An instalanche without the Insta.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 6 comments link this postI had a second generation Instalanche once. Lots o' hits that day. So I'm checking my stats before heading for bed and lo and behold...high numbers! I dove into the referrals to see what big-name blog had linked to me and was sending me all these readers. I wondered what witticism had caught the eye of a top-notch blogger, what alarming truth I had stumbled upon that must be made known to the entire world, what turn of the phrase had caught the eye of one who was astute.
Right.
Here's where all my hits are coming from. I kid you not. Google searches for Slice.
Ironic, considering my recent post.
So I headed on over to Slice to see what was sending people to Google and dumping them, with great disappointment I'm sure, on my blog. I discovered a post (UPDATE: the link has since been changed) talking about a parody site, a site making fun of Slice. The comments section on that post is worth a read for its own hilarity.* I wasn't impressed by posting the contact information of the fellow running the parody site with the suggestion of harassment. Not really funny. The parody site wasn't actually linked to, however, so I found myself doing the same Google search to find it. Here it is: www.sliceolaodicea.com.
Hmmm.
I like a good parody; I've seen some good ones of myself in the past. I can't say I like this parody, though. Parody - satire is a better word, maybe - is like a fine chocolate cake**. If you slam the door on the oven the cake ceases to be beautiful and the middle caves in.
Actually, that's a poor analogy, because I'll still eat a sunken chocolate cake whereas I didn't stick around the parody site long at all.
If you're going to do parody, if you're going to do satire, understand what it's for. You can't point out error if you're too busy making equally bad mistakes on the other end of the spectrum. The problem with parodying a site like Slice is that there are times when I've read it and I wonder to myself if they are the parody and there are times when I realize that despite my overwhelming disagreement and disgust with the site, they have hit on truth that I must be careful mocking.
Really, the best answer to Slice is Sliced.
And, if you were using a good browser like Firefox, you'd see that my little red notice at the start of this post was blinking. Parody that.
UPDATE: Speaking of parodies and anonymity, please read these three posts which show that it is never good for the pot to call the kettle black. It looks like someone from Slice is running their own anonymous parody site. It looks as if there is a bit of defensive "I have a logical reason but that excuse doesn't count for you!" backpeddling is going on. Don't throw that first stone, people.
UPDATE 2: Here's a fabulous summation of the whole messy week, done with clarity and kind tone. Read it. Don't miss out on the link to another blog with a post from last year which shows the kind of "interaction" that has sadly come to be expected when trying to hold Slice writers to their own standard.
UPDATE 3: It looks as if the entire Slice website has been taken down and the domain name pointed to Ingrid's radio program. I'm not sure it if is for revamping, if the site will reappear in the same place, of if it is gone for good.
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*George tried to post a comment, stating that there was no need for a comments section on the post since it was more an FYI and there was really nothing to discuss beyond bolstering and "you-go-girl" commentary. Which is what you see. I note that George's comment did not appear.
**Most chocolate cakes, by being both chocolate and cake, are super yummiliciously fine. I also gave my cat catnip and he now has huge eyes and is strangely silent. The two are related in that cake makes me strangely silent, too.
Labels: blogging, changed my mind, slice of laodicea
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 1/02/2007 11:32:00 PM
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6 Comments:
I see in the comments that someone posted the personal contact information for the guy who runs the site and suggests that he be harassed. Typical.
By 
, at
3/1/07 08:08
Thanks for dropping by anyway. I am more than aware that I've gone to the other extreme. The whole thing is probably just some mid-life crisis phase that I'll soon get over, at the very latest when the weather warms enough for me to put the top down on the car. Thanks for mentioning my site though and I do wish you well.
By Patrick Lane, at
3/1/07 17:16
Well, Patrick, we all have our moments. My moments usually seem to happen about every other Wednesday, so I'm certainly in no place to judge. Just use your skills and blog and mind wisely and how God directs you to, and I'll try to do the same, OK?
Now, go dream of summer.
By 
Julie, at
3/1/07 18:41
Julie: Now, go dream of summer.
Well, it's not quite summer here in Land-In-Between, but we're currently having a meltdown, and in some places, the streams are overflowing their banks.
Generally speaking, I read very few "xtian blogs". And yowie! when I went to look at S.o.L. and its parodies, I suddenly realized what a noisy tumult I had been missing all this time, thankfully. Truely, things are really getting crazy out there.
By Oengus Moonbones, at
3/1/07 20:39
Julie, I guess what I am trying to say is this: there are perhaps many others out there, such as myself, who think that so-called "xtian Blogging" is perhaps not such a good thing after all, that perhaps it's causing more harm than good despite some people's good intentions.
Being somewhat elderly, I guess I have a definite Luddite streak in me, and although I use computer technology, I've never really been entirely comfortable with the effects it seems to have on people.
Please don't give up.
By Oengus Moonbones, at
4/1/07 18:11
Regarding what Mr. Moonbones said above, about good intentions...
I realize I'm probably skating on some thin theological ice here, but my cursory reading of Slice makes me believe that Ingrid's intentions aren't actually all that good.
Maybe I need to read more, but there's so much poison in her words, and it appears so quickly as you read them that I'm loathe to read more than a paragraph, or two at the most.
Especially of that super long post where Ingrid spills about 750 words responding to the anonymous critics she will not respond to.
Thanks, but no thanks.
By Jim, at
4/1/07 20:41
