OK, I'm going to make some comments. I happen to be interested in this issue as we've been thinking of bringing our blog to DR1. And if 'free expression' is so valuable, one has to be able to take it, as well as dish it out.
Anybody in business should know by now that advertisers are valuable. And one preferably should not p!ss them off if at all possible. And one particularly should not try and play out personal vendattas on the blogs, if you have a DR1 blog. If you want to do that, pick any other forum. They are all free. Run two blogs.. for that matter run as many as you want.
If any blog on DR1 takes it as their personal mission to take shots at anyone else just because there is a difference of opinion, the blog should be censored/moderated. It is simply good business. If anyone wants to blog on DR1, there are some standards - common sense type standards - like understanding and respecting the business model that you are working inside of.
Off the top of my head --- if I have to write the standards... and luckily I don't have to... I'll make two rules only...
1. Don't use your blog to malign other posters or people.
It is not your job to save mankind from all people out there. And I for one would like to read about other experiences, not other vendettas. There is no common sense in this. We have a very good example of this self-same thing on a hill somewhere. We've seen it... Let's not repeat it - that would be idiotic.
2. Don't use your blog to go into competition with DR1.
This cuts DR1's throat and eventually yours, and is simply non-sensical. DR1 does not sell for example pottery - I love reading her life and her pottery and it is a great thing that is really nice. I have no problem with any of the blogs telling us what they do for a living and advertising their wares. It is part and parcel of it. But for goodness sakes, don't compete with the one that gives you blog space and is an integral part of the community that you live in.
I would suggest that y'all stop whining now about 'censorship' and fix what is wrong. I would also suggest a middle way - Keep the DR1 blog for exactly what it is good for, telling about one's life and experiences in the DR, and make another blog that one can perhaps title "Nasty blackballing of those who share an Island with me!". People will read both I think.
I was worried when I realized that blogs may be moderated, but this is just a whine man... get over it.
An afterthought - I put this here and not on the blog... so that the owner's of this site could edit it if they choose and as they see fit. It is their site after all is said and done.
