To me, an internet weblog is an online space where an individual or a group can freely post their ideas and feelings, limited only by their imaginations and wildest dreams!

A good reason why the blogosphere is an excellent tool is because it gives us citizen information that would not otherwise be accessible. My friend Vinh is a soldier stationed in Iraq, and he gives his first person perspective on issues of war and insights into situational dilemma from the battlefront. I encourage you to check it out.

Letters from the Sandbox

"This is also the story of modern revolution, however, because technology has given us a communications toolkit that allows anyone [to] become a journalist at little cost and, in theory, with global reach. Nothing like this has ever been remotely possible before."

-Dan Gillmor

Dan Gillmor himself is a man very conscious of the direction that journalism is going. His personal website is festooned with cultural and business-minded awarenesses, and he speaks sagely on matters of concern with the journalists' community.
Although this may be valid, I believe the relevance of this quote has a massive bearing on the average online entity, whether that person behind the keyboard is 8 or 108 years old. Journalism is either discredited or complimented by technology, however it is unclear in this quote what the beliefs of its author are.

To me, the online forum is an incredible tool that should NEVER be underestimated. The infinite wisdom and power of thought control held by any Tom, Dick, or Harry with a modem is a wonderful advancement of technology that unites us and gives those of us with internet capability the indescribably thorough network awareness that was never before possible. In other words, I can pinpoint any detail either news worthy or not at any time in any corner of the world simply by pecking a few letters and clicking my mouse.

Advancements in journalism cannot forseeably be much more revolutionary than this, it is VERY exciting indeed. The fact that anyone in the world can see, hear, and comprehend any news they wish through the workings of citizen journalism is something that is very much guiding the direction of the world. It is a global consciousness, and can only be bested by some sort of newer technology that beams news directly into our brains.

The internet has its most powerful and prospective potential capabilities thanks to advancements in the media, and it will NEVER go away.



Blogging may lack credibility, but it will always have efficiency and alacrity. Online news and blogs have changed the way we get our news, opinions, and facts forever. Skepticism will always be necessary, but every new technological development has always comes hand in hand with a riotous mob of doubting thomases who don't see the value of the invention until it rceives its trial. Online news and blogging is a constantly evolving process that has spread to the final unchecked domain in the free world; the last truly liberated frontier--

Cyberspace.

After delving into the personality and history of Mr. Scott Brodeur, I was nothing but fascinated. This man was not as secretive as I initially perceived. Not only does his lenghty and impressive resume show his immense credibility as an online figure, but also gave compliment to his life as a reporter!

Born in Connecticut and raised in New Jersey, Brodeur was the son of a career Navy father. After making it through high school in New Jersey, Brodeur took up Journalism at Syracuse and then Grad school at NYU. After graduating, Brodeur spearheaded the campaign to raise the internet's status in the layman's life, and had many unique opportunities throughout his career. Brodeur worked as a rock music critic and stirred up fans on the internet with his well-thought-out reviews. While living in New York and working for magazines like The Source, Brodeur has had the pleasure of interviewing characters such as Slick Rick and Redman.

Considered the godfather of the internet in western Massachusetts, Brodeur was directly responsible for the inception of websites and online journalism juggernauts like "NJ.com" and "MassLive.com," which feature news stories and blogs that culminate the very ideals of convergence journalism.

In the past 20 minutes and after 3 Rockstar energy drinks, Brodeur is no longer an enigma with flowing hair and a suitcoat. He is a well-travelled music critic and an internet deity. Throughout the semester, I will no doubt learn just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Here's to you, Mr. Scott Brodeur.

This afternoon blog is about the secretive personality known as Scott Brodeur. The headmaster of the Concergence Journalism class at the University of Massachusetts, he is the iron fist of righteous in the realm of the unwittingly indignant. He strives to educate, stimulate, and NEVER capitulate. Who is this man behind the bangs and suitcoat?

He is a former magazine writer, presently both a blogger for Springfield-based "Masslive.com" and a professor of Journalism at UMass. There is a shroud of secrecy surrounding his identity--his profile page on the MassLive.com website displays a bright white blank. Is this a trick hidden within the HTML, or is Professor Brodeur a paranoid ghost, basking in the concept of a mysterious identity? Or is it simply that my computer's browser is currently set to "disable cookies?"

We may never know. As far as his online blog postings go, Brodeur's temprament has a wide range of identities. Starting from his flights of confusion while discussing the lyrics to certain 'Steve Miller' songs that karaoke bars have long since abandonned all the way to his displeasure with the Red Sox paying new players obscene amounts of money to fill the shoes of a traiterous hero.

Often, Brodeur will hit nerves that are close to home, often inspiring writers like myself to use double analogies in one sentence. One online tale that Brodeur told behind his keyboard concerns the chances of encountering celebrities at the Mass Pike rest stop in my beloved city of Worcester, Massachusetts. While urinating, Brodeur discovered that Joe Leiberman approached the urinal to his left to have a tinkle. This doesn't happen to me very often, but it gives me pleasure and great pride to know that Mr. Leiberman is one of the few people let alone politicians who makes a conscious effort to "wash his hands" after a restroom visit.

The vagueries of what Mr. Brodeur does are a blissful uncertainty, confined to the awarenesses of Brodeur himself. He blogs a variety of topics, and indulges thoughts that few likely consider on the large, busy realm known as the internet. Who is this well-dressed and confident walking enigma?

He is not three feet from me, and with the help of every Thursday afternoon in the Library tower, I fully intend on finding out.