‘Dead tree’ columnist stereotypes bloggers as “articulate, intelligent … socially awkward misfits with zero personality”

Allison Morris’ column in Wednesday’s Irish News [paywall] starts with the observation that Twitter and Facebook now give “misogynists, racists, bigots, stalkers and lunatics … a potential global audience”, before taking a pop at bloggers who last got lightly toasted in her February 2012 column. Bloggers and those with a large ‘online presence’ can come across as articulate, intelligent and well informed when reading a post they have spent days obsessing over. However, when you meet them in the real …

Read more…

Dead tree columnist prejudices public’s perception of bloggers?

pixelated Irish News masthead

Allison Morris made a number of contributions to this morning’s Irish News. As well as the front page article about the alleged security breach when a police officer’s personal mobile fell into the hands of dissident republicans (and its contents were subsequently passed to the Irish News), she also writes a curious opinion piece on page 19. Trapped behind a paywall, it only seems fair that her column gets a wider reading. Rambling online twits prejudice trials at will Kicking …

Read more…

Does Andy Marr’s cap fit?

 A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed, young men sitting in their mother’s basements and ranting. They are very angry people… Terrible things are said on line because they are anonymous. People say things on line that they wouldn’t dream of saying in person. – Andrew Marr Surely not! “Oh dear an overpaid washed-up TV hack has a tantrum. Poor didums, his pal Tony is no longer a force in British Politics …

Read more…

Horseman RIP…

I was very sad to learn yesterday of the death last Monday of Horseman, the blogger behind the brilliantly named Ulster’s Doomed blog… He was tenacious, intelligent, probing and utterly committed to bringing about the end of Northern Ireland by peaceful and largely intellectual means. I never knew him personally, even though he was a very long time reader (and not always a fan!) of Slugger O’Toole. For his commitment, energy and, above all passion, he will be much missed, even …

Read more…