Internet Commentator

New co-blogger

I should point out that the post below is by my newest co-blogger: gooner, bureaucrat, (fellow) Blackrock-er, and Fergie-fancier Neil.

[Perhaps this might spur my other co-blogger Conor (also from BK!) to rouse from his blog-slumber?...]

Black Line Terminus

Pity to see Peter call it a day with The Black Line blog. I know how he feels. I've found it hard to muster up the requisite enthusiasm or indignation to blog lately. I could say that I've been busy and it would be true, particularly with finishing up our new house - which we hope to finally occupy by the end of May - and at work too, but what's also true is that I've hitherto managed to blog during various busy times over the last couple of years. I'm not quite ready to pack it in just yet - but bear with me if it is a bit slow here for the next month or so. Ideally I'd like to be contributing a couple of posts a day here and a post every week or so at Samizdata, but that's not quite a promise, it's more of a guideline!

Or the Fulfillingness Foundation?

Priceless stuff: Diana ponders FI style titles for Back Seat Drivers in an alternative universe:

Otherwise we would have changed the name of the site to something like the ‘Enlightenment Brigade’ or the ‘Truth Battalion’, or why be so coy? ‘The Fabulous Institute’.

Why be so coy indeed?

Patience of a Saint

Mick Fealty has to be the most tolerant blog-proprietor out there. Not only does he spurn the option of permanently banning persistently offending commenters in favour of a two week spell in the sin bin (after a yellow card warning to boot!), now I learn that he even tolerates the use of sockpuppets and will only ban the sockpuppet "false false identity" but allow the "real false identity" to keep posting!

One of the sad things about Internet discussion is the reluctance of people to use their real names. In the context of Northern Ireland it is eminently understandable why people choose to remain annonymous. However, Sockpuppets take annonymity a step further. They are false, false identities if you like, often used by someone who is already posting under a 'proper' identity.

They can be fun and entertaining. Occasionally they can be vicious, often being used as an attack vehicle: ie, not merely for anonymity. In the context of Slugger, sockpuppets are not against the rules. However should a sockpuppet character be seen to serially play the man not the ball, you may find that your alter ego is suddenly (and without warning) curtailed from play.

While we are at it, I'll just confirm my own policy. My view on anonymous posters is that anonymity comes at a cost to credibility. I have no problem with anonymity but I will tend to be more tolerant of those posting under real names. Hitherto, I've only had to ban or delete spammers, but I reserve the right to delete and (permanently) ban anyone guilty of persistent trolling. Sockpuppetry will only be tolerated, a) for satirical purposes or b) if the purpose is not to simulate ersatz agreement or disagreement with something already written by the puppeteer.

Bloglaigh na hEireann*

Alan has drawn my attention to his neat aggregator of Irish blogs, in beta mode at the moment, titled, aptly enough, IrishBlogs.ie. Now, if I could only shake that blog-torpor, rediscover my blog-muse and write a few posts worthy of aggregating.

[* to borrow Richard Delevan's memorable coinage]

Belated Bloggiversary Autocelebration

How did I miss this?

Two years blogging last Friday. Here's my first post.

Blog Break

"Blogspiration" has been in short supply for the last few days (weeks?) and I found that my decision to leave the laptop in its bag this morning gave my productivity a massive boost, despite a (mild) hangover. It's been my view for quite a while that blogging during working hours is not really sustainable in the long run and I've laboured with the problem of finding other timeslots during the day. But, it always seems to be more convenient and appealing to blog or blog-read at work, even while other pressing, paying tasks remain. So, I'm going to give the blog a break for a week or so, see if I can't figure out a more work-friendly way (when my blog-muse returns, of course) of indulging this habit...

Happy 2005 all!

Normal service (more or less) resumed. I don't know why it is that I seem to find it easier to blog when I'm at work, when I really should be doing something more productive instead, than at home when such blogging time should involve a much reduced opportunity cost.

Lexicographic revelation

PZ Myers relates an interesting browser game: Go to the address bar, type an "a", see what url comes up, repeat for the rest of the alphabet and see what it says about you. I was initially reluctant to perform the exercise, fearing a preponderence of prompts to sites which were, in the apt euphemism, not safe for work. My fears were, if not completely groundless, then at least overblown:

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

I don't know what it says about my "true nature", there are plenty of blogs there, but there are a few curious inclusions. L, R and Y are artefacts of the bookmarks "pre-installed" by Apple for Safari and C is some kind of popup spam but I'm afraid that K utterly defies explanation

Belatedly..

..Happy Bloggiversary to Chris, one year blogging last Wednesday, a full 358 days longer than anticipated.