If you’re a Californian, or at all interested in local politics and the effects of celebrity, you should certainly head over to James Norwood now; leave a comment or contribute a new topic to the forum. This is the kind of site that could really prosper with enough visits; it speaks to a niche audience like the best sites try to do, and provides opportunities to add feedback and spark discussion.
James’ site has something I haven’t really seen anywhere else, and it’s quite nifty: down the left hand side of the page are headlines from a few other blogs that share something in common with this one. It’s a good way to lead the reader to other sites of interest, rather than simply providing a links list (although that too is present). Of course, if you have an RSS reader you’ll not need any of this.
Posts are grouped by category. The politics section is added to most frequently; reaction to Arnie’s decision to run for governer in California is one example of a recent post, and it’s easy to work back through and see the story progress.
The only problems with this site are the relative lack of content (although on that point I’m not terribly concerned – and neither should you be – since this is a site that will grow), and the design. The layout is fine, but the colour scheme and lack of any eye candy leave the site looking plain and a little unwelcoming.
You can easily read the entire site’s contents in a single sitting, getting completely up-to-date with happenings, and leaving you in the useful position of being able to voice your opinions immediately. Get started on some political debate: if you disagree with James’ opinions I’m sure he’ll be interested in knowing how and why.