On Netiquette and Moderation
H.P. Baxxter speaks to européen
or why netiquette is another way of setting standards in blogging and why Vivamalta.org went one up on Running Commentary
I had almost let this subject to rest. There is after all, only a minimum amount of reasoning that can be had with extremists. I had after all been told that netiquette should be stuffed and that I was just being bitchy.
It is a bit hard to take someone who cross-references Wayne’s World (!!) and blogging seriously but when you are arguing with someone who is so far out of their depth you have two options: either try to outshout them (but then you risk getting dragged to their level before you can say “I’ve got more hits than you”) or you just stand by quietly and watch them make sufficient fools of themselves. I reckoned that the second option worked for the PN for so long why should it not work for myself?
So…
What brought me back to subject though was a rabid post by one of the Daphne accolytes who hides (because in this case it is hiding) behind the pseudonym of H.P. Baxxter. More importantly I could not ignore the opportunity of pointing out to the Malta blogosphere’s 16 month-old baby the relevance of netiquette.
Here is what H.P. Baxxter had to say about the subject of links and netiquette on Daphne’s site:
H.P. Baxxter says:
Thursday, 18 June at 0013hrs
Jacques René Zammit is a wanker. At least he was a wanker five years ago when I knew him. If you’re against him, I’m on your side. Screw him, and his smug friends and their huge egos. Screw them all.
Now that’s not exactly relevant to the subject is it? But screw that for a moment – I will get back to the subject of the invertebrate behind the pseudonym later. What is interesting is the way Daphne’s blog works.
You see Daphne currently has Comment Approval activated which means that before something appears on Daphne’s blog it requires moderation. The judge of decency on Daphne’s blog is none other than Daphne. So Daphne must have read the comment and decided, in all her infinite wisdom and self-referenced savoire-faire, that this comment was absolutely relevant to the discussion.
Again. Nothing really wrong there. It’s Daphne’s blog and as she rightly says she can run it with whatever standard she chooses. She may mistake suggestions for dictation but that must be the effect of conspiracy theorists on her blog. In the end it’s her blog and her responsibility. And this is coming from someone who insisted with many a “blogging freak” earlier in the day that Daphne’s blog is as much of a blog as any other.
And now to the invertebrate. You see way back in 2005 when J’accuse still did not enjoy the company of Running Commentary (incidentally set up as a reaction to the debate on J’accuse during last year’s general election), we still managed to make absolute pains of ourselves with another community on the net. There was a site called VivaMalta that attracted all sorts of colourful people including (but not exclusively) Lowellian fanatics.
Following a particular attack by J’accuse on the erstwhile Imperium politician, a particular thread on VivaMalta developed a sudden viscious twist of attacks on myself. One of these included a certain européen and is well documented on the old J’accuse site. Here is (part) of what européen had to say at the time:
I know this Jacques Rene’ Zammit. He is 100% Maltese, so will someone please modify the title of the thread? It gives the impression that France is somehow acting against Norman Lowell. Now, a personal comment about this wanker Zammit (Am I allowed to use this word, Mods?). He is among the top 5 most pretentious bastards I have ever met. His best buddy is Antonio Tufigno (a lawyer), of “Shostakovich’s Nightmare” fame. For those of you who are not Maltese, this is an “alternative” band, made up of stinking faux-hippie bourgeois-boheme types. And he is a lawyer, and a lecturer at the University of Malta too. Or at least he was, until he left for Brussels or wherever. The fact that he was educated at a Jesuit College is neither here nor there. I myself had such an education, and I don’t think it turned me into a Third-Worldist leftwing hippie. Some of you might ask why all the people I know seem to be pretentious wankers. I don’t know.
Do I detect a certain trend here? it doesn’t take a genius to notice that the européen on VivaMalta has the same chip on his shoulder (and same base vocabulary) as H.P. Baxxter. As I said in my post back in 2005, people like H.P. Baxxter or européen or whatever he or she likes to call himself/herself are not worth an ounce of consideration. I choose to go public with my thoughts so I have to expect all sorts of criticism. If whoever criticises baselessly chooses to do so anonymously he is free to do so: I don’t mind and they don’t matter.
What IS interesting is the absolute difference between Vivamalta moderation and Daphne. Once Vivamalta was alerted of the comment it removed it (there was no moderation BEFORE you put the comment). On the other hand the latest comment by the invertebrate was read and approved by Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Netiquette… .sure you may stuff it… then again it only goes to show the standards you choose to apply.
Taste… it’s such a personal thing.
Daphne’s blog is becoming really pitiful. The closest comparison is with the proliferating far-right sites in the USA where thoe who simply cannot come to terms with Obama’s election pour out their angst and sheer hatred.
And Daphne has become our very own Anne Coulter.
There are some very interesting characters on DCG’s blog.
One of them is a certain Mario Debono, of which more here: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/midweek/2007/08/15/t1.html
Whehj I posted the above link on her blog it was blocked. When I persisted, I was banned.
@Jacques
Idahhaqni Daphne gejja bil-“bitchy” u “bitching”. Ghandha l-wicc tghajjar in-nies li huma “bitchy”? Hemm qawl bil-Malti fuq min tik dak li jkollu…
Idahhaqni wkoll meta thambaq fuq l-anonimita u kif tiddejjaq meta n-nies ma jurux l-identita taghhom. Nofs in-nies li kikkumentaw fuq il-blog taghha huma psewdonomi u ghandi nghid miktubha minn Daphne stess. Fosthom innutaw lil “Tony Pace” u “Ethel” u “Anna” li kumbinazzjoni jiktbu qishom Daphne.
U x’ghandna xi nghidu fuq dik it-taparsi “guest blog” ta “Liberal Nationalist”? Din b’min trid titnejjek Daphne? Ghaliex ma qalitx li kitbitha hi? Jew qed tisthi minn dik il-bloggata, kif qed tisthi minn dawk ir-riklami……
@Ettore Bono
Nemmen li Daphne ma tridx tippubblika l-link fuq l-istorja ta Mario Debono li gie irrappurtat li baghat hate mail lil Joseph Muscat – xi drabi anke anonimament. Tajjeb – ghax intbaghatu ittri minn xi kodard anonimament (imma hu Nazzjonalist) Daphne taqbez ghalih…..mhux ta b’xejn tqazzez in-nies.
My profiling of H.P. Baxxter is that it’s a ‘she’ – a youngish, oblivious ‘she’. I don’t remember how I came to this conclusion, but I do remember that Baxxter is one of those chorus acolytes who applaud Daphne at every turn, at times cringingly.
As for Daphne herself, she is anything but genuine, for she deletes many fair comments, especially those she cannot argue against (which is surprising, given that she can twist and distort her way out of any argument).
In sum, the lady is a game-playing presumptuous ass. Ettore Bono aptly compares her to Anne Coulter. Indeed, both are presumptuous, narrow-minded and bitchy. And let’s face it, Daphne is a very narrow-minded person, even if she thinks she’s God’s gift to the Maltese blogosphere. And when it comes to the Internet, she is still a ‘noob’ – a late-comer in her mid-40s at that! She still fails to realise that many visit her blog precisely because she is audaciously self-righteous to the point of hilarity. That’s what makes her blog so entertaining to the vast majority of visitors.
Hehe. Interesting.
I disagree with one point kev… she cannot think she is God’s gift to the blogosphere because she supposedly does not believe in the existence of anything like the blogosphere.
Of course the idea of “publicising” one blog on another (and my having to thank her for it) does imply some kind of cross-referential network which she conveniently ignores.
Let’s not forget the multiple posts and “promotions” in March of 2008 plugging the newly set-up Running Commentary all over J’accuse comment boxes. I am sure that like most newbies this was done in the belief that it was a very astute form of marketing a blog… I do recall a few J’accuse regulars at the time pointing out the difference between spamming and linking. Then again… who are we to dictate?
Finally H.P. Baxxter… a girl? There I was thinking it was some sick Scooter fan… how much is the fish?
I used to try to comment on dcg’s blog but most of the time my comments were not posted so I gave up…when she did post them, she tried to ridicule me…tell me what is it with some bloggers….I know it’s their blog and they can do what they like, but this habit of biting people’s heads off just bec. they don’t agree with you…boqq…
my conclusion is that dcg’s blog is only a comfortable “home” for those who are like-minded; those who revel in gossiping about ppl’s private lives, and dishing the dirt on them even if it has nothing to do with the argument. Kind of reminds me of that Village Gossip person who used to have a regular column in the defunct The People newspaper…
for once :) I agree with Jacques. As the person moderating her own blog dcg is obviously happy with allowing such comments..in fact I get the impression that she “allows” them in order for certain things to get said which she herself would love to say but (because of libel) cannot…this is also why (like Sully) I suspect that there are several people commenting on her blog who are in fact dcg herself..
no wonder it is almost impossible to have a mature political debate in this country….
Yes, anna, that is the main problem of course: her unwarranted deletions. It’s the reason why it’s all a charade – you can never win an argument because the moment you do, your comment gets deleted. It is the reason why the lady is a tramp; her bitchiness and distortions are nothing next to her devious censorship.
Those of us not blessed with your multilingual diversity never manage to get past the second paragraph of your pompous, condescending, patronising and long-winded contributions to The Malta Independent. I find myself reaching for my dictionaries to try to decipher the meaning behind some of your phrasing, and then I give up, especially when I crash against one of your Latin quotations.
I wouldn’t go so far as to call you a wanker, as I have no insight into your sex-life, but the description, judging from your blog and your newspaper contributions, seems to be apt. However, without a doubt, you are tedious and uninteresting, and your ego knows no bounds.
Strange that most of your commentators continue to haunt Daphne’s blog. They seem to have masochistic tendencies. Or are they desperately crying out for approval from her?
LOL. Good one “Charles”.
Dictionaries will not normally help in “deciphering phrasing”. They are more likely to be of help to understand a word or two here and there. Judging by the efforts you go through to try to “decipher” the hermeneutics in my texts I would say that they must be anything but “tedious and uninteresting”.
Yes. My ego knows no bounds (It’s not just Jien it’s also Lil Hinn Minnu). And I am a wankellectual. We knew that.
Seeing as you think in terms of “approval from her” you probably measure everything and everyone’s actions in that manner. Have you reached nirvana yet? Has “she” (I’m hanging onto the “her” here) showered you with uncondescending, interesting and platutidinous (reach for a dictionary, spot the odd one out)approval yet? Jeez. With this kind of veneration I am the one who better not enquire for insights about your sex-life.
I wish you many approvals, lots of her love and happiness and before I leave you I will quote Your Master’s Voice:
If you don’t like it… don’t read it. (It will save you time from lifting those heavy dictionaries too).
Better still… If you don’t have a clue about what is written don’t even bother aye?
Many happy returns.
P.S. Sellilli ghal HP Baxxter u européen
P.S. By they way. J’accuse on the Indy is also accompanied with Bertoon’s pic. You might limit yourself to a quick perusal of the toonist’s latest offering… should not be THAT difficult to DECIPHER (although admittedly I do insist on a bit of Latin every now and then – Ad maiorem popoli commoditatem and all that)
I must have touched a raw nerve. You still insist on using twenty words where one would have served. If you mention Daphne Caruana Galizia in every post I would get an alert and be able to inflate your numbers.
Have a good day.
It wasn’t a raw nerve. It was the funny bone. You’re a fine bit of amusement “Charles”… don’t worry, I’m sure Daffer’s site will soon be back up and you will be able to return to your normal fields of pasture.
“Kind of reminds me of that Village Gossip person who used to have a regular column in the defunct The People newspaper…”
Actually, Village Gossip was written by DCG.
Play nice!
I really couldn’t be bothered about discussing dcg as such… what interests me more is something which I will direct at you jacques as a lawyer…is there any kind of action a common citizen can taken when he/she feels their private life has been unjustly exposed and discussed on a blog? What kind of legislation covers the blogosphere anyway (if any)..because the way I see it anyone can just set up a blog and start dragging people’s names thru the mud..? It’s not really a case of whether the things which are said are true or not true, so I’m not talking about libel, but it is more a case of private matters remaining private…
@anna Well, the law couldn’t be simpler actually. The laws binding the press also bind the blogs and bloggers. Some bloggers labour under the mistaken impression that it is all about where the web site is hosted. It has nothing to do with that.
Take libel laws. They apply to anything published in Malta. A court of law would read “published” as anything that is publicly accessible in Malta so even, let’s say, in the case of a blog hosted in Germany for example the publication or “uttering of information” occurs in Malta since it can be read there. Should the content of the blog be libellous then it is possible to institute a case for libel.
There have been interesting developments in the UK High Court regarding bloggers’ anonimity (although I must point out that they have no binding effect on Maltese jurisprudence). There are also nuances regarding the responsibility of the blog owner with regards to comments made by third parties on their blog as well as their responsibility in divulging the identity of blog users.
Other interesting developments elsewhere include the doomed HADOPI legislation in France that was aimed at piracy on the web but which could also have affected blogging rights.
Blogging, web-publishing – the medium (singular form of media … in case Charles Cauchi is reading) is different but the laws and standards and rights are practically the same.
In so far as J’accuse is concerned we run on a line close to a publish and be damned policy although we draw the line on useless, baseless ad hominem arguments.
That’s my twenty words for now. Now back to work :)
@justin You had me in discombobulated twitterings of uncauchic hilariousities
Mhux ovvja li Charles Cauchi hu psewdonomu ta Daphne? Ghandha habta taghmel hekk….u tuza l-istess kunjom. Jahasra ma tindunax li xorta tista tingharaf….il-mod kif tikteb jingharaf…ma tridx tpaxxi lil Jacques billi tidhol fuq il-blog tieghu imma xorta trid tghid taghha….u le….u kemm id-dinja qed isir repetitiva? Anka fir-rivista taghha, l-artikli jireepetu ruhom….regghet tefghet xi artiklu dwar il-kmamar tal-pranzu u tuza l-istess kliem bhal dawk li kienet uzat f’artiklu fuq l-istess haga f’xi rivista precedenti….forsi ghandha x’taghmel…..bejn riklami u hekk…
thanks jacques..
@ sully….do you really think it’s dcg? It doesn’t strike me as something she would do. she is always saying she thinks ppl who use false names are cowards, and that if she has something to say she will use her own name..and despite not agreeing with her on mnay issues, I have to say I admire her on this one point…
@ anna – Minghalik li Daphne tiffirma ix-xoghol kollu taghha? Nahseb tkun zbaljata……ahseb ftit fuq dawk ir-riklami tal-PN….ta “Taste” u x’naf jien
OK…those yes, I agree…but I’m thinking about more about using another name to post comments in order to defend herself! I mean who would do such a childish thing?
@ Sully and anna
I doubt Sully’s theory is right. The person signing as “Charles Cauchi” is just another accolyte. Sadly there are enough of them around to warrant not having to invent them.
Unless Charles Cocky is Dafney’s alter ego, which I doubt, he seems to be a great Dafney fan (he also seems to think he is her mentor).
For anyone with time to waste, here’s Mr Cocky in action (in more than twenty words) – google the following:
site:daphnecaruanagalizia.com “charles cauchi”