I’d better post this now, in the middle of the night, while no-one’s paying attention.
It seems that I’ve been very generously nominated by my fellow Lib Dems for some shiny awards and the judges have, in their wisdom, put me in the shortlist for 3 categories, which is wonderful – thank you very much. I think I can speak for most of the shortlistees when I say that the competition this year is terrifying. I’ll hopefully be three sheets before they start reading out the results.
While you’re over on Lib Dem Voice looking at the lists, there’s a category open to the public for you to vote for your favourite non-Lib Dem political blog. Now, without wishing to influence your vote, you couldn’t go too far wrong voting for Sharpe’s Opinion (I lied about not influencing your vote), which is a much under-rated and under subscribed blog considering the quality of his posts.
In disconcerting news, I’m now also in the unenviable position of ending up as the highest ranked individual female blogger on the overall Top 100 UK Political Blog’s chart (coming in at 23rd overall). After me it’s Nadine Dorries at 46, then Sadie’s Tavern, Kerry McCarthy MP, our own Caron Lindsay, JuliaM, Alix Mortimer, Laurie Penny and.. and… that’s it. That’s your lot. Now this doesn’t include people like Helen Duffett, who writes for Lib Dem Voice or anyone else that contributes to a collaborative blog, and it doesn’t include blogs that don’t make the gender of the author clear (for whatever reason).
But that’s 8 out of 100… which is shocking. I feel like I should try to do something about this, but I have no idea what… a question for another day, perhaps.
Bryan said...
16 Sep 09 at 2:04 am
I’m still awake, and you’re third on my favourites list, C. You’re different and entertaining. Keep it up. I will definitely vote for you if I can work out what clicky bits to click…
Charlotte Gore said...
16 Sep 09 at 2:12 am
ah brilliant
Sadly, this one is a judging panel so it’s out of our hands. All we can do is wait!
Obnoxio The Clown said...
16 Sep 09 at 7:18 am
“While you’re over on Lib Dem Voice looking at the lists, there’s a category open to the public for you to vote for your favourite non-Lib Dem political blog.”
Ahem!
)
Anyway, if I had my way, you’d be fighting Leg-Iron for the top spot in the Top 300.
And please don’t become a cheerleader for gender diversity here. I bet there’s a shortage of transsexuals as well.
Laurence Boyce said...
16 Sep 09 at 7:23 am
Why is 8 out of 100 so shocking? Maybe women don’t necessarily assume that everyone is bound to be endlessly fascinated by the last thought that entered their heads.
Letters From A Tory said...
16 Sep 09 at 9:31 am
Your plaudits are well deserved.
Charlotte Gore said...
16 Sep 09 at 10:36 am
Obo, the shortlist for the non-lib dem award is already drawn up, and I’m sorry to say that for some reason my fellow Lib Dems haven’t put you on the list! Heh.
I won’t become a cheerleader for gender diversity. I reckon the problem is the bias on anoraky blogs like this
Alix said...
16 Sep 09 at 10:58 am
We could only shortlist from those who had been nominated, and Obo wasn’t (and for next year’s purposes, you can nominate yourself. It would tickle me greatly if the non-LD category became insanely competitive. “No! out of my way, *I* want to win an award from the weedy yellow europhile misfits who we all sneer at all the time!”)
Charlotte Gore said...
16 Sep 09 at 11:08 am
Hehe yes, next year I think I’m going to nominate a load of swear bloggers for that category. Just for fun.
Stu said...
16 Sep 09 at 11:12 am
Charlotte, thanks for the shout-out and recommendation – I’m truly honoured!
We may sneer, Alix, but we do so with a grin.
Oh, and VOTE FOR ME!
JuliaM said...
16 Sep 09 at 5:47 pm
“In disconcerting news, I’m now also in the unenviable position of ending up as the highest ranked individual female blogger on the overall Top 100 UK Political Blog’s chart..”
Congrats, very well deserved!
On the subject of the paucity of female (or rather, self-identifying female) bloggers in that category, I think it’s purely the ‘politics’ thing that causes this imbalance. Politics is a very aggressive, macho sort of world.
I’m sure if you looked at other categories – profession-related blogs, for instance – you’d find a better ratio. And I wouldn’t be surprised to find other categories (showbiz gossip, general blogging) may have an abundance of females.
I guess bringing the snark re: politics isn’t as popular on the distaff side.
Caron said...
17 Sep 09 at 9:31 am
Congrats on all your nominations. I mean, two for best post is quite some achievement as well as being up for the Blog of the Year. As I’ve said before, I think your blog is fantastic, even though I often disagree with what you write, being a peace loving hippie tax and spend liberal type.
Much as I enjoy reading Stuart, though, my vote in the non Lib Dem catergory has already gone to the blog I nominated, J Arthur Macnumpty, who I think talks a lot of common sense and whose work on recording the work of the Scottish Parliament is brilliant – means I don’t have to:-)
I just wish so much I could be there at Conference. Darn Glandular Fever and all its nasty little aftermaths! I’m sure we will finally get to actually meet in person. Thanks to that guitar video, I’d recognise you:-) Now, did you ever make good your promise to post that………?
Stu said...
17 Sep 09 at 10:44 am
That’s alright Caron. I’m voting for Slugger