Newspapers, Machetes, Loopholes and Bombs -- Literally and Figuratively

Random discoveries from today's blogosphere:

Newspaper overhaul?
Over at the BuzzMachine, journalist/blogger Jeff Jarvis has some ideas for spiffing up the nation's newspapers, and it's major spiffing indeed (and the day's No. 5 most-cited blog post). No more small print? Local columnists or reviewers? Stock listings?

Weapons of (Domestic) Destruction
One of today's most unsettling blog posts (No. 7) comes from a Fairfax, VA, TV station, which reports that gang members are increasingly using machetes in their attacks on other gangs. Aren't they a threat, too?

Lobbying loopholes...already
For all the talk of reforming lobbying and campaign finance in Washington, today's most-cited news story from the Washington Post illuminates the loopholes that have already been built into the "reform packages." Says the FireDogLake blogger: "Ethics, Schmethics" (scroll down to find it). Seems to me, any local book club, PTA group or senior citizens bridge group could come up with better lobbying reform laws...and quicker. (I'l volunteer!)

Bombs, literally and figuratively
International hand-wringing over Iran's nuclear intentions is apparent today, inclluding The Belmont Club blog's "The Coming of the Bomb" post and Michael Leeden's alarmist approach in the National Review Online (today's No. 19 top news story). Bombs of another sort keep falling as a result of the Jack Abramoff scandal, and the latest involve efforts to link Abramoff directly to the White House, such as today's No. 32 news story from The Texas Observer, "The Pimping of the President." Bloggers are discussing the increasingly close ties.

And don't worry, fun stuff, too
But there's frivolity and fun in the blog universe today, including the Yarn Harlot's soliciation for the 2006 Knitting Olympics, (today's 8th-most-cited blog post) in which participants are invited to knit something during the Olympics, so long as the last stitch is finished by the time the flame extinguishes. And William Shatner's kidney stone is popular today after it was sold for $25,000 at a charity auction. "Pass it on," jokes the TaxProfBlog.