Comments on: Comments on 8147

Post number 8147

EricBrooksDotCom — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 22:22:22 -0800

Trivial Pursuit 1.0 - The Weblog Edition - Line up the 22 little-known (yet hilarious) facts with the right weblogger and win a gift certificate from Amazon. How many can you name?

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 22:45:35 -0800

About the only thing little-known about this are the webloggers in the answer list. Ha! Kidding!

By: anildash

anildash — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 22:48:36 -0800

I hate Matt and his damned a-list elitism. Also, who are those people? I didn't even guess any correct answers.

By: toddshot

toddshot — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 23:02:28 -0800

Yeah, I didn't recognize any names either. And the sequel to "They Call Me Bruce?" was released.

By: moz

moz — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 23:06:56 -0800

well, hey, if you write something congratulatory about weblogs, you're either sucking up to the alist doods or, in the case of this site, off the table altogether. or, if you're really really good, somewhere in between.

By: perplexed

perplexed — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 23:38:03 -0800

maybe the a-list is no longer the a-list... maybe we've hit third generation already. or maybe i just don't recognize anyone on that list.

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 00:07:24 -0800

Speaking as one who is an alien presence in blogdom, I snicker at the whole A-list, B-list, whatever iteration we're at now classification. There is no A-list. There is only Zuul. I don't waste my time at sites I don't enjoy, no matter what list they are on. Life's too short and I have too much to do, and not nearly enough of it gets done. I'd rather caper and covort in the deep water, on sites like Nothing, Weblogging Considered Harmful, Ethel, Triptych Cryptic, Virulent Memes, Follow Me Here...well, you get the point. It's better to go where your interests take you than to worry about what list a blog may be on. (Although I'm sure some of those are on the A-List, in all honesty, I don't know because no one ever showed me the list.) Sure, this has been gratuitous blog linkage...but those people, and more I'm forgetting, deserve every second of it. And is this Weblog Trivial Pursuit thing based on the whole 9 out of 10 are true idea? I have no idea where it started, but I last saw it here.

By: john

john — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 00:52:14 -0800

There is no A-list. There is only Zuul Damn, that time I was drinking something. It's times like these that I am glad I past over the rack mounted hardware. Yup, when everyone was picking through the dotcorpse, I went for those Kensington Baby wipes disguised as monitor surface guardians.

By: jjg

jjg — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 00:55:12 -0800

I don't know about this 9 out 10 thing, but Jessamyn's had a recurring feature called "Four Truths and a Lie" for some time now. I figured these were culled from instantiations of last year's "25 useless facts" memelet (which for some reason I think started with chrish, though I have no proof). Anyway, the whole business just goes to show you -- when San Francisco Web kids do it, it's self-referential elitism, but when anybody else does it, it's just boring.

By: DyRE

DyRE — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 04:12:07 -0800

Pardon my ignorance but were all the answers to that thing blogs from the A·list or whatever? I don't actually know who is on it (except two or three I'm pretty sure of just because they seemed to be linked to a lot from other sites) or why it's so special?

By: y6y6y6

y6y6y6 — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 06:30:35 -0800

"memelet" ???? "I snicker at the whole A-list" You do this at your own peril! The A-List© is not to be trifled with. Their power and wide ranging influence have been known bring entire memes to their knees. Do not taunt the mighty A-List.

By: davidmsc

davidmsc — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 06:49:44 -0800

There is no A-list. There is only Zuul. Are you the Gatekeeper?

By: tallman

tallman — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 07:02:14 -0800

Heh, heh. I couldn't recognize a single person on the list. Are you the Gatekeeper? Are you the Keymaster?

By: netbros

netbros — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 07:38:27 -0800

While everyone seems to be self-congratulating for never having heard of these people, it occurs to me I've never heard of the people posting in this thread. So what? There are thousands of creative individuals availing themselves of opportunities provided by the web to leave a mark. If you find yourself surfing the same tired sites over and over simply because you've heard of them, you're depriving yourself of further enrichment. Dare to explore.

By: rodii

rodii — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 08:03:34 -0800

Yes, but we don't have a trivia quiz devoted to us. I mean, this is this is the trivia du trivia here, unless you're in that particular circle.

By: wackybrit

wackybrit — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 08:25:13 -0800

The webloggers involved with this are too exciting for my tastes. Concussions, broken bones, game shows? Cripes.

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 13:04:14 -0800

You do this at your own peril! The A-List© is not to be trifled with. Their power and wide ranging influence have been known bring entire memes to their knees. Luckily, I don't do a lot of meme traffic. I tend to play with more than one idea at a time, so there's precious little they can do to me. I learned a long time ago that when someone asks if I'm a god, I say yes. Sorry, sorry. I don't know why I making all these references.

By: justlisa

justlisa — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 13:29:48 -0800

Holy crap!! I thought everybody knew me! Now I have to re-evaluate my web status. : ) Seriously folks, you could surf 24/7 for the rest of your life and never know everybody. The whole notion of A list, who's got the lower MeFi numbers, etc., is bogus. Aren't we all considered an A lister by somebody? It's a matter of individual perspective. Each of us is a big fish in a small pond somewhere. Case in point: the lovely and gracious PeterMe visited my home a few years ago. I thought that was really something but the truth is, most people's reaction was "Peter who??" That certainly doesn't lessen Peter's impact on his particular community. It just means that his appeal isn't as far reaching as that community would think. Netbros has the right idea - explore outside your world. The truly wonderful thing about the internet is that if you don't like what you're looking at, you're free to move on : )

By: bradlands

bradlands — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 13:59:37 -0800

That certainly doesn't lessen Peter's impact on his particular community. It just means that his appeal isn't as far reaching as that community would think. Yeah, but he's still the best-dressed straight man in San Francisco. And that's gotta count for something. ;-)

By: Booboolina

Booboolina — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 14:13:35 -0800

As one of the unknowns/little-known's in question, what can I say?? A guy whose site I enjoy reading apparently liked mine - or he couldn't find anyone else who'd go along - and asked me to contribute a little known (there's that term again!!) fact about myself as a parody of/play on a meme he had seen around the web. I never heard of this until he contacted me, but I thought "sure, why the hell not?" I know one other person who contributed, and she was delighted to take part as well. A-list or not, these people apparently have some interesting stories to tell, and they're worth checking out. How in the world do you find new material otherwise? If you don't like their sites, don't visit again. If you do, then you can make them part of your very own A-list.

By: Dreama

Dreama — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 15:23:47 -0800

The thing that bothered me about this is the little dig that was made at everyone who did a 9 out of 10 list, because those lists were too full of "bragging." So this little game was put together -- useful and/or interesting only to the very narrow segment of people who read all 22 of these bloggers, which cannot be that large a number -- and at least 18 of the 22 items are either "look at the odd thing about me" or "check out the thing that I did/happened to me/who I am" which seems a hell of a lot like bragging to me. Hello, Pot, this is Kettle. How ya been? Let's do lunch.

By: EricBrooksDotCom

EricBrooksDotCom — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 16:03:32 -0800

Well, I can only speak for myself, but I like to go out and make new friends, find new places.... it's a big world out there, kiddies. And I'm *definitely* coming back to find out who was "Cuffed and stuffed in front of tv cameras". That one really piqued my curiosity.

By: frykitty

frykitty — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 16:15:42 -0800

I recognize a lot of these folks. I've noticed over time that there are "neighborhoods" of personal sites. I love stumbling on a foreign neighborhood and wandering from link to link. So these guys are in my 'hood. And we're siccing the neighborhood watch on the rest of you. ;)

By: bradlands

bradlands — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 16:19:22 -0800

Well, I can only speak for myself, but I like to go out and make new friends, find new places.... it's a big world out there, kiddies. Oh, look! One of those rare instances when Eric speaks for me, too.

By: rivervision

rivervision — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 20:16:00 -0800

well, i am one of those bloggers on loony's list.. a) he wasn't putting down the 9 out of 10 thing.. he was just putting his own spin on it.. b) frykitty, you talked about neighborhoods of loggers.. yep, thats what i've noticed too. loony's list introduced me to a couple of new folks. and from those folks i'll meet new folks. i like getting to know new folks. and the a list, b list crap. i don't think there is one. who some of y'all might hold with esteem, i might very well not. who is one folk's a list or b list is all a personal thing.. esp. on a place as vast and anarchistic as the net.

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 23:01:07 -0800

Hey, let's be honest...you can't possibly know all the blogs, never mind all the bloggers. I've been doing what little exploration I can, and I keep finding new blogs I'd like to trumpet. I'd list them, but then we'd be here all day. That was why I thought, last year anyway, that I'd give metablogging a shot. Ultimately that fell apart, as such things often do when you'd rather gaze at your own navel than deal with the world, but I think it was one of the few noble impulses I've had vis a vis blogging. People call Eric a lot of names. Some of them, he's even earned. But the guy's got a sharklike instinct for what makes interesting reading, and when he mentions something, I make sure to check it out. He led me to Amber's site and that was something I'm glad for. The fact is, and I'm sure they don't care, but a lot of the supposed big blogs bore the everchristing shit out of me. He does not, so I go there. I don't post about it much...I am one of his silent readers, just like I am for others. Like Jon's corner of the web, where I am always sure to get a warm seat and some clever writing, or Linkworthy, which is. There are so many more, but time is fleeting and all men die. This is recreation for me. When it becomes work, I'm not going to do it anymore.

By: rodii

rodii — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 23:09:16 -0800

You know, this a-list thing is the only argument I've ever heard where everyone is on the same side. Everyone thinks the whole a-list concept is stupid, right? It's not even really in dispute. Why do we keep coming back to it?

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Fri, 08 Jun 2001 23:35:51 -0800

Possibly because it rankles, like a thorn in the paw. Possibly because it's so pointless, and yet it continues. Possibly because we're stubborn. Possibly because some of us (like me) can't shut up to save our lives. I have an almost Ciceronian disregard for proper sentence phrase alignment. Seriously, though, we come back to it because it is so very idiotic that it becomes a kind of catharsis to dump on it. We know it won't lead to any rancorous arguments. And there's the added bonus of getting to post a few links to websites you think may be unjustly ignored.

By: EricBrooksDotCom

EricBrooksDotCom — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 02:57:39 -0800

I <heart> Ezrael for pointing out so many cool sites in this thread. I hope John and Amber are reading this, and include you and Pete Milan in Trivial Pursuit 2.0... 'cause that'll make for some *REAL* interesting reading! :0) NetBros started a cool idea that's starting to catch on... Aortal Links, where he posts a link to a new site to his audience every day. Think about it, guys... *we* are the only means of *promoting* ourselves. So do your jobs, and show me some cool sites.

By: dr. zoidberg

dr. zoidberg — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 17:06:38 -0800

Gozer the traveller. He will come in one of the prechosen forms. During the rectification of the Voldrani, the traveller came as a large and moving Torg! Then during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplements, they chose a new form for him; that of a giant Slor! Many shubs and zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of a Slor that day, I can tell you!

Sorry. I just wanted to steer the conversation back to Ghostbusters.

By: JimFo

JimFo — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 19:16:26 -0800

We're in Bizarro World--Eric keeps making sense. Oh, btw, my name's Jim. A little known "web logger" (bleh, how I hate that moniker) from the aforementioned list of twenty-two. When I hear about A-list or this list or that list I go back to the first time I realized that thirty people were coming to my site to read what I wrote on a daily basis. I was so touched I got a little teary. Now more and more people show up at my web site and I'm still as touched. And amazed. You know what A-list means to me? Means that I write so well and am so freaking popular that someone, somewhere would offer me money to write. My name signed on the back of a check. That's A-list. John, thank you for asking me to participate in your idea. And thank you for letting me participate ... even after I turned my "fact" in eleven hours late. Oh, and everybody: Lighten up.

By: phichens

phichens — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 19:53:50 -0800

I love how the A-List was brought up just to point out how not A-List the "22 things" participants are. I'm one of the 22 bloggers in that list, and I'm very flattered to have been asked by John to participate. I've been introduced to some neat sites because of it, 'cause contrary to what some people may think, we weren't all best buddies before this began. I knew a few of the other bloggers and that's it. Now, I'm also really curious to know who was "cuffed and stuff." Anyway, enjoy the game or not, explore some new sites or not, it's your choice.

By: kindall

kindall — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 20:56:51 -0800

Means that I write so well and am so freaking popular that someone, somewhere would offer me money to write. My name signed on the back of a check. That's A-list. I must be A-list, then, and I don't even have a blog! (Yet.)

By: daddyray

daddyray — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 22:34:44 -0800

oh some of you people REALLY need to push away from the computer. john invited some friends to play a game, one that was a little different than the meme's floating around. one that was designed to help us get to know each other better. you know, build the web community? then eric, bless his heart, takes a poke, and matt, bless his heart, makes a joke... and the rest of you take off on an A-list hissyfit. so much for the 'community' A- is for asshole, and I don't wanna be on that list

By: rodii

rodii — Sat, 09 Jun 2001 22:48:05 -0800

Then stop acting like a candidate for it. Who are you griping about, exactly? Name one person who had an "A-list hissyfit".

By: jennyb

jennyb — Sun, 10 Jun 2001 06:48:33 -0800

I'll have one, if it would help. I'm always up for a good hissy fit.

By: daddyray

daddyray — Sun, 10 Jun 2001 09:19:28 -0800

Yes, but we don't have a trivia quiz devoted to us. I mean, this is this is the trivia du trivia here, unless you're in that particular circle. posted by rodii at 8:03 AM PST on June 8 actually rodii, the only thing in this whole thread that i found remotely offensive was this post, by YOU. to frykitty, booboolina, jimfo, phitchens, matt, eric and the rest I apologize, I AM AN ASSHOLE, and proud of it. Thanks for your support! Keep building the community!

By: rodii

rodii — Sun, 10 Jun 2001 11:13:17 -0800

Cool! Glad we got that out of the way.

By: amber_eden

amber_eden — Sun, 10 Jun 2001 18:40:27 -0800

Yes, but we don't have a trivia quiz devoted to us.
Would that be because you haven't created one? It's a VERY basic form, feel free to steal it and insert your own bizzare facts. Gather 20 people you find interesting, and have at it. Send me a link- I'm always up for meeting new people.
Just, you know, a thought...

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Mon, 11 Jun 2001 04:20:57 -0800

You know what really good thing has come out of all this? I now have a whole new passel of weblogs and such to add to my links page once I figure out how to add them to my links page. (I freely admit that I am like a frozen caveman lawyer when it comes to such things...Now, I don't understand your modern ways...I'd a simple caveman, and all...but I know what's right. Man, I miss Phil Hartman.) Everything was fine until Dickless here turned off the containment unit!
Is this true?
Yes, it's true...this man has no dick. I'm loving the fact that a decade old Reitman film is the subtext in this thread. I'm also loving most of the sites I'm discovering through this debate. Some of them, like Zippylog are old favorites that I'd lost track of, and others are new to me, like this site. But I'm having a damn good time staying up entirely too late browsing their worlds. I kind of feel a little bit like Art Bell talking to people calling him from Dreamland. What we're thinking of as aliens...they're extradimensional beings that an earlier precursor of the space program made contact with... In a less sinister way, of course. All hail Eris! Let's all party in the hinterlands of our minds. If this were a beer commercial, I'd hug you all right how. And then you'd tell me you wouldn't share your beer with me. And then I'd begin to cry. So I'll just go to your sites.

By: EricBrooksDotCom

EricBrooksDotCom — Mon, 11 Jun 2001 16:41:18 -0800

Mr. Rossi... Blockbuster called. They'd *REALLY* like you to return that copy of "Ghostbusters" now. :0)

By: Ezrael

Ezrael — Mon, 11 Jun 2001 19:19:47 -0800

They'll get my copy of Ghostbusters when they pry my cold dead hands off of the gun that my zombie corpse will be using to defend it. Eric, please, I don't rent from Blockbuster. Any corporation that gives money to Newt Gingrich, I boycott.

By: EricBrooksDotCom

EricBrooksDotCom — Mon, 11 Jun 2001 19:51:47 -0800

Newt Gingrich... ??? Eeeew! I'd rather support a place that donated to the Timothy McVeigh defense fund, before *that* moron! No wonder why there's no porno at Blockbuster!