repubgazette7-9-07adamswebraesepanelaflcioliveearth

As Julie Andrews might sing, these are a few of my favorite blogs

As I mentioned here Friday, this website was tapped by the "Lincoln Walks at Midnight" blog for a "Thinking Bloggers Award," and in keeping with the rules, I am hereby nominating my own favorite five blogs for the award.

First, I have to confess I am not a big blog reader. My online reading consists primarily of the websites of newspapers. And in making my nominations, I am using a generous version of the term "blogger." For example, I used to protest mildly that this website was not a blog, because I do not follow a typical blog format, I don't permit anonymous posts or responses, etc.

But if anyone who posts opinions on the internet is a blogger, then I certainly fit that bill, and so do all of the following nominations, which include both those who fit the strict definition of bloggers as well as my looser definition.

Among my nominations would have been the "Lincoln" site that nominated the Republican Gazette, but since it was already nominated, I will move on. Following, in no particular order, are five of the blogs I tend to check on a regular basis and believe meet the criteria of "thinking bloggers."

Hoppy Kercheval, whose daily online commentary offers considered opinions on political happenings around the state and sometimes ventures into more philosophical terrain. Hoppy is one of the most clued-in political observers, and his insights and opinions are always worth a morning stop.

The Rail, the online journal of State Journal columnist Chris Stirewalt, offers a daily recap of news items that catch his eye and usually contains his own brand of dry wit. Stirewalt's regular weekly column is also must-reading for those who wish to be uniformly enlightened.

Change West Virginia is Sen. Vic Sprouse's blog, and my only gripe is that he does not update it more frequently. Vic offers opinions that have the advantage of his own legislative experience and history, which adds another layer to his perspective.

West Virginia Blue is a very liberal, very Democrat take on politics, but I read it to see what the other side is thinking, and usually learn a thing or two about who's up and who's down on that side of the aisle.

Huntington News.Net is an online newspaper that's been around quite a while now, and it's a good site to catch press releases from both Republicans and Democrats and to read some interesting commentary from a variety of contributors.

Honorable mention goes to a new blog called WV 4 Fred by Charles Bolen, which is a Fred Thompson support site, but Charles is venturing into commentary on all things political and always has a unique take on the landscape.

Again, some of these sites are straight-out blogs and some are not, and if any opinion writing that appeared online could count, I would add Phil Kabler, Don Surber, Bob Kelley, Chris Dickerson, Maria Lorensen, etc. to the mix, but their columns are newspaper-targeted first and appear online incidentally. (Surber does a blog, but has focused increasingly on national issues, and I'm keeping this more West Virginia specific.)

There are other blogs that have fallen off in regard to updates, and still others that I check out but are more informational than opinion oriented (WSAZ's Scott Saxton, for example).

Having Fun

With Mojo

Special plates for special kids just like you!

Hey kids! Mojo here! Did you see the story in the paper about how I get to assign motorcycle licenses?

As you know, West Virginia has had the completely ridiculous custom of allowing the governor to assign 2000 low license plate numbers for his biggest supporters! I know, it's childish, but people fight for these things!

Turns out, I get to assign motorcycle license plates, too! And there are several that are not yet assigned!

So I'm thinking about assigning them to tricycles and bicycles! If we're going to do something this childish, they might as well go to actual children!

Who knows, you might get one! It all depends on your mom and dad! Just ask them if they've ever written a check to Mojo!

Let me know how much it was, and before you know it, you just might be peddling around with a big ole "G3," "G9" or "G15" on the back of your trike!

John Raese joins Business, Economic panel at WVGOP summer meeting

Saturday, July 14, in Huntington

When: Saturday, July 14, 2007

Where: Pullman Plaza Hotel, Huntington

Schedule: 9 a.m. GOP women's meeting, treasurer training. 10:30 a.m., Chairman Doug McKinney's State of the Party address, state executive committee meeting begins. 1 p.m., Business and Economic Forum moderated by Mike Stuart, featuring Secretary of State Betty Ireland, John Raese. 5 p.m. Private reception for RNC Chairman Mike Duncan. 6 p.m. WVGOP fundraising dinner. 7:45 p.m., music and dancing with the Jailhouse Rockers.

Reservations: Contact Allison Plants, Marti Riggall or Mike Ankrom at

304-768-0495.

The Southwestern District Labor Council/AFL-CIO is continuing to hype a protest against the National Right to Work Committee on July 14, but apparently has finally re-aimed its sights toward the group itself and not the West Virginia Repubican Party.

Initially, emails and flyers were being sent to area union members asking that they join in a protest of the WVGOP because it was featuring a National Right to Work speaker. Apparently, it has realized that was not the case, so now they are being asked to "put on your blue AFT shirt and join us for a morning of solidarity as we stand with our brothers and sisters in the labor movement to protest the organization responsible for the elimination of thousands of good paying union jobs."

The union has posted several different versions of its enemy, at first saying the effort was targeted against the Cabell County Republican Party, then correctly saying the Cabell County party was hosting the meeting of the state GOP, and now claiming the protest is against the National Right to Work Committee's Summer Conference in Huntington, which is apparently being held at the Radisson Hotel, to where the union now plans to march. The WVGOP event is at the Pullman Plaza Hotel.

It's always amusing when leftwing Hollywood celebrities open their mouths and reveal their ignorance, but nothing is funnier than the fact that rock stars are apparently the new moral compass for the world.

Or at least, so they would have us believe. Their latest stab at relevancy came over the weekend at a series of "Live Earth" concerts, designed to focus us all on Al Gore's phantom peril of global warming. Such noted environmental scientists as Madonna, Metallica, Kanye West and Dave Matthews signed up and spoke out, but their god-like self regard was best expressed by Andrew Stockdale of a group called Wolfmother, who shouted to the crowd, "Saviors of the world raise your hands!''

Impressive is the arrogance necessary to consider oneself a savior of the world, but it is no less conceited than the name Gore has given his movement, the Alliance for Climate Protection. The former vice president has been reading too many Justice League of America comic books.

My favorite rock star, and the first one ever, Elvis Presley, summed up best the stance rock stars and most other celebrities should adopt. On the eve of his historic 1973 Aloha from Hawaii worldwide satellite concert -- the first such concert ever beamed live all over the world -- Elvis was asked what he hoped to accomplish with this amazing, world-wide platform. He replied, "We just want to entertain. No messages, no this and that, just entertain people. If we can do that, we've done our job."

A year earlier, at a press conference prior to his record-breaking Madison Square Garden concerts, a reporter tried to draw Elvis into offering his opinion of the war in Vietnam. "I'm just an entertainer, and I'd rather keep my opinions to myself," he said. When the persistent reporter asked if he thought other entertainers should also keep their opinions to themselves, Elvis refused even to be drawn into that discussion, curtly replying, "No."

We have learned since his death that Elvis had strong opinions on political subjects, making it even more admirable that he refused to share them with the world.

It would be refreshing, would it not, to hear, say, Sean Penn, when asked about the war in Iraq, reply, "I'm just an actor and I'd rather keep my opinions to myself." It would be nice if Rosie O'Donnell would just one time say, "I'm just a comedienne and I'd rather just try to make people laugh. If I can do that, I've done my job."

That, of course, is too much to ask. The media breathlessly awaits the next grand political pronouncement from the latest hot singer or movie star, and most are more than happy to oblige, usually revealing how little thought or time they have put into developing their philosophy, except for perhaps memorizing a snappy bumper sticker.

The best comment during "Live Earth" came from Adam Lazarra of a group called Taking Back Sunday, whose one contribution was to exclaim, "All of you will leave here tonight with some ... literature." Inspiring indeed.