Atlanta Bloggers--Who Matters? and....A Few Additions to the Blogroll

Recently Andishen Nouraee of Creative Loafing published Bright Lights in the Blogosphere: Five Local Bloggers Who Matter. The article is an interesting overview of the state of blogging in the Atlanta area.

Nouraee states:

“Instead of displacing the traditional news media, challenging the mainstream news and entertainment media’s backside—or foisting great-but-previously-undiscovered talents on the city—blogging in Atlanta is, by and large, a medium for self-expression.”

Basically it would seem Nouraee boils local blogs down to two kinds……personal self-expressive blogs or “bloggers who attempt to reach beyond their circles of acquaintances, either by doing something completely unique, or doing something better than just about anyone else.”

I guess he’s right about that…..some blogs stand out when lined up against others including that large, large category of day-to-day journal type blogs. Personally I think both types of blogs have their purpose and are beneficial to the writers and to their readers. I find many journal type blogs very interesting and many have very unique styles.

I think the whole thing just becomes a matter of preference.

Nouraee’s criteria for his short list was to name blogs that reach out and that are unique…..I think he did a great job meeting his criteria. Two of the blogs are already on the Georgia blogroll: Peach Pundit and Peachtree Screed. The other three are: I Saw It on Ponce, Cable and Tweed, and Inside the Oversexed Mind of Gloria Brame (Shhhhhh…..she’s a sex therapist).

Click on the link I gave at the beginning and read the interviews with these fine Atlanta bloggers. The comments…all fifty plus are interesting and downright Jerry Springer-ish in some places. As with ANY blogging list some are upset and have said their piece. It would seem there is a “history” with some of these folks and I…..lowly teacher that I am I am not part of Atlanta’s “social media”. I don’t know why Nouraee’s list has ruffled so many feathers. In the education blogosphere we have list after list after list. Some you make…..some you don’t.

The blogging world, including Atlanta’s small corner of it, is vast in its variety.

Those that are only into media type blogs won’t enjoy my history posts here at Georgia On My Mind or my posts over at History Is Elementary, you might not enjoy the wonderful convicting posts of Pastor Bill, the amazing drawings and stories at Idle Minutes, or the book reviews of Otter, but I assure you there is something for everyone IF they take the time to look.

I believe Creative Loafing now understands there are quite a bit more bloggers out and about than they realized at first, AND there are entirely too many niche blogs to make one list. I liked the suggestions concerning allowing people to link to their sites in the comments much like the AJC. I also think the Atlanta…..the Georgia blogosphere… could have been looked at a bit more critically before posting the initial story. Maybe they could begin a feature titled “blog of the week” or some such….just a thought.

Regarding the Georgia blogroll I’m a bit behind in adding some folks who recently were featured in the ninth and tenth editions of the Georgia Carnival. Here they are:
Life of a Resident Alien
Sweet Georgia Blue
Brick Cheney
No Credit Needed
Augusta Observer
Three Sticks
Thanks to Nouraee’s article I found these sites as well…….I hope they don’t mind being included on the Georgia blogroll and their participation in the next Georgia Carnival would be welcome.
Going Through the Motions
Atlanta Malcontent
Chamblee 54
Ben Prisk-----make sure you scroll down to his “Links” to click through to his Squidbillies site
What a Concept!

Finally…………Creative Loafing’s question of the week states “What’s on your blogroll?” Click through HERE and let them know about all the little gems you hold near and dear to your heart.