Drinking Liberally in New Milford: What day is it?

5/2/09

What day is it?

Just a reminder, from the archives, concerning what a big part of Blogging is all about. Also, it is a reminder that every day is Blogroll Amnesty Day:

Celebrating Blogroll Amnesty Day!

It is a little early but Mike the Mad Biologist brings back an idea that skippy the bush kangaroo and Jon Swift got a lot of people involved in last February after January's link assault by some "A list" Bloggers:

"Speaking of Jon Swift, the start of 2008 seems like a good time to have another Blogroll Amnesty Day. If you're not on my blogroll, and I'm on yours, leave me a link below and I'll add you (note: racists, creationists, and flat-out weirdos won't be accepted). Instructions below the fold.

Please put your blog name on one line, and the url on the second line, like so:
Mike the Mad Biologist
http://scienceblogs.com/mikethemadbiologist/

or give me a line of html code, like so:

Mike the Mad Biologist

Thanks!"

Same goes for this Blog. If I am on your Blogroll and you notice that you are not on mine, tell me! I will fix it. Heck... Add me to yours and I will add you to mine. Just drop a note in comments here.

For me, it doesn't matter whether you are covering local Connecticut stuff, national politics, and or pretty much anything else. And if you click around you should be able to get a link from Mike, John Swift and skippy as well as from here! Four Blogroll links just for being astute enough to add 4 links from your Blogroll... Does it get any better or easier than that? [ed. note: Of course, for the cost of a few comments once in awhile you might be more likely to get links?]

Some ideas are worth repeating over and over again. It is all about building a better Blogtopia! (y!sctp) I was re-repeating the mantra to left leaning people to "Link Damnit!" in a piece on the "Blog Link Meta Backlash" around the time all of that stuff was going down:

(Here I am with another "Link Damnit!" moment...)

Skippy hops along in Jon Swift's "Liberal Linking Policy" footsteps:
skippy the bush kangaroo:
we got yer 'amnesty' right here

"and who are we to limit political discourse diversity? what's going on here? it's as if the major blogs are trying to emulate the democrats in washington who suddenly forget about their constituents.

(ok, it's not. our metaphors suck tonight. but we're pissed. so cut us some slack.)

ergo, we here at skippy are planning to retaliate by offering real blog amnesty. and here's how it goes:

many smaller blogs link to skippy for one or more of a few reasons: out of politeness, out of a hope that we might notice them and link back, or simply out of the imitation of what it takes to make a good blog. it's the second reason that interests us (we really should have put it as the last reason to be more clear with sentence structure (on the other hand, using less parenthetical phrases in a paragraph would go a long way towards grammatical clarity (too late now))).

to wit: any blog that has linked to skippy and has not received a reciprocal blogroll link will now be included on our roll! all you have to do is notify us in our comments section or email us, and we will happily include you! that will show those big shot elitists too good for the little guy blogs! ha!"

At a time when the bigger Blogs need to be doing more to help build the left community some are, and some aren't. I find it ironic that I posted just last week on Chris Bowers argument that we need to link more effectively:
If everyone on the left works a little harder on this we can turn the tides on on the Google Wars and win. We have already made a lot of inroads since this 2004 picture:

The graphs represent the aggregate linkage going on leading up to the 2004 election. Reds (them) are the Republican bloggers, and Blues (us) are the Democratic bloggers. The full expanation of the graphs particulars are on page 9 of the PDF paper. Basically, the first graph connects dots (blogs) when there is strong linkage between them (+25 during the period), the second one where there is less stronger linkage (+5), and they've a 3rd map that includes all linkage that I've not included.
Between blogs then (not taking into consideration that diaries on #8DailyKos and #17MyDD serve to allow massive coordiantion and spreading of message), there's just a lot more coordination through linking among Republican than there has been with Democratic bloggers, at least on the surface of particular URL's. The other interesting thing I noted was that the blog by George Bush's campaign didn't even make the top 40-- now that's pitiful.

We were less coordinated in '04. But in '06 we did little things a little better. I am sure the more recent graphs would look a lot better. But you know that we can still keep on improving on this.

Remember that every time you link to any site you are, over time, creating a kind of GOOGLEBOMB effect on that site when it comes to site rankings, search results, etc.. Tagging and choice of words that are used to link are important in these cumulitive effects as well.
Now this week... Brilliant at Breakfast has the scoop on how MyDD has become an apologist for those attempting to cut out the links that we need to build the Left:

Shorter Chris Bowers
"We innovate more than you, we hired people to help us, and because we did that there is no place for you lone bloggers anymore -- because WE decide who makes it and who doesn't."

Oh, you really have to read this self-congratulatory drivel to believe it. It's truly amazing to see one blogger fellating the entire Big Name Blogosphere in one post, while at the same time consigning the rest of us to the ranks of the MySpacers.

Kool Kidz Klub indeed.

It's funny how Bowers uses a quote by Jeffrey Feldman to illustrate his point, because as I've mentioned before, I had a very nice conversation about blogging just last week with Mr. Feldman, who seems to be in no way a blog snob. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is at least one Big Name Blogger who isn't puffed up with his own self-importance.

But with Kos and Atrios making a big show about "culling the blogroll", and Chris Bowers playing "Mine's Bigger" with the rest of the blogosphere, is this really what it's come to? Is this the Revenge of the Nerds come to fruition? Is this the guys who DIDN'T get laid on prom night finally staking their claim to coolness?

If so, are we going to sit by and take it? Are we going to just toil away while guys like Atrios and Kos and Chris Bowers define the rules and brand the rest of us as useless?

What an amazing flip-flop-contortion there Bowers... This leaves me wondering just how committed he really is to the cause.

Jon Swift puts it all in perspective:
I adopted this policy in a spirit of both self-interest and altruism. In the blogosphere links are like capital. By offering links to others, others would be more inclined to offer links to me. But I am also very grateful to those who helped me out by throwing a link my way or adding me to their blogroll when I was just starting out. Now that I am a Large Mammal, according the Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem, I have tried to return the favor by helping out those further down the food chain.
Links are capital! It is the foundation of bringing views from fellow bloggers out of obscurity and into the top of search engine results. And just how much does it cost any blogger to spend some of this valuable capital?

ZIP. Zilch. Zero dollars.

Not even one penny to use the most effective marketing tool that Blogtopia has to offer.

All you have to do is put a few seconds into the act of cut'n'paste into your Blogroll or into a post... And you make a huge difference for everyone in our fight.

As ctblogger commented in an earlier MLN diary of mine on building a better community:
We should all work together to fight the good progressive fight and not be so critical in terms of other people's sites. I read CTBlue, Ed's Daily Rant, CT Local Politics, and the watch sites everyday and I learn something new from all of those guys which I incorporate into my site and that's the way it should be. Learn something from me and I learn something from you.

2006 is going to be a HUGE election year and Connecticut will be ground zero in terms of who controls Congress (2nd, 4th 5th district races). The faster we can all work to get this site up to full-speed, the more national attention it will receive.

He also called me out for not having links to his sites... Which I quickly fixed. lol

2006 is behind us but there are still a lot of common causes that we all share, and we can all help each other in achieving our goals. Linking is the first, easiest AND cheapest way to start.

For more background on all of this: Boston Joe has a Meta diary up x-posted at BooTrib and at MLW covering a bit more of this Meta discussion in a thoughtful way. Both have generated a lot of comments. I usually hate Meta... But this topic is the foundation of what Blogging is all about.

We can do better than we have been doing. And if we keep building on what we already have our numbers (and the fact that we deal in reality) will easily overcome the right wing echo chamber's lies and propaganda.

Start the new year off kicking Blogtopia (y!sctp) up a notch! BAM!

[update] Many Bloggers chose to participate in Blogroll Amnesty Day, but did it work?

Yes! But not perfectly:

Rotus correctly deduced that Technorati and the like don’t recognize blogrolls when they calculate how many times your blog has been linked to. They do count if the links are in a post so, like Rotus, I’m going to make a post of our blogroll so everyone can get a Technorati hit. It is alphabetical and leaves out the retailers.

As always, we have an open blogroll policy so if you want on, drop us a line in the comments. Blogroll after the jump:

A Blog Around the Clock

American Street

Argue with Everyone

Bitch Ph.D.

Center Face

Chuck for…

Clark’s Picks

Crinch Pin

Daily Kos

Drinking Liberally in New Milford

Eschaton

Firedoglake

Hullabaloo

I’ll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book

I’m Jus’ a Lil’ Dizzy

Ice Station Tango

Jon Swift

Kiko’s House

Last Left Turn Before Hooterville

Maryannaville

Memeorandum

Mike the Mad Biologist

Monkeyfister
Moue Magazine

My View of “IT”

Old Fashioned Patriot

On My Mind

One Good Thing

Ornery Bastard

Pandagon

Pharyngula

Pygalgia

Rightwingsnarkle

ROTUS

Sadly, No!

Shattered Soapbox

Skippy the Bush Kangaroo

Talking Points Memo

The Crone Speaks

The Culture Vultures

The Democratic Daily

The Ex-Lion Tamer

The Field Negro

The Great Endarkenment

The Impolitic

The Largest Minority

The Mahatma X Files

The Midpoint

The Osterly Times

The Political Cat

The Seminal

Undeniable Liberalism

World O’Crap

Zen Comix

I hope that helps a little in fixing the problem, and I still plan on using these Blogs for references in future posts...

Do you read a lot?

I do...
Just a Blogroll edition in an effort to keep the links in the technoratie count of my faves since Blogrolls don't do as much used to anymore:

1percentmoreconscious
Colin McEnroe
CT Bob
Connecticut Local Politics
ConnecticutBlog
CT Blue
CT News Junkie
Denis Horgan
Hat City Blog
Jaded Prole
Laura Elizabeth
My Left Nutmeg
New Haven Independent
Orient Lodge
Ravings of a Semi-Sane Madwoman
Saramerica
Spazeboy
The 40 Year Plan
The Nutmeg Grater
CT Voices for Civil Justice
Cool Justice
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
Savoir Faire Scribenoir
FatMixx
Undercurrents
Region 19 BOE Gazette
Presidential Politics
Politics in the Zeros
CT Smart Growth
CT Working Families
NB Politicus
Tom Gogola
West Hartford Blog
The Mad Liberal
Main Street Danbury
Stop The raids!
Caterwauled
CT Progressive News Wire
Politics Press
Without a Purpose
Jim Himes Blog
Irregular News
New Britain Democrat

by BlogRolling

Caterwauled
The 40 Year Plan
Region 19 BOE Gazette
Main Street Danbury
The Mad Liberal
CT Bob
Tom Gogola
CT Smart Growth
Ravings of a Semi-Sane Madwoman
Saramerica
Laura Elizabeth
My Left Nutmeg
The Nutmeg Grater
Without a Purpose
Colin McEnroe
Connecticut Local Politics
Hat City Blog
Jim Himes Blog
Presidential Politics
Politics Press
Jaded Prole
Undercurrents
Cool Justice
Savoir Faire Scribenoir
Stop The raids!
1percentmoreconscious
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
West Hartford Blog
Denis Horgan
Irregular News
CT Progressive News Wire
New Britain Democrat
CT Blue
Politics in the Zeros
ConnecticutBlog
NB Politicus
Spazeboy
CT News Junkie
CT Voices for Civil Justice
FatMixx
New Haven Independent
Orient Lodge
CT Working Families

by BlogRolling 1percentmoreconscious
New Haven Independent
Politics in the Zeros
Tom Gogola
The Mad Liberal
Presidential Politics
Denis Horgan
Saramerica
Colin McEnroe
CT Smart Growth
CT Working Families
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
Hat City Blog
Cool Justice
CT Voices for Civil Justice
Without a Purpose
Politics Press
Laura Elizabeth
Irregular News
Jim Himes Blog
NB Politicus
CT Bob
New Britain Democrat
ConnecticutBlog
Main Street Danbury
Undercurrents
Savoir Faire Scribenoir
Spazeboy
Jaded Prole
My Left Nutmeg
CT Blue
Ravings of a Semi-Sane Madwoman
Caterwauled
Stop The raids!
FatMixx
Region 19 BOE Gazette
Orient Lodge
West Hartford Blog
Connecticut Local Politics
The 40 Year Plan
The Nutmeg Grater
CT Progressive News Wire
CT News Junkie

An Inch at a Time
Blue Gal
Booman Tribune
Brilliant at Breakfast
Disabled Americans for Democracy
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
ePluribus Media
Eternal Hope
Everybody Comes From Somewhere
Firedoglake
Howard-Empowered People
Hypnocrites
Intrepid Liberal Journal
jc's designs
June Revolution
Mike the Mad Biologist
Pam's House Blend
Pharyngula
Pushing Rope
pyzch
Shadow of the Hegemon
skippy the bush kangaroo
Surf Putah
Survivor Left Blogistan
The Bonddad Blog
The Field Negro
The Strange Death of Liberal America
Universal Health
Independent Bloggers Alliance (WordPress)
Independent Bloggers Alliance (Blogspot)
African American Politcal Pundit
Arabisto
Cannablog
Come Speak To Me 2
Dr Scotts Pulp Culture
Demokat
Fetch My Axe
Francis L Holland
Liberal Oasis
MWAPP
My Left Wing
Namaste
NG Blog
Reno and its Discontent
Simply Left Behind
The Blogging Curmudgeon
The Impolitic
Thoughts of an Average Woman
Videot Speak
Waiting For Dorothy
Hahn at Home
PSoTD
The Crone Speaks
Turn Maine Blue

African American Politcal Pundit
An Inch at a Time
Arabisto
Blue Gal
Booman Tribune
Brilliant at Breakfast
Cannablog
Come Speak To Me 2
Demokat
Disabled Americans for Democracy
Dr Scotts Pulp Culture
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
ePluribus Media
Eternal Hope
Everybody Comes From Somewhere
Fetch My Axe
Firedoglake
Francis L Holland
Hahn at Home
Howard-Empowered People
Hypnocrites
Independent Bloggers Alliance (Blogspot)
Independent Bloggers Alliance (WordPress)
Intrepid Liberal Journal
jc's designs
June Revolution
Liberal Oasis
Mike the Mad Biologist
MWAPP
My Left Wing
Namaste
NG Blog
Pam's House Blend
Pharyngula
PSoTD
Pushing Rope
pyzch
Reno and its Discontent
Shadow of the Hegemon
Simply Left Behind
skippy the bush kangaroo
Surf Putah
Survivor Left Blogistan
The Blogging Curmudgeon
The Bonddad Blog
The Crone Speaks
The Field Negro
The Impolitic
The Strange Death of Liberal America
Thoughts of an Average Woman
Turn Maine Blue
Universal Health
Videot Speak
Waiting For Dorothy

What? I wasn't kidding... I really do read a whole lot.

I just stole from Blue Gal...

And I feel B.A.D. about it.

I wonder how long it will be before she notices that I did a panty raid while I was there?

B.A.D Blogger... Very B.A.D. Blogger.

this upcoming weekend we will be celebrating the second anniversary of blogroll amnesty & blogroll bloodbath anniversary remembrance day!

this year our partner in this endeavor, jon swift, will join us in celebrating this blogtopian-wide holiday all next weekend beginning on saturday.

update: we will officially start on saturday, jan. 31. the original blogroll amnesty day is february 3, but we're calling for a four-day weekend! huzzah!

as you may remember, the modus operandus of blogroll amnesty day is to link to 5 blogs smaller than your own, thus introducing your readers to new voices.

and may we stop all the stupid jokes right here, right now: yes, there are blogs smaller than yours, no matter who you are.

mas update: ok, so we can't even stop the jokes before they start. ergo, we will ammend the parameters: if you really don't believe there are blogs smaller than yours, then in lieu of making the stupid joke that there aren't any, ha ha, please link to five blogs with traffic equivalent to yours (or in the same ball park). as long as they represent new voices (new to your readers, at least), you will have satisfied the requirement. just please don't do the stupid joke!!

The moral of the story? Link up, link sideways, link down... And never trust a guy like me anywhere near your knickers...

[update] Other Blogs that participated in B.A.D.:

BLKDGRD
Reconstitution 2.0
Mahatma X Files
Peace Arena
Just an Earth-Bound Misfit
Corrente
Simply Left Behind
Outta the Cornfield
Mock Paper Scissors
Vagabond Scholar
Blue Herald
Drinking Liberally in New Milford
Virtuous Skeptic
Cheyanne's Campsite
A Blog Around the Clock
Tangled Up in Blue Guy
The Hackenblog
WTF Is It Now?
Ornery Bastard
Moue Magazine
Newshoggers
Readin
distributorcap ny
Talking Dog
Welcome Back to Pottersville
Rip Coco
Comrade PhysioProf
Mike the Mad Biologist
Rotus
Chuck for...
The BoBo Files
William K. Wolfrum
From Pine View Farm
That's Why
Clark's Picks
TwoTonGreenBlog
The Aristocrats
Darkblack
Life's Journey
Just My Little Piece of the World
Kiko's House
That's Right Nate
Politickybitch
Kittywampus
Slobber and Spittle
Upper Left
Saying Nothing Charmingly
Carolina Naturally
NYC Educator
Barking Rabbits
Bark Bark Woof Woof
I'll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book!
Third Estate Sunday Review
Thrilling Days of Yesteryear
Rawrahs
Thorne's World
Madam Miaow Says...
Right Wing Wiz Kid
The Great Endarkenment
Brilliant at Breakfast
At Home with Books
Graphic Truth
ThePoliticalCat
Zen Yenta
Stop the Press!
Ramblings
Brass and Ivory
Capitol Annex
Mahablog
Liberal Values
Miriam's Ideas
Watergate Summer
Steve Audio
Rubber Hose
J-TWO-O
Greg Laden
Pushing Rope
Badtux the Snarky Penguin
Mikeb302000
Pajama Pundit
Media Bloodhound
Some of Nothing
Liberty Street
Foma
Tin, Steel and Rust
Crooks & Liars
Onyx Lynx
Diary of a Heretic
Southern Fried Science
Scriptoids
Lost in the Ozone
Phil Nugent Experience
Jobsanger
Liberal Journal
Meta Watershed
When Will I Use This?
Divided We Stand, United We Fall
Scribble City Journal
Zaius Nation
Oooh, Hecky Nawl; That Guhl is Raw
Bifurcate in the Road
Left in Alabama
Buzz Twang
The Moderate Voice
Thinking Outside
Independent Bloggers Alliance
Muddy Mo
Popehat
Vast Variety
JM Bell
The Modern Left
Alyson Love
Almost Diamonds
Knight and Stars
Asian Conservatives
MS Maze
My Saturday Evening Post
The Flying Trilobite
Evil Mommy
The Impolitic
True Blue Texan
Drifting Through the Grift
The Quaker Agitator
Blogroll Amnesty Day Blog
Democratic Daily
Howard Empowered People
Ken Levine
Sciencewomen
Redlady's Reading Room
Social Seppuku
Slothropia
Evolving Complexity
That's Why
driftglass
Naked Opinions
Miss Cellania
Frieddogleg
The Reaction
Today's Sermonette
League of Ordinary Gentleman
Dinosaur Trader
Chawed Rosin
Wetmachine
Kirmalak
By Neddie Jingo
Johnny Pez
Republic of T
Sma' Talk Wi' T
Rob Singleton
yikes!
eTrilobite
American Street
The Garlic
Political Byline
Heresy Today
Evolving Complexity
Scientiae
GOPnot4me
Gone Like the Wind
Suzi Riot
Two Ton Green Blog
Over the Cliff, Onto the Rocks
Pushing Rope
Cookiesinheaven
Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy
Inverse Square
Truth, Justice & Peace
News Hounds
Connecting.the.Dots
Unspeak
Bug Girl's Blog
Indigo Journal
Byzantium's Shores
Balloon Juice

Anyways...

Every day is BAD!

Blogroll Amnesty Day - Celebrating the Spirit of Linking: blogrollamnestydaysmall.jpg. My good friends Skippy and Jon Swift are calling on bloggers to join in and celebrate Blogroll Amnesty day this weekend: today marks the three-day weekendcelebration blog-burst of bad, or blogroll amnesty ...; Brewed by Pamela Leavey at February 02, 2008 3:40 PM
Today Is Blogroll Amnesty Day: blogroll_amnesty_day_cake.jpg. About the only thing besides a martini-soaked foot massage from Bjorn the Houseboy that can get me out of bed when I’m not feeling well is a modest request from the very modest Mr. ...; Brewed by Myrna the Minx at February 02, 2008 1:52 AM
bad blogging around: the number of blogs celebrating the diversity of the smaller sites is growing! our favorite crankpot, maru, over at wtf is it now???; liquid daddy at zippidy doo da; chuck at chuck for...; david at the art of peace; ...; Brewed by skippy at February 01, 2008 8:13 PM
Blogroll Amnesty Day: From the day I started this modest blog I have tried to follow one simple rule, the Golden Rule of Blogging: Blog unto others as you would have them blog unto you. I don't call people nasty names because I don't like being called nasty ...; Brewed by Jon Swift at February 01, 2008 10:44 AM
swift reads 3: stephen herron at drinking liberally in new milford reminds us that february 3 is the first anniversary of blogroll amnesty day, which was once one of the darkest days in the blogosphere, but has now been turned into a celebration of ...; Brewed by Jon Swift at January 20, 2008 4:59 PM
Blogger Something day coming up...: this blogging alert brought to you by: Swiffer Reactions 8 Plastered Amnesty Mad on the Mike Biologyst frum Ze Swiffer: "have reminded me that this February 3 is the first anniversary of one of the darkest days in the blogosphere, ...; Brewed by Fade at January 11, 2008 5:08 PM
swift reactions 8: drinking liberally in new milford and mike the mad biologist have reminded me that this february 3 is the first anniversary of one of the darkest days in the blogosphere, blogroll amnesty day, the day that atrios of eschaton intitiated ...; Brewed by Jon Swift at January 11, 2008 8:05 AM
National blogroll amnesty day: skippy reminds us that Jon Swift reminds us that Drinking Liberally in New Milford reminds us that Mike the Mad Biologist reminds us that the first anniversary of the terrible blogroll amnesty day blogroll bloodbath will be upon us ...; Brewed by The Barefoot Bum at January 09, 2008 7:50 AM

5 comments:

JollyRoger said...: Given the arrogance of some of our bigger brothers on the left, you'll find no links to any of the self-important in my roll. You'll also no longer find me as a participant in any of their sites; the ideologues smacked me down hard at (bit allegedly liberal blog that will go unmentioned here) and I learned my lesson.

I can live with the 2,000 look-sees a day I get. I'm not trying to make any money off it, and-more importantly-I can criticize whoever the f*ck I want to criticize, without explaining myself to the Deacons.; May 03, 2009 12:12 PM
Connecticut Man1 said...: I am unaffiliated to any political party, just a liberal, so I am with you on criticizing anyone I want. I don't care what party they are in, if they are corrupt they are corrupt.

Though, I do participate in a limited manner at some of the BBBs because, personally, I think we should try to influence their line of thinking a little... But I do try and do it within the limited scope of what they deem appropriate for their Blogs objectives, which can suck at times.; May 03, 2009 12:55 PM
Freida Bee said...: Well, holy fuck, that's a lot of linkylove. I finally found myself in there. Thanks. I'll peek around.; May 03, 2009 8:39 PM
opit said...: Wow ! I know Skippy's Link amnesty, of course. I've thought for a long while we needed to have an index of bloggers : and this either makes the job easier or doesn't. What job ? Un-huh
http://delicious.com/OPIT
:); May 06, 2009 2:02 PM
Life As I Know It Now said...: Since it doesn't cost anything I'll be sure to return the favor. Thanks for the link.; May 17, 2009 1:06 AM