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The 2005 Koufax Awards: Best Expert Blog

As Dwight described when he opened nominations, this category "seeks to honor those who bring particular expertise, by way of knowledge, experience, or academic achievement, to a particular topic." As the years have passed, it's become more difficult to compile as many bloggers have essentially, through their own work and research, become the "experts" we know and trust for our information on important topics. However, outside of the blogosphere, the meaning of "expert" is more proscribed, and we've tended to use that concept here in the Koufax Awards.

So here they are. I tried, with some help on the scientific blogs (thanks Coturnix), to put up a general area of "expertise". However, if I'm off the mark substantially, please let me know in the Open Thread above.

ACSBlog (Constitutional Law)

Afarensis (Biology, anthropology, human evolution)

Americablog: John Arvosis (Journalism)

Angry Bear (Economics)

Arms Control Wonk: Jeffrey Lewis (WMD/National Security)

BagNewsNotes (Media images)

Balkanization (Constitutional Law)

Bitch Ph.D. (Academia/Gender)

Brad Blog: John Gideon (Voting)

Brad DeLong (Economics)

Circadiana (Chronobiology and sleep biology)

Cognitive Daily (Cognitive science)

Confined Space (Workplace safety)

Cosmic Variance (Physics, astrophysics)

The Dark Wraith Forums (Economics)

Daily Delay (Campaign finance and ethics)

The Decembrist: Mark Schmitt (Economics/Tax Policy)

Direland: Doug Ireland (Media and Journalism)

Donkey Rising: Ruy Teixeira (Democratic Politics)

East Ethnia (Balkans, sociology)

Effect Measure (Public health)

Export Control Blog: Scott Gearity (Export controls, embargo)

Feral Scholar: Stan Goff (Military, veterans)

Firedoglake (Law, Media)

Informed Comment: Juan Cole (Middle East policy)

Intel Dump (Military/Homeland Security)

Is That Legal?: Eric Muller (Law)

John Hawks (Anthropology, human evolution)

Keat's Telescope (Biology)

Language Log (Language usage)

Legal Fiction: Publius (Law)

Leiter Reports (Philosophy)

Lessig Blog (IP Law)

Living the Scientific Life (Evolution, ornithology)

The Loom (Evolution, science journalism)

Max Speak: Max Sawicky (Economics)

Media Matters (Media)

Mike The Mad Biologist (Evolution, microbiology)

Mixing Memory (Cognitive science)

Mystery Pollster (Polling)

Nathan Newman (Labor issues)

No Quarter: Larry Johnson (Terrorism/Security)

Orcinus: David Neiwert (US Hate Groups)

Panda's Thumb (Evolutionary Biology)

Peter Levine (US Policy)

Pharyngula: PZ Meyers (Evolutionary science)

POGO Blog (Government Oversight)

Real Climate (Climatology/Environment)

Sic Semper Tyrannis (U.S. Military Intelligence)

SyriaComment: Joshua Landis (Middle East policy)

Talk Left: Jeralyn Merritt (Law)

Texas Equity: Angela Valenzuela (Educational Equity & Policy)

Think Progress (Progressive Policy)

Thoughts From Kansas (Evolutionary biology)

Velvel on National Affairs: Lawrence R. Velvel (Law, national affairs)

Washington Note: Steve Clemmons (Political : journalism)

Comments

I have no shame. Pharyngula: PZ Meyers (Evolutionary science)

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I guess PZ and I are tied for first place... Mike the Mad Biologist (Evolution, Microbiology).

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This is a tough category. I'll give it to Think Progress this year.

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PZ probably wins this one. A terrific blog. I'll vote for a tragically under-recognized blog, however: Peter Levine.

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Pharyngula!!!!!!!!

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Lots of wonderful choices! My vote is for The Dark Wraith - he makes economics understandable!

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Pharyngula...most certainly...

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What would Pharyngula do?

(If everyone assumes he will win and votes for other people, PZ may be left in the Cole-d once again.)

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Pharyngula with a wish that there were sub-categories for world affairs, economics, etc. so that I could vote for Informed Comment and Brad DeLong

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Pharyngula.

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for sport i will go to the other side of PZ land and cast my vote for Panda's Thumb

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Pharyngula

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Pharyngula

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While I'd like to vote for Thoughts from Kansas, I feel oddly compelled to cast my vote for Pharyngula.

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Washington Note: Steve Clemmons (Political : journalism)

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Angry Bear

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Firedoglake

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Informed Comment

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BagNewsNotes (Media images)

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Nathan Newman

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Pharyngula. Wish I'd had a prof like PZ back in the 80's--whole life woulda been different.

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Pharyngula

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The Dark Wraith Forums (Economics)

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Pharyngula

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Informed Comment

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Cosmic Variance

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Bitch PhD knows gender and work/life topics like no other.

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Effect Measure

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Pharyngula!

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Well, all the early votes for PZ are making my choice slightly easier, but not much.

David Neiwert at Orcinus.

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Orcinus, though there's hardly anybody on that list I'd feel bad about voting for.

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Bitch Ph.D

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informed comment by juan cole

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Informed Comment: Juan Cole (Middle East policy)

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Bitch, Ph.D.

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Well, it appears PZ will be in the finals so I can vote for him then. For now, let me push East Ethnia (Balkans, sociology).

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Arms Control Wonk

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bitch phd

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PZ will get it in the end, but I'm voting for myself as runner-up:

Bitch PhD

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Bitch PhD

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BitchPhD

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without question, it's Informed Comment

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Apples and oranges category! What's expert, and how do you tell the one from the other?

BPhD.

ash
['Da.']

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bitch phd

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Talk Left: Jeralyn Merritt

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Another one of those awesome new blogs is The Washington Note by Steve Clemons. Insightful, with many exclusives. A great read.

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Pharyngula

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firedoglake

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Apples, kumquats, and Dobermans. Shoot.

Pharygula.

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Informed Comment

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Firedoglake for the legal firepower of ReddHedd and many of the commentors who teach us constitutional law on the fly.

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I'm voting Pharyngula.

While we're at it, when the field is this packed, plurality vote makes no sense whatsoever. In the final vote I think approval will work best; in this round, I'm not so sure, considering that there's no good voting system for multiple-winner elections, though limited vote - the one you're using - is one of the least problematic.

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firedoglake

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firedoglake

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Orcinus

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BitchPh.D.!

Shes good and she reaches out across ideology globally! She opinionated and shares her opinions in an articulate and decisive way. Shes far too relevant to be compared to the other categories. Sorry, the apples and oranges comparison comment has already been made.

Ok, said enough! Hope she has her speech ready :)

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firedoglake

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Pharyngula

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Americablog: John Arvosis (Journalism)

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firedoglake

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Best expert: Effect Measure

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Firedoglake

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Media Matters

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Effect Measure - Revere's explanations of how avian influenza works should be required reading for all Americans.

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Pharyngula

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Like P.Z., I have no shame: Cognitive Daily

Perhaps voting for myself will start a groundswell resurgence
of votes for Cognitive Daily!

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Effect Measure.

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Pharyngula!!!!

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The Dark Wraith Forums (Economics)

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Lots of good ones, but Brad DeLong is a clear #1 to me. (I would say that PZ is #2, with a closely-bunched field for #3.)

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Pharyngula, of course.

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BitchPhD

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Firedoglake

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Pharyngula

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Balkinization

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Pharyngula

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Informed Comment: Juan Cole (Middle East policy)

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Effect Measure

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I have to go with Firedoglake on this one, even though I am still pissed at Jane for not joining in the HR 550 blogswarm. Damn! I thought I was past that. Jane, it isn't you; it's me.

Anyway, their analysis on legal matters is exceptional, and what their coverage of the Fitzgerald investigation was phenomenal and far more interesting and detailed than the so-called professionals.

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Nine out of ten vertebrates agree -- Pharyngula.

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Effect Measure

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Dark Wraith Forums

Making economics understandable, informative, and sexy.

Who knew?!?

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Informed Comment: Juan Cole

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Mike the Mad Biologist

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effect measure

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Effect Measure

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Cosmic Variance

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firedoglake

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Media Matters.

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firedoglake - i always learn something there

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David N at Orcinus--by the tiniest margin over BitchPhD and Juan Cole.

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Brad Blog's focus on vote rigging is heroic. He's a lone voice in the woods and we can only hope that his message finally finds resonance with the public.

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Pharyngula: PZ Meyers
despite the fact that he has no shame...

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Peter Levine

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Effect Measure - rant-free and fact-full; most consistent and genuinely left perspective on public policy of perhaps any blog in the category. Redeems the much abused words "public", "education" and "expert" day after day.

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Pharyngula

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Angry Bear

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Cosmic Variance.

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Pharyngula

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Decembrist

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Pharungula and The Loom tie.

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Balkinization

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Seems it does not have many chances, but I give my vote to Cosmic Variance

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Language Log: although it may not have all the erotic content of Pharyngula, it's generally fascinating in other ways.

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Effect Measure

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Informed Comment: Juan Cole (Middle East policy)

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In a stunning surprise, I vote for Cosmic Variance.

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David Neiwert @ Orinus...It appears Mr Neiwert has a grass roots somewhat organic understanding of the current Neo-Nazis Christian /Right hate movements that have grown out of his native North West. He posesses a keen insight into the hate and inhumanity of these people, as he simultaneously disects the culture of this human condition. Although his revelations are nothing short of inauspicious, he attacks the problems directly and reminds us indifference is as guilty a tool that may be found in any hatemonger's bag.

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My vote goes to ArmsControlWonk.com

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Pharyngula.

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This is hard!

Cosmic Variance

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Peter Levine

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Living the Scientific Life.

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Dark Wraith Forums- also deserving of far wider recognition, in my humble opinion.

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Cosmic Variance

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Brad DeLong

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Pharyngula

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Bitch Ph.D.

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Effect Measure, info over fear. Read it every day.

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Arms Control Wonk

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Effect Measure, Scientist for the People.