Cerberus is asking readers to list their top five Canadian conservative and liberal blogs. Check it out. Check out some of the links, as well. It’s always good to expand your blog reading horizons!
(Be sure to leave your comments on the topic there, not here!)
I feel its self-limiting to not look at others perspectives. I won’t post which ones I visit, but I appreciate thoughtful commentary without the vitriol. I’m sad to say that is found on blogs of all political spectrums. I only bother with those that keep the labelling and vicious sarcasm to a minimum. Many of us have deeply felt beliefs and it not wrong to interject a bit of emotion in our post. But IMO the very best blogs open up a variety of issues and deal with them responsibly. I certainly consider yours one of them Kate, and Cerberus another. You’ll probably notice this is the longest comment I’ve ever made. Don’t count on any more like this. Keep up the good and (hard) work.
Mar… said…m k..
I checked out the suggestions on Cerberus.
I noticed that folks pretty much nominated some of the most recognizable names in the blogosphere.
Could that be that they only examine those blogs that they hear most about? It’s like telling pollsters they’d vote for the candidate/party they’ve heard the most about in a positive way.
I think that Kate always has suggested that these “top-five” or “best this-kinda-blog” “awards contests” should be viewed as a means of learning about different blogs to check out.
After all, to only visit a handful is to deprive oneself of a whole lot of perspectives that exist out there.
I think there’s quite a few hidden gems just waiting for everyone to discover.
So I’d suggest folks go over to Cerberus and nominate not necessarily the biggest names, but their personal favorites or those they think are underrated.
Not all bloggers do it for popularity. I don’t. I’m pleased if I just get a few who appreciate what I do. I believe that most bloggers are like that as well.
So if you read a blog regularly and really enjoy it and appreciate it, you know what? You’d really make the blogger’s day if you simply make a comment to that effect. Doing so will encourage them to continue. In fact, an American blogger recently had decided to shut down her blog due to a leftist commentor/blogger having betrayed her friendship and trust, but those of us who know her gave her our support… and she’s still going strong. Have a look:
http://www.myrepublicanblog.blogspot.com/
I think that blogging and participation on blogs is good for people; helps them to think and realize that they’re not alone after all in seeing things the way they do.
It’s not about making money. Not about fame. Not about blowing the whistle on something really big and having MSM recognition for it.
The reward is internal. And positive internal feelings are the best of all, for the external world is always in flux and cannot always make us feel good. One’s self-confidence and self-esteem shouldn’t depend on everything going on around oneself. It’s enough to know you’re doing something meaningful to yourself, and if you do something to make others feel positive in the process, then all the better.
By the way, Kate, well-done! Definitely keep it going! I have a feeling that SDA may have inspired many to blog, as well as it inspired me.
Good points, CS – particularly the one about leaving comments. When I first started blogging, those comments were few and far between – but extremely encouraging. And don’t forget sending proper trackbacks when the software allows!
I have to concur with Sentinel – gaak! can I really be saying that!! – the idea was for a bit of fun over the long weekend and to expose my regular readers and passing-by visitors to blogs of the left, centre and right that they may not have heard about. I was hoping for more comments about why people liked those particular sites rather than just lists, but what can you do?
As for Kate-spriation, I think SDA was part of what inspired me to blog too, though I suspect for altogether different reasons than Sentinel. But SDA is also a model for blogging style: Kate leaves the vitriol and rhetoric to others, has a simple evocative/provocative and civil style and is very evenhanded in dealing with commenters. Over at Cerberus, we’ve generally tried to chase away the antagonistic trolls and have had very many strongly emotional, passionately argued but utimately civil debates.
And the post in question is utimately a selfish endeavour: I’m always on the look-out for sites that challenge, interest, entertain, excite and inspire me. So if you have a moment or two, c’mon by and let me know your favourites.
Cheers.
Ted
Cerberus
Of course, Ted, it’s perfectly ok for us to agree on stuff sometimes, the usual political combat aside.
For example, we’re, along with SDA, on the Canadian Heroes blogroll run by our friend Debris Trail. http://www.cnheroes.blogspot.com
DT tells me the site needs us to email him any military-related posts we put up so as to give the heads-up to those who care about our warriors and our good works the world over via the Forces.
It’s a work in progress. DT’s always thinking about how to bring in more activity.
Contributing to CnHeroes is an excellent way to support our troops and our veterans. So remember, when we do a military-related post (could be a post on the military itself, or on the war on terrorism or on the international threat environment, etc.), let DT know at cnheroes@shaw.ca
It might make y’all feel good inside each time you do it.
I checked out Chuckercanuck after reading all of his bragging — it just seemed so childish in a ” I know you are, but what am I” kind of way. Occasionally I read Duke’s Place, but mostly just SDA.
Easter post
Little Green Footballs links to a Washington Post article describing the life of a liberal blogger:
In the angry life of Maryscott O�Connor, the rage begins as soon as she opens her eyes and realizes that her president is still George W. Bush. The sun has yet to rise and her family is asleep, but no matter; as soon as the realization kicks in, O�Connor, 37, is out of bed and heading toward her computer. … She smokes a cigarette. Should it be about Bush, whom she considers �malevolent,� a �sociopath� and �the Antichrist�? She smokes another cigarette. Should it be about Vice President Cheney, whom she thinks of as �Satan,� or about Karl Rove, �the devil�? …
�WAKE THE [expletive] UP,� she writes next, and this time, instead of pausing, she keeps going, typing harder and harder on a keyboard that is surrounded by a pack of cigarettes, a dirty ashtray, a can of nonalcoholic beer, an album with photos of her dead father and a taped-up note � staring at her � on which she has scrawled �Why am I/you here?�
[Photo]
LGF says: “It�s amazing how closely this matches my mental image of these lunatics.”
In the interests of comparison and contrast I’ve taken a picture of my own workspace, with the photo of the liberal blogger faintly visible onscreen. The setup isn’t much better than the Maryscott O’Connor’s. Here’s a description of the objects in the picture. One software box of Norton Ghost (yellow carton) … +
http://www.fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/
via LGF
Uhhhh. Shameless plug, yes. I didn’t expect people to think I really am “the greatest anything”. Just another slob in his basement, I’m afraid – only one who finds it fun to aggrandize his digital project.
my stats aren’t anywhere near SDA in terms of readership.