Blog Bits

A post completely devoid of outrage, contempt, or ridicule. Just a few housekeeping notes:

• I've had a couple of people (and one dog) ask me if I was going to participate in this Saturday's Blogathon for charities. Sadly, I will not. Either my wife would kill me for spending 24 straight hours on a weekend blogging, even for a good cause, or I would kill myself when I realized no one was reading what I was writing. But it sounds like an interesting idea, and I hope the bloggers involved are using due diligence (i.e., our site) to make sure that their efforts are benefiting groups that deserve the support.
• A guy named Mark Putnam is apparently writing a book by getting ideas on how the book should go from the readers of his blog. The theory being, I guess, that he's going to see if it "takes a village" to write a novel. Anyhow, he seems like an interesting guy, and a good writer, and he has promised to donate the proceeds from his book to one of four online charities, based on user voting at his site. One of the potential recipients is Charity Navigator, and we could use the money. Vote early, vote often, and pick up an elderly person on your way to the online poll. With J.K. Rowling hanging it up, maybe there's a void in the literary marketplace that Mark can fill.
  
• And lastly, for my bloggers-in-arms, I will indeed be at BlogWorld 2007 in November, which is billed as the first national industry-wide conference and media event dedicated to blogging and new media. It's in Las Vegas in November. See you there. Unlike most bloggers, I will of course be wearing pants.