Following up IZATRINI.com and Trinidad Carnival Diary, the third in the Featured Friday series we present The Manicou Report.

Mani represents a different approach and adds a current affairs and political viewpoint to the local blog arena currently dominated by entertainment related or personal blogs. His blog has even moved beyond his online reach to be featured in the local print media.

And now the interview:

What made you decide to do The Manicou Report?
I decided to do it because I wanted my voice to be heard, unedited, uncensored and all me. Other than walking around with a bullhorn, blogging is the best way to accomplish that. Sometimes there is just so much madness going on inside Trinidad that I think I will burst if I don’t get it out. Blog’s staple is the stupid politician. Sadly for Trinidad and fortunately for my blog, in Trinidad there is no season for stupid.

How did the Mani get into blogging?
I started blogging at the suggestion of my brother-in-law who suggested I blogged in order to hone my writing skills (or lack thereof). I actually began in 2004, but closed that blog down in favour of starting The Manicou Report in Mid 2006.

If you had to describe your blog in less than 15 words how would you do it?
The Manicou Report is the accumulation of everything I’ve ever said or thought about Trinbago.

What about the Manicou inspired you so much as to start a blog dedicated to it?
LOL, the name The Manicou Report is a play on the title of the movie, “The Minority Report” (which I hated). I wanted a Trini word in the title for my blog, and settled on that. My blog has no more to do with manicous than it does agoutis. (My apologies to all those who’ve found my blog by Googling the words “how to cook manicou?”).

How many regular readers do you think you have of the blog?
Hmm, that’s hard to tell. I think I have somewhere between 80-100 regular readers.

How much time do you spend on average per day on your blog?
On average I spend about 60-90 mins posting. However, on days I spend tweaking my template and doing other such maintenance, I can spend in excess of 2 hours.

What blogs (other than Allyuh ) do you regularly read?
Although I read many, many blogs, my most usual haunts are: Lifespan of a Chennette, Club Soda and Salt, The Chronicles of Afro Chic, Trinidad Carnival Diary, Four Fingers and a Thumb, Trini to de bone - Life in “foreign”, The Modest Goddess, Trini Gourmet, Izatrini, The Jungle, Caribbean Free Radio.

What do you do when you’re not blogging?
Usually I’m thinking about things I need to blog about.

Is it hard making the time to keep the blog up, with everything else that you do?
Without a doubt, blogging can be time-consuming, but it helps to view it as just another thing I need to do rather than just a hobby - that way I make sure to give it its due attention.

Freestyle Friday - Tell us something, anything you want!
Hottie, for godness’ sake, please start blogging again! We miss yuh blog.

What do you see happening with The Manicou Report in the next few years?
I see my blog getting bigger and better, but more importantly that it becomes part of a much larger Trinibagonian blogging community.