Michael Child laments the decline in blogging locally in a recent posting on his weblog, its true that blogging is not what it once used to be, I've been posting for 4 years, when I started it was fairly novel, in these parts and is possible still unique in the concentration of bloggers on the Isle of Thanet.
Its clear there are far fewer postings and some of the best contributors are no longer posting, also he points out that blogs were a good source of news in the past,I agree with him that little fresh news is reported on our local blog sites for myself I've never really attempted to produce fresh news but maybe had a different outlook from my own cynical viewpoint .
It seems to me that the main reason that people don't post as much as they did in the past is, a change in the atmosphere, Michael mentioned back scratching, which has, I'm afraid morphed in to scratching each others eyes out. Michael's monthly assessment of the local blogging scene is always of interest to me and I suspect all other bloggers in Thanet. In fact I wonder whether he shouldn't change the title for this monthly report and remove the pinch and a punch reference as I'm not sure that, that reference isn't an incitement.
The political backdrop has changed and Tory councillors in agreement with senior council officers realising they were getting a bad press, did what they could to stem the flow of information from Labour councillors by creating a pointless and expensive blogging charter, so as not offend council bosses who have an aversion to the public gaze, particularly when in concerns their frequently inept and damaging actions or inactions.
On more than one occasion local councillors have resorted to law, mainly I understand at your expense through the crazy council standards board system, set up by a cretinous Labour government, which I think is being scrapped by the coalition, myself I have not been immune from the odd fracas, I take exception to personal abuse, none more so, than when a fellow blogger wants me, to ask "nicely" to remove utter sh!t from their blog, another instance of irritation for me is our local "media fantasist" carries this description of Bignews Margate n. a fatuous blog that pays lip service to 'freedom of speech' but shits its britches at the first sign of trouble. which is good coming from someone who I recall on my first meeting, wore dark sunglasses and a hat, in the style of z list celebs and I note that at the first sign of trouble ECR makes his blog site unavailable.
Anyhow there was a sense of common purpose amongst a group of ageing opinionated bloggers and probably still is, however the worlds moved on, and unfortunately life for the bloggerati, is not what once was, now its often personal, and some prefer abuse to discussion using a pseudonym, then to campaign for free speech from behind the sofa as ECR does, maybe the author will man up one day and use his own name, of course there is nothing wrong with being anonymous however if its just a device to take liberties...
I only mention ECR as abusive comments placed on his site remain an irritation, probably the main reason I don't blog much these days, for others its the threat of legal proceedings. So anyhow blogging is not just about finding a subject, its competitive, some of us are honest and know our limitations, my ambition is to one day to post a blog that is concise and that gets a point across grammatically and without offending anyone
Still regrettable as some blogging relationships go, maybe, its healthy not to get too matey, coming back to Michael's monthly pondering on Thanet Blogs here's my own Chart list created by visiting Wikio as you can see, this seems as erratic (bollix) surely ECR ought to be at the top of the heap, and how the hell does Simon Moore**** bag first place still how come Michael gets second with his own largely original content but third with recycled press releases from the council and how far has Labour boy Mark Nottingham slipped. I should point out that my ranking was unavailable till last month I don't hold much reliance in such things although the brief time I had a google page rank of 4 was a real ego boast. The most important thing is if you don't like a blog move on, find one that suits.
Thanet life 2150 (General ranking) 275 (political ranking) Therfore No1 for politics
NO.1 Thanetonline 596
NO.2 Thanet press releases 675
NO.3 Eastcliff Richard 789
- also runs -
Bignews Margate 1143
From one end of Kent 1776
Thanet Star 2263
Thanet Coast Life 2776
****** OPPS! Sorry! there might well be some errors in these numbers above **** In general ranking Michael Child is the winner in first & Second place ECR beaten into third place by regurgitated press releases from Thanet district Council (Well done Cherly Pendry and colleagues) Still Simon Moores is number one as far as political influence, I quickly compiled these in about 2minutes, apologies for those not mentioned it was just a quick compilation!
****** OPPS! Sorry! there might well be some errors in these numbers above **** In general ranking Michael Child is the winner in first & Second place ECR beaten into third place by regurgitated press releases from Thanet district Council (Well done Cherly Pendry and colleagues) Still Simon Moores is number one as far as political influence, I quickly compiled these in about 2minutes, apologies for those not mentioned it was just a quick compilation!
Where did it go wrong?
ReplyDeleteWhen you lot started blogging
It went wrong because there was/is no moderation against comments of the "Whataboutery" and "Playing the man" types from anonymous wasters like "Lucy Mail".
ReplyDeleteIt went wrong because only one blog entertains by the undoubted skill of its anonymous author ECR. But he entertains by trivializing issues through caricaturing the persons who may actually have done FOI applications and stood up to be counted. (Biblio bloke, Dr Biggles, Irritating Bloke, Tim Garbled etc yawn)
The fact is Biblio is excellent on PLanning damgers and aquifer. Tim Garbled publishes interesting stuff on pollution. And Dr Biggles has always been realistic about the economy.
Influence without consequence has now manifested to infect Thanet blogging with the malaise of mediocrity.
If a person makes FOI applications, as I did to reveal the Thor and Sericol contaminations of the aquifer, what would be the point of publishing the findings ? To hang your chin out for the anonymous know nothing arseholes to have a free pop at ?
I doubt anything has "gone wrong". Tastes and fashions change. For example, a few years ago it was all about CDs until something new - downloads - came along. In this particular sphere, Twitter, Facebook and so on provide an alternative to individual blogs and these are newer.
ReplyDeletePurely locally, I do think the threats and visceral nastiness displayed by the likes of Simon Moores and his Tory colleagues towards anyone who sought to challenge them turned a number away.
I also think many have got totally fed up with your constant chip-on-the-shoulder references to your past clashes with ECR. For christ's sake, get over it!
And you are of course entitled to view the last labour Government as "cretinous". But bear in mind many view the current Tory/Lib Dem Government as dishonest and deceitful - espcially the Lib dem bit.
1 26 anon the point is I posted on what I see as a changed blogging environment, of course twitter has replaced blogging but that wasn't the subject and my reference to ECR is not really a case of chip on the shoulder, I don't carry on my side bar continued insults as he does, if asked to remove misleading abusive comments I do what's right unlike ECR who refuses remove defamations without continued requests.
ReplyDeleteI recall at least two other local bloggers independently suggesting that ECR's author has difficulty switching from his blog persona
I think its true that despite provocation, I have never once abused ECR not even in response as far as I recall, still if that's not true you can always correct me
If you want my opinion and I suppose you don't, I take the view that ECR the author, has difficulty with someone like me who went to a state school and earns a living with a shovel, daring to compete with some supposed media mogul?
"Back in the day" (I hate that phrase) when we were still on talking terms ECR, used to suggest to me that, having a spat or "blog war" was good for blogging, a view not shared by myself, particularly when responding to multiple abusive comments.
ECR wit still gives me a good old chortle, and I wonder sometime why he isn't more successful, it maybe that the Isle of Thanet is too small a market.
Anyhow you cannot turn back the clock, but hopefully fresh talent or even old talent will revive local blogging.
ECR is undoubtedly a talented person. My view is that his talent could have been better harnessed to draw public attention to the issues raised, such as the Pleasurama development dangers, the aquifer contamination and protection issues and so forth.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1.26 seems to be discussing blogging purely in terms of popularity.
I read ECR for the laugh. Having said that he does trivialize issues by caricaturing the persons who raise them. But does he caricature, for example, Lucy Mail ? No.
Blogging in Thanet is like orange squash.
Someone arrives with the tasty bit and ECR dilutes it. Then the people with the tasty bit stop providing it. Leaving ECR and Thanet to drink just the water. Full of Thor and Sericol contamination.
Don't stop blogging, it is how I stay in touch as you very often look at the news in way I would not see when I look at the press, I too look at ECR, he clearly is very good but you write as you speak and I find that great, as I do the same thing, also I can't spell or do grammar but it is a family thing, none of my family can do it as far as I know :) so forgive me for my ignorance :)
ReplyDeletemy opinion is leave ECR out of any communications, just drop it, unless he writes something you really like and agree with.
what you do is good and fun and I enjoy it don't post very often but I check in once a week from the good ol' US of A, and you are not the only one sadly I am getting old so I tend to read Veg gardening blogs mostly :) but blogs are important, yes you will get Anons who wish to make you mad, but in the main most people are nice.
sorry I am appearing as anon, as for some reason the open is not working but you now me as Heather :)
[url=http://www.pi7.ru/zhenskiy-zhurnal/1645-chistota-cherez-prizmu-progressa.html ]зачем я вышла замуж? [/url]
ReplyDeleteМоя соседка - лежачая больная. У нее есть 2 сына, младшему 33 года, живет и прописан у нее. Старший живет отдельно и прописан в общежитии, в свое время он получил там комнату. У соседки 2-х комнатная квартира. 3 года назад младший сын стал давить на мать, чтобы приватизировать жилище. Она была в очень плохом сотоянии. Ей была нужна постоянная помощь, а сын заявил, что в случае в случае если она не согласится приватизировать квартиру и не откажется от участия в приватизации, то он от нее съедет и никак помогать не будет. После его бесконечных уговоров и угроз дама сделала то, чего хотел младший сын. В итоге: квартира всецело приватизирована на него, старший сын обиделся, что мать лишила его наследства и перестал с ним общаться. С младшим сыном случилось что-то непонятное. Раньше он очень заботился о матери, а сейчас даже не разговаривает с ней. Даже купить лекарства и продуктыон отказывается. Соседку по-человечески жалко. Она впала в ужасную депрессию, говорит, что потерял свой блеска обоих сыновей. И еще младший сын в последствии такого, как она пригрозила ему, что подаст на него в суд на алименты, пригрозил продать квартиру по дешевке выходцам из южных стран СНГ. Теперь соседка хочет расприватизировать квартиру через суд, мотивируя тем, что в момент подписания согласия на приватизацию она была очень больна и фактически не отвечала за свои поступки и что сделала она это под угрозами младшего сына. Возможно ли это? И может ли действительно сын продать квартиру с прописанной там матерью. Знаю, что по суду ее не выпишут.
PS Heather for the last comment and this still can't do open? but I do love to expose stupid people
ReplyDeleteКак говорилось на 2NT.ru Были сегодня у врача, нам сказали, что к 12 месяцам (не к 14-18 или же 20), а именно к 12 мес и 00 дням малыш обязан как МИНИМУМ знать 10 слов, знать как выглядят и кричат 6-7 животных, собирать пирамидку по размеру, знать и находить окружающие предметы, игрушки, детали одежды, знать и выказывать ВСЕ части тела, скажите это все реально? так как это минимум, а что тогда середина или же максимум? у кого малыш коему только сегодня исполнилось 12 месяцев все это умеет? что более всего напрягло - врач сказала, что кто умеет меньше - это недоразвитые дети 0_о
ReplyDeleteКак говорилось на Seexi.net Дочке 9 месяцев, отдала ее в ясли, пока ходит на 2-2,5 часа, говорят хнычет там все время, у меня сердце разрывается.... А нужно выходить на работу.... Как долго у ваших детишек проходила адаптация и у всех ли так тяжело было? А то она у меня абсолютно ручная, все время со мной была вдруг такой шок!
ReplyDelete