The Foreign Service Journal, November 2009

anced, sparking lively, informative dia- logue with his readers. Political Fermentations (www.pol iticalfermentations.blogspot.com ) – This author is one of the more outspo- ken dissenting voices in the FS blogos- phere. Never repetitive, trite or dull, he intersperses recipes for (and stories of his attempts at) brewing beer throughout his musings, as the blog’s name suggests. News with an FS Bent In these news aggregators, discern- ing bloggers cull the news for stories of interest to diplomats and either pres- ent them unaltered or with a dash of insider commentary. Regardless of the garnish and delivery, they are among the premier sources for pre-filtered diplomatic news. Reinventing Public Diplomacy (www.publicdiplomacy.blogspot.com ) – Mainly a news aggregate site, Rein- venting Public Diplomacy passionately advocates “a greater role for soft power in protecting America’s national secu- rity interests.” DiploPundit (www.diplopundit.blog spot.com ) – Whenever there is an amusing, engaging or important story about the Foreign Service, DiploPun- dit will catch it, comment on it and provide several ways to follow it. The site does an excellent job of watching other critical FS blogs, commenting on their content and increasing the inter- connections and credibility of the FS blogosphere as a forum for dissent and discourse. The Skeptical Bureaucrat (www.sk epticalbureaucrat.blogspot.com ) – This anonymous blogger specializes in providing a continual forum for dis- cussion of diplomatic news that has fallen out of the headlines. He or she reacts promptly and responsibly to even the most uncouth respondent or absurd situation with equanimity, hum- or and meticulousness that would be valuable traits in any news format. Retirees’ Reflections The other subset of the critical blog category, retiree reflections, does what thoughtful musings do, except even more openly and bluntly. Their au- thors draw on years of Foreign Service experience to provide a distanced, yet educated, perspective. The World According to Bill Fisher (www.billfisher.blogspot.com ) – If one wants detailed, insightful analysis of major events in U.S. foreign affairs and beyond, then look no further than Fisher. His credentials, as he states them, are as follows: “managed eco- nomic development programs for the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Middle East, Latin America and elsewhere for the past 25 years. He served in the administration of Presi- dent John F. Kennedy.” WhirledView (www.whirledview.ty pepad.com) – This blog was co-created by Patricia Lee Sharpe, a writer and former Foreign Service officer with 22 years in public diplomacy in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and her col- league Patricia Kushlis, an interna- tional affairs specialist in Europe, Asia, the U.S., politics, public diplomacy and national security. It offers a cultural explanation and incisive analysis of cur- rent events. A resource-laden site, it is a great jumping-off point for further investigations. ■ 48 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 A hybrid of the journal and the trailing spouse formats, these blogs create a dialogue between the family diplomat and their significant other. Dear Readers: In order to produce a high- quality product, the FSJ depends on the revenue it earns from advertising. You can help with this. Please let us know the names of companies that have provided good service to you — a hotel, insurance company, auto dealership, or other concern. A referral from our readers is the best entrée! Ed Miltenberger Advertising & Circulation Manager Tel: (202) 944-5507 E-mail: miltenberger@afsa.org You Are Our Eyes & Ears! Let Us Hear From You Send Your Letters to fsj@afsa.org. All submissions are subject to editorial review and editing for length and grammar.