Inside PBS Blog

It's been a busy, noisy week in PBS's corner of cyberspace. For instance, users are debating a "To the Contrary" segment on YouTube's PBS Channel about Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody, who is poised to become the nation's first woman four-star general.

Specialks1953 writes, "I have nothing against women being recognized for their accomplishments. The best criteria would be, '[I]f she were a man would she have achieved her rank doing what she has done?' I do not know the answer to this question."

But likes2p takes a more inclusive view: "Congrats! Now women can be used cynically the same way as men in the military. Equal stupidity for all."

It seems Bill, a visitor to the "Vote 2008" blog at the "NewsHour" site, is feeling pretty cynical these days, too.

He weighs in on Barack Obama's decision this week to accept the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in a football stadium instead of a convention hall.

"I appreciate that the convention is for the people and not for Senator Obama," Bill writes.

"I just wish he hadn't changed on so many of his positions. I asked for my campaign donation back (the first donation I had ever made in my life) after Sen. Obama decided to vote in favor of giving corporations immunity for breaking the law. I also have been disappointed by his change of policy in Iraq. No matter. I really feel that the excitement of this race was an illusion (on the part of both parties' nominee's) and I now look forward to the whole thing ending."

But fellow user Vegas is not having any of Bill's disillusionment.

Vegas writes, "Obama hasn't changed on so many positions. He sounds the same as he did 18 months ago. McCain's a big flip flopper, but no one wants to talk about him. Everyone's talking about Obama. ... McCain can sky dive off Mt. Everest and no one's interested."

If McCain were to take the jump this week, blogger Mark Glaser wouldn't notice.

Mark â€" PBS.org's "Media Shift" blogger â€" wrote July 7 about his decision to "unplug" himself from the digital world during his recent vacation.

Among the things Mark says he didn't miss during this extended moment of zen: "The latest political news;" e-mail; and his "FriendFeed telling me what every wired person around recently did online."

What about you? Have you checked your e-mail by the pool this summer? Have you ever felt compelled to unplug from the rest of the world? What are your thoughts on the military and politics these days? Do you share the sense of disappointment expressed by some of your fellow users?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.