Back in Business

Okay, I think I'm ready to step back into the three-ring circus called blogging, with a new and improved template sporting the stylishly assymetrical 2-column-right design. The main text column is also wider. I confess, this is a canned Typepad design, minimizing site maintenance -- hey, I'm a content guy, not a techie. This means no numbers on the comments and no fancy banner image, but that's about the only downside. I added a Feedback Box (using meebo) in sidebar two -- feel free to drop a note and maybe (if I'm online) get an instant reply. [FYI, the text and any reply appear on your page, but not on anyone else's view of the site.]

Other features I have added or updated in the sidebars:

• In sidebar 1, a "Net & Nacle" sideblog, updated daily, with a clever image thrown in when I can find one to give the column a little color.
• A "Bloggernacle Highlights" list of links, with three to six B'nacle posts added daily.
• At the top of sidebar 1, a link to the same "Bloggernacle Hightlights" posts displayed on a page in full text or excerpt format.
• A list of updated Google News stories on Mormonism.
• The five most recent posts from Get Religion.
• Links, blogrolls, a category cloud, and my sitecounter.
• In sidebar 2, a long column of book thumbnails which link to Amazon (to purchase the book) and text links below each cover shot linking to reviews on this site or posts at other sites.

Questions? Comments? Complaints?

Comments

[Stephen M (Ethesis)]

I like the look.

[Mike Parker]

Dave,

Your "Net & Nacle" sidebar about Ardis' treatment at the FAIR conference is completely devoid of any facts. Corrections offered:

1) FAIR did not "banish" her from the conference.

2) No one at the conference was "paid" to attend. In fact, all of the volunteers who worked there had to pay for admission. Only speakers and their guests received complimentary admission.

I would suggest that you withhold your support for Ardis -- and your disdain for FAIR -- until you know all the facts. If you were there (and I was), I suspect you would feel somewhat differently than you do.

[Dave]

Mike, you probably noticed the tone on my blurb was rather lighthearted. I link to FAIR regularly (see my blogroll and the more recent note in the sidebar highlighting Todd's coverage of the conference). Yes, it looks like Ardis overplayed her hand. Everyone makes mistakes. You'll notice T&S dropped the post. My link to the successor of the FAIR board does serve to give the other side of the story.

[Mike Parker]

Dave,

What you intend as "lighthearted" can be interpreted by those who know little about (or already have a negative impression of) FAIR as an example of mean apologists going after an innocent victim.

I was there. I saw what happened. It wasn't funny. And FAIR's reputation could easily be tarnished if Ardis' one-sided telling of the story is all that is allowed to frame the events of last Thursday.

[Dave]

Mike, it appears whatever humor there was initially in this little incident has been used up. So I gave the sideblog post an early retirement. There are plenty of other interesting things to talk about.

[Mike Parker]

My sincere thanks, Dave. For those of us who were directly involved, it's been an unsettling experience, one that cast a personal cloud over the conference. I appreciate you helping to put this incident behind us.