Is Jerome Armstrong Vis Numar?

Ron Brynaert: Is Gov. Warner’s Blogger A Zodiac Freeper?

Update: It certainly looks so. See DU post below.

In the lengthy post linked above, lefty Ron Brynaert lays out the circumstantial evidence suggesting that Jerome Armstrong has been posting on Free Republic and other sites as one “Vis Numar.” As Kosola continues to unfold, Jerome’s astrological interests keep coming up.

One can read Brynaert’s post for the evidence, and find it convincing or not. Since Jerome Armstrong has commented at RedState and Vis Numar has commented at Free Republic, maybe those IP addresses could be compared.

Then there is this post at DU (emphasis mine), in which Vis Numar calls mydd.com “my site” —

Democratic Underground Forums
Vis Numar - House 2002 Analysis, March update
I just got my site back online, and it comes with a new update on the state by state congressional House elections:

http://www.mydd.com/politics/House2002.html

…This current forecast yields a 10 seat gain/loss for the Democrats/Republicans. Hence, a 221-212-2 Democratic Majority….

INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ELECTION COVERAGE & FORECAST
http://www.mydd.com/politics.html

If Armstrong is Vis Numar, then:

1. Armstrong is engaging in sock-puppetry, which is annoying and childish, and got LATimes reporter Hiltzik in hot water for doing so.

2. Vis Numar continues, as recently as March 2005, to engage in astrological prognostications on political developments. Also see this collection of posts by Vis Numar at Astroworld.

3. Jerome claims he has left astrology behind since 2001, as something he used to practice in his mid-30’s poor student days when he was stock swindling.

4. If all this is the case, then Jerome is not only a currently practicing astrologer, but is also lying about it.

Dan Riehl first explored the Vis Numar connection here.

Ron Brynaert follows up here.

Lindsay Beyerstein wonders if this is relevant.

Alon Levy wonders too.

Trackbacks & Pings

  1. Marisacat » Dkos: Merry-Go-Round Round Round… on 03 Jul 2006 at 12:31 pm

    […] The Politburo Diktat picks up where others have poked around: […]

Comments

  1. Kristjan Wager wrote:

    There is (and rightfully so) a big difference between a blogger using sockpuppets and a LA Times reporter using sockpuppets. I know bloggers want to call themselves new media, but they aren’t really media, so you can’t apply the same rules to them (what got Hiltzik in trouble was actually that his contract made clear that he had to present himself trughtfully).

    Having said that, Armstrong sure doesn’t come out looking good, and if I was Gov. Warner, I would very much consider dumping him, or at least make very clear that Armstrong doesn’t have any influence on his policy making.

    Interesting enough, what might really be damaging to most people is the fact that he is playing both sides - Democratic Underground and Free Republic? That’s quite a gap, and doesn’t exactly show a dedication to what he publicly stands for. So, in other words, for us science-focused people, his astrology is bad, but for all others, his doubtful political stance is probably as bad.

    Posted 03 Jul 2006 at 3:56 am

  2. commissar wrote:

    Kristjan,

    Agreed, the sock puppetry is minor.

    The issue is, he is still practicing astrology on political issues, and then lied about it. And, in response to the Kosola claims, Kos told his fellow bloggers to hush it up. And that’s just what we already know.

    These guys are Nixonian.

    Posted 03 Jul 2006 at 7:34 am

  3. Kristjan Wager wrote:

    Kos told his fellow bloggers to hush it up

    That is not somethin I know, and I really don’t care. Kos doesn’t have the kind of power of the liberal bloggers that you seem to attribute to him.

    Yes, there are many bloggers that like him, and get along with him, but there are also many bloggers who don’t agree with him. E.g. he is not popular among feminist bloggers.

    Posted 03 Jul 2006 at 8:04 am

  4. Ron Brynaert wrote:

    I don’t think the sock puppetry is minor.

    Vis Numar wrote countless posts attacking Kerry and sometimes Clark at Democratic Underground while - assuming that it is Jerome - he was on Dean’s payroll.

    Vis even brought up the Kerry intern bullshit story at DU.

    To me…that’s far worse than a journalist responding to his critics.

    Posted 03 Jul 2006 at 5:42 pm

  5. commissar wrote:

    Interesting, Ron.

    Posted 03 Jul 2006 at 8:21 pm

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