… to establish a new star in the Ozblogging firmament.
Helen Dale aka skepticlawyer and Legal Eagle have teamed up to start a new blog - skepticlawyer by name.
Helen explains her rationale at Catallaxy. She doesn’t reflect on her old digs, and the following represents my opinion not hers. But having witnessed the degeneration of Catallaxian comments threads over recent years - yes, folks, once upon a time you could go over there and have an intelligent argument with the libertarians without being told you were a LIAR and a taxeater, being threatened with horsewhipping, having to endure reading your way around hundreds of piffle filled comments of hyperbolic idiocy, etc. - it’s a move I’m pleased she made! Although Helen’s politics aren’t to everyone’s taste, I don’t think there’s much disagreement that she’s got a fine analytical mind and can turn a neat phrase, so I am looking forward to watching this baby blog grow.
Thanks Kim, although to be fair the Wayne Sanderson/Michael F fiasco probably had a fair bit more to do with it. That was very unpleasant - far more unpleasant, in fact, than any of Birdy’s hyperbole. Mark has the details (to save you trawling through a 400+ comment thread at Catallaxy and a decently long thread at Blair’s).
Looka like changing my addy has sent my husky gravatar into the ether. I’ll now have to try to retrieve it.
Just my opinion of why I don’t like commenting at Catallaxy any more, SL, is all! I used to a fair bit back in the day.
The husky is back! Yay!
Hurrah! I’m looking forward to it too. I’m a bit more of a centrist girl, so I’m sure Helen and I will have some interesting discussions - that’s what makes it fun!
Fan of your work too, Legal Eagle.
Is it just law bloggin’ that’s intended, or a range of topics?
All sorts, Kim, although both being lawyers, we’ll probably do quite a few law posts. We both have pretty wide interests, though, and plan to write on whatever takes our fancy. Even as lawyers, we do very different stuff. I’ve got a strong interest in quite a bit of pol/econ theory, with a bit of stats dabbling, for a start.
Ok, cool, SL, looking forward to it.
We’ve both exported our complete archive from our old blogs, so there’s lots there already, as well as several chewy new posts.
I like the site design! Who did that?
Aha. The Jacques Chester Empire Strikes Again.
[cue John Williams-style sinister theme]
I stumbled across this a day or two ago and was puzzled by the archives, but came to the conclusion you’d interleaved your back pages, as it were.
I’m also a fan of both SL’s and LE’s blogging (let a hundred schools of thought contend, etc), so was very glad to see this and look forward to more.
It’s not quite finished, yet, but when it is, it’s fair to say it’ll be a joint effort between Jacques and Phineas Jones. To get an idea of Phineas’ work, have a look at Amanda’s new site: http://flopearedmule.net/
Spam-binned, Kim - and I was trying to answer your question, too!
I’ll just go despam, SL.
Meanwhile, just checked in at Catallaxy and noticed that John Greenfield is licking his lips at the thought of another blog for his comedy stylings to conquer!
http://catallaxyfiles.com/?p=3570&cp=1#comment-94385
Yep, that’s spiffy design!
They’re both very good - I’m really looking forward to what the pair of them concoct.
SL & LE, Good luck with your blog.
Kim, I think that perhaps you take the ramblings of a few on the Cat too seriously. The fact that you & others of similar mind don’t (or rarely) comment has probably contributed to the so called degeneration. I can only think of a couple of people on the Cat worthy of disdain. An attitude such a yours provides a victory to idiocy on any blog. Silence is the biggest threat to liberty, never allow your voice to be lost especially to fools.
“The fact that you & others of similar mind don’t (or rarely) comment has probably contributed to the so called degeneration.”
In other news, eggs contribute to chickens.
FDB, did I state the obvious then?
NS - I am not sure if I am the fools or one of those not letting silence hand it to them. How can an individual make that determination?
Andrew, all you need to do is believe that you’re not the fool and run with it, that’s what I do. The true test is maybe being able to recognise good challenging argument.
It has been pointed out on the Cat that those in glass houses should throw stones. Maybe Kim should take note and besides blogs seeking debate shouldn’t be mutual admiration societies should they.
Or should I say “It has been pointed out on the Cat that those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
NS - are you really arguing that comments threads here are just as bad?
Kind of, as you’re just one Bird short of a flock
To be fair, a number of reg’lars on the Cat respond honestly to honest questions. And surely the best test of anyone’s opinions is the holder’s willingness to allow the contesting of their opinions…?
Am autonomous blog is nonetheless the best modus operandi. Good luck to it and those behind it.
There is very little honest response from the regulars at Catallaxy. It’s mostly just abuse. I think that skepticlawyer will be much more likely to have intelligent discussions at her new digs.
Some of us enjoy a little bit of a biffo, Tim - but not everyone has the desire (or the stomach) for it. Each to their own, and just enjoy what you do. Otherwise, there is little point to it.
It’s not the existence of a bit of biffo there, it’s the lack of anything else. Can you point to a single serious discussion there that has happened recently?
On the sunspots lead to ice age thread, ignore GMB’s comments and you’ll see Mark Hill, JM and doverbeach have been having a very technical discussion that I haven’t been able to follow while JC and mel have been arguing about insurance for nuclear power plants. That’s just one example. In short there’s discussion if you want it, if you don’t, stop coming. No skin of my nose. i’m not begging for money and hits like some people here.
And Tim, if you just want to go around putting me down I suggest you give people a bit of a background i.e. just because I carelessly aimed a snark at you once, you sent me not one but *three* abusive emails and have been back to hounding me since. you really are a vindictive little twerp and if you continue this I may just be inclined to publish those emails and tell you boss about them, ok? get over it. I made one snark at you and you’ve been spending the last few months trying to get back at me. get some psychiatric help.
I think it is telling that in the best example that Jason could come up with of substantive discussion on his blog, he had to exclude approximately 200 comments from Graeme Bird and left this comment himself: “guys abuse each other all you want. just don’t let it degenerate into *nothing but* abuse.” Even Jason felt that his most substantive comment thread was becoming purely abusive.
I left a comment on that thread. Here’s the comment and the responses I got. I wrote:
Response from Joe Cambria:
From dover_beach
From Joe Cambria:
And that’s Jason’s best example of a substantive thread.
And yes I emailed Jason and used some of the language he has directed at me again and again and again. Oddly enough, when I used words that he describes as “snark” and which I’m supposed to laugh off, he called it “abuse” and was so incensed he threatened to complain to my boss.
And if anyone is interested in genuine discussion on the ice age alarmism Jason advanced on his blog, it’s over here.
boring
I’m with Laura. The thread, I think was intended to give one person’s view of why she welcomed Helen’s new blog endeavours. I don’t think we want to host a rehash of intra-Catallaxian stoushes.
When I get a blog (again) it will be betterer than Catallaxy and Deltoid and even Fafblog.