# Latest Sarah Palin idiocy: Oh noes, I have neighbors! How awful!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 26, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810 "2010-05-26T13:17:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/61 "2010-05-26T17:56:29Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > How do you function here with a broken sarcasm sensor? He doesn’t function particularly well here, but you’ve probably noticed that before. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/62 "2010-05-26T17:59:10Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > That must be it. I mean, so many people move to Alaska, Wasilla specifically, so often. It does seem that the more extraordinary claim is being made by you here…that it’s just a coincidence. So, demanding a cite from the more reasonable position stinks of the childish “cite, cite, cite” that so many like to play around here. > > That said, [here’s some substantiation from a lying right wing site.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/25/sarah-palin-gets-a-new-go_n_588962.html) What exactly does this “substantiate?” What is the author’s proof that McGuinness will “study them from his perch?” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/63 "2010-05-26T18:15:31Z")
If she keeps her shorts on, nobody will be able to see the family swimming hole. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/64 "2010-05-26T18:22:14Z")
You mean Bristol, right? ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/65 "2010-05-26T18:25:51Z")
The author has a reputation already established as a serious writer, he’s not a tabloid staffer. I think it would be weird if he moved all the way to Alaska to write about Palin and didn’t take the opportunity to live near her, if it presented itself. Why not live on a nice lake anyway? I don’t get why everyone always wants to freak about people knowing things about her kids. I really doubt if that’s at the heart of his interest. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/66 "2010-05-26T18:29:34Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > What exactly does this “substantiate?” What is the author’s proof that McGuinness will “study them from his perch?” Scenario A: McGinnis just decided to move to Alaska, and chose Wasilla for a reason other than Palin and just be sheer coincidence, wound up getting a house right next door to Pailn. Scenario B: He’s writing a book on her and wants to pry into her life as much as he can, and rented a house right next door to her in the boonies of Alaska to do just that. Scenario B is the one that seems MUCH more likely. Does it not. Regardless, the link I provided offers some substantiation for B. Where does this notion of “proof” come from? Give me a fucking break. Scenario A is the outlandish point of view. Let’s see some proof for that. Hell, some substantiation even. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/67 "2010-05-26T18:31:26Z")
Of course Palin’s history of playing victim and whining about the attention she seems desperate to generate colors how we perceive this latest act of nailing herself to a cross. Fair or not, that’s what comes of crying wolf. But does she have a legitimate beef? I’d say so. Now, of course, I have a grudge against Joe McGuiness because he wrote the book Cruel Doubt which was turned into a Lifetime movie blaming D&D for some kid going psycho. Someone I know who skimmed the book told me he didn’t see the D&D angle in there, but I’m giving him the penalty of the doubt. Anyway, as the [commenter on Slate](http://www.slate.com/id/2255087/) pointed out, this kind of thing is actually less alarming than what investigative journalists ordinarily do when they crawl up anybody’s ass. It’s just more symbolic, and liable to generate buzz. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/68 "2010-05-26T18:33:53Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I’m terrible at math ☹ > > I mean really, though, c’mon- you honestly are telling me that it is just as likely that of all the homes in Alaska (or even Wasilla- which is where several of my friends live), he randomly drew the one next door to her house --than him specifically picking that house? If you’ll re-read my post, no, I have him specifically choosing that house. Just not for the (completely unsupported by any facts) reason you think he chose that house. Since you are the one who is talking about “statistically likely” as opposed to “my own opinion I formed out of my ass with no real facts”, I’m asking you to back up your supposition. I haven’t presented any one reason for him living there as being more likely than any other. You did. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/69 "2010-05-26T18:36:57Z")
Scenario B is ludicrous and absolutely unsupported. If you can provide any evidence that McGunness is “spying” on them, let’s see it. So far the only one peeking into other people’s yards seems to be Palin. I also think it’s emblematic of her profound narcissism that she thinks any lake she happens to be in physical proximity to is her personal property. What a psycho this woman is. McGuinness should probably arm himself. People that obsessive and controlling and entitled – there’s no telling what they’re liable to do. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/70 "2010-05-26T18:38:34Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > The only info I can do with a quick and admittedly shoddy Google search is from [his Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McGinniss): > That was up before Palin’s rant, because I remember reading it when looking him up before. That line you quoted from wikipedia was apparently added today, 26 May 2010. It has no cite, no footnote, and I see from the View history page that several items relating to this facebook posting and ensuing fracas have been removed from the McGinnis page because they more properly belonged on Palin’s page. In other words, at this point, I can’t trust the information on wiki to be factual. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/71 "2010-05-26T18:46:06Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You mean Bristol, right? Well, if she keeps the tank top on, no one will see her [Bristols](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bristol+cities), either. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/72 "2010-05-26T18:49:26Z")
HAHA Missed the edit window, but here’s the full text that was up on McGinniss’s wiki page: > [@](#): > > McGinniss is said to be working on a book, tentatively titled Sarah Palin’s Year of Living Dangerously, which will be published by Broadway/Random House in 2011. > > Palin discovered that McGinnis has moved in next door to her in Alaska in order to spy on her and her family for 5 months while he writes the book. His decision can only be characterized as stalker-like and deliberately disrespectful toward Palin and her family. You can see it was posted at 7:16 am and the second sentence was removed just 11 minutes later 7:27 am. I know that wiki’s clock is set 7 hours ahead of PDST, so that means it was posted about 11 hours ago, with no citation or reference. Sorry, but posting this so hot on the heels of Palin’s Facebook posting is just too suspect for me to give it any credence without a cite. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/73 "2010-05-26T19:02:29Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I mean really, though, c’mon- you honestly are telling me that it is just as likely that of all the homes in Alaska (or even Wasilla- which is where several of my friends live), he randomly drew the one next door to her house --than him specifically picking that house? Query: What do you think the odds are of someone moving in next to Palin who _doesn’t_ think she’s a vapid twat? > [@magellan01](#): > > Scenario A: McGinnis just decided to move to Alaska, and chose Wasilla for a reason other than Palin and just be sheer coincidence, wound up getting a house right next door to Pailn. > > Scenario B: He’s writing a book on her and wants to pry into her life as much as he can, and rented a house right next door to her in the boonies of Alaska to do just that. _cough_ExcludedMiddle_cough_ ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/74 "2010-05-26T19:06:54Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Seriously? Alaska is fucking huge. HUGE. He goes all the way from MA to Alaska, big-ol-giant-Alaska, and just so happens to move in RIGHT NEXT DOOR to Sarah Palin’s family? C’mon. Alaska is huge, but most of it is uninhabited forest and mountain. if you want to live in a community of any size, there are only a handful of places. It’s not like you can just throw a dart at a map of Alaska and live there. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/75 "2010-05-26T19:09:59Z")
Dear Ms. Palin, It’s called a fence. Look it up. Sincerely, P-bun ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/76 "2010-05-26T19:10:02Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Anything to bitch about Palin, right? > > The guy is stalking her. His own son confirms it: > > [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0510/Annals\_of\_journalistic\_enterprise.html](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0510/Annals_of_journalistic_enterprise.html) That’s obvious sarcasm. Like, with a neon sign on it. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/77 "2010-05-26T19:13:50Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Dear Ms. Palin, > It’s called a fence. Look it up. > Sincerely, > P-bun She knows. From the Facebook entry: > [@Sarah Palin](#): > > And you know what they say about “fences make for good neighbors”? Well, we’ll get started on that tall fence tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/78 "2010-05-26T19:19:33Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Scenario A: McGinnis just decided to move to Alaska, and chose Wasilla for a reason other than Palin and just be sheer coincidence, wound up getting a house right next door to Pailn. > > Scenario B: He’s writing a book on her and wants to pry into her life as much as he can, and rented a house right next door to her in the boonies of Alaska to do just that. > > Scenario B is the one that seems MUCH more likely. Does it not. Regardless, the link I provided offers some substantiation for B. Where does this notion of “proof” come from? Give me a fucking break. Scenario A is the outlandish point of view. Let’s see some proof for that. Hell, some substantiation even. Sheesh. The scenario sensible people would immediately envision is Scenario C: McGinnis correctly figured that renting a house right next door to his subject is a free-publicity goldmine. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/79 "2010-05-26T19:23:26Z")
Man, it feels bizarre to be coming in on the side of Sarah Palin. But… > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Scenario B is ludicrous and absolutely unsupported. If you can provide any evidence that McGunness is “spying” on them, let’s see it. So far the only one peeking into other people’s yards seems to be Palin. I think you’re giving way too much benefit of the doubt here. We’re not in a court of law, so the standard of evidence doesn’t need to be too high. A reporter who has written about Palin, and may be in the process of doing so again, has moved next door to her. That’s not a coincidence. It may serve no useful purpose, but it’s not a coincidence. > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I also think it’s emblematic of her profound narcissism that she thinks any lake she happens to be in physical proximity to is her personal property. Her being a narcissistic wacko is certainly true IMHO, but I think it’s beside the point here. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810/80 "2010-05-26T19:46:52Z")
I think its quite possible that he moved next door to write a book about her. But you know what, he has every right to rent a house next to her. I’m sure her family does nothing scandalous where the neighbors could see it, right? So what’s the big deal? My parents live on a lake with neighbors, we don’t skinny dip in the lake because - well, we have neighbors. They are someone inconvenient when you want to skinny dip… This Tea Party Libertarian thing gets more fascinating by the hour, when a person who owns property can’t rent to another person without clearing the resume of the renter with the neighbors. Or: Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latest-sarah-palin-idiocy-oh-noes-i-have-neighbors-how-awful/540810.md?page=5)