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I stand with you
As the site explained, the term "blog" is slang for "web log." I don't believe it should be given any sort of credence or respect as if it were some new art form. It's a word created as a device to attract attention. In some ways it's like "rap." I've always felt that the art form of "rap" was created by people who wanted to be musicians, but had no singing talent, and were too lazy to learn to play an instrument. They did, however, have a good sense of rhythm, along with a flair for writing really crappy poetry, so they created "hip hop," and the rest is history.
Perhaps this "blogging" thing is a creation of lazy, talentless, wannabe writers who realize they have no prayer of ever actually getting published, yet still feel the need to transfer their chaotic, unorganized thoughts and opinions from their brains into a platform where others are exposed to it. Well, it's a free country, I suppose, but after only a short time here, I find it rather outrageous to charge people upwards of six bucks a month for the "privilege" of reading and writing here. It's as if you took your money to the newstand to purchase something good to read, but found every single pile of material a huge mish-mosh of crumpled papers with scribblings, children's crayon drawings, random thoughts scribbled on soild napkins, some mimeographed newsletters with company gossip, the odd journal or diary, and perhaps, if you're lucky, and actual, professional-looking magazine with actual professional writing inside.
Now, I'm not against there being a place on the web where anyone and everyone can chime in with their thoughts and ideas as written expression. But such places have existed since the dawning of the Net. They are called "NEWSGROUPS." And they do not charge a fee in order to participate or access the content. Call me crazy, but I think when you ask people to pay you hard cash for a product, you should at least make some sort of attempt to provide them with the highest possible quality available. But that entails actual EDITING, (i.e. work) on the part of the BN staff, and my guess is they'd prefer this site to be managed by unthinking software rather than critical human minds.
But, as every grifter, con artist, and flim-flammer knows, there's a sucker born every minute, and I'd guess there's enough of 'em out there to keep this site alive -- if not growing -- for some time to come. I'm gonna add this post to my "blogging" blog, as it's currently my most popular, albeit least thought-out column. ~ Crag
posted by
Crag_Antler
on June 4, 2003 at 1:02 PM
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insight from a newcomer
I agree, the "structure" of the BN appears to have the tensile strength of a paper cup being filled with hot acid. Indeed there is an obvious format here, with respect to expressing oneself, but structure? That's an invisible but obvious framework that one has to feel immediately. The only thing I felt after washing up on the shores of the BN for the first time, was compelled to answer the following question: Is blogging a verbal form of flogging? Blogging begets more blogging whicn begets extreme blogging, then ultimate bloggelation and... like some won't compete for the Grand Blogguru title? S o we come to the question; when the septic tank is full, do you drain the tank or add more drainage lines? What do I know, I'm just a blogger wannabe, who might very possibly become the next victim of a newbie bloghazing event soon after I click the "add comment" button down here. Ok, I'm game I guess... click...
posted by
manymoonz
on May 22, 2003 at 9:24 AM
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Amen
I can't add more than that to a well written piece. Good job.
posted by
BigV
on May 19, 2003 at 4:17 PM
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