Round the New England blogging traps - 8 a professional, media and political focus continued

This post continues the discussion I began in Round the New England blogging traps - 8 a professional, media and political focus.

I ended the last post with a passing reference to the blog Michael Osborne: Greens Councillor on Newcastle City Council. Continuing the discussion, I want to focus on two issues raised by Michael.

The first is the proposed termination of the heavy rail connection to central Newcastle. I have to be careful what I say here because I lack access to the on-ground facts, including the full arguments put forward in favour of the change by the Hunter Development Corporation. However, I would be very cautious about ending the line because, once ended, it will be impossible to recreate.

Michael has also continued the campaign against the Tillegra Dam.I wrote about the decision to build this dam back in January 2007 in Newcastle, the Lower Hunter & the Tillegra Dam. I have seen no evidence that would cause me to shift the position expressed in that post.

Poor Newcastle. As New England's biggest city, it deserved a better fate than its current position as a pimple on the bum of Sydney Government planning for what is now defined as the greater Sydney area.

One of the difficulties I face in deciding just what constitutes a New England blog.

A blog written by someone in New England is a New England blog. But what about a blog written by a New Englander now living outside New England? This category in fact includes this blog. The dividing line that I using here is a simple one: no matter what the content, does the New Englander retain his/her links in some way?

I make this point because I have just added Paul Barratt's Australian Observer the blog list. Reflecting his experience as a senior public servant, Paul's blog has a defence/public policy focus. However, he retains his Armidale links. See, for example, The Alex Buzo Company.

Over on Media Hunter, Craig Wilson has continued his informed comments on marketing and media issues. Among other things, I had not caught up with the fact that, as outlined in Jerry Seinfeld in ad campaign for Greater Building Society, Jerry Seinfeld had agreed to act as front man for the Greater Newcastle Building Society.

Craig has also commented on the criticisms of blogging by Australian News Ltd supremo John Hartigan. I agree with Craig!

Well, I am out of time once more. I will report again on the New England blogosphere in about a week's time.