When this blog was redesigned not long ago I said I would also be putting more effort into Twitter.
I have – and have enjoyed doing so.
As a result my Twitter following has risen rapidly.
Today it hit 3,000.
Thanks to all.
Jun 152011
Between midday and midnight yesterday something like 40 comments were posted on this blog.
Some I truly appreciated.
Many were nit-picking irrelevance.
I suspect 95% or more passed moderation, but at that rate of commentary I am challenged to rebuff so much of the rubbish – and without saying it’s wrong I don’t want it on my site
So I may have to apply the moderation policy more strictly if that rate continues.
I apologise, but only a little, in advance. As ever, those making serious contribution have nothing to fear!
Jun 032011
When a couple of months or so ago I first mentioned Wikio had listed this blog as #1 economics blog in the UK I thought it was a bit of fleeting fun.
Three months later they tell me I’m still there.
I’d make comparison to Adele if only she hadn’t come out against paying tax (silly girl: how to alienate people who might buy your albums and encourage free-riding down loaders in one easy lesson).
Anyway, here’s the list for May:
Jun 012011
As I mentioned recently, I have begin a blog on Forbes.
The first blog – with the above title (which is also that of the blog itself) is here.
The themes will mainly be accounting related – because that’s fallen a little by the wayside here and still needs a lot of attention.
And it’s open to comments, of course. Which will, no doubt, please some.
I liked this that I noted today:
It’s possible to believe that someone is completely wrong on policy while respecting his or her character. But policy aside, these are just contemptible people.
Paul Krugman, expressing a sentiment that is close to my heart about people of the type he refers to.
I make the point for good reason: neoliberals without arguments get very upset when I say that I presume that their dislike of people without wealth seems to underpin their comments. They call me all sorts of names – as Krugman is called all sorts of names. But all I’m saying, like Krugman is, is that such an attitude makes these contemptible people.
And if you don’t like that please don’t comment. Then I won’t have to disagree with you.
May 192011
I’ve just become Forbes’ first paid blogger in Europe.
I make the disclosure of payment because it’s important to do so and not because it’s a lot!
My first blog in this new guise will be soon after 1 June.
And under the agreement with Forbes what I write about is entirely up to me.
I will, of course, be linking to the Forbes material from here.
And no doubt there will be those who will take opportunity to comment. Which on this occasion will amuse me, because that will help increase the remuneration. Now that’s going to create a dilemma for some.
May 112011
I’ve had big BT problems today.
I meant to say IT problems, but actually typed BT quite correctly probably.
The result is some blogs get published in draft form, unintentionally, and then I was offline for some time.
Now I’m on a mobile connection.
I hope something like normal service might function again sometime soon.
But I’ll have to wait and see.
May 052011
There are those of us who run serious blogs on the web, where we’re happy to engage in conversation with people on serious issues. And these blogs, it’s pleasing to note, seem to appeal to a lot of people.
This place is, I think, one such blog.
Like most of those who blog in this way I do so from within the (well within) the mainstream of UK politics. I have some qualification to put forward the opinion I do, although I don’t think that need disqualify others: life’s a great university. And like many who write from this perspective I attract the attention of what might best be called trolls.
These trolls are a web phenomenon.
They’re also heavily associated with extreme libertarianism who follow (as a consequence of their extreme libertarianism) extreme right wing agendas, although they, of course, don’t see it that way.
They are, to put it nicely….no there’s no way to put it nicely. So I won’t.
But I loved this reaction to them in the comments policy of The Big Picture blog:
Trolls and Asshats:
This may be a free country, but The Big Picture is my personal fiefdom. I rule over all as benevolent dictator. I will ban anyone whom I choose from posting comments — usually, for a damned good reason, but on rare occasions, for the exact same reason God created the platypus: because I feel like it.
Now the trolls won’t understand that. Because they’re all ultra-rational enlightenment people; logical positivists to the core, so a statement such as this has no meaning to them.
But it sure as heck has to a human being.
And sometimes it’s just how I feel.
And if you tried to comment and I didn’t like it, well, bad luck (that’s the nice version). I used my judgement. Sometimes I may get things wrong. But you know, that’s the way it is. Live with it.
Or start your own blog.
That’s what liberty really is – not the right to whinge. But you’d never know if you observed the trolls, who as far as I can tell are positivists to the core, and yet have never once had a positive thought to share between them.
Hat tip: Nick Shaxson
May 022011
The right wing blogosphere got very upset last month when this blog toppled Tim Worstall and became the number 1 economics blog in the UK.
Now Wikio tell me I kept the top spot in April.
No, it doesn’t matter much in the overall scheme of things. But it’s still amusing.
For the record, the new listing is:
Good to see Duncan Wheldon moving up a spot too. I strongly recommend following him.
PS I expect to lose top spot next month as in the blog upgrade it seems some archiving on Google was lost and traffic is down as a result.
