TypePad Featured Blogs

Hyperconnectivity

Alex Lewis and Carlo Longino of Nortel have turned their blog, Hyperconnectivity into “a center of thought for the business of hyperconnectivity and the emergence of a seamless communications model”. What’s hyperconnectivity? It’s the “state in which the number of devices and applications connected to the network exceeds the number of people using it.” With the number of cell phones and iPods alone outstripping the population of entire continents, hyperconnectivity will change the way networks and applications are built to handle the load. The advantages of unified communications are many – as are the problems that could result ignoring the upcoming “traffic crunch”. Some businesses are already taking the lead in the field, and the results are exciting. Geared to technophiles and those looking for areas of opportunity, the site is a fascinating peek into the world of communications, technology, and business – areas that one way or another will ultimately affect us all.

Treasure The Moment

Tracy Burgos is a married mom of three living in San Diego, California. She’s a scrapbooker, photographer, and author of Treasure The Moment – an appropriate name, given how fast life and kids seem to be speeding by every day. Tracy's site celebrates the highs and lows of her life; living in Southern California gives her the chance to get out and explore the world, and her posts and pictures trace day to day activities, gives us a poignant and (slightly embarrassing) walk down memory lane, and shows us beautiful examples of her work. This is a perfect example of the community created by blogs; with hers, Tracy lets us share the ups and downs, the excitement, and love she experiences every day with friends and family. If you’re intrigued by her photography, drop in to her studio and check out samples of her work, such as mini albums, cards, and photographs.

Bullets of Love

Bullets of Love is a poetry and arts blog, and in the words of its creators, was “born from a conversation of poet friends who realized there weren’t enough places for poetry to be published”. And so the site exists “to bring good poetry into the world” in ways that you might not consider to be traditional: there are videos of surreal movie classics posted by the site’s authors, literary discourse from posters, and simple shots that portray the beauty to be found in the world. Not your typical Wordsworth, but poetry exists in many forms, visually and literally, and the site collects them all for the pleasure of readers everywhere. There are links to poet blogs for those that wish to explore this particular art form further.

mrsuper.org

The Democratic race for the White House is as unresolved as ever – and superdelegates (unpledged delegates who are free to support either Clinton or Obama) are now more aware of their importance than at any time in the primary season. That’s cause for reflection, introspection, and discussion – all of which can be found in the pages of mrsuper.org. Here, “an undecided superdelegate debunks myths, offers insight, and answers questions about the 2008 Democratic nomination process” – making this blog just about the only venue where you can hear from a superdelegate firsthand. Check in daily to get his (or hers) latest scoop on upcoming primaries, see who has the latest edge, and get an insider’s thoughts on situations like the effect of Reverend Wright on Obama’s campaign. With its array of Categories from Current affairs to Myths combined with incisive commentary, the site offers a unique perspective into the political process from the people who may affect it.

Every Day I Write The Book

Gayle Weiswasser certainly does a lot – she’s a voracious reader, mom of twins, a social media strategist, a lawyer, and (among still other pursuits) the author of Every Day I Write The Book. Why that name? Because, as she puts, it, “who has time to figure out what to read”? And maybe that explains her blog’s collection of books that feature reviews from friends, industry sources, media outlets, and from Gayle herself. After all, wouldn’t you like to know from page 1 that the book you’re thinking of buying is thumbs up (or down) from those who’ve read it? Judge for yourself as you scroll through reviews of books such as Gentlemen and Players, The Wonder Spot, and Unaccustomed Earth. Along the way, Gayle posts on topical subjects such as literary dealbreakers (“you’re reading that?”) with commentary gathered from sources across the country. Of course, there’s suggested reading with links to Amazon to purchase your beach book; good book blogs are also listed,making this a bibliophile’s delight.

the barefoot kitchen witch

Hungry? Then step right into the pages of the barefoot kitchen witch, a blog that will bake, baste, braise and beat its way to your heart (and stomach). Packed with videos, pictures, and recipes for virtually everything you can put on a table, the site is filled with comfort food, breakfasts, desserts, and more. Too many to name here, but some of the more recent highlights include a hole in one cake, salmon cakes, and herb batter bread. Simple instructions and lots of clear, beautiful shots make the items even more tempting, and the recipe rollcall on the sidebar will offer additional inspiration, such as Breads, Cookies, Stews, Fish, Fowl, and Meats (among many, many others). Recommended cookbooks, blogs, and cooking sites add a tasty touch to this filling online kitchen.

Mythical Dude

People use TypePad blogs for many things: to showcase talent, communicate with friends and family, and ultimately, to make the world a little smaller. Steve Goodman, author of Mythical Dude does all that and more – from his home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This small Asian country is a fascinating mix of cultures, history, art, food and more, and Steven’s posts and pictures bring them to life, as those on the intricacies of Cambodian Chess, photos of friends and neighbors, and street life will show. For those wanting to immerse themselves even more into the subject, Steven provides links to Cambodian photography and art, sites featuring its culture and history, and blogs from those living in the country. For armchair travelers, this is a quick and easy way to get to know people and places outside their familiar borders.

Intelligent Travel

From the world-famous National Geographic Society - and sharing that organization’s goal to inspire people to care about the planet - comes Intelligent Travel, the blog about “authentic and sustainable travel”. Spotlighting places, people, and practices “on the front lines of sustainable travel” the site highlights special places and their essential uniqueness for future generations. The result: posts from staffers and guest bloggers on such topics as Melbourne, Australia’s Homeless World Cup, an Eco-Adventure Weekend in Wales, and a funky art fest in San Antonio, TX. There are unique peeks at places as diverse as Nebraska and New York too. As you’d expect from a travel blog, you have your pick of posts, pictures,, and places from Africa to the United States, with other Categories such as where to stay, sleep, and eat thrown in for good measure. It’s a big planet, but this is one blog that makes it seem like a most comfortable and relaxing place to visit.

MOMocrats

The Democratic race for the White House rolls on with primaries in North Carolina and Indiana next up. Our look at political blogs continues with sites that are covering the race, the candidates, and the issues.

MOMocrats founder Glennia Campbell, along with co-founders Beth Blecherman and Stefania Pomponi Butler and their staff of nationally-recognized professional bloggers are dedicated to "putting a Democrat in the White House in January 2009 and effectuating real change in our nation." To that end, the MOMocrats pull together news briefs, offer opinions, discuss the issues, and provide a forum for both reader and candidate to ask questions and take a stand. Both politicos and posters get their say here; in a MOMocrats exclusive, Barack Obama recently replied to readers’ questions on poverty, childcare, and other issues and you can read his answers here. A small sampling of the news offered by the site provides a perspective on the gas tax “vacation” proposed by Clinton and McCain and one poster's speech on a national issue. In addition to the posts, there’s a “MOMocrats Poll” on issues of the day, a multitude of other political blogs for additional reading, and a “MOMocrats Mall” offering t-shirts and other products for sale.

Trendy Tots

Trendy Tots is “a place to find fresh, original finds for kids of all ages (with) items created by artists, craftsters, and independent small businesses.” And funky finds are indeed served fresh daily, from clothes with a message, fresh finds like stationery and shampoo, and accessories all for kids. (Expectant moms: there are a few finds for you, too.) A showcase for all things unique and the people who make them, Trendy Tots is a vibrant mix of the wares and readers; it also features direct links to the craftspeople who design the items and a live traffic feed with geo map, so you can see where readers are hailing from.