Everybody wants to make a big deal about blogs these days. Personal websites have been around since the beginning of the internet, but now we have a snappy, single-syllable word for it. The format of blogs where regular updates are expected plus comments from readers (if you're lucky) is something new and better, and it allows for more interactive fun.

That said, I don't really get all the hate out there for blogs. You have folks like Moby and David Byrne (and other regular joe schmoes) who refuse to use the word blog. Fine. If you prefer "online journal", that's fine. Without comments, maybe it is less of a blog. I don't know or care much. I read one blog that went off on how much they hate blogs and all words related to blogs and the links in blogs. Oh-kay. Why all the fuss, though?

I've heard mention of blogs on the news and radio like it's the latest, greatest thing that is going to change the world. And, I hear other people talking about what a waste of time they are (specifically, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage - tell me they aren't just insecure about their jobs and tell me if they didn't have some run-of-the-mill job like janitor or accountant, that they wouldn't have a political blog).

A month or so ago I saw a Business Week cover that said "How Blogs will Change your Business." I read the article and it was a whole lot of nothing. Because part of what makes most blogs great is that they have nothing to do with business. Unlike 90% of the internet, they aren't trying to talk you out of your money in some way.

Business Week's big advice is to start a blog. But, just because you have a blog doesn't mean people will check it out. If the purpose of your blog is to promote your business, I know I definitely won't be checking it out.

I like blogging, I love the whole blog thing, but there are what? 60 million blogs or so out there. And each are only as good as the people who write the blog. I can't tell you how many blogs I've stumbled onto that don't even make sense. Or, that were really poorly written (The Huffington Post has shown that most celebrities should not blog - I love Ellen DeGeneres and John Cusack, but they had to come up with one post that was interesting and they could. not.).

Now, I'm tired of the word blog.