...Two straight days of good sleep to get your head glued in place again, aahhhh.....
In honor of all those blog-places that I like, don't like, agree and disagree with, etc.., I hereby present MY "quadrenial blog review". They are in no particular order of preference, ideology or joy. Enter at your own risk.
Conservative Soup : I know, its a blatant plug for a Blog I am associated with, but let me say this. It is in effect, the first Blog I ever logged onto, period. And for that most humble of reasons it makes the list. The hosts are always honest, cordial, courteus to a fault, and willing to entertain any diversity in thought regardless of ideology. And believe me, considering the gauntlet of blow-hards in this media that is a virtue in and of itself. Besides, any blog crazy enough to ask me to contribute without ever having any experience in doing so is "diverse" enough in my book.
Life's Journey : A late entry in my daily roamings but a gem of a find, nonetheless. This independant-minded blogger does not mind laying the lumber to conservatives, but is pragmatic enough to see the other end of things if it makes for a logical argument. Her site is full, varied, and mixes her postings with current events and mind-musings with equal aplomb. Judging by the traffic at her site, she has blended that balance just right. Her "Constitution Monday" postings is like brain breakfast to me.
Protect and Defend : Publius has one of the most hard-topic driven blogs around. Although his latest Crusade (yeah... i said "crusade", get over it..) is Border enforcement and matters of Constitutional doctrine, he has written on a myriad of things. Anybody lucky enough to get a comment from Publius better have some cognotive reading skills because he is not cheap on the verbiage. Challenge him and he will reply in kind, always with veracity, well thought-out points and certitude. This blog is all substance, very little fluff (unlike yours truly...).
The Sappho Manifesto : This is not a site for the meek of heart. Left wing, hard-bitten, take-no-prisoner attitude, and with enough verbal bombs to make the Sunni Triangle look like the corn fields of Iowa. A great place to get calibrated real quick. I don't agree with 75% of the postings here, BUT I appreciate the passion and conviction in which the themes are espoused. The ability to come out of this blog un-scathed in your own beliefs should be a badge of honor for anybody, not just conservatives. Like I always say, if you are not willing to drink anyone else's Kool Aid to see if your Kool Aid is still valid, then you are just preaching to your own choir and are doing your critical thinking a dis-service. Go on Sappho!
Power Line : This is a must-read conservative blog at the White house. If its good enough for Tony Snow, then heck I want a taste of the Tang myself. Too volumenous to fully digest in my self-imposed 5 minutes-per-blog timetable but it is a virtual cornicoupia of right-wing news through the Republican prism. Again, another source of calibration for me. To its credit, I have found a ton of information that puts the administration in bad light and bad form.
The 5th Estate : I just found this nugget last week while at Betmo's blog (Life's Journey). After a couple of reads I dug it. Like Publius, a guy who can't find the "edit" button if it hit him in the noggin' (look at me the hypocrite!, like I know where the edit button is...). But who cares?. His pieces are great. A fluid sence of prose, good story-teller and most importantly 90% of the themes are something that interests me. And this list is after all, about me, no?
The Bos'un Locker : How can I NOT love a name like that! (me being an ex sailor and all...). Half an hour in this blog made me want to be a Reagan Republican all over again and yearn for the days of the Soviet Union so I'd have something large to nuke... (ok, so that only lasted 3 seconds). I actually found two blogs for the price of one here. Rosemary's blog is in the same vein and has enough material to keep even my voracious reading appetite in check. Mostly conservative, independant-minded right-of-center postings; each of these 2 offers a great counter balance to my frontal lobe whenever I leave Sappho's or.....
Quaker Agitator : Liberal, Bush-bashing and please-the-wing type blog with just as much mortar rounds as Sappho's albeit delivered with less cayenne pepper. The host's sensitivities are a little on the thin-skin side for my taste so don't go catching him on a bad day, you may have to flog yourself of guilt for lack of political correctness. But unlike Fox News, I AM fair and balanced and would be rude to fail to mention one of the first blogs to give me a taste of progressive mantra. This blog is the USA Today of left-leanings. You won't get a lot of depth like 5th Estate or Protect and Defend, but you will get a quick summary of what is pissing-off the left,.. and THAT is must read material to any self-respecting Libertarian like me.
So there you have it Sport's Fans. If I failed to mention any of the many I have visited and/or commented upon please do forgive me, your 15 seconds of fame in this humble of all bullhorns will come soon enough :)
27 comments:
I found Publius's blog a few days ago. Right now, I don't recall how I stumbled onto that site, but I'm glad that I did so. Great stuff there!
Now, off to explore this site.
welcome to my humble bullhorn. I agree with you, Publius has some terrific at his site, I love going there.
I hope we can visit the other often and exchange great things here and there,.... :)
You are very kind. I have written a response to your comment, but I wanted to make sure you received it. Actually, I wanted to make sure my instincts were correct. They were. You are a Navy man! :)
Here it is:
Amen. There are some very good organizations that are set up to help them with college and many other things. If you would go to Soldiers' Angels, I'm sure they could point you in the correct direction.
Be careful, though. There are many groups out there many of us have not heard about yet. It does mean they're bad, it just means we don't know them.
God bless you on this day of remembrance. Take care, Sailor. ;)
i have looked at some of your conservative blogs- and i have to admit- i don't understand them any more than the more liberal blogs. from my brief toolings it appears that the right suffers from the same disease that the left suffers from- nostalgia. they want to believe in the america that used to be- and don't see the america that is. the america that has been hijacked by the people currently in power is one that is sliding down the slippery slope of totalitarianism. it isn't enough to bash each other's idealogies anymore. we have a real crisis here- this happens to be an american problem precipitated by people who say that they belong to the republican party. to blindly follow this line because you have always been republican is as reprhensible as slamming the left for simply existing. we cannot stand by and pretend that real issues are immigration or gay's rights or no child left behind anymore. the big issues are consolidating the government into one blanket agency(homeland security), usurping constitutional rights(patriot act, domestic spying, media controls, etc), controlling the military(hayden-CIA, national guard on borders, etc), food supplies(corporate farming, etc). if the right isn't worried about this- then perhaps the right of the reagan era and before doesn't exist anymore.
anyhoo- thanks for the props! i like running the debate with you and publius.
how's the other blog coming?
Rosemary! Thanks for the note. And yes, proud Navy a man (Reagan/Weinberger era Navy to be exact). Thank you for the Soldier's Angels link. You know, I don't have any particular view of Sean Hannity, but to see what that guy has done in the many concerts he's done for the children of the fallen is tear-jerk material for me. This enterprise should be politics-free, ideology-free and view-free. The caring and sustenance of the children of fallen soldiers should be the responsibility of EVERY American, not simply the one's who agree with whatever the cause of their death was.
Betmo, you are pretty dead on as to the blogs. Most do have a nostalgic view and that is their prerogative. Sometimes I feel like I'm on no-man's land becuase I find myself dis-agreeing with both political parties on this or that issue. In a way this is a therepeudic way as any to vent my frustrations, try to steer the fringe element to the center of things and try to bridge as many opposing cliffs as I can.
It was a pleasure to post your blog :)
p.s. The "other" blog is going ok. I am still in skeleton phase as far as concept and content but I see busting it out in the next week or so. This by the way talking about my Art/Music venture. As to the project we discussed, I am preparing an email to your inbox with some parameters and more specifics for you to ponder :)
I want some fame.... : )
My blog is fluff and fun, very little on the serious side. I welcome all.
And yes, I do link here, because you've been more than nice to me!
Keep up the good work - I hope to learn plenty here.
Sarah!... welcome back to casa de Truth-Pain. I left a note on your blog right after you re-appeared. To the un-initiated, Sarah's blog is a respite from all that is heaviness and blight-of-mind. I can't count one time that I've visited her blog without leaving with a good laugh or a good vibe. Support for our local Detroit Hocky nut is highly appreciated :)
I agree with you on betmo's blog, haven't explored the others yet. Off to do that after I finish exploring this site. :)
Welcome to Casa de Truth-Pain, opinions near or far to my heart are always encouraged :)
You're welcome at my blog, if you don't mind visiting a Trotskyist blog.
I have times when I get heat from the left too.
I once deleted a comment, because it was an apolitical personal attack on someone.
Actually I've changed positions, resulting from my comments section, although further leftward.
Really fair analysis of blogs.
Thanks for the welcoming and kind words. I dont mind at all. Actually I'm quite happy to have bumped into your site at Betmo's because I am not quite up to speed on my Trotzky:)
I try to keep a measured balance on my opinions of blogs, regardless of the messenger's style. I mean people can pee on each other all day and though it makes for great entertainment value it sure does serve a better purpose that that. I hope to be a regular contributor in comments to your site. Cheers :)
"T&P,"
Thank you for the kind words that you left at the Bos’un Locker. By the way, thank you for your service. Stop on over for coffee any time. We can tie knots, tell sea stories, and shoot the breeze about days gone by. Rosemary, Reporter, Wordsmith from Nantucket, and I sometimes write about unpleasant things. But, then again, sometime the world is an unpleasant place.
In regards to Cindy, my good contributor, Wordsmith posted that. When the word came out that Casey did not have a headstone and Cindy ranted about everything under the sun on Michael Moore's website we ran a piece on her then and tried to be a bit more civil. I understand that Cindy finally signed over her son's affairs to her former husband. Guess he took care of Casey's headstone because he is in Vacaville more than Cindy is.
I have mixed emotions when I think about Cindy, Michael Moore and the rest of their friends. Cindy kind of left herself open to a little painful feedback after her unkind words through Moore’s website. I pray for her and hope that time will heal her loss and her pain.
Respectfully,
Bosun
Couple more links:
http://thebosunlocker.blogspot.com/2006/04/casey-sheehan-rest-in-peace.html
http://thebosunlocker.blogspot.com/2006/03/what-casey-sheehan-died-for.html
no one can ever step into a mother's shoes after she has lost a child. one of our own in the circle has lost a son in iraq- and everyone grieves differently. some grieve privately- others out in the open- like cindy. we may not agree with cindy's statements or politics- but hopefully we can respect her as a mother who has lost a son. i don't feel that she is fair game on any counts. john walsh started america's most wanted after his son was murdered and no one says anything about him and his statements and opinions. granted he has only recently become political- but fair is fair.
Wow! More Navy guys! So are we!
Truth-pain, just wanted to let you know that I left a response for you over at my place, and that I'm glad to find you!
Betmo,
I agree with you that there are some issues that are substantially more important (especially in terms of our immediate survival) than others, and that Republicans/Democrats (and all that they subsume) are essentially nothing more than two sides of the same coin.
Once in a while, though, I think we all need a break from the major issues of the day (we think they are Islam and the closely related borders issue that our President abjectly refuses to address).
But they are SO depressing sometimes that we occasionally change the subject, just to get a sort of "mental vacation" and clear our heads. Then the Blue Funk clears a bit and we dive right back into the fray.
Robert Spencer said it very well when he pointed out that we all - no matter, for example, what our religions or lack of them, we need to come together in this fight for survival.
If only our government and our citizens studied Islam with the same intensity of purpose they study us, we'd be much further along, but little by little, I think we're making progress, thanks primarily to the Blogosphere!
Hi, Truth-pain,
I left a response for you over at my place.
I also left a comment here, but it disappeared into the ether. Gotta go, but I'll try again later!
Sappho!, thanks for stopping in, I appreciate the good wishes. I hope my liberal (no pun intended) use of metaphors to describe your site are not offensive t your sensitivities. I actually meant them in a most complimentary form :)
I have always been treated with respect in your blog and welcome any and all your comments with equal openness. Cheers :)
Cubed! Welcome to casa de T-P. I've been noseying around your site and have found a treasure trove of goodies to link to my own site. I hope the well-mannered piracy on my part is forgiven. I hope to be able to comment at your end often. Between you, Betmo and Publius I don't know if I can take the mental food for thought... but I will try. Glad to know there are sailors out and about the blogosphere :)
Hi Truth-Pain. I went to link you in "My Cool Sites" category, but you were already there! I did link you in my "Milblogs" category.
Hey there, Bos'un! That's my buddy. I tried to join the Navy in '80, but they turned me down because I have glaucome. I was so upset...
I hope you have a wonderful day! :)
Rosemary, thanks for the link. I am still in the middle of "contruction" here but will have a pretty varied blogosphere link and would like to include you if that is ok, of course. S
Sorry about not being able to serve in the Navy.... but no worries. We all can serve the country in one way or another is being in uniform is not in the cards. Enjoy your evening.
Thank you for kind words TP. You are right, of course. I try.
Hey Publius. If you would like, you too TP, I have a few sites that are set up for many writers. I have an Iranian, an Afghani, some from Europe, and many from the USA as well as Military men.
Just drop me an e-mail, and I will sign you up. There is no pressure, no deadlines, no nothing. The only thing is, please try to keep it clean if you can. lol. (cussing) I know, I know. Sometimes I may cuss on my site, and that is bad, BAD. I may need a spanking...nah! lol.
If you read the comment I left in my "Milbloggers" category, you will understand that sometimes I get a little goofy. I think I just did. Maybe it's time for sleep, eh? Nah.
Publius,.. Who says the sports section is not a good primer for bloggin?.. heck that is required reading every morning at mi casa. As to having a better following,..if we build it, they will come. I think we are all doing a great core-interaction if you will,... theres a group of 10-15 blogs that keep gravitating to each other regardless of ideology... maybe there is something to that.
Finally yes,.. you need to visit some liberal blogs :)
truth-pain....
That's a very flattering review and I thank you for that.
3 of my last 5 posts are indeed long (especially "Dvorkin") but the subject matter seemed to require it. One "page-down" is my ideal, but it doesn't always work out that way.
For the benefit of any of your guests who take up your kind recommendation:
I am on the political left.
I'll really only swear in my posts if I'm f--ing mad about something--just swearing isn't useful in an argument--and I consider it "bad form" to swear in response to comments--even if being sworn at.
I don't always pontificate--I'll attempt "original" satire when so inspired--but I don't expect everyone to be amused.
I prefer reason to rhetoric.
In closing here's something we all might want to consider. Just what exactly is a government for, and how should it act? How small can a government be? Do all governments invariably get bigger? Is there an "optimal government" in terms function and structure? Are we all doomed to complaining about government, regardless of who is in power? Is this the best we can do, or the best we can expect?
It would be a lengthy conversation, but an illuminating one I think.
Anyway. thanks very for the recognition, I'll put you on my blogroll. It's important not just to talk, but to listen.
And thanks to betmo for the "assist".
I look forward to exchanging comments and some sound arguing.
5th estate, good seeing you navigating at casa de Pain-man :)
Thanks for your eloquent and gracious reply. Like yourself, I love giving lengthy comments or themes whenever they are so deserving, so it causes my great joy to read something well thought-out and with reasoned opinions.
Being a leftie, (or right-ie for that matter) does not offend me. Quite the contrary, this center-right Libertarian needs constant calibration to my thinking and it is blogs like yours (and Betmo's) that do the trick in spades.
I look forward to our future interchanges.
p.s. Your idea on Government and its socio-configuration is a tempting morsel for a posting... thanks!
truth pain...
Damn your britches, sir! I will NOT have some Libertarian try to "out-gracious" me! I am fully prepared to undergo a sex-change just to have your beautiful children.
I think I'm being funny here, but that's not for me to decide.
Serously though, our individual notions of "government" surely underpins so much of what we do and say and think and behave. The entire nation seems disenchanted with the government structure.
Plato discusses government and society in "The Republic" but he displays ignorance as much as intelligence in his arguments, and the prejudices of his time and social station too.
Yes I do thinking it is a subject worth posting about, and it needs thinking about first. Just by thinking about it we may all find ourselves challenging our own assumptions. Above all it is necessarily an ambiguous, fluid subject, not an equation or formula. It's also a mind-exploding subject. Come to think of it maybe I shouldn't have suggested it. I tell you what; you go first! :D
Ahh... that wondreous Britt Humor:)
ok, ok... i'll stop being so danm gracious and hammer you a little if you so desire.
Seriously, I forgot to thank you for offering to include me in your Blog roll, very kind of you. I am getting my own "favourites" as well and will include the 5th in it.
As to this behemoth of a topic we are discussing,... maybe I can start a "he said/he-said" topic and you can reply with your particular prism to it... I'm still morphing the concept and trying to figure out how to keep it under 10,000 words or less..... :)
Post a Comment