@DevinCow Now Has More Twitter Followers Than Devin Nunes
from the good-job-everyone dept
Yesterday we wrote about the completely ridiculous lawsuit that Rep. Devin Nunes -- a real live Congressional Representative -- filed against Twitter, a political communications expert, and two satirical fake Twitter accounts: one pretending to be his cow, and one pretending to be his mom. As we noted, in the lawsuit itself, Nunes' lawyer points out that the satirical cow had a grand total of 1,204 followers when the lawsuit was initiated. For reference, Devin Nunes' own Twitter account has ~394,000 followers. When we did our post yesterday, @DevinCow was up to 106,000. And now?
Yup, 399k. Actually, as I've been typing this, it's kept going up, but I'm not going to keep taking screenshots. And, yes, the Cow now has more followers than Rep. Nunes himself:
Great job, Devin. You really shut up that satirical cow.
Now, Twitter, how do we go about getting the satirical fake cow a blue checkmark?
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Filed Under: censorship, defamation, devin cow, devin nunes, devincow, free speech, nunes effect, satire, streisand effect
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Deven Nunes' Cow should run for office. I know cartoon characters often win school elections. Animals have been mayors in at least a few towns. Does anyone know the highest office a non-human has been elected to? For the purposes of this question, we will consider Trump to be a human.
Actually, the fact that the cow named itself Deven Nunes' Cow and not Deven Nunes's Cow tells us it's someone who knows their english grammar and takes it seriously. So probably not a real American.
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Strunk and White would disagree.
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Either one is fine, really.
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Yeah, just as long as it's not Nune's. [eye twitch]
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There was a goat who made the news last week after being elected mayor. I believe council/mayor is about as high as most of these cases go, as there are usually requirements of being a human of sound mind for anything higher.
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Then how do we have Trump?
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"I believe council/mayor is about as high as most of these cases go, as there are usually requirements of being a human of sound mind for anything higher."
Requirements such as that are actually far rarer than you'd think. For good reason, admittedly - in a democracy how would you go about determining what a "sound mind" was?
hence since ancient roman times all the way to the modern day elections have been made which featured non-human candidates effectively carrying the popular vote and the day.
i think Michael Moore is one of the few who managed to get a ficus plant elected for congress only to have the candidacy declared invalid on what appears to be shaky grounds.
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Anyone want to start a California ballot initiative to allow imaginary beings, inanimate objects, and animals to run for statewide and national office? I think it would be pretty simple. If they come in the top 2 in a primary, then the run off is a 3-way. If they actually win the election, then there is a new election and the candidates that ran against them on the final ballot are not allowed to run again.
I guess it should also allow people to run as joke candidates as well. Or you could just add a none of the above to all places on all ballots.
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If we could actually get real ballot reform, we should switch to a ranked automatic runoff voting system.
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Ranked ballots don't work well with None of the Above.
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The fuck do you do if "None of the Above" wins? Keep the current officeholder in office indefinitely? Just leave the office vacant until there's another election?
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Elect Richard Pryor?
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"So probably not a real American"
I know it was sarcasm, but if we do not stop the attack upon our education system it will get worse. Shit's been going on for decades, haven't stopped it yet - but there is hope on the horizon.
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If mister Nunes were a member of the Media, he'd declare this a hacking attempt since it's on the same level as "learn to code" and that account would get banned from twitter. But Twitter is biased when it comes to harassment. That's why twitter is a failed piece of shit platform and you should leave it. It's run by sad children.
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Re: speaking of sad children
You guys really have your panties in a twist over your stupid little meme.
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Re: Re: speaking of sad children
I herd you were full manure. Now you'll get creamed and burned at the steak.
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A hashtag meme would be banned from twitter for hacking if it were an account? I just really don't know how to parse this whole comment. Grammar would help you greatly.
Devin Nunes's Cow is however not targeted harassment. It exists, and attacks the positions of Devin Nenes and his perceived hypocrisy, but does not actually direct the criticism to Nunes. Much as yelling about these subjects is different when I do it to a random collection of people then if I do it in Rep Nunes's face, (the later could be harassment, the former is not), speaking about the issues on twitter in general is different then directing your comments at Devin Nunes, Such as by tagging with an @DevinNunes. the cow intelligently doesn't harass Devin Nunes, by the expedient of not talking to him on twitter. That's the difference you aren't comprehending.
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The projection is, as always, hilarious.
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Why are right-wingers always such thin-skinned petulant children?
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"Why are right-wingers always such thin-skinned petulant children?"
Because when you find your opinions in direct conflict with what 95% of the rest of humanity believes a bunker mentality and pouting is all you've got left.
That, and as quite a few studies have shown, ultra-conservatism and bigotry are overrepresented among the badly educated and unintelligent as that "easy" solution with a catchy slogan everyone can understand...which just doesn't fit reality.
When the proponents of certain views turn out to be overaged man-children you can't really blame them when they throw tantrums like overwrought eight-year-old children.
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"you can't really blame them when they throw tantrums"
and yet I still do
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That's why twitter is a failed piece of shit platform and you should leave it.
But it's good enough for the president. Perhaps you should let him know.
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Via Angus over at Popehat should be jealous.
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Lawyers are not generally supposed to be jokesters about the law, even if it is allowed (or not sanctioned). One has to wonder if they could take what they seem to appreciate others dishing out, especially if the "parody" or "satire" accounts started striking certain nerves.
The Nunes "parody" seems to have crossed a few lines, and it seems that some of these statements are designed to be taken seriously. Calling something "parody" or "satire" doesn't make it so.
I think the internet has caused people of all groups to imagine their conduct as ideal or legitimized just because they find a few like minds online. This isn't specific to any subculture.
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By all means, point out which lines have been crossed.
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Interestingly, whatever lines those might be, the lawsuit alleges crossed lines that are about Nunes' feelings, and not about parody or free speech.
So whatever lines the GP is saying the cow crossed are ones Nunes' lawyers didn't see fit to include in the suit.
Personally I'd argue that some of the content isn't at all tasteful, and that's a line that was crossed, but thankfully we don't have a taste police.
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Not yet...
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The butthurt line going between the left and right cheek?
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Felines
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First time I’ve ever heard anyone say so. All the really good lawyers I know like jokes, and plenty of us like jokes about the law (and lawyer jokes).
Sadly, I am terrible at making up, remembering, or telling jokes so I don’t have a good one to provide here.
The best thing I can think of is an anecdote from Woodward’s Supreme Court book, “The Bretheren.” Back at that time, before the case law on obscenity got settled, the Supreme Court would have an annual movie day where they would personally watch (perhaps with their clerks) all the dirty movies that were involved in obscenity cases that term. Justice Marshall actively looked forward to it, while others like Douglas and Black never went because they felt the First Amendment prohibited bans on the grounds of obscenity so there was no point. Burger also didn’t go, more likely because he was a prude.
Apparently the clerks would mock Justice Stewart’s famous statement “I know it when I see it” by periodically pointing out at the good parts, “There it is! I see it, I see it!”
Well, I thought it was funny, anyway.
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Well, it's a good thing that whether or not something is satire or parody does not change because no matter how much you over-use scare quotes.
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-because
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"Lawyers are not generally supposed to be jokesters about the law"
About the law specifically? No. Able to recognise humour when applying laws that make specific exceptions for it? They absolutely should.
"The Nunes "parody" seems to have crossed a few lines"
Can you link to the specific tweets you're thinking about? I don't believe you're correct based on the ones I've seen, but if you could point to the examples you're thinking of there may be a conversation to be had there.
"I think the internet has caused people of all groups to imagine their conduct as ideal or legitimized just because they find a few like minds online"
Yes, but it goes both ways. This is just as likely Nunes being in an echo chgmber and not liking what's said outside of it, as a group of people going too far because they felt emboldened by their group. More so, in fact, as people stuck in the Fox News bubble always seem to get offended when things they take for granted are actually questioned.
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The Nunes "parody" seems to have crossed a few lines, and it seems that some of these statements are designed to be taken seriously.
I'm sure republicans truly believe this. It's part of what makes them look so ridiculous.
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Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate suit?
That guy is really out of it.
Masnick knows, though, that large numbers of simple gainsayers overwhelm all arguments no matter how well reasoned and insightful. It's the method proven daily here at Techdirt.
I like reading Techdirt for the startling perspective shift that keeps me alert. Society has divided into those who see reality and those who believe that they see it. Of course, my view is that, like the notions of pirates that they're winning even while Big Content keeps accumulating victories and new laws, this lawsuit will be settled in a real court, probably not to your liking. Or if not this one, then the principle is sound and the censoring of "platforms" becomes ever more blatant, which will tip a decision in right case.
[I've put three dashes there, but last time didn't seem to work for my favored horizontal rule...]
["Bombogenesis" seems to be about weather, but maybe it's creating bombastic sock puppets? Perhaps Timothy Geigner aka "Dark Helmet aka "Gary" aka "Scary Devil Monastery" could inform us.]
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Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate sui
Nope. Definitely put three dashes and no line. Evidently TD has removed it to spite me. I'll read the help again, though, perhaps only changed.
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Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate
The help says it should work.
There's an alternative which I'm testing...
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No joy.
I'll just have to... wait for it... dash it all!
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Heh, heh. Dashes don't work, either.
Maybe underlines. (I'll put that into a pre-processor if so. Teh internets always finds a work around...)
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Huh.
Guess I'm stymied!
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Formatting is now a conspiracy to fool you?
Don't worry, you look dumb enough without having rambling conversations with yourself about your inability to use formatting and preview.
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Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate sui
Does Tim have a brother?
I don't know which side will ultimately prevail in this dispute. Each side makes a clear case, one for the right to lampoon, even viciously, and the other for saying that this lampooning has limits. This is an excellent test case, and hopefully at some point there will be clear guidance that everyone can follow.
Working in favor of the pro-parody camp is Nunes' very strong ability to counter this speech. Working against them is that the insults were perhaps a little too vicious.
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Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate
Uh huh. But working against the latter too is fact that most people simply believe in common decency, and that the parodies have long since gone too far.
Judges all have a conservative tendency and want civil discourse, not gaggles of idiots shouting and hiding dissent. Could tip the balance.
[On the horizontal line topic: you win this round, Masnick! But I'll keep experimenting.]
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Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invali
The hell are you talking about, all of your posts have big ass lines through them.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots in
Shhh! He can't see them...
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You can believe it has gone too far, but your opinion is meaningless in re: the First Amendment rights of the parodist(s) in question. Until and unless a court rules that the parody accounts are not protected under First Amendment jurisprudence, the posts on said accounts are still legal (and legally protected) speech.
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Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invali
Well, the supreme court disagrees with you:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustler_Magazine_v._Falwell
And the fact that you get sooooo butthurt over your posts being flagged is just fun to watch!!! Especially when you have been told, numerous times, by many different commenters, exactly why your posts are being flagged, not because of dissent, but because of your abusive nature, but you either ignore that, can't fully understand it, or are just a garden variety troll. Or all of the above.
In other words, there are numerous commenters here who dissent quite often, but are able to hold intelligent (most of the times) conversations about their dissenting opinion. Unlink you who thinks that everybody who does not agree with you is out to get you in some form or another.
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Insults can be vicious and unkind and damn near obscene, but they are still protected by the First Amendment. You can call me “a shitheaded motherfucker who fucks goats and eats babies in his spare time” if you want; I cannot legally do a goddamn thing to punish you for doing so unless you try to claim the second half of that insult as a factual statement.
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But what about the first half???
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"You can call me “a shitheaded motherfucker who fucks goats and eats babies in his spare time” if you want; I cannot legally do a goddamn thing to punish you for doing so unless you try to claim the second half of that insult as a factual statement."
I sincerely hope you still have legal recourse if he claims the first half of that is a factual statement as well. :)
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Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of Trolls?
Does Tim have a brother?
Apparently, Blue Balls there is convinced himself that I am Tim, and "secretly" on TD Staff. i make fat stacks of TD cash for pointing out his silly lies and claims about Colander Law.
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Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of Trolls?
I thought it was Coriander Law.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of Trolls?
Or Cilantro law if you want to be fancy.
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Re: Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of Trolls?
Colander law?
What do the commandments of the flying spaghetti monster have to do with it?
I really didn't think either that church or its opposition had enough money to pay anyone to make claims about their sacred headgear...
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Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate sui
"Masnick knows, though, that large numbers of simple gainsayers overwhelm all arguments no matter how well reasoned and insightful. It's the method proven daily here at Techdirt."
How would you asshats know? You haven't posted anything well reasoned or insightful EVER.
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Re: Re: Doesn't know that gaggle of irrelevant idiots invalidate
Nor does Baghdad Bob ever get "large numbers" of gainsayers, period, unless he's counting all his sock puppets chiming in.
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Satire, some people just do not get it. Why is this?
Some folk do not understand satire making fun of whatever it is in their lives, while others are fully capable of laughing at themselves - dirty laundry and all.
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I love that one comedy sketch - "Use sarcasm, get the death penalty." Too bad copyright has that locked up so tight you can't even get one scene on youtube.
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I patiently await the next report where:
AND
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And both of them have their flys (flies?) down.
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blue boy replies to himself as a sign of solidarity for his boi Nunes. News at 11.
There once was an out of the blue
Who hated the process of due
Each tweet that he'd made
Was DMCAed
And shoved up his ass with a Nunes
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I remember when the original version of this limerick got LOL votes. Then it got report votes. Which I personally consider undeserved, but that's vox populi for you.
And now we've managed to come full circle. Someone's gotten so fed up with blue's bullshit that they paid actual money to promote this stain on blue's reputation.
Only out_of_the_blue could fuck up this much.
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https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/03/devin-nunes-sued-devincow-now-the-cow-has-more-twitter-f ollowers-than-he-does/?comments=1&post=37044511
The point isn't to win the lawsuit. The point isn't even to keep the cow from becoming famous. The point is to garner press for Devin Nunes (which seems to have worked, because here we are) and to allow him to engage in conservative, imaginary grievance politics. Sure, why not sue an imaginary cow for your imaginary grievance?
It's the same reason that every election cycle, red-state legislators introduce dumb bills like "anti-sharia law" bills, "no aborted fetus tissue in food" bills, and "make students pray again in public school" bills, along with various anti-abortion measures:
It whips up the base, proves the candidates passion for conservative causes, and it lets them see what will stick to the wall (e.g. they have been systematically trying every possible way of limiting women's access to abortions to see just how far the Supreme Court will let them go - along with trying to stack the bench on the court - ,ost of the bills will be declared unconstitutional, in part or in full; if it's only in part, they can analyze the part that was found to be Constitutional, and see if they can leverage that further to restrict access to abortion).
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@DevinCow Now Has More Twitter Followers Than Devin Nunes... and now more followers than @BarbaraStreisand.
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The Last Word
“blue boy replies to himself as a sign of solidarity for his boi Nunes. News at 11.
There once was an out of the blue
Who hated the process of due
Each tweet that he'd made
Was DMCAed
And shoved up his ass with a Nunes