HONOLULU -- Ian Lind said he didn't plan to become a blog pioneer, nor a victim of it, but after his Internet diary of the near-closing of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, he lost his job as a reporter.

"Reporters don't always like being reported on. I guess that's the polite way to put it," Lind said.

Polite is also a good way to describe Lind's Web site, ilind.net. There, one could find Lind's cats, opinions and lots of historic pictures.

Lind marveled at how easy blogging is now. He said there are how-to Web sites, free software and, best of all in Lind's opinion, google ads that automatically track contact, audience, and send the blogger money.

"If you take it seriously, it's potentially a very large revenue generator," Lind said.

Tech expert Peter Kay said it can take years to build a profitable audience.

"It's much harder. That's why only one-tenth of 1 percent of the bloggers make that kind of money," Kay said.

Lind said he makes enough to pay for his web hosting and buy some software, but he said making money is not his goal.

"I know there are ways to do it, but you won't -- well, I haven't," Lind said.