Blogging/Internet
Check It Out
As some of you may have noticed, I’ve changed my template. Again. I got bored after a while. Plus, the other template was broken in some browsers and some other places too.
Now, I’d love to know your thoughts on this new template. I also would love to know if you see anything looking funky, not working correctly, etc. I think we’ve got most of it fixed, but somebody usually finds something. ;)
(PS I know that the buttons up there on these posts don’t work. It has something to do with the page being coded in php but the buttons are html. If anybody knows how to fix that, please let me know!)
Happy viewing!
Blogger, Politicians, and Disclosure
I read a really interesting article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday. It was about who pays for campaign ads.
Now, as a blogger, if I receive a free item or payment for something I write, I must disclose it per the FCC. That way, people know who sent the item even though I write impartial reviews anyway. Whatever. I do it, because I have to. I happen to think my average reader is pretty smart, and this is completely unnecessary. But whatever.
However, what gets my goat is that the identity of who is paying for all the nasty election ads is shrouded in secrecy. You have no idea who is paying for these ads. Business groups, unions, and interest groups had spent $264 million as of Tuesday. You heard me right — $264 million! At least $128 million of that came from groups that are not required to disclose their donors. According to election law experts, loopholes and lax enforcement by the FEC, corporation and wealthy donors can donate huge sums confident that their identities will not be disclosed.
Now, why did this happen. Well, the Supreme Court ruled that Americans would know who was paying for these ads. Really? They can’t figure out if a post on a blog is sponsored but they can figure out who is paying for election ads?
Am I the only one confused?
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