Yeah, I didn't vote. I am hostile philosophically to these things.

Bah. Play the game, Afriit.

Well, perhaps in this case. I feel incentised.

I voted in that other one, and it took them days to send me an email so I could get it confirmed. Which may account for the low level of votes you may have received.

Did you see some of yr competition???

Elder of Ziyon
Treppenwitz
Global Voices Online (Middle East/North Africa)

The first 2 are rabid ultra-Israel blogs & the "Israel" section of Global Voices is edited by a woman who hasn't a clue about what it means to truly represent political diversity in her Israeli blog compendium for the site.

I just discovered that the editor I mentioned above has won for Best Non Muslim blog (On the Face) in the Brass Crescent competition. I won't even read her blog since her editing decisions at Global Voices make me so angry. I can't for the life of me understand how she could've won. Were there no better non-Muslim blogs out there this year? I find it hard to believe.

Anyway enough ranting.

BTW, I just voted for you.

I voted, I voted...I swear.

But rational debate doesn't get as many rabid spam votes as the blogs Richard mentions, I suppose.

Well, I looked at the votes, I'd suggest voting for Sandmonkey as we haven't a shot. Not unless Aqoul readers vote more massively than expected.

I think Iraq the Model wins every year.

Looking at the other nominations, I see a distinct slant to the blogs. LGF, for example.

Well, on the one hand you have the LGF crowd, who really, really care who wins, and on the other hand, you have people like Lounsbury, who have day jobs and perspective.

Bingo.

Queer lists really. Obviously the ideologically motivated (all around) drive things.

Richard, Lisa's blog is pretty well-respected overall. I don't know if enough readers who voted for her are as familiar as you are with her editorial decisions at Global Voices, nor would it probably be relevant. Given the specific context of the category for Best Non-Muslim blog, namely:

"Which blog writen by a non-Muslim is most respectful of Islam and seeks genuine dialogue with Muslims?"

It's hard to argue that she doesn't deserve the win. She won by a pretty wide margin as well.

To be honest I think that blog awards only make sense when there's a common thread of identity governing the categories and the nominees. The Wizbang awards end up being an arms race between the left and the right as to who can mobilize the most freepers/kossacks. The sheer breadth of the ideological spectrum that is eligible means that only the extremes end up actually getting nominated.

Obviously I am biased since I manage the BC awards (in partnership with Shahed of altmuslim.com), but I really think that the SNR level of the winners in our contest is much higher than what Wizbang's awards have to offer.

and btw Lounsbury, a pity you and the crew weren't incentised earlier - Aqoul lost to Astrolabe by only 5 votes.

Aqoul lost to Astrolabe by only 5 votes.

Damn! I knew I should have cast 11, instead of the 5 I did.

Huh. Guess I should have voted.

Bah, and no recount to rig either.

If only they'd had instant-runoff voting.

Congrats on the nomination. Also, remember that you can vote once in every 24 hours.

Dear Aya,

yes ... if the Weblog Award site wouldn't crash all the time.

Hmmm, as of right now (8:12 EST) Sandmonkey is leading with more that 50 points ahead of ITM. Could it be that ITM's glorious moment has passed?

--MSK

My proposal - a blog award with the voting weighted by average traffic. The decider would be votes per average unique hits, thus putting the supercrats on an equality with the rest.

Bugger, I can't be bothered to vote once per day.