Alright, I’ve had it.

The next person who posts a ‘Top xxxxx on Twitter’ or “Top Social Media blah blah blah” is getting kicked.

Hard.

We’ve gotten to the point of anointing Prom Kings and Queens and much like high school, I’m over it.

Let me explain, and I will use Twitter as the example because it’s the easiest and one of the most widely used social media platforms:

Twitter is much like a cocktail party. A very big cocktail party. With all sorts of people in the same room, talking to each other, talking to their martini glasses, talking to no one in particular. Everyone came to the party without an invite,  and for a different reason.

Some people show up to network. It’s good for business.

Some people show up to make sure you know all about their new product.

Some people show up to just hang out and chat.

Some people show up simply for the free booze.

Some people show up because their partner or spouse dragged them along.

It’s a social setting. We chat about kids and work and what we’re doing at any given moment. In one corner of the party I’m talking to business associates and we’re making deals, at the end of the room I’ve run into my cousin and we’re catching up on family matters. Right in the middle of the party and over by the bar I find a bunch of my girlfriends and we’re going to cackle and crack jokes and watch a hockey game.

Now imaging waking up the next morning from that cocktail party to find your social skills rated and your name on or off a list. Your social actions judged, critiqued, and analyzed by others. Your friendships and how you maintain them left for public comment.

It would never happen.

Why? It’s rude and totally poor etiquette.

I know of no other medium where a public assessment of your cocktail party networking successes, failures, and friendships were listed and ranked.

In fact, I’ve been to many a party and there was no score-sheet after on who worked the room better than anyone else. Relationships were not analyzed and then discussed by s0-called “experts.”

Sure, we might whisper about it over the water cooler the next day, but we’re certainly not going to rank you for all the world to see next to your colleagues, family, or friends.

At what point did gossiping about who’s the coolest Prom King and Queen become a “marketing tool” and considered anything other than RUDE?

Why are we talking about the people who are talking? Where is the value in that? Why are we measuring who can work a room better, when everyone in that room does NOT have the same motives?

I realize social media isn’t always mainstream, but our basic culture has not changed. People like to party and foster relationships for whatever reason strikes them that day. I find no value in playing arm-chair quarterback after the party is over and airing the social ineptitude or grace of my circle of friends.

It is not socially acceptable to rank your relationships. Nor is it socially acceptable to rank the relationships of others.

Find me the industry analysts that quantify what that golf-game between several CEO’s did and I’ll give you your “lists.” Find me the publication that ranks the top _fill-in-the-blank_ professional and how well they “do lunch” and I’ll concede the talkers talking about all the talking have value.

Right now, I see no value. Only opportunists.

Rude ones, at that.

on the heels of this, I really think anyone with balls should just shut up right now unless they’d like them kicked.

From my front lawn

The LA Times has a great map with evacuation information.

My family and home are not in any danger, thank you all for your concern. We’re keeping a close eye on everything and will go if we need too-

I’m so much comfier than the columnist at a desk, wearing a suit. Suckas

The postmortem has begun as the GOP regroups and the new President-Elect gets to work. As we move forward, I can’t help but remain upset at what the ‘honorable’ POW and his mavericky running mate wrought upon this country.

Hate.

And not the kind of hate we bloggers spew from time to time when venting, and not the kind of hate you may feel for higher taxes or broccoli.

No, these two ‘honorable’ mavericks ended their campaign by rallying the fringe portion of their party that lives on death, destruction, and imposing their way on the world at all cost.

Force.

War.

We learn today that the US Secret Service, the agency in charge of protecting our President-elect and his family, dealt with an increase in death threats against Barack Obama coinciding with Sarah Palin’s ‘attacks’ on his patriotism.

“The Secret Service warned the Obama family in mid October that they had seen a dramatic increase in the number of threats against the Democratic candidate, coinciding with Mrs Palin’s attacks.”

According to the article, Michelle Obama (my fellow BlogHer) was so upset that she turned to her friend and campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett and said: “Why would they try to make people hate us?”

Now I will be the first to admit that we’ve all seen campaigns attempting to scare the American public for or against one candidate. However, those scares were always against the candidate’s tax plan. Or maybe his foreign policy, or perhaps his stance on abortion.

Those usual and predictable scare tactics weren’t good enough for honorable maverick #1 and #2. They had to go that extra mile and question the very core of exactly what their base was afraid of: who is this black man, with an arab middle name, and could he be the enemy?

Kudos to McCain-Palin because it worked. The fine Americans protecting our President-elect had to deal with an influx of death threats and step up their job.

The fringe whackos who should never end up front and center ended up on every front page, all over YouTube and infecting other Americans with their ignorant and embarrassing rhetoric.

Yes, the legacy of McCain-Palin is now an empowered contingent of this country arming themselves, spreading their lies, and genuinely afraid of the black man in office- because their hero Sarah told them it was OK.

Congrats Mavericks, your plan worked. Now your legacy will forever be tangled in hate, stupidity, and America at her absolute worst.

If you are anything like me (and god help you if you are) you’re a big ball of mess over this election.

So instead of a typical Erin post about those pesky ‘issues’ or ‘candidates’ I’m going to have some fun today. Why? Easy…

I can’t take it anymore.

If we talk about those ‘issues’ or ‘candidates’ (imagine those as John McCain-esq air quotes) I’m going to bite your head off, you’re going to bite my head off. We’re going to argue, debate, not see eye-to-eye…whatever you want to call it today.

It’s gotten so bad for me that I remarked on Twitter (I am over there a lot, it’s a disease) that I’m really too tired to argue anymore. I’ve just started giving people the finger.

Tell me Obama is a socialist? Flipping you the bird.
Allege Obama is antisemitic? Single digit salute.
Attempt to tell me McCain is the pro-woman candidate? You’re getting my middle finger high and proud.

NonProductive. Immature. Totally uncool of me. But I’m telling you I have nothing left.

As the editor PRODUCING BlogHer’s political coverage this is a bad, bad thing. So it just seems safer for me to avoid you all until Tuesday, when my head is back on straight, people are voting, and no one can do any lobbying. No offense, but I’ve seriously given you all I have for a good year now and I’m spent. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally.

How about today we just laugh? I mean, it can be done. Let’s just hang out and laugh about politics. Maybe even watch some super talented kids who’ve already been featured in Time, on CNN and hey, by our own CE Nordette.

I dare you not to sing that all day.

If the kids aren’t doing it for you, how about food?

Homesick Texan is making HOPEcakes. Tee hee hee. Awwww, come on McCain supporters, if you can’t enjoy the play on words at least enjoy them with syrup.

Karina’s Kitchen is cooking up some political love too. She’s waxing poetic over stuffed cabbage.

When the outside world has turned on its axis and flirted with the taste of hate and the ancient flame of violence is paraded as piety, when the color of your skin or your eyes or your state divides you from your neighbor and you tread in a stew of suspicion and anger- let go, Brother. Just breathe, Sister. Trust the faith you so fervently kindle. If your faith is true and clear will it fail you? Or will it blind you? Loosen your grip on your assumptions. Listen as a child, aware of the bigness, the intricate complexity. Think about the stars and how your very atoms are stuff of the universe. Beware of darkness.

Choose hope. Stuff a cabbage leaf. Vote for change.

Alright if the cute, singing kids aren’t doing it for you and the food isn’t either…how about puppies?

There you have it my fellow BlogHer’s. My feeble attempt to make you smile, and avoid flipping you all off.

See you at the polls.

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers (including me with my finger up) aren’t! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.
Erin Kotecki Vest also Queen of Spain blog

Obviously, crossposted at BlogHer