TypePad Featured Blogs

Grumpy Editor

Offering “critical observations of print/broadcast/Web media, plus public relations and advertising,” Grumpy Editor (the name of both the blog and the author), recaps the news of the day – political, economic, sociological, you name it. A career in journalism has honed the author’s eye for news and skill at commenting on it, as seen in posts on a “surprising” response by one of the presumptive presidential candidates - and the questions it’s raising, citations handed to some of the nation’s largest restaurants, political happenings, and gloomy economic news. Peppering his posts with facts, figures, quotes and more garnered from news organizations, the Grumpy Editor offers his own observations on many of the issues facing us, making for informative, incisive, lively reading.

What Do I Know

Welcome to What Do I Know, the online home of “an American living in Britain (along with) Daughter Number One and Daughter Number Two. “ The author doesn’t post about a single issue, but on several topics, a need “resulting from a compulsion to save the world that I never really got out of.” Subjects range from vegetarianism, politics, history, and dogs, a spectrum that will keep you amused, intrigued, and informed as her writings on Friday Cow Blogging, Shaky Geography, and holding off the barbarians will show. A vacation in nearby Normandy provides some beautiful pictures and a bit of respite. Rich in links to political sites and to areas devoted to travel, dogs, and books, the site provides a wonderful perspective from an American living far from the country’s shores.

The Obscure Store

Got a nose for news – the weird, silly, outrageous, provocative kind? The Obscure Store is open and serving snippets and articles daily, all collected from news sources around the United States and the world. Where to begin? How about Valparaiso, Indiana, where a driver took an unusual action to protest high gas prices. Next, Houston Texas, where a prospective juror in a marijuana trial was not impartial. Then read what this 12-year-old Wisconsin kid did for 1,581 days straight. Trust us, there’s lots more, and links to gossip and weird news sites round out this wild collection of “what will they think of next?” stories that will keep you glued to your screen.

To Form A More Perfect Union

As Valentine’s Day nears and couples around the country celebrate love and romance, we’d like to salute Marriage Equality News, a blog designed to deliver “information, news, and discussion about the legal recognition of same-sex couples and their families.” This is both a topical subject, as its been the centerpiece of many a political campaign, and broad one, since it covers the areas of marriage, domestic partnerships, civil unions, adoptions, foster children, and similar issues. The site collects opinions, editorials, and news briefs on the political, legal, religious, and, community aspects of the story, forming a rich resource for those interested in following the story and for those wishing to get involved. Readers can get updates on what’s happening on the local, state, and federal level, and also news on Freedom To Marry Week, which starts today. This is a site helping “to form a more perfect union”, and does so with reason, information, and analysis.

The Morning Paper

What interests you: entertainment, news, politics? You’ll find them all, and more, covered in The Morning Paper, a sharp, irreverent, and insightful look at what’s happening in the world. Offering a mix of sights and sounds to review and enjoy on your own, the blog provides audio files to download, clips to view, and headlines to engage you. Want a fresh batch of music to start your year? Get 50 essential tracks for January. Want to look at TV in a whole new way? Look at the latest (and largest) sets here. Or perhaps you’d like to see why funnyman Jerry Seinfeld isn’t laughing. As this is an election year, you’ll find lots on the presidential candidates and on the race for the White House. Want more? There’s plenty to choose from, with categories from Apple to YouTube, tech talk, and a particularly rich archive section. Hip, funny and entertaining, you’ll look forward to the Morning Paper every day!

Tim Worstall

In the words of one observer, Tim Worstall is "that rare commodity: knows economics and can write". His observations on such subjects as the UAW strike at GM, nuclear proliferation, and taxes prove that point.  It's not all macro or micro, though, there are funny observations on such diverse subjects as ephelides and Nicole Kidman, and the latest happenings with tabloid favorite Lindsay Lohan. His posts run the gamut from thought provoking to laugh inducing - see for yourself and check him out today!

RConversation

Rebecca MacKinnon's experience teaching new media at Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre,  combined with gigs as CNN's Beijing and Tokyo Bureau Chiefs, along with a fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government provide the perfect background to ruminate on the explosion of online news, its consequences, and its implications. In RConversation, Rebecca blogs articulately and with great expertise on human rights, freedom of speech, and corporate responsibility as they pertain to online media, tackling hot-button Web issues like Yahoo's handing over information that the Chinese government later used to convict political dissidents. Other online controversies include Second Life, Wikipedia, and the always-interesting topic of just what-the-hell-are-they-selling-on-eBay-now? This is the perfect place for news and views on, well, news and views. Take a look.

David Finch

David Finch lives and breathes social media. As content developer for S Planet Media, a company specializing in online and print communication, it’s his job to stay on top of all the newest methods of communicating via technology. Luckily for those of us who don’t have time to keep up with the ever-changing world of social media, David shares his findings with us. Filled with insights on blogging, podcasting, and video, there’s plenty for the novice as well as the social media butterfly. Peppered throughout are updates from his Twitter and Jaiku accounts (practicing what he preaches) and a list of resources to further your education. If you’ve ever wanted to jump into the social media space, David Finch can help you take the plunge.

Bitemarks

Bite Communications is a world-renowned public relations agency committed to building brands and squelching the status quo with the "tenacity of a mule." The employees of Bite (affectionately called "Biters") needed an outlet to express their numerous and varied opinions, and turned to TypePad to host the appropriately named Bitemarks blog. Chock-full of tidbits from the world of public relations and social media, Bitemarks explores and waxes philosophical about a wide range of communications, marketing and media -- and sometimes indulges in a little bit of soapbox venting. Written in an engaging, conversational style and thoroughly entertaining, Bitemarks is a blog you can really sink your teeth into.

The Weather Guys

Consider the humble weatherman -- the tragicomic staple of local newscasts everwhere. Now, toss out your preconceived notions about greenscreens, polyester blazers, and Doppler 8000 radar. Warm up to a new breed of meteorogical journalist -- The Weather Guys. Yes, that's right, USA Today has long employed a pair of these intrepid editors to bring you the best in forecasts, climate news, and even books and music related to the weather. Do you shiver in your bones just thinking about the weather? Well, no more. Leave it to banjo-playing Bob Swanson and his partner-in-clime Doyle Rice to make thinking about the weather all day, every day, just as fascinating as the other great blogs that USA Today offers.