If he'd ever been to a Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash, he'd already know that.

A bunch of witty, intelligent, opinionated, alcohol-fueled writers discussing current events is a blast. It's also something like verbal rugby--and if you don't know how to play just a little tiny bit rough, you're going to get run over.

And make that "she'd".

Stupid me.

Am I the only one who sees irony in trying to organize bloggers, which by very definition are decentralized and independent? WHat's the point?

You practice for it by herding cats.

I listened to the OSM launch via internet. It seemed to me David Corn was monopolizing the launch. I thought the debate was supposed to be AFTER the introductions of the bloggers?

I don't think there's any irony or oxymoron or your word of choice in OSM.

In the scattered randomness of the blogosphere, some clumping and ordering will naturally occur. A vast majority of it will be minor and temporary (Jeff Goldstein and John Cole ganging up on Oliver Willis). Some will be significant but temporary (Porkbusters, Tsunami Relief).

Occasionally, a galaxy will form (Volokh Conspiracy, Huffington Post). Now, with OSM, we have our first Galaxy Cluster. Let's see how long it shines.

(Do I destroy the purity of my metaphor if I nominate the Daily Kos as the blogosphere's black hole?)

Rentner gets it right.

I was a panelist on the much-maligned "fashion panel" at the OSM launch. (I know it was an odd fit with the rest of the day, but boy, did people have some nasty things to say!)

I can talk up a storm as much as the next blogger, but I snuck out after my panel for fear of getting into a conversation with some of you political bloggers in which I would come off sounding like an absurd Valley Girl.

Word on the web is that you got into a conversation with someone over whether Jesus would have been a Libertarian. I'm sure I would have had much to contribute about the way Mary Magdalene may have styled her hair, but would have been a bit weaker when it came to JC's political views.

I posted my own write-up of the day's events here:

Attack of the Fashion Bloggers

cheers,
kristen

Everyone should be grateful Ann Alhouse wasn't there. She's an insecure brat who wishes OSM nothing but failure. (So she can validate her decision not to join.) Althouse needs this validation because she's a pretentious self-absorbed megalomaniac. Plus Ann is into 70's slang. What a loser.

Everyone should be grateful Ann Alhouse is NOT a part of OSM.

What is the point of that?

Seriously?

I'm not the least bit surprised that Althouse didn't join OSM. Her blog, which I enjoy quite a bit, is more like I understand a live journal to be. I don't think she'd benefit from OSM and I don't see why she ought to feel obligated to support it.

And I don't know where the personal animosity is coming from and don't care, but I *do* know that every single time I hear it, it's clear to me that the person speaking is an unmitigated jerk.

Julie AKA Ann Althouse;

Tell me why Ann Alhouse obsessing about OSM? Why is Ann behaving like a classless brat?

Althouse is highly critical of something she was glad to pass up. Fine.
It's a two-way street. Ann is glad she's not a part of OSM. So am I. And I trust that there are many folks at OSM who are grateful she declined as well.

If you can't see what's being a jerk by gratuitously injecting Ann-bashing on a forum and into a comment thread that was neither about her nor participated in by her, then I can't help you.

Thanks for pointing out and linking to Neo-neo-con's excellent post. I really enjoyed reading it ... and congratulations and best wishes to you and your wife!!

Organizing bloggers? Is that what they're trying to do?

I wish someone had warned me; I'd have stayed the hell away. (However I think my disorganization survived intact.)

Stephen it was great meeting you!