Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Catholic News for January 27, 2010 A.D.

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CVSTOS FIDEI WEDNESDAY EDITION Pope Benedict: Go Forth and Blog - Margaret Cabaniss, The Inside Blog When Priests Don't Preach on Sunday - Father John Zuhlsdorf, WDTPRS How The Religious Left Destroyed Churches - Dave Hartline, The Amrcn Cthlc Pope Benedict & Ecumenical Dialogue with the Orthodox - Fr. Z, WDTPRS The Need for Moral Clarity - Eric Sammons, The Divine Life D. of Phoenix Raises Bar on Time & Extent of Marriage Prep - Fr. Z, WDTPRS Miami Archd. Features Dissident Priest & Gay Activist Priest - Erica Giunta, LSN Pro-Lifers Confront Father John Jenkins March For Life - Steven Ertelt, LN Forgiveness, Mercy, and Charity for Scandal-Plagued Church - T. Edwards, TAC A Pro-Life Future for Stem Cell Research? - Eric Brown, The American Catholic Job and the Haitians - Robert Royal, The Catholic Thing Pio Nono, Washington Monument & Purloined Block of Marble - DRM, TAC Bonus Analysis and Commentary: Episcopalians on the Move - Tim Drake, National Catholic Register Latin Mass in DC and Maryland - Eric Sammons, The Divine Life Predictable Lefty Outrage at Super Bowl Pro-Life Ad - M. Philbin, NwsBstrs Notable Analysis and Commentary: Corporate Personhood... This is Insane - Joe Hargrave, The American Catholic Liberal Capitalism and Catholic Economic Theory - Eric Brown, The Am Cth The Culture of Death: The Fruit of False Intellectual Ideas - Eric Brown, TAC
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Friday, October 3, 2008

Observations About Catholic Blogging

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I came across some observations about blogging from James Altena (Mere Comments). He has some very interesting observations that you may find intriguing: 1) Blog threads, being essentially conversational in nature, are inherently discursive and informal. They also tend to be digressive, frequently wandering off topic, as someone responds to a side point made in a previous comment, and that side point then becomes the focus of debate, and the process repeats itself. 2) Comments tend to be largely reactive in character, whether to the initial post or to a subsequent comment by another person posting on the blog thread. 3) Comments are usually written and posted hastily. This means that they tend to lack depth, and also are plagued with typographical and grammatical errors 4) Comments also therefore tend to be low on analytical content and sustained synthetic argument. Of course, they also lack supporting documentation (footnotes, bibliography, etc.) 5) There tends to be an inverse relation between the depth and specificity of a thread (or even a particular comment) and the breadth of the audience. The more specialized the content, the narrower the audience will be. 6) There is also a tendency to sweeping generalizations, reliance on stereotypes, and recourse to easy judgmentalism. 7) Because of the lack of face-to-face contact, it tends to be much easier for people to fail to practice restraint -- to speak far more strongly and bluntly than one would in direct conversation, even resorting to insult and profanity. 8) The conversational nature of blog threads also lures people into forgetting that, unlike in verbal conversation, their comments on blog threads form a permanent cyberspace record of who they are which can be accessed by perfect strangers. The result can be great carelessness of expression that can come back to haunt one. 9) Because of the lack of visual and verbal cues, it is also easier to misunderstand a blog comment than a spoken one. (This can be alleviated by the use of emoticons or explanatory comments.) 10) Over time, blogs tend toward the formation of informal alliances among the "regulars" who post on the thread, as people find intellectual and temperamental soulmates. Often these branch off into warm offsite e-mail friendships as well -- one of the major benefits of blogging. 11) The other major benefit of blogging is (on a substantive blog site) the opportunity provided for thought-provoking exchanges in which one encounters new and fruitful ideas that broaden and deepen one's mind. 12) Offsetting this, a major downside of blogs is that they also provide free platforms for village idiots and cranks who otherwise would not be given the time of day. Along with trolls, these can spoil the pleasure of a good blog site. 13) Blogs have a natural half-life of 2-3 years, after which the same topics tend to be debated with minor variations over and over again. 14) Finally, there is what I call a "Gresham's Law" of blog sites. Gresham's Law is from 17th c. political economist Thomas Gresham: "Bad money drives out good." I.e., sound money of greater value -- e.g., unclipped gold and silver coins in Gresham's day -- will be hoarded and pass out of circulation, while unsound money of lesser value -- e.g., clipped coins -- is palmed off on others in purchases and exchanges, resulting in an inflationary spiral. There is also, I believe, a Gresham's law of language (word definitions that are increasingly more vague and imprecise in meaning will tend to drive out of circulation definitions that are more specific and precise). Gresham's law of blogs dictates that, over time, the quality of comments on blogs will also degenerate, as idiots and cranks increasingly drive away more substantive commentators who finally decide not to waste time and energy arguing with them. Jerry Janquart says that Altena’s fourteenth point seems especially important to him [I agree]. There is good reason, for the health of a blogsite, to ban commentators who consistently make themselves obnoxious to its readers in the many ways this can be done. The axe should not be made to fall on those who express opposition to the point being made, but on those who write, even if they agree, in a dishonest (and here I am thinking primarily of the use of sly rhetoric) or unmannerly way. One has a right to insist that everyone who comes into his house leaves his muddy boots outside, and minds his manners once he is in. (Biretta Tip: James Altena via Mere Comments)
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Monday, June 18, 2007

CVSTOS FIDEI Blogging Evolution

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I've been upgrading this website in short increments and I'd like to know how do you all feel about the new look to mine? I've received nothing but good reviews with one notable exception. I finally figured out how to fix the image for the blog title to work (It was muuuuch easier than the effort it took to 'stumble' across this feature) and with some skillful use of WORD, Picture Manager, and MS Paint I got the pic that I wanted. I've also learned a bit more about CSS, HTML, and (X)HTML to know that it's better to program than it is to use Front Page or Dream Weaver. All the pics and images you see on my website I created from scratch (of course I took the picture of Blessed Miguel Pro from a website, but the Crusader shield and everything else I was able to manipulate using MS products to spit out what I've done so far). Well, there's more to come. Like a third column to showcase my actual blog commentary so as not to bury it under all of my Catholic News postings as well as other categories and features that will make my blog look more like a newscenter than a blog, but I'll still be blogging. I just have a fascination with so much that makes news in the Catholic world I've decided to build up my blog in that direction. I have a certain vision with ideas being influenced by several websites and blogs. The final product probably won't be completed anytime soon, but it'll be pretty spiffy and engaging the more I learn CSS and HTML. The next thing I'll be doing is assisting Matt with Houston Catholic. Anyways, enjoy!
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Sunday, May 13, 2007

Milestone: 1000th Posting!

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I figured I needed to put this up before I forget. I would have never thought I would still be blogging this much at all! Thanks for even bothering to read this blog. I'd also like to thank Fidei Defensor for joining me in blogging about our faith and to Matt & Handmaiden for contributing many great leads. On another note, today is the 90th anniversary of Fatima. How nice that Mother's Day falls on this beautiful anniversary! God bless, Tito
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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Tito and Firefox 2.0

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I'm back. I've updated my Firefox browser and set up all the bells and whistles that I wanted and needed for my browsing leisure. I'm back to blogging without hindrance. I really like Internet Explorer 6.0, but after upgrading to IE 7.0, I've kind of 'apostatized' over to Firefox. (what's the past tense for apostasy by the way?) Thanks Josh M., Alan, and Matzilla for your enthusiasm and unabashed promotion of Firefox! Now let's see how well I can use all my shortcuts and other blogging/internet accessories on Firefox.
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Friday, May 4, 2007

Tito and Internet Explorer 7.0

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My laptop is frying so don't expect to many postings until I fix it. I will continue and try to keep up with my daily postings, but again, my laptop is frying. I think it has something to do with Internet Explorer 7.0. My laptop was pretty quick between keystrokes while surfing and posting on my blog. Now it is unbearably slow since I've upgraded to IE 7.0. I'm trying to remove it and get IE 6.0, but it seems I will have to erase it permanently and get a hard copy of IE 6.0 in order to get it back on. (for some reason Microsoft won't let me download IE 6.0 now that I have IE 7.0) That or use Firefox 2.0, but I have slowdown issues with that as well. If anyone has any ideas on how to get IE 6.0 back on my laptop to displace IE 7.0, I'm all ears.
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