Saturday, March 8, 2008

A Beginner's Guide to the Blogosphere

Because I read blogs a lot, my family and friends often ask me which blogs they should be reading. Well, here is an attempt to compile somewhat of a "nube's" guide to the blogosphere.

I will categorize the blogs and then rank my top one, two or three.

My Favorite Red Meat Conservative Blogs
1. Hot Air -- This is my current favorite overall blog. It is constantly updated with fresh content. It has video all the time. And Allahpundit is a damn clever writer. Adding Ed Morrissey as a contributor is gravy.

2. Michelle Malkin -- You always know where she stands.

3. Hugh Hewitt -- Despite his occasional tendency to drink from the GOP kool aid (Harriet Miers anyone?) Hewitt is an exceptional conservative analyst and a leading evangelical to boot.
My Favorite Conservative Activist Blogs
1. Red State -- Run by Erick Erickson, this blog will always keep you on top of what is happening in Washington. You want phone numbers of Senators to call? Check. Flashing Red Sirens announcing activist alerts? Check. Outrage? Check.

2. Right Wing News -- John Hawkins won me over with his coverage of the amnesty bill in the Senate. He had the scoop about the real contents of the bill and shared all the info with his readers, who proceeded to give their Senators an earful.
My Favorite Policy/Capitol Hill Blogs
1. Bluey Blog - Bluey provides the best of both worlds, solid policy because he works at the Heritage Foundation, and solid Capitol Hill coverage because of his past work as a reporter for Human Events.

2. Club for Growth Blog – Andy Roth blogs on this site tirelessly. Limited government conservatives and libertarians can always count on Roth to hold the right flank.
My Favorite Christian Blogs
1. TitusOneNine – Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall Harmon doesn’t often post his own thoughts. Most of his posts are links to stories with a heavy emphasis on the crisis confronting the Episcopal Church. The blog is of tremendous value because of the sheer volume of links and the excellent discussions in the comments sections.

2. All These Things – The anonymous crew at All These Things churn out excellent scripture-based commentary. They also share personal, everyday stories that everyone can identify with. It would be my favorite in this category if they posted more often.

3. The Point – An extension of Chuck Colson’s popular Break Point, this blog always gives you something to think about.
My Favorite Conservative Group Blogs
1. The Corner – Damn those Cornerites and their relentless updates and constantly carrying on conversations! Even a blog addict like myself can’t keep up! Nonetheless, this blog – run by Kathryn Lopez – is indispensable simply because of the intellectual capacity of its many contributors.

2. Power Line – Hinderaker, Johnson and Mirengoff have been at this game longer than most. Their blog continues to churn out great analysis.
My Favorite Drinking Blogs
1. The Scotch Blog – Scotch is a wonderful drink because to truly appreciate it, you need to learn about it. What kind of wood are the casks that aged the scotch made of? Were they previously used for another drink? Sherry? Can you taste it? What is the history of the distillery? Where do they get their water? Do they use peat? Etc etc. The best part is, the history of scotch is the history of Scotland. This blog understands.

2. Brew Like a Monk – Does for beer what the scotch blog does for scotch.
My Favorite Sports Blogs
1. The Big Lead – Funny blog, but still has plenty of news.

2. Pro Football Talk – These guys spread all sorts of rumors, and break some news too.

3. Deadspin – One of the biggest, best trafficked sports blogs out there.
My Favorite Technology Blogs
1. Engadget – The problem with this blog is that it makes me want to max out my credit cards!

2. Download Squad – Find cool new applications for your computer here.
My Favorite in the “Other” Category
1. Instapundit – This libertarian blog provides links all day long on many different subjects. Just hit refresh and you will find something else to read.

2. Ace of Spades HQ – Ace’s blog is rated R for language…and hilarious in a South Park sort of way.

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