Hello, I Must be Going: The End of This Blog
September 6, 2009 by Craig Stoltz
Both regular readers of this blog have been pestering me lately about what’s happened, why I haven’t written a new post since before they left for vacation.
It’s because it’s time to fork this blog.
For good.
Last week I started a job with the federal government. I’m now a webbist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, part of a communications team devoted to food safety. I’ll be helping use the web, social media and digital technologies to do public service. [See site links below.]
Which is to say: 2.Oh. . .Really. As in for real. As in practicing what I’ve preached. In public. Of, by and for the public.
[!]
Which brings us to this blog, the one that so recklessly–indeed without pity, temperance, empathy or foresight!--poked a stick in the eye of those who dared to blunder around with social media technologies to actually accomplish things.
[!]
Oh, it gets worse. The blog topics I’ve hurled tinfoil thunderbolts at create so many potential conflicts of interest the neck snaps:
The future of media, and the persistent misdeeds of legacy news companies? They cover food safety issues all the time. Tzzzztz!
Health 2.0, and the persistent misdeeds of those who seek to use digital technology to do. . .well, all kinds of stuff? Deeply involved with public health, federal agencies, private companies and political interests. Tzzzztz!
Web 2.0 technology generally, and the persistent misdeeds of those who are selling and evangelizing such technologies? My team will be using such technologies. We already are. Tzzzztz!
Government 2.0, and the federal agencies that. . .TZZZZT!
Politics 2.0, and . . . .TZZZZZZZTTTZZZ!!!!!!!!
I think you see what I’m up against. I’d rather stick a fork in this blog rather than a lobotomy needle in its brain. Or, far worse, compromise my ability to do the people’s work without fear or favor. I work for you now. You should demand I be independent and unentangled or tainted by even a perception of conflict of interest.
Oh, sure, I could reinvent myself as a private-citizen blogger.
Hey, maybe I’ll blog a moving personal memoir about a bright-eyed lad from Cleveland who came to Washington many years ago to pursue his destin–ZZZZZZZZZA, A-OOOH-GA! A-OOHH-GA!!!!!@#@#?! DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!
No. Better to do the thinkable and retire from blogging.
[Brief pause to feign serious reflection.]
Yup, that’s my decision. Retire from blogging. And I’m stickin’ with it.
So: Thanks for subscribing. Thanks for commenting. And Retweeting. And saving to Delicious. Etc.
But mostly, thanks for reading.
I mean that.
Really.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sites and tools my colleagues and I will have a hand in:
- Food Safety & Inspection Service agency site.
- Multi-agency consumer-oriented food safety site, foodsafety.gov, led by my friends at the Department at Health and Human Services. [Redesign/relaunch due soon.]
- Food Safety Working Group, reflecting the administration’s commitment to transparency and civic engagement in food supply safety.
- Multiple Twitter feeds, widgets, YouTube channels, etc.
yawnnnnnnnn
Sorry to hear its the end, if it truly is, then thanks for taking us on the journey with you. Its been an interesting ride.
Thanks for all the interesting posts, and best of luck with the new job :)
Hey, thanks for having us. I’ve enjoyed stopping by.
Could you do a ‘zine?
Good luck in your federal future.
You do a blog?
When you stare long enough into the abyss . . .
Err, Craig? I work for the federal gov’t. And I blog. About social media. :)
Yes, there are potential conflicts of interest, but you could blog from the inside and help tell that story, share the frustrations and successes, etc.
Either way, welcome to the club!
Jeffrey
I’ll miss your posts. Good luck and have fun in your new adventures! :-)
Thanks, all, for your kind wishes. Even Doug Powell–I’m delighted I can help you get some much-needed rest.
Please do check out Dr. Powell’s site, by the way. It’s a tribute to food safety immodestly titled “Barf Blog.” http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/
And please everybody welcome to our final program Jeff Levy, who as he says is not only a blogger, but a founder of the Environmental Protection Agency’s pace-setting “Greenversations” blogs. [Jeff and I have also been social media pals awhile, since the day I wrote an admiring if characteristically straining-to-be-critical entry about the EPA blogs.]
Jeff: I was indeed thinking about your own good blogging on web 2.0 as I wrote this. I didn’t mean to suggest that federal employees can’t or shouldn’t blog, or can’t do so very well. There is evidence to the contrary everywhere.
But I’m new to the federal world, and in this about-to-die blog I have tended to ventilate opinions in a way–reckless, hyperbolic, ill-informed. . .just some of the adjectives that have graced these comment fields–that probably wouldn’t be wise for a new federal employee to do.
I at least need to catch my breath, spend some time in the Department of Clue Procurement [I think that's OPM], find my new voice, re-read the Constitution, etc. before I plunge in.
Of course, like any other aging pugilist, I well may emerge from retirement and take up the fight again.
Proof, you ask?
Today I paid $10.67 for the domain http://www.gov2ohreally.
Stay tuned.
Gonna miss ya Craig. Best of luck with your new career…..Your f*ck-up finder will still be here if you need her :)
I’m definitely going to miss getting your perspective on all things funny and weird and wrong about that mysterious thing we insist on calling Web 2.0.
Best of luck in the new career!
Craig…
We are looking forward to working with you at FSIS/OPACE…and the Foodsafety.gov working group!
Kathy Bernard and Tina Hanes (FSES)
Thanks, Kathy and Tina, for dropping by! We’ll be blogging together soon enough. . .
All: If you need anyone to nag you about how your blog’s SEO sucks, drop my friend Termeh a note. She’s the best SEO nag I’ve ever met. She should put that on her business card.
you are too sweet ;)
Looking forward to reading about your new adventures! 2.Oh…bama?
Have fun!
Best of Luck for your future.
Craig Stoltz , good luck dude.
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