New blurbs for our Maggie's banner?

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Thursday, January 20. 2011

New blurbs for our Maggie's banner?

I proposed a bit of Latin to make us appear more intelligent than we are. My proposal:

Fortunatus sum! Pila mea de gramine horrido modo in pratum lene recta volvit!

(For the ignorant mouth breathers and gun-and-Bible clingers, it translates roughly Isn't that lucky! My ball just rolled out of the rough and onto the fairway!)

Fact is, BD and I agreed (provisionally) that it might be better simply to show what Maggie's is than to have to say what we are, hence the (provisional) removal of our age-olde blurbe. They told us, in writing class, "Show it, don't say it." Or did they say "Depict it..."?

Posted by The Barrister at 12:51 | Comments (38) | Trackbacks (0)

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Sorry to see the age-olde blurbe retired. I will miss it.

#1 Wayne Kimbell on 2011-01-20 13:23 (Reply)

That's why the title looked so naked! I think some sort of motto would be good.

Maybe we could submit a bunch of them and BD (probably Mrs. BD would be better!) or the submitters, or a vote of the rabble (that would be us) could determine the winner... Just a thought...

#2 mudbug on 2011-01-20 13:33 (Reply)

Put back the old font and blurb. Immediately! It was smart, fun, and made the reader want to dig into the delicious eats you consistently provide. I miss it already.

#2.1 Dana (Link) on 2011-01-20 23:40 (Reply)

Oh, but I love the blurb!

Is some aggrieved population giving you grief about it?

#3 D on 2011-01-20 13:42 (Reply)

Our motto is "et non sapientior", which my non-existent latin edjumakation translates as "and none the wiser"

#4 Mr. Bingley on 2011-01-20 13:45 (Reply)

I like the "recta" part myself, not to mention "horrido" - to my uneducated mind I see horrible rectum, but, like I said, I don't know Latin.

#5 suze on 2011-01-20 13:46 (Reply)

Did the "latus rectum" in high school math class make you giggle, too? :-)

#5.1 mudbug on 2011-01-20 14:05 (Reply)

As a veteran reader of MF I really don't care what happens to the banner.

BUT

Having said that, I think the old blurb was a good teaser to entice new readers to peruse the posts. It helped hook me. You have to get the reader to scroll down before you can let your writing speak for you.

Finally, as an ignorant feeble mind, I would hope you would refrain from a Latin blurb. Too elitist, and I can't remember enough HS Latin to decipher most of those that are out there anyway.

#6 feeblemind on 2011-01-20 14:22 (Reply)

For a dead language,Latin sure stirs up alot of trouble.

#7 RickTn on 2011-01-20 14:22 (Reply)

Tell them what you are. Show them what you are. Tell them what you showed them.

I, for one, miss the "who we are" statements. That said, I come here for the brain food and applaud you all for that.

#8 arcs on 2011-01-20 14:44 (Reply)

I wish you'd reconsider and bring back the old blurb. When I point this site out to new readers, that's one of the things they love about it right away.

#9 beenel on 2011-01-20 15:07 (Reply)

The missing blurb nailed things perfectly... put 'er back!

Iowahawk tried tweaking the pipe guy and it went badly.

#10 Mike in Montreal on 2011-01-20 15:09 (Reply)

What ain't broke you shouldn't be fixing. Put it back.

Warm regards!!!

#11 Mark in NH on 2011-01-20 15:21 (Reply)

Hey, if you guys are going with a Latin motto, I like this one:

Omnia Extares

or

Let It All Hang Out.

#12 Tom Francis on 2011-01-20 15:29 (Reply)

I favor "cave canem."

Though "ixnay" has simplicity too.

#13 rhhardin (Link) on 2011-01-20 15:40 (Reply)

The writers' maxim "Show, Don't Tell" does not apply to titles. A good title piques the reader's interest, and guides readers to the good stuff. It's a tease and a promise, and as such it is not required to deliver on the promise.

Aside from that, "Maggie's Farm" by itself says nothing. Those of us who have hung around for a while know what it means, but for a newcomer, some small bit of enlightment is probably useful.

#14 diane on 2011-01-20 15:48 (Reply)

I like the blurb and it made my dog feel welcome too. It was nonsensical - and yet to the point. Long ive the blurb.

#15 jg on 2011-01-20 15:49 (Reply)

I miss the blurb... As others have mentioned, its an excellent hook/tease/declaration for your site, and I know a number of people I sent over here specifically admired it.

I do hope you reconsider.

#16 Ironmatt on 2011-01-20 16:00 (Reply)

I love a good dog, which Maggie surely is, and have had many who allowed me the privilege of sharing shelter, sustenance, and companionship. Bring back Maggie's banner, please, even if you receive neither a nickel nor a dime. I miss it already.

#17 twolaneflash on 2011-01-20 16:06 (Reply)

I'm done being nice -- put the blurb back already!

#18 D on 2011-01-20 17:41 (Reply)

That's, " ignorant mouth breathers and gun-and- [Latin]Bible clingers" to you, Bub!

:-)

#19 steve in CT on 2011-01-20 19:15 (Reply)

Pretty Please, with ice cream on top!
Put it back.
(better hope that D person isn't putting cross hairs..... oh,wait, thats not this crowd.)

#20 Jerry on 2011-01-20 19:17 (Reply)

Please put back the old font and the blurb.

My grandfather's New Hampshire Yankee blood in my veins is disturbed by change for change's sake.

'Tweren't broke - no need to fix it.

Ayuh.

What would Bert do?

#21 concerned american (Link) on 2011-01-20 19:23 (Reply)

I sussed out something about the horrible event made my hair stand straight up. But it's been a few decades....

#22 KBK on 2011-01-20 19:48 (Reply)

That blurb is a great selling point for someone like me -- and there must be others -- who wandered here from someone else's place, was intrigued by the words, and stayed for the content.

Think it over, please.

#23 Wirraway on 2011-01-20 20:30 (Reply)

Liked it the way it was.

"My attitude toward progress has passed from antagonism to boredom. I have long ceased to argue with people who prefer Thursday to Wednesday because it is Thursday." Chesterton, 1923

#24 pajak (Link) on 2011-01-20 21:44 (Reply)

The new Maggie's Farm, very liberal , the new liberal non confrontational look. PUT BACK THE OLD ONE!!!!! My son e-mailed me and wanted to know if maggies farm moved to Vermont.

#25 Dennis Lukas on 2011-01-20 22:32 (Reply)

OOOkay ... Let's see if I can say this nicely. WE WANT THE BLURB BACK!! Now, please. As soon as you can type it in! It was/is a masterpiece of salesmanship and teasery. In short -- a true grabber. Bring it back!

Maria

#26 Marianne Matthews on 2011-01-20 23:15 (Reply)

Although it's a stolen tagline, I think:

"Tastes great, less filling" would suit Maggie's quite well.

#27 Rick on 2011-01-21 00:35 (Reply)

Along with everyone else... I want the old blurb back. Just the way it was. Home and laughter.

#28 Bramble on 2011-01-21 01:22 (Reply)

I agree with the prevailing sentiment above. I really liked the blurb since it immediately gave me a feeling for the sense and type of humor I might find within the blog. And sometimes when I find myself at odds with various of the posts and opinions, I have returned to the blurb to restore my grin.

#29 Bomber Girl on 2011-01-21 06:34 (Reply)

"than to have to say what we are"

That's complete and utter bullshit, Barrie, because the old blurb DIDN'T say what you are -- unless you want to claim the part about talking dogs and everybody having ADHD is true. While a few of the adjectives might have fit, God Knows this site hasn't been "eclectic" since the 2008 election, and calling this site politically "centrist" is laughable beyond belief.

In other words, if you wanted to take it down because it's a LIE, fine, but telling us it was describing "what you are" is an even bigger lie.

Man, did you two step in it.

#30 Dr. Mercury (Link) on 2011-01-21 06:37 (Reply)

I, too, want the old teaser to return. I'm a long time lurker, and visit Maggie's every day.

#31 MacAnn on 2011-01-21 07:02 (Reply)

Thanks for reinstating the banner & teaser. You give good customer service. :)

#31.1 MacAnn on 2011-01-21 10:13 (Reply)

If you needed a bit of latin to help polish the image you could have translated "WTF" to latin. It would have us lower class feeling more included.

#32 indy jones on 2011-01-21 15:19 (Reply)

Please don't change. It is nice in this day-and-age to have somewhere solid and friendly to go to for information and entertainment. I love the seasonal illustrations, and always read (yes, everyday) the title block. It makes no sense that you want a change...we got change in 2008 and look what it got us.

#33 Dick Craiglow on 2011-01-21 15:45 (Reply)

notwithstanding my earlier comment, I will agree with Dr. M above that the site is not centrist. but hey....who's counting.

#34 Bomber Girl on 2011-01-21 19:21 (Reply)

Veritas vos Vomitus

#35 treefroggy on 2011-01-21 19:33 (Reply)

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Thursday, January 20. 2011

New blurbs for our Maggie's banner?