Blogiversary IV: A New Hope

(The full strip is here (backup here), and is about Gingrich. It's funny 'cause it's true and all that.)

Another year, another round-up. Thanks to all who've checked out my sporadic, eclectic, (mostly) long-form blogging. I remain a part-time blogger and this remains a small blog, but I've received some very generous links since the last blogiversary, so thanks again for that - and to everyone who strives to honor the spirit of Blogroll Anniversary Day.

Since last July, I've spent a fair amount of time on the human rights/ torture beat. The most notable (and passionate) post of that group is "Torture Versus Freedom." Meanwhile, "The Torture Apologia Chart" and "The Torture Flowchart" attempt to visualize the insanity. "Rivkin's Protean Logic on Torture" is a long dissection of one of the most slippery of torture apologists. Finally, "Tortured" attempts a more artistic approach. Whew.


The satire category has been thinner this round, but there is "Anti-Terrorist Fantasy Dream Team on the Case," plus "Hall of Fame Material," a semi-satirical look at sports lover Bush and his, um, stunning legacy.


Apart from the cheery torture stuff, the most substantial essay is "The Persistence of Ideology."

"Diagrams on Conservatism" and "Diagram Madness" continue my efforts to visualize issues.


I wrote several posts on the iconography of the Republican National Convention, from the disappearing of Bush to "The Passion of Saint McCain" to "With Thy Father's Permission" (on Sarah Palin and Cindy McCain). I followed the unfolding story of Palin's unsuccessful attempts to ban books pretty closely, but the core post was "Just Another Concerned Parent Firing Librarians." (Meanwhile, I'll confess a fondness for the post "Concern Trolls for Nixon.")

My International Holocaust Remembrance Day post this year focused on music by those killed or persecuted by the Nazis. ("Not Like Us" dealt with present day bigotry, and then there's a post on the uses and limitations of Godwin's Law.)

Moving on the arts, in film, there's the annual film roundup, a post on a local Kurosawa exhibit and a dissection of National Review's best "conservative" films.

I haven't covered poetry that much this round, but I did squeeze in the arts on the holidays. My 11/11 Armistice Day post centered on the war poetry of Siegfried Sassoon. MLK Day looked at OyamO's great, little-known play I Am a Man, and St Patrick's Day focused on one of the prettiest Celtic tunes you've likely ever heard. I wrote a few posts for Banned Books Week, including one on my pick for 2008, Fahrenheit 451.

I did a fair amount of sittin' in with other bands since last July. I think the best of the first Hullabaloo stint are "The Sporting Life" and "Cokie's World." (I cross-posted the second stint stuff here at VS.) The best of the Campaign for America's Future set is "Using Justice Against Us," examining John Yoo's dissembling.

Meanwhile, there's the dearly departed series Right-Wing Cartoon Watch over at Blue Herald - both the series and the blog are currently on hiatus. Near the end of this incarnation of RWCW, the installments were epic in length (even by my standards) and not for all tastes, and I don't miss how much time they took to assemble. However, I learned a great deal researching for the series, and it was a neat way for me to comment on stories I couldn't cover in real time and to link some fine debunking work by other bloggers. It also allowed me to track most right-wing talking points for over two and half years. Plus, I just love the fine American tradition of political cartooning. I still might revisit it, but we'll have to see how a cartoon-less series plays (unless other arrangements can be made).

In any case, thanks again, and Ray will play us out: