Wampum: The 2006 Koufax Awards nominations are now open

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[Note: I'm putting this post on both Wampum and the new Koufax Awards site. You may use the comments section below or at the Koufax site, but please don't use both.]

I'm now opening nominations for the 2006 Koufax Awards. In the past, this has been Dwight's job, but it seems life is keeping him away from the 'Net these days, so rather than wait until 2008, I figured I'd grab the bull by the horns and all. But I will be plagarizing freely from Dwight's previous Koufax introductions; I'm just not as gifted with words as he is.

This is the fifth year of the awards, which in internet time, makes us old and venerable (or perhaps decrepit). The 2002 winners may be found here . The 2003 winners are listed here, the 2004 winners are here, and the 2005 winners here.

The awards were first held at Dwight's original blog (the first blog I ever visited,) Politics, Law and Autism, and he was kind enough to bring them with him when he moved to Wampum. So I'll use Dwight's own words to describe his rationalization for the unusual name, and his vision for them:

The Koufax Awards are named for Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest left handed pitchers of all time. They are intended to honor the best blogs and bloggers of the left. At the core, the Koufax Awards are meant to be an opportunity to say nice things about your favorite bloggers and to provide a bit of recognition for the folks who provide us with daily information, insight, and entertainment. The awards are supposed to be fun for us and fun for you.

While, for some silly reason, the awards have gained a foothold and are widely viewed now as somewhat of an institution, please do not take them too seriously; we actually have more fun watching certain unnamed (cough, Berube, Clarke, et al., cough) bloggers try and outdo each other in the silliness category. Our goal has always been to help build and promote a sense of community among Lefty bloggers and their readers. That goal in mind, this year we have taken steps to actively discourage bad behavior by banning a few more pernicious offenders; those for whom winning an award trumped community-building, and who didn't seem to mind inflicting collateral damage along the way. However, we don't plan on giving them any additional attention, so there will be no published blacklist. We simply won't place their names on the ballot. But as those transgressors are very few and are aware of their previous offenses, if you are nominated and don't appear on the ballot (first round voting posts,) please let us know - we are the first to admit we are only human and make mistakes. Hopefully this year, with some of our new nominating guidelines, those errors will be fewer than in previous years. We're still learning the process as well.

Again, please try not to take the idea of winning and losing too seriously. We hope to help build and promote a feeling of community among lefty bloggers. The primary rules of the contest are be nice and have a great time.

For details of how the awards work, please look here. If you have any other questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to leave a comment or send us an email.

This year, a Sandy will be awarded in each of seventeen categories. Those categories, along with past winners are listed below (I'm quoting Dwight verbatim for most categories):

Best Blog
This category seeks to recognize the best overall work across the entire year. Blogs run by professional journalists and blogs sponsored by media organizations compete in their own division. Blog communities also compete in a separate category. With that understanding, which lefty blog do you consider indispensable? Who was best this year?

Best Blog -- Pro Division
This category is open to bloggers who are professional journalists or blogs sponsored by larger media entities. What is your favorite professional or media sponsored blog?

Best Blog Community
This category recognizes the changes in the way blogs are run. Many blogs now have content from a large number of contributors. This category is for them. For intance, Scoop sites, with their large number of diarists, are eligible for this award. The exact line between a group blog and a community is not easily described although I think I know it when I see it. The Leftcoaster with 11 contributors looks like a group blog to me, as does Crooked Timber with 16. The Huffington Post with its multitude of posters looks like a community blog as does TPMCafe. The dividing line is really up to you. I will note that an active comment board, such as at The Political Animal does not turn a blog into a community. If anyone can write a better definition, I will be happy to publish some clarification.

Best Writing
This category seeks to recognize the best writing on a lefty blogger. Who had the best writing in 2006?

Best Post
This category is intended to identify the one post of the year that stands above all others for originality, insight, and writing. This is one category in which it is most appropriate to nominate your own work. After all, you know your posts better than anyone else.

When making a nomination in this category, you must now send along a link to the post.

Best Series
This category includes both regular features as well as the best coverage of a single issue. As with Best Post, please include links to the entire series, or at a minimum, 3-4 sample posts. This is another category where we want you to send us your best stuff.

Best Single Issue Blog
This category is for blogs that focus exclusively or almost exclusively on a single specific area such as politics, economics, law, science, etc. It differs from Best Expert in that it is about blog content, not the blogger's qualifications.

Best Group Blog
A group is defined as two or more regular contributors but short of whatever is needed to be a community blog. Which true group blog was the overall best in 2006?

Most Humorous Blog
This is a self explanatory category. Who has consistently made you laugh this year?

Most Humorous Post
What post made you laugh out loud this year? If you have read or written anything particularly humorous this year, please send us the link.

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition
This category was added in 2003. It seeks to honor bloggers who are consistently good but for whatever reason do not receive the recognition they deserve. However, with the explosion of talent in the Lefty blogosphere, it seems more fitting as a category for those small blogs which plod away in wilderness, yet to be discovered, versus medium-sized blogs, which, due to writing style or focus, are widely known but still not trafficked as heavily as the big dogs. So who do you think is this year's undiscovered gem?

Best Consonant Level Blog
This is a new category, overwhelmingly supported in the new category poll, and one whose name I greedily pilfered from Attaturk (sitting in for Atrios last week.) It seeks to recognize those moderate-sized blogs which have not yet, or perhaps are happy not to, reach the ranks of the "A-listers". Everyone has their own favorite due to content, wit or ambience, or even the esprit des corps of the comments section. So who is your "go to" moderate-sized blog?

Best Expert Blog
This is another category added in 2003 at the request of the readers. It seeks to honor those who bring particular expertise, by way of professional experience or academic achievement, to a particular topic. Who is this year's best expert?

Best New Blog
This category recognizes new members of the community. One of the real joys of hosting these awards is becoming familiar with new blogs. It is no longer possible for any one person to keep up with all of the entrants. This is a great category for self nominations. Who is the best of the new crop of lefty bloggers?

It should be noted that prior to her 2004 win in this category, Amanda Marcotte of Mouse Words , now of Pandagon, made some promises to voters last year. In particular, she promised that if she won, "I will make a massive ass out myself, with drunken speechifying and boobies." There is no rule against making such promises but there is also no statute of limitations on complying with them. Well, Amanda?

Best Human Equality Blog
This was also added due to significant support in last month's poll. It has always been difficult for any new blogger to "break out" in the blogosphere, but even more so for women and minorities, particularly those who tend to focus on issues of gender, sexual identity (LGBT,) economic, and racial inequality. As the goal of the awards has always been to build community, this category seeks to add greater diversity to a still overwhelmingly white, male, middle-class blogosphere, and the tendency of many cross-blog discussions to focus on issues of particular interest to that same limited demographic. As Wampum was originally founded by an American Indian woman (me), this category is perhaps too long in coming.

What is your favorite blog written by a woman and/or person of color, which focuses a significant portion of its content on "human equality" issues?

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues
This is a category added in 2004 based on reader suggestions. It is intended to honor blogs with a focus on happenings in a single state or single locality. Which state or local blog provided the best coverage this year? When making nominations please include the state of locality of coverage as well as a link

Best Commenter
This category is for those who post comments on other people's blogs. Who was the best commenter of 2006?

Those are the seventeen categories. We did consider other new categories, but the two added gained the most support. Since our format is different this year, I really didn't want to add too many new ones, so not to complicate matters more than we already have.

The one other major change we have made this year is to institute a one-year moratorium on last year's winners, within the category in which they won a Koufax Award. For instance, the venerable Shakespeare's Sister is not eligible to win Best Group Blog again, but is eligible in other qualifying categories.

Hosting the Koufax Awards is a lot of work. In the past we have merely requested that nominators provide a link when making a nomination, particularly when nominating a particular post or series of posts. This year, however, we are making it mandatory. We are also asking that once a site, blogger or post has been nominated within a given category, please do not nominate it a second (3rd, 50th, etc.) time, as it only makes it much more difficult to then sift through the thousands of nominations in comments looking for originals.

Two years ago, the onslaught of traffic generated by the awards crashed Wampum, and last year, as Chris kindly noted last month, at times, the site ran slower than molasses in Bangor in January. Eric has worked many hours and we will be spending a considerable amount of money to make sure that does not happen again. We dearly appreciate the three dozen or so contributors who helped us buy the new generator and server hard drives. The remainder of the awards are run on our own dime. If you can afford it, please hit our tip jar to keep the Koufax Awards running and running fairly, or visit our Wish List of goodies (books, DVDs, computer and video games) to keep our kids preoccupied while their parents are glued to their laptops.

We do all of the work of the awards by hand. That has advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that we tend to make mistakes. When we make one this year, please let us know and we will do out best to correct it.

While you are here for the Koufax Awards, please feel free to look around. You may find some non-Koufax related items of interest. We've added a new feature, for people who have registered and would like to contribute original content (see Recent Blog Posts up on the right hand sidebar.) In addition, please visit our home site, Wampum, to keep up with the latest news and opinion on Iraq, Indians, autism, law, and the upcoming 2008 Democratic primary silly season.

Please remember that this is an effort to build a sense of community. Let's all try to have fun. Okay, send us some nominations. You can also email nominations to us at koufax | at | nic-naa | dot | net.

Note: The very first comment will be from me, a boiler-plate of all the nominations you can cut, paste and edit in subsequent comments.

Update 1/8/07: I just want to be completely clear that URLs are required this year. No exceptions.

Update 1/9/07: Some comments with lots of URLs are being held by Movable Type's editor - don't worry if your comment doesn't show up immediately - we'll release held comments every few hours.

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Comments

Best Blog
Best Blog -- Pro Division
Best Blog Community
Best Writing
Best Post
Best Series
Best Single Issue Blog
Best Group Blog
Most Humorous Blog
Most Humorous Post
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition
Best Consonant Level Blog
Best Expert Blog
Best New Blog
Best Human Equality Blog
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues
Best Commenter

Posted by: MBW | January 7, 2007 04:56 PM

Thanks for doing this. You've helped me find some amazing bloggers in the past and I expect I'll find the same in the future.

Now to all you readers out there, a really cool thing to do would be to click on that donate button and give whatever tyou can. A couple of bucks is better than nothing.

It really is important that we support each other and take each other seriously in our efforts. C'mon! You know you want to do it! :)

Posted by: Ravenmn | January 7, 2007 11:32 PM

The difference between a group blog and a community:
The majority of content in a group blog (not comments) is created by the blog's owner and partners. In a community it's created by the site's registered users while owner-provided content serves more as an anchor.

Posted by: P6 | January 7, 2007 11:52 PM

Nomination for Most Humorous Post:

I Am A Terrorist

Or
�How I Threatened To Burn My Professor At The Stake�

This post dates to August 2005, so it may not be eligible. If that is the case, I apologize. Its just that I'm still laughing ... and will be through the rest of the year, likely....

Posted by: Greg Laden | January 7, 2007 11:57 PM

Greg, the post is definitely eligible, since it falls with the calendar year 2005, but we need a link.

Posted by: MBW | January 8, 2007 12:08 AM

Best Blog: Sadly, No! The perfect blend of humor and pathos.

Best Blog Community: Sadly, No!

Best Writing: Digby

Best Post: Mickey Z: Science, Medicine and the Gullible Left

Best Series: Jon Swift's Amazon Reviews

Best Single Issue Blog: The Motherless

Best Group Blog: Firedoglake

Most Humorous Blog: Bartcop

Most Humorous Post: World 'O Crap It's A Wonderful Life (Sort of. Compared to Suicide)

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: Mad Melancholic Feminista

Best Consonant Level Blog: Reclusive Leftist

Best Expert Blog: Psychologists Acting With Conscience Together

Best New Blog: Writhe Safely Mine, because we need a consumer-driven revolution in mental health.

Best Human Equality Blog: Brownfemipower

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues: Off the Kuff

Best Commenter: Sly Civilian

----

Many thanks to Wampum for your hard work and dedication to community-building.

Posted by: flawedplan | January 8, 2007 01:15 AM

I'm really not trying to send in a book, MB. It's just that there are so many wonderful writers out there. And I wanted to tell you I had a marvelous time last year with all of this. I made new friends, learned new things. I'm looking forward to it all again this year as well.

Best Blog:
Blondsense
http://blondesense.blogspot.com/
My Left Wing
http://www.myleftwing.com/frontPage.do
The Dark Wraith Forums
http://dark-wraith.com/
Shakespeare�s Sister
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/

Best Blog - Pro Division:
The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Best Blog Community:
Bring it On
http://www.teambio.org/
The Peace Train
http://www.thepeacetrain.org/
Night Bird's Fountain
http://www.nightbirdsfountain.blogspot.com/

Best Writing:
Tammie from Soul Gardening
http://soulgardening.typepad.com/
Wordgirl form Half of the Sky
http://wordgirl5.typepad.com/half_of_the_sky/

Best Post:
Wordgirl from Half of the Sky
"My Shoes Don�t Fit You...And Vice Versa�"
http://wordgirl5.typepad.com/half_of_the_sky/2006/09/my_shoes_dont_f.html
Tammie from Soul Gardening (guest posting at The Fat Lady Sings)
"Legacy"
http://www.fatladysings.us/the_fat_lady_sings/2006/10/legacy.html

Best Series:
Suburban Turmoil/Petroville for "The Perfect Post Awards"
http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/
Examples:
1."October Perfect Post Awards"
http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/2006/11/october-perfect-post-awards.html
Baghdad Burning
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
Examples:
1."A Lynching" - http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_riverbendblog_archive.html#116759318228411422
2."The Raid" - http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_riverbendblog_archive.html#113960899464455450
Wampum - Jack Abramoff
http://wampum.wabanaki.net/
Examples: MB, you all know best about that. I read every post. I learned more about Abramoff and what he did from your reporting than from anywhere else.

Best Single Issue Blog
The Existentialist Cowboy for Politics
http://existentialistcowboy.blogspot.com/
The Heretik for Politics
http://theheretik.us/
Troll Baby for Parenting
http://troll-baby.com/
The Dark Wraith Forums for Economics
http://dark-wraith.com/

Best Group Blog:
The Motherless
http://www.themotherless.com/

Most Humorous Blog:
Blue Girl in a Red State
http://bluegirlredstate.typepad.com/blue_girl/
Suburban Turmoil
http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/

Most Humorous Post
Arabella from Trattotia Breve
"Armageddon"
http://trattoriabreve.blogspot.com/2006/11/armageddon.html
Lindsay Ferrier from Suburban Turmoil
"All Hail the Trophy Wife"
http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Columns/Suburban_Turmoil/2006/09/07/All_Hail_the_Trophy_Wife/index.shtml

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:
Neil Shakespeare
http://neilshakespeare.blogspot.com/
Redneck Mother
http://redneckmother.blogspot.com/

Best Constant Level
Suburban Turmoil
http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/
Shakespeare's Sister
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/

Best Expert Blog
The Dark Wraith - Economics

Best New Blog:
The Motherless
http://www.themotherless.com/

Best Human Equality Blog
Tennessee Guerilla Women
http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/

Best Commenter:
The Dark Wraith
http://dark-wraith.com/

I know that's a whole lot of people. But there are so many wonderful writers out there; picking just a handful is very difficult. As for nominating myself in any categories; I will take your advice on that and do it separately.

Thanks for your forbearance!
The Fat Lady Sings

Posted by: The Fat Lady Sings | January 8, 2007 02:41 AM

2006!?

Posted by: coturnix | January 8, 2007 02:44 AM

Bluegrass Report- Best State and Local Issues Blog

Posted by: Dbarhorst | January 8, 2007 07:28 AM

BluegrassReport.org for Best Coverage of State and Local Issues

Posted by: Amy Hull | January 8, 2007 07:37 AM

Bluegrass Report won last year in that category, so they're not eligible this year.

Posted by: MBW | January 8, 2007 08:19 AM

I nominate BluegrassReport.org for best blog. They have the best inside information.

Posted by: Jim Scroghan | January 8, 2007 08:26 AM

Where does it say that a blog can't win a category two years in a row?

Posted by: Pete | January 8, 2007 08:26 AM

Pete, in the post above:

The one other major change we have made this year is to institute a one-year moratorium on last year's winners, within the category in which they won a Koufax Award.

Posted by: MBW | January 8, 2007 08:52 AM

BluegrassReport.org for the category of Best Coverage of State or Local Issues and best overall blog

They have replaced the Newspapers in Kentucky as the first source for political and government news

Posted by: Chris Tobe | January 8, 2007 08:54 AM

Also, in the post, it also asks that people NOT renominate the same blog over and over again for one category. One, it makes threads get so long that they cannot be easily opened, and two, it makes sorting through and finding original nominations difficult. I promise that if a blog is nominated for a particular category, I will do my best to make sure it makes the ballot.

Posted by: MBW | January 8, 2007 08:55 AM

MBW - Thank you. I overlooked that, and Bluegrass Report just advised readers not to nominate for the category as well.

I would like to nominate BluegrassReport.org (www.bluegrassreport.org) for Best Consonant Level blog.

Posted by: Pete | January 8, 2007 09:34 AM

I nominate BluegrassReport.org for Best Consonant Level Blog. There is something of interest there every single day.

Posted by: Tom Mulhall | January 8, 2007 09:49 AM

Best Post - Interview with Evan Bayh (Kentucky Democrat)
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition - Kentucky Democrat
Best Consonant Level Blog - Bluegrass Report
Best Commenter - Sam Wise, Jeff Noble

Note from MBW - URLs please?

Posted by: Daniel | January 8, 2007 09:55 AM

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues:
www.keystonepolitics.com (Pennsylvania)

Posted by: Lori | January 8, 2007 10:40 AM

Best post- Their Reality Has Lapped Our Satire

Sure, it's a self-nomination, but (a) that's encouraged, and (b) more important, the cross-posted version received several "Koufax Award-worthy" comments.

Posted by: dhonig | January 8, 2007 11:21 AM

I posted mine on the other site. Make sure, everyone, to look at both places before posting your nominations!

Posted by: coturnix | January 8, 2007 11:21 AM

Best Single Issue website.
I would like to nominate Bluegrass Report

Posted by: aaron | January 8, 2007 11:30 AM

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues:
Smashed Frog (http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/)
I knew I'd forgotten something!

Posted by: The Fat Lady Sings | January 8, 2007 12:02 PM

I nominate The Fat Lady Sings super funny posts ‘The Fertility Festival’ for Best Post and Most Humorous Post. I also think she deserves a nomination for Best Writing.

The Fertility Festival Part One
The Fertility Festival Part Two
The Fertility Festival Conclusion

Posted by: Arfnax | January 8, 2007 02:11 PM

MOST HUMOROUS POST
Chris Clarke - The Love Song Of J. Edgar Goldstein

BEST POST -
Chris Clarke - What's Liberal About the Liberal Arts? The Graphic Novel [4M PDF]

Posted by: Roxanne | January 8, 2007 02:21 PM

I'd like to nominate The Oil Drum for Best Blog, Best Blog Community, Best Single Issue Blog, Most Deserving of Wider Recognition, Best Expert Blog, and Best New Blog. They're doing amazing, smart work over there on energy. Very high signal-to-noise ratio:

http://www.theoildrum.com

Their blurbage:

TOD is a community constructed with the purpose of bringing together intelligent people to have intelligent empirically-based discussions of the future of our energy supply. Most of our roster of editors and contributors possess advanced degrees (MAs, MScs, and Ph.D.s) from many disciplines including engineering, physics, other hard sciences, the social sciences, as well as other relevant fields. Our goal is to influence the discourse on our energy supply by facilitating informed and empirically-based discussion about the future of our energy supply. The Oil Drum receives an average of 8000 or so unique visits and 22500 unique page views per day.

I hope you'll give them a look if you are concerned about the future of, and the impacts of, our energy situation.

Posted by: schloopy | January 8, 2007 02:41 PM

I see that The Fat Lady Sings is already nominated for Best Writing and Best Post. I'd like to add:

Best Series
The Fat Lady Sings
Monday's Child:
This is a weekly Arts series
Here are some examples....
Monday's Child 1
Monday's Child 2

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition
If you're not reading her you should be.

Best Commenter
The Fat Lady Sings - Especially at The Motherless and Dark Wraith

Posted by: George | January 8, 2007 03:38 PM

Most Humorous blog: Dependable renegade

Posted by: karen lander | January 8, 2007 04:30 PM

The below is copied form www.bluegrassreports.com. Is this kind of self promotion acceptable and within the spirit of the contest? If so we will send it to our favorite blogs and ask them to promote the contest.

2006 Koufax Awards
As you may remember, BluegrassReport.org won the 2005 Koufax Award for Best State/Local Blog in the country (actually, we shared it with Tennessee Guerilla Women).

Well, they've just opened the nominations for the 2006 Koufax Awards. I hope you'll consider taking the time to formally nominate BluegrassReport.org for this year's award as well. I think we were stronger in 2006 than 2005, when we won it.

UPDATE: I just learned that they changed the rules for 2006 and that there is now a one-year moratorium for last year's winners within the category they won. That means that BGR is not eligible in the Best State/Local category. Instead, I think we should focus on two catgeories: Best Consonant Level Blog and Best Single Issue Blog. If we can get BGR nominated for both, we can decide later which one we ought to focus on.

Like last year, there will be three rounds of voting. First for nominations, then a second round to whittle the nominations to about ten finalists, and then the final round to select the winner for each category.

The categories for the 2006 Koufax Awards are:

In any event, you can nominate for as many, or few, categories you'd like.

All you have to do is CLICK HERE and leave your nomination in the form of a comment at the bottom of the page. I'd be grateful for your nomination of BluegrassReport.org for the category of either Best Consonant Level Blog or Best Single Issue Blog. Pick one category -- not both -- when you nominate.

Thanks, Mark

Posted by Mark Nickolas on Monday, January 08, 2007 at 08:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

Posted by: Kentuckian | January 8, 2007 04:40 PM

Best Blog: http://www.first-draft.com/
Best Writing: Athenae of First Draft
Best Professional Blog: Orcinus, http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/
Best Single Issue Blog: http://scoutneworleans.blogspot.com/
Best Series: Dave Neiwart, "The March of the Minutemen"
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2006/01/scaping-goat.html
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2006/01/march-of-minutemen.html, etc.
Best Group Blog: http://firedoglake.com/
Most Humorous Blog: http://www.dependablerenegade.com/
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: http://www.hecatedemetersdatter.blogspot.com/

Best Consonant Level Blog: http://dohiyimir.typepad.com/
Best Expert Blog: http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/
Best Human Equality Blog: http://www.feministing.com/
Best Commenter: Xtian @ Dependable Renegade

Posted by: piegrrrl | January 8, 2007 05:01 PM

Oops. That should be "Xristi" from Dependable Renegade as Best Commenter.

Posted by: piegrrrl | January 8, 2007 05:04 PM

Modification:

I earlier nominated "I am a terrorist" but somehow forgot to include a link.
(I really thought I had done that... sorry!

Here it is:

http://90percenttrue.com/?p=41

Cheers,

GTL

Posted by: Greg Laden | January 8, 2007 05:19 PM

Best post nominations:

Best Post:
Letter to Alex and Chris, Twelve years in the Future
Author: Flea
Blog: One Good Thing
I saved this post and read it over and over, and have re-read it frequently all year long. I've forwarded it to more people than I can remember.

http://buggydoo.blogspot.com/2006/03/letter-to-alex-and-chris-twelve-years.html
******************************************************************

Best Post:
Future Shock
Author: Twisty Faster
Blog: I Blame the Patriarchy
Not as obstreperous as usual for Twisty, certainly not what the blog is known for, but a beautiful piece of writing. Goddamn cheeseburgers...
http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2006/01/22/future-shock/

Best Post:
Sod off, God! Week continues
Author: Twisty Faster
Blog: I Blame the Patriarchy
In the midst of seasonal "glittery polyester holiness" Twisty ruminates on godbags, bogus assumptions, and whether humans really need rituals. This post is righteous, angry, scornful, funny as shit, cynical yet generous and wise, and above all, deceptively graceful writing.

http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2006/11/30/sod-off-god-week-continues/

Best Post:
Destruction's Bottom Line
Author: Scout Prime
Blog: Scout Prime: Blogging from New Orleans!

All of Scout Prime's New Orleans posts are outstanding and she's deserving of her own category but the following one stands out because of the raw power of the writing and the palpable frustration at being in New Orleans post-Katrina, seeing it and "getting" it, and knowing that most Americans have already forgotten it. The video that accompanies the post is equally powerful- the destruction goes on and on and on and on.

http://scoutneworleans.blogspot.com/2006/03/destructions-bottom-line_02.html

******************************************************************
Best Post: End of Year
Author: Chris Clarke
Blog: Creek Running North

During a long hard year when my own life overwhelmed me so often that I couldn't even cry over it anymore, Chris Clarke's writing-usually the posts about Zeke the dog- made me weep time and again. Bearing witness to the passage of time, of life and impending death, of memory and the now, this was writing with muscle and heart. Good medicine.

http://faultline.org/index.php/site/comments/end_of_year/

****************************************************************
Best Post:
A Royal Visit
Author: riverbend
Blog: Baghdad Burning

I feel like every one of riverbend's posts is a gift. Somewhere in Baghdad is an enormously gifted writer, communicating with amazing posts that manage to capture both the enormity of the chaos as well as the illusory ordinariness of transitory moments in day to day life under occupation.

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_riverbendblog_archive.html#114573587568328409

Posted by: lavalamp/virgotex | January 8, 2007 06:19 PM

Best Commenter noms:

Xristi
blog: Dependable Renegade

NTodd
blog: Eschaton

agave
blog: Eschaton

flory
blog: Eschaton and First Draft

Central Scrutinizer
blog: Eschaton

Moonbotica
blog: Eschaton

Hecate
blog: Eschaton

Tena
blog: Eschaton

Dr. Barmpot Shouty-Crackers
blog: Eschaton

Thers
blog: Eschaton and elsewhere

Attaturk
blog: Eschaton

Posted by: lavalamp/virgotex | January 8, 2007 06:30 PM

Best Blog: Spocko's Brain (http://www.spockosbrain.com) Adventus (http://www.rmadisonj.blogspot.com/) Eschaton (http://www.atrios.blogspot.com)
Best Writing: Robert M. Jeffers, Adventus
Best Post: Scout Prime, A Tale of Two Blocks (http://www.first-draft.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6970&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)
Best Series: Scout Prime, Hurricane Katrina coverage (http://www.first-draft.com/modules.php?name=News&file=topics&topic=30)
Most Humorous Blog: Dependable Renegade (http://www.dependablerenegade.com/)
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: Mia Culpa (http://miaculpa.blogspot.com/), Spocko's Brain, Adventus
Best Commenter: BuggyQ, Virgotex, Black_Sheep_One, Kay, Leinie, Hoppy, Flory - all at First Draft. Tena, Dan McEnroe and FeralLiberal at Eschaton.

Posted by: Athenae | January 8, 2007 08:25 PM

-Best Blog: Unclaimed Territory
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/
*********************************************************************
-Best Writing: The Daily Pulp
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/blogs/
********************************************************************
-Most Humorous Blog
Some Cranky Guy http://www.somecrankyguy.com/
*********************************************************************
-Best Post: Smashed Frog http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com
FOR:
-The Road to Second Chance
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/09/road-to-second-chance.html

-For William Styron, I Wish Dancing Girls http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/12/for-william-styron-i-wish-dancing_04.html

-Ain't No Senator's Son
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/11/aint-no-senators-son.html

*********************************************************************
-Best Series: Smashed Frog http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com

FOR: The Nancy Grace Chronicles

-Nancy Grace Faces Lawsuit
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/11/nancy-grace-faces-lawsuit.html

-Boycott Nancy Grace Sponsors
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/09/boycott-nancy-grace-sponsors.html

-Nancy Grace, Get Your Gun
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/09/nancy-grace-get-your-gun.html

-Fall from Grace
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/09/fall-from-grace.html
********************************************************************

-Best Single Issue Blog: NG Blog http://www.nlsngrc.blogspot.com//atom.xml/
*********************************************************************
-Best Group Blog: Florida Progressive Coalition
http://quinnell.us/sspb/
*********************************************************************
-Most Humorous Post:

Smashed Frog http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com
-FOR: Fred Flintstone Lives
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/08/fred-flintstone-lives.html
**********************************************************************
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:

-Thoughts of an Average Woman
http://www.toaaw.typepad.com/toaaw/

-The Fat Lady Sings
http://www.fatladysings.us//
************************************************************************
Best Consonant Level Blog
Bark Bark Woof Woof
http://barkbarkwoofwoof.blogspot.com/
************************************************************************
Best Expert Blog:
The 13th Juror http://jackiedowd.blogspot.com//
************************************************************************
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues:
The State of Sunshine
http://stateofsunshine.blogspot.com/
************************************************************************
Best Commenter: Gatordem
Blog: Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/user/gatordem

Posted by: Sunny | January 8, 2007 09:50 PM

Best Blog:My Left Wing!
(or blog community)

My Left Wing has it all, community, humor, rant, exceptional writers, and is still a community enough to get long, detailed interactive responses!

It has exceptional writers that cross post many places, but still call MLW home.

It is was drives the Overton Window of the more moderate sites like dKos left.

Posted by: Diane W | January 8, 2007 09:51 PM

Best writing:

Alison Hanstchel (Athenae from FirstDraft.com)

Athenae has a way of seeing through the murk,
no matter whether the subject ees, say, Saddam's execution, the entertaining flailings of the Pajamahadeen, or the impact on American motherhood of Britney's hoo-hoo. Athenae draws away the obfuscating monkey chatter,
and provides a note of righteous anger-fueled clarity.

so.

Posted by: !El Gato Negro! | January 8, 2007 11:46 PM

For the love of god, please give bluegrassreports something. Maybe there should be a Everyone Wins A Koufax Award Day or something...

Posted by: tbogg | January 9, 2007 01:34 AM

Best Group Blog - Online Blog Integrity

They did a great job of standing up against online "outing", and they're pretty funny.

Best Consonant Level Blog - the American Street

Funny, informative and great commentary.

Posted by: Jenna D | January 9, 2007 01:45 AM

Best Blog:

***My Left Wing

Best Blog -- Pro Division:

*** Huffington Post

Best Blog Community:

Best Writing:

*** gottlieb @ My Left Wing
*** occam's hatchet @ My Left Wing
*** Maryscott O'Connor @ My Left Wing

Best Post:

*** The New Ozymandias, by occam's hatchet
*** What It's Like, by lorraine
*** Poverty in America, by caliberal

and, forgive me, but no one ELSE is gonna do it:

*** Al Gore MUST Run for President in 2008, by Maryscott O'Connor
*** Love Is the Answer, by Maryscott O'Connor
*** I Am Not A Patriot: OR, Confessions of a Bleeding Heart Liberal Pinko Commie Traitor: Immigration & Outsourcing & Fair Trade, Oh MY!, by Maryscott O'Connor
*** Abortion, Murder & Moral Relativism, by Maryscott O'Connor
*** Caught Between the Scylla & Charybdis: The Existential Dilemma of the Liberal, by Maryscott O'Connor

Best Series:

*** Iraq War Grief, RubDMC
*** Medicare D(isaster), by Terri Emerick
*** Postcards, by gottlieb

Best Single Issue Blog:

*** The Bonddad Blog
*** Frederick Clarkson

Best Group Blog:

*** Stop the Drug War

Most Humorous Blog:

*** The Rude Pundit

Most Humorous Post:

*** The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Apocalypse, by Dood Abides
*** Gone with the Spin, by Dood Abides

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:

*** kid oakland

Best Consonant Level Blog:

Best Expert Blog:

*** The Bonddad Blog
*** Calling All Wingnuts (Mike Stark)

Best New Blog:

*** Patterns That Connect
*** The Bonddad Blog
*** The Musings of a New Millennium Nigga
*** American Liberalism Project

Best Human Equality Blog:

*** Angry Black Bitch
*** The Daily Gotham
*** Black Feminism
*** Shakespeare's Sister

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues:

*** Blue Jersey
*** Calitics (California)
*** Green Mountain Daily (Vermont)
***My Left Nutmeg (Connecticut)
*** Michigan Liberal

Best Commenter:

*** eugene
*** Lilian M. Friedberg
*** Weeping for Brunnhilde
*** wu ming
*** Arthur Gilroy
*** Nonpartisan
*** shannika

Posted by: Maryscott O'Connor | January 9, 2007 04:49 AM

Best Series: Scout Prime, Hurricane Katrina coverage (http://www.first-draft.com/modules.php?name=News&file=topics&topic=30)

Most Humorous: Dependable Renegade http://www.dependablerenegade.com/

Posted by: lb0313 | January 9, 2007 05:29 AM

athenea from http://www.first-draft.com/ best writing

Posted by: eg | January 9, 2007 05:33 AM

Best Blog - Think Progress, http://thinkprogress.org/
Best Blog -- Pro Division
Best Blog Community - Feministing, http://feministing.com/
Best Writing - I Blame the Patriarchy, http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/
Best Post - "Pink Opium" http://threadingwater.wordpress.com/2006/11/03/pink-opium/
Best Series
Best Single Issue Blog - I Blame the Patriarchy, http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/

Best Group Blog
Most Humorous Blog
Most Humorous Post
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition
Best Consonant Level Blog - BlueGal, http://bgalrstate.blogspot.com
Best Expert Blog
Best New Blog
Best Human Equality Blog - Barbara's Blog, http://ehrenreich.blogs.com/barbaras_blog/
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues
Best Commenter

Posted by: threadingwater | January 9, 2007 11:47 AM

Best Writing: Athenae @ first-draft.com

Posted by: WitchWay11 | January 9, 2007 01:50 PM

Most humorous blog: Dependable Renegade http://www.dependablerenegade.com/
Best Blog: Hullabaloo (Digby)
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/

Best Writing: Digby @Hullabaloo
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/

Posted by: MikeyB | January 9, 2007 02:10 PM

Best Series: Question of the Day (Blogger - Rachel) (Blog - MLW)
Best Writer: gottlieb (Blog - MLW)

Posted by: beagleandtabby | January 9, 2007 03:46 PM

I vote for Progressive Blog Digest for both "Best Blog" and "Deserving Wider Recognition".

Posted by: Colleen Vojak | January 9, 2007 05:04 PM

I am nominating Nick Burbules (http://pbd.blogspot.com) as best blog of 2006.

Nick's wide-ranging review of the progressive blogs, along with his enlightened commentary, provides all of us who lack the time to surf with one-stop shopping to keep us up to date in the blogopshere.

Posted by: leonard waks | January 9, 2007 05:09 PM

Best Writing: Phila at http://bouphonia.blogspot.com

Posted by: Ripley | January 9, 2007 05:17 PM

Wider recogniton: "Progressive Blog Digest" (http://pbd.blogspot.com)

Posted by: Jim Levin | January 9, 2007 05:32 PM

Best blog: http://pbd.blogspot.com

Nick Burbules's Progressive Blog Digest is absolutely indispensable!

Posted by: Jessica Wilson | January 9, 2007 05:38 PM

best new blog
http://pushingrope.blogspot.com

most deserving of wider recognition
http://pushingrope.blogspot.com

best coverage of state or local issues
http://pushingrope.blogspot.com

Posted by: Michael Hussey | January 9, 2007 06:31 PM

Group blog: Education Policy Blog (http://educationpolicyblog.blogspot.com) (disclosure: I write for it)
Expert blog: http://www.shermandorn.com (hey, I'm allowed to nominate my own occasionally!
Best blog: the just-defunct'd Michael B�rub� (http://www.michaelberube.com)
Best writing: Bitch, Ph.D. (bitchphd.blogspot.com/)
Indispensable: PBD, by Nick Burbules (http://pbd.blogspot.com/)

Posted by: Sherman Dorn | January 9, 2007 07:26 PM

Best Writing - ThreadingWater http://threadingwater.wordpress.org

Posted by: ghw | January 9, 2007 07:41 PM

Best Single Issue Blog and Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:
Corpus Obscurum: http://www.corpusobscurum.com

Remembering those whose accomplishments vastly exceeded their fame

Posted by: Evan Halquist | January 9, 2007 07:57 PM

Most humorous blog
Rising Hegemon
http://www.rising-hegemon.blogspot.com

Posted by: pro choice lib | January 9, 2007 08:11 PM

Best Blog:
"Progressive Blog Digest" (http://pbd.blogspot.com)

Posted by: BR | January 9, 2007 09:04 PM

Okay. This is pretty funny, but I had a whole list of people/blogs/posts I was going to nominate, BUT I followed the rules and have eliminated all the duplicates. Which leaves me, tonight, with nominating me, myself, and I (oh, and Caliberal.). Sheesh. Tomorrow, I'll re-look at everything, but here are my nominations for stuff. I guess this is my personal whoring post.

Best post:
Caliberal
The Scars that Keep on Giving and Taking
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6279

Lorraine
Habeas Corpus
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12029

Lorraine
Come to Me for Plan B
http://www.culturekitchen.com/node/9376

Lorraine
Torture and the Truth, again
http://www.culturekitchen.com/lorraine/blog/torture_and_the_truth_again

Lorraine
A Radical, Not Just a Democrat
http://www.culturekitchen.com/lorraine/blog/a_radical_not_just_a_democrat

Lorraine
CWFA Versus Mother Earth
http://www.culturekitchen.com/lorraine/blog/cwfa_vs_mother_earth

Lorraine
Interpreting the Horror
http://lorraine-berry.blogspot.com/2006/07/interpreting-horror.html

Posted by: lorraine Berry | January 9, 2007 10:15 PM

Best Blog -- Pro Division
Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Best Blog Community
My Left Wing http://www.myleftwing.com/frontPage.do

Best Writing,
Gottlieb @ MyLeftWing
http://www.myleftwing.com/userDiary.do?personId=378

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition:
The Left End of the Dial
http://ajbenjaminjrbeta.blogspot.com/

Best Commenter
Slick riddles @ Myleftwing
http://www.myleftwing.com/userDiary.do?personId=1556

Posted by: lilian m. Friedberg | January 10, 2007 12:05 AM

I never do anything right the first time:

Best Post:
Surviving Suicide: Leaving Red Lake
by Lilian M. Friedberg
http://historicalfootnotes.blogspot.com/2006/06/surviving-suicide-leaving-red-lake.html

Best Group Blog:
The Left End of the Dial
http://ajbenjaminjrbeta.blogspot.com/

Best Human Equality Blog:
Political Sapphire (shanikka)
http://www.politicalsapphire.blogspot.com/

Posted by: lilian m. Friedberg | January 10, 2007 12:13 AM

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: And So It Goes…
http://voxd.blogsome.com/

Best Expert Blog : Unlciamed Territory
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/

Posted by: ccc | January 10, 2007 01:27 AM

Best Blog

Progressive Blog Digest
http://pbd.blogspot.com

Posted by: Matt D | January 10, 2007 06:01 AM

Best Blog: Progressive Blog Digest ( http://pbd.blogspot.com)

Best Group Blog: Education Policy Blog (http://educationpolicyblog.blogspot.com)

Posted by: A. G. Rud | January 10, 2007 07:59 AM

Best Blog - Dailykos.com
Best Blog -- Pro Division
Best Blog Community - www.RaisingKaine.com
Best Writing
Best Post
Best Series
Best Single Issue Blog
Best Group Blog www.RaisingKaine.com
Most Humorous Blog
Most Humorous Post
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition
Best Consonant Level Blog
Best Expert Blog
Best New Blog
Best Human Equality Blog
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues - www.RaisingKaine.com
Best Commenter

Posted by: bp | January 10, 2007 08:28 AM

Cosmic Variance
Shakespeare's Sister
The Dark Wraith Forums
Lance Mannion

Sean @ Cosmic Variance
Mannion @ Lance Mannion
Shakes @ Shakespeare's Sister
The Dark Wraith @ The Dark Wraith Forums
Paul The Spud @ Shakespeare's Sister

Lance Mannion - Nothing in Middle-earth happens by accident
Shakes - Tradition is the Ultimate Dog Whistle
The Dark Wraith - Hydrocarbon Battlefields

The Dark Wraith (economics)
Cosmic Variance (Science/Astronomy)

Shakespeare's Sister

Posted by: Iain McEwan | January 10, 2007 09:31 AM

most humorous - Happy Furry Puppy Story Time, alicublog

best post - Sifu Tweety's flameout

best single issue - Alternadad, Echidne of the Snakes

Posted by: paperpusher | January 10, 2007 09:50 AM

Best Post: Smashed Frog
The Full Court Press for Foley?
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com/2006/11/full-court-press-for-foley.html

Best Writing: Smashed Frog
http://smashedfrog.blogspot.com

Posted by: JM | January 10, 2007 11:18 AM

I would like to nominate the NOLA bloggers for Best Blog Community. There is a group of New Orleans bloggers who have done tremendous work in not only blogging about the recovery of New Orleans but have been leaders in community activism. They also put on a great bloggers conference called The Rising Tide.

So if I could I nominate Your Right Hand Thief to represent the NOLA bloggers in nomination for Best Blog Community

Posted by: scout prime | January 10, 2007 01:15 PM

Best Blog - Shakespeare's Sister
Best Blog -- Pro Division - Orcinus
Best Blog Community - Corrente
Best Writing - Why Are We Back in Iraq?
Best Post -
Best Series -
Best Single Issue Blog -
Best Group Blog - Grouchy's Liberaltopia
Most Humorous Blog -
Most Humorous Post -
Most Deserving of Wider Recognition Mixter's Mix
Best Consonant Level Blog -
Best Expert Blog -
Best New Blog - The Six Institute of Strangeness
Best Human Equality Blog -
Best Coverage of State or Local Issues - folkbum's rambles and rants
Best Commenter -

Posted by: MLW | January 10, 2007 04:57 PM

Best blog: Shakespeare's Sister
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com

Most humorous post: Shakes doing her patriotic duty.
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2006/09/doing-my-patriotic-duty.html

Best new blog: Indexed
http://indexed.blogspot.com

Posted by: SpaceCowboy | January 10, 2007 05:22 PM

Oh, what the hell-

Most humorous post: Every Time I Phone You, I Just Wanna Put You Down...
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2006/05/every-time-i-phone-you-i-just-wanna.html

Posted by: Zack | January 11, 2007 01:01 AM

Dammit, forgot to say:

Best Blog: Shakespeare's Sister
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Zack | January 11, 2007 01:03 AM

Best blog:
Alicublog
http://alicublog.blogspot.com

Best humorous blog:
Chase me ladies, I'm in the cavalry
http://chasemeladies.blogspot.com

The other 60 million are all shit.

Posted by: Wolfgang McManus | January 11, 2007 11:34 AM

Please nominate these:

Best Blog: Gun Toting Liberal http://guntotingliberal.com

Best Group Blog: Xark! http://xark.typepad.com/my_weblog

Thanks!

Posted by: Rockwell | January 11, 2007 03:21 PM

Best Post - To Review, posted by piny at Feministe
http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2006/11/29/4171/

Best Expert Blog - Orcinus
http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/

Best single issue blog - Women of Color Blog
http://brownfemipower.com/

Best Writing - Pandagon
http://pandagon.net

Posted by: kabuki | January 11, 2007 05:24 PM

Definitely 'most deserving of wider recognition'.

Brilliant for me to keep in touch with left-leaning thought in the USA. I've lost track of all the times I've recommended this to people over here trying to understand what's going on across the pond.

Posted by: Patricia | January 11, 2007 05:28 PM

Best Series - I'm not one to Blog, But...'s reporting on the mess that is the Santa Barbara Newspress.

Posted by: Amy | January 11, 2007 06:33 PM

Best Blog...Pandagon

Best Blog -- Pro Division...Orinicus

Best Blog Community...Corrente

Best Writing...Creek Running North

Best Post...Gorilla's Guides, Death in a Garbage Dump

Best Series...Biting Beaver, Morality clauses, EC, and broken condoms (See links here)

Best Single Issue Blog...Today in Iraq

Best Group Blog...Liberal Avenger

Most Humorous Blog...The Poor Man Institute

Most Humorous Post...What's Liberal About The Liberal Arts? The Graphic Novel

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition...appletree

Best Consonant Level Blog...Phronesisaical

Best Expert Blog...No Quarter

Best New Blog...appletree

Best Human Equality Blog...Para Justicia y Libertad

Best Coverage of State or Local Issues...Blog for Arizona

Best Commenter: dutch of Liberal Avenger

Posted by: gordo | January 12, 2007 03:38 PM

I vote for this as best blog:

http://pbd.blogspot.com

Posted by: Robert McKim | January 13, 2007 01:22 PM

Best Expert Blog
http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2007/01/koufax_award_nominations_now_o.php#more

Posted by: K | January 17, 2007 05:30 AM

A few that don't appear to have been nominated yet:

Best Blog -- Pro Division: Broadsheet

Best series:
shirah's series on privatization of IRS functions on Unbossed (here, here, here, and here)
environmentalist's "The Conservation Economy" on Unbossed (here, here, here, here, and here)
dengre's series on Jack Abramoff on Daily Kos (here, here, here, and here)