The Macalope is pleased to announce that starting immediately, he’ll be blogging for CNET.
“Well, I know you cant work in fast food all your life
But dont sign that paper tonight,” she said,
But its too late.
This is a great opportunity for this mythical beast to gain a higher profile and, well, start making a little scratch for his troubles. According to the agreement, CNET bloggers retain responsibility for their content so you should not suddenly start seeing a bunch of puff pieces about how awesome companies that just happen to be CNET advertisers are.
Although, by the way, they are really, really awesome.
Yeah, I dont remember what I read,
I dont remember what they said,
I guess it doesnt matter,
I guess it doesnt matter anymore
But, even so, why would you like this? What do you, the Macalope’s lithesome yet virile reader, get out of it?
For starters, the fact that the horny one is now getting paid something reasonably resembling his worth (no offense to the fine folks at Rogue Amoeba who took a chance on a relatively untested mythical creature on their own initiative) means he has an incentive to write more.
Sell out, with me, oh yeah, sell out, with me tonight
Record company’s gonna give me lots of money and
Everythings gonna be all right
Also, there is, you’ll have to admit, a certain poetic irony in the Macalope blogging for the company that owns the company that George Ou blogs for.
What does that mean for this site vis-á-vis the new blog? Well, the Macalope’s not sure yet. He suggests continuing to subscribe to this feed as it may become the Macalope “after dark” as it were — a place to post those posts CNET might think are a little “too blue”.
No more flippin’ burgers puttin on my silly hat you know
I dont want that no more,
I didnt ask when we get paid, I quit my day job anyway,
I guess it doesnt matter, I guess it doesnt matter anymore
One piece of bad news is that CNET does not currently provide full RSS feeds. They provide the first 100 characters which should at least take care of the primary complaint the Macalope heard which was having to click through for short posts. Also, it’s the Macalope’s understanding that they’re not completely wedded to this structure so if you’d rather see full feeds with ads or full feed without ads or full feeds without ads and a free beverage, let them know.
I dont think itll be so bad
I know it wont be so bad
‘Cause the man said thats the way it is
And the man said it dont get better than this, no, no, no
Again, it’s the Macalope’s sincere hope that his good fortune is your good fortune.
Lyrics to “Sell Out” by Reel Big Fish.
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42 Responses:
June 19th, 2007 at 8:04 am
[...] Macalope, a favorite blog of mine (and if you’re an Apple fan, it should be one of yours), has recently accepted an offer to blog for the CNet mothership, which means he’ll actually make some cheddar for his efforts. That’s a good thing. I [...]
June 19th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Any chance you can get them to install Smartypants for typographically-correct punctuation? It’s like icepicks to the eyes. ;)
June 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am
It’s not “icepicks”. It’s like antlers right down the eyes.
Congratulations, Macalope. Let’s hope you give them enough reason to regret not affording the luxury of firing you.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Also, it’s the Macalope’s understanding that they’re not completely wedded to this structure so if you’d rather see full feeds with ads or full feed without ads or full feeds without ads and a free beverage, let them know.
What if I want to see full ads without feeds? ;-)
BTW, congrats!
June 19th, 2007 at 8:29 am
I wonder if Veronica Belmont knows it’s deep into rutting season (she’s a prize 2 pointer herself). I’ll bet she’s out shopping for cammos and a salt lick right now.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Hey, Macalope, why not set up a private detective agency as a part-time job for the evenings, and then use *this* blog to describe your adventures?
June 19th, 2007 at 9:01 am
I notice that you can no longer call yourself “the horny one”–shame that you’ll be more censored now.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Welcome to the joyous ranks of paid bloggers. :) I wish I had known you were looking, I would have offered you a position at TUAW.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:41 am
From one mythical creature to another….
Congrats on hitting the big time, and so quickly.
From one struggling Tech pundit blogger to another…
Why wasn’t it me CNET!!!!! WHY!!!! ;)
June 19th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Congratulations, and kudos’ for making a good decision when the opportunity arose.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Congrats!
Smooth move on the part of Cnet. I mean, me visiting Cnet through a bookmark in my own browser, and that regularly, rather than only on occasions when my favoured bloggers post links there in ridicule?
It took a mythical creature to do this.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:48 am
I hope they pay you in real money, not Microsoft scrip good for a copy of Works ‘97 or something. CNET is so Windows-PC-centric and often has purely retrograde-ridiculous and biased writing; doesn’t that Dvorak person sometimes lurk there? will they force you to reveal your actual genus and species in Latin?
June 19th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Nice one, Macalope!! Rake in the money on your well deserved gig!
Keep your antlers high.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I hope you’ll continue to call bullshit on articles like this http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3513_7-6743612-1.html?tag=cnetfd.mt in your new column!
June 19th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Congratulations. I look forward to the “incentive to write more” bearing fruit.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
I expect you though long and hard about this. but I just can’t feel good about it.
Unfortunately, I only see your reputation being tarnished by association.
“He/It bogs for CNET? Well then you know it must be crap.”
I know that it I see a link to CNET I don’t waste my time clicking. And now instead of being viewed as editorially independent you’ll be seen as the wacko token Mac guy so CNET can claim balanced reporting.
And thus your credibility will take a hit regardless of how good your writing is.
Never the less, best of luck and keep up the good work.
SteveM
June 19th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
That is awesome. I’ll be sticking this site a good-ol’ fashioned bookmark, for those extra articles.
Good luck!
June 19th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Congrats!
They’ll FINALLY have a writer with a clue about the Mac market.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Macalope –congrats on the move. Genius move inveting the fake blogger known as “George Ou”, attacking him, then taking him job. Love it!
June 19th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Yeeesh,
I feel like I got gored in the gut…
I hope your ethics are strong – like bull, or you’ll be a trophy, stuffed and hung in c|net’s foyer.
I’ll be a good sport and give you a 100 yards.
Good Luck roaming the “Dark Forrest” Mr. Macalope!
June 19th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
‘Lope,
I’ll miss this place. This is one of very few truly good places to hang.
I may have to release C|Net from Junk Filter Hell, now. It’ll be worth it.
Keep up the great analysis. Don’t start measuring your work by the accepted standards of the new shop.
Peace.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
+2 for the Reel Big Fish song.
Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0e6LUTjzX0
June 19th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I hope you’ll pay close attention to whom you’re attaching your antlers:
http://2aday.wordpress.com/2007/06/19/zdnet-really-really-really-hates-apple-the-iphone/
June 19th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Second order of business, right after you skewer your fellow CNet’er for being a moron, get them to dump their banal comment system. I don’t want to look up my social security number just so I can write pithy comments.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Congratulations! Very cool.
I’m looking forward to Macalope “after dark.” I think. ;)
June 20th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Congratulations! That’s not selling out–that’s getting paid to do what you love, and what you do well. Just be true to the herd, and all will be well. :) Rock on, ‘Lope.
June 21st, 2007 at 7:36 pm
I know I’m a little late here, but congrats! Selling out is always the way to go, especially if you can retain editorial control.
Just do us one favor: dump a Costco-sized bottle of Visine into Ou’s water cooler.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Congratulations! That’s not selling out–that’s getting paid to do what you love, and what you do well. Just be true to the herd, and all will be well. :) Rock on, ‘Lope.