It’s not just political blogging. Sports blogs, food blogs, culture blogs – they all emerged because sometime around the year 2000 the media stopped covering reality and instead began defending the status quo, and folks were annoyed that simple truths were being ignored.

I mean, the sports bloggers make us political bloggers look like softies.

But none of that should be personal.

As for the editorial, I have long taken comfort in being removed from that part of the newspapers I’ve worked for. Blogging, however, has blurred some of the traditions of journalistic detachment in that I get into public two-way discussions on the issues and feel compelled to share opinions.

Five years ago, I would have never imagined saying something like, “I like high-speed rail” for everyone to read. Now I find myself having to do it repeatedly. The bottom line is that reporters have opinions like everyone else, its just that we supress them for the sake (appearance?) of objectivity. We can thank blogging and Fox News for setting us free.

It’s unfortunate that folks take the State Senate report as gospel. I remember a time when journalists were more critical of what politicians said. And this report is especially deserving of such criticism, with a worthless assessment of “financial risk” that doesn’t actually discuss the complete risks involved.

But that’s not intended as character assassination – just a sad commentary on the state of journalism in California. It wouldn’t be fair to single you out, since most other journalists in the state are guilty of the same errors. Ah well.

I finally signed up for the BART EZRider card this year and I love it. No fumbling for wrinkled tickets and no standing in line to reload a ticket or special trips to buy high-value tickets. Just tag the card and go. This is what TransLink is supposed to be like.