Annapolis Capital Punishment

CP is happy to announce that we recently reached the milestone of 30,000 hits! Since starting just about 15 months ago, we've attracted a following, raised a lot of issues, managed to get a few folks unhappy and angry, yet more than a few people read and actually, yes occasionally, even like what they read here at CP. We've been picked up on other blogs and have been interviewed by mainstream media. And proudly, we have been severely browbeaten by the nasty, mean-spirited and hate-filled hyper conservative bloggers who as I have said before, operate in their own little contagion of cross-posting and re-posting (and composting?).

We promote local events and organizations, alert readers to public meetings and provide links to pertinent websites.

So, we must be doing something right.

Which brings me to the local blog scene. As the title of this piece reads, blogs may come and blogs may go. First the good news. Blog Arundel, which predates CP at www.arundel.blogspot.com is still going strong, mainly focused on environmental and land use issue in AA County. There is a a lot of good stuff here, although posting is erratic, with the latest from April 24th. Blog Arundel maintains anonymity, which CP finds not only unnecessary but it also detracts from its value and reliability. The blog also does not link to other local blogs.

Timm Grins is staying active not only with his Clay Street blog but with his activism on Clay Street where he and his blog are a part of the renaissance going on in that section of town. And speaking of renaissance, www.iliveonclaystreet.com says Clay Street is "the Harlem of Annapolis."

Three other blogs have come and now seem to have gone. One made a few posts and then dropped out of sight. The other came on strong and seemed both valuable and relevant until its publisher started allowing all kinds of nasty and obnoxious comments and letters to appear--and I might add anonymously. That's not had a posting in a month, and the last one was simply a basic report about a homicide. A third seemed quite promising although it was not really politically oriented and it too seems to have fallen.

And one of the above blogs posted that it was helping form yet another blog, this one with an unabashedly and eponymously negative take on our city. It made a few tiny and brief posts which basically asked for negative comments. A few negative comments trickled in and then....it seems to have died. Curiously, that blog had a most remarkable similarity to CP in terms of its template, colors and fonts. How interesting. Well, I guess that imitation is the best form of flattery.

Speaking of which, will someone please send some flattering comments or letters? Or how about some money? Buy an ad? These great pearls of wisdom don't just fall from trees or wash up on this beach. They take serious beer and coffee--and magazines...and cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Yours truly

Paul Foer aka "CP"
foerp@msn.com