MeFi loses. March 13, 2007 9:04 AM   Subscribe


Is postsecret really a community weblog?
posted by drezdn at 9:11 AM on March 13, 2007


I don't really get how PostSecret can be considered a "community" weblog, since it's edited by one person, but OK.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:11 AM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


PostSecret is pretty good, though.
posted by mr_roboto at 9:13 AM on March 13, 2007


Agreed, Mr Roboto...

But man, their criteria for something to be a weblog is:

A "weblog" is defined as a page with dated entries.

Wouldn't that include most of the internet?
posted by drezdn at 9:17 AM on March 13, 2007


PostSecret never leaves me angry or frustrated and well, I do love it. But I don't really see it as a community blog.

Side note: Am I missing something about PerezHilton.com? How is that a GLBT blog? Just because it's written by a gay boy?

How is the FlickrBlog a Photography blog? It's about Flickr, not so much about photography.

Is there no moderation in the nominations?
posted by FlamingBore at 9:18 AM on March 13, 2007


I wish there was an award for Best Weblog Award Contest so I'd know whether to pay any attention to this one or not.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 9:18 AM on March 13, 2007 [2 favorites]


Side note: Am I missing something about PerezHilton.com? How is that a GLBT blog? Just because it's written by a gay boy?

Well, Perez has said that he takes his role in the gay community very seriously. He's big on encouraging celebrities he "knows" are gay to come out of the closet. He was probably one of the big forces that encouraged/forced Lance Bass, Neil Patrick Harris, and T.R. Knight to come out.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:20 AM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


IMaGine ThAt. Gee.
posted by phaedon at 9:26 AM on March 13, 2007 [2 favorites]


Clearly we need to up the stakes by publishing 'MetaFilter, The Best Of', contained carefully selected posts and comments and published in hardback, with the proceeds going towards some internet addiction clinic.
posted by chrismear at 9:27 AM on March 13, 2007 [2 favorites]


now I'm sad.
posted by matteo at 9:32 AM on March 13, 2007


I propose the solution to this problem is TMI.Metafilter.com. Metafilter Users will post very very intimate details of their life. For example, someone could tell about the time they passed a kidney stone, we could repost the best trainwreck question set ups from ask, and matt could blog about every single action his baby takes.

Then cortex will be required to write a weekly song compiling the latest gossip on metafilter members. And members are required to date only other metafilter members.

Also, we'll invest in white robes.
posted by drezdn at 9:34 AM on March 13, 2007


You know.. I've always been convinced that PostSecret is fake. All the entries are way too similarly and 'arty' in nature. Perhaps it's just good editing, but I can't believe people constantly submit such arty entries. Sites like YouTube prove that people really aren't that talented in the mean.
posted by wackybrit at 9:34 AM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


Thanks TPS, but I still say that's a not enough to make a celebrity gossip site a GLBT site. It's still just a gossip site to me. c'est la vie.
posted by FlamingBore at 9:35 AM on March 13, 2007


wackybrit - you'd be shocked how arty peole can get for no good reason. I culled through over 30k postcards sent in for a work contest because I'd come across such amazing works of art. I think the thing with PostSecret is that he gets lots and puts up the ones that are most (more?) artistic/interesting. But I have to image some of them are fake from the submission standpoint.
posted by FlamingBore at 9:36 AM on March 13, 2007


Seconding wackybrit's suspicions. I want to believe, but. . . I guess I'm just a cynic.
posted by chinston at 9:38 AM on March 13, 2007


I figure the reason that PostSecret seem so derivative sometimes is that everyone who has submitted a postcard, except for the very, very first ones, did so because they already know what PostSecret is and what kinds of things get posted there. So they make their postcard look like the sort of thing that gets posted, and lo, those ones do get posted while all of the ones that are nothing like what PostSecret usually posts get tossed.
posted by mendel at 9:54 AM on March 13, 2007


What does that mean "Website where everyone is allowed to post"? You have to pay 5 smackers to post here. Or does it mean a website that isn't just made up of one dude's posts?
posted by spicynuts at 9:55 AM on March 13, 2007


Oh I agree, FlamingBore. And I don't think PostSecret is a "community" blog, either. Let's start our own awards! We'll call them the FlamingSuperhero awards.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:57 AM on March 13, 2007 [2 favorites]


Wtf is this? A decoupaged rendition of GroupHug? Who has the time? Three editions of books? Boondogglers.

Could anyone honestly imagine an instance where they would come away from the hideous visage of "PostSecret" while retaining a piece of worthwhile information... about anything?
posted by prostyle at 10:05 AM on March 13, 2007


I'm iffy on Postsecret's status as a blog, let alone a community blog.

This week's first postcard...assuming it's both real and true, my best guess is Simon Cowell.
posted by lampoil at 10:12 AM on March 13, 2007


No no no, Metafilter and PostSecret both got beat by Cute Overload.
posted by davy at 10:13 AM on March 13, 2007


I'll be keeping my eye out for the "I said 'Congratulations' but inside, I was seething." postcard.
posted by cairnish at 10:14 AM on March 13, 2007


davy: if by Metafilter, you mean BoingBoing.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:19 AM on March 13, 2007


A "community weblog" is a place where the In-Crowd yells when their In-Jokes work.
posted by davy at 10:20 AM on March 13, 2007


He's big on encouraging celebrities he "knows" are gay to come out of the closet.

I think that's putting it mildly. He outs celebrities he knows to be gay. Big difference.

Personally, I think the man's a scourge and can't wait for the day he gets his.
posted by dobbs at 10:31 AM on March 13, 2007


Oh. Once again I got confused.

There's "best american weblog"
Weblogs from the United States.
winner
Cute Overload
nominees
PostSecret
Dooce
Gizmodo
Boing Boing

...which got smushed in my brain with...

best community weblog
Weblogs where everyone is invited to post.
winner
PostSecret
nominees
Overheard in New York
Digg
Oh No They Didn't!
MetaFilter

I stand corrected: Metafilter wasn't even MENTIONED in the "american" weblog category.

PostSecret also won "weblog of the year". That says Good Things about the InterTubes!

Anyway, since when is PostSecret a "community weblog"? Where's the Cabal with no dogs to walk or dumps to take?
posted by davy at 10:33 AM on March 13, 2007


But dobbs, those who don't want to be gossiped about should keep their feet off Oprah's sofa NOT become celebrities.
posted by davy at 10:38 AM on March 13, 2007


Let's start our own awards! We'll call them the FlamingSuperhero awards.

Has a nice ring to it.
posted by FlamingBore at 10:44 AM on March 13, 2007


From my very vague understanding that perez guy is a complete twat who steals articles and pisses just about everyone off. He's also in the middle of a big lawsuit.
posted by puke & cry at 10:45 AM on March 13, 2007


Has a nice ring to it.

Yea, better than ThePinkBore, for sure.

And yes, Perez Hilton is a big ole' thief. I once posted a gossip scoop on gossip community Oh No They Didn't, and Perez posted it several hours later, claiming "exclusive sources".
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:50 AM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


I knew about Daily Puppy and Daily Kitten , and I just now found out about Daily Troll and Daily Curmudgeon.

And would perez' lawsuit have anything to do with this "Celebrity"? And is he any relation to this one?
posted by davy at 10:56 AM on March 13, 2007


OOPS, I almost forgot Daily Pedant.
posted by davy at 10:57 AM on March 13, 2007


Here's the scoop on Perez's lawsuit.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:00 AM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


the only good thing about the bloggies is when they did a live IRC cast of the awards 3 years ago and the cabal* had some fun.

the bloggies are worth as much as a turd in a flamming bag. i'm glad metafilter didn't win - it makes me feel a little more elitist than I already do.

* there is no cabal
posted by Stynxno at 11:08 AM on March 13, 2007


PostSecret is a community weblog. They just have a different method for people to submit their thoughts, and, frankly, the things they submit have a lot more thought and content than 99% of the stuff we submit on this site.
posted by Dave Faris at 11:13 AM on March 13, 2007


Sometimes, when I see weblog awards, I secretly don't want Metafilter to win because I want it...

...ALL
...TO
...MYSELF and QUONSAR

(would have been better with the image tag).
posted by ontic at 11:20 AM on March 13, 2007


but I won a hall of fame award!

Apparently the categories were stagnating, so nikolai instituted a "no more than 3 times" policy, and "hall of fame" means mefi ran out its welcome in the community category (I think we won twice and were nominated 5 or 6 times now).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:24 AM on March 13, 2007


I figure the reason that PostSecret seem so derivative sometimes is that everyone who has submitted a postcard, except for the very, very first ones, did so because they already know what PostSecret is and what kinds of things get posted there. So they make their postcard look like the sort of thing that gets posted, and lo, those ones do get posted while all of the ones that are nothing like what PostSecret usually posts get tossed.

I say this goes for Metafilter as well.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:26 AM on March 13, 2007




mathowie writes "but I won a hall of fame award!

"Apparently the categories were stagnating, so nikolai instituted a 'no more than 3 times' policy, and 'hall of fame' means mefi ran out its welcome in the community category (I think we won twice and were nominated 5 or 6 times now)."


Well that sort of sucks in that a truly well run, popular web log such as MetaFilter get penalized for being so good (just thinking out loud here). Oh well. Congrats on the HOF.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 11:34 AM on March 13, 2007


I wish my
internal moderator
was more like

CCC...OOO...RRR..TTTTT..EEE...X...X
C.......O..O...R..R.....T.....E.......XX..
C.......O..O...RRR.....T.....EEE.....X..
C.......O..O...R..R.....T.....E.......X.X.
CCC...OOO...R....R...T.....EEE...X...X
posted by ontic at 11:36 AM on March 13, 2007


mathowie writes "but I won a hall of fame award!

So, Metafilter is the Neil Peart of weblogs?
posted by drezdn at 12:12 PM on March 13, 2007


So, Metafilter is the Neil Peart of weblogs?

Woah. Ouch. Ice-Rush-Burn. Nasty.

Congratulations on the HOF Award, Matt. Too bad they don't mention that on the awards page. Also, no "Lifetime Achievement" award yet?

Anyway, good that they have a threepeat rule, as the categories are definitely stagnating. You see the same blogs coming up there over and over again. Like Toby Keith and Nelly.
posted by GuyZero at 12:30 PM on March 13, 2007


I'd buy a book of the best of metafilter. Just sayin. If number needs more crib bling.
posted by srboisvert at 2:25 PM on March 13, 2007


Do you honestly think you're on first-name terms with number one?
posted by chrismear at 2:56 PM on March 13, 2007


I'm actually working on a book right now that's basically compiled of posts I've made here (and elsewhere) over the years, blended with a bunch of stuff I haven't written about anywhere else, yet.

So far the response has been startlingly enthusiastic. So, all you crazy bastards that said "Damnit, write a book! I'd buy it!" over the years, start saving your pennies.
posted by loquacious at 3:24 PM on March 13, 2007


In organizing my home today, I found a Drawn! button that I think I got at a MeFi gathering. So the best Canadian weblog would seem to be from a MeFite. Which one, I couldn't tell you.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:32 PM on March 13, 2007


I'm gonna throw them a beatin'.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:18 PM on March 13, 2007


I'm thinking about planning the option to consider the possibility of putting together a book, but when it crosses my mind on occasion after I've had a few and am basking in vanity and beer rereading the 'Uncrappy' archives at my site, I usually realize that I'm too damn lazy, and I'd be crushed when nobody bought the damn thing anyway. At least with the website, I can pretend to myself that some proportion of the visits are people who actually want to read my stuff.

That said, more power to ya, loq. I'd love to read it. You write pretty, if loud.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:54 PM on March 13, 2007


Get on with it, loq. I got your scrilla right here. * crotch *
posted by carsonb at 5:05 PM on March 13, 2007




is the time now for me to finally shell out for cuteoverlord.com?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 7:26 PM on March 13, 2007 [1 favorite]


AV, cuteoverlord.com has been taken taken taken for a long time. Though it's being squatted now and you could maybe make 'em a deal.

Also, BTW I called dibs on that lollersite ages ago. JUST SAYING.
posted by wemayfreeze at 7:47 PM on March 13, 2007


Heaven Nose can take care of this problem for us!
posted by geoff. at 8:17 PM on March 13, 2007


Meow!
posted by davy at 10:03 PM on March 13, 2007


No no no, Metafilter and PostSecret both got beat by Cute Overload.

Puppeh to GO
Grab a muzzle pouche

and put eet in your pockeet

save it for a rainy daaaaaaay


AAAAAaaaaahhh! What did this win for? Best incentive to slash?
posted by dreamsign at 3:39 AM on March 14, 2007


Quarsan's partner got Best British blog (to follow her 2005 Best European). Is that close enough?
posted by i_cola at 6:44 AM on March 14, 2007


Or even Best European 3 years on the trot.
posted by i_cola at 6:55 AM on March 14, 2007


*outs amberglow*
posted by sgt.serenity at 8:25 AM on March 14, 2007


Let's start our own awards! We'll call them the FlamingSuperhero awards.

Didn't Batman already win that?
posted by mmahaffie at 1:26 PM on March 14, 2007


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