Flameout of the Week

Reginleif, of Metal Yarmulke, and with whom I carry on a cordial email correspondence, was positioned perfectly this past year and a half. She was a)conservative, b)Jewish, c)of forceful opinions, and d)in the greater Boston area. So what did she produce? Sporadic posts, mostly featuring her emails bitching at the managing editor of whatever media outlet had raised her ire. No undercover reportage of life in Kerry's backyard, or smashing generalizations about the blue state denizens she lives with. Hell, she didn't even make it till the election.

I did learn that she got a good job, and thus didn't have time/energy for the blog anymore. That's cool. Time, money, blogging inspiration: pick any two. But I can't help but feel that she proved unequal to her moment, during the late election. Reginleif: if Kerry runs again in '08, let's hear more out of you, hmm?

"Diplomad" discontinued

Diplomad, the pseudonymous group of State Department officials which slagged the UN so roundly in the recent tsunami crisis, is closing down. I hope they are right, when they say their USAID colleagues may be coming out with a blog. But I doubt any other similar blog will provide us with Diplomad's inside scoop and bracing snark. If any stray reader of mine tends to judge the U.S. by its failures and the UN by its press releases, read Diplomad's archive while you can.

Terry Teachout non-announces non-stoppage

Okaaay... Glad this fine blog is staying online, and thanks, Terry, for reassuring us at such length.

Into the hammock in February?

Andrew Sullivan will be throttling back on the bloggage, says he. He is possibly the most notable print pundit to have had a major shaping influence on these early years of the blogosphere. He's certainly the only such that I ever regularly perused. I believe him when he says that criticism of his endorsement of Kerry for President is not the motivation for him to move on. Although I think he was wrong to let the gay marriage issue trump everything else in the election, I rather respect him for saying hey! I'm a conservative, but my vote isn't already spoken for. You have to earn it!

So thanks for all the hard work, and good luck with the redesign, Andrew.