A Warning

This is a warning story to new blogger's in particular. There was a lovely blogger on the my.telegraph website, who wrote a quirky and often humorous diary type blog about her lifestyle, which to most people was privileged, and included horses, public school for her children, she also had a council flat in London, why was never explained, but why should she?

She would amuse many people talking about having to commute between the two homes and what she got up to, her shopping, and the amazing change between being at home up north, and being in the tropical south. Her blogs often had a photo included, which obviously enhanced the blog, the most amusing one for me was one of her grooming her horse standing on a chair, and I sent a comment warning her that the 'ealth and Safety mob would after her, as usual she always responded with charm.

One blog she slipped up, she mentioned that she used a certain bus to travel on and that she had been interviewed on this bus by the local paper, as this wasn't bad enough she wrote a very tongue in cheek blog about her flat, which she said would fit into her bathroom at her northern home.

The verbal vomit started from some boggers on the MyT site. Now as I said I enjoyed the blogs and I saw nothing wrong with them. I found them a wonderful insight into someone elses life, very different from mine, obviously from a wealthy and privelledged background, but written in such a funny and quirky way, that was refreshing, they made me laugh with some of the terms she used, the antics of the selection of animals she shared he life with, (not counting children and husband). There was nothing to be jealous or envious of as we have our own lives for better or for worse.

As I said the verbal vomit started, accusations, and some very unpleasant comments that got worse and worse. Some bloggers tried to defend this poor lady, but it fell on deaf ears. One nasty person even had the audacity to track down the article she had mentioned and posted the link and other links. There excuse was that this was already in the 'public' domain so they were allowed to do this. The lady was upset, she felt that her privacy had been invaded and that if she had wanted to post the link the choice should have been hers to take, and I agree with this point.

Within 24hours this had got worse, with some sad moron deciding that they would take this even further and made up an ID in her name, on the MyT website, and then posted a very nasty blog in her name. This was to say the least very upsetting, and I must confess fooled me, and I was one of those who supported her, and was fooled enough to post a comment.

This wonderful lady has now ceased blogging and I feel that I have lost something I enjoyed for the sake of a few nasty short sighted people who were determined to 'take her down a peg or two'. If they had a problem with her blogs, they needed to ask questions and get her to explain what she meant, that is debate and trying to understand something. I saw nothing that was offensive and I have high morals I think. It was just a lovely insight into another world, it may never win a booker prize, but then doubt J.K. Rawling would win a booker prize either.

I know that i and several others will miss the quirky museings of the person I have written about. So the warning to new bloggers is as follows:

1. Do not take it for granted that everyone is 'nice'.

2. Never post pictures of your family on the net, especially children.

3. Never post anything up on the net that can identify you, unless you are certain that this is what you want.

4. If you do post on a blog site, be prepared for some cruel critism, as some people are unable to be nice, for one reason or another.