respublica

We're down but not out

Typepad was down for a while this morning so I'm getting a late start.  But, things seem to be working now.

Metro East blogging

Brian Bailey has begun putting together a site which will feature Metro East news and events as well as a consortium of other Metro East bloggers.  His site, Metro-East.com, is currently up and running with local Illinois news headlines and other items of interest.  I hope to join his site in the near future as a contributor and any other metro east bloggers may want to drop him an email if you'd like to join in.

Have a look and bookmark this site for Metro East news.

The time that blog forgot

Ann Althouse has created a new blog with the clever idea of blogging news events from past times when there were no blogs. 

Named, The Time That Blog Forgot, she takes a blogger's view of the past.  If you like history, especially American history, you'll want to look in now and then.

Partisan Discourse in Madison County

Madison County Clerk, Mark Von Nida and Troy alderman, Allen Adomite, have joined forces and created a blog they named Partisan Discourse.  Von Nida is a democrat and Adomite is a republican.

Working together!  How cool is that?

According to the Collinsville Herald Journal, "their position on opposite ends of the liberal-conservative spectrum is serving as the jumping off point for a new online venture both hope will foster bipartisan spirit and spark discussions about policy and politics in the region. "We really want to take the politics out of policy," said Adomite, who with Von Nida earlier this month launched "Partisan Discourse," a blog the creators are optimistic will serve as a kind town square for observers and players of the Madison County political scene."

Taking politics out of policy in Madison County, long in coming, but very welcome and I anticipate looking in there everyday to see what these two have to say.

Our prayers for Steve Patterson

Steve Patterson is well known in St. Louis for his urban activism and for his blog, Urban Review St. Louis.  On February 1, Steve suffered a stroke and has been hospitalized.  Yesterday was the first official update on his condition, on the mend but a long way to go before he'll be able to do anything with his blog. 

Steve is too young a man to have had this happen and we pray for his recovery and his future return to urban activism.

Blogging the campaign trail

Meghan McCain, daughter of republican presidential candidate, John, has a blog which gives something of a peek into what it is like to be on the campaign trail.  She uses photos and music links to describe the day to day business of political stumping.

You'll often have to scroll past many of the fan emails she receives and puts up in order to see the behind the scenes photos.

Who needs orange?

University of Wisconsin law professor, Ann Althouse, is spending a semester in Brooklyn Heights and has been taking photos like mad around New York City environs.  Is anyone better at just plain seeing the things she walks by each day?  I don't think so.  Yesterday she put up a photo of black and white pumpkins on the steps of a Brooklyn Heights basement apartment.  It's the third photo.

Makes my new orange pumpkins sitting on the front stoop look sort of tired.  Actually, I don't think we even have black and white pumpkins here in the St. Louis area...and we're supposed to have everything within reach.

Mesmerizing

Blogger has a webpage named Blogger Play which features a slide show of the photographs being uploaded to various blogger blogs in real time!  This is mesmerizing to say the least, especially when you know all these pictures are being uploaded while you sit and watch and wonder over the many things people all around the world do with images.

According to Blogger via Rick Lee, "Shortly after Blogger launched photo uploading two years ago, one of our engineers whipped up a web page that would show us the pictures that were being uploaded in real time. The result was fun, often beautiful, but above all, compelling. We couldn’t stop watching."

Thought for our time

Frank J of IMAO, writing tongue in cheek, listed some of his views as he lobbies to be Fred Thompson's campaign blogger. 

This one in particular is one which makes me think, that's exactly what's happened to our collective thinking.  I wish I had wrote this first.  Sad commentary, but true:

"I think Jesus's ideas were fine for back in His time, but they don't apply to us now because we're more used to sinning."

Daily Fred Thompson facts

Frank J over at IMAO, has begun putting up a daily fun fact about republican candidate for president, Fred Thompson.  A sampling:

In case it one day needs a backup, Fred Thompson has memorized the internet.

Since they know they can't outrun Fred Thompson, grizzly bears will often try and play dead.

One lazy afternoon, Fred Thompson felt like whittling. The result: Mount Rushmore.

Fred Thompson had never considered anything a monkey has done to be funny. Even those with roller skates on.

The grass is always greener on Fred Thompson's lawn. Always.

Every night before going to sleep, Osama bin Laden checks under his bed for Fred Thompson.