Mike Moran; Blog Panel

While at the DNC in Boston I bumped into Mike Moran at the hotel bar. Mike was behind Hardblogger, and we had a good chat about blogs and journalism (while having, I seem to recall, some of the finest chowder of my life).

He's now posting over at Sword and Pen for the Overseas Press Club of America ... check it out.

He's also taking part in a June 1st panel on blogs and international news, along with Joe Trippi, Paul Mirengoff, Marshall Loeb, and Rebecca MacKinnon. Hmm ... CBS and PowerLine, together at last ... should be interesting. It's in NYC; go here to learn more.

Alan's New Blog

You may now also find me here.

ˇNo Pasarán!

Stumbled recently across ¡No Pasarán!, a group blog published by Erik Svane and Joe N. of Merde in France. Its focus:

What expats and the mainstream media (French and American alike) fail to notice (or fail to tell you) about French attitudes, principles, values, and official positions.

Check it out.

DeepBlog

Visited DeepBlog yet? Just checking.

Sullivan's Giving Up The Dish

Andrew Sullivan is giving up his Daily Dish:

After much hemming and hawing, I've decided to put the blog as you've known it on hiatus for a few months. The Dish will still exist, the site will be updated weekly with new feature articles, and I'll still post when I feel like it. But it won't have the regularity or content of the past four and a half years. Why? The simple answer is that I want to take a breather, to write a long-overdue book, to read some more, travel to Europe and the Middle East, and work on some longer projects. Much as I would like to do everything, I've been unable to give the blog my full attention and make any progress on a book (and I'm two years behind). It's not so much the time as the mindset. The ability to keep on top of almost everything on a daily and hourly basis just isn't compatible with the time and space to mull over some difficult issues in a leisurely and deliberate manner. Others might be able to do it. But I've tried and failed. Besides, this is my fifth year of daily blogging - I was doing this when Clinton was president and Osama bin Laden was largely unknown - and I've always thought it's a good idea to quit something after around five years or so.

Virginia Postrell comments intelligently, as usual:

Even the few brilliant scholars (Tyler Cowen, Eugene Volokh, Grant McCracken) who make blogging seem like it should foster serious thought limit their posting to topics they want to mull over in public. Current-affairs blogging of the Sullivan/Instapundit/name your favorite type is inherently quick, dirty, and disposable. It may add to the public discourse, but it doesn't tend to deepen the blogger's own thinking. That, plus sheer laziness, is why this blog has never promised more than a few posts a week, and why I've given up my think-magazine-editor instincts to voice an opinion on everything. For a full-blown argument, I want to write something for a sizable audience and get paid. And I don't really want to post half-baked ones.

I appreciate the point of view. Luckily for us, we have lots of contributors to carry the torch.

Redstate's Announcement

While on the topic of Mike Krempasky, he's also sent this:

Gah. The government makes it so hard to be politically active these days - in any number greater than "one", that is. So we've decided to jump through the legal hoops and start building a real political organization. It's a bit of an experiment, I think - one that's not been tried. To be sure, lots of 527's and other political organizations have blogs - but a blog turning into an organization? We'll see.

You may read their full announcement here. Congratulations, Redstaters. And it terms of a blog turning into an organization? No worries, it can be done: Strengthen The Good became a 503/c non-profit in November.

Systemperturbations.com

Through the course of my Command Post life I've followed (and once or twice corresponded with) national grand military strategy guru Tom Barnett. (Attentive readers will recall my linking to TB's blog from time to time.)

I've also built a nice online relationship with his webmaster and business partner Critt Jarvis, who's launched a blog of his own: Systemperturbations.com. The content's great, and I love the look (for what that's worth) ... check it out. Great job, Critt.

Little Harlan Is All Grown Up ...

Glenn Harlan Reynolds, taking on Kofi Annan on the pages of the Wall Street Journal.

Strengthen The Good: Send Your Books And Help Spread Freedom And Opportunity!

Want something the feel good about? Check out the latest profile at at Strengthen The Good: the work of Douglas Dart at The The C.S. Lewis Bilingual Gymnaziumin in Bratislava, Slovakia.

The gist: Douglas and his family are in Bratislava for a year, teaching English and American Studies to Slovakian teenagers, at a small and poor school set among the towers of a Soviet-era apartment block. They call English "the language of freedom and opportunity" ... but they have no English-language books.

So I thought we could help build a library, and have something to feel good about along the way.

Got an extra copy of The Fountainhead or Old Yeller or the works of T. S. Eliot lying around? Here's your chance to use it to do some good. Visit STG to learn more. And remember: Don't just fight evil; strengthen the good!

STG On NYT

For those who follow Stregnthen The Good, the site (and others) was profiled today in the New York Times. Thanks to those who have joined the network and helped to strengthen the good.

Defense Tech Blog Goes Big Time

Noah Shachtman and Defense Tech have been invaluable sources for Command Post since its inception.

Today we offer congratulations to Noah on the news that Defense Tech has teamed up with Military.com to bring you a slicker version of the already excellent blog.

In addition to the new design for Defense Tech, we'll be adding more features in the months to come. But starting today, readers can expect an expanded roster of news, tidbits, rumors, and analysis about the future of national security. We're also setting up a forum, so you can discuss the latest in military technology, defense news, and security trends. Expect more soon, including interviews with some of the key figures behind the changing face of defense.

If you aren't already reading DT, go on over and check it out. Well worth an addition to your bookmarks.

Congrats to Noah.

Mader Blog

While reviewing our referrals tonight I came across Mader Blog, published by David Mader, a law student at the University of Texas at Austin. I just wanted to throw him a link. Check it out.