A blog entry posted on an innocuous topic to distract blog readers from a previously posted blog entry that is causing criticism or dissension. Also used to move previous blog entries down the screen so as to push them off the front page of a blog.
Origin: On 4/25/2008, a post titled "The TSA Puppy Program" was posted on the Transportation Security Administration's blog (blog.tsa.gov). Conjecture in the comments section was that the post, which contained pictures of cute puppies, was intended to distract readers from the vociferous discussions on previous posts regarding such topics as "Safety and Privacy Concerns Regarding the Millimeter Wave Whole Body Imager" (posted 4/24/2008) and "Catch a Wave and Avoid a Pat Down" (posted 4/17/2008). Since that time, posts on the TSA blog which seem to be intended to distract readers from previous contentious dicussions have been called "puppy posts."
Origin: On 4/25/2008, a post titled "The TSA Puppy Program" was posted on the Transportation Security Administration's blog (blog.tsa.gov). Conjecture in the comments section was that the post, which contained pictures of cute puppies, was intended to distract readers from the vociferous discussions on previous posts regarding such topics as "Safety and Privacy Concerns Regarding the Millimeter Wave Whole Body Imager" (posted 4/24/2008) and "Catch a Wave and Avoid a Pat Down" (posted 4/17/2008). Since that time, posts on the TSA blog which seem to be intended to distract readers from previous contentious dicussions have been called "puppy posts."
The blog staff has posted another puppy post today, this time about chewing gum on airplanes. It's pushed the Constitutional discussion to the next page.
by ladytraveler March 23, 2011