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Tuesday, August 01, 2006
And the Best Vermont Blog Daysie goes to...
The official results won't appear in the paper until tomorrow, but as promised, I'm announcing the Seven Days Best Vermont Blog Daysie tonight.
More than 300 people cast ballots in this year's contest, and they overwhelmingly chose Philip Baruth's Vermont Daily Briefing as the Best Vermont Blog. The Burlington novelist, UVM prof and VPR commentator started his lefty-liberal site last September and quickly garnered a loyal following.
The contest for runner-up was a close one. Satanist Matt G. Paradise (Diabologue) beat last year's winner, filmmaker Bill Simmon (Candleblog), by just one vote. To break the tie, I fell back on my rules about entering the URL. Remember how you were supposed to enter the URL? Well, fans of Simmon's site will be sad to learn that one voter cast a ballot for www.candleblog.com. So Diabologue is this year's runner-up.
On the plus side, Bill, I see that the candlemaker has quit and that URL is now up for grabs.
Congratulations, VDB!
I would also like to note that several other blogs received at least a dozen votes. Vermont Shortbread, Green Mountain Daily, iBrattleboro, Politics VT, and The 8th Nerve were all popular with readers, but not quite popular enough. Better luck next year, cyberscribes!
Thanks, everybody, for voting.
August 1, 2006 at 05:45 PM in VT Blogs | Permalink
Comments
Hey - I should get extra points for calling the winner!
But hey - VDB's win sends the message that the Vermont-left-blogosphere has arrived!
...and btw, just for the record, I think -- like election ballots -- there should have been accomodations for the "clear intent of the voter." In other words, I think Bill absolUTEly should have gotten that vote, in all fairness. I mean, it is a "favorites" contest, and that voter offerred their clear choice, but for their cyber-syntax.
Posted by: odum | Aug 1, 2006 6:16:12 PM
Congratulations Philip! Don't let the glory go to your head. The hookers and coke can get out of control fast, let me tell you. The drug-adled life of a Daysie winner is bitter and lonely. Stay strong and you'll make it through okay.
Seriously, congrats.
Posted by: Bill Simmon | Aug 1, 2006 6:29:45 PM
Point taken, Odum, but I drew the line where I did because I had specified in the instructions that voters had to enter the URL. Several people failed to enter URLs and entered only titles. I had to discount those votes after I had been so specifically asking for the URL. And if I was going to do that, I pretty much had to disqualify someone who voted for the wrong blog entirely.
Next year I'll probably tweak the rules slightly to reflect that concern.
Thanks for your good sportsmanship, Bill.
Posted by: cresmer | Aug 1, 2006 8:33:47 PM
Congrats, Philip.
Sorry, Bill.
But hey! It's an honor just... to... be... nominated.
Hmm. Maybe I should post more often?
;)
Posted by: deCadmus | Aug 1, 2006 9:09:27 PM
Not surprised by the results. Actually I'm happy VDB won... including a lot of Ibrattleboro folks too!
Rumor has it though that before Phil returns home to Burlington, he'll be making a special appearance on the QVC Shopping Network promoting his 2006 Seven Daysies Awards championship rings. I also heard he'll be answering calls during the live program... most likely retirees in Florida with nothing else to do but buy VDB merchandise for their grandkids... in Vermont no less!
Congrats again Phil. Well done.
FYI: Even though Ibrattleboro didn't win, they did celebrate for their 4 millionth page visited last week. There will be a big party tomorrow night at Kipling's Pub on Eliot Street. We'll be celebrating for them... and Phil too! It's gonna be wild, believe me!
Posted by: Brattlerouser | Aug 1, 2006 10:25:32 PM
I'm going to pretend I didn't read that post and just assume Candleblog won it; as Bill desreved to do so.
How stereotypical of VT that a liberal political blog won best blog? I like VDB and his politics but geez, it makes that anti-Dean ad in the 2004 primary come to life. Candleblog is great because it doesn't fit into the stereotype of VT.
Long live Candleblog!
Perhaps, next year, Seven Days could split the award and have Best Political Blog and Best General Blog or something like that.
Posted by: Murf | Aug 2, 2006 9:27:17 AM
Hey, if a bunch more people start really good blogs that enough people start reading, maybe we can justify segmenting the competition.
It'd be cool to do a politics award, a music award and an everything else award...or something like that.
Posted by: cresmer | Aug 2, 2006 9:31:17 AM
I'm going to pretend I didn't read that post and just assume Candleblog won it; as Bill desreved to do so.
Geez. So much for friendly, sportsmanlike competition, eh?
Might I suggest you attend the blogger BBQ next year? If, after that, Charity and I can be all civil and friendly (political nemeses-es-ises (er) that we are), than the air of camaraderie might well inspire you to congratulate rather than dismiss next year's winner, regardless of whether or not the 300+ voters choose to speak with your voice or go all rogue on ya again...
Posted by: odum | Aug 2, 2006 9:43:40 AM
Hey, don't forget, there's a blogger meetup this fall. I did it the last two years in October, but I'm thinking of moving it up to Sept. 23rd. That, or Oct. 14, 21.
Exact date and location TBA.
I'll probably start posting about it soon.
Posted by: cresmer | Aug 2, 2006 9:48:47 AM
Oh, come on, Odum. You're not really offended by my post. I said I liked the guy's blog. I just think Candleblog is better. Don't be so sensitive. This isn't the Academy Awards with a bunch of phoney accepance speeches and backslapping. Baruth knows he writes a good blog. He doesn't need my congratulations to validate his blog.
It's just that there are a lot of political blogs out there but Candleblog is unique. It's like having a conversation with Bill. His personality comes through. It's a little of this and a little of that and fun all over. If I want politics, I can hit a hundred different blogs. But if I want a slice of Bill's personality, I can only hit Candleblog.
Posted by: Murf | Aug 2, 2006 11:11:55 AM
Uh...yes I was really offended by your post, if only mildly. That's why I commented.
Of course he doesn't need your congratulations, but congratulations are more appropriate than a public statement that he didn't deserve it. Call me silly, but I'm gonna stick with that rather radical sounding viewpoint. Sorry.
And absolutely, candleblog is fantastic and would have been a worthy winner, no doubt. As would your blog have been.
Posted by: odum | Aug 2, 2006 12:02:25 PM
Philip WHO ??? I've never heard of him.
Posted by: Nat Kinney | Aug 2, 2006 12:47:47 PM
Fine.....Congratulations, Phillip.
Now, let go of my ear, Odum.
Posted by: Murf | Aug 2, 2006 1:38:06 PM
heh...
...sorry about that.
Posted by: odum | Aug 2, 2006 2:24:51 PM
D'oh! The three stooges pic I called didn't post!
Oh well, here's a link.
Posted by: odum | Aug 2, 2006 2:26:04 PM
Check out the online version of the Daysies for a chilling photo of the pugnacious Philip Baruth (aka "the Nat Kinney Neutralizer").
At the bottom of the page:
http://www.sevendaysvt.com/daysies/mediapolitics0.html
Posted by: Vermonter | Aug 2, 2006 3:39:22 PM
Okay, you'll have to explain the "Nat Kinney neutralizer" bit. I dont get it. Sounds like there's a story I missed.
Posted by: odum | Aug 2, 2006 5:44:02 PM
Just discovered this blog. Great to find a home for all things Vermont. Do love Philip's blog. I look forward to checking out the other daisy winners.
Posted by: MapleMama | Aug 6, 2006 2:57:55 AM
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