Hail to the Chief. Take me to your leader.
Just in case you missed it, at 1:41 AM on August 8, 2006 the NAR stepped into the 21st Century with the publication of NARBlog1 and the first blog post by our fearless leader, NAR President, Tom Stevens: http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/2006/08/success_on_key_priorities_clos.html. Even though I don't ever remember voting for him, Mr. Stevens is still our president and we should respect him. He has almost kept us out of war with Zillow. I wish I could say the same for of our wars with the Department of Justice, the Banks and the Flat-Fee-Brokers. But we still have our nuclear option, keeping our listing data off non-MLS Web sites. That is, until our home sellers ask, "Wouldn't it be better if our homes were listed on Google and all the other Search Engines?"
Tom Stevens' pioneering blogging event was tauted by the NAR and Realtor.org. Could this be the first step toward openness by the NAR? Could this be a cyber Glasnost for the whole Real Estate Industry, or just another cyber GlassNose? Could we give direct feedback to the Grand Puba of Real Estate Bloggers?...The Mother of all Real Estate Bloogers? Wouldn't it be neat to find out what Real Estate blogs Tom is virtually reading? Dare Tom submit his blog post to the Blog Carnival of Real Estate? Might Tom and NARBlog1 host our Blog Carnival? Can I submit his post to the Blog Carnival, and commit Carnival Post By Proxy (CPBP); or do I have to keep shaming Tom into it?
Unfortunately, although NARBlog1 is a Moveable Type Blog; the blog, like the rest of the NAR, is not open for comments or track backs. (It's easy,Tom, just click the "Open Comments" box under "design site". This negative stance makes our Grand Puba also the Grand Puba Blog Blocker (The GPBB).
If the purpose of a blog is to open a dialog between the author and his audience, then Tom and the rest of the NAR has failed again. Does "NAR" mean "No Allowed Responses"? When will we stop acting like the monopoly, cabal or cartel we're accused of being. Cartel is, as cartel does. Do we need to start CA, Cartel's Anonymous? "Hello, I'm Cliff. I'm a Realtor."
Under the section, About This Blog, is written:
"This blog is provided by the NAR to provide visitors/members with information about NAR's news coverage and the opportunity to comment on real estate issues in the news."... Sounds like, "Your check is in the mail" and "I'm from the NAR, and I'm here to help you."
Where's my opportunity, Tom? My opportunity's got no chance to knock. I can't call you either, because your phone number is on the DNC List ("Do Not Call List"). Does the DNC List mean the "Do Not Comment List", too?
Zillow has a great blog and it's blog is open for our comments. Zillow even sponsored the Blog Carnival for Real Estate. Zillow is opening up their API to our Web sites for free. I'm not asking you to make the NAR or Realtor.com free; yet. How much does Zillow cost? Is Zillow the NAR of the future? Will there be a NAZ, a ZAR or a ZNAR?
Come on, Tom. Come on NAR. Don't "red line" our blogs and information. Don't "steer" my comments and opinions elsewhere. Let's change before the Department of Justice puts the kabash on our cabal. Let's do it for us, before it's done to us. Let's quit the Zivil War, the religious Z-had and the blatant Zillonoia. Open up our blogs for feedback, our organization for constructive criticism, and our listings for all the Search Engines.
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