Philosophers on Ice - Update

This will now be updated at least weekly. (Last updated 06/05/08)

Late, My Apologies Again

I cannot change what was written here oh so long ago now except to say that POI has exceeded all hopes and expectations. The concerns of those who once actively attacked the site for the ability to monitor and control content and comments, has not been seen, there has never had to be any controls used by either the moderators or by the users of the site itself, and believe me it can get quite heated at times.

We have now risen to 70 members. We have become even more diverse, we have some from China, Turkey, USA, UK, Germany, France, Ireland and Philippines. The different lifestyles are also now much more obvious and yet still the site is pleasant and friendly, even though at times we disagree with what each other have written in blogs especially the God blogs and we have a great discussion going on there, with very differing views. We have authors, Doctors, Scientists, Nurses and Managers among the membership and of course some who are retired or who have the most difficult job of all , parent.

We intend to keep the site invitation only, as new members will have others that they will introduce and will keep the numbers building at a steady rate. People are still able to apply for membership into the site, but this can only be achieved by email and that is:

philonice1@gmail.com

The vibrancy of the site is amazing, it has its quiet times, (which now seem to be decreasing), but the amount of new blogs, pictures video's etc are beating many other better established sites, in terms of postings and it also appears that POI may have set a trend to more reasoned blogging (can I do the, *I told you so.* to the people who have lampooned the site publically?). The blogs are of a very high standard and are extremely diverse, but when they are not of interest, or disagree with views, there still is no personal attacks or abuse, only reasoned debate, or more often than not very amusing comments are left, which sometimes go off subject, but its all done in good humour and nobody seems to mind.

Information

We have a few rules and these are:

1. A blog maybe criticised for its content, its style or for its spelling or comprehension in a non abusive way. The writer of the blog may not come under personal attack.

2. No multiple Identities are acceptable.

3. You may not run down publicly, any other blog site

4. No Advertising for profit

Anyone breaching these four simple rules will be banned.

On POI it is more a social site with blogging, available.

You can load as many pictures into a blog as you want, so far I've loaded 4, each at 2MB.

You can load pictures into a viewer on your page, and have control over who sees the photo's.

You can upload music to your page.

You can customise your page with templates, pictures and music etc.

You can start a Group up for special interests, so far we have Speak Your Mind, Food Glorious Food, The Joke Room and one of our newest members has started a group Photography. Our first photo competition was a complete success with a beautiful picture called Winter Reflections winning, the theme for the February competition is water and already some brilliant photos are being submitted.

We can have a forum where replies can be linked to the comment you want it linked to, not just in order.

You can start a discussion page.

Obviously you can blog.

It has a chat room so you can catch up with friends without having to comment on a blog, (this has proved very popular).

It has its own internal mail system.

and finally you can customise your email alerts, so you only get the email alerts you want.


Please feel free to comment on this blog or any others of mine here, I will only delete them if they are offensive.

The Innkeeper

The Innkeeper is a very clever and funny writer you must check out. He runs a hotel in the west country and has many funny tales to tell of his experiences. I have read most of these and have been in stitches, I'm now waiting for his first book to come out, whereupon I shall part with some of my hard earned cash and buy a copy, unless that is I can grab a copy and flee the shop without getting caught, but that is unlikely as I'm now older, slower and fatter. Here is a link to his site on blogger, take a look you won't regret it.

http://innkeepingwithmrfawlty.blogspot.com/

The Dangers of Blogging

Blogging is a dangerous game, personally I think you have to be a bit of a masochist to blog.

There are various types of bloggers, but there is one thing in common, you are leaving yourself open to some very doggy people. Think about it. You write a novel or a book of poetry, it gets published and it may get reviewed, by a select few people, where reviewing is their job or profession.

You blog, you publish, and depending on the site you publish to, you get reviewed by countless people, many of whom aren't 'straight down the line' as they would like others to think, where they aren't professional reviewers, and often where personal feelings / insults may take the place of reasoned judgement, but for the 'reviewer' well, they think that this is part of 'reasoned' judgement.

This isn't the case for many bloggers. Many are decent, reasoned people who will give their support and the reasoned judgement or criticism, but a few, many who hide behind one or more identities, use this forum to abuse, which is not reasoned judgement. The odd nasty comment sliped in. Oh they didn't like that you had a different opinion to you about another blog or blogger, so here's my chance, lets put the knife into this person, because they've just posted a blog.

Blogging between three different sites has allowed me great insight into the world of blogging and I now find myself having to decide where each post is most appropriate. For example if I were to post this on the My Telegraph site, I'm more than likely to come into the area where those who feel that this is a direct referece to them, will take it personally and will then feel that their feathers have been ruffled. Then the uncontrollable need for revenge will slip into gear, although this isn't in the forefront of their mind, the need for revenge or get your own back, but in reality that may well be different.

To post on a site that has aspiring writers etc. People who have a creative element to what they do, you are much more likely to get the constructive criticism approach, where the need to be helpful in the most constructive way is priority. These people often do not have an axe to grind or a need, to be nasty, so they are far more likely to have a more balanced approach to reviewing the blog, rather than reviewing the person.

The third site I post to, is blogger. Now this is completely different, there is no ready made audience, and you either have to actively promote yourself, or do what I do, which is to just post. If some one happens to chance upon the blogs great, if they feel that my blogs deserve a comment, even better. Now these people will more often than not leave a positive comment, because they have found you by chance, and have found your blog interesting enough to hold their attention, otherwise they will pass on and read another blog.

So to any people who feel that they are more likely to blog as opposed to write novels or short stories, the best advice I can give you is take great care. Investigate the sites that take your interest, what are people blogging? Are there any hidden adgendas going on through the comments? Do some people seem to revel in being rude or offensive, if you noticed one offensive comment, track the comment this person makes is it 'normal' for them and most importantly do you want them to do this to you?

On most blogging sites you can post pictures usually only one. I rarely if ever post a picture, especially of myself or my family, why? ...... think about it, who can view it. You have no control of who views your picture or your blogs. I never give too much away online, I don't mind giving my email out, because if it gets too bad with spam or insults I can close down the email and get another.....I'm in control.

Always make sure that you have control of your blogs, that you can edit and delete them if things get uncomfortable. Some sites have moderators, but don't rely on these for help, after all what is their adgenda? More advertising for the site as its seen as dynamic? In that case does it matter if there are a few casualties along the way, remember these people have a vested interest, they may be the site owners; therefore a bit conflict could be good. Or they could be employed in another role and are given a moderators job as a second role, but are told to 'back off', let the site develop.

If you decide to blog good luck, there is not much more that one can say.

Masks

What makes you what you are?

Are you really the person you'd like to think you are?

Who looks out at you from the mirror each morning?

Are you proud or comfortable with that person?

Reality check

I'd like to think I had the good looks that male (after all I am male) movie stars have (without all the surgery), but thats not who looks out of the mirror at me in the morning.

Yes I have a full head of hair, brown and now with some flecks of grey in, which are far more obvious once I've visited the hairdresser, thats when my kids and wife, bless them, take great pleasure in telling me I'm going grey....Thanks babes.

Where I used to have a nice flat tummy, I now have what I affectionately call my 'one pack', the only downfall about this is that my wife, when she sees it exposed, has to scrape herself up off the floor where she's collapsed with laughter and the kids will come up and pat it and ask me when its due. Its not through lack of trying to get rid of it, well at least cut it down to size. I walk to work everyday, about two - three miles, come rain or shine, but I think the real reason for it suddenly expanding is that I gave up smoking on 23 July this year.

Yes I can remember the date and the time, that my addiction had to stop, and with an embarassed admission, better than I can remember the wedding aniversary, (I've never been good with dates!) The trouble is that my appetite increased, and so did the tummy, but worst of all I really miss smoking, my stress reliever, my comforter, my friends.

OK, I drifted off the point a bit here. So going back to the main point,

Are you who you think you are?

Do people view you how you think you are?

The answer I think for everyone is no.

People always tell me that I'm kind and patient and have a knack of speaking my mind, but in a kind way trying not to demolish people and trying to help anyone who is in distress, or I feel has been unfairly treated. Except my wife who hears me swearing in the kitchen when something goes wrong, or I drop something (even though I say I love cooking), and there are other small pointers that all may not be well with this inside view. Intolerance of others in particular the hatred of abuse of others and as a trainer of what constitutes abuse I can look around me and see abuse everywhere I look.

From the person in street barging past an elderly person or a mother with a young child to 'clever' comments left in full view for others to see, either on desks or worse still on the internet. Snide remarks said just within earshot, and all this with an inability to see the damage that is being done to a fellow human being. These are just the 'light' side of abuse before it gets to the physical or mental or emtional side. On the net it is even worse as many will hide behind an alias, otherwise they would not be brave enough to be so cutting or nasty.

These are the masks we all wear, whether you be male or female, there are the feral amoung us, for whom to deliver abuse is normal and natural, but then ask the question, if I can see this, what may be going on behind closed doors?

So are you, who you would like to think you are?

And are you what you would like others to think you are, or are you wearing a mask for our benefit?