Carnival of Maryland 57

For this blogging carnival I actually didn’t get a large number of submissions so I took a little bit of editorial license and did some searching amongst the best Maryland blogging has to offer to supplement what I did receive. I know that posting falls off somewhat when the weather gets nicer so we’ll let those who may have sent something along slide – it’s not like I can’t find good material.

Besides, this also gave me a chance to read and look at some good items from blogs I enjoy.

Let’s begin with the political. Tim at Gunpowder Chronicle is never afraid to share what he thinks about the doings in Annapolis and a recent article compared the state’s budget process to being hooked on crack. Then again, Bernie Hayden at Maryland On My Mind thinks the whole General Assembly is useless after a session spent on “distractions and trivia.

And then there are others who look at the attitude exhibited by those we vote into office and wonder if they’re the new elite class. As in the Orwell novel Animal Farm, Soccer Dad posits that some of us are more equal than others.

Naturally I chimed in on the political arena, as my site’s bread and butter comes from talking politics. I scanned the scene at Salisbury’s Tax Day Tea Party last week in a pictorial post.

One debatable aspect of the role of government is exhibited in the prospect of a new Montgomery County stadium for the DC United professional soccer team. While Marc Korman at Maryland Politics Watch thinks the idea isn’t sound from a financial standpoint, Going to the Mat‘s Matt Johnston points out that DC United is one of the few consistently successful sports franchises in Maryland and without a stadium the prospect of relocation is real.

A Maryland team that’s probably not going anywhere is the Orioles and in the last couple weeks the team opened on a good note. Oriole Post was there and has the scoop. So far they’re still hanging in with a .500 record after tangling with some tough AL East opponents.

Spring is also the time for a more natural rebirth, and one of the Carnival’s most frequent contributors checks in to close things out. The Ridger shows Maryland at its natural best with Blossom on the Bough, Dark-eyed Juncos, and more birds of a feather, all originally posted on her blog The Greenbelt.

At the moment I’m not certain where Carnival of Maryland 58 will be held; however, the schedule says it will be there on May 3rd.

Carnival of Maryland 56 is up

We continue to pile up the postings for the Carnival of Maryland. This time the hosting duties were assumed by the lone LiveJournal in the Maryland Blogger Alliance fold, Creating a Jubilee County.

The next edition comes back to the Eastern Shore in two weeks because I’ll be the host for C of M 57. I enjoy putting these things together and hopefully I’ll have enough time two weeks hence to do it justice. One topic that I may consider for inclusion will be the wrapup of the 2009 General Assembly session, but there’s also competition locally from the Salisbury city election, the county’s budget woes (which are probably echoed 23 times over across Maryland), the opening of the Shorebirds’ 14th season, and Pork in the Park (there’s a “battle of the bands” that Saturday evening.)

Regardless, the clock is now set in motion for the next Carnival so over the next two weeks I’ll see what the cream of the crop is among items submitted.

Carnival of Maryland 54 is up…

…and it’s up over at Insane Baltimore.

It seems a large topic of discussion on my site is also a topic on the Carnival too. I know Insane Baltimore looks at politics from the opposite side of the glass as I do but it’s handled quite well.

Once again we have taken submissions from the best blogging Maryland has to offer, and it doesn’t hurt that the lead items were mine. (You don’t always have to start with the items submitted by the guy who runs the C of M but it can’t hurt.)

To be honest though I’d push the Carnival even if my submission didn’t start this edition. The next one will be March 22nd and hosted at Boomer Twilight. If you’re a Maryland-based blogger or have something to say about items concerning the Free State, the submission form is here. I look forward to a lengthy C of M 55 in two weeks.

Carnival of Maryland 53 is up

As one of my duties as the head honcho of the Maryland Blogger Alliance, it’s my pleasure to point out that the 53rd Carnival of Maryland is up at The Political Octagon. Thus begins the 3rd year of our semi-weekly roundup of highlights from our state’s blogosphere (and sometimes beyond).

Today also marks a somewhat sad day but one I figured would happen sooner or later. Of the twenty sites that were on the original most influential list that BlogNetNews began back in 2007, mine was the last one to survive being on the top 20 list every week, until today. Then again I suspected this might be the case once I decided to cut down my posting frequency from the 10 or 12 a week to the 5 you got to read this week. Obviously I have many new demands on my time and something had to give.

So the streak is over. It’s been fun, and I’m sure I’ll be back on the list again but probably not to the extent that I once was. I’ll still track it as I have in the past because the horserace aspect appeals to me regardless of who’s on the list. And there are many fine websites in Maryland that, quite frankly, are probably more deserving of inclusion right now.

It seems to me though that the influence ratings place a premium on how many posts one does a week, particularly when all BlogNetNews consists of is an aggregation of what’s posted on member websites. Obviously the more posts one has, the more opportunity one would have to stay up top on their site and I presume on their influence list. With 10 to 12 posts a week I was always close to the top, with 5 to 7 I fell off the list. I don’t think my writing became worse, just less frequent.

So this week you’ll only see one little badge with my common-sense rantings and ravings – I’m still on the Delmarva list but awhile back I missed a week on that one so the Maryland streak was the only one remaining.

Now that I’ve finished hijacking my post for my resigned complaint, let me return to point and tell you that the next edition (number 54) of the Carnival of Maryland will go to a first-time host, Insane Baltimore. That will occur on March 8th – hopefully by that time I’ll also be able to update our MBA widget to reflect the increased membership of late because Blogrolling will be back online. If you want to join our growing group, let me know via the e-mail address on my upper left-hand column – just above the BNN ranking.

Carnival of Maryland 52 is up

As capo di capo of the Maryland Blogger Alliance, I would be remiss not to point out that our latest blog carnival effort is now posted on Going To The Mat.

Next time around on February 22nd The Political Octagon takes its turn at the wheel. (I guess that would round off the eight corners sooner or later.)

If you have a Maryland blog (or Maryland-centric blog post) we welcome submissions. Just look down the left-hand column for the Carnival of Maryland widget. In the meantime, go check out some fine Free State blogging!

Carnival of Maryland 51 is up

This is just a quick reminder to my readers that, since I’m now the head of the Maryland Blogger Alliance I also run the Carnival of Maryland. Naturally I’m out to assist the membership in any way I can.

Since there’s no football game today, why not spend a lazy Sunday afternoon or evening reading the newest edition (#51, it’s almost the second anniversary of our semi-weekly look at Maryland blogging) on ROTUS.

The next edition will fall on Sunday, February 8th and Going To The Mat plays host.

By the way, if you have a Maryland-based or Maryland-themed website and would like to join the MBA, let me know at ttownjotes@yahoo.com. We’re looking for a few more good men and women.