Today is my second anniversary as an editor at Pave. Pave's third anniversary was earlier this month on March 3. Since separate anniversary posts are extravagant, I've combined the two in one post. My anniversary was designated as it left more time to procrastinate.
BY THE NUMBERS: In the past year I have posted 218 topics, an improvement on last year. There were 3 additional posts by other editors for a total of 221 posts in 2005. Again an improvement over the 187 posts by five authors from 2004. A grand total of 1,112 topics have been posted to Pave to date, by far the greater number (704) during its inaugural year.
Six hundred seventeen comments were posted in the threads in 2005 bringing total comments to 9,924, of which the management has deleted a handful for insupportable obscenity.
Pave has had 57,408 visits over the past year -- of which we suspect Messrs. Zmx et AB/AY account for half -- and some 79,287 page views. Per day Pave averages 170 visits and 229 page views.
In the great blogosphere ecosystem Pave rates as a "Slithering Reptile", ranking No. 5,653. I think last year Pave was a floppy bird. So Pave is devolving.
RAISONS D'ÊTRE: Pave is a strange little enterprise. It's mission is to mock and critique France. Originally this was done with great gusto and abandon by some twelve or more editors. It hasn't been a group blog for awhile. The editorial "we" is maintained but it is only me. As such its present range of opinion and expression and error are mine alone. I try to confine the mock to what is mock-worthy and conduct debate fairly in accordance with points of principle and the available facts.
Pave takes issue with French politics, policies, privilege, pretensions, perfidies, plus a few things not beginning with the letter "p".
Pave does not engender hate toward France. If that were the case Pave would not bother to mock or criticize or work the facts. It would maledict. And put something behind it.
PAVE'S CRITICS: Pave's critics accuse it of being racist, hateful, self-righteous, and arrogant. Of course these are claims Pave makes against France, but unlike its worst detractors, Pave puts its claims in a discursive context that can be tested against the facts and the hang of its argument.
Others inform Pave that it has no standing to criticize because somewhere -- usually it is suggested in Pave's own backyard -- these sorts of things are far worse than in France. And they may very well be, but that is to miss the point. Pave is not in the business of reforming the world. Pave is about France. False fractious faithless France.
The French want very much to be admired for anything they do. Francophiles want France to be celebrated for everything she has done. Their complaint with Pave is that Pave does not share their predilections. Oh, boo-HOO.
Pave's is not a blanket antipathy. What is praiseworthy, Pave finds time to praise. Were France to reform perhaps Pave would have more occasion for good reports.
WHAT'S AHEAD: I really can't say. I do not own the blog. And though there is much I'd like to do, I have neither access nor authority to make any structural or design changes.
THANK YOU TO THE SKIMMERSHIP: Thank you.
Woohoo!
Congratulations, Damian - keys or not - this has been your baby for some time.
let's get this switcheroo done.
Pave does not engender hate toward France.
(coughs...)
Of course Damian, of course.
And notice how Cafepress.com (direct distributors of "Pave" merchandise) uses "Hate The French" on their web address as well as for key word.
PAVE must be proud of capitalizing from - I'm not the one saying it - Hate.
Of course they hate Eye-rabs and others too, but it's hard to sell tee-shirts mocking minorities these days in the US. Don't want to be seen as racists, eh? ;-)
The French want very much to be admired for anything they do. Francophiles want France to be celebrated for everything she has done. Their complaint with Pave is that Pave does not share their predilections. Oh, boo-HOO.
Certainly one of the most aimless paragraph ever written by Damian. There's an almost palpable sense of desperation here. It's almost as Damian is getting senile.
Happy birthday Pave but you know where you can put your four candles.....
Ah, M. Zmx once again crashes headlong into a thread to demonstrate why many Pave correspondents refer to him by the affectionate soubriquet "Zoomeridiot".M. Zmx makes serious -- and wholly reckless --charges and they need to be dispelled.
The link M. Zmx provides is NOT a Pave store. Had M. Zmx done his homework instead perfecting screwing up his nose he would have seen that the store's owner is Mike Krempasky (just click the title masthead, it's that simple), NOT Pave.
The Pave CafePress store is here (or click on "store" in the marquee navigation of this site). Please notice that the "hatefrance" of Mr. Krempasky's site URL (not "Hate the French" as M. Zmx embellishes) is not in the Pave URL. Here are the keywords for Pave's CafePress store: pave france, french appeasers, anti-french, wussies, cheese eating surrender monkeys, cafepress. And to make a thorough job of it here is the store description meta tag: Pave France: The British need more parking! All of which serve Pave's mission as given above, to mock and critique France.
M. Zmx, the very soul of amity, is an exemplar of how to conduct non-hateful adult discourse:
Polwarth, you uneducated asshole.
Posted by: zoomerx on May 6, 2004 09:12 PMDo you defend this, asshole?
Posted by: zoomerx on November 24, 2004 02:11 AMI bet my Daddy could beat up your Daddy.
Posted by: zoomerx on March 5, 2005 03:55 PMAnd though M. Zmx feels it within his moral competence to determine Pave hates "Eye-arabs and others [!]" -- on what evidence, well that is never important to a Zmx impeachment -- he's something of a wilting plant when someone takes a broad brush to him:
...I don't appreciate your sarcastic "Jooos" comments and insinuations. I'm French THEREFORE I must hate Jews, eh?
Posted by: zoomerx on February 23, 2004 03:14 PM(Please note M. Zmx does not care for sarcasm. So, please, no sarcasm.)
His implication is clear, that Pave is a "racist" "hate" site. But what are we to make of these:
Of course "French" is not a race.
Posted by zoomerx at May 4, 2004 05:42 PMPersonally I don't find Pave "racist". Much to do about nothing.
Posted by: zoomerx on May 4, 2004 05:52 PMThe problem for M. Zmx posting his contradictory comments is not that they will be read but that they can be found.
M. Zmx ends by alloting this "racist" "hate" site of which he so disapproves an extra candle for growth. If his characterizations were true or heartfelt, then the appropriate wish is for Pave to go dark. But we are sports and would gladly place the four candles where M. Zmx suggests, but his head appears to be tightly wedged in that dark place.
The Management
Congratulations, Pave on 3 wonderful years; and Damian, great job the last 2 years.
You have given us a forum to discuss matters that involve France and the US. You have given us a forum to discuss politics and polices of countries that, without this blog, we would not have discussed. I am thinking particularly of discussions that M. ABAY and I have had about South America. You have given us a forum to discuss almost any matter that any of your semi-regular posters want to write about. Again, M. ABAY and my many “off subject” comments come to mind…your tolerance is most duly noted!
This, a hate site? I must respectfully disagree with our esteemed colleague zoomer. (Actually, I think, zoomer, that you are a paid operative of some French government administration…geez, listen to me! Now I’m starting to get some of these weird ABAY theories going on in my head!)
Pave takes issue with French politics, policies, privilege, pretensions, perfidies, plus a few things not beginning with the letter "p".
Yes, thank you Damian. You have passionately provided us with your precise prolific pronunciamentos, philippics, and potent pasquinades in this most plausible place. Well, enough of this palaver!
Well done!
Hey Damian, two years on the job. Congrats. Now no frog employer can fire you. That is what the youts in frogistan are protesting against these days, right zoomer old boy? Or is it the headscarf ban? Or how the rest of frogistan is racist against them? Or because it is a Tuesday? Or because US didn't ratify Kyoto which caused a deadly summer heatwave which killed 15,000 of your fellow citizens? (Everything except the "Tuesday" protest, which was a joke, (although not too much given the frog propensity to strike) has been discussed here on Pave.)
Wow Damian looking at your productivity over the past two years it is official, you put more work into this hobby of yours than the average french rail worker does at his job.
why many Pave correspondents refer to him by the affectionate soubriquet "Zoomeridiot"
Many? the only one I know is cannon. Link please, and no cheating. When I say you're getting senile by each posting, I mean it.
The link M. Zmx provides is not a Pave store. Had M. Zmx done his homework instead perfecting screwing up his nose he would have seen that that store's owner is Mike Krempasky (just click the title masthead, it's that simple), NOT Pave.
(I knew that, Sherlock)
Translation: "We at PAVE deny that Mr Krempasky is in any way affiliated with our company".
Tu prends vraiement les gens pour des cons ou quoi?
As for posting my "hateful" comments, would it be too much asking you to post the entire exchange, i.e. racist slurs courtesy of some of your high school dropout / culture deficient fans?
Personally I don't find Pave "racist". Much to do about nothing.
I do now, thanks to Mr Krempasky's clothing line. Les temps changent.
Come on Damian, at least admit you're a bigot, I would have more respect for you.
This, a hate site? I must respectfully disagree with our esteemed colleague zoomer.
More of a hate "buffer", andy, France is just an ideal target. What's really behind it are tee-shirt salesmen passing as righteous moralists, pushing their cheap products in order to satisfy their politically-correct prejudices.
I would bet "XXX-Large" sleeveless sell the best. Stereotypes are so easy.
Ah, M. Zmx who is forever refining his rough comments now comes forth and tells us he knew what he by design omitted earlier. M. Zmx deliberately advanced a false impression by his omission, that is, he lied. Anyone reading his post is meant to mistake the linked store as Pave's store. M. Zmx did not mention it was not -- this fact rather spoils his argument -- but admits he knew this at the time. Not to put too fine a point on this, M. Zmx lied, lied with malice, and now defends his caught-out lie.
M. Zmx suggests that we are to be held to account for the opinions and activities of associates, compatriots, anybody within sight -- even were we to take issue with them. By his standard, will M. Zmx, who is uncomfortable with responsibility for his own claims, go to the mat for his companion franchouilles?
M. Zmx, who struggles with his Olympian remove, presumes to address us using "tu", yet we are neither familiars nor relations nor intimates. As for an answer to his question, well, yes, M. Zmx is a "con" in both the French and the English senses.
M. Zmx asks us to defend his juvenile replies. His defense: "They" started it first. Oh, yes, that's a brave and winning playground defense. So much for "Olympian remove". Our citations are fair, dated, and given with time of post. We invite M. Zmx to go do his own spade work.
Attention! M. Zmx has reconsidered and Pave is now a "racist" site -- but wait! He has reconsidered yet again --a mere one post down -- and, no, it is a "'racist' buffer" whatever distinction that is.
M. Zmx implores us to admit we are a bigot, well, because he can't make his case. Actually because he can't be bothered to make his case. He considers his damning name-calling to be sufficient and final, the last word -- oh, and would we be so kind as to accede? You know, to make it official-like. There's a bonus. If we confirm M. Zmx's prejudices he will grant us yet "more" of his "respect".
Whatever makes him dream we crave the respect in whatever quantity of his discredited person?
And such is what passes for discursus skipping across the pebble-smooth cortex housed in M. Zmx's roomy brainpan.
As before, M. Zmx continues, unnecessarily, to provide us additional proofs for his soubriquet, Zoomeridiot. For our part, we invite M. Zmx to freely admit he is an idiot.
This won't earn our respect, but we will admit he has given fair warning to all. Official-like.
DGB
What I love about Damian is his uncanny ability to avoid legitimate points with, well... bullshit. Damian speaks a lot, calls me a liar, but avoids every single point I have made. Suddenly he's not so quick in providing links. And since you are so quick in exposing my quotes, Damian, could you please point out where did I suggest Pave was the distributor of these shirts?
No I did not lie, Damian, and you know it. "Hate France, buy a Pave tee-shirt", it's as simple as that. Pas vrai, Mr Krempasky?
OK, I think I have a solution to the bickering here.
The Washington Performing Arts Society is having a silent auction to raise money.
One of the items to bid on is:
DINNER WITH THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Enjoy a special evening at the residence of the Ambassador of France and Madame Levitte. A total of 10 guests will enjoy a dinner of fine French cuisine.
The Embassy of France is here in DC.
OK, I am willing to pay $1,500.00 USD for this. If Zoomer, Damian, ABAY and other Pave readers (Perhaps Carine from E-nough) are also willing to pay $1,500 USD we can bid $15,000.00 USD for this. Who knows, we may win, and just think of the conversation at the table! (Not to mention the WINE.)
Of course, I come out ahead, because I’m already here in DC. You all would have to get here, but airfare to DC is cheap I am told.
I’m assuming that some sort of security check may take place, so please make sure that you can pass. ABAY, zoomer, you got that?:)
This is serious. Please email me if you are interested. We do need 10 people. 9 might work, as I would be willing to take my niece if we are short.
Andy, but think of the WHINE we would have to endure at the table.*shiver*
Sorry andy, I'd love to visit Washington DC and meet you in person but I cannot. Thank you for the thought.
