That's no easy feat even for an old navy man such as John McCain. He says bloggers are old enough to fight his damn wars but not enough to speak our mind.

Think Progress notes McCain's attack on the blogosphere:

When I was a young man, I was quite infatuated with self-expression, and rightly so because, if memory conveniently serves, I was so much more eloquent, well-informed, and wiser than anyone else I knew. It seemed I understood the world and the purpose of life so much more profoundly than most people. I believed that to be especially true with many of my elders, people whose only accomplishment, as far as I could tell, was that they had been born before me, and, consequently, had suffered some number of years deprived of my insights…It’s a pity that there wasn’t a blogosphere then. I would have felt very much at home in the medium.

Damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead. I think we've just been broadsided matey.

Very wittily said John, but all you've accomplished is to demonstrate your ignorance of the Blogosphere. If you only knew how old I really am (but don't you dare ask).

So I guess we've all been told. So much for freedom of speech. Maybe we should put an age limit on it. Now there's an idea for you John. There outta be a law.

In 2000, John McCain called Rev. Jerry Falwell an “agent of intolerance.” Yesterday, in a naked attempt to broaden his political base, McCain delivered the commencement speech at Falwell’s Liberty University. McCain’s hypocrisy was noted on many blogs. He returned the favor in his speech at Liberty by attacking the blogosphere.

A commentor also noted:

McCain’s lurch to the right begs the following question: Could it be possible that Republicans are also saddled with shitty consultants?

Psst... here's a dirtly little secret. McCain's a mole. So now you know.

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The innocence of its name belies the true nature of this new virtual organism.

Meaning? PJs is a powerplay by a handful of elitist bloggers to carve out a new media empire for their personal (and financial) gratification.

"Pajamas Media, a new blogging venture designed to bring together top online writers, journalists and commentators under a single umbrella, today unveiled its editorial board as it prepares for its formal debut next month.

The announcement comes as Pajamas Media further realizes its vision of coalescing the internet's brightest minds and most compelling content into a single source that will, in turn, complement and re-define journalism in the 21st century."

So there you have it folks. The brightest stars in the virtual firmament who are going to "re-define journalism in the 21st century".

Can you believe the hype? The kahunas! A bunch of pompous self-serving goofballs if there ever was.

And speaking of balls, here I thought re-defining journalism is what the blogosphere is all about, even without the help of PJs et al. Silly me.

They are touting Glenn Reynolds as one of their greatest acquisitions. I must confess that I am all the more enlightened from his inspired and in depth analysis. Spewing his best Spock impersonations such as "indeed" and "indeed", or one of my personal favorites... "indeed".

Do you think perhaps they might (hopefully) consider (God willing) allowing us insignificant pee-ons add our (albeit smallish) comments to their omnipoobah flatulation? Well try this one on for size:

"Golly gee Instapundit, you sure are great. I was really hoping that if you might possibly consider linking to me some time. Pretty please, and I promise to forever be your grovelling fan... pant, pant, drool."

Or will it be the same old droning monologue we're all accustomed to - the sermon from the mount a la Instapun style.

Hell, if we wanted sermons we can always watch Anderson Cooper 360 report to the CNN situation room. So much for a blogging community folks.

Guys, you've got it all mixed up. If you want a one-sided conversation find a soap box and run for public office. Or better still make an application to CNN.

If you want to write a book then write the stinkin' book. If you want to build an exclusive empire so you can call the shots, give Bill Gates a call. But if you want to blog, join the community.

BUT damn it choose, because they're different. Got it? (Are you listening Glenn)?

Can somebody please explain to me how all this nonsense benefits the blogosphere? Oh yeah right, I forgot - it doesn't.

It sounds more like Al Gore's reinvention of the internet than anything else. So let's be clear boys and girls - it is the technology and all of our collective efforts that has re-defined journalism. Not just a few arrogant twits.

Not since the invention of the printing press has so much been given to the common folk. It is its inclusive, collaborative nature and community spirit that gives blogging its influential power.

HELLO! Are you listening? The blogosphere is not the exclusive playground of an old-boys network trying to elevate itself above the rest of us mere mortals.

That is bass-ackwards thinking, destructive and the last thing we need. Another media empire of self-important opportunists believing in their own press, shovelling verbal poop down our collective throats.

Think about it. Did we take down Dan Rather just to create a job opening for Reynolds? I don't think so. Personally I'd rather have Dan back (no pun intended). And for that matter I hear he's looking for work. Any takers?

It's the same old story. If it becomes popular the politicians have to control it, and the capitalists want to exploit it.

Not that I object to making money from blogging. God knows I could use the extra coin. But it is their elitist business model and its ominous implications that I find offensive.

It's called good old fashioned exploitation. The great American way. Look out Weblogs here we come.

Mark my words. The blogosphere is on the fast track to being hijacked by the control freaks and big business interests.

More restrictive laws and government intervention. Acquisitions and mergers, IPO offerings, get-rich-quick dot-com scam artists, media moguls, ABC, MSNBC, FOX, Pajamas party, whatever.

Sounding all too familiar? PJs is a cash grab. Plain and simple. And for whose benefit? The way it reads right now PJs will benefit only a few elitists, that's who.

Perhaps it got lost in the translation, but until they can find a more inclusive model the blogosphere needs this shite like a hole in the head.

```
UPDATE: An Open Letter to Roger Simon

Source: daily FISK!

As part of the Today Programme Christmas poll about who runs the country they broadcast a short discussion on bloggers, and what kind of power they wield. Judy of adloyda and Tim Ireland of bloggerheads took part in the discussion...

You may remember Gilbert Lee when he was a web designer for Utah.gov. He left us to design for Northrop Grumman and now has his own successful firm PlainSimple Design, LLC at www.plainsimple.org. Gilbert has just volunteered to organize the Salt Lake City Weblogger Meetup. He encourages SLC bloggers to come out and meet others doing the same. The first meeting is Wednesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 1104 East 2100 South (Cafe), Salt Lake City.

This week Jared Bauman sits down with Jake Cain, a long-time blogger with a portfolio of sites, a former Niche Pursuits employee, and an attendee at Google’s recent Creator Summit. In this interview, Jake shares his experience at the event,…

The post Jake Cain Was Inside Google’s “Secret” Meeting with 20 HCU Crushed Bloggers. Here’s What Happened appeared first on Niche Pursuits.

The post How to Personalize Your Blog Like These 10 Top Bloggers appeared first on ProBlogger.

Lots of bloggers seem to do everything right, yet they don’t see much success. They write well-structured posts, they pay attention to SEO, they know the ins and outs of their blogging software … but something’s lacking. That missing “something” can often be personality. It’s the difference between a blog ...more

The post How to Personalize Your Blog Like These 10 Top Bloggers appeared first on ProBlogger.

The post What Can Bloggers Learn from Pickleball? appeared first on ProBlogger.

I may be late to the party but I’ve just discovered Pickleball! And after playing almost daily since my first hit, I have to admit I’m a little bit addicted… Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is not just a pastime with a quirky name—it’s ...more

The post What Can Bloggers Learn from Pickleball? appeared first on ProBlogger.

This past weekend Google sent out a round of manual penalty notices citing “unnatural outbound links” – later confirmed to be targeting sites publishing compensated content and reviews where the blogger is linking out to the brand or site that compensated them. If your site received the notice, you'll find some advice for fixing your…

The post How Bloggers Can Fix a Manual Penalty Caused by Compensated Content & Reviews appeared first on Sugarrae.

Introduction Why Pinterest Deserves Your Attention Now, let’s talk numbers—impressive numbers. With over 450 million active dreamers and doers, Pinterest is not merely thriving; it’s bustling with opportunity. For the astute blogger, these aren’t just stats—they represent a bustling metropolis of potential readers, engaged followers, and eventual customers. Each user is searching, planning, and ready […]

The post Guide to Building a Pinterest Presence for Bloggers appeared first on WPCult.

I started blogging in the late 90s and posted regularly for many years. But then a few years ago I decided it was too much work and moved that daily activity over to Google+. Which obviously wouldn't go anywhere ever. Poop. So now it's gone and I'm restarting my blog. I looked around for some OG bloggers from the 90s and early 2000s. And found..... only Kottke???

Whether a blogger's focus is to communicate with customers or just to have fun, they have begun looking at ways to earn revenue from their blogs. The most popular ways for bloggers to earn some added cash for their pet projects... more in Blogging for Dollars

Tips for creating a blog.
There are no hard and fast rules on how to blog. Having said that, bloggers will likely increase their exposure by following some simple blog guidelines.

1.) Stay on topic.
Opinions are generally accepted but the content of the items in the blog should all relate to a general theme. Unless you have an uncanny knack for wit, humor or cynicism, the majority of your readers will be interested in the content that relates to a specific defined theme or loosely defined area of interest. Most readers won't care that you eat Cheerios for breakfast. They may, however, be interested in the fact that vinegar takes out stains and that toilet paper rolls make great wreaths. Define a topic and stick to it. This will ensure that you create a loyal following of interested readers.

Complete Article - 10 Tips for Bloggers

In the immediate aftermath of the 26 December tsunamis, many bloggers visited the affected areas. Their eyewitness accounts brought the horrors of the devastation to distant audiences and were instrumental in garnering widespread relief support, writes Rasika Dhavse.

Are bloggers just like journalists? The jury is still debating, but clearly bloggers are filling some voids in mainstream journalism, and connecting to net-savvy citizens in an exciting fashion. Blogs are not about to destroy conventional media, but they are making an impact, notes Darryl D'Monte.

Blogging has opened up an entirely new way of how non-technical people interact with the Internet, and now, anyone can publish anything about any topic - without having a website - and anyone can profit without even having a product!

Make-up course organiser Larissa Jones says parents can't ignore the pressure their children feel to wear make-up and it is better to coach them and let them talk about their insecurities.

A blog confuses corrugated metal with containers on a project that could have been interesting for its own sake.

The Tourism Ministry and the IRCTC have enlisted 60 bloggers from 23 countries, including India, as part of a new publicity blitz to write on luxury trains run by the railways and improve their dwindling occupancy rate. The first-of-its-kind venture will allow the bloggers to take a week-long journey on Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey and Golden Chariot in groups of 15 on each of the trains, a tourism ministry statement said today. The first 15 bloggers started their journey today on the Palace on Wheels from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi.

The decision to promote travel on the trains comes after a recent parliamentary panel report pointed out that the occupancy rate during past four years - starting in 2012-13 - had been 29.86 per cent, 32.33 per cent, 41.8 per cent, 41.58 per cent and 36.03 per cent respectively. It had also said that most of the seats on these trains were occupied by passengers who had complimentary tickets. The bloggers, who have been chosen on the basis of their number of followers, will travel to destinations in various states across India on the trains and write about them. "The campaign will generate widespread publicity for the luxury trains as well as the destinations visited, by way of blogs, videos and photos published by the bloggers or Instagramers on their experiences of their journey.

Needless to say this initiative would benefit the railways and the luxury train operators to a large extent", the statement said. The second group will leave Delhi on Maharaja Express on February 10, and the third group is scheduled to leave on Deccan Odyssey on the same day from the Chaatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. The final group will leave on Golden Chariot on February 19 from Bengaluru on a week-long journey.

The Railway Board, the state sovernments of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka and the IRCTC - the tourism arm of the railways - have joined hands to host the bloggers, according to the statement.

This week, Iain 'Huey' Hewitson waged war on Masterchef and My Kitchen rules, who he says lured viewers in with simplicity, before devolving into 'pretentious rubbish.'

This week, Iain 'Huey' Hewitson waged war on Masterchef and My Kitchen rules, who he says lured viewers in with simplicity, before devolving into 'pretentious rubbish.'

First Dates Australia suffered its most cringeworthy double date last week. 

Even though legal publishers, both law firms and traditional media, put a lot of time and effort into publishing, their publishing platforms are often outdated, deficient or broken. Worst of all, the publishers have no idea.

Like many people I use Feedly, a news aggregator, to stay abreast of news, information, developments and commentary. Others use Manzama, Zama, Flipboard or corporate-installed news aggregators. I liberally share what I read directly from Feedly to Twitter, and to a lesser extent Facebook and LinkedIn.

Social sharing like this is how news moves today, lots of people read and share. We call it social media.

Most of the items shared are shared by a select group within particular industries. They are called the influencers.

complete article

Most of us think of Search Engine Optimization as a feat of technical wizardry, and it can be. From using proper keywords to using tools to automate publishing to social media, being tech savvy plays a big role in getting traffic. The mistake is forgetting that readers do not just have favorite blogs; they have their specific interests. Taking your content and commentary beyond your blog can help build authority and drive a lot of traffic your way. Thats where guest blog posts can be an effective tool. In 2014, Googles Matt Cutts declared guest blogging dead because it had become too spammy. So why do it? Because Google rewards quality, and a comprehensive, high-quality guest post that links back to your site is at least equally good for SEO as a great post on your own site.

complete article

Fears about the potential effects of propaganda and fake news remain high, and American officials are determined to keep track of media outlets in a bid to curb these misinformation campaigns. The Department of Homeland Security has put out a call for companies that could create a database tracking over 290,000 media influencers around the world, including online news outlets, bloggers and prominent social network accounts. The system would identify contributor details (such as contact info and their employers), and would allow searching for individuals and outlets through categories like their locations, the focuses of their coverage and their sentiment.

complete article