Damn You Ales Rarus Damn You

Before I go into a jealous rant about all the attention that Ales Rarus is getting (Damn you Ales Rarus and I mean that), let me repeat my dual cinematic mantra as to why people are drawn to the Internet. I will use Annie Hall and Goodfellas as my movie references. First, people are drawn to the Internet because we needed the eggs, and two, and I'm paraphrasing Paul Sorvino here, because they get things from the Internet that they can't get from anywhere else, such as, oh, Real Information that has nothing to do with missing white women and license plate design.

If you want to know why the Internet is superior to the older model of newspapers, just contrast the PG's story about the blogfest by Tim McNulty to the online insights here, here, here, here and here, not to mention my own comments about the story about to come. Who knows more about what happened at Blogfest: the person who read the paper or the person who read the Internet accounts from several people with a number of point of views? I think it's the latter, as messy and unedited and Catholic Jihadish that view may be.

And, of course, it's not just depth that makes the Internet better, it's often the content. You want to see the most insightful and honest account of Chuck Pennacchio's last visit to town take a look at Fester's Place (which I didn't agree with entirely--Chuck Penn doesn't have to have a detailed Iraq pull out plan just yet, really--but don't have time to write about it) or here's a quiz: who has done more public good lately, the somewhat Eurotrash male model behind Comments from Left Field or yer average corporate press reporter/columnist? Really now, be honest...

I believe Mr. McNulty referred to Ales Rarus as "interesting" and: "while never seeming to have a preordained position". Really? Is that what you call it? Does he mean interesting in the way that a Catholic version of a Mullah would be interesting? He consistently repeats what the Catholic Hierarchy says about everything. Oddly enough, the Ales Rarus position on contraception, stem cell research and the abortion issue would jibe pretty well with your basic radical Taliban cleric. Here's a theory I have: you know why Ales Rarus hasn't come to a conclusion about intelligent design? Because the Catholic Hierarchy hasn't told him what to think yet. So, far from Eric's opinions not being preordained, they are, in fact, preordained from High Above. Consistently. Where he's inconsistent is when he acts in a way that seems to contradict the Passion of The Christ, such as the snobby yuppie who hates panhandlers (just like Jeebus) or publishes a defense of Walmart, arguably one of the most Evil corporations on Earth. He wouldn't be my first choice for a standard bearer for Pittsburgh bloggers, because he's, well, a crazy fundamentalist, sorta. Tim didn't know this? Can Tim read? Jeez.

Now, the thing about it, I just happened to know the details about the Pittsburgh blog scene because I am involved in it despite being anti-social, but what about this guy's judgement on issues I'm not personally involved in? I just think he would get it wrong. Thus endeth my jealous rant.