I decided to trash my rather-extensive off-the-cuff Cliff’s Notes after the impromptu Just Drinking at Caffrey’s, so I’ll go with some random thoughts that will only moderately-irritate everybody:
- There is a definite difference in purpose between the conservative and liberal ends of the Cheddarsphere. Conservatives tend to view their purpose as simply venting their views, liberals see their purpose as to change the world by any means necessary.
- Sticking with the separate halves for one more moment, both see the majority of the presstitutes as shills for the other side. I have to attribute the liberals’ charges to the fact that the old-guard media is not exactly open to outsiders of any stripe.
- Charlie introduced the “Rule of Five”, saying that most political types tend to read just the 5 blogs that are the most interesting/polished/unique. Perfect answer from Nick; use a feed reader (and for those of you who have blogs, enable your RSS feed). A feed reader, whether it’s Google Reader, SharpReader (which I use), or something else, will search umpteen (somewhere north of 60 for me) blogs for new content and alert you to new content. Certain blogging solutions will even let me pull up comments on a particular thread without going to the site (and indeed, I access my comments RSS feed).
- The line of the day came from Dasha Kelly – “Politics is a painful exercise in idiocy.” Well, I must be a masochist idiot. Seriously, there’s far more to blogging than politics.
- Topic #1 – What effect did bloggers have on 2006/2008? The general consensus was that we had a bit of effect and that it’s growing, but we will likely never have THE effect. I’d have to agree with that.
- Topic #2 – So, what are we doing to the presstitutes? Judging by Tim Cuprisin‘s hairline, worrying them about how to keep rolling with the changes (file under learn-something-new-daily: Colonial-era papers had nothing but ads on Page 1) while earning enough from ads to keep themselves gainfully employed in bloviating.
- Quote of the day, part 2 – Dasha again – “I’m stunned there is another person out there who gives a da…rip about what I say.” Me too (and I wouldn’t have caught myself, which is reason #323 why I will never be invited onto one of these panels).
- Quote of the day, part 3 – Owen – “Jay, you ignorant slut.”
- It’s sad to see that Eugene Kane somehow always manages to go off the tracks.
- The legal climate is starting to improve for bloggers, but many Lawgivers-In-Black like to shut blogs down first and answer questions later.
- Topic #4 – Are “all voices” being heard? Predictable, engineered and much-hyped conclusion – no. Me – Bravo Foxtrot Sierra! If someone feels a voice is missing, it’s the fault of the ones who don’t blog. Before Eugene went off the tracks, he did note that blacks have a LOT to say.
- There was a lot of whining about “Big Eeeeeeevil Corporations” and how they’re going to take over the world. News flash; “they”‘ve already done so, and honestly, “they” always have run the world. Without those “Big Eeeeeevil Corporations”, you’d still be limited to finding the nearest tree stump and bloviating in the town square.
There’s many other takes out there. James Wigderson is trying to gather them all.
