Aphelion

Let me just start by saying that I am not trying to pick a fight here...<br><br><br>I was just poking around in the members section, looking at some of the websites of members. I noticed that some of them are Blogs. I know that Blogs are hugely popular now, so I would like to ask those members who are into that to teach me a thing or two.<br><br>I don't understand why people want blogs. <br><br>Journals and diaries have been around forever, but they weren't shared with other people. One's diary used to be something that you wanted to keep to yourself. I had a journal like that myself, but I have no intention of showing it to anyone, ever.<br><br>Many of these blogs have places to put comments, and people do comment there, so it is clear that bloggers read each other's blogs. Is it a way to talk to your friends and keep them up to date without actually talking to them? Again, no offense meant, but are they meant to be biographical data for when you become famous or something, because the odds are against that happening.<br><br>A place to promote yourself is ok. As writers, self-promotion is a good thing for your future market impact.<br><br>I don't know that any of these things alone is enough to explain why blogs are so popular. <br><br>Is there a reason I should have my own blog??<br><br>Can anyone educate my ignorant hide?<br><br>Nate

For a old guy who's not that old and usually up on technology, I hate to admit it, but I don't have a web page either... <br><br>These reasons sound ok to me. I still don't think I need one, though.<br><br><br>Gee Donald, for an old geezer:D, you're pretty hip/cool/rad/gnarly/sweet/shiny (whatever the heck is the right term these days).<br><br>Nate

Hey, the great Dave Barry (please say you've heard of him) is taking a break from his column after many years, but is continuing with his blog (which contains random thoughts, odd items sent in by his readers, etc.). A blog provides an outlet for the writing itch without deadlines, format requirements (or pay...) etc. -- one can presumably write as much or as little as whim dictates.<br><br>Blogs have also become a de facto free-form alternative 'press', an even less-structured equivalent of the self-published and distributed 'zine' (the paper kind), providing unsanctioned opinions from war zones (literal and figurative), critiquing mainstream press, or just having fun. In a sense, this lettercol is itself a mass freeform free-for-all blog, often discussing Aphelion, but often ranting on whatever topic strikes one or more of Us.<br><br>Robert M.

Hey, the great Dave Barry (please say you've heard of him) is taking a break from his column after many years, but is continuing with his blog (which contains random thoughts, odd items sent in by his readers, etc.).

<br><br>The composer of Dances with Wolves? I didn't know he was so outspoken.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Oh, wait, that was John Barry! ;) Dave Barry was that big R&B/Soul singer with the really deep voice that women find so sexy.<br><br><br><br>Right?<br><br><br><br>Oh, that was Barry White!<br><br><br>Honestly, it's so hard to keep all that old people stuff straight. Next, you'll want me to know who Frank Zappa was and play me some of that bug... er, Beetles muzak. ::)<br><br><br>Nate<br><br><br><br>PS. Personally, I didn't think Harry Anderson made a very good Dave Barry in the tv series, and "Yesterday" is my favorite Beetles song.

Well I have a blog, mostly because I need a medium for writing where I can get a bit of feedback from family and friends without having to ask them for it. Obviously I dont write fiction in my blog (though it would be fun to create an entire blog that is pure fiction and see just who falls for it).<br><br>Basically it comes down to expressing yourself in a place where you can get some sort of repsonse. It's not a bad habit at all.<br><br>Though I have to admit there are very few people my age that actually bother with blogs. But being ADD as can be, writing journal entries to myself just wouldn't hold my attention. At least with a blog I get to hear feedback about my thoughts.

Honestly, it's so hard to keep all that old people stuff straight. Next, you'll want me to know who Frank Zappa was and play me some of that bug... er, Beetles muzak. <br> <br> "Couldn't say where she's comin' from, but I just met a lady named Dina Moe Hum."<br> C'mon eveybody, join in.

Oh, I like that.<br><br>Using new words each day to write a bit of fiction... very clever. And a good way to keep the creativity muscles loose.<br><br>That kind of blogging seems very much worth it.<br><br><br>Now, try using ones from the Weird Word Index.<br>http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdword ... hakespeare used 'floccinaucinihilipilification' (my favorite word). Can you?<br><br>Nate<br><br>P.S. I laughed very hard at the Harry Potter parody. Well done.

Not bad. I liked the sword slipping out of Astus' hand. I did theater all through high school. Something always went wrong, although not as bad as this, and you had to improvise to cover for it.<br><br><br>I took the challenge myself last week while I was on vacation in a cabin in the woods:<br><br>The elder statesman from Mississippi was on another tirade. This time he had set his sights on Garcia's transportation bill, and it irritated the Speaker to no end, which was really the whole point.<br><br>"And why," the man prattled on in his southern-tinted monotone, "should my constituents pay for this poorly contrived piece of folderol? What does any citizen of this great nation outside the extended friends and family of our Great Father in the White House benefit? All this legislation provides for is none other than a new, cheaper way to funnel American intellectual resources, who's education was paid for by our taxpayers, to the excellent job markets of old Mexico. Have not the citizens of our beleaguered nation suffered enough at the hands of our 'conquerors' from the south?"<br><br>The Speaker banged his gavel. "Señor, do you intend to floccinaucinihilipilificate like this for the rest of the day?"<br><br>David Luis Adams-Rosario, a Senator since the New Hispanic Party ousted the traditional power blocks twenty years before, smiled slyly at his younger brother behind the podium. "With respects to this august body and President Garcia, I do."<br><br>The Speaker frowned. "Fine. We'll take a lunch break. If you insist on putting us to sleep, at least we can have full stomachs when you do."<br><br><br>How about that?<br><br>(No bash or slight intended. I just thought it might be neat if the status quo in Congress was set on its ear--from a previously "underprivileged" quarter.)<br><br>Nate

Of course, Certain People have been known to misuse media of all sorts ... Republican Party shills posing as legitimate reporters (in the White House Press Corps at that), 'independent' Vietnam war veterans groups financed by Republican party bagmen, Sony publicity hacks posing as independent film critics, FOX News posing as an 'unbiased' source of information ...<br><br>Every Young Republican (and a lot of old Republicans posing as young Republican) will be blogging, repeating the Big Lies of the current administration. One can only hope that the Dems do likewise (except for the Big Lies part, that is).<br><br>Best unbiased news source: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He mocks both sides when they deserve it (it's not his fault that the current administration deserves it MORE).<br><br>Robert M.