Frequently Asked Questions

I have been blogging for over two years and there still haven’t been any questions.  These are the ones I might ask if I found this blog.  I’ll add to this list if necessary.

Q:  Why isn’t my local blog listed on your blogroll?  Why isn’t my local NGO on your list?

A:  Probably because I don’t know about it.  Email a link to carbondaleobserver (at) gmail.com.  Replace the (at) with an @.  I’ll take a look at your site and if it’s a blog I’ll probably add it.  I’ll only list your NGO if it meets my standards.

Q:  What are your standards for listing my NGO?

A:  I’ll list civil society organizations focused on civic improvement, service, education, conservation, arts, culture, or something similar.  I will not list political organizations.  That means no political parties and no organizations that advocate for or against any cause.  I will only list ecumenical religious groups.  No individual churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, shrines, or anything else.  You can find a list of those elsewhere.

Q:  Why isn’t there a local business list?

A:  I only have so much room on a page.  I link to the Chamber of Commerce.  They have a list of local businesses.

Q:  Why are there so many local government links?

A:  Because there are so many units of local government.  I bet you didn’t know you were part of a vector control district.  Everything on the local government list is either a taxing body itself or is supported by taxes.  I’m not saying that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but you should know your units of local government.

Q:  Why are you doing this?

A:  Because it’s fun.

Q:  Why did you originally blog anonymously?

A:  In part because this blog isn’t about me.  It is about Carbondale, SIUC, Jackson County, and the surrounding area. In part for reasons you can read about here.

Q:  What do you do for a living?  How old are you?  Are you a man or a woman?  What education do you have?  Are you a liberal or a conservative?  Where are you from?

A:  Technically, that’s none of your business.  None of that is relevant to this blog. But since you asked, I work for SIUC, I am in my mid-thirties, I am a man, I have a bachelor’s degree, I am a liberal, and I am from Pinckneyville, IL.