The world according to Sven-S. Porst
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... like Stalin's bullet list. – Some bullet points on the topic of bullet points and a few unrelated remarks.
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At times – recently for example – I indulge in writing lists of bullet points here rather than proper text. I always feel a guilty about that as it's a bit rude to my readers. So why do I do it?
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The prevelant theme here is the big laziness / time issue. Some of the points might warrant a discussion in proper sentences, arguments and paragraphs – but I'm just not up to investing the time to do that properly. As I want to make those notes anyway, bullet points replace them - sometimes leaving a somewhat elliptic trail of what might have been the argument.
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In a way, bullet points allow me to put a formal faux structure on what is still a bit disorganised and fuzzy. So bullet points are a means of unstructured thinking here rather than a sign for a lot of structure as is commonly assumed. But I'm not incapacitated by such things as the six bullets per page, six words per bullet, six letters per word limit either.
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What's nice about having the bullets is that I can add some for lateral or thought without needing to much of a smooth transition or explanation for them. I can also throw in a couple of links with a brief commentary as I see fit without needing an extra post.
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I assume there are other approaches for this, such as having a short post for every single item or running a distinct 'linklog' thingy. I am not sure I like those options. I am not really comfortable with the short posts as, say, Juha is and much prefer the 'a post a day (or two perhaps)' idea. Similarly, I am not cofortable with linklogs. To begin with I don't like reading them unless I am really bored and furthermore I don't see how they'd fit in with the rest of my pages. Further-furthermore, this would make posting too easy and I'd post even more crap than I already do.
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Those are my €0,02 on this topic. What do you think? Which style do you like most for reading? What works well for you in writing?
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And now for something completely different
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From today's internet Dilbert:
C: I need a favour
D: Does it involve spitting on your grave?
C: I'm not dead.
D: Well then, I guess we both need a favour.
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Comment in The Guardian on helping Americans help themselves:
It's difficult to think of anyone who has inflicted more harm on Americans than their current president.
Do yourselves a favour. And everyone else as well.
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Reading the figures in the papers it seems like every single person in the U.S. must be spending more than a grand for having a war and torture porn – and they're chucking in around $25 for some missile defense system. That's not hardly good bang for the buck – if I may use such puns.
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If there's a gap under your door where little frogs can come in that's not really a problem... but once the frogs are in, the snakes may follow.
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I heard frogs the other day. But in a lake, where they belong.
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Saw Mando Diao's new Paralyzed video on telly. Just an unexciting 'we play our song' video with a few extra dogs for a good song by a great band.
May 22, 2004, 23:53
For writing, there’s no question: del.icio.us is greatest tool for lazy blogging since Command-C/Command-V. To be honest, one of my reasons for gravitating towards linkblogging in the first place was to avoid the tyranny of the bullet-list post, but then yours are much better than mine ever were, anyway.
May 23, 2004, 2:34
