Sunday, November 20, 2005

I am aghast

   I repeat, I am aghast. There are reports of AOL journalers being harassed for choosing not to close their journals, and/or leave the AOL service in protest of the new ad banners on AOL Journals. There are reports of AOL journalers who have chosen to cancel their AOL membership, and/or move their blogs to other services being harassed for those decisions as well.
   I can say only this:

Grow the hell up.


   Holy crap, people! I have been saying it publicly in various forums on AOL since this issue reared its head last Tuesday. Those who are the most outraged by it are acting in a decidedly unfocussed manner. If I recall, my exact words were, "headless chickens." I now choose to modify that expression to, "brainless chickens." Stupid, people, stupid.

   On a different, but related matter, those who have moved to a new blogging service are entering a whole new world. The AOL journals community is a pretty insular little place, and few AOL journalers get much attention from the blog-o-sphere at large. AOLer Jaquandor, who writes the blog
Byzantium's Shores, has an offer for those of you who are new to the greater blog-i-verse: linkage. Drop him a line and he will mention your new blog in an entry. Sure, he's no Boing-Boing, but he's been around for some time, and has a good sized readership. Take him up on his kind offer.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

At the same time, though, there are increasing calls for community that transcends one particular blog provider.  Outpost Mavarin carries links to good blogs, regardless of who hosts them, and so do many other journals.  That's as it should be.  There are also people who are reacting with unfocused anger, and picking on fellow journalers for no good reason.  Phooey on that.  As I've been saying over and over this weekend, there is no Us and Them among journalers.  There is only Us.  All of us.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to say, I was rather outraged by the entire ordeal, but true to form <at least thats what I personally believe of myself> I stayed level headed, wrote my complaints to all the various places, gave my 5 cents to Scalzi and Joe, but did NOT engage in any sort of battlefront escapades with any other journalers. I believe the choice to leave, stay or whatever, is purely mine and mine alone.

I agree, that people should grow the hell up. I personally have been taking aback by the many entries and following comments I've come across of people blasting others for either leaving or staying etc.......and I won't even mention the message boards because I may take a peek in on them but, stay the hell away from that circus.

What my personal outrage has stemmed from, has been the back biting, whiplashing, purely deceitful and outrageous behaviors of some individuals who in a time of chaos decided to pull some really low blows.

Come to think of it, it's a bit like hurricane Katrina, everyone is scattered and trying to survive and then you see on TV looters going around through the devastation assuming the role of bad human behavior. Tis something I cannot stand or tolerate.

Rebecca

Anonymous said...

thsi seems to be a recent thing among personal websites and blogs...Not only do I have banners across the top of my AOL blog, but i now have pop up ads on every click of my myspace page as well. I don't mind that, honestly. Thats what Pop Up blockers are for, and the whole banner add thing.....really, as long as it doesn't involve spyware, I'm peachy. But they need to fix this teeny font for sure...and the fact it took me an hour on dial up to load pictures and when I saved..they all went away. Gar. But if you're going to cancel AOL over a banner ad over your journal, thats like cancelling cable because of commercials...it's just not worth it.

Way to go Paul, for being a big boy. If you started pitching fits, then there wouldn't be much hope for the rest of us.

<3 rachel

Anonymous said...

    Bravo. Paul !  I am much more disappointed in those who would be mean, rude, and insulting to their fellow journalers than I ever could be about these lousy ad banners.  And, believe me .... I do NOT like the ads.  But I don't like people being nasty to each other even more.  Tina http://journals.aol.com/onemoretina/Ridealongwithme

Anonymous said...

I felt it was better to stay and fight.  My journal would never be a poster boy for an Ad exec. quite the opposite. I put my own banner under my title..I know it's a small stab at a huge giant, but even the mountains get worn down....Sandi http://journals.aol.com/sdoscher458/LifeIsFullOfSurprises

Anonymous said...

"Grow the hell up."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Anonymous said...

LOL You tell'em Paul. Damn panseys tryin to be bullies. @@

Lahoma

Anonymous said...

Well I read this after I read the top entry.
Nicely put, amazed to see that some of comments have the same sentiment here, yet on your next post bash those who have left...this really all needs to end...

Anonymous said...

it's been alot of chaos for most of us so why bother anyone/
nat