The year of the blog

jeromeq · December 2006

With 2006 coming to an end I thought it would be interesting so take a look back at what I would like to call the year of the blog... or vlog... :P

I dont think theres one person who hasnt tried maintaining their own online journal on myspace, or youtube or any of the other many websites that offer a similar service. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, amongst the millions of blogs there are actually some pretty decent ones.

What I want to do is ask everyone to contribute a blog or vlog they find amusing or fun to read, infact it doesnt have to be humourous... I was watching a video blog on youtube about this guy and his views on popular culture, was really interesting actually! I cant remember his name so cant link you to it.

The only other website that sticks in my mind is http://www.carlcastlefield.com , it seems to take the whole blogging thing as a bit of a joke but mimics it really well. Check out the zombie clip lol.

Anyone have any good blogs to visit? or an opinion on blogs for that matter ?

_J_ · December 2006

jeromeq wrote:

I dont think theres one person who hasnt tried maintaining their own online journal on myspace, or youtube or any of the other many websites that offer a similar service.

I haven't.

Your thought is INCORRECT.

Shinto · December 2006

_J_ wrote:

jeromeq wrote:

I dont think theres one person who hasnt tried maintaining their own online journal on myspace, or youtube or any of the other many websites that offer a similar service.

I haven't.

Your thought is INCORRECT.

You e-publish your thoughts on various matters here daily.

Your objection is INCORRECT.

(We need some kind of buzzer)

_J_ · December 2006

Shinto wrote:

_J_ wrote:

jeromeq wrote:

I dont think theres one person who hasnt tried maintaining their own online journal on myspace, or youtube or any of the other many websites that offer a similar service.

I haven't.

Your thought is INCORRECT.

You e-publish your thoughts on various matters here daily.

Your objection is INCORRECT.

(We need some kind of buzzer)

Forums are weblogs?

....

Oh Noes....

OH NOES!!!!

IShallRiseAgain · December 2006

actually, this is forum. which is much better then a blog imho.
-Edit darn beat

Shinto · December 2006

_J_ wrote:

Shinto wrote:

_J_ wrote:

jeromeq wrote:

I dont think theres one person who hasnt tried maintaining their own online journal on myspace, or youtube or any of the other many websites that offer a similar service.

I haven't.

Your thought is INCORRECT.

You e-publish your thoughts on various matters here daily.

Your objection is INCORRECT.

(We need some kind of buzzer)

Forums are weblogs?

....

Oh Noes....

OH NOES!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

THE DEGRADATION

Malkor · December 2006

http://www.tuckermax.com/
Might be NSFW.

There are some funny stories here, honestly I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I've read most of them. I think the dude's a tool, but I've definitely lol'd from this site. YMMV etc.

Elki · December 2006

I can't stand tucker max.

Leitner · December 2006

Malkor wrote:

http://www.tuckermax.com/
Might be NSFW.

There are some funny stories here, honestly I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I've read most of them. I think the dude's a tool, but I've definitely lol'd from this site. YMMV etc.

They become a lot less funny once you realize a good few of them are likely bollocks.

Mahnmut · December 2006

Elkamil wrote:

I can't stand tucker max.

I'm just jealous

mcc · December 2006

http://slacktivist.typepad.com/
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/
http://scienceblogs.com/

ege02 · December 2006

SC wrote:

Malkor wrote:

http://www.tuckermax.com/
Might be NSFW.

There are some funny stories here, honestly I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I've read most of them. I think the dude's a tool, but I've definitely lol'd from this site. YMMV etc.

They become a lot less funny once you realize a good few of them are likely bollocks.

I agree that some parts sound very exaggerated, partly due to his writing style (the "oh yeah I'm so badass" style) and party due to him actually making some stuff up, but I have no doubt he has actually done the things he says he has done.

Elkamil wrote:

I can't stand tucker max.

A lot of people can't stand him. But, his insufferable attitude aside, I find his stories entertaining, and in some cases I learn from them even (not necessarily take them to heart though, as I don't agree with the way he treats women, but in most cases I can see that he has a point).

Mitten · December 2006

I hate the word blog, and I hate that it has become so prolific in recent years. How fucking hard is it to say "web log"?

Jinnigan · December 2006

why would you say "google" instead of "search engine"?

Incenjucar · December 2006

Jinnigan wrote:

why would you say "google" instead of "search engine"?

Goo-Gill

Search En-Gine

Am too much syllables.

Dynagrip · December 2006

My LJ is the bestevez.

Podly · December 2006

http://kottke.org/

great for interesting link

Mitten · December 2006

Jinnigan wrote:

why would you say "google" instead of "search engine"?

Because "Google" is actually its proper name, and it isn't synonymous with "search engine" anyway.

I'm just bitter that such a silly form of internet slang found its way into the the mass media's lexicon.

Jinnigan · December 2006

yeah, because "google" isn't silly either.

Mahnmut · December 2006

I dislike "blog" too. Stay strong!

http://guide2homelessness.blogspot.com/

Interesting read.

Feral · December 2006

Bitch wrote:

Jinnigan wrote:

why would you say "google" instead of "search engine"?

Because "Google" is actually its proper name, and it isn't synonymous with "search engine" anyway.

I'm just bitter that such a silly form of internet slang found its way into the the mass media's lexicon.

It's not really a log. It's more like a journal. How about web journal? And why stop there? "Web"'s a stupid term. It's nothing like a web. How about marked-up multimedia hypertext? And web page is dumb, it's not a page at all. How about digital hypertext document? what the fuck is up with "zipping" things? There's no zipper involved. It's a compressed archive file, you computer illiterates. And why do we need the acronym STFU, maybe people should just shut the fuck up instead.

Mitten · December 2006

You're right, it doesn't make much sense. It's just something I've always held akin to saying "2" rather than "to" or "rly" rather than "really." I only meant it as an aside to my post, the bulk of which I decided I didn't like and deleted, leaving just that.

Sorry, I shouldn't have even bothered to mention it.

Feral · December 2006

Eh, it's cool. I hate the way people pronounce SCSI "scuzzy" and like 10 years ago I used to bitch about it, too.

dlinfiniti · December 2006

Feral wrote:

Eh, it's cool. I hate the way people pronounce SCSI "scuzzy" and like 10 years ago I used to bitch about it, too.

do you also get angry about WYSIWYG (whi-zee-wig)?

bone daddy · December 2006

Bitch wrote:

Jinnigan wrote:

why would you say "google" instead of "search engine"?

Because "Google" is actually its proper name, and it isn't synonymous with "search engine" anyway.

I'm just bitter that such a silly form of internet slang found its way into the the mass media's lexicon.

Anything that gets them to well and truly let go of netizen has my support. Also, it's only a matter of time until they glom onto stfu, wtf, or rtfa by accident.

Feral · December 2006

dlinfiniti wrote:

Feral wrote:

Eh, it's cool. I hate the way people pronounce SCSI "scuzzy" and like 10 years ago I used to bitch about it, too.

do you also get angry about WYSIWYG (whi-zee-wig)?

WYSIWYG actually looks like it's pronounced whizeewig. SCSI doesn't look like it should be pronounced scuzzy, it looks like it should be sksee.

Anyway, this is a really silly derailment.

RandomEngy · December 2006

Well I got a Livejournal account because I was tired of my friends constantly talking about stuff posted on it. Step 2: actually reading it. But I do recognize the draw of those places. I guess forums are my preferred method of interacting with people online. That reminds me: email distribution lists should get a catchy motto, such as: "Like web-based forums, but worse!"

ege02 · December 2006

Anyway, to move the discussion in another direction...

So you got several different kinds of blogs (these are not mutually-exclusive categories):

Diary-style blogs: This type is where the person talks about the mundane details of their daily life. 99% of these are absolutely worthless pieces of shit, and unfortunately they also make up the majority of blogs. Various Xanga and LiveJournal blogs are examples.

Rant/Rave-style blogs: Blogs where the person occasionally talks about what pisses them off or what has made them happy. Written well, these can actually be worth reading. An example to this is Maddox.

Help/Advice-style blogs: Blogs where the blogger talks about what has allowed him to get out of a problem in the past, or his current struggles with it, in the hopes that it will be helpful to others as well. A noble effort. Various addiction-related blogs are an example.

Introspective-style blogs: Blogs where the person talks about their realizations, plans, and perspectives about life in general, such as matters of religion and spirituality, or various turning-points in life, and how they handle them. These can be thought of a sub-category of diary style blogs, but unlike them, these can actually have useful content worth reading.

News blogs: Blogs that are arguably an alternative to mass media in terms of source of news. Depending on the blogger and his affiliations (or rather, lack thereof), they might actually be a good source of unspinned, relatively unbiased news.

Commercial blogs: These blogs exist for the sole purpose of advertising a product, service, or program. Being just another type of advertising, most of them tend to be worthless and not very informative.

Any others?

Synonymous · December 2006

Reading Lore SjÃ¶berg's Wired column is like seeing a good stand-up comedian trapped in a lame sitcom, but from his Ultimate Blog Post:

Boing Boing: Crocheted replica of subway map cracks DRM on collection of old video games.

FARK: Drunk frat boy in Florida has sex with underage donkey, sues Strong Bad for negligence. Still no cure for overused in-jokes.

Slashdot: AMD, SCO patent MP3 over TCP/IP, sue ATI, EA. Microsoft probably responsible somehow.

Kottke: Elwin Festerator is the unsung inventor of the curly telephone cord. "I looked at a straight telephone cord, and I asked myself, Elwin, why can't that be curly? So I went out and got my brand-new curling gun, and I curled the hell out of it." Related link: New Yorker article on the Olympic curling team.

Engadget: Samsung releases new cell phone/mp3 player/camera/web browser/GPS/game player/wireless hub. Now in gray!

Joystiq: Will Wright to design first-person Warcraft shooter for the Wii. Jack Thompson responds with aneurysm.

Groklaw: Transcript of SCO deposition on previous court order concerning applicability of evidence to last year's motion to review earlier statements. Seriously, we love this stuff.

Daily Kos: Bush caught in three-way with Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.

Little Green Footballs: Bush enjoys triumphant three-way with Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.

Gawker: Paris Hilton does pretty much anything.

Cute Overload: A kitten licks a puppy while the puppy licks a bunny.

Fleshbot: Same as Cute Overload, only with coeds.

MacRumors: Apple is going to sue us for revealing that Apple is going to sue us.

MAKE blog: How to create a nuclear accelerator using a Flash drive, a Commodore 64 and a guy named Roger.

Metafilter: Unhelpful link text. Extra links added for padding that have little to do with the main topic of the entry. Are extremely loaded rhetorical questions the only thing that can save us now?

Digg: Hey, cool, someone wrote an article about Digg!

Hacksaw · December 2006

Elkamil wrote:

I can't stand tucker max.

The guy's a scumbag for sure, but lots of his stories are worth a few laughs.

Loren Michael · December 2006

Synonymous wrote:

Cute Overload: A kitten licks a puppy while the puppy licks a bunny.

Fleshbot: Same as Cute Overload, only with coeds.

mcc · December 2006

Bitch wrote:

I hate the word blog, and I hate that it has become so prolific in recent years. How fucking hard is it to say "web log"?

I hated this too at first, but then I realized most things going by the name "blog" aren't dignified enough to deserve a real name anyway.

It's kind of like how I hated the acronym "MSM" until I realized it was an extremely convenient marker where you can automatically assume anyone using it has nothing honest or worthwhile to say.

JCM · December 2006

I dont mind blogs, as I get free hosting and even when FARK links to some drawing of mine (some Osama WOD sheet) blogger withstands the fark effect just fine, which is a blessing seeing that I had to shut down a previous site because I couldnt pay the bandwidth because something-awful.com linked to it.

Penny Arcade

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