Or at least, Greg Laden's Blog is no longer on strike. There is a scheduled phone conversation today between an elite subset of bloggers and the management. I have no idea how the phone call will go (or went), but I've been promised a summary eventually.
The bloggers were concerned about delayed paychecks. They were concerned about lousy technical support. They were concerned about a corporate blog being sprung on us, and about the potential of similar things happening in the future, and they were concerned more generally about communications between management and the bloggers, claiming that we had not heard a word from the administrators in weeks. Not one peep.
However, by and large the paychecks arrive, only occasionally a bit late. Seed provided us with a brand new much more dedicated (and very highly qualified) technical support person several days ago, before most of the blogosphere had even heard of Pepsigate. The offending corporate blog was killed hours after it was born in an act of laudable responsiveness by the management. We have been promised better communication, and there has not been a period of over 20 hours or so when I've not received a communication of some kind from the management once I let them know that such a thing would be important to me. I've heard about the technical support in one memo, about paychecks in a different memo, about the Pepsi blog in two memos, and I've got a string of some 36 emails back and forth between various managerial individuals, including the owner, and myself.
There are one or two things that I really need Scienceblogs.com to fix, or I won't be comfortable staying here. They management knows what I want, and they've promised to see that it happens, and other than noting that I'm satisfied with that so far, the details are between them and me.
Today's phone call could have gone well, or it could have goon badly. Knowing what I know about all the parties concerned, if it goes badly, that is not likely a fault of Adam Bly or our editor, Evan, or my colleague PZ Myers, who called the meeting. If it went badly, it may well be due to the circumstances and the need for a couple of more phone calls. In any event, I'm sure that the requirements of my fellow bloggers will ultimately be met. I'm confident of this because, as far as I can tell, they have already been met or clearly addressed.
Onward.
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It sounds promising. I hope the rest goes smoothly.
Nice, management has successfully divided laborers within a field. Traditionally, this division is between skilled and unskilled labor, but I am sure for Seed's purposes a split between "elite bloggers" and not-so elite bloggers will work for them.
It remains to be seen whether the belated treatment can save the patient.
Knowing what you know, if it went badly, it is totally Isis's fault.
No, seriously. I went well.
Isis, I know nothing (yet, have not checked my email) but if it did go badly, I would be absolutely certain that it would not be because of you, nor could it have gone well without your input. You have acted professionally and productively throughout this whole affair and I appreciate that.
History: Actually, no, that is not an accurate statement at all. Management has been pretty OK. But we do have different size monkeys around here, and different kinds (which I quickly add is a reference that mainly people who were at SkepchiCON would get to the exclusion of all others).
Shoot me an email and I will bring you up to speed. I think there is lots of room for you to help.
Seriously guys... am I allowed to drink Pepsi again? Or would this be considered cheating on my favorite bloggers??
555555555
No Pepsi, Coke!
Which reminds me, I'm pretty sure that in South Africa, if you go to a KFC, you can only get Coke. No Pepsi.
I hope it is all worked out in a fair and equitable manner to everyone's satisfaction.