How to buy a blogger

I wrote a while ago about Alltop - a virtual magazine rack - and how Guy Kawasaki was doing some great things so it was with much disappointment when I saw Guy’s latest blog entry in his blog entitled “How to change the World” all about an Audi R8 and how he had been loaned the car for a week and in return ...well apparently nothing….but in reality some great coverage on his blog, lots of pictures and a discussion about what car he would get next….A Q7 it seems from the blog. Whilst I think the R8 is a great car and would love to own one it seems that the strategy of influencing influential bloggers has led to the point where any blogger however well respected and followed (like Guy) can be bought. Maybe.
I am being too much of a purist but surely the point of a blog (especially one called “How to change the World”) is to share your thoughts with your readers and the blogosphere generally and not to be influenced by outsiders in return for a cheap thrill - but then again maybe this is a sign that blogs really are becoming the newspapers of old where a few well placed complimentary favours are rewarded with complementary copy!