Spring Break
The wonderful world of blogging
Not just for people who are bored
Erin Edwards
Issue date: 7/23/08 Section: Features
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Blogging has exploded and for many who maintain their own blogs, it is an important aspect of everyday life. According to BlogView, out of the 147 million Americans who use the Internet, 12 million currently maintain a blog and over 57 million regularly read blogs. Over 120 thousand blogs are created daily, along with over 1.4 million new entries and posts everyday.
For those still not adept to the ever-evolving nature of Internet lingo, blogging refers to a personal web page, in which an individual writes entries or commentary about anything conceivable. An abbreviation of "web log," a blog is similar to a journal or diary and can include pictures and/or video links to other sites or any media related to the topic discussed.
However, mere individuals with something to say aren't the only ones taking to the wonders of Internet HTML. Fortune 500 companies and newspapers have joined the ranks of blogging, uploading breaking news stories, stock market quotes, and plenty more for interested readers to view. Nearly 89 percent of companies believe that blogging will be the next big thing in the coming years.
Celebrities have begun blogging and for some, blogging has made the "average Joe" an instant star. Perez Hilton, the self proclaimed "Queen of All Media," has garnered fame by writing about other celebrities, along with drawing crude accessories and body parts on pictures using Microsoft Paint. Music artists use blogs to retell stories from the road or the studio, posting tour dates and updates about album releases. Celebrities even use blogs to address their fans, informing them of important news and/or counter any bad reports given by the media.
For ECU students like Jason Webb, blogging is a way to retell everyday events and happenings while creating an outlet to combat boredom.
"I started blogging about a year ago and started out just writing random short stories and the randomness of my life and managed to gather a following, " said Webb. "It's nice to know that there are some weird people out there who find me entertaining."
For those who possess the pre-conceived notion that blogging is only for those who can't express their feelings in person, you may want to reconsider your decision. Blogging could very well be the next step in reading up on important information, learning more about a company or business and how they work, or just read about the random happenings in a friend's life. However, just as technology is rapidly changing along with the pace of the surrounding world, blogging could soon be outsmarted by an even more advanced version of Internet diary- the vlog.
This wrtier can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com
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