The Beatrice Fiddler

Conservative blogger conference in Reno in October

I ran across the information about this conservative blogger conference some time ago and recently checked how things are coming along.

The conference program has expanded massively since I last looked with lots of intriquing speakers, panels and workshops.

Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment that weekend. Otherwise, I'd make every effort to be there.

Update:  Correction made in location of conference (it's Reno, not Las Vegas). 

Sure, The Streetsweeper is the best political blog in the state. But he ain't the best blogger.

Sorry, but that accolade has to go to The Hater. He is the man.

You love me! You really love me!

"Binnie, how ya doing this morning?"

"Me? Oh, I'm doing just great! I'm feeling validated, acknowledged, honored."

"How come?"

Because the Hagel and Bruning campaigns just got a complete manual from the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee on how to deal with me 'n' my blogging friends.

Here's an excerpt.

Here's an outtake:

The non-friendly blogs, i.e. "hostile, liberal blogs," should never be engaged directly by campaigns. "Doing so only legitimizes them," the guide states. Leave that up to surrogates. Instead, monitor the critical sites for inaccuracies that can be "useful down the road to delegitimize these blogs as a source for reliable information to the mainstream media."

Little did they know how phenomenally easy this will be to do in our great state.

HT: Blogger to the stars, Patrick Ruffini.

Speaking of the Omaha World Herald

New media analyst Ryan Sholin gives a list of 10 obvious things about the future of newspapers you need to get through your head. Item 5:

You don’t get to charge people for archives and you certainly don’t want to charge people for daily news content. Pulling your copy behind walls where it can’t be seen by readers on the wider Web. Search rules. Don’t hide from it.

And all the other items, too, come to think of it.

A long overdue links round-up

Everyone in Nebraska blogland seems to have made an personal resolution to start blogging more after Memorial Day.

Blogging. Yes. Let those others cruise through Nebraska's summer evenings, sit on the porch visiting with their neighbors, go to festivals.

Bloggers have the moral compass to stay inside and blog. And they have been.

Without further ado, links to the intrepid Nebraska bloggers who weighed in on Tuesday, May 29:

Try out for the "Amazing Race" as your next stunt?

Honoring a brother lost in war.

Dana writes about the family in crisis.

St. Jimbob of the Apokalypse gives us a kind Nebraskan perspective on Cindy Sheehan's resignation from the anti-war movement.

Denny asks, Is Planned Parenthood about abortion rights or is Planned Parenthood about making money on abortions?

Slamming Giuliani.

Comrade Hillary. Tell us what you really think!

Back, and full of hate. He watched Miss Universe, so what can you expect?

He hasn't just been blogging.

Uncle Wiggly, come baaaack!

Building blog communities

Adrienne at Tech Republican blogs about building blogs about state and local politics.

I know one thing that would help for me: blog more often than every 5 days.

Even more Nebraska blogs

I don't know how I missed Lincoln's Blog.

They describe their style and mission here.

The originator of the site, Richard Okelberry, has his bio here.

Lincoln's Blog in turn led me to two other very intriquing Nebraska blogs:

Kicking the Gourd, which looks to be by a Christian who knows a lot about postmodern theory and Wittgenstein.

And Shaking off Sleep, a blog by a Catholic ("St. Jimbob of the Apokalypse") awakening to his faith.

They're both regularly updated and very well-written.

As I work on this blog, I get more insight into my personality.  Obviously, I would excel at arranging high school reunions.  Except in Bellevue.

Update: PTG tells me of yet another, About Omaha.

I have reached a state of blogger nirvana.

After wondering just yesterday about the dearth of Nebraska blogging, I find that Tom Casady--yes, the Chief of Police in Lincoln!--has started a blog.

Not only has he started a blog, but you can even find his email address on it.

I am emailing him to thank him and give him some blog-encouragement. I hope you will do the same.

HT: Crabby Joe.

Around and about

But only around a short block.

I didn't realize until this morning that Lincoln Journal Star editorial cartoonist Neal Obermeyer has a bloggish website where he posts most if not all of his work product. I've never admired his work and now I can non-admire it online.

Omaha Media News Notes has switched to a new URL and he is on fire.

But not as on fire as our friend at The Feedlot. My fingers swell with sympathetic typing fatique looking at all those Fred Thompson links.

In case you didn't know, some of us have a public relations problem. And no, it's not Chuck Hagel.

What I'm reading

This is quite a good book:

You do get the impression reading it that there's a lot more local blogging in many other states than here in Nebraska. Anyone have any ideas why that might be?

The book also says that Vox is going to be the hot new blogging interface for what it calls "the post-30 segment". I don't feel guilty (not that I would anyway) saying that on a Typepad blog since Vox is owned by the same company that puts out Typepad.

I should add that the only way I could figure out to include snazzy graphics of Amazon books is by joining their Associates program. I'm not really trying to make money here. I wish Amazon had a "blog this book" code that anyone could grab by all their books, but if they do, I haven't found it.