Having read through the list of top 100 Lib Dem blogs produced by Iain Dale, I was astonished to see just how many had not been updated for several weeks, some not for months, whilst a couple were only being updated at best once every two to three weeks. Had he really read them all, if he had, surely he would have noticed this glaringly obvious fact ?
So, under what scoring system was this "top 100" done, or was it simply that Mr Dale wanted as many mugs as possible to get over-excited and cross link his website and blog so that he gets more hits ?
So by doing this, Lib Dems are helping to publicise a blog that regularly mis-represents the Lib Dems.
In what way would any Lib Dem benefit from this ? I can't see it really being any help. As I have made clear, being rated highly by Mr Dale would by my reckoning and experience, be a sign that I was doing something very wrong indeed.
A fellow blogger and former local reporter for Eastern Counties Newspapers (now part of Archant, owners of the EDP), makes the point well in his excellent blog http://random-incident.journalspace.com/ . His blog was rated in the top 100, but he himself cannot understand how he qualified.
So let's all start talking about things that matter and stop getting over excited by the subjective opinions of one man.
4 comments:
Well , Is Mr Dale's list a harmless bit of fun, a shrewd marketing exercise or a scientific assessment of how vain we all are? I'd say the second.
My list of links is that of sites I like to look at myself. I link to Iain Dale's site because it's one of the more interesting Tory blogs. By contrast I don't link to Guido because I found something I didn't like there.
Yes, you make a good point by making clear that it is a marketing exercise. Having been mad mouthed, without evidence, by Mr Dale, on his blog whilst also having things I have done being misrepresented by Iain Dale, I do perhaps have something of a grudge. However, I still am firmly of the opinion that he should be ignored.
Nich, welcome to the blogosphere. Had I known about your blog I would have included it.
I did look at all the blogs mentioned. The reason why many of them at the lower end of the league table are included is because it would have been impossible to come up with 100 otherwise. I'm sure you would have been among the first to complain if I had only listed 50 LibDem Blogs and 100 Tory ones. As he will confirm, I consulted Mark Pack at Cowley Street on the list to check if I had missed any out or if he could suggest any others.
Lighten up. It was just a bit of fun and I cannot believe how uptight some people have got. Most LibDems I met at your conference were delighted to talk about it. You may be new to the world of blogging, but there is a real community among bloggers of all parties and I count several LibDem bloggers as friends and I hope they would say the same about me.
Yes, I have been critical of your Party on my blog, but I have also given great publicity to many LibDem blogs and happily link to them (and they reciprocate).
I am well aware that you cannot stand me personally. Get over it.
Iain,
You made reference on your blog to me canvassing and saying something about you in the run up to the election which was untrue. I never canvassed with the person you linked me to, but hey, why check the facts, it's only a blog huh ?
This is perhaps one of the many reasons I am taking a break from politics after May. I made a point of never reading your blog during the election or before, but I was annoyed to be phoned up by people I know saying "What have you been up to ? Iain Dale has mentioned you on his blog". As a teacher, I value my reputation, make a point of not mentioning opposition candidates and avoid bad mouthing in this way. A lesson to be learnt perhaps ?
For the record, I cannot stand you professionally. I have met you personally once, and I had no problem with you. There is a difference.
Thanks for commenting though.
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