To Blogroll or Not To Blogroll?

I have been having a lot of problems with my blogrolling. I can't log on anymore. I know everyone likes to be on everybody eleses blogroll, me included. That said the amount of traffic generated by a blogroll is miniscule. Getting linked to a site by your post is obviously the best way. That's why I started Mike's Blog Round Up. Which leads me to this post...

via Rox Populi

...I hardly use mine anymore, preferring instead to use RSS readers. The only thing keeping me from dumping it is my belief that some readers may be using my blogroll to surf and discover new blogs. However, lacking any empirical evidence to support this notion, I feel my theory may be without merit.

Therefore, I'm soliciting feedback.

The Rude One has a nice post on the idiot speakers!

via Shakespeare's Sister

Big Brass Blogger JJ is reporting that Spokane Mayor Jim West, another closeted, self-hating Republican queer who as recently as last week threatened to get rid of newly-instated domestic partnership benefits for Spokane City employees, has been outed. And yowza—this one really takes the cake, having used his position as Mayor to appoint a young and unqualified man to a position with the Spokane HRC and his roles as a sheriff’s deputy and (surprise, surprise) a Boy Scout leader to facilitate sexual relationships with boys and young men.

Happy One year: In just 12 months, more than five million consumers and producers of news have visited our site, viewing 30 million pages; our robust discussion forums have featured more than 120,000 comments; and more than 35,000 websites have linked to Media Matters' research documenting lies, distortions, inaccuracies and other forms of misinformation in the news media that forwards the agenda of radical right-wing political forces.

-# 32

Roxanne

BLACK-BROWN TENSIONS IN LA

DAVEY D, FNV NEWSLETTER - For those of you reading this who live outside of Los Angeles you should note the that folks are on edge cause of increasing racial tension between blacks and Mexicans. Over the past month there have been a few brawls at local high schools which were widely reported on the news down here.

Now the tensions have been inflamed by a letter that has been circulating around the city claiming that in retaliation for some beef between black and latino gangs, 500 black kids wearing white t-shirts would be targeted and killed by Mexican gangs on Cinco de Mayo which is today. For the most part, the letter appears to be a hoax. Folks who work closely with the gangs down here have not heard of any craziness jumping off, but because the letter has been so widely circulated, it has led to some town hall meetings and increased police presence on all the high school campuses down here. A lot of parents are refusing to let their kids come to school...read on

A six-day courtroom-style debate opened on Thursday in Kansas over what children should be taught in schools about the origin of life -- was it natural evolution or did God create the world? The hearings, complete with opposing attorneys and a long list of witnesses, were arranged amid efforts by some Christian groups in Kansas and nationally to reverse the domination of evolutionary theory in the nation's schools.

airs New Poll on Social Security

The poll, conducted for The Associated Press by Ipsos-Public Affairs, found that 56 percent of respondents are not willing to give up some guaranteed benefits, while 40 percent said they would. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents were opposed to losing any benefits.

One of the only proposals that gets support in polls is raising the $90,000 limit on earnings that can be taxed for Social Security.

When asked whom they trust more to handle Social Security, 48 percent of respondents said Democrats and 36 percent said Republicans.

I think it would be better for George if he halted his tour and stopped doing Press conferences.

Bob Somerby has more on Bush's: Disinformation, disrespect, and phony fear.

Think Progress has some disturbing numbers for George Bush.

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By Greg Palast : ...The Republicans impeached Bill Clinton over his cigar and Monica's affections. And the US media could print nothing else.

Now, we have the stone, cold evidence of bending intelligence to sell us on death by the thousands, and neither a Republican Congress nor what is laughably called US journalism thought it worth a second look....read on

: Bush ties to Abramoff, firm probed... Developing...

(hat tip) to Brad Blog via the Raw Story