Blogorama! (Links & Highlights of the Week)

Before we begin, a quick note that you can help the recovery effort from the floods that have ravaged middle Tennessee by texting “REDCROSS” to 90999 using your phone. More info and further donations can be made at the Red Cross’s website.

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Keep an eye on Rob Madeo’s blog later today for a chance to win two free tickets to a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest, running May 14th through the 23rd in Albany and starring yours truly. More info on the play here.

TimesUnion.com Blog Highlights

An Unlikely Sanctuary Amanda Talar‘s fantastic story about the day she finally had enough and started living for herself. Really great stuff.

Chubby Dogs Need Love Too (Man of a Certain Age) Rob Madeo on diet dog food.

Nominate a Nurse (Healthy Life) In the spirit of Nurse Appreciation Week, nominate a nurse and you could win a $100 Am Ex gift card.

What’s the Strangest Thing Your Dog Has Eaten? (Dog-Owned Life) I shudder to think what kind of answers people can come up with.

National Grid. Chomp. (Farm Life) Teri Conroy has a bone to pick with National Grid. Well okay, who doesn’t, right? But this isn’t over a utilities bill.

Rulebound Rebellion J. Eric Smith‘s anthropological study & dissection of the hardcore movement.

40 Years Ago Today Libby Post on Kent State, 40 years later.

Simple Living Cereal (Simpler Living) Naomi Seldin now has her own cereal! Okay, not really.

In Defense of Class Rings Chuck Miller on what his class ring means to him and his upbringing, and why he’ll never get rid of it.

More confounding, interesting, and important links after the jump…

Elsewhere on the Internet

Lark Tavern (Friday Puppy) Matt Baumgartner on the Lark Tavern Fire and the fund they’ve set up to help out.

Mike Swick & The African Drug Trade (Yahoo Sports) UFC welterweight Mike Swick, currently on a tour of military bases throughout the world, recently hit the streets of Djibouti to talk to drug dealers dealing in Khat, a prominent (and legal) street drug in Africa. Fascinating stuff.

How Not to Talk to the Media About the Guy You’re Training (Bloody Elbow) It’s one thing to admit you have your work cut out for you, but if you’re training a guy for an MMA fight and talk to the media, try not to tell them that your guy absolutely sucks, can’t punch, and is pretty much hopeless.

Neanderthal DNA Lives on…in Some of Us A geneticist has found evidence that we got it on with Neanderthals.

Ken Kyser Introduces the Sonovox (video; We Who Are About to Die) Auto-tuning as it was in 1940. This track is HOT!

One Dollar Art (We Who Are About to Die) Send a SASE and a dollar, get some artwork from a visual artist. Fantastic idea.

The Stuff of Nightmares (Julie Klausner) Disney’s early ice-capades were absolutely frightening.

The Legend of Cassius Clay (video; Nippertown.com) Video of the man who would become Muhammad Ali spitting hot fire with Liberace tickles the ivories.

Headline of the Week

Lord Jesus Christ suffers minor injuries in downtown Northampton Crosswalking Mishap

Got any interesting links of your own? Share ‘em.