The Dudeism Forum

I nominate Joe the Plumber..................

http://news.aol.com/elections/article/joe-the-plumber-lashes-out-at-media/216936


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqsPJHWDJV4

"nay-nay!" to this douche...

he makes more than Jackie Treehorn's 10% finder's fee, he's so concerned about his taxes that he hassles Obama about it, and he's held up buy the The Big McCainski (who ought to be tooling around in a motorized wheelchair) as a decent American...

This is not a worthy adversary, nor is he a dude.

How about Ted the mechanic?

Quote from: digbys kid on October 19, 2008, 03:39:51 PM
"nay-nay!" to this douche...

he makes more than Jackie Treehorn's 10% finder's fee, he's so concerned about his taxes that he hassles Obama about it, and he's held up buy the The Big McCainski (who ought to be tooling around in a motorized wheelchair) as a decent American...

This is not a worthy adversary, nor is he a dude.

Joe the plumber is the common man, like the dude.  A dude in his own right.

Quote from: digitalbuddha on October 19, 2008, 09:24:45 PM

Quote from: digbys kid on October 19, 2008, 03:39:51 PM
"nay-nay!" to this douche...

he makes more than Jackie Treehorn's 10% finder's fee, he's so concerned about his taxes that he hassles Obama about it, and he's held up buy the The Big McCainski (who ought to be tooling around in a motorized wheelchair) as a decent American...

This is not a worthy adversary, nor is he a dude.

Joe the plumber is the common man, like the dude.  A dude in his own right.

The Dude is an uncommon man. 

Joe is just some guy who is being used, someone the square crowd doesn't normally give a shit about, but since they got their poisonous hands on him, his "dudeness" comes into question, unfortunately.

I have to vote thumbs down, man.

He's got too much of the Big Lebowski in him. Claims to be more than he really is.

Now Frank the Pedicurist...he's got my vote.

They peed on the dude's nomination.

Quote from: SmokeytheBuddha on October 20, 2008, 10:45:29 AM
I have to vote thumbs down, man.

He's got too much of the Big Lebowski in him. Claims to be more than he really is.

Now Frank the Pedicurist...he's got my vote.

Fuckin' A!  Frank's the man

Don't run away from this, Dudes!  Joe the plumber, man...a dude for sure. Goddamnit, this affects all of us, man! Our basic freedoms! Oh, dudes.............. 

I've got news for you: the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint and I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so you and I could enjoy this family restaurant and vote for Joe the Plumber as a dude!


................I'm staying.  Finishing my coffee. Enjoying my coffee. 


Update on Joe the Plumber.........

NEW YORK (Oct. 19) - "Joe the Plumber" is lashing out at the media for analyzing his personal life since he suddenly became a focal point of the presidential race last week.

Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Holland, Ohio, told Mike Huckabee on his Fox News talk show Saturday that he is upset by the attention and has been unable to work with reporters crowded on his front lawn.


I humbly submit that Joe-dude is being very dude by telling the nihilist media to go fuck themselves, man! How much more dude can you be?

Check out his story at http://news.aol.com/elections/article/joe-the-plumber-lashes-out-at-media/216936

Dude, everyone can display dude-esque qualities now and then. But he still seems more like the Big Lebowski in that he put up this false image of himself as a way to "one up" Obama and "win the argument."

But that's just, like, you know, my opinion, man.

I'm marking it zero, Dude.

Quote from: SmokeytheBuddha on October 22, 2008, 04:01:53 PM
Dude, everyone can display dude-esque qualities now and then.

Exactly!  Walter dabbled in pacifism once, but that doesn't make him dude like

Quote from: digitalbuddha on October 20, 2008, 04:37:33 PM
Don't run away from this, Dudes!  Joe the plumber, man...a dude for sure. Goddamnit, this affects all of us, man! Our basic freedoms! Oh, dudes.............. 

I've got news for you: the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint and I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so you and I could enjoy this family restaurant and vote for Joe the Plumber as a dude!


................I'm staying.  Finishing my coffee. Enjoying my coffee. 


Update on Joe the Plumber.........

NEW YORK (Oct. 19) - "Joe the Plumber" is lashing out at the media for analyzing his personal life since he suddenly became a focal point of the presidential race last week.

Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Holland, Ohio, told Mike Huckabee on his Fox News talk show Saturday that he is upset by the attention and has been unable to work with reporters crowded on his front lawn.


I humbly submit that Joe-dude is being very dude by telling the nihilist media to go fuck themselves, man! How much more dude can you be?

Check out his story at http://news.aol.com/elections/article/joe-the-plumber-lashes-out-at-media/216936

D-buddha- I respectfully have to disagree with your nomination of this particular friend with a cleft asshole. 

I'm torn on this nomination.

Arguments in Favour:

• On the one hand, assuming that plumbing is what is at the essence of what makes "Joe the Plumber", then he could be a Dude because plumbing is what brings him his Dudeish bliss.  By rejecting the media's attention he is staying true to that essence.  The alternative would be to stop being "Joe the Plumber" and instead become "Joe the Celebrity".  One could argue that becoming "Joe the Celebrity" could potentially be financially lucrative, and that rejecting material wealth in favour of staying true to one's essence is very dude. 
  
  Like, imagine if Jackie Treehorn had been impressed by The Dude and offered him a lot of money to make media appearances and conduct seminars on How to Be a Dude.  The Dude would never go along with that because it would require too much hassle, it would require too much responsibility, and it would require telling other people what to think.  In order to make money as "The Dude" he would have to stop being The Dude.  It wouldn't work, man.
  
• Since Joe the Plumber does not currently make $250,000 a year, and his original encounter with Obama was by chance and unscripted, by asking Obama about tax increases for businesses that make more than $250,000 a year it could be argued that he was actually advocating on the behalf of others without regards for how he would benefit personally.  That would be pretty Dude.  Now, the context of the question was that he wanted to buy the plumbing company he worked for, which does make over $250,000 a year.  Even so, one could argue that buying the business would help him be a better plumber, and by extension a better Dude.  As long as more money isn't Joe the Plumber's ultimate goal, but rather a by-product of a quest to be a better plumber, then money itself would not disqualify him from being a Dude.
  
• Since Mr. Obama's proposed tax increase would potentially make achieving the goal of being a better plumber more difficult, it could be argues that Joe the Plumber was merely trying to determine if Obama is actually a Big Lebowski, ie someone who appears altruistic (ie. Mr. Lebowski's charitable organization and adopted "children") but is actually seeking/using power to tell others what to think and do for his own benefit.

Arguments against:

• It has since been revealed that Joe the Plumber has hired a Nashville PR firm to handle the deluge of requests for media appearances he has received.  Making media appearances may support denying him Dude status for the following reasons:
  
  
  • If it interferes with his essence of being a plumber.  Is he persuing fame as a career choice, turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand?  If yes, it follows that he fundamentally stops being Joe the Plumber and instead becomes Joe the Celebrity.  Is he actively seeking fame and fortune like Bunny, or rather is he just going along with it all, in the same way that The Dude has sex with Maude just because she asks him to?
    
  
  
  • If during his media appearances his tells others what to think and do.  It is difficult to gauge this as I have never seen his media apperances.  However, quotes that I've read on the Internet include things like, "I'm not telling anybody anything," and "you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous."  This indicates that he may not be trying to force his opinion on others.
    
  
  
  • PR firms don't work for free.  Is he paying for the service from his income as a plumber, or from some other source of funds.  Again, it's an ambiguous point.
    


• It has been rumoured that he is considering writing a book or persuing a career in country music, which would again mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand.  He has, however, denied these rumours.
  


• There is a grassroots movement to convince him to run for Congress, and when asked about it in an interview he said that he was "considering it".  Again, this would mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand, retiring as a plumber and becoming Joe the Congressman.  If that's his true path to Dudeish bliss, so be it.  But even then it would mean that Joe the Plumber isn't a Dude, because Joe the Plumber was denying his true essence all along instead of persuing his true essence of Joe the Congressman.
  


• It has been reported that he isn't a registered "plumber" in the State of Ohio but this may be irrelevant because, according to Ohio law, it's the plumbing company as his employer that is required to be registered.  Besides, should the government get to decide who is a plumber and who isn't?  Wouldn't The Dude say, "if plumbing's your thing, then go plumb, man."

So, after much consideration, I say the evidence is inconclusive either way.  I cannot judge that he is a Dude, but I cannot judge that he is unDude either. 

As such, he reverts to the default position that most humans share - not a Dude at this time unless proven otherwise.

Quote from: roystonlodge on October 31, 2008, 03:30:06 PM
I'm torn on this nomination.

Arguments in Favour:

• On the one hand, assuming that plumbing is what is at the essence of what makes "Joe the Plumber", then he could be a Dude because plumbing is what brings him his Dudeish bliss.  By rejecting the media's attention he is staying true to that essence.  The alternative would be to stop being "Joe the Plumber" and instead become "Joe the Celebrity".  One could argue that becoming "Joe the Celebrity" could potentially be financially lucrative, and that rejecting material wealth in favour of staying true to one's essence is very dude. 
  
  Like, imagine if Jackie Treehorn had been impressed by The Dude and offered him a lot of money to make media appearances and conduct seminars on How to Be a Dude.  The Dude would never go along with that because it would require too much hassle, it would require too much responsibility, and it would require telling other people what to think.  In order to make money as "The Dude" he would have to stop being The Dude.  It wouldn't work, man.
  
• Since Joe the Plumber does not currently make $250,000 a year, and his original encounter with Obama was by chance and unscripted, by asking Obama about tax increases for businesses that make more than $250,000 a year it could be argued that he was actually advocating on the behalf of others without regards for how he would benefit personally.  That would be pretty Dude.  Now, the context of the question was that he wanted to buy the plumbing company he worked for, which does make over $250,000 a year.  Even so, one could argue that buying the business would help him be a better plumber, and by extension a better Dude.  As long as more money isn't Joe the Plumber's ultimate goal, but rather a by-product of a quest to be a better plumber, then money itself would not disqualify him from being a Dude.
  
• Since Mr. Obama's proposed tax increase would potentially make achieving the goal of being a better plumber more difficult, it could be argues that Joe the Plumber was merely trying to determine if Obama is actually a Big Lebowski, ie someone who appears altruistic (ie. Mr. Lebowski's charitable organization and adopted "children") but is actually seeking/using power to tell others what to think and do for his own benefit.

Arguments against:

• It has since been revealed that Joe the Plumber has hired a Nashville PR firm to handle the deluge of requests for media appearances he has received.  Making media appearances may support denying him Dude status for the following reasons:
  
  
  • If it interferes with his essence of being a plumber.  Is he persuing fame as a career choice, turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand?  If yes, it follows that he fundamentally stops being Joe the Plumber and instead becomes Joe the Celebrity.  Is he actively seeking fame and fortune like Bunny, or rather is he just going along with it all, in the same way that The Dude has sex with Maude just because she asks him to?
    
  
  
  • If during his media appearances his tells others what to think and do.  It is difficult to gauge this as I have never seen his media apperances.  However, quotes that I've read on the Internet include things like, "I'm not telling anybody anything," and "you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous."  This indicates that he may not be trying to force his opinion on others.
    
  
  
  • PR firms don't work for free.  Is he paying for the service from his income as a plumber, or from some other source of funds.  Again, it's an ambiguous point.
    


• It has been rumoured that he is considering writing a book or persuing a career in country music, which would again mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand.  He has, however, denied these rumours.
  


• There is a grassroots movement to convince him to run for Congress, and when asked about it in an interview he said that he was "considering it".  Again, this would mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand, retiring as a plumber and becoming Joe the Congressman.  If that's his true path to Dudeish bliss, so be it.  But even then it would mean that Joe the Plumber isn't a Dude, because Joe the Plumber was denying his true essence all along instead of persuing his true essence of Joe the Congressman.
  


• It has been reported that he isn't a registered "plumber" in the State of Ohio but this may be irrelevant because, according to Ohio law, it's the plumbing company as his employer that is required to be registered.  Besides, should the government get to decide who is a plumber and who isn't?  Wouldn't The Dude say, "if plumbing's your thing, then go plumb, man."

So, after much consideration, I say the evidence is inconclusive either way.  I cannot judge that he is a Dude, but I cannot judge that he is unDude either. 

As such, he reverts to the default position that most humans share - not a Dude at this time unless proven otherwise.

I'm sorry...I wasn't listening. 

Quote from: roystonlodge on October 31, 2008, 03:30:06 PM
I'm torn on this nomination.

Arguments in Favour:

• On the one hand, assuming that plumbing is what is at the essence of what makes "Joe the Plumber", then he could be a Dude because plumbing is what brings him his Dudeish bliss.  By rejecting the media's attention he is staying true to that essence.  The alternative would be to stop being "Joe the Plumber" and instead become "Joe the Celebrity".  One could argue that becoming "Joe the Celebrity" could potentially be financially lucrative, and that rejecting material wealth in favour of staying true to one's essence is very dude. 
  
  Like, imagine if Jackie Treehorn had been impressed by The Dude and offered him a lot of money to make media appearances and conduct seminars on How to Be a Dude.  The Dude would never go along with that because it would require too much hassle, it would require too much responsibility, and it would require telling other people what to think.  In order to make money as "The Dude" he would have to stop being The Dude.  It wouldn't work, man.
  
• Since Joe the Plumber does not currently make $250,000 a year, and his original encounter with Obama was by chance and unscripted, by asking Obama about tax increases for businesses that make more than $250,000 a year it could be argued that he was actually advocating on the behalf of others without regards for how he would benefit personally.  That would be pretty Dude.  Now, the context of the question was that he wanted to buy the plumbing company he worked for, which does make over $250,000 a year.  Even so, one could argue that buying the business would help him be a better plumber, and by extension a better Dude.  As long as more money isn't Joe the Plumber's ultimate goal, but rather a by-product of a quest to be a better plumber, then money itself would not disqualify him from being a Dude.
  
• Since Mr. Obama's proposed tax increase would potentially make achieving the goal of being a better plumber more difficult, it could be argues that Joe the Plumber was merely trying to determine if Obama is actually a Big Lebowski, ie someone who appears altruistic (ie. Mr. Lebowski's charitable organization and adopted "children") but is actually seeking/using power to tell others what to think and do for his own benefit.

Arguments against:

• It has since been revealed that Joe the Plumber has hired a Nashville PR firm to handle the deluge of requests for media appearances he has received.  Making media appearances may support denying him Dude status for the following reasons:
  
  
  • If it interferes with his essence of being a plumber.  Is he persuing fame as a career choice, turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand?  If yes, it follows that he fundamentally stops being Joe the Plumber and instead becomes Joe the Celebrity.  Is he actively seeking fame and fortune like Bunny, or rather is he just going along with it all, in the same way that The Dude has sex with Maude just because she asks him to?
    
  
  
  • If during his media appearances his tells others what to think and do.  It is difficult to gauge this as I have never seen his media apperances.  However, quotes that I've read on the Internet include things like, "I'm not telling anybody anything," and "you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough about foreign policy to probably be dangerous."  This indicates that he may not be trying to force his opinion on others.
    
  
  
  • PR firms don't work for free.  Is he paying for the service from his income as a plumber, or from some other source of funds.  Again, it's an ambiguous point.
    


• It has been rumoured that he is considering writing a book or persuing a career in country music, which would again mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand.  He has, however, denied these rumours.
  


• There is a grassroots movement to convince him to run for Congress, and when asked about it in an interview he said that he was "considering it".  Again, this would mean turning "Joe the Plumber" into a brand, retiring as a plumber and becoming Joe the Congressman.  If that's his true path to Dudeish bliss, so be it.  But even then it would mean that Joe the Plumber isn't a Dude, because Joe the Plumber was denying his true essence all along instead of persuing his true essence of Joe the Congressman.
  


• It has been reported that he isn't a registered "plumber" in the State of Ohio but this may be irrelevant because, according to Ohio law, it's the plumbing company as his employer that is required to be registered.  Besides, should the government get to decide who is a plumber and who isn't?  Wouldn't The Dude say, "if plumbing's your thing, then go plumb, man."

So, after much consideration, I say the evidence is inconclusive either way.  I cannot judge that he is a Dude, but I cannot judge that he is unDude either. 

As such, he reverts to the default position that most humans share - not a Dude at this time unless proven otherwise.

Hear hear!! Damn well said, sir. Damn well said, Fucking a! .............

But, do you have a job, sir? You don't go around and have the time to write this much stuff on a weekday, do ya? Well, I do have a job sir. And if you don't mind..........

Ahh, fuck it, lets get us a lane and go bowling.