Bloggocks
It seems like only yesterday that I was talking about a stylistic spat between the Pootergeek and Paul on one hand, and Mr Eugenides, Justin and the DK on the other. That little spat was really about the tone that should be taken in blogging - with Paul and the PG claiming that sweary ranting was juvenile and lowered the tone with the others repying, basically, bollocks.
There's a new, but slightly similar, little fight going on between Tim Ireland, of Bloggerheads and Guido. Tim has called for Guido to be sent to www.coventry.blogspot.com for various high crimes and misdemeanours such as:
1. Guido, through a number of deceits, renders any meaningful interaction with his weblog inert... above all, he's a comment cheat and a disgrace to blogging.
2. Guido is practically inviting politicians to avoid blogging or work to restrict the activity. It is honest bloggers who will pay the price.
3. Most of Guido's 'scoops' are nothing of the sort
4. Guido is a shameless opportunist and he's using your own frustration(s) against you.
5. Guido is lower than tabloid scum... and that's saying something.
6. Watch out for the switch, when Guido secretly starts (or continues) batting for those in power that he favours.
7. Guido is a stat-whore.. and a figure-fiddling one at that.
8. Guido insists on knowing where the funds come from for politicians/interest-groups, but he's awfully secretive about what funds his activities.
9. Guido is nothing but a smart-arse arsonist... and that's only if we take his word for it.
10. Guido may not realise it, but he's a bit of a homophobe... and (surprise, surprise) like attracts like.
11. Guido betrays his readers and his informants.
The prime accusation, beyond the political ones, is that Guido manipulates and deletes the comments his posts attracts, and that his style of blogging, being gossipy, bitchy and personal, is an assault on the true calling of blogging, which should be serious, high-minded and important. I'm more with Tim on this one, believing that an Englishman's blog is his castle and all that, and that since Guido goes out of his way to stress that he will delete or amend comments he finds tedious, you can't really complain.
The only reason I don't have Bloggerheads on my blog-roll is pure administrative laziness - I still have the Pedant General up there for God's sake - although I do remember that I was accused by him of hypocrisy, or callousness or some such thing when I compared Guantanamo Bay to the Laogai and other non-newsworthy prisons. But honestly, this seems to be a combination of inflated self-importance (Guido might get a law specfically against bloggers enacted!) and humourless conformity (I think everyone should post this way). I might eventually stir myself out of my apathy and updat my blogroll, but Guido will definitely be staying put.
There's a new, but slightly similar, little fight going on between Tim Ireland, of Bloggerheads and Guido. Tim has called for Guido to be sent to www.coventry.blogspot.com for various high crimes and misdemeanours such as:
1. Guido, through a number of deceits, renders any meaningful interaction with his weblog inert... above all, he's a comment cheat and a disgrace to blogging.
2. Guido is practically inviting politicians to avoid blogging or work to restrict the activity. It is honest bloggers who will pay the price.
3. Most of Guido's 'scoops' are nothing of the sort
4. Guido is a shameless opportunist and he's using your own frustration(s) against you.
5. Guido is lower than tabloid scum... and that's saying something.
6. Watch out for the switch, when Guido secretly starts (or continues) batting for those in power that he favours.
7. Guido is a stat-whore.. and a figure-fiddling one at that.
8. Guido insists on knowing where the funds come from for politicians/interest-groups, but he's awfully secretive about what funds his activities.
9. Guido is nothing but a smart-arse arsonist... and that's only if we take his word for it.
10. Guido may not realise it, but he's a bit of a homophobe... and (surprise, surprise) like attracts like.
11. Guido betrays his readers and his informants.
The prime accusation, beyond the political ones, is that Guido manipulates and deletes the comments his posts attracts, and that his style of blogging, being gossipy, bitchy and personal, is an assault on the true calling of blogging, which should be serious, high-minded and important. I'm more with Tim on this one, believing that an Englishman's blog is his castle and all that, and that since Guido goes out of his way to stress that he will delete or amend comments he finds tedious, you can't really complain.
The only reason I don't have Bloggerheads on my blog-roll is pure administrative laziness - I still have the Pedant General up there for God's sake - although I do remember that I was accused by him of hypocrisy, or callousness or some such thing when I compared Guantanamo Bay to the Laogai and other non-newsworthy prisons. But honestly, this seems to be a combination of inflated self-importance (Guido might get a law specfically against bloggers enacted!) and humourless conformity (I think everyone should post this way). I might eventually stir myself out of my apathy and updat my blogroll, but Guido will definitely be staying put.
posted by Tim J at
1:41 pm
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