Tuesday, November 16, 2004

staredown!

Madison and Berkeley's sociology departments are often considered rivals. Right now, the battle has apparently spilled over into the blogosphere. Wisconsin's own Jay Burlingham has gamely decided to take on Berkeley's newly-reconstituted Public Sociology blog in a struggle to see which blog can go longer without actually having any posts. Sure, all kinds of people might start blogs with a rousing first post and then never write another, but here, however, we have the far more austere spectacle of two blogs dueling to see how long each can go without Post #1. I've had both open on my computer for days and have been addictively alt-tabbing back and forth between each of them, waiting to see which one breaks down first and posts something.

Update, 5pm: A commenter asks if this competition is truly fair given the time difference between Madison and Berkeley. It's true that if Jay's will crumbles and he posts something at 7pm while someone at Berkeley does the same at 6pm their time, Jay will lose the staredown even though one could argue that he "won" it in some biographichronological sense. As it was already plucky of Jay to embark on this battle against the whole of the Berkeley graduate program, all the more so to do it with this added disadvantage! Fellow Wisconsin sociologists, we should organize a pep rally for him!

Update, 2am: As another commenter notes, Jay has changed his blog now to include a subtitle and a link to JFW. But, still, no post. I think this is just his way of toying with the folks at Public Sociology, making them think they will soon be victorious in this battle of silent restraint. Hang in there, Jay! You've got them on the ropes! They won't be able to hold out too much longer!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's the tally with your blog? How many hits do you average a week? How does your blog compare to others, number wise?

jeremy said...

I don't know. I've never had any kind of sitemeter and have no intention on ever having one.

tina said...

I guess this is just further proof that Chicago has outlived its day in the sociological sun.

Anonymous said...

You probably get many 'hits' given the light nature of this blog/forum and its lack of overt activism - some fun and a brief diversion to be had, often with a seed or two for extended consideration sown. Some blogs, under the heading of Public Sociology (guise?), have no participation and I am reminded of that fast-food commercial a few years back where the little old lady bellows out, "Where's the beef!?". In the case of the former, where's the Public?

Anonymous said...

Is this head-to-head battle really fair, given the time zone difference?

Anonymous said...

Jay is showing signs of life. But will it lead to a post?

Drek said...

My money is on Berkeley. If they could name their blog "Public Sociology," and yet somehow refrain from blogging during the election...

Well, let's just say somebody should drive over there and look for a pulse.