We fancy ourselves at the vanguard of the digital age, eager to embrace the communications possibilities of the Internet. That is why it took us only a few years to join the blogging phenomenon. We are conservative, too, you see.

With this post, we inaugurate PFF Blog. Here, we hope to bring you immediate reaction to the legal, policy and economic issues affecting the digital age. We also aspire to bring together the disparate strands of our policy research -- communications, electricity, Internet, intellectual property, privacy and e-commerce -- to synthesize a more complete worldview about the digital revolution and its implications. And I promise to never write so grandiosely again in this space.

As with all blogs, we warrant that more often than not these posts are partial, immediate reactions to the issues of the day. We hope to provoke a discussion here with our colleagues in the digital policy sphere. In turn, that discussion will make our work better.

Some posts will be serious meditations; others semi-frivolous. We will likely not venture outside of the digital policy sphere, though the blogging muse might lead us into unforeseen places. I am sure, for instance, that Senior Fellow Randy May might mention his alma mater once or twice, particularly during tournament time. And, with any mention of the Sonny Bono Copyright Protection Act, I just might have to bring up Deacon Dark. (Indeed, Deacon's signature lyrics, "Smash it, trash it; take a hammer and bash it," could describe Professor Lessig's view of the Act.)

Likewise, I get to ask impertinent but crucial questions like which state regulator named Bob has the best moustache, Rowe or Nelson. Votes may be cast here.

Our blogging cast will include the fellows here at PFF, with the reserved right to have special guest stars. Jim DeLong has a mind and a rhetorical style made for blogging. Tom Lenard can take his place with fellow energy and competition policy economists like our friend, Lynne Kiesling. Randy May will continue to focus on the FCC, sharing the space and conversation with the likes of Kevin Werbach and Wi-Fi/VoIP evangelist, Jeff Pulver. For me, I want to both comment on the issues of the day, and say things just provocative enough to goad Phil Weiser into starting a counter-blog. And, of course, the other fellows will bring their own insight, verve, wit and style to this medium.