To Blog Or Not to Blog, That is the Question

Blogs are changing the way we interact with others. Blogs are changing the traditional way newspapers, TV and film is presented. Blogs can expose inaccurate reporting, or omissions made by mainstream media sources, along with communicating events as they are happening. Blogs influence what people buy and what people watch on network and cable TV. Blogs allow people to do their own research and fact finding. A blog can provide commentary on a subject, or it can be personal entries. A blog can include text, images, videos and other links to other websites. Blogs are part of a blogosphere, which is a social network that connects communities and ideas around the world. Blogs allow you, the reader, to leave comments on others blogs and interact with people over the world.

There are many types of blogs and more types of blogs are evolving every day. An example are artblogs which are blogs that use art work instead of text. They can be any type of visual art such as images, music, sketches and drawings. Artblogs are about posting art work as a blog, not a blog talking about art. With the introduction of artblogs, artists from anywhere in the world can publicize their work. Artblogs can help other artists create and evolve with their work and connect to others through art. There are warblogs are blogs about news events covering the war. Iraqi people blogged about the bombings and attacks, and gained a wide audience. Soldiers from both sides posted to blogs perspectives and viewpoints of the war. These blogs became the 'new' news source about the war. Sometimes warblogs continue after the end of a war to discuss political, social and cultural issues of a war where they become political blogs called Poliblogs. Poliblogs are very powerful discussions of major political issues and can even influence presidential elections. MP3blogs, also called Musicblogs or Audioblogs, are blogs where mp3 files of music are available for download. MP3blogs also discuss all types of music, and generally include links to music artists' websites. There are other visual logs, such as Videoblogs where the content is mainly video. Popular Videoblogs are YouTube, which are generally individual videos, and Lonelygirl15, which is a series video. There are also Photoblogs, which are similar to Videoblogs, but are primarily photos. Photoblogs are increasing in number, and becoming more popular to be able to share globally because pictures can speak a universal language.

People blog for many reasons. They can blog to persuade, to influence, or to have a personal voice. Some want to leave a record of being here, to leave history of their lives or an event. Others want to share their creativity, and learn from others creative endeavors. Some people blog to attain or trade something. Blogs can be in the form of advertising a product or to tell a negative story about a product, or perhaps to review a product. People blog to inspire others, or support a particular organization or social cause. For some, blogging is about connecting with people, having social interactions with others. Some bloggers blog to make money. Blogs can be a form of way of criticizing what the media has already written. It can also be a form a giving different opinion of traditional media that may be biased.

Blogs can add new voices, new perspectives and possibly new facts to current events. People no longer need to wait for an editor, or a big media source to publish their stories. Bloggers are people who are not professional journalists and are not constrained by deadlines or editors. Bloggers can sometimes be ahead of the news and journalists can look at the bloggers to get insight or additional information for their stories, using them as sources.

Screenwriters and film makers can promote and advertise their work, and have the opportunity of an international audience to view their works with Video and Photoblogging. Creation of online film festivals, such as Now Film Festival (NFF) connects people through the social networking sites such as MySpace and YouTube. With the technology of cell phones with cameras, digital cameras being able to record short video sequences, and inexpensive video cameras, material for videoblogs is simpler than traditional filming. Inexpensive editing tools allow anyone to quickly create a videoblog to tell a story or share information. Videoblogs are changing the need to view video on the big screen and there is a trend to view short videos even if the content is from an amateur. With the creation of sites such as YouTube, the traditional filmmaking distribution has changed by becoming easier for the amateur to produce films.

Shared meaning and understanding are created, as people share with blogs. Everyone is a journalist and can have opinion and influence. There is no longer the traditional gatekeeper of news and information. Bloggers decide what is and is not important. People are no longer just consumers of news, they now are publishers of news. Information can be published quickly and in real-time with bloggers. Blogs give you a different opinion, a different look. They offer a worldwide audience and different perspectives from different countries People have a need to connect with others, and blogging provides expanded connections that are not limited by geographical or economic constraints.

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Blog the New World, Blog It Right

Blogging is a free service on the World Wide Web. My 62 year old mother has a Blog. Those of you, who think having your own Blog or Weblog, are beyond your capabilities on the computer, you may have a surprise coming.

You don't have to know HTML (code that web pages are written in) to be apart of the fastest growing section of the internet. Blogging is an online journal of your experiences, likes, dislikes and views that can only come from your perspective. The internet is fast becoming one big online commercial and Blogs are a refreshing reminder of the intent of the original builders of the universal web.

Blogs are created by individuals for individuals, who want to communicate with a world outside of their own. There are no specific requirements in creating your own live journal. Some Bloggers simply write an account of what happened in their lives that day or that week, about their jobs, their kids, their vacations or their desires.

Ranging from the shocking to the mundane, Weblogs create a sense of community as like minded surfers link their favorite Blogs back to their own site. If you feel the need to divulge your appreciation of basket weaving, simply search for "blog+basket weaving" and that Blog will probably have links to other weavers just like you.

Blogosphere is a term related to all Weblogs or Blogs as a community. Blogs have grown their own culture and interconnectivity on the web. No subscription is required to share your experiences or enjoy or be repulsed by someone else's life, detailed for your reading pleasure.

30,000 - 40,000 new Weblogs are being created each day; link indexes like Technorati are now tracking over 7.8 million Weblogs. This Blogosphere is doubling in size about once every 5 months. It has already done so four times, in less than 2 years; the Blogosphere has increased in size by over 16 times.

People just like you are taking back the web from the large corporations one personal journal at a time, from California to Ohio to New York and everywhere in between. Blogger.com is an example of the new World Wide Web for the people, as it offers almost unlimited web space for posting pictures, Photoshop creations or artist renderings.

The Bloggers Gateway began as a place to write my stories and has blossomed into something more.

Dennis Sweatt is an authur, webmaster and an artist. His Blog can be seen at http://ca2ohio2florida2ca.blogspot.com/

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Important Issues When Utilizing Web Blogs

The advent of technology brings too much things that human have never imagined. One of these is the internet. The internet brings things closer to humans and makes the world smaller and narrower. The internet paved the way to radical and far-reaching means of communication.

Through the internet, people communicate with no limitations. One way of communicating in the internet is through web blogs. A web blog or web log is a website that displays journals posted in chronological order by individuals or groups and usually has links to other web pages and to video, audio and other links.

There are different web blogs that focuses on a particular area interests. These include the arts, home, computers, recreation, science, sports, business, games, internet, reference, shopping, world, comics, health, news, world regions, society etc.

Blogs are far different from traditional sites and forums or newsgroups. Unlike traditional sites, blogs allow the easy creation of new pages for entering and submitting new data into a simple form. Automated templates take care of adding the article to the home page, creating the new full article page and adding the article to the appropriate date or category- base archive.

Blogs also allow easy filtering of content for various presentations and allows the administrator to invite and add other authors whose permissions and access are easily managed.

Bloggers do not manage the software. The software management is done by server- based systems. These systems allow travelers to blog from anywhere in the world with web interfaces. Those bloggers with common interests share blogrolls, list of links that create a context for a blog, and help each other increase their visibility on the internet.

Visitors can post comment to individual blog entries with the aid of feedback comment system. Those popular blogs have frequent comments, but many bloggers prefer to just pre- screen or block comments.

Users can maintain web- hosted blog even without the need to be online while composing or editing posted blogs through the use of tools. There is software available or programs enabling multiple blogs to be automatically notified where certain topical or other changes can be made to one blog.

Like the other innovations in the technology, blogs and blogging brings advantages and disadvantages. This is a fact that exists in every thing being introduced in the world.

With blogs, the citizens and costumers are potentially better informed. This is good for societies and economies for it makes people knowledgeable on the things that are happening in the world.

Blogs are a positive way of collecting feedback and criticism. It keeps people on point. Through blogs, people can offer commentary; react to certain pieces and many others.

Through blogs, an organization or the society can develop stronger relationships and make loyalty with the people. Blogs let people interact at face value of an organization.

Despite the pros it brings, blogs also have some cons as well. One is that, in blogs, most people are unable to write down their ideas in a clear and convincing way. Since writing is one of the most difficult and time consuming tasks for a human being to undertake and many blogs are not updated, so it damages the reputation of an organization or society rather than enhancing it.

Since everything can be posted in blogs, it can make many organizations look like they are disorganized with multiple tones and opinions. Contrary to what some might think, the average person prefers that the organization or society is at least somewhat purposeful and rational.

Web blogs are really an innovation of technology users cannot ignore because it brings many things to the public. The benefits blogging offers should also be used properly for the good of all concerned and not for worse.

Carmelo Mastroeli is the proud owner of wealthconcepts.blogspot.com which provides valuable information for internet marketing and the latest reviews on the web.

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Why Should You Blog?

It seems like everywhere we turn these days there is someone talking about blogging, blogs, the blogosphere, bloggers, and so on. Have you ever wondered what all the fuss is about?

And if so, have you ever thought about trying your hand at blogging?

Blogging is an internet phenomenon that can be described as a blend of personal diary, op ed commentary, and practical journalism. The word "blog" comes from "web log" which is a reference to the origins of blogging. In the early days, blogs were no more than online journals where people wrote about anything they wanted (what they had for dinner, how their mood was that day, etc.), much like the pen and paper journals that people have kept for centuries. However, with the growing ease of access to and familiarity with the internet, people realized they could now share their feelings with the entire world!

Blogging has since exploded into an inescapable new medium. You`ve probably heard people on TV talk about the huge effect that blogging has on popular culture. Some bloggers pride themselves on exposing everyone`s dirty little secrets (from politicians, to celebrities, and even other bloggers), while others have less caustic agendas and stick to simple commentary and discussion about an infinite array of subjects (from gardening to video games).

Keep in mind, though, blogs don't always have to be frivolous. Some of the best and most accurate information about the Iraq War, for example, comes from people who embed themselves in the Middle East and use their blogs to instantly share their first-hand reports with the world.

Now that we`ve concluded our crash course in the history and definition of blogging, it`s time to get back to the original question.

Why should you blog?

I'm sure you've heard about some bloggers who command audiences that number in the millions, and others who have parlayed their blogs into multi-mullion dollar businesses. You probably want a piece of that luxury, and who wouldn't? All you have to do is start up a free blog, write a few posts, and you`ll be sipping margaritas on a beach in no time. Right?

Well, not so fast.

It`s true that some people have found great success with their blogs, and there`s no reason to say that you won`t too, but the odds aren't really in your favor. Estimates put the number of blogs at about 50 million (and growing every day) and without A LOT of effort and dedication (and a bit of luck) chances are good that your blog will never reach that superstar level of success.

I`m not telling you this to discourage you from starting a blog, I`m just trying to warn you that it`s not a one-way-ticket to the good life. Blogging can be a very fulfilling and exciting adventure whether or not you hit it big.

The most appealing part of blogging is that anyone can do it! The rules of blogging are not set down on unchanging stone tablets. Basic writing skills and a general appreciation for courtesy are recommended, but not required. You can write about anything you want, however you want; that's the entire beauty of blogging.

So now that you`ve determined that you want to start a blog, the next step is to decide why. Let's take a look at a few basic reasons why people blog.

People blog to make money.

It`s true, blogs can be a source of income, and there are a number of ways to make money blogging. Pay-per-click advertising services are a good way to start, or perhaps product review services that will pay a certain amount of money per review. If you`re ambitious enough you could even go so far as to write an e-book or set up an online shop and promote/distribute it on your blog.

People blog to find new career opportunities.

Blogging is a great way to practice your writing skills and host your writing samples (if you aspire to be a professional writer) or to showcase your art and design skills (if you want to be a professional artist or designer). A blog combined with an online photo-sharing website can be a simple and free photography portfolio that is instantly available to any prospective client anywhere in the world. In this age of e-mail and instant gratification there is no better way to connect with an employer than through a blog (just be sure to keep it professional).

People blog to share their passion with the world.

Whether you are a die hard sports fan or a model train fanatic, if you have any sort of passion or hobby you have an instant idea for a blog. You can try to provide the latest news and information about your "niche," or you can aspire to be an expert resource to others who share your interests.

People blog to document their life.

The trusty online diary hasn't gone out of style, and they certainly don`t have to be only for telling the world what you ate for breakfast. People can use blogs as a scrapbook of their children`s lives and instantly share photos and memories with the whole family, or they can blog to keep track of their diet and exercise regimen.

Now you have a good idea about what a blog is and why you should have one. The next step is to get out there and start blogging! Whatever you decide to blog about, just remember that the possibilities are truly endless.

By: Michael Landry

Edited By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:

Michael Landry is a freelance writer with a passion for blogging, video games, and politics (among other things) and wrote this article for [http://www.Indocquent.com], an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to post their products and services for sale on over 20,000 blogs throughout 200 countries around the world.

You can contact Michael Landry at: www.michaeledmondlandry.com.

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Senate rejects slimmed-down Obama jobs bill

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press – 1 hr 51 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Despite a campaign-style push this week by President Barack Obama, the Senate on Thursday scuttled pared-back jobs legislation aimed at helping state and local governments avoid layoffs of teachers and firefighters.
Obama's three-day bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia — states crucial to his re-election race next year — didn't change any minds among Senate Republicans, who filibustered Obama's latest jobs measure to death just as they killed his broader $447 billion jobs plan last week.
The 50-50 vote came in relation to a motion to simply take up the bill and fell well short of the 60 needed to break a filibuster. Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut broke with Obama on the vote. Two Democrats who voted with the president, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, however, said they couldn't support the underlying Obama plan unless it's changed.
Thursday's $35 billion measure combined $30 billion for state and local governments to hire teachers and other school workers with $5 billion to help pay the salaries of police officers, firefighters and other first responders. The White House says the measure would "support" almost 400,000 education jobs for one year. Republicans call that a temporary "sugar high" for the economy.
Obama and his Democratic allies are acting like they've found a winning issue in repeatedly pressing popular ideas such as infrastructure spending and boosting hiring of police officers and firefighters. The sluggish economy and lower tax revenues have caused many teachers' jobs to be cut over the past several years.
"For the second time in two weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a bill that would create jobs and get our economy going again," Obama said in a statement after the vote. "Every American deserves an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what's necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now."
"We cannot afford to be bailing out local governments, and we can't afford stimulus 2.0," countered Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
After the failure of the jobs measure last week, Democrats vowed to try to resurrect it on a piece by piece basis, even though the strategy doesn't seem to have any better chance of success. But Democrats are trying to win a political advantage through repeated votes.
They're also pressing for passage of a poll-tested financing mechanism — a surcharge on income exceeding $1 million.
An AP-GfK poll taken Oct. 13-17 found 62 percent of respondents favoring the surcharge as a way to pay for jobs initiatives. Just 26 percent opposed the idea.
"Protecting millionaires and defeating President Obama are more important to my Republican colleagues than creating jobs and getting our economy back on track," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.
Republicans say the president is more interested in picking political fights with them than seeking compromise. Still, they don't seem to be afraid of a politically weakened Obama. Not a single Republican backed the president in last week's vote
"The fact is we're not going to get this economy going again by growing the government. It's the private sector that's ultimately going to drive this recovery," Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. "Look, if big government were the key to economic growth, then countries like Greece would be booming right now."
At the same time, several Democrats opposed the underlying measure, even though they voted in favor of at least allowing debate to begin.
"This bill fails to give taxpayers any guarantee that this money would actually be used to hire teachers and invest in our schools," Tester said. "States would get loads of money with little guidance that they spend the money on teachers."
According to the AP-GfK poll, Obama's party has lost the faith of the public on handling the economy. In the new poll, only 38 percent said they trust Democrats to do a better job than Republicans in handling the economy, the first time Democrats have fallen below 40 percent in the poll. Some 43 percent trust the Republicans more.
Immediately after the vote on Obama's plan, Democrats turned the tables and filibustered Republican-backed legislation that would prevent the government from withholding 3 percent of payments to government contractors. The legislation failed to get the 60 votes needed to end the filibuster on a 57-43 vote, even though 10 Democrats voted to advance it.
Many Democrats and President Barack Obama support the idea but opposed it Thursday because it would be paid for with $30 billion in cuts from domestic agency spending. Advocates of repealing the withholding requirement say it will help create jobs, especially from contractors on large projects with smaller profit margins.
The withholding law was passed in 2006 by a GOP-controlled Congress. Then, the idea then was to make sure contractors couldn't duck their taxes and was imposed after government investigators found that thousands of federal contractors owed taxes.
The GOP-controlled House is likely to pass the measure next week and Reid promised that the Senate would revisit the issue, though there's likely to be a split between the House and Senate over how to pay for the cost of repealing the withholding rule.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, speaking the day after Obama returned from bus tour, said the president's jobs plan has the advantage of providing an immediate kick to the economy.
"The Republicans don't have proposals that would help the economy grow or help it create jobs now," Carney said. "That's the comparison."
Republicans also want to roll back government regulations that they say choke job growth. They backed free-trade pacts with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that were ratified this month. They also back extending tax breaks for businesses that buy new equipment and favor offering a $4,800 tax credit to companies that hire veterans.
Democrats and the White House, meanwhile, are confident that other elements of Obama's larger jobs bill, including extending cuts in Social Security payroll taxes, will pass. A 2 percentage point payroll tax cut enacted last year expires at the end of the year. Obama has proposed cutting it by an additional percentage point and extending the cut to the first $5 million of a company's payroll.