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« It's a Conversation | Main | It's A Brand New Beautiful Day » January 10, 2006Full Stop
Effective at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, I am suspending publication of BillHobbs.com, after four years and more than 6,200 entries. The site will remain up with all archives available for the foreseeable future (I've paid the hosting charges for the next few years already) and there's no way of knowing or predicting if or when I'll return to blogging here in the future or not. A few months ago I ceased doing original reporting and in-depth analysis of the state legislature and various issues before it, but continued to link to news articles and others bloggers' articles that I thought were worth reading on those and other topics. But ... too much else on my plate right now, and too many other possibilities that need pursuing. I will continue to work with Sharon Cobb to arrange the bi-partisan Nashville Area Political Bloggers monthly lunch series, and also plan to work with others to arrange a bi-partisan "day of blogging" at the state legislature during the regular session, after the special session on ethics reform. Beyond that, if you're looking for Nashville and Tennessee political bloggering, see Bob Krumm, Blake Wylie, Sharon Cobb, Nathan & Sarah Moore, Mark Rose, Knoxvillian David Oatney, Rob Huddleston, Adam Groves for starters, and follow their links. And the blogging legislator., of course, Rep. Stacey Campfield. Groves' Tennessee Politics is shaping up to be a daily must-read this year. For intelligent coverage of the war, read Donald Sensing, for starters, and follow his links to various milbloggers, and Little Green Footballs, too. For intelligent coverage of media and blogging, start with Jeff Jarvis and Terry Heaton and go from there. The Tennessee blogosphere is strong and healthy, offering such talents as Vorticity and Jeff Harrell and Mike Hollihan. Read 'em regularly. Put money in their tip jars if they have one. For good small-biz advice and commentary on the state of the economy, bet on Jeff Cornwall. I got him started blogging and am proud to have done it. His site routinely gets more traffic than mine does, and I'm proud of that, too. For good round-ups of the Nashville and Tennessee blogospheres, check in with Nashville Is Talking and with Michael Silence, respectively. And respectfully. I've left many good blogs out, especially those that cover the national political scene, such as PowerLine, Hugh Hewitt and Captain's Quarters. Please check out my blogroll, click the links, and check out their blogrolls. A big tip of the hat to Glenn Reynolds. I think he'll do just fine without my occasional Hobbsalanches sending traffic his way. Heh. Comments threads on this blog will close one week from today. Guest bloggers will not be filling in for me. I'm not sure what's next for me in blogging, though I hope to do some additional blog-and-PR-related consulting for corporate, media and political clients in the months ahead. If you're a potential client of that kind of service, contact me at bill-at-billhobbs.com. I've been fishing in the blogosphere for more than four years. Now it is time to teach others how to fish. Posted in Site News
Comments
We'll miss you, Bill -- you have a place and a role that no one else can fill. But this is something I understand. Sometimes a break, a breather, is necessary. It is usually during periods of detachment, escape, quiet, and reflection that the next step is revealed. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to post here. I hope some good has and will come of it. Posted by: Donna Locke at January 10, 2006 12:26 AMNoooooooooooooooooooooooo. You can't stop the first day of the special session! Very sad news for us. But if you're teaching others to fish (which you've been doing all along) we'll still benefit from your wisdom and hard work. Thank you so much for your service to our community. You've made it a better place. Posted by: Kay Brooks at January 10, 2006 6:33 AMBill: I think you've now retired more times than Garth Brooks. Happy Trails. Posted by: Will Pinkston at January 10, 2006 6:52 AMNOOOOOOOO!!! Had to be a tough decision, Bill, and we'll miss you. I wish you nothing but the greatest successes in all your other endeavors. You're a great guy and I have been blessed to know you both via your blog and occasionally in person. Hope to see you back online someday! Posted by: Donald Sensing at January 10, 2006 7:16 AMI wish you the best in whatever you do. You'll be missed. Posted by: SayUncle at January 10, 2006 7:41 AMYou'll be missed Bill, I'll be waiting for your coming out of retirement party. Posted by: toni at January 10, 2006 7:46 AMThanks for everything, Bill. You will be missed. Posted by: Allan at January 10, 2006 7:52 AMBill, first let me say thank you -- for your years of service to Tennessee politics, from a critic of the state income tax all the way to present, keeping government accountable to the people in the wake of Tennessee Waltz. I dare say many issues on the Nashville Hill wouldn't even have been issues had it not been for your diligence. Thanks also for your inspiration in getting other people to blog. I wish you the best. Posted by: Adam at January 10, 2006 7:55 AMYou'll be back. Blogging is addictive. ;-) Posted by: Dave at January 10, 2006 8:19 AMBlogger loss = Fishermans gain. Thus ends the first blog I check every day. Posted by: the Rep at January 10, 2006 8:23 AMGoing to miss you, Bill, Learned a lot. Posted by: Sandy P at January 10, 2006 8:25 AMI'm with Sharon. Can't you wait another 5 months? :) Posted by: Michael Chaney at January 10, 2006 8:35 AMBest of luck to you in whatever you do. I can't imagine ceasing to blog, but you wouldn't be the first to give it up successfully. Posted by: Jay at January 10, 2006 8:36 AMYou're going to be missed Bill. As a transplanted Middle Tennessean, I've enjoyed (or ocassionally shaken my head in disbelief that things haven't changed) getting a look at what's going on "back home." On top of that, you gave me my very first every bloglink! Thanks for you good work, and God bless you and your family. Posted by: Bob at January 10, 2006 9:09 AMOh, my. I worry day by day re my own potential blogging demise. When a blogging institution goes silent, fear strikes out. All best to you. Posted by: Sissy Willis at January 10, 2006 9:22 AMBill, So now it begins. Anyone know the lyrics to The Party's Over? Who'll be the next to go? Posted by: "John Galt" at January 10, 2006 11:21 AMBest of luck. Enjoy your life. And especially, thanks for leaving your site up! Posted by: Lornkanaga at January 10, 2006 11:46 AMBill, you've done yeoman's work. You're a great reporter, and you ran a great blog: a "first-read" for this Tennesseean-in-exile in the heart of all Yankeedom. You will be missed by one and all of us. Best wishes in your new ventures. Posted by: Bill Rhodes at January 10, 2006 11:53 AMYou will be missed, sir. Enjoy your blog-retirement. Posted by: Robert at January 10, 2006 12:06 PMYou'll be back. But, all the same, thanks for the four-years-of-work and best wishes for the future! Posted by: Preston Taylor Holmes at January 10, 2006 1:32 PMGood luck Bill, despite our differences of opinion, I always enjoyed reading your blog. Unlike others, you have consistently been fair in expressing your views and have been tolerant of those who oppose you. You will be missed. Posted by: TomJ at January 10, 2006 1:45 PMBill- You are truly a remarkable person. Best of luck to you. While there are other sites, there is no one to replace you. Hurry back and God bless. Posted by: Terry at January 10, 2006 6:13 PM I assume this is a prelude the the announcement of your gubernatorial candidacy? We eagerly await... Posted by: bb at January 10, 2006 7:58 PMGood luck, Bill. Your blog will certainly be missed. Posted by: John Norris Brown at January 10, 2006 8:15 PMBill: Well done. Posted by: Hall at January 10, 2006 9:46 PMWill P - I scaled back once, and now have "retired" from the blog once. Glad to know you care. Bruce B - you'll be waiting a long time. Everyone else: Thanks for the kind words, but I didn't die. I'm still here, still going to be working in the local blogosphere to make it bigger and better. Posted by: Bill Hobbs at January 10, 2006 10:35 PMGood luck, Bill. Posted by: Patterico at January 10, 2006 11:17 PMBill, Thanks for your work. You will be missed. Enjoy life, it is too short. Posted by: Brian's Blog at January 11, 2006 6:41 AMI haven't done a scientific study, but the "scaling back" seemed to be only the announcement. I believe that the posting remained about the same. You did add the daily summary, but you quickly got back into blogging about local TN issues. Call me skeptical, but I'm still waiting to see if you really can resist blogging about TN politics. Posted by: Michael Chaney at January 11, 2006 4:28 PMWhat I scaled back on was doing the indepth original-research stuff on Tennessee politics, which was taking a lot of time. Things like this post, which looks short but actually took an hour or more to research and write, and this post, which took about 90 minutes, and many many more like it regarding taxation, the state budget, ethics and the black caucus, Kelo and those buses in New Orleans (which, incidentally, Nagin admitted on TV a couple weeks ago that he should have moved to higher ground before Katrina hit - score one for me.) But in the end scaling back and doing just links to others blogs and news articles didn't save me enough time - and, yes, I did slip a couple times and do the big stuff like this post, so ... full stop. Posted by: Bill Hobbs at January 11, 2006 8:04 PMFishing is time consuming, but your time was well spent! Bill: You are invited to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the first Inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 2006. You're welcome to use the image from the post in any manner you see fit and to invite any others who may wish to participate. http://mikesamerica.blogspot.com/2006/01/next-week-we-celebrate-beginning-of.html |
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