Redoing ET's front page | 145 comments (145 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 1)

European Tribune, a progressive, European, expert community blog...

...have we emphasized that we're a progressive, European, expert community? A virtual town hall where brilliance is the norm, expert is a given, the community thrives with both warmth and snark, and the European perspective on crucial global issues is the respected hallmark. Sometimes with graphs! And as we're a blog, you can add your own brilliance.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 06:27:27 PM EST
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Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 1)

As the twank said, careful with the head... Humility is something that oughtn't be forgotten altogether

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 06:31:22 PM EST
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i humbly submit that the above comment accurately reflects what goes on here, but that it serves no purpose for enlightening future journalists to also note that we can be also be blind idiots. Though i also humbly submit that no one here has actually writen a novel where the lead character is the "Global Village Idiot." Dizzy Dean said "It ain't bragging if you can do it."

So i think ET already does it. That i use marketing tactics based on my lifetime in the US of A should not be held against me, even though i would like to adopt the ingrained cultural stance of kneeling before the king, or when not, rebelling against him.

Actually, the Sven's 50 Words i wrote was just a first attempt at saying why i lurk here, so others might be so enticed.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 07:45:02 PM EST
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Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 1)

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the "expert" bit - not that I doubt that many of you ARE experts, but that we are also trying to attract participants who may not feel particularly expert in anything. I would hate to think I had to be an expert before I could venture my thoughts on a topic either in Diary or comment form.

Let's face it, there are scholarly and specialised professional or academic journals in many of the areas we discuss here - we're not really trying to compete with them, are we? Isn't there also something about the accessibility of our writing styles and the interactivity which goes on here that distinguishes us from the turgid tomes of academe? Would "alternative" be a better term?

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 08:06:27 PM EST
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Good comment.

i was just riffing on Mig's comment above.
If you have trouble with expert, you would also have trouble with brilliant.
So what do we do when that's an accurate description of the site? Perhaps we invite all to uplevel their understanding by participating here? i know i continue to be amazed at what goes on here, and i only want to grow the site.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 08:23:33 PM EST
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Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 0)

The problem with the words "expert" and "brilliant" is, although many are of the first category, and most are sometimes of the second, if we want to grow the site these words make it sound as "newbies not welcome here".

And it's certain that marketing based on self-congratulation is much less current in Europe than in the US...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 03:23:05 AM EST
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Agreed on virtually all points, especially the self-pomposity imported from Silicon Valley. No defense other than it was well past midnight during a holiday. Here's a morning version:

A virtual European town centre where interesting and informed people gather to discuss some of the crucial social and political issues of the day, as well as arts and letters. The community thrives with both warmth and snark, photos and music, and even charts and graphs. Input welcome.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 03:43:01 AM EST
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Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 0)

Much better, and pretty good... Starvid would better hurry up with his suggestion...

Maybe agora instead of town center ?

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 03:47:08 AM EST
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Two points about agora:

this is the first time I hear it in a Western context. What does it mean. Might be necessary to explain it.

I know it as a Sanskrit word used in Tantra Yoga with a mystical meaning - don't know if we want to go there. :-)

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 03:53:26 AM EST
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Agora is the Greek equivalent of forum - originally, a large, open space in the town center used alternatively as market, and place where the citizens would discuss about current affairs.

Maybe not a great idea to replace town center, finally...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 04:03:24 AM EST
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Zut, should have know better from the word Agoraphobia. :-)

Why not simply call it a Forum?

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 04:39:56 AM EST
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Quick question - do german young study ancient Greeks in history ?

One of the main remains of the era of Nations is that "basic history" is still founded on the mythical national narratives (witness the Antilles descendants of black slaves learning "our ancestors the Gauls"); in France it includes the Greeks traditionally, but does it in Germany ?

For example Charlemagne is included in the national narrative both in the French and German schools, although French people have no idea that Charlemagne was a probably more Germanic than Roman...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 05:00:25 AM EST
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Well, I did, but then Latin was my first non native language (start with 9) and Greek my third (start with 15)...

by PeWi on Mon Jan 7th, 2008 at 05:20:55 AM EST
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Re: Redoing ET's front page (none / 1)

Agora. Often used to symbolize a place of discussion or debate, like forum.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 04:13:05 AM EST
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I agree with you. Although there is a lot of expertise in this community, ET is not about expertise.

Besides, using the word "expert" supposes to specify in which fields we pretend to be "experts"

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 08:33:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Redoing ET's front page | 145 comments (145 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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