It’s about time I change some, rearrange some, eliminate some and update my blogroll of The Usual Suspects.

I suppose I have a different take on blogrolls.

I’ve noticed that most blogs have a seemingly-endless list of linked blogs in their rolls — sometimes the lists go right to the bottom of the viewable page and, boys and girls, that’s a lot of blogs. I just can’t read or make note of that many blogs. I’m sure they’re all good — at least I’d hope so.

But I don’t have the time to click on each and every link in another blogroll. I don’t think you do either. So, as you’ve likely determined by now, my blogroll is, shall we say, brief.

Those who make my blogroll of The Usual Suspects have earned their place. And you don’t arrive on my blogroll overnight. You have to work to get there. I have to find myself reading your blog frequently. I have to like not only your perspective, your writings but your layout as well. And I don’t simply place someone there; I announce them.

As it is now: my Suspect list is updated. First up to bat:

1. My Republican Blog

Gayle writes this most excellent blog and portrays herself in this fashion:

I am not a born Redneck. My husband and I adopted the state of Texas whether Texas likes it or not. We have chosen to be Rednecks because we admire Rednecks. They use guns and you don’t mess with Rednecks. Not if you haven’t got pickles for brains! (But I don’t like grits.) My husband is retired Army and a Vietnam Vet. I am a retired Army dependent and wife of a Vietnam Vet. We have three large watchdogs outside and one large watchdog inside. Old-fashioned actual bars go up across the doors at night, and several weapons that seem to work very well with bullets are handy. Our farm is 80 acres but without livestock. I’d make pets out of pigs and cows. I don’t make pets out of chickens however; chickens are the dumbest birds on the planet! We grow every type of vegetable immaginable. Our place is a farm and nursery as we also have a large greenhouse and grow flowers.

Gayle features some great writing with a vision that encompasses generations and various perspectives — but is conservative in nature. Gayle also operates a graphic blog entitled Let Our Voices Be Heard – Laughing but this piece of the Blogosphere is soon to be shut down.

Welcome aboard, Gayle!

2. Caucasionally Challenged Christian

This site is operated by a fellow calling himself Neo, Soc, who says:

I am a Christian before I am an American, a father, and black man! My title is politically correct (‘pc’) because I think ‘pc’ jargon is gettting way out of control! So, please don’t expect me to be flowery, unless I’m in one of my craziness journalistic modes!

Neo, Soc has been commenting on my blog for some time now, and it’s time I reciprocate and return the favor. He’s a well-grounded American who writes well and has some excellent points to make! Do yourself a good turn and visit his blog for some salient insights into today’s world.

Welcome aboard, Neo, Soc!

3. Quid Novi?

A site written by Echotig, wife of the Big White Hat, she posts about life, her five children (one of whom is autistic) and has a wonderful sense of humor.

Don’t believe that one post with a picture. It’s not her. She’s cuter. I know because she told me so. Go check her site out. Right now. Because if you don’t, you’ll be very, very sorry indeed!

Welcome aboard, Echotig!

One deletion: SactoDan’s blog. Once in hopes of getting into the Western Alliance, I’ve not felt any love whatsoever, though I was once promised a link at Fetching Jen’s blog. G’bye, Dan.

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Please, go visit these and my other links as frequently as possible.

Everyone is there for one very salient reason: they’re simply good.

Iran crisis ‘could drive oil over $90’

Prices climb ahead of critical week as nuclear row escalates. Opec says it won’t increase quotas to cover for production shutdown

Heather Stewart, economics correspondent:
Sunday January 29, 2006: The Observer

Oil markets are braced for a nail-biting week, as world leaders demand action against Iran over its nuclear ambitions, and analysts warn that crude prices could reach $90 a barrel if the oil-rich state retaliates by blocking supplies.

The International Atomic Energy Agency meets on Thursday to decide whether to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, has threatened to respond to any punitive action by cutting off the 2.6 million barrels of oil a day it pumps into the markets – 5 per cent of the world’s supply.

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Do the “logical extension.”

What is petroleum-based? Rubber? Plastics in particular?

Perhaps it’s time to stock up on plastic bags in all forms. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.

Oh, well. Except that would classify me as a Moonbat.

What I’d like to do with the unsupervised, loud, obnoxious kids I encountered in the theatre today.

So there I was. Over at Texas Fred’s blog this evening, commenting about the American military when Gayle made an aside comment about Googling one’s own website.

I thought: “Yeah right. Like my pisshead little blog factors into anything.”

But I Googled the name of my blog anyway. And I got over ten + pages of hits!

One hit made me sit up and immediately take notice. It appeared to come from the United Kingdom. Nah, I thought. That’s just not right. Must be a mitsake.

But it wasn’t. The UK ‘s TimesOnline referenced my blog in a January 21st piece regarding “The Week On The Web.”

In this net article by Rhys Blakely it was written:

Blogs Attacked

Western online opinion has been “overwhelmingly critical of Russia and China’s call for further negotiations with Iran over its nuclear escalation”, slate.com reported.

The Iranians “will work to exploit any rift they can find between the two Asian giants and the West in order to play both sides against the middle”, the Captain’s Quarters blog argued. The Thoughtland site noted that “apart from intensive trade with Iran, China heavily depends on Iranian oil too”.

If not sanctions, what then? “Maybe Kofi can initiate the ‘Neutrons for Food’ programme?” suggested the Bloviating Zeppelin site.

Then my website was referenced.

Holy crap! My winky little blog was mentioned in the same paragraph as the Captain’s Quarters blog, a commanding site in the US political realm!

Yes, mine was a relatively older post about Iran (in terms of the internet — January 17th) but still — how absolutely strange that I should find my stupid little piece of the Blogosphere referenced by a media powerhouse like the TimesOnline!

I wonder: how did Mr. Blakely manage to travel from the UK, over the Atlantic, across the plains and Rockies to MY blog? What kind of searching must you do to find my post, that day, about Iran, from the (literally!) millions and millions of blogs extant on the web?

I am agog.

This blog thing: how bizarre! The world distilled down to my HP Pavilion zd8000 laptop.

I’m still floored.

Senator Robert Byrd (D, West Virginia), known for remarkably long-winded, bloviating, rambling, melodramatic speeches has now surprised and shocked most everyone by not only coming out with open support for Judge Samuel Alito’s confirmation, but mightily slapping the Senate, the Democrats and Ted Kennedy in the process.

During yesterday’s speech in the senate, Byrd said in part:

I feel compelled to address this issue, not to point fingers to scold, or to assign blame, but to address specific, sincere,and heartfelt concerns that have been brought to my attention by the people of West Virginia. Many people, including foremost the people of West Virginia in no uncertain terms were, frankly, appalled by the Alito hearings. I don’t want to say it; but I must. They were appalled.

It is especially telling that many who objected to the way in which the Alito hearings were conducted do not support Judge Alito. In fact, it is sorely apparent that even many who oppose Judge Alito’s nomination also oppose the seemingly “made for TV” antics that accompanied the hearings.

A solemn, constitutional responsibility is not helped when it takes on such a tone.

And then there was the media and its contribution to the deterioration of this very important Constitutional process. Was it really necessary to subject Mrs. Alito to the harsh glare of television klieg lights as she fled the hearing room in tears, fighting to maintain her dignity in response to others with precious little of their own?

Have we finally come to the point where our nation’s assessment of a Supreme Court nominee turns more on a simple-minded sound bite or an exploitive snapshot than on the answers provided or withheld by the nominee?

Obviously, something is wrong with our judicial nominations process, and we in the Senate have the power to fix it.

I refuse to simply tow the Party line when it comes to Supreme Court Justices. Of course, I am a registered Democrat. But when it comes to judges, I hail from a conservative state. And, like a majority of my constituents, I prefer conservative judges – – that is judges who do not try to make the law.

Byrd makes an exceptional summation:

In the end, the heavy duty bourne by members of the Senate to evaluate and reject or approve the President’s nominees for the high court should come down to each Senator’s personal judgment of the man or woman before us, augmented, of course by such judicial records and writings as may exist. I know not exactly what kind of Justice Samuel Alito may actually be – – no one does. But my considered judgment from his record, from his answers to my questions, and from his obvious intelligence and sincerity, leads me to believe him to be an honorable man, who loves his country, loves his Constitution, and will give of his best. Can we really ask for more?

Senator Byrd, who has provided me with much verbal entertainment over the years (and once a member of the Ku Klux Klan), took a brave turn from the normal lockstep Demo boundaries and voted with his feet and, oddly enough, his brain. This decision and public statement came at the same time that John Kerry called openly for a Democratic filibuster against Alito.

Today, two days after Kerry’s war-cry, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid admits the Democrats simply lack the votes necessary to block Alito’s confirmation.

“Everyone knows there are not enough votes to support a filibuster,” Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Friday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said the same thing on Thursday. “A bipartisan majority will vote to confirm Judge Alito as Justice Alito,” Frist said.

Robert Byrd stepped up and did the right thing; for that reason, he is Today’s Hero.

And it’s likely the last time he’ll make this award. . .