for 24 APR 06: BLOGGY OR GROGGY

Starting a blog can seem like a lot of fun. Keeping it going can be a challenge. It takes regular effort and time, and a little bit of thought. Of course, the Republican bloggers would argue they think a lot more than the Democratic ones....

This blog is on a pace to reach post number 1,000 in May -- and that's with usually only one post a day, and not that many reruns. Other bloggers in the area have started strongly in recent years, but don't post at all anymore. Old blogs really never die, you know -- they just sit there and vegetate.

I'm reminded of this after hearing awhile back of a new blog from the Smiths Station area. The blog writer named "Wunderdog" wrote to call our attention to it -- and leaving me to wonder if he's Underdog's German cousin.

Wunderdog's blog is called "In Thru the Outdoor." You'll have to ask him why it has that title. Maybe he drives to his Smiths Station home on a Lee County road, instead of U.S. 280.

The Wunderdog blog seemed to start well a couple of weeks ago. It had items about a death in the family of a Smiths Station council member, and helpful links about gas prices and an upcoming public hearing in Opelika. Of course, whether you can afford the gas to drive to Opelika is now in question....

But after three days of blogging, In Thru the Outdoor suddenly came to a halt - and nothing new has been posted in ten days. Maybe Wunderdog is away, trying to save humanity from an interplanetary attack.

Several other interesting blogs have been dormant for much longer, and now are dead for all intents and purposes:

+ "Bubba's Backporch" from Buena Vista. Bubba admitted last summer he became too busy to post, after the school year began. Now his web site displays no entries at all - but maybe his daughter quietly moved him onto Myspace.com.

+ Blogs by TV reporters Amanda Iler and Chris Sweigart. If they were in Hollywood, this could have sparked rumors they were dating.

+ The "Hollywood Dirt" blog from WCGQ-FM announcer "Spikey Mike." Why keep that up, when so many convenience stores sell "white dirt" now?

+ The "Lakebottom" blog from former WRCG "TalkLine" co-host Matt Young. When he didn't cover the opening of a new Columbus Corner Bakery across from Lakebottom Park, that seemed to confirm it.

All these bloggers had their reasons for putting down the keyboard, and I don't mean this to gloat over their lack of entries. It only shows how blogging has to become a bit of a habit, if a blog is to have long-term success. Uh-oh - is there a 12-step program for people like me?

E-MAIL UPDATE: We heard again Sunday from the reader who wrote about problems with a bully in Muscogee County schools. In fact, the reader wrote us twice - so we'll put the two messages together:

You asked why the parent of the student who was bullied didn't call the police? Revenge is the key word in some schools in Columbus..THe race card was also played in this situation...The parent never brought up race ,the school principal did..Who by the way was the same race as the bully..Even the bully,when interviewed by school security,said the victim never called him the racial slur the principal said that he did...But all is solved now that the bully has moved on to a larger city..Maybe he has met his match.. I did mention Billy Kendall's name..Billy is the one who called school security in on the situation when he realized that the principal was not going to take charge.. If this had been my child I would have pressed charges against the kid and the school principal and the school district..BUt then I am a little hot headed...Oh,the school bus driver realized the serious situation and also talked to the principal and the parent of the victim..The principal said that the bully's parent was never contacted because it was not needed....

Today parents don't come face to face concerning problems between kids..The parents are often more violent than the kids..At a local high school this wk a daddy was called to come get his daughter for trying to start a fight..While at the school the girls got in to it again when the daddy told his daughter to slap the other girl...Thank goodness the principal of this school is a strict disciplinarian and took control..

Isn't it nice to see school principals are figuring out all these interpersonal issues? And I'm not sure they're allowed to use paddles to do it anymore....

This writer admits to being "a little hot headed," and notes many parents are more violent than their children. Maybe there's a new TV series waiting to happen here - an area Jerry Springer should have handled years ago.

I suppose this whole issue boils down to what sort values parents teach their children. If we teach them to stand up for themselves, that means we encourage them to slap. If we teach them to report trouble to the authorities -- well, we've heard a lot already about the lack of law enforcement in Columbus.

And that law enforcement issue starts our quick check of Sunday's headlines:

+ Former Columbus Police Chief Jim Wetherington revealed to WXTX "News at Ten" he's considering a campaign for Mayor. If he runs, local rumormongers won't know what to do. It'll be Mayor Poydasheff's old car wrecks, against Wetherington's son setting old high school fires.

(Jim Wetherington says he'll announce a decision about running for Mayor during the noon hour Thursday. He'll make that announcement on the Government Center steps. Really now - if he was NOT running, wouldn't he simply send out e-mails?)

+ The annual "Best Ranger" competition concluded at Fort Benning. There should be an extra event for all 15 teams which finished this three-day marathon - a contest to see who can eat a "Ranger Burger" the fastest at that restaurant in Cusseta.

+ Instant Message to whomever is advertising "Crepe Myrtle Condominiums at Lake Harding": Aw c'mon - multistory condos THERE?! Is all the waterfront space at Panama City Beach taken?

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