Then More Good Things Happened

Firstbagrev

This was the first BAGnews edition to grace a middle school lunch bag. Originally, the goal was to interest the kids in news and civics. (And somewhere over the next thousand editions or so, it worked.) But then, The BAG has come a long way from a few strokes with the Sharpee.

Last month, it was a great honor to receive the Koufax Award for 2005’s best post in the liberal blogosphere. Apparently though, the run is not over. A few days ago, I learned that BAGnewsNotes had been named one of the three 2006 Webby Award finalists for Best Political Blog.

From humble origins, I am proud that my interest in politics and its
visual representation has gained such recognition. I am also pleased
– in spite of the horribly contentious times we live in — that The BAG has generally retained its sense of fun.

If, after the 500 member Webby Academy final vote on May 9th, The BAG does not take home all the marbles, I’ll still feel honored for the recognition (and proud, as well, that I also blog for The Huffington Post, a competing finalist). If The BAG does win, it will be great to go to New York, receive the award from Rob Corddry and deliver that infamous five word speech. But the greatest thrill would be to attend with my boys, who were sustained intellectually and gastronomically by this project, and without whom there would have been no BAG.

I urge all BAGnewsNotes readers to vote in the Webby’s People’s Voice Award. (The Webby actually gives two awards. One is chosen by The Webby academy; the other is determined by popular vote.) Last I checked, The BAG was trailing by a good percentage, but we have two weeks, and with such a loyal community, it might not take much for us to catch up.

To cast your vote, register at the People’s Voice Awards page; sign in with the password they email you; then find BAGnewsNotes in to the section labeled: Society/Blog-Political.

Again, I owe deep gratitude to all of you who have been one with The (first physical, then virtual) BAG. It’s only going to get better, I promise.

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Sign For A Head

JVictor

Congrats on all the awards: well deserved.
Any chance BAGnews will analyze the WaPo’s frontpage photo of blogger Maryscott O’Conner? Perhaps it’s too easy picking this one apart but given the battle between the Post and the left blogosphere, it may be worth it.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/04/14/PH2006041401759.jpg
The BAG

Victor,

I’m very glad you reference the Post slam. Both the article and photo are thoroughly incendiary. It’s the same treatment the right gave to Howard Dean. Except this attack is generated purely by The Post. (Can’t say for sure, but this feels like attempted payback for their debacle over trying to hire a right wing blogger.)

Specifically, this piece is a vicious attack on liberal blogs, bloggers and everyone who dedicates even a moment participating in their discussion threads. What I find most vicious, especially from a BnN perspective, is this latter dig. The comment/discussion aspect of this site is as important (and, independent) as any other component. The participants are not anonymous flame throwers; they are an organic, vital and feeling body. I can’t speak for other liberal blogs, but our “discussion community,” and the larger group of people who closely follow these threads without personally commenting (and I know there are a great many that fit this description) would all have much better things to do if they weren’t deriving the kind of knowledge, insight, intellectual challenge, pleasure, entertainment and, yes, solidarity and moral support, from co-residing here.

In fact, I wasn’t going to mention this in the post above, but The BAG is the only Webby Nominee for Best Political Blog that showcases an individual blogger. (As regards the other nominees, most bloggers would instantly make the case that CJR is a news blog, rather than a political one.) It is for this reason alone that one should vote for The BAG in the (yes, corporately sponsored) People’s Voice. It would be sending a statement that blogs essentially represent the outsiders, the individual voices, those without built-in franchise, the pure roots.
Phredd

Congratulations and kudos to BAG. You are a daily stop for me, and I think your site is unique and worthwhile.
readytoblowagasket

It’s all good: the Webby nomination, the “Angry Left” appellation, the get-me-somma-that-blogger-action attention. Wait till the Angry Right joins the Angry Left at the voting booths in the midterm elections this November!
Like I said, it’s all good.
Congratulations on the much-deserved nomination, The BAG.
Asta

Congratulations, Michael, the recognition is well earned.
And in response to your expression of gratitude, I want to respond with thanking YOU for providing this most-interesting community in which to read, learn, react, and in my case, snark.
hauksdottir

Spiffiness!
Arianna may get more votes, since her site is a celebrity site, but we have the better community. Just being nominated ought to put a smile the size of the LA Basin on our faces.
Carolly
CommiePinkoScum

Congratulations! Your nomination is well deserved.
What’s the infamous five word speech, though?
Cactus

Michael, I’m happy for you, as I’m sure we all are. Putting out a daily blog all by yourself is a tremendous job and you deserve all the kudos coming your way. Just one thing, though: Don’t change the blog.
And about the angry left….we have every right to be angry at what has been done to our country. The pols in the beltway are so used to dealing with acquiescent dumbocrats that it’s no wonder they are afraid to come up against the true anger out here in the rest of the country. Hope we can keep it that way thru the election.