Friday, November 16, 2007

Okay Why DC again? info plz

Obviously all types of people in urban centers all over the world maintain weblogs. However, DC is so compelling because of the proliferation of blogs almost exclusively about neighborhoods, some maintained by newcomers who have purchased old row homes. These blogs monitor development, crime, neighborhood politics and DC politics in general. These blogs also offer reviews of new restaurants and stores to the neighborhood.

Well, Brooklyn has Brownstoner and perhaps similar issues in terms of gentrification. Maybe, since Emma and Miranda are from New York, they can investigate if there many bloggers writing about about specific neighborhoods. >:O
And Chicago has chicago bloggers, which organizes bloggers by proximity to train stops. But, there are no blogs specific to neighborhoods and their "redevelopment" except rogers park, but I don't think city government cares or the alderman. In DC the case seems to be different.

So, for my lil project here, I'll need to do the following:
1. Devise what qualifies as a blog worth attention. (some random formula like in a sample of 15 posts, 10 must be about the neighborhood)
2. Figure out what blogs belong to which neighborhoods. (this shouldn't be so hard. A. many have the neigborhood's name in the URL. B. Most bloggers link to other local bloggers and participate in their neighbor's blogging, leaving comments [Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor's blog])
3. Learn some history/demographic history about each neighborhood.
(population trends according income and perhaps race)
4. Learn about local government, wards, councilmen/women/womyn
(how does that work, how do they communicate with their constituents, VIA EMAIL?)

In other news:
I used to go to school where I was research assistant and now my favorite task at work is teaching people (working class, usually older) how to use the internet.

This day in history:
Today, 16 November 2007, the daily puppy is a corgi. My grandparents have a corgi. I think he is keeping them alive. I wanted them to name him Lowrider but they couldn't understand why, so his name is Sparky.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

lol at lowrider and also at councilwomyn.
also i just updated, you can read all about my experience changing a diaper
also it is late/early, you're probably about to wake up.

Miranda said...

So I had a little extra time at work today, and my internet wanderings led me to this:

http://trendypalermoviejo.blogspot.com/

Palermo Viejo is definitely in a late stage of gentrification. But it's in Buenos Aires, and has at least one blog about development (written in English, Spanish, and Portuguese)! Interesting, no?

Anonymous said...

please blog again i am anxious to read more