Link Blogthrob

Particularly careful observers may have noticed I've added links to my Blog in recent times. It seemed natural to group them into three sections, and I'll say a little about them today

Sister Cities to the Oliopolis:
Other Blogs in my Blogring (those Blogs of friends I will check daily or at least on a very regular basis). There's a couple of other "2nd tier" Blogs: ones that I know, incidentally, as a result of them commenting or being linked to from A Blog of His Own (Byzantium's Shores and Dirigiblog), but I really don't currently have enough of a regular association with those authors to include them at this time. Perhaps, if they (or others) check into the Oliopolis from time to time, I will do the same and we can mutually grow our readership a little. I guess that's how this usually works, right?

The Oliopolis of Ventures:
Personal artistic/creative ventures of mine; in particular, my music and theatre endeavors. I may add photo or map galleries at some point in the future, depending on how seriously I take on that pursuit.

In This I Believe:
OK, so I'm not just a voice in the wilderness that rants from time to time. I do put my money and/or voice into action and these are some of the charitable social/environmental causes in which I am the most deeply personally connected and involved.

• Childreach: I have been involved with Childreach since shortly after college (even back in the days of netting $400 biweekly at my TV job). I sponsored one child from about 5th grade all the way through high school and am now sponsoring a little boy, Elian, in Bolivia, who is entering grammar school this year. Childreach is part of Plan International, sort of an international Peace Corps that works on community development projects in addition to individually sponsoring children. You want to know what a committed invididual acts of kindness and giving from people around the world can do that a $500 billion/year defense budget cannot? Well, it's about peace on earth and right here it is.
• The Humane Society: In the past 10 years, my contributions to the Ramsey County Humane Society (now the Humane Society for Companion Animals) have gone from volunteering time to volunteering money, as the availability of extra amounts of one to the other has gradually shifted. But I appreciate the hard, thankless, and often unbelievably depressing work that committed organizations just like this do throughout the world. I love and care for my own pets. What of the millions of potential pets in this country alone that sleep without shelter or companionship every night? Oof. Rough to think about, but I will continue to humbly support those people working to find and care for them.
• The ONE Campaign: Based on the belief that there is enough money in the first world to overcome AIDS and extreme poverty worldwide. As Mixdorf has stated (and as most charity organizations already know), the root of most problems in the world are not really religion or political differences. It's economic disparity.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: I have said it before and I will say it again. I am a man of science. Science as led us down some dark paths and has occasionally been influenced by those darker forces that prey upon the frailty of our species. But, if given the choice between following those that pursue the light of knowledge and understanding; or huddling with those living in laze, ignorance, and fear, I will choose the former every time. And not all scientists are for sale. This organization (UCS), chooses to use the fruits of their research and conclusions to make judgements on the most societally-conscious decisions in nearly all our lifestyle and consumer choices.
• New American Dream: Also very much into the "consumer choices" vein, this organization really believes that wasteful consumption (related to the whole "ecological footprint" topic, which is of great interest to me) is the single greatest aspect of our first-world lives that is within our power to contain and control if we hope to make a better world.

All great organizations. All definitely worth checking out. There's other great stuff out there, obviously: Red Cross, Greenpeace, MoveOn, Doctors without Borders, etc. etc. But I don't want to overwhelm my nation of readers.

Other Favorite Places on the Web:

So, life isn't all about activism and structured personal endeavors. Here's some of my favorite other places I like to check out.

• Wikipedia: I've quickly grown to love this resource. A wonderful, amazing, collaboratory effort (it never could have even come close to being pulled off by even a large staff) from experts and enthusiasts worldwide; it is a luxurious and almost sinful array of subjects, interlinking, and information for the intellectually curious. Quite simply, in my opinion, the best of what mankind and the web has to offer.
• Snopes: A myth and rumour-debunking resource that puts an end to the neverending supply of the worst of what mankind and the web has to offer.
• The Onion: In my opinion (of course), the best American humour currently going. Anywhere.
• Beer Advocate: I considered putting this advocacy group in the "In This I Believe" section but, in all seriousness, did not want to diminish the mission of the above groups. Nevertheless, furthering appreciation of this wonderful, mouth-watering liquid can only make this world a better place. Check in and learn a little more about that brew you're drinking. Check in to see what reviews I have most recently written. Better yet, start your own account.
• AllMusic: For the story behind that album and that music you're listening to, this is the place to go. A nice resource to have when doing Coalescence work, and just for putting music you hear into its overall popular music context, I've been a fan of this place for years.

There it is. If other links are added (new blog link exchanges, the potential photo exhibit, maybe something to reflect my newfound interest in chess, or just anything I may have forgotten), I will make sure to make a note.