"Oh, the farmer and the cowman should be friends ..."

I do seem to be quite the anomaly. I get paid for blogging. I write for online and print venues (and sometimes even a hybrid of both.) And while you're absolutely right to point out that "Blogs, for the most part, don't pay. Book pages do, even if a pittance," let's also point out that aspiring writers and critics have to start somewhere, in magazines and publications that don't pay, no matter where they are to be found (for example, my early reviewing days were spent at January Magazine, a fine publication that allowed for expansive, thoughtful reviews and didn't pay, but offered great editorial insight.) Today's critics and book reviewers may rely on newspapers, but tomorrow's can't - but they still will feel the need to review and critique.

And blogs as a paid model is still very much in transition. Some *do* pay thanks to advertising. Venture capitalists may seize upon blogs as an ideal content model for further investment. We just don't know. And in the face of uncertainty, we can stand back and be fearful of the future or embrace it and both lead it to the next step or follow its changing forces.