Tramps Like Us, Baby We Were Born to... Blog

Today was a good day. I rolled out of bed and was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't as post St. Pat's hung over as I thought I would be. This was good news because I was about to attend the long-awaited inaugural WisPolitics Blog Summit. While I choose to not feature politics on my blog (because I enjoy polictics in my spare time :) I do frequent many political blogs.... numerous times a day. It's a joy for their site stats, I'm sure.

So I had to look presentable which I did, but my head was just in the dumper and I wasn't my normal spry self... which is fine with me because Blogging is the future of politics. Just watch.

Here is my take on today's agenda:

State of Blogging keynote by Ann Althouse. I was surprised with this choice. While I have never read Ann Althouse's blog, I can't understand how she gets 10k hits per day. She said absolutely nothing of value and in fact, I was paying attention out of politeness. Why would 10k people tune in every day to listen to someone who is about as riveting as a cold grilled cheese sandwich? I figured it would get better. It did.

The Legalities of Blogging by Jennifer L. Peterson, attorney, LaFollette Godfrey & Kahn. Jennifer did a great job. She brought up some legal items that will predictably create a world of new business for attorneys. Just like medical malpractice my prediction is that slander, libel, and defamation suits are the future of the blogosphere. Good discussions and questions/hookins from the audience.

Panel: `Why blog? Defining the phenomenon from a citizen bloggers' perspective'' Owen Robinson of Boots & Sabers and Jay Bullock of folkbum's rambles and rants. These two also did a great job, and while listening to their presentation I could see that voices like Owen and Jay are already a very real influence and force to be reckoned with. There are a lot of intelligent and informed political bloggers just like them in the world and they are all in my demographic. I'm excited that they are a part of the voice of my generation. And, they have the poignant verbal delivery that is required to get your point across and encourage discussion.

Panel: How will history view early blogging? An academic view. (Jessica McBride, journalism instructor, radio talk show host and blogger, UW-Milwaukee; John McAdams, blogger and Marquette professor of political science; and Ken Mayer, UW-Madison political scientist.) Jessica McBride really stole the show in this panel. She did a bang up job and while I have never listened to her show, I think I'll start. I don't think that the question of history's perspective on early blogging was answered. As said during the segment, it's a moving target so it's hard to predict. My take? Well this is my blog after all so I'll tell you. I think it will at some point be viewed as a fad. Blogging will level off at some point just like online chat rooms did. Blogging is NOT for everyone because frankly, not everyone has something relevant or interesting to say in an organized manner. I think we've gotten used to the idea of saying "____ is for everyone". Not true.

Panel: Impact of blogging on election 2006. (Ed Garvey of FightingBob.com, Charlie Sykes of WTMJ-AM, state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Brian Fraley, GOP strategist and blogger). Ahhh Ed Garvey. With all due to respect to everyone I've met today, Ed Garvey is really about as relevant and logical as Fritz Mondale. There are few things in this world that frustrate me more than people who talk in circles and have the mental logic of pickled okra (seems tasty and it is, but full of gooey mush). Ed Garvey does not see the value in Blogging and sees it as somewhat irrelevant. I think it's because it's above and beyond him. At this point, Garvey is hanging on tightly to obsolete political thought, means, and execution. He makes this very clear in the way he speaks, his emotional delivery, and his defensiveness. He is, however, a very good sport about it for which I commend him.

Now. For the highlights of my day. Well, let's start with highlight.

This person sitting next to me made a comment to the panel and identified himself as media and for all intents and purposes, made some statements to discredit blogging as reporting of fact (or that bloggers should be hired as stringers). He said this in response to the points made by panelists and people in the room who have essentially reported on local political issues of direct impact - that the mainstream traditional media - have not. As with anyone who is sensitive and needs both attention and validation... he turned to those around him - meaning me - to get some type of support. He said to me "it's all opinion" and I said "not always". He said it again and I retorted just as strong, "not always."

So because blogging is not "traditional media" blogging is less valuable, relevant, or valid. No sir, it's not their media and their ideas, and it's getting out of control... so therefore it's invalid and must be crushed. We'll see where this guy is in a couple of years. (I hope he's saving his scree because social security isn't going to pay for his retirement and many journalists make about as much as a good poet).

Now. Why do I blog?

Because my mind is rapid fire while my mouth is not. I am unapologetically introverted and full of thought. Bob Dylan said it best: I've got a head full of ideas that are driving me insane. Well, in a good creative way. I won't be cutting off ears anytime soon because I need them. My take on life is unique to me and most people I've encountered have remarked on my perspective on life. I am not sure why this is but one thing is undeniable: I don't speak often but when I do, I generally have a good point that nobody else thinks of. Other times when I force myself to speak I just make a fool of myself. So this is a good place for me in the meantime to make use of it.

And... there are plenty of things in the world to remark about. They all fall along the same lines of the same themes but they all look different. That's not a can't-we-all-just-get-along statement: it's the archetypes of life.

So thanks to Wispolitics.com for making this possible today, I'll see you next year!

Jones