Friday, December 16, 2005
The Real Elections
Sure, Iraq just had what some might consider an historical election, but there are more important issues to discuss. With that in mind, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the very important, highly influential and rather lucrative (not yet but that's what I'm told) annual Koufax Awards - handed out to the left side of the blogosphere. The folks running the Koufax Awards, Wampum, have just begun receiving nominations. I won't be as completely shameless in my self promotion this year - at least not unless I make it to the semi-finals in which case I will be all over you like a telemarketer on methamphetamine. That being said, I won't be coy either, and I do encourage all to vote for their favorites (read: me you fools!).
Categories are below, and the Wampum site has a fuller explanation of the criteria for each. I won't be making any recommendations until the next round when the field is lessened a little bit, but I do offer a few helpful suggestions (and I would note that I consider my entire blogroll to be an ongoing recommendation):
Best Blog
Best Blog -- Pro Division
Best Blog Community
Best Writing
Best Post: Some of my TIA/LAT favorites - to save you the time of scouring the archives (because I know you were going to): What Might Have Been (a look at what would have happened had we not invaded Iraq), Enlightened Hardboiled-ness (the military's own guru on interrogations says torture is ineffective), Intrigue, Vectors and a Mosaic of Fault Lines (borrowing a concept from publius at Legal Fiction, a look at the Iraqi political landscape).
Best Series: Since I am a series-addict, here, again, some of my favorites: Democracy Debate (series of posts and rebuttals with Marc Schulman at American Future), The Fog of Withdrawal [one, two and three] (a look at the issues of impending withdrawal from Iraq), The Epilogue [Parts one through three linked to here] (another look at withdrawal), The Sound of One Country Clapping [Parts one and two linked to here] (a look at America's increasing isolation and the triumphalism of unipolarity), The I Didn't Do It Country [Parts one and two] (a look at torture, extraordinary renditions and the larger implications).
Best Single Issue Blog
Best Group Blog: (ahem, American Footprints, nee Liberals Against Terrorism - it doesn't get any better than that...)
Most Humorous Blog
Most Humorous Post
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: (Since I can't go for Best New Blog this year [somehow, through your help, made it to the finals last year], I guess I'll have to settle for this category - which judging by my cult-status-like readership levels, will be open to me for many years to come. Like the blogosphere's Susan Lucci, I will be a perennial favorite for deserving of wider recognition due to my consistently...low profile.)
Best Expert Blog
Best New Blog
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues
Best Commenter: (there are a few that frequent this site that should get votes in this one - especially the frequent guest poster mister jon....ter, and the oft cantankerous Mr. A.)
Go forth and nominate away. Vote early and often. And often. And then again. Until you have ten purple fingers. If you don't vote, the terrorists win. Show those folks at Wampum no mercy....
Categories are below, and the Wampum site has a fuller explanation of the criteria for each. I won't be making any recommendations until the next round when the field is lessened a little bit, but I do offer a few helpful suggestions (and I would note that I consider my entire blogroll to be an ongoing recommendation):
Best Blog
Best Blog -- Pro Division
Best Blog Community
Best Writing
Best Post: Some of my TIA/LAT favorites - to save you the time of scouring the archives (because I know you were going to): What Might Have Been (a look at what would have happened had we not invaded Iraq), Enlightened Hardboiled-ness (the military's own guru on interrogations says torture is ineffective), Intrigue, Vectors and a Mosaic of Fault Lines (borrowing a concept from publius at Legal Fiction, a look at the Iraqi political landscape).
Best Series: Since I am a series-addict, here, again, some of my favorites: Democracy Debate (series of posts and rebuttals with Marc Schulman at American Future), The Fog of Withdrawal [one, two and three] (a look at the issues of impending withdrawal from Iraq), The Epilogue [Parts one through three linked to here] (another look at withdrawal), The Sound of One Country Clapping [Parts one and two linked to here] (a look at America's increasing isolation and the triumphalism of unipolarity), The I Didn't Do It Country [Parts one and two] (a look at torture, extraordinary renditions and the larger implications).
Best Single Issue Blog
Best Group Blog: (ahem, American Footprints, nee Liberals Against Terrorism - it doesn't get any better than that...)
Most Humorous Blog
Most Humorous Post
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: (Since I can't go for Best New Blog this year [somehow, through your help, made it to the finals last year], I guess I'll have to settle for this category - which judging by my cult-status-like readership levels, will be open to me for many years to come. Like the blogosphere's Susan Lucci, I will be a perennial favorite for deserving of wider recognition due to my consistently...low profile.)
Best Expert Blog
Best New Blog
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues
Best Commenter: (there are a few that frequent this site that should get votes in this one - especially the frequent guest poster mister jon....ter, and the oft cantankerous Mr. A.)
Go forth and nominate away. Vote early and often. And often. And then again. Until you have ten purple fingers. If you don't vote, the terrorists win. Show those folks at Wampum no mercy....
