Zcom_simple

Hello,

Blogs are a familiar feature on the internet - where users post content in an accumulating manner, with comments, and search options, etc. They facilitate expression and exploration, and via attached comments, also debate and synthesis.


Reading and
Navigating Blogs

Our blogs are quite powerful. Each writer can post, as is typically the case. Sustainers who have the option can also post, however. All Blogs appear in the blog system, and sometimes also in content boxes the top page of ZNet - and always via the left menu of the top page - and can be found via searches, etc.

Commenting on blogs follows the blogs, attached at the bottom, and blog comments, like all others, are also visible in many places that show comments including in the forum system. In addition, the entire blog system gathers content for everyone - but one can look at the accumulating content in many ways.

  • For example one can look at one writer's efforts - so one is seeing what is effectively a blog system for that one writer, or Sustainer.
  • One can also look at the content by topic, seeing blogs that are tagged as being about a certain topic - or place, as well. Thus, when doing that, it is a blog system about a topic, or a place, with many contributors.
  • One can look at only writer blogs, or only sustainer blogs, as well.
  • One can look at blogs for particular Groups, too.

All this is easily done using the left menu. Searches allow even more variables and refinements.


Creating Blog Posts

If you are a Sustainer with permission, and are logged in, you will see a link in the left menu for you to post a blog - and you can use that to post one, and then tag it various ways (such as with a topic or place, or a group tag), and once you do, it is in the system with you as the author.

You can also use the console button to the left to post a blog - anytime and from anywhere in the site, as long as you are logged in.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs - and, by the way, if you are a Free Member or a Sustainer with a ZSpace page, of course you can put one or more content boxes on it, pulling blog links of any sort you may want to filter for, for example, by you or by your friends or by others - and by topic, about places, for groups, etc.

Blogs

Stephen_oct_2010

Stephen Roblin's Blog

Web Address: http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/stephenroblin
Bio: I became political at a young age through my exposure to the daunting problems facing Baltimore city while playing basketball at a west side recreation council. In high school I was introduced to l... (More)

All Roblin Blogs

Poll Outreach: How to Avoid the Email Trash Bin

By Stephen Roblin at Apr 29, 2011


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As we promote the poll for the new political organization, it would be a good idea to share what approaches seem to work well. I have a suggestion for sending emails to friends and acquaintances.

My guess is that mass emails with commands --  like "Take Poll on Participatory Political Organization" -- will get tossed immediately in the trash by many people, particularly those who are easily putt-off by the intensity of political activists (probably a big chunk). To mitigate this obstacle, I've been sending out emails to individuals (not mass emails) simply asking what he/she thinks about the organizational concept.  I've received responses by almost everyone so far -- all positive -- after which I then ask for them to take the poll and pass it along to others.

Clearly, the problem with any type of outreach campaign is that success is not easy to gauge. But given my reply rate, I'd say posing a direct question, catered to the individual's own particular political interests or endeavors (or lack thereof), is a more effective email outreach method than sending out mass emails asking people to simply to take the poll.

Any thoughts or other suggestions?
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