For the last year I blogged at the Observer, now I’m blogging on my own.
I did the Observer blog for nothing with the hope that if it worked out, I’d get paid. After a year I asked for a minimal salary and was told, No thank you. That at a time when the Observer was gearing up its website.
I suppose it’s best I’m on my own anyway. I’m interested in delicate and controversial matters surrounding American Jewish identity and Israel, and I’m only representing myself, my thoughts. Though I should say that the Observer gave me a lot of freedom over the years, and I still hope to write for the Observer in print.
Anyone who comes to this site is my guest. I welcome guests, but I’m paying the tab. One of the problems with the Observer site was the invective, which I did a lousy job of policing (partly cuz I wasn’t getting paid). Here I’m not going to post as often but if people want to comment they should keep out obscenity, scatology etc. You know where the line is…
Speaking personally, blogging has helped me a lot. It’s made me a better journalist and writer, it’s helped me figure out what I really I think, I’ve learned a lot about American society and Jewish history. So: thanks to readers for coming to the Observer, I hope you come here too. I will try and give good weight.
Mavel tov, Phil on getting off of Maggie's Farm as it were.
But I do wonder how long it will take Bill Pearlman to find you once again. Though I half believe he was only interested in the notoriety of stalking you in as august a place as the Observer website. He may not find you worthy of his spew writing here on yr own.
Anyway, I wish you fame fortune & lots of writing assignments.