Junk Yard Blog is a year old today.

It’s been an interesting year, one in which writing has forced me to refine my views, change a position or two when the evidence warranted, and defend that which I saw being mistreated last year–my faith. It was that mistreatment, or rather mischaracterization, of my Christian faith in the blogosphere that sort of forced me into the game.

A year ago, not a lot of connections of community had been made.

Finally, I just got in to have fun and meet interesting people. I’ve met many online, a few offline and fewer still in person. I feel like I know many people who do little more than leave comments or link to this site from others, and I’d probably never have run across any of you if not for this blog. For that alone, blogging has been worth it this past year.

A year is old in blog years. Not that anyone has done a hard-core survey, but Ev at Blogger figures most bloggers that drop out do so within the first three to six months. He also sees a lot of them come back with new blogs.

Comments Section
I posted a quick link to voting statistics yesterday, and was impressed with the high voter turn out in Australia. (84.4%) Then William Holtzer of Barrabas and CPI News.net commented.

I believe Australia has compulsory voting laws.

He wasn’t joking. An Australian blogger responded.

Yes, here in Australia we have compulsory voting at federal, state and municipal levels and fines for failing to vote.

You learn something new every day. Learn more…Shalom posted a post on the Australian voting process.

Blog Cleaning
Colby Cosh has been tidying up his blog a bit.
Is this a winter thing?
So have LilacRose and Midwest Conservative Journal.

Looking good. Blog on!

Blog Toys
The more I see bloggers discuss tools, the more I pay attention. However, I’m not the type to ’sign up,’ download, and try them out. I graze.
I’m going to have to install a program for spam now that Bene Diction Blogs On has been up for awhile.

I do have a new toy that is really impressive and isn’t at all difficult to deal with.
Blogrolling. You sign in, enter the URL and a couple of other quick things and il est fait.

Not only that, they give you your links on a tidy page written in English as opposed to geek speak, so it’s as simple as a URL cut and paste with room to play with a few features.

I like the fact I know when a blog has updated. The * appears. I can set the time frame. The temptation will be to keep the blog roll small and not add links. Again, non-specific research shows a smaller blog roll is better for readers than a large one.

Fa la la la aacck
Dave Barry takes his usual wacky look at Christmas songs.

Speaking of the wise men: How many of you readers, when you hear the words ”We three kings of Orient are,” even if you are attending a somber worship service, find that your brain automatically responds with, ‘’smoking on a rubber cigar”? Me, too. It’s like at weddings, when the organist plays ”Here comes the bride,” and everybody’s brain, including the groom’s, automatically responds: “Big, fat and wide.”

Appendum: The UK wits have their own versions…Warning: Funny stuff in this link.

Cultural Relevence
Here is a new blog. Well, Thunderstruck is brand new to me. I like his description….A truck stop for the soul.
He covers everyone from Johnny Cash, Bono through to who is being considered as the next US Senate Chaplain.