Why subscribe?

You know…that’s an excellent question.

So here’s the thing: newsletters are the new blogs. Way back, about 20 or so years ago, people used to keep online journals. The term was web log, as in a log (like a ship’s log) kept on the web (the, uh, World-wide Web; what people mean when they’re talking about “the Internet). That soon got shortened to “blog”.

Anyway, I don’t know who started the first blog and it doesn’t really matter. The point is that between 1999 and 2001, let’s say, the number of blogs exploded, and there were all kinds of platforms (LiveJournal, Blogspot, Wordpress, on and on and on). Then social media happened, among other things, and blogs “went away”.

And now, because everything old is new again, they’re back, except now we’re calling them newsletters. So, yes, I’ve compressed a ton of history, but hopefully that explains a little bit.

OK, but why this particular newsletter?

Well, that’s a different question.

I started this newsletter for the same reason I started my original blog way back in 2000 (yes, 20 years ago); I’ve got things I want to write about and I want to share them with folks. I got tired of posting them on Facebook or Twitter. People enjoyed what I wrote, and wanted me to share them elsewhere.

So I thought about it and figured: why not? And so here we are.

About me: I’ve worked in politics and tech and done a bunch of other things, besides. I’d like to think my life experiences give me a unique perspective, and it seems like a shame to keep that to myself. Yes, I know that sounds a little presumptuous, and now I feel abashed.

What’s the platform?

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.