Polstate.com

CSPAN Junkie links to some great CSPAN videos, though with a rapid leftward spin. It’s hard to look for a similar site with a rightward spin but if you know of one …

Then there’s also the CSPAN YouTube channel itself, though.

I have done VERY little review of political blogs these days. I know, that’s not a popular thing to say but they seem largely played out, perhaps only truly interesting when they go against the grain and - not attack - discuss the deficiencies of their own side.

But occasionally I go on a binge looking for news I may have missed not on Google News or in the major news sites i visit.

What I believe I’ve really discovered is that blogs are good for finding links TO news I may have missed, but the vast majority - 75% plus are to other “old media” reporting or to sites with “old media” histories, or to sites merely opining on AP and other “old media” reporting. That’s truly yet another reason why I’m unhappy with blogs - they decry “media” en masse, not realizing or more likely not acknowledging that they are not yet a force big enough to create their own news. In the general sense of non-news punditry media, however, they are definitely a growing part of it - like a bald spot, revealing to be sure but not much more.

This is a left and right phenomenon, of course, and yes there are a couple of exceptions. I don’t count Huffington Post as one of those exceptions (opinions are not news to me, and 99% of the rest is, yes, links to the outlets actually doing the reporting - just like DrudgeReport). At its best I do count Talking Points Memo in that category, but they went so far in the tank for Obama their idea of news was horribly and perhaps irreparably skewed and damaged.

Yet in a few binges, which has generally started with TalkLeft I have discovered the trend mentioned above - largely the links out are the most interesting part. Countless times, the comments, with some frequent exceptions are just a pile of the need of oneupmanship on display. The tiniest of details, often the most unimportant the better, are flogged to death, someone comes in with a flame and derails everybody away from being grown ups and bleh, it all falls down.

Today I went to Atrios / EschatonBlog and I clicked on the comments to this thread about the limited poor assumption that solar energy companies are dead in America.

(ASIDE) It mentioned a big focus of mine lately “alternative” energy and the fact that this country can’t seem to get the inertia to do the right thing - as is the case in so many other ways. I got tired of following and reporting on the slow pace of change and the stamp-down on great, forward thinking ideas. I went to the political arts here, because, generally those who participate live in the future. (ASIDE OVER)

The useful comments were those with links. Here’s the list of links from the thread linked above:

Think Progress — Publisher: Bush will receive ‘minimal interest’ on the lecture circuit (via New York Times and longtime editor/publisher Tina Brown’s new The Daily Beast

New Mexico Independent - Big solar plant planned for Mesa del Sol is still full steam… er, sunshine… ahead (news via AP)

American Solar Energy Society = ASES Where old hippies go to fry, and generation X,Y and Zers go to coordinate the future

Southern Beale - Someone Got Some Bad Career Advice Ok, I laughed at the reaction (via NewsDay Magazine)

NY Times - The Obama Gap (Krugman op-ed)

Google Search - “US manufacturing plants solar”

Google Search - “indica

The Oregonian - “Enviros and city of Portland cultivate a movement to top buildings with plants”

San Francisco Chronicle - Cash crunch slows high-speed rail project

Film: Helvetica - 50th anniversary of the font. It’s actually a lot more interesting than I thought. It has a point.

Ecolect - Put a Little Hemp in Your Concrete

Talking Points Memo - Sleeper Bill of the Month: Our Own Truth & Reconciliation Commission

Conrad Alvis is the pseudonymical writer behind and also in front of the site, Top 50 Swing Voters.¹ I caught wind of the site only through deep research … into my e-mail box where Conrad The Blogger had sent me a link and a “what about a little pub-love” request, just in different words.

His site for the last 50 days has broken down the demographics of these United States into the basic building blocks of political stereotype that drive coverage and populate sound bites from coast to coast.

There’s the “People Who Believe It Doesn’t Matter Who Wins.” Cynical naturally and happy only with extremes. There’s the Cable News Junkies, who are by definition unbalanced according to Conrad, and can sway in the wind at whomever makes them the angriest.

Perhaps you’re, “#6 - People Born With No Sense Of Humor - Politically Incorrect” one of those people “forced to spend their free time pouring over media of all types, searching for anything they can label offensive, blasphemous, insensitive, insulting, inconsiderate, distasteful, repugnant, revolting, callous or cruel. Then, this Demo invests copious amounts of time trying to convince Normal Americans to feel similarly offended.”

If so you didn’t read this far.

And you’re not likely to read the Swing Voters site, so why does the site exist?

“Because Americans like lists of things,” the author says. “There’s Casey Kasem’s American Top 40, the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted, Schindler’s List, and of course, The Terrorist Watch List. Plus, I launched the blog 50 days out from November 4th. After all the shit that has gone down in this Election Cycle, I should have gone with The Top 100 Swing Voters.”

And he didn’t miss out on the most famous made-up “demographic” of the election season so far - Joe the Plumber along with his new buds, the previously unknown “Tito the Builder, Cindy the Beer Heiress, and Dora the Explorer.”

“But there’s only one Conrad the Blogger, so I had to prioritize,” he says.

If you somehow didn’t get covered in the other 49 slices of life at Swing Voters, Conrad pulled a Time Magazine yesterday and declared ‘”You” as the final swing voter demographic. Frankly I was a little disappointed the QUANGOS weren’t included. Neglected again, the Quasi-Autonomous Non-Gendered Over-achievers.

I sent him a range of strange questions, to see if he could take the humor as well as dish it out. He stepped up and delivered. I also foisted on him my outlook on politics in 2008: A micro-bio on my site. I’ve become disgusted with politics and political blogs this year in general - the ones who are predictable with their takes and their fanaticism. So I changed my political news site - which had right and left and in between - into more a look at political arts.

^{1 - The site has footnotes …}

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POLstate is always up for giving a little air time to promote “green living.” Anything to move away from the anything-but chaste, haste and waste.

The economic doldrums - coupled with lower oil prices - has apparently made short-sighted people move away from a big push for investment in green (and healthy-livving) businesses. Bearing that in mind, we’ll just have to do it on out own, and with the help of a few wise men, women and companies and .. well, expos.

And who doesn’t want to meet a lean green, eco-Santa? You can starting this weekend in Las Vegas with FREE admission to The Green Living Expo. Along with that, the Expo provides a market and EXPOsure for companies not only trying to do the right thing, but succeeding.

There will be more than 100 exhibits in the following areas: Green Building & Remodeling, Health & Beauty, Organic & Natural Products, Green Kids Zone, Eco-Car Display, Eco-Fashion Show, Green Associations

Proceeds from photos with Santa will go toward the Cancer Hope Foundation.

They’ll be selling, sure self-sustainability starts with buying from those creating products from recyclables. And if you’re in Las Vegas, tired of losing money down the slot machines, guarantee a return and hie thee over to The Springs Reserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., 10-5 p.m., Nov. 1 & 2.

Other opportunities include Seaside Park, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, Calif., 10-5 p.m., Nov. 15 & Nov 16, and Blaisdell Center, 700 Ward Ave,. in Honolulu, HI, 10-5 p.m., Jan. 30-31, 2009.

General Limbaugh may have deserted the rhetorical battlefield but his battle-scarred troops (affectionately known as the “butt kissers”) haven’t given up the fight. “Operation Chaos” originally launched during the Democrat primary season continues on with some amazing victories.

The General was originally dismayed by the triumph of his arch enemy John McCain early on in the Republican primary season. To be fair to the General, he wasn’t that crazy about Huckabee or even Romney. They just didn’t measure up to the high standards set by W.
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I don’t know if I’d be dedicated enough to create something like this Web site completely from scratch from someone who will likely be a political flash in the plan; at least nationally.

But PalinAsPresident.us brings an interactive push and prode screen of Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin, sitting back in the oval office.

Apparently it’s updated every day and will be until Nov. 4 wit the latest twist and turn of the Palin saga, so I’ve missed a lot already.

Just move your mouse around to see what might happen. My two favorites; the shredding of COlin Powell’s picture and the car that zooms off the “bridge to nowhere” sitting on her desk.

Some of the links don’t work, but I’m assuming those are “to come” features.

If You Cut Off Their Heads It Doesn’t Matter If Their Eyes Are Closed

People create and try new things. Obviously that’s a good thing, and big picture, if it makes that person happy then it means more people are creating and there are more happy people in the world. But that doesn’t mean when you present it to the world, I or a larger audience has to like the result. And invited to comment, you may not always like what I say.

Harsh? Perhaps. Certainly in contrast to empty praise it’s so.

This seemingly rare (and murder is rare so rare isn’t always good) urge to say what a person actually thinks comes foremost, from not really not liking whatever you just created. For me it also comes from how I like to be treated. When something doesn’t work, I like to be told that. I may still disagree, I may not have provided enough context for broad interpretations, or I may completely agree. In any case, I know something is lacking in getting my point across.

An exception, however: If all you can think to comment about is what you don’t like aboout something then you need to stop commenting.

I am a trained journalist with 12 years of experience (which isn’t to say life can’t train journalistically). I didn’t dick around writing what I wanted to write. You keep the reader in your mind at all times and you make sure you can be understood quickly and easily. No mystery. Inform and secondarily entertain as much as possible. I’m not saying through the thousands and thousands of articles written that I always succeeded.

Journalism. Feature stories are a little bit more about the journey; about using language well to describe something. But oh hell yes, that can be overdone. In the hands of someone who does it REALLY well, it can work, and even boring, mundane subjects can be made to come alive. But even then yammering on at length, however beautifully is most often a yawner. (Leaves Of Grass - has moments of bliss but how often does anyone read the entire effort? It perseveres primarily as an example of obsessive attempted perfection)

Hard news stories are just reality. This is it, this is what happened. You are informed. Often it can take a very skilled reporter to get those facts.

In a slightly different direction, a good film critic, won’t necessarily get off on being a mean bastard or even using language well to make a basic - “this sucks” - point. Mostly they’ll just say this sucks. The stricture here is that they are employed and need to earn. As a requirement of their job they have to have to write more because they won’t get paid for two-word “this sucks” columns.

In contrast, political punditry is all about repeated attempts at wittery and acerbic bon mots that exist only to try and impress other like-minded people. There’s no soul to that; there is almost complete self-absorption and a clear and present need that could be much better directed. There’s so much of it, there’s nothing refreshing. When you do what’s expected, and there’s no story-telling, you’re predictable. Rare is the columnist who actually does reporting and anything more than puddle-deep analysis. They otherwise crutch (yeah, I verbed it) on their audience to understand very basic thrusts of popular opinion to get their points across.

Somewhere in the middle is my angle, my take. With writing. With photography. You have to work a few elements but basically keep your skill set contained and get better and better at that. There is skill involved.

Finding less boring and mundane subjects is a key, as well, and makes creativity easier; with writing that may be about a third to half the exercise.

Generally, I love photography like I love sex; why experiment around with everything demeaning when you can become really really good instead? (The trick there is defining demeaning, of course)

And this comes down to an approach to friendship as well. To some being friends is being completely supportive of everything that person does, no matter the quality of the photo, the story, the painting, the life-changing decision.

Frankly, most intelligent people don’t take this approach. They may have less friends, but those they have are closer. Closeness, oddly, often doesn’t necessarily translate into frequency of meeting. it comes about by a great understanding.

****

None of this was generated by one blog or even blogs. This started as a comment left on Flickr to a set of photos from a person here in Phoenix. They seemed like OK photos gussied up through process and art. Perhaps it was because they were photos of a place I’d been to many times and have seen so many beautiful, humorous, exciting, intriguing, photos of, that I was not that impressed. Or perhaps I just missed the difficulty of what was being attempted?

And none of this is to say, don’t experiment, quite the contrary. Experiment, but be prepared for failure and be prepared for people to not like it. And people out there need to be prepared to say “this ain’t so hot,” though they don’t have to be Simon Cowell about it, because he’s paid to be that way, while friends don’t have salaries.

That’s the context that was missing from the comment I left. It didn’t deliver that purpose, which is why I deleted it. Call it a failed comment experiment.

*** Deleted out some phrases about 14 hours later, because they needed to be deleted. (E-mail me and ask and I’ll probably explain.

He never was a “Conservative.” He was opposed to “Desert Storm.” He’s a closet liberal. Yeah he served in the military, but would you want him in a foxhole next to you?

Colin — what kind of name is that? Is he related to Barack Obama? Bush 41 made him, but Bush 41 also made Bush 43. Kinda scary, isn’t it? Cheney and Rumsfeld never trusted him! His comments on the Supreme Court gave his leftist sympathies away.

What does he know about Bill Ayers; he was busy in Vietnam while this was all going on. Sarah Palin has forgotten more about the threat of radical Islam than this so-called General will ever know. Alma — what kind of name is Alma? He supports Obama, but he won’t campaign for him — why not? He has trouble with the direction of the Republican Party — hey don’t let the screen door hit you on the way out.

The next thing you know this guy will come out for gays in the military.

He was wrong on the weapons of mass destruction and he’s wrong with his endorsement of Obama. This guy is Oprah Winfrey, except he used to wear a uniform. He is actively supporting a candidate who represents the end of this nation as we know it — he should be charged with treason! Ronald Reagan would have smiled and said to Powell, “there you go again.” David Brooks will probably write a column extolling his endorsement — wow, what a shock!

Possible quote from Rush Limbaugh. “General Powell, I know Dick Cheney, Dick Cheney has been a guest on this show on numerous occasions. Dick Cheney has been a friend of mine. General Powell, you’re no Dick Cheney!

(Let’s see how many forgot Darryl Becker is a satirist - and author of “All The President’s Costumed Characters“)

Mental Floss says this is not the dirtiest campaign in American history - not even close. And it has the book to prove it.

Later this month “The Mental Floss History of the World” is set to be released, by the self-described “educational magazine.”

It’s cover that brings to mind Monty Python, It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Around The World In 80 days, which all seem appropriate.

Perhaps also appropriately, it’s compiled and written by three white guys and a Desi, respectively Erik Sass, Steve Wiegand, Will Pearson, and Mangesh Hattikudur. Though it does seem to feature LeBron James on the cover to represent. …

Subtitled, “An Irreverent Romp Through Civilizations Best Bits” in the materials given to reviewers (subsequently fixed before final publication) so those writing about it would have to delve for a different word than “irreverent” but would also have a grammatical-fix crutch by pointing out “Civilizations” should be possessive s or possessive plural s, … it takes a Level 10 trivia Dungeonmaster approach to what’s been happening lo these last 16,000 years or so.

Anyone familiar with the magazine will know to expect a cocked eyebrow approach to relating history and herstory with something approaching wit. Those unfamiliar need only to glance at the chapter titles to get an idea: Africa and After (60,000 BCE- 1,500 BCE - sorry creationists), Chaos and Control; Athens, Alexander and All That; The Really-Not-That-Dark Ages, which brings up to 2008 (ok, not really). An appendice, “Oh Yea, Canada” is also thoughtfully provided.

Available in eBook and hardcover from HarperCollins, Oct. 28

Though the video pretty much a turnoff (Guy on right is VERY earnest.) , the lyrics to “Hey, Sarah Palin” - instant classic material, sung to the tune of Plain, White T’s “Hey, There Delilah.”