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 winners aren’t known yet, there’s only been two years of awards previously (2002 and 2003), so the list of eligibles is probably very short currently under this criteria. Or…
2) The nominee has retired from blogging. While they blogged, they were known for their excellence, even if they never previously won a Koufax. Note: if a retiree wins on this criteria and later returns to blogging, they must cede the award. Update: since none of the other qualifiers has a requirement to ‘cede the award, I’ve decided that no ceding here will occur if they return to active blogging.
3) The nominee was known for their excellence. But they’ll blog no more because they’ve died. And note: even a well-regarded commenter who’s passed away can be eligible here.
4) When you make your nomination for one of the three criteria above, please define why they deserve to be a Hall-of-Famer, so people years hence will understand.
5) Unlike any other category the inductees will be the top three finishers in the balloting.
Aaron Hawk of Uppity Negro. The name itself describes the joie de vivre and spirited attitude that drew many fans to his pioneering blog.
Atrios of Eschaton. A pioneering political commentator who rocketed to national attention with the story that dumped Trent Lott from his Senate leadership position, he’s been a force ever since.
Billmon of Whiskey Bar. Between nominations and today, this master of prose and deep research has reopened his bar, but still qualifies for the final voting.
Emma of Late Night Thoughts …. Known for her family tales of Cuba, her stories of Cuban ex-pats, and far more, this weaver of vivid reality has posted occasionally since on blogs run by others (full disclosure: and will likely post on The American Street in days to come).
Hesiod of Counterspin Central (no longer online). Another of the well-recognized early political bloggers known for his pointed commentary and advocacy of a more aggressive progressivism.
Joshua Micah Marshall of Talking Points Memo. A freelance writer working inside the beltway who also rose to national stature with the Trent Lott debacle, the contacts he’s developed, his research and his persistence at pushing a story or meme have kept him among the best read political bloggers ever since.
(Ginger Stampley of Perverse Access Memory was also nominated, but doesn’t meet the qualifications listed yet, so please vote for one of the six listed above.)
January 16th, 2005 at 5:22 pm
You’re supposed to be taking a break.
January 16th, 2005 at 5:30 pm
Best Designed Blog - Rox Populi (her latest banner turns me on)
Best Designed Blog - Dohiyi Mir (why the hell not?)
Best Moving Image Blog - JibJab (as much as I love rathergood)
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog - get your war on (I nominated xoverboard, but GYWO rulez)
Best Technical Achievement Blog - dkos (no contest)
Best Humanitarian Blog - how to save the world (tough choice, but Dave I think has the most comprehensive worldview)
Don Drysdale Award - Hubris (funny as all git out, and a reasonable person)
Best Investigative Research Blog - BlackBoxVoting.org (hey, voting is, like, our most fundamental right and stuff)
Hall of Fame Award - Billmon (welcome back to the fight–this time I know our side will win)
January 16th, 2005 at 5:31 pm
Best Designed Blog - Dohiyi Mir (why the hell not?)
Crap…
Best Art or Photoblog - Dohiyi Mir (copying and pasting skills aren’t important)
January 16th, 2005 at 6:03 pm
Best Designed Blog - Chepooka!
Best Photo Blog - Ipso Photo
Best Moving Image Blog - JibJab
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog - Get Your War On
Best Technical Achievement Blog - dkos
Best Humanitarian Blog - Passion of the Present
Don Drysdale Award - Norbizness
Best Investigative Research Blog - BlackBoxVoting because without the vote, we are lost. We are lucky to have access to all of those blogs. I really don’t want to have to choose.
Hall of Fame Award - Eschaton no contest
January 16th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
Best Designed Blog - Rox Populi (Yeah, I’m voting for myself)
Best Art or Photo Blog - Dohiyi Mir
Best Moving Image Blog - JibJab
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog - Get Your War On
Don Drysdale Award - Drezner
Best Investigative Research Blog - TPM
Hall of Fame Award - Billmon
January 16th, 2005 at 7:08 pm
Best Designed Blog: Long story; short pier
Best Art or Photoblog: I’m boycotting this category because Tony Pierce was not nominated. (Dohiyi Mir? Chill out NTodd.)
Best Moving Image Blog: BushFlash
Toon Blog: August Pollak (though I almost boycotted this category for not nominating This Modern World, what the hell happened during the nomination process?)
Best Technical Achievement: Daily Kos (”I’m not even sure if either began something technically different in 2004″. Are you kidding me? Daily Kos wouldn’t stop innovating this year. I guess you haven’t seen the revolution that is the Recommeded Diaries feature. And they even have a Firefox extension now.)
Don Drysdale Award: Hubris (I’d vote for Norbizness but it seems like that would be an insult to him)
Best Investigative Research Blog: TPM
Hall of Fame Award: Billmon
January 16th, 2005 at 7:40 pm
Best Humanitarian: Wampum
Best Investigative Research: ACSBlog
Hall of Fame: Atrios
January 16th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Best Art or Photoblog: I’m boycotting this category because Tony Pierce was not nominated. (Dohiyi Mir? Chill out NTodd.)
NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
January 16th, 2005 at 8:05 pm
Best Designed - Blondesense
Best Photoblog - Dohiyi Mir
Best Moving Image - Bushflash
Best Toon - Alas A Blog
Best Humanitarian - Body and Soul
Best Investigative Research - Talking Points Memo
Hall of Fame - Uppity Negro (Aaron’s surname was Hawkins)
January 16th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
Design: Long Story Short Pier
Art/Photoblog: MasaMania
Moving Image: BushFlash
Walt Kelly: GET YOUR WAR ON MOTHERFUCKERS!
Technical Achievement: The Daou Report for excellence in automated news aggregating
Humanitarian: Sudan: The Passion of the Present
Drysdale: Dan Drezner
Investigative: Orcinus
January 16th, 2005 at 9:16 pm
Design: Rox Populi
Photoblog: That manic little Communist from one of those maple syrup states, NTodd at Dohiyi Mir.
Best Toon: Get Your War On, although the best of the series is “My Filing Technique is Unstoppable.”
Humanitarian: Jebus H. Christ, this is tough. I’ll go with tough.
Drysdale Award: Norbizness for sure. Did I mention how I love the fresh, original, and stimulating columns of Charles Krauthammer? But I’m totally cool with gay people in the abstract! What a refreshing right-of-center iconoclast!
Investigative: David Neiwert at Orcinus.
Hall of Fame: Aaron Hawk(ins) of Uppity Negro.
January 16th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
I’ll go with tough? What the hell?!? Wampum, dammit!
January 16th, 2005 at 9:24 pm
Best Design - Rox Populi
Moving Image - JibJab (hands down)
Humanitarian - Wampum
Tech Achievement - Daily Kos
Investigative Reasearch - eriposte
Hall of Fame - Atrios
January 16th, 2005 at 9:39 pm
Best Designed Blog - James Wolcott
Best Photo Blog - Dohiyi Mir
Best Moving Image Blog - rathergood.com
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog - August J. Pollak
Best Humanitarian Blog - Wampum
Don Drysdale Award - Norbizness
Best Investigative Research Blog - Orcinus
Hall of Fame Award - Hesiod
January 17th, 2005 at 12:17 am
Drysdale Award: Velociworld
January 17th, 2005 at 6:42 am
My vote for The Best Designed Blog goes to “Por Um Punhado de Pixels” (www.nemonox.com/ppp). He’s the best!!!
January 17th, 2005 at 8:11 am
Best investigative research blog — Soj at Flogging the Simian
Hall of Fame — Atrios, Billmon, Talking Points Memo (Three of the four giants of the blogging world, the fourth being Markos, who I guess is not eligible)
January 17th, 2005 at 8:14 am
Best Art or Photoblog - Dohiyi Mir
January 17th, 2005 at 8:41 am
To clarify a couple of points: Yes, I was surprised that several toons didn’t get nominated here: Troubletown, In Contempt, Slowpoke and This Modern World especially. DKos would have been eligible for the HOF but no-one nominated him.
The real problem here was timing. I waited to give Wampum enough lead time before starting this. But my announcement was made 12/21, a holiday week, with low traffic. None of the top 20 blogs gave it a writeup. So instead of the hundreds of emails and comments Wampum got, we only got about 60 overall. My bad.
But the purpose and coordination with Wampum was done to see where some future categories might work. They may adopt some of these, or the whole adjunct Perranoski process may shift to another blog entirely.
I already suggested to Dwight that ‘Technical Achievement be dropped and that ‘Moving Images’ be folded into ‘Art & Photoblogs’ which still leaves 7 more caegories than they already have.
I can’t imagine how hard it’ll be next year as I tried counting Wampum’s first two days and it was a mega-chore. I respect them for the task and hope these added categories don’t add to their work unless they gain some added value from it.
January 17th, 2005 at 9:38 am
Drysdale Award for Velociworld
January 17th, 2005 at 10:11 am
Best photo blog: DohiyiMir
Drysdale award: Velociworld
Investigative researdh: Talking Points Memo
Best designed: Trailerpark Girl
Best toon blog: Get Your War On
January 17th, 2005 at 11:20 am
Best Designed Blog
Chepooka
Best Art or Photoblog
Dohiyi Mir
Best Moving Image Blog
rathergood.com
Best Technical Achievement Blog
Daily Kos
Best Humanitarian Blog
Body and Soul
Don Drysdale Award
Norbizness
Best Investigative Research Blog
eRiposte
Hall of Fame Award
Aaron Hawk of Uppity Negro
Hesiod of Counterspin Central
January 17th, 2005 at 12:24 pm
Soj’s Flogging the Simian for investigative.
January 17th, 2005 at 4:42 pm
Best Art or Photoblog: Dohiyi Mir
January 17th, 2005 at 5:21 pm
Best Investigative Blog
Flogging the Simian is the best of the best no other blog has the details this one has nor is written so profoundly, professionally and with heart…………
Besides she once had a license to kill…..
January 17th, 2005 at 6:59 pm
Best Designed Blog- Chepooka
January 17th, 2005 at 7:05 pm
Best investigative research blog: Floggint the Simian de Soj!!
January 17th, 2005 at 7:14 pm
Best Design
Roger Ailes (no, not that one. The other one!)
January 17th, 2005 at 8:19 pm
Best Art or Photoblog: Dohiyi Mir
Best Moving Image: Jib-Jab
Walt Kelly Toon Blog: get your war on
Best Humanitarian Blog: Wampum
Don Drysdale Award: Hubris
Best Investigative Research Blog: BlackBoxVoting.org
Hall of Fame Award: Joshua Micah Marshall
January 18th, 2005 at 8:33 am
Best Art or Photoblog - Coyote’s Bark
January 18th, 2005 at 1:10 pm
For now, just one vote. More later.
Best Moving Image Blog—rathergood.com
Without a doubt. Beyond a doubt. Doubt-free, like our Dauphin.
January 18th, 2005 at 1:13 pm
She is one of the most talented, intelligent persons colloating the news formats around. Her insight comes from the ‘common’ persons view. Those people who are actually affected by national events, large and small with a ’spill-over’ as to how it is viewed by those who made the decisions. She fills a gap that should be what we expect from a “Free-Press” anywhere in the world. I don’t always agree with her views, but that is what a free press is all about. She does listen and correct information as her blog goes on.
January 18th, 2005 at 1:15 pm
FLOGGING THE SIMIAN AT www.weblog.ro/soj
THE ABSOLUTE BEST INFOMATION AND VIEWS.
January 18th, 2005 at 2:35 pm
Best Designed Blog - The Talent Show
Best Photo Blog - South Knox Bubba
Best Moving Image Blog - JibJab
Walt Kelly Best Toon Blog - Get Your War On
Best Technical Achievement Blog - dkos
Best Humanitarian Blog - Under the Same Sun
Don Drysdale Award - Norbizness (so shrill!)
Best Investigative Research Blog - Talking Points Memo
Hall of Fame Award - Billmon at the Whiskey Bar
January 18th, 2005 at 10:06 pm
Hall of Fame and Humanitarian: Aaron Hawkins (Please consider voting for him, and if he doesn’t win this year, please continue nominating him until he does win. Aaron was the most beautiful human being and deserves to be remembered for the groundbreaking and influential blogger he was. He was blogging long before anyone else on this list was.)
Best Moving Image: www.GOYK.com
Everything Else (except conservative): Jeanne from Body and Soul
January 18th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
Oops, I mean Weebls-Stuff for the Only In Kenya movie. GOYK is a ripoff site.
January 18th, 2005 at 10:42 pm
Best Art or Photoblog: The Coyote’s Bark
Best Moving Image Blog: JibJab
Don Drysdale Award: Mother May I Sleep With Treacher?
January 19th, 2005 at 8:56 am
Best Art or Photo Blog: Dohiyi Mir (you should really scroll through some of his photos if you haven’t done so)
Drysdale Award: I’ll vote against myself, and for Mother May I Sleep With Treacher?, ’cause Jim’s funnier than me.
January 19th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
Technical Achievement - Daily Kos
Investigative Research - Talking Points Memo
Hall of Fame - Billmon
January 20th, 2005 at 9:25 am
I’m only voting in categories I know something about.
Design: Long Story, Short Pier
Walt Kelly: Get Your War On
Humanitarian: Body & Soul
Drysdale: Unqualified Offerings
Investigative Research: Talking Points Memo
Hall of Fame: Uppity Negro (we miss you, Aaron)
It was also an honor to be nominated, even if I don’t qualify.
January 20th, 2005 at 7:45 pm
Jesus’ General
World O’Crap
RoguePlanet
rathergood.com
Call of Cthulhu
TBogg
Renato’s liberalmediaconspiracy.blogspot.com
Just plug those votes in wherever most appropriate.
January 21st, 2005 at 6:32 am
Some of my stuff has been archived, in case anyone is interested.
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://counterspin.blogspot.com
And, my posts from the 2002 election cycle were actually archived by the library of Congress.
January 21st, 2005 at 6:36 am
BTW, my vote for best investigative research blog for 2004 is definitely eRiposte. His Swift Boat Liars debunking compendium was phenomenal.
I wish there were more blogs that did this. Creating a central repository for fact-based debunking of rightwing propaganda issues is vital. eRiposte served as a one man Snopes for the Swift Boat allegations, constantly updated.
January 21st, 2005 at 7:18 am
Best Designed: Rox Populi
Walt kelly: Get Your War On is not a blog, and while excellent, doesn’t deserve to here. [Get Jib jab out of here too!] winner is Alas, A Blog!
Humanitarian: Body & Soul
Don Drysdale: Politburo Diktat (righty and a satirist!
Best Moving Image: Bushflash
Hall of Fame: Billmon (Whisky Bar)
January 22nd, 2005 at 10:44 am
Flogging the Simian —- Best Investigative Blog www.weblog.ro/soj
None better!
January 25th, 2005 at 1:23 pm
Best Investigative Research Blog > Flogging the Simian
January 27th, 2005 at 4:05 am
Best Designed: Rox Populi
Best Art or photo: Ipso Photo
Best Toon Blog: Abu Aardvark
Humanitarian: Body and Soul
Don Drysdale: Daniel Drezner (because he deserves it but also because the alliteration is so cool–a bonus)
Investigative: BlackBoxVoting (if it hadn’t been for Bev, we wouldn’t know about the 2-keystroke vote-change or half of what went on in Ohio and New Mexico, never mind Florida)
Hall of Fame: Aaron Hawk
January 30th, 2005 at 1:05 pm
The machine just ate all my votes!
I want a manual recount!!
January 30th, 2005 at 1:59 pm
This is my 3rd try. Hope they don’t all come up at once now.
Best Designed - Long Story Short Pier
Best Photo Blog - aprendiz de todo…
Best Moving Image Blog - rathergood.com (I already voted on this one)
Walt Kelly Best Toon - write in: Mr. Fish (click on “cartoons”)
Best Humanitarian Blog - Under the Same Sun
Best Technical–I plead ignorance of the nuts and bolts, and abstain.
Don Drysdale Award - andrewolmstead.com
Best Investigative Research Blog - This was hard. Orcinus and TPM both do wonderful work. But given the election year and the issues she cracked open when no one else was paying attention, Bev Harris has got my vote. BlackBoxVoting.org
Hall of Fame - Billmon