Anyone doubting the prominence of Virginia's political blogs, or Web logs, need look no further than a Feb. 2 posting on a blog run by Waldo Jaquith, a Charlottesville Web developer and political activist.
As Jaquith, 27, sat in the House of Delegates' makeshift gallery in Richmond, watching the session on closed-circuit television, he quoted House Speaker Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg) as advising his colleagues not to laugh at Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William) because "you'll just encourage him."
Del. Kris Amundson (D-44), on the House floor at the time, commented on Jaquith's blog: "We do need to remember that Bob Marshall (with whom I probably agree less than one percent of the time) can be a truly funny guy."
Jaquith replied, "How funny to sit here and watch you on TV and write about it while you sit and read what I'm writing about about what I'm watching on the TV."
Three minutes later, Amundson wrote back: "It is a little Escher-esque!"
The following day, "Doug in Mount Vernon" commented, "My delegate is bloggin'! Yay Kris!"
Amundson said in an interview that her comments on Jaquith's blog were her first foray into Virginia's blogosphere. She even called up her daughter to tell her about it, as her daughter thinks she's not "hip" to new technology.
"It was sort of a major, life-changing thing for me," she said.
Amundson expressed interest in starting her own blog, but doubts she has the necessary technical expertise.
"I'd need a book called 'Blogging for Dummies' before I could do it," she said. "If someone wants to teach us, then I'd be game."
There is, in fact, a book titled "Blogging for Dummies," which is written by Brad Hill and available in book stores for $21.99.
Jaquith's blog can be found online at waldo.jaquith.org.