Shaun Kenney discovered Web logs after his younger brother Jason started one about four years ago.
The 26-year-old Spotsylvania County resident was fascinated by the ease such technology brought to Web-site maintenance. It also made keeping up with local news and circulating thoughts about current events easier.
So he decided to make his voice a part of the sounding board, as well.
Web logs, or "blogs" for short, are simplified Web sites where people post thoughts, write journal entries and interact with others.
They can be used as personal Web sites. But Web sites usually focus on one topic, whereas blogs cover multiple ones, said Ernest Ackermann, professor of computer science at the University of Mary Washington.
Many people use blogs as an online journal, discussing personal events in their own lives. Some disclose more personal information than others want to know.
But Ackermann says politicians, scholars, students and even teachers have been using blogs as an educational resource or discussion forum.
Kenney's Web log, shaunkenney .com, includes both personal and educational content.
"It's a good way to get my thoughts and ideas out into the big, wide world," Kenney said. "If I didn't want it read, I probably wouldn't post it."
His Web log is a place to get to know him. His resume, college papers and other things he has written for publication are there. And he recently posted pictures of his newborn niece.
But it is also a place to write what he thinks.
For Kenney, who also chairs the Spotsylvania Republican Party, that usually means writing a lot about politics and issues.
He posts pictures, links and any comments that help him make his point. And anyone who visits his site can respond.
Some people post or respond daily, monthly or every couple days. And others post more than once a day, depending on what is happening.
When anything big happens, Ackermann said, it is almost guaranteed to be all over the blogs. Events such as this year's presidential election, for example, drew a lot of commentary.
Kenney said that kind of interaction between bloggers creates a much-needed "public square" effect--where people come together to discuss different topics--online.
"If you write something dumb, you get called on it," Kenney said. "If you write something good, you might gain a little bit of respect."
Because thousands of Web users have access to blogs, many bloggers believe their posts are becoming a "watchdog" for politicians and information outlets.
"[Blogging] forces ideas into the public square to be criticized, and that's not a bad thing," Kenney said.
Blogs, however, are unedited and can contain both fact and fiction. Akermann warns that information posted in blogs is "just like anything you read," and should be checked against more reliable sources.
Bloggers were spreading exit poll data well before the polls closed on election day, for example. But the information they released turned out to be inaccurate.
Blogging started in the late '90s, Akermann said, and has grown rapidly over the last two years.
"It's another source of information and a way to track news stories," he said.
He says he thinks the popularity of blogs will continue to grow as more people gain access to the Internet and become familiar with high speed service.
Those who want to give blogging a try should read some first, Akermann said. And then they can look into some of the free sites if they decide to start their own.
To reach MEGHANN COTTER: 540/374-5434 mcotter@freelancestar.com