More Blogs Down

The announced ending of Slurpees and Murders and Winnipeg Cat has made for some unhappy faces.

In the last week two other long standing blogs have announced their end. Things That Need to Be Said has announced an end as well as Conceit and Sociopathy. Both have been contributors to the Winnipeg discussion in various ways over the last years.

With two more radio shows left, Internet Pundits, also comes to an end.

Oh what a glorious few years it was of commentary.

Much of the discussion has moved to Twitter but with 140 characters only, it is a short discussion and no person in their right mind will look back 24 hours over their feed from everyone for nuggets of wonderful.

There is something essential about long form commentary. It is there today, tomorrow and barring an electro magnetic pulse, there forever.

I have posts that I have done years ago that consistently get looked at. And years from now, I expect I will read something I wrote and go: Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that!

Some of the blog listings I left up for other blogs have not been updated in more than a year. I will start removing them today. In some cases material was simply deleted and there is nothing there,. In other cases, the pages have been altered to other uses.

I keep hoping for new blogs on Winnipeg. Perhaps as we get close to the civic election in October, some people will have something more to say. Perhaps as people get older and are not sleepless with children, work and other activities, they will re-acquaint themselves with long form writing.

For the moment though, I am sad.

Slurpees and Cats

This past week marked the beginning of big changes in the Winnipeg blogosphere. On February 27, Winnipeg Cat ended. The reasons were two-fold. First, the cat that graciously gave so much passed away and last, the author James Hope Howard of Slurpees and Murder had accepted a job one province over. This will in turn more or less end the Slurpees blog as well as the radio show Internet Pundits on 101 UMFM.

What can we say about Winnipeg Cat? Well, we can say that it consistently poked our funny bone. Maya, the cat picture that stared out at us was a flash photo eyes ablaze disembodied full throated commentary about the days events.

If Winnipeggers woke up to -50 C weather, you can be sure the cat had something to say about it. Many people in the city made the cat part of their day because they needed some humour, some Winnipeg love and some indication of what direction their city was going in.

It is without doubt the blog will be dearly missed.

While Winnipeg Cat was a terse kitty growl on a regular basis, Slurpees and Murder was a long form commentary on everything Winnipeg from Slurpees to well, murder.

Some might ask what came first: The Slurpees blog or the Slurpees column in the beloved Uptown weekly newspaper? In the end, all that matters is what ended first. It was Uptown newspaper and with it the Slurpees weekly newspaper column.

First, let me say I miss Uptown. I am still unconvinced that it could not have continued as part of a larger commitment by the Free Press to content not found elsewhere. I am even more convinced now that the Metro is pumped out daily in Winnipeg.

No matter now, I guess. It is a tough time for newspapers but I always felt there was room for such a publication not to mention any website they could have sustained.

Many who did read Uptown turned to Slurpees to tickle their funny bone or to think on the week's issues.

The demise of Uptown left those in need of local and funny with the only option of seeking it online. And for some time there was a glorious multitude of long form blogs dedicated to Winnipeg or written by Winnipeggers. Some of those blogs are no longer around but Slurpees and Murder became an institution.

For the last few years, Slurpees became multimedia. And by that I mean there was a Twitter account and a radio show on the University of Manitoba's 101 UMFM. The first host of the show Tessa Vanderhart put together a panel of bloggers to discuss the week's issues and what a free for all it was!

It was at this time that I met James and saw the warmth and humour behind the writing. It seemed impossible that there could ever be and end to writing about Winnipeg since there appeared to be a never ending source of material to cover.

It would be interesting to look into why there has been a surge in renewed interest in local matters right across Canada. And by that I mean...there once had been wide indifference, a shrug of the shoulders or outright lack of knowledge of what happens in the city. I have no idea if blogging or social media made a difference but for the first time in a long while people have been talking local issues in a more concerted way and it is having an impact.

Slurpees and Murder was very much a part of that discussion.

In the recent year, James took over hosting duties of Internet Pundits and continued tweeting and blogging. As he has mentioned in his commentary, he had been seeking out work within his professional skill set. He has always been hard working but specialized job training often means matching your job training with the right organization.

James looks to have found that job in Saskatchewan and the move comes soon. I am sure blogging will still be an outlet for a creative mind but hard to write about a city you love on a daily basis when you are driving for hours in boreal forest.

And so with that Winnipeg Cat, Slurpees and Murder and Internet Pundits come to an end. Thanks James for sharing your cat, your thoughts, your voice and your Winnipeg. Manitoba's loss is Saskatchewan's gain and many of us will your contributions to this community terribly.

Year in Review Part 2

There were quite a few blog posts this year that received over 1500 visits.

Bird's Hill is not Siberia got over 1500 visits.

The Trial of Sam Katz received over 1500 visits.

Cityplace Casino got 1500 visits.

However the two posts that had huge amounts of visits were:

Whole Foods Coming to Winnipeg at nearly 2600 visits.

Seasons of Tuxedo- Restaurants Closing had nearly 2800 visits.

Year in Review Part 1

The year started off like huge. In January the number of visits went over 25,000 in the month. By March it had dropped to 14,000. For a while it climbed back over 20,000 hits a month but since then has leveled out to 17,000 and last months about 12,000 a month.

It has been hard writing consistently the last two months due to huge work weeks. New posts draw more visits for sure. Blog posts ending up on the Free Press site draw some traffic. I end up writing a lot about zoning developments, politics, retailing, social commentary and whatever. There were a few posts that drew hundreds of visits and still do.

Each time a blogger stopped blogging full time, there was usually a drop in traffic on this site. The truth is that people go from site to site and when a site goes down or is inactive traffic drops.

I have written here before how long form blogging is harder to find in the city and in general. Twitter has become the main way to engage for Winnipeggers in words. I do write there as well but truth be told, I don't own a cell phone. This means I don't have a constant connection to Twitter to be part of the ongoing conversation.

I am not a Luddite. I do have computers but I do find it hard to justify a cell phone based on my work, the costs and concerns about how it might prove a distraction.

I have never been overly concerned how many visits the website gets. I write mostly because I like to.

I continue to talk on Internet Pundits with some of the most interesting people and look forward to keeping that conversation going.

What will the future hold? Well, I am still of the mind that a central website for Winnipeg content would be good and that place would be a forum for long form writing in news, sports, politics, photographs, entertainment and the like. Stayed tuned for that.

Anybody Want a Peanut? Closes

The blog Anybody Want a Peanut? announced it was winding down. After six years, he believed it had run its course. During that time, he was funny, insightful and had fun goofing around. The blog will be truly missed.

Quite a few long form blogs have ended their runs with some of the writers joining the 140 chararcter Twitter-verse. Others have simply faded away to do other things.

I like long form writing. I need long form writing.

I did actually learn what the bottom line was for Anybody Want A Peanut though. It was just last week that he looked at his bookshelves and saw the entire collection of Game Of Thrones box sets still sitting in plastic wrap unopened and unseen. He said to himself: Sonofabitch! and then promptly wrote his last blog post.

No more staring at the blank screen thinking profound things and struggling word by word to be clever. For him, the next weeks were going to be a bag of cheesies and dressed like a Stark, he said Winter is Coming.

Peanut is not the only blogger to realize that other things had been left to whither and die as they sat in front of a blank screen. In fact, there have been several.

One Man Committee took up smoking a pipe, wearing bow ties and reading the entire John Le Carre collection. Although he is loath to tell anyone, he has been working as an international spy for the last little while.

Endless Spin Cycle which ended a few years ago was just at the beginning of a hugely successful life as a champion video poker player. Said writer is now filthy rich and spends only a little bit of time in Winnipeg as he spends time learning to drive F1 racecars.

Progressive Winnipeg ended and the writer there has just completed a world tour of public chalk drawings as well as written as expose about how Putin is responsible for the death of bees around the world.

It is not all good for former bloggers. Waverley West's writer is still on the run. Last heard about a year ago knocking over a Piggly Wiggly in Armpit, Arkansas, he is apparently hiding out somewhere in the Ozarks where is investigative report is nearly complete. I just know it is going to be a blockbuster.

There has been treason amongst some bloggers. State of the City and Policy Frog said no pay, no play. Want to hear what they think, you must pay them. However, it must be working as they have moved to very large houses in southwest Winnipeg and both joined the Manitoba Club as movers and shakers. We should all be so lucky.

Fat Arse slowed his contributions because embarrassingly, he lost weight.  He now works out in the gym twice a day as is now known as Phat Arse.

Hacks and Wonks is no longer around but the writer there has become an accomplished yodeler. He still contributes to Twitter and if you have a great imagination, you can hear the yodels within his 140 characters.

I still write long form. The blog gets between 16,000 and 25,000 visits a month. I continue to write about various things and don't generally think it can be said in one or two sentences.

I am hoping more long form writing takes place but feel it might not unless something like a magazine like Spacing sets up shop in the city. An alternative newspaper would be good. I just don't see it happening anytime soon.

I miss the absent blogs terribly.

Boosters and Complainers

There has been a bit of a discussion on booster and complainers in the city of Winnipeg. The word angst has been described a few times. I think it should be pointed out that we are not the only place like this. This same navel gazing takes place in Toronto as well.

They were so determined to land a big sports event that they bid on and got the Pan American Games for 2015. Two previous times to get the Olympics failed.

Many cities all indicate they want to do something world-class. The suggestion is they don't want to appear ordinary. Toronto uses the term frequently. And to be fair they often do have amazing events, attractions and people.

I have travelled to a few countries and it has always been a mix of boosterism and complaining. The truth always lies somewhere in between.

The Weakerthans in their song One Great City celebrated the complainers of Winnipeg.

Venetian Snares had an even more negative view.

Not surprisingly, there are not as many moment where people stand up and say how proud they are publicly.

Even when there is a Winnipeg song, it seems like faint praise such as what you find on Randy Bachman and Neil Young's Prairie Town.

In the last little while, I have detected renewed irritation in Winnipeg often manifested in snark. I suppose it is a bit better and more clever than some in the west who with a certain smugness call where they live "God's country." The inference being that the people there are also God's favoured.

No matter. As I mentioned, the truth lies somewhere in between.

Bloggers have come in for scrutiny a bit, especially by the main media. I have no problem with that.  Truth be told, there are lot of fewer Winnipeg bloggers than a few years back. Many people have migrated to Twitter or other social media.

I don't really see myself as a booster or a complainer. I feel I can write about the attraction of IKEA while still pointing out about the traffic chaos in the area. I speculated long ago what sort police cars Winnipeg might get when Crown Victorias were retired while gagging at the paint jobs they were getting. I have mused about commercial and retail developments, wrote about educational and institutional construction, talked about cultural, sport, recreational activities and politics.

I'd like to think I have not been anything but myself. I'm not a journalist. I rely heavily on mainstream media for information. I don't have that type of access or the resources or the time to cover stories. I respect TV, radio and newspapers. It is an endless mouth that needs to be fed and I am sure it is like any job out there that you might love and hate at the same time.

I often think some bloggers just eventually quit as it is fatiguing thinking of what to write. Or they just have said all the want to say. For a journalist, the work continues, assignments are given, deadlines set. Not easy.

I write mostly about Winnipeg. My blog usually gets between 14,000 and 25,000 hits for the year 2013. I hope people find what I write or what I find interesting. Sometimes it is just a song or a website I have liked. Mostly I have taken the time to write something about the city.

I think I am like a lot of people in Winnipeg. I know what our problems are but I also know what a great place it is to live here as well.

So Booster or Complainer? I am neither and both. So stick that feather in your cap.

By the way, I wish I was joined by more long form writers in blogs who write about where they live. I can't tell you how much I enjoy it.

Blogging

 
It has been written a few times the blogging's golden age was maybe two years ago and that things appear to be getting worse and worse.

We have seen a number of blogs locally that I have loved close down. Fewer start up, it seems. Many have migrated to Twitter or other social media.

I try to follow Twitter but as I don't own a cell phone, I don't see many Tweets. I think the immediacy of the medium, the shortness, the chance to snark is probably the attraction.

It is a rushed world and we chose to get our information like McNuggets.  Little bites here and there and a lot of time wasting done in grazing.

I won't criticize how we spend our leisure time. A lot of it is with family and friends.

I continue to blog as I continue to have something to say. In recent months, the blog gets between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors. It peaked in January with just over 25,000. Not all come to read my posts. Some use the site as a link to other blogs. I don't mind as I used to do the same thing with blogs with great blog rolls.

Google seems to be reeling in blogs at the moment. They have deleted music blogs even when the music received permission from the artists to post. They have indicated they will be eliminating any content they deem not fit for the site as well. The word is that they will end Google Reader which people use for their blog feeds.

The New York Times has started to end many of their blogs.

Many of the Free Press writers have slowed blog entries too. Like a lot of journalists, they tend to like the immediacy of Twitter.

It is probably not lost on many journalists that being paid to write as a professional is hard work. I don't know that blogging is part of their assigned tasks. Some do it probably just to create some insight or express a view that otherwise can't be written in an article.

I expect blogging will continue but there is a possibility that we might see increased intervention from site owners and perhaps even shutdown of entire sites. I hope I get warning if that actually happens. It seems that those who write might be at the mercy of those who own the sites.

For the time, I will continue to write. Sometimes the Free Press picks up one of my blog posts for the Sunday paper. I guess it should be pointed out that none of the blog's get paid for that. Someone asked the other day so I figured I should say straight up.

I will choose topics that continue to interest me in Winnipeg and beyond. Expect to see more posts on business, politics, culture and what's happening around town.

I have heard from a few people who like the bold for emphasis of certain things and others who say they hate it. I will stop using it for a while and please advise how it all looks. Likwise, I sometimes post after very long days. I do try to proofread but tiredness makes me miss things. I do often correct typos or missed words when advised.

I had posted my blog elsewhere as sometimes other people were posting it. I won't be doing that anymore. People are free to post it as they wish but a lot of sites don't like that. It is surprising sometimes where I see blog traffic coming from.

I can't help liking blogs still. I like the personal touch. I like the longer form of the written word. I like pictures. I like the viewpoints. I like that things read like chapters. I don't know that I can get that in Twitter, forums or social media

As always, thanks to those who read what I write. Not going anywhere so expect to see more posts for some time to come.

This Blog In 2012

Started at 12,000 end at 20,000

To tell the truth, I don't really look too much about traffic counts and the like when it comes to this blog. Someone said I should have better stats than Blogger so I am using Google Analytics starting this year. I guess the only thing I don't do is count my own page views in terms of what Blogger tracked.

The big thing about my blog is that I know some people use it just to find other city blogs. That's okay. I have been somewhat remiss in updating my blog list. I am doing that as we speak so that people can can link up and find things. Over the years, we have gained a few great blogs, lost a few.

The Internet Pundits radio program on UMFM has been good at introducing the city to new bloggers. City Circus and The Great Canadian Talk Show also have been instrumental in drawing attention to civic issues.

It is funny that we have far less coverage of city hall by full time reporters and yet this has been a "feet to the fire" year for elected and civil servants there. I have no idea what accounts for this. To be honest, there has been a renewed interest all across Canada in how we live, what we do, how we are governed locally. However, one thing is certain: More is being written about local concerns than ever before.

In terms of what were the biggest posts of this past year, I'd say nothing got more views locally than Polo Park and the stores there as well as Seasons of Tuxedo and Ikea. However, the top post of 2012 is when I wrote about The Orbit Tower in London and how it would be great to do something like that for Winnipeg. I suspect that people were more interested in the pictures than the story but it is challenging Swiss Chalet for top post viewed on the site.

We love Swiss Chalet

The top referring sites are defunct ones that were great blogs locally. Some current blogs are great places that sends traffic my way. Thanks for that.

Some city blogs are best traffic sources

My blog was a mix of entertainment, politics, business and my opinion on things. I am not a news reporter. I try to be informative but I do things according to my likes and dislikes. I try to be fair but do take a position on certain subjects.

In 2013 I will probably do as I have done in the past and post on things of interest. Some bloggers like West End Dumplings are great historians. Anybody Want a Peanut was excellent on analyzing certain issues or just goofing off. The View From Seven jumped into subjects that made you go hmm. And Slurpies made sure satire was always at the forefront of issues that he wanted to talk about. A few blogs that are no longer around that I miss terribly. There are few others I will mention in a later blog post about blogs in general.

What does the future hold for the city? Well, I think we can look forward to what happens with the mayor's court case, the opening of the new stadium, Target in the city, rapid and active transportation, Kapyong barracks and the unexpected.

And by unexpected, I mean...will we get a huge blizzard this year that shuts things down, will we flood, will will be dry, will a crime story make us question everything?

I enjoy the writing, especially on a day like this when I am feeling a bit sick.

Hope people have enjoyed and please send any feedback. Happy New Year everyone.

Winnipeg Free Press Fires Seven News Staff

Winnipeg Press Offices on Mountain Avenue

It is the paper of record and rightly or wrongly takes it on the chin when they gets things wrong, overlook things or take a position that someone is not going to like. the Winnipeg Free Press has the largest news gathering force in the city. It still does but it is minus some of its most junior staff as of Tuesday.

Seven in the newsroom were let go.

They were:

John White, online editor
Melissa Martin, reporter
Alison Mayes, reporter
Adam Wazny, sports writer
Rob Williams, music columnist
Lindsey Wiebe, social media reporter

And one web position not named.

It should be noted that some of these latest hires are the most active in multiple media platforms, especially Twitter, blogging, radio and elsewhere.

Unions protect senior employees first. Always have. With some justification the fear is that companies will dump older workers for ones paid lower wages. However, the problem with removing new and younger workers in a downturn is that they are the very people to build for the future.

I can say about some of the above writers that some were truly innovative and exciting to read. They will be missed.

This lay-off represents 8% of the news staff. I think it is devastating. It comes on the heels of 15 people let go earlier this year. The Free Press and its partners such as Canstar, Brandon Sun and the Steinbach Carillon employ around 570 people. Employees had a 2% wage increase in the year and revenue was down $500,000 in the second quarter from last year.

Like many newspaper companies, the Free Press is trying to figure out how to increase advertising revenue and profit.

Some say that newspapers are a declining business as people get their news online. However, getting news online also entails people writing it and the best writing is that which comes from people who make their living on it.

The Brandon Sun is mostly behind firefalls now. I am not sure how the paper fares compared to its larger counterpart but I'd wager the fact that the previous cutbacks of 14 jobs at the Free Press and 1 at the Brandon Sun were not an accident.

We are seeing more firewalls going up for newspapers all the time. Content has to be paid for somehow. We have gotten used to the idea that things are free and they really aren't.

I think the Free Press has no choice but to go behind a firewall so they can create exclusive content for the local area. The trick will be to create content so that is affordable and unique. That won't be easy without the writers that were let go.

I am wondering if a new model of newspaper by owner/operated news reporters might not work in this city. The big corporate format seems to be driven by management and union issues that won't go away too soon.

It may be that the future job security for journalists is multi-platform like Gary Lawless with the Free Press and TSN or finding reporting work with Shaw cable like Marty Gold on City Circus or Scott Taylor and Goldeyes broadcasts. The first writer likely does well with two strong commercial enterprises paying him. I am not sure about the other two writer/broadcasters but I hope they are self sustaining with their work.

I want strong newspapers and media but fear the corporate and labour structure that seems to put them in conflict.

To the writers who are out of work. Please keep writing! And hope upon hope that jobs are there for you.

One Man Commitee Lowers the Curtain

One Man Committee Announces He is Ending it All

Well, Walter Krawec wasn't that drmatic but he has said that he has decided to lower the curtain on a city blog that was thoughtful and always interesting to read.

I will miss his deep interest in the city around him and the enthusiasm he showed for the subject.

He is correct that there are a number of continuing bloggers and newer entrants every year. Still, it is hard to lose a distinctive voice.

I want more city writers not less as a rule.

My perfect world has writers covering every subject from neighbourhoods to civic-wide issues. I want to hear about that tiny little restaurant up in that neck of the wood. I want to know the history of that building. I want to listen to frustration with politicians, businessment or old man Hubert who has the one eyed dog named Max.

It is funny how fast a knowledge is lost if someone isn't recording it. Think of your own neighbourhood. Is there a school that was once there that is no longer? Sir John Franklin elementary school is now a dog park. I was wondering what year it was knocked down and can't remember. Aside from yearbook pictures, I am wondering if there are pictures of it being built, dedicated, used and then destroyed.

I need that history. I want it.

Dumb as it sounds, I sometimes mention changes in places we are all familiar with because I know I will have a time recalling them as the years pass. I have no shame mentioning Swiss Chalet being built in the city after 15 years absence. It is the single most sought out information on my blog. Ten years from now, I won't have a clue what the history of a particular area was without my notes. It is so easy to let a name slip away from use and fade altogether.

OMC helped reflect the time, the discussion and will add to the colour of the city of Winnipeg. I hope he continues to be part of the conversation in whatever capacity he can. Thanks for being you.

My Biggest Sources of Traffic: Sites

It used to be that that Endless Spin Cycle dominated for referrals. However, Google has jumped way ahead and it is likely to stay that way.

One fast riser is Fwix. Facebook is now in the top 10 too.

I expect some other popular Winnipeg blogs will continue to rise in terms of referrals.

Here are the websites that sent this blog the most visitors:

Referring Sites

www.google.ca

5,431

endlessspin.blogspot.com

2,479

www.google.com

1,814

www.winnipeglovehate.com

703

anybody-want-a-peanut.blogspot.com

671

fwix.com

519

slurpeesandmurder.blogspot.com

487

onemancommittee.blogspot.com

292

progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com

247

www.facebook.com

191

My Biggest Sources of Traffic: URLs

These were more biggest sources of traffic listed by URLs in 2010:

Referring URLs

http://endlessspin.blogspot.com/

2,399

http://anybody-want-a-peanut.blogspot.com/

609

http://www.winnipeglovehate.com/

560

http://slurpeesandmurder.blogspot.com/

439

http://onemancommittee.blogspot.com/

215

http://westenddumplings.blogspot.com/

215

http://progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com/

214

http://www.endlessspin.blogspot.com/

211

http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/

70

http://www.google.ca/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=John+Dobbin&aq=f&aqi=g7g-m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

70

Even now, Endless Spin Cycle remains a huge source of traffic.

List Time - Blogs

Here are the blogs that made a difference in Manitoba over the last year.

First, let me mention the two that have been discontinued: Endless Spin Cycle and Waverley West stopped publishing. More sadly, they pulled all their archives.

I have a few other blogs on my blogroll that have not had new entries for over a year. A few only published a handful of times this year. I will be switching those blogs to just a listing of Winnipeg blogs if they remain inactive.

So let's get down the blogs that have been great this year.

West End Dumplings

An always entertaining and informative blog on the west end and elsewhere in the city of Winnipeg. Be sure to check out the sister blogs of the original: This Was Manitoba, Winnipeg Downtown Places and Winnipeg General Strike.

Progressive Winnipeg

Great coverage of the civic election and the issues of active transportation. Good coverage in terms of international issues as well.

Policing, Politics and Public Policy

Former Deputy Chief of Winnipeg Police and a blog that sheds new light on civic and police issues in Winnipeg.

The View from Seven

Well researched and thought out discussions on a wide range of issues from a Winnipegger.

One Man Committee

A great way to find out about Winnipeg with a fair assessment of what is going on and some thoughts on urban issues in general. A great place to start and work your way out from for Winnipeg blogs.

State of the City

An insiders view of civic issues and the willingness to discuss, critique and sometimes shout to the heavens about policy issues for urbanites.

A Day In The Hood

And on the street perspective of the North End from a resident who shows things as they are.

Winnipeg... one great city (or so they tell me)

Thoughts from someone who takes the city and some of the people in it to task.


Anybody Want A Peanut

Some great work on numbers that the media should have looked at in recent reporting. Overall interesting blog.

The Black Rod

The opinionated and in your face blog with no opportunity to comment.

The Great Canadian Talk Show

The companion blog to The Great Canadian Talk Show and the place to look for their podcasts.

Blackberry Addicts

The return of an old blog. They don't seem to like the PCs and their leader.

Reed Solomon

Often finding the overlooked stories in Winnipeg sometimes from a tech perspective.

The Rise and Sprawl

One of the first blogs in town to comment on urban issues.

The Crime Scene

CBC's James Turner gives a peek at the crime scene in Winnipeg.

96° 48' 35" From the Centre

Hope to see more of this blog as the provincial election approaches.

Policy Frog

Veteran blogger that has been far too quiet as of late.

Things That Need To Be Said

A closer look at politics and other issues from this blog. More, please.

Slurpees and Murder

Always good to see a post from this blog.

Heart of the Continent

Been enjoying this blog on urban design, policy and the architecture.

+++

There have been a few partisan political blogs that I have listed in my blogroll. In recent months there has been a proliferation of NDP supporters writing in support for their party.

The above blogs are a great way to get to know Manitoba and the city of Winnipeg. I find them as important as any newspapers, TV or or radio broadcast as to insight on local affairs.

Some really great stuff.

Where Have All The Bloggers Gone?

It sounds better when you sing it to "where all the flowers gone?"

Today, Endless Spin Cycle called it a day. Hard not to think that given his job, his book and his studies over the last year that it is a little hard to write a quality blog too.

By my reckoning even the archives are gone.

Waverley West and Project Scottsdale are off. I will write to see if I can get more information on that. I hope it wasn't legal bullying.

Take a look at my blogroll and there are a few blogs not touched in a year.

There have been some great new blogs in the last year and hats off to them to continue.

I will try and have one of the more up to date blogrolls so please keep my informed.

A provincial election is coming up and I would like to see every riding covered.