The Blog I So Desperately Wish I Had Thought Of Creating Myself & Demand That Everyone On Earth Add to Their Favorites List

Griffith & Feil Pharmacy in Kenova, West Virginia
(Image from the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog, which gave
Griffith & Feil a ranking of four and 1/2 Weenies)

I have reviewed a lot of blogs in my day. Some of them are touching, some of them enlightening, some of them flat out funny, and some of the absurdly useful. I don't usually review political blogs, though I do read several, mainly because, being a moderate (socially libertarian, internationally a classical realist of a Machiavellian/Hobbesian bent, domestically a pragmatic Smithian, and environmentally just right of the greens, but from a security perspective, influenced largely by Malthus and, here's the kicker, Nixon) and a political scientist I feel such an urge to deal with issues in all their historical, economic, political, and social complexity that it makes either for horrible posts or for convoluted, huge posts that take the better part of a day to write, and frankly, I ain't got that kinda' time.

I'm off subject. Apologies. Let me recenter.

As I said, I read and review many, many blogs. It is a joy for me to see folks from around Appalachia producing intellectually stimulating such-have-yous. But no words can describe that special pleasure I experienced, shattering my nervous system like a hammer to glass, when I first stumbled across the West Virginia Hot Dogs Blog (via William Stewart's political commentary blog, always an interesting read itself).

That's right. I said it. It is a blog about hot dogs. In West Virginia. And the culture of condiments associated with said hot dogs - specifically slaw. Oh my sweet jumping Deity. This blog makes me believe - no, scratch that - know that humanity is going to be okay. You know why? Because there are members of our species who appreciate the little things, the details. It can't be all bad when there is time for us to dabble in the glories of minutiae. Sigh.

Now, to be accurate, I should point out the the blog is merely a child of a broader project - West Virginia Hot Dogs. Um. Yes.

Oh, and guys, if you ever read this, you need to check out my hometown of Bluefield. Not only do the Dairy Queens (including the backwards DQ - long story) there have unique buns (like toast with a fissure of happy), but Bowen Field, home of the Bluefield Orioles, is legendary for its contributions to Canis caldarius culture. Go Baby O's.