JIB (Jewish and Israeli Blog) Awards – Nominations

Note: This post will remain at the top of the page until the next JIB Awards Update.

 

Updated WEDNESDAY, January 5th (see bottom of post)

 

This is the master post for 2004 JIB Awards nominations. You should link to the URL of this post during the nominations phase.

 

To nominate a blog for a particular category, click on the required category link below. You will be taken to a post with instructions. In most cases, you will need to leave the blog name and hyperlinked URL in the comments to the relevant category post.

 

Here are the rules:

 

1. You can nominate a blog in more than one category.

 

However, I ask that you only nominate a blog in a category if it is appropriate. For example, please do not nominate a very new blog for Best Overall.

 

2. A blog should only be nominated once in a category. So before nominating a blog, conduct a quick “find” to determine whether or not it has already been nominated.

 

3. If I believe that a nominated blog does not truly belong in its nominated category, I retain the right to do one of the following:

  • Move it to a more appropriate category; or
  • If it does not belong in any of the categories, but does fit the criteria of a Jewish, Israeli or pro-Israel blog, then I will include it in a Best of the Rest category.
  • If it does not belong in the JIB Awards at all, then I will remove its nomination.
  •  

    4. A blog is ineligible for being nominated if, although it is written by a Jewish blogger, the content of the blog is anti-Israel, or even anti-Semitic.

     

    The above does not include blogs which contain earnest discussion about the merits of certain Israeli policies.

     

    5. If your blog is nominated but you do not want it to be in the voting, please send me an email (israellycool-[at]-yahoo-[dot]-com) with your blog name, URL, and a clear statement that you do not wish to be nominated. Otherwise, all nominated blogs will be considered potential entrants.

     

    6. All eligible nominated blogs will progress to the voting rounds. If a category contains more than 15 eligible nominations, the category will be split into a number of sub-groups for a preliminary voting round. The top (in terms of votes) x number of blogs from each sub-group will progress to the finals voting for the category.

     

    This ensures that the identity of blogs deserving to be finalists remains in your hands, and not at the mercy of one person (me).

     

    7. I retain the right to modify any of the above rules if any serious problems arise.

     

    8. Nominations close on Sunday, 16th January.  

     

    Nominations are being accepted in the following categories:

     

     

    Updates:

     

    2/1/05

     

  • I have enabled anonymous comments so you can nominate without prejudice, and without having to be logged in.
  •  

  • Israellycool is ineligible for the awards. Given the main aims of the awards, I feel that allowing myself to be nominated would be tacky.
  •  

    3/1/05

     

    The response has been overwhelming, with in excess of 150 nominations so far!

     

    – I will attempt to allow all nominees to move to the voting rounds, but it might be necessary to cull some of the lists if there are too many nominations. If I do this, then it will be based on lack of suitability with the category. For instance, someone nominated a blog in the Best Designed Blog category, which is nothing more than a blogger template. This nomination will not be counted. Similarly, there is no way a blog that was started only a few months ago will be allowed for Best Overall blog, unless it has clearly had a profound influence in the blogosphere (based on its traffic, as well as discussions in the blogosphere).

     

    – Many people are nominating blogs for a second or third time. This is greatly increasing my workload. Please read the nomination rules above – before nominating a blog in a category, please check that it is not already nominated.

     

    – Many people are also not providing hyperlinked URLs as requested. Some did not even provide URLs at all! This is also giving me headaches, so please ensure that you all follow the instructions.

     

    – There has been very little bickering or snarkiness, but there has been some. The commenter involved was banned. Please keep these awards light and fun. I do not like banning people, or barking orders. But I will not tolerate any attempts to create ill feelings.

     

    – If you disagree with any nominations, please keep it to yourself. I will handle the validity of nominations. I do not have time to discuss these with you. If you disagree with a nomination, let it be reflected in your voting (when the time comes)

     

    4/1/05

     

    I have been following some of the discussions about these awards. There is a general feeling of excitement and anticipation surrounding them, which is great. And I have not seen too much bickering, except in some of the comments to the nomination posts. But IP banning is a blessed tool, I tell you…

     

    One blogger asks:

    “What does any of this mean? And how many people are reading these nominations/blogs anyway?”

    To answer the first question, the awards themselves do not mean much.

     

    Yes, I did just say that.

     

    Whatever the results, a blog’s true worth is not reflected by the results of this, or any other, awards. It is reflected by its worth to the people reading each day and the enjoyment it provides to them, as well as its utility in helping people, or otherwise affecting them in a positive way. It is also reflected by its effectiveness as an outlet for the blogger him/herself.

     

    Of course, the official “winner” of each category may also be the blog with the most readers, or the blog which has the most profound effect on readers. But it might also be the blog owned by the blogger with the most friends willing to vote, or the blogger who has a bot program to automatically vote (although I am looking into ways to prevent this, and I will crack down hard on any such cheating if it does occur).

     

    What I am getting at here is that you should all have alot of fun with these awards. Be competitive in a fun way. But don’t adopt a “win-at-all-costs” approach, which can only create ill feelings.

     

    Of course, I do not mean to suggest that winning won’t be advantageous. We are currently designing winner’s logos, and the winning blogs will receive more notice. Not to mention the fact that the winners may also receive more traffic when the winner’s list is posted.

     

    To answer the second question, I hope many more people will be reading all of your blogs. After all, this is a major aim of the awards. We are currently only in the nomination phase, but I am sure some of you have already experienced some increase in readership. Come the voting phase(s), and I hope this phenomenom will be even greater. You could all help by bringing these awards to the attention of more high traffic blogs (I have already tried Instapundit, but long-time readers will know that Glenn does not seem to read my emails). If any of you have “inside access” to a high traffic blog, here’s your chance to help!

     

    Once again, thanks for getting “into the spirit.” I know I have personally learned about so many new blogs from the nominations, some of which I will likely visit regularly. So I consider myself to have already benefited from these awards.

     

    5/1/05

     

    Cheese and Crackers, the number 1 ranked blog in terms of traffic at the moment (with almost 500,000 unique visitors a day!) has linked to the JIB Awards!

     

    Cheese and Crackers rose to the top of the traffic rankings after becoming the go-to blog for Tsunami footage. (You can read more about it here). I hope that we are able to ride its wave of popularity, and bring much attention to the nominated blogs. Hopefully, this will also lead to the truth about Israel reaching a larger audience.

     

    By the way, I should mention that the owner/blogger of Cheese and Crackers, Jordan, specifically agreed to help publicize the JIB Awards since he considers himself pro-Israel, and would love to help out. He also has great recollections of visiting Israel as a child, including tasting some very good chicken shnitzel. See? Who says Israel is all about falafel and shwarma?

     

    —-

     

    Now Charles has linked. Thanks mate!

     

    Welcome Lizardoids. Feel free to make your own nominations. Nominations close in 11 days, and the polls will be open some time after that (tbd).

     

    Also feel free to have a look at the currently nominated blogs. You might just find an interesting new read.


    Note: This post will remain at the top of the page until the next JIB Awards Update.

     

    Updated WEDNESDAY, January 5th (see bottom of post)

     

    This is the master post for 2004 JIB Awards nominations. You should link to the URL of this post during the nominations phase.

    15 thoughts on “JIB (Jewish and Israeli Blog) Awards – Nominations”

    1. I have a question about item number 4. How do you define earnest discussion of politics as opposed to being anti-Israel?

      For example I could be in favor of the withdrawal from Gaza and be considered by some people to be anti-Israel.

      Or alternatively I could consider advocates of transfer to be anti-Israel.

      Just curious to see what you have to say on the matter.

    2. I have a question about item number 4. How do you define earnest discussion of politics as opposed to being anti-Israel?

      For example I could be in favor of the withdrawal from Gaza and be considered by some people to be anti-Israel.

      Or alternatively I could consider advocates of transfer to be anti-Israel.

      Just curious to see what you have to say on the matter.

    3. Good question, Jack.

      I want to leave politics out of the awards. So for me, the test would be “Is this [blog] considered anti-Israel by the layperson, regardless of his/her political orientation?”

      Of course, I have to put myself in the position of the layperson.

      Having said that, I am hoping it will be pretty obvious to everyone if a blog is ANTI-Israel, as opposed to critical of some Israeli policies.

    4. Fair enough. I suspect that we’ll find it relatively easy to determine where the lines are. Arguments such as I outlined will likely still be located on blogs that are “Pro-Israel” or so I would think.

      Anyway, thanks for the reply. I’ll try not to double-post this time.

    5. I’d like to Nominate Red Tigress

      Redtigress.tblog.com

      for Overall good site… good news.. Israel news.. and religious education of this gentile 🙂

    6. Well, I think that goes to the rational for supporting something like withdrawl from Gaza. If you support it because you think that Israeli settlers are murdering thieves who use the blood of innocent Palistinian’s to make their bread and that this is a proper step towards removing Israel from the map, then you are probably anti-Israel.

      If you think it needs to be done because the settlements can’t be defended properly, because the government has to play the game through to the end, or some other rational reason then maybe you are not anti-Israel.

      If you think it needs to be done because it will make the Arabs like Jews and bring peace and happiness to the region, then you are naive and foolish, but probably not anti-israel.

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