Blogging isn't new. What's new is the technology people are using. The technology has created a virtual community, and what we're seeing is members of that community acting in the way people normally act to promote that community. You hear about the same stuff when people cheer for their favorite sports team, or carry on about their nation's contributions to humanity.

In fact, what CRich observed isn't new, either. Bloggers have been chest-pounding for some time. Back when Dean was running for USA president, there was a lot of noise and heat being generated since this Dean guy was apparently tapping into these unguessed at reservoirs of activism by using bloggers and cell phones and stuff. And later during the campaign there was that incident with the CBS/Dan Rather/GWBush military service memo, where bloggers went so far as to call the regular media obsolete. I'm sure there were other cases that I've not heard of.

Eventually people will settle down and start treating blogs as what they really are: online bull-etin boards, where the principal content is described by the name.