Comments on: Comments on 10937

Post number 10937

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 12:42:56 -0800

You Gotta Love Those New York Firemen Or "How Cartman's Fireman Suddenly Took On A Whole New Meaning". Just to show there is always an upside to everything, it seems some Manhattan girls are doing their bit for their country and enjoying themselves into the bargain. Hey, is this the spirit or what?

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 13:14:03 -0800

Or you could always try shopping. Simon Doonan's advice is featured weekly in the New York Observer. It was always the most cosmopolitan and entertaining of all local newspapers but, since September 11, it's well on its way to becoming the best attuned and best generally in the world.

By: timothompson

timothompson — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 14:23:17 -0800

I tried the same thing. But when I pulled down my pants to passing women firemen and yelled "the fire's down here", all I got was an indecency citation.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 14:38:53 -0800

(uncontrollable giggling at the very thought)

By: PWA_BadBoy

PWA_BadBoy — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 14:42:53 -0800

Um.. shouldn't you pull down your pants while holding your hose and yell "Can I help you put out some fires?!?" *ducks to avoid tomatoes thrown at head*

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 14:58:27 -0800

But no, timothompson and PWA_BadBoy("DIE, Real, DIE!" is MeFi's official Hymn For The Day), you are both quite right: there is no mention of firewomen in the article. Is it yet one more clear example of rampant sexism? Oh yes.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 15:58:21 -0800

I had brunch with a friend last weekend. He's gay but not into gay culture. He was abashed to admit that he discovered he has a fetish: firemen. All the women at the table shook their heads and said "Uh hunh" in a knowing way.

By: marknau

marknau — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 16:04:35 -0800

Is it yet one more clear example of rampant sexism? Oh yes. Of New York's 11,000 fire-fighters, 36 are female. This is largely due to a physical regimen that demands upper-body strength.

By: moz

moz — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 16:49:12 -0800

i'm only depressed because i am both an internet nerd and a literary wimp.

By: RoyalJack

RoyalJack — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 17:07:30 -0800

It was always the most cosmopolitan and entertaining of all local newspapers but, since September 11, it's well on its way to becoming the best attuned and best generally in the world. Generally agree with the article regarding Firemen and others mating and mashing more often in the days since the attack. But the NY Observer has been--and always will be--the narrow-visioned voice of the upper-east-side. It speaks little to NYC in general and speaks volumes to the Upper East Side's self-absorbed pretention. It's well attuned alright. But only to a very small segment of the NYC population. One that 90% of NYC has nothing to do with.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 17:09:18 -0800

i'm only depressed because i am both an internet nerd and a literary wimp (moz) I guess that about describes and depresses every single one of us. Thanks a lot. (Cue every single damn version of "This Charming Man"): Come off it, moz, you're a champion aggregator and aggravator and you should be proud of your upper-body strength(it says here...)

By: aramaic

aramaic — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 17:14:02 -0800

OK, see, it's threads like this that make me glad God invented heavy narcotics....

By: EngineBeak

EngineBeak — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 17:39:24 -0800

My pussy's raw, and it's rendered in delicate prose.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 19:06:51 -0800

Now that's an interesting comment. (considers linking to kitten-eating thread of yore, discards as being too far out of the realm of reasonable taste)

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 20:37:03 -0800

While I'm neither gay nor remotely attracted to firemen, I've heard the "gay men/straight women express a strange attraction to firemen" thing before. Methinks it has to do with the fact that firemen are:

a) Men in uniform
b) Heroic- the whole "running into burning buildings to save lives" thing
c) Manly a la "Tom of Finland" yet gentle- not only saving lives, but also rescuing kittens from trees!
d) Heroic, uniformed men in a way that isn't remotely political or controversial.

See, some people might hate cops, or the military, or other folks in uniform- but who they hell can hate a freakin' fireman?

By: aramaic

aramaic — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 20:41:56 -0800

I can hate a fireman. I mean, I'm just sayin' is all...

By: raysmj

raysmj — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 21:19:48 -0800

Who the hell can hate a freakin' fireman? Um, hincandenza, you've obviously never seen a city council in the midst of hearing firefighter complaints about zillion different things, some important and others petty, or known an elected official dealing with nasty departmental politics. The above people can come to hate individual firefighters or groups of same. It happens.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Sat, 29 Sep 2001 22:31:47 -0800

I always wanted to be a Fireman. I wish I had done things a bit different in that regard.

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 01:23:00 -0800

Well sure, raysmj, except who the hell can't hate a freakin' city council member? :)

The point stands: even when firefighters are petty or demanding, non-politicians would find it hard to really hate them. When teachers go on strike, there are plenty of people who think they're lazy; when cops beat up some black dude outside a supermarket, there are plenty of people ready to march in the street. But you don't really have a comparable situation with firefighters (that I've ever experienced), since you don't really ever hear of low fire-fighter standards or somesuch (again, that I've ever experienced). Hell, even if they did demand higher pay- so long as they didn't go on strike- I 'spect most people wouldn't be saying, "Ah, fuck the firefighters- what they ever do for US!?"

By: pracowity

pracowity — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 03:22:09 -0800

> He was abashed to admit that he discovered he has a > fetish: firemen. All the women at the table shook their > heads and said "Uh hunh" in a knowing way. It's the boots. It's the big, shining helmet. It's the rubber. It's the hoses, the big nozzles, the uncontrollable streams.

By: Opus Dark

Opus Dark — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 03:39:49 -0800

All the prim ladies once turned up their noses, 'cause a fireman's wages they could count on their toses. But now they are heroes, and as everyone knowses, They all come equipped with very big hoses.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 04:26:06 -0800

thirteen is so right: hands up all guys who wanted to be firemen when they were five and now realize what an extraordinary mess they've made of their lives. Next week: train-drivers; brain surgeons; Amnesty International chairmen and webmasters. OK, not webmasters then.

By: mattpfeff

mattpfeff — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 10:28:34 -0800

I once knew a guy who fought fires, He was so cool he hardly perspired; But now he's enflamed Those NYC women to blame And the bastard he told me he's gonna retire!

By: raysmj

raysmj — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 11:02:37 -0800

hincandenza: Um, if you're in a town where firefighter incompetence or turf battling leads to more fires and increased insurance rates, yes, there will be serious resentment. There is now much less, because of the work done not only within fire departments, but in city halls, state insurance departments, etc. You can indirectly thank the Progressive movement of the early 20th Century too. You can thank engineers, equipment makers, etc. Of course, firefighters should be paid and treated well, since it's a nasty and dangerous job. Incompetence can be a reflection of officialdom's failure. But that's not always the case, since there are a-holes in every group or subculture in the world, y'know. This is true, even if I'm just giving you a hard time here.

By: raysmj

raysmj — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 11:09:36 -0800

hincandenza: Oh, and the firefighter who goes around to offices and schools, checking on alarm systems and making suggestions and urging homeowners to install fire detectors and such does as much or more for your safety as anyone. That stuff won't get him laid, unfortunately for him, but it saves countless lives and billions of dollars.

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 14:23:12 -0800

Damn- I had no idea firefighters were such rotten bastards. Those fuckers!

By: raysmj

raysmj — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 14:32:24 -0800

Didn't say they were, actually.

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Sun, 30 Sep 2001 21:25:57 -0800

Ow- now you're confusing me. Stop with the head games, raysmj... :)