Links of Note: May 14, 2007
Blogging, Society:Casey Serin: The world's most hated blogger? (CNET)
The fame-seeking siren song that's kept Jerry Springer's guest roster full is also prevalent on the Web. CNET's profile of Casey Serin, a 24-year-old with delusions of real estate grandeur, showcases a young guy who, like Springer's flock, gets off on attention of any sort.
Serin employs the "total transparency" approach on his blog, I am Facing Foreclosure.com, offering inside details on his failed investments and rocky marriage. Howard Stern has used this same technique for decades, but Stern built his audience by supplementing transparency with oddities, envelope pushing and entertainment. Serin isn't Stern. Not by a longshot.
What's unfortunate about Serin's blog and the accompanying media attention (irony alert!) is that Serin clearly has issues to work through. I'm not a therapist, nor do I know the first thing about mental diagnostics, but anyone who publicly perpetuates their own downward spiral needs to reassess their life. And the vitriolic bloggers who take aim at Serin -- and others like him -- are similarly afflicted.
I'm often astonished at the superficial snap judgments people make, especially when confronted with a subject like Serin, who, despite outward appearance of normalcy, has a lot going on. Why is it that people can't see under the surface? I'm not saying Serin should be coddled -- clearly, he's brought this onto himself -- but the folks who lambast guys like Serin also need to reevaluate their actions. Taking potshots at a troubled kid isn't exactly endearing.
Web Metrics, RSS Auditing:
Mediafed Audits RSS Feed (ABC Electronic)
This is the first time I've heard of an RSS feed going through a formal audit. According to ABC Electronic (ABCE), a UK firm that analyzes electronic media, Centaur Publications has used Mediafed's RSS auditing service to examine usage data for www.mad.co.uk, a business site.
The press release heralding this RSS audit is a little vague when it comes to specifics. According to ABCE, Mediafed's RSS service has achieved a 2-star rating with ABCE, but there's no clear explanation as to what "2 stars" represents (Is 2 good? How many stars are there?). Data from the Mad.co.uk audit is also absent. Instead, we're provided with the obligatory "executive quote":
"The audited figures prove that our RSS feeds are generating a significant and increasing amount of traffic to our site and analysing their performance is a must. We’re very pleased to be the first publisher to commit to ABC ELECTRONIC auditing of RSS feeds, providing our advertisers and stakeholders with yet another assurance of the audiences we can reach." -- Stephen Brooks, Publisher of Mad.co.ukI've got a note in to ABCE for clarification.
Ambiguity aside, auditing is an issue the Web world has to confront. Website owners need trustworthy metrics to see what works and what doesn't, and advertisers require solid numbers to justify purchases. Auditing could go a long way toward satisfying both these needs.
Via Editors Weblog
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