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

The_final_me_

Michelle Peterson's Blog

Web Address: http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/beggiani
Bio: (More)

All Peterson Blogs

What are we to do?

By Michelle Peterson at Jul 25, 2011


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The debt negotiations in Washington are actually non-negotiations. Are we going to raise the debt ceiling? Will Obama and the conservative right come to some sort of agreement? Will we default on August 2nd? Nobody seems to know. My greatest concern is the cut in government entitlements, especially social security and medicare. Many conservatives-especially the Tea Party-would like to ax these programs entirely. Many Republicans in the House are trying their best to appeal to these far right-wingers. Others are just trying to drastically cut into these entitlements to please as many in their contingent as they can. They may just succeed.

President Obama in many ways is alienating both parties. The Democrats are criticizing his willingness to cut into government entitlements. The Republicans are angry that he has not agreed to cut into them enough. It is a disaster on both sides and none of the emergency meetings orchestrated by Obama seem to be helping.

I am very afraid of the derailment of social security and medicare. Not only am I a recipient of these benefits, but so are many of my friends. The treasury has stated that there is only enough money to payout benefit checks for the month of August. Then what? I know people that would lose everything: housing, food, medications. I am lucky that I have a partner who has a job, but it would still be very difficult for us to get by without my monthly check. And yet we still do not tax the rich, the top 1% of our nation. Some economists have predicted that there may be a temporary solution that would hold us over for the next fifteen months. What happens in fifteen months? The 2012 election. And who expects to win the election by destroying our government while Obama is in office? The Republicans. Remember: All this chaos is happening on Obama’s watch.

So what are we to do? We elect officials to represent us, but often our representatives do not hear our voices. A high percentage of Americans believe-and rightly so-that our government and our economy are in dire straights. Being positive about it all is very hard, especially with high unemployment and the continuing mortgage crisis. I must also mention the 4 trillion dollars being spent on our military in what I see as unwanted occupations rather than wars. And yet that money will go untouched.

The outcome of this crisis is unclear. The suffering of millions of Americans is at risk. The question is: Does Washington care? At this moment, it appears not.
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