As lists go this has never been without controversy. The method of compilation has always come in for criticism. Before last year's poll voting was done through a straw poll of existing notable bloggers. And then in 2008 the polling was mainly conducted from Iain Dale's blog, a blog that is one of the main congregation points for Tories and sundry right wingers. Unsurprisingly this replicated the bias from previous years, one that heavily tilts toward the right. (see for yourself). So this time the poll is now officially organised under the auspices of Iain's Total Politics magazine and is being run simultaneously from there, Iain's blog, Labour List and LibDem Voice. By covering the main haunts of mainstream political blogging that bias such be bleached out as more take part in the voting.
But that causes far left bloggers a bit of a problem. We will be squeezed. Last year there were only seven far left bloggers who made the top 100. This year there will be fewer who make the grade, unless our collective readership vote for them. The seven in last years list were Lenin's Tomb, The Daily (Maybe), Obsolete, A Very Public Sociologist (who?), Socialist Unity, Dave's Part, and Stumbling and Mumbling.
There are of course loads of other excellent far left blogs. There is Madam Miaow, Though Cowards Flinch, The Third Estate, Stroppyblog, Splintered Sunrise, Shiraz Socialist, The Commune, Another Green World, Boffy's Blog, Directionless Bones, Excuse Me Whilst I Step Outside, Harpymarx, Organised Rage, and Penny Red to name but 14.
How to vote and make sure genuine socialist voices are represented in this year's top 100? Here are the rules:
1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and rank them from 1 (your favourite) to 10 (your tenth favourite).Email your top ten blogs now to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
2. Your votes must be ranked from 1 to 10. Any votes which do not have rankings will not be counted.
3. You MUST include ten blogs. If you include fewer than ten your vote will not count.
4. Email your vote to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
5. Only vote once.
6. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents are eligible or based on UK politics are eligible.
7. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name
8. All votes must be received by midnight on 31 July 2009. Any votes received after that date will not count.
Obviously I'd be chuffed to bits if everyone of my 300 or so daily visitors put A Very Public Sociologist as their number one :P
6 comments:
If there's anything I loathe more than blog 'stardom' and blog 'authorities', it's the idea that the authority in question might be the ridiculous and odious Dale. Any award he confers is not worth having.
Oh, I am sure that IF an award was forth coming that any criticism of who organized it would be rather mute :)
TGR Worzel, is there any evidence that Ghengis Khan was right wing?
Maybe he was given a bad press by the Christians just because he was a barbarian! He might have been a good bloke!
It's on a public vote, not chosen by Iain Dale. Anyway, it's only as bit of fun.
You've got my vote Phil BC (rather you've already had it)
Likewise, Jim :)
I know some people don't like Iain Dale, and some have pretty good reasons for not doing so. But like it or not being featured on blog awards like Total Politics' boosts audiences. When you're on the far left and other avenues of getting your message out there are squeezed, I don't think we can afford to be sniffy when an opportunity like Dale's top 100 comes our way.
Boycott!
Seriously, Iain Dale is a mug and Tim Ireland, who is a good man, is urging bloggers to boycott the daft poll.
More details here: http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2009/07/boycott_total_politics.asp
Peace.
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