writing another book about having a Book Crisis about a Book Crisis about a Crisis about a Book about a Brandon oh god i think my fucking head is about to meta-explode with it all help me i’m dying.

  83. Vaughan Simons

      Yes, I’d really like a post about the Brandon Book Crisis. There hasn’t been nearly enough written about it in the internet. So far I’ve only been able to paper my entire 76-room mansion in leafy Surrey with print-outs of navel-gazing, self-referential shite about the Brandon Book Crisis. Please, give me more. More more more. Until I go to sleep at nights and see Brandon in my nightmares, having a Book Crisis while writing another book about having a Book Crisis about a Book Crisis about a Crisis about a Book about a Brandon oh god i think my fucking head is about to meta-explode with it all help me i’m dying.

  84. Shya

      “All” meaning “the vast, undifferentiated mass of”

  85. Shya

      “All” meaning “the vast, undifferentiated mass of”

  86. PhantomStranger

      A good 60% of writers (this is made up but–I suspect–conservative) have crap political opinions. And by “crap” I mean “radically uninformed”. Reading other literary types comment on politics doesn’t count. See: almost everything published by N+1.

      Do you read AdBusters? Then this applies to you.

  87. Ben Spivey

      The layout of decomP

  88. PhantomStranger

      A good 60% of writers (this is made up but–I suspect–conservative) have crap political opinions. And by “crap” I mean “radically uninformed”. Reading other literary types comment on politics doesn’t count. See: almost everything published by N+1.

      Do you read AdBusters? Then this applies to you.

  89. Ben Spivey

      The layout of decomP

  90. gena

      iphones are kind of sickening. so are macs. everyone has them, it seems like.

  91. Vaughan Simons

      I want more fiction that’s actually about flashing. This flash fiction title is actually scandalous mis-selling. I want the hard-earned cash I spent buying shoddy chapbooks with oh-so-offensive-edgy-wooh-i’m-really dangerous titles BACK, y’hear?

  92. gena

      iphones are kind of sickening. so are macs. everyone has them, it seems like.

  93. Vaughan Simons

      I want more fiction that’s actually about flashing. This flash fiction title is actually scandalous mis-selling. I want the hard-earned cash I spent buying shoddy chapbooks with oh-so-offensive-edgy-wooh-i’m-really dangerous titles BACK, y’hear?

  94. gena

      any political opinion is crap.

  95. alec niedenthal

      what, to you, distinguishes lazy flash fiction from strong, promise-fulfilling flash fiction?

  96. gena

      any political opinion is crap.

  97. alec niedenthal

      what, to you, distinguishes lazy flash fiction from strong, promise-fulfilling flash fiction?

  98. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Amelia, I want you to post some of your insult thingies you read at Quickies.

  99. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Amelia, I want you to post some of your insult thingies you read at Quickies.

  100. alec niedenthal

      worst layout i think is dispatch litreview or whatever the fuck i’m annoyingly facebook friends with

  101. Mike Meginnis

      We were just talking about this in the MFA office. I made blowjob sounds in my throat.

  102. Shya

      Nothing. It’s all totally amazing.

  103. alec niedenthal

      worst layout i think is dispatch litreview or whatever the fuck i’m annoyingly facebook friends with

  104. Mike Meginnis

      We were just talking about this in the MFA office. I made blowjob sounds in my throat.

  105. Shya

      Nothing. It’s all totally amazing.

  106. ce.

      i think i could take Blake in a fist fight. maybe Sean, though he’d probably just shoot me with an arrow or whatever the shit he hunts with.

      i don’t really want to fight anyone here, but i would fight someone for mean week–like Sam Pink or Roxane–because they seem like they could really hold their own when getting down with the get down, like they could really fuck my face up and get gravel under my skin.

      maybe you Nathan, simply because you seem desparate at times, and i think you’d fight real horrorshow, like there’s nothing left.

  107. ce.

      i think i could take Blake in a fist fight. maybe Sean, though he’d probably just shoot me with an arrow or whatever the shit he hunts with.

      i don’t really want to fight anyone here, but i would fight someone for mean week–like Sam Pink or Roxane–because they seem like they could really hold their own when getting down with the get down, like they could really fuck my face up and get gravel under my skin.

      maybe you Nathan, simply because you seem desparate at times, and i think you’d fight real horrorshow, like there’s nothing left.

  108. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      agreed, but jason knows this, and facelift is coming soon.

  109. Mike Meginnis

      I pretty much hate flash fiction.

  110. john sakkis

      the “glamor shots” layout of htmlgiant…

  111. john sakkis

      the “glamor shots” layout of htmlgiant…

  112. Clapper

      The layout of this issue of Lamination Colony. The content might have kicked ass, but I never found out, because trying to figure out which dumbass randomly colored square I should click on lost its charm in less than two seconds.

  113. Clapper

      The layout of this issue of Lamination Colony. The content might have kicked ass, but I never found out, because trying to figure out which dumbass randomly colored square I should click on lost its charm in less than two seconds.

  114. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      agreed, but jason knows this, and facelift is coming soon.

  115. Mike Meginnis

      I pretty much hate flash fiction.

  116. john sakkis

      the “glamor shots” layout of htmlgiant…

  117. Clapper

      The layout of this issue of Lamination Colony. The content might have kicked ass, but I never found out, because trying to figure out which dumbass randomly colored square I should click on lost its charm in less than two seconds.

  118. drew kalbach

      anyone think there is a definite bias against poetry on htmlgiant?

      i blame you, blake butler.

  119. drew kalbach

      anyone think there is a definite bias against poetry on htmlgiant?

      i blame you, blake butler.

  120. ce.

      dan bailey’s okay.

  121. ce.

      dan bailey’s okay.

  122. drew kalbach

      anyone think there is a definite bias against poetry on htmlgiant?

      i blame you, blake butler.

  123. ce.

      dan bailey’s okay.

  124. john sakkis

      yes, but it’s okay…i don’t come here for poetry news/gossip/information. and neither should anybody else…

  125. john sakkis

      yes, but it’s okay…i don’t come here for poetry news/gossip/information. and neither should anybody else…

  126. john sakkis

      yes, but it’s okay…i don’t come here for poetry news/gossip/information. and neither should anybody else…

  127. Nathan Tyree

      @c.e.

      hell yes. Lets go. I have my fists in oldschool boxing position right now

  128. Nathan Tyree

      @c.e.

      hell yes. Lets go. I have my fists in oldschool boxing position right now

  129. drew kalbach

      where do you go?

  130. drew kalbach

      where do you go?

  131. Nathan Tyree

      @c.e.

      hell yes. Lets go. I have my fists in oldschool boxing position right now

  132. drew kalbach

      where do you go?

  133. Justin Rands

      i agree. brandon always brings the shit talkers out. reading them makes the coffee run down my lips as I laugh.

  134. Justin Rands

      i agree. brandon always brings the shit talkers out. reading them makes the coffee run down my lips as I laugh.

  135. gena

      be careful, the guy who runs that might come here and insult you, then post a screen cap of it on his blog to show people that he is a “big boy”.

  136. gena

      be careful, the guy who runs that might come here and insult you, then post a screen cap of it on his blog to show people that he is a “big boy”.

  137. Justin Rands

      i agree. brandon always brings the shit talkers out. reading them makes the coffee run down my lips as I laugh.

  138. gena

      be careful, the guy who runs that might come here and insult you, then post a screen cap of it on his blog to show people that he is a “big boy”.

  139. Amelia

      I know em dashes can be used in an appositive phrase. But em dashes indicating aposiopesis are not indicating side comments. Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.

      Ha Tim, you gotta wait until threats.txt is live.

  140. Amelia

      I know em dashes can be used in an appositive phrase. But em dashes indicating aposiopesis are not indicating side comments. Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.

      Ha Tim, you gotta wait until threats.txt is live.

  141. alec niedenthal

      bring it motherfucker

  142. alec niedenthal

      bring it motherfucker

  143. Amelia

      I know em dashes can be used in an appositive phrase. But em dashes indicating aposiopesis are not indicating side comments. Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.

      Ha Tim, you gotta wait until threats.txt is live.

  144. alec niedenthal

      bring it motherfucker

  145. jereme

      only because i feed you jam. if you would like some hardass instead let me know.

  146. jereme

      only because i feed you jam. if you would like some hardass instead let me know.

  147. jereme

      only because i feed you jam. if you would like some hardass instead let me know.

  148. davidpeak

      I think this is worded well, but fundamentally flawed.

      I disagree that anonymity is “one of the internet’s greatest attributes.” In fact, I think it’s one of its worst.

      If you’re only comfortable expressing yourself anonymously, or overly concerned with posterity and want to keep your genuine opinions separate from your google hits, then write an email to a friend, or, better yet, stay out of online forums–the purpose of which is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals.

      Troll or not, it doesn’t really matter. Actions speak louder than intentions.

      There’s nothing wrong with anonymity just like there’s nothing wrong with cowardice. Some would argue that both are inherent traits–not choices.

  149. davidpeak

      I think this is worded well, but fundamentally flawed.

      I disagree that anonymity is “one of the internet’s greatest attributes.” In fact, I think it’s one of its worst.

      If you’re only comfortable expressing yourself anonymously, or overly concerned with posterity and want to keep your genuine opinions separate from your google hits, then write an email to a friend, or, better yet, stay out of online forums–the purpose of which is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals.

      Troll or not, it doesn’t really matter. Actions speak louder than intentions.

      There’s nothing wrong with anonymity just like there’s nothing wrong with cowardice. Some would argue that both are inherent traits–not choices.

  150. Lincoln

      em dashes in the middle of a sentence indicate side comments, parentheticals. This is both grammatically what they mean and how they are read by people. Using an em dash to mean a pause or a trailing off will just get you misread.

  151. Lincoln

      em dashes in the middle of a sentence indicate side comments, parentheticals. This is both grammatically what they mean and how they are read by people. Using an em dash to mean a pause or a trailing off will just get you misread.

  152. KevinS

      Yeah. That’s really fucking annoying. It’s like they think everything they write is interesting or something. Take a breath, geniuses.

  153. KevinS

      Yeah. That’s really fucking annoying. It’s like they think everything they write is interesting or something. Take a breath, geniuses.

  154. ce.

      i fight brutal like the story you wish you could write and die complete.

  155. ce.

      i fight brutal like the story you wish you could write and die complete.

  156. PhantomStranger

      Seriously? Care to elaborate? If all opinions are equally crap then none of them are.

  157. PhantomStranger

      Seriously? Care to elaborate? If all opinions are equally crap then none of them are.

  158. Vaughan Simons

      God.

      He’s a bit of a bastard really, isn’t he?

  159. Vaughan Simons

      God.

      He’s a bit of a bastard really, isn’t he?

  160. davidpeak

      I think this is worded well, but fundamentally flawed.

      I disagree that anonymity is “one of the internet’s greatest attributes.” In fact, I think it’s one of its worst.

      If you’re only comfortable expressing yourself anonymously, or overly concerned with posterity and want to keep your genuine opinions separate from your google hits, then write an email to a friend, or, better yet, stay out of online forums–the purpose of which is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals.

      Troll or not, it doesn’t really matter. Actions speak louder than intentions.

      There’s nothing wrong with anonymity just like there’s nothing wrong with cowardice. Some would argue that both are inherent traits–not choices.

  161. Lincoln

      em dashes in the middle of a sentence indicate side comments, parentheticals. This is both grammatically what they mean and how they are read by people. Using an em dash to mean a pause or a trailing off will just get you misread.

  162. KevinS

      Yeah. That’s really fucking annoying. It’s like they think everything they write is interesting or something. Take a breath, geniuses.

  163. ce.

      i fight brutal like the story you wish you could write and die complete.

  164. PhantomStranger

      Seriously? Care to elaborate? If all opinions are equally crap then none of them are.

  165. Vaughan Simons

      God.

      He’s a bit of a bastard really, isn’t he?

  166. Clapper

      When did Blake Butler turn into Tao Lin? Has Blake Butler always been Tao Lin and everybody knew he was Tao Lin but me? Did Blake Butler always wonder if people think his dick is big, and did he always wonder that aloud and I just didn’t know because I didn’t follow his tweets?

  167. Clapper

      When did Blake Butler turn into Tao Lin? Has Blake Butler always been Tao Lin and everybody knew he was Tao Lin but me? Did Blake Butler always wonder if people think his dick is big, and did he always wonder that aloud and I just didn’t know because I didn’t follow his tweets?

  168. Clapper

      When did Blake Butler turn into Tao Lin? Has Blake Butler always been Tao Lin and everybody knew he was Tao Lin but me? Did Blake Butler always wonder if people think his dick is big, and did he always wonder that aloud and I just didn’t know because I didn’t follow his tweets?

  169. KevinS

      Flash fiction is like punk rock. Anyone can do it, but not everyone should.

  170. KevinS

      Flash fiction is like punk rock. Anyone can do it, but not everyone should.

  171. Lincoln

      Do you seriously read Francis Fukuyama?

  172. Lincoln

      Do you seriously read Francis Fukuyama?

  173. KevinS

      Flash fiction is like punk rock. Anyone can do it, but not everyone should.

  174. Lincoln

      Do you seriously read Francis Fukuyama?

  175. davidpeak

      in this case, not brandon but the brandon book crisis. personally i think brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there. i just felt like a fool after buying that book.

  176. davidpeak

      in this case, not brandon but the brandon book crisis. personally i think brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there. i just felt like a fool after buying that book.

  177. Erin

      Idiot.

  178. Erin

      Idiot.

  179. davidpeak

      in this case, not brandon but the brandon book crisis. personally i think brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there. i just felt like a fool after buying that book.

  180. Erin

      Idiot.

  181. Ani Smith

      No no me like the jam thank you!

      [Damn, there go my mean week aspirations.]

  182. Ani Smith

      No no me like the jam thank you!

      [Damn, there go my mean week aspirations.]

  183. Justin Rands

      the fact that if you take a break from the internet lit scene your chances of being completely forgotten are ridiculously high. by the time you come back there are 50 new writers copying tao lin, brandon, blake or someone else who has ‘made it big’ through a fiction piece on lamination colony or something.

      also, Ken Bauman is a mystery. i respect him, don’t get me wrong. but how the hell can he go to europe with blake butler and dennis cooper? how do people afford this? i don’t understand him, and normally, when someone can’t understand someone or something they get angry at it.

      ah, lastly, i HATE anybody who claims ‘Tractatus’ by Ludwig Wittgenstein. ‘Jesus’.

      -my internet presence is usually associated with hate or anger

  184. Justin Rands

      the fact that if you take a break from the internet lit scene your chances of being completely forgotten are ridiculously high. by the time you come back there are 50 new writers copying tao lin, brandon, blake or someone else who has ‘made it big’ through a fiction piece on lamination colony or something.

      also, Ken Bauman is a mystery. i respect him, don’t get me wrong. but how the hell can he go to europe with blake butler and dennis cooper? how do people afford this? i don’t understand him, and normally, when someone can’t understand someone or something they get angry at it.

      ah, lastly, i HATE anybody who claims ‘Tractatus’ by Ludwig Wittgenstein. ‘Jesus’.

      -my internet presence is usually associated with hate or anger

  185. Clapper

      I wish that I would stop getting invitations to become a fan of Fall edition of The Linnet’s Wings on Facebook. Also of Paul A. Toth. One invitation I ignored was sufficient, thank you.

  186. Clapper

      I wish that I would stop getting invitations to become a fan of Fall edition of The Linnet’s Wings on Facebook. Also of Paul A. Toth. One invitation I ignored was sufficient, thank you.

  187. Tony O'Neill

      Amelia

      “Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.”

      You tell Louis Ferdinand Celine that…

  188. Tony O'Neill

      Amelia

      “Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.”

      You tell Louis Ferdinand Celine that…

  189. Amelia

      People who write flash fiction and don’t read or respect poetry are idiots. Zero exceptions.

  190. Amelia

      People who write flash fiction and don’t read or respect poetry are idiots. Zero exceptions.

  191. jereme

      i quickly wrote something mean about every contributor on htmlgiant (well i didn’t do the ones blake drove away but i did do the current ones)

      this isn’t hard:

      blake butler: growing up his mother coddled him into fat submission and now he thinks everything he does is special and brilliant. adult hood has led him to become a raging ego-maniac who thinks he can actually change things with his ambition and writing. Let me know how that goes when you’re 54 and pointing a loaded shotgun at your head because you lost it and the ambition was a false guise.

      gene morgan: some texas fag that likes to come in and throw money around. thinks he is part of the “scene” by paying to be in the scene.

      ken baumann: aka blake butler junior. i really didn’t like him in zombieland. it was nice to see a role where he wasn’t dick rubbing the butler guy.

      ryan call: man i got nothing bad to say about ryan. i love that guy.

      jimmy chen: just another asian writer. i usually dismiss everything he writes. jimmy thinks shaving his humongous head sets him apart from the other asian writers. waiting to read his existential egg roll tale. i’m sure it’s coming.

      roxane gay: some angsty feminist chick. i try not to talk to feminists, well i try not to talk to any one who thinks equality is superiority over another. like most feminists, she is highly passive aggressive.

      christopher higgs: ain’t this guy one fancy bitch? no one cares about your suite or your phd. stop being uppity and be normal.

      catherine lacey: stinks of new york elite. has the personality and soul of a saltine. people tell me she’s hot (well for a lit chick).

      chelsea martin: fuck, who is this? i wasn’t aware chelsea posted anything at this blog. she must have great tits or something. guys are stupid for great tits. it must be the tits.

      amy mcdaniel: i don’t know much about amy. she seems crazy but that’s usually a plus. i’m guessing she has daddy issues and is a big fan of degrassi high.

      sam pink: awww look at the tough guy who is too pussy to write anything during mean weak. aren’t you a beautiful fucking snowflake. stop being an asshole and participate with every one else. fuck your forced enigmatic nature.

      adam robinson: adam seemed really scared of me at awp. he reminds me of one of the nerds from “dazed and confused” or “revenge of the nerds” or whatever decade’s nerd coming of age movie you want to pick. the key word here is “nerd”.

      michael schaub: well hello pretty. who the fuck are you? no clue who this dude is. i’m guessing he’s another stepping stone connection for butler. his name reminds me of a tire chain in portland, oregon.

      matthew simmons: some douche who thinks being nice is the key to success. i guess being a big pussy works when you’re with other pussies. likes to be clever and cute. i’m sure he’s minutes away from writing a “chickensoup for the hipster soul”.

      justin taylor: something about justin reminds me of the rich kid in the neighborhood. no one really likes him because of his smarmy nature but fuck he lets me play with his g.i. joe air force carrier and i have to put up with his shit. justin is constantly pointing out why he’s superior to everything.

  192. jereme

      i quickly wrote something mean about every contributor on htmlgiant (well i didn’t do the ones blake drove away but i did do the current ones)

      this isn’t hard:

      blake butler: growing up his mother coddled him into fat submission and now he thinks everything he does is special and brilliant. adult hood has led him to become a raging ego-maniac who thinks he can actually change things with his ambition and writing. Let me know how that goes when you’re 54 and pointing a loaded shotgun at your head because you lost it and the ambition was a false guise.

      gene morgan: some texas fag that likes to come in and throw money around. thinks he is part of the “scene” by paying to be in the scene.

      ken baumann: aka blake butler junior. i really didn’t like him in zombieland. it was nice to see a role where he wasn’t dick rubbing the butler guy.

      ryan call: man i got nothing bad to say about ryan. i love that guy.

      jimmy chen: just another asian writer. i usually dismiss everything he writes. jimmy thinks shaving his humongous head sets him apart from the other asian writers. waiting to read his existential egg roll tale. i’m sure it’s coming.

      roxane gay: some angsty feminist chick. i try not to talk to feminists, well i try not to talk to any one who thinks equality is superiority over another. like most feminists, she is highly passive aggressive.

      christopher higgs: ain’t this guy one fancy bitch? no one cares about your suite or your phd. stop being uppity and be normal.

      catherine lacey: stinks of new york elite. has the personality and soul of a saltine. people tell me she’s hot (well for a lit chick).

      chelsea martin: fuck, who is this? i wasn’t aware chelsea posted anything at this blog. she must have great tits or something. guys are stupid for great tits. it must be the tits.

      amy mcdaniel: i don’t know much about amy. she seems crazy but that’s usually a plus. i’m guessing she has daddy issues and is a big fan of degrassi high.

      sam pink: awww look at the tough guy who is too pussy to write anything during mean weak. aren’t you a beautiful fucking snowflake. stop being an asshole and participate with every one else. fuck your forced enigmatic nature.

      adam robinson: adam seemed really scared of me at awp. he reminds me of one of the nerds from “dazed and confused” or “revenge of the nerds” or whatever decade’s nerd coming of age movie you want to pick. the key word here is “nerd”.

      michael schaub: well hello pretty. who the fuck are you? no clue who this dude is. i’m guessing he’s another stepping stone connection for butler. his name reminds me of a tire chain in portland, oregon.

      matthew simmons: some douche who thinks being nice is the key to success. i guess being a big pussy works when you’re with other pussies. likes to be clever and cute. i’m sure he’s minutes away from writing a “chickensoup for the hipster soul”.

      justin taylor: something about justin reminds me of the rich kid in the neighborhood. no one really likes him because of his smarmy nature but fuck he lets me play with his g.i. joe air force carrier and i have to put up with his shit. justin is constantly pointing out why he’s superior to everything.

  193. KevinS

      Yeah, Chelsea Martin!

  194. KevinS

      Yeah, Chelsea Martin!

  195. Ani Smith

      No no me like the jam thank you!

      [Damn, there go my mean week aspirations.]

  196. Justin Rands

      the fact that if you take a break from the internet lit scene your chances of being completely forgotten are ridiculously high. by the time you come back there are 50 new writers copying tao lin, brandon, blake or someone else who has ‘made it big’ through a fiction piece on lamination colony or something.

      also, Ken Bauman is a mystery. i respect him, don’t get me wrong. but how the hell can he go to europe with blake butler and dennis cooper? how do people afford this? i don’t understand him, and normally, when someone can’t understand someone or something they get angry at it.

      ah, lastly, i HATE anybody who claims ‘Tractatus’ by Ludwig Wittgenstein. ‘Jesus’.

      -my internet presence is usually associated with hate or anger

  197. Clapper

      I wish that I would stop getting invitations to become a fan of Fall edition of The Linnet’s Wings on Facebook. Also of Paul A. Toth. One invitation I ignored was sufficient, thank you.

  198. Tony O'Neill

      Amelia

      “Using the ellipsis to trail off in the center of a sentence is just weak writing, even if somebody got their grubby hands on a usage book and claimed it was common usage. Structure that sentence with a semicolon or a colon or a period or a long dash! Ellipses, like emoticons, are for moms. Damn.”

      You tell Louis Ferdinand Celine that…

  199. Amelia

      People who write flash fiction and don’t read or respect poetry are idiots. Zero exceptions.

  200. jereme

      i quickly wrote something mean about every contributor on htmlgiant (well i didn’t do the ones blake drove away but i did do the current ones)

      this isn’t hard:

      blake butler: growing up his mother coddled him into fat submission and now he thinks everything he does is special and brilliant. adult hood has led him to become a raging ego-maniac who thinks he can actually change things with his ambition and writing. Let me know how that goes when you’re 54 and pointing a loaded shotgun at your head because you lost it and the ambition was a false guise.

      gene morgan: some texas fag that likes to come in and throw money around. thinks he is part of the “scene” by paying to be in the scene.

      ken baumann: aka blake butler junior. i really didn’t like him in zombieland. it was nice to see a role where he wasn’t dick rubbing the butler guy.

      ryan call: man i got nothing bad to say about ryan. i love that guy.

      jimmy chen: just another asian writer. i usually dismiss everything he writes. jimmy thinks shaving his humongous head sets him apart from the other asian writers. waiting to read his existential egg roll tale. i’m sure it’s coming.

      roxane gay: some angsty feminist chick. i try not to talk to feminists, well i try not to talk to any one who thinks equality is superiority over another. like most feminists, she is highly passive aggressive.

      christopher higgs: ain’t this guy one fancy bitch? no one cares about your suite or your phd. stop being uppity and be normal.

      catherine lacey: stinks of new york elite. has the personality and soul of a saltine. people tell me she’s hot (well for a lit chick).

      chelsea martin: fuck, who is this? i wasn’t aware chelsea posted anything at this blog. she must have great tits or something. guys are stupid for great tits. it must be the tits.

      amy mcdaniel: i don’t know much about amy. she seems crazy but that’s usually a plus. i’m guessing she has daddy issues and is a big fan of degrassi high.

      sam pink: awww look at the tough guy who is too pussy to write anything during mean weak. aren’t you a beautiful fucking snowflake. stop being an asshole and participate with every one else. fuck your forced enigmatic nature.

      adam robinson: adam seemed really scared of me at awp. he reminds me of one of the nerds from “dazed and confused” or “revenge of the nerds” or whatever decade’s nerd coming of age movie you want to pick. the key word here is “nerd”.

      michael schaub: well hello pretty. who the fuck are you? no clue who this dude is. i’m guessing he’s another stepping stone connection for butler. his name reminds me of a tire chain in portland, oregon.

      matthew simmons: some douche who thinks being nice is the key to success. i guess being a big pussy works when you’re with other pussies. likes to be clever and cute. i’m sure he’s minutes away from writing a “chickensoup for the hipster soul”.

      justin taylor: something about justin reminds me of the rich kid in the neighborhood. no one really likes him because of his smarmy nature but fuck he lets me play with his g.i. joe air force carrier and i have to put up with his shit. justin is constantly pointing out why he’s superior to everything.

  201. KevinS

      Yeah, Chelsea Martin!

  202. Justin Rands

      he’s pretty cool. remember when he was in the bathtub reading his own book. that was cool.

  203. Justin Rands

      he’s pretty cool. remember when he was in the bathtub reading his own book. that was cool.

  204. gena

      actually i don’t know much about politics and was just trying to be “mean” there.

  205. gena

      actually i don’t know much about politics and was just trying to be “mean” there.

  206. Justin Rands

      farmville.

  207. Justin Rands

      farmville.

  208. Justin Rands

      he’s pretty cool. remember when he was in the bathtub reading his own book. that was cool.

  209. gena

      actually i don’t know much about politics and was just trying to be “mean” there.

  210. Justin Rands

      farmville.

  211. jereme

      you are funny when you are bitchy

  212. jereme

      you are funny when you are bitchy

  213. gena

      nah, he’ll probably just insult me and my age like he always does.

  214. gena

      nah, he’ll probably just insult me and my age like he always does.

  215. Justin Rands

      haha, jereme for the win.

  216. Justin Rands

      haha, jereme for the win.

  217. jereme

      you are funny when you are bitchy

  218. gena

      nah, he’ll probably just insult me and my age like he always does.

  219. Justin Rands

      haha, jereme for the win.

  220. Clapper

      Did anyone else read this and think, “Jesus. I hope the co-dependents don’t breed.”

  221. Clapper

      Did anyone else read this and think, “Jesus. I hope the co-dependents don’t breed.”

  222. Ani Smith

      Step away from the MEAN WEEK.

  223. Ani Smith

      Step away from the MEAN WEEK.

  224. Ben Spivey
  225. Ben Spivey
  226. Clapper

      Did anyone else read this and think, “Jesus. I hope the co-dependents don’t breed.”

  227. Ani Smith

      Step away from the MEAN WEEK.

  228. Ben Spivey
  229. gena

      “i really didn’t like him in zombieland.”

      HAHAHAH OH MY GOD.

  230. gena

      “i really didn’t like him in zombieland.”

      HAHAHAH OH MY GOD.

  231. Amelia

      Pausing and trailing off is no way for an adult with full control of their facilities to talk, think, or write.

  232. Amelia

      Pausing and trailing off is no way for an adult with full control of their facilities to talk, think, or write.

  233. Nathan Tyree

      a real fucking colostomy bag of a bastard

  234. Nathan Tyree

      a real fucking colostomy bag of a bastard

  235. gena

      “i really didn’t like him in zombieland.”

      HAHAHAH OH MY GOD.

  236. Amelia

      Pausing and trailing off is no way for an adult with full control of their facilities to talk, think, or write.

  237. Nathan Tyree

      a real fucking colostomy bag of a bastard

  238. PhantomStranger

      I have. Not “The End of History,” but some other bits. Why?

  239. PhantomStranger

      I have. Not “The End of History,” but some other bits. Why?

  240. Amelia

      I did and then I told him to eat me and now we’re going to get married

  241. Amelia

      I did and then I told him to eat me and now we’re going to get married

  242. Lincoln

      I thought we were talking literature here. Are you complaining about emails your mom sends you?

  243. Lincoln

      I thought we were talking literature here. Are you complaining about emails your mom sends you?

  244. PhantomStranger

      I have. Not “The End of History,” but some other bits. Why?

  245. Amelia

      I did and then I told him to eat me and now we’re going to get married

  246. Lincoln

      I thought we were talking literature here. Are you complaining about emails your mom sends you?

  247. Mather Schneider

      What a mean week you guys have here. Pretty scary.

  248. Mather Schneider

      What a mean week you guys have here. Pretty scary.

  249. Mather Schneider

      What a mean week you guys have here. Pretty scary.

  250. Vaughan Simons

      I’m also getting fed up with writers trying to shock with the titles of their works. It’s like goofy teenagers trying desperately to show how reckless they are. “I’m more dangerous than you! I am I am I am!” Writing them all in uppercase doesn’t help.

      Case in point: RAPE CHILDREN by Kendra Grant Malone. Wooh! Yeah! Rape children! (Is that an instruction, btw? In which case it’s in really dubious taste). Edgy! Dangerous! Rape children! Yeah! Go rape children! Phew, rock ‘n’ fucking roll!

      My new chapbook – MOLESTING AMPUTEE DWARFS WITH A RED HOT POKER – will be out soon. Written in blood. On real human skin. With a single entrail as a bookmark. Buy it, or I’ll come round and verbally assault your grandmother.

  251. Vaughan Simons

      I’m also getting fed up with writers trying to shock with the titles of their works. It’s like goofy teenagers trying desperately to show how reckless they are. “I’m more dangerous than you! I am I am I am!” Writing them all in uppercase doesn’t help.

      Case in point: RAPE CHILDREN by Kendra Grant Malone. Wooh! Yeah! Rape children! (Is that an instruction, btw? In which case it’s in really dubious taste). Edgy! Dangerous! Rape children! Yeah! Go rape children! Phew, rock ‘n’ fucking roll!

      My new chapbook – MOLESTING AMPUTEE DWARFS WITH A RED HOT POKER – will be out soon. Written in blood. On real human skin. With a single entrail as a bookmark. Buy it, or I’ll come round and verbally assault your grandmother.

  252. PHM

      It’s amazing how virus-loving retards are starting to claim minority status in the arts communities based on their poor computing choices. I haven’t bought an iPhone yet and I promise to shop around a bit, but get off it. Microsoft still rules the fucking world.

  253. PHM

      It’s amazing how virus-loving retards are starting to claim minority status in the arts communities based on their poor computing choices. I haven’t bought an iPhone yet and I promise to shop around a bit, but get off it. Microsoft still rules the fucking world.

  254. Shya

      Yeah, all this is true, but editors are just as at fault for the scourge of flash fiction, and for the laziness in general which has befallen independent publishing. Stop publishing every damn thing that crosses your desk! I don’t care if your friend wrote it, who you owe a favor. Stop making it okay for people to spend three minutes writing a 7 line prose poem and receive the same attention as someone who spends three months on a real short story.

  255. Shya

      Yeah, all this is true, but editors are just as at fault for the scourge of flash fiction, and for the laziness in general which has befallen independent publishing. Stop publishing every damn thing that crosses your desk! I don’t care if your friend wrote it, who you owe a favor. Stop making it okay for people to spend three minutes writing a 7 line prose poem and receive the same attention as someone who spends three months on a real short story.

  256. jereme

      man i already did some breeding. it was hard shit. i don’t want to go through that again.

      i was thinking maybe i should take up the life of a latent homosexual indie-lit publisher but i’m trying to be less hateful towards myself.

      i’ll let you know how it goes.

  257. jereme

      man i already did some breeding. it was hard shit. i don’t want to go through that again.

      i was thinking maybe i should take up the life of a latent homosexual indie-lit publisher but i’m trying to be less hateful towards myself.

      i’ll let you know how it goes.

  258. Vaughan Simons

      I’m also getting fed up with writers trying to shock with the titles of their works. It’s like goofy teenagers trying desperately to show how reckless they are. “I’m more dangerous than you! I am I am I am!” Writing them all in uppercase doesn’t help.

      Case in point: RAPE CHILDREN by Kendra Grant Malone. Wooh! Yeah! Rape children! (Is that an instruction, btw? In which case it’s in really dubious taste). Edgy! Dangerous! Rape children! Yeah! Go rape children! Phew, rock ‘n’ fucking roll!

      My new chapbook – MOLESTING AMPUTEE DWARFS WITH A RED HOT POKER – will be out soon. Written in blood. On real human skin. With a single entrail as a bookmark. Buy it, or I’ll come round and verbally assault your grandmother.

  259. PHM

      It’s amazing how virus-loving retards are starting to claim minority status in the arts communities based on their poor computing choices. I haven’t bought an iPhone yet and I promise to shop around a bit, but get off it. Microsoft still rules the fucking world.

  260. Shya

      Yeah, all this is true, but editors are just as at fault for the scourge of flash fiction, and for the laziness in general which has befallen independent publishing. Stop publishing every damn thing that crosses your desk! I don’t care if your friend wrote it, who you owe a favor. Stop making it okay for people to spend three minutes writing a 7 line prose poem and receive the same attention as someone who spends three months on a real short story.

  261. jereme

      man i already did some breeding. it was hard shit. i don’t want to go through that again.

      i was thinking maybe i should take up the life of a latent homosexual indie-lit publisher but i’m trying to be less hateful towards myself.

      i’ll let you know how it goes.

  262. Justin Rands

      oh, oh. i know. makes it worse.

  263. Justin Rands

      oh, oh. i know. makes it worse.

  264. Amelia

      I am complaining about emails Blake Butler’s mom sends me

  265. Amelia

      I am complaining about emails Blake Butler’s mom sends me

  266. Justin Rands

      oh, oh. i know. makes it worse.

  267. Amelia

      I am complaining about emails Blake Butler’s mom sends me

  268. Vaughan Simons

      I’ve been upstaged in meanness by Jereme. I am going to retire gracefully. He’s too good.

      Besides which, my lawyers are on the phone.

  269. Vaughan Simons

      I’ve been upstaged in meanness by Jereme. I am going to retire gracefully. He’s too good.

      Besides which, my lawyers are on the phone.

  270. Vaughan Simons

      I’ve been upstaged in meanness by Jereme. I am going to retire gracefully. He’s too good.

      Besides which, my lawyers are on the phone.

  271. Justin Rands

      myself. my writing is the exact sort of thing ‘high class writers who are well read in everything’ hate. especially after i’ve read tao, brandon, and noah for so long. mix that with bukowski, fante, camus, mailer, rhys, bartheleme, bret easton ellis, and im fucked.

  272. Justin Rands

      myself. my writing is the exact sort of thing ‘high class writers who are well read in everything’ hate. especially after i’ve read tao, brandon, and noah for so long. mix that with bukowski, fante, camus, mailer, rhys, bartheleme, bret easton ellis, and im fucked.

  273. Clapper
  274. Clapper
  275. Justin Rands

      myself. my writing is the exact sort of thing ‘high class writers who are well read in everything’ hate. especially after i’ve read tao, brandon, and noah for so long. mix that with bukowski, fante, camus, mailer, rhys, bartheleme, bret easton ellis, and im fucked.

  276. Clapper
  277. jereme

      hahaha fuck yes

  278. jereme

      hahaha fuck yes

  279. jereme

      hahaha fuck yes

  280. anonymous

      Everything that fucker designs is seriously garbage. I’ve ranted about that to I don’t know how many people. He’s got to be kidding.

  281. anonymous

      Everything that fucker designs is seriously garbage. I’ve ranted about that to I don’t know how many people. He’s got to be kidding.

  282. Invisidick

      and jereme dean: hairy enough to produce 3 sasquatch costumes, but short enough to play a jawa in star wars. who the fuck is this guy? if he wasn’t so damn witty and keenly observative — not to mention brave enough to say shit like this — i’d say his parents must have been dirt farmers in the ozarks, otherwise his first name would end with a ‘y’ not an ‘e’ (homeschooling, anyone?) and his last name wouldn’t have been taken off a sausage box.

  283. Invisidick

      and jereme dean: hairy enough to produce 3 sasquatch costumes, but short enough to play a jawa in star wars. who the fuck is this guy? if he wasn’t so damn witty and keenly observative — not to mention brave enough to say shit like this — i’d say his parents must have been dirt farmers in the ozarks, otherwise his first name would end with a ‘y’ not an ‘e’ (homeschooling, anyone?) and his last name wouldn’t have been taken off a sausage box.

  284. anonymous

      Everything that fucker designs is seriously garbage. I’ve ranted about that to I don’t know how many people. He’s got to be kidding.

  285. Invisidick

      and jereme dean: hairy enough to produce 3 sasquatch costumes, but short enough to play a jawa in star wars. who the fuck is this guy? if he wasn’t so damn witty and keenly observative — not to mention brave enough to say shit like this — i’d say his parents must have been dirt farmers in the ozarks, otherwise his first name would end with a ‘y’ not an ‘e’ (homeschooling, anyone?) and his last name wouldn’t have been taken off a sausage box.

  286. Vaughan Simons

      No. I haven’t had my tablets. And I’m not going to. I can sense that in only a matter of hours the editor of HTMLGIANT will be on the phone wanting me to become the new contributor, saying things that only a one-legged, socially reclusive, don’t-give-a-shit Brit can say.

      My rates are very reasonable.

  287. Vaughan Simons

      No. I haven’t had my tablets. And I’m not going to. I can sense that in only a matter of hours the editor of HTMLGIANT will be on the phone wanting me to become the new contributor, saying things that only a one-legged, socially reclusive, don’t-give-a-shit Brit can say.

      My rates are very reasonable.

  288. Lincoln

      People who buy apple products are like people who buy Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirts. They are willing to waste money to purchase hipness. Their identity is an amalgamation of corporate marketing messages they aspire to. These kinds of people will always exist.

      The only thing funny about Macheads is how they are normally hipsters and hippies who at least pretend to be over corporate America, yet they would fucking slaughter their grandmother to get some corporations approval.

  289. Lincoln

      People who buy apple products are like people who buy Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirts. They are willing to waste money to purchase hipness. Their identity is an amalgamation of corporate marketing messages they aspire to. These kinds of people will always exist.

      The only thing funny about Macheads is how they are normally hipsters and hippies who at least pretend to be over corporate America, yet they would fucking slaughter their grandmother to get some corporations approval.

  290. jereme

      exactly

  291. jereme

      exactly

  292. Vaughan Simons

      No. I haven’t had my tablets. And I’m not going to. I can sense that in only a matter of hours the editor of HTMLGIANT will be on the phone wanting me to become the new contributor, saying things that only a one-legged, socially reclusive, don’t-give-a-shit Brit can say.

      My rates are very reasonable.

  293. Lincoln

      People who buy apple products are like people who buy Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirts. They are willing to waste money to purchase hipness. Their identity is an amalgamation of corporate marketing messages they aspire to. These kinds of people will always exist.

      The only thing funny about Macheads is how they are normally hipsters and hippies who at least pretend to be over corporate America, yet they would fucking slaughter their grandmother to get some corporations approval.

  294. jereme

      exactly

  295. PHM

      Quite a design critique there, sir. Really got to the core of the design, I felt. Made me reconsider everything, because, you know, as a shitty designer, I’m never looking for ways to improve.

  296. PHM

      Quite a design critique there, sir. Really got to the core of the design, I felt. Made me reconsider everything, because, you know, as a shitty designer, I’m never looking for ways to improve.

  297. PHM

      Quite a design critique there, sir. Really got to the core of the design, I felt. Made me reconsider everything, because, you know, as a shitty designer, I’m never looking for ways to improve.

  298. anon

      I hate juggalos.

  299. anon

      I hate juggalos.

  300. anon

      I hate juggalos.

  301. Mather Schneider

      This blog is crazy. While I’m writing thirty posts set in. Jerome Dean cracked me up, even though I have nowhere near enough time here to know these people. Very funny.

  302. Mather Schneider

      This blog is crazy. While I’m writing thirty posts set in. Jerome Dean cracked me up, even though I have nowhere near enough time here to know these people. Very funny.

  303. jereme

      i am hairy and short.

      i do come from a fucked family. my father was in prison when i was born.

      so this is very close.

      i wish my name was existential eggroll

  304. jereme

      i am hairy and short.

      i do come from a fucked family. my father was in prison when i was born.

      so this is very close.

      i wish my name was existential eggroll

  305. Mather Schneider

      This blog is crazy. While I’m writing thirty posts set in. Jerome Dean cracked me up, even though I have nowhere near enough time here to know these people. Very funny.

  306. jereme

      i am hairy and short.

      i do come from a fucked family. my father was in prison when i was born.

      so this is very close.

      i wish my name was existential eggroll

  307. Matt Cozart

      I know several Republicans who own Macs. The last thing they want to be is hip. They just like using a better computer.

  308. Matt Cozart

      I know several Republicans who own Macs. The last thing they want to be is hip. They just like using a better computer.

  309. Annie N.

      the concept of “mean week” is asinine

  310. Annie N.

      the concept of “mean week” is asinine

  311. Matt Cozart

      I know several Republicans who own Macs. The last thing they want to be is hip. They just like using a better computer.

  312. Annie N.

      the concept of “mean week” is asinine

  313. Clapper

      Totally with you on the breeding being hard shit, btw.

  314. Clapper

      Totally with you on the breeding being hard shit, btw.

  315. ce.

      yeah. it couldn’t have anything to do with the shitty registry architecture of PC products causing more crashes and vulnerability to viruses/trojans/etc.

  316. ce.

      yeah. it couldn’t have anything to do with the shitty registry architecture of PC products causing more crashes and vulnerability to viruses/trojans/etc.

  317. Aaron

      besides the aforementioned bad flash fiction, here’s something i hate: these fucking goddamn emails from narrative fucking magazine coming into my inbox 10 times a week and i can’t label them as spam! you submit to one little contest a few years back, and sleep with one crazy women in therapy who only wears black, and you (i) can’t stop these fucking narrative emails like “N30B Final Day” and “narrative backstage.” how about “narrative backdoor spam rocket,” which is what i wanna do to them with my computer.

      group teabag time. thank you.

  318. Aaron

      besides the aforementioned bad flash fiction, here’s something i hate: these fucking goddamn emails from narrative fucking magazine coming into my inbox 10 times a week and i can’t label them as spam! you submit to one little contest a few years back, and sleep with one crazy women in therapy who only wears black, and you (i) can’t stop these fucking narrative emails like “N30B Final Day” and “narrative backstage.” how about “narrative backdoor spam rocket,” which is what i wanna do to them with my computer.

      group teabag time. thank you.

  319. Clapper

      Totally with you on the breeding being hard shit, btw.

  320. ce.

      yeah. it couldn’t have anything to do with the shitty registry architecture of PC products causing more crashes and vulnerability to viruses/trojans/etc.

  321. Aaron

      besides the aforementioned bad flash fiction, here’s something i hate: these fucking goddamn emails from narrative fucking magazine coming into my inbox 10 times a week and i can’t label them as spam! you submit to one little contest a few years back, and sleep with one crazy women in therapy who only wears black, and you (i) can’t stop these fucking narrative emails like “N30B Final Day” and “narrative backstage.” how about “narrative backdoor spam rocket,” which is what i wanna do to them with my computer.

      group teabag time. thank you.

  322. ce.

      that sarcasm was directed at Lincoln.

  323. ce.

      that sarcasm was directed at Lincoln.

  324. Lincoln

      haha, of course rich republicans want to be hip.

      Current macs are built with PC hardware, so all you are paying for is a kind of PlayMobil design sense and some minor differences in an OS. If that’s worth three times the money to you, so be it. I’m willing to bet for the vast majority of people it is merely marketing success.

  325. Lincoln

      haha, of course rich republicans want to be hip.

      Current macs are built with PC hardware, so all you are paying for is a kind of PlayMobil design sense and some minor differences in an OS. If that’s worth three times the money to you, so be it. I’m willing to bet for the vast majority of people it is merely marketing success.

  326. ce.

      that sarcasm was directed at Lincoln.

  327. Lincoln

      haha, of course rich republicans want to be hip.

      Current macs are built with PC hardware, so all you are paying for is a kind of PlayMobil design sense and some minor differences in an OS. If that’s worth three times the money to you, so be it. I’m willing to bet for the vast majority of people it is merely marketing success.

  328. drew kalbach

      ken is a mystery to me, too.

      feels like sometimes he is way too similar to blake, or that blake is his mentor or something.

  329. drew kalbach

      ken is a mystery to me, too.

      feels like sometimes he is way too similar to blake, or that blake is his mentor or something.

  330. drew kalbach

      ken is a mystery to me, too.

      feels like sometimes he is way too similar to blake, or that blake is his mentor or something.

  331. ce.

      just shut up and set up a filter to direct anything from Narrative to go directly to your trash can.

  332. ce.

      just shut up and set up a filter to direct anything from Narrative to go directly to your trash can.

  333. ce.

      just shut up and set up a filter to direct anything from Narrative to go directly to your trash can.

  334. PHM

      I bought an old one and tried it out first. Once you go Mac you never go back. They say this Windows 7 is so great and all, but I can’t get over the idea of paying $299 for an operating system that ALWAYS failed me when I used to use it, as opposed to paying $29 to upgrade (as I did this year). Leaving out the more comfortable design and such. I’m not strictly a Mac hardware user at all, but I am vehemently against Microsoft’s software, because it’s never NOT failed me. I’m interested in using Linux more, to include on my Mac. I have a netbook waiting on me back home. I paid less for it than people are paying for Windows. Long live the Microsoft tax, I guess, if you’re into that, but I like the idea of quality production.

  335. PHM

      I bought an old one and tried it out first. Once you go Mac you never go back. They say this Windows 7 is so great and all, but I can’t get over the idea of paying $299 for an operating system that ALWAYS failed me when I used to use it, as opposed to paying $29 to upgrade (as I did this year). Leaving out the more comfortable design and such. I’m not strictly a Mac hardware user at all, but I am vehemently against Microsoft’s software, because it’s never NOT failed me. I’m interested in using Linux more, to include on my Mac. I have a netbook waiting on me back home. I paid less for it than people are paying for Windows. Long live the Microsoft tax, I guess, if you’re into that, but I like the idea of quality production.

  336. PHM

      I bought an old one and tried it out first. Once you go Mac you never go back. They say this Windows 7 is so great and all, but I can’t get over the idea of paying $299 for an operating system that ALWAYS failed me when I used to use it, as opposed to paying $29 to upgrade (as I did this year). Leaving out the more comfortable design and such. I’m not strictly a Mac hardware user at all, but I am vehemently against Microsoft’s software, because it’s never NOT failed me. I’m interested in using Linux more, to include on my Mac. I have a netbook waiting on me back home. I paid less for it than people are paying for Windows. Long live the Microsoft tax, I guess, if you’re into that, but I like the idea of quality production.

  337. barry

      the probem with you dickbrains that blast flash fiction is you somehow believe that longer fiction is any better. that there isn’t as much longer fiction that is souless, spineless bullshit. that people arent publishing their friends shitty stories and poems. really? are you this fucking stupid?

      so for me, if a story is gonna suck, i rather read a ten line story and get it over with than a ten page story that it disgusts me even got published and the editor ought to be ashamed of themselves for doing so.

      also, i run a flash site because its fun and people who send the flashes are having fun. if fun and having a good time isnt enough to publish a story and have someone read it then tough shit for you.

      also, on some personal shit. TAO LIN. i didnt forget what you called me in that IM on facebook and if you ever have the balls to say that to me in real life you will live to regret it. not mean, just real shit.

  338. barry

      the probem with you dickbrains that blast flash fiction is you somehow believe that longer fiction is any better. that there isn’t as much longer fiction that is souless, spineless bullshit. that people arent publishing their friends shitty stories and poems. really? are you this fucking stupid?

      so for me, if a story is gonna suck, i rather read a ten line story and get it over with than a ten page story that it disgusts me even got published and the editor ought to be ashamed of themselves for doing so.

      also, i run a flash site because its fun and people who send the flashes are having fun. if fun and having a good time isnt enough to publish a story and have someone read it then tough shit for you.

      also, on some personal shit. TAO LIN. i didnt forget what you called me in that IM on facebook and if you ever have the balls to say that to me in real life you will live to regret it. not mean, just real shit.

  339. barry

      the probem with you dickbrains that blast flash fiction is you somehow believe that longer fiction is any better. that there isn’t as much longer fiction that is souless, spineless bullshit. that people arent publishing their friends shitty stories and poems. really? are you this fucking stupid?

      so for me, if a story is gonna suck, i rather read a ten line story and get it over with than a ten page story that it disgusts me even got published and the editor ought to be ashamed of themselves for doing so.

      also, i run a flash site because its fun and people who send the flashes are having fun. if fun and having a good time isnt enough to publish a story and have someone read it then tough shit for you.

      also, on some personal shit. TAO LIN. i didnt forget what you called me in that IM on facebook and if you ever have the balls to say that to me in real life you will live to regret it. not mean, just real shit.

  340. seth

      Blake Blubber, you are full of shit.

  341. seth

      Blake Blubber, you are full of shit.

  342. Matt Cozart

      I think my Mac was about 10-15% more expensive than a PC would have been, not 300%.

      Btw, are all Republicans rich, or trying to be hip? The Republicans I’m thinking of shop at Macy’s, not American Apparel.

  343. Matt Cozart

      I think my Mac was about 10-15% more expensive than a PC would have been, not 300%.

      Btw, are all Republicans rich, or trying to be hip? The Republicans I’m thinking of shop at Macy’s, not American Apparel.

  344. seth

      Blake Blubber, you are full of shit.

  345. Matt Cozart

      I think my Mac was about 10-15% more expensive than a PC would have been, not 300%.

      Btw, are all Republicans rich, or trying to be hip? The Republicans I’m thinking of shop at Macy’s, not American Apparel.

  346. jereme

      no one likes the F word barry. no one.

  347. jereme

      no one likes the F word barry. no one.

  348. Lincoln

      I pretty much use both Macs and PCs daily. I find PCs more intuitive, the Mac UI is too childlike. That is mostly personal preference though.

      I’ll be dammed if I pay triple the price or more to get an equivalent powered computer though.

      And Macs Os is the only good software. Most of their other shit like Safari or itunes sucks ass.

  349. Lincoln

      I pretty much use both Macs and PCs daily. I find PCs more intuitive, the Mac UI is too childlike. That is mostly personal preference though.

      I’ll be dammed if I pay triple the price or more to get an equivalent powered computer though.

      And Macs Os is the only good software. Most of their other shit like Safari or itunes sucks ass.

  350. Adam R

      That is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

  351. Adam R

      That is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

  352. jereme

      no one likes the F word barry. no one.

  353. Lincoln

      I pretty much use both Macs and PCs daily. I find PCs more intuitive, the Mac UI is too childlike. That is mostly personal preference though.

      I’ll be dammed if I pay triple the price or more to get an equivalent powered computer though.

      And Macs Os is the only good software. Most of their other shit like Safari or itunes sucks ass.

  354. Adam R

      That is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

  355. ce.

      again, see Cozart’s response about markup.

      but, yes, safari and itunes do suck. i’ll agree with you on that.

  356. ce.

      again, see Cozart’s response about markup.

      but, yes, safari and itunes do suck. i’ll agree with you on that.

  357. jereme

      wouldn’t he be full of blubber? or is it like a hipster ironic thing or something?

  358. jereme

      wouldn’t he be full of blubber? or is it like a hipster ironic thing or something?

  359. ce.

      again, see Cozart’s response about markup.

      but, yes, safari and itunes do suck. i’ll agree with you on that.

  360. jereme

      wouldn’t he be full of blubber? or is it like a hipster ironic thing or something?

  361. Aaron

      i’m technologically retarded so wasn’t aware how to do this. thanks ce. now let me teabag you for your assistance.

  362. Aaron

      i’m technologically retarded so wasn’t aware how to do this. thanks ce. now let me teabag you for your assistance.

  363. barry

      “brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there”

      come on david, i mean, brandon’s cool and all, but really?

  364. barry

      “brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there”

      come on david, i mean, brandon’s cool and all, but really?

  365. Lincoln

      I just bought a laptop for a little over 400 bucks that easily has better stats than the 12000 I see on bestbuy.com

  366. Lincoln

      I just bought a laptop for a little over 400 bucks that easily has better stats than the 12000 I see on bestbuy.com

  367. Mather Schneider

      Us old schoolers used to bitch about Lyn Lifshin. Anybody know about Lyn Lifshin?

  368. Mather Schneider

      Us old schoolers used to bitch about Lyn Lifshin. Anybody know about Lyn Lifshin?

  369. ce.

      ohhh shiiiit. burrrrn! you going to take that, blake?

  370. ce.

      ohhh shiiiit. burrrrn! you going to take that, blake?

  371. Aaron

      i’m technologically retarded so wasn’t aware how to do this. thanks ce. now let me teabag you for your assistance.

  372. barry

      “brandon’s poetry is some of the best, if not the best, out there”

      come on david, i mean, brandon’s cool and all, but really?

  373. Lincoln

      I just bought a laptop for a little over 400 bucks that easily has better stats than the 12000 I see on bestbuy.com

  374. Mather Schneider

      Us old schoolers used to bitch about Lyn Lifshin. Anybody know about Lyn Lifshin?

  375. ce.

      ohhh shiiiit. burrrrn! you going to take that, blake?

  376. gena

      farm town is where it’s at!

  377. gena

      farm town is where it’s at!

  378. gena

      farm town is where it’s at!

  379. Lincoln

      the 12000 macbook rather.

      I imagine the prices start to converge as you go up in price though (ignoring building a computer)

  380. Lincoln

      the 12000 macbook rather.

      I imagine the prices start to converge as you go up in price though (ignoring building a computer)

  381. ce.

      did you get that shit figured out? if so, i’ll consider myself properly teabagged.

  382. ce.

      did you get that shit figured out? if so, i’ll consider myself properly teabagged.

  383. davidpeak

      fuck you both. i like that shit.

  384. davidpeak

      fuck you both. i like that shit.

  385. Lincoln

      the 12000 macbook rather.

      I imagine the prices start to converge as you go up in price though (ignoring building a computer)

  386. ce.

      did you get that shit figured out? if so, i’ll consider myself properly teabagged.

  387. davidpeak

      fuck you both. i like that shit.

  388. matthewsavoca

      if you read rape children you would understand that the title comes from a line in the book that one of the characters shouts when trying to purposefully say something shocking as to draw attention

      i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are so that everyone just knows how pissed everyone is and if any brits are reading this, i dont mean drunk. what the hell is with british people using terms to mean wrong things. pissed means angry, not drunk. unless you’re jereme and you’re always just an angry drunk so you’re pissed in england and the states, everybody wins

  389. matthewsavoca

      if you read rape children you would understand that the title comes from a line in the book that one of the characters shouts when trying to purposefully say something shocking as to draw attention

      i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are so that everyone just knows how pissed everyone is and if any brits are reading this, i dont mean drunk. what the hell is with british people using terms to mean wrong things. pissed means angry, not drunk. unless you’re jereme and you’re always just an angry drunk so you’re pissed in england and the states, everybody wins

  390. PHM

      I laughed really hard. Just so you know she is a good writer. I swear dude.

  391. PHM

      I laughed really hard. Just so you know she is a good writer. I swear dude.

  392. matthewsavoca

      if you read rape children you would understand that the title comes from a line in the book that one of the characters shouts when trying to purposefully say something shocking as to draw attention

      i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are so that everyone just knows how pissed everyone is and if any brits are reading this, i dont mean drunk. what the hell is with british people using terms to mean wrong things. pissed means angry, not drunk. unless you’re jereme and you’re always just an angry drunk so you’re pissed in england and the states, everybody wins

  393. PHM

      I laughed really hard. Just so you know she is a good writer. I swear dude.

  394. ce.

      i don’t want to leave work because it’s a 30 minute bike ride home, and i don’t want to get home and have missed the growing hemorrhoid that is this thread. fuck you, htmlgiant.

  395. ce.

      i don’t want to leave work because it’s a 30 minute bike ride home, and i don’t want to get home and have missed the growing hemorrhoid that is this thread. fuck you, htmlgiant.

  396. seth

      Just that it sounded like his last name, it rhymed.

  397. seth

      Just that it sounded like his last name, it rhymed.

  398. Trey

      “i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are”

      MEAN WEEK.

  399. Trey

      “i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are”

      MEAN WEEK.

  400. ce.

      i don’t want to leave work because it’s a 30 minute bike ride home, and i don’t want to get home and have missed the growing hemorrhoid that is this thread. fuck you, htmlgiant.

  401. seth

      Just that it sounded like his last name, it rhymed.

  402. Trey

      “i kind of want to know why everyone in the world is so pissed and thinks that everone else should know how pissed they are”

      MEAN WEEK.

  403. gena

      barry is a badass motherfucker.

  404. gena

      barry is a badass motherfucker.

  405. jereme

      uh no dude. if everything is shit then everything is shit.

      you don’t take 30 lbs of shit and make an equality pie.

  406. jereme

      uh no dude. if everything is shit then everything is shit.

      you don’t take 30 lbs of shit and make an equality pie.

  407. gena

      barry is a badass motherfucker.

  408. jereme

      uh no dude. if everything is shit then everything is shit.

      you don’t take 30 lbs of shit and make an equality pie.

  409. Shya

      The Mac vs. PC argument is a stupid waste of time. Have it, and you’re already being mind-raped by big business by definition.

  410. Shya

      The Mac vs. PC argument is a stupid waste of time. Have it, and you’re already being mind-raped by big business by definition.

  411. PHM

      She’s crazy as fuck. That’s a whole different story, but she is psycho. She sent me more than ten pounds of poetry once. I’m not lying. This is veritable.

  412. PHM

      She’s crazy as fuck. That’s a whole different story, but she is psycho. She sent me more than ten pounds of poetry once. I’m not lying. This is veritable.

  413. Shya

      The Mac vs. PC argument is a stupid waste of time. Have it, and you’re already being mind-raped by big business by definition.

  414. PHM

      She’s crazy as fuck. That’s a whole different story, but she is psycho. She sent me more than ten pounds of poetry once. I’m not lying. This is veritable.

  415. ce.

      maybe i want to be mind-raped, shya.

  416. ce.

      maybe i want to be mind-raped, shya.

  417. Vaughan Simons

      Yeah, but you see, it’s Mean Week. So my comment was just an unjustifiable and indefensible rant without the slightest concern for fact. So a bit like politics, then.

  418. Vaughan Simons

      Yeah, but you see, it’s Mean Week. So my comment was just an unjustifiable and indefensible rant without the slightest concern for fact. So a bit like politics, then.

  419. ce.

      maybe i want to be mind-raped, shya.

  420. Vaughan Simons

      Yeah, but you see, it’s Mean Week. So my comment was just an unjustifiable and indefensible rant without the slightest concern for fact. So a bit like politics, then.

  421. Brad Green

      I hate that PR is no longer a contributor here. Except for that heavy-metal stuff, I liked everything she posted.

  422. Brad Green

      I hate that PR is no longer a contributor here. Except for that heavy-metal stuff, I liked everything she posted.

  423. Brad Green

      I hate that PR is no longer a contributor here. Except for that heavy-metal stuff, I liked everything she posted.

  424. Shya

      Then it’s not rape, ce, it’s consensual mind-sex.

  425. Shya

      Then it’s not rape, ce, it’s consensual mind-sex.

  426. Shya

      Then it’s not rape, ce, it’s consensual mind-sex.

  427. matthewsavoca

      i understand the concept of mean week, but simply stating ‘mean week’ is not at all an answer to the overall question which is ‘why is there so much participation in mean week?’

  428. matthewsavoca

      i understand the concept of mean week, but simply stating ‘mean week’ is not at all an answer to the overall question which is ‘why is there so much participation in mean week?’

  429. Sean

      I just got home from dog kicking. I have tried to be mean this week, but all of you suck so bad. You don’t even join. You have all fucked up Mean Week. You can’t even do Mean Week right, which means I wouldn’t want to see your junk drawer or sonnet or whatever I need to drink some beer.

  430. Sean

      I just got home from dog kicking. I have tried to be mean this week, but all of you suck so bad. You don’t even join. You have all fucked up Mean Week. You can’t even do Mean Week right, which means I wouldn’t want to see your junk drawer or sonnet or whatever I need to drink some beer.

  431. Mather Schneider

      So, she still does it then? Ha ha…she has done it for years…let her be a lesson…published everywhere with the carpet bomb theory and never got her anywhere…

  432. Mather Schneider

      So, she still does it then? Ha ha…she has done it for years…let her be a lesson…published everywhere with the carpet bomb theory and never got her anywhere…

  433. matthewsavoca

      i understand the concept of mean week, but simply stating ‘mean week’ is not at all an answer to the overall question which is ‘why is there so much participation in mean week?’

  434. Sean

      I just got home from dog kicking. I have tried to be mean this week, but all of you suck so bad. You don’t even join. You have all fucked up Mean Week. You can’t even do Mean Week right, which means I wouldn’t want to see your junk drawer or sonnet or whatever I need to drink some beer.

  435. Mather Schneider

      So, she still does it then? Ha ha…she has done it for years…let her be a lesson…published everywhere with the carpet bomb theory and never got her anywhere…

  436. Sean

      Lyn Lifshin is still around? Jesus. I am SO SICK of her and who’s that dude Virgil Suarez (might be spelt wrong, I don’t give a shit.)

      Wait I just thought of a caps post.

  437. Sean

      Lyn Lifshin is still around? Jesus. I am SO SICK of her and who’s that dude Virgil Suarez (might be spelt wrong, I don’t give a shit.)

      Wait I just thought of a caps post.

  438. Mather Schneider

      Well, it got her somewhere, but it didn’t make her a good poet…

  439. Mather Schneider

      Well, it got her somewhere, but it didn’t make her a good poet…

  440. Roxane Gay

      I miss her too.

  441. Roxane Gay

      I miss her too.

  442. Sean

      Lyn Lifshin is still around? Jesus. I am SO SICK of her and who’s that dude Virgil Suarez (might be spelt wrong, I don’t give a shit.)

      Wait I just thought of a caps post.

  443. Mather Schneider

      Well, it got her somewhere, but it didn’t make her a good poet…

  444. Roxane Gay

      I miss her too.

  445. Ellen Frances

      The vast majority of independent lit journals, writer’s blogs and websites are really beyond terrible. Crappy looking ‘design’ pointing fingers at other crappy looking ‘design’ is funny.

  446. Ellen Frances

      The vast majority of independent lit journals, writer’s blogs and websites are really beyond terrible. Crappy looking ‘design’ pointing fingers at other crappy looking ‘design’ is funny.

  447. Sean

      OK HOW MANY FUCKING LIT MAGS CAN YOU PUBLISH IN??? AFTER 100 PLEASE GET A BOOK. QUIT PUBLISHING IN EVERY LIT MAG ON EARTH.

      You know who you are.

      Ass.

  448. Sean

      OK HOW MANY FUCKING LIT MAGS CAN YOU PUBLISH IN??? AFTER 100 PLEASE GET A BOOK. QUIT PUBLISHING IN EVERY LIT MAG ON EARTH.

      You know who you are.

      Ass.

  449. ce.

      i hate you for being right, shya.

  450. ce.

      i hate you for being right, shya.

  451. reynard

      you don’t have to be a designer to make things not shitty, just like, keep it simple, don’t have distorted pictures, and probably don’t use red because it’s aggressive and annoying – unless that’s what you’re going for, of course

  452. reynard

      you don’t have to be a designer to make things not shitty, just like, keep it simple, don’t have distorted pictures, and probably don’t use red because it’s aggressive and annoying – unless that’s what you’re going for, of course

  453. tao

      barry, that wasn’t me

      my laptop was in the kitchen, there were a lot of people

  454. tao

      barry, that wasn’t me

      my laptop was in the kitchen, there were a lot of people

  455. Ellen Frances

      The vast majority of independent lit journals, writer’s blogs and websites are really beyond terrible. Crappy looking ‘design’ pointing fingers at other crappy looking ‘design’ is funny.

  456. Sean

      OK HOW MANY FUCKING LIT MAGS CAN YOU PUBLISH IN??? AFTER 100 PLEASE GET A BOOK. QUIT PUBLISHING IN EVERY LIT MAG ON EARTH.

      You know who you are.

      Ass.

  457. ce.

      i hate you for being right, shya.

  458. reynard

      you don’t have to be a designer to make things not shitty, just like, keep it simple, don’t have distorted pictures, and probably don’t use red because it’s aggressive and annoying – unless that’s what you’re going for, of course

  459. tao

      barry, that wasn’t me

      my laptop was in the kitchen, there were a lot of people

  460. Lincoln

      Can we talk about vegans now?

  461. Lincoln

      Can we talk about vegans now?

  462. Mather Schneider

      Simon Perchik goes through the Poet’s Market A-Z and sends to every one…

  463. Mather Schneider

      Simon Perchik goes through the Poet’s Market A-Z and sends to every one…

  464. Lincoln

      Can we talk about vegans now?

  465. Mather Schneider

      Simon Perchik goes through the Poet’s Market A-Z and sends to every one…

  466. Sean

      That jereme thing was strong. I wish Blake was still fat. I really do. But we can all just wait, right?

  467. Sean

      That jereme thing was strong. I wish Blake was still fat. I really do. But we can all just wait, right?

  468. Nate

      i’ve heard dan bailey in a bathroom and it is NOT OK when one is trying to watch bear grillz “escape” danger in a rain forest.

  469. Nate

      i’ve heard dan bailey in a bathroom and it is NOT OK when one is trying to watch bear grillz “escape” danger in a rain forest.

  470. gena

      huh?

  471. gena

      huh?

  472. barry

      i’d believe you if facebook didnt require passwords.

  473. barry

      i’d believe you if facebook didnt require passwords.

  474. Sean

      That jereme thing was strong. I wish Blake was still fat. I really do. But we can all just wait, right?

  475. Nate

      i’ve heard dan bailey in a bathroom and it is NOT OK when one is trying to watch bear grillz “escape” danger in a rain forest.

  476. gena

      huh?

  477. barry

      i’d believe you if facebook didnt require passwords.

  478. Nathan Tyree

      You are all a bunch of sticky spunk bubbles

  479. Nathan Tyree

      You are all a bunch of sticky spunk bubbles

  480. ce.

      he got the book deal. that means it’s only a matter of time until he goes plump-ass again, right?

  481. ce.

      he got the book deal. that means it’s only a matter of time until he goes plump-ass again, right?

  482. Nathan Tyree

      You are all a bunch of sticky spunk bubbles

  483. ce.

      he got the book deal. that means it’s only a matter of time until he goes plump-ass again, right?

  484. Sean

      Who is fucking with flash fiction? Now I am about to get mean.

      It’s not the form, fuckwad. Poems can suck. Short stories can suck. Novels can suck. Jokes can suck. Dates can suck. Traffic lights can suck. Weddings can suck. Divorces can suck. A day at work can suck. Whatever. It is not the form.

      Flash can be great, or not. Just like other genres. Its form does not make it default poor. Does not make it “just an idea” “a sketch” whatever.

      Wait I’m just thinking of going off now.

  485. Sean

      Who is fucking with flash fiction? Now I am about to get mean.

      It’s not the form, fuckwad. Poems can suck. Short stories can suck. Novels can suck. Jokes can suck. Dates can suck. Traffic lights can suck. Weddings can suck. Divorces can suck. A day at work can suck. Whatever. It is not the form.

      Flash can be great, or not. Just like other genres. Its form does not make it default poor. Does not make it “just an idea” “a sketch” whatever.

      Wait I’m just thinking of going off now.

  486. Mather Schneider

      I’m new here but Nathan, are you obligated to comment every three seconds?

  487. Mather Schneider

      I’m new here but Nathan, are you obligated to comment every three seconds?

  488. Adam R

      I think Ken is one of the nicest and smartest people I have met on the Internet.

  489. Adam R

      I think Ken is one of the nicest and smartest people I have met on the Internet.

  490. PHM

      I honestly didn’t think you had it in you, Amelia. But elipses deserve their own like devoted Fuck-You-Bin. We should make a category at dmoz.org called Anti-Elipsis.

  491. PHM

      I honestly didn’t think you had it in you, Amelia. But elipses deserve their own like devoted Fuck-You-Bin. We should make a category at dmoz.org called Anti-Elipsis.

  492. Sean

      Who is fucking with flash fiction? Now I am about to get mean.

      It’s not the form, fuckwad. Poems can suck. Short stories can suck. Novels can suck. Jokes can suck. Dates can suck. Traffic lights can suck. Weddings can suck. Divorces can suck. A day at work can suck. Whatever. It is not the form.

      Flash can be great, or not. Just like other genres. Its form does not make it default poor. Does not make it “just an idea” “a sketch” whatever.

      Wait I’m just thinking of going off now.

  493. Mather Schneider

      I’m new here but Nathan, are you obligated to comment every three seconds?

  494. Adam R

      I think Ken is one of the nicest and smartest people I have met on the Internet.

  495. PHM

      I honestly didn’t think you had it in you, Amelia. But elipses deserve their own like devoted Fuck-You-Bin. We should make a category at dmoz.org called Anti-Elipsis.

  496. jereme

      i agree.

  497. jereme

      i agree.

  498. adam j maynard

      jesus

  499. adam j maynard

      jesus

  500. jereme

      i agree.

  501. adam j maynard

      jesus

  502. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      A lonely pink sheep wandered onto htmlgiant’s farm.

  503. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      A lonely pink sheep wandered onto htmlgiant’s farm.

  504. davidpeak

      adam, what is stupid about what i said:

      the fact that i take offense to a book as product and not one of the people who created it?

      or that I personally consider brandon’s poetry to be “some of the best?”

      or that I felt like a fool?

  505. davidpeak

      adam, what is stupid about what i said:

      the fact that i take offense to a book as product and not one of the people who created it?

      or that I personally consider brandon’s poetry to be “some of the best?”

      or that I felt like a fool?

  506. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I have difficulty not sexualizing their relationship inside my head.

  507. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I have difficulty not sexualizing their relationship inside my head.

  508. gena

      there is so much participation in mean week because some people aren’t afraid to say what they’re thinking and don’t want to stay “neutral”. i know being “neutral” will get you places these days, but come on.

  509. gena

      there is so much participation in mean week because some people aren’t afraid to say what they’re thinking and don’t want to stay “neutral”. i know being “neutral” will get you places these days, but come on.

  510. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      A lonely pink sheep wandered onto htmlgiant’s farm.

  511. davidpeak

      adam, what is stupid about what i said:

      the fact that i take offense to a book as product and not one of the people who created it?

      or that I personally consider brandon’s poetry to be “some of the best?”

      or that I felt like a fool?

  512. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I have difficulty not sexualizing their relationship inside my head.

  513. gena

      there is so much participation in mean week because some people aren’t afraid to say what they’re thinking and don’t want to stay “neutral”. i know being “neutral” will get you places these days, but come on.

  514. Vaughan Simons

      Please name names. It’s Mean Week. We’ll all have forgotten this by Saturday morning. (And if we haven’t, then my reputation is ruined for all fucking eternity).

  515. Vaughan Simons

      Please name names. It’s Mean Week. We’ll all have forgotten this by Saturday morning. (And if we haven’t, then my reputation is ruined for all fucking eternity).

  516. Sid

      Short Story collections pretending to be novels that take place in some vaguely dystopian America written in overly descriptive prose lacking any sense of humor by writers who think rocking a beard endows them with some kind of authenticity.

  517. Sid

      Short Story collections pretending to be novels that take place in some vaguely dystopian America written in overly descriptive prose lacking any sense of humor by writers who think rocking a beard endows them with some kind of authenticity.

  518. Mather Schneider

      Poet’s Market is what we used before Duotrope…

  519. Mather Schneider

      Poet’s Market is what we used before Duotrope…

  520. Vaughan Simons

      Please name names. It’s Mean Week. We’ll all have forgotten this by Saturday morning. (And if we haven’t, then my reputation is ruined for all fucking eternity).

  521. Sid

      Short Story collections pretending to be novels that take place in some vaguely dystopian America written in overly descriptive prose lacking any sense of humor by writers who think rocking a beard endows them with some kind of authenticity.

  522. Mather Schneider

      Poet’s Market is what we used before Duotrope…

  523. gena

      yes!

  524. gena

      yes!

  525. gena

      yes!

  526. reynard

      them some big balls, anonafucker

      although i have to agree i wasn’t a huge fan of that lamcolony layout. i thought it was cool at first but found the search for stories irritating.

      but then it seems like the point was prolly to get people to read more of the stories, rather than just going to particular ones, which is probably what most people do.

      regardless, i have to say, clapper: smokelong is due for a little nip/tuck action, dawg. i like yr stories but i don’t see how the hell you think you have room for shit talk with those alternating headers and all that blue and that background. oh man.

  527. reynard

      them some big balls, anonafucker

      although i have to agree i wasn’t a huge fan of that lamcolony layout. i thought it was cool at first but found the search for stories irritating.

      but then it seems like the point was prolly to get people to read more of the stories, rather than just going to particular ones, which is probably what most people do.

      regardless, i have to say, clapper: smokelong is due for a little nip/tuck action, dawg. i like yr stories but i don’t see how the hell you think you have room for shit talk with those alternating headers and all that blue and that background. oh man.

  528. reynard

      them some big balls, anonafucker

      although i have to agree i wasn’t a huge fan of that lamcolony layout. i thought it was cool at first but found the search for stories irritating.

      but then it seems like the point was prolly to get people to read more of the stories, rather than just going to particular ones, which is probably what most people do.

      regardless, i have to say, clapper: smokelong is due for a little nip/tuck action, dawg. i like yr stories but i don’t see how the hell you think you have room for shit talk with those alternating headers and all that blue and that background. oh man.

  529. barry

      haha sid i like that, but in order for it to be mean you have to name the writers instead of making these vague, pussy, unqualified comments.

  530. barry

      haha sid i like that, but in order for it to be mean you have to name the writers instead of making these vague, pussy, unqualified comments.

  531. barry

      haha sid i like that, but in order for it to be mean you have to name the writers instead of making these vague, pussy, unqualified comments.

  532. Adam R

      I don’t remember feeling afraid of you. I thought you were obnoxious and inconsiderate of other people, and I thought it was rude of you to wear a pilfered name badge with my name on it without really acknowledging me, but scared of you I was not.

      The nerd thing I’ll take.

  533. Adam R

      I don’t remember feeling afraid of you. I thought you were obnoxious and inconsiderate of other people, and I thought it was rude of you to wear a pilfered name badge with my name on it without really acknowledging me, but scared of you I was not.

      The nerd thing I’ll take.

  534. Adam R

      I don’t remember feeling afraid of you. I thought you were obnoxious and inconsiderate of other people, and I thought it was rude of you to wear a pilfered name badge with my name on it without really acknowledging me, but scared of you I was not.

      The nerd thing I’ll take.

  535. Adam R

      *other people who were interested in doing anything besides listen to you, I meant to say.

  536. Adam R

      *other people who were interested in doing anything besides listen to you, I meant to say.

  537. Adam R

      *other people who were interested in doing anything besides listen to you, I meant to say.

  538. Aaron

      quite your bitching and saddle up

  539. Aaron

      quite your bitching and saddle up

  540. alec niedenthal

      just make your site look not shitty and i’ll read it

  541. alec niedenthal

      just make your site look not shitty and i’ll read it

  542. Aaron

      quite your bitching and saddle up

  543. alec niedenthal

      just make your site look not shitty and i’ll read it

  544. Brad Green

      Flash fiction can never be capital G great because the form itself restricts. Fiction achieves its greatness with elbow-room and large intent. For flash fiction to achieve Greatness, it’d have to go obscure like poetry and even then poets are generally considered Great Poets based on a body of work, not a single poem. Same for short story writers, but a novelist can be declared Great based on a single work. Joyce did it essentially with one novel for instance.

      If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. That and she’s boring.

  545. Brad Green

      Flash fiction can never be capital G great because the form itself restricts. Fiction achieves its greatness with elbow-room and large intent. For flash fiction to achieve Greatness, it’d have to go obscure like poetry and even then poets are generally considered Great Poets based on a body of work, not a single poem. Same for short story writers, but a novelist can be declared Great based on a single work. Joyce did it essentially with one novel for instance.

      If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. That and she’s boring.

  546. Nathan Tyree

      agreed

  547. Nathan Tyree

      agreed

  548. Brad Green

      Flash fiction can never be capital G great because the form itself restricts. Fiction achieves its greatness with elbow-room and large intent. For flash fiction to achieve Greatness, it’d have to go obscure like poetry and even then poets are generally considered Great Poets based on a body of work, not a single poem. Same for short story writers, but a novelist can be declared Great based on a single work. Joyce did it essentially with one novel for instance.

      If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. That and she’s boring.

  549. Nathan Tyree

      agreed

  550. Nathan Tyree

      yes. it is in my contract

  551. Nathan Tyree

      yes. it is in my contract

  552. Janey Smith

      Since when did baby-sitting retarded children get you a gig on the GIANT, Catherine Lacey?

      (Mean Comment #1)

  553. Janey Smith

      Since when did baby-sitting retarded children get you a gig on the GIANT, Catherine Lacey?

      (Mean Comment #1)

  554. Nathan Tyree

      yes. it is in my contract

  555. Janey Smith

      Since when did baby-sitting retarded children get you a gig on the GIANT, Catherine Lacey?

      (Mean Comment #1)

  556. Sid

      Who would you like me to start with, fuckbag? David Foster Wallace? Adam Johnson? Ben Marcus? Or do you want me to wait until you’re done drinking your fifth dixie cup-full o’ semen?

  557. Sid

      Who would you like me to start with, fuckbag? David Foster Wallace? Adam Johnson? Ben Marcus? Or do you want me to wait until you’re done drinking your fifth dixie cup-full o’ semen?

  558. Lincoln

      Pure nonsense in the first half.

      [i]If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. [/i]

      Chekov? Isaac Babel? Kakfa (he had some half-completed novels, but his stories are far more famous and widley read)

  559. Lincoln

      Pure nonsense in the first half.

      [i]If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. [/i]

      Chekov? Isaac Babel? Kakfa (he had some half-completed novels, but his stories are far more famous and widley read)

  560. gena

      nice of you to finally say something to someone’s face.

  561. gena

      nice of you to finally say something to someone’s face.

  562. Sid

      Who would you like me to start with, fuckbag? David Foster Wallace? Adam Johnson? Ben Marcus? Or do you want me to wait until you’re done drinking your fifth dixie cup-full o’ semen?

  563. Lincoln

      Pure nonsense in the first half.

      [i]If Hemingway had never written a novel, would be be lauded now? Not in the same way. He wouldn’t. It’s why Alice Munroe won’t be read in 50 years. [/i]

      Chekov? Isaac Babel? Kakfa (he had some half-completed novels, but his stories are far more famous and widley read)

  564. gena

      nice of you to finally say something to someone’s face.

  565. Janey Smith

      That’s funny, Tao. Brave enough to shoplift and brag about it, but not brave enough to fight a fag named BARRY?

      (Mean Comments #2-3)

  566. Janey Smith

      That’s funny, Tao. Brave enough to shoplift and brag about it, but not brave enough to fight a fag named BARRY?

      (Mean Comments #2-3)

  567. Janey Smith

      That’s funny, Tao. Brave enough to shoplift and brag about it, but not brave enough to fight a fag named BARRY?

      (Mean Comments #2-3)

  568. PHM

      I’ve always been conflicted about the photographs, but have yet to come up with something that would occupy that space better. Some of them are distorted, yeah, but the one on the front page is actually just really old. I still like the design. I still think it’s smooth. And I don’t do this for you, really, I do it for me. I’m thinking of redesigning it next year and leaving the annals in tact. Or changing the color scheme. But anyway, I don’t like your tone, you prick with a retarded name, so feel free to fuck yourself with a starfish any time.

  569. PHM

      I’ve always been conflicted about the photographs, but have yet to come up with something that would occupy that space better. Some of them are distorted, yeah, but the one on the front page is actually just really old. I still like the design. I still think it’s smooth. And I don’t do this for you, really, I do it for me. I’m thinking of redesigning it next year and leaving the annals in tact. Or changing the color scheme. But anyway, I don’t like your tone, you prick with a retarded name, so feel free to fuck yourself with a starfish any time.

  570. PhantomStranger

      No, that’s nonsensical. Everyone is wrong? By what objective standard? Sure, in Platonic Playland maybe no opinions measure up, but in the non-ideal world that statement is meaningless.

  571. PhantomStranger

      No, that’s nonsensical. Everyone is wrong? By what objective standard? Sure, in Platonic Playland maybe no opinions measure up, but in the non-ideal world that statement is meaningless.

  572. Aaron

      yes ce. i did. thanks. the teabagging is complete.

  573. Aaron

      yes ce. i did. thanks. the teabagging is complete.

  574. Sid

      You tell me, fuckface. Or are you too busy drinking your third cup o’ semen?

  575. Sid

      You tell me, fuckface. Or are you too busy drinking your third cup o’ semen?

  576. PHM

      I’ve always been conflicted about the photographs, but have yet to come up with something that would occupy that space better. Some of them are distorted, yeah, but the one on the front page is actually just really old. I still like the design. I still think it’s smooth. And I don’t do this for you, really, I do it for me. I’m thinking of redesigning it next year and leaving the annals in tact. Or changing the color scheme. But anyway, I don’t like your tone, you prick with a retarded name, so feel free to fuck yourself with a starfish any time.

  577. PhantomStranger

      No, that’s nonsensical. Everyone is wrong? By what objective standard? Sure, in Platonic Playland maybe no opinions measure up, but in the non-ideal world that statement is meaningless.

  578. Aaron

      yes ce. i did. thanks. the teabagging is complete.

  579. Sid

      You tell me, fuckface. Or are you too busy drinking your third cup o’ semen?

  580. David

      I agree that I was careless with the “greatest” claim. “Fundamental” might have been a better word. At this point, “internet” and “anonymity” are conjoined twins. Anonymity can be used for both good and bad purposes, and when it’s used for bad purposes, like sockpuppetry and stalking, I’m usually for unmasking and mocking.

      I think most people who are selectively anonymous have a variety of reasons that aren’t necessarily “weak”. For some, it’s a professional thing: being associated with the blogs you read can have professional consequences, just as could having your library records made public. For others (and for me, this is the main one), online forums are only different from barroom conversations because of the technological mediation: just as I don’t want my barroom conversations recorded and indexed, I see no benefit to creating a trail of every opinion I ever spouted online.

      If we want to get pop-psychological, posterity isn’t just the concern of the anonymous: those who would only comment publicly are just as concerned about it, but sit on a different end of the legacy continuum: the side that says “I was here, goddammit.” One of my favorite professors talked at length about writing under pseudonyms, and I think he made a good point: Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean it has to be you who says it. And I don’t think that’s a statement of cowardice; it’s a simple observation that some things matter more than others, and you can choose which of them makes your reputation. I might recommend a brand of camera to somebody in a forum: should my preference for Canon be a piece of my legacy? Would it be if I had suggested it to a guy at the camera shop?

      If I came into HTMLGIANT and acted like an asshole, I’d expect an admin to boot me and forbid me re-entrance, just like a bartender would have me shoveled out for being an aggressive prick. But the bartender doesn’t need to know who I am for me to be able to talk. I’ve had great conversations with strangers in the offline world, and haven’t struck up an acquaintance with them. I’ve never felt a need to alter that expectation online.

      As for cowardice and anonymity being inherent traits – no way. Cowardice, sure. But anonymity? It’s a privilege of writing and technology. Writers have always had the option, and many have used it. Technology expands that. It is inherently non-inherent.

      Last, if “the purpose of [online forums] is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals”, how does some members being anonymous get in the way of that? Is an anonymous persuasive opinion less valid than one from a named person who is also a stranger to you? I understand the argument that putting your URL or real name with a comment reinforces the strength of the belief expressed, but it doesn’t say a thing about whether it’s right or wrong.

  581. David

      I agree that I was careless with the “greatest” claim. “Fundamental” might have been a better word. At this point, “internet” and “anonymity” are conjoined twins. Anonymity can be used for both good and bad purposes, and when it’s used for bad purposes, like sockpuppetry and stalking, I’m usually for unmasking and mocking.

      I think most people who are selectively anonymous have a variety of reasons that aren’t necessarily “weak”. For some, it’s a professional thing: being associated with the blogs you read can have professional consequences, just as could having your library records made public. For others (and for me, this is the main one), online forums are only different from barroom conversations because of the technological mediation: just as I don’t want my barroom conversations recorded and indexed, I see no benefit to creating a trail of every opinion I ever spouted online.

      If we want to get pop-psychological, posterity isn’t just the concern of the anonymous: those who would only comment publicly are just as concerned about it, but sit on a different end of the legacy continuum: the side that says “I was here, goddammit.” One of my favorite professors talked at length about writing under pseudonyms, and I think he made a good point: Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean it has to be you who says it. And I don’t think that’s a statement of cowardice; it’s a simple observation that some things matter more than others, and you can choose which of them makes your reputation. I might recommend a brand of camera to somebody in a forum: should my preference for Canon be a piece of my legacy? Would it be if I had suggested it to a guy at the camera shop?

      If I came into HTMLGIANT and acted like an asshole, I’d expect an admin to boot me and forbid me re-entrance, just like a bartender would have me shoveled out for being an aggressive prick. But the bartender doesn’t need to know who I am for me to be able to talk. I’ve had great conversations with strangers in the offline world, and haven’t struck up an acquaintance with them. I’ve never felt a need to alter that expectation online.

      As for cowardice and anonymity being inherent traits – no way. Cowardice, sure. But anonymity? It’s a privilege of writing and technology. Writers have always had the option, and many have used it. Technology expands that. It is inherently non-inherent.

      Last, if “the purpose of [online forums] is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals”, how does some members being anonymous get in the way of that? Is an anonymous persuasive opinion less valid than one from a named person who is also a stranger to you? I understand the argument that putting your URL or real name with a comment reinforces the strength of the belief expressed, but it doesn’t say a thing about whether it’s right or wrong.

  582. Clapper

      Our background sucks ass, yes. We’re overdue by about two years for a re-design.

  583. Clapper

      Our background sucks ass, yes. We’re overdue by about two years for a re-design.

  584. David

      I agree that I was careless with the “greatest” claim. “Fundamental” might have been a better word. At this point, “internet” and “anonymity” are conjoined twins. Anonymity can be used for both good and bad purposes, and when it’s used for bad purposes, like sockpuppetry and stalking, I’m usually for unmasking and mocking.

      I think most people who are selectively anonymous have a variety of reasons that aren’t necessarily “weak”. For some, it’s a professional thing: being associated with the blogs you read can have professional consequences, just as could having your library records made public. For others (and for me, this is the main one), online forums are only different from barroom conversations because of the technological mediation: just as I don’t want my barroom conversations recorded and indexed, I see no benefit to creating a trail of every opinion I ever spouted online.

      If we want to get pop-psychological, posterity isn’t just the concern of the anonymous: those who would only comment publicly are just as concerned about it, but sit on a different end of the legacy continuum: the side that says “I was here, goddammit.” One of my favorite professors talked at length about writing under pseudonyms, and I think he made a good point: Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean it has to be you who says it. And I don’t think that’s a statement of cowardice; it’s a simple observation that some things matter more than others, and you can choose which of them makes your reputation. I might recommend a brand of camera to somebody in a forum: should my preference for Canon be a piece of my legacy? Would it be if I had suggested it to a guy at the camera shop?

      If I came into HTMLGIANT and acted like an asshole, I’d expect an admin to boot me and forbid me re-entrance, just like a bartender would have me shoveled out for being an aggressive prick. But the bartender doesn’t need to know who I am for me to be able to talk. I’ve had great conversations with strangers in the offline world, and haven’t struck up an acquaintance with them. I’ve never felt a need to alter that expectation online.

      As for cowardice and anonymity being inherent traits – no way. Cowardice, sure. But anonymity? It’s a privilege of writing and technology. Writers have always had the option, and many have used it. Technology expands that. It is inherently non-inherent.

      Last, if “the purpose of [online forums] is to communicate and make some sort of progress with other, like-minded individuals”, how does some members being anonymous get in the way of that? Is an anonymous persuasive opinion less valid than one from a named person who is also a stranger to you? I understand the argument that putting your URL or real name with a comment reinforces the strength of the belief expressed, but it doesn’t say a thing about whether it’s right or wrong.

  585. Clapper

      Our background sucks ass, yes. We’re overdue by about two years for a re-design.

  586. tao

      my facebook, gmail, etc. are almost always open

      my laptop was open, i was somewhere else in the kitchen

  587. tao

      my facebook, gmail, etc. are almost always open

      my laptop was open, i was somewhere else in the kitchen

  588. Sid

      Let’s go, fuckstick. Or are you still not done with your thermos full o’ semen?

  589. Sid

      Let’s go, fuckstick. Or are you still not done with your thermos full o’ semen?

  590. Brad Green

      Yes, but they’re all famous for a body of work, generally. Not a single story.

  591. Brad Green

      Yes, but they’re all famous for a body of work, generally. Not a single story.

  592. PHM

      It’s the glasses, bro, I told you!

  593. PHM

      It’s the glasses, bro, I told you!

  594. tao

      my facebook, gmail, etc. are almost always open

      my laptop was open, i was somewhere else in the kitchen

  595. Sid

      Let’s go, fuckstick. Or are you still not done with your thermos full o’ semen?

  596. Brad Green

      Yes, but they’re all famous for a body of work, generally. Not a single story.

  597. PHM

      It’s the glasses, bro, I told you!

  598. Mr. Wonderful

      I’ve seen every episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I watched it even before I knew about HTML Giant. Now I watch it and wonder if Ken Baumann was in his trailer typing up a comment before each of his scenes. I sit around and wonder how he reconciles his tween heartthrob image with his literary aspirations. Does he hang out with Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the kids from Degrassi?

      I’m the one who used to post comments as “Ben Boykevich.”

  599. Mr. Wonderful

      I’ve seen every episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I watched it even before I knew about HTML Giant. Now I watch it and wonder if Ken Baumann was in his trailer typing up a comment before each of his scenes. I sit around and wonder how he reconciles his tween heartthrob image with his literary aspirations. Does he hang out with Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the kids from Degrassi?

      I’m the one who used to post comments as “Ben Boykevich.”

  600. Sid

      Time’s up, fistfuck. Next time don’t write and gargle with your flask full o’ semen.

  601. Sid

      Time’s up, fistfuck. Next time don’t write and gargle with your flask full o’ semen.

  602. jereme

      HAHAHA

  603. jereme

      HAHAHA

  604. PhantomStranger

      Vegans who refuse to eat honey are morally obtuse.

  605. PhantomStranger

      Vegans who refuse to eat honey are morally obtuse.

  606. Matthew Simmons

      My comments seem to disappear.

      Contrived “meanness” is fucking dull.

  607. Matthew Simmons

      My comments seem to disappear.

      Contrived “meanness” is fucking dull.

  608. Mr. Wonderful

      I’ve seen every episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I watched it even before I knew about HTML Giant. Now I watch it and wonder if Ken Baumann was in his trailer typing up a comment before each of his scenes. I sit around and wonder how he reconciles his tween heartthrob image with his literary aspirations. Does he hang out with Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and the kids from Degrassi?

      I’m the one who used to post comments as “Ben Boykevich.”

  609. Sid

      Time’s up, fistfuck. Next time don’t write and gargle with your flask full o’ semen.

  610. jereme

      HAHAHA

  611. PhantomStranger

      Vegans who refuse to eat honey are morally obtuse.

  612. Matthew Simmons

      My comments seem to disappear.

      Contrived “meanness” is fucking dull.

  613. PHM

      lmao

  614. PHM

      lmao

  615. PHM

      lmao

  616. Brad Green

      A collection of stories is different. A collection of flash fiction may someday be called Capital G great, but not a single flash. No way.

  617. Brad Green

      A collection of stories is different. A collection of flash fiction may someday be called Capital G great, but not a single flash. No way.

  618. Sean

      Is Carver lauded? Where is his great novel? Salinger wrote ONE novel. How did that work out? What is Chekhov known for?

  619. Sean

      Is Carver lauded? Where is his great novel? Salinger wrote ONE novel. How did that work out? What is Chekhov known for?

  620. Sid

      Don’t hog the cup o’ semen, fartstick!

  621. Sid

      Don’t hog the cup o’ semen, fartstick!

  622. Brad Green

      A collection of stories is different. A collection of flash fiction may someday be called Capital G great, but not a single flash. No way.

  623. Sean

      Is Carver lauded? Where is his great novel? Salinger wrote ONE novel. How did that work out? What is Chekhov known for?

  624. Sid

      Don’t hog the cup o’ semen, fartstick!

  625. PHM

      Leave that man alone.

  626. PHM

      Leave that man alone.

  627. Aaron

      i’m also sick of my fucking canadian friends asking me how i don’t know any canadian novelists names beside three or four, or what’s going on in their indie lit world. why? because i live near the mexican border and that shit doesn’t trickle down that far is why. plus, if their literature is anything like their food (gravy and cheese curd on french fries; drinks like clamato) i don’t want it.

      i do want their women, though.

  628. Aaron

      i’m also sick of my fucking canadian friends asking me how i don’t know any canadian novelists names beside three or four, or what’s going on in their indie lit world. why? because i live near the mexican border and that shit doesn’t trickle down that far is why. plus, if their literature is anything like their food (gravy and cheese curd on french fries; drinks like clamato) i don’t want it.

      i do want their women, though.

  629. PHM

      Good thing he can write a poem.

  630. PHM

      Good thing he can write a poem.

  631. Lincoln

      So, what exactly is your argument? individual pieces of flash fiction or poetry can’t be considered great because an artist isn’t considered great until he has a body of work?

      You are making a pretty blatant logical leap there. The author =/= an individual piece. The first can be great and the latter suck or vice versa.

      I would say yes, there are poems and pieces of short fiction that are Great.

  632. Lincoln

      So, what exactly is your argument? individual pieces of flash fiction or poetry can’t be considered great because an artist isn’t considered great until he has a body of work?

      You are making a pretty blatant logical leap there. The author =/= an individual piece. The first can be great and the latter suck or vice versa.

      I would say yes, there are poems and pieces of short fiction that are Great.

  633. jereme

      i think here the use of semen covered nachos would have been more appropriate.

  634. jereme

      i think here the use of semen covered nachos would have been more appropriate.

  635. Mather Schneider

      Reb Livingston can kiss my ass. Her poetry is psychogarble and her attitude is self righteous. She likes her men well groomed and supservient and she finds plenty of that type among the poets. Her zine is called “No Tell Motel” which calls to mind exactly the opposite world that Reb actually lives in and believes in. After saying that, however, I have to say I would love to see Reb in fish net stockings standing outside the No Tell Motel here in Tucson. Nice legs on that one…

  636. Mather Schneider

      Reb Livingston can kiss my ass. Her poetry is psychogarble and her attitude is self righteous. She likes her men well groomed and supservient and she finds plenty of that type among the poets. Her zine is called “No Tell Motel” which calls to mind exactly the opposite world that Reb actually lives in and believes in. After saying that, however, I have to say I would love to see Reb in fish net stockings standing outside the No Tell Motel here in Tucson. Nice legs on that one…

  637. Janey Smith

      It’s not the tits, JEREME. Chelsea has a dick. That’s why Blake likes her. It’s the dick. Gays are stupid for great dicks, which is why Blake keeps making secret trips to Paris to “visit” Dennis Cooper.

      (Mean Comments #4-5)

  638. Janey Smith

      It’s not the tits, JEREME. Chelsea has a dick. That’s why Blake likes her. It’s the dick. Gays are stupid for great dicks, which is why Blake keeps making secret trips to Paris to “visit” Dennis Cooper.

      (Mean Comments #4-5)

  639. PHM

      Leave that man alone.

  640. Aaron

      i’m also sick of my fucking canadian friends asking me how i don’t know any canadian novelists names beside three or four, or what’s going on in their indie lit world. why? because i live near the mexican border and that shit doesn’t trickle down that far is why. plus, if their literature is anything like their food (gravy and cheese curd on french fries; drinks like clamato) i don’t want it.

      i do want their women, though.

  641. PHM

      Good thing he can write a poem.

  642. Lincoln

      So, what exactly is your argument? individual pieces of flash fiction or poetry can’t be considered great because an artist isn’t considered great until he has a body of work?

      You are making a pretty blatant logical leap there. The author =/= an individual piece. The first can be great and the latter suck or vice versa.

      I would say yes, there are poems and pieces of short fiction that are Great.

  643. jereme

      i think here the use of semen covered nachos would have been more appropriate.

  644. Mather Schneider

      Reb Livingston can kiss my ass. Her poetry is psychogarble and her attitude is self righteous. She likes her men well groomed and supservient and she finds plenty of that type among the poets. Her zine is called “No Tell Motel” which calls to mind exactly the opposite world that Reb actually lives in and believes in. After saying that, however, I have to say I would love to see Reb in fish net stockings standing outside the No Tell Motel here in Tucson. Nice legs on that one…

  645. Janey Smith

      It’s not the tits, JEREME. Chelsea has a dick. That’s why Blake likes her. It’s the dick. Gays are stupid for great dicks, which is why Blake keeps making secret trips to Paris to “visit” Dennis Cooper.

      (Mean Comments #4-5)

  646. Sid

      Maybe when you’re done getting another jug o’ semen you can tell me who you would pick, you faggotfart.

  647. Sid

      Maybe when you’re done getting another jug o’ semen you can tell me who you would pick, you faggotfart.

  648. reynard

      hipster ironic? since we’re being mean here:

      you say some stupid shit, jereme. you seem like a nice guy and thanks for the book (indirectly), but really, sometimes i’m like: is that supposed to be as obtuse as it appears to be? is this some kind of post-comedy shenanigans? am i just ‘not-thinking-ironically-enough’? or is this guy just thick in the head?

      i often feel like you think people are stupid for using terms you don’t seem to understand or take the time to research. people who bash intellectualism because they don’t understand it aren’t blue-collar heroes; they’re lazy morons.

      feel free to rip me open with your avoidatron beam.

  649. reynard

      hipster ironic? since we’re being mean here:

      you say some stupid shit, jereme. you seem like a nice guy and thanks for the book (indirectly), but really, sometimes i’m like: is that supposed to be as obtuse as it appears to be? is this some kind of post-comedy shenanigans? am i just ‘not-thinking-ironically-enough’? or is this guy just thick in the head?

      i often feel like you think people are stupid for using terms you don’t seem to understand or take the time to research. people who bash intellectualism because they don’t understand it aren’t blue-collar heroes; they’re lazy morons.

      feel free to rip me open with your avoidatron beam.

  650. jereme

      change things up

  651. jereme

      change things up

  652. drew kalbach

      i have to say that the ‘no regrets’ thing is really corny.

      but the typewriter logo is pretty awesome.

  653. drew kalbach

      i have to say that the ‘no regrets’ thing is really corny.

      but the typewriter logo is pretty awesome.

  654. Sid

      Don’t joke. That shit is tastee.

  655. Sid

      Don’t joke. That shit is tastee.

  656. Sid

      Maybe when you’re done getting another jug o’ semen you can tell me who you would pick, you faggotfart.

  657. reynard

      hipster ironic? since we’re being mean here:

      you say some stupid shit, jereme. you seem like a nice guy and thanks for the book (indirectly), but really, sometimes i’m like: is that supposed to be as obtuse as it appears to be? is this some kind of post-comedy shenanigans? am i just ‘not-thinking-ironically-enough’? or is this guy just thick in the head?

      i often feel like you think people are stupid for using terms you don’t seem to understand or take the time to research. people who bash intellectualism because they don’t understand it aren’t blue-collar heroes; they’re lazy morons.

      feel free to rip me open with your avoidatron beam.

  658. jereme

      change things up

  659. drew kalbach

      i have to say that the ‘no regrets’ thing is really corny.

      but the typewriter logo is pretty awesome.

  660. Sid

      Don’t joke. That shit is tastee.

  661. Lyn Lifshin

      Anyone want ten pounds of poetry? The nurses at the old folks home said they’d send it for me. Blake?

  662. Lyn Lifshin

      Anyone want ten pounds of poetry? The nurses at the old folks home said they’d send it for me. Blake?

  663. alec niedenthal

      wow fuck

  664. alec niedenthal

      wow fuck

  665. Lyn Lifshin

      Anyone want ten pounds of poetry? The nurses at the old folks home said they’d send it for me. Blake?

  666. alec niedenthal

      wow fuck

  667. Roxane Gay

      I don’t really like Mean Week. Mean is easy and it gets old, fast. Also, I hate people who complain about how no one is “real” as if they have a mystical understanding of authenticity and are somehow representative of all things real where real means aloof and judgmental.

  668. Roxane Gay

      I don’t really like Mean Week. Mean is easy and it gets old, fast. Also, I hate people who complain about how no one is “real” as if they have a mystical understanding of authenticity and are somehow representative of all things real where real means aloof and judgmental.

  669. Sid

      As opposed to spontaneous meanness? All meanness is contrived, you dummy.

  670. Sid

      As opposed to spontaneous meanness? All meanness is contrived, you dummy.

  671. drew kalbach

      yeah, i mean, it’s a little hot in a weird way.

  672. drew kalbach

      yeah, i mean, it’s a little hot in a weird way.

  673. Roxane Gay

      I don’t really like Mean Week. Mean is easy and it gets old, fast. Also, I hate people who complain about how no one is “real” as if they have a mystical understanding of authenticity and are somehow representative of all things real where real means aloof and judgmental.

  674. Sid

      As opposed to spontaneous meanness? All meanness is contrived, you dummy.

  675. drew kalbach

      yeah, i mean, it’s a little hot in a weird way.

  676. barry

      “fuckstick” and “o’semn”

      who the fuck are you. popeye?

      of course i was drinking semen, why wouldnt i be?

      you do realize though, that you will never be as good at anything in your whole shitty miserable life, then DFW was at writing the worst line in any of his books.

  677. barry

      “fuckstick” and “o’semn”

      who the fuck are you. popeye?

      of course i was drinking semen, why wouldnt i be?

      you do realize though, that you will never be as good at anything in your whole shitty miserable life, then DFW was at writing the worst line in any of his books.

  678. barry

      “fuckstick” and “o’semn”

      who the fuck are you. popeye?

      of course i was drinking semen, why wouldnt i be?

      you do realize though, that you will never be as good at anything in your whole shitty miserable life, then DFW was at writing the worst line in any of his books.

  679. gena

      too bad there’s still a few more days of mean.

  680. gena

      too bad there’s still a few more days of mean.

  681. PHM

      Last sentence: word.

  682. PHM

      Last sentence: word.

  683. gena

      too bad there’s still a few more days of mean.

  684. PHM

      Last sentence: word.

  685. drew kalbach

      i bet you could take barry, tao.

      barry is a big teddybear full of fire and death.

  686. drew kalbach

      i bet you could take barry, tao.

      barry is a big teddybear full of fire and death.

  687. Matthew Simmons

      “All meanness is contrived, you dummy.”

      So says the contrivance/ventriloquist’s dummy on the fucking comment roll.

      Nice.

  688. Matthew Simmons

      “All meanness is contrived, you dummy.”

      So says the contrivance/ventriloquist’s dummy on the fucking comment roll.

      Nice.

  689. Sid

      That’s okay. I don’t like you. Because you’re fat and ugly and a total fake. Lose the glasses, little girl. They don’t make you look smart.

  690. Sid

      That’s okay. I don’t like you. Because you’re fat and ugly and a total fake. Lose the glasses, little girl. They don’t make you look smart.

  691. drew kalbach

      i bet you could take barry, tao.

      barry is a big teddybear full of fire and death.

  692. Matthew Simmons

      “All meanness is contrived, you dummy.”

      So says the contrivance/ventriloquist’s dummy on the fucking comment roll.

      Nice.

  693. Sid

      That’s okay. I don’t like you. Because you’re fat and ugly and a total fake. Lose the glasses, little girl. They don’t make you look smart.

  694. david foster wallace

      Guys, I’m sick and tired of this. Stop it. Just wait for _Infinite Jest: The Video Game_ and you will all learn something about human kindness.

  695. david foster wallace

      Guys, I’m sick and tired of this. Stop it. Just wait for _Infinite Jest: The Video Game_ and you will all learn something about human kindness.

  696. drew kalbach

      agreed, i miss pr, although she posted an ass picture awhile ago that made me gag. i can’t think about the american flag without seeing that thing anymore.

  697. drew kalbach

      agreed, i miss pr, although she posted an ass picture awhile ago that made me gag. i can’t think about the american flag without seeing that thing anymore.

  698. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      yep

  699. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      yep

  700. david foster wallace

      Guys, I’m sick and tired of this. Stop it. Just wait for _Infinite Jest: The Video Game_ and you will all learn something about human kindness.

  701. drew kalbach

      agreed, i miss pr, although she posted an ass picture awhile ago that made me gag. i can’t think about the american flag without seeing that thing anymore.

  702. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      yep

  703. Clapper

      Seriously. What happened to her?

  704. Clapper

      Seriously. What happened to her?

  705. Brad Green

      Poems possibly. Fiction, no. A single piece of short fiction can never be Great because one can’t pack enough into it and still maintain readability. The large ideas found in lasting literature need room to breathe. If you compress such things too much, they whither and are thereby no longer Great. Good, very good, stunning even, but not Great.

      Great is too easily bandied about, especially on the Internet. I just ate a great corn dog. That flash piece was great. I just had a great comment on my blog. Etc….none of it is Great.

      Great should be reserved for those works that truly deserve it. To toss it about so often leeches the power from the word.

  706. Clapper

      Seriously. What happened to her?

  707. Brad Green

      Poems possibly. Fiction, no. A single piece of short fiction can never be Great because one can’t pack enough into it and still maintain readability. The large ideas found in lasting literature need room to breathe. If you compress such things too much, they whither and are thereby no longer Great. Good, very good, stunning even, but not Great.

      Great is too easily bandied about, especially on the Internet. I just ate a great corn dog. That flash piece was great. I just had a great comment on my blog. Etc….none of it is Great.

      Great should be reserved for those works that truly deserve it. To toss it about so often leeches the power from the word.

  708. drew kalbach

      fat from eating all that dough he’ll be making, right??

  709. PHM

      Now we’re getting somewhere. I won’t hold onto something that I thought of in fifty-three seconds just for the sake of spiting Reynard Fucktart. There’s a spot in the submissions for this. But then again, Drew, you could just send me a full letter on this. Anyone can. dispatch@litareview.com. I’m listening.

  710. Mather Schneider

      You a big Simon Perchik fan?

  711. drew kalbach

      fat from eating all that dough he’ll be making, right??

  712. PHM

      Now we’re getting somewhere. I won’t hold onto something that I thought of in fifty-three seconds just for the sake of spiting Reynard Fucktart. There’s a spot in the submissions for this. But then again, Drew, you could just send me a full letter on this. Anyone can. dispatch@litareview.com. I’m listening.

  713. Mather Schneider

      You a big Simon Perchik fan?

  714. drew kalbach

      total bullshit. you’re wrong.

  715. Brad Green

      Carver is lauded for a body of work, not a single story. A body of short stories is enough room to explore many things. Salinger wrote one great Novel. Novel, not story. I’m assuming these comments go with the discussion above.

  716. Lincoln

      Well impossible to argue with your personal prejudices. Your distinction between poetry and flash fiction’s ability at greatness seems arbitrary.

      Different forms accomplish different things. There are things a poem or a flash can do that a short story can’t and vice versa.

  717. Mather Schneider

      You can publish in as many mags as you can, I guess. Why is a book better than magazine appearances? Ass.

  718. drew kalbach

      total bullshit. you’re wrong.

  719. Brad Green

      Carver is lauded for a body of work, not a single story. A body of short stories is enough room to explore many things. Salinger wrote one great Novel. Novel, not story. I’m assuming these comments go with the discussion above.

  720. Lincoln

      Well impossible to argue with your personal prejudices. Your distinction between poetry and flash fiction’s ability at greatness seems arbitrary.

      Different forms accomplish different things. There are things a poem or a flash can do that a short story can’t and vice versa.

  721. Mather Schneider

      You can publish in as many mags as you can, I guess. Why is a book better than magazine appearances? Ass.

  722. Roxane Gay

      Good thing I wear them to see.

  723. Roxane Gay

      Good thing I wear them to see.

  724. Lincoln

      Most novelists aren’t lauded for a single chapter either. They are lauded for a significant amount of work… What does that have to do with anything?

  725. Janey Smith

      Once again, your comment illustrates quite clearly how you arrived at your lofty position within the internet literary community. So, plan on getting raped soon?

      (Mean Comment #6)

  726. Lincoln

      Most novelists aren’t lauded for a single chapter either. They are lauded for a significant amount of work… What does that have to do with anything?

  727. Janey Smith

      Once again, your comment illustrates quite clearly how you arrived at your lofty position within the internet literary community. So, plan on getting raped soon?

      (Mean Comment #6)

  728. reynard

      do it!

      i am only mean out of love.

  729. Brad Green

      Who then? Who wrote a single story that’s stood through time?

  730. Mike

      I’m pretty sure that’s not how rhyme works.

  731. Sid

      Sounds like you’ve been drinking some of that Vintage DFW Semen. You’re wrong, though. I’m better than DFW at a lot of things, like being a husband and a father. Because unlike that self-involved brat, I realize that there are a lot of things more important than myself, and I didn’t need to ace modal logic to figure that shit out. He was a great writer, but so what, that got him nothing except the undying love of twats like you. Go fuck a footnote, dork.

  732. reynard

      do it!

      i am only mean out of love.

  733. Brad Green

      Who then? Who wrote a single story that’s stood through time?

  734. Mike

      I’m pretty sure that’s not how rhyme works.

  735. Sid

      Sounds like you’ve been drinking some of that Vintage DFW Semen. You’re wrong, though. I’m better than DFW at a lot of things, like being a husband and a father. Because unlike that self-involved brat, I realize that there are a lot of things more important than myself, and I didn’t need to ace modal logic to figure that shit out. He was a great writer, but so what, that got him nothing except the undying love of twats like you. Go fuck a footnote, dork.

  736. Sean

      Roxanne criticizes Mean Week? That’s not mean. Mean plus Mean = Not Mean.

  737. Sid

      Get some contacts.

  738. barry

      brad:

      seriously? you’re not that dumb in real life.

  739. Sean

      Roxanne criticizes Mean Week? That’s not mean. Mean plus Mean = Not Mean.

  740. Sid

      Get some contacts.

  741. barry

      brad:

      seriously? you’re not that dumb in real life.

  742. drew kalbach

      there is way too much mean on this fucking thread to try to keep up. i’m bored, you’re all boring, shit.

  743. Brad Green

      Sure, different forms function on different planes. That’s why I can’t come out and say that a single poem can’t be great. Poetry works its shit weirdly. If flash were to do the same, it’d become poetry.

      I’m not sure it’s a matter of personal prejudice. I’m not saying Flash fiction is bad. I’ve read some stunning flash fiction. I’ve just never read any Great flash fiction.

  744. drew kalbach

      there is way too much mean on this fucking thread to try to keep up. i’m bored, you’re all boring, shit.

  745. Brad Green

      Sure, different forms function on different planes. That’s why I can’t come out and say that a single poem can’t be great. Poetry works its shit weirdly. If flash were to do the same, it’d become poetry.

      I’m not sure it’s a matter of personal prejudice. I’m not saying Flash fiction is bad. I’ve read some stunning flash fiction. I’ve just never read any Great flash fiction.

  746. PHM

      Google XXXX XXXXX. Let’s not be serious about her here. There’s reasons not to be. Leave her alone. WTF.

  747. Brad Green

      Dude, I’m on the internet. It’s not real life.

  748. Lincoln

      Brad:

      What does that argument have to do with anything?

      A single short story can only be Great if that writer ONLY wrote one story ever?

      Although if you mean what writer had only one story shine out, you could probably argue Kafka. I think he has better stories, but the Metamorphosis is the only one that has a big position in culture.

  749. PHM

      Google XXXX XXXXX. Let’s not be serious about her here. There’s reasons not to be. Leave her alone. WTF.

  750. Brad Green

      Dude, I’m on the internet. It’s not real life.

  751. Lincoln

      Brad:

      What does that argument have to do with anything?

      A single short story can only be Great if that writer ONLY wrote one story ever?

      Although if you mean what writer had only one story shine out, you could probably argue Kafka. I think he has better stories, but the Metamorphosis is the only one that has a big position in culture.

  752. Janey Smith

      Gosh, that was really mean Mather. I know Reb Livingston and she would definitely love to kiss your ass (I mean, that’s what she does)–that is, if your mom hadn’t infected it with, OOPS, the AIDS virus!

      (Mean Comment #7-8)

  753. Roxane Gay

      This doesn’t even make sense.

  754. Mr. Wonderful

      I don’t know about standing through all time, but there a plenty of writers who are still banking on one good story they wrote years ago, like Daniel Orozco and his “Orientation” and Sharon Pomerantz and her “Ghost Knife.” They got into BASS and then seemed to just chill in their cushy tenured positions.

  755. Janey Smith

      Gosh, that was really mean Mather. I know Reb Livingston and she would definitely love to kiss your ass (I mean, that’s what she does)–that is, if your mom hadn’t infected it with, OOPS, the AIDS virus!

      (Mean Comment #7-8)

  756. Roxane Gay

      This doesn’t even make sense.

  757. Mr. Wonderful

      I don’t know about standing through all time, but there a plenty of writers who are still banking on one good story they wrote years ago, like Daniel Orozco and his “Orientation” and Sharon Pomerantz and her “Ghost Knife.” They got into BASS and then seemed to just chill in their cushy tenured positions.

  758. M.J. Nicholls

      I would like to be rather mean to everyone who tore me limb from limb on the previous page.

      You are all jolly rude chaps, and I wish you a very unpleasant afternoon.

      Oh, I’m kidding. I love you really!

  759. PHM

      Hey I am a betting man. I bet on the Phillies to win the series in six games. I did. So I bet “Sid” is Blake Butler his own damn self.

  760. jereme

      drama

  761. barry

      brad:

      jayne anne phillip’s collection, black tickets. is 90 percent what we would call today flash fiction. and it certainly stands the test of time. i.e. her nba award nomination.

  762. M.J. Nicholls

      I would like to be rather mean to everyone who tore me limb from limb on the previous page.

      You are all jolly rude chaps, and I wish you a very unpleasant afternoon.

      Oh, I’m kidding. I love you really!

  763. PHM

      Hey I am a betting man. I bet on the Phillies to win the series in six games. I did. So I bet “Sid” is Blake Butler his own damn self.

  764. jereme

      drama

  765. barry

      brad:

      jayne anne phillip’s collection, black tickets. is 90 percent what we would call today flash fiction. and it certainly stands the test of time. i.e. her nba award nomination.

  766. Rebekah Silverman

      I don’t like mean week anymore.

  767. Sid

      You know what I hate most? Sensitive people. It’s not Germany in 18-whatever and you’re not fucking Goethe. We are about to enter the age of the Post-human. Get your shit together and lose your compassion and empathy. It won’t wash in the 21rst century. If meanness bothers you, or doesn’t stimulate you, then you’re living during the wrong goddamned epoch.

  768. Brad Green

      The Metamorphosis might be close, indeed. That’s a good one. I wonder how long it was? It wasn’t flash for sure.

      Do you think we’d still talk about Kafka if that was the only thing he wrote?

  769. Janey Smith

      Once again, Brad and Sean couldn’t make it to the IZOD LACOSTE sale at Bloomingdale’s so they’ve decided to circle jerk on themselves by politely discussing the flashiness of their small penises.

      (Mean Comments #8-9)

  770. Rebekah Silverman

      I don’t like mean week anymore.

  771. Sid

      You know what I hate most? Sensitive people. It’s not Germany in 18-whatever and you’re not fucking Goethe. We are about to enter the age of the Post-human. Get your shit together and lose your compassion and empathy. It won’t wash in the 21rst century. If meanness bothers you, or doesn’t stimulate you, then you’re living during the wrong goddamned epoch.

  772. Brad Green

      The Metamorphosis might be close, indeed. That’s a good one. I wonder how long it was? It wasn’t flash for sure.

      Do you think we’d still talk about Kafka if that was the only thing he wrote?

  773. Janey Smith

      Once again, Brad and Sean couldn’t make it to the IZOD LACOSTE sale at Bloomingdale’s so they’ve decided to circle jerk on themselves by politely discussing the flashiness of their small penises.

      (Mean Comments #8-9)

  774. barry

      really? where are your kids now fuckbag. go do something fun with your family and stop wasting their fucking life away while you’re jerking off online all day.

      if not, let me at the wife, i’ll fuck her.

  775. Lincoln

      I still fail to see what kind of argument you are trying to make.

      Would we talk about any poet if they had only written one poem?

  776. barry

      really? where are your kids now fuckbag. go do something fun with your family and stop wasting their fucking life away while you’re jerking off online all day.

      if not, let me at the wife, i’ll fuck her.

  777. Lincoln

      I still fail to see what kind of argument you are trying to make.

      Would we talk about any poet if they had only written one poem?

  778. barry

      dont do that drew. fuck man.

  779. gena

      god janey, WHY do you have to be so insensitive towards rape?!?!?! are you secretly a man? because only men can be insensitive towards it.

  780. Brad Green

      Barry:

      Yes, those are collections. I fully expect collections of flash to persevere. I don’t expect that a single flash can leverage itself up to the Capital G platform. But a whole mob of them can pile upon each other and reach that rarefied air.

  781. drew kalbach

      i just want someone to be mean to me, you’re all scumbags.

  782. barry

      dont do that drew. fuck man.

  783. gena

      god janey, WHY do you have to be so insensitive towards rape?!?!?! are you secretly a man? because only men can be insensitive towards it.

  784. Brad Green

      Barry:

      Yes, those are collections. I fully expect collections of flash to persevere. I don’t expect that a single flash can leverage itself up to the Capital G platform. But a whole mob of them can pile upon each other and reach that rarefied air.

  785. drew kalbach

      i just want someone to be mean to me, you’re all scumbags.

  786. Mather Schneider

      You pay attention to your name in the thread. I tried to, too. over 200 responses? Between you and me, this is crazy…

  787. Mather Schneider

      You pay attention to your name in the thread. I tried to, too. over 200 responses? Between you and me, this is crazy…

  788. jereme

      hahaha wow reynard. you pick my comment about “hipster irony” to go off on?

      really? some one feels insecure i think.

      as for the rest of what you said i agree with most of it.

      i don’t really think any one is “stupid”. really i would lean more towards fake and egotistical.

      i don’t even remember sending you a book. i have sent a few out. i am glad you liked the book but i didn’t do it to become your friend.

      so if you feel that my personality is not for you then i’m cool with it.

      no big deal.

      i am glad you finally spoke the truth that has existed in your mind.

      it’s a shame you had to do it under the guise of “mean weak” but baby steps.

  789. Brad Green

      Lincoln:

      No, we likely wouldn’t talk about a poet that wrote only a single poem. That’s my point primarily about flash fiction. I just want people to stop calling this one particular story Great. Great has become the fucked-out whore description. It no longer means anything real.

  790. reynard

      i hope it gets evil. it’s important to have balance in life. this is good for you.

      someone punch me in the face.

  791. barry

      brad:

      i think short stories didn’t either when they were new as a genre. im sure there was this same resistence. give flash time to be immortalized. it doesnt happen immediately. it didnt with any genre or new form. why would flash be different. give it time.

  792. davidpeak

      Damn. I think you made a lot of really good points here. I’m gonna have to bullet my notes here.

      Paragraph 1: I agree with everything you say.

      Paragraph 2: I agree with everything you say.

      Paragraph 3: At this point, I’m starting to get why we’re disagreeing. We’re coming at this issue from different angles. Perhaps I should have been more clear from the get-go: I’m not talking about anonymity in general, or arguing with the validity of pseudonyms. I’m talking about those who use anonymity here, specifically on HTMLGIANT, to express negativity they would otherwise keep to themselves. You write, “And I don’t think that’s a statement of cowardice; it’s a simple observation that some things matter more than others, and you can choose which of them makes your reputation.” This is a very good point, but it’s also vague. If someone makes the choice to comment anonymously then they are, in a way, making that choice because they feel what they have to say is important. And if something is important to someone–important enough to enter into a dialogue with complete or relative strangers in an online forum–then shouldn’t there be some accountability? I don’t know. Maybe that’s not really important. Maybe that’s just my idea of accountability. But it seems important that people own up to how they are representing themselves–both “irl” and on the internet.

      Paragraph 4: I agree with you.

      Paragraph 5: You write, “Writers have always had the option, and many have used it. Technology expands that. It is inherently non-inherent.” This is also a good point. But it’s best not to abuse that sense of entitlement. Of course, we most likely have different concepts of when abuse has occurred.

      Paragraph 6: This relates back to what I said w/r/t Paragraph 3–I’m only talking about negativity here. And of course unwarranted, unaccounted-for negative is going to get in the way of progressive dialogue. This really isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about owning up to our thoughts as individuals, choosing how best to express those thoughts, and having for respect for others while doing so.

      But damn, man. You’re actually giving me some really great food for thought here.

  793. gena

      thumbs fucking up.

  794. jereme

      hahaha wow reynard. you pick my comment about “hipster irony” to go off on?

      really? some one feels insecure i think.

      as for the rest of what you said i agree with most of it.

      i don’t really think any one is “stupid”. really i would lean more towards fake and egotistical.

      i don’t even remember sending you a book. i have sent a few out. i am glad you liked the book but i didn’t do it to become your friend.

      so if you feel that my personality is not for you then i’m cool with it.

      no big deal.

      i am glad you finally spoke the truth that has existed in your mind.

      it’s a shame you had to do it under the guise of “mean weak” but baby steps.

  795. Brad Green

      Lincoln:

      No, we likely wouldn’t talk about a poet that wrote only a single poem. That’s my point primarily about flash fiction. I just want people to stop calling this one particular story Great. Great has become the fucked-out whore description. It no longer means anything real.

  796. reynard

      i hope it gets evil. it’s important to have balance in life. this is good for you.

      someone punch me in the face.

  797. barry

      brad:

      i think short stories didn’t either when they were new as a genre. im sure there was this same resistence. give flash time to be immortalized. it doesnt happen immediately. it didnt with any genre or new form. why would flash be different. give it time.

  798. davidpeak

      Damn. I think you made a lot of really good points here. I’m gonna have to bullet my notes here.

      Paragraph 1: I agree with everything you say.

      Paragraph 2: I agree with everything you say.

      Paragraph 3: At this point, I’m starting to get why we’re disagreeing. We’re coming at this issue from different angles. Perhaps I should have been more clear from the get-go: I’m not talking about anonymity in general, or arguing with the validity of pseudonyms. I’m talking about those who use anonymity here, specifically on HTMLGIANT, to express negativity they would otherwise keep to themselves. You write, “And I don’t think that’s a statement of cowardice; it’s a simple observation that some things matter more than others, and you can choose which of them makes your reputation.” This is a very good point, but it’s also vague. If someone makes the choice to comment anonymously then they are, in a way, making that choice because they feel what they have to say is important. And if something is important to someone–important enough to enter into a dialogue with complete or relative strangers in an online forum–then shouldn’t there be some accountability? I don’t know. Maybe that’s not really important. Maybe that’s just my idea of accountability. But it seems important that people own up to how they are representing themselves–both “irl” and on the internet.

      Paragraph 4: I agree with you.

      Paragraph 5: You write, “Writers have always had the option, and many have used it. Technology expands that. It is inherently non-inherent.” This is also a good point. But it’s best not to abuse that sense of entitlement. Of course, we most likely have different concepts of when abuse has occurred.

      Paragraph 6: This relates back to what I said w/r/t Paragraph 3–I’m only talking about negativity here. And of course unwarranted, unaccounted-for negative is going to get in the way of progressive dialogue. This really isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about owning up to our thoughts as individuals, choosing how best to express those thoughts, and having for respect for others while doing so.

      But damn, man. You’re actually giving me some really great food for thought here.

  799. gena

      thumbs fucking up.

  800. rachel

      People who think that their sexism makes them edgy. People who use “pussy” to mean coward and “dick” to mean extroverted cruelwad. Possessing genitalia is difficult, confusing enough without everyone employing their names for an insult parade.

  801. jereme

      i say you punch him in the face so he remembers to not let people use his laptop or something.

  802. rachel

      People who think that their sexism makes them edgy. People who use “pussy” to mean coward and “dick” to mean extroverted cruelwad. Possessing genitalia is difficult, confusing enough without everyone employing their names for an insult parade.

  803. jereme

      i say you punch him in the face so he remembers to not let people use his laptop or something.

  804. barry

      yeah, dont be a pussy sean. out with the names kiddo

  805. Lincoln

      Brad:

      Seriously, you are making a blatant fallacious conflation here.

      The fact that an individual author will not be immortalized for one piece of fiction does not mean that one piece of fiction cannot be great. It means that you aren’t immortalized for doing a little bit of greatness, you have to do a lot of it.

  806. barry

      yeah, dont be a pussy sean. out with the names kiddo

  807. Lincoln

      Brad:

      Seriously, you are making a blatant fallacious conflation here.

      The fact that an individual author will not be immortalized for one piece of fiction does not mean that one piece of fiction cannot be great. It means that you aren’t immortalized for doing a little bit of greatness, you have to do a lot of it.

  808. Mather Schneider

      Sorry, Janey…you have nice legs too…

  809. Mather Schneider

      Sorry, Janey…you have nice legs too…

  810. Clapper

      You can WTF me, but I didn’t know who PR was beyond the walls of HTMLGiant. I’ll google.

  811. Brad Green

      Lincoln:

      I appreciate that last sentence quite a bit. Makes good sense, and it supports my statement that single, short works can’t be considered Great.

      Alas, the bell has tolled at work and I’m off.

      Thanks for the back and forth.

  812. Clapper

      You can WTF me, but I didn’t know who PR was beyond the walls of HTMLGiant. I’ll google.

  813. Brad Green

      Lincoln:

      I appreciate that last sentence quite a bit. Makes good sense, and it supports my statement that single, short works can’t be considered Great.

      Alas, the bell has tolled at work and I’m off.

      Thanks for the back and forth.

  814. jereme

      who made any comment about his “niceness” or his “smartness” ?

  815. barry

      pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy

      on top of being sexist, you forgot to mention how immature i am.

  816. jereme

      who made any comment about his “niceness” or his “smartness” ?

  817. barry

      pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy pussy

      on top of being sexist, you forgot to mention how immature i am.

  818. Brad Green

      Yes, I agree. I’m waiting.

  819. Sid

      Go right ahead. Her pussy is a quitter, though.

  820. Lincoln

      No. It doesn’t support your statement.

      A song can be great. Great Great. But an artist who only has one Great song is not a great artist, they just got lucky/caputred lightning in a bottle/etc.

      Hell, a novelist who has one great novel and 20 shitty ones isn’t a great novelist either.

  821. Brad Green

      Yes, I agree. I’m waiting.

  822. Sid

      Go right ahead. Her pussy is a quitter, though.

  823. Lincoln

      No. It doesn’t support your statement.

      A song can be great. Great Great. But an artist who only has one Great song is not a great artist, they just got lucky/caputred lightning in a bottle/etc.

      Hell, a novelist who has one great novel and 20 shitty ones isn’t a great novelist either.

  824. reynard

      i was talking about blake’s contest for his book. that was you wasn’t it?

      i’ve written something like that a few times but i’m usually not mean enough to pull the trigger without being provoked i guess. because maybe i do care how i am perceived to some extent. maybe that makes me a pussy. i don’t know.

      i don’t think anyone is fake. i think everyone represents themselves as they choose. there is no fake because there is no real. i could get academic with that shit, but i’ll keep it low to the ground for you.

      i don’t feel insecure at all. i don’t care if people call me a hipster if that’s what you’re saying. everyone is a cultural stereotype. it was just a really stupid thing to say and people say it all the time. seemed like a good enough thing to pick.

  825. chris east

      i don’t understand the purpose of HTMLgiant

      is it supposed to be so lame?

      fuck you guys

      i mean it

      seriously

      it doesn’t even look like a giant

      and i am down here in the comment box and looking at the /HTMLGIANT thing and it makes me think ‘fuck you guys’ and makes me want to send letter bombs and shit like that

      i don’t even know why i bother

      i am just going to ‘mark all as read’ and then ‘unsubscribe’

      fuck you guys

  826. reynard

      i was talking about blake’s contest for his book. that was you wasn’t it?

      i’ve written something like that a few times but i’m usually not mean enough to pull the trigger without being provoked i guess. because maybe i do care how i am perceived to some extent. maybe that makes me a pussy. i don’t know.

      i don’t think anyone is fake. i think everyone represents themselves as they choose. there is no fake because there is no real. i could get academic with that shit, but i’ll keep it low to the ground for you.

      i don’t feel insecure at all. i don’t care if people call me a hipster if that’s what you’re saying. everyone is a cultural stereotype. it was just a really stupid thing to say and people say it all the time. seemed like a good enough thing to pick.

  827. chris east

      i don’t understand the purpose of HTMLgiant

      is it supposed to be so lame?

      fuck you guys

      i mean it

      seriously

      it doesn’t even look like a giant

      and i am down here in the comment box and looking at the /HTMLGIANT thing and it makes me think ‘fuck you guys’ and makes me want to send letter bombs and shit like that

      i don’t even know why i bother

      i am just going to ‘mark all as read’ and then ‘unsubscribe’

      fuck you guys

  828. Sid

      My kids don’t come to work with me. Today is Wednesday and it’s 315 PM. I have a job. I don’t take it very seriously, but at least I have one. Sounds like you don’t know what a job is, which is funny, because neither did David Foster Wallace.

  829. Sid

      My kids don’t come to work with me. Today is Wednesday and it’s 315 PM. I have a job. I don’t take it very seriously, but at least I have one. Sounds like you don’t know what a job is, which is funny, because neither did David Foster Wallace.

  830. gena

      man, i thought htmlgiant was the lamest thing in existence, but then i read your comment.

  831. barry

      janey. see what happened there. i took my dick out of your mouth for one minute and you start bad mouthing me.

      alright tao. seriously. maybe im overreacting. but that was pretty fucked up man.

  832. gena

      man, i thought htmlgiant was the lamest thing in existence, but then i read your comment.

  833. barry

      janey. see what happened there. i took my dick out of your mouth for one minute and you start bad mouthing me.

      alright tao. seriously. maybe im overreacting. but that was pretty fucked up man.

  834. PHM

      Leave that man alone. I bet when he eventually goes off it’s going to be amazing. Until such a time, leave that man alone. He’s really a good shit. I don’t know why everyone’s always itching to broil him. He does things the right way without all the negativity and everyone just builds up hate toward him. I think it’s unacceptable and far from being understandable. I don’t want people subtly dissing him anymore than I want them openly doing it. Seriously. He’s a good person. That’s more than we can say for most of us here.

  835. PHM

      Leave that man alone. I bet when he eventually goes off it’s going to be amazing. Until such a time, leave that man alone. He’s really a good shit. I don’t know why everyone’s always itching to broil him. He does things the right way without all the negativity and everyone just builds up hate toward him. I think it’s unacceptable and far from being understandable. I don’t want people subtly dissing him anymore than I want them openly doing it. Seriously. He’s a good person. That’s more than we can say for most of us here.

  836. reynard

      i like cruelwad. i think i’m going to start using that. it sounds like something mr. rogers would say if he were loaded on seagram’s seven.

  837. reynard

      i like cruelwad. i think i’m going to start using that. it sounds like something mr. rogers would say if he were loaded on seagram’s seven.

  838. jereme

      part of being mean is to use a universal fear and apply it towards a specific person. you do this because human beings are petty and insecure and will most likely invent something to feel bad about.

      but yeah to me being obnoxious. that’s who i am.

      i remember specifically acknowledging you when ryan introduced us.

      i was taking opiates to deal with intense anxiety over meeting people. that probably added to my obnoxiousness and neglect.

      i’m sorry i neglected you. you should have said something.

  839. jereme

      part of being mean is to use a universal fear and apply it towards a specific person. you do this because human beings are petty and insecure and will most likely invent something to feel bad about.

      but yeah to me being obnoxious. that’s who i am.

      i remember specifically acknowledging you when ryan introduced us.

      i was taking opiates to deal with intense anxiety over meeting people. that probably added to my obnoxiousness and neglect.

      i’m sorry i neglected you. you should have said something.

  840. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      if it’s the person I think it is, I thought everyone loved him, and am very confused.

  841. Mr. Wonderful

      Is Barry the DOGZPLOT guy? If so, the one picture I’ve seen of him makes him look like a total fratboy loser. Like, he was the guy in the frat who wrote English class papers for his bros and so that became his “thing,” and it stuck. The couple stories I’ve read by him only reinforce this notion.

      I’d be afraid to say this in person because he’d undoubtedly kick my ass, probably while slamming beers and calling me a queer.

  842. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      if it’s the person I think it is, I thought everyone loved him, and am very confused.

  843. Mr. Wonderful

      Is Barry the DOGZPLOT guy? If so, the one picture I’ve seen of him makes him look like a total fratboy loser. Like, he was the guy in the frat who wrote English class papers for his bros and so that became his “thing,” and it stuck. The couple stories I’ve read by him only reinforce this notion.

      I’d be afraid to say this in person because he’d undoubtedly kick my ass, probably while slamming beers and calling me a queer.

  844. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Are you outing someone who wished to remain anonymous?

  845. jereme

      but hey i wasn’t getting punched in the face at awp either.

  846. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Are you outing someone who wished to remain anonymous?

  847. jereme

      but hey i wasn’t getting punched in the face at awp either.

  848. barry

      haha. sorry sid. i dont need to get a job. i found a university willing to pay me to teach writing.

  849. PHM

      she said a little less talk and a lot more action.

      yeah, this is lame now. i don’t like being interviewed among strangers, nor being interviewed ever really, so i think i’ve had my fill. it was fun. but now it’s gotten a bit retarded. i’m sure some think it’s only just begun. i think the goal was to get more comments than a regular tao lin post or something.

  850. barry

      haha. sorry sid. i dont need to get a job. i found a university willing to pay me to teach writing.

  851. PHM

      she said a little less talk and a lot more action.

      yeah, this is lame now. i don’t like being interviewed among strangers, nor being interviewed ever really, so i think i’ve had my fill. it was fun. but now it’s gotten a bit retarded. i’m sure some think it’s only just begun. i think the goal was to get more comments than a regular tao lin post or something.

  852. Janey Smith

      Aw, poor Chris East. Things don’t make sense at the GIANT so he decides to shut off his computer, storm out of his room and go help retarded people cross the street. Well, you see? Now, you have a purpose.

      (Mean Comment #10)

  853. Mr. Wonderful

      I never sexualized their relationship. It just seemed like Kenny was the lonely rich kid who wasn’t quite cool enough that was being exploited for his money.

  854. gena

      he’s just trying to get a trip to paris.

  855. Janey Smith

      Aw, poor Chris East. Things don’t make sense at the GIANT so he decides to shut off his computer, storm out of his room and go help retarded people cross the street. Well, you see? Now, you have a purpose.

      (Mean Comment #10)

  856. Mr. Wonderful

      I never sexualized their relationship. It just seemed like Kenny was the lonely rich kid who wasn’t quite cool enough that was being exploited for his money.

  857. gena

      he’s just trying to get a trip to paris.

  858. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Um, anyone who’s read any Dennis Cooper knows his tongue in your ass (and not his dick) is more likely to be the main attraction.

  859. Sid

      So people like you are to blame for all the shitty writing? Good to know. Go hang yourself.

  860. Jimmy Chen

      this entire tread is a work of art. good job people. i feel like somebody should publish this.

  861. Jimmy Chen

      thread i mean

  862. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Um, anyone who’s read any Dennis Cooper knows his tongue in your ass (and not his dick) is more likely to be the main attraction.

  863. Sid

      So people like you are to blame for all the shitty writing? Good to know. Go hang yourself.

  864. Jimmy Chen

      this entire tread is a work of art. good job people. i feel like somebody should publish this.

  865. Jimmy Chen

      thread i mean

  866. reynard

      i really want to do that actually

  867. barry

      at least you recognize you’re a queer. thats the main thing to get out of the way.

      but you’re right, you pegged it. i was the goofy english nerd that got to hang out with the frat guys so i could do their homework and buy their food and beer and give them rides and they could fuck my sister and then me and i did all their laundry and stuff. you’re right.

      thanks for confirming what other people already suspected.

      you must be a winner.

  868. reynard

      i really want to do that actually

  869. barry

      at least you recognize you’re a queer. thats the main thing to get out of the way.

      but you’re right, you pegged it. i was the goofy english nerd that got to hang out with the frat guys so i could do their homework and buy their food and beer and give them rides and they could fuck my sister and then me and i did all their laundry and stuff. you’re right.

      thanks for confirming what other people already suspected.

      you must be a winner.

  870. gena

      the goal has been reached. people love tao lin and being mean, apparently.

  871. gena

      the goal has been reached. people love tao lin and being mean, apparently.

  872. barry

      i intend to. right after i give that wife of yours another good fucking.

  873. barry

      i intend to. right after i give that wife of yours another good fucking.

  874. Janey Smith

      Let’s all get serious about rape, or whatever, during mean week. I mean, there are just some things that are off limits, right? (I’ll email you a photograph of my pussy when I get home. Okay, Gena? Post-rape, of course.)

  875. davidpeak

      here’s something to add to the mean weak pile: people who bitch about how lame HTMLGiant is and then keep showing up in the comments to say so.

  876. Janey Smith

      Let’s all get serious about rape, or whatever, during mean week. I mean, there are just some things that are off limits, right? (I’ll email you a photograph of my pussy when I get home. Okay, Gena? Post-rape, of course.)

  877. davidpeak

      here’s something to add to the mean weak pile: people who bitch about how lame HTMLGiant is and then keep showing up in the comments to say so.

  878. reynard

      jebus

  879. PHM

      Ellen Frances should do it and charge $20 a copy.

  880. reynard

      jebus

  881. PHM

      Ellen Frances should do it and charge $20 a copy.

  882. PHM

      Sorry. I had to.

  883. PHM

      Sorry. I had to.

  884. barry

      janey. can you cc that photo?

  885. davidpeak

      and blake, what the fuck? you started this thread..where the fuck are you?

  886. barry

      janey. can you cc that photo?

  887. davidpeak

      and blake, what the fuck? you started this thread..where the fuck are you?

  888. gena

      janey, i was being sarcastic and referencing something that roxane said. i found your comment really funny.

  889. gena

      janey, i was being sarcastic and referencing something that roxane said. i found your comment really funny.

  890. gena

      but maybe you knew that? sorry, i can’t tell. :-/

  891. gena

      but maybe you knew that? sorry, i can’t tell. :-/

  892. gena

      hehehehe.

  893. Michael James

      im not sure i stopped laughing while reading all of the 365 comments

  894. gena

      hehehehe.

  895. Michael James

      im not sure i stopped laughing while reading all of the 365 comments

  896. Michael James

      uhh…. 349. So on top of being incredibly good looking and a tomcat in the sack (all of which are a curse, this is mean week after all) i need glasses.

  897. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      tomcat in the sack

  898. Michael James

      uhh…. 349. So on top of being incredibly good looking and a tomcat in the sack (all of which are a curse, this is mean week after all) i need glasses.

  899. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      tomcat in the sack

  900. Gene Morgan

      I could delete this comment if I wanted to, or maybe sell it for money since I legally own this site and everything on it.

  901. Janey Smith

      Another fresh-off-the-boat opportunistic stab by the Buddha of stupidity. Hey, Jimmy? When you decide to stop living with your parents and move to Florida where you can live with Tao Lin’s parents, let me know. We’ll throw a party for you in SF, and beat you up so you look a little bit more swollen than Tao Lin does.

      (Mean Comment #12)

  902. davidpeak

      cat sack

  903. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      (which is why I comment on his blog, clearly)

  904. Janey Smith

      “Sucking” Dennis Cooper’s cock on webcam.

  905. Gene Morgan

      I could delete this comment if I wanted to, or maybe sell it for money since I legally own this site and everything on it.

  906. Janey Smith

      Another fresh-off-the-boat opportunistic stab by the Buddha of stupidity. Hey, Jimmy? When you decide to stop living with your parents and move to Florida where you can live with Tao Lin’s parents, let me know. We’ll throw a party for you in SF, and beat you up so you look a little bit more swollen than Tao Lin does.

      (Mean Comment #12)

  907. davidpeak

      cat sack

  908. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      (which is why I comment on his blog, clearly)

  909. Janey Smith

      “Sucking” Dennis Cooper’s cock on webcam.

  910. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      sack of cat dicks

  911. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      sack of cat dicks

  912. ce.

      my money is on Tao. he knows kung fu, right?

  913. ce.

      my money is on Tao. he knows kung fu, right?

  914. mike

      dead white dude loved by those who smoke weed but don’t listen to sublime

  915. barry

      i see i’m gonna have to put my dick back in your mouth so you quiet down a bit.

  916. mike

      dead white dude loved by those who smoke weed but don’t listen to sublime

  917. barry

      i see i’m gonna have to put my dick back in your mouth so you quiet down a bit.

  918. mike

      this is because video games are fucking stupid 99.99999% of the time

  919. mike

      this is because video games are fucking stupid 99.99999% of the time

  920. barry

      and besides. if it wasnt you how do you even know what im talking about?

  921. barry

      and besides. if it wasnt you how do you even know what im talking about?

  922. PR Lover

      FUCK

      It pisses me off that PR, the BEST HTMLGIANT poster of all time (even better than Roxane Gay (not really) or Ryan Call (again) ), fucking just disappeared and we have no idea where she went and anytime we ask it gets ignored by that fucking douchebag Blake Buttface (the worst HTMLGIANT contributor, by far—OK, that’s not true. He’s gotten better and he’s still infinitely better than say, Chelsea Martin).

      Either bring PR back or tell us where she went.

      FUCK

  923. PR Lover

      FUCK

      It pisses me off that PR, the BEST HTMLGIANT poster of all time (even better than Roxane Gay (not really) or Ryan Call (again) ), fucking just disappeared and we have no idea where she went and anytime we ask it gets ignored by that fucking douchebag Blake Buttface (the worst HTMLGIANT contributor, by far—OK, that’s not true. He’s gotten better and he’s still infinitely better than say, Chelsea Martin).

      Either bring PR back or tell us where she went.

      FUCK

  924. ce.

      done, and i missed 200 comments in the transit. holy shit this thread rules.

  925. Jimmy Chen is a fucking douche

      My name says it all.

  926. ce.

      done, and i missed 200 comments in the transit. holy shit this thread rules.

  927. Jimmy Chen is a fucking douche

      My name says it all.

  928. Zing!

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

  929. Zing!

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

  930. Joseph

      Photos of John amen leaning up against shit and wearing sunglasses even though his environment doesn’t seem sunny

  931. jereme

      @phantom

      well my personal philosophy is that all politicians are evil and the political system is corrupt.

      so any political statement is shit.

      from a logical standpoint i don’t get what you are saying. if everything is shit how is it not anything but shit?

  932. ce.

      mean week, tim. sean is ruthless and indiscriminate.

  933. Joseph

      Photos of John amen leaning up against shit and wearing sunglasses even though his environment doesn’t seem sunny

  934. jereme

      @phantom

      well my personal philosophy is that all politicians are evil and the political system is corrupt.

      so any political statement is shit.

      from a logical standpoint i don’t get what you are saying. if everything is shit how is it not anything but shit?

  935. ce.

      mean week, tim. sean is ruthless and indiscriminate.

  936. Mr. Wonderful

      ha ha ha

  937. ce.

      shit. that comment up there was supposed to go here. i’m a fucking idgit.

  938. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Oh, I know how to read Sean, but PH’s post made it sound like there were multiple and legit haters.

  939. David

      reynard, i totally agree with you about jereme. jereme, i totally agree with reynard about you. you sometimes seem sort of nice and stuff and i’m not speaking about ‘you’ in any total sense. you have a life beyond the comment box. but everyone has nice in them, sort of. and a life beyond the comment box, sort of. those facts don’t really ‘dimensionalise’ things when they act like assholes. and a lot to most of the time your comments here are to drop some kind of gnostic-ironic i-freely-admit-i-am-ignorant-but-not-above-the-absolute-obviousness-of-this-opinion-i’m-currently-having snarkiness aimed at deflating what you no doubt see as people’s ‘pretensions’ (although, in line with your act, you would deny that you see people as pretentious, or you would now deny that you don’t see them as pretentious, and in fact do, because i pre-empted the fact that you would deny it, and contrariness is king) even as you drift about on this cloud of sort of lower-capped zen non-commitment – which is in itself oozing with pretence – and then, after having had your essentially smart-alec say, disappear from your tail to your head leaving naught but a smile like the cheshire cat. well, good work or whatever, but i, for one, find it boring. and yes mean week has allowed me to come out and say this but i actually wouldn’t have bothered myself with saying anything at all because ‘the truth of you that exists in my mind’ is not at all important to me but the really irritating egotism of your ‘baby steps’ remark to reynard made me decide to say stuff after all. one day i hope i can be as honest and non-sheltered about everything as you.

  940. Mr. Wonderful

      ha ha ha

  941. ce.

      shit. that comment up there was supposed to go here. i’m a fucking idgit.

  942. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Oh, I know how to read Sean, but PH’s post made it sound like there were multiple and legit haters.

  943. David

      reynard, i totally agree with you about jereme. jereme, i totally agree with reynard about you. you sometimes seem sort of nice and stuff and i’m not speaking about ‘you’ in any total sense. you have a life beyond the comment box. but everyone has nice in them, sort of. and a life beyond the comment box, sort of. those facts don’t really ‘dimensionalise’ things when they act like assholes. and a lot to most of the time your comments here are to drop some kind of gnostic-ironic i-freely-admit-i-am-ignorant-but-not-above-the-absolute-obviousness-of-this-opinion-i’m-currently-having snarkiness aimed at deflating what you no doubt see as people’s ‘pretensions’ (although, in line with your act, you would deny that you see people as pretentious, or you would now deny that you don’t see them as pretentious, and in fact do, because i pre-empted the fact that you would deny it, and contrariness is king) even as you drift about on this cloud of sort of lower-capped zen non-commitment – which is in itself oozing with pretence – and then, after having had your essentially smart-alec say, disappear from your tail to your head leaving naught but a smile like the cheshire cat. well, good work or whatever, but i, for one, find it boring. and yes mean week has allowed me to come out and say this but i actually wouldn’t have bothered myself with saying anything at all because ‘the truth of you that exists in my mind’ is not at all important to me but the really irritating egotism of your ‘baby steps’ remark to reynard made me decide to say stuff after all. one day i hope i can be as honest and non-sheltered about everything as you.

  944. Janey Smith

      It is my understanding that visualization techniques have a far better success rate than verbal repetition. In your case, you may want to keep jacking-off.

  945. Jimmy Chen

      awesome. i actually googled “jimmy chen” “fucking douche” once but didn’t find anything. the times they are a’changin

  946. Janey Smith

      It is my understanding that visualization techniques have a far better success rate than verbal repetition. In your case, you may want to keep jacking-off.

  947. Jimmy Chen

      awesome. i actually googled “jimmy chen” “fucking douche” once but didn’t find anything. the times they are a’changin

  948. mike

      fuck white male heterosexuals who are “over” talking about class race gender and sexuality

  949. Roxane Gay

      Seriously?

  950. mike

      fuck white male heterosexuals who are “over” talking about class race gender and sexuality

  951. Roxane Gay

      Seriously?

  952. Roxane Gay

      And by seriously I mean, you are seriously going to go there?

  953. ce.

      if by crazy you mean the fucking awesome, then yes.

  954. barry

      i do, but its getting so old. my wrists and my forearms ache. all my dirty shirts and towels are full of jiz i wiped off my stomach. what else is there? i mean. sid’s wife, but that was yesterday and he’s right. she is a quitter.

  955. Roxane Gay

      And by seriously I mean, you are seriously going to go there?

  956. ce.

      if by crazy you mean the fucking awesome, then yes.

  957. barry

      i do, but its getting so old. my wrists and my forearms ache. all my dirty shirts and towels are full of jiz i wiped off my stomach. what else is there? i mean. sid’s wife, but that was yesterday and he’s right. she is a quitter.

  958. Roxane Gay

      That’s not what I said.

  959. Roxane Gay

      That’s not what I said.

  960. damon

      that was some funny shit. especially the shot at higgs.

  961. Janey Smith

      Aren’t you dead, yet?

  962. damon

      that was some funny shit. especially the shot at higgs.

  963. Janey Smith

      Aren’t you dead, yet?

  964. Janey Smith

      Neither does your master’s degree. But, you’re posting here on the GIANT anyways. Figures.

  965. Janey Smith

      Neither does your master’s degree. But, you’re posting here on the GIANT anyways. Figures.

  966. damon

      who the hell is barry and what makes him so badass? fuck a bunch of barry.

  967. ce.

      yeah. Carver’s novel sucked holes. this is coming from a guy who cried at the end of Cathedral.

  968. damon

      who the hell is barry and what makes him so badass? fuck a bunch of barry.

  969. ce.

      yeah. Carver’s novel sucked holes. this is coming from a guy who cried at the end of Cathedral.

  970. damon

      somebody has got to tell us what this facebook shit said already… damn.

  971. damon

      somebody has got to tell us what this facebook shit said already… damn.

  972. jereme

      reynard,

      yeah i forgot you just got that one. to be honest, i don’t want my name attached to it but assface butler always puts my name on his fucking blog when he gives them out. i try not to mind where the books go just as long as they go.

      i’m quite aware you have thought “mean” things. you are human. i personally feel to see the true nature of a person is to see them angry.

      you’ll know what they really think about you or if they beat dogs or whatever. the true self. sometimes i do say shit to get a reaction out of them so i can judge them. see if i can trust them.

      other times i say shit out of observation and it is viewed as mean. i think honesty and mean are confused too much.

      yeah save the intellectual shit for some one else. i’m just going to roll my eyes.

      i am very glad you don’t feel insecure. that feeling is what i want to be conveyed.

      words are meaningless. they can’t hurt you.

      stop hurting yourself with them.

      i’m like andy kauffman and hopefully you’ll understand me after i die of cancer. he died of cancer right?

      i think so.

  973. jereme

      reynard,

      yeah i forgot you just got that one. to be honest, i don’t want my name attached to it but assface butler always puts my name on his fucking blog when he gives them out. i try not to mind where the books go just as long as they go.

      i’m quite aware you have thought “mean” things. you are human. i personally feel to see the true nature of a person is to see them angry.

      you’ll know what they really think about you or if they beat dogs or whatever. the true self. sometimes i do say shit to get a reaction out of them so i can judge them. see if i can trust them.

      other times i say shit out of observation and it is viewed as mean. i think honesty and mean are confused too much.

      yeah save the intellectual shit for some one else. i’m just going to roll my eyes.

      i am very glad you don’t feel insecure. that feeling is what i want to be conveyed.

      words are meaningless. they can’t hurt you.

      stop hurting yourself with them.

      i’m like andy kauffman and hopefully you’ll understand me after i die of cancer. he died of cancer right?

      i think so.

  974. the guy who just fucked barry

      its the way he bends over and sticks it in your ass.

      since you seem interested you can be next.

  975. the guy who just fucked barry

      its the way he bends over and sticks it in your ass.

      since you seem interested you can be next.

  976. mike
  977. mike
  978. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      that’s a cat that’s having fun!

  979. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      that’s a cat that’s having fun!

  980. james yeh

      and why, may i ask, lincoln, did you have to get a new computer? certainly not because your PC got a virus from downloading all that porn, right? ;)

  981. davidpeak

      best series of replies ever

  982. james yeh

      and why, may i ask, lincoln, did you have to get a new computer? certainly not because your PC got a virus from downloading all that porn, right? ;)

  983. davidpeak

      best series of replies ever

  984. jereme

      hahahaha

  985. Michael James

      i dislike the britney spears’ of the poetry world.

  986. jereme

      hahahaha

  987. Michael James

      i dislike the britney spears’ of the poetry world.

  988. Michael James

      the ones who keep getting published, and people like them more, when really they’re kind of shallow. and kind of bitches (even if you’re male, sorry!), and they’re hailed as something to be hailed.

  989. Shya

      In addition to shitty flash fiction, I hate people who can’t get their shit together for 60 second to pay the $10 they owe people.

  990. Michael James

      the ones who keep getting published, and people like them more, when really they’re kind of shallow. and kind of bitches (even if you’re male, sorry!), and they’re hailed as something to be hailed.

  991. Shya

      In addition to shitty flash fiction, I hate people who can’t get their shit together for 60 second to pay the $10 they owe people.

  992. damon

      HA!

  993. davidpeak

      be specific. it’s mean week.

  994. damon

      HA!

  995. davidpeak

      be specific. it’s mean week.

  996. Blake Buttface

      I second that. And fuck Blake Buttface.

  997. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      word

  998. Michael James

      wow. that was incredibly funny. like, its terribly insulting, which makes me wince and laugh at the same time.

  999. Blake Buttface

      I second that. And fuck Blake Buttface.

  1000. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      word

  1001. Michael James

      wow. that was incredibly funny. like, its terribly insulting, which makes me wince and laugh at the same time.

  1002. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      yes, agreed

  1003. PhantomStranger

      “The political system is corrupt” is a political statement, and therefore also shit. But I think we’re talking about different conceptions of “political statements”.

      If you think all political statements are shit because no person or political system lives up to your ideal theory (i.e. “This isn’t utopia!” or “We’ll all be free in the closed, ethnically and culturally homogeneous dictatorship of the proletariat.”) then you have an objective standard to measure against, just not one that would actually exist, making it worthless. If you think all opinions are shit because they’re not like some other system that exists somewhere else, then not *all* opinions are shit.

  1004. +!O0o(o)o0O!+

      yes, agreed

  1005. PhantomStranger

      “The political system is corrupt” is a political statement, and therefore also shit. But I think we’re talking about different conceptions of “political statements”.

      If you think all political statements are shit because no person or political system lives up to your ideal theory (i.e. “This isn’t utopia!” or “We’ll all be free in the closed, ethnically and culturally homogeneous dictatorship of the proletariat.”) then you have an objective standard to measure against, just not one that would actually exist, making it worthless. If you think all opinions are shit because they’re not like some other system that exists somewhere else, then not *all* opinions are shit.

  1006. damon

      chen ftw

  1007. damon

      chen ftw

  1008. the guy who just fucked barry

      i know its mean week, but dont do that shya. then id have to say…

      i hate hypocrites who claim to hate flash fictions sites but use them to promote and publish their own shitty novel. they get flash fiction sites to serialize it in little pieces because it just aint that fucking good to get published in print…

      but you know. only cuz its mean week.

  1009. the guy who just fucked barry

      i know its mean week, but dont do that shya. then id have to say…

      i hate hypocrites who claim to hate flash fictions sites but use them to promote and publish their own shitty novel. they get flash fiction sites to serialize it in little pieces because it just aint that fucking good to get published in print…

      but you know. only cuz its mean week.

  1010. Blake Butler

      getcher game up, pussies.

  1011. Blake Butler

      getcher game up, pussies.

  1012. Blake Butler

      chelsea’s hot. mike’s hot.

  1013. Blake Butler

      chelsea’s hot. mike’s hot.

  1014. jenna

      your mom sucks cat.

  1015. jenna

      your mom sucks cat.

  1016. sammy

      Ha! Blake Buttface! Good one. We need to make sure that one spreads. LONG LIVE BLAKE BUTTFACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1017. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      true

  1018. Blake Butler

      no such thing as poetry

  1019. Shya

      oh, you mean the novel that’s coming out next year in print? you’re right: it sux. seriously, barry, pay me the damn $10 and be done with it.

  1020. sammy

      Ha! Blake Buttface! Good one. We need to make sure that one spreads. LONG LIVE BLAKE BUTTFACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1021. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      true

  1022. Blake Butler

      no such thing as poetry

  1023. Shya

      oh, you mean the novel that’s coming out next year in print? you’re right: it sux. seriously, barry, pay me the damn $10 and be done with it.

  1024. Blake Butler

      ken is actually my mentor

  1025. Blake Butler

      ken is actually my mentor

  1026. barry

      haha. im glad i finally have a real life example to make my point. just as much shitty longer fiction getting published as flash.

      i’ll send the money in a few man. fuck. sweatin someone over ten bucks like a fucking crackhead.

  1027. barry

      haha. im glad i finally have a real life example to make my point. just as much shitty longer fiction getting published as flash.

      i’ll send the money in a few man. fuck. sweatin someone over ten bucks like a fucking crackhead.

  1028. jereme

      david, i liked what you said.

      i would agree with most of it. i am a flawed human.

      the baby steps remark was meant to evoke a negative emotion (well of course if you let it).

  1029. jereme

      david, i liked what you said.

      i would agree with most of it. i am a flawed human.

      the baby steps remark was meant to evoke a negative emotion (well of course if you let it).

  1030. Blake Butler

      who gives a fuck

  1031. Blake Butler

      who gives a fuck

  1032. Shya

      holding out like you’re fucking homeless

  1033. Shya

      holding out like you’re fucking homeless

  1034. Blake Butler

      i make my own comments

  1035. Blake Butler

      i make my own comments

  1036. David

      Or sometimes Ken does for him. When he’s in the tub.

  1037. Blake Butler

      in middle school it was big buttler, that hurt more

  1038. Janey Smith

      Uh, Mike. If you want to fuck white male heterosexuals who are like JImmy Chen you should probably visit Dennis Cooper’s blog. It was made for conflicted homosexuals like yourself.

  1039. David

      Or sometimes Ken does for him. When he’s in the tub.

  1040. Blake Butler

      in middle school it was big buttler, that hurt more

  1041. Janey Smith

      Uh, Mike. If you want to fuck white male heterosexuals who are like JImmy Chen you should probably visit Dennis Cooper’s blog. It was made for conflicted homosexuals like yourself.

  1042. Blake Butler

      this could have been so much better. dang.

  1043. Blake Butler

      this could have been so much better. dang.

  1044. Mr. Wonderful

      ha ha ha ha

  1045. Mr. Wonderful

      ha ha ha ha

  1046. Mr. Wonderful

      Blake, have you ever watched the show? I’m serious. I really want to know, nothing mean about it.

  1047. Mr. Wonderful

      Blake, have you ever watched the show? I’m serious. I really want to know, nothing mean about it.

  1048. Blake Butler

      i’ve seen it

  1049. Blake Butler

      i’ve seen it

  1050. Blake Butler

      you were kind of hard to talk to in person because you mostly copped the same attitude that you use online. online i like it. in person i just wanted to hang out. you were aggressive. it made me feel weird. i wish you had relaxed more. etc.

  1051. Lyn Lifshin

      Hey, I thought I was dead but here I am, posting. The nurses just loaded 200 pounds of my poetry onto palletes then a truck, so who ever wants to publish everything I’ve written on the crapper in the last 3 months can have at it. Editors, just print it all, as that dickbrain in the earlier post suggested editors do. DFW: don’t take it too hard. At least you weren’t wearing an adult diaper when you wrote your best work, as I am.

  1052. Blake Butler

      you were kind of hard to talk to in person because you mostly copped the same attitude that you use online. online i like it. in person i just wanted to hang out. you were aggressive. it made me feel weird. i wish you had relaxed more. etc.

  1053. Lyn Lifshin

      Hey, I thought I was dead but here I am, posting. The nurses just loaded 200 pounds of my poetry onto palletes then a truck, so who ever wants to publish everything I’ve written on the crapper in the last 3 months can have at it. Editors, just print it all, as that dickbrain in the earlier post suggested editors do. DFW: don’t take it too hard. At least you weren’t wearing an adult diaper when you wrote your best work, as I am.

  1054. Blake Butler

      i’d say that the site is a trap for pussy you are trying to trap. stop stalking women on the internet.

  1055. Jimmy Chen

      what’s a better name for a band? “Fucking White Male Heterosexuals” or just “White Male Heterosexuals”

      i feel like the latter is more subtle.

  1056. Lyn Lifshin

      Drew, you’re ugly and no matter what your mommy told you, you have no talent and will die alone. How’s that?

  1057. Blake Butler

      i’d say that the site is a trap for pussy you are trying to trap. stop stalking women on the internet.

  1058. Jimmy Chen

      what’s a better name for a band? “Fucking White Male Heterosexuals” or just “White Male Heterosexuals”

      i feel like the latter is more subtle.

  1059. Lyn Lifshin

      Drew, you’re ugly and no matter what your mommy told you, you have no talent and will die alone. How’s that?

  1060. Lyn Lifshin

      Come here Reynard, I’ve got a fistfull for you. And what’s your name, anyway, etomylogically speaking? It seems a mix of “retard” and something French.

  1061. Lyn Lifshin

      Come here Reynard, I’ve got a fistfull for you. And what’s your name, anyway, etomylogically speaking? It seems a mix of “retard” and something French.

  1062. Matthew Simmons

      You expected this to be better? Clearly you haven’t been paying attention to your readership.

      ZING!

  1063. Matthew Simmons

      You expected this to be better? Clearly you haven’t been paying attention to your readership.

      ZING!

  1064. David

      hahaha

  1065. Blake Butler

      next week should be matt simmons week. posts about cats and old video games. i’m gonna go sit in a rocking chair. this comment is not disingenuously toned.

  1066. David

      hahaha

  1067. Blake Butler

      next week should be matt simmons week. posts about cats and old video games. i’m gonna go sit in a rocking chair. this comment is not disingenuously toned.

  1068. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Word. What the hell is poetry?

  1069. Matthew Simmons

      Every week is Matthew Simmons week.

  1070. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Word. What the hell is poetry?

  1071. Matthew Simmons

      Every week is Matthew Simmons week.

  1072. Lyn Lifshin

      Nurse?

  1073. Lyn Lifshin

      Nurse?

  1074. Janey Smith

      Blake, it’s not that you were once fat. Even Catherine Lacey was once fat before her ongoing struggles with anorexia. And it’s not that you have become a total buttface who doesn’t know how to run a business like Tao Lin’s parents. It’s that you are really, truly a boring fucking douchebag. I mean, not even your own sense of self-importance is that interesting.

      By the way, I think you gave me chlamydia.

  1075. Jimmy Chen

      i actually wouldn’t mind a matt simmons week. he should do a photo essay on the bookstore he works at, maybe talk more about jello horse, and a self-done word spaces, maybe post his metal music. also his weird youtube lessons. i feel matt simmons is enigmatic man and need to know more.

  1076. Janey Smith

      Blake, it’s not that you were once fat. Even Catherine Lacey was once fat before her ongoing struggles with anorexia. And it’s not that you have become a total buttface who doesn’t know how to run a business like Tao Lin’s parents. It’s that you are really, truly a boring fucking douchebag. I mean, not even your own sense of self-importance is that interesting.

      By the way, I think you gave me chlamydia.

  1077. Jimmy Chen

      i actually wouldn’t mind a matt simmons week. he should do a photo essay on the bookstore he works at, maybe talk more about jello horse, and a self-done word spaces, maybe post his metal music. also his weird youtube lessons. i feel matt simmons is enigmatic man and need to know more.

  1078. reynard

      omg

  1079. reynard

      omg

  1080. drew kalbach

      thank you lyn, whoever you are, just the kind of abuse i need to get me through the day!

  1081. barry

      58 shy of 500 and you fuckers run out of steam?

  1082. drew kalbach

      thank you lyn, whoever you are, just the kind of abuse i need to get me through the day!

  1083. barry

      58 shy of 500 and you fuckers run out of steam?

  1084. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      It may well be out of hand. But still, I’m digging it

  1085. drew kalbach

      second best comment of the night, right after jereme’s.

  1086. barry

      drew needs beat up every couple of days to feel special.

  1087. drew kalbach

      phillies are playing now you asshole, go be normal for once.

  1088. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      It may well be out of hand. But still, I’m digging it

  1089. drew kalbach

      second best comment of the night, right after jereme’s.

  1090. barry

      drew needs beat up every couple of days to feel special.

  1091. drew kalbach

      phillies are playing now you asshole, go be normal for once.

  1092. barry

      im watching it man. go phils.

      you gonna rip the fucking city up again this year when its over? i hope so.

  1093. drew kalbach

      hopefully this time i’ll start a dumpster fire instead of just throwing bottles at one.

  1094. reynard

      it means fox in german (renard in french). you know, robin hood before there was a robin hood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynard_cycle

      i hope this really is lyn lifshin because a 67 yr-old calling me a retard might be the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me.

  1095. barry

      im watching it man. go phils.

      you gonna rip the fucking city up again this year when its over? i hope so.

  1096. drew kalbach

      hopefully this time i’ll start a dumpster fire instead of just throwing bottles at one.

  1097. reynard

      it means fox in german (renard in french). you know, robin hood before there was a robin hood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynard_cycle

      i hope this really is lyn lifshin because a 67 yr-old calling me a retard might be the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me.

  1098. Janey Smith

      Ignore him, everybody. Barry is starring in his own bukkake film.

  1099. Janey Smith

      Ignore him, everybody. Barry is starring in his own bukkake film.

  1100. barry

      we dont use that word in america.
      whats with you fucks from the uk polluting our literature and our language. do your own thing.

  1101. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Nicely done, sir

  1102. barry

      we dont use that word in america.
      whats with you fucks from the uk polluting our literature and our language. do your own thing.

  1103. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Nicely done, sir

  1104. anonymous

      Tao, I would like to comment about that book. Send me a free copy like you send free copies of everything to everyone who comments. I just want my book before I comment on my blog. Send it to Anonymous, c/o General Delivery, New York, NY 10011. Thank you for your assistance.

  1105. anonymous

      Tao, I would like to comment about that book. Send me a free copy like you send free copies of everything to everyone who comments. I just want my book before I comment on my blog. Send it to Anonymous, c/o General Delivery, New York, NY 10011. Thank you for your assistance.

  1106. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Dick’s cat sack

  1107. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Dick’s cat sack

  1108. mimi

      Blake-
      You need some spin-offs.
      HTML midget
      HTML meanies
      HTML pussies
      I see a whole empire in the making.

  1109. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Then make it better. get mean, jam rag!

  1110. mimi

      Blake-
      You need some spin-offs.
      HTML midget
      HTML meanies
      HTML pussies
      I see a whole empire in the making.

  1111. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Then make it better. get mean, jam rag!

  1112. anonymous

      I would like to know more about those people before I can comment. Can you tell me something about them?

  1113. anonymous

      I would like to know more about those people before I can comment. Can you tell me something about them?

  1114. reynard

      this is the best one yet

  1115. anonymous

      Except for Miley Cyrus and Degrassi, I don’t know who any of these people are. Can’t you have some sort of chart that explains who is who.

  1116. David

      I think we’re violating the spirit of Mean Week, because I’m about to state a lot of agreement.

      I think we’re in complete agreement about where anonymity really is a clear negative. While we may define “abuse” differently, I doubt that it’s that wide a difference, based on your comments.

      There’s an element that you almost raise, in getting to the specific case of HTMLGIANT: for better or worse, the norms in this community are for non-anonymity, so those choosing to post anonymously do so with a degree of assumed bad intent. And often, that is the case. People who are just here to throw shitbags at people, cackle and leave reinforce the local preference for accountability. If Blake were to change his policy, as is his right, I don’t think it would actually interfere much with the type or nature of conversation on the site, but a handful of non-troll voices might vanish. And it would get the nonproductive shit-throwers to either slink away or man up (I think there is a category of “productive shit-throwers”, but that’s probably a topic for another discussion).

      Here’s where I think you’ve got a heck of an argument: “If someone makes the choice to comment anonymously then they are, in a way, making that choice because they feel what they have to say is important. And if something is important to someone–important enough to enter into a dialogue with complete or relative strangers in an online forum–then shouldn’t there be some accountability?” My instinct has always been to say that first-degree accountability comes in the form of the IP ban and the fact that Blake or his other site counterpart has my email address, but I also have seen enough flame wars to know that unchecked, unaccountable forum warriors can destroy communities, even ones that do ban offenders. Leaving the trolls aside, though, there is a different type of accountability and “presence” that I think you’re describing that is a notable difference between “itl” and the internet: when the going gets rough in an online debate, the anonymous can vanish without making a case or taking a blow to their dignity. That’s a real shortcoming, and my use of “man up” above (I think) indicates that I basically share your opinion.

      I guess I have just enough of a libertarian steak in me to hope that people’s better natures prevail, and that they stay in the fight or admit they’re wrong. This runs counter to the evidence, so in practical terms, you’ve got me. Ideally, anonymity should be absolutely unremarkable, but abuses and weakness of some who use it does make the practice suspect. I’m not convinced that revoking it doesn’t stifle more than it opens up.

  1117. reynard

      this is the best one yet

  1118. anonymous

      Except for Miley Cyrus and Degrassi, I don’t know who any of these people are. Can’t you have some sort of chart that explains who is who.

  1119. David

      I think we’re violating the spirit of Mean Week, because I’m about to state a lot of agreement.

      I think we’re in complete agreement about where anonymity really is a clear negative. While we may define “abuse” differently, I doubt that it’s that wide a difference, based on your comments.

      There’s an element that you almost raise, in getting to the specific case of HTMLGIANT: for better or worse, the norms in this community are for non-anonymity, so those choosing to post anonymously do so with a degree of assumed bad intent. And often, that is the case. People who are just here to throw shitbags at people, cackle and leave reinforce the local preference for accountability. If Blake were to change his policy, as is his right, I don’t think it would actually interfere much with the type or nature of conversation on the site, but a handful of non-troll voices might vanish. And it would get the nonproductive shit-throwers to either slink away or man up (I think there is a category of “productive shit-throwers”, but that’s probably a topic for another discussion).

      Here’s where I think you’ve got a heck of an argument: “If someone makes the choice to comment anonymously then they are, in a way, making that choice because they feel what they have to say is important. And if something is important to someone–important enough to enter into a dialogue with complete or relative strangers in an online forum–then shouldn’t there be some accountability?” My instinct has always been to say that first-degree accountability comes in the form of the IP ban and the fact that Blake or his other site counterpart has my email address, but I also have seen enough flame wars to know that unchecked, unaccountable forum warriors can destroy communities, even ones that do ban offenders. Leaving the trolls aside, though, there is a different type of accountability and “presence” that I think you’re describing that is a notable difference between “itl” and the internet: when the going gets rough in an online debate, the anonymous can vanish without making a case or taking a blow to their dignity. That’s a real shortcoming, and my use of “man up” above (I think) indicates that I basically share your opinion.

      I guess I have just enough of a libertarian steak in me to hope that people’s better natures prevail, and that they stay in the fight or admit they’re wrong. This runs counter to the evidence, so in practical terms, you’ve got me. Ideally, anonymity should be absolutely unremarkable, but abuses and weakness of some who use it does make the practice suspect. I’m not convinced that revoking it doesn’t stifle more than it opens up.

  1120. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      beautiful

  1121. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      beautiful

  1122. anonymous

      This helps a little but I think it will take me a while to figure out the differences between all these people. Are they really important? Am I missing something by not exactly knowing who is who? Please help me. I want to be a writer.

  1123. Janey Smith

      Meanwhile, Barry and Drew are living up to their more than slightly queer reputations by engaging in a little game of mutual masturbation in which they switch jacking each other off between innings.

  1124. anonymous

      This helps a little but I think it will take me a while to figure out the differences between all these people. Are they really important? Am I missing something by not exactly knowing who is who? Please help me. I want to be a writer.

  1125. Janey Smith

      Meanwhile, Barry and Drew are living up to their more than slightly queer reputations by engaging in a little game of mutual masturbation in which they switch jacking each other off between innings.

  1126. David

      Sorry David, looks like I posted my response above yours. Not sure how to respond to a right-tier comment without doing that. Anyhow, scroll up.

  1127. David

      Sorry David, looks like I posted my response above yours. Not sure how to respond to a right-tier comment without doing that. Anyhow, scroll up.

  1128. barry

      i never denied my fagness and enjoyment of mutual homo masturbation. whats your point?

  1129. barry

      i never denied my fagness and enjoyment of mutual homo masturbation. whats your point?

  1130. anonymous

      Hey, I know you, I thiink. You were the old Tao Lin, weren’t you?

  1131. Jason Cook

      Hey, some of us don’t have anything better to do with our time than stare like drugged-up housecats at whatever shiny bullshit the giant dangles onscreen, so leave ’em alone.

  1132. anonymous

      Hey, I know you, I thiink. You were the old Tao Lin, weren’t you?

  1133. Jason Cook

      Hey, some of us don’t have anything better to do with our time than stare like drugged-up housecats at whatever shiny bullshit the giant dangles onscreen, so leave ’em alone.

  1134. anonymous

      I scrolled down a lot as I couldn’t follow most of it. I have to get back to work. How do you people have so much time to make these comments?

  1135. anonymous

      I scrolled down a lot as I couldn’t follow most of it. I have to get back to work. How do you people have so much time to make these comments?

  1136. stu

      Are those two guys the same person? Seems like it.

  1137. stu

      Are those two guys the same person? Seems like it.

  1138. Janey Smith

      You’re a fag.

  1139. Janey Smith

      You’re a fag.

  1140. Jason Cook

      Fucking internet. For a print journal, every included author costs money. Somebody submitting a 3-minute prose poem is basically telling me, “look, now I deserve a free copy! Send it here.” If I’m going to give away a contributor’s copy for a one-page story it better be phenofuckingomenal.

  1141. Adam Humphreys

      Blake, I wanted to read your book, but I went to the bookstore and found the design (concept) so cheesy / obvious / literal / that I lost trust in your authorship + could not buy it.

  1142. Jason Cook

      Fucking internet. For a print journal, every included author costs money. Somebody submitting a 3-minute prose poem is basically telling me, “look, now I deserve a free copy! Send it here.” If I’m going to give away a contributor’s copy for a one-page story it better be phenofuckingomenal.

  1143. Adam Humphreys

      Blake, I wanted to read your book, but I went to the bookstore and found the design (concept) so cheesy / obvious / literal / that I lost trust in your authorship + could not buy it.

  1144. Ross Brighton

      The em dash is parethetical

  1145. Ross Brighton

      The em dash is parethetical

  1146. Janey Smith

      Adam Humphreys displays his critical acumen by refusing to evaluate the merits of a text by analyzing it’s packaging. Fag.

  1147. Janey Smith

      Adam Humphreys displays his critical acumen by refusing to evaluate the merits of a text by analyzing it’s packaging. Fag.

  1148. Jason Cook

      It’s what people who can’t write fiction write.

  1149. Jason Cook

      It’s what people who can’t write fiction write.

  1150. Blake Butler

      at a reading this older dad-aged guy with a foot brace and a collar shirt came up and sat real close to me with his face and asked why i’d made the book black and that instead it should have been bright yellow because he likes irony and that if the book is reprinted it should be bright yellow and then he stood up and went to get a cup of wine

  1151. Blake Butler

      at a reading this older dad-aged guy with a foot brace and a collar shirt came up and sat real close to me with his face and asked why i’d made the book black and that instead it should have been bright yellow because he likes irony and that if the book is reprinted it should be bright yellow and then he stood up and went to get a cup of wine

  1152. barry

      “It’s what people who can’t write fiction write.”

      i thought this was mean week. not stupid week.

  1153. Jason Cook

      No shit. I live nearby and thought about leading a lynch mob. I don’t know how many mobbers you can fit into a 96 Camry, though.

  1154. barry

      “It’s what people who can’t write fiction write.”

      i thought this was mean week. not stupid week.

  1155. Jason Cook

      No shit. I live nearby and thought about leading a lynch mob. I don’t know how many mobbers you can fit into a 96 Camry, though.

  1156. David

      the reprint should also be retitled “subtler design atlas”

  1157. David

      the reprint should also be retitled “subtler design atlas”

  1158. Janey Smith

      “It’s that you are really, truly a boring fucking douchebag. I mean, not even your own sense of self-importance is that interesting.”

      Actually, Blake, I think you got me pregnant. Don’t worry. I’ll abort it. Retarded children help make the flowers grow.

  1159. Janey Smith

      “It’s that you are really, truly a boring fucking douchebag. I mean, not even your own sense of self-importance is that interesting.”

      Actually, Blake, I think you got me pregnant. Don’t worry. I’ll abort it. Retarded children help make the flowers grow.

  1160. Adam Humphreys

      not sure if this is good or bad, I don’t wear contact lenses though

  1161. Jason Cook

      “it doesn’t look like a giant.”

      get a bigger screen, moron.

  1162. Adam Humphreys

      not sure if this is good or bad, I don’t wear contact lenses though

  1163. Jason Cook

      “it doesn’t look like a giant.”

      get a bigger screen, moron.

  1164. PhantomStranger

      Get it? Because it’s an insult *and* ironically politically incorrect!

  1165. PhantomStranger

      Get it? Because it’s an insult *and* ironically politically incorrect!

  1166. Jason Cook

      fuck “marginalized” people who can’t talk about anything else.

  1167. Jason Cook

      fuck “marginalized” people who can’t talk about anything else.

  1168. Janey Smith

      For Blake Butler, “mean” means not saying thank you after asking mom to pass the butter. (I hear she’s now using birth control. Better late than never.)

  1169. Janey Smith

      For Blake Butler, “mean” means not saying thank you after asking mom to pass the butter. (I hear she’s now using birth control. Better late than never.)

  1170. stu

      I think ambition usually is a false guise. Most people I know who actually have talent aren’t the ones breaking their backs to “make it” or “get respect” or show how clever they are. And I think the 6 million threads about grammar “no-no’s” would be understandable if this were like… you know… a fuckin’ teachers meeting. These people are supposed to be writers. Writers write, teachers teach.

  1171. stu

      I think ambition usually is a false guise. Most people I know who actually have talent aren’t the ones breaking their backs to “make it” or “get respect” or show how clever they are. And I think the 6 million threads about grammar “no-no’s” would be understandable if this were like… you know… a fuckin’ teachers meeting. These people are supposed to be writers. Writers write, teachers teach.

  1172. davidpeak

      Fuck mean week, man. As always, well-said. I’m glad we hashed this out. I look forward to the next time we have a disagreement/miscommunication.

  1173. davidpeak

      Fuck mean week, man. As always, well-said. I’m glad we hashed this out. I look forward to the next time we have a disagreement/miscommunication.

  1174. christopher higgs

      Really? You guys don’t like my “suite”?

  1175. christopher higgs

      Really? You guys don’t like my “suite”?

  1176. drew kalbach

      blowjobs, janey. i could give myself a handjob if i wanted one.

  1177. drew kalbach

      blowjobs, janey. i could give myself a handjob if i wanted one.

  1178. stu

      The funniest part about those “edgy” titles is that the story within is usually boring as fuck. Just more shit where each sentence begins with the same name or pronoun. And you can hear the voice dragging in monotone in the back of your head, and you just want to go out back and shoot yourself in head to get it to stop. To put it out of your fucking misery.

      Why do people CHOOSE to be so boring?

  1179. stu

      The funniest part about those “edgy” titles is that the story within is usually boring as fuck. Just more shit where each sentence begins with the same name or pronoun. And you can hear the voice dragging in monotone in the back of your head, and you just want to go out back and shoot yourself in head to get it to stop. To put it out of your fucking misery.

      Why do people CHOOSE to be so boring?

  1180. drew kalbach

      man you are one funny bitch tonight janey, i mean seriously. i would almost find it attractive if frumpy cat-lady twats were my kind of thing.

  1181. drew kalbach

      man you are one funny bitch tonight janey, i mean seriously. i would almost find it attractive if frumpy cat-lady twats were my kind of thing.

  1182. mimi

      Sorry. I was at work all day.

  1183. mimi

      Sorry. I was at work all day.

  1184. sasha fletcher

      dude. 1 and 0.
      fuck yes.

  1185. stu

      That’s because all white males look the same.

  1186. sasha fletcher

      dude. 1 and 0.
      fuck yes.

  1187. stu

      That’s because all white males look the same.

  1188. Sean

      I just ate nachos, Level 18.

  1189. Sean

      I just ate nachos, Level 18.

  1190. Michael James

      specificity will only cause them to become more popular negating the purpose of mean week which is supposed to demean people in a fragile state of uncertainty, and make them shave their heads (or genital areas, or eyebrows) and then have them disappear completely. but it’ll go how that fiasco did in real life. hair will be shaven (or rather, prose/poetry deleted and/or revamped) and then they’ll score a multi-million book deal and email me shit-stained hundred dollar bills.

      yes, i said email, because thats how fucking lame they are.

  1191. Michael James

      specificity will only cause them to become more popular negating the purpose of mean week which is supposed to demean people in a fragile state of uncertainty, and make them shave their heads (or genital areas, or eyebrows) and then have them disappear completely. but it’ll go how that fiasco did in real life. hair will be shaven (or rather, prose/poetry deleted and/or revamped) and then they’ll score a multi-million book deal and email me shit-stained hundred dollar bills.

      yes, i said email, because thats how fucking lame they are.

  1192. ASC

      Too many fucking comments on this post. Aren’t y’all supposed to be writing?

  1193. ASC

      Too many fucking comments on this post. Aren’t y’all supposed to be writing?

  1194. mike

      dennis’s is my first home, htmlgiant is where i go at work when the male slaves can’t pop up on my screen

  1195. mike

      dennis’s is my first home, htmlgiant is where i go at work when the male slaves can’t pop up on my screen

  1196. Sean

      500!!!

  1197. Sean

      500!!!

  1198. mike

      fuck htmlgiant for only loading 9% of the time on my home computer

  1199. kendra

      I hate mean week. Thank you PHM and Matthew.

  1200. mike

      fuck htmlgiant for only loading 9% of the time on my home computer

  1201. kendra

      I hate mean week. Thank you PHM and Matthew.

  1202. Lily

      i can’t believe i read all this shit. i kept on reading, hoping for humor or meanness or fucking entertainment. instead: shit.

      entertain me, fuckers.

      (please)

  1203. Lily

      i can’t believe i read all this shit. i kept on reading, hoping for humor or meanness or fucking entertainment. instead: shit.

      entertain me, fuckers.

      (please)

  1204. PR Lover

      WHERE THE FUCK IS PR YOU DIRTY ROTTEN FUCKING HTMLCUNTS?????????????????????????????????????

  1205. Ryan Call

      holy fuck people.

  1206. PR Lover

      WHERE THE FUCK IS PR YOU DIRTY ROTTEN FUCKING HTMLCUNTS?????????????????????????????????????

  1207. Ryan Call

      holy fuck people.

  1208. PR Lover

      Blake Buttface and

  1209. PR Lover

      Blake Buttface and

  1210. PR Lover

      Blake Buttface and the HTMLCUNTS, great name for a punk rock band.

  1211. PR Lover

      Blake Buttface and the HTMLCUNTS, great name for a punk rock band.

  1212. mike

      fuck “non-marginalized” people who think that talking about marginalization means you have nothing else to talk about

  1213. mike

      fuck “non-marginalized” people who think that talking about marginalization means you have nothing else to talk about

  1214. Blake Buttface

      Shut the fuck up. I don’t give a fuck you fucking buttface motherfucker.

  1215. Blake Buttface

      Shut the fuck up. I don’t give a fuck you fucking buttface motherfucker.

  1216. Teen Nick

      Fuck Amersand Review. Respond to my motherfucking submission.

  1217. Teen Nick

      Fuck Amersand Review. Respond to my motherfucking submission.

  1218. Michael Schaub

      Yeah.

  1219. Michael Schaub

      Yeah.

  1220. Mike Meginnis

      Also the decomP ad literally looks like poop.

      From a butt.

  1221. Mike Meginnis

      Also the decomP ad literally looks like poop.

      From a butt.

  1222. damon

      fuck sean and his incessant nacho ratings

  1223. damon

      fuck sean and his incessant nacho ratings

  1224. damon

      i just saw that Blake had already said fuck sean’s nacho talk. i guess i should actually read this blog sometimes.

      truck nuts are pretty funny. i want to put some on my volvo. swedish nuts.

  1225. damon

      i just saw that Blake had already said fuck sean’s nacho talk. i guess i should actually read this blog sometimes.

      truck nuts are pretty funny. i want to put some on my volvo. swedish nuts.

  1226. alan

      “or at least too many posts everyday”

      I hate when people use “everyday” when they mean “every day.”

      It’s dumb and it gets that song “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone stuck in my head.

  1227. alan

      “or at least too many posts everyday”

      I hate when people use “everyday” when they mean “every day.”

      It’s dumb and it gets that song “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone stuck in my head.

  1228. gena

      so pedantic.

  1229. gena

      so pedantic.

  1230. alan

      “mean” is a such a gay word

  1231. alan

      “mean” is a such a gay word

  1232. ce.

      i’m glad i read this exchange.

  1233. ce.

      i’m glad i read this exchange.

  1234. Ben

      and here I thought bukkake always had a nice ring to it.

  1235. Ben

      and here I thought bukkake always had a nice ring to it.

  1236. EC

      And Cathedral is a fucking rip-off of a much better story, D.H. Lawrence’s “The Blind Man.”

  1237. EC

      And Cathedral is a fucking rip-off of a much better story, D.H. Lawrence’s “The Blind Man.”

  1238. EC

      Next time I come to this sandbox I’m going to bring a metal-detector, because when I dig with my hands all I usually come up with is cat shit.

  1239. EC

      Next time I come to this sandbox I’m going to bring a metal-detector, because when I dig with my hands all I usually come up with is cat shit.

  1240. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      The Mac vs. PC tiredness and the lame “can flash fiction be great?” debate being the worst of the time-suck.

  1241. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      The Mac vs. PC tiredness and the lame “can flash fiction be great?” debate being the worst of the time-suck.

  1242. Blake Butler

      try harder

  1243. Blake Butler

      try harder

  1244. Nate

      this thread has made “fuck” lose all its meaning.

  1245. Nate

      this thread has made “fuck” lose all its meaning.

  1246. Ellen Parker

      I like it.

  1247. Ellen Parker

      I like it.

  1248. Blake Butler

      fuck’s meaning?

  1249. Ellen Parker

      Thank god you’re here.

  1250. Blake Butler

      fuck’s meaning?

  1251. Ellen Parker

      Thank god you’re here.

  1252. Ellen Parker

      ah, jezuz. fucking stab yourself in the throat with some scissors.

  1253. Ellen Parker

      ah, jezuz. fucking stab yourself in the throat with some scissors.

  1254. Ellen Parker

      Shit. Love this. “it doesn’t even look like a giant.” It doesn’t!

  1255. Ellen Parker

      Shit. Love this. “it doesn’t even look like a giant.” It doesn’t!

  1256. Lyn Lifshin

      anonymous, that’s just stupid. this is mean weak, not “weak ass shit comment” week. no name, no brain.

  1257. Lyn Lifshin

      anonymous, that’s just stupid. this is mean weak, not “weak ass shit comment” week. no name, no brain.

  1258. Lyn Lifshin

      it’s really me you fox-tard. come to my nursing home and let’s go one round before i’m on life-support. i’ll write a pound of poetry about you and the experience. really, kid, i love ya. all in jest. but do do me, would ya?

  1259. Lyn Lifshin

      it’s really me you fox-tard. come to my nursing home and let’s go one round before i’m on life-support. i’ll write a pound of poetry about you and the experience. really, kid, i love ya. all in jest. but do do me, would ya?

  1260. Lyn Lifshin

      yep, he’s a frat boy all right.

      frat boy frat boy frat boy frat boy fra — ahh hell, my joints are swollen. frat boy or not, i can’t type as quick as you. good on ya barry, you tub of lard.

  1261. Lyn Lifshin

      yep, he’s a frat boy all right.

      frat boy frat boy frat boy frat boy fra — ahh hell, my joints are swollen. frat boy or not, i can’t type as quick as you. good on ya barry, you tub of lard.

  1262. Lyn Lifshin

      frat boy

  1263. Lyn Lifshin

      frat boy

  1264. Lyn Lifshin

      god my corns are killing me.

  1265. Lyn Lifshin

      god my corns are killing me.

  1266. Ellen Parker

      Sid’s wife’s pussy is a quitter only when his dick gets near it. For everyone else, it’s good to go.

  1267. Ellen Parker

      Sid’s wife’s pussy is a quitter only when his dick gets near it. For everyone else, it’s good to go.

  1268. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      This is why you are Ellen Sparker #oneletteroffeditors

  1269. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      This is why you are Ellen Sparker #oneletteroffeditors

  1270. reynard

      if you paypal $10k to candcmagazine{at}gmail.com i will think about it, long and hard

  1271. reynard

      if you paypal $10k to candcmagazine{at}gmail.com i will think about it, long and hard

  1272. Father Luke

      Blogging is the incestuous wife of writing.

      alternately. . .

      Blogging is the field nigger of writing.

      – –
      Okay,
      Father Luke

  1273. Father Luke

      Blogging is the incestuous wife of writing.

      alternately. . .

      Blogging is the field nigger of writing.

      – –
      Okay,
      Father Luke

  1274. Rawbbie

      Or the people it takes three months to write a real prose poem. Most flash is fail.

  1275. Rawbbie

      Or the people it takes three months to write a real prose poem. Most flash is fail.

  1276. Rawbbie

      I KNOW i could take Blake Butler in a fight. Therefore I challenge him to a boxing match at AWP. I’ll bring the gloves if we’re on…

  1277. Rawbbie

      I KNOW i could take Blake Butler in a fight. Therefore I challenge him to a boxing match at AWP. I’ll bring the gloves if we’re on…

  1278. Rawbbie

      O those people who write poetry because they can’t write fiction: you mean Ondaatje, Bolano, Hemingway… The best fiction writers are just writing fiction because they can’t make money as a poet…

  1279. Rawbbie

      O those people who write poetry because they can’t write fiction: you mean Ondaatje, Bolano, Hemingway… The best fiction writers are just writing fiction because they can’t make money as a poet…

  1280. Rawbbie

      Five people I would punch in the face repeatedly and not stop until someone pulled me off of their bloody neck whole:
      Gilbert Godfrey
      Tyra Banks
      Nancy Grace
      Glen Beck
      Any of the Jonas or Madden Bros

      Honorable Mention:
      Billy Ray Cyrus

      Man I have problems, violent problems today.

  1281. Rawbbie

      Five people I would punch in the face repeatedly and not stop until someone pulled me off of their bloody neck whole:
      Gilbert Godfrey
      Tyra Banks
      Nancy Grace
      Glen Beck
      Any of the Jonas or Madden Bros

      Honorable Mention:
      Billy Ray Cyrus

      Man I have problems, violent problems today.

  1282. Rawbbie

      I seriously would box any contributor to HTML at AWP

  1283. Rawbbie

      I seriously would box any contributor to HTML at AWP

  1284. Matt Jasper

      I love you Lyn. No wait. It’s hate week so I’ll hate you for being four thousand more times prolific than I’ll ever be. I will also hate you for spelling “through” as “thru’ in some of your poems. While I’m at it, I’ll hate Billy Collins, Poetry Fucking Magazine, and anyone who has had a pic in APR.

  1285. Matt Jasper

      I love you Lyn. No wait. It’s hate week so I’ll hate you for being four thousand more times prolific than I’ll ever be. I will also hate you for spelling “through” as “thru’ in some of your poems. While I’m at it, I’ll hate Billy Collins, Poetry Fucking Magazine, and anyone who has had a pic in APR.

  1286. Sean

      I just went to the little Mexican dive down the road last night and ate nachos.

  1287. Sean

      I just went to the little Mexican dive down the road last night and ate nachos.

  1288. Michael James

      except me. although size kinda doesnt matter in a fight i’m 6’4 205lbs.

      and like getting into fights…

  1289. Michael James

      except me. although size kinda doesnt matter in a fight i’m 6’4 205lbs.

      and like getting into fights…

  1290. Mike Topp

      Well, what do you think I found in my stool today? GUESS!! GUESS YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!

  1291. Mike Topp

      Well, what do you think I found in my stool today? GUESS!! GUESS YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!

  1292. mimi

      I need a palate cleanser.
      Think I’ll go hang out at Cake Wrecks.

  1293. mimi

      I need a palate cleanser.
      Think I’ll go hang out at Cake Wrecks.

  1294. Richard

      just boot him and get somebody else, there was a waiting list, yes?

  1295. Richard

      just boot him and get somebody else, there was a waiting list, yes?

  1296. Richard

      Great stuff guys. I mean, you all suck. Fuck. Pussy.

  1297. Richard

      Great stuff guys. I mean, you all suck. Fuck. Pussy.

  1298. Amber

      Amelia. Yes.

      Also, I hate it when people say they hate all modernist poets. Really? Because I’m pretty sure the way you write was at least an eensy bit influenced by them. And that if you were alive back in the day, T.S. Eliot would have been your DFW. But thanks for playing.

  1299. Amber

      Amelia. Yes.

      Also, I hate it when people say they hate all modernist poets. Really? Because I’m pretty sure the way you write was at least an eensy bit influenced by them. And that if you were alive back in the day, T.S. Eliot would have been your DFW. But thanks for playing.

  1300. sasha fletcher

      fuck you and your goddam meanings.

  1301. sasha fletcher

      fuck you and your goddam meanings.

  1302. Ken Baumann

      A for effort

  1303. Ken Baumann

      A for effort

  1304. Kim

      You people are fucking mean, and you fucking suck. Go fuck your collected selves!

  1305. Kim

      You people are fucking mean, and you fucking suck. Go fuck your collected selves!

  1306. Marcus

      Seth Abramson is a weenie

  1307. Marcus

      Seth Abramson is a weenie

  1308. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      these are boring and obvious

  1309. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      these are boring and obvious

  1310. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      the slaves are my favorite. I dont like it as well when it’s escorts instead of slaves.

  1311. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      the slaves are my favorite. I dont like it as well when it’s escorts instead of slaves.

  1312. anonymous

      Barry I hope someone bites off your stupid dick. Do you have a girlfriend? Who would put up with your shit

  1313. anonymous

      Barry I hope someone bites off your stupid dick. Do you have a girlfriend? Who would put up with your shit

  1314. EC

      You’re right — I found a dog turd.

  1315. EC

      You’re right — I found a dog turd.

  1316. Tim Horvath

      This thread feels like the end of “Reservoir Dogs.”

  1317. Tim Horvath

      This thread feels like the end of “Reservoir Dogs.”

  1318. reynard

      is that motherfucking comic sans on your website?

      oh, and i see you have a mission statement, about how you are a writer, in typewriter font. oh.

      anyway, see you in hell, father luke. i assume you’ll be one of the bros in the white hoods?

  1319. reynard

      is that motherfucking comic sans on your website?

      oh, and i see you have a mission statement, about how you are a writer, in typewriter font. oh.

      anyway, see you in hell, father luke. i assume you’ll be one of the bros in the white hoods?

  1320. Rawbbie

      yep he did make them in his throat and on my …

  1321. Rawbbie

      yep he did make them in his throat and on my …

  1322. Rawbbie

      yeah, I was drunk… but lets do it. we could charge people at the door of my room to watch…

  1323. Rawbbie

      yeah, I was drunk… but lets do it. we could charge people at the door of my room to watch…

  1324. Mather Schneider

      F. Luke, I’m still waiting to hear what evidence you have of my plaigarism, since you accused me of it on Zygote messageboard and then promptly disappeared.

  1325. Mather Schneider

      F. Luke, I’m still waiting to hear what evidence you have of my plaigarism, since you accused me of it on Zygote messageboard and then promptly disappeared.

  1326. Father Luke

      Oh yeah:

      And Mather Schneider is a plagiarist!

      We got your mean right here bubbah!

  1327. Father Luke

      Oh yeah:

      And Mather Schneider is a plagiarist!

      We got your mean right here bubbah!

  1328. Father Luke

      This thread is about as mean as my grandmother’s freshly laundered handkerchiefs.

  1329. Father Luke

      This thread is about as mean as my grandmother’s freshly laundered handkerchiefs.

  1330. Mather Schneider

      How’s that stretched out Wills pussy treating you?

  1331. Mather Schneider

      How’s that stretched out Wills pussy treating you?

  1332. Father Luke

      Mather Schneider steals people’s work and claims it as his own.

  1333. Father Luke

      Mather Schneider steals people’s work and claims it as his own.

  1334. Father Luke

      Pssssst! Mather Schneider steals other people’s work and claims it as his own. PASS IT ON!

  1335. Father Luke

      Pssssst! Mather Schneider steals other people’s work and claims it as his own. PASS IT ON!

  1336. Lyn Lifshin

      Matt, love is all we need. I love you, but the Beatles not so much.

  1337. Lyn Lifshin

      Matt, love is all we need. I love you, but the Beatles not so much.

  1338. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Father Schneider feels other people’s junk and makes them moan. pass it on.

  1339. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      Father Schneider feels other people’s junk and makes them moan. pass it on.

  1340. Father Luke

      This thread, and whipped cream, make for about as mean as the internet gets.

      Imagination.
      Words.

      Lame.

  1341. Father Luke

      This thread, and whipped cream, make for about as mean as the internet gets.

      Imagination.
      Words.

      Lame.

  1342. man

      let’s talk about this

  1343. man

      let’s talk about this

  1344. man

      physician, heal thyself!

  1345. man

      physician, heal thyself!

  1346. PHM

      Rock on, Mike. I feel that.

      Class is the one issue that unites all races and people. I can’t stand these comfortable choads who think that because they’ve spent their lives in amniotic cocoons that the world is an okay place for people who don’t have things handed to them. Reality contradicts them every time they drive through the gentrified districts of Atlanta or Baltimore or anywhere else, yet still they deny the decay that needless poverty breeds. I’d be more comfortable with people who were at least willing to be honest about their neo-capitalist/aristocratic ideals. Instead, since they have no ground to stand on, and can’t or won’t pretend they’re one of us, they just pretend the issue doesn’t exist.

  1347. PHM

      Rock on, Mike. I feel that.

      Class is the one issue that unites all races and people. I can’t stand these comfortable choads who think that because they’ve spent their lives in amniotic cocoons that the world is an okay place for people who don’t have things handed to them. Reality contradicts them every time they drive through the gentrified districts of Atlanta or Baltimore or anywhere else, yet still they deny the decay that needless poverty breeds. I’d be more comfortable with people who were at least willing to be honest about their neo-capitalist/aristocratic ideals. Instead, since they have no ground to stand on, and can’t or won’t pretend they’re one of us, they just pretend the issue doesn’t exist.

  1348. Michael James

      marry me

  1349. PHM

      I just made a noise at that. It was my expression of amazement.

  1350. Michael James

      marry me

  1351. PHM

      I just made a noise at that. It was my expression of amazement.

  1352. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      nice

  1353. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      nice

  1354. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      You’ll have to fight me for it.

  1355. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      You’ll have to fight me for it.

  1356. Father Luke

      I’m Father Luke, too!

  1357. Father Luke

      I’m Father Luke, too!

  1358. Father Luke

      disregard that. i suck cocks.

  1359. Father Luke

      disregard that. i suck cocks.

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