Comments on: What good are blogs?

By: Demosthenes

Demosthenes — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:00:54 +0000

(Well, at least they get to select the leader.)

(Oh. Wait. Riiiight.)

By: Demosthenes

Demosthenes — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:55:06 +0000

Good piece, Scott. And, yes, blogs really are having a major effect on the American landscape.

But here’s a question. If the main vehicle by which the base makes itself heard is through candidate selection, and the party reserves the right to shut down the process of candidate selection, what does that say about the party?

By: kwittet

kwittet — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:34:30 +0000

http://www.rickmercer.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.gallery&challengeId=101&seasonId=4&1997

way to funny

By: Joseph Krengel

Joseph Krengel — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:55:44 +0000

Unfortunately the utility of blogs is severely curtailed by one problem; a lack of clear external forces which create an environment where integrity and journalistic ethics are encouraged.

By: Scott Tribe

Scott Tribe — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:59:15 +0000

@Chrystal Ocean – Not that I know of.. It was up a second ago

By: Chrystal Ocean

Chrystal Ocean — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:59:03 +0000

@Chrystal Ocean - 'Tis back.

By: Chrystal Ocean

Chrystal Ocean — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:48:12 +0000

Is there a problem with PB? Am getting an error page.

By: Chrystal Ocean

Chrystal Ocean — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:00:19 +0000

Am a fairly new blogger as blogging goes so my perspective may be different due to that.

Challenging the Commonplace has yet to reach its first year anniversary (March 27). However the blog’s stats and comments suggest that Daphne and I have begun to influence the opinions of others on certain issues. We’ve opened some eyes.

With the demise of WISE and living at the bottom of the well, Daphne and I have had little opportunity to be heard. The rise of our reputations through our posting on the blog has meant more to us than words can express.

Another point… While bloggers don’t usually uncover news stories, the fact that they often represent active or activist community members of the citizenry should be important to political parties. Our blog isn’t unique in being monitored by journalists and politicos, including offices of provincial and federal cabinet ministers.

By: Red Tory

Red Tory — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:03:19 +0000

I know it gets asked a lot, but it’s kind of a silly question; kind of like asking “What good is television?” You could easily say that it’s no good at all and in fact may even be detrimental. You most certainly call TV “troubling and aggravating.” But of course it’s a lot more complicated than that, depending on the specific programming, viewing habits and a number of other circumstantial factors involved.

By: Skinny Dipper

Skinny Dipper — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:58:05 +0000

As a blogger, I can share my views about the world with bloggers and internet readers. I belong to a cyber community where I can give and receive information with other people. I won’t state that blogging is better than getting information directly from television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. It’s not better than getting information from politicians who are featured in different media outlets. As a blogger, I can offer my interpretation of different political and social events without it being filtered by the media, politicians, and other socio-economic elites.

I know that my own blog readership is about 30 unique people per day. A few of those might just click my link and click away within five secondds. I do hope that the other 25 people will understand my point-of-view while I get to understand theirs. I also visit other blogs where I do post comments that may be serious or whimsical.

Some bloggers are members of different forums such as Rabble.ca/babble and the Blogging Tories forum where people can exchange thoughts in a semi-collective way. Topics of interest are displayed high on a message board. People can express their opinions and provide tidbits of factual information to share with others.

Canadian bloggers were successful in exposing some of the weaknesses of a few of the federal candidates. In the future, politicians are going to need to find a way to neutralize their faults before some blogger finds them first.

I will be blogging heavily during the BC-STV referendum campaign because I cannot physically campaign in British Columbia. I do hope that if I tell two friends the benefits of STV and the faults of the First-Past-the-Post voting system, two of my blogging friends will tell their two friends and so on. I may make a difference in changing a potential vote from 59.99% support for STV to 60.01% support. As a blogger, I think I make a difference, even if it is a small difference. Campaigning on the streets of BC will make a bigger difference. Unfortunately, I cannot be in BC during the referendum period. Blogging will work for me.