Newspapers and magazines play a part, but with their shrinking staffs, it’s a smaller role by the day. Blogs? Definitely, it’s where people with the freedom and foresight to look broader, more critically, think more bravely share what they’re observing, researching, and wanting your feedback on. Microblogging sites such as Twitter take the time frame even more immediate, currently breaking.

But, you may be asking, where do I find the time to go to all these sources? A fair question, one which a tool like Feedly handily integrates all together in one place, allowing for you to easily interact with both your information and the people talking about it.

The next question you may have is, how do I even find what I need to keep track of in the first place amongst all this big swirling pot of information? And how do I know what’s best?

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What do CarrotMobs and sugar cubes have in common?   Other than finding their way into your Easter basket, they are the businesses and tools developed by Virgance to create change through consumer organizing.

Thus far, businesses dedicated to “doing good” have been the purview and passion of big names and big businesses.  Bono launched DATA and (RED).  Bill Gates started the Gates Foundation and Home Depot has become synonymous with Habitat for Humanity.   However this past Tuesday Virgance, a San Francisco start-up, threw a little party to celebrate the next stage of their Activism 2.0 model, the acquisition of Green Options Media Network.

Virgance was founded in San Francisco by two business partners interested in elevating activist efforts by connecting them with social networking tools and access to funding.    Not convinced that “for good” had to mean not-for-profit, President and serial entrepreneur, Steve Newcomb began “looking at activism as a potential start-up industry” because he wanted to do more than just start another technology company.

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We all know young people have a handle on the Internet like no other demographic. My generation grew up playing computer games, had PC literacy classes in elementary school, and secretly hijacked the internet for music pirating before we were teens. We have an intuitive sense of the web – its uses, its limitations, and its future.

The nation’s young people are now harnessing that power for climate action, and we’re beating coal’s dirty PR in ways that have industry front groups shaking.

The coal industry’s American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity has poured millions of dollars into online advertising to convince Americans that “clean coal” is the solution to global warming, and it’s planning a $20 million online push this year. But type “clean coal” into Google, and up pop progressive climate blogs, spoofs and news articles.

In my own search for “clean coal,” eight out of the top 10 organic results were web sites that completely debunked the idea – only Wikipedia and an AP news article held both “sides” up. Not a single site in the top 10 was a pro-clean-coal industry page. Industry front group have had to buy their way onto Google’s front page, thanks in large part to young bloggers.

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That’s right: Monsanto, the company many of us in the sustainability sphere love to hate, has entered the conversation.

That, on the surface, is a good thing.

Of course, the devil’s in the details.  As occasional contributor Max Gladwell pointed out in “10 Ways that Social Media and Sustainability Line Up,” social media can provide a high return on investment for a business… provided its efforts are grounded in transparency. I’d add that such efforts must also be based in a genuine desire to interact: social media is conversation, and all parties have to both talk and listen. Without these elements, a corporate blog will strike its intended audience as just another effort at message control.

Monsanto’s blog also seems to validate another of Max’s points: much of the content so far has consisted of responses to grassroots criticisms of the company ventures into biotechnology, particularly genetic engineering of crop seeds. As blogger and public affairs manager John Combest told the P-D, “”There was this big conversation going on (on the Internet), and we weren’t a part of it.”

So, how’s the company doing in its initial forray into the blogosphere?

At this point, I’d argue they still have a lot to learn.

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In a miraculously concise statement of purpose, they say, “Our singular goal as a company is to take the complexity out of home energy.”

How do they do that?

Through telling their own stories. Exploring what’s going on out there. Teaching you how to best do it yourself. And know when it’s time to bring in a professional.

Then, armed with knowledge, encouragement, and others to identify with, they have a store full of ways to put talk into action.  My antennae went up when I saw they sell space heaters. Seeming to know this would be an issue, they have a quick, fun video in their blog entry YES! Sometimes an Electric Space Heater Makes Sense.

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Do you have a passion for green living?

Does writing about natural parenting, environmental issues for families, or the latest in green home products appeal to you?

Have you ever considered blogging for us?

We’re searching for new writers for 2009 to help us grow this blog into its full potential as a resource for parents (and parents-to-be), teens, and kids.

Eco Child’s Play is now hiring writers to cover topics and issues related to the chemical-free home, environmental education, kids activities, nutrition and health, as well as current events as they relate to green living. We’re looking for bloggers who can commit to posting several times a week (even daily, if you can) and can follow our editorial guidelines. You don’t have to be a pro, but you do have to love what you do and be willing to learn.

Want to know more?

Read our FAQ – Writing For Green Options, then head over to our Write With Us page and apply.

Still have questions?

Send an email to the editor: Jennifer(at)greenoptions(dot)com

Or the lead writer: Derek(at)greenoptions(dot)com

We’ll get back to you right away!

Image: Håkan Dahlström at Flickr under Creative Commons License

9. McCain’s Colorado River Gaffe Might Cost Him Key Western States by Timothy B. Hurst

“John McCain has again said something to cause his fellow western-state Republicans to wince at his political inexpedience and apparent naivete for the issue at hand. And even though the Senator has now recanted and begun damage control, Democrats are hoping that this one will cost him. Some even argue that the gaffe was so severe, he may have just lost Colorado.”

8. Imagine a $700 Billion Bailout for the Environment by Jennifer Lance

One of the biggest stories of 2008 (and likely again in 2009) was the economic collapse and the ensuing expanding role of the U.S. Government in backing large corporations. On October 1st, Jennifer Lance considered what that kind of money could do for the environment: “I can’t help but wonder what a $700 billion bailout would do for the environment.  What if the US government had responded to the twenty years of dire warnings by James Hansen in the same manner as the current economic crisis?  Such an aggressive response may have stopped climate change and saved our economy through green jobs and technology.”

7. Schwarzenegger Jumps on Obama’s Proper Tire Inflation Bandwagon by Timothy B. Hurst

Separating himself from his party’s leadership (again), California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the launch of EcoDriving USA, a new web portal aimed at sharing gas-saving tips. About the Republican misstep that gave such rich context to this launch, I wrote: “GOP strategists saw an opportunity to pounce on this bold claim by Senator Obama. And they, along with their friend Rush Limbaugh, lampooned and ridiculed Obama’s tire pressure assertion as a joke. The McCain campaign even went so far as handing out tire gauges branded with the slogan “Obama’s Energy Plan” to reporters traveling with Senator Obama. Let me just say this, whomever was in charge of that “brilliant” move at McCain HQ should be canned.”

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Many bloggers and webmasters are wont to check their stats so often it borders on behavior that could be classified as obsessive-compulsive. Fortunately, that is how the folks behind the scenes at the New Orleans-based activist group, Levees.org learned that the harassing comments being left at their blog were coming from computers registered to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Well, maybe they weren’t OC about checking their stats, but after this incident, I’m guessing they just might be now.

Levees.org is a watchdog activist group that is pushing for an independent analysis of the “failure of the federal flood protection system” in metro New Orleans on August 29, 2005.” The group’s founder, Sandy Rosenthal did some digging into her stats after an unusually high volume of “negative comments” began rolling into the blog.

Read more of this story »

Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at Eco Child’s Play they through a new writer like me into the pool. Hello everyone, I’m Summer, a new face that you will hopefully see a lot more of. I’m joining the team to share my love of parenting and the planet here.

OK, a little about me. I’m a stay at home mom of two boys, a bleeding-heart liberal tree-hugger, and very opinionated. Trust me, I’m rarely able to keep quiet about things that move me. I have a personal blog at Wired For Noise and I’m frequently on Twitter. In fact, I made the list of the 46 Green Moms and Eco Dads on Twitter, so feel free to stalk me there.

I’m thrilled to be joining the great people here and I hope that you all will enjoy having me around as well.

Image:  dcassaa on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

Gas 2.0 is now hiring writers to cover these topics. We’re looking for bloggers who can commit to a daily posting schedule and who are willing to adopt our editorial best practices. If you can knock out a solid three paragraphs on the latest development in the topics we know and love here at Gas 2.0, we’re interested in talking to you.

Apply Here

(Choose “Gas 2.0″ as the blog you’re applying for)

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

So, as of September 30, I’ll be stepping down from my role as Senior Editor of Green Options Media in order to do the work I most love doing: writing. I’ve been thrilled with the way sustainablog’s developed as a group blog, and will focus my time and effort on posting here regularly, and leading our team of regular contributors. Managing Editor Clayton Cornell will take over leading the network; this decision came easier once I knew that GO Media’s editorial direction would be in such capable hands.

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In the spirit of collaborative politics, I’d like to make this a collaborative project. Here’s what I’m thinking; in stead of me popping off the five most important, most-visited, or my otherwise favorite environmental politics blogs (which I did an iteration of already), I’ll just start us off with a couple of good ones and why I like them. Then we want you to tell us what you all are reading and why you are reading them for your environmental politics fix.

The universe of environmental politics blogs is ever-expanding, so keeping track of all the growth can be a dizzying enterprise. This project is all about spreading the word about good blogs, and in particular, about blogs that might fly under the radar of the “mainstream” green blogs. Obscure, international, and highly specialized blogs are encouraged and welcomed. This can even be an exercise in self-promotion. If you think your blog is a valuable source of information or analysis on the major themes found in environmental politics. Alright, let’s have at it!

Open Thread: Environmental Politics Blogs:

Hill Heat: Edited and published by “The Cunctator,” located in Washington, D.C., Hill Heat provides informative commentary and analysis of covering global warming developments on Capitol Hill. What I find particularly helpful is the complete listing of global-warming related congressional hearings and other events in and around D.C.

DeSmogBlog: With a tag-line like, “We’re here to clear the PR pollution that clouds the science of climate change,” what’s not to love? DeSmogBlog is loaded with well-written, timely, and insightful content. I particularly enjoy how they focus on covering the coverage and watching the watchers.

The Sietch Blog: Although I don’t visit as often as I used to (the same can be said for virtually all of the blogs I visit), the Sietch Blog always has something good in store for its dedicated cadre of readers. The blog focus is not only on environmental politics, but on clean tech, renewable energy, and the larger “green” movement. On any given day, you can find some good writing mixed with a smattering of video content and even a little humor thrown in for good measure.

I could keep going, but now it’s your turn…

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

Read more of this story »

Last week’s Newsweek/American Petroleum Institute panel at Stanford that I was invited to helped shed light on the very technology v. behavior problem I addressed above.** The panel moderator, Newsweek Senior Editor of Business and Technology, David Jefferson kicked off the event by admitting that, while he is certainly cognizant of the pressing environmental issues we are currently facing, he could be doing be more. He candidly admitted that he drives a Mustang convertible, that he has installed compact fluorescent lightbulbs in his outside lights, but not his indoor ones, and that he does not shy away from using his home’s thermostat, although he is also not afraid of throwing on a sweater if it is a little chilly.

Kennedy set the event off on an interesting note by taking an editorial position that struck me. Kennedy said something like, “it is not about changing consumer behavior,” and this is where Kennedy and I have a theoretical and philosophical divergence.

[Note: I included the photo above as evidence of the rapidly changing world of media. Five to ten years ago, who would have guessed that oil executives would ever sit down with green bloggers to talk about energy policy? Certainly, not me. Pictured left to right are Maria Surma Manka of Maria Energia, me (Tim Hurst) of Green Options & EcoPolitology, Paul Siegele of Chevron, and Brian Westenhous of New Energy and Fuel].

Read more of this story »

In the wake of yesterdays annual meetings at ExxonMobil and Chevron that saw shareholders vote down several proposals that would have required the two energy giants to give greater consideration to issues of environmental protection and human rights, Chevron and Newsweek are co-hosting a forum called “Energy’s Future is in Technology: Innovation in Energy Supply, Energy Efficiency and Alternative/Renewable Energy” (now that’s a mouthful). The event, hosted at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California has just commenced and I am blogging in a room of about 150 academics, journalists, energy industry representatives, and opinion leaders (they even gave us our own table to sit at). More to come…

(Part II - Politics and Policy)

(Part III - Consumer Behavior)

Photo courtesy of the API

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

RedOrbit.com provides mountains of wide-ranging content contained covering the vast ideological spectrums of space, science, health, and technology. Launched in in 2003, RedOrbit averages over 5 million unique visitors per month, “with subject matter a bit more intellectually oriented than most” (I love that last part).

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

I’ve always liked Flock for its focus on integration of social media functions into the browser itself: right now I’ve got one-click access to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. The Eco-Edition adds a one-stop shop for green news and blog hounds: the “Green” page that loads when the browser starts features feeds from most of the web’s top destinations for information and opinion on sustainability and environmentalism (including sustainablog — thanks, Flock!). The refresh button even features the ubiquitous recycling symbol — a nice touch! As our friend Michael d’Estries at Ecorazzi noted, this creates a seamless experience: the best of the green web is right at my fingertips. Combined with Flock’s integrated social media and blogging tools, the Eco-Edition provides an efficient interface for all of the steps we green bloggers go through in writing, publishing and promoting our work.

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Launched a month and a half ago as part of the new EcoGeek blogging network, Wearing the Future is all about “straight talk as much as style, so you won’t have to worry about fluffy, PR-soaked, greenwashing nonsense.”

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with the blog’s chief editor and head writer, Kyeann Sayer (pronounced like “cayenne” pepper). As a long-time writer for Treehugger.com, Kyeann has an impressive media resume - she has been featured on CNN, MSN, I.D. Magazine, Domino, Spin, Outside, and Women’s Wear Daily … just to name a few.

In our lively conversation, Kyeann and I talk about the beginning of Wearing the Future, her favorite eco-fashion brands, personal style’s place in the world of green living and more - read on for all the juicy details!

Victoria Everman: How did you get connected with Hank Green of EcoGeek? Did the two of you come up with the idea for Wearing the Future together or was he on the look-out for an editor and writer already? 

Read more of this story »

In August, Lighter Footstep’s Chris Baskind pointed us to Blog Action Day, a single day on which

…participating bloggers will post an article which deals in some way with green issues. A financial blog might address eco-friendly investing. An automotive site could choose to focus on hybrids or plug-in vehicles. It’s all about the Earth — and diversity of opinion.

Well, Blog Action Day is here, and we’re proud to be among the nearly 16,000 blogs taking part in this day of action.

Of course, we do green issues every day at Green Options, so this is hardly a stretch for us. In order to contribute to the event, we’re going to highlight (and link to) posts throughout the day from "non-green" blogs. Here’s the first batch — I’ll update this post throughout the day to give you a glimpse of what’s being said around the blogosphere.

Obviously, with the number of blogs participating, the team and I won’t be able to read (or highlight) them all, so feel free to point to some of you favorites in the comments.

Congratulations to the organizers of Blog Action Day — what a great idea! Consider GO in for any future events…

Blog Action Day Posts

ZenHabits: 5 Ways to Save the World While Getting Fitter, Saving Money, Simplifying and Becoming Happier

Freelance Switch: 29 Simple Ways to Become a More Environmentally Friendly Freelancer (+ Help Us Donate $500 to Charity)

Chris Garrett: Noticing the World Around Us

Pronet Advertising: The Importance of Blog Action Day

Copyblogger: The Butterfly Effect and the Environment: How Tiny Actions Can Save the World

Lifehack.org: You the Consumer

GM.com: 10 years ahead of a scary schedule

Guitar Noize: Are "Green Guitars" Possible?

Successful Blog: Personal Environmental Action

Life, the Universe, and Everything: A Philosophical Satire

More Posts (noonish)

The Higher Pie: Go Green? Go Vegan!

ProBlogger: How Can Bloggers be Environmentally Responsible

McToonish: Social Capital and the Environment

Organize IT: 20 Tips For Laying The Foundations Of Your Environmentally Friendly Habit

polygeek.com: Optimized code could help reduce global warming

Orthodox Anarchist: Ten Things You Can Do to Save the Planet, Every Day

The Marketing Technology Blog: Water and Oil

Write Great Ezines & Blogs: What are you doing for a healthy environment?

Influential Marketing Blog: 7 Tips on Eating Differently to Impact Climate Change

change therapy: Interdependence with the Environment

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”

We’re pleased to see that a number of members have already started using their blogs, and we hope you’ll give it a shot, also. We’ve made sure that GO user blogs are fully functional, so you can:

Add images: It’s easy to add photographs and graphics to your blog posts — we’ve created a video (originally for our writing team) that walks you through the process. Keep in mind that many images may be under copyright, so be careful about using other people’s images — at minimum, you should give credit and a link.

Add links: Linking is also easy to do… see our "Blogging at GO" overview for instructions.

Add tags: Tags allow you to categorize your posts beyond the standard options available through the normal category structure. Your tags are also submitted to blogging megasite Technorati.

Use HTML: If you’re an advanced web author, you can add HTML tags through the by clicking on "disable rich text" below the "Body" text field.

Promote your blog: We’ve added widgets that allow you (or your readers) to easily submit your posts to social bookmarking sites StumbleUpon, Digg and Reddit.

Got questions? Check out our "How To" doc… and then blog away!

5. Presidential Debate: John McCain vs. Barack Obama - Who Won? by Jerrry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone asked readers to chime-in on the presidential debate: “John McCain and Barack Obama squared off in the second of three Presidential Debates this election season. Tell us who won and why.”

4. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden - Who Won? by Jerry James Stone

On October 1st, Jerry James Stone kicked off another popular debate-based post. In this one he asked, “Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska square off in the Vice Presidential Debate, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Join us after the debate to tell us who won and why.”

3. Palin Ignored Chance to Promote Energy Independence by Alex Felsinger

On October 12th, Alex Felsinger dug up a story about Sarah Palin’s preference to sell natural gas to Japan where it sells for substantially more than in the lower 48. Alex wrote, “The idea that Palin is an energy expert was laughable already, but this decision showed a brash disregard for American energy independence, a cause which she champions nearly every day on the campaign trail.”

2. Who Won Wednesday Night’s Presidential Debate? by Timothy B. Hurst

Not surprisingly another post about the presidential debate was well-discussed, both in the post itself and polldaddy, where I set up another reader poll. On October 15th I wrote: “With full knowledge that a simple poll question cannot adequately capture your nuanced position on the presidential debates, you are encouraged to leave a comment below. If you’re happier with a simple poll, just follow the link - no strings attached.”

1. 700 California Wildfires: Why Don’t We Have Enough Resources? by Jennifer Lance

At the top spot of the most discussed post of the year is a June post by Jennifer Lance who wrote, “As someone personally surrounded by over 80 fires in a 10 mile radius of my home, I am pissed, frightened, anxious, and depressed.”