Finally: Plugged into the blogosphere

This marks my entry into the blogosphere, a realm much-heralded and -hyped by the media, even while many in the mainstream fear its increasing power over a society plugged in electronically almost every minute of the day.
I've never paid much attention to any blog before, mostly because they tend to be wildly biased and fabulously unresearched. Any yahoo can put a rant online and call it "must-read material."
That's part of what makes this so inticing a medium to me — there's only so much you can print in a family-oriented newspaper. Despite newspapers' claims of being bastions of the Frist Amendment, there's a surprising amount of self-censorship in many newsrooms. That isn't to say the Tracy Press writers look over their shoulders to see what the advertisers want and what business deals the publisher is making or who the editor goes to dinner with. Actually, the writers at the Press do a great job, in my opinion, of only focusing on their job — finding and reporting the news. But there's a limit to what any publisher and editor will allow in print (I know, I edit the copy at the Press).
The world of blogs is more true to the concept of freedom of expression. The lack of general checks and balances is why I am trying my hand here (not to mention that sometimes I get an idea that isn't worth 600-plus words of print in a newspaper). Of course, with no checks and balances, there's no guarantee that the content being published is anywhere close to sensible or balanced, let alone accurate.
So I invite you to be the balance. I'll have my tangents. You'll disagree with me. I'll disagree with you. Hopefully, we'll both learn something.
So write in. I welcome it. Without response, it'll be pretty lonely out here in the blogosphere.