If there's one thing I hate more than editing other people's stuff for little money (for free for friends, it's a find karma-inspiring activity), it's editing my own stuff for no money. I'm submitting a very much modified version of this for publication (embarrassingly, it looks as if there are no comments on it, although the 20 or so I received are still there if not registering). This is an entry you all read and loved although embarrassingly, the twenty or sop comments it did receive aren't registering – they're still there though.

It needs a lot of work and I don't feel like doing it. I enjoy editing my more serious stuff, none of which appears on this site. Reshaping the more light-hearted stuff inspires me to live up to my (online) name and I shake my head at my vacuousness. It also gives me intense writer's block, and so here is an entry that is built mostly on other people.

Slander and Defamation

After reading about Neonbubble's experience at the auto body shop, I will definitely have to remember to watch my surly mouth. Imagine bloggers being sued for slander merely for expressing an opinion.

Bloggers already take themselves seriously enough as is it. I express the bile that shoots up past my uvula every time I stumble across a site where some person I will never meet blogger details the momentous buttering of their toast ("Today I left the crust on my toast!") or regales me with their unresearched, uniformed political opinion, again ... and again ... and again ... We all know that is posted on a blog is a personal reflection (or, in some cases, lack of reflection) and so to have someone threaten to sue is pathetic and dangerous. It isn't just the government that has the power to stifle our opinions.

Someone Needs a Hug

On the opposite end of the spectrum comes an article that comes down a little too heavy on bloggers and their opinions. He disses political bloggers for their self-proclaimed journalist status – and there is definitely some merit to his opinion – but then goes on in an offensive diatribe that shows him off to be nothing much more than an angry, bitter old man. Does this leave me open to a lawsuit now? What I mean is, he then goes off on an offensive diatribe that, in my opinion, shows him off to be nothing much more than an angry, bitter old man. (I can't link directly to the article, but Andy can.)

What's more, in my opinion his writing almost reaches the heights of the very lowest of blog stylings, and he gets paid for what he does! Why can't I get paid to do that?

Stop Complaining

Now before I get too het up because some journalist I'll never meet tried to make me cry, a friend from a far away land reminds me that I have it pretty easy. If the worst thing I have to worry about while writing a blog is a ridiculous slander suit that'll be thrown out of court if it even made it that far, I have nothing to worry about. How enormous the world is.

Welcome Ramadan

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began yesterday at sundown, at least it did in North America. I have been reading up a little on this – with North America's sizable Islamic communities I feel I should know more about them – and have discovered some very interesting things that go beyond simply knowing that there is a fast during daylight hours for a month. For example, true to Islam's grassroots (for lack of a better word) beginnings, Te Holy Month of Ramadan begins at the first sighting of the crescent moon at this time of year. This means that it begins on different days in different areas of the world. I like the idea of a very holy period – one of the Five Pillars in Islam, in fact – intertwined completely with natural cycles of the universe.

Ramadan Mubarak.

Canonization

Dantallion has been a close friend for a few years and I truly miss living in the same city as him. One of my favourite things about him has always been that he wears his heart utterly exposed on his sleeve. I don't have that kind of courage. This means that hanging out with opinionated, outspoken Surly Snobby is sometimes a little like having his parade rained on (not that he can't dish it out very well, himself). It also translates into a gutsy blog that gets much more personal than I am willing to get (what you're reading right now is about as far as I'm usually willing to go before making some sort of joke). Anyways, he's in cyber vacation in Australia for a couple a weeks and guest blogging for a friend down under, so you shouldgo visit him.

I want to guest blog for a really cute Australian too!