Blogging is Dying

The FTC has issued new guidelines requiring that bloggers disclose conflicts of interest clearly and conspicuously, such as when they receive freebies for product endorsements.

Does that mean that I'm actually going to have to pay for all those restaurant meals when I write my posts?! I can't imagine how that would work - do they really mean that I'm going to have to reach for my wallet and pay, rather than standing up at the end of my meal, telling the wait staff "I'm going to blog about this", and walking out, as I always do now?

And what about beer? Do they really expect me to pay for the bottles of beer I write about, rather than simply browsing through various retailers, pulling interesting selections off the shelves, and walking out?

Of course, those benefits of blogging are minor in comparison to the lucre I bring in through my writing on poetry. The compensation packages I have worked out with various publishers of poetry have made this blog into the economic engine that it is. The estates of Frost and Yeats have made me a wealthy man, and I resent having to disclose every time I cash one of their six-figure checks, or they send me on a junket to Tahiti.

If not for the profit motive, why would I even write this thing?

Fortunately, the guidelines don't become effective until December 1. Until then, it's business as usual. If you want me to mention your business on this blog, just email bigdollarendorsements@gonemild.com. We'll work something mutually beneficial out, just like we always have.