‘Cos I’m a bloggerjack and I’m OK…….
I see blogging as the cyber equivalent of the role of host in the medieval ale house. Long before the advent of licensing regulations, the ale house was a private house, a place to gather in congenial company and exchange gossip and opinion. Customers made their choice of venue dependent on whether the host was interested in the latest results of ‘kick the pig’s bladder’ or the sexual proclivities of the Lord of the Manor. If customers became overly rowdy and aggressive, or perhaps had eyes that were fractionally too close together for his taste, the host reserved the right to unceremoniously toss them out of the door.
His house, his rules, his choice of conversation.
There are a number of different conversations going on in the blogosphere today concerning the rise of the independent blogger, whether they represent a threat, and to whom. Andy Burnham MP wants to put in place a system whereby some content, and by extension, some blogs, would not be available for general view. Where children are concerned that is fair comment, and it is right that children are excluded from the ale house these days. The suggestion that bloggers should be regulated as to their choice of conversation has created a firestorm of comment on the Internet and begs the question of why they should be seen as such a threat?
Professional writers are feeling threatened by the blogosphere, they have to fight to be heard alongside those of us afflicted with the Grocer’s apostrophe. It was their choice though, to enter the blogosphere. They already had their own closed shop where they effectively controlled the written conversation.
Yesterday I was invited to post a guest piece on Old Holborn’s riotous blog; it elicited a hilariously misspelt response denouncing my own ignorance of punctuation and grammar (I admit, I am useless and eternally grateful to my very own ‘apostrophe policewoman’ and her daily e-mails!), whilst admiring the:
‘sheer nerve it takes to share this drivel with others, as though it had merit, purpose, vitality, originality’
This suggests that there are cyberpeople within the blogosphere who wish to confine the right to blog to those professionally trained in the art of written communication, surely the philosophical equivalent of wanting to confine speech to the professional orator.
I have sympathy with some journalists such as the inimitable Guido who have chosen a blog as a way of highlighting political events that the Lords of the Media preferred to keep quiet; Jay Rosen had an interesting theory which I wrote about discussing how and why journalists exclude some voices. It fails to explain the current moves to exclude some voices from the blogosphere.
Could it be that having entered the cyber world, politicians and their slave journalists dislike the ease with which their own voice can be lost in the madding crowd?
Kerry McCarthy MP, muses on his blog
I do wonder though – as more and more people start blogging, will it destroy the sense of a blogging community, as it gets more and more fragmented between lots and lots of sites? Will people hop around more from one site to another, and become ever more promiscuous with their affection, or will it be like newspapers and magazines – they stick to their regulars and only occasionally take a peek at something else? And will it eventually get to the point where newspapers comment columns are redundant because whatever they want to say, it’s already been said before and said better somewhere in the blogosphere?
Which ties in neatly with a piece I found here– it seems that the Falmouth University College is posing the same question to Media students. I trust they will blog on the results of their project, I would be genuinely interested to learn of the views of those just entering the professional writing world with an inbuilt understanding of social media – do they feel threatened and offended by sharing a space with the grammatically unwashed?
Even the best bloggers only report from within their own circle of interests, my view is that newspapers will survive as a genre of ‘public broadcasting’, and so will continue to require the rigorous training and writing ability expected at present; bloggers will continue to strike up conversations of interest to them and those around them in a cacophony of regional accents and patois.
February 7, 2009 at 14:30
-
I am a “terrorist blogger”….I am the most wanted right now in Spain …..
- February 7, 2009 at 01:58
-
Not only have we been threatened by the Government about our activities on
the internet ………… but we had a poster called Heather giving us advice about
cartels! Strewth! She must be in the know and wanting to keep us out of
trouble.
- February 7, 2009 at 01:54
-
The Masters of The New World Order are not half getting their knickers in a
twist about who can read what on the internet aren’t they!
Gordie’s Government must be as paranoid as fuck to even telling us their
thoughts on this!
Scary …………… If everybody on the internet becomes a journalist there will be
too may people telling us what to do!
Gordie’s crew would prefer that just a very select few people are the
disseminators of pap
- February 7, 2009 at 01:51
-
Coco Pet!
- February 7, 2009 at 01:50
-
Saul!
- February 7, 2009 at 01:50
-
Right Then! Back to cleaning up, (for the second time) Scrub Wipe clean
clean, where’s that brillo pad?
- February 7, 2009 at 01:43
-
Every one needs a Plumber. However choice is a fine thing.
- February 7, 2009 at 01:41
-
Had a big Real Life day today ………… Sorry to have missed everyone.
Back with a vengeance tomorrow ………………
- February 7, 2009 at 01:38
-
”do they feel threatened and offended by sharing a space with the
grammatically unwashed?
Even the best bloggers only report from within their own circle of
interests, my view is that newspapers will survive as a genre of
- February 7, 2009 at 01:34
-
Aha! a crimplene snob, what about the poor buggers who only have bean
bags!
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:31
-
Don’t get into a flap when they turn up at your door. Think about it and
you’ll seed what I mean. x
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:29
-
Watch out for the Coo-coo Pigeon Sisters, Saul!
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:28
-
(lifts girlie mules from stridently-patterned floor covering, lifts vodka
to mouth, nestles back into florid crimplene stretchy-seat cover and flicks
remote to Sexcetera …)
- February 7, 2009 at 01:27
-
That’s easy for you to say Felix.
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:25
-
They will, Oscar, they will.
- February 7, 2009 at 01:23
-
Oh! Go on then Students are welcome, only if they say something other than
recipes for baked beans.
- February 7, 2009 at 01:17
-
Anyway. I’m trying to clean up here, pick your feet up!
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:17
-
Right you are. ‘pun my word, no more puns. Promise.
- February 7, 2009 at 01:15
-
Not more Bloody Puns! There is a limit.
-
February 7, 2009 at 01:09
-
Have they got a voice?
Can they comment?
Watch this
space.
………..
They’ve got fashion sense and boundless energy, they’ve got
new ideas, they’ve got loans, they have livers yet to be shot through by
drink, they’ve got cans of baked beans and tuna and pasta and they can shove
them all into the oven and feed themselves; they’ve got long hair, they’ve got
to work out how not to be destroyed when a crusty old tutor pulls the rug out
from under their feet during a ‘crit’, they aren’t living at home with their
parents, they are just young and they will replace us, eventually. But now,
let’s hope they join in with their own entertaining plays on words, their own
new and excruciating puns .. I look forward to it!
- February 7, 2009 at 01:02
-
Hey! I’m the cleaner upper around here. However to avoid a Euro row I will
let you wipe the bar down.
- February 7, 2009 at 00:51
-
Oh no …. !
And I missed all of this tonight?
Not fair.
Mumble,
mumble, mutter, mutter…
Let me do the cleaning up this time, Saul.
- February 7, 2009 at 00:20
-
Sweep sweep, mutter mutter, students!
That’s all we need. Before you know it we will be targeted by the younger
generation.
Have they got a voice?
Can they comment?
Watch this
space.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:54
-
Excuse me Girls. just like to take the last word. After all I have to sweep
up around here.
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:52
-
I’m glad that’s all over, I must say.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:44
-
G’night.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:35
-
Phew! It’s not where you start it’s when you finish.
A good night and sleep well to all our readers.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:23
-
Connection, or concoction even.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:22
-
It’s a northern saying Janes, it means well I never. Or would you believe
it.
On here it is a loose conction to a thread.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:18
-
E-bay gum?
- February 6, 2009 at 23:17
-
My eternal thanks to e-bay.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:16
-
They don’t sell kazoos individually any more. It’s a health and safety
thing. Hmmmm!
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:14
-
OK. The size 12 clog has just been kicked into my posterior area by He Who
Must Be E-bayed, so it is with a cold nose, a glad heart, glaucoma and a
clicky-hip that I bid you all a fond goodnight.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:13
-
You cannot Bee serious.
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:10
-
Oh, buzz off. And don’t pretend you can really fly, it’s mathematically
impossible, apparently.
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:09
-
Of course I can! It goes “Dee-de-dee-deee-dee, Dee-de-dee-deee-dee,
Dee-de-dee-deee-dee, Dee-de-dee-deee-dee,…(repeat)…
DUM!-di-diddle-dum-di-DEE-di-DUM-di-DA-dum-di-dee-di … Dee-de-dee-deee-dee,
Dee-de-dee-deee-dee, Dee-de-dee-deee-dee ….. (and fade)
You should hear me do that on my kazoo – it’s Magic!
- February 6, 2009 at 23:08
-
I can hum flight of the bumble bee.
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:05
-
(a hippo typo – should that be a hyppo?)
- February 6, 2009 at 23:05
-
And it’s “Time for bed” said Zebedee. Bet you can’t hum that one.
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:05
-
and my typos?
-
February 6, 2009 at 23:04
-
yes … I know … the bit about women’s clothing should come next, followed by
‘And hang around in bars..’ but I’m an old lady, slightly giddy on swollen
legs and my best friend is my Breville sandwich toaster. Forgive my
ineptituded?
- February 6, 2009 at 23:01
-
Play that Quiche as long as it is not too cheesy.
- February 6, 2009 at 23:00
-
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I love to press wild flow’rs
- February 6, 2009 at 22:59
-
Gulp!
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:56
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:55
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Whatever qui you like, janes; you hum it, I’ll play it!
- February 6, 2009 at 22:52
-
On the qui vive Gloria?
- February 6, 2009 at 22:51
-
Greetings Earthling
- February 6, 2009 at 22:48
-
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water………….
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:47
-
Well, I’m not going to bed yet. It’s not that late.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:49
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:45
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Posted, I might add janes, with admirable alacrity.
- February 6, 2009 at 22:43
-
Torpidity.
- February 6, 2009 at 22:42
-
Somnambulate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:43
- February 6, 2009 at 22:42
-
And the bedbugs come out to suck your blood.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:40
-
Sleep! Good idea. So, dear Anna, sleep well and wake refreshed. Oh, and did
you know when you sleep, your epidermis takes the opportunity to
regenerate?
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:41
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February 6, 2009 at 22:37
-
It’s the spit of him. Except for the bit about the women’s clothing. And my
scones are not really ever very nice. So it’s usually a packet of Hob Nobs. So
a bit like Smudd (trees, lunch, going to the lavatory, being a lumberjack and
being OK and having tea)
- February 6, 2009 at 22:35
-
I will send an e-mail to google tomorrow…Pomegranate is no help!
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:36
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:32
-
OK. Better late. Than never.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:31
-
He cuts down trees, he eats his lunch
He goes to the lavator-eeee
He
puts on women’s clothing
And has buttered scones for teeeeeee
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:32
- February 6, 2009 at 22:31
-
I must remonstrate. I was Googling “Help”
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:32
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:30
-
he’s certainly suddenly rather inanimate …
- February 6, 2009 at 22:29
-
He cuts down trees, he wears high heels
Suspendies and a bra
He
wishes he’d been a girlie
Just like his dear papa
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:30
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:31
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:29
-
Perhaps he’s profligate…?
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:27
-
Did they? Whay-hey!
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:25
-
Yes, come on Saul – retaliate!
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:24
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Good point, Anna. I’ll hesitate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:26
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He’s in the dictionary looking up penultimate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:26
-
Either that or Middlesborough just scored……..
- February 6, 2009 at 22:27
- February 6, 2009 at 22:23
-
So, have you given up Saul or are you still trying to trump us (no need to
open the window)?
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:23
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Come back Saul! You don’t want to give us time for all our oestrogen to
saturate the thread, do you?
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:21
-
.. actually, I have just been for a ‘comfort-break’, but you will be
relieved to know, merely to micturate …
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:22
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:19
-
.. oh, and, err … open the window … just a crack … good idea …
- February 6, 2009 at 22:18
-
Or codgertate
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:17
-
Here follows an interval in which to cogitate …
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:18
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Give Saul a chance to conjugate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:19
-
Methinks he’s gone for a quick perambulate.
- February 6, 2009 at 22:20
- February 6, 2009 at 22:15
-
Slow down Girls, give the old Buggers a chance.
- February 6, 2009 at 22:13
-
Or, excommunicate, ‘cos then you can let us back in later…
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:16
-
Pardon me while I ruminate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:16
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:13
-
Or, inadvertently, evacuate? I am easily startled ….
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:12
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What if I obfuscate?
- February 6, 2009 at 22:12
-
Or isolate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:10
-
I understand you have a lot on your palate at the moment; it’s your blog
and clearly it isn’t easy deciding whether you should castigate those who
continue to masticate.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:11
- February 6, 2009 at 22:09
-
Touch
- February 6, 2009 at 22:07
-
No Tictacs for ITV. A major sticking point for them.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:03
-
Yes, Anna, it’s a sticky situation but if you tread carefully you should
get a clean getaway. Unlike Saul. He’s just too TuttiFrutti for my liking
sometimes.
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:00
-
It should definitely be tictacs, jane! Brava!
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:59
-
Just stick with us for a little longer…
-
February 6, 2009 at 22:00
- February 6, 2009 at 21:58
-
Perhaps we should discuss tactics for this blog – or should that be
tictacs?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:59
- February 6, 2009 at 21:57
-
That’s a relief, she has gone. Wrigleying out of it was my last resort.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:49
-
It’s just bubbling under Anna, don’t burst our bubble.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:48
-
(sorry janes. Anna – put us into moderation, for goodness sake, or we’ll
keep going!)
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:47
-
Saul …. You said that, I didn’t. Don’t think you can Wrigley your way out
of it, either.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:45
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E Bay Gum, chew on that for a while.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:45
-
Or not!
- February 6, 2009 at 21:44
-
Traffic seems to have come to a grinding halt, again. Is it something I
said?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:44
-
Penny for your thoughts.
……………
Tommy Steele singing ‘Alf a Sixpence,
since you ask.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:43
-
Stirling stuff.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:43
-
Penny for your thoughts.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:42
-
Welcome Nick. No current affairs at this end of the thread, I’m afraid.
Anna tries to tie us to current events but some of us are securely tethered to
the terminally trivial. I’ll be forcibly removed from here with a size 12 clog
in a little while so that e-bay can be watched but, till then …
- February 6, 2009 at 21:41
-
T’ is a Far better thing I do now.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:38
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Thanks for your three ha’poth, Saul, you old groat.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:35
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Hi Nick, your feet are located at the end of your legs.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:34
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Gas Coin (sorry)
- February 6, 2009 at 21:33
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Put another shilling in then.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:31
-
Now I
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:30
-
There
- February 6, 2009 at 21:27
-
Now I’m challenged.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:26
-
Hmm. That could be your Starter for Ten, though.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:25
-
There’s a Marks out of ten there somewhere but I’m Buggered if I can find
it!
- February 6, 2009 at 21:24
-
I’m new to blogging. I find it refreshing that no longer are we tied to the
MSM for an insight into current events.
I also like, that I can rant whenever I please, and occasionally people
agree with me. I can take out my bottled up resentment, and damn anyone to
stop me. If they don’t like it then don’t come to my blog.
PS Not that anyone does!
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:33
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:23
-
Actually – they were triplets, but nobody mentions Low Mark ..
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:22
-
Evening Anna, evening janes – should we stop this stuff and nonsense
now?
- February 6, 2009 at 21:21
-
Or the twins.. Mark One and Mark Two.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:20
-
Hmmm. Mark O’Polo. O’Really?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:19
-
And his diminutive sidekick, Shortoff?
- February 6, 2009 at 21:18
-
I also love your image of the medieval ale house AR – nice one. Wilkes and
Liberty!
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:20
- February 6, 2009 at 21:17
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What about the medieval Quickoff?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:17
-
Did you see another cousin on How Clean is Your House? – Skid Mark?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:15
-
I believe one member of the extended family can trace his ancestry back to
the aristocracy – he’s Top Mark, obviously.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:13
-
Not forgetting the Irish link , Mark O’Polo.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:13
-
Or their seaside uncle, Tide Mark?
- February 6, 2009 at 21:10
-
Or the Black Sheep of the family…….No Mark.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:10
-
I believe they do belong to the same family; their parentheses are cousins,
I think.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:09
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Is he any relation to Punctuation Mark?
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:08
-
I’m obviously just thinking of something else to say! Semi-colon man had
better look out – Exclamation Mark is about …
- February 6, 2009 at 21:04
-
Has she bolted?
- February 6, 2009 at 21:03
-
I see semi colon man is around.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:02
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Too late to shut that door, everyone has seen it now.
-
February 6, 2009 at 21:01
-
It’s not widely known; in fact, it’s just between you, me and the
gatepost.
- February 6, 2009 at 21:00
-
Here’s me thinking you were pretty stable.
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:59
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I’m not quick to take offence but I am easily unhinged.
- February 6, 2009 at 20:57
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Very Dry. I’m glad you didn’t take offence.
(oldies but goldies)
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:50
-
Probably wiser than going at it like a bull at a gate, but for a moment I
thought you were stonewalling me.
- February 6, 2009 at 20:48
-
I’m hedging my bets.
- February 6, 2009 at 20:47
-
- February 6, 2009 at 20:45
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“““““`computer accents.
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:40
-
If a blog falls in cyber space does anyone hear it?
…………………………..
Come
on then – does anyone hear it or not? Don’t sit on the fence …
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:34
-
Yes, welcome Mary. If it’s a cacophony regional accents you want, oiy kin
dew quoiyte a noiyce Brrummiey …
- February 6, 2009 at 20:29
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You are welcome here Mary. Do come back and pass comment.
Welcome to the Raccoonteurs!
(quick nod to GS)
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:22
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Sorry – I’ve just been opening my new tabs – what have I missed?
- February 6, 2009 at 20:10
-
Do blogger jacks Log in to fence posts and bark at other posters if they
don’t like the timbre of what they are saying?
If a blog falls in cyber space does anyone hear it?
- February 6, 2009 at 19:58
-
The Internet has opened a lot of windows for me.
- February 6,
2009 at 19:56
-
What an honour to be linked to in a post – it was our first pingback. I
will make sure that we update you on the findings of our project.
Since September we have been drilled constantly on the importance of the
internet and being adaptable in order to survive. All of us on our course were
asked to set up (and maintain) blogs of our own so we can get an idea of the
wealth of options open to “consumers” in this digital age. As you rightly say,
it is no longer a “closed shop” but I don’t see that as a threat to
journalism. Instead it is a way of ensuring its survival.
Whereas once the news was a lecture – you were told what the headlines and
main stories were without the opportunity for discussion – it is now more like
a seminar. Since entering the blogosphere I have found a voice and a space to
discuss the current events which speak to me. Which then brings the news to
life.
Ultimately without people you have no news, so I say bring on the
“cacophony of regional accents and patois,” because I for one don’t want to
live in a monolingual society.
-
February 6, 2009 at 20:23
-
February 6, 2009 at 18:05
-
Yes, that kind of thing takes guts – sometimes it can be a real strain and
you won’t get wind of me pooh-poohing a project of that nature.
- February 6, 2009 at 17:48
-
He’s busy on a big irrigation project at the moment.
-
February 6, 2009 at 16:03
-
Re: Semi colon man
I think he’s having a fitting for his colostomy
bag.
- February 6, 2009 at 15:33
-
It used to be that all the hacks gathered together in the Boozer and
swapped all the stories they couldn’t print, a sort of in crowd who were in
the know. Deals were struck with editors to not publish, in return for another
story.The Internet and e-mail has brought the whole world closer. There is
hardly any secrets anymore, the cat is soon out of the bag. It is this lack of
control, this ability to firefight stories that is getting on their nerves.
Newspapers and television can easily be controlled, it is the lone voice that
is difficult to keep track of, plus the many who read and instantly pass it
on.
(This has not been checked by the apostrophe woman)
PS , when are we gettting that bloody semi colon man?
- February 6,
2009 at 15:30
-
I like the idea of the blogosphere as a medieval ale house
-
February 6, 2009 at 15:32
-
February 6, 2009 at 14:50
-
Nah. I think I’ll stick around here thanks, if it’s all t’same t’you. I
like the idea of an apostrophe policewoman on patrol.
In the spirit of the thread, I’m just off to see if I can borrow one of Old
Smuddy’s checked shirts and, of course, there’s an oily chain-saw in the
futility room!
-
February 6, 2009 at 14:18
-
-
February 6, 2009 at 14:23
-
I’m sure he would be delighted to have you Gloria, Old Holborn is great
fun.
So long as we don’t lose your very own brand of merit, purpose,
vitality and originality around here. Your sparring partner stuck his head
in the door a minute ago, I think he’s just gone off for coffee.
-
February 6, 2009 at 14:24
{ 172 comments }