it pays to pay attention to politics. but i don't need you to preach to me when or how much and how often to pay attention to politics. and i don't give a damn who jerry pournelle is or what he says, he doesn't give you the right to patronize perfect strangers either; or have you simply assumed the responsibility to pontificate to the unwashed because of the self-evident virtue of your cause.

you're right, it's not about light bulbs at all. actually, it's not even about ideology. it's about your arrogance and your hubris, your audacity at putting yourself into the position of being our unsolicited teacher, and of us being merely unruly and petulant children who need you to reveal your infinite wisdom to them, whether we like it or not. and just to prove this is a non-partisan, ecumenical rant, believe me, i've met salon socialists and café commies just as annoying and tedious and well-informed as you are.

you're a born-again wingnut, tb, just as bad as any other evangelical crackpot, breathing hellfire and scripture, quoting chapter and verse, and wondering why the heathen can be so stubborn and not believe in the devil or jesus. you're a sort of libertarian hare krishna, haunting the terminals and concourses of cyberspace, pounding your tambourine and singing your monotonous little mantra to a captive audience. it has nothing to do with politics, it has a lot more to do with bad manners.