GlobalPundit.Org & 2009

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GlobalPundit.Org & 2009

Just a brief update to satiate my anxious feeling over not having been “on the ball”.

Christmas burns one out, and there was so much going on that my other responsibiities - ie: appearing for comment on various media, submitting my own work to other publications (allowing me to fund this project), and my daily grind job at “xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx” that “xxxxxxxxxx” the “xxxxxxxx”. ‘LOL’.

You’ve all had jobs like that - right? The more you try, the more the “xxxxxxxxxx”. Of course you have!

ANYWAY -  I wanted to let our (surprisingly) faithful readers know that as of jan 15,2009, there will be new content everyday.

Big deal?

Considering the very dedicated and excellent contributors that we DO have (who incidentally, submit material with no financial recompense whatsoever - much to my chagrin - and I do hope to rectify that by this summer), it actually is a bit of a task. Particularly because I don’t repost feeds or pilfer material from other sites to make GlobalPundit.Org look like something it is not.

That said, I have some fantastic material, submissions, story follow-ups, and interviews all coming fast and furious and my goal is to ensure there is something New and Orginal Everyday.

Right now I don’t need to name names for those who have helped make this project in develoment a success (you know who you are). But eventually I will - especially as this site undergoes some tweaking.

And if you thought we did bring you some breaking and original stories during our very short lifespan so far, wait until we have a look back at 2009.

In the meantime, if there is anyone out there that would like to:

~ contribute material (audio, video, print, photographic)

~ notify friends who might be looking to engage or gain some experience

~ assist with research

~ assist with garnering potential grants/funds

~ donate to help our shoestring  / non existent budget

Please drop us a line at editor@globalpundit.org

Last 2 Items: I have made the difficult decision to NOT attend the Inuaguration. This would be different if I could get a guarantee that stories from D.C. would be picked up  - thus allowing me to cost the trip. If this changes, I’m on my way. Of the 3 most historical (allegedly) election events of 2008, I was able to be at the DNC/Invesco Field in Denver, and was able to be at Grant Park on Nov. 4.

2 out of 3 is not bad. But if you are an affiliate or media outlet, contact me and I’ll cover it for you.

Lastly: we know the economy is so very very bad. It’s affecting the quality of reporting in such a brutal way that the amount of layoffs hitting the media field is astounding. It seems that in this time of turmoil - where answers are needed more than ever, the destruction of honest and independent - and knowledgeable -  reporting is one of the most dangerous developments to hit us all in North America.

Be mindful of this. The development of citizen journalism is an important factor. Ryerson University’s Journalism Dept interviewed me extensively on the development of CJ and the best I could offer was that it is still a work in progress and that no definitive answer of what CJ is can be offered at this point.

The best analogy I could offer was this: when I was editor of RPM Magazine in 1997-8 , essentially a 30 year + institution of Canadian Music, and perhaps the Canadian equivalent to Billboard magazine, it was already dying. It might have survived but for the fact that all the major record labels started to eat each other up.

Going from approximately 20 labels to 4, the advertising revenue disappeared, and capable and groundbreaking artists were having the rug pulled out from underneath them. There was no such thing as artist development back in the heyday when labels would take risks and cultivate talent.

Fortunately a strong underground independent record and musician community already existed, and hence “indie rock” (before it was disgustingly appropriated by the major label machinery by 002-003) was able to step in and offer some of the best music (as it had already been doing for decades anyway) and take some prominence.

This is essentially the role of Citizen Journalism  - and in fact has been it’s trajectory for a few years already - which is why I stress that it is a work in progress still.

 This is the short version of this analogy, and it might be unsatisfactory to some of you. i’ll attempt to explain in fuller context if anyone asks.

Oh finally  - please make sure to visit our comrades at www.OperationItch.com , www.theuptake.org , VoteStrike, CodePink, www.Digitaljournal.com, and numerous other outlets who are working hard hard hard and dedicating their time and effort to bring you what the mainstream media surpresses. And surpression, folks, is a full time industry in and of itself.

Best to you all. I know this is a frank departure from the typical irreverence I enjoy. But it’s time to really throw my body into the gears.

As Dave Allen use to close, “goodnight and may your god go with you”. Although I don’t have one, the sentiment is universal, and therefore I like it.

The Editor

editor@globalpundit.org

P.S. Ron Asheton (Stooges) died today at 60. At least I was able to see him perform at the Blind Pig in MI, 2001 - which essentially was a the catalyst show that launched the Stooges reunion. I am glad they had the successful 2008 reunion that they deserved however.

admin @ January 6, 2009