Around The Blogosphere 7 Jan 2012

Random Notes Etc.

OK - I'm comfortable with the new blog design - now it displays correctly in IE as well as Firefox and Chrome - I have the 3 columns I've been wanting for the last two years - I'm not sure whether I'll ad LinkWithin back or not: it seems like it slowed down the loading time a bit.

Anyone have any advice regarding LinkWithin? I also lost the "You might also like" in the transition from Classic blogger template to New Blogger Layout. Are these tools that anyone out there uses or cares about? If so please tell me!

BLOGROLL? I notice that blogger has an option to add a blogroll; I moved my blogroll OFF the landing page a long time ago and I have a link to the blogroll page in the upper right corner. But I've been thinking about redeploying a blogroll on this page via the widget system. Don't be surprised if now you see it, now you don't.

I'm also still trying to figure out how I "lost" the 180 Google Friend connect peeps - I have some now (about 20) and I'm thinking of removing that widget.

When I switched the blog to the new layout, I added Google's "Subscribe by email" widget. By golly, it works! People are actually subscribing! So it's a good thing, right?

I've left a few "throwbacks" to the old blogging days - mostly just as little reminders of the past - where the blog has taken me and all that sentimental stuff!

OK - I've had my say - now here's what's going on all over the digiverse ::: First of all, POLITICS!

New Hampshire ABC debate: The live blog!

Washington Post (blog)

The debate, which is being sponsored by ABC and WMUR, gets started at 9 pm We'll start live-blogging about five or ten minutes before the candidate hit the stage and continue until they leave...

Michelle Malkin

Saturday Night GOP Debate Open Thread - Doubleheader

MENA: 2011, a Year of Struggle and Triumphs for Bloggers

Written for Global Voices by Jillian C. York · Middle East & North Africa

With all of the social media successes throughout the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, it would be all too easy to overlook the struggles faced by bloggers and netizens throughout the region. But with 126 netizens imprisoned, it would be a travesty.

Naky Soto Parra, in her blog El Zaperoco de Naky [es], posts a message by Global Voices contributor Luis Carlos Díaz, who has been receiving threats for his online activity. Luis Carlos explains that the threats and cyber-attacks come from hackers who target netizens that criticize the government. He calls these hackers and their attacks “the dirty face of the political battle in this election year.”

Mureed Bijenjo provides a critical comment on the recently announced Pakistan Blog Awards 2011.

Famous Bloggers

How Do You Handle Guest Bloggers? - That was actually a question posted at the SME networking clubs that I’ve joined recently, I thought it’s useful if I put my answer on the blog as I alread...