Increasing the IQ of the Commons

The Glittering Eye has a regular feature called “Catching My Eye: Morning A Through Z.”

I recommend following it for two reasons. First, you stumble across blogs you might not have known about otherwise. Gulp. As if you don’t have enough blog reading already. And now I’ve forgotten the second reason… Oh, yeah: you might consider incorporating this feature into your own blog.

As many of you know, Gates of Vienna has been the happy recipient of several ’lanches in the last week. It was great giddy fun to watch the site meter zipping up into the higher reaches, numbers beyond our ordinary realm of thinking. Along with the numbers come referrals from sites you’d never hear of otherwise -- or at least we hadn't. Some of them are fascinating, and some leave you wondering if you’ve stumbled accidentally into a “Next Blog” blitz.

Forthwith are several delights we’d not previously seen:

Quantum Catfish is quite unlike any other blog I've seen. But then, I lead a more secluded life than most. Take my word for it, though, that you at least want to visit. We’re blogrolling it, just to remind ourselves of the breadth of talent floating out there in the ether. Besides I do love a platter of channel catfish, preferably grilled. One taste is a whiff of heaven. How many fishermen-philosophers do you know? Drop by.

Stephen Bodio’s Querencia is difficult to pigeonhole. Falcons, Indian artifacts, excellent photography, essays on the Chinese, on the odiously ignorant “information” out there about malaria, why recess is good for kids, excerpts from an essay on Kipling re writing… he is curious about everything. And I realize I’d meant to blogroll him months ago, back during the “Book Meme.” Better late than never.

There is definitely a need for Moonbattery. It’s a dirty job, this trying to keep the record straight on the fringe so close to the Cliffs of Reason that they’re about to tumble into eternity. However, Moonbattery seems up to the task. He has stepped into the fray to bring you pictures, proof and lots of links. The photos are fascinating, especially for a country woman who doesn’t get out much. You people who inhabit the coasts, or allow a television into your environment are no doubt inured to such sights. But even you habitues of the demi-monde will enjoy the accompanying observations -- not too wordy, not too spare. Just right.

Want to learn about modern day piracy and read some common sense fisking of hurricane news and discover why “first reports” of anything are usually wrong? Want to get some weather history and perspective? Want great photography and the most informative maps around? Want to see pictures of the US and India on cooperative naval manuveurs? What do you want to bet that this paticular photo is giving the Chinese nightmares? Definitely a different take, definitely worth your time. Go to Eaglespeak. His work deserves your attention.

This is a mere sampling of those who dropped by during our ’lanches. It feels like a gift to be given links to these places. We are rich in new information and perspectives.

You know what this kind of available aggregated information does? It increases the IQ of the commons. Contemplate the unintended consequences of that immense idea for awhile.

Hint: deciding to ignore the aggregators and their progeny is one of the reasons the MSM is losing breadth and depth. Or rather, its lack of both is finally being exposed. It's why you'd be more likely to buy stock in Pajamas Media if it were on offer, and why you don't plan on acquiring any shares of the New York Times.