Perranoski Prizes Voting Begins
It’s Inaugural Week for the first two term President to win by a 5-4 Supreme Court vote once and by a disputed tally marred by extensive voting irregularities the second time around. Clearly, US presidential Election results aren’t even close to the standards of a West Point honor system.
For progessives, we provide some inaugurations of our own:
Beginning today: A newly reconfigured American Street team adds Douglas McDaniel, Emma of Late Night Thoughts…, eRobin of Fact-esque, Flamingo Jones of off-the-kuff, off-the-record, off-the-wall, Nick Lewis of the Progressive Bloggers’ Alliance and several other solo and group endeavors, Publius of Legal Fiction, Randy Paul of Beautiful Horizons, the talents of both Riggsveda and Rox Populi, and to our Friday Funnies line-up, SZ of World O’ Crap.
Some of our team will be close to the DC inaugural action, and in February, DNC delegate Jenny Greenleaf will be our life inside the party, reporting on the processes that will elect the next Chair and move the party forward.
And of course, there’s the launch of the title event.
Now that Wampum’s had time to get their voting well underway, it’s time for the remaining categories under our Perranoski Prizes. They were described here and nominations came in by comments and by email.
I include similar brief descriptions of each category, with the nominees for each, listed below.
Please choose only one per category. Voting will commence immediately and conclude at midnight on January 31st. If you prefer your vote be private, you may also vote by email to kahlil [at] despammed [dot] com (UPDATE: this email has apparently not been working since 1/12, so please use comments only)
Best Designed Blog
Whether it’s the sheer beauty of the design, the readability and layout, or some other features that you like, this is the place to honor the aesthetic and functional aspects of those blogs that make you go “ooooooh, ahhhhhhh!”
We encourage you to view each again, before voting, to provide yourself a direct comparison of their merits.
Best Art or Photoblog
The written content may be equally important or not. But it’s the quality of the art, the photography, or the photoshopped graphics that rewards the visitor regularly. (Not the place for moving images.)
Again, go look at the amazing photos, and art, of each directly compared to the other.
aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada
MasaManiA (note: heavy graphics means very slow loading; please be patient)
Best Moving Image Blog
The blog that’s created the best of one or more notable moving image presentations, which may be in any video format, Flash, or similar moving image.
EricBlumrich.com’s Bushflash
JibJab, especially for This Land
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog
Bloggers who write editorial toons or comics deserve their own category, named for the creator of Pogo. (As our verification staff is thin, we did not screen this group, but will trust voters to do so.)
August J. Pollak @ xoverboard.com
Best Technical Achievement Blog
Perhaps it’s their blogging about blogging, or about blogging apps. Perhaps they created a blogging platform. Or created a great plug-in. Or a great app like an aggregate RSS reader or comments system. It could be an improved version of something previously created. But whatever they created, it permitted blogging to be advanced in some way, and it began in 2004.
Daily Kos and Talking Points Memo were the only two nominated for this category. It suggests political bloggers may be least interested in this category. I’m not even sure if either began something technically different in 2004 which was part of the requirement.
With the shortage of nominees and that uncertainty, I’ll make a judgment call here and say that voters are not restricted to these two. Just vote for any blog that meets the requirements, we’ll also accept these two as eligible, and we’ll go with the biggest vote-getter.
Best Humanitarian Blog
While this has an element of ‘expert’ to it, it’s expertise that has specifically advocated for or advanced the human condition. So a law blogger might deserve it for their work to end capital punishment - online and/or offline. Or an eco-blogger might desrve it for advancing the understanding of global warming. Maybe the blogger raised funds for a cause. Maybe they are recognized by their peers for research in a specific area. Maybe they’ve advanced or promoted music therapy for developmentally delayed kids.
It can be an individual, a group blog, or a group of blogs working together on a project. Also please note: since the point here is progessiveness in the advance of a humanitarian outcome, political ideology doesn’t matter. So a winner here could be an identified conservative or libertarian. The key is whether humanity has benefited.
Sudan: The Passion of the Present
Don Drysdale Award
Once again, there’s someone right of center in their politics whose blogging has been more than sheer vitriole. They’ve raised awareness and added to the debate and you could enjoy having them over for cocktails without fear that a fistfight would result. And note, this can be an individual, a group or even a humor blogger. (In the latter case, if PJ O’Rourke blogged, he’d make a great nominee). You might disagree with them most of the time but they raise good points or otherwise keep you entertained without seeking to eviscerate or win just to win.
Don’t bypass a vote here. Take time, visit them all and judge them for what you see.
Mother May I Sleep With Treacher?
Norbizness (* he was surprised he was viewed as a Righty, but promised to quote David Brooks more to enhance his voting chances)
Best Investigative Research Blog
Some blogs have prosaic writing or sharp-edged snark, but some are known as much or more for their work digging out the details of a news event (or several), or of things past. As an individual or as members of a group blog, these researchers have brought essential information to light through their research or their investigative journalism skills. Collaborative group blogs are eligible too.
Hall of Fame Award
In baseball, it takes many years of work and several years of retirement to be eligible. But there’s already more bloggers than all the pro baseball players that ever lived, so a shorter time frame is essential.
Any one of several ways can qualify one here:
1) Though it’ll take you some research, it could be any blogger who’s received a combined total of three Koufax awards, but the awards must have been won in at least two different years (winning three in one year won’t provide eligibility). And since this year’s w