Clog.
Blog.
Flog.
Splog.
Chlog (cheese log — patent pending).
No one gives props to Mr. Merholz anymore for first writing “blog.” I guess it doesn’t matter much anymore. “Blog” has become so ubiquitous that it just doesn’t matter about the who; it’s now all about the what. I am sure the person who came up with “Automatic Teller Machine” is aggrevated each time someone says ATM (or worse ATM Machine). I wonder if Jorn Barger is bugged by “blog.”
I was reading my feeds tonight, while initiating Sagan for the first time to the original Star Wars (she loved the “See to him” part when I pointed it out), and noticed a post by Debbie Weil about the Wal-Mart fake blog (or flog). Her second graph caught my eye:
Definition of flogging
Flogging refers to a new blog-ism: fake blogging – as coined by MediaPost reporter Tom Siebert for his article: Pro-Wal-Mart Travel Blog Screeches to a Halt. Full disclosure: Tom interviewed me and quotes me in the article. Also in his follow-up article (see below).
Two things caught my eye. First is that fake blogging is not new. It’s been around for a couple of years now; pretty much ever since businesses first started to think, “Maybe we could do that blog thing…”
The second was “coined by MediaPost reporter Tom Siebert.” I’ve seen the term flog before: when I wrote it in February of 2005. I doubt I coined the term, but I can’t find a previous example of first-in-use. Though I am open to someone bringing it to my attention.
I definitely give props to Debbie. She has stuck with the blog consulting thing for a couple of years now, speaks at conferences, and writes books. She is a blogging professional. But as such, in making statements it becomes more important as a industry leader to be accurate. I, on the other hand, stepped out of that limelight 10 months ago.
I started to leave a brief comment on Debbie’s post, but then thought what I would have told one of our Business Logs clients: Where do you want the conversation taking place? Your blog or someone else’s?
Plus, this just wouldn’t fit in a comment box.
Just for the record, I also coined the terms, “Acrimonym,” and “Sausages.” Someone please inform Dr. Johnson.