Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Scale Down Predicted to win CBA "Best New Blog" 2007


OK, I admit, when a friend of mine sent me the link to this article (thanks, Paul!), the first thing in my mind was that it was CBC's predictions about the Canadian Blog Awards. I started reading - and then I started dancing.....

I just stopped about 5 minutes ago.

"The deadline for voting on the second round of the 2007-8 Canadian Blog Awards sort of snuck up on me. This might be the drawback of only voting once rather than once a day — a difference that may focus the mind, but then keeps the awards out of sight and out of mind for most of the days of voting.

But whatever the case, if you haven’t yet voted for this year’s finalists, I encourage you to do so. You have until the end of tomorrow (Thursday, January 30) [ED - this should read today - WEDNESDAY, January 30] to get your votes in. This year’s first round voting has produced an ecclectic set of finalists and a diverse collection of blogs to peruse.

So, without further ado, here’s my quick take on the contestants."
It is a fairly long article, and it is obvious from author James Bow's in depth critiques, he has spent a fair amount of time visiting all of the blog finalist. Now, without further ado - I am going to jump straight to the money-shot...

"Best New Blog
Contenders:
The Dinosty, WindsorEats FoodBlog, …Scale Down, Windsor, Uncorrected Proofs, Danielle Takacs: Galloping Around the Golden Horseshoe.

The pace of the expanding blogosphere may have slowed (they’re no longer talking about ten blogs being created every second, or some such), but there are so many new blogs hitting the skids these days, it’s always amazing to see those rare few rise to the surface. The Dinosty is a Canadian basketball fan with an attractive looking blog about his passion. Windsor Eats shows that there are good things to eat in Windsor, whereas Scale Down, Windsor tackles the political issues surrounding this border town (since when did Windsor develop such a happening blog community?). NDP Blogger Uncorrected Proofs has been making waves in the Canadian political blogosphere, and Liblogger Danielle Takacs takes up the Liberal cause from her vantage point in the GTA.

Who Should Win:

I’m voting for Scale Down, Windsor, because I like an underdog, and because I like what they’re doing. All of the blogs listed here are worthy of winning. I like Danielle’s analysis, but I’d strongly recommend darkening up that red column, and giving your site a black background, for ease on the eye."

So you can see why I'm pretty happy right now. I just peeled myself off the ceiling. And speaking of peeling somebody off the ceiling, can someone get ahold of Andrew over at International Metrolopolis for me? I think he's in the same state that I am right now.

"Best Local Blog
Contenders:
International Metropolis, blogTO, Miss604, Spacing Toronto, WindsorEats FoodBlog

Local blogs really represent cities as bloggers; they can be as diverse and eclectic as individual bloggers, and that’s the case here. Compare Spacing Toronto with its urban planning tilt and activist ethic with the wider ranging blogTO and you’ll see what I mean. It’s good to see Vancouver represented with Miss 604, and WindsorEats strikes me as the little local blog that could. International Metropolis mines the relationship between Windsor and its cross-river cousin Detroit.

Who Should Win:

International Metropolis. I nominated Spacing Wire, and they have an excellent blog and an excellent magazine, but I was blown away by this Windsor-Detroit blog. It’s an unusual subject, well written, and excellently designed. It deserves your attention."

Whomever wins deserves all the praise they attract. There are some excellent blogs out there and I thank James Bow for highlight the CBA finalists for us. Here in Windsor, we have obviously shown the world that we have an active blogging community ('happening" as the author calls it) and we have made our mark profoundly. I am very proud to be a part of the local scene with all my Windsor brethen. Congratulations to all of your hard work.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Chris,

Paul sent me the article too...

It is simply outstanding for a Toronto based review to select not one, but two of us little Windsor blogs as his picks.

It just gives you a nice feeling inside that your work is being recognized.

Congratulations, to all the scaledown team and best of luck for the last day of voting.

Chris Holt said...

Especially with you going up against Spacing! Whodathunk? I hope that Adriano and Pina don't take it too hard :) They shouldn't as their blog/website ROCKS! We're all doing a great job here and I hope we all walk away with a sense of accomplishment regardless of who wins.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to both of you and I do hope you both win. Both blogs, and a few others, are very great both for their information and their ability to bring people together to make positive changes.

Now if only Eddie and Windsor's city council understand that the blog's aren't going away andthat they are a great source of info. Not to mention that they also give great insight as to how people are really feeling due to the ability of being anonymous.
We all know the backlash people can receive from the city if you told them who you really are.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Dave.

As for Windsor Eats, they shouldn't feel bad at all. They have an excellent site, and it was no small feat to move out of the first round in not only one, but two different categories! It's just really great IMO for our small (and relativly new) Windsor Blogosphere to have recieved so much attention.

Adriano Ciotoli said...

Thanks Chris and Andrew....but remember......the voting isnt over yet!

Best of luck, but not too much ;) You all have done an amazing job and should be proud.

Chris Holt said...

We're the underdogs, remember :) We're feeling no pressure whatsoever and are just thrilled to be sitting where we are in the standings.

Chris Holt said...

Hey! Where'd "ac" go?

WE Speak said...

I liked the "since when did Windsor develop such a happening blog community?" comment. It's nice to see others recognize what we've been trying to build here. Whether your blog was nominated or not, Windsor does have, and is building a thriving and vibrant blogging community.

WE Speak said...

PS. for the record, James Bow is from the Kitchener-Waterloo area. He's an author and also runs The Blogging Alliance of Non-Partisan Canadians.

Anonymous said...

I would suggest it's the Windsor Star that resulted in an active community of bloggers in Windsor. With only one print outlet, there was a need for different, fresh, free, voices. And when I've picked up the Star, it looks like they have less actual reporters/writers covering windsor than a handful of blogs can muster.

Shawn Micallef said...

Ah, and for the record, James occasionally blogs on transit issues for us at Spacing, but it's good he's spreading the attention around where it's deserved.

--

It does get to what may not be apparent when you're outside of Toronto (as so much is going on inside): the reputation of only caring about Toronto stuff and not seeing past the city limits is largely a myth. Certainly there's a lot more coverage of stuff Toronto (it's home, and it's huge) but there's a proportionate amount of outward gazing that likely gets overlooked sometimes at first glance.

Chris Holt said...

Shawn's got a great point when it comes to the health of the Windsor blogoshpere.

There is such a large void in the "news" business here that it was bound to fill up with something eventually. Only when such a democratic and accessible medium arrived on the scene was the masses able to grab ahold of it and make it their own.

Pretty soon, they will be issuing Windsor bloggers press passes and steno pads and giving us a paycheque!

Which is why we really must support the local blog scene. There's nothing better for increasing the quality of a product than take-no-prisoners competition. Maybe we'll even see a GOOD Windsor Star appear when the dust settles.