I guess you really CAN'T go home again...

Well, between us mike and I can't get this place looking like it used to. The old header and format are back but I can't find the old template or anything like it, and of the "classic" templates the colors are all like this - simple and grim - or garish and idiotic. Either way I'm not sure that this is an improvement on the new "magazine"-type look, as busy as that is.

I guess my thought is that this isn't really a good solution. If there's any real strong objections or a good alternative idea we'll back off and try a third approach. But unless there is I'm leaning towards going back to the old-"new" magazine format and just carry on from there. How about that, folks? Thoughts?

Last Call?

I've been wondering whether or not to ask this of the readership, but the lack of content has gotten to the point where I can't avoid it...is it time to drink up and close the bar?

For one thing, I seem to be generating most of the recent posts; 20 out of the last 25. I neither want nor intended this to be "my" blog" but that seems to be happening, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that.

A lot of the original staff have finished their drinks and left, and many of the rest of us seems to be circling around the same old topics like late-night drinkers often do. Not sure if it's just being too familiar with each other, or the end of the conventional wars overseas the U.S. was fighting through the Oughts, or just having thrashed out all we want to argue about but the place seems to be getting a sort of deserted feel. Pageviews are dropping steadily. Fewer of us seem to be interested in stopping by.

My first thought is that I could step away from the bar; let the other folks here take over. Maybe the problem isn't "us" but too much of me.

But I guess my other thought is that if this is an "us" thing I'd rather we make it official and final, close up shop and take down the "Open for Business" sign than just sort of drift away into one of those ghost blogs, untenanted and forgotten.

Thoughts?

A Drinking Club with a Book Problem

Jim and I have been kicking around the idea of starting up a monthly discussion of some printed work.

In other words - a MilPub Book Club.

We thought we'd throw this out and see if there are any other takers. Our thought is that it'd work like this;

Every month one of us would throw out a suggestion for something for us to read. We thought that it wouldn't have to be restricted to military affairs and politics, but since that's what we talk about most we thought that they'd probably turn out that way. Jim says no fiction or historical fiction, and I would suggest trying to keep it to items published within, say, 20 years, to keep from circling back to the Classics. Journal articles are OK, but I'd suggest we try and keep it a little more strenuous than the typical Atlantic magazine piece. Yes?

We'd then take three or four weeks to read the thing, and then the original poster would open the dance with a "open discussion" post, giving his synopsis of the work and perhaps some commentary, whereupon we'd all get to chime in/pile on/discuss.How's that sound? Anyone else like the idea?