It’s sad (and now safe) to say that “blogging” became synonymous with writing political commentary during the lead-up to the 2004 U.S. Presidential campaign.
During the heat of that political fray, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I resented the fact that the major media associated such bloggin’ with right-wing or left-wing online commentators. Now, I think I understand my resentment: for almost ten years, bloggers have created incredible technology, funded it out of the sweat of their own armpits, and created a mass movement of online typists — and the only bloggers that can get street cred are political hacks, some of which happen to be talented writers and journalists. (Nothing against political blogging, but it probably represents only 10% of the “blogosphere.” (I hate that word even more than “blog.”))
In any case, Canada is in the news these days for so many reasons: immigration and emigration, outsourcing, Bush visiting, protests, bookstores coming to America and I came across an excellent resource: Canada’s Best Blogs. Thought I would share.
I looked over that NYT article about the Canadian bookseller, but don’t you think that they’re making a mistake by adding their rank to Soho and not opening a branch in still-neglected Williamsburg?
I actually don’t think so. There are NO (repeat: no) bookstores anywhere around there and tons of out-of-town shoppers and superbly wealthy loft-dwellers with lots of time on their hands. The whole area around there is changing, sadly IMHO. New “loft-like” condos are going up on seemingly every street and the romantic charm of old world meeting new world is quickly subsiding to the harshness of new world meeting old world. Anyway, W’burg is too cool for school anymore and has a bunch of pretty great bookstores still.