Ta hon! And to think I only started blogging after a) being directed here by a friend and b) asking what Blog meant.
I blame you wholeheartedly!

hee hee

congratulations :) and best of luck for the lappie.

Did you win the laptop then?

What is the difference between setting up a blog "purely for the purposes of entering the competition" and entering the competition with a post completely off the topic of your own blog, just to win laptop?

A good question.

I think it comes down to it being a competition for bloggers, rather than a competition for people who can create a one post blog.

As for 'topic', this blog, along with many others are personal blogs, they reflect the person who is writing them - I could stop writing about ambulance work if I so desired and change to writing about knitting. So I don't think that personal blogs have a 'topic' written in stone - which is what annoys me a little when people moan that I haven't written about ambulance stuff for a day or two, it's my blog and I can write what I like. Never forget that I don't get paid to write this blog.

So an occasional post about something in an effort to win something isn't 'evil', at least not in my eyes.

Thanks for making me think though.

"they reflect the person who is writing them"

I wonder if perhaps this is a reason for setting up a one-post blog for the competition - people concerned that the not-a-competition-entry posts on their blogs would affect the chances of them winning in some way?

For me the competition asked a perfectly valid ethical question, which I will surely come across during my studies/career at some point! I used it as an experience in writing more for an SSM style approach (like an essay piece in medical ethics) as well as a valid excuse to attempt to win a laptop (which would certainly come in useful)

I spoke to the administrators of this competition about this the week I entered (directly after Tom) and apparently starting a blog just for the sole purpose of winning the laptop was NOT against the rules. Part of the aim was to encourage more people to begin blogging- apparently.

The topic I wrote on "Are people born evil?" Fitted in OK with my blog too- as it enabled me to write about when i was bullied as a child, witht he obvious bonus of winning a lap top- Which i did.

The person who was ahead of Merys, and indeed me, in the voting was a complete and utter cheat who has now been banned from entering all future competitions of this. Good job too!

Keep voting for Merys!

Faith :)