What about the Rewards?

Yes, there is some narcisstic pleasure in writing and there is also the egotistical vainglory in calling yourself "a writer" or "a webmaster". But the big reward is the monetary reward. Money from ads, sponors, affilate programs, sell of books, sell of merchandise and most inportantly, your check from the Google™ Ad Sense Affilate Program.







Brassai (Gyula Halasz) "Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets From "Paris by Night" 1933 © Mme G. Brassai
Scan courtesy of Masters of Photography

Who Are the Bloggers?

My goodness dear, bloggers are Google, journalists, lawyers, psychologists, writers, poets, the lonely, artists, entrepreneur, web designers, opportunistic fortune hunters, ego glory-hounds, you and me!

Many University Professors and graduate students, use blogs to continue gathering data, to promote their books and as public relations venues. Dr. Michael Bérubé got my attention as "a professor with a pruning knife manifestly a danger to. the Republic...". He was quoting James Moore in a letter from Thomas Jefferson, dated July 18, 1825. He jokes, that he is a "literature and dangerous studies" teacher "at Penn State University"; Professor Le Bérubé "implies" that cultural studies is dangerous. I am not sure if he meant cultural studies is dangerous knowledge or it is a danger to the human species not to study and obtain this knowledge. His only danger, is his colloquial left-winged wit writing. It is an intoxication of silky words so flowing, they can mesmerize even some of the most extreme right-wingers to be hypnotized by the sheer intelligence and brilliance. I encourage you to pay him a visit at Le Blog Bérubé . You should also do a Google search to read one of any number of rants and interviews he is the subject of in the media sparing spotlight.

Rebecca Blood is a pioneer in the blogosphere world. She is a writer who is a true exhibitioness; she personafies all her wonderful personalities into one whole voice. Developing a distinct voice as a writer is difficult enough, but to have a voice that has many intricacies, yet is authentic, well that is the mark of a great writer.

Duane Keiser is a painter from Virginia. On his blog, "A Painting A Day, he presents a work of art every day with a minuim bid of $100. Sheer genuis; the blog as a muse with a whip!

Franco, a Canadian graphic artist who designs logos, is also an entrepreneur who has really got this networking through your blog thing down! He has many blogs and several websites where he maxiumizes the affiliate programs. Visit him at Free Logo Design for Websites and Blogs or Franco's Worls-Drop Shipping, e-Commerence





Brassai (Gyula Halasz) "Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets From "Paris by Night" 1933 © Mme G. Brassai
Scan courtesy of Masters of Photography

Freedom of Expression® & the Rights of Intellectual Property Ownwers.

"What is happening to being creative and being able to utilize our "freedom of expression®?"

The book, Freedom of Expression®, Overzealous Copyright Bozos and Other Enemies of Creativity, by Kembrew McLoud, presents the greed of some, the expounding egos of others wailing the Intellectual Property Law flag and the dimishing valid uses of the "artistic license". Dear Dr. McLeod, what about writing a companion book that explores the personal injustices of "freedom of surveillance" and the horrors of "paying" for your constitultional right to freedom of speech, as "Big Brother" lays nascent intergrades to establish the *"Federal Blogging Commission". Where did you say you could buy a bummper sticker that says, "One Nation under Surveillance"?

Kembrew McLeod is a professor at the University of Iowa in the Department of Communications and is considered to be an expert on Intellectual Property copyright. He is also not without a whimzical sense of humor, as demonstrated by his many media pranks.

If you were to do a Google search for "One Nation Under Surveilance", you would get over 19 million responses. For further reading about "the eye on America", visit these websites:

"One Nation Under Surveilance-Keep our eyes on America, circa 2003, where the Patriot Act has freedom of expression a crime to be investigated", Sacramento News and Review July 03, 2003One Nation Under Surveillance Bumper Sticker FREE SHIPPING

Visit this site for digital library resources world wide and a forum discussion board:
Online Forum on Intellectual Property in the Information Society of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The Brint Institute is so complete with resouce information, it is hard to imagine that you could possible have a question this site could not find an answer for.Intellectual Property Copyrights, Trademarks & Patents: Law and Technology

Breaking News-July 21, 2006 From Electronic Frontier Foundation
Judge's Refusal to Dismiss EFF's Spying Case Sets Stage for Congressional Showdown A federal judge has refused to dismiss the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) case against AT&T for collaborating with the NSA in illegal spying on millions of ordinary Americans, setting the stage for a congressional showdown over proposed dramatic changes in federal surveillance law.





Brassai (Gyula Halasz)"Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets From "Paris by Night"1933 © Mme G. Brassai
Scan courtesy of Masters of Photography.

Blogging Madness: The Answers!

In my last post, I inquired into the reasons why one may blog. The answers are many and as indivisual as as snowflakes. Some are driven by compulsive addiction, some fan the flames of creative desire; there may even be monetary gains. Some are tempted by the very subtle allure of voyerism and exhibition. Dr. John Suler, suggests a similar comparison in what he calls the "the online disinhibition effect". Carl C. Jung once said, "One does not become enlightened by imaging figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." So in the end, the bottom line is, writing in a blog is a cathartic transcendence and it gives one a forum for interrogation to achieve personal enlightenment.

There are numerous blogs that ask the same questions and all kinds of spins on various angles on the answers that are issuing insights into the probing research. I have chosen three examples which I believe to have the most educational, have the most compelling views and offer the greatest level of insight.

I think the University of Purdue has a very interesting presentation. The site is entitled, What About Blogs? a literature review introducing nascent pedo-blogs to the blogging world by Nicole Converse Livengood.

The University of Minnesota has a wonderful and scholarly collection of essays about blogging. Into the Blogosphere* claims to be the first to compile a mass research collection about blogging. One should remember, that a Google search may not present articles from Universities, as forerunners of a search. Also to note, please notice the date of any article written; as from 1999 to 2006, there have been monumental changes in the blogging world and some articles may be out-of-date.

I would also recommend, The Psychology of Cyberspace a blog maintained by Dr. John Suler a Professor at the University of Rider. Dr. Suler not only examines the many facets of "the psychology of blogging", but explores the addiction process as well. Like Alice through the looking glass, "cyberspace is an extension of the mind".


*This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Dr. Suler's online book,
The Psychology of Blogging, is also downloadable for free and is released under a Creative Common License as well.

Brassai (Gyula Halasz) "Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets From "Paris by Night" 1933 © Mme G. Brassai Scan courtsey of Masters of Photography

Blogging Madness!!!

What's up with all this blogger™ madness?

Why is blogging so popular? Do you feel out-of-vogue not to be a blogger™*? Is this writing frenzy, a new creative forum for the muse's new vision? Is "it" the new pop-psychology? Why do you blog?

A google search of the word blog, returns 2.7 billion entries! Can you find another word that returns more? Type in the word sex or god, and the return is a fraction. The word sex returns 700 million entries and the word god, returns 626 million. What does that say about repression and priorities? Could we be so busy blogging, we are not utilizing our energies to the most optimal advantage? Or is blogging more narcisstic than sex, or more cult captivating than religion?

Is blogging the singing of the soul or the ego's rantings from the inkwell or perhaps it is the cry and longing for freedom of expression®. All appease the the artist, console the longings of the soul and give voice to the ego's vainglory.

*Note: The word blogger™ and freedom of expression®, are trademarks and registered trademarks.






Brassai (Gyula Halasz) "Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets From "Paris by Night" 1933 © Mme G. Brassai
Scan courtesy of Masters of Photography