Blogs Get Real

Four signs blogs are reflecting "real life"

a) After several bloggers met face to face at Sapphire in Orlando, the NY Times reports that over a thousand political bloggers and politicians are getting together in Vegas this week. There is something intriguing about breaking bread and doing real things with folks you bust chops with in the virtual world. I, for one, would like to hear what political bloggers do for day jobs. An aside about Vegas - with a thousand plus blogs looking for fodder, what is the probability what happens there will stay there? -)

b) Mathew Ingram analyzes the court decision that bloggers have same First Amendment protections as journalists. I know some journalists think we are aliens, and most bloggers think they are practitioners not journalists, but the case shows the growing influence of blogs on daily life.

c) As in retail, I am pleased to see "categories" emerge in blogs - I see John Sun who writes about mobile technologies also has a (separate) blog on gadgets (and shoes) of interest to joggers.  Even more specialized - Sangeeta Patni has one focused on Duet, the joint SAP/Microsoft offering.  I guess category killers like Best Buy and Home Depot will follow.

d) Rock, Movie, Sports stars have their fans. So do famous bloggers like  Tom Peters - good to see him recognize Trevor.