The New York Times today has an article about how obsessive bloggers can be about, well, blogging.

While my habits are not detrimental to personal relationships or my job, the article certainly makes me wonder if and whether one could make a living by just blogging? Anyone else even tempted to consider such an option? Who wouldn't like to troll the internet all day in search of nuggets of information to share?

I think i would do it, if I could be compensated for it (way to pay my bills, buy some toys, pay off school debt and save for the future) and if the topic at hand was something I am really interested in blogging about. At least 86 of you have signed on to receive updates from this site (thank you!) but there are those who blog and have either no inkling of how many people read their writing or don't really care.

I do. Spread the gospel, if this site has been of some use to you. Click on the “Tell-A-Friend” button. See, I do try and make things easy for you. [grin] My goal is to get 14 more subscribers by the end of this month.

Speaking of blogging, I am going to be a part of a panel on blogging at the SAJA convention. Yes, apart from the PHOTOFORUM events, I signed on to chime in from time to time about my experiences in BlogLand.

Moderated by Mimi Hanaoka, Assistant Editor of InTheFray, this panel will examine the ways in which blogging enables broader participation in society – particularly at the grassroots level – while also examining the limits of blogging, asking questions such as: Who gets excluded? Is it possible for this sort of grassroots democracy to effectuate change beyond the Internet at the local and national (or even international levels)? Where do readers come into play in this sort of participatory democracy? How is journalistic integrity compromised through blogging? How does blogging relate to democracy and journalism? Is blogging journalism? Is a blogger a journalist? Why are some newspapers allowing their editors to blog while some others shun the practice? What are photo blogs? How is blogging forcing journalism to evolve?

Panelists will include: Nimesh Patel of Badmash, Jen Chung of Gothamist, Seshu Badrinath of Tiffinbox and Anil Dash of Six Apart, the company that makes MovableType and TypePad, two robust blogging tools. [Please note that Jen Chung and Anil Dash have yet to confirm their presence at the convention]

The panel, called “Blogging Anyone?” will take place on June 18, 2004 (Friday) 2.15 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. at Columbia University's Lerner Hall (part of the 10th anniversary celebrations and the annual SAJA convention).

Via Sree Sreenivasan

Two very interesting projects out of Carleton College – John Schott and friends have launched Camera/Iraq and Ratchet Up.

“Camera/Iraq is a new website created to gather materials and perspectives about photography and the Iraq War of Images. The site began in response to the pictures from Abu Ghraib, but is growing in new directions daily. It's focus is on visual images and their uses, rather than general debate about the war. The goal is to create a community-built resource for research and commentary.”