Blanked Out

A list of new blogs or old blogs that deserve attention! Feel free to put your new blog addiction in the comments.

Minnesota Monitor
http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/

It’s like the Old Country Buffett of the MN Blogosphere and I mean that in the best way possible. On one site you have REW from Power Liberals, Matt Martin from MN Publius, Joe Bodell from MNCR, Craig Cox and Abdi Aynte from TC Daily Planet, Jeff Fecke from Blog of the Moderate Left, Leigh Pomeroy from Vox Verax, Andy Birkey from Eleventh Ave South, Sara Reller from Broken Nails and Paul Schmelzer from Eyeteeth.

If that wasn’t enough, they also have a concise but powerful blog/news aggregator.

Current highlights - an upcoming interview with Coleen Rowley by Jeff Fecke and two stories from Abdi Aynte: the first part in a series on immigration and border security in northern Minnesota and a breaking story of an attack on a Minneapolis mosque.

Aynte is a talented journalist: watch out for him in the future.

Kiffmeyer Watch
http://www.kiffmeyerwatch.com/

This blog just launched Wednesday: all Mary Kiffmeyer, all the time. Nuff said.

Migrant Worker
http://blogs.princeton.edu/pia/personal/epay/

You might wonder how a blog about being an American migrant worker in China has to do with Minnesota. Well, very little actually. But author Even Pay did attend Carleton College and that’s enough of a Minnesotan connection for me to link to my new favorite on the ground blog in China.

If Even keeps this up she’ll soon be better than Shanghaiist and One Man Bandwidth: An American Professor in China combined.

Even’s friend Chris reminds me on GoKunming that Optimus Prime has defected to China. I’m not sure exactly when this happened, but it’s probably because Optimus saw the ridiculous flames they’ve put on him for the live action Transformers movie. I don’t know how to put this in stronger terms: Optimus Prime does not need flames. Period.

Other highlights:

• Tim Walz made the Netroots ActBlue page! This could be a huge boon for Walz but only if everyone chips in - he was added late so he’s already running behind the other candidates.Show the rest of the blogosphere that Walz is one of the best new candidates this cycle - bar none. Contribute now!

  As always, Bluestem Prairie is the authoritative blog for anything regarding MN-01.
  
  

• Patty Wetterling has won $5k from the “Pick a Progressive Patriot” contest sponsored by U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold’s (D–WI) Progressive Patriots Fund!

It’s called the Minnesota Monitor. They have a huge amount of talent behind them and already have several posts and articles up.

They launched today - check them out!

UPDATE: The Monitor is still making their site presentable. I can understand.  Creating a blog of that size is a huge undertaking. Give them a day.

The Friday Refreshment is a listing of blogs in MN that contribute unique voices or unique news to the blogosphere. If you have a suggestion for a blog that didn’t make this list, please add it in the comments!

Media Law Minnesota
http://www.medialawminnesota.blogspot.com/

Ag suggested this blog in last week’s refreshment. It’s good - very good. Mr. Aggergaard has covers a wide range of media and law issues and has knows a great deal of MN history. Go here to read about the interesting case of “Shelvie Prolife Rettmann”.

Loyal Opposition
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/

Described as “a tolerated heretic in the Minnesota DFL.” The author is not mincing words with the label heretic: the current top post contains references to “Replacement Theology” and refers to Jess McIntosh as the “Mistress of Communications”. This would probably be a good time to issue a disclaimer that I can’t be held responsible nor do I necessarily agree with any content to which I link.

Midtopia
http://midtopia.blogspot.com/

“A vision of how the world would be if the moderate middle prevailed.” Sean Aqui’s writing at Midtopia is crisp and clear. He also has one of the best pen names I’ve seen in the blogosphere. (Sean Aqui is derived from “seanachie” - Irish for “storyteller”).

Sly Civilian
http://slycivilian.com/

“An undercover agent deep in the heart of academia.” I debated linking to Sly Civilian. Sly is a Minnesotan currently attending Yale Divinity School. Sly still posts on Minnesota issues, but primarily covers academia, religion, racism and queer issues. Sly was able to seal the deal with this post entitled: “The Kantian Nihilists Strike Again”

When I started Blanked-Out.com I was overwhelmed by the reception in the MN Blogosphere. Those initial front-page links to my blog made a huge difference. The health of any regional blogosphere is not only measured in the sheer number of blogs, but how the community promotes new blogs and thus new voices.

After the 10 x 10 initiative was released, I realized I shouldn’t wait until my blog’s readership increased to start promoting new blogs myself. That’s why I’m going to try and devote a couple Fridays each month to link to blogs within the MN Blogosphere that are either new or relatively unknown. Also, for the exception of one, consider these blogs added to my 10 x 10 tag list.

Fruit Fly
http://fruitfly.wordpress.com

Political humor and commentary from an invertebrate perspective. I especially like Frizzie McBee. Warning: there’s a graphic picture on their right now, but nothing you wouldn’t have seen by dissecting a frog.

Robert K Brown
http://www.robertkbrown.com/

This blog is hard to define, which is what makes it great. Expect thoughts on politics, fathering, sports and technology/geek issues. Definitely click on the About link to see where he’s coming from. He first caught my eye when he figured out the easiest way to articulate the Lieberman defeat - in video.

Nihilix
http://www.nihilix.blogspot.com/

If reading Wege or Wonkette sometimes makes you blush (through embarrassment or anger), stay away from this blog. Far away. That’s the best compliment I can give. Shine on you crazy diamond.

Voix de Michèle
http://voixdemichele.blogspot.com/

Another blog that’s impossible to describe: books, creative-non fiction and French.

DFL Education Foundation
http://www.dfleducationfoundation.blogs.com/

Their blog could be updated more often, but they put on great discussion forums. Past speakers have included Art Rolnick on investment in early childhood development, Jeff Blodgett on the future of progressives in MN and election analysis by Dan Cramer. Because of their non-profit status, they are exempt from the 10 x 10.

If there’s a blog you can suggest, add it to the comments section!