This week in the Blogerati Files - Daragh Sankey's d.sankey.ca

Describe your blog in 10 words or less.
Crazy guy in elevator with shopping cart full of nicknacks.

Why did you start your blog?
I had been fascinated with weblogs for a year or so before I started Bloggus Caesari in May of 2001. After a couple of months I felt I was missing part of the experience by posting in the voice of a long-dead dictator, so I started the real blog (July 3 2001).

Has blogging changed you or enhanced a personality trait?
I'm not sure it has, but I think I have developed an online persona that is vastly different from my meatspace self. For example, in real life I'm not such an ass.

Do you have a favourite post from your blog?
Probably the one where I learn the cure for cancer. I'm also proud of my theory of plonkism, although I've failed to live by it.

Who are your fav bloggers?
Adam Hindman
Josh Allen
Dong Resin

They don't all update super-frequently any more, but there's gold in them thar archives.

Best blogger hangout in TO?
I don't really hang out with any other bloggers other than a few I work with, so I may not be the best dude to ask. However, Clinton's would probably be good. It's good for karaoke, music and getting wasted, so what's not to like?

Ever met a stranger who already knew you through your blog? How was that?
What I get is a lot of friends of friends telling me they read my site. Boy do they want to talk. And then when I try to give an opinion of something, they're like "I know."

Lose any friends or muck something up because of a post?
I think I pissed off a couple of acquaintances by ranting about how much I hate cars. (See? I probably pissed off a few of your readers right there.) Any closer friends, though, know that I don't necessarily agree with everything I write. I use the blog to try and flesh out ideas, and then when they're on the page more often than not I look at them and think: "that's garbage. You're an idiot."

What's happening in Toronto right now that the rest of us should be watching?
Hmmm. I'm a big fan of a lot of the Barcelona Pavilion-related bands, and something they all share, which I agree with, is a generalized feeling of optimism about toronto (aka Torontopia). We live in the fourth largest city on the continent, we are the single most multicultural city on the planet, we have amazing art, culture and our society is largely safe, tolerant and pleasant. The mainstream press brings us a lot of guncrime fearmongering and gives people the impression it's all going to shit. Not that we should be complacent in the face of some very real problems, but I think we bloggers should be pointing out what makes this city great - as we're the ones in the trenches enjoying it.

Choose someone, living or dead, to write your biography. Why did you make that choice?
Steven Seagal. I just think it would be funny seeing him try and write a biography. It would wind up all about him and how he's the incarnation dalai llama or whatever the hell.

You wake up and discover you're a flesh eating zombie. Now that you're undead, who are you gonna mange first?
Whoever is closest, basically. A solo zombie can't be picky; they're so slow they better hope that they stumble on someone sleeping or caught in a bear trap. However, if I had zombie pals, we'd get organized and then go on a bloody tour of the sets of all the entertainment news shows: eTalk Daily, ET Canada, Star! Daily. Look out, smiling ditzes and himbos!

And while we're on the topic, allow me to pimp a new site: Ninja and Zombie.

If your blog were a food, what food would it be?
Does garbage count as food? Of course it does, I ate garbage for breakfast this morning.

If you could gather all of the bloggers of the world together into one room and tell them one thing, what would it be?
Shut up about your fucking iPod. Did you know 1% of blog posts are about iPods? I mean, I have one myself, but what is there to say about it? It's nice, I carry it around. Case closed.

Anything else you'd like to add...
Snakes on a plane!