So it seems one by one my blog mates close down their sites.
The other day it was AMW, last night Niko, and today Subrosa. Further I learn that Scunnert has it planned to stop blogging on the anniversary of his blog: December 17.
Niko quite rightly stated that so much of the fun has gone out of blogging since the sad business with Wardog, a brilliant blog that should never have been closed down. The demise of Monty Burton’s blog the week after was also sad. Until his last few posts it was an intelligent, funny, well written blog.
Of course AMW just found that his busy life, a new job with ever more responsibilities, a new home life situation, and huge demands on his time for his beloved football, and the kids he trains, was no longer conducive to running a busy and popular blog.
Subrosa has been forced to close down her blog by some saddo who seems to have done a power of research and has her full name and her address. What on earth for I have no idea; she’s not been subversive. She has stood up for the rights of troops, as I hope have we all. If there’s something underhand about that then I’d like to know what kind of Scotland we are living in. Of course it has made criticism of the Defence Secretary rather necessary, but the last time I looked that wasn’t YET an offence. However this person has made enough of a nuisance of himself for her to be persuaded by professionals that this is the best and safest thing to do for the sake of both her and her family.
The trouble with the internet is that you can find yourself in contact with strange, no, weird people; people whom you have never met, and would never want to. Some of them are less than savoury; some you would cross entire continents to avoid. You know what I mean?
Scunnert has simply decided that he’s given a year of his life to blogging and that that’s enough. And, of course, that’s fair dos. Blogging is time consuming and you do have to always be trying to think of something interesting to say and good pictures or videos to go with it. There is research and reading behind most of the posts as you all know. If you are like any of the above named people, you also then have to watch for posts so that you can reply to them. That takes up valuable living time.
Well, as I said the other day, all good things come to an end, and even though I didn’t agree with everything any of my mates wrote, I respected them and their views and I enjoyed reading them. I’ll miss them very much and it will be strange without them around.
As for Munguin’s Republic, well, we’ll stick at it for a little longer and see how it goes. If we think we’re doing some good and/or entertaining a little then we will continue. The MSM needs to be balanced with good news stories from the independence camp. If we relied on the Herald, the Scotsman and the Daily Record for our news, then we should surely believe that Iain Gray was the best sing since well before sliced bread and that Gordon Brown was indeed the saviour that had led the world out of recession (albeit from behind.... far behind). {Did Spain recently join the G20 nations then Prime Minister, or was that just in some wee dream you were having?} We would also, doubtless, be persuaded to believe that the First Minister was the devil incarnate and that he was leading us down the road to hell. Can’t have that can we?
So, we’ll be here to bother you for a bit longer, as long as there are hits and comments......
Bye bye to my mates. Hope you’ll stay in touch by posting on this blog... or at least in some way.
What happened to Subrosa and Wardog was frightening, though far more for Subrosa as the last thing you need in your life is a stalker.
ReplyDeleteI hope she can return, hope the police deal with the loon involved. But it's dark days if you feel that your family can be threatened by a net loon.
QM: It must be simply terrifying to think that some dribbling loonie has bothered to find out your address.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, the police have the name of the guy and information about him which will make tracing him a piece of cake. I would imagine he's answering Mr Plod's questions as we "speak".
I wouldn't wonder that his political aspirations just hit the buffers.
Ahem chaps, have a look at my bit and Scunnert's.
ReplyDeleteYea it is a real shame about all these blogs that have been around for so long: it wont be the same.
ReplyDeleteLord Conan. I've just seen. Who is this nutter?
ReplyDeleteMunguin. I'm gutted. And they go on about 'cybernats'... Lord help us there are some right weirdos out there.
ReplyDeleteThe person on Conan's blog is incredible - literally. I'm not sure if the poster believed what he/she was writing or hoping to get abusive replies that could be laid at Conan's door. I should imagine that the thing that would anger most of his victims would be subrosa posting Conan's Hootsmon front pages where even more readers could see them.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to reconcile the rumpus over a few bloggers who post in their own time with the intemperate remarks from Foulkes, the adept scrounger from the public purse, regarding the FM which reached a much larger section of the public than the remarks of bloggers.
Aye Brownlie, as usual you have it spot on.
ReplyDeleteWe hear so little of the foolishness that trips daily from the mouth of the likes of Mr Foulkes. We heard nothing of the fact that Mr Murphy was forced to remove stuff from his blog after he was told he would be sued.
It's an unpleasant atmosphere that is being created. I don't blame those who are giving up. If their jobs, and possibly their personal safety is being threatened then they have little choice. But, I wonder what is the bigger offence... intemperate remarks on blogs, even what is called "bad language", or the threats that appear to be being used by people who don't want the independence case to be heard.
Hi Guys
ReplyDeletePlease excuse the long post. I am very new to all this, having been following the blogs for a good while now and finally being roused into commenting for the first time after the shenanigans in the Sunday papers last weekend over the Cheesegate affair. I have been struck by the excellent quality of many of these blogs, which are written and researched by some very clever, well-informed and witty people - from all political shades, I might add.
I also value the professional skills employed by good, independent-thinking journalists/bloggers such as Iain Macwhirter and Joan McAlpine (Go Lassie Go). Both of their postings recently on the role and nature of blogging, given the events of the last week or so, have been fascinating and excellent, and I do recommend folks read them, if they haven't already.
I don't have the time nor the techie skills to run a blog of my own, but I really enjoyed Subrosa's blogs as she was an exemplary example of a great blogger: intelligent, interesting, generous in her feedback to bloggers of ALL political persuasions, and most importantly perhaps, well-mannered. She even, touchingly, attempted to "call in" some of the more intemperate remarks that were left on her blogs by people over whom I presume she had little control. I am therefore VERY sorry to see her forced out, although as others have said already, I can completely understand her reasons given the treatment she appears to have been subjected to. She (along with others who have recently left) is a sad loss to the blogosphere - not least because, as she admitted herself, the views of a 60-something woman are not very common in the blogosphere. Her contribution was invaluable.
However (sorry for the length of this post - I've been bursting to get it out!), the stuff that was happening right before my very eyes on Conan and Scunnert's sites last night was, as Brownlie quite rightly says, incredible. Very very scary. The "person" who was posting under the name of Anonymous (later revealed to be someone called Ali Bannister) in the most abusive, attacking, callous and unbelievable way should be hanging his head in shame at his conduct, if not arrested. It is now abundantly clear that the blame for abusive, ranting and disturbingly threatening posts cannot just be laid at the so-called "cybernats'" door. This person has created a hellish atmosphere on the blogosphere now, and is probably hoping that he is scaring off independence-supporting bloggers and commenters in their droves.
On the contrary. While I completely understand that people who fear for the safety of their lives/jobs/families may feel they have no option but to leave, those of you who feel compelled to carry on feeding the blogosphere with QUALITY postings from ALL political standpoints must continue to do so. And those of us who cannot blog but can add something to the political debate must also.
I can only hope that in weeks/months to come, this unfortunate and distressing episode will be seen to have been a bumpy "blessing in disguise" in furthering the development and growing quality of the blogosphere, as everyone takes a deep breath and really thinks with integrity (and manners) intact, before putting stuff up on here. A desperate pity that Subrosa and others have had to be the fall guys. I do hope they can weather this storm and return some day.
Anyway, I'd better shut up now as I am aware I have just intruded onto your blogs for the first time and I've probably overstayed my welcome.
More power to your elbows, everyone.
Hello Quinie, welcome to the blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that piece which I think says what we all feel about the situation.
There were and still are some excellent blogs, and commentators out there. Like you I hope that some of the ones that have recently been forced out will return in their own good time.
We must be sensible and keep ourselves, our jobs and our families safe, but we mustn't be frightened out of expressing our opinions in a sensible and reasonable way.
So, again thank you for for contribution. You did not intrude on this blog; no one with something to say has ever intruded on here. Likewise no one with something senible to say has ever outstayed, or will ever outstay, their welcome.
I hope you will come back and comment on other topics.
I certainly will, Tris. Thanks for the welcome.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
You know young man, you're making a super job of this blogging game. I'm so delighted. And who was the one who said they couldn't possibly do it?
ReplyDeleteA pat on the back is well deserved!
What a lovely compliment. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteLots of help (remember explaining the links?)and encouragement from you and AMW... and a place to do it from Munguin... the wee furry one.