Here we go

Welcome to the premier of The Inside Dope.

In response to the crying need for an on-line forum to discuss political issues in the northwest Illinois area (generally within the 36th, 71st, and 72nd districts) I've created this little presence on the web.

Here I hope to provide news and information of interest regarding this area as well as a place for others to post their sage comments, wise analysis, predictions, rants, tedious and lame statements of support for their guy or gal, and witty sarcastic jibes. (especially the witty sarcastic jibes.)

I hope to make this a place where readers can find information that can't be found elsewhere. As an inside dope myself, I hope to provide you with the same.

I see my role as a sort of circus ringleader. I will provide the posts and the site, you provide the debate. I intend this to be a no-holds-barred forum, but reserve the right to edit any content that I feel goes over the line. (Though that line will be pretty hard to cross.)

Where this will lead is impossible to say, but I'm hopeful that it will be an interesting and though provoking site and that I'll be able to keep things fresh and current.

To that end, I send out an appeal to you, gentle readers. The success or failure of this blog lies largely in your hands, for it is you, the loving public, who I'll depend on to send in your personal inside dope, point out the error of my ways, and otherwise contribute to this endeavor. One of the best aspects of the blog is that it's a two-way street.

So please, by all means, feel free to send me any tidbits, inside dope, breaking news, or even facts. Though I am omniscient, I can't be everywhere at once. I will depend on your contributions to make this site interesting for all.

I may from time to time wish to publish some of my more inspired e-mail. Normally I will not publish any e-mail addresses or other identifying info. However, if the mail is particularly stupid, offensive, or otherwise deserving of wider scorn, I may choose to publish the senders e-mail address to allow my
readers to share their thoughts with the sender.

That said though, I strongly encourage posters to register and adopt a user name so that you will at least be anonymously linked to your posts. (How else can we tell who the brilliant ones are?) Endless posts from "anonymous" tend to get tedious and lame. Registration is quick, painless, completely anonymous, and free. This is crucial, as with user names, we can all come to know and love you for your brilliant posts and a community of inside dopers might develop.

If it turns out that the majority of posts are from "anonymous", I may be forced to make this a "members only" blog, which will mean that only registered users whom I've allowed to join can participate. I'd like to avoid that if possible and continue to make this blog open to all without restriction.

Fasten your seatbelts. And let the games begin!