Well, everyone seems to be doing this, so who am I to be different? Here are my choices in
The 2008 Weblog Awards (which end at 5 P.M. EST):
Best Blog
Choice: Hot Air
Reason: The definitive conservative news and analysis blog, with a dash of teh funneh mixed in. Please get as many votes to them as you can; we must defeat Andrew Sullivan! (You can vote from the same location once every 24 hours.)
Best New Blog
Choice: The Dark Sphere
Reason: It's logical AND conservative, and the fellow seems to know Photoshop pretty well, so major props.
Best Individual Blogger
Choice: The Anchoress
Reason: A brilliant blogger, Elizabeth Scalia manages to offer up political and religious coverage with a tempered, fair approach.
Best Humour Blog
Choice: IMAO
Reason: Jonathan Swift reincarnated, Frank J. introduced the concept of political fan fiction and is part of the reason I got into blogging. Simply hilarious.
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: Mother, May I Sleep with Treacher?
Best Comic Strip
Choice: THREE-WAY TIE - Day by Day; Garfield Minus Garfield; xkcd
Reason: Depends on the kind of Web comic you like. If you want smart politics, go with Day by Day. If you like the surreal, Garfield Minus Garfield. For a more traditional and random style of humour, go with xkcd. All are worthy selections.
Best On-Line Community
Choice: None
Reason: I don't use any of them, so...
Best Liberal Blog
Choice: N/A
Reason: Category makes no sense.
Best Conservative Blog
Choice: TIE - Ace of Spades; Atlas Shrugs
Reason: Both do blogging right - Blunt but smart. Ace has taken it upon himself to make up for the lack of profanity in the conservative blogosphere, and Pam is just... Well, Pam is awesome, even if she did endorse Romney for President.
Best Political Coverage
Choice: Townhall
Reason: A bastion of conservative thought, Townhall is going to be crushed soundly by FiveThirtyEight. Now, I give props to FiveThirtyEight as a predictor, but I find Nate Silver's analysis to be sorely lacking and completely blinded by liberal bias. As such, I can not in good conscience endorse him. Townhall it is.
Best Celebrity Blogger
Choice: None
Reason: Celebrity blogs suck.
Best Technology Blog
Choice: Ars Technica
Reason: Jam-packed with geeky knowledge, Ars goes above and beyond the call of duty
Best Sports Blog
Choice: None
Reason: I don't like sports.
Best Military Blog
Choice: Blackfive
Reason: Uncle Jimbo is a cranky, old man who hates liberals and loves the troops.
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: Michael Yon
Best Law Blog
Choice: Volokh Conspiracy
Reason: Group blogging done right, Eugene Volokh provides an eclectic mix of conservative and libertarian thought - all in defence of the correct, Originalist interpretation of our Constitution.
Best Business Blog
Choice: Suitably Flip
Reason: For providing business news with a sarcastic, conservative twist.
Best LGBT Blog
Choice: Gay Patriot
Reason: Bruce is a colleague of mine, and we have exchanged links. We actually see eye-to-eye on many issues, including, ironically, opposition to calling same-sex unions "marriage". Gay Patriot is an example of how good people can agree to disagree and still remain civil; when the media regularly cite Andrew Sullivan as an example of a "gay conservative", they should really refer to Bruce and his co-bloggers.
Best Parenting Blog
Choice: None
Reason: I don't have any kids that I know of.
Best Education Blog
Choice: None
Reason: Wikipedia teaches me everything I need to know.
Best Science Blog
Choice: TIE Climate Audit; Watts Up With That?
Reason: Both are global warming sceptics and back up their assertions with fact. SUCK IT, GORE.
Best Medical/Health Issues Blog
Choice: None
Reason: We have WebMD for a REASON, people!
Best Religious Blog
Choice: Standing On My Head
Reason: The blog which most closely matches my beliefs, it's by an Anglican priest who became a Roman Catholic. If only he were Orthodox, it would be pure Heaven.
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Best Pet Blog
Choice: F*** You, Penguin
Reason: I can't describe FUP, to be perfectly honest. It's so damned...
rude. I love it. Vote for it. NOW.
Best Food Blog
Choice: Cake Wrecks
Reason: It's a cross between F*** You, Penguin and one of Maddox's articles mocking children's drawings. The fact that this idea for a blog didn't come along sooner is shameful.
Best Blog Design
Choice: Inhabitat
Reason: The one thing which plagues most blogs (including, admittedly, this one) is a cluttered layout and a decidedly anti-Web site look. I don't know any of these blogs, but I looked them over - since this is purely a beauty contest, not a judgement of content - and decided that this one is the purtiest.
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: Rin-Wendy.com
Best Photo Blog
Choice: Daily Dose of Imagery
Reason: PRETTY PICTURES. Oh, and very good and diverse selections. PRETTY SELECTIONS.
Best Culture Blog
Choice: TIE - Dirty Harry's Place; SondraK.com
Reason: Both are conservative takes on our crazy world. DHP is now defunct, so you can give him a gift or go with Sondra and support the living.
(SKIPS BUNCH OF BLOGS I NEVER READ)
Best Video Blog
Choice: MsUnderestimated
Reason: A well-written, relevant conservative video blog. If you missed that interview with Ann Coulter where she punches a chick in the face, this is the place to find it.
Best Canadian Blog
Choice: Ezra Levant
Reason: Ezra is one of the bravest voices for freedom of speech, fighting Canada's fascistic "hate speech" codes in order to expose the truth about Islamism. He deserves your vote perhaps more than anyone.
Best UK Blog
Choice: Melanie Phillips
Reason: A chilling take on the encroaching Islamic threat across the pond, Phillips' fearless reporting has shown why we must resist the oppressors in our midst, now more than ever.
Best European Blog (Non UK)
Choice: ¡No Pasarán!
Reason: It's a Hot Air affiliate, and it seems to mock the French despite being French.
(SKIPS ASIA)
Best Middle East or Africa Blog
Choice: TIE - Michael J. Totten; Israelly Cool
Reason: Both are staunchly pro-Israel and have the wit and facts to back it up. Do NOT let Juan Cole win!
Best Australia or New Zealand Blog
Choice: Tim Blair
Reason: At the risk of repeating myself: He's funny and conservative. 'Nuff said.
Best Major Blog
Choice: Instapundit
Reason: Heh. Indeed.
Best Very Large Blog
Choice: protein wisdom
Reason: Always informative and provocative, pw manages to be conservative but cool.
OTHER GOOD CHOICES: Right Wing News; Patterico's Pontifications
Best Large Blog
Choice: JammyWearingFool
Reason: He's like a low-budget Hot Air. I like Hot Air.
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: Sister Toldjah
Best Midsize Blog
Choice: Zomblog
Reason: zombie is perhaps the most valuable undercover journalist in America. He or she (we do not even know zombie's sex) has willingly gone to the front lines of the culture wars to show the ugly side of the far Left (and the far Right when the twain meet). Please vote for Zomblog!
ANOTHER GOOD CHOICE: Israel Matzav
Best Small Blog
Choice: Exurban League
Reason: Curt but always on target, this is a fine conservative blog.
Best Up and Coming Blog
Choice: The Sundries Shack
Reason: Incisive commentary which should not go unnoticed - and they're very hard on Obama. Awesome.
Best Hidden Gem:
Choice: deadenders
Reason: A crazy-ass, pro-Palin PUMA. I fear for my life if I do not appease him.
THAT'S IT! Don't forget,
vote for douche-bags!
