Air New Zealand** Best Blog Awards Announced

Air New Zealand** Best Blog Award
Media Statement

Thursday 10 June 2010 EMBARGOED UNTIL 14:00hrs NZT

CACTUS KATE WINS INAUGURAL AIR NEW ZEALAND** BEST BLOG AWARDS

Cactus Kate (http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/) has won the New Zealand Bloggers’ Union’s inaugural Air New Zealand** Best Blog Award.

The Dim Post (http://dimpost.wordpress.com/) was runner up and No Right Turn (http://norightturn.blogspot.com/) and Whaleoil (http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/) were awarded joint third place.

Blogs to be shortlisted by at least one judge were: Hot Topic (http://hot-topic.co.nz/); In A Strange Land (http://inastrangeland.wordpress.com/); Kiwianarama (http://www.kiwianarama.co.nz/); Liberation (http://liberation.typepad.com/); and Not PC (http://pc.blogspot.com/).

The union launched the awards after another media awards competition, sponsored by a foreign budget airline that uses decrepit Boeing 767s for its Trans-Tasman services and doesn’t even have proper lie-flat beds in Business Class, failed to follow its own criteria in selecting its short list.

More than 30 entries were received by the deadline while all other top 20 blogs in New Zealand, as measured on the authoritative Tumeke! blog ranking index (http://www.nzblogosphere.blogspot.com/), were given wild card entries.

The judging panel consisted of:

· Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury, co-author of Tumeke! and a moderate-left media commentator and presenter;
· Regan Cunliffe, founder of Throng Media, a global network of television community websites and ffunnell, an advertising network for independent publishers;
· Matthew Hooton, managing director of Auckland lobbying firm Exceltium, and a moderate-right political commentator and columnist;
· Tim Selwyn, co-author of Tumeke! and creator of the Tumeke! blog ranking index, and a former political prisoner under the regime of New Zealand’s deposed leader Helen Clark; and
· Ricardo Simich, director of marketing and communications company One Agency and a prominent Auckland socialite.

As far as possible, the judges set aside their personal political views and interests and sought to reach their decisions by consensus.

In awarding the Supreme Award to Cactus Kate, the judges described the blog as: “Intelligent, persuasive and influential, with the sort of investigative journalism Metro should be publishing. This is a blog which has contributed to changes in the administration of some of New Zealand’s most important regulatory bodies, as well as providing a healthy degree of humour.”

In awarding the Runner Up Award to Dim Post, the judges described the blog as: “Genuinely world-class political satire on matters both weighty and absurd, delivered almost every day. While clearly demonstrating a centre-left perspective, the writer also has the ability to surprise with unpredictable ideas.”

The judges said they struggled most with the choice between No Right Turn and Whaleoil for third place.

Commenting on Whaleoil, the judges said: “While the writer’s vitriol can be distasteful and his spelling and grammar sometimes leaves much to be desired, Whaleoil is the ultimate right wing blogger, delivering scorching critiques of current issues every day, and undoubtedly influencing real political events.”

Commenting on No Right Turn, the judges said: “While there is some doubt about the degree to which the blog has influenced real events and the lack of a comments option could be seen as against the spirit of blogging, No Right Turn provides extremely well researched and well-written contributions – with a decent dose of hard-left anger – on a very wide range of political, social, constitutional and human rights issues.”

The judges recommended that Whaleoil consider investing in a more advanced spell and grammar check program and that No Right Turn consider opening up his site to community discussion.

The judges said it was noteworthy they had decided to offer no award or commendation to the Tumeke! index’s highest rating blog, Kiwiblog ( http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/) nor to two other high-ranking blogs, The Standard ( http://www.thestandard.org.nz/) and Red Alert (http://blog.labour.org.nz/)

The judges said: “Kiwiblog has regrettably become tame following the change of government in 2008 while The Standard and Red Alert can also be seen more as propaganda tools for political parties. They continue to have value in terms of offering insight into thinking in parliament and in the union movement but, to be considered for high recognition in future, Kiwiblog needs to again find its more independent voice while The Standard and Red Alert need to learn to surprise and challenge rather than merely offer predictable opinions.”

The judges and organisers thanked all those who participated in the awards and look forward to expanding the Air New Zealand** Best Blog Awards in 2011.

Full commentary from the judges on all the nominees will be posted at http://airnewzealandbestblogaward.blogspot.com/ and on tumeke.blogspot.com

** Yeah, yeah, Air New Zealand is not really sponsoring the award but the judges would like to honour it anyway having found that its Business Class is so much better than Qantas even in First Class. That’s except for Tim and Bomber, but even they can report that Air New Zealand’s Economy Class is much better than Qantas’s Economy Class too (but that’s kinda irrelevant – who cares what happens down the back of the plane anyway?)

END

Judges Comments - Bomber "SiCow" Bradbury

1: Dimpost

2: No Right Turn

3: Cactus Kate

WILDCARD: Hot Topic

MacDoctor:
His unabashed plans to allow thousands of sick to die from his own alternative to Obama's health plan would have made Stalin blush. Good blog on ACC , excellent critique of TVNZ broadcasting standards. His Ayn Rand fantasy story in Zork needs to remain as private bed time reading however.

Harpus Bizarre:
Mildly amusing. Comedy for coma patients at first glance, but martial arts story was aggressively funny. Seems to date guys who play Xbox too much (very funny post on that), I liked making dogs eat light bulbs.

Dimpost:
Genius - so very, very funny! Simply one of the best in the NZ Blogosphere. Cutting, brilliant, political satire at its best. Consider my hat tipped in your general area in the only act of respect I will give any other blogger.

CJ Lambert:
Intelligent and insightful minus the abuse, it doesn't seem like a blog at all. The debate on Twitter copyright was very well reasoned out. The launch of John Banks website is one of the top 10 posts this year. The critique of Burger King is funny but the last link didn't work.

Gonzo
Best line "Scientists at CERN are reported to be "slightly annoyed but mainly overjoyed" at the discovery. " Good post on sniffer dogs and Iran elections. Genius renaming of Key's BFF, Peter Gluckman as Brofessor.

Kiwianarama
None of the links worked. Too bad, I've got 30-odd other sites to read. If you can't link properly you probably shouldn't be blogging.

Sport Review
I hate sports but like this site, I had no idea how many niche blogs bitching about advertising agencies directions on certain products were available in NZ! The sports stalking is very funny. The spoiler alert for a 1999 film was clever, this is another top 10 post. Vettori axing himself however was just wishful thinking.

In A Strange Land
And what a delightfully strange land it is, I am glad I'm visiting and not staying. The 'most men are rapists' blog (I'm paraphrasing) was a sobering blog and a bit of a downer. The graph of the 'consent continuum' (I swear I am not joking), must be seen to be believed. Very well argued and intelligent post on not belting your kids, excellent critique of the old boys network (although I am highly amused the writer seems to think anyone listens to Simon Upton). I don't care about making jam.

Media Darlings
OOOOOOOOh they are sharp aren't they? Very good demolition of ACT on campus, good chase on National's support of VSM, and excellent post on academic freedom. If this is the future of our news rooms, things are not as bad as they seem.

Oswald Bastable
Ummmmm how do I put this into polite language? His desire to keep prisoners from having any property whatsoever without any hint of humour seems more hate site than blog. His description of the National Party as Socialist for offering to fly relatives of those who died in the Erebus crash suggests some type of addiction to pain killers mixed with vodka. I'm looking at his 3rd link and I'm not sure 14 words technically amounts to a post, maybe a text message, and Osawald's defence of vigilantes in Hazard County Martinborough comes across a little grand cyclops for my liking.

Cactus Kate
Damn her to hell, but the woman writes a good blog. Most of the time reading her is akin to drinking lemon juice after being forced to swallow razor blades, but her critique of NZX is the sort of intelligent investigative journalism Metro would be printing if they weren't so shit now. She is good, very good and one of the few who are critically blogging on the financial giants of NZ.

Whaleoil
First link didn't work, sadly the second one did. Thieving scum is what jumps out at me most, hate him or really hate him, Cameron is the ultimate right wing blogger: offensive, evil and often secretly sourced by the msm who never admit it. His denigration post against, 'Veteran Maori Trougher Shane Kawenata Bradbrook' would be funny if you thought Cameron was joking. His mix of vicious satire and political insight are however a devastating combination, as Veteran Maori Trougher Shane Kawenata Bradbrook can attest. I hope Cameron at least invoiced big tobacco for his last story.

Wine Vault
I don't care about wine and I care less about Oliver Driver.

UnPC Lesbian
A lesbian who loves to be UnPC? Yep, this is going to be 10 minutes of my life I'm never getting back, It's like reading a black racist spout on about how bad non white people are. The first post on NCEA barely seems to be a post, more a whinge. Next post is another whinge about how much money IRD wanted to give her, next post is some fantasy she has for someone called Jillian Michaels and how large her hands are and the final post was about having sex with a boy with all her criticisms listed afterwards. Yep, 10 minutes of my life I'm never getting back, I'm angry at Penthouse for making me think lesbians were so much more interesting than this.

Simon Pound
Well at least his blogs are better than the Ad Show.

Auckland Trains
As much as I love to bitch about public transport, no one does it better and with more viscous humour than Tim Selwyn, these posts are a shallow comparison. Public transport humour needs to be as sharp as the resentment it creates, this has it's moments, i liked the bike protest blog.

Quote Unquote
It is humbling to even be allowed the great man's blog. CK Stead is an incredible literary mind, the NZ blogosphere is lucky to have him.

Ben Gracewood
Bitching about a weetbix competition? Blogging a promotion advertorial for a Mercedes E Class? The sage discussions of children on the cost of 2 minute noodles? Wasn't Ben Gracewood a finalist in the bullshit Qantas awards? He was shit then and he's shit now. He is painful to the art of blogging.

Jo Blogs
This is actually a VERY funny and VERY clever blog.I never thought a review of Top Model could be so bloody funny. Office face is a take on smile face (Yes I think I saw that same CNN story) and how the recession would change movie plot lines is original and wonderful. A top 10 post.

Offsetting Behaviour
Really good technical blog on Inuit design (seriously). His defence of sweat shops was amusing, I'm surprised he included such a debunked critique of BERL's harm of alcohol which BERL responded to by claiming 1) it misinterprets the study’s brief and, on this basis, employs an inappropriate framework for its analysis, 2) makes some simple, factual errors about our method and the information used and 3) uses assumptions with a cost-deflating bias, reflecting their own world view. His post on ticket scalping was genuinely fascinating, top 10 post.


Ozy Mandias
The Mills and boon romance novel is pure brilliance, best line "his chest rising and falling with the regularity of an Aussie scrum. The bed sheets loosely hung around his waist, exposing both his rock hard abs and his Webb Ellis Trophy, as Stacy affectionately called it.". The obesity epidemic "Currently we rank behind Mexico and the United States. I believe with a concerted effort and more swine flu cases Mexico is definitely within our sights." His desire to catch swine flu is admirable and his application to NZ cricket for the coaching job sounded reasonable. Impressive blog.

Kiwipolitico
This is the 'most males rape blog' referred to in In A Strange Land blog, it's amazing how commuting can lead to the conclusion that most of the other gender sexually force rape. I think we need to start handing out board games or reading material during commutes if this is the remarkable conclusions some are reaching. Excellent critique of the bitter left and their Maori bashing (that said the Maori Party certainly deserve bashing), high brow smart humour with the Bennett post on privacy and a very interesting post on asian values.

Waitakere News
You forget how important trees are, I'm glad I read a blog on them. Good use of making reference of me in a blog on those dumb pro smacking clowns, nice post on David Farrar's position on Palestine and excellent critique of the attacks on legal aid.

Lisa Lewis
She writes blogs as well? Damn. The first one is a solid steak and three vege opinion piece on getting tough on crime while cheerleading Whaleoil complete with Oprah Winfrey, "I too have been abused" confessional. Lisa moves onto a blog about how big her breasts are, and how much she loves them being big. Her third blog is why she didn't decide not to prize fight another woman from a similar themed naked news TV brand and her fourth blog was about losing her virginity. Was her blog called the Vagina monologues by any chance?

Phil U
Phil is the 'Mad as hell and I'm not taking it anymore' kinda blogger. His frenetic machine gun musings on the ills of a world gone mad are a soul preserving antidote to the banality of so much that passes as opinion. His 'but Helen is at the UN' is a joy.

Keeping Stock
I didn't get the point of the first post at all. Second post was about gay people bleating about homophobia, the third is an embarrassing 'memo to John Key' begging him to legalize beating kids and the fourth one is about a soccer game. There was a mention in the fourth post about retiring from blogging. That was the best bit of the four posts.

The Linesman
So much effort and so little reward, it's like 7 days on TV3 without the constant dick jokes.

Liberation
Really intelligent review of Green Party leadership and the challenges it confronts. Interesting review of Sue Bradford and the liberation post exploring neoliberalism and identity politics was fascinating. Academically well expressed and well researched, very good blog.

Not PC
How much can one person write about leaking houses and still conclude the free market works best? I may disagree with what Not PC says but I will certainly defend his right to blog about it on a site I don't ever have to visit. Ever. His second post is an attack on Journalists and sounded reasonable right up until he started referring to the tea party as "400,000 Americans taking up pro-freedom signs against their government". Hilarious, but I don't think he meant it to be. His post on punk is annoying in it's attempt to claim the entire genre in the name of Ayn Rand, best line, "Punk erupted at the fag end of Britain's failed thirty-year post-war experiment with socialism". I love how everything is the fault of socialism, did he submit his blog about the fall of the Berlin Wall? That post eclipses 'War and Peace' by 120 000 more words. His fourth post however is moneyshot gold, here Not PC declares we should give war a chance and let's rally the troops for having the guts to go into battle (mainly against Socialism I suspect). ANZAC day should be about honouring the soldier (not regretting the loss of life and questioning the insanity of throwing so many of our young people into war mind you). The perfect eye rolling moment? This line, "Take time today to remember those who lost it all for your freedom. They did more for peace than anyone who protests for it ever has."

Home Paddock
Luke warm weak soup for starters on the need to set up an awards for blogging, crappy entree that turns out to have been horribly wrong as the Labour Party have used the Maori Party's connection with the Emission Trading Scam to good political effect, the mains is a shitty 67 word thing about how cold it is and the desert is a bitter and petty attack on Helen Clark for being awarded the member of the Order of NZ. Jesus some people hate Helen don't they? I will not dine at this site again.

Motella
A blog about motels? NO WAY? I'm so in. Let's see, fascinating blog about tourism accreditation, one about hotel owners and their rights to ban an entire town, 3rd blog is about dodgy Aussia hotel scams and the 4th is about travel guides. I never thought there could be so many issues in hotels - I think I may become a secret fan of this site.

No Right Turn
He is simply the best referenced left wing blogger in NZ. Brilliant critique of urgency, original, well researched work on climate change, defence of political philosophy and values in the third post and his attack on Labour is sharp.

Hot Topic
One of the most highly regarded climate change blogs with many of the major proponents pro and against climate change arguing on site.


Bomber
The War on News 10.30pm Tuesday STRATOS Sky 89 & Freeview 21
Replayed Triangle tv 9.45pm Wednesday
Online www.scoop.co.nz & www.tumeke.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=281266264323&ref=ts
--------------------------------------------------------- ! ---------------------------------------------------------

Judges Comments - Tim "Randy Jackson" Selwyn

---------------------
BEST BLOG

1. Cactus Kate
2. Dim Post
3. Not PC

***Recommendations at bottom
--------------------
MacDoctor
Comments: Medical expertise, topical issues and research put in concise language makes for some solid material. The dose of right wing ideology that comes with it is enough to provide a sharp edge to keep it interesting.


Harpurs Bizarre
Comments: "Horrific use of wordplay" - yip. "possibly the biggest misdirection of energy I have seen in my long, soul searching, wisdom gathering 27 years on Planet Earth" - she should come back in another 27 years when her wisdom might have allowed her to write something worth reading.

Dimpost
Comments: Ludicrous meets sarcastic with moments of the sublime. Whimsical without being lame - a very rare ability. Some very weighty issues treated with a refreshing disregard for blogging conventions.

CJ Lambert
Comments: NOT 2009 - all 2010, ineligible.

Gonzo
Comments: A decent mix of liberalism, or a liberal mix of decency - perhaps both. The humour has its moments, but ironically the style in these posts - in this day and age and in this medium - are not really that Gonzo at all.

Kiwianarama
Comments: ERROR 404 - there's no way to access the posts. Going on the two sentences viewable for each post in the "More shit" column, perhaps they are?

Sport Review
Comments: Blokey mix of sarcasm and profanity. Amusing, entertaining and enjoyable - the only problem being it's about sports... and I hate fucking sports.

In A Strange Land
Comments: Well written and thoughtful, and very, very female. The post on why men who whinge their girlfriends into having sex are rapists is a classic feminist piece as is the anti-smacking post; the mediocrity of NZ, and how to make Quince jelly, less so.

Media Darlings
Comments: Earnest, researched, sober - and being about tertiary education, very dull. Striking an almost neutral pose it reads more like a policy journal than a blog.

Oswald Bastable
Comments: Channeling our (inner) misanthropic, angry, ultra-right wing great uncle. I don't know if it's supposed to be funny exactly, but it is. While many others attempting the angry-old-man genre resort to lengthy rants, he keeps it punchy, succinct and always shoots from the hip - usually aiming at the groin.

Cactus Kate
Comments:. Persuasive and exhaustive critiques of financial systems and fearless business journalism make up a formidable blog portfolio (But what about the rest of her stuff!?) The NZX/SecCom thrashing was brutal - as was the thorough whipping of DML in the DHBs/Labtests contract tender dispute.

Whaleoil
Comments: The 3 posts are more like No Right Turn than Cameron Slater - so they are not really representative of Whaleoil at all... they are actually researched and perform a public service... WTF!? Something of a case study in how to stretch out a single OIA into a whole campaign. Nice work.

Wine Vault
Comments: It's video clips and so it's not a blog - ineligible. They might as well have been links to You Tube (and the video threatened to spazz out the computer too).

UnPC Lesbian
Comments: Smutty old lesbo. Some variety in the posts provides a quim of interest, but the only going down on her she'll get from this 36 year old male is going to be of my opinion. Keep the curtains closed FFS.

Simon Pound
Comments: Too many words, not enough research. Almost naive in parts. Muldoon was elected in '75 not '76 - everything after that was even lighter on facts - and quickly became repetitive.

Auckland Trains
Comments: Harrowing and infuriating real-life adventures of someone marooned in the Escher-esque madhouse of the utterly dysfunctional Auckland suburban train system makes for compelling reading. As activist/observer the commentary and his many pictures will be of historical and academic value.

Quote Unquote
Comments: Informed writer and an informative blog. The literary topics were generally accessible (to this non-literary reader) and the writing crisp.

Ben Gracewood
Comments: Not so much boingboing as boringboring. I had taken a quickeeze and was farting a bit when I read these tedious posts - and discovered my farts proved more relevant, and considerably more interesting than anything I read here.

Jo Blogs
Comments: Inspired fashion commentary and accent analysis bordering on poo-fucktion, but the topics skirt off to the frivolous and find themselves wedged between the cheeks of the prosaic.

Offsetting Behaviour
Comments: Some fascinating discourses - as much for the aloof economist-cum-robot perspective than the dry mechanics of the argument itself. The defence of sweatshops was disturbingly compelling. The reason for not supporting murder - "I care about the external costs. " - less so.

Ozy Mandias
Comments: Occasional flare mired by wordiness and sports fixation.

Kiwipolitico
Comments: Worldly and serious political analysis from credible left wing commentators. A good mix of subjects, handled in an academic fashion... but there's nothing like re-packaging the all-men-are-rapists topic (in layers of feminist assertions and then leaving it all open-ended) to score a few comments.

Waitakere News
Comments: Solid, sober liberal/left commentary on the usual menu of liberal/left issues. Thoughtful, but not particularly gripping.

Lisa Lewis
Comments: Unreadable self-absorbed vanity - could scarcely be more hideous. Would give Emma Hart (Public Address) a run for her money for the most gratuitous over-use of personal pronouns in a blog - quite some feat. Everything that is wrong with 'typical' female blogging: I, I, I, me, me, me. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

Phil U
Comments: A stream of unconsciousness. If you read it like Sam Hunt was reading aloud one of his poems it makes it a lot easier to persist with what is essentially a ticker-tape of disjointed rambling shit dribble.

Keeping Stock
Comments: Subdued, pale and grey - in content, style and personality. Appealing to the same audience that reads the sodden newsprint of a free paper pulled from the letterbox on a rainy day: only the elderly would bother.

The Linesman
Comments: Thin. The images were the real weak point - as none of the drawings looked like their subjects - which is a problem because there wasn't any text to accompany them. If a line had to be drawn anywhere it would be right through this nomination - go back to your day job.

Liberation
Comments: Pol Sci essays - right down to the footnotes - making for stodgy, slow reading from which I was easily distracted. Points off for using banal quotes from establishment rightists (esp. David Farrar) as if they had any serious value in this type of discussion.

Not PC
UPDATE 1: Why do so many journalists blog, despite their apparent opposition to the concept? Simple, says one journalist cum blogger: "there’s a part of me that loves blogging because you’re allowed to break the journalism rules."
Comments: Classy pieces of writing marred only by the inevitable uncritical quotion of Ayn Rand - as if it were Bilblical scripture - rendering a few parts more sermon than secular commentary. Fortunately the libertarian karakia is transcended by solid and lucid prose, including an excellent exposé of the leaky building issue.

Home Paddock
Comments: It's a farmer's attempt to be angry at things - and it ends up sounding like a slightly mild gripe in the form of a polite letter to the editor of the Geraldine Advertiser. Like listening to a mildly middle of the road rural radio station, Mantovani FM - available only in mono - and only in the Mainland, sponsored by a brand of sleeping pill for the elderly.

Motella
Comments: Firstly, what a shit website. Secondly, this is just a series of motel industry memos. Thirdly, what a shit website - who puts an annoying jumping cartoon in their own sidebar? Like trying to sleep with a flashing, buzzing 'No Vacancy' sign right outside your window.

No Right Turn
Comments: Conscientious, solid, researched, thorough. Reactionary self-identifying 'proper' leftist with a well cultivated claim to some form of leadership, even if the chosen posts are straw men targets (great digs at David Farrar and Guyon Espiner nonetheless).

The Standard
Comments: Snarky and somewhat hacking in tone the Labour/Unionist line is held taut by anon party shock troops who can cut through Tory spin with ruthless precision. The view from one side of a great relentless maul of a political street brawl - with David Farrar's Kiwiblog as the always present (if sometimes unmentioned) opponent.

Hot Topic
Comments: Stinging, blistering attack on Ian Wishart - talk about scorched Earth! A combination of endless science and constant politics makes for some lengthy posts that often veer to the polemical in order to answer the skeptic/'denier' enemy - an angle however suited to blogging and probably the most palatable way to explore the debate.

Handmirror
Comments: Righteous, leftist, feminist anger in measured terms. The problem with the sort of female blogging (and writing) typified here is that it's all: I, I, I, me, me, me. It is as if the only way anything can be explained or analysed is by having the author insert themselves into every aspect - so unnecessary and such a detraction to otherwise meaty opinion pieces - fuck I HATE that style.

*** NOTE: Sorry, couldn't be arsed trawling through everyone's posts to nominate anyone as a wild-card.

---------------------
Some other suggestions for nominations to a short-list of special mentions:

BEST CAMPAIGN (ON A NON-SPECIALIST BLOG) –
(series of posts exposing, critiquing, investigating or promoting a single issue)
Not PC - Leaky Buildings
Cactus Kate - NZX/Securities Commission
Whaleoil - Te Reo Marama

BEST COMMENTS ON A BLOG
(quality of comments left on a post in particular or posts in general)
Kiwipolitico - Rape
?
?

BEST PARODY/SATIRE ON A BLOG
(spoof or other humorous postings generally)
Dim Post - Waiting for Voter
Dim Post - Goose
Gonzo - LMNO Key or Higgs Boson (which I just didn't get).

Judges Comments - Hooton, Simich & Cunliffe

Matthew Hooton

1. Cactus Kate – because she led research into and contributed to change in the Commerce Commission, one of the most important regulatory bodies in New Zealand
2. In a Strange Land – because it’s intelligent, thoughtful and challenging, as well as being well written and well presented so its easy to read, even if you disagree with it
3. DimPost – because it really is uniquely funny

Ricardo Simich

Dear NZBU,

What a tonic going through the topics of last year has been over the Queen's Birthday weekend. My wildcard was Kiwiblog – but I agree if you do not make the effort to nominate yourself – you are out of contention.

I found there are only 15 Blogs that truly serve the criteria, which I utilized – after those it came down to my judgment of blogs on relevant news stories, bloggers that entertained, informed and dug a little deeper than just commenting, hence putting their blogging balls on the line. My top 3 were:

Cactus Kate

Whaleoil

Liberation

The next would be

Dimpost - I am a fan of this type of writing and it is lacking in print.

To help you bring the other judges decisions together I have 3 highly commended blogs – my 4th choice was of a different style to my top 3, so the below highly commended blog sites would be to help a decision if anyone of them has made the other judges top 3. In order of preference.

Homepaddock:
The Standard: which surprisingly nudged out Kiwipolitico with more meat in its wit?
Keeping stock:

I would liked to have included a favourite blog, which I have been directing many friends to, ‘Lisa Lewis losing her virginity’, great writing!

However, I take these awards seriously and see them coming back next year – I hope all of the above attract advertisers and sponsors as they all gave me new insight and were much more interesting than similar watered down stories and writers in print.

Regan Cunliffe

1: Kiwianarama
2: WOBH
3: No Right Turn

Special Mentions:

ben.geek.nz's Sanitarium post - brilliant example of calling out bad PR resulting in the situation being addressed

Highly recommended:

harpur's bizarre - incredibly entertaining reading

Overall comment:

The New Zealand blogosphere is undoubtedly in good health based on the entries in the Air New Zealand Blog Awards with outstanding content from across the genres. Selecting three finalists was a difficult decision, made so thanks to some exceptional writing, research and insight.

Fallen Bloggers - Annie Fox

Annie Fox

Late in 2009 the New Zealand blogging community lost Annie Fox after a period of illness. We remember her stark honesty about her illness with a special mention at these awards and celebrate one of her happiest of times during the year. With her Libz friends meeting the great P.J. O'Rourke. What a night that would have been for those at her table.



In Annie's own words:

"Later in the evening I had the great pleasure of talking to the honoured guest face-to-face, which was all a little overwhelming. I've never meet anyone that I really admired before, it's hard to think of what to say and you forget every question you always wanted to asked - really you want to just grin and say 'you're fantastic' - over and over again".

Many bloggers and all of Annie Fox's friends and family thought she was fantastic too.

RIP.

A Thank You The Size of A Brand New A320

Thank you to all of you who have nominated yourselves for Air New Zealand Best Blog Awards**. We received a massive 32 entries ranging right across the blogging spectrum and character. The list makes a fine resource for reading the best that NZ blogs have to offer.

Thank you to all the Judges for agreeing to spare their time and to the many bloggers who have promoted the awards across their blogs.

And a special big thanks of course to Air New Zealand (and Rob Fyfe) for not setting the lawyers on us and therefore taking the contest in the spirit it has been intended.

We encourage all bloggers to support New Zealand's National airline - Air New Zealand. A corporate with a sense of humour.

Complete List of Self-Nominations for Air New Zealand Best Blog Award**

Appearing in date order of submission.

MacDoctor


http://www.macdoctor.co.nz/2009/02/07/healthcare-for-all/
http://www.macdoctor.co.nz/2009/03/14/acc-the-facts/
http://www.macdoctor.co.nz/2009/09/24/broadcasting-substandards/
http://www.macdoctor.co.nz/2009/03/31/the-land-of-zork/

Harpurs Bizarre

http://harpursbizarre.com/2009/12/15/beast-wars/
http://harpursbizarre.com/2009/12/05/martial-arts-tits-on-a-bull/
http://harpursbizarre.com/2010/01/25/gamers-modern-day-heroes/
http://harpursbizarre.com/2009/12/22/backward-evolution-revolution/

Dimpost


http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/waiting-for-voter-a-tragi-comedy-in-two-acts/#more-4867
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/conversation-with-myself-about-obesity/
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/dimpost-profile-john-key/
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/goose-sworn-in-as-new-opposition-leader/

CJ Lambert


http://cjlambert.posterous.com/who-owns-copyright-on-tweets
http://cjlambert.posterous.com/four-campbells-and-a-website
http://cjlambert.posterous.com/the-king-is-comingi-dont-know-why
http://cjlambert.posterous.com/journalismthe-new-dark-s

Gonzo

Higgs Boson discovered amongst Cheney correspondence
Cujo the sniffer dog
Free and fair or flee and fear?
LMNO Key

Kiwianarama


http://www.kiwianarama.co.nz/jandals/
http://www.kiwianarama.co.nz/the-flat-white/
http://www.kiwianarama.co.nz/positive-identity-reinforcement/
http://www.kiwianarama.co.nz/winter-what-winter/

Sport Review

http://sportreview.net.nz/2009/02/11/lp-doing-it-wrong
http://sportreview.net.nz/stalkipedia/
http://sportreview.net.nz/2009/08/12/sports-top-five-fight-club-duos/
http://sportreview.net.nz/2009/08/25/selector-vettori-drops-himself/

In A Strange Land

http://inastrangeland.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/on-rape-and-consent/
http://inastrangeland.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/should-a-smack-as-part-of-good-parental-correction-be-a-criminal-offence
http://inastrangeland.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/old-boys-clubs-and-agile-minds/
http://inastrangeland.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/its-the-wobble-and-the-cut/

Media Darlings

http://mediadarlings.net/2009/10/04/act-on-campus-misrepresents-its-own-top-10/
http://mediadarlings.net/2009/09/10/breaking-news-national-will-back-vsm-bill/
http://mediadarlings.net/2009/09/08/godwins-lawyers-the-van-leeuwen-scandal-revisited/
http://mediadarlings.net/2009/09/07/hello-world-and-vsm/

Oswald Bastable

http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-problem-is-so-easy-to-fix.html
http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/2009/11/national-socialists-at-it-again.html
http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-msm-dont-tell-you.html

Cactus Kate


http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-has-got-power.html
http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2009/05/nz-information-exchange.html
http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2009/03/crying-over-spilt-test-tubes.html
http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2009/12/strategic-triumph-for-hilton.html


Whaleoil

http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2009/11/17/gotcha-trm-funding-cut-%e2%80%93-still-doesn%e2%80%99t-get-it/
http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2009/11/15/gotcha-trm-funding-cut/
http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2009/11/06/exclusive-te-reo-marama-troughing-104/
http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2009/09/25/the-strange-world-of-the-maori-stop-smoking-industry/

Wine Vault

http://winevaulttv.com/2009/12/very-special-guest-sir-robert-winston-episode-158/
http://winevaulttv.com/2009/09/john-campbell-part-1-episode-102/
http://winevaulttv.com/2009/09/episode-100/
http://winevaulttv.com/2009/07/special-guest-oliver-driver-wvtv-episode-92/

UnPC Lesbian

http://unpclesbian.blogspot.com/2009/01/results.html
http://unpclesbian.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-low.html
http://unpclesbian.blogspot.com/2009/07/is-jillian-michaels-lesbian-3.html
http://unpclesbian.blogspot.com/2009/11/boy-sex.html

Simon Pound

http://blog.simonpound.com/?p=403
http://blog.simonpound.com/?p=373
http://blog.simonpound.com/?p=306
http://blog.simonpound.com/?p=185

Auckland Trains

http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/04/02/the-day-the-train-didnt-know-where-to-go/
http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/10/19/the-114-auckland-council-takeaway/
http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/05/23/auckland-harbour-bridge-protest-people-power-wins-the-dayphotos/
http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2009/12/31/kiwirail-defends-kingdon-st-demolition-arc-replies-youll-regret-it/

Quote Unquote

http://quoteunquotenz.blogspot.com/2009/12/witi-ihimarea-and-plagiarism-part-ii.html
http://quoteunquotenz.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-want-kindle.html
http://quoteunquotenz.blogspot.com/2009/10/silliness-in-north-south.html
http://quoteunquotenz.blogspot.com/2009/05/nzx-and-cpl-update.html

Ben Gracewood

http://www.ben.geek.nz/2009/07/weetbix-and-the-all-blacks-shame-on-you/
http://www.ben.geek.nz/2009/11/review-mercedes-e-class/
http://www.ben.geek.nz/2009/12/remember-to-answer-their-questions/
http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/review-baby-20

Jo Blogs

http://jo-joblogs.blogspot.com/2009/11/shebangabangs-next-top-model-6.html
http://jo-joblogs.blogspot.com/2010/01/shebangabangs-next-top-model-finale.html
http://jo-joblogs.blogspot.com/2009/10/office-face.html
http://jo-joblogs.blogspot.com/2009/07/always-something-there-to-rewind-me.html

Offsetting Behaviour


http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/10/50-years-of-cape-dorset-prints.html
http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/05/sweatshops.html
http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/07/of-externalities-elbows-and-knowing-one.html
http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/03/economics-of-scalping-trent-reznor.html

Ozy Mandias

http://ozymandiaswarning.com/my-first-romance-novel
http://ozymandiaswarning.com/all-blacks-are-obese-mccaw-captain-fatty
http://ozymandiaswarning.com/hug-me-i-want-a-swine-flu-holiday
http://ozymandiaswarning.com/dear-new-zealand-cricket

Kiwipolitico

http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/01/friends-dont-let-friends-rape/
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/05/memo-to-the-left-the-maori-party-is-not-your-enemy/
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/07/a-note-to-paula-bennett-her-cabinet-colleagues-and-their-staff/
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2009/10/the-false-promise-of-asian-values/

Waitakere News

http://waitakerenews.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-do-they-have-against-trees.html
http://waitakerenews.blogspot.com/2009/11/waitakere-news-pro-smacking-protest.html
http://waitakerenews.blogspot.com/2009/01/festering-sore-of-palestine-has-burst.html
http://waitakerenews.blogspot.com/2009/11/next-they-came-for-lawyers.html

Lisa Lewis

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/blogs/lisa-on-life/3218728/The-name-suppression-issue
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/blogs/lisa-on-life/3177585/Voluptuous-is-the-new-thin
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/blogs/lisa-on-life/2925991/Weigh-in-over-my-head
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/blogs/lisa-on-life/2775638/Vanishing-Virginity

Phil U

http://whoar.co.nz/2009/commentwhoarthe-kids-up-north-have-still-got-rotten-teethbut-heyhelens-at-the-uneh/
http://whoar.co.nz/2009/commentwhoaravatara-review/
http://whoar.co.nz/2009/commentwhoarhow-the-new-media-is-just-pissing-all-over-the-old-mediain-their-coverage-of-the-unfolding-events-in-iranand-wont-someone-think-of-the-trees/
http://whoar.co.nz/2009/commentwhoartv-one-descends-to-mind-numbing-stupidityyou-betchaheylets-mini-audit-them/

Keeping Stock

http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/04/cunners-all-twitter.html
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/08/carter-plays-gay-card.html
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/08/memo-to-john.html
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/11/all-white-on-night.html

The Linesman

http://the-lines-man.blogspot.com/2009/02/judith-collins.html
http://the-lines-man.blogspot.com/2009/05/mt-albert_04.html
http://the-lines-man.blogspot.com/2009/08/nick-smith-and-john-key.html
http://the-lines-man.blogspot.com/2009/11/hone-harawira.html

Liberation

http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/02/metiria-turei-the-next-green-party-co-leader.html
http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/05/sue-bradford-the-greens-futile-left-option.html
http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2010/01/identity-politics-vs-class-politics-8-neoliberalism-and-identity-politics.html
http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/08/a-critique-of-the-disclosure-of-mp-expenses.html

Not PC

http://pc.blogspot.com/2009/11/leaky-homes-part-1-myth-of-deregulated.html
http://pc.blogspot.com/2009/04/just-facts-ma.html
http://pc.blogspot.com/2009/02/no-future-punks-past.html
http://pc.blogspot.com/2009/04/anzac-day-reflection-war-what-is-it.html

Home Paddock


http://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/announcing-the-mediocres/
http://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/last-cab-has-the-mana-and-the-power/
http://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/brrrr-3/
http://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/should-our-greatest-be-good/

Motella

http://motella.blogspot.com/2009/09/bbh-attacks-tourism-nz-run.html
http://motella.blogspot.com/2009/04/dick-of-week-trevor-mallard.html
http://motella.blogspot.com/2009/03/affordable-holidays-scam.html
http://motella.blogspot.com/2010/03/reps-for-main-travel-guides-have-hit.html

No Right Turn

http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/10/some-facts-on-urgency.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/09/climate-change-results-of-subsidised.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/08/espiner-opposition-shouldnt-oppose.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/11/goff-plays-race-card.html

At the Judges' request the 13 blogs in the Tumeke top 20 as at 31 December 2009 that did not self-nominate are able to be nominated by the Judges as a wildcard finalist. Limit of one per Judge and totally at their discretion.

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/ (submitted after entries had closed but here are their chosen links)

http://thestandard.org.nz/first-manufacture-a-crisis

http://thestandard.org.nz/the-story-bill-english-doesnt-want-you-to-see/

http://thestandard.org.nz/thankfully-the-election-isnt-tomorrow/

http://thestandard.org.nz/climate-change-looney-tunes-from-lord-monckton/

http://www.blog.labour.org.nz/
http://www.nominister.blogspot.com/
http://www.publicaddress.net/
http://www.blog.greens.org.nz/
http://www.tumeke.blogspot.com/ (Judging)

http://www.hot-topic.co.nz/ (submitted too late and corresponded directly with a Judge instead of the correct email- but here are the chosen links)

http://hot-topic.co.nz/somethin’-stupid/

http://hot-topic.co.nz/something-potty-in-the-state-of-denmark/

http://hot-topic.co.nz/the-first-cut-is-the-deepest/

http://hot-topic.co.nz/nz-sceptics-lie-about-temp-records-try-to-smear-top-scientist/

http://www.roarprawn.blogspot.com/
http://www.briefingroom.typepad.com/
http://www.adamsmith.wordpress.com/

http://www.thehandmirror.blogspot.com/ (submitted after entries had closed but here are their chosen links)
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-metaphor-of-closet.html
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2009/04/religion-and-gender-equality.html
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2009/03/daring-to-be-different.html
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-dont-get-these-people.html

www.openparachute.wordpress.com/

Nominations Close Midnight Tonight

Nominations close at midnight tonight for the Air New Zealand Best Blog Award**.

After communicating with the Judges the process will now be as follows:

1. Self-nominations with four links will all be sent to the Judges. This allows lesser known blogs to have an increased chance of exposure. All nominees will be posted on this site.

2. The Judges if they wish may nominate one wildcard entry each from the Tumeke top 20 rankings of a blog that has not self-nominated.

3. Each Judge will pick a short list of three finalists.

4. Judges will enter into cordial discussion to get a top three if it is not clear at this point.

5. Three finalists will be named including the winner on 10th July 2010. A summary of their Judging (if they wish) from each Judge along with any special mentions may be submitted for disclosure on this site.

Update on Entries

Thank you to everyone who has entered the Air New Zealand Best Blog Award**. We have received in quick time plenty of entries that reflect a cross section of the New Zealand blogging community.

Remember you have until Tuesday 1st June (next Tuesday) to get your links in to nzbloggersunion@hotmail.com

So far we have received correspondence from many of you as well and I note the following:

1. David Farrar (Kiwiblog) has yet to enter. I have contacted David personally demanding his entry and he kindly declined to enter on the general grounds that he doesn't believe in awards. This will be noteworthy in a memo to the National Party when he is put up for a Knighthood that he doesn't believe in honours like that.

I mention this solely as those of you who think David will automatically win so there is no point of entering, can be safe in the knowledge that he's piked out thus far.

2. I sense an overwhelming preciousness from some bloggers about entering anything. I interpret that as you are all afraid of losing so lord knows how any of you are actually successful in life. Well get over it as apart from one winner everyone else will technically be losers. But not as bigger losers as good blogs that do not enter.

3. More comments were made that visitor numbers will find a winner. That is a fallacy. We have brought Tim Selwyn in as a Judge because he is experienced in providing a measured rating system, but there are not four other Tim Selwyn's on the panel. All are free to judge their finalists any way they want to. We have no idea who will win because of this.

4. Some dim comment was made that the awards favoured "shock" blogs because they get more attention. A silly comment given the entries we have received thus far. Even New Zealand's Howard Stern of the blogging community (guess who) has entered four very measured and composed posts.

5. Finalist in the Qantas Best Blog Awards are free to enter the Air New Zealand Best Blog Award** and one already has done so. We accept nominations from all-comers, even complete dickwads.

6. Another comment was that the self-nomination process required you to rate yourself highly enough to enter. I answer that by saying, how can anyone else be expected to think you are any good if you don't?

Harden up and enter.

Air New Zealand Best Blog Award**

Here in New Zealand we believe in fairness, in playing by the rules that have been set upfront and in meaning what we say so that everyone has a fair go.

It has been brought to our attention that the Qantas Media Awards 2010 represent anything but that. It has got under our skins.



This does not surprise us since Qantas is an airline that still has business class beds that frustratingly do not lie flat and they charge similar or in many cases more expensive fares than airlines that give you a good night's sleep up the front. They still insult various long-haul routes lacking the competition of an Air New Zealand by having even older fit-outs that in many cases sell business class seats to customers that resemble Grandpop's creaky old lazy-boy with air hosties way less friendly and useful than Grandma. We pity from across the common area, anyone having to wait at Auckland International Airport in their lounge!

Lets face it Qantas is yesterday's airline flying yesterday's media awards. And they are Australian. Which in itself explains the deficiency in playing by rules against honesty Kiwis.

Good heavens the awards still ask for typewritten entry forms, editorial approval and do not allow submission via links to an email address.

The Best Blog of the Year award was meant to be a departure from 2009 where branded corporate blogs from Fairfax were named as finalists. Blogs that did nothing to add to the brand of news or current affairs that the awards night are meant to celebrate.

Moata Tamaira - aka the Librarian
Greer McDonald - aka the generation Y who now blogs wondering how she got $50,000 in debt
Adam Brown - A sports blogger

This year's finalists are just as bad. It has been alleged quite correctly that the three finalists do not even meet Qantas' own criteria and should be disqualified.

So in the spirit of giving everyone a fair go, we have taken this mild mannered rural lady's suggestion, gathered forces across the blogging community and created the "Air New Zealand Best Blog Award".

What are we are looking for?

The competition will be judged by the same criteria that the Qantas Best Blog Award was meant to be judged and it is only open to blogs "primarily dedicated to reporting news or views on news". We don't care about your personal finances, how your baby is doing or how wonderful your husband is for putting out the rubbish.

The judges will seek to recognise how content generated by the blog’s community of readers is incorporated into coverage of a story or particular subject. Examples could include reader generated comment, photographs, news tips etc.

So how do you enter?

No need for a silly form. Just like any modern airline, you can book everything online. No need to send a nomination form off in the post to have it passed through several sets of hands at the mercy of human competence, here at the Air New Zealand Best Blog Award, we only require that you:

1. Pick your four best samples of work in the calendar year 2009 that define your blog; and
2. Forward links to nzbloggersunion@hotmail.com

Do not make a pitch to us, Kiwis don't do that.

Like The Listener, we are not listening. We believe that your four links should speak for themselves.

Who will be judging you?

The Judging Panel will consist of a balanced mix of political, media and social commentators and professionals including Tumeke's Tim Selwyn, the creator of the first New Zealand blog ranking system:

Matthew Hooton - right wing extremist, political commentator and co-owner of PR agency Exceltium;
Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury - left wing extremist, media commentator and radio and TV host, co-author of Tumeke;
Ricardo Simich - director of One Agency, marketing and events specialists;

Tim Selwyn - creator of the first NZ blog ranking system, co-author of Tumeke; and
Regan Cunliffe - doesn't need to pimp himself as a social media guru, he runs Throng Media, a global network of Television websites and ffunnell, an ad network for independent publishers.

No representatives or lackeys of "old media" in that lot and we have tried to cover all political spectrums so there is no accusations of bias.


The winner will be crowned Air New Zealand Best Blog and carry with that the aura in the blogging community of being better than the Qantas Best Blog.

Important Dates

Entries close on 1st of June 2010 and because we always come ahead of Qantas and the old media, the winner will be announced on Thursday 10th of June 2010.

** And yeah Rob Fyfe didn't really say that and Air New Zealand are not really sponsoring the award but creative license has never stopped old media making shit up either.