Issue 15: What’s New

First Published : Feb. 6, 2011

Launching the S.S. Opinion8ed2

Welcome to the maiden voyage of Opinion8ed2

…the new and improved blog version of the Opinion8ed web journal I’ve been publishing for the last 18 months or so. The format and graphic design was suggested by my cousin Rick, who is also responsible for much of the heavy lifting as we schlepped the previous 14 issues and 60+ articles one by one over to this new site and re-formatted the whole lot. In addition to raising the Opinion8ed2 flag, Rick served as a very patient mentor as I mucked around in the dark trying to learn my way around the cockpit- gradually entrusting me with the controls as co-pilot and finally certifying me to fly solo. For this, I am extremely grateful.

The new name has significance on several levels: first to distinguish this version which resides at WordPress.com from the original version, and second with the hope that some of you are opinionated too, and will join in on the fun and make this a broader forum. Each page affords the opportunity to comment or respond to others’ comments at the bottom. You’ll need to register one time with WordPress but after that you’re free to come and go without having to raise your hand and ask permission.

While considerably spiffier, the new digs have a similar layout to our old quarters so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding your way around even without a GPS. Each “issue” still starts out with an introductory What’s New page with a brief description of what you’ll find and a direct link to the articles right there in the text. Off to the right side you’ll find each of the new posts listed separately under Current Issue – those will remain visible wherever you go so it will be easy to find your way back without any bread crumbs.

Just below the listing of articles in the Current Issue is a list of recent comments and responses under the heading Discussion – so you can track what your fellow bloggers have on their minds. Comments to specific posts will appear on those individual pages as well.  This system will replace the Emails to the Editor section previously in Opinion8ed but those archived messages are preserved in the Politics/Social Commentaly category…

Next you’ll see the white box that says Categories… click on that and you get a pull down menu with options for various subjects so you can look for things grouped by topic (theater, movies, book reviews, political/social commentary, etc).  When you click on a category page you’ll get a short intro to each of the articles contained there with an option to “get more.” Finally, at the bottom of the right hand column you can choose any previous issue and go straight to the What’s New page for that issue and link to the articles it contains.

Very briefly, in Issue 15 you’ll find:

• A reflection on the history in the making events occurring through Egypt’s Facebook Revolution 
• Another interesting coupling – this time of two dark and depressing yet well-crafted films…Read reviews of Winter’s Bone and The Black Swan in Demons Real and Perceived,
• A frustrating tale of loss and future back pain in Now you see it, Now you don’t
• A story ressurected by request from a reader as a timely remembrance to Old Orangesides
• A photoessay/slide show combining two of my passions, Food for Thought

So I hope you enjoy the new format, continue to be interested in the content you find here, and are motivated to jump in with comments of your own.  Bon voyage.

 Paul