Get a Brain, Morans! A Pictoral Essay (Image-heavy)

[Ian David]

And, for your own photo-editing enjoyment...

[nytemare]

1. I wonder if this guy has any idea how much people pick on him.

I don't think he does.

[gmoney]

2. his pedigree is in doubt...

http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/000472.html

[Ian David]

6. This might be a REAL guy who was later imitated at a FAKE rally...

Significant edits and additions were made after originally posting.

Short answer:
1) The hoax Moran was allegedly done on a cold, blizzard-like day.
2) The Moran in this picture was on a bright, sunny day.
3) There is some doubt that the original event even took place, let alone that there was a snowy day on April 4th.
4) None of the signs described as appearing in the hoax rally start with the phrase contain the letters "Fri.. Ri.."
5) My conclusion: More research is necessary, but I give this a 75% chance of being an actual right-winger.


According to the article, the fake Moran guy (who imitated the real one) was engaged in a hoax demonstration, "...on April 4th in near blizzard."

This is also corroborated by this statement:

<snip>
UPDATE: As indicated in the first comment, this picture wasn't taken in a blizzard, even if his sign matches one of the ones described above. I also can't find mention of an April 4 peace protest here. The dates are also wrong; the Moran picture is from sometime before March 26. Of the two Moran signs, we know that one was fake, and I'd bet that the other one is as well. If it helps any, I think the "We support our troops when they shoot their officers" sign might have been a fake as well.

However, there is a statement that muddies the waters even more:

UPDATE 2: A reliable source informs me that a) there was no blizzard anywhere near April 4th, and b) that if something like this fake protest had happened, he would have known about it.

More:
http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/000472.html

---


Plus, the real Moran is wearing a St. Louis Cardinals shirt, which isn't the most likely thing for someone from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to wear.

I've tried to unravel the riddle of Moran guy myself, and spent a couple hours doing it.

I posted my findings and questions here on DU somewhere, but didn't get much response.

Check the other photos of Moran Guy that aren't cropped as closely. You'll see details in the background like a tire shop, TV news van, etc. Look at the t-shirts the other people are wearing.

My image software doesn't enlarge it clearly enough for me to make out enough detail.

Now, notice the girl standing next to him. Her sign says, "Fre(?) Ri(?)"

If it says, "Free Ripublic," I'd declare this to be a hoax.

But it can say lots of things. The first word isn't even necessarily "Free."

Let's all write to Snopes.com and ask them to evaluate this.
http://www.snopes.com/cgi-bin/comments/submit.asp

I hope we aren't disappointed by the answer, but remember this: Real or not, he is still an icon that represents a very real Freeper Archetype.

[Tafiti]

43. Also...

...did you see this comment near the bottom?

I work with the guy in this photo and he doesn't even have a computer.I seen this photo and posted it on the wall and he got pissed.I thought about posting his name but I better not.

Not that it really proves anything, but still...

[Ian David]

51. I could say I watched them fake a moon landing... let's all contact Snopes

I already submitted the question to Snopes.com

I suppose it might help if enough of us asked them to look into it.

http://www.snopes.com/cgi-bin/comments/submit.asp

[Generic Other]

60. Funny, I thought he was DUer Indiana Green's co-worker

and she found the pic in the copy room and sinfully copied it. I'm pretty sure that's where it came from. Am I the only one who thinks that?

Oh Indiana Green... Yoo hoo...

[edbermac]

16. LOL...I love the moon picture...

Neil and Buzz should have left him up there...

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Shit, those are brilliant!

Did you do all those? Or is the Morans guy becoming an Internet meme?

[Ian David]

4. Yes, I did all of those. I needed to cheer myself up...

turning scenes of devastation, destruction and tragedy into ironic political humor.

And thanks for the compliment!

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Well, you have enough for a gallery show!

Good work getting all those done!

[Heidi]

5. Thank you, IanDB1!

:thumbsup:

[Ian David]

7. I just made a bunch of significant edits and additions to my prior message

Please be sure to go back and re-read it now.

And thanks, and you're welcome!

[DS1]

8. Hiroshima, with Tourist Guy, was the one that finally had me

:rofl:

[Ian David]

9. Thanks! The moderators made me delete the one with him at a lynching...

I guess that one was a little too "dark."

After the polite email I got about it, I decided that I'd better not post the one of him standing beside the Vietnamese officer executing a man with a gunshot to the head-- even though I used the picture right before the actual gunshot.

And based on that, I also decided to use the Bhopal picture of dead cows instead of the ones with dead people.

And by the way, in case anyone is wondering...

Yes, those are NAKED pictures of "Doctor" Laura Schlesinger, tastefully (and mercifully) obscured by Moran Guy's signs.

[LynneSin]

10. Here he is at a Freeper rally!!!

[Ian David]

11. And here he is at an Article 8 Alliance rally...

[BrklynLiberal]

38. He is the Zelig of this Year.....

[hippywife]

46. Now looking at this picture

the sign the girl in front of him is holding looks like it probably might say Let Freedom Ring with the "let" part out of sight. Probably in small letters at the top middle of the sign which isn't visible. I'm just guessing that based on how I've seen homemade signs like this made and all the stupid blue and red stars emblazoned on it everywhere.

And actually, no one in the peace movement needs to stage a fake pro-war rally that looks this stupid. These people really do show up to counter-protest and make themselves look every bit this stupid. Anyone who has ever witnessed a counter-protest by the RW's will tell you the same thing and another case in point is the counter-protest in Crawford. It's really, really obvious that they do this kind of damage to their image all on their own without any needed help.

Edited to add that no one I have ever know in the peace movement would waste their time even attempting something like this. We're too damn busy attacking injustice on so many fronts we barely have time for ourselves.

[Ian David]

69. I better return my blue bandanna and Cardinals t-shirt...

I'd hate to be the only one wasting my time next week.

(sigh)

[Misunderestimator]

13. Nice!

:thumbsup:

[Love Bug]

14. Wow, that guy gets around more than Forrest Gump!

Probably has the same IQ, too, but no doubt not as sweet as Forrest.

[tilsammans]

15. Clever and nicely done!

eom

[underpants]

17. Great! but I have a question

Who is the nude chick at the beginning? anyone famous?

[Ian David]

18. The naked chick is "Doctor" Laura Schlessinger

Yes, THAT "Doctor Laura."

Warning: The link below is NOT "office-safe."
It contains nude pictures.

I say that just in case someone does not understand the significance of calling the site, "Dr. Laura Nude!"

Dr. Laura Nude!.
Dr. Laura nude. Naked Doctor Laura.
http://www.pencilnecks.com/Laura.htm

See also:

Dr. Laura, how could you?
Copyright war rages over moralist talk-show host's nude photos.


BY PATRIZIA DiLUCCHIO | The scenario inspires déja vu: a well-known figure, caught at the center of an Internet sex scandal, follows up a public denial by a courtroom-mandated confession. Dr. Laura Schlessinger -- talk radio phenomenon and morality maven to the masses, whose syndicated show receives upward of 60,000 phone calls a day from listeners seeking her counsel on subjects such as premarital sex, fidelity and the importance of being a stay-at-home mom -- had been caught with her pants down. Literally. True, the resulting photographs were ancient history, 20 years old or more. But suddenly they were on dozens of Web pages and newsgroups across the Net. How was the best-selling author of "Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives" going to spin this?

More:
http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1998/11/03feature.html

[underpants]

23. Ah yes I remember that

I'd do her

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

19. nominated

[Ian David]

20. Self-delete (Duplicate)

[Ian David]

22. Thanks! I just finished some more...

[EstimatedProphet]

21. Dude, this idea rocks!

This could be the new AYBABTU.

[Ian David]

24. Here are the images you need to do this for yourself...

[Ian David]

25. Moran with Balloons for Parent's Rights

Super-freaky...

[Ian David]

26. Okay, I think this one is my favorite so far...

[MN ChimpH8R]

27. ROFL

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[LynneSin]

28. On so many levels that is just wrong

:spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray:

[Downtown Hound]

29. It took me awhile to stop laughing at that so I could post

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[phusion]

41. OMG

:rofl:

Don't let the freepers see that one.

[Blue-Jay]

30. Damn, that's some funny shit!

I gotta bookmark this for when I have more time to play around with PS at home!

[Ian David]

31. Ah, dessert! My favorite...

Chilled Moran brains!

[DarkTirade]

39. I see she got the small portion.

[Sugar Smack]

49. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl:

[Ian David]

32. Pele shoots... he scores!

[Ian David]

33. Moranferatu

Okay, which one is better...


This one...






Or this one?

[WeRQ4U]

34. Those are awesome. Here I'll add another one.

[Ian David]

36. Oh, that's awesome! LOL!

[edbermac]

35. Where's the pic of him at the Last Supper?

Or on the bridge of the Titanic?

Or atop the Empire State building with Fay Wray?

Or at Charles and Diana's wedding?

I'd love for somebody to him on some 1024x768 wallpapers for my tube at work and watch my moran co-workers start foaming at the mouth...

Does DU have a wallpaper section? My head is just spinning about the possibilities...

[Ian David]

37. Okay, I like the Last Supper and King Kong ideas! Coming right up!

[Ian David]

40. I'm just a sweet Freepvestite... from Transexual... Freepervania! Uh-huh!

[Enraged_Ape]

42. I have no idea why I find this so funny

But I've got tears in my eyes from laughing. The Morans Guy is just such rich fodder for Dada-istic juxtaposition.

[ourbluenation]

44. I'm not sure - hang on...yes, I have pee'd in my pants from laughing!!!

[Initech]

45. The Morans guy standing in front of Fred Phelps is CLASSIC!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

That needs to be on a t-shirt!

[Ian David]

47. New and (vastly) improved Sweet Freepvestite!!

With Jeff Gannon in the role of Columbia...

[Ian David]

50. 'Twas Liberalism that killed the beast...

Not my best editing work, I know. This one was hard.

But it's cute, isn't it?

[Initech]

54. Nice!

I tried to put the "Get A Brain Morans" guy on a Wheaties box and so far, my Photoshop skills SUCK!

[Ian David]

55. Hey, could you please do me a favor?

I think PhotoShop has a filter that makes things look like an oil painting.

Can you use that filter on Moran and post it here please? Thanks!

[Initech]

62. I would but I dont have Photoshop unfortunately.

Instead, I'm forced to use the far INFERIOR Corel Photo Paint. :puke:

[Sugar Smack]

48. YOU are BRILLIANT.

That moon pic made me spit soda. Thank you SO MUCH for that!

:applause:

[Ian David]

52. Freepers are full of hot air...

I have to work on matching the background around the balloon better.

I'm using PhotoPlus, which seems to crash a lot, and doesn't want me to do too much copy-pasting with certain images. This is one of those it doesn't like.

As soon as I can fix that problem, I think I'll add Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, etc. to the balloons...

[Ian David]

56. Okay, I think you guys are gonna LOVE this one...

[Ian David]

53. The right-wing is full of hot air

This one took me longer than I expected it to.

The software hates working with these balloons...



You will notice I found an un-flattering, blotchy photo of Bill O'reilly without his make-up on.

Lucky for him, it was easier to cut-and-paste his head if I took out his double-chin.

Hey, you win some, you lose some.

I'm trying to add Pat Robertson, but the program keeps crashing.

Coming soon!

[Gregorian]

57. Tiananmoran

[Ian David]

58. I've got a few more now...

[Ian David]

59. Get a brain, Morans strikes again! And again!

[no name no slogan]

77. oh god oh god oh god

:spray:

I am quite literally going to piss myself if I see any more of these!

:rofl:

[Generic Other]

61. The moran is in the GRassy KNoll club!!

:rofl:

[Ian David]

63. It's a SLED, Morans! Rosebud is a SLED!

[Ian David]

64. This is why you should always eat your fiber

[Ian David]

66. Okay, which one is best...

[baldguy]

65. Obvious Q&D

[Ian David]

67. 2001: A Moran Odyssey

[IChing]

68. Great Work LOL !!!!

that rocked!!!!!!!

[Ian David]

70. Lunar Hoax Exposed

[Ian David]

71. Greetings, Earthling Morans!

See also:
HIGH FREQUENCY ACTIVE AURORAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/index.html

For live Webcam images of HAARP, visit:
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/cam.fcgi

To arrange a guided tour:
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/moreInfo.html

[Ian David]

73. Specal Ops Moran

[Catchawave]

72. Very nice, fun thread !

Whatever happened to our other "friend" = The 'we are idiots' guy with the Schiavo supporters? That would make some funny copy :evilgrin:

[Ian David]

74. Moon over Moran

[graywarrior]

75. The best thread in friggin years.

Thank You!!! I'm dying here.

[Ian David]

76. More Morans

[u4ic]

78. ..

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:



...although I found a few incredibly poignant...