January 30, 2005
KOTB Week 5 Ruling
Post:
Neva introduces many of us to reading. While some of us may be loathe to undertake this academic pursuit, others, including myself, need a good book with which to settle down at the end of the day. At first I thought to myself as I read Neva's post, Why would she choose this particular entry for inclusion into the King of the Blogs? Of course, usually when I ask that early into a post, my answer comes bearing gifts. This time, it came in the form of an introduction to a delightful story by Mark Twain, The Diaries of Adam and Eve. Neva equates the experience reading this book to a journey of love between two people, and she uses herself and her husband to illustrate this. I thought the Twain story was most intriguing, though I did sense a Freudian slip of sorts: when referring to love at first sight, she spelled it as site. I don't know about you, but my first site needed a lot of good design work. Thanks for the introduction to this fine literature, Neva! 3.5 points.
Site:
I'm thankful for memes like King of the Blogs, which introduce me weekly to blogs I've never read before, like this one. Neva's new to the blogosphere, but she's off to a good start. She's got wonderful insight, offers concise, logical arguments, and seems to have a good variety of topics to write about,
though her primary concern seems to be gun rights. It's the Revenge of Blog*S--t! Not in a very long time have I seen such a resurgence of Blogger users. Though Neva uses one of the standard blogger templates, she happens to choose one of the nicer ones - I've always appreciated the yellowed parchment look. She takes advantage of some of the features of blogger, though I noticed she doesn't show trackbacks to her posts. Many of us who would love to link to her now and then would love to be given mutually assured linkage. Bonus, of course, for including a picture and a brief about me at the top.. at the top? Usually folks put their about me info in a small section of the sidebar,
but what Neva's doing is quite alright. Oh yeah, speaking of the sidebar, I appreciate and prefer a more visible line of demarcation between the sidebar
and the main body of text. It doesn't have to be an actual line, just probably an eennnsy bit more space between the left sidebar and the rest of the blog.
Love the headings for the sidebar, and of course the archives are suitably in order. The double props - one in the obligatory banner and one below - are loved! Overall, nicely done blog, a bit monotone but it's very easy to read and there's great writing ability demonstrated within. 4 points.
Challenge:
Neva's story is very creatively done, and contains everything you could hope for in a fantasy story (including gratuitous use of firearms - you know she just had to include an H&K in there). Still, it really didn't contained the subtle (or not so subtle) references to the blogosphere that I was looking for. Not only that, but is she implying that I talk too much? Harumph! Additionally, I would have loved to see an abundance of links in a King of the Blogs entry. While her style and substance was more than suitable for a literary venture, I didn't notice many of the kinds of metaphor and allegory her competition used. Don't get me wrong - Neva's a gifted writer and the story was interesting and literate.. but this isn't merely a creative writing competition, but also a gauge on one's overall 'blogginess'. 3 points.
Post:
Scott chooses a tribute to Johnny Carson as his post for consideration. He digs up a few choice quotes from some other comic legends, and concludes with one of the greatest jokes of our time - Mr. Bill Clinton. Scott then laments the state of today's entertainment and its lack of measurable navel-gazing.
I'm proceeding with trepidation here, knowing full well that if I say what I want to say, I'll sound more like an American Idol judge than I care to. Anyhow, what I mean to say is that after reading through some of Scott's other posts, I'm not sure that this is one of his best posts. A collection of relevant quotes and brief commentary is what I get away with on my less productive days, including, I'm sure, many this week. Scott certainly has had some more productive, creative, and well-written days, and I do not wish to
deny him this. Certainly, more than once I've submitted what I thought was my best post to a blog competition only to find out tons of people linked to
something I considered subpar. It happens all the time. Still, I've got to make the call based on the play.. you are far better than the score implies, Scott. 3 points.
Site:
This is an attractive blog. It's crisp, got lots of snappy little graphics everywhere, crisp posts, distinct separation between individual entries, and an easily readable color scheme and font (though the font might be raised a point or two for more visually impaired readers). The writing is top notch (Did Hugh Hewitt really say that about you?); Scott keeps his
entries brief yet interesting, with none of the long-winded tirades usually associated with other political blogs (like my own, for instance). He keeps complete archives, and at first I thought the calendar was one of those infamous MT hideous contraptions, but it turns out it's a listing of New York City events! Cool... I suppose the calendar can be excused, though it's about as relevant to a blog as a personals column. Some items that you don't often
see on blogs, I found on Slant Point. I wonder if anyone else has bothered to include a little Reference Library in their sidebar. The About Me portion is detailed, and given off a link at the top of the page. The photo would have been a great addition had Scott been a)smiling; and b) looking at the audience instead of posing like some sort of disaffected pundit. But of course, this is
King of the Blogs, not American Idol... I shouldn't even have to remind myself. What can I say? This is a sharp little blog! 5 points.
Challenge:
Marvelous story! I think we have a competition on our hands. I'm a tremendous fan of The Princess Bride, and I had a lot of fun reading this cute little tale (although it was a bit more than little, but no matter). I was pleased to learn that I, Blog Boy, end up being Dubya's alter-ego. But I was more pleased to learn that Scott included all the best parts. Most memorable, of course:
"You only think I guessed wrong. That's what's so funny. I switched the glasses when your back was turned. Fool! You fell victim to one of the classic
blunders. The most famous is 'Never get involved in a Mary Mapes story,' but only slightly less well known is this: 'Never go against Dan Rather when death is on the line.'" Heh. The story showed a remarkable amount of creativity, the ability to abuse allegories with reckless abandon, and the gall to cast Tim Robbins as a sympathetic figure. Plus, it had my family wondering what the #$%! I was laughing at in the study. There was only one probable inconsistency: the giant was another sympathetic character, a bad guy turned
good. Michael Moore appears to have no capacity for reform. Or doesn't he?
Anyhow, great story, nice little graphic for effect, Scott's going to make it a rousing race to the crown! 5 points.
Post:
This is one of those Posts I've Always Wanted to Write but Never Found the Words. Jon's found the words, and he's given a very eloquent, well-researched essay on the Biblical position on war. He takes the relevant Biblical passages on war, however few there are, and uses them along with 'Just War Theory' to come up with seven guiding principles. I've got my problems with a couple of the principles, such as number 7 (what if the civilians are the combatants?), but I'm of the notion that Jon is merely reciting the laws, and does his best not to opine, but instead to reassure us that the US military is doing the best it can to conduct a just war by said definition. I was particularly drawn by the introduction to the post, in which Jon gives us a typical line of
questioning posed by one who notices his uniform and accoutrements and asks about his position on what our military is doing. I'm getting to like Jon's method of relating to his readers and drawing them in like this; for one, I would have enjoyed him as chaplain while I was serving. 4 points.
Site:
This is what, week three? I've got to give Jon a lot of credit for actively participating in the blogosphere, linking like a madman, sucking up to us
judges like we were some kind of royalty (actually, Jon is the royalty, we're just the folks who put him there). There's nothing much more I can say, really, except fine job, and it's one of the varied reasons why he's defending the crown, not pursuing one. 5 points.
Challenge:
Wow, did we pick a creative bunch or what? And Songstress appears to have become quite the love interest. Jon has become quite proficient in getting
to know us judges, and he uses his gleaned knowledge to populate his flight of fancy with intimate details of Harv and Songstress (though the Redi Whip thing I really didn't need to know about). He whipped up an entertaining story, though there was the occasional deus ex machina to wrap things up... you know, a bit of the "fairy magic". There's nothing wrong with a little bit of the magic, though! 4 points.
< a href="http://badexample.mu.nu/archives/065331.php" target="blank">KING OF THE BLOGS: JUDGMENT DAY 5
Time again to prepare the gallows for another King of the Blogs Tournament.
Will Jon of Personal Trainer retire undefeated or will he be cast down into the salt mines for the rest of natural life, with the throne going to another?
It's a particularly tough call this week, as all show great promise, but I cast my lot thusly:
Write a fairy tale set in the blogosphere. Include only two of the judges.
Jon of Personal Trainer
GOOD POINTS: Flagrant appeals to my vanity, plus he FINALLY gets me that long-desired kiss from Songstress. Good work, Jon! [discreetly hands Jon envelope of cash]
BAD POINTS: Didn't give the King of Fools any gratuitous linkage, nor did Jon choose an actual Fairy Blogmother for me (Susie of Practical Penumbra should've gotten the part, but I can't expect Jon to have known that). Picking almost any woman off my blogroll would've worked.
And an extra-special stick-beating for making me Andrew Sullivan's pin-up boy, although bringing Wonkette into it was actually even worse.
SCORE: 4
Scott of Slant Point
GOOD POINTS: You can NEVER go wrong quoting the Princess Bride. An ambitious project and a pleasure to read.
BAD POINTS: Essence of moonbat, while a clever plot point, does not work in that scene because it reeks horribly, and Rather would've noticed the stench in both glasses. A minor point, but one that you should've caught & fixed.
SCORE 4.5
Neva of Neva
GOOD POINTS: Nice M. Night Shyamalan twist near the climax & I *loved* that last line.
BAD POINTS: Writing style contained too many simple, declarative sentences to keep me into the tale. Would've been a more pleasant read if it were either spiced up or pared down. Just took too long to get to the end.
SCORE: 4
Person Trainer: A Just War
GOOD POINTS: Nice, attention-getting personal anecdote for an intro, plenty of supportive linkage, and an informative summary of Just War Theory.
BAD POINTS: This piece was obviously meant more to inform than persuade, however, all the explaining following the line "Do you have a couple minutes?" leads the reader to believe that the author's opinion of the Iraq war will be given at some point, but it's left implied, rather than stated. This post just needs Jon to say "I think the Iraq war meets these criteria" at some point to make it complete
SCORE: 4.5
Slant Point: The Hollywood Left vs. Johnny
GOOD POINTS: Goal stated, evidence presented (complete with supportive linkage), hypocrisy noted, conclusion drawn, writing stopped. A model blog entry. Well done.
BAD POINTS: There shouldn't be an apostrophe in "Johnny's", since it was plural, and not either a possessive or a contraction.
SCORE: 4.5
Neva: Go Read a Book
GOOD POINTS: Good observation about the differences in how love grows in men & women. Oddly enough, *I* was the "new creature... [who was] a good deal in the way" in Beloved Wife's Eden.
BAD POINTS: The introductory quote and the bulk of the book list doesn't quite fit right with the main point of the post. It would've been a better and more focussed piece if that first chunk were taken away and put in it's own "here are my favorite books" entry, leaving just a discussion of "The Diaries of Adam and Eve".
SCORE: 4
Here are some technical things I like to see on a blog:
King of the Blogs javascript thingy in the sidebar
Comments enabled
Permalinks working
E-mail contact info available
Blogger's name/pseudonym prominently displayed
Site search feature enabled
Link to an "About Me" post on the sidebar
Blogger's gender is easily discernable
Blogroll
Readable font style & size
Readable color scheme (for example, NOT bright red type on bright green
background)
Divisions between posts clearly marked
Paragraphing in entries (NOT just writing one fat block of text)
Aside from the tech stuff, I also like to see a blogger's personality shining through, to remind us of the person behind the words.
With that in mind...
Personal Trainer:
GOOD POINTS: Jon just keeps getting better. That extended entry monkey is off his back and has been returned to the zoo where it belongs. I really like that he's placed his "About me" post, his contact e-mail, AND his search box all "above the fold" so that they can be found without hunting. Bonus for all the gratuitous linkage this week, too.
BAD POINTS: None visible
SCORE: 5
Slant Point
GOOD POINTS: Aces the technicals, and - like Jon - puts the important stuff above the fold.
BAD POINTS: There's something just a little bit off about the color scheme. I'd suggest either having the gray background appear behind the right column as well, or just put it behind the center column only. As it stands, it looks lopsided. Also I'm beginning to see why Pietro hates calendars. That's a good-sized chunk of primo real estate wasted at the top of the blog for something that no one navigates by or cares about. Maybe Scott could slide it down & sell an ad there or something.
Off topic: Pete Townshend called - he wants his picture back.
SCORE: 4
Neva:
GOOD POINTS: With an uncommon name like Neva, it's nice to see her picture right up top. No gender identity mysteries here. A warm smile makes a great first impression
BAD POINTS: I know you're new, but it's time to start poking around in your template & tweaking things to reflect your personality. Google up an html tutorial, save a copy of your template in case something goes wrong, and begin experimenting - change some fonts, change some colors, add borders around your blockquotes... SOMETHING to spruce the place up so you don't look like everyone else on Blogspot.
By the way, the yellow link to "A Quote From The Museum Of Left Wing Lunacy" does NOT show up well against that background.
Finally, you can get the code for a site search box from this old post of mine.
SCORE: 3
Personal Trainer: 13.5
Slant Point: 13
Neva: 11
King of the Blogs Tournament: Week 5 Judging
It's that time again! King Jon the Brownnoser - I mean, the Benevolent - has reigned over the blogosphere for two weeks straight. Will he remain unscathed by this week's pretenders to the throne? Will his loyal minions overwhelm the opposition in trackbacks and poll voting yet again? Or will there be a coup?
Overall Blog/Design
Personal Trainer: After two previous reviews, and taking the judges' comments to heart, I think Jon has earned a 5. No further comment is necessary. *smile*
Neva Li: Right off the bat, we've got a good amount of information on our author - Neva gives us her name, locale, profession, political persuasion, a bit of a bio, and photo up front, so there's no question of who we're dealing with. I like that about her. There are, however, a few things that I'd like to see. Not using a standard Blogger template would be a great first step - paying for someone else to skin your site or doing your own HTML isn't for everyone, but for a propective King/Queen of the Blogs, it's infinitely preferable to any of the Blogger templates. Another point that I'm sure Harvey will also make: Get Haloscan for comments and trackback. Blogger's comment system is crappy. Since Harvey's list of things he likes to see in a blog greatly influenced my own opinions, I'll mention another one of his bugaboos - searchable archives. Google has a script you can add to your sidebar very simply. Otherwise, I like the site, I like the writing, and I see a lot of potential here. Neva earns a 3.
Slant Point: Slick. This guy has got the site design going on - a cohesive color scheme, functional comments and trackback, plenty of "about me" information (and a photo), and nifty graphics. I especially like the way the date displays, off in the upper left corner of the most recent post for that date. Spiffy. I'm having a hard time finding anything to criticize... so why try? Slant Point earns a 5 as well.
Submitted Post
Personal Trainer: This week, Jon takes on the task of explaining how, as a chaplain, he reconciles his beliefs with the concept of war. This post on the concept of a "Just War" is enlightening (and unlike last week, he includes links to resources to back up his points - a plus). On the whole, it is well written, and I agree with it... just to play contrarian for a moment, however, if his point was to justify the United States' involvement in Iraq, there are plenty of folks who would fundamentally disagree that this military action meets the defining characteristics of a "just war". Let me make it clear - I'm not one of them. But if his intent is to apply these points to the Iraq war, I don't think he's taken it quite far enough to convince anyone... Oh great, and now I feel like an English teacher grading an essay. In any event, a persuasive and engaging essay, and it gets an A. Er... a 4.5.
Neva Li: I look at this post on two different levels... First, on a purely personal level, I was intrigued by the excerpt Neva gave us of The Diaries of Adam and Eve - I'd never heard of the book, and it sounds like an endearing and moving story. I was touched by the way she related this passage to her relationship with her husband. It sounds like a great book and I'm probably going to keep an eye out for it. But as a judge, I have to nit-pick a bit. The post started out with a quotation about reading, and a little personal commentary - then it became a list. And then the last book in the list is the only one that gets any in-depth treatment. I would have liked to see this post either focus solely on the Mark Twain book, or give a little "why I love this book" detail for each of them. As is, it's rather interesting and well-written, but not particularly well-crafted. And since I'm the Grammar Cop, I have to mention the fact that the first sentence of the post after the quote ends with a preposition: "Reading is one of the pleasures in my life that I cannot let go of." To be grammatically correct, it would have to be "Reading is one of the pleasures in my life of which I cannot let go", but that sounds really dumb. Perhaps "one of the pleasures in my life that I cannot do without", or "release" or something. There's that English teacher again. Tell her to shut up. Neva's submitted post gets a 2.5 (and not because of the preposition thing).
Slant Point: Succinct and to the point... I felt (and maybe it's just me) like I wanted a little bit more from this post. Perhaps a few examples, for those who have been living in a cave for the past 15 years, of the "current state of affairs" being "anything but Carson-like" would highlight that contrast. Maybe my disappointment is because the first paragraph seems to promise "delv[ing] into the nitty gritty of Johnny Carson's death". I don't feel like I got to that nitty gritty, you know? I do like this quote:
If Hollywood actors spent as much time spouting their opinions about their own industry as they do about national poltics, they might actually help shape a business that will indeed produce future Johnny's. But, alas, the future belongs to the crass megalomaniacs who top charts, build empires and use whatever indecent means they can to claw their way to the top.
Truthfully, Scott's done a good job with this subject - I seem to be difficult to satisfy tonight for some reason. The English teacher slinks back into her classroom and locks the door... Slant Point gets a 4.
Challenge Post
Personal Trainer: I should have known, being the lone female judge, that I'd wind up being married off to one of the other judges in at least one of these fairy tales... Jon has done his usual bang-up job of blending the information he's gleaned about each of the judges into his creative concoction. This charming tale of the redemption of Prince Harv has it all - appropriate linkage, a scandalous quote from the Puppy Blender, cameos from prominent bloggers and some spectacular sucking up. Jon has truly earned a 5 for this one.
Neva Li: Neva has obviously paid attention to the judges' repeated requests that challenge responses not include the lame "This is the question, this is the answer" introduction - she jumps right in to her tale, a mysterious and dark adventure of dragonslaying and treachery. (As a purely personal comment, I really enjoy my role in this tale - it corresponds well to one of my many weekend pastimes, playing a bard on TorilMUD.) It probably would have been a good thing to link the characters to the corresponding bloggers, and provide a link somewhere to the KotB tournament post, as an explanation for those random readers who may be greatly confused by this post. Otherwise, fine writing here, and Neva's fairy tale gets a 4.5.
Slant Point: Major props for the photoshop work, Scott. I've been waiting for someone to throw some visual aids into the challenge mix, and I was not disappointed. Normally I'd ding you points for choosing to parody a movie instead of creating your own fairy tale... but picking The Princess Bride was a very nice touch - it's one of my favorites, and lends itself well to the task. A small nit-pick - during the "Cliffs of Indecency" episode, you missed a "Buttercup" that should have been changed to "Bloggercup". I'm loving the Rather, Robbins and Moore scenes. Hee. All in all, a very amusing response, and Scott gets a 5.
The Queen's Rulings
Personal Trainer: 14.5
Neva Li: 10
Slant Point: 14
It was another tight race, with the Bonus Points maing the difference.
The final totals are:
Personal Trainer: 47
Neva Li: 33.5
Slant Point: 41
Which means that Personal Trainer has held off another pair of challengers!
Congratulations to Personal Trainer and good playing by Neva Li and Slant Point.
Posted by christweb at January 30, 2005 07:16 AM