Free Republic Quasi-Official Blog Concept and Nomination Thread

[I Am Not A Mod]

Hi all.

I know that some people here are fans of Blogs. I am one as well. I had a brainstorm for something new here at FR, and Jim gave me the go-ahead to give it a whirl. The idea is for a quasi~official blog. The Freeper Island Blog.

Why Freeper Island? Because like Survivor, a blogger can be voted off the island.

Basically what I am imagining is that we will have a dozen people who are the designated inhabitants of the Freeper Island Blog. There will be a blog thread each day, and any of the twelve can add items to the blog (it would go in the article section of the thread. How we will handle updating it I need to work out. I have an idea but I need to talk to someone about it first). Anyone could reply to the thread, but only the twelve bloggers could add things to the article/blog portion of the thread. Each time an entry gets added to the blog portion of the thread, it would get bumped back to the top of either the Extended News or Editorial sidebar (this needs to be decided). The 12 islanders would have a month long term.

As the end of the month approaches, we would have a thread for voting for your favorite bloggers (all voting done publically). The 10 who get the most votes stay on (if they are willing).

Who gets to replace the two who didn't get enough support? We would also have a thread where people could nominate themselves (and give reasons why they should be voted on the island). And then a vote- again done publically on the thread. The two highest vote getters get a month on the island.

Who would be the original twelve? They would be picked by the same method- a nominating thread followed by a vote. Any replacements needed for emerging reasons would also be determined in this way.

Who gets to vote? To avoid problems, only Freepers with at least three months and at least 100 replies under their belt would be allowed to vote (or run).

These are my ideas for it. I figure we will give it a shot, and if it turns into a good feature we keep it and if not we won't.

Anyway, feel free to make additional suggestions, or if you are interested in being one of the first twelve, write up a nomination. I'll arbitrarily set Sunday at midnight as the cutoff for nominations, and will post a voting thread for Monday with each of the nomination writeups on it (order determined at random), with 24 hours for voting. You can nominate anyone, but only those who post to this thread saying they want to do it and why will actually make the ballot.

Cheers.

[Rabid Dog]

What's a BLOG? And do you need a college degree?

[Rabid Dog]

What's a BLOG? And do you need a college degree?

[Jean S]

This is an interesting idea. Here's a bump for more comments.

[Rabid Dog]

And do you have to know how to post properly?

[I Am Not A Mod]

Blog is short for weblog. Here are a few examples.

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp

http://www.andrewsullivan.com/

[Normal4me]

This sounds like it would be just another Forum of sorts. What is the purpose of this??? Me confused....

[I Am Not A Mod]

The answer to both of those questions is probably yes.

If you aren't familiar with Blogs, you probably should not run to be on the Island at first :-)

[Mears]

I think this is one I'll leave for the young folks!

[T'wit]

No, no, no, no, no, not Freeper Island Blog. That has the acronym FIB.

[I Am Not A Mod]

Ah. Didn't think of the FIBbing aspect. Although that could be catchy in an ironic sort of way.

[I Am Not A Mod]

I think you would be good at something like this. Would you be interested?

[firewalk]

bttt

[Dog]

I like the idea....

Mr. Mulliner would be great at this....

[Congressman Billybob]

COUNT ME IN!

I have two alternative suggestions, though. Either, 1) include more than 12 FReepers at the beginning, because many more than just 12 have the knowledge, writing skills, and sense of humor to do this. Or, 2) run two rounds of the contest, with 12 folks invited to start each week for 12 weeks, and then put the winners of those contests into the "Best FReeper Blogger in the Known Universe" in the final round.

The latter pattern is how the poker championships, the annual "Jeopardy" contests, and others, are conducted.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up on FR, "Brave New Moment."

[I Am Not A Mod]

If there is enough interest, I may up the number. I chose this number because it is round. Not like 10 is round, but similar. Also because it seemed like a good number to ensure that (if the 12 are active types) there is good blog activity, and because it seemed likely that at first we probably would get only perhaps two dozen nominees.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

[TomGuy]

If there is enough interest, I may up the number. I chose this number because it is round. Not like 10 is round, but similar. Also because it seemed like a good number to ensure that (if the 12 are active types) there is good blog activity, and because it seemed likely that at first we probably would get only perhaps two dozen nominees.

What's wrong with 14? It's more round than 12 and 10. It is easily divided by 7. 12 and 10 aren't. What do you have against it? 14 is a perfectly good number. I always liked 14. 10 gets too much attention. 10 pennies equal a dime; heck, it's got a whole metric scale. And 12. 12 is a dozen. Think of all the dozens that exist due to the number 12. Yeh, 10 and 12 always get all the good honors; they get all the attention. Besides, if you don't go with 14, I'll play the R card.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

BumPing

[McGruff]

I've got one of those blog things, but I haven't been keeping it up to date.

[I Am Not A Mod]

My choice of number is cliched! But 14 is round? Seriously, is there a less round number than 1? And look at all the hard angles in a 4. Pointy, pointy, pointy.

[Dog]

LOL!

[I Am Not A Mod]

My guess is that blogging with a group is easier, because there is some degree of debate that goes on and you end up playing off each other.

Although going with the "I have experience doing this, but I don't really keep up with it" might not be the most persuasive argument for being voted on in the first place...

[umbagi]

Ping...

If you've got the time, this is right up your alley.

[Fintan]

Sure, count me in. I'll try anything once.

[Fintan]

Sure, count me in. I'll try anything once.

[Focault's Pendulum]

I would like to nominate myself....as one of the sharks circling the island.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Congressmen Billybob will SECRETLY have the hots for Chad Fairbanks but OPENLY flirt seriesly with the first blonde babe FReeper that comes along and then screw her--over- and vote her off the island. You will wear only a hugh loin cloth insinuating you also have large--- hands.You will be spotted alone alot with ernest on the beach gazing seriesly in his hugh eyes trying to con him. Jeff Head will outsmart you in a swift but hughly seriesly way...

[Timesink]

What's to stop people from being "voted off" for no other reason than that a certain FR clique got together to screw over someone they don't like?

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

The server burped and is acting sluggish for me, Sorry! Please delete two of the three identical posts.

[Calpernia]

What is a blog?

[I Am Not A Mod]

It would have to be a huge clique, because you vote for who gets to stay, and the clique would have to have enough votes to put 10 others ahead of the unfortunate screwee.

But you know what? I fully anticipate there are going to be groups that try to stack the island, and other groups that try to get certain people off. It will probably have some rough spots and never be perfect. And if someone decides to use their spot to be obnoxious continually, thinking they have the votes to stay on, they will find out that the rules can be adapted as needed to prevent problems. And that one vote by Jim counts a hell of a lot more than others. :-)

[Focault's Pendulum]

P>The server burped and is acting sluggish for me, Sorry!

Yeah, yeah....right! I remember using that excuse when the scotch bottle rolled under my desk.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Just out of curiousity, how does one determine how many posts one has?

[Admin Moderator]

I can see that information.

[Sally'sConcerns]

But is there a way I can see that information?

[Rabid Dog]

We are going to start our own clique!!! The BLOGS and the BLOG-NOTS

[Admin Moderator]

Asking nicely generally does the trick. Assuming you wanted the info, you have 1 article, 142 replies.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

If ya havta ask then you probably don'thave 100 :-) But you can have my two burped scotch bottle posts if it helps you.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks ! bttt . . .

[MeekOneGOP]

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Thank you very much for the info!

This is also my contribution to keeping this thread bumped.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Just out of curiousity, how does one determine how many posts one has?

Ok. Everybody step back....give me some room...I got this one handled.

First off Sally, log off FR. Next shut your comp down and wait till the little fan stops running.

Next...disconnect your keyboard and mouse and leave them just outside your front door.

Having successfully done that...jump into your shower and wonder what's happening on FR....that you're missing.

After all this...put on your least revealing bathrobe and walk outside your front door...retrieving the keyboard and mouse as you do this.

Casually walk to your next door neighbor's picture window....taking the mouse in your right hand and the keyboard in your left....begin swinging them in a clockwise motion. (Note: If you're south of the equator...swing them counter clockwise...I'm not sure why...it has something to do with the way toilets flush.)

Once you are swinging as fast as possible...begin shouting as loud as you can....."How do I get my posts!!??" "How do I get my posts!!??!"

The people in the approaching flashing red light vehicle will be able to help you.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Good questions, but there are no real clique's here, just people with endless ping lists. So, if you run I will ping a thousand FREEPERS :-)

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

But what if she burps and her scotch bottle shuts down her 100 posts she just made at the same time like me?

[Sally'sConcerns]

Ah, thank you for the info. Now, do I have to speak French or will this break the Internet and how will I know if I'm logged in or not?

[TomGuy]

Just out of curiousity, how does one determine how many posts one has?

I probably wouldn't qualify. I tend to be somewhat shy about posting, so I doubt I have that many. sigh!