I received word from Lloyd Alter yesterday that DotDash-Meredith, Treehugger’s corporate head, had decided to “go in a different direction” and has laid off all of the staff and writers.
I should have saved the Tweet from Lloyd because now his Tweets to me are gone, and with it, his announcement. He had commented on the Treehugger Featured Image above.
So, while the site is still up for now, that last tweet was in response to my Tweet reply to his news that I had appreciated him allowing me to comment on Treehugger even as I contradicted quite a bit of what he wrote (“Eat the Rich!”) and what the commenters would say. And yes, I carried the GraniteGrok gestalt and ethos to “the infidels” (heh!) that sometimes wereDTsworldviews rather unliked. But he made sure that my voice was heard and for that, I am thankful as they could have just bounced me forever (I had been banned twice but allowed me back in).
So, I offered him two lifelines. The first was personal:
Now I'll throw a loop at you – would you like to write Op-Ed at GraniteGrok? It might be a worldview role reversal but consider it to be an honest offer.
I know that if I don't write for a while, I get the blogging D.T.'s. I'm thinking you might as well. https://t.co/2YFYQxjuRU
— GraniteGrok (@GraniteGrok) January 28, 2023
He also announced his “last post” as “Mazda’s Electric Car Gets a Rotary Range Extender: Pairing a little Wankel with a little battery in a little hatchback makes a lot of sense,” and of COURSE, I had more to say to Lloyd, AND to the commenters there:
Lloyd Alter
weird that my last post on Treehugger is such a lame one but thanks for all your contributions and for keeping me honest. Much appreciated.GraniteGrok
I, too, am saddened that DotDash-Meredith is closing down Treehugger. I looked at your corporate site and they don’t even have the courage to announce this in their News section.I have, as the Founder/CEO of GraniteGrok, put in a press inquiry as to the state of this news.
And then let the commenters know what I had told Lloyd on Twitter yesterday:
Yesterday, I offered Lloyd to host a replacement site for him and the others (Treehugger II?) if they so choose.
That should make some heads here explode…heh!
And kinda goaded Lloyd to accept:
So here we go – will Lloyd et al embrace Capitalism and create their own company? Do they believe in themselves strong enough to take the risk? Will they have the stick-to-itiveness to bootstrap such an effort?
Conservative commenter Bob Baal pitched in (emphasis mine):
“weird that my last post on Treehugger” I have to say I am not very happy about that but of course things have to change – I wish you the best with your future writing and hope to see you around.
Hi if you don’t work for TH anymore you can jump the fence and join us commentators, I am sure VB and GG would welcome you with open arms.
Then you can really say what you think!
An aside to Bob and a reiteration to Lloyd of a different offer:
Yep! For as much as I was the “Loyal Opposition” for years, I will miss this site…
…unless Lloyd decides to take me up on my offers.
Still waiting, however, on my offer to come talk with your students in class (heh!).
Note: I’ve now asked 3 times to yak with Lloyd’s students but with no reply as of yet. It might be that he wants to protect his young students from this wizened Conservatarian with a worldview they may not have yet experienced (do I dare say “Woke” about these college students?)
And in response to Bob’s exclamation that Lloyd could now “join” in with me and Vindaloo Bugaboo (aka, VB).
Free speech, baby! Something that a number of commenters here did not like at all.
In addition to hosting a site, I offered Lloyd the ability to do some Op-Eds at GraniteGrok.com. I do hope he takes me up on it but it will be a severe role reversal with respect to commenters.
People there will think that I have lost my ever-loving mind – but that’s OK, there will be LOTS of comments flying, so “low carbon steel” yourself, Lloyd!
It remains to be seen if Lloyd will take me up on anything. That said…
I still have a bunch of Treehugger posts saved from which I want to post some comments, but unless Lloyd takes me up on my offer when they’re done, they’re done. So I’ll take suggestions if anyone knows of a similar site at which I can “poke the bear.”
