Rain

It's been pouring in Sydney, which is unusual. Sometimes it seemed it would never rain again. What happened to rain soaked summers and winter months when the rain just went on and on and on? Well not lately. Euphoria took over, but before that he couldn't find what he was looking for. Stuck in perpetual traffic, a big city now. And it never rained. St Barnies on Broadway burnt down and finally the heaters were on. Clear skies forever. Well just about.

Things weren't working out exactly.

The house needs organising and I need organising.

From:

http://mlcsmith.blogspot.com/

Sunday, May 28, 2006
Caveat Emptor Lector
I was re-reading an old article on Wired News called Blogs Make the Headlines and am still amazed at what a buffoon one the "experts" in the piece was. Professional media analyst and lecture circuit junkie, Elizabeth Osder had this to say at the end of the article:
"Bloggers are navel-gazers," said Elizabeth Osder, a visiting professor at The University of Southern California's School of Journalism. "And they're about as interesting as friends who make you look at their scrap books." She added, "There's an overfascination here with self-expression, with opinion. This is opinion without expertise, without resources, without reporting."
She said that some years ago. I wonder if she still has the same, er, opinion? Since she wrote those idiotic words we have seen in the professional media:
News media outlets which endlessly ran sensational news stories like the DC sniper hunt, Lacy Peterson's disappearance, and Michael Jackson's trial.
A journalist who printed a story that endangered a CIA operative and those that she had been in contact with.
Journalists who made up articles.
Journalists who used highly questionable and unverified sources to further personal opinions on matters of national security.
News media outlets which avoided asking the hard questions.
On the other hand, I have read blogs that:
Pulled no punches.
Reported on real & serious issues of interest.
Exposed me to other's thoughts, dreams, and opinions that I wouldn't have encountered anywhere else.
Told what civilian life in Iraq was like in direct and personal terms.
Told what soldiering in Iraq was like, both good and bad.
Reported on other blogs and carefully critiqued claims made in them.
Now blog pressure is leveraging change within media organizations.
No, I don't think journalists everywhere are going to throw down their steno pads, shout "hallelujah," and set fire to their bosses. While the media conglomerates may change a little, I believe the public is going to change even more. That's right, we, the people. My opinion is that the babbling of many blogs is forcing us to grow up, well, grow up a little.
With the blurring of professional with non-professional, accepted source and informal source, research and opinion, we will each have to think a bit harder about choosing whom we will listen to. We will get used to the idea this source is good for this opinion, while that source is better at that. In other words, caveat emptor lector; let the buying reader beware.
Unfortunately, in this rosy future of mine, Elizabeth Osder still can't by a clue from a clue factory on free clue day. I mean, get real, naming your personal website "Untitled Document" is so 1995.