In this space, you will find a hodge podge of contributors. Once upon a time it was actually a writers' or an aspiring writers' forum, rife with stories, anecdotes, and prose. That changed a year or so back, and the original group was all unceremoniously dropped, and invited to join the rest of the world in what has become a free for all, new hodge podge of a bewildwred few of the orignal group, surrounded, and sometimes hounded, by the new order. . That is not all bad.

Though we lost a very much esteemed and established writer from our ranks, and I am yet pissed for that little indiscretion that some who could have fought it, elected not to. In time, recently, in fact, we have picked up another......published authior, whose work and blogs while scary in nature, seem to ring true when held to the current litmus test available. Give and take I guess. I can say that, as I am able to wine, dine, and have coffee in the afternoon shade yet with the writer who was dismissed, to clear out a space for the new order. In a way, I am good with that, as I may have him and his spouse to myself when it comes to  bemoaning things Advocate, and yet the friendship of a remaining staffer or three.

I did join the new order, to continue my writing and commenting, and have seen some commenters become bloggers, and others who should, elect to hang back and offer their two cents worth as commenters. What troubles me, is the number of warts, farts, trouble makers, and opportunists, who would use this space to promote themselves or their wares or deeds.and who see fit to come in and partake, poop, then drop off like flies after their meat has rotted, but for a short while, monopolize a limited daily bandwidth with drivel and hype, as opposed to relevant social commentary, political content, and worthwhile, original stories and ideas. I see the Advocate staff, challenged to blog as well as write for pay in the print edition. Some are really in my viewpoint, crackerjack writers and or reporters, who will thrive, and outgrow their current digs....... Others, should be working at Kohl's and Academy and Taco Bueno, but have apparently been around so long, nobody wants to tell them they are an unneeded spoke in the wheel. I may be way off base   in ranting about a perceived on my part, decline of quality in content and if I am part of the problem, rather than the solution, I will read Sonny's blog, and consult with my writer friends, and work on a  manuscript, rather than a daily public posting. That's it guys - just wanted to clear the air.....around my computer anyway. I am sure I have ruffled some feathers, but isn't that what journalism is about, to stimulate discussion, and to stir the pot?

P.S. - This is the overnight edition. If the nightowls bury it, it will rise from the ashes like the phoenix, in the morning edition.......and might make for an "extra", depending on the coffee fueled flood(think Sanka) of day shift's contris.

(for those who have missed the sinister connotations of the code word "sanka", e-mail me off list, and I will enlighten you.).........Rusty - zip it!