In the heat of the last presidential election, I was in a blog frenzy. I think I had about forty five blogs in my favorties folder that I'd visit to get the latest on the political scene. Recently, I cleaned out my favorites and just kept the essential blogs. Here are the blogs (political or not) I visit nearly every day.
1. Josh Marshall - this is the first blog I ever came across. I was researching some political story (I forget which one), and typed the subject in Google and Talking Points Memo came up. It's essential. Josh does political analysis and he has a team of reporters in Washington D.C. doing great work on what's happening in the corridors of power. His reporting on the Niger Forgeries, the Abramhoff Scandal, the Attorney Purge, etc. and his overall political analysis is superb.
2. Atrios - this self-described "dirty fucking hippie," (I'm one too!) has his finger on the pulse at all times. A great resource, he links to the world, a progressive, funny, blogger from the city of Brotherly Love.
3. Juan Cole - a midwestern professor of middle eastern studies, this guy can actually read Arabic. Essential information and insightful views of an extremely volatile side of the world that has relevance to everything you and I read in the papers daily.
4. Andrew Sullivan - he's a gay, British, Catholic, conservative now residing on the East Coast. He's a good writer, quite thoughtful, willing to listen to reason, can admit when he's wrong. He's been very eloquent on the horror of Abu Graib, Guantanamo, torture, and the failure of the Bush administration. He's certainly a contradiction (he voted for Bush in 2000, Kerry in 2004). He stuck with Bush on Iraq way too long. Still a great read. Often I disagree with him, but I respect his willingness to entertain many sides of an argument on politics, religion, culture.
5. James Howard Kunstler - this is Mr. Long Emergency. He usually posts once a week (see Clusterfuck Nation), but what he has to say is usually biting, funny and essential. He is the canary in the coal mine. He believes the "end is near," for suburbia and the car culture. If oil has reached it's peak and consumption continues to go up, that black gold will vanish sooner than we think. Much of America is a ridiculous joke of cheap malls, poorly built housing tracts in the middle of nowhere. When oil goes to $100 a barrel or more, won't it all come crashing down around our ears? I don't know if he's right or not, but he makes a compelling case.
6. David Byrne - a renaisssance man, a great musician, singer, songwriter, world music advocate. A great mind. It's always a pleasure to check in and see what he's up to...a world traveller, lives in New York, rides a bike. A long way from CBGB's, but then again, not so far either. He's got great insights on music, culture, politics, whatever...
7. James Wolcott - he writes for Vanity Fair, but I like reading his blog for the immediacy (plus you don't have to wade through all those perfume ads!) He came of age in the old CBGB days, he's always referring back to Television, Patti Smith, the Dead Boys, Iggy. He's a great writer, with a poison pen for his enemies. Politically progressive. Politics, music, movies. He's a pleasure to read.
Of course, there are many more great blogs out there (see my blogroll on the right!). Each of these bloggers has a blogroll of interesting blogs that they read. There's nothing like brewing up a fresh pot of java, skimming across the blogosphere and picking up the latest from great writers across the land.