People, or at least bloggists, are saying that Cactus Kate Cactus Kate and Whale Oil Whale Oil are foolish to let themselves get Spondred (swamped with Spondre?) at their new co-blog Gotcha!
I’ve noticed a few anti-Spondrists round the traps in recent weeks, but haven’t really worked out why they’re so De-Spondre’nt about the Link Whore. Can anyone tell me succinctly why he makes them so hot and Spondred?
UPDATE: In a shock early morning announcement, Cactus Kate has now slipped out of the Gotcha!domicile and his back at her old home. “The joint blog of myself and the WhaleOil was a concept that just didn't work. Rather than wait and give it a go and hope for the best like the Hanover investors did, I am departing now.” She had to consult a dictionary to find out what “sorry” means, but she’s said it, she’s departed, and you can read her reasons at this post here, back at her old blog location.
26 comments:
Nothing personal, he's just not a very good blogger. He commits the cardinal sins of not writing well enough, or being interesting enough. And if he wants to tout for his business, he should just put a banner ad at the side and leave it at that, without cluttering up the main page with shit.
To all the Anti-Sprondre out there, leave my fellow Ponsonby mates alone. If you don't like what he writes on his blog, then go to Public Address or Standard or just fuck-off. Isn't the internet suppose to be free choice, like a free market? Buy it if you want or leave it alone if you don't. It is simple really.
Another reason is that some of Bryan's posts are anti-religion (especially christian) and that upsets a whole lot of readers/bloggers in the blogosphere. Just the same as you PC, when you make a post about how ridiculous or evil christian is, you know that you have all the religious defenders flocking in here to debate and debate their belief.
Bryan has gone a bit further than the graphics you used here in your anti-christian (or shall I say your reasoned argument about the evilness of religion), by putting a picture of Jesus hanging from the cross overlayed on a another photo of a woman with undies only, which it positioned the photo at the spot where the vagina is.
That photo infuriated a lot of commentators & blog-coauthors at No Minister. I think that the photo Bryan used was humorous.
I'd happily ignore him, but he keeps popping up on my favourite blogs! Why can't he just stick to his own blog and stop bringing down better bloggers?
Part of the free market is complaining when the product quality has decreased in the hope that the problem will be fixed. That's what I'm doing.
I go to my local supermarket where there are lots of other shoppers I don't like such as the smelly people , unattractive people (to look at), snobby people, etc,... But the fact that they're there (my favorite supermarket) and everywhere if I choose to go to a different supermarket, is not a reason that I should abandon going to the supermarket altogether, because I need to buy stuff from there that I can't get them from the local dairy shop. The other option for me is to just stop going to my favourite supermarkets (all of them), and this is my free choice to do so, but me boycotting won't make the supermarket owner banned those shoppers I don't like. I think that the most obvious way for me to achieve not bumping into people I don't like at supermarket is to ignore/avoid them.
He doesnt fit in with Cactus or Whale. He seems to write whatever comes in to his head most of it is thoughtless ranting which is fine but he needs his own blog. Wrong style and tries to make up defeciencies by volume which is very annoying. Like selling your designer clothes in the warehouse, devalues your brand.
Bloody hell.
"Nothing personal, he's just not a very good blogger." - sounds personal to me :-)
I'm fairly sure that I am one of the few full time paid bloggers in this country (the blo-jo's don't count). I don't need to blog at Gotcha! ( I do it for fun) & Link Whore is a project for my Masters Degree in Communication Science.
If Cactus & Whale get pissed off with me I am sure they will give me the boot. Until then I suggest you take note the kind suggestions of Falafulu Fisi.
I like Bryan Spondre. Allthough I don't always agree with him, he has a lot of passionate opinions and I respect that. He is fearless about pissing people off, which I would have thought made him simpatico with Whale Oil and Cactus. Although he is not as mean spirited as Whale Oil. And he goes on about sex a bit which might make prudish people uncomfortable.
@FF - "That photo infuriated a lot of commentators & blog-coauthors at No Minister. I think that the photo Bryan used was humorous."
Got it in one mate.
I'm fairly sure that I am one of the few full time paid bloggers in this country
Does that mean as a commenter to some of your sites I get royalties Bryan?
@Mark - you will need to discuss that one with Bernard :-) I am just the monkey greasing the wheels, he is the organ grinder.
Our business model at interest.co.nz is that we provide all our published content for free (though we also do commissioned research for financial institutions) and make money from sponsorship and advertising. I think it is fair to say we disagree with NBR's pay wall model for premium content.
My personal blogging is done for free and is intended to be a creative work. My background is in fine arts and I would loosely call myself a 'conceptual artist' , though I know DHC disapproves of such artists.
you will need to discuss that one with Bernard
Well, I guess I'd have more luck there than with Chris Trotter :)
It was good to have him as a target, pity he chickened out so quickly.
Not overly DeSpondre'nt about it at all. More of an observation.
His site was one I never regularly looked at. If I wanted that style, the Standard has similar offerings. Pops up on No Minister for a week or two, causes a ruckus, then buggers off to Gotcha. A problem child looking for home. Should be reported to the authorities.
I'd always thought that the now retired Cactus and Whale sites were well branded and such change is not warranted. Especially to change direction to link whoring. But then if they want to put their product on the line, hey it's a free market.
BTW, Ta for the link today Peter, I'd wondered why my traffic had gone through the roof.
By the way, Deborah Hill Cone, pity you stopped blogging, I used to enjoy your posts.
(The last time I tried your site it had been taken over by a site of dubious repute.)
"Another reason is that some of Bryan's posts are anti-religion (especially christian) and that upsets a whole lot of readers/bloggers in the blogosphere."
Really?
While there will always be a few who do get upset, most Christians in the blogosphere have long recognized that their beliefs aren't respected.
I don't think that's got much to do with it - most of the criticism I've seen isn't from Christians.
I don't have the blogs he's been on in my "must read" list, but I must profess to agree with PC's point - what is it about the guy that people hate?
@Mark -DHC's piece in the Biz Herald is my Friday treat even if she does use Facebook like a focus group to test her lines.
@Mark - you are aware that Chris Trotter has his own blog - Bowl Alley Road ?
I don't know why I would do this to myself, but Bowl Alley Road doesn't come up on Google NZ?
Personally, I have no views either way about Bryan Spondre's posts.
But yes, he did get kicked off No Minister recently.
I was too a few weeks back.
My reportage from Thailand did not go down too well, as a few posts mentioned ladyboys.
Where Bryan went wrong is that his posts did not fit in with the core values of No Minister.
No Minister is a broad church, ranging from PM to Barnsley Bill, though some members are quite churchy.
However, Spondre just got up too many backs and his constant link whoring did not help.
And since many posts were somewhat smutty, well that made it worse.
At least he didn't post about Barack Obama!
As for Gotcha, I agree, two strong brands have merged into something feeble
2 + 2 = 1
Back to the drawing board for both, I think.
If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it!
Real bloggers do it alone! (but the occasional guest poster is ok!)
Spondre aka :"The Seagull"
Comes in and lands, squawks senselessly, shits on everything, then leaves.
The man is a complete cunt of the highest order.
Fairfacts and Bryan.... I would suggest that probably one reason you both were asked not to continue posting at No Minister is that you are both ravers who don't quite know when enough is enough.
You both have your 'own' blogs. Why don't you just leave it at that and stop swamping other blogs with your tsunamis?
Anyhow. I looked at Gotcha (of course!) a couple of times, but I'm not bothering now.
Oh, and, Peter if you go anyfuckingwhereelse I will personally come and kill you. Nothing personal. Just don't even think of it, OK?
Gee Bryan, with friends like these, eh!
Was it something you said? ;)
MH: I don't know why you'd want to, either, but good man. (You must have a very strong constitution).
MARK H: It's called Bowalley Road, and you can find a link to it on the sidebar under 'Chris Trotter.'
DAVE MANN: Death threats! Help! Media! Press releases! Photo opportunities!
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