ReZoom

The portrait of a blogger is a young man, or woman. And often, that portrait is wrong. Despite the fact that the Internet was created by baby boomers, it's too often viewed as a teenager's playground. Every junior high kid has a blog now ... but are they any good? Only if you sit next to the author in homeroom. Many of the best blogs, the ones with the smartest observations, clearest writing, most dazzling photos and most compelling stories are maintained by people in their 40s, 60s ... even 80s. It's time to put to rest that myth about grandpa and his computer phobia. The grandpas we found online know how to use technology to say their piece. And bloggers in their 40s and 50s are documenting the workplace, the news of the day, and their interests in fascinating detail. So we're spotlighting great reads and thought-provoking posts from people who have been around long enough to have something to say. We hope you enjoy them.

News and Politics
In these divided times, observers on both sides of the political spectrum — and everything in between — can find ammunition for their ideas on the web, and an audience looking for a filter through which to view an increasingly unexplainable world. These eight bloggers use news, history and photos to tell their side of the story.

Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish
Libertarian conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan may be the most read blogger on the Internet, in part because of his ability to intelligently question the status quo, and engage in discussions of the news with the other side.

JonathAnalter.com
Journalist and Newsweek columnist Jonathan Alter has a historian's eye to the news of the day, and often reaches back in time in this thought-provoking blog to help us better understand the consequences of our actions today.

Althouse
Law professor Ann Althouse photo-driven blog offers biting commentary on news and politics. Her offbeat sense of humor and her lawyer's ability to argue any point makes this blog popular on both sides of the aisle.

Barbara's Blog
Writer Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed to Death in America, revealed the tremendous difficulty the working class has in getting ahead, or just getting by, in today's economic climate. Her blog continues to share research, news and observations on the topic.

Professor Bainbridge
Not one, but three popular blogs keeps UCLA professor Bainbridge busy. One is devoted to law and business topics, another to political punditry, and the third takes on the lighter side of life with a daily discussion of food and wine.

La Shawn Barber's Corner
Only recently 40, this black conservative Christian blogger has carved out a unique niche for herself. She blends news and politics with perspectives on the experience of being black in America.

Daily Kos
A team of bloggers works on this thoughtful and hugely popular liberal news analysis site, including contributing editor Barbara Morrill, a stay-at-home mother in her 40s who was inspired to became a political commentator by actions of the Bush administration.

Crunchy Con
Rod Dreyher's blog discusses conservative politics and religion through a slightly more discerning lends. The author of Crunchy Cons, a book about the conservative movements maverick environmentalist and alternative thinkers, put the same spin on his daily observations.

Art and Culture
If it were only text on a screen, the Internet would be a less inviting place, and a less beautiful one. But photographs, visual art and a design sensibility that is quickly coming into its own — and now influencing the world beyond the screen — makes the Internet not just a commentor on the arts but a conributor. These eight blogs cover the arts scene and chronicle the progress of our culture through the creative efforts of writers and artists.

PostSecret
Frank Warren's postcard art blog PostSecret has won a following among eavesdroppers and art lovers alike. Each day he posts cards created by anonymous people who are hoping to unburden some secret — usually troubling — from their past. Heartbreaking, beautiful, and always interesting, the site is like no other.

David Gilmour
Every twentysomething rocker, star or not, has a blog. But it's the old rockers, the people who have had a career worth following, who have the most to say. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour continues to make music, collaborating with artists in a wide variety of genres, and sharing his experiences on this blog.

Grumpy Old Bookman
The retirement years are a great time to catch up on a little reading, unless you're like book blogger Michael Allen, who spends too much time writing about books and reading on this literary blog.

Freakonomics
Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner wrote about the statistical oddities in American culture in their bestseller Freakonomics, and this quirky blog continues to explore freaky topics.

Dilbert Blog
We all know the world of work can be weird, and cartoonist Scott Adams helped define that weirdness by capturing the personalities and peculiarities of corporate America in his Dilbert comic strip. And that's not all — his Dilbert blog makes continuing observations on work culture.

The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs
Daniel Lyons Apple Computer guru Steve Jobs has had a profound impact on the world through technology and culture, bringing us products that have changed the way we create art and experience it. This is not his blog; instead, it's a hilarious look at Jobs and Apple culture by blogger Daniel Lyons, who takes on what he imagines is Jobs' persona — give or take a few degrees of ego.

Stereophile
Fred Kaplan writes a lively, entertaining and deeply knowledgeable blog about current jazz releases Stereophile. His passion for music must be a relief from his other work, infinitely heavier areas of studies; he writes about national security issues for Slate.com and wrote about the history of nuclear strategy in his book The Wizards of Armageddon.

Two Coats of Paint
Painter and art professor Sharon Butler lays down her brush and takes up blogging to examine trends in the art world, review notable works and exhibits, and engage her readers in a discussion about the place art holds in our lives.

Science and Environment

Bad Astronomy
What's that thing in the sky? Check in on Phil Platt's astronomy blog to see if there's a celestial event underway. This fascinating look at our night sky is informative, philosophical, timely and out of this world.

Tahr Country
Retired wildlife warden Moham Alambath blogs about endangered species, new discoveries in the wildlife kingdom and news impacting wildlife and environment around the world.

10,000 Birds
Birdwatching is the fast-growing outdoors pursuit, and this blog, started by Mike Bergin, features frequent news items, observations, and reviews related to the estimated 10,000 winged species that populate our skies.

Cosmic Variance
Cosmologist Sean Carroll, along with a team of other physicists and astrophysicists, write about everything in the universe — literally — on this blog. Their conversational style and sense of humor brings a high-minded topic down to earth.

Musings
Jacques Distler's science blog Musings includes his thoughts on "science, math and life on earth," and reads like the lecture of a very fun and down to earth professor — which he actually is, at the University of Texas, where he is currently at work on string theory.

Neat-o-Rama
Gail Hapke is one of the chief writers of this catalog of the strange, a fascinating and far-reaching blog that covers nature topics ranging from natural disasters to optimal illusions to paranormal activity.

Climate Ark
It is incredibly dispiriting that there is enough news and information about global warming being generated on a daily basis to maintain a lively blog compiling it all, but Dr. Glen Barry does an admirable job with this fascinating (and depressing) topic.

Looting Matters
There are numerous archeology blogs, most of which trumpet new finds and encourage new digs. But Professor David Gill takes a more philosophical view of the matter of finding antiquities in this thoughtful blog, which discusses the latest news from the archeology world, while urging caution and respect of lost worlds.


Home and Garden
The home is our most private world, and thanks to the Internet, we can let the world into our private realms. Happy homemakers share their domestic secrets and passions through blogs that inspire or awe through words and pictures. Following good blogs can help us become better cooks, gardeners, housekeepers and parents as people share their passions, struggles and successes with a virtual audience. These are some of the best daily reads in the domestic realm.

May Dreams Gardens
Warm, chatty, and enviably good at gardening, Indiana-based garden blogger Carol captures the passage of the seasons in this beautifully photographed, informative, inspiring and friendly gardening blog.

Brooklyn Rowhouse
Many an intrepid homeowner launches a blog to share the trials of home improvement. Steve Manes' blog about remodeling a 1906 rowhouse is especially popular, possibly because the house has needed such an exhaustive amount of renovation — which he painstakingly documents for his readers.

No Impact Man
Colin Beaven, aka No Impact Man, is blogging about his efforts to live as environmentally low-impact a life as possible — with his wife and child in New York City. In this fascinating blog, he discusses his efforts to find local food, live off the grid and reduce waste on a personal level, while influencing others to think about their own habits.

Pet Connection
For many people, a home without a pet is not quite a home. Syndicated pet columnist Gina Spadafori blogs about pet-related new, including pet food recalls and natural disasters.

Farmgirl Fare
Susan, a hobby farmer and bread baker extraordinaire, offers a glimpse of country living, while teaching her readers how to cook. Mouthwatering photos make this blog addictive, and the off-the-beaten path topics, such as the tending of sourdough starters and sheep, make this food blog a standout in a crowded field.

Fussy
There are almost as many parent blogs out there as there are kids, and the popularity of these confess-all online diaries attests to the difficulties of raising children. Eden Marriot Kennedy has her first baby at the age of 37 (he's now 6) and has chronicled the impact parenthood has had on her life in this popular blog.

Everyday Simplicity
Former lawyer Rebecca Kennedy maintains this frugal living blog that blends practical tips to simplify your life and current events that impact the domestic realm, such as product recalls. Most of these posts fall under the category of "advice," but it's free advice — how many lawyers offer that?

The Garage Blog
The garage is considered a secondary accessory to the home — unless you're as auto-minded as Gary Grant. Grant's Garage Blog covers automaker news, car racing, reviews of new models and car-related media, and the full range of car culture in all of its fuel-scented glory.

Health and Longevity

Medical breakthroughs and a better understanding of our bodies and lifestyles have helped us enjoy a higher quality of life, and a possibility of a longer life, than our forebears. The Internet has played a large role in the spread of information (and misinformation) about health topics, allowing anyone the chance to become an expert with the help of Google. Health care professionals share their knowledge, opinions and their new discoveries via topics blogs. And every health condition under the sun has inspired a personal blog, as people share their experiences and create a virtual community of supporters. Here are eight blogs you may have missed — and that may teach you something critical.

Time Goes By
Retired radio and television producer Roni Bennett has poured her energy into this blog on elder culture, with a special focus on Medicare. Tirelessly researched and humorously written, Bennet's posts make you think twice about topics like the media portrayal of older people, or the provisions this country has made for its aging population.

Octogenarian
One of the oldest bloggers on the Web is also one of the sharpest. Retired journalist Mort provides sharp analysis of current events and modern culture, mixed with a little nostalgia. This blog proves that longevity doesn't mean slowing down or tuning out.

The Life Insurance Blog
This quirky, often hilarious blog written by two New Zealand Baby Boomers, Ed Saul and Steve DeJong, purports to be about life insurance, but in actually is more about living long and well, as they blog about health, fitness and lifestyle news, and give tips that could help people buy life insurance for many more years.

Psych Central
This long-running mental health blog covers news, conditions and anecdotes from the practice of Dr. John Grohol. Friendly, compassionate and often funny, this blog is a terrific resource.

Your Online Nutritionist
RN and nutritionist Sue Roberts provides her insight on dieting, nutrition and food safety in this frequently updated, user-friendly blog that seems fueled by a passionate calling to public service. Roberts spotlights practical advice and shoots down dangerous habits and fads in her no-nonsense style.

Junkfood Science
Readers of Sandy Szwarc's blog get an insider's view on the healthcare news of the day —and a good dose of information that never makes it into the mainstream media. Her excellent series on bariatric surgery is especially hard-hitting.

Schwitzer Health News Blog
Healthcare journalist Gary Schwitzer launched the Mayo Clinic's website, and has studied health care topics as a writer and professor at the University of Minnesota. In this blog, he discusses hot topics in the news, and posits that what you hear in the headlines is not always what it appears to be.

Susie Bright's Journal
Recent studies have revealed that people are enjoying rewarding intimate lives well into their elder years — due in part to healthy lifestyles. Susie Bright's smart, informational, "sex-positive" blog covers sex topics ranging from practical health advice to art and culture inspired by sexuality.

Blogs from ReZoom
Can't get enough of bloggers over 40? Try ReZoom's blogs for even more online fun.