Thanet Star: Facts and Myths: Part One

Written by Matt B · first published 08/08/2009

Myth: Matt B is ECR. I'm sorry folks but I'm a strong advocate of not using blogger.com for any worthwhile blogging undertaking. ECR was here long before me and is far more satirical than I. I'm not even sure where this idea came from.

Fact: Thanet Star is a highly popular blog. Thanet Star has, from the outset, been a popular blog. Feedburner report an RSS based readership of 240+ people. Given the low RSS take up it can be estimated that this is maybe as little as 5% of the total daily readership. The only blogs to keep pace with this level of readership appear to me to be ECR, Big News Margate and Naked in Thanet (the blog) and maybe Thanet Strife.

Myth: Matt hates Simon Moores. As the primary writer for Thanet Star my aim is to report newsworthy information, to add commentary & analysis to local events and be interesting. If Simon happens to be the news then that is what I report. I have never met Simon so it would be hard to actually hate him.

While I cannot picture myself buying Dr Moores a pint at the local pub it's got little to do with it - If David Greene did something I considered to be shady I would report that too. I admit that Simon's actions on wikipedia were offensive and I disapprove of his approach to SEO & web promotion but that is hardly grounds to get excited. Any "beef" I might have with Simon is completely non political and mostly a mater of him doing something worth talking about.

Fact: slightly controversial content is good for a blog. I'm sure that is why Simon is saying such things about me. That or he has a persecution complex caused by no longer being the big daddy of Thanet blogging. That title is always open to whoever can be the most interesting and talk about Thanet at the same time.

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Public Comments

Rocky Raccoon wrote:

Simon is a complex character.

ECR and Tony Flaig came up with the money for Simon's Christmas charity flight two Christmases ago I think. Good on all three.

On telling it like it is re the economy and the overdue reality to be faced Simon has been spot on the money (or spot on the devaluing money).

I sent a donation for his charity flight and would do so again if he is going to do it again this year.

Least I could do after writing about "Gippos" anonymously on his blog and then criticising myself anonymously on ECR's blog.

It was a laugh (or at least I thought so).

08/08/2009 02:44:53 PM

Anon-1 wrote:

(1) Name one person who's confused you with ECR? He's far more quick-witted!

(2) Can explain why this blog receives far fewer comments than several other blogs (including Thanet Life) if it's more popular?

(3) Simon's a gentleman, & despite his faults does far more good than bad for the people of Thanet.

(4) Simon has been saying things about you? To my eyes this seems a very one-sided obsession, & Simon is wisely rising above it.

09/08/2009 09:42:35 AM

Matt B wrote:

@Rocky Racoon: complex is correct.

@Anon-1: That's a whole batch of questions I'll answer your last one. Yes he has please check the links posted.

10/08/2009 07:11:14 AM

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