Blogs Before Blogs
Check out Robert Darnton's engaging piece on pre-cursors to blogs over at the New York Review of Books' Blog.
He points our, for example, how 18th century newspaper reporting little varied from modern day gossip blogs:
"Here, for example, is a recent post on The Superficial:
RadarOnline reports "traditional marriage" crusader and former Miss California Carrie Prejean is living in sin with her fiancé Kyle Boller of the St. Louis Rams where they're no doubt eating shellfish. BURN THEM!
And here is a typical entry from Le Gazetier cuirassé ou anecdotes scandaleuses de la cour de France (1771):
Mlle. Romans is soon to marry M. de Croismare, Governor of the Ecole Militaire, who will use six aides de camp to take his place in performing the conjugal service."
