All very fine points. A lot of people would like to be published, have a column or a sucessful blog but in order to suceed there has to be a lot of time and effort put in. I was kind of surprised to find out that a lot of the popular blogs have paid writers and moderators. This makes Kate all the more amazing since SDA is in addition to her dogs and painting business.

I think I'll stick to my photography blog (a year + in the making;-) Time and currency are not factors there.

*
"Gratuitous profanity, in posts or in your comments section..."

anecdotally... given the excesses of the puerile, profane
leftosphere... that makes a good bit of sense.

*

You're on the mark Kate. I don't have a blog site, though I am considering one. But I do read them regularly and I'm not impressed by profanity.
But I have noticed one thing. The conservative blogs are more open to verbal exchanges. On the left (and I include Liberal blogs as part of the left) you're only welcome to comment after first signing your life away. Like applying for a credit card.

Rule 11 is well said.

I generally live by the rule that if you can't get your point across without profanity, then your point isn't worth getting across at all. Perhaps that's just the accountant in me talking, but it works as a rule all the same.

12. Comments wander off message or threads are hijacked and personal attacks are allowed to stay and become the norm. There is nothing more annoying to me when personal attacks take over a thread and the actual topic gets lost in the comments. This is true of all blogs.

There's a big difference between gratuitous profanity and pointed expletives.

Being an actual adult I think I'm able to make the distinction to my own satisfaction.

Fuddle Duddle!

I'm rather fond of the odd bit of profanity myself. But I figure I'm a good yardstick to measure by: If it's too much even for me, it's WAY TOO MUCH!

Agree on the personal attacks, too. I just hate deleting any kind of comment from my site.

RG

IMO, the #1 killer ? Trolls derailing the topic.

Some are very clever. Some become desparate when they know they are loosing. Others use niceties to camouflage the diversions.

OMMAG, while these ears have learned many a profane phrase or two courtesy of Her Majesties Canadian Armed Forces, the fact that many readers at work tend to suffer when company filters catch the nasty words and block SDA.

Also, being old school I tend to refrain from using wirty dords in the presence of ladies.

"Some become desparate when they know they are loosing"

The worst are those who deliberately misspell words in order to provoke a response.

Hmm... information I can use.

Looks like I've already a decent start and progression since 2005, but the promotion and networking, plus maybe the design of the blog could use work.

Perhaps I need to consider a couple of guest bloggers, enliven it and diversify the posts a bit.

All in all, it's an ongoing, long-term process. One learns over time from one's mistakes and successes.

I'd say the profanity is REQUIRED for a 'progressive' blog.

Also- agreed on the profanity point. Early on, I used a little bit of it, and got some feedback from very reasonable readers who informed me that it adds nothing positive at all and is a turnoff.

So then I quit using it, other than the occassional soft curse, and advised my commentors to watch theirs as well.

Otherwise, I may have lost some good, regular readers.

Fuddle Duddle . the two words from his highness PET precious mouth that kicked the canadian economy right in the stick shift.

I'm a biker and a veteran of the US Army. If you know enough bikers or veterans, you know that we cuss.

A lot.

And I don't hold back on my moderately successful blog, either.

I drop f-bombs to show anger, disgust, and disdain. I also use it to show excitement, acceptance, and bewilderment.

It's a good word. As good or better than many "acceptable" words. So I use it.

I don't really care if people can read my blog while they work. Frankly, I'd rather they be working and earning the dollar they are being paid.

I'd like to add that I have come to believe that it's important to be mindful of not coming across as a loose cannon in the perceptions of more mainstream bloggers, particularly the more prominent, successful ones, if one is to have a snowball's chance in hell of eventually breaking into the big time. That ties into the "networking" point.

Admittedly, I do enjoy a bit too much the loose-cannon approach. Perhaps this ought to be transformed into more of a velvet-covered sledgehammer approach, as I'm not really interested in the subtle approach, not being so subtle myself, and not believing we can possibly prevent another Liberal victory by being relatively mild-mannered and subtle, though each to their own.

My point with Fuddle Duddle is that propriety has it's place.

And I do agree that tolerance for impropriety can be downright destructive.

Listening to the commons on CBC right now is an excellent illustration of that ..... howling jackals who have no ability to act with propriety hijacking the debate ..... just like what happens on blogs.

Time to change the channel .... see?
Same effect on readers who encounter that attitude on posts and comments!

As far as MY language .... sure I'm guilty from time to time .... but if I abuse someones blog I won't be surprised to see my comments deleted.....

Sometimes though it seems the intent of certain commentors is to provoke the reaction.

'Looks like you've got them all pretty well covered, Kate.

Robbie: I guess I wouldn't last five minutes on your blog. Even though the F-word can be very satisfying when you're really angry or you've hit your finger with a hammer, it outstays its welcome when used too often.

In fact, if you have to use it on a regular basis, I suspect you're lacking in imagination and that your writing skills are looking for a pumping up.

The F-word is no substitute for good writing or breadth of outlook. I suggest you take a really long road trip, Robbie, on that bike of yours and see if you can pick up a little more Savoir Fair: now there's a good word which won't offend anyone... ;-)

kiss my ass. duh.

A professionally delivered stream of profanities is truly a beauty to behold. Sadly, the skill has become rare. No socialists possess it, as they are by nature of a childlike mind. Conservatives tend to be too self-conscious to really let loose. Libertarians just miss the point, joyless bastards. That leaves the classical liberals, monarchists and the odd sprinkling of anarcho-capitalists to bear the burden.

Batb --- a quick glance at my front page (13 most recent posts) reveals that of the 5071 words currently used on my front page, the F-bomb is only used three times.

I think you could hang. You'd hear it more in the first 45 seconds of an episode of the Sopranos.

I did not realise that blogging was so controversial, it's a subculture onto it's own. I don't mind a little profanity but what I read at some of the Liberal Blogs is downright offensive. No grown up could use that much profanity could they?

Hey, Robbie, I don't watch the Sopranos!

what smug self satisfied self interested fatuous twaddle....i'll wager there are MORE right wing types that enjoy a well placed pertinent expletive than don't.
i could go on but what's the point...i'm starting to see the pillars of sand THIS discussion group is built upon.....beware !...mrs grundy is wielding her air brush among us !

Hey, I resemble that remark. Sometimes you have to call a spade a spade, and if that means the odd rant directed against the leftarded trolls who come here, so be it.

I am sure Kate will ban me once I cross the line. Until then, all is fair!

John Baglady must be/is a troll.
My own experience, in 80 yrs, is that people in the conservative sphere are considerate, polite and interested in having a reasonable conversation. Even a good debate. Now how do we get the lefties to abandon the monkey cage?
P.S. Love No. 11.

Thanks Kate for keeping this as civil as possible. Unfortunately, the radical left have no manners... but that does not excuse us. We must set an example.

#11 is what has made SDA one of the most-read and commented-on blogs in Canada.

Gratuitous profanity is just plain stupidity and, as I said earlier, shows a lack of both ideas and imagination.

If you have to swear every five seconds, you've probably got a social/ego problem. Get a psychiatrist--or go to confession. The second plan of action would probably be more effective.

To start, i'm not a "leftard", i would say i generally am a little right leaning.

It's appalling how righteous a lot of the right wing people commenting here are. Come on, if you're really as polite and tolerant as you claim to be why aren't you capable of making a comment without trash talking liberals?

Sand pedestals indeed. If anything about this blog would/will stop me from being a regular reader, it's the smug attitude perpetuated in the comments.

Profanity is the crutch of the inarticulate MF.

Bye Chris ... you will be missed!!!!! . I think I hear your mom calling you for dinner.

Profanity is the last refuge of the feeble minded (excepting the Irish, for whom 'tis merely a conjunction). Invective is the thing. Consider this exchange between Gladstone and Disraeli. Is there anything more perfect?

Gladstone, a member of Parliament, to Benjamin Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." "That depends, sir," said Disraeli, "On whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

Tenebris
That was John Wilkes vs the Earl of Sandwich, several years prior to Gladstone/Disraeli.

Chris, it's not smugness, it's superiority. And as ural said, off to mommy now.

Cheers

Tenebris, well put. The art of a verbal joust is indeed a dying one. Unfortunatly, in this day and age, if is becoming increasingly rare. Feelings are hurt too easily and the HRC and PC police are called in needlessly. IMHO

Wit is the last refuge of the closet Liberal. Yet another neolithic mistake.

Look at all the good wit has done the English; while they were busy watching Monty Python and patting themselves on the back on their cleverness, many so-called basket case peoples such as the Irish have long since passed them in productivity. The failures of English multiculturalism need no recounting here.

The English disease of not taking anything too seriously to show the world what a jolly chum one is has proved fatal. Fatal.

When one's house is on fire there is no call for a clown; indeed, the clown is a likely arson suspect.

fdsafsa: "The English disease of not taking anything too seriously to show the world what a jolly chum one is has proved fatal. Fatal."

Add to this lack of gravitas their disparaging and dumping of the Judeo-Christian faith of their fore-fathers and -mothers, and you've got a right mess, with absolutely nothing to fall back on...

I agree 100%. Having said that, there is one angry, right leaning individual on a fellow conservative blog that is absolutely hilarious, his comment compositions are so inventive and unexpected.