If a blog falls in a forest (redux)

About 15 years ago, I was speaking to an acquaintance of mine about the potential of the Internet as a tool for discourse through such advanced functions as bulletin boards and chat rooms. He dismissed the technology, saying, "If I wanted to shout at strangers, I'd open up my apartment door and yell down the hallway."

Consider this thing my shout down the hallway. Is this my foray into the latest evolution of communication or media? Or an arrogant, self-indulgent diversion away from far more important tasks like child-rearing, mowing the lawn and re-arranging my CD collection.? You decide.

(Apologies if this introduction is somewhat familiar. My last blog was hijacked by my host who demanded a $35 fee to "restore" it. We may disagree on many things, you and I, but I think we can all agree my excretions of wisdom are not worth $35.)