Am I Missing Something?

So, The African-American Blogging Thing argues that there aren't many African-American bloggers and gives some reasons why that might be true. Now, maybe I have missed something here, but how does he know?

I have looked at a lot of blogs in the course of this class and very few ever mention the author's race. Granted, I have seen some of the big guys on TV at the Democratic National Convention and they are all skinny white wonky-looking guys. However, those are maybe 5 of the millions of bloggers out there. How does he know that everyone else out there and everyone writing diaries on Daily Kos isn't African-American?

By its very nature, Internet communication is color, class and gender-blind. It is debatable whether that is good or bad, but it does mean that you can't just decide that, since every blogger you know is white, then all bloggers must be white. Let's see some proof.

Chatting and Downloadable Porn for All!

The Economist article, The Real Digital Divide, argues that what the developing world really needs is mobile phones, not necessarily the Internet. However, there are a lot of things you can't do with a mobile phone - and I don't just mean chat or download porn. It is not practical to use a mobile phone for education, research or sales.

There are real obstacles to closing the digital divide: sporadic electricity availability, cost, etc. There are, however, some people who are working on it. As detailed in the Washington Post article, Bringing the Internet to the Whole World (Lexis-Nexis link) a computer chip company, AMD has developed a Personal Internet Communicator.

The PIC is targeted to people who make $5000-10,000 a year and has an interesting marketing plan.

Rather than a stand-alone item that users customize with separately purchased software and other features, AMD's Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) is a sealed box, sold through Internet providers in much the same way that cell phones are sold by wireless companies.

Roughly the size of a thick, hardcover book, the computer is pre-loaded with the same Microsoft Corp. operating system that powers many handheld organizers. It includes programs for Web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, word processing and spreadsheet calculations.

The PIC is easy to use, rugged and operates with little power and it will retail for approximately $200 plus the monthly Internet service cost. Best of all, this isn't a charitable endeavor subject to the funding and whims of a government agency. This could actually make a profit!

If there is one thing that will overcome any obstacle in this world it is capitalism and the relentless pursuit of profit. If someone can make money on this then I think the developing world will be awash in porn before they know it.

Keep My Cousins Out of Jail!

Democracy rules - even in the world of horror core rap.

My cousins are rappers and are semi-finalists in a contest to get a recording contract. They have made it through several rounds and did a live performance on Monday night in Detroit, which was widely praised.

Even if you don't like rap music or you think they look scary (which, they do), Please vote for my cousins!! My cousins are fabulous kids and they really REALLY deserve this chance!

Go to http://www.undergroundpsychos.com/, choose Updates, then Contestants and vote for the Axe Murder Boyz. You can only vote once from each computer.

Voting ends on Thursday, so please vote now! Keep them off the streets and in the recording studio, where they belong!

I'm From Missouri - Show Me

After reading some of Professor Johnson's book, Congress Online, I started wondering about the email responses of my own members of Congress. Since I vehemently disagree with pretty much everything my evil, Republican Senators do and say, I email them often. However, the only thing I usually notice about their response is that it is A) slow and B) serves to confirm what idiots my senators are.

Last night I sent an email to both of my soulless, conservative Senators, Jim Talent and Kit Bond using my Mom's address. (Mom, if you're reading this - let me know if I get a paper response). Just in case they weren't sure, I let them know my thoughts on the next Supreme Court justice and the upcoming battle.

When I submitted my comment to the Kit Bond site I got a page that said "Thank You! The following information has been e-mailed:" and then showed what I had submitted. The Talent website took me to a blank page that stated "Thank you for contacting Jim Talent" with no way of navigating back to his site. Neither was exactly a warm or fuzzy response to my message.

So now I'll wait. I'll keep you informed of how long it takes to receive the words of wisdom my Senators have to give.

George, That Skirt is Fabulous!

Hell Hath No Fury...

After reading IPDI's interesting report Putting Online Influentials to Work for Your Campaign, I can't help but think that they left something very important out. It is important to ask for volunteers, but it is twice as important to follow up with them once they have signed up.

I'd venture to bet that every member of this class would qualify as an Online Political Citizen and what everyone seems to be complaining about from their strategy project is the lack of follow up when signing up as a volunteer.

Personally, I didn't know anything about Viola Baskerville when I was assigned to her, but I have a poor opinion of her now. I sent a Viola E-Card to myself, signed up to be a volunteer, and signed up to receive her newsletter. The E-Card was never delivered and I received the newsletter or a volunteer assignment. Maybe it's not fair, but this makes me think her campaign was disorganized and poorly run.

While it is important to reach out to online influentials, I would say it is twice as important not to piss them off. Most people tell more people when they are unhappy than when they are happy. The last thing a campaign needs is a bunch of influentials spreading bad things about the campaign.

Keeping Them Honest

When I first started reading about Congressional blogging I thought it was a bad idea. There's no way any member of Congress sits down at their computer everyday to type out their insights on the world's problems. I know how much time that takes and how much of it turns out to be bs. So the question becomes, "Will any of the nation's problems really be helped by hearing more from Congressional speechwriters?" Personally, I say no. They seem overworked enough as it is.

But then I read How Congress Uses Blogs on Congress Online and I have changed my opinion...slightly. Although I still don't feel the need to hear from my Congressperson on a daily basis, I think they should be required to blog every day they are on a trip they didn't pay for.

In light of the recent abuses of free travel, this seems like a great way to keep members honest. I mean, if you log on to a member's blog and it says, "The view from the golf course here is beautiful..." then the trip might bring up some questions.