Theaters were declared in 1930s as the new Church of the Masses - where people sit huddled in the dark listening to people in the light tell them what it is to be human. In 2005 blogs are taking over the theatres in more than confessional ways. Certainly, blogs are a phenomenon. Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks 6,406,667 blogs. Two years ago, it tracked 100,000. About 27% of adults now read blogs, up from 2% in 2003. As G K Chesterton confessed: I never could see anything wrong in sensationalism; and I am sure our society is suffering more from secrecy than from flamboyant revelations. (smile)
Trojka of Blogs I read on a constitutional basis. Daily flute sez: Conspicuously Compassionate Carr
Barista sez: God has punished me, and he's going to punish you, too
John Quiggin As the tension (and impatience) mounts, Member of the Amnesty International, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, is suggesting that the government may seek to stop Mamdouh Habib selling his story, using legislation that prevents people gaining income from the proceeds of crime
The Blog, The Press, The Media: Main & Blog Streets
Editor & Publisher: Senators to Introduce 'Stop Government Propaganda Act'.
In response to continued revelations of government-funded "journalism" -- ranging from the purported video news releases put out by the drug czar's office and the Department of Health and Human Services to the recently uncovered payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher,who flacked administration programs -- Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce a bill, The Stop Government Propaganda Act, in the Senate next week.
I have ventured into the Wingnuttia once again, though just barely, into the Instapundit land where left is full of hate and still stuck in the 1960’s haircuts, whereas the right is all cool and logical and coiffed in the latest fashions. Glenn Reynolds feels very sorry for all us liberals and lefties, so sorry that I can almost see his sage sighs of pity.
• Gillmor - The Circuit Breaker; [You know, like the Germans and Japanese, countries that are also democratic thanks to American military occupation. In those cases, conquest and occupation were undertaken during the great Democratic administration of FDR, who understood that American power was the world's main force for good. Instapundit comparing WWII to Iraq; further snippets - I've been reading the coverage, and watching the pundits. This appears to be the new line of dissent: "Yes, Iraqis voted today in massive numbers. But voting isn't democracy." I agree. But that's also like saying that the best college basketball team didn't win the NCAA championship. It may be true, but they ARE wearing the rings. Wanna see my purple finger?; Here's a story for our time and it's from my neck of the woods. Demonstrators against the Iraqi election were chased off by people who weren't too impressed with their demonstration. The demonstrators were from an Islamic group; the ones who got upset with them were... Iraqis. Tim Blair has an extensive round up of Iraq election ]
• · We're not trying to ghettoize anyone: Blogs are fun. I like them. But they're a flawed and problematic medium. They encourage polarization and extremism rather than debate and understanding. They turn on snark and mockery more often than facts and agile argument. They've not become a space for muckraking so much as hackery, where each side touts their independent credentials each time they deliver another blow to their traditional enemies. Backs Patted, Arms Tired; [The Center for American Progress has just published a new piece by Chris Mooney about the corruption of op-ed pages;]
• · · You know things are messed up when even the mainstream media is pointing out that it is sick of itself. Reporters who cover the White House are accustomed to being spun by administration officials. The modern presidential toolbox includes carefully rationed press conferences, say-nothing spokesmen, dead-of-night releases of unfavorable news, and phony "town hall" meetings composed solely of sycophantic supporters. More recently, government agencies have issued fake-news videos and secretly contracted with two pundits to promote the administration's policies on education and marriage Don't Mind Me. I'm Just Doing My Job ; [Southerly Buster blogs about the Australian's Long Path in U.S. Antiterrorism Maze verbaling Mamdouh Habib ]
• · · · Six months ago, I would have said the main conflict is between journalists and their employers. But the number of publishers and broadcasters who see the need to embrace the Web — especially the Live Web we call the blogosphere — is rapidly increasing. The big questions now are no longer If or Why?, but How? Meanwhile, Us. vs. Them herring might be tasty, as stories go; but it has all the nutritive value of gas. The forces of denial are in retreat
• · · · · The decision by the Justice Department not to appeal a court ruling that blocked a relaxation of media ownership rules hit home inside some of the nation's largest media operations, and reporters covering the story took due notice. Media monoliths ; [Mike McManus, who writes a weekly column syndicated in 30 to 40 newspapers, was paid about $4,000 by the Department of Health and Human Services to train marriage mentors in 2003 and 2004. Since the consulting deals began in January 2003, McManus has touted Bush's marriage initiative in several of his columns, note Jim Drinkard and Mark Memmott. Salon's Eric Boehlert, who broke the story, writes: McManus championed the plan in his columns without disclosing to readers he was being paid to help it succeed. ]
• · · · · · Media Dragon defies G. K. Chesterton: All men thirst to confess their crimes more than tired beasts thirst for water; but they naturally object to confessing them while other people, who have also committed the same crimes, sit by and laugh at them. Shakespeare may or may not have been Catholic, but generally if you hear people confessing to all kinds of sins they tend to be catholics. Did I mention that I was raised Catholic? Do you suppose that's my need for all these blogging confessions? The 2005 Best Catholic Blog Nominations are now open ; Philippines Inspiring Sites ; [First Annual Brass Crescent Awards. Winners and Honorable Mentions ; Warning! The blog you are about to read contains entries of an immature, caffeinated, and likely intoxicated nature. Postings contain truth too obvious or painful for some readers to handle. Not suitable for children, pets, the politically correct, or pregnant women. Equal opportunity offender. All Rights Reserved. All Wrongs Will Be Avenged. Nubbies ]