fwiw, Exxon was one of the first “made-up” company names generated and chosen by a computer because it meant nothing in any language. Globalizing companies were learning from Chevrolet’s mistake in naming their small Chevy II the Nova, which means, I believe, “won’t go” in Spanish.

It does, but Chevy never marketed it under that name in Spanish speaking countries.

The real reason for the push to Xerox type names was to make trademark easier to enforce.

TK

“People like that re-form stuff . . . hey, maybe we should get us some!”

Jane: “I don’t know what else he’s got in the tank.”

Not a tiger, I’m sure.

(Anyone else old enough to remember that?)

I sure am.

I have chardonnay

“Personally, I don’t WANT this to be about a f**king movement. Most voters don’t LIKE movements. They are threatened by movements. They’re not comfortable with movements.

I firmly believe that one of the main reasons the Dean campaign imploded was because it turned into a MOVEMENT, not a campaign about electing a candidate who the electorate had to come to know and trust. In the last crucial weeks, all the press was about the orange hats and the new style of campaigning and the “movement”, not about Howard Dean and his record of accomplishment in Vermont.

“Movement” is the meta-level, and people like you and other bloggers may be comfortable operating on that level. But I don’t meet many average voters who are comfortable on that level. The more we make this about a “movement”, the less it is about Ned Lamont, and that is NOT GOOD for Ned Lamont.

We need average Connecticut Democrats to turn out and vote for Ned Lamont, the man, the small businessman who volunteers at an inner-city Bridgeport high school and has the courage to stand up to Joe Lieberman and his machine. We need people to focus on Ned Lamont – to like him, to see his courage, and to trust that he will be more connected to the people than Joe Lieberman is.

All this punditry in the national blogosphere about Ned from people who aren’t on the ground here is frankly scaring me to death. The Lieberman campaign is NOT imploding – in fact, it’s getting much stronger and it’s kicking our ass here in the 4th district on the ground.

If the only thing we have on our side is the progressive “movement”, well, I’d like to know where the hell it’s been. It wasn’t phone banking with me and three other volunteers today, I can tell you that. There was only one team of volunteer canvassers out on the street. For a movement, that’s PISS POOR.

You’re right about all the power stacked up against us, but if people really want to win this thing, we need a HELL of a lot more boots on the ground. The Lieberman campaign is paying for HUGE numbers of staff canvassers. They blanketed church parking lots here in town. They’re canvassing in every neighborhood. People who answer the doors don’t care whether they’re paid or whether they’re part of a “movement”, they care which campaign asked them personally for their vote.

If you don’t want this to be another case of a netroots “movement” going down in flames, I say keep the focus on Ned Lamont, not the movement, and PLEASE shout out for any and all volunteers who can come out and work.

(The artist formerly known as “Maura in VA”!)
by Maura in CT on Sun Jul 30, 2006 at 10:13:12 PM EST

Cranky (none / 0)

Chris, I hope you’ll forgive my crankiness. I confess I’m in full panic mode right now. The Lieberman campaign blanketed church parking lots in my city with flyers implying Ned is a racist this morning. Their canvassers are all over town. And phones are going unmanned in Ned Lamont’s office when we SHOULD have people lined up out the door to volunteer. I don’t want to rest and congratulate ourselves on how far “we’ve” gotten. I don’t want another symbolic victory. I want to win this damn thing.

I apologize for my cranky rant.

(The artist formerly known as “Maura in VA”!)
by Maura in CT on Sun Jul 30, 2006 at 10:18:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cranky (3.00 / 1)

Don’t apologize, Maura. You’re 100% right, both about the Dean campaign and about people needing to get off their ass and get to work.

As the financial data says, the “movement” has collectively raised about 1.5 million for Lamont. That’s about 2% of what Howard Dean raised–weak. And we need a lot work done to win this thing.

(For the record, I live in Boston, MA. Canvassed in CT last Sunday, am away this weekend, then back to CT for the 3 days before the election.)

Even beating Lieberman isn’t enough. It will be horrible if he runs as an independent in November. He will do that if he narrowly loses the primary. So he has to be obliterated, by a Tester-like margin. If that happens, he’ll have the sense to step aside.

If he loses the primary, every Dem presidential candidate should phone him and ask him not to run indy. Offer him a cabinet post if he stays out of the general election, if that’s what it takes. There are some that he’d be fine for.

http://www.forward.com/articles/8190

Lamont gets into a “Israeli kissing” contest with Lieberman, and the voters get stuck with choosing the lesser of two evils yet again.