Thinking Blog Award
Meme: n. A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another; a unit of cultural transmission; an idea which spreads. [Shortening (modeled on GENE) of mimeme, from Greek mimēma, something imitated, from mimeisthai, to imitate. See mimesis.]
As memes go, I’m delighted to participate in one that gives me the opportunity to laud other peoples’ great work and tell them how much their work is appreciated.
I was honoured to be a nominee for the Thinking Blogging Award, and as it turns out, I am doubly delighted to be nominated twice this week, and by two great bloggers.
A few days ago, Belgian blogger, artist extraordinaire and dear friend Ben Heine nominated me as one of his choices for the Thinking Blogger Award, along with four other great blogs — please join me in an esprit de corps in visiting them if you haven’t already done so: Poetic Justice, Carlos Latuff, Sabbah and Les Politiques.
And just today, I am chuffed that the artful Fencer has indicated likewise, having being tagged by the meme and in turn nominating me along with four other great blogs.
I have quietly enjoyed Fencer’s Quirk blog for awhile now, and am honoured to be considered, mighty kind of you, Fencer. I also extend warm congratulations at Fencer’s nomination. Please avail yourself to the opportunity to visit the blog and read thoughtful and erudite entries on a myriad of interesting topics, or as the indicative description goes: “It’s about Emerson, fencing, painting, writing, absurdities, aikido, politics, spirit, rock ‘n’ roll, Thoreau, science fiction, beauty… and getting down with my bad side.”
So, since I presume that Quirk and Ben Heine, as nominated by Desert Peace, and the above great blogs are out (so I can spread more link-love ;) ), who are my picks? Well, there are lots of great thinking blogs but I think I have 5 favourites I can readily nominate. Decisions, decisions …
I do want to add by way of preamble that had my dear friend Mr Savant’s Ressentiment blog not been closed by him recently, he would have been nominated. He is a marvelous and multi-disciplinary observer of life who has written some tremendous material. He has a creative turn of phrase and an admirable grasp of language; he manages to be cerebral, eminently readable and engaging, funny and brilliant all at once. In the past I have threatened told him that I will one day collect all the gems from our email correspondence and present them to him for publishing.
Congratulations to my following blog choices (with reasons) who, in alphabetical order, are:
Curt is a wonderful writer and multitalented maestro with a thrilling polymath range. He is able to apply his keen perception and concise writing to many topics, from global warming to music to Middle East politics. If you poke around the About page, you’ll see that Curt is also a musician and speaks a few languages, and is not yet 30. CSTF is a great thinker’s blog, and a blog for thinkers, as well as those who also like a laugh and some Southern charm.
My dear friend Ed (short for Mohammad Idrees) has a superb site. Want highly intelligent, on the ball analysis delivered with razor-sharp writing and an impressive historical and political knowledge? Ed is also multitalented and adeptly writes on a breadth of topics. For all his brilliance, he also has a great sense of humour and fun. His erudition is admired by many and the blog goes from strength to strength. I also warmly congratulate him on his newly acquired fanonite.org domain.
A smart and perceptive blogger, Homeyra moves between political and cultural topics with ease. She writes intelligently and warmly, and engages visitors graciously and generously. A terrific blog title (also apt for an architect!) with terrific posts that have showcased Iranian culture so beautifully. You are practically guaranteed to learn something — I have learned much there and am grateful to have encountered this superlative site.
LotBB is the welcoming and comfy dissenting lair of Blue Bear and Agent 99, who take aim at the US Empire and associated egregious sins with honesty, humanism and humour. The Lair exemplifies the Great American Democratic Dissenting Tradition, IMHO: canny, well researched and a flair for presenting topical issues in a thought-provoking and engaging manner.
Yes, the above are those I’ve designated as sister-city sites, so they already have an idea of what I think of them. But the last one is harder as there are so many great thinking blogs I regularly read, and I’m limiting it to blogs in which my familiarity makes my choices well-founded.
Kurt Nimmo: Another Day in the Empire
Kurt Nimmo and I do not as yet know one another, so I certainly do not oblige him to participate in this meme (nor any of my four other choices, for that matter, it suffices that they know that they are appreciated). But I am pleased to nominate his ADE site as it exemplifies a thinking blog for me. I have long read his excellent posts and considered his writing indispensable for any serious student of geopolitics. He helps cut a swathe through the disinformation to get to the heart of the matter. He often paints a grim picture but it is an eminently honest and lucid one IMHO–highly recommended.
Friends and fellow bloggers, should you choose to participate in this meme, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging.
The participation rules are simple:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote
Now I’m sure that was more interesting than reading about my space oddities (of which I have many) ;)
Ann, Great choice. I appreciate very much Homeyra’s blog. As for myself, I have chosen to opt out from Memetic cultural determinism for the reasons I layed out at Ben’s blog. Congrats to all.
Thanks Sophia — and you laid out your reasons soundly. Memetic cultural determinism, indeed ;)
I’ll beg off from future memes too, I think, but highlighting five great thinking sites over so many good ones was not too bad.
Thanks Ann,
I shall have to think about my choices for recognition, although you have chosen a couple of my candidates as well. Perhaps there will be some multiple memes given to them.
BB2
Thanks BB2. And why not? I’m sure they won’t mind multiple recognition. :)
Great choices, Ann!!
Thank you for this funny post.
Nice choices indeed.
You’ve space oddities? Four arms? ESP? Pray tell…
Thanks guys. And congrats on your own nominations—its a very collegial and friendly thing just to say “buddy, thanks for doing what ya do!”
Mark, there are many many space oddities—maybe one day I’ll list the eccentricities in my published memoirs. Four arms and ESP would be good. :)
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Much appreciated, friend, and I echo your sentiments as to the others you’ve honoured here.
;)