About blogs Having heard the term previously but not having paid much attention most are just too afraid to show their ignorance and ask the question, what is a blog? Lets face it; the term blog does not conjure pleasant images. Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis. They contain information related to a specific topic. In some cases blogs are used as daily diaries about people's personal lives, political views, or even as social commentaries. The truth of the matter is that blogs can be shaped into whatever you, the author, want them to be. The roots of blogging can be traced back to the mid 1990's. Who the very first blogger actually was is unclear, as the art of blogging did not really take hold until 1999. The original “weblogs” were link-driven sites with personal commentaries. The very first blogs were human-guided Internet web tours. While initially thought of as diaries or online journals, blogs have evolved into the latest fresh web content. A buzz word in techie circles, “blogging” is the wave of the future. Whether it's a fad, or proves to be a new way to communicate with existing and potential customers it deserves at the very least a cursory look. specifications.com/everything.blogs Signs of spring How do you foretell the coming of spring? Groundhog Day and Candlemas Day (February 2) get many of us thinking about spring. After all, it's the astronomical midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox—and a day that has a long tradition in weather folklore. To me, birds are one of the best predictors. There is a weather proverb that states, “Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring,” and this appears to be true in the northern tier of the United States. Bluebirds do not come north until all chance of winter has passed and they are assured an ample food supply. In my state of New Hampshire, we also know spring is coming when the maple trees are starting to run. The first to notice seem to be the squirrels who start poking around the trees looking for oozing sap. On a personal level, I know when spring is coming because I start feeling the bumps and holes on my own country driveway; the snow nicely covers and smooths out our road in winter! Some of our readers also have practical advice. Winter will end shortly after… q you are inside your warm home and you hear the sound of icicles crashing from the gutters and roofs to the ground below, q whenever you feel motivated to peel off the 3M plastic you so meticulously taped and blow-dried tight to your windows! q when your mailbox stops getting knocked over by the plow, q when the kids lose a mitten and you don't bother to replace it, q and the first time you can drive with you car window down — best feeling ever! One of our favorite pieces of advice that we've received for predicting the weather is as follows: Go to the back door and look for the dog. If the dog is at the door and he is wet, it's probably raining But if the dog is standing there really soaking wet, it's probably raining hard. If the dog's fur looks like it's been rubbed the wrong way, it's probably windy. If the dog has snow on its back, it's probably snowing. The instructions we were sent go on to say… Of course, to be able to predict the weather like this, you have to leave the dog outside all the time, especially if you expect bad weather. Signed, sincerely, the cat almanac.com Random life I am a very random person. I love to blog about, well, just about everything. I get bored if I blog about something under the same topic. Since I spend most of the time surfing the net, I come about random sites which interest me, and decide to blog about it myself. I just simply love the randomness. I also love sharing bits and pieces of my life as a student, sister, daughter, etc. I post pictures of fun times I had with friends, family, or people around me. I just can't stick with one topic. I pretty love the randomness of life. When I want to talk and share certain stuffs, I blog about it. I started out blogging on Friendster, then I progressed to having my own blog. How I got my own blogsite? My brother told his friend about me working online (my online job is writing essays for clients), and he told me I could earn through blogging. So, he helped me out set up my blog, and taught me about everything I need to start it. I've taken into consideration the pros and cons of having a blogsite that has a niche focus. Although a niche focus blog could attract a certain audience easily, one big problem I would have a hard time with is being “boxed in” the topic. I would have to create topics which are updated, different from what I have previously posted, etc. On the other hand, a blog without a focus is so much easier for me, but it gives me the freedom to blog about anything and not limit myself. Although it takes more time to gain audience than that of a niche focus blog, I think it is more convenient for me. All I need is patience and my willingness to keep the blog up and alive. And a bit more effort in spreading word about my blog. tapblogs.com.ph.everything __
