Classical Values :: Carnival 149 (and the politics of poetry)

Carnival 149 (and the politics of poetry)

The 149th Carnival of the Vanities has been posted at Pratie Place. Host Melinama does an admirable job with innumerable posts, many of which are political in nature -- this despite the fact that she doesn't like political blogging:

I don't enjoy political blogging, but that's the majority of what was sent to me, so that's what you get. Needless to say I am not in alignment with many of the sentiments expressed.

Well, I sent her my post about "evaporated cane juice" -- which was for me about as non-political as I get. (Ironically, I also dislike politics. Which is why I blog about politics -- and hence probably belong in a mental hospital.)

Anyway, my hat's off to Melinama for hanging in there despite all the politics. She also poses an interesting question:

Question: Do YOU, personally, actually look at any of these entries? Or are these Carnivals like the poetry readings where everybody leaves after submitting their own poem? Please comment.

The last link leads to an additional explanation:

Editors of poetry journals and literary magazines regularly complain that they receive submissions from far more people than subscribe to their periodicals. They point out there are far more people writing poetry than reading it.

OK, more people would read more poetry if poetry were, in general, less drekky. The same goes for blogs. But new bloggers should be less self-focused. Experienced bloggers understand that they need each other, for encouragement, for ideas, for readers. Sure, it can get recursive (a different problem). But it's less lonely.

I think Melinama is right in one sense: no one has the time to read everything. Certainly, there are too many blogs for any human to keep track of. But when I see a post which either looks intriguing because of the subject material or because I know and like the blogger, I do try to click on it, and if I like what I see, I'll even read it.

Here are a few examples of posts that stood out for me this week:

Via Dissecting Leftism, I see that a gun club has been sued for "lead pollution". (And where do they think the lead comes from?)

Palmetto Pundit reports that in a remarkable turnaround from his previous position John Kerry now supports full disclosure!

Mister Snitch makes a good case that the future of Ipods is in podcasting.

WILLisms.com shows that public opinion polls have metastasized geometrically.

Rick Moran has an excellent post about the death of James "Scotty" Doohan and his inspiration. (Something I say as a non-Star Trek fan who only watched one episode it its entirety -- and only because my boss starred in it.)

I'd already read and linked Searchlight Crusade's long and thoughtful piece on Islam, Historial Christianity and Reform, but it's good enough to link again.

Anyway, I'm not about to rewrite the whole Carnival, but yes, I do look at the entries, and I usually try to link and comment on them.

(I can't claim I'd fare so well with poetry.)