A few words about the state of this blog. I'm trying to depersonalize it and professionalize it. I'm going to stop doing personal stuff, like about my wife or sexuality (maybe do that in my own indulgent blog some day as an offshoot). I'm trying to include the voices of my seven samurai who are going to change the world. They include so far: James North, Jack Ross, Saif Ammous, David Bloom, Jerry Slater. This might be news to them, so be it. Egad, no women's names! As I professionalize it, I'm going to try and post more statements from adversaries who care enough to visit, people like Richard Witty, Steve F and Ralph Seliger.
The things I want to provide here are things you get nowhere else, breaking news on Israel/Palestine and the new Jewish presence in the U.S. establishment and a global/American perspective on radical Islam, the war on terror, identity politics, Zionism–you know the keys on my piano. I want to be able to do reporting, but that means time; and I've received a couple blows lately. Google ads make jack—, maybe $6 a day, $20 on a big day. And a friend who said he was going to hook me up bigtime with a backer hasn't delivered. Still, my traffic's growing, because of the voices I get on this blog. I also might start doing more Assimilationist items with the idea of making a book.
I'm going to put a Donations box on when my friend Sky Redoubt who is a stunning photographer in a Russian-American abstract expressionist mystical vein and has a ravishing show going on MacDougall St in N.Y. can do the work for me. I've been reluctant to put a donations box on; but I feel I can justify it by making this show more professional. The money would go to me to try and keep this blog going, and I'd throw some at the samurai. I'd be more responsible about comments if I had money. I'm relying on friends.
"I'd be more responsible about comments if I had money. I'm relying on friends."
Our comments or yours? Does that mean censorship?
I'm going to stop doing personal stuff, like about my wife or sexuality
That means he woolgathering category will disappear, and the Spitzer kind of stuff. Well, that is of course very, very sad.
But I understand professionalism demands sacrifices.
No Todd, as I understand it, he intends to pay more attention to our comments.
Richard Witty will like that, I am not so sure, if I do.
'I'd be more responsible about comments if I had money.' You mean like withholding juicy bits like your kinky lust for the pit bull lady? You mean you want to be more like nytimes?
The problem I have with this blog is that you get to chose all the topics. Not that your choices are necessarily bad, but thats too much for any single person. For example I got incensed about US tactic of roasting terrorists families. Tho you say one topic is the War on Terror, I had to put my comment in an unrelated thread, and hardly anyone wanted to pick up on it in that context.
I dont know the solution but certainly it is a problem. Maybe you could give all regulars one lead a week. Is there software that would handle that?
I don't know what to make of it, either, Leander. It's Phil's blog to ruin.
maybe it's wrong to pull all the woolgathering, i dont know. todd what i meant about the comments is i'd read them, where now im f—d for time.
"I'm trying to include the voices of my seven samurai who are going to change the world. They include so far: James North, Jack Ross, Saif Ammous, David Bloom, Jerry Slater."
I'm not that impressed. So far they've posted nothing new except polemic.
Why don't they dialog directly?
Phil says he is effed for time and yet he wants to make this thing more comprehensive? I think you'd better face facts Phil and admit you are addicted.
Frankly in my arrogance I feel I've given more than my share by donating my opinions. I bet a lot of people might feel like that.
"I'm going to stop doing personal stuff, like about my wife or sexuality"
Keep this stuff. All the big blogs — Josh Marshall, Yglesias and so on — mix in some personal stuff. It's a real part of your voice, and does have complicated links with your thinking on Israel and Zionism.
And the rest of the gang might be encouraged to put some personal stuff — not the same personal stuff — in too.
"Egad, no women's names!" If Jacqueline Hyde is a woman I think you should give her a contract.
I will be racing to offer the 1st payment Phil. It is not a donation for the valuable work you bravely do. But why change what we have been coming here to read, sevaral times daily in my case. Why hurt your readers feelings by shutting them out? A couple of them get carried away (sog)sometimes but it's okay.
Witty is your bud and a necessary counterpoint I suppose but boring as hell.
Phil. Please do not mess with the Coca Cola formula. Paul Easton "who is hurt" and others do contribute good stuff. Give it some more thought please.
Hannity has Combs, the Globetrotters have the Generals. Mitty, uuuh. I feel bad offending Mitty but your blog is VERY important and we all feel invested, in spite of our free ride. Sell me the 1st Mondoweiss coffee mug.
Here Here (This is what english parliamentarians shout in Houses of Parliament when agreeing with a speaker).
I value this blog exactly as it is, including the personal touch, which renders it unique and human. This does not preclude making it more professional – in design and scope – which would make it more user friendly for newcomers.
Mr. Weiss, just do whatever it takes.
Phil, I would urge you to keep things as they are. Just my two cents.
'I value this blog exactly as it is'
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I highly value this blog as well and very much appreciate what Phil is doing here. However, I do find it extremely difficult to keep track of who commented to what article/post, including my own replies.
Perhaps it is because I am unfamiliar with the format of this blog but I do think that setting it up in e.g. vBulletin style would make it easier. Well, at least for me it would, since I am so used to it :)
registered. Andre what is bulletin-style? one of the problems wiht the blog is that so much room is taken up with archives and all that crap and i would like it more if it was more text, and the comments ran under the post. that's bulletin? id like to redesign the sucker
Phil wrote: "Andre what is bulletin-style"?
Hi Phil, I'm no expert on this subject and maybe someone else can help me out here but what I meant with "vBulletin style" can be seen here: link to vbulletin.com
Here's another example of a forum layout that may explain what I meant: link to acapella.harmony-central.com
Hope that helps. Kind regards,
Andre.
Andre's point about the difficulty of following the comments is true. The fault is not Phil's but of Typepad who, unlike Blogger and WordPress, just don't supply this basic functionality of following the comments via a feed. If we all bombard them with this suggestion, maybe they'll listen, it should be a totally trivial matter. I contacted them abbout it myself a couple of times but besides vague promises to add a comments feed in the future did not get anything. Here is a contact form:
link to support.sixapart.com
As to the content of this blog, I join the call to leave it as it is. I know Phil dreams of it being sort of like Drudge Report, but I don't think it will be a better thing.
Uff, to manny tipos in my previus coment!
Here is the Typepad contact form for easier clicking
Phil, I love the balance you have here already. You pick the topics and have the guts or whatever to discuss your thoughts like a work in progress – free of the godawful monolithic certainty you find in most journalism – and of course with many of the more pompous contributors here.
You want to Professionalize? Sounds scarily like losing the aforementioned good stuff.
I cant understand Jims reference to " Paul Easton "who is hurt" ". No one said I was hurt and certainly not me. I might have been pissed at the suggestion I send money but that is because I am cheap. If I was rich like Jim I'd send Phil money too. I believe in leveling the wealth which means that Jim should send money to me. And I'd be glad to share my spiritual riches with anyone who asks.
To be frank I must admit I am disappointed that people dont pay attention to my insights. Not hurt but disappointed. Not for myself but for the sake of 'humanity'.
But what can you expect from civilized people?
I believe that sometime they will listen, because I speak for God. But then again if you read the Bible it is not encouraging. A few might have listened to Jesus but I think hardly any listened to Isaiah. And look what happened to Jesus. I should be glad that no one listens.
Sorry Paul. Wish I could have that one back. I'll get quiet again.
Paul,
I can't listen, but I do read, so you are not ignored here (hug)
I highly value this blog as well and very much appreciate what Phil is doing here. However, I do find it extremely difficult to keep track of who commented to what article/post, including my own replies.
True it's not always easy to keep track of these exchanges. BUT I don't think it is the duty of a blog owner to make it cozy for and turn into the father of a bulletin-like community.
Besides the bulletin-boards, and the yahoo groups feel a bit like a net dinosaur by now. Much happening. e.g. Friends Feed … But all ends with information overload.