We took a screenshot of this when Delegate Saqib Ali (D-39) put this up on Twitter last fall and promptly forgot about it. But that was a disservice to our readers since it proves yet again that Ali is one of the state's funniest politicians.
Showing posts with label Saqib-Mania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saqib-Mania. Show all posts
Thursday, June 24, 2010
From the Saqib Ali Archives
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Killing Grandma Makes Saqib Hungry
District 39 Delegate Saqib Ali is at it again. Delegate Ali entertained his legions of Facebook friends with the status below. He deleted it, but not before it was immortalized in a screenshot.
This comes on top of a rip-roaring feud with an Examiner reporter over another Facebook status.
Delegate Ali has a lot to say. We appreciate his policy statements. But unless he assumes some control over his online proclamations, his substantive positions and work on the issues will be overshadowed by the Facebook follies.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Funniest Facebook Status of the Day (Updated)
Who else but Delegate Saqib Ali (D-39) would write something like this?
I better not find a bone in my taco!
Update: Saqib Ali must have suddenly decided he does not like publicity. Look at this:
Monday, December 08, 2008
Saqib-Mania Continues on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
The unstoppable cultural phenomenon goes on, this time on the Kojo Nnamdi show!
Last Friday, Delegate Saqib Ali appeared on Kojo Nnamdi's Politics Hour. His interview, starting at the 4:45 mark, mostly covered speed cameras (yawn). But at 17:30, Kojo got to the point with this exchange:Kojo Nnamdi: Saqib Ali, you hold a number of distinctions. My favorite one is your reputation as the best Facebook Delegate in Annapolis so we took the opportunity to go to your Facebook page. Here are a few of the gems that can be found there.
We are of course delighted that Delegate Ali's Facebook adventures are gaining wide attention. But why did the Delegate not remind Kojo's listeners of who it was that launched his career into online fame? These big stars always forget where they came from!
“Saqib has trained his two-year-old to do his menial chores. Parenthood is totally worth it!”
Saqib, Saqib, Saqib…
Saqib Ali: Well, you know, um… I consider myself a critic of popular culture and I like to make fun of myself and I think my constituents enjoy ribbing me a little bit too, so it’s all in good fun.
Tom Sherwood: How do we tell when you’re serious?
Saqib Ali: Well, if you want to know what I seriously think, Facebook is not the place to go. Go to my blog or go to my website or come talk to me.
Kojo Nnamdi: So you have not started an underground fight club in the Maryland General Assembly as your Facebook page says?
Saqib Ali: No, I haven’t. In fact, we have some other members of the Assembly who are actually trained martial artists and I’m sure they’d make short work of me.
Friday, October 17, 2008
In the Wake of Saqib-Mania (Updated)
It is a great shame that we ran our MoCo Most Influential survey prior to the revelations about Delegate Saqib Ali’s Facebook page. Had Saqib-Mania erupted prior to the survey, the Delegate would have assumed his proper (although temporary) place on the top ten list. But all in all, the Delegate enjoyed a unique week of fame.
Whatever you may think of his status updates, Delegate Ali is a politically nimble fellow. A lesser man would have ranted about a “violation of privacy” or a “negative attack.” But the Delegate laughed off the post and promptly sent his legions of Facebook Friends to view it (click on below).
Next came an article by ace Gazette reporter Janel Davis, who must have chuckled while she wrote it. Ms. Davis said:Instead of the boring drivel that usually accompanies anything associated with a politician, Ali's page includes all sorts of funny tidbits and riffs on popular culture. For example: “Saqib loves Fridays like a fat kid loves cake.” And, “Saqib feels strange confusing emotions when Sarah Palin winks at him.”
“Boring drivel” indeed! What a deliciously cynical comment by Ms. Davis! For his part, Delegate Ali responded:More than just my constituents look at it. It's goofy and people recognize it as a joke... I think I started a trend among legislators. I've noticed others have started adding creative things on their Facebook pages... I'll consider that my legacy.
And now egged on by Ms. Davis, Delegate Ali is celebrating his newfound celebrity with a few more tidbits (click on below):
But a few of our readers are not amused, especially women. Minutes after I put up “Beware of Facebook,” one woman wrote me, “The Saqib post is good, but I don’t understand why you don’t call his comments OFFENSIVE. Particularly, to women.” Another woman hissed into my cell phone, “What is he saying about needy women?! Come election time, HE is going to be needy for US!” Still another woman wrote, “I think he is so arrogant he doesn't see the folly of his ridiculous FB [Facebook] rantings. I think there could be trouble down the road.” (If the Delegate knew who these women were, he would be shaking in his little red boots.) One male politician who was completely oblivious to any objections by women said, “Hey, he polled well, right?”
And so it appears that this blog struck an accidental Faustian bargain with Delegate Ali's Facebook page. His Facebook Friends descended on MPW like adoring locusts, driving our visit counts into the stratosphere. Beware of Facebook generated more visits in one day than any other post here with the exception of Crisis at the Gazette Part Two. In return, we have made the Delegate’s Wall an icon of local political culture. The Maryland political establishment is now divided into two groups: those who have the privilege of accessing Delegate Ali's wit and wisdom, and those who huddle in ignorance on the outside.
So, MoCo politicians – who among you will be following in Saqib Ali’s footsteps?
Update: Due to Delegate Ali's generosity, it looks like this will be another big-time visit day for the blog! Click on the picture below.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Saqib Ali Facebook Poll
Here we have another hot potato (or perhaps a burning ember) on this blog. How do you feel about this?
Beware of Facebook (Multiple Updates)
Now I have nothing against Delegate Saqib Ali (D-39). He has a pro-labor, pro-environment voting record. He was supported by numerous progressive organizations in his incumbent-toppling run in 2006. And I chuckled when he took on MCDCC over its secretive vacancy appointment process.
But, you see, I just joined Facebook. And Delegate Ali’s page gave me a welcome that I will never forget!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Facebook, it is probably the premier social networking site on the Internet. Everyone who joins maintains their own page. Anyone can establish links to “Friends.” Friends share comments, news and photos, and can write on each other’s pages in forums called “Walls.” Facebook participants can choose to make the contents of their Wall visible only to their Friends, Friends of Friends or broader communities called Networks. Now here is where it gets interesting.
When “real” friends sit down for a brew or two, many things are said. For the most part, they continue to exist only in semi-fogged minds or in the memories of jaded bartenders. But in Facebook, written Wall contents are visible to all with access. And a LOT of people can have access. That does not stop some people from saying whatever they wish without a care in the world. Delegate Ali is one of these people.
Below are a few excerpts from Delegate Ali’s Wall. Bear in mind that I have not connected with him as a Friend (and now I am certain he will forbid it!) but nevertheless I and MANY thousands of others have access. Here the Delegate states, “Saqib’s advice for single guys: Lots of needy women at NKOTB [New Kids on the Block] concerts.” He also says he is selling Free O.J. T-shirts “out of the trunk of his car.”
“Saqib’s barber shop offers bizarre conversations from an alternative reality.”
“Saqib loves Fridays like a fat kid loves cake.”
“Saqib feels strange confusing emotions when Sarah Palin winks at him.”
“Saqib wants to see [former NFL star] Warren Sapp crush that skinny blond woman.”
“Saqib asks his constituents What can Brown do for you?” (One of them says, “You can start by replying to my emails.”)
“Saqib just bought several cans of Ax bodyspray to attract the ladies.”
“Saqib is Superwoman. Yes I am.”
“Saqib wonders how creepy he seems if he asks job applicants to first add him as their Friend on Facebook.”
“Saqib gets it from his Momma!”
“Saqib requests other men not to make idle chit-chat with him in the locker room if you are naked. I’m just sayin’.”
“Saqib thought today was Halloween and wore a cute Little Red Riding Hood outfit to work.”
“Saqib feels the need to sneeze obnoxiously loudly to affirm his manhood.”
“Saqib is considering changing his FaceBook relationship status to single just to see what would happen.” (The Delegate is married.)
“Saqib: If a woman’s work is never done, I must be a woman… a really, really hot woman!” (One of the Delegate’s Friends replies, “Saqib, be responsible.”)
“Saqib takes his cell phone into the shower with him. Is that wierd? [sic]”
Sigh... Let’s give Delegate Ali some credit here. With a few exceptions (like Big Daddy and Delegate Luiz Simmons), most politicians try to bury their personalities for fear of offending voters. Just check out their pitifully boring “blogs.” But following in the footsteps of blind superhero Daredevil, Delegate Ali is a man without fear! Shouldn’t we appreciate a politician who bares all (assuming we do not approach too closely in the locker room)?
Some will question whether I am invading the Delegate’s privacy by posting the above. The fact is that Facebook is private only to the extent that a participant wants it to be private. First, I was able to view this content even though I am not the Delegate’s Friend. That means, at a minimum, his privacy setting allows Friends of Friends to access it. The Delegate has over 900 Friends. If each of them has, on average, 50 Friends, that means tens of thousands of people can see his Wall. Second, the Delegate himself invites his constituents to become his Facebook Friends on his campaign website (see below). As of this writing, the above content is about as public as it gets.
So if you are a politician – or an aspiring politician – is this how you want to appear before constituents? If so, then get on that Little Red Riding Hood outfit and crush that skinny blond woman! If not, then BEWARE of Facebook.
Update: I wrote the first draft of this post last weekend, long before Delegate Ali's amazingly well-timed comment complaining that this blog is "bland." You just can't make this stuff up, folks!
Update 2: We have offended many politicians on this blog in the past, but not Delegate Ali! He seems to be enjoying the attention as he says, "Saqib is flattered to have Adam Pagnucco stalking him."
Update 3: At one point early this afternoon, 36% of all traffic to the site came in directly to this post without going through the home page. The home page itself only received 34% of the traffic. That level of interest in a single post is almost unprecedented in the history of this blog. Total traffic averaged one visit per minute around lunchtime, probably the second-highest rate of intensity behind the day when we ran Crisis at the Gazette Part Two. Saqib Ali is a lot more famous today than he was yesterday.
Update 4: Don't forget to vote in our Saqib Ali poll!
Update 5: Direct visits to this post now account for 38% of all visits to this blog. I don't recall having seen that before, but then again, we've never had a post quite like this one. Thanks, Delegate!
Update 6: It's at 40%. How come you guys don't react like this when I put up budget stuff?
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