The days of monthly blogroll updates are long gone, but I’ve made enough changes just now that it’s worth calling attention to them.

* Two new blogs join the “Friends” ‘roll: “Smithical”:http://www.smithical.com/index.asp and “Steg’s Music Seminary”:http://scottsteg.blogspot.com/. Steg still has his regular Livejournal, too, but a music-dedicated blog from him is definitely a welcome thing. Just as soon as he adds some actual entries, that is.
* Ed is taking a break from blogging, so the Blog That Goes Ping is no longer pinging. I’m standing right here, holding a candle and waiting for your return, Ed!
* We now have an all-political Top 5, thanks in part to the election season, no doubt. The newcomer to the short list is “Matthew Yglesias”:http://yglesias.typepad.com/matthew/. I’m pretty sure that the only reason he hasn’t shown up there before now is my unconscious assumption that anyone as young as he is can’t be _that_ bright. But he is. I’ve finally made peace with that fact.
* Those honored Top 5 spots are always in flux, though. “Jim”:http://www.highclearing.com/, who was a permanent Top 5 fixture, lost his standing when he want on hiatus — will he have what it takes to get it back? How does “Josh Marshall”:http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/ feel about being left out when “Kevin”:http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/ and Matt, the other members of the Smart Liberal Triumvirate, bask in Top 5 fame and glory — and is he plotting revenge? Only time will tell …
* UPDATE: Late addition to the blogroll: Sara Zuiderveen’s “A Little More Life”:http://www.alittlemorelife.net/weblog/. A new blog from the mix CD goddess. Check it out.