Madam Miaow makes the Orwell Prize longlist for blogging 2012

Informed witty commentary on China matters available here

The Orwell Prize has just announced its 2012 longlist for blogging and I'm delighted to find that Madam Miaow has made the grade.

My submitted entries here.

Blog longlist here.

Alex Massie Alex Massie
Anna Chen Madam Miaow Says
Bagehot Bagehot’s Notebook
Ms Baroque Baroque in Hackney
BendyGirl Benefit Scrounging Scum
David Allen Green Jack of Kent
Gavin Kelly Economics and the reality of the ‘squeezed middle’
John Rentoul Independent Blogs
Lisa Ansell Lisa Ansell
Pavel Konnolsky The Konnolsky Files
Polly Curtis Reality Check with Polly Curtis
Mick Fealty Slugger O’Toole
Raph Shirley Another stupid human
Rangers Tax-Case Rangers Tax-Case
Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi
Tim Marshall Foreign Matters
Toby Young Telegraph Blogs
Wiggy Beneath the Wig

My name in chalk: Total Politics Blog Awards opens for voting

Apropos of nothing much, really, the Total Politics Blog Awards 2011 has opened for voting. Hey, look, there's a "Left Wing" category.

*whistles*

Madam Miaow commended in blog round-up: leftie love-in

The left notoriously is often a rats-in-a-sack scenario, all sectarian spats and spite-fuelled hacks sucking up precious bodily fluids that would be better spent on challenging the system. It is therefore always cheering to receive support from fellow socialists.

Andy at Socialist Unity, one of the big beasts of the left blogosphere, has written up his end of year blog round-up and given Madam Miaow Says a big thumbs-up.

Anna’s blog “Madam Miaow Says” in particular is always both edgy and concise: her articles about Julian Assange have been very good. Anna’s strength is in never accepting the moral superiority of the West, while avoiding the trap of cheerleading for the West’s opponents.

Yay!. That's one for the hard-of-comprehension who write me those charming stalker notes on why my foreign-looking boat-race is inferior to aryan blondes, and demanding to know how often I pop over to the PRC for tea with Uncle Mao. (Not since I was a kid, as it happens. Visited China, that is, not hob-nobbed with world leaders. No-one's going to be bringing no fifty-carat dirty pebbles to my door at "what time d'ya call this?" o'clock in the small hours. Sadly.)

I'll second Andy's endorsement of Harpy Marx in particular, a principled comrade from whom I've learnt much about parliamentary politics. Elsewhere, Gauche has caught my eye, I'm waiting for the brilliant Dolphinarium to get into her stride, Laurie Penny is striding away in seven-league boots, and Jack Of Kent alternately delights and exasperates with his come-hither slappety-slapdowns of US-offending maverick males every time you think he's on the side of the angels.

2010 sees the end of Tory blogger Ian Dale (now moved to Total Politics) and Labourite Tom Harris, and I hope that the current hiatus over at Splintered Sunrise is only a temporary one.

Remember, guys, it's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it, so it might as well be us.

Reminder: it's time for bloggers to get their submission in for the Orwell Prize 2011. Ten links to your favourite blogposts by the 11th January deadline.

Orwell Prize blogging won by Winston Smith

Had a lovely time last night in the domed wood-panelled hall of Church House in Westminster for the Orwell Prize winners announcement.

Bunged up with bronchitis as I was, there was no way I was going to miss this event. Lots of mates turned up in support (thank you, guys 'n' gals) and I hung around with fellow shortlisters Laurie (Penny Red) and David (Jack of Kent) but missed Hopi Sen and Tim Marshall.

I was convinced that either David or Laurie would win. Laurie because she is a rising young woman writer of the left and talented youth is what we majorly need. Or David because he has had some spectacular wins in the last month or so, taking his vorpal Sword of Truth to the antedeluvian libel laws on behalf of Simon Singh and Dave Osler. Plus they are both clear and passionate writers (Laurie is rilly passionate) and clarity is a quality Orwell considered vital to good political writing.

Blog prize judge Richard Horton, last year's winner, said that it's no coincidence that as Labour has gone into opposition there's been a growth of organic voices from the left, reflected in the shortlist. He said of Madam Miaow:

"Every post is entertaining and informative. From the impact of the X-Factor on Chinese diplomacy to the inner voice of Tony Blair as he looks in the shaving mirror every morning, and what must that be like. This is a blog that doesn't do the obvious. It doesn't do big news or big issues. It follows the writer's own agenda, it goes outside the commentariat, and we thought it was all the better for that."

Which, of course, softened the blow when Winston Smith got it (hey, the name alone clinches it). He couldn't be present in person due to his activity behind enemy lines so his publisher accepted the prize on his behalf. Well done, Winston, whoever you are. And even though you refer to those at the bottom of society as the "underclass".

Peter Hitchens won the prize for journalism. I sort of expected this. I disagree with his politics, obviously, but he is utterly sincere about his beliefs and betrays no cynicism.

Andrea Gillies won the book prize with Keeper. I know nothing about this but it looks like a fascinating investigation into what makes us human, and how much of our soul is tied up with our memories.

The shortlisters were whisked off to dinner all the way across the hall where we dined on quail's egg salad, roast lamb with potatoes au gratin, and strawberry shortcake confection with clotted cream. Jack Of Kent's lovely friend, Sally, donated David's dessert to me while he was table-hopping. Ya see? Priorities. No wonder my networking skills are a Big Fail.

More at Harpy Marx

Orwell Prize blogging won by Winston Smith

Had a lovely time last night in the domed wood-panelled hall of Church House in Westminster for the Orwell Prize winners announcement.

Bunged up with bronchitis as I was, there was no way I was going to miss this event. Lots of mates turned up in support (thank you, guys 'n' gals) and I hung around with fellow shortlisters Laurie (Penny Red) and David (Jack of Kent) but missed Hopi Sen and Tim Marshall.

I was convinced that either David or Laurie would win. Laurie because she is a rising young woman writer of the left and talented youth is what we majorly need. Or David because he has had some spectacular wins in the last month or so, taking his vorpal Sword of Truth to the antedeluvian libel laws on behalf of Simon Singh and Dave Osler. Plus they are both clear and passionate writers (Laurie is rilly passionate) and clarity is a quality Orwell considered vital to good political writing.

Blog prize judge Richard Horton, last year's winner, said that it's no coincidence that as Labour has gone into opposition there's been a growth of organic voices from the left, reflected in the shortlist. He said of Madam Miaow:

"Every post is entertaining and informative. From the impact of the X-Factor on Chinese diplomacy to the inner voice of Tony Blair as he looks in the shaving mirror every morning, and what must that be like. This is a blog that doesn't do the obvious. It doesn't do big news or big issues. It follows the writer's own agenda, it goes outside the commentariat, and we thought it was all the better for that."

Which, of course, softened the blow when Winston Smith got it (hey, the name alone clinches it). He couldn't be present in person due to his activity behind enemy lines so his publisher accepted the prize on his behalf. Well done, Winston, whoever you are. And even though you refer to those at the bottom of society as the "underclass".

Peter Hitchens won the prize for journalism. I sort of expected this. I disagree with his politics, obviously, but he is utterly sincere about his beliefs and betrays no cynicism.

Andrea Gillies won the book prize with Keeper. I know nothing about this but it looks like a fascinating investigation into what makes us human, and how much of our soul is tied up with our memories.

The shortlisters were whisked off to dinner all the way across the hall where we dined on quail's egg salad, roast lamb with potatoes au gratin, and strawberry shortcake confection with clotted cream. Jack Of Kent's lovely friend, Sally, donated David's dessert to me while he was table-hopping. Ya see? Priorities. No wonder my networking skills are a Big Fail.

More at Harpy Marx

Madam Miaow makes Orwell Prize shortlist

I'm celebrating, so I can't be long. Hic!

MC Jean Seaton, Orwell Prize Director, said of Madam Miaow: "... independence and spirit." And that we bloggers were "representing reporting from places that aren't getting reported."

A lovely event tonight at Reuters over drinks and canapes (hunks of chicken they called "goujons", mini cheeseburgers and fishcakes — so much nicer than Ritz crackers and processed cheese).

I got the chance to meet the wonderful Jack of Kent and hang out with Laurie Penny and others including Dave Osler. The Miaow Massive included Harpy Marx who I hope to see nominated next year, plus Denis, Irene and Loved One.

The Guardian announces the Orwell prize shortlist but their link for Madam Miaow takes you to Laurie's page. Anything to do with this?

Too celebracious to make sense. Here's the organisers' press release instead:

PRESS RELEASE: ORWELL PRIZE 2010 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

Books on Turkey, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Alzheimer’s, free speech and liberty make shortlist
Two Guardian journalists and Cambridge don among those on elongated journalism list
Pseudonymous social worker Winston Smith, named after 1984 character, makes Blog Prize shortlist

The shortlists for the Orwell Prize 2010, Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing, were announced at the annual shortlist debate at Thomson Reuters, Canary Wharf, this evening, Thursday 15th April at 7pm.
Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, revealed the 6 books, 7 journalists (instead of the usual 6) and 6 bloggers still in contention for the £3000 prizes ahead of a debate on the question, ‘has the political class been fatally weakened?’ and a screening of the First Election Debate.
The Book Prize shortlist comprises:
De Bellaigue, Christopher Rebel Land: Among Turkey's Forgotten Peoples Bloomsbury
Gappah, Petina An Elegy for Easterly Faber; Farrar, Straus; Giroux Gillies, Andrea Keeper Short Books
Kampfner, John Freedom For Sale: How We Made Money and Lost Our Liberty Simon and Schuster
Malik, Kenan From Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and Its Legacy Atlantic Books
Wrong, Michela It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle Blower Fourth Estate

This year’s shortlist has a strong international flavour, with Rebel Land on Turkey, Elegy for Easterly on Zimbabwe, and It’s Our Turn to Eat on Kenya, and Freedom for Sale and From Fatwa to Jihad both having a strong international dimension. But Britain is represented too, Andrea Gillies’ Keeper having already won the Wellcome Prize for medicine in literature for its account of living with Alzheimer’s.

Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, said: ‘The Orwell injunction to go and see and report, whether at home or abroad, marks all these books. They are beautifully written pieces that translate important contemporary experiences into vivid quandaries – all of these books ask us to make our minds up, and do something.’

This year’s Book Prize judges are Jonathan Heawood (Director, English PEN), Andrew Holgate (Literary Editor, Sunday Times) and Francine Stock (writer and broadcaster). 212 books were entered, and 18 were longlisted.

The Journalism Prize shortlist consists of 7 journalists, rather than the traditional 6:
John Arlidge Sunday Times (Magazine, News Review)
Amelia Gentleman The Guardian (G2)
Peter Hitchens Mail on Sunday
Paul Lewis The Guardian
Anthony Loyd The Times; Standpoint
Hamish McRae The Independent
David Reynolds BBC (Radio 4, News online)

The Guardian has two journalists on this year’s shortlist: Amelia Gentleman for her social affairs work and Paul Lewis for his coverage of the G20 protests. Peter Hitchens is shortlisted for the third time in four years for his foreign reporting, alongside John Arlidge (for financial stories including ‘God’s work’ and Goldman Sachs), Anthony Loyd (on Afghanistan), Hamish McRae (for economic commentary) and David Reynolds, Professor of International History at Cambridge University, for work related to BBC Radio 4’s America: Empire of Liberty.

Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, said: ‘Although moaning about the decline of journalism has become something of a national and international cliché, these acutely written, well-evidenced, careful bits of contemporary journalism show, in fact, it is in fine form.’

This year’s Journalism Prize judges are Roger Graef (writer, filmmaker, criminologist) and Peter Kellner (journalist, President of YouGov). 85 journalism entries were received, with 14 (rather than the usual 12) being longlisted. The pieces for which each journalist was shortlisted can be found on the Orwell Prize website.

The Blog Prize judges shortlisted 6 bloggers:
Hopi Sen Hopi Sen
Jack of Kent Jack of Kent
Laurie Penny Penny Red and others
Madam Miaow Madam Miaow Says
Tim Marshall Foreign Matters
Winston Smith Working with the Underclass

Named after the central character of 1984, social worker Winston Smith is the second pseudonymous public servant to be shortlisted for the Blog Prize, after last year’s winner Jack Night. He is joined by Labour-supporting blogger Hopi Sen (longlisted for last year’s Blog Prize), legal blogger Jack of Kent (freelance legal and policy writer, Allen Green), Laurie Penny (‘socialist, feminist... freelance copywriter and sometime blogger’), Madam Miaow (poet, writer and broadcaster, Anna Chen) and Tim Marshall (foreign affairs editor of Sky News).

Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, said: ‘Blogging is coming of age. It really does have the capacity to take us to the unreported, shadow inside story of many important institutions, from law to social work as well as Westminster.’

This year’s Blog Prize judges are Richard Horton ('Jack Night', winner of the Orwell Prize for Blogs 2009) and Oona King (head of diversity for Channel 4, former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow). 164 bloggers entered, with 14 (rather than the usual 12) being longlisted. The shortlisted blogposts are all linked to from the Orwell Prize website.

Shortlist debate and winners
Those taking part in the shortlist debate on ‘has the political class been fatally weakened?, chaired by Jodie Ginsberg (UK and Ireland Bureau Chief, Thomson Reuters), were David Halpern (research director of the Institute for Government, former chief analyst at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit), Helena Kennedy QC (lawyer, broadcaster and writer), Cristina Odone (journalist, novelist and broadcaster) and Meg Russell (deputy director of the UCL Constitution Unit, adviser to the Wright Committee on parliamentary reform).

And so to bed (eventually ...)

UPDATE: Video of the Shortlist announcement here. Orwell Prize Director Jean Seaton said of Madam Miaow Says:

An extraordinary account of things going on and blogged about with real views, with independence and spirit. A very distinct voice, very funny, and taking you to places that only blogging has discovered. Blogging has its own terrain and Madam Miaow takes you there.

Blog appreciation for Madam Miaow: art and politics

A few strokes from web folks. Look what the nice people at Politics.co.uk have to say:

"One thing stands out above all from this blog: the excellence of Madam Miaow's writing.
Her commentary is consistently strong, especially on Chinese cultural and political issues, and unsurprisingly - given her comedic background - the sense of humour is top-class.
We really enjoy reading this blog not because of its political insight - but simply because it's really, really good."

Aw, shucks. I've gone giggly and pink. And a bit moist. Like cake.

The Manchester-based arts blog, Creative Tourist, have me marked as Number 14 in their Top 25 Art Blogs.

"A fascinating mix of culture and political commentary."

I would like to thank everyone who made this moment possible. But in the meantime check out the others in Creative Tourist's impressive list:

1. We Make Money Not Art
Set up in 2004 by the hugely knowledgeable Régine Debatty, We Make Money Not Arthas taken the arts world by storm with its eclecticism, style and above all, detailed and fascinating content.

2. Feeling Listless
A surprise high entry for this independent blog from Liverpool that has been running since 2000. Feeling Listless covers every aspect of culture from arts and museums to politics and film.

3. Things Magazine
Describing itself as ‘an online journal about objects and meanings’, Things Magazinewas originally set up by writers based in the V&A and Royal College of Art and now exists at this engaging website and blog.

4. Making a Mark
Artist and author Katherine Tyrrell draws and writes about art for artists and art lovers.

5. Jonathan Jones on Art (Guardian)
Needing little introduction, this blog by established critic Jonathan Jones is always worth a read.

6. Frieze Blog
Clearly a major player in the art world, the Frieze blog allows the editors chance to cover smaller and, at times, more quirky subjects.

7. Charlotte Higgins (Guardian)
Another site from the Guardian’s stable of popular blogs, Charlotte Higgins gives her opinions on a wide range of topics from the Royal Opera, to the outbursts of famous artists, our national museums and Barack Obama’s taste in art.

8. Saatchi Blogon
Part of the Saatchi powerhouse, this blog is packed to bursting with videos, features, news, reviews and interviews.

9. Amelia’s Magazine
With an appealing style and a host of contributors, Amelia’s Magazine describes itself as covering ‘the best underground creative projects in the worlds of art, fashion, music, illustration, photography, craft and design’.

10. Art of the Estate
A fascinating blog about graffiti and smaller and more underground exhibitions in and around London, Art of the Estate is exciting, inspiring and refreshing.

11. Culture Wars
The online review of the Institute of Ideas in London covering books, films, theatre, art and talk events, with a particular angle of looking how political and other ideas filter through the culture.

12. Telegraph culture blog
From Cheryl Cole to architecture, art to Jazz, The Telegraph culture blog is nothing if not eclectic!

13. UK Street Art
Covering street art, graffiti and exhibitions in galleries across the UK, this blog has bags of enthusiasm, spark and intelligent commentary.

14. Madam Miaow Says
A fascinating mix of culture and political commentary: ‘Madam Miaow casts a sharp eye over the political and cultural landscape and takes a scalpel and a shotgun to the guilty parties.’

15. Art in Liverpool Blog
This jam-packed blog has been running since the Liverpool Biennial in 2004 and now has thousands of posts that cover arts news and events in and around Liverpool and sometimes further afield.

16. Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Writer and blogger, Katherine Woodfine runs this delightful blog about arts, literature and culture around Manchester and London (as she flits between the two).

17. Artasty
Describing itself as ‘the meeting point between sellers and buyers’, Artasty showcases forthcoming exhibitions and previews as well as highlighting less well-known artists and projects.

18. The FACT Blog
Run by Liverpool’s Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, the FACT blog focuses on stories about art and creative technology.

19. Art Sleuth
Some lovely writing about galleries, launches and artists largely (although not solely) in and around London. This blog also appears here.

20. Arts Blogs: The Independent
A series of blogs from The Independent, their use of the platform LiveJournal allows anyone to get involved and post, discuss or share content about culture and the arts.

21. Art & Things
Run by a group of artists, writers and musicians who work together to create interesting and events for creatives of all kinds to get involved in.

22. Where’s Runnicles?
From an Edinburgh based blogger, Where’s Runnicles is a review-based blog covering both performance and the visual arts.

23. Culture Vulture
Based in Leeds, these bloggers cover wide-ranging and varied topics; all under the heading: of writing about the ‘juiciest morsels of culture’.

24. View from the South Bank
Pauline McLean is BBC Scotland’s arts correspondent, and she blogs about arts events and issues happening across the country.
(*NB, we did look at including the BBC’s Culture Show blog but unfortunately this hasn’t been updated since April 2009.)

25. Intelligent Naivety
‘Where blog culture meets consumer culture.’ This blog showcases the best artist-designed and limited-edition products from over 60 leading galleries, museums, artists and culture institutions.

Honest Scrap Awards: yippee! More blog appreciation

Back from Cornwall and a virtual signal black hole to find Willis at Old and In The Way has been kind enough to have given me an Honest Scrap award. (Yes, it does sound like "honest crap" when said fast.)

Willis blogs from across the pond and hails from a generation for whom I have the greatest respect — 1960s hippies who had plenty to fight for. Hard-hearted would-be tuff-nuts who say they hate hippies should remember that many of these guys were in the thick of some real struggles; civil rights, segregation and the Vietnam war.

This blog being firmly opposed to deregulation, I'm pleased to see that rules is rules:
1. You must brag about the award.
2. You must include the name of the blogger who gave you the award and link back to that blogger.
3. You must choose a minimum of seven blogs that you find brilliant in content or design (not sure how I fell through the cracks on this one!)
4. Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with this award.
5. List at least ten honest things about yourself.

My seven favoured blogs:

1)  Harpy Marx. No surprise here, or any of my first three choices. Harpy is a committed leftie who refuses to check in her brain at the door and continues to be a thorn in the side for her Labour Party associates and their rightward drift. Terrific on both political and cultural matters, she's also a fine photographer, documenting current protests by ordinary people.

2)  Splintered Sunrise. This Northern Ireland-based blogger is perhaps stylistically the best writer on the left. Sensitive and choc-full of brainy goodness, he wields a shiv where so many on the left go at it with a baseball bat. More arch than Marlene Dietrich's eyebrows.

3)  Slacker Chic. Mrs M goes from strength to strength entertaining us with her caustic wit and imaginative turns of phrase at her showbiz and fashion blog.  She's now writing a book about her experience as an army wife with a husband in Afghanistan and wondering what the hell the war's for. Read it here.

4)  My mate Steve has just started the St Ives Cornwall blog having been running his informative One St Ives website for a couple of years or more. It's been amusing watching everyone else down there treat the internet like it was the monolith at the beginning of Kubrik's 2001: A Space Oddysey and they were all our simian ancestors. I think they're catching on at last. His blog is the best website covering St Ives and has been a must-read during the recent St Ives Arts Festival.

5)  Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan before he was sacked for blowing the whistle  on the unsavoury habits of our friend and ally in charge over there. He says he has seen the heroin factories next to army bases in Afghanistan that cast doubt on whether this war is really about drugs as claimed by the Western powers. Oh, did I mention he was sacked?

6) China Smack describes itself as carrying hot internet stories, pictures and videos of China – a popular tabloid look at the Waking Dragon. When you've had enough of midget grooms and "crazy haircuts" sported by the yoot, you can always try China Labour Bulletin for heavier fare. Plus brilliant China stories at East West North South blog. The inclusion of these alone probably guarantee I fall foul of the Great Firewall. Burn, baby, burn!

7) Lastly, Christina Martin, hilarious stand-up comic, and the first and, for all I know, the only woman to write for Viz. Sadly, I'm recommending her to you just as she announces her last Viz blog. Smart and always has something intelligent to say about religion and other social matters such as disability.

Ker-rist! It's half one in the morning and I still have to write out my life story, according to the award rules. Sorry, being a lifelong rebel I'm closing down for the night and getting some kip.

One honest thing — I miss my cat Trotsky. Second honest thing, if a Certain Person doesn't stop snoring I may have to do to him what I did to my cat.

G'night, all.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...

Honest Scrap Awards: yippee! More blog appreciation

Back from Cornwall and a virtual signal black hole to find Willis at Old and In The Way has been kind enough to have given me an Honest Scrap award. (Yes, it does sound like "honest crap" when said fast.)

Willis blogs from across the pond and hails from a generation for whom I have the greatest respect — 1960s hippies who had plenty to fight for. Hard-hearted would-be tuff-nuts who say they hate hippies should remember that many of these guys were in the thick of some real struggles; civil rights, segregation and the Vietnam war.

This blog being firmly opposed to deregulation, I'm pleased to see that rules is rules:
1. You must brag about the award.
2. You must include the name of the blogger who gave you the award and link back to that blogger.
3. You must choose a minimum of seven blogs that you find brilliant in content or design (not sure how I fell through the cracks on this one!)
4. Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with this award.
5. List at least ten honest things about yourself.

My seven favoured blogs:

1)  Harpy Marx. No surprise here, or any of my first three choices. Harpy is a committed leftie who refuses to check in her brain at the door and continues to be a thorn in the side for her Labour Party associates and their rightward drift. Terrific on both political and cultural matters, she's also a fine photographer, documenting current protests by ordinary people.

2)  Splintered Sunrise. This Northern Ireland-based blogger is perhaps stylistically the best writer on the left. Sensitive and choc-full of brainy goodness, he wields a shiv where so many on the left go at it with a baseball bat. More arch than Marlene Dietrich's eyebrows.

3)  Slacker Chic. Mrs M goes from strength to strength entertaining us with her caustic wit and imaginative turns of phrase at her showbiz and fashion blog.  She's now writing a book about her experience as an army wife with a husband in Afghanistan and wondering what the hell the war's for. Read it here.

4)  My mate Steve has just started the St Ives Cornwall blog having been running his informative One St Ives website for a couple of years or more. It's been amusing watching everyone else down there treat the internet like it was the monolith at the beginning of Kubrik's 2001: A Space Oddysey and they were all our simian ancestors. I think they're catching on at last. His blog is the best website covering St Ives and has been a must-read during the recent St Ives Arts Festival.

5)  Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan before he was sacked for blowing the whistle  on the unsavoury habits of our friend and ally in charge over there. He says he has seen the heroin factories next to army bases in Afghanistan that cast doubt on whether this war is really about drugs as claimed by the Western powers. Oh, did I mention he was sacked?

6) China Smack describes itself as carrying hot internet stories, pictures and videos of China – a popular tabloid look at the Waking Dragon. When you've had enough of midget grooms and "crazy haircuts" sported by the yoot, you can always try China Labour Bulletin for heavier fare. Plus brilliant China stories at East West North South blog. The inclusion of these alone probably guarantee I fall foul of the Great Firewall. Burn, baby, burn!

7) Lastly, Christina Martin, hilarious stand-up comic, and the first and, for all I know, the only woman to write for Viz. Sadly, I'm recommending her to you just as she announces her last Viz blog. Smart and always has something intelligent to say about religion and other social matters such as disability.

Ker-rist! It's half one in the morning and I still have to write out my life story, according to the award rules. Sorry, being a lifelong rebel I'm closing down for the night and getting some kip.

One honest thing — I miss my cat Trotsky. Second honest thing, if a Certain Person doesn't stop snoring I may have to do to him what I did to my cat.

G'night, all.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...

Blogroll Amnesty Day: in celebration of small blogs

I learn from Jon Swift that every February 3rd, the bloggerati enjoy a tradition dating back to neolithic times, where we celebrate the little guy and guyess in the Big Blogosphere with Blogroll Amnesty Day.

Lo, about the time that fire was invented, when mobile phones were the size of a brick (completely wrecking the line of your freshly killed fur wrap), and the early 1G computers stole acres of desktop space, the first Blogger and Bloggeress got together and made lots of little bloggerettes who went out and procreated, making even more bloggerettes. A lot of blogger begetting was done and then Madam Miaow Says was born in August 2007.

But drat if Darwinian natural selection didn’t see the evolution of the Blog Giants who threatened to squish us under their mighty clodhoppery paws. Ha! We didn’t need no steenking comet to come and wipe them out and make room for the mass of little furry critters burrowing away under rocks.

Forsooth! Came a hero to save us. Saith he: Go ye meek and inhabit the Dearth. For ye shall be mighty in my eyes and on screens everywhere. Liken unto the little virus, each take upon ye ten small wee blogs and link for all you are worth and embiggen yourselves like what you deserve.

Or sumthin’. Jon, can I have that again at half speed?

Harpy Marx — A great mix of politics and culture from a left perspective. Good arts reviews. Useful for catching up on the new ways our horrible government is screwing us.

Slacker Chic — Top rants from the wicked Mrs M. I probably discovered this little beauty while searching for steel and pig-iron production figures in the Soviet bloc circa 1933 (a gurl’s gotta have a hobby). Shows what the blogosphere is good for.

Anglo Noel Natter — My movie-going chum on heavyweight Brit politics and his holiday snaps.

Splintered Sunrise — One of the best writers on the UK left. Even more clever as he’s based in Norn Irn. Which as any fule kno, isn’t in the United Kingdom. Wields a shiv like nobody else.

Hagley Road to Ladywood — Young blood. Heh, heh! C’mere, little one. Come and play with Madam Miaow’s puppy ... (OK, it’s been going since 2005 but I’ve only just noticed.)

DarkPartyReview — A co-finalist in Best Culture Blog category of the 2008 Weblog Awards who deserved to win. Left friends, I loves ya, but you can have too much of a good thing. This wonderful literary blog blows the cobwebs out of my brain.

Bill Posters — Poet Bill Greenwell's blog is another literary site that keeps me sane and my imagination stimulated.

One Inch Punch — Tags himself as East Asian Inspiration. A choice dimsum of a blog with tasters of what's going down wid my bredren.

Ned Raggett Ponders It All — Well, mostly cookery and music with style and beautiful pix. Every meal looks like a feast, every sunset like it was painted by a cosmic entity on drugs. Honest!

Geek Chic — The most beautiful technogeek on the planet keeps us up to date with the latest gadgetry, her telly appearances and what she’s eating.

Other small political blogs also worth checking out, Random Pottins, A Very Public Sociologist, Infantile and Disorderly, Rustbelt Radical, Organised Rage, Socialist Unity (although you're getting way too big for small blog mention).

Blogroll Amnesty Day: in celebration of small blogs

I learn from Jon Swift that every February 3rd, the bloggerati enjoy a tradition dating back to neolithic times, where we celebrate the little guy and guyess in the Big Blogosphere with Blogroll Amnesty Day.

Lo, about the time that fire was invented, when mobile phones were the size of a brick (completely wrecking the line of your freshly killed fur wrap), and the early 1G computers stole acres of desktop space, the first Blogger and Bloggeress got together and made lots of little bloggerettes who went out and procreated, making even more bloggerettes. A lot of blogger begetting was done and then Madam Miaow Says was born in August 2007.

But drat if Darwinian natural selection didn’t see the evolution of the Blog Giants who threatened to squish us under their mighty clodhoppery paws. Ha! We didn’t need no steenking comet to come and wipe them out and make room for the mass of little furry critters burrowing away under rocks.

Forsooth! Came a hero to save us. Saith he: Go ye meek and inhabit the Dearth. For ye shall be mighty in my eyes and on screens everywhere. Liken unto the little virus, each take upon ye ten small wee blogs and link for all you are worth and embiggen yourselves like what you deserve.

Or sumthin’. Jon, can I have that again at half speed?

Harpy Marx — A great mix of politics and culture from a left perspective. Good arts reviews. Useful for catching up on the new ways our horrible government is screwing us.

Slacker Chic — Top rants from the wicked Mrs M. I probably discovered this little beauty while searching for steel and pig-iron production figures in the Soviet bloc circa 1933 (a gurl’s gotta have a hobby). Shows what the blogosphere is good for.

Anglo Noel Natter — My movie-going chum on heavyweight Brit politics and his holiday snaps.

Splintered Sunrise — One of the best writers on the UK left. Even more clever as he’s based in Norn Irn. Which as any fule kno, isn’t in the United Kingdom. Wields a shiv like nobody else.

Hagley Road to Ladywood — Young blood. Heh, heh! C’mere, little one. Come and play with Madam Miaow’s puppy ... (OK, it’s been going since 2005 but I’ve only just noticed.)

DarkPartyReview — A co-finalist in Best Culture Blog category of the 2008 Weblog Awards who deserved to win. Left friends, I loves ya, but you can have too much of a good thing. This wonderful literary blog blows the cobwebs out of my brain.

Bill Posters — Poet Bill Greenwell's blog is another literary site that keeps me sane and my imagination stimulated.

One Inch Punch — Tags himself as East Asian Inspiration. A choice dimsum of a blog with tasters of what's going down wid my bredren.

Ned Raggett Ponders It All — Well, mostly cookery and music with style and beautiful pix. Every meal looks like a feast, every sunset like it was painted by a cosmic entity on drugs. Honest!

Geek Chic — The most beautiful technogeek on the planet keeps us up to date with the latest gadgetry, her telly appearances and what she’s eating.

Other small political blogs also worth checking out, Random Pottins, A Very Public Sociologist, Infantile and Disorderly, Rustbelt Radical, Organised Rage, Socialist Unity (although you're getting way too big for small blog mention).

Weblog Awards 2008: two days to go

Click on logo to vote Madam Miaow

A reminder to all my lovely readers that there are only two more days to go til it’s all over. That’s two more days to vote for your favourites.

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN EACH CATEGORY ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS PER COMPUTER

So far, 620,000 votes have been cast, and 1.2 million visitors have perused 2 milllion page views in the Weblog Awards.

If everyone who read this blog — ever — voted, Madam Miaow would walk Best Culture Blog. As it is, I’m ... oooh, only about 2,400 behind the leader. But, hey, mustn’t be pessimistic. You never know. 2,401 visitors might say, “That Madam Miaow. Sure is a fine read. I must spend the 15 seconds it takes to click here and vote for the darling in the face of some of those big boys and girls.”

It’s been a riot. This is only a small one-person operation in the vastness of the blogosphere, and I'm up against some giants. But it’s great the way the Weblog awards competition opens it up for all-comers. I'm currently neck and neck for sixth place and, exciting as it is, it would be very nice we could at least widen the gap.

To vote for me, please click on the logo above or here

You might also like to vote for Neil Clark who was winner of the Best UK Blog 2007 but is way behind right-wing blogger Melanie Philips this time around.

I’m also recommending a vote in the category of Best Middle East or Africa Blog for Informed Comment.

Please vote for Slacker Chic in Best Fashion Blog for her wit and irreverance and as a much-deserved reward for keeping me entertained.

Remember, you are allowed to vote once per computer every 24 hours.

A huge thank you to everyone who's voting — you are stars.

Weblog Awards 2008: two days to go

Click on logo to vote Madam Miaow

A reminder to all my lovely readers that there are only two more days to go til it’s all over. That’s two more days to vote for your favourites.

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN EACH CATEGORY ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS PER COMPUTER

So far, 620,000 votes have been cast, and 1.2 million visitors have perused 2 milllion page views in the Weblog Awards.

If everyone who read this blog — ever — voted, Madam Miaow would walk Best Culture Blog. As it is, I’m ... oooh, only about 2,400 behind the leader. But, hey, mustn’t be pessimistic. You never know. 2,401 visitors might say, “That Madam Miaow. Sure is a fine read. I must spend the 15 seconds it takes to click here and vote for the darling in the face of some of those big boys and girls.”

It’s been a riot. This is only a small one-person operation in the vastness of the blogosphere, and I'm up against some giants. But it’s great the way the Weblog awards competition opens it up for all-comers. I'm currently neck and neck for sixth place and, exciting as it is, it would be very nice we could at least widen the gap.

To vote for me, please click on the logo above or here

You might also like to vote for Neil Clark who was winner of the Best UK Blog 2007 but is way behind right-wing blogger Melanie Philips this time around.

I’m also recommending a vote in the category of Best Middle East or Africa Blog for Informed Comment.

Please vote for Slacker Chic in Best Fashion Blog for her wit and irreverance and as a much-deserved reward for keeping me entertained.

Remember, you are allowed to vote once per computer every 24 hours.

A huge thank you to everyone who's voting — you are stars.

Weblog Awards 2008 voting opens: Best Culture Blog Finalist

Click on the logo and vote for Madam Miaow

The Weblog Awards opens at last and Best Culture Blog Finalists are off like hares out of a trap.

I’m surprised by how excited I am about this. Thanks to everyone who’s voted so far, I’m not last :-)

In fact, thus far, I’m a repectable third out of ten. ... EEK! They're catching up. Three of us neck and neck for third place.

You can vote every day in each category for the next eight days(closes 13th January). I’m feeling like Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris, complete with butterfly ballots and hanging chads.

Vote early, vote often! Vote Madam Miaow!

STOP PRESS
Please also vote for Slacker Chic as Best Fashion Blog. She writes some of the funniest rants in the blogosphere and entertains me hugely in moments of boredom or when I have something important to do and I'm trying to put it off.

Vote for Neil Clark against some horrible right-wingers in the Best UK Blog category.

Weblog Awards 2008 voting opens: Best Culture Blog Finalist

Click on the logo and vote for Madam Miaow

The Weblog Awards opens at last and Best Culture Blog Finalists are off like hares out of a trap.

I’m surprised by how excited I am about this. Thanks to everyone who’s voted so far, I’m not last :-)

In fact, thus far, I’m a repectable third out of ten. ... EEK! They're catching up. Three of us neck and neck for third place.

You can vote every day in each category for the next eight days(closes 13th January). I’m feeling like Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris, complete with butterfly ballots and hanging chads.

Vote early, vote often! Vote Madam Miaow!

STOP PRESS
Please also vote for Slacker Chic as Best Fashion Blog. She writes some of the funniest rants in the blogosphere and entertains me hugely in moments of boredom or when I have something important to do and I'm trying to put it off.

Vote for Neil Clark against some horrible right-wingers in the Best UK Blog category.