Well, some sort of learned start anyway. So, why after such a long gap, am I coming back to the beginning?
Easy to know for me but maybe dificult to explain. My first away spell was with the Daily Telegraph's site. Technically, apart from one or two difficult bits, it was good. The site semed to spend rather more than average time down with server problems or quite frequent updates being installed. Somehow or other the site had gathered itself a strange membership. Apart from the usual only-slightly-mad crowd, there were some who appeared to border on the psychotic. Anything Islamic was like bull + red rag. We had a very nice Muslim lady on board who tried to correct the more outrageous postings and comments but the Islamaphobes ganged up on her as soon as her head came over the parapet. There was a system where the site posted statistics as to the most popular (i.e. most read) contributer and the post which generated the most comments.
Nice idea. However, the ratings were skewed by posters creating more than one identity and using these to read and re-read the post oneof them had written. They also commented on these contributions. Generally in scabrous style which provoked more comments. The site had the facility for anyone to complain about any post. All to get their name 'in lights'. Clever guys in the membership established and showed what was going on. There were moderators. They put into limbo any post that had drawn complaint. They would also act on their own initiative and delete posts they felt might be inappropriate. There was no swift resolution of the problems and a total lack of feed-back explaining their actions. The doppel-gangers used this to further enhance their results. The site ober-fuehrer claimed that the matter could not be solved as he lacked proof of the allegations.
The testesterone overload was more than I wanted to be on the edges of so I backed out. This led to an invitation from someone who had also removed himself from the fray and set up an closed site. I joined that. At that time there were about 13 of us. All nice, well mannered people. No one ever struck back at anything: mere posting of the day's date could well lead to a flood of comments saying what a lovely post. Not a flower died or a bird fell without being commented upon with a multitude of comments showering hugs and sympathy. We had a religious writer who went to great lengths to point out God's message in almost everything and anything that happened. As a non-believer in everything except my own multi-talents, I was itching to get in amongst him but it would have been like farting at Communion - inappropriate. So, in fear of the sweetness generating some form of mental diabetes, I let that fall away.
I do feel that I would like to have somewhere to blog. It is rather like the process of sorting out a course of action by listing on a piece of paper the 'pro' and 'con' points of the matter. Putting things down in writing itself concentrates even the most grasshopper mind. I used to review the day gone and plans for the day present whilst sitting in the smallest room in the house. I get the same relaxation here. I am not sure who - if anyone - might read this stuff. Comments are very few - but welc0me.
So, watch this space.
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