Mumsnet in the Times by Caitlin Moran

[morningpaper]

Mumsnet in the Times

Here's a nice article about Mumsnet - make way for the newbies.

And blimey don't Justine and Carrie have a lot of children?

How do they know about the 73%?
I have 323 posting names, and only two of them are educated to degree standard or above.

there was a big survey a couple of years back, apparently.

Before my time, my educational status would drag the percentage doooown lol

What a good article.

I used to get bashed very regularly

now I watch my mouth

also you know the whole defamation scandal was quite stressful so you are a bit careful after that

I can honestly say I have never received a penny for any of the 40,000 posts I've made over the last 5 years

Gah

Twig is just peeved she didn't get a mention

I do think soapbox should have been acknowledged for instigating the Christmas appeal, if uber-posters have to be singled out.

"Children, literature, death and power-chatting. And, of course, the outer limits of ludicrousnessity,"

I like CM.

(just putting thread back on track)

(am I getting bashed for not getting bashed enough?)

"Uber poster" Greeny I heart you!

yes there lots of ace observations of MN by CM.

I liked the piece. As a long-time lurker and relative newbie poster, it makes me feel proud of all of you - seleb posters or not.

Those may be the recognisable names of some characters, but I can think of many more who make me laugh, whose opinion I value, or who I just feel I might like if I met them in rl.

But I am also happy to be represented in the article by a group of funny, opinionated, strong individuals - CM could not list all of us, and those selected are as good as any for me, and pretty representative of my experiences on here!

OMG - please tell me I have not killed the thread.

That was a very nice post spamm, and sums up how I feel too

And there was me thinking CM had got stuck in a loop of crap tv fillers expanded her meedja career to retro music programmes.

Lovely piece. I wouldn't get too hung up on the posters singled out, its the writers personal opinion surely? And just a small part of the article done to add character, the main point of the article about support and humour came over very well.

see? plenty of insightful newbies about mamazon. yes that was a nice post, spamm. interesting that the things that make me most proud on here (fundraising for our friends when they need it most) is the spirit that we will have to fight to preserve as the place gets bigger. but fight we will...

is this is the actual newspaper or just online?

I think you are all misreading the article!

It says 'Over the years, Mumsnet has built up an identifiable community, with a retinue of tribal elders and a mechanism that can swing into formidable and effective action should any member need help.' and then separately lists out 4 regular posters.

The retinue of tribal elders in unspecified. Without a shadow of a doubt, had CM named them, they would have included the following posters:

Blu
Marina
Batters
Bundle
Prufrock
Custardo
WWW
PPH
Bran
Frogs
Kewcumeber
Mea rs
Twiglet
Roisin
MartianBishop
Dinosaur
Cod (yes, really!)
Anorak
Freckle
Yurt
Tamum
Tiktok
Soupdragon
and many other posters whose names have momentarily escaped me.

These 'elders' may not be the mosts regular or prolific posters, but when the chips are down and you need wise counsel, by God do you hope they turn up and post!

They keep this place the community that it is, not because they like a quick laugh here and there, but because they care about this place, the ethos of it, and the important resource that it provides. They are the continuum, if you like. Bridging the various generations of posters with good solid care and maintenance

So perhaps the elders too would like to take a bow

indeed there are Aitch.

Im a newbie really. im just glad that in a weeks time when we get a board full of "i cam on after seeing the times article about how great you are, but your not. your a nest of vipers cos none of you will send me a cheque just cos im a newbie"

We can tell them to go jog as 2 of the members noted in the article are also relative new comers.

I thought the article was fine in that it was positive and picked up on the humour etc but I didn't think it was especially "good" in the sense of good journalistically / analytically / from pov of any insight. I think if I hadn't been a poster here I would have skimmed through the piece and flicked on. Having said that any positive publicity for MN is A Good Thing.

Re. the celebrity posters, did they provide info for the summaries of themselves? Or did CM read all their posts & come up with them? Just curious because of the styles. I have no real issue with people positing themselves as sleb posters, though I do take Twiglett's "undemocratic" point.

'elder' is just a nice way of saying 'verbose old fart' isn't it?

Yes MB, yhou old fart!

Ah Soapy i read your post and felt a shiver. your so right.

I posted whilst having a really rough time. i came on to check my thread after sitting in teh bath crying, i saw that a couple from yoru list had posted on my thread in support. I was very strangly cheered on.

that one of MN royalty had not only posted on my thread but had offered me some of thei wisdom, i was elated.

Hi, Im Mamazon and i am pathetic

Trouble is, without recognisable posters there would be no community. Mumsnet is no different to any other village, town or school. Some people will always be more known than others, it is just human nature, no?

Am I the only one who has no idea of the 'personality' of posters? I read the posts, and don't really pay much attention to who posted them. I can se who gets on with who, and sometimes who doesn't. Perhaps I need to sit up and pay more attention.