19 January 2007

If this isn't obsessive I don't know what is

Tim Ireland started off his blog war with a relatively sensible post complaining about the way Guido runs his blog. If Guido's blog was funded by taxpayers' money I'd think he had a point, but Guido's is a private blog funded by advertisers who can freely choose whether or not to advertise. As such he can run his blog however the hell he likes.

Tim summarises his post:

"1. Guido, through a number of deceits, renders any meaningful interaction with his weblog inert... above all, he's a comment cheat and a disgrace to blogging.
2. Guido is practically inviting politicians to avoid blogging or work to restrict the activity. It is honest bloggers who will pay the price.
3. Most of Guido's 'scoops' are nothing of the sort
4. Guido is a shameless opportunist and he's using your own frustration(s) against you.
5. Guido is lower than tabloid scum... and that's saying something.
6. Watch out for the switch, when Guido secretly starts (or continues) batting for those in power that he favours.
7. Guido is a stat-whore.. and a figure-fiddling one at that.
8. Guido insists on knowing where the funds come from for politicians/interest-groups, but he's awfully secretive about what funds his activities.
9. Guido is nothing but a smart-arse arsonist... and that's only if we take his word for it.
10. Guido may not realise it, but he's a bit of a homophobe... and (surprise, surprise) like attracts like.
11. Guido betrays his readers and his informants."

1. He can delete or alter comments as he chooses. If you don't like it, don't post comments.
2. Politicians live life in the goldfish bowl. Whatever they say and wherever they are they have to watch their words. Blogging is no different.
3. If you don't think Guido's blog offers scoops that you don't get elsewhere, don't read it. The fact that he has so many readers and high placed informants would suggest otherwise.
4. Yeah, and?
5. Ah, the elitist "I'm so much better than you because I don't indulge in gossip." Again, if you don't like gossip, don't read Guido.
6. Like any human being with political principles would? He's hardly going to screw over people he agrees with is he? Hence not publishing the picture of a Labour minister smoking cannabis.
7. See no. 4.
8. The companies that advertise with him are there for all to see. That's kind of the point.
9. Ah, name-calling too.
10. I haven't seen any evidence of this but again, it's his choice what he writes. I suspect his readership would crumble if he started going on homophobic rants.
11. No, he protects them. If someone has provided you with information before then it's basic manners not to publish unpleasant things about them. There are plenty of other blogs, if someone else wants to publish such rumours nobody's stopping them.

Since then Tim has seemingly spent every waking moment following Guido's every move and blogging about it. He's coming across as a rather scary individual and has even created a new blog to bash Guido and anyone who stands up for him. I think that's known as bullying.

Update: He's even started a let's bash Guido caption competition and is publishing some pretty unpleasant stuff. What the hell is up with this guy? You'd think Guido had raped his kids the way he's acting.

3 comments:

james higham said...

You've posted. I've posted. I think yours wins the prize.

Guido 2.0 said...

"Pretty unpleasant stuff"?!

Manic suspects that you are incapable of appreciating or even detecting satire. He is also beginning to think that you lack basic skills such as objectivity.

Guido 2.0 said...

Manic also wishes to complain about the theft of his turtle. The copyright notice on the site is clear. If you are not careful, Manic will send you threatening, shouty emails and call you a thief on other people's weblogs before running away.