Should bloggers accept free stuff?

Blogging is not  officially mainstream yet (thank god!), but its pop-culture profile is rising quickly.  Recently, Jon Stewart had a piece on blogging, so it's just a matter of time before we see some prime-time news magazine segment on blogging featuring a 'behind the scenes' look at how a couple of the top-tier bloggers go about their business.

And speaking of business, it appears that many bloggers are starting to turn some tidy profits selling advertising space on their blogs.  Some alpha bloggers are also being courted by companies seeking to market their products by offering them free stuff.  What are the ethical implications of these offers of 'schwag' and how is the blogosphere dealing with it?  J.D. Lasica, a professional journalist (and blogger) has written a thoughtful article that addresses that precise question: Influence and principles in the blogosphere.  Definitely worth reading.