225 Days Later, Blogger Walks

Freelance journalists hired by citizens stay one step ahead of censors

(NEWSER) - A new breed of journalist is evolving out of China’s censored media: the web-based hired gun. The Washington Post reports on freelance muckrakers who investigate corruption the mainstream press can't touch and post the results on their sites. They're paid—if meagerly—by the aggrieved parties. More»

(NEWSER) - If you think blogs are useless, think again: Scientists have developed a “hedonometer,” or happiness gauge, that analyzes personal online statements to pinpoint the overall contentment of the US population on a given day, the Discovery Channel reports. The program looks at sentences beginning with “I feel” and then grades the statement based on what follows. “Triumphant” gets an 8.87; “hostage” scores a 2.20. More»

(NEWSER) - Women's "infidelity blogs" have surged in number in recent years and they're attracting a large and loyal following, the Independent reports. The bloggers say they're not trying to flaunt their affairs, but rather to use anonymity to share details of their secret lives and find support among like-minded people. "I feel there is a definite lack of space for women to say the unsayable," says the founder of True Wife Confessions. More»

Winner will live in California, Tweet about wine

(NEWSER) - Hardy Wallace recently lost his job—but he’ll soon be making $10,000 a month promoting Murphy-Goode winery on the Web, as the winner of the much-touted “Really Goode Job,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Atlantan, who has a wine blog and has taken sommelier education courses, was first in line at the recruitment drive and says, “I was trying to get this job before there was this job.” More»

(NEWSER) - A California winery has a tempting offer for tech-savvy oenophiles, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Murphy-Goode Winery will set up the right candidate with a $10,000-a-month job at its Sonoma County HQ blogging and Twittering about, well, wine. The 6-month gig includes room and board; the 2-month hiring process is expected to draw 10,000 applicants and is already yielding good PR. More»