BPL Blog?

[Miguel Arboleda]

Just discovered in the BPL menu that a BPL blog is in the works. Hmm. I'm really wondering, as someone who has blogged for 8 years, what exactly this is going to entail, and what it means for the survival of the magazine, especially since they are soliciting posts. How exactly is this going to be sustainable with simultaneous magazine articles and forum posts going on?

[John S.]

It does seem like a blog format would be less attractive to get others to post than to a website, but I could be wrong. The blog may be commercialized easier to bring in money from google or other ad sources.

[spelt with a t]

Months ago, I sent an enquiry and a writing sample to the email listed. Not only did I not get a rejection, I never got a reply at all. As with so much else here lately, believe it when you see it and not before.

[Dave T]

Yes, there will be a full-featured BPL blog rolled out shortly, with daily articles by Dr. Ryan Jordan, exhaustive gear reviews, trip reports galore, etc. To access it, please buy MLife memberships for yourself and at least six friends and/or family members.*

* Also, BPL is now stocking BPL-brand Swamplands in the Gear Store.

[Ken Thompson]

Another example that BPL does not know what it want to be when it grows up. I have written RJ personally about this.

He is in a real awkward situation right now. He of course responded that he is aware and asked for our continued patience.

[Stephan Doyle]

It's been there for months.

[spelt with a t]

Personal issues aside, there's a contradiction inherent in trying to run a business promoting philosophical minimalism (not just minimum pack weight) in a capitalist economy focused on continual growth. I get the impression Ryan has become disenchanted with gram counting and endless acquisition and might be trying to figure out how to keep BPL solvent while moving away from gear-centric consumerism.

Then again, I don't know the guy. This is just the impression I get from some of his more recent writing. But if that's indeed the case, I sympathize with his dilemma. Sustainable practices are a lot harder to work out than pure customer-driven business models.

The continued radio silence is pretty annoying, though.

[Mary D]

Not too sure why we need the blog when we have the forum. Just another place to scatter information!

[BER —]

When in doubt, you could just pay $25 PER MONTH for email letters directly from RJ, at least according to his web site. And people complain that membership here may not be worth it. Wonder how that's working out for the subscribers…

[Stuart .]

That would be the new MLAP membership level, eh Brian?

[Stephen M]

Mlap, is that one worh free Kool aid?

[Stuart .]

No, but it is all singing and all dancing.

[Stephen M]

Hey heh, Daddy is back in the building.

[Ken Thompson]

Nothing new in over 6 months. No update here either. Typical. Is the experiment over? Can't get people to submit any kind of quality material? Spread himself too thin.

[Nick Gatel]

Be fair Ken. You know he is working on his Kickstarter packrafting project. Can't tell you how that is going, since I didn't donate.

[Ken Thompson]

Shockingly I did not either. Maybe he's busy helping Hendrik get those ULAZ episodes done too. This I what I mean about spreading himself too thin. I wonder how many submissions were sent in during Ryan's last request here?

[Author]

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