Blogging is 10! A Bristol View...

Blogging is 10! Happy Birthday Blogging! The Guardian reported the anniversary with the first words uttered on the first blog;

"Check this out. Amazing!"

These brief words remind me of another first of communications - the first ever telephone call when Alexander Graham Bell said, "Mr. Watson--come here--I want to see you." Blogging was derided by many, especially in the mainstream media, but people's desire to communicate has pushed it regardless. It is said that one blog appears every 1 second. (Though most don't make it beyond that), the Guardian again;

"But love them or loathe them, bloggers around the world have ensured incredible growth for the medium. Latest figures indicate an estimated 70m blogs in existence, with around 1.5m posts being written every day....'Blogging and other kinds of conversational media are the early tools of a truly read-write web,' said Dan Gillmor, author of citizen journalism bible We The Media. 'They've helped turn media consumers into creators, and creators into collaborators - a shift whose impact we're just beginning to feel, much less understand.'"

I consider blogging to be part of the media democracy revolution that is possible with new media. Sure, bloggers can be wrong, crap and all that. But why should having a say only be for the mainstream media, well-paid columnists and celebrities? Why should us 'ordinary' people not have a say? For freedom of speech to work it has to have a means of expression. Blogging is one of these means.



Bristol is no stranger to the blog and I have compiled a list of the ones I know of; (sorry if I missed you out and you blog....) in alphabetical order...

Anarchist6[zero]6 – Me! Venue described my blog as, “Articulate anarchy-bloke with lots to say about the war on terror, but some nice and occasionally astute, asides about Bristol politics, too.” I blushed.
http://anarchist606.blogspot.com

B52 Blog - Blog of two of the Fairford Protestors. An important case worth floowing.
http://www.b52two.blogspot.com/

Blaise School Parent - Occasional but very good blog about everyday life in Bristol
http://a-blaise-school-parent.blogspot.com/

Blogonian – Currently inactive blog about Bristol elections.
http://theblogonian.blogspot.com/

Bristol Blogger – Interesting and Independently minded political writings.
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/

Bristol Breakcore Scene – Music group blog by Bristol's breakcore musicians, producers and promoters
http://bristolbreakcore.blogspot.com/

Charlile Bloton's Blog – Southville's Green councilor honest blog about local politics.
http://charlie-boltons-southville-blog.blogspot.com/

Gusst Blog – Cool blog by Bristol Musician Dan Gusset
http://blog.gusset.co.uk/blogger.shtml

Ian Bone - Founder of Bristolian and co-founder of Class War, Ian Bone's Blog
http://ianbone.wordpress.com/

Love & Rage - Excellent fellow Political Blogger (was called 'the common man')
http://loveandrage.org.uk/

Nickleberry, Articles and reflections - Good analysis of political events, including local issues.
http://nickleberry-huxtable.blogspot.com/

Stephen Hilton – council guy's blog about eGovernment. Has interesting stuff on it.
http://www.stephenhilton.me.uk/

Stop the Bristol Arms Trader's Blog - Important issue, good blog.
http://stopbristolarmstraders.myblogvoice.com

Solidarity Park - West based political band blogging via MySpace.
http://www.myspace.com/SolidarityPark

Transition Culture - Eco and Permaculture Blog – Not sley Bristol, but lots on South West on the important issue of post-oil communities.
http://transitionculture.org/

Witenagemont – Interesting and honest blog about issues in Palestine by two Bristol teachers.
http://witenagemot.livejournal.com/


A couple of other links...

More about blogging
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

Media Democracy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_democracy

Bristol Indymedia's plans to add blogs to the site
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25653