Dennis The Peasant's 2009 Blogging Awards... Part One: The Good

I've never bothered handing out awards before, largely because the only meaningful awards there are in this world are the ones I win. And since I haven't won any, what we have is a sort of existential conundrum of minor proportions.

That said, what the fuck, let's hand out some awards...

First, the Best:

Best Political Blogger: Jane Hamsher of firedoglake

OK, I'm sure this one's got you scratching your head. Jane's a true-blue progressive and I'm the sort of conservative who'd just as soon serve polar bear in a mushroom sauce as cut back on my carbon footprint. But hear me out on this one. Jane isn't winning because I agree with her politics, she's winning because she - and she alone - has been utterly fearless in documenting (and criticizing) Bambi Obama's complete sell-out of progressives over health care, er, insurance reform.

Where just about every other Democrat/liberal/progressive blogger on the planet is now attempting to polish the turd that is Obama's health care, er, insurance reform, Jane Hamsher has stuck to her principles rather than equivocate for the sake of The One's political legacy. 

You have to wonder what Bambi could have done had he been born with a pair the size of Jane's.

And... One can only wonder what would have happened in 2008 had more conservative bloggers (like my own true self) demonstrated the courage to hold fast to their convictions and started challenging - rather than excusing - George W. Bush's sell-outs in, say, 2003.

For this particular curmudgeon of a blogger integrity triumphs over mere politics, and Jane Hamsher has demonstrated she has more of it than just about anyone in the political blogosphere - left or right. That's why Jane Hamsher is Dennis the Peasant's 2009 Blogger of the Year.

That, and three dollars will get her a latte at Starbucks. Maybe.

Best Political Blog: firedoglake

Again, I understand perfectly that I'm handing an award to a progressive blog whose politics I cannot stand. Doesn't matter. firedoglake has provided more quality information and analysis of the health care, er, insurance debacle than any other site I can think of. As with any collaborative effort, some of fdl's writers are better than others, but between Jane Hamsher, Jon Walker and a few others, firedoglake has been my go-to blog for quality health care, er, insurance reform information over the past six or so months.

Best Humor Blog: SondraK

I tend to think of myself as being a fairly funny writer, and in all honesty, there's only one blog that consistently arouses my humor envy: SondraK. Not only do I find myself laughing, I also find myself thinking "Damn, I wish I'd thought of that!" As soon as I can figure out how to steal their stuff without being caught, I will.

Best Personal Blog: Tools of Renewal

Steve H. Graham used to write about politics. Then, realizing he was smarter, more honest and a better writer than just about any right-wing blogger out there, Steve decided he was wasting his time trying to talk sense to the sort of people who get their worldview from twits like Michelle Malkin. And you know what? He was right. Tools of Renewal is great: Steve he writes an utterly personal blog about religion (his), power tools and cooking. He keeps it quite a bit more interesting than anything you'll find here. Unfortunately.  

Best Out of the Blue Blog: David Thompson

It's hard to come up with a quick description that adequately describes Thompson's blog. The only thing I can think to say that might do him justice is to say that he finds some of the best, most interesting, out-of-the-way stuff on the internet. He is also very good at giving femnists shit.

Best Economics/Slap the Weenies Around Blog: Tim Worstall

Tim is a very good economist and an even better bitch-slapper of terminally dimwitted Euro-lefties. He's a Brit, and so normally confines himself to pummeling the sort of idiots that write for (or read) The Guardian. But don't let that put you off. Even if you're not a fan of British politics and whatnot, you should be reading Tim Worstall's blog. If nothing else, he is to be greatly admired for making Richard Murphy's life more difficult!

Best Writing: Daphne of Jaded Haven and Cassandra of Villainous Company

Whenever I start feeling like I might evolve - sometime in the near future - into a shit-hot writer, I go and read Daphne and Cassandra. That's my humble pie. It doesn't really matter what they write about (although both are thoughtful enough for anyone), just go to each and enjoy the quality of expression.

Best Just For The Hell Of It Daily Read: Ann Althouse

Here's a high-profile blogger who's actually comfortable in her own skin, and one of the few bloggers I've read I would actually want to sit down and talk with. One of my few daily reads.

Well, that's about it for my best of the best. If anyone else pops into the ol' cranium, I'll update this post. As for the worst of the worst, that will be a bit more extensive, and will probably not appear until after Christmas.

Comments

[Steve H. Graham]

Wow, thanks, Dennis. Unlike a Freeped-up Wizbang award, this actually means something.

[SondraK]

Sincere OMG thank you.
I wish I had something funny to say but I don't...

There aren't many people out there who's opinions really matter to me.
You and Steve are right there at the top :)

[Dennis The Peasant]

Just don't let it go to your heads. 2010 might be a grim year, and I'm going to need quality blogging to sustain me.

[SondraK]

Well considering I have been schizo all year either laughing my ass of maniacally or sobbing my heart out in despair.....and I don't foresee much changing...

[Rollory]

Steve Graham is a total asshole to people who make inexcusable mistakes such as sending him a neutrally stated opinion of a couple sentences on a matter of minor importance via email. I know this from personal experience as well as observing the fallout of others' encounters with him.

Even before that, it was clear to me he is not half as smart as he thinks he is. Which makes him an average blogger, I guess.

The best economics blog is Karl Denninger's, bar none. (http://market-ticker.org/)

And Althouse is a self-important nincompoop. I've never read a thing on there that didn't leave me feeling as though I'd wasted my time.

[SondraK]

So what about me?

[Steve H. Graham]

Oh, Sondra. Don't feel left out. I can call you a nincompoop if you want.

[SondraK]

I want to be a total asshole like you.

[Dennis The Peasant]

Hey, if anyone's gonna be a total asshole around here, it's me.

I've paid money for the priviledge.

So there.

[SondraK]

How come you and Steve get to be a total assholes and not me?

How much did Steve pay you?

[Mike C.]

Gentlemen, gentlemen... There's room in the world for many total assholes.

Look at congress...

[Steve H. Graham]

I think I'm the best, though.

[Dennis The Peasant]

See... See! There's the massive ego Rollory was talking about.

And Sondra, maybe someday you can be an asshole just like us, but it's going to take work and it's going to take dedication. OK?

[SondraK]

Perseverance wins!

[Dennis The Peasant]

Of course it does, if you're an asshole.

[SondraK]

Well, *I* have the nicest ass so that has to count for something...

[Simon]

This backslapping and mutual admiration is doing wonders for your comment count - up to 16 already - Dennis.

You attract more flies with honey than with your usual bile and phlegm.

[Dennis The Peasant]

People come here for the bile and stay for the phlegm.

[Mike C.]

"People come here for the bile and stay for the phlegm."

Now, if you only hawked Amazon products...

[jcw]

Can't wait for the Bad and the Ugly.

[Steve H. Graham]

I sent my phlegm back because it was cold.

[Guy S]

I am phlegming to bond this bit of verbiage together with my gold fingers (via my keyboard). *Sorry, just had to get the above out ... the meds must be wearing off.*

Sandra K and Steve H are two of the more talented folks on the interweb. You could do much much worse in your selections. Congratulations to all the "winners".

[Dennis The Peasant]

I'll have phlegm, phlegm, phlegm and spam. I love it.

[Mike C.]

Funny - my mom used to yell at me if I sneezed into the food I was cooking. Even if it was Spam.

[Guy S]

Phlegminist!!

[Steve H. Graham]

I'm just glad Sandra finally got noticed.

[Steve H. Graham]

I am just glad Sandra got noticed.

[SondraK]

I stay for the bile and return for the phlegm.

[richard mcenroe]

Permit me to phlegmatically point out that men and women both have assholes so SondraK can certainly pass the physical...

[Tim Worstall]

I can't think of any phlegm jokes so I'll just say thank you very much, how kind of you Dennis.

Although I should point out that I'm not actually an economist. No advanced degrees, never worked as one etc. Just an interested amateur.

My actual job is wholesaling the scandium that goes into those fancy baseball bats......

[Dennis The Peasant]

Tim-

For the most part, the best economists throughout history have been the talented amateurs, the worst (and most dangerous) have been professionals...

Except for Marx and Murphy, that is.

[Cassandra]

You like me! You *really* like me!!!

Seriously, I'm sort of stunned, but in a humble, non-assholish way. And before I decide whose ass is best, I demand to see Sondra's.

On second thought, never mind :p Her ass wins, hands down.