Everyone's a Winner! : The Ms. Horror Blogosphere Controversy

I started blogging way back in 2004. At the time, I'd read an article somewhere that strongly suggested to keep yourself anonymous should you choose to keep an electronic journal (isn't that quaint? An electronic journal). There should be very little personal information about the author, no indication of where he or she lives, and, under no circumstances should an actual name be used . Furthermore, the article went to stress, it might also be a good idea not to run a picture of yourself. I took all of this information to heart, and it served me well.

My original blog (which is still out there, though I've closed it down for the time being - damn you, Facebook) was the venue I used to mouth off about work, politics, people, and things. Readers could see what I had to say, comment on it (if they so desired) and then move on. Several times, I posted very harsh items about our former president and his cronies, and I started getting a lot of negative feedback. It went with the territory and that was that, I dealt with it. Then, this one time, I did a series of postings about a certain televangelist, mocking him and his flock. I followed this up by doing the same over a female televangelist...I quickly learned that hell hath no fury like a Christian scorned.

I started getting insane comments by religious nut jobs, one commenter claimed that he was going to send me to hell - it all got so bad, that I had to drop the commenting program I was using at the time (HALOSCAN) and revert to Blogger's regular comment section (much easier to delete , I found).

Anyway, the point to all of this is; I was blogging as Pax Romano, I was safe in my autonomy.

Today, that does not seem to be the case - I notice many bloggers use their real names and pictures of themselves, and I understand this - most blogging these days is less about opinion and observation, and more about getting noticed. Many of the fine folks who are part of the LOTTD use their real names and photos of themselves (and if not, you just have to follow their Facebook links to see who is behind the mask)...I myself have been "interviewed" a few times, and if you look hard enough you'll discover my real name, and see my ugly mug staring back at you from somewhere out there on the inter-webs. Let's face it the name of the game is self promotion, and that's OK, I mean if you don't raise your hand and scream, "OH OH LOOK AT ME" you may just end up the ignored child in the classroom.

Over the past couple of days, a bit of a controversy has come up (well, it's not exactly Watergate, but it's causing some conversation, so there's that). concerning one very prolific horror blog's latest event; hosting a "competition" of female horror bloggers. Reader's can visit said blog, learn about the woman featured, see her picture and find out what makes her tick ...oh, and they'll also discover what cinematic serial killer she'd do, dump or marry. Taking exception to this, is another prolific blogger who seems to feel that the Ms Horror Blogosphere thingy might be a misogynistic slap in the face to female bloggers.

Sides have been drawn with other bloggers throwing their two cents in. Participants, male bloggers, and even another high profile blogger have had something to say about all of this.

Yeah, it's a tempest in a cyber teapot.

I see both sides of this argument, and think they are both valid. That said, when all is said and done, more will be said than done, and you know what? Everybody, and his or her blog, will get more hits, and more notoriety - and as I said earlier, that's the name of the game.

See? Everyone's a Winner!!!

and that's my two cents on the whole thing, carry on.