Comments on: The Ridiculous Nature of the Blogosphere http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/ Because Common Sense Transcends Distance Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:19:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: John Rohan http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65878 John Rohan Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:04:05 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65878 <em>Michael Merrit said: </em><em>Might want to watch what you’re saying when our Editor-in-Chief is a Dutchman!</em> OK, but there are a few differences: 1) Poligazette doesn't write exclusively about US politics and gay marriage (which are 90% of Sullivan's topics) 2) Poligazette has several contributors from different countries  I don't always agree with Mr. Van Der Galien, but he's a bit more open-minded than Andrew Sullivan, especially now. Michael Merrit said:
Might want to watch what you’re saying when our Editor-in-Chief is a Dutchman!

OK, but there are a few differences:
1) Poligazette doesn’t write exclusively about US politics and gay marriage (which are 90% of Sullivan’s topics)
2) Poligazette has several contributors from different countries 

I don’t always agree with Mr. Van Der Galien, but he’s a bit more open-minded than Andrew Sullivan, especially now.

]]> By: The Shield of Achilles http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65845 The Shield of Achilles Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:12:29 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65845 <strong>"Go-go boots", "Babe", "dumb", child is a "geneti...</strong> Continuing my run-down of Gov Palin coverage, the above are just a few of the choice adjectives in the media/blogosphere... “Go-go boots”, “Babe”, “dumb”, child is a “geneti…

Continuing my run-down of Gov Palin coverage, the above are just a few of the choice adjectives in the media/blogosphere…

]]> By: Michael Merritt http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65819 Michael Merritt Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:47:12 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65819 <blockquote>He also blogs first and foremost about US politics when he isn’t even a US citizen. </blockquote>Might want to watch what you're saying when our Editor-in-Chief is a Dutchman! Some of the turn in the blogosphere is pretty sad, I will agree.  I still like to read Andrew, but once Obama snatched the nomination, his turn came pretty quickly.  As late as July even, some semblance of fairness came into play, and it even peeked its head over the past couple days, but the nature of his blog has definitely changed. The problem is that I think many blogs are judged by those who write in them most and by what those people are writing about.  Thus, Michael often gets labeled a far-right-winger because of his hawkish foreign policy views.  Yet, even I disagreed with his immigration post the other day, and I am not hawkish on the war.  I think that if I wrote mostly about immigration in the U.S., I too would be labeled as being with the loons on the far-right, too. As for TMV, there are a lot of people who write there who are definitely lefties.  Yet, I think their lead man Joe Gandelman at least tries to be fair.  And along with him, I know at least one or two other people there who've been/were life-long Republicans.

He also blogs first and foremost about US politics when he isn’t even a US citizen.

Might want to watch what you’re saying when our Editor-in-Chief is a Dutchman!

Some of the turn in the blogosphere is pretty sad, I will agree.  I still like to read Andrew, but once Obama snatched the nomination, his turn came pretty quickly.  As late as July even, some semblance of fairness came into play, and it even peeked its head over the past couple days, but the nature of his blog has definitely changed.

The problem is that I think many blogs are judged by those who write in them most and by what those people are writing about.  Thus, Michael often gets labeled a far-right-winger because of his hawkish foreign policy views.  Yet, even I disagreed with his immigration post the other day, and I am not hawkish on the war.  I think that if I wrote mostly about immigration in the U.S., I too would be labeled as being with the loons on the far-right, too.

As for TMV, there are a lot of people who write there who are definitely lefties.  Yet, I think their lead man Joe Gandelman at least tries to be fair.  And along with him, I know at least one or two other people there who’ve been/were life-long Republicans.

]]> By: John Rohan http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65814 John Rohan Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:49:31 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65814 Glad to see one blog with a little sanity. She may not be the best qualified person for the job, but the attacks on Palin are out of hand and could end up backfiring on the Dems. What's funny is that Andrew Sullivan still describes himself as a "conservative" even though he's supported nothing but Democratic candidates in the last several elections and worships the ground Obama walks on. He also blogs first and foremost about US politics when he isn't even a US citizen. Glad to see one blog with a little sanity. She may not be the best qualified person for the job, but the attacks on Palin are out of hand and could end up backfiring on the Dems.

What’s funny is that Andrew Sullivan still describes himself as a "conservative" even though he’s supported nothing but Democratic candidates in the last several elections and worships the ground Obama walks on. He also blogs first and foremost about US politics when he isn’t even a US citizen.

]]> By: Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65804 Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:02:56 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65804 Phin; I think you do not need to worry about our future, although I appreciate you caring about it. The direction we're heading is, I think, the right one for us for a variety of reasons. One of them is that most of those working for this website <em>want</em> to become more like an online magazine and less like a blog. Another one is that this will distinguish us considerably from most other political sites, which is a good thing. I agree with your assessment of Obama and, I've got to say, I also worry about the Democrats possibly controlling two branches of government. If they control both congress and the white house, it is likely that they will make a caricature out of Republicans and push through silly plans that help nobody. Andrew; sadly, you're right. But he's not alone. Many are like him. The only difference between him and them, though, is that far more people (used to) read him than most of the others. Phin; I think you do not need to worry about our future, although I appreciate you caring about it. The direction we’re heading is, I think, the right one for us for a variety of reasons. One of them is that most of those working for this website want to become more like an online magazine and less like a blog. Another one is that this will distinguish us considerably from most other political sites, which is a good thing.

I agree with your assessment of Obama and, I’ve got to say, I also worry about the Democrats possibly controlling two branches of government. If they control both congress and the white house, it is likely that they will make a caricature out of Republicans and push through silly plans that help nobody.

Andrew; sadly, you’re right.

But he’s not alone. Many are like him. The only difference between him and them, though, is that far more people (used to) read him than most of the others.

]]> By: phin http://www.poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-65803 phin Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:55:48 +0000 http://poligazette.com/2008/08/31/the-ridicilous-nature-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-65803 Michael, this is why I keep coming here, even though I may disagree with you or some of the others here profoundly.  You (the website as a whole) try to be intellectually honest and fair, regardless of political and philosophical leanings.  That is increasingly rare and becomes swallowed up, in an end justifies the means way, for the sale of nasty partisan hackery.  I don't know if you'll survive in the direction you're heading, but I'm rooting for you guys.  You know, I loved Clinton (and still do; don't ask me why...).  I was going for Gore in 2000.  I was devastated when he lost, but after about a year, decided to give Bush the benefit of the doubt.  Today, in retrospect, I'm glad he won and I was rooting for him in '04, mostly because of the incompetence of Kerry's candidature (which given how weak a candidate Bush was seems all the more remarkable).  Bush's biggest liability IMO, was ironically enough,  the fact that his party controlled Congress for 6 of his 8 years, thus allowing his and his party's worst impulses to remain virtually unchalanged.  This, I must confess, is my biggest worry about Obama and why I think he's the liberal version of Bush '00.  It's why I'm hoping McCain wins (that and I think most of Obama's ideas are doomed to failure).  But if Obama wins, he gets the benefit of the doubt from me for a good long while.  I don't know what that makes me, but I think I have far more in common with the overwhelming majority of average Americans (or Canadians for that matter) from either the center-right or the center-left than the hardcore partisans of either side. As for Sullivan, he has become a complete and utter insufferable and fantastically nasty self-parody, it's not even funny anymore.  He used to be a must read for me.  Now, he disgusts me so much it's unbelievable.  I cringe most of the time I read his nonsense.  The "know hope" crap most of all.  If I were Obama, he's the kinda loon that would scare me the most, because once he turns on his Messiah (and he WILL turn on him given his fickle nature) when Andrew will inevitably be "dissapointed" with his savior, it's gonna get very nasty (see exhibit Bush).  And frankly, the so-called "The Moderate Voice" is heading down that road as well.  You should read the nasty hit-pieces on Palin, especially one today from Stickings.  My jaw just dropped... Michael, this is why I keep coming here, even though I may disagree with you or some of the others here profoundly.  You (the website as a whole) try to be intellectually honest and fair, regardless of political and philosophical leanings.  That is increasingly rare and becomes swallowed up, in an end justifies the means way, for the sale of nasty partisan hackery.  I don’t know if you’ll survive in the direction you’re heading, but I’m rooting for you guys. 

You know, I loved Clinton (and still do; don’t ask me why…).  I was going for Gore in 2000.  I was devastated when he lost, but after about a year, decided to give Bush the benefit of the doubt.  Today, in retrospect, I’m glad he won and I was rooting for him in ‘04, mostly because of the incompetence of Kerry’s candidature (which given how weak a candidate Bush was seems all the more remarkable).  Bush’s biggest liability IMO, was ironically enough,  the fact that his party controlled Congress for 6 of his 8 years, thus allowing his and his party’s worst impulses to remain virtually unchalanged.  This, I must confess, is my biggest worry about Obama and why I think he’s the liberal version of Bush ‘00.  It’s why I’m hoping McCain wins (that and I think most of Obama’s ideas are doomed to failure).  But if Obama wins, he gets the benefit of the doubt from me for a good long while.  I don’t know what that makes me, but I think I have far more in common with the overwhelming majority of average Americans (or Canadians for that matter) from either the center-right or the center-left than the hardcore partisans of either side.

As for Sullivan, he has become a complete and utter insufferable and fantastically nasty self-parody, it’s not even funny anymore.  He used to be a must read for me.  Now, he disgusts me so much it’s unbelievable.  I cringe most of the time I read his nonsense.  The "know hope" crap most of all.  If I were Obama, he’s the kinda loon that would scare me the most, because once he turns on his Messiah (and he WILL turn on him given his fickle nature) when Andrew will inevitably be "dissapointed" with his savior, it’s gonna get very nasty (see exhibit Bush).  And frankly, the so-called "The Moderate Voice" is heading down that road as well.  You should read the nasty hit-pieces on Palin, especially one today from Stickings.  My jaw just dropped…

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