Religion, SF, and Other Speculative Fictions.


Mind on Fire random header image
← →

Suggestion Box: Blogs.

Posted by John on May 22nd, 2007 at 6:04 am · 9 Comments

I’ve retired a number of blogs from my RSS reader, and I’m looking for some new ones to rotate in. Here’s a few gaps that I’m trying to fill:

  • I’d like to find an intelligently written conservative political blog that pays attention to nuance and isn’t afraid to swim against the Republican mainstream. No, no–besides Andrew Sullivan. Basically, I’d like to read something that will challenge my liberal values (respectfully) and keep me on my toes.
  • I’m going to continue to subscribe to my favorite feminist blogs, but I need to mix in some new blood. Sometimes Hugo Schwyzer is a bit too wordy and Pandagon and Feministe a little repetitive. I get my fill of Mormon feminism from Zelophehad’s Daughters, feminist Mormon housewives and the Exponent blog. Any out there with an interesting angle (I like the Carnival of Feminist Science Fiction), or with regular debate between different kinds of feminists (rather than between feminists and non-feminists)?
  • This one may be a tricky one, but I’d really like to find a good blog that talks about the interplay between knowledge, technology and society–especially any that advocate open-collaboration, p2p sharing, IP law, and democratization through tech. I’m less interested in the technical details and more interested in the big ideas and the social and legal impact. This might include sites that regularly talk about things like the singularity and AI through massive networks and quote people like Bruce Sterling, Vernor Vinge and Cory Doctorow. Heck, I should start by Googling them.
  • Maybe an astrophysics and/or biology blog for the SciAm or Nature crowd.
  • Any great pop art or photo blogs? Or writing blogs (especially in support of SF writers)?
  • Any other blogs you feel are well written, eclectic, and just plain fun to read.

I get a regular fill of the following: news, Quaker, religion, social reform, liberal politics, geek culture, Japanese pop culture, science fiction, philosophy, skepticism, web comic, graphic design, and general science. Though if you think of something exemplary in one of these categories, please let me know.

Tags: Suggestion Box

9 responses so far ↓

  • 1 C. L. Hanson // May 22, 2007 at 8:51 am

    Have you got This Week in Evolution?

    It’s really interesting — it presents the latest biology research papers in terms a laywoman can understand (I’m no scientist, and I can follow it). The writer stays away from those endless tiresome “Life: How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation?” debates and just sticks with explaining what has been demonstrated with evidence lately.

  • 2 mel // May 22, 2007 at 9:22 am

    Here are a few from my list and it’s what everyone else has to share that I’m looking forward to:

    Under pop art/photo:
    - Motionographer (http://motionographer.com/)

    Under fun to read:
    - Deus Ex Malcontent (http://deusexmalcontent.blogspot.com/)
    - Saint Gasoline (http://saintgasoline.com/)
    - RedHanded (http://redhanded.hobix.com/) Get you daily dose of Why, but watch out…it’s Ruby. :)

    Under tricky:
    - Doc Searls (http://doc.weblogs.com/) though this is iconic and you are certainly aware of it. But at very least, his blogroll has what you’re looking for.

    Under sciencey:
    - Cosmic Variance (http://cosmicvariance.com/)

    Under Conservative:
    - nada. Seriously, I have never found a right-leaning blog that I could read on a regular basis. Please share what you find.

  • 3 Miko // May 22, 2007 at 12:05 pm

    Under conservative, and I don’t think this will fit the “swim against” theme, but I keep my finger on the pulse of Concerned Women for America and World Net Daily. I don’t know where the Christian Science Monitor falls, but I feel like it should be conservative even though I often find it to be pretty progressive. Maybe I just don’t know anything about Christian Scientists…

    Under feminist, my absolute fav. is Feministing, a group blog. Close seconds include Feminist Law Professors (with a decidely legal bent), the Well Timed Period (by an OB/GYN mostly about medical news), and Women’s Space/the Margins to remind myself that I’m not all that radical. (I listen to KPFK every once in a while for the same reason. Women’s eNews is a selection of news by women, as far as I can tell. I know the contributors are also published in major world news sources (NYTimes, BBC), so I’m not really sure who looks for stuff for them. They don’t update frequently.

    Regarding P2P & IP Law, KCRW’s podcast of On the Beat frequently discusses that as it applies to the Music industry (the woman who does the podcast is the CEO of an indie label, I think).

  • 4 Alon Levy // May 22, 2007 at 8:48 pm

    For feminist stuff, read A Bird and a Bottle (though she’s a lot better on criminal justice issues than on feminist issues) and Fetch Me My Axe for a more radical perspective that doesn’t involve anti-porn censorship.

    The Christian Science Monitor isn’t conservative at all; it’s politically neutral, and although it’s owned by the Christian Science sect, it hires journalists of all religious persuasions. However, The Evangelical Outpost is conservative and religious, and generally thoughtful. For more moderate stuff, read The Politburo Diktat, by a disgruntled ex-pro-war Republican.

  • 5 Alon Levy // May 22, 2007 at 8:53 pm

    Also, I forgot Just Dreadful in the feminist category.

  • 6 pilgrimgirl // May 23, 2007 at 10:59 am

    Great suggestions people! I’ve just added a bunch of new blogs to my reader. :)

  • 7 John // May 23, 2007 at 12:31 pm

    Ah, pilgrimgirl, but where are *your* suggestions? I know you follow some great photoblogs, for instance. :)

    Alon, thank you for your input. It’s been difficult to find blogs that fill the Abstract Nonsense-shaped hole in my Reader.

    Thank you, all! My finals are over this Friday, so I’m looking forward to trying out your suggestions starting this weekend. Feel free to post any more that you run across.

  • 8 pilgrimgirl // May 24, 2007 at 8:30 am

    Some photoblogs that I follow:

    http://www.jengray.com (for all kinds of photos, but mostly those of daily life that have a sort of inherent emotional intensity)

    http://www.bohemiangirldesigns.blogspot.com (for self-portraits–I keep thinking I’ll start posting more self-p’s, but then I try taking them and get totally discouraged)

    wvs.lefttoppixel.com (for large-scale landscapes and such–which I’m not good at but I like to think about)

    3191.visualblogging.com (this is just a breath of fresh air and loveliness every day. Each entry has 2 morning photos–they include breakfast, kittens, and the play of sun across simple surfaces. They help me get my day off the ground, which is quite an accomplishment, let me tell you)

    I don’t think these are necessarily the very best photoblogs out there, but they each have some element that pleases me. Pert of my reticence in sharing my list of photoblogs is that I doubt that any of you will find these as enchanting as I do.

  • 9 mel // May 24, 2007 at 10:07 am

    One other that you might like under CS/Mac/quirky is Wil Shipley’s Call Me Fishmeal.

Leave a Comment