The Koufaxes, for those of you unfamiliar, are the annual awards the lefty blogging community gives to ourselves. They’re run by the good folks at Wampum, who give of their time and money with incredible generosity to make the Koufaxes happen each year.
You can go here to leave nominations. At this stage in the process, there’s no limit to how many nominations you can turn in. I’d like to encourage any “Alas” readers who feel inclined to do so to nominate us. :-) (And remember, “Alas” qualifies for both the “Best Blog” and “Best Group Blog” categories, among others).
Also, my fellow bloggers, remember that the “best post,” “best series” and “best new blog” categories are categories in which bloggers are encouraged to self-nominate.
The nominations process is my favorite part of the Koufaxes: the part that’s less about picking just one winner, and is more about doing a lot of nominations as a way of patting our favorite bloggers on the back and saying “good job!” (Plus, “Alas” virtually never wins in the final round, although did win “best design” once. :-P)
Speaking of which, congratulations to occasional “Alas” comment-writer Holly, who has already been nominated for a best comment-writer Koufax this year!
I’m sure I’m forgetting lots of great stuff and leaving out lots of great bloggers, but nominations are inevitably like that. If you see someone deserving that I missed, why not go nominate them yourself?
Aaaargh! It’s even worse than I thought – Our connection crashed and I lost a lot of open tabs. Screw it. I’m going with what I already had done.
Here are the folks I’m nominating for a Koufax for 2006:
Best Blog:
Obsidian Wings.
Best Blog — Pro Division:
Broadsheet.
Barbara’s Blog
Our Bodies, Our Blog
Best Blog Community:
Culture Kitchen
Best Writing:
Hilzoy, Obsidian Wings.
Brownfemipower, Women Of Color Blog.
Amanda, Ballastexistenz.
Michael Berube, Michael Berube.
Flea, One Good Thing.
Suzanne Nossel, Democracy Arsenal.
Best Post:
Ebogjonson, “Should I Use Blackface On My Blog?”
One Good Thing, “Letter To Alex And Chris, Ten Years In The Future”
Michael Berube, “Academic Freedom.”
Having Read The Fine Print: “I Ain’t Having It.”
Shaenon Garrity: “Why I Hate Anthony.”
Political Saffire: “El Hajj Malik el Shabazz, Race, And Politics.”
Official Shrub.com Blog: “How To Be A Real Nice Guy.”
Alas, a Blog: “Do They Really Believe Abortion Is Murder?”
Best Series:
Fattiepatties: “The Top Ten Things I Am Tired Of Discussing.”
Alas/Rachel’s Tavern: “The Sky Is Falling On Black Men?” Part 1 and Part 2.
Pinko Feminist Hellcat: “The OC Rape Case Series.”
Alas a Blog: Refuting Men’s Right Activist Myths About Child Support: 1 and 2.
Best Single Issue Blog:
Big Fat Blog
The Gimp Parade
The Well-Timed Period
Best Group Blog:
Pandagon
Feministe
Alas, a Blog (Yes, very shameless.)
Most Humorous Blog:
Most Humorous Post:
Damned if I know. Everyone knows I have no sense of humor anyhow.
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:
Capitalism Bad, Tree Pretty
Super Babymoma
Racialicious
Angry Brown Butch
The Anti-Essentialist Conundrum
Shrub.com
Best Consonant Level Blog:
Women Of Color Blog.
Echidne of the Snakes
Fetch Me My Axe
Tiny Cat Pants
Reappropriate
Best Expert Blog:
Democracy Arsenal
Junk Food Science
Best New Blog:
Super Babymoma
Racialicious
Junk Food Science
The Anti-Essentialist Conundrum
Best Human Equality Blog:
Women Of Color Blog.
The Anti-Essentialist Conundrum
The Gimp Parade
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues:
Blue Oregon
Best Commenter:
[I’m taking the fifth on this one — Amp]
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Barry, I’ve saved your nominees and posted them, so don’t worry if you can’t post them (it could be our servers.)
Great job, btw. I alway love all the blogs I haven’t been exposed to before.
Just checked, and they went through fine. So much for my cutting and pasting plans ;-).
Well, brownfemipower’s got my vote for best blog, best writing and best commentator. I think Maia’s for best blog worthy of greater recognition. Pinkofeministhellcat for some of her posts and nubian. Oh and blue and Heart too.
There’s several others great ones as well.
I don’t understand what “consonant” level blog means. I still don’t understand most of the blogging lingo.
Do they have a category for most people and governmental agencies you’ve pissed off in a year, lol. Most poison emails from city officials about it?
Lately, every time I look at Heart’s blog, she’s slagging me somewhere in the comments. I’m not saying I haven’t earned that, but it’s decreased my enthusiasm for reading her stuff.
No reason you should understand it (although it’s explained in the post it’s linked to); It’s brand-new blogging lingo with this year’s Koufaxes.
First, you have to understand that the “blog deserving of wider recognition” category isn’t supposed to be for any blog that could, in theory, have more readers and recognition; it’s specifically supposed to be for small, little-known blogs with not all that many readers.
But the “best blog” category tends to be won by the huge blogs – Firedoglake, Glen Greenwald, and so on. Blogs with ungodly huge numbers of readers. The “A” level blogs.
So the “consonant” level blog award “seeks to recognize those moderate-sized blogs which have not yet, or perhaps are happy not to, reach the ranks of the ‘A-listers.'”
Of course, this leaves blogs like, well, “Alas” out in the cold; there’s no way “Alas” could ever win “best blog” against the mega-blogs like Political Animal or Glenn Greenwald or Pandagon, but at the same time “Alas” is probably too big a blog to be what the “consonant” level blog award is intended for. But oh well. :-)
I think that would be the “best coverage of state or local issues” category. And I feel dumb for not nominating you for that in the first place. I’m going to go over and nominate you right now.
Thanks for the mention, Amp and Radfem. It’s nice to be included and compared with the others on that impressive list.
Why, bless your heart, Amp.
Best Commenter:
[I’m taking the fifth on this one — Amp]
Well, modesty forbids…
Wow, thanks for those nominations, Amp. I’m already doing my little happy dance over at my place.
I vote Brownfemipower and Black Amazon as best fucking writers, period. Is there a category for that?
Yay, thank you for nominating me!
And now I’m off to stuff the box for BfP and Black Amazon. :-p
While I think some of the above mentioned blogs are fairly decent, overall IMHO the American rulers aren’t losing much sleep worrying about the mostly feckless liberal/left and its related blogosphere.
Last I checked Bush is about to expand the war in Iraq and many liberal bloggers are still patting themselves on the democrats winning. Well, we’ll see very soon how much opposition the democrats will put up to the Iraq war escalation. If that’s too tangential please excuse me.
As far as blog categories go I’d suggest best contrarian blog (no nominations)
Best non-blog Blog: Left Business Observer discussion list
Iraq Blog: Juan Cole
Wow; thanks.
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Thanks for the definition on consonant blogs and the mention, which was nice. It’s been a difficult week, in relation to stuff that’s going on in my city, including things I had been blogging and writing about much to the dismay of my city government and the police department, with both coming at me in some fashion after it became clear that neither were acting in good faith involving the police oversight body. I was almost discouraged enough to quit for a while because I was wondering if it was worth it but I see how many people blog through wars, occupation and extremely trying situations so that’s both humbling and inspirational.
I had a police department employee who was trying to smear me and worse with city officials and a city council member promising me a spot on a board or commission and strongly encouraging me to basically put my activism in a more positive direction, lol.
It’s crazy but the reaction to blogging and writing and speaking out provides more material to blog, write and speak out about or against.
So it’s nice to have something nice happen. Thank you.
I have to email mine in, b/c the page won’t load in my computer enough to use the comment part. I remembered some blogs, like Reappropriate and the-silence-of-friends and a couple of others.
Wow – thanks for the nomination, Amp! And for a great list, in general.
Thanks for the props, Amp. I really appreciate it. :)
(And RadFem, right back atcha.)
Thanks, Amp! I can’t believe you remembered a post I wrote a year ago. *I* don’t even remember most of what I write!
I emailed the Koupax people because their form doesn’t load on my computer. Thanks again for the kind words. My blog has pissed off quite a few people especially lately so it’s nice to find that some people actually like it, lol.
hey! thanks!
hey, thanks, Amp!
*blush*
Thanks.