gbnhj wrote:But, in seriousness, and in extension of that analogy, we would probably not write in demanding that only she serve as presenter. I am very keen on quality, but I think that it?€™s okay for Marmot to pass off some of the duties of this blog to others. However, quantity without quality is of little value to me ?€“ I don?€™t want one without the other. I agree that any blogger?€™s views here neccesarily have to be informed ones, or else some may start to ?€?change the channnel?€™.I am in obvious agreement with you here, but I just want to state that I really don’t want to get to the point where I feel the need to change the channel in this particular case.

She’s in Southeast Asia now doing bobo things, so I’m sure we can track her down.

I don’t have time to write a full response, but I will make this observation — doesn’t the fact that The Marmot himself has been supportive of me to date mean anything? Doesn’t that mean that maybe he feels that I have the potential, if nothing else, to write here successfully?

So, in your eyes, there is nothing I can do that will allow you to accept me or at least tolerate my writing here?No, I’m not saying this. The worst I could say about you is that at this point in your relatively brief time in Korea, you have not learned enough, quietly observed enough, or experienced enough to separate the pedestrian visitor to Korea from the Koreanist pundit that would make a good guest blogger on this blog.

That is not to say you could never be that person.You don?€™t like me because I?€™m Not The Marmot.No, I’m not saying that at all. In fact, I have mentioned one specific person, though I guess there are a few others. Frankly, Shelton, I don’t think I would be up to the task myself.The whole point of me being here (as I see it) is that I?€™m Not The Marmot. I have a different take on things and am a good enough writer that I can quickly Know The Audience here.Yes, Marmot is going for a divergent voice, but many of us feel that that different voice should still be as informed a person on Korean issues as Marmot.As I have repeatedly said, give me a week and then re-evaluate your position. I did start to do that, but then I began to see what, in my opinion, is a big part of the issue.

I am still giving you the benefit of the doubt, but I am choosing to opine along the way where specific examples lend themselves to constructive criticism.

Shelton, above all, please don’t take any of my criticisms personally. If someone like me were guest blogging, I’d have many other criticisms to make (I’m an armchair critic, after all). But this is not that SHELTON SUCKS (since that is not the case at all) but that people who have frequented this blog and come to appreciate it have not so much high expectations but specific expectations about what is needed to maintain this excellent blog. And only a few would live up to it.

So, in your eyes, there is nothing I can do that will allow you to accept me or at least tolerate my writing here?

You don’t like me because I’m Not The Marmot.

The whole point of me being here (as I see it) is that I’m Not The Marmot. I have a different take on things and am a good enough writer that I can quickly Know The Audience here.

As I have repeatedly said, give me a week and then re-evaluate your position.

As Nomad points out (#42), we don’t pay for this. Not with money anyway. But we do with our time and our own writing, which is the other side of the coin for a blog of this caliber*. Yes, it is just Marmot’s and he pays the bills, but if he weren’t concerned with the impressions of the public that participates in his blog, he wouldn’t be doing this in the first place, nor would he have imposed the sign-in policy, nor would he have considered a guest blogger in the first place.

Marmot is trying to create a useful, interesting, and meaningful blog (I assume), and with our opinions we are trying to help him achieve it.

*And by “a blog of this caliber” I mean one that has become essential for people with an active interest in the goings-on here. I first checked Marmot’s out at the suggestion of several different people, all of whom suggested I was missing something very important by not coming here. That is something I would like to maintain about this blog, and frankly I don’t see it happening with Shelton. Or, for that matter, with most people here. Oranckay, perhaps, but only because he’s an similarly knowledgeable and seasoned person in Korea and perhaps because his left-leaning views might provide some balance to Marmot’s (although I think Marmot’s mild conservativeness, if that’s what it is, is overshadowed by a good measure of pragmatism that will inform his views irrespective of political or social ideology or bent).I think the idea of additional bloggers is a good one. New ideas are refreshing. If the marmot standard is maintained, the difference in style will compliment rather than detract from the enjoyability of the blog.Nomad also suggested that we could change the channel or turn it off altogether. Well, I would rather not have that situation at all.

If CNN started playing cartoons, we wouldn’t say to ourselves, “Well, it’s CNN’s network; they’ll do what they want,” and then change the channel. No, we would be writing to CNN and saying, “Hey, what’s up with that? Bring back Christine Armanamanampour.” If CNN had thought that the cartoons would be a good break for people who didn’t want to burn out on the news, they’d be happy to hear our feedback.Baduk has a habit of connecting most everything to communists and nuclear weapons but I agree with the opinion that he does contribute some interesting insight and I enjoy reading his posts.Baduk is very good at sniping, but will he be good at creating? A world of difference, which is why I write far more here and at AsiaPages than I do on my own blog.

I agree 100% that Marmots hole has attracted a much better than average educated and informed group that is truly interested in Korea, most with a solid understanding of Korean language, history, culture, society and politics. This is the thing that keeps me interested-truly buble gum for the mind. I think that Kushibo brings out a very good point; the Marmot has set a standard for the frequent visitor. Maintenance of that is what they are expecting.

I think the idea of additional bloggers is a good one. New ideas are refreshing. If the marmot standard is maintained, the difference in style will compliment rather than detract from the enjoyability of the blog.

Baduk has a habit of connecting most everything to communists and nuclear weapons but I agree with the opinion that he does contribute some interesting insight and I enjoy reading his posts. As for the Marmotess-I am pretty sure she posts from time to time, I seem to remember having a discussion with her about Matrioshka dolls and babushka scarves.

That felt good.

But, in seriousness, and in extension of that analogy, we would probably not write in demanding that only she serve as presenter. I am very keen on quality, but I think that it’s okay for Marmot to pass off some of the duties of this blog to others. However, quantity without quality is of little value to me ?€“ I don’t want one without the other. I agree that any blogger’s views here neccesarily have to be informed ones, or else some may start to ‘change the channnel’.

In other words, I feel that whosoever blogs here has a responsibility to maintain it, and not shape it in some ?€?new?€™ or ?€?interesting?€™ way. Since Shelton is here, and Marmot?€™s asked us to give him some time, let?€™s do that. But, be prepared Shelton, for the criticism that will come, and honestly assess it for value regardless of its source. After all, people here give a damn about this place.