For some inexplicable reason, I've been in a Mood today. It's that generally present yet undefinable malaise which everyone usually feels at some point. I decided I needed a laugh and went to a guaranteed Giggle-ator, Angry Kid.

Angry Kid is made by the same animators who've produced Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit, the pinnacles of the stop-action/claymation genre. AK however is a clever mix of technologies, combining real action with claymation features. The result is a series of short films centering around a Young Brit and his escapades and all of them are incredibly funny. While you're there, check out the rest of Atom Films. Some of the shorts are wickedly camp, risque and often quite ingenious. Worked for me.

10:03:02 PM    sro home /

Hey Scott -

Just wanted to touch bases, see what's going on in, uh, Wherever you are. Figured it was about time I give props to Salon's Entrance to Salon Blogs.

So you're Managing Editor, huh? Sounds like alot of work. I kinda picture this Lou Grant job minus all the paperwork. You always sound like you're way busy, managing and editing natch, and you must have alot of responsibility. I bet it sucks you have to do all that and oversee Salon Blogs. A least at Salon you can hire and fire who you want but here, here in our Wildcat Wasteland, you have to make due with.... with us.

You can ignore the bloggers you aren't so crazy about but (as far as I know) you pretty much have to grin and bear it... bummer. I can tell you're trying to make it as painless as possible and listing all your links by the person's legal name instead of their Blog Name is a nice touch. I'm not sure Christian Crumlish is so crazy about it, after all the guy doesn't even use that name in his blog (FYI, he uses Xian). The entire list reads like the Board of Directors of Boring, Inc. Do you think anyone entering Salon Blogs for the first time is going to be intrigued by that?

I hope not. I wasn't and if they are, they're the nemisis of who I hope reads my blog. Worse, they don't sound like much fun. They're the kind of people who read things that "begins with a plain-English explanation of TCP/IP and ends with a discussion of why the developer's job is so much harder today, despite the proliferation of "labor-saving" tools. A great read.". Yeah, that was you. A great read huh? Thanks for the tip but, you know what, I'll take your word for it.

I'm actually talking more than just Politics or the fascinating inner-workings of Software World. I'm talking marketing. Your blog is an intro to Salon Blogs. Salon Readers may click on you in order to get a looksy at what this Blogging Phenomena is all about. If, and this is a Big If, they're intrigued enough to read some blogs they may find one or two they like. This means they may return and read it again. Returning over and over means more hits. More hits for Salon means more advertising leverage and eventually more Business Success. I mean, if you like that kind of thing.

Pretty simple, really. Look at Reverse Cowgirl (or Susannah Breslin to you), she's pretty much blown all us other blogs out of the water. She's obviously onto something, something people like, something that web surfers find attractive and has them return over and over. (Hint Hint). Sex, duh, but Sex in the How Fascinating Is This Thing way. Pretty cool in my book. But Scott, she's not listed (in any incarnation) on Blogs You Read and given what you say you like reading, I can see why.

So what's the agenda? Is it expanding the attraction of Salon Blogs? Is it presenting a Responsible and Intellectual Point of View of Salon so you only talk about the Nerdier Stuff? Maybe it's just you writing whatever the fuck you want and consequences be damned. Hey I'm all for it, look around.

But Scott buddy, it's not flying out the store if you know what I mean. Awhile back, you remarked how a conversation had started about the "Salon Community". Did you actually read it? (Ok, I take back what I said about your writing was like something my Lesbian History Teacher might write. First, I never had a Lesbian History Teacher. Second, my History Teacher in High School was pretty interesting. So I'm sorry. It was something I wrote in the heat of, well, something.) Overall everyone's comments seemed a little, well, dissappointed. Irritated. Frustrated. Apathetic. Alot of things minus all the "Great Job, Salon" and "Thanks For Making People Want to Read Us, Salon" stuff.

Last thing I want is to bring you more work, believe me. I'm sure even as you're reading this, if you ever do read this, you'll be wolfing down an egg salad sandwich at your desk. Make sure you chew. Don't look up and people will think you're working. Just stare at the screen and send us a signal Scott. That's really all we need.

Keeping It Real,

Hugh

2:52:40 PM    sro home /

10:03:52 AM    sro home /