Today I would like to encourage you to subscribe to an online reader so that you can easily read the latest posts from all of your blogs. The ChiliQuiltes blog is "RSS" ready, so all you have to do is get that reader and you are on your way to blogging organization deluxe. One reader that you might want to investigate is on the Google site. The address is http://www.google.com/reader

For those of you who are not familiar with RSS, here is a brief tutorial (teachers always have to grab those teachable moments, so excuse me as I put on my teacher gimmee cap and work that voodoo that teachers do so well...sometimes). RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It is a means for websites and blogs to quickly share their content with you, the user. If you have a reader, you can go to your reader, via the web, and, in a hearbeat, check all the latest developments on your favorite blogs and websites.

Sooo....get your reader and become a time-saving junkie...you'll have more time to quilt or embroider or whatever.

Plus, most of them are FREE! Who doesn't like something that's free and informative? 

(Video provided by CommonCraft.)

The Obama campaign used YouTube videos, Facebook and applications, RSS feed, and websites to support his campaign at the Democratic Convention recently. Obama currently has approximately 1.2 million supporters on Facebook. Obama’s original interactive user application help build his online support base. The campaign's latest Facebook application takes voter involvement a step further, by allowing supporters to set up grassroots organizing events such as meetings, fundraisers, voter registration activities, phone banks, or community service.

The McCain party has also embraced online communities like “McCain Nation,” a page on the campaign’s Web site that helps grassroots groups by allowing them to stage and locate other McCain supporters and activities. Since the spring of ‘08, the McCain campaign has been aggressive in developing several more user applications on the social networking community Facebook. Some of these include a video tour of McCain’s bus, video game, and user access to McCain campaign advertisements.

As we move closer to Election Day, the odds are that both parties will increase their support base in the popular social networking communities, as well as others like Twitter, MySpace, Friendster, Bebo, Facebook, and blogs. Will the supporters within these online communities call the election prior to having all votes counted? Will these online supporters affect voter turn out on Election Day by thinking their choice for president has already won or lost the election? Currently Obama has a lead over McCain in terms of support on Facebook. Obama has approximately 1.2 million supporters while McCain has approximately 183,000 on this site. Both the Republication and Democratic conventions were aggressively covered with a Mobile/PC application called Twitter (used by professional, cultural niche groups, and others), providing real time news and reactions of the event. While Twitter may not be in widespread use currently, it has a strong support base of users and is growing.  We will have to wait and see how influential these social networking technologies and communities are in motivating their supporters to act in a Presidential election. We already know they are a powerful tool in gathering supporters; hopefully they will not be used to discourage voters by making inaccurate or early reporting release (who is ahead) statements like the major TV news networks have in the past, that affect voting turnout on Election Day. - By Peter Sabbagh

Over the past month or so, I've been blessed to have my blog visited by some very talented photographers who are new to me. To each of you, I say a sincere "thank you" for stopping by my little space on the web.

One of the fascinating aspects of photography and blogging is the new connections and friendships that are formed through this medium.

Here are just a few of the photographers with whom I've recently become acquainted:

Charles Needle

Mike Palmer Photography

Vinnie of Black Dog's Photo

Julie McCloud

Suzanne Van Hulst

Enigma 3

My "RSS feeds" to daily updates is getting lengthy. But I love each and every blog I visit.

It is by visiting some of these blogs, as well as those I've featured with links on the side bar, that I receive my motivation, encouragement, inspiration.....

Thank you Friends. Your visits and friendships mean so much to me. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend.