HARK, THE BLOG HERALD ANGELS SING

Give them the benefit of the doubt: they mean well. We NOLA Bloggers just need to remind them of what we are doing here.

I do not welcome them. I do not know why we care. Our own blogosphere is becoming local and is focused on real civic issues. We've been so productive lately. The Rising Tide Conference is getting a lot of attention all over the City and the Gulf.

I'm enjoying the work that I'm doing, helping people start a syndicated web site, maybe it turns into a blog, or maybe it's simply a newsletter, but it's a way to share information across the boundaries we've assembled.

What gauls us, perhaps, is that these people have doting readers, but look at the paltry sum they've raised, and wouldn't it have been better spent on one of our civic organizations, like the Kid Camera Project? Are we getting any traffic from commenting there?

If you want attention, you need to spend it. I'm going to keep focused on my friends in Ann Arbor, who are starting to help me out with technical details. I'm sure they will help New Orleans, and draw attention to us. Why? Because, I'm going to start paying attention to Ann Arbor again. I'm sorry I neglected my ties there. Recently, Ann Arbor folks have been, once again, giving my effort attention, and giving me input and some time as well.

We need to reach out the communities that are relevant. Add some other civic bloggers to your feed reader. Pay attention to zoning issues in Pittsburgh. Leave comments at the blog of the folks who provide you your blog software.

That's my advice. Don't let this get under your skin, not you Adrastos, all of us. Let it be a chance to think of all the nice bloggers who you've not paid enough attention to lately.

Ignore these people, please. Let's not spend our bile on these self-important eletists.

Myself, I'm going to get back into my project of building a link roll with a puff piece for each of us, and a puff piece for people who have consistantly acted as friends. I'm going to start to blog about issues related to civics, preparedness, and link out to other cities, so that they might link back to us.

Love this blog, Adrastos. I did need to read your rant. And Ray's.

No. I do not welcome them or their insult or the inability to Google Search and they have no interest in speaking iwth us. They insult us with the photos they choose of our distruction a year ago. It is a whorish specticle. There are real people that care about New Orleans, we need to reach out to them.

On reflection I concur with Alan.

I hate for this to be my first comment on a blog that I enjoy so much but I thought this link to a post:http://chartreuse.wordpress.com/2006/08/06/the- women-of-wordcamp-2006-or-the-author-of-this-blog-went-to-wordcamp-and-all- he-bought-back-were-pictures-of-chicks/ at Prince Chartruese's site might give insight to the personalities that are coming forth into NOLA with the Blog Herald b.s. No sir, I don't like it...

Carrie

Where do I start? Oh yes, from the beginning:

GG: You're probably the nicest NOLA blogger so I knew that you'd be the most charitable. The problem I have with this enterprise is the "we'll save them on the fly" atttiude. It's a semi-free country so, of course they can come but if they can't take a punch without whining they should skip it. This is a tough town right now.

Alan: Great comment. I'm planning to spend very little time on these pompous posers.

Carrie: Greetings. Thanks for the link. I really enjoy your blog too. You're one of the many I need to link to.

You should see the comments I left on Blog Herald's post before Ray's post about this. I told them not to patronize us, but that we don't mind the attention. Matt from BH emailed me back with this, "Good challenge to us in your comments on our post about New Orleans. Give me a list of folks to profile and I'll contact them -- who have the most interesting stories to tell?"

My email back to Matt, "I'm not posing a challenge, but pointing out a reality. Citizen journalism has been alive and well in New Orleans since Katrina. We've been doing it for a year. Blogging isn't a novel concept in New Orleans. Take a look at our blogs."

No response.

Oh, and were we channeling one another again with the "Hark the herald angels sing" motif?

Maitri: I read your post with the angel thingee but that part slipped my mind so, yes, I do believe channeling was going on. I'd rather chana than channel though. <groan>

Ba dum bump.

Hi, I'm the guy who raise the money to send people to new orleans. I am a native and have not lived in the city for years.

You guys are making a lot of wong assumptions.

I recieved an email from a friend who works for the ACLU. The email talked about some of the civil rights violations going on in the city. I posted it on my blog.

Some of the allegations were a bit outrageous.

I wanted to find out the truth of what was happening. So I decided to spend $1000.00 of my own money to send some folks down there to check it out. Other people decided to donate to the cause.

That's it.

No one is trying to save anybody.

I write about new media on my blog so I thought it would be cool if I sent people down there instead of just ignoring civil rights violations which bothered me.

Like someone said, this is a semi-free country. I don't always trust the media. The NO blogs I read sometimes have an echo chamber effect and are not talking about what bothers me.

And that's what you are missing about this whole thing.

It's not about you.

It's about me trying to find out the truth in my own way.

(Kinda like what you do with your blogs)

I think if you look at it like that you'll see it as a pretty cool thing and something to get behind. Individuals seeking the truth without filters.

If you're so well versed in what's going on here, what specifc civil rights violations are you talking about? I'm sure that someone local has covered it already.

The problem we have with your project is not your coming here BUT the messianic tone of the announcement.

If I was well versed in what was happening I wouldn't be sending people.

http://chartreuse.wordpress.com/2006/07/27/people-have-no-idea-how-out-of-c ontrol-things-are-down-here/

That's a link to the post that started all of this.

I'm just a guy who wants to verify what I heard about.

I wanted first hand knowledge from people I trust.

So that's what I'm doing. What's offensive about that?

I don't think the messianic tone came from my site. People just got excited because it's a way of people to do something. People do a lot of talking but few ctually go out and find out the truth on their own.

That's what I'm (AND THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO DONATE) are trying to do.

It's like I'm taking my blog on the road.

This is my last comment about this. Maybe you should stop commenting and expecting people to salute you and just do it.

No need to be rude. I never asked anyone to promote it or anything. If you read my site you would know that I write about what's going on in New Orleans all the time despite it not the topic of my blog and this was just a natural extension.

Sorry if you would rather bash the idea than have an open conversation with the guy who put it together.

If you really want to know what's going on "down there" all you have to do is read the many excellent local blogs. Sending outsiders to find out "whats going on" is futile when they have no local contacts. About the only thing they can do is post "real time" photos of the destruction we still endure here. If they are really interested in getting the truth, they should make an effort to contact the natives who are working their asses off everyday to bring the city back. Having said that, IF they truly are coming to help - welcome.

Peter, Thanx for the nice words. In the words of Daffy Duck, "He don't know me very well, do he?".

On first reading on this topic, I felt that this could be a good thing, but the second reading of this made me a little angry. That's when the devious part of my brain started functioning: how to turn this into New Orleans' favor.

I'm still thinking on that one, and will Blog it tonight or on the morrow.

If I hear "they mean well" or "well-intentioned" again, I am going to vomit. They say the same about Mr. Bingler.

I hope you have a barf bag, nolawoman. I try to keep my corner of the internets tidy...

I started a post about Chartreuse this morning. I have to waste a moment on it, because it irks the hell out of me that for a year we haven't heard squat from whoever this person is. I've written about the CCC bridge incident extensively. The race issue is not as clearcut as Mr. C might like to think. A local's perspective *is critical*. We might be an echo chamber, but why not just ask us some questions. It's kind of an insult to say that no citizen journalism has been happening down here, and then march on down here like the recently converted who've just discovered what that means. We're living it day after day. I'm suspicious, understandably, but citizen "journalism" being what it is, I welcome anyone who wants to come down here to try to figure it out. Let's just see what they come up with. I'm not impressed so far, given the fact that these people haven't contributed at all to the existing community of people who don't just advocate citizen journalism, but who do it, right here, every day. More tomorrow.

I thought it was rather plucky. Adrastos put it well with "messianic tone of their announcement," and Alan makes a great point about their "inability to Google search". I thought the whole thing just sounded kind of arrogant, but maybe he's just excited, and young.

I swore that I wouldn't say anything more but I can't resist commenting on the pictures they posted. They seem to fancy themselves as a cross between the Fantastic Four and The X-Men. I'm usre that I just offended someone. A sense of humor is a good thing to have and the self proclaimed Team NOLA seems not to have one.

As to the CCC incident; lots of us have dealt with that subject. I know professional law men who think that the Gretna cops screwed up. They'll never admit it because of our litigious society. The reality is that they'll lose any suits filed because they didn't have jurisdiction to do what they did on the bridge.

Would it really be better if I didn't give a f^ck and just ignored what I heard was going on?

Let me be real.

The arrogance isn't coming from from me.

I'm just a guy trying to find out some information my way.

The arrogance is coming from the people who think that if I "haven't read their blog" or "didn't do a google search" then I don't have the right to send people to check out what interests me.

I'm in the new media business. I'm not in the 'save new orleans' business or the 'let me be sure I don't offend anyone' business.

As the tools get cheaper and easier you will see more and more people going to places of interest and verifying or getting their own perspective on the stories that interest them.

And that's a good thing.

There is nothing wrong with being interested in something and checking it out.

And blogging about it.

And telling the people who read your blog about it.

The fact that you are bothered about it says a lot more about you than it does about about me.

What it says about me is that I am willing to spend my own money to check on the things I care about about.

What your bashing on the idea says about you is something I'll let you think about.

What I get is that you are upset that folks didn't go to you for the information.

No one from New Orleans sent me an email to say that the email I posted was a lie. No one sent me an email to say that they would check out the rumours for me.

And I didn't expect anyone to.

So that's why I decided just to find out myself.

And if you think something is wrong with that then you really have a problem.

Carpetbloggers? I think we have a new meme man!

So Chrtreuse, I don't have a problem with you bro. But i do have a question...if I bought a plane ticket, flew to Beruit for a week and started blogging about how I perceived the situation...is my opinion validated because I made the effort?

I don't have a problem with what your doing, and there probably is a little piss and vinegar involved. But I guess to me, blogging isn't about sending "blogespondents" (i think we have two new memes) into a war zone and "telling the ground truth". I think this online N.O. community has done quite an amazing job at documenting and reporting the "ground truth" and to some extent your statements are insulting to those who have actually live on that ground and in that truth.

I'm just curious what you think you can add to the dialogue....do tell sir.

We're Hollywood South now. Maybe they're secretly hoping to get discovered.

Dambala, I'm sure that the local bloggers are doing an amazing job. I have never questioned that.

If CNN was sending people down to look into a rumour would anyone here be upset? Would their even be a conversation about it?

It was never my intention to offend anyone. And I appologize if I have.

To answer your Beruit question, I think your opinion is validated to those who trust your opinion already.

Some of the most compelling media (IMHO) is media created by those who are there. Those who have no agenda, either financially or otherwise, and just want to tell the story.

That's what makes the blogs about N.O. interesting.

What can I add to the discussion? I don't know. That's not part of my agenda. Like I posted earlier, this is just one guy trying to answer some personal questions publicly.

If you're going to get mad about anything, get mad about the fact that the accompanying photo is of the worst tourist bar in the quarter. Actually, I was surprised that a google search for either N.O. or La. blogs isn't much better now than it was in Oct.--when the first La. blog I found that wasn't either apolitical or conservative was Blageuer. But with a couple of clicks, the blog heralds could have found many N.O. bloggers. Hell people even find me and the last time I posted a comment on a non-local blog, it was a <a href="http://www.appletreeblog.com/?p=739">small one</a>. Still, I don't see why everybody is so upset, I never heard of blog herald before today and seemed like most of the comments were from N.O. bloggers.

So there's some ego on display, there's ego involved in all blogging. It was gauche not to contact any locals, at least they seem to be fairly young. I see the same attitude from bigger bloggers who should know better, the first Katrina bloggers I saw Atrios tout were some self-promoter out of Boston and some well-funded group out of North Carolina. Neither answers emails or even responds to comments from local, but I don't want to start purging my blogroll. When I emailed some of the bigger bloggers that have touted the latest visiting blogger to mention that there were already a bunch here and to ask for help exposing the vast exaggeration involved in the Reconstruction spending figures (I guess it was months ago), I've gotten no response. I understand the indignation, I just think that it's a little out of proportion.

Word. Do a good job.

Just as well the html didn't work, it was gauche of me to plug my plugging other local bloggers. The point was, even little read bloggers can find each other and exchange emails easily.

Chartreuse, come on down. I welcome you, sincerely. If you need a place to flop for a couple of days, let me know. Here's what I want to say, then I'll shut up and will most likely turn to my post for tomorrow. What you risk by getting on your high horse and flaunting your truth-telling mission is looking like Geraldo Rivera grooming himself for the cameras before he stages a rescue and weeps in front of the cameras. Just as Geraldo thinks the universe revolves around his ego, when you go out and sanctimoniously profess to be the only one "extracting the truth," without acknowledging what now number over 100 Katrina bloggers, you open yourself up to ridicule.

Nuff said.

Succinct as usual, Schroeder. Also to Dambala -- your analogy of going to Beruit is dead on.

Sometimes the big story is the little story. The devil is in the details and the details are all that counts these days

I have a question for Chartreuse whose real first name is Prince: what band will you be bringing along? The Revolution or New Power Generation? I hope that it's the former: I've always had a thing for Wendy and Lisa...

This just in................... Bush cranks up global warming thermostat to piss off decadence celebrants during Katrina anniversary week...........dateline : Bagdad on the Bayou.......

Here is what I have to say to the Visiting Bloggers. If you can figure out what the real problems are here in the City. Then please come. The Bloggers in New Orleans are out there working fueled by a passion for the City and recognizing that the real issues of Civil Rights violations are a lot less interesting than you would believe, but 10x scarier than you can imagine. What does it mean to Shrink the Footprint? Who is doing the Shrinking, and how? Ask that question, and if you get an answer you win the Carpet Blogger award

hey man....I got my hooks in Carpetblogger...that's funny stuff.

People! For the love of God! We are all in the same damn boat!

The search for truth ought not be such a burden. To the folks in NO - good jeezus - why can't you embrace these folks as reinforcements? They are not the enemy! We are all on the same damn side here!

Or - do you really want to prove to the world how fractured this country really is? Adrastos calls it a semi-free country - why the hell do you call it that? Because this is a perfect example of what the pols and business leaders have been taking advantage of, that's why...

Put your heads together. Use your full compliment of intelligence, together. Put all your resources together. Adrastos, if you take a look at it from where we are, you haven't made much of an impact. Double your "troops" and the chance of making an impact on the wrongs will only increase!

Team up! Please! Or - drive your hopes even further into the dirt...

Actually, the NOLA bloggers have made an impact locally. We have impacted news coverage: the blogosphere helped get the town talking about C Ray's obscene Katrina Kommemoration. And that's just one example.

NOLA bloggers *also* affected several of the races in the late election; especially in Council District.

What has surprised me about this whole dust up most is that all I did was make fun of Team NOLA's pompous announcement. Others have taken more umbrage but, me, I think that they're lightweights. Their blogs are mostly blogs about blogging.

And with all due respect we are NOT in the same boat. We live here and have to deal with the post-K mess every day. All outsiders can do is to sympathize. Have you ever been barred from your home for 5 weeks? Have you ever emptied rotten food out of you refrigerator? Have you ever removed a tree limb from your house. I've done all of those things and I'm one of the lucky ones.

Finally, this is my last comment on this matter for the moment. Chartreuse and his krewe bore me...

Actually, Mark, my original post was a call for them to work with us, as were some of the other NOLA blogger comments. I've since emailed Chartreuse and Matt from BlogHerald, trying to explain the passionate responses and offering our help and cooperation in their venture. Matt never bothered to respond, and Chartreuse's response was somewhat dismissive. I've read where they're saying they want to reach out to the NOLA bloggers, but today is travel day and so far nobody I know has heard anything from them.

I'll be curious to see what they come up with but at this point I too am just kind of skeptical and bored with the whole thing. We've got too much real work to do down here to get caught up in somebody else's ego trip.

The cynic in me wants to encourage the Quarter denizens to keep an eye out for them on Bourbon Street. Myself, my weekend is too full with house gutting on Saturday and taking some visiting Austin bloggers on a disaster tour on Sunday. Funny, the Austin bloggers just want to quietly come into town and see the thing; they didn't send out press releases or raise money or post publicity shots. They're just showing up.

Hi all. I met Chartreuse yesterday in L.A. and will be helping Know More Media report on the progress of his volunteers at <a href="http://www.neworleanstruth.com">NewOrleansTruth.com</a>. I think you should offer whatever help you can. His purpose, as I understand it, is simply to send some people there, have them talk to people in the area, and see what happens. You have a great opportunity here to assist him in his investigative efforts as well as in whatever may come of them.

Sorry you thought my response was dismissive. It wasn't meant to be. I live in Tampa but am currently on business in Santa Monica. This dust-up is only one of my headaches. :)

I spent yesterday with the head of Know More Media. They donated to my trip and are one of the largest business blogs networks on the planet.

We thought it would be a cool idea to let different NOLA and Gulf Coast bloggers to pick their best posts and post them on the blog we set up.

I think it'll be a way to expose quality NOLA bloggers to a new audience.

I personally think it's a great idea but we all know that my thinking has been different than New Orleaneans on this. :)

If anyone is interested just email myself or dan@knowmoremedia.com

The same boat we are all in is this; We have a government that wasn't capable of caring whether it was NO, Savannah, Charleston, Long Island, Atlantic City, Wilmington or whatever, and still can't get its act together. We could very well be you. We understand, or, at least some of us understand, that you are suffering. But to think, really, to think that you are alone is, unfortunately, self-centered. You still put your pants on one leg at a time, don't you? The reality is we are still equal, despite what anyone wants to believe or spew. It could have just as easily been here, not there.

Yes, I have emptied rotten food out of my refrigerator. Yes, I have removed tree limbs. No, I haven't been barred from my house, but my personal rights to my house have certainly been violated other ways. It is a disservice to you and to others to think that just because others are on the "outside" they don't understand. They want to help. Yes, some want to help. Don't be too proud to accept help.

Ray, I've had my share of interaction with both Matt and Char (Prince). Char used to live in NO and has what feels to him like a personal stake in the issue. He has a right to feel like that, doesn't he? Why diminish it? He spent money of his own in what he perceived as an attempt to help. Why diminish that? Does it really make any difference how the help arrives or that someone posted publicity shots? Why care? Because it became a personal, blogger issue? Think about that - please. Matt? Can't say...

One last thing - Adrastos - you keep saying this is my last comment. At this point, you have no control over where this is going. Seems to me, that, for you, this has boiled down to ego. That is a shame. You might wind up preventing someone from getting the help they so desperately need and might have had until you exhibited anger about so small a deal.

OK, here it is. I will say I took somewhat offense with some of the commentary on the Team New Orleans post. Many of us are on edge with 11 months of living post-K frustration. You may understand a bit more when you get here. I am more a champion of the Nola bloggers than anything else. It was a NOla blogger that provided real on-the-street info in the first devestating days....I was fortunate to be exiled where I had internet access. In the months since, these bloggers have dug out and exposed much of the dirt the MSM hasn't touched. Having said this, I am in mind of the old Seseme Street ditty "co-operation" -- remember that? I, for one, have decided to welcome you here - but I strongly encourage your getting in touch with Schroeder, Ray, Mark, Adrastos, Mr.Melpomene,etc. for some real solid info. Can we all just get along?

The Internet is a powerful medium for the dissemination of information, there is no doubt about that. However, just like its lesser cousin, the television, it is accessed through a screen and whether we like it or not that screen represents a degree of separation from 'experience', 'reality', 'truth' or whatever one's preferred nomenclature for decribing 'first hand' information is. In this sense, I fully understand Chartreuse's impulse to find answers to his questions in person.

With regard to the wider issue of reporting on post-Katrina life in the New Orleans area, I believe it is in all our interests to have as much information from as many non government/non-corporation sources as possible. When it comes down to separating the gold from the dust, as it were, that is the role every individual must assume when reading any information source full-stop - it is thus a question of personal judgment and of course one of common sense.

I've enjoyed reading other posts on this blog and will return in the future no doubt. I would like to thank Chartreuse for providing the link here, without which I would probably have never discovered the NOLA bloggers. I wish him well on his trip to New Orleans.

I'll leave now with a quote from one of my favourite poems. Goodnight from London.

"The eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn from the crow" (W. Blake. From 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell')

Feel free to point anyone to this post, if it might make things a bit more succint.

I've clarified Know More Media's purpose in creating NewOrleansTruth.com (see the link by this comment). We want to fully recognize and amplify to our audience and Chartreuse's audience - many of whom are bloggers themselves - all the things that Gulf Coast bloggers have been saying for nearly a year now regarding post-Katrina life in that area. Our particular focus is on Chartreuse's efforts because they represent an interesting experiment in social media - he blogged about something and now is taking real-life action with the help of others who volunteered that help in response to his blog. But we also want the world to know what so many in our audience don't yet know - which is, that so many amazing New Orleans-area bloggers have already covered, and continue to cover, the situation wonderfully.

In other words, why not use our new blog as one more means of spreading the word of what you have long been doing to a new audience? I invite you to come help with your comments, suggestions, links, etc.

Hey, Adrastos, this is the second most commented post in Blog-City right now. This comment should put you in first. Not that you care, but I thought I'd mention it. (My most recent baseball pic is in 5th - nothing gets the ladies yaking like cute boy pics).

As for the actual discussion. I think sometimes it's problematic to declare "truth" and that we must be very careful in doing so. It's so absolute, yet so subjective. As for me, I'm going to pay closest attention to those who have been living in it for this last year. JMHO.

Blake rocks.

Why am I always the late one to the party?

So what is the truthiness of the New Orleans Truth website... Is it re-sensationalizing old New Orleans Katrina myths to benefit Chartreuse and Know More Media or is it Chartreuse investigating the truth for the greater good of New Orleans and mankind...

I think even a cursory glance at the New Orleans Truth website gives the answer loud and clear. With all of the attention they are hoping to garner on this site, there just so happens to be ZERO links for their audience to actually contribute to aiding New Orleanians - whether that be financial, elbow grease or even writing their congressman.

Stick that in your pipe.

Easton Ellsworth. Wasn't he the lead guitarist for the Cars?

Actually Sophmom, I'm a notorious hits ho. The Loud Indian Girl is always giving me a hard time about it.

Troy: It reminds me of a song: I know, I know, everything reminds me of a song: The truth is not my middle name...

Ashley: Yeah, Easton Ellsworth also sang lead on "Just What I Needed." I hope he's getting some royalties from Circuit City...

I know one of them, Candice, and I certainly wouldn't call her a carpetbagger (her being a local).

Candice Bergen is involved? Cool. I love her in Murphy Brown and Boston Legal. I wonder if she'll bring Charlie McCarthy along to learn the truth whatever the hell that is...

GulfSails's last comment has been addressed. We've changed some things about the look of the site to make two things clearer:

1. We are not attempting to make any money from NewOrleansTruth.com. 2. NewOrleansTruth.com is not meant to be the ultimate source of truth about the New Orleans area - rather, it is simply meant to add one more helpful source of truth and to chronicle the efforts of various people to find truth. Hence the subtitle is now "Seeking the truth ..."

Any of you who would like to participate by guest posting and/or commenting at NewOrleansTruth are welcome to do so. Onward we go and let's work together to get more people paying attention to that area.

Hey, Insult me all you want.

But don't insult the folks who have tried to help me (like Candice). That just ain't cool...

Here's the problem many of us have with you Chartreuse: you have NO sense of humor. I was *joking* about Candice. You know, Easton was making progress with the NOLA bloggers and you've gone and pissed his efforts away. I'm a satirist: I tease people all the time. I wasn't aware that being compared to Ms. Bergen was an insult. Lighten up.

Maybe if a clue physically fell on them.....nyaaahhhh.

Moving forward with NewOrleanstruth.com, I've posted some tips for readers on how to quickly find established blogs about the New Orleans area. I've subscribed to several dozen blogs myself and have accepted challenges from NOLA bloggers to read their archives and study what they've published over the past year. Several understand better now that this new blog has considerable potential to amplify their voice and was never intended to stifle that voice.

To the extent that I or anyone else at Know More Media contributed to the false idea that we were out make money with the site, I'm sorry. To those we offended by ignoring them, I apologize. I've made apologies elsewhere, but I thought this thread deserved them as well.

NewOrleansTruth.com is a place for Chartreuse and his cohorts to publish what they will, but it is also - and should also - be a site that links profusely out to the NOLA blogging community and effectively tells the world, "Please listen to these different voices and make an informed decision to respond to them meaningfully."

Repeating a phrase from above, I'll continue moving forward - and trying my best to help you all via the blog.

MORE BAD NEWS: first use of the term "Carpetbloggers": 2002! )http://www.buzzmachine.com/archives/2002_05_15.html#002301). I blame Chartoots and the rest of the Junior Justice League. --gp

BUDALRIGHT made this comment.

Hey stvjns. Long time no see.

Hiya Adrastos I thought of you during the initial Katrina months, tried to track you down and check your status, without success. Glad you are strong. If you come to NYC again, visit my store (1 year old +): http://www.etgstores.com/bookcafe/ If you want to do a presentation or something when you are here, let me know as in-advance as possible. I was recently reminded of one of my favorite cartoons that showed two canines communicating next to a computer, and one was saying to the other: "On the internet no one knows you are a dog" :-)

"Mister Sanford" told me about your blog. Inspired by it, I may start one myself on this system. cheerio!-- stv

Hey, stvjns. Drop me a line at the blog email: adrastos@bellsouth.net.

And tell Mr. S to drop me a comment or an email.