Boutiqueing for blogs? Slogging for blogs? Blogging for blogs? We shared some defense-related blogs in a previous post. We have additional defense fare from the mom-and-pop to blog ranches to the big blog superstores. Choose your metaphor — and your blog.
The Blogman hath repackaged Military.com. The mega-site’s blog spawn, Dodbuzz conveniently is broken down into the categories Land, Naval, Air, Homeland Security, Space, Cyber Security, Intelligence, Policy, International, and (get this) Rumors. It runs the lead of what could be Military.com stories, attaches a thumbnail photo and voila — blog-vana. And people comment. A lot. It is a content machine. It’s Best Buy for blogs.
One recent lead: “It’s not often anyone on the House Armed Services Committee invokes the constitution, but today’s hearing on the F-22 featured repeated mentions of the founding document by frustrated lawmakers who knew the Pentagon had outflanked them on the controversial program.” Great news for defense wonks — not so much if you’re looking for raw, up-close and personal.
Another A blogger-market, let’s say somewhere between a Trader Joe’s and Balducci’s is Homeland Security Watch. According to the site:
“Homeland Security Watch is a blog that features breaking news, rigorous analysis, and informed commentary on the critical issues in homeland security today. It takes a cross-disciplinary approach to the subject of homeland security, spanning issues such as transportation security, preparedness, and response, infrastructure protection, and border security. Its content is intended both for an expert-level policy audience as well as the broader general audience of people interested in homeland security. The blog is nonpartisan and non-commercial.”
Homeland Security Watch has strong national security content and a great list of national security-related blogs: Global Guerillas (more pirates!), Sic Semper Tyrannis, and the aptly titled Rapid Recon.
We found the like-minded and fearless at War is Boring. Don’t let the name fool you, this provocateur is anything but. It hits the high marks (or low points depending on your perspective). Its Nov. 18 offering takes aim at our whipping boy, DDG-1000, the Zumwalt Class guided-missile destroyer, highlighting this Flipped Ship to Nowhere for the $50 billion money pit it has been. This blog has some great subcategories. We like “Lies my Leaders told Me.” “Africa’s Annoying” also warmed out hearts. More on this blog and the prolific journalist who pounds it out later. (He’s even been to Chad.)
The true blog-apaloosa is milblogging.com. A part of the Military.com juggernaut, as of this writing the site boasts “2,185 military blogs in 41 countries with 6,817 registered members.” If you have a blog, you might add it to this group, though we’re still baffled by some of the steps. (What is an “unclaimed” blog? Is it like an unclaimed body?)
In later posts we will focus on single blogs and their treatment of interesting and quirky defense topics. We also hope to provide regular links to those we think have content of interest to MOAA readers. If you have sites screaming to be noticed, please send them our way.
Blog on.