I’d been thinking I needed to point out some of the new links over in my sprawled out collection of blogrolls over there, and the latest of Paul’s occasional summarization entries reminded me of this.

So, to wit:

Griff’s ultramicroscopic generally publishes the harebrained reflections of this funny Texian designer. Since I’ve read him, he’s, among other things, proposed that toilet seats are the cleanest surface in the house, noted that his proper nickname may be “Tater-Head”, and of course, offered a reflection on the particular value of olfactory stimuli with regard to bacon cheesburgers. I’d hazard a guess that he’s a big Farrelly Bros. fan. (How’d’ya spell that?)

Do not drink Coke while reading lest you suffer the dreaded snort-attack.

Scott Chaffin’s The Fat Guy (another Texian) has been noted previously here, I think. I enjoy reading it because Scott is prone to neanderthal outbursts of conservatism which he immediately doubts, in smaller type, beneath them. He’s also very funny. The tension between his dead-set certainties and immediate uncertainty absolutely humanizes his presentation, makes him a better read than, say, The Economist or P. J. O’Rourke.

I’m interested in what Scott has to say precisely because he shares his process of perception, whereas when I make the effort (it’s rare, because I get so worked up) to read one of the professional conservatives, I just want march over to their house and punch them repeatedly in the face. I don’t learn anything from that experience, while I do from Scott’s writing. How can I put this? Scott’s writing is lower-case-d democratic, and in my book, that’s a good thing.

He also subscribes to the “leave it be” blogging school, so you can, for example, follow his experience of and reactions to the supposed discovery of weapons-grade nuclear materials by the Turks last week. He’s cooled off a bit here, and then gets the news there were no radioactive materials involved.

I understand he’s in the market for a good tin-foil hat.

Back when I was unfolding that tragedy for y’all, I was happy to find that well-known Macintosh funnyman Andy Ihnatko had revivified his website with a creaking, clanking homebrewed blog apparatus. He’s been posting semi-reg’lar since then, and boy is he funny. I think he’s even funny of you’re not a Mac techie. But how the hell would I know?

Also added that week was Brian Sobolak’s Planetary Delight, in which Mr. Sobolak reflects. Brian was the first person I did not know to write in response to my work that week. His writings reflect what I take to be some wrestling with intermittent depression, something I’m familiar with. It’s interesting, to me, to read his entries because of the familiar ring they have on the subject. The experience of looking at the world and seeing nothing in it that renders pleasure, only reminders of suffering, while at the same time simply shrugging about the perception, is, well, familiar.

Finally, Brian recommended the Amazing K’s Driving through Nebraska, which I heartily second. While K’s compositional style is a bit unpolished for the web (no short paragraphs separated by white space here), his writings are densely allusive and frickin’ laugh-out-loud HILARIOUS.

The density of the postings is such that the effect is overhearing that kind of nutty bohemian-of-all-trades who mumbles in the corner at your favorite coffeeshop. It turns out he’s not so nutty, he’s just had a LOT of espresso, and his stream-of-consciousness runs to, among other things, comparing his dog’s waste-voiding practices to the compositional techniques of Gustav Mahler and Wagner. In fact, his essays tend to be too dense to easily cite, and he’s absurdly prolific (on the day I post this, for example, he’s posted eight entries between 11:26 am and 2:17 pm).

Although there are others in the “new” section, they are clearly better-known and longer-established, so I’m not gonna fret about describing them.

So, ta-ta to you, and see you tomorrow.

3 thoughts on “Some new folk

  1. I must confess that a good deal of today’s absurd prolifics is composed of older materials. I’m really not that insanely prolific. And I actually don’t drink espresso, I do, however, smoke a lot of crack…

    I hear you about the length. I need to make those spaces

    so that

    people

    will find it

    easier

    to read.

    the blogging neophyte,
    K

  2. Three thoughtful paragraphs is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. If this blog thing does nothing else, I know who I’m emailing the next time I find myself in driving distance of Seattle. I want the REAL story on Ken.

    (That’s sincere, by the way. Don’t go thinking it’s some kind of ass-kissing payback.)

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