Egyptian Blogger Jailed for Four Years

Abdel Kareem Soliman has been jailed for four years for expressing his views on the Egyptian authorities. The petition to have him freed is here, and the supporters's website is here.

We have some shitheads here but they haven't got around to locking us up yet.

Jayz, Blogging's Great Craic, Sure You Never Know Where You're Going to End Up!

A Google search for Dail Eireann returns me as the third result, ala Bifsniff's campaign to drug test Dail Eireann. Now if you wanted to know about Dail Eireann, would you visit the official site, or would curiosity demand that you check out the expletive-laden, but high ranking satirical blog?
The stats will tell...

You're indifferent to me! You're really indifferent to me!

Well, didn't make it through to the judging round of the Irish Blog Awards. I didn't really expect to, there was some fierce stiff competition, but it was nice to be nominated and thanks you everyone who voted for me (oh- he's gone).

The remaining beacons of brilliance are:

Best Blog

• Arse End of Ireland
• ArseBlog
• Beaut.ie
• Blogorrah
• Nialler9
• Twenty Major

Best Blog Post- Sponsored by Hosting365

• Annie Rhiannon - Three years too late
• Arse End of Ireland - Where do you get your smoke from?
• Blogorrah - Rochegate: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
• Conor’s Bandon Blog - You may feel a small prick
• Twenty Major - A thousand words

Most Humorous Post - Sponsored by Beecher Networks

• Arse End of Ireland - Won’t Somebody think of the children?
• Blogorrah - The Twink Tapes.
• Gingerpixel - Garda Prank Call
• Snackbox - AbuseOS from TwinkSoft.
• Twenty Major - Countdown to Next Election.

Best Photo Blog - Sponsored by Pixenate.com - The online photo editor

• Caitriona.net
• Gingerpixel
• Headphoneland
• Ireland from a Polish perspective
• McAWilliams
• North Atlantic Skyline
• RedMum
• Rymus.net

Best Arts and Culture Blog - Sponsored by Poetry Ireland

• Blather.net
• Fustar
• In Fact Ah
• Letter to America
• Sinead Gleeson

Best Political Blog - Sponsored by Technofutures

• Bock the Robber
• Dominic Hanngian’s blog
• IrishElection.com
• Slugger O’Toole
• The Tuppenceworth Blog

Best Group Blog - Sponsored by PutPlace.com

• Blogorrah
• In Fact Ah
• One Breast Less
• The Community At Large
• The Dublin Blog

Best Personal Blog - Sponsored by Interactions - Creative Strategies for Business

• Annie Rhiannon
• Conor O’Neill
• Gingerpixel
• RedMum
• The Waiting Game

Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog - Sponsored by Edgecast Media

• Ach go hairithe
• An Saol
• An Spailpin Fanach
• Hilary NY
• nobyegarawn

Best Contribution to the Irish Bloggersphere - Sponsored by FirstPartners.net

• Bernie Goldbach
• Donncha O’Caoimh
• Rick O’Shea
• Cian and Simon for Irish Election
• Tom Raftery

Best Technology Blog/Blogger - Sponsored by Bitbuzz

• Bernie Goldbach
• IQ Content Blog
• Michele Neylon
• Conor O’Neill
• Tom Raftery

Best Designed Blog - Sponsored by Equisoft

• Beaut.ie
• Fustar
• Ginger Pixel
• Nialler9
• Twenty Major

Best Sport & Recreation Blog - Sponsored by Boards.ie

• ArseBlog
• Fustar’s World of World Cup Wonders
• In Fact Ah
• The Kop Blog
• Laois Talk
• Tom’s Sporting Almanac

Best News/Current Affairs Blog - Sponsored by the Sunday Tribune

• An Spailpin Fanach
• Dublin Opinion
• IrishElection.com
• The Limerick Blogger
• Sarah Carey

Best Specialist Blog - Sponsored by iQ Content Ltd

• Ask Direct
• Beaut.ie
• Ice Cream Ireland
• One Breast Less
• The Waiting Game

Best Newcomer - Sponsored by Edelman

• Arse End of Ireland
• Beaut.ie
• Blogorrah
• Style Treaty
• The Waiting Game

Best Business Blog - Sponsored by logic+intuition

• Allagi Blog
• Argolon
• Ask Direct
• BH Consulting Blog
• Biz Growth News
• Ice Cream Ireland

Best Music Blog - Sponsored by Clubbing.ie

• House is a Feeling
• Kilkenny Music Blog
• Nialler9
• Sinead Gleeson
• Una Rocks

Best Podcaster - Sponsored by Microsoft

• 2 Irish Geeks and a TV
• ArseBlog
• EdgeCast (Conn O Muineachain)
• Letter to America
• Oldbones
• Podcasting.ie
• Twenty Major

Best Podcast - Sponsored by Newsletter.ie

• An Lionra - 06 12 06
• Arseblog - Episode 1
• IT@Cork - Eddie Hobbs
• Letter to America - The Irish Blog Awards Podcast
• Oldbones - The Favour
• Twenty Major - Scientology

Best Videocast - Sponsored by Cork Internet eXchange

• Simon McGarr - Minister to Nowhere
• Allyn Quigley - Size Matters
• Daniel k. Sullivan - You pay taxes so we don’t have to
• Technolotics #44 - Flying Naked
• Uisce In New Hampshire

Hope to see Irish Election and The Swearing Lady pick up the odd gong, they're definite ones to watch.
I'm not bitter, and my suit is in the dry-cleaners anyway.

Sharing the Link Love and whatever other cooties I've got...

Well, it's all over now. Voting is closed. I'm either deemed brilliant by my peers or I remain convinced of my own greatness without any public recognition. And as we all seem to be linking, pinging and zinging all over the place I'm going to post the longlist as well. Do have a browse now that they no longer pose a threat I've got a minute to compile it.

Full List of nominations:

Best Blog

Alive in Limerick
An Irish Craftworkers Good Life
An Spailpin Fanach
An tImeall
Arse End of Ireland
ArseBlog
Backseat Drivers
Barbara’s bleeuugh!
Beaut.ie
BifSniff
Biz Growth News
Blogorrah
Bock the Robber
ElBlogador.com- The Voice of Irish Nationalism
Fustar
Head Rambles
I Take Photees
Ireland 16 Days
IrishElection.com
Letter to America
Manuel Stimulation
Mcawilliams.com
Mine’s A Jack Daniels
Nialler9
Pygment
RedMum’s Blog
Skinflicks
Snackboxdiaries
StigOnline
The Cedar Lounge Revolution
The Community At Large
The InFactah Blog
The Limerick Blogger
Tir na Blog
Twenty Major
Womans Aid

Best Blog Post- Sponsored by Hosting365

Ach go hairithe - We love Irish we do, but if we want our signs in English
An Cainteoir Dochais - Ag toraiocht na ndilseoiri i mBaile Átha Cliath
andcurve - Cock-blocking beats
Annie Rhiannon - Three years too late
Arse End of Ireland - Where do you get your smoke from?
Arse End of Ireland - The Bertles
Balrog - McDowell should walk over Rape crisis
Bifsniff - Should You Be Laughing At This?
Blather.net Snackbox Diaries - Introducing AbuseOS
Blogorrah - Rochegate: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Bock the Robber - Haughey
Conor’s Bandon Blog - You may feel a small prick
Cruiskeen Eile - Boys will be Boys
Cruiskeen Eile - Phwoarr. How to Report on the Troubles While Getting
David McWilliams - The Dundrum Paradox - Don’t be Paddy Last!
Dervala.net - The Passion-Industrial Complex
Earth and Universe - The day I quit as an Altar Boy.
Earth and Universe - The legend of Uncle Tom and the Bubble Car
ElBlogador - Bloody Sunday In Pictures
ElBlogador - Peter Robinson
Empire State View - Barry Egan, Journalist of the Year
From Bath to Cork with baby Grace - After traffic in Cork
Fustar - David Sque Interview Part 1.
Fustar - Chess with balls
Graham Ó Maonaigh - Ending Gun crime
iQblog - Irish kitchen sink usability
Irelands Few - Corruption WithIn Unionism?
IrishEyes - Richard Waghorne has a closed mind
Letter to America - Drama - Thy Name is Pong
Life is a Journal - Self Help and Personal Development for Lazy People
Madspoon - Sheep 34 Banana
Maman Poulet - 35 going on 13
Minesajackdaniels’ Blog - Pompoms and bottle tops.
Old Bitter Balls - Keeling Time
Political Quote - Bertie Ahern does a ‘Nixon’ over money scandal
Red Cardinal - Golden Spiders - Are These Really Ireland’s Best Websites?
Redfly Marketting - DMOZ Submission Guide
Ricks Breakfast Blog - A Religious Experience…
Ricks Breakfast Blog - Most Extraordinary Day of my Life
Skin Flicks - The JC Skinner guide to drinking
Stig Online - The most painful 12 miles of my life (and the other 14 were hardly easy)
The Adventures of Truculent Horse - Culture Shock III - The Language Barrier
The Dossing Times - The Riots and the consequences.
The Dossing Times - Riots in Dublin
The Great Wee Azoo - Awfully Awfully at Castleward Book Fair
The Midnight Court - Paper Round Exclusive!
The torture garden - the best songs of 2006
Twenty Major - A thousand words
Twenty Major - Countdown to the next election
Young Unionists - Ignoring the Big Issues
Young Unionists - In defence of the Act of Settlement

Most Humorous Post - Sponsored by Beecher Networks


Ach go hairithe - Reasons Behind Australian Rough-House Tactics In International Rules Series (Exclusive)
andcurve - Cock-blocking beats
Arse End of Ireland - Berties Perspiration
Arse End of Ireland - Won’t Somebody think of the children
Backseat Drivers - Sex - Breakfast of Champions
BifSniff - Dry White Seasoning
BifSniff - Spyware
Blogorrah - The Twink Tapes
Blogorrah - Why can’t we all just get along?
Captain Purplehead - Ah Tis All Too Much
Chetwynde Downs - The Naile Raye Quintet
Dublin Opinion - Property Market Causes Ireland to shit its brain
Earth and Universe - Legend of Uncle Tom and the Bubble Car
ElBlogador - DUP In Gay Marriage Shocker
ElBlogador - These are a few of my favourite things
Fustar - Dis-courtesy Call
Fustar - Manky Toy Monday: League of the Transformable
Gingerpixel - Garda Prank Call
Green Ink - Beep Beep Beep
Head Rambles - Giving Up Smoking
Head Rambles - Translation Help Needed
In Fact Ah - The Occasional Diary Entries of German Director Werner Herzog (Removed at request of owner)
Irish KC - A Kansas City Phone Call To An Irish Mother
Irish KC - Irish Conversations
Kav’s Blog - Westside Story Bud
Letter to America - Drama - Thy Name is Pong
Life’s a bastard - Scientists - I’m against them
Manuel Stimulation - From Bad to More Bad
Manuel Stimulation - Victory to Moroccan Imperialism
Old Bitter Balls - Or was this just a dream?
Political Quote - PDs new Spin Doctor
Pure Cork Boy - Music: The Roaring Forties
RedMum - Guilty Pleasures
Rick O’Shea - Ketchup… Catsup..
Rinceoir - Cry Havoc
Skinflicks - Babys called Bad Bad thing
Snackbox - AbuseOS from TwinkSoft
Snackbox - The Story of Jimbob (Remove on request)
The Great Wee Azoo - Awfully awfully
Twenty Major - Countdown to Next Election
Twenty Major - Post Secret
Wayne Ordinary American - Wayne loves you one and all

Best Photo Blog - Sponsored by Pixenate.com - The online photo editor

Caitriona.net
Capture Capture
Dancing Shades of Light
Derek Knight Photography
Donal’s blog
Focus Pocus
Gingerpixel
Glassey Alley
Headphoneland
How your mama now?
I Take Photees
Iced Coffee
I’m never gonna dance again
In Photos
Ireland from a Polish perspective
Kind I Like
Leigh ar mo T-leine e
Letter to America
Mcawilliams
North Atlantic Skyline
PAD - Photo a Day
Photographe à Dublin
Pygment
RedMum
Rymus.net
Seth Wheeler
Snoother
This is Diopter

Best Arts and Culture Blog - Sponsored by Poetry Ireland

Alan in Belfast
BifSniff
Blather.net
Contemporary Arts Review
Dead Beat
Empirestate View
Fustar
Georgiasam
Green Ink
In Fact Ah
KC Irish Fest
Letter to America
Maguires Movies
PaddyC Movie Reviews
Poet Blogg
Sinead Gleeson
Soundtracks for Them
Stunned
The Cat Flap
The Dreaming Arm
The Harlot’s Progress
The Torture Garden

Best Political Blog - Sponsored by Technofutures

1169 and Counting
A Tangled Web
An Caomhach
An Saol
An Spailpin Fanach
Balrog
Best of Both Worlds
Bock the Robber
Damien Blake
Daniel K. Sullivan
Dominic Hanngian’s blog
ElBlogador.com- The Voice of Irish Nationalism
Extra Extra
Graham O’Maonaigh
Green Ink
Harry McGee’s blog
ie-Politics by Gerry O’Quigley
Ireland - The Voice Of The Nation
IrishElection.com
Maman Poulet
Richard Delevan’s blog
Seamus Ryan’s blog
Semper Idem
Sicilian Notes - Richard Waghorne
Skinflicks
Slugger O’Toole
The Cedar Lounge Revolution
The Dossing Times
The Tuppenceworth Blog
The United Irelander Blog
The Young Unionists

Best Group Blog - Sponsored by PutPlace.com

ArseBlog (Removed at request of owner)
Backseat Drivers
Balrog
BifSniff
Blather
Blogorrah
Howth Coastguard Blog
In Fact Ah
Ireland 16 Days
IrishElection.com
Links Heaven
Old Rotten Hat
One Breast Less
Sligo Camera Club
Sligo Rugby Football Club
Team Geared Up
The Cedar Lounge Revolution
The Community At Large
The Dublin Blog
The Limerick Blogger
Tuppenceworth
UCD Science Librarians
Womens Aid Blog
Wow Blog

Best Personal Blog - Sponsored by Interactions - Creative Strategies for Business

Annie Rhiannon
Barbara’s bleeuugh!
Conor O’Neill
Dec’s Rambling
FatMammyCat
From Bath to Cork with Baby Grace
Gerry Gainford
Gingerpixel
Hangar Queen
Head Rambles
Kav’s Blog
Mine’s a Jack Daniels
RedMum
The Newbrowne Blog
The Rambling Man
The Waiting Game
Una Rocks
Wayne Ordinary American
Winds and Breezes

Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog - Sponsored by Edgecast Media

Ach go hairithe
An Saol
An Spailpin Fanach
Arm Runda na Gaeilge
Blag Shomhairle
Chetwynde Downs
Hilary NY
Leigh ar mo T-leine e!
MH Wombat
nobyegarawn
Roinnt Smaointe
Seo Panu ag labhairt
Smaointe Fanacha Aonghusa

Best Contribution to the Irish Bloggersphere - Sponsored by FirstPartners.net

Bernie Goldbach
Cian and Simon for Irish Election
Conn O Muineachain
Donncha O’Caoimh
Gavin Joyce for Kick.ie
Macdara in the Leb
Michele Neylon for IrishBlogs.info
Rick O’Shea
Sarah Carey
Simon McGarr
Tom Raftery

Best Technology Blog/Blogger - Sponsored by Bitbuzz

5Pieces.com
Aidan Finn
Bernie Goldbach
Clare Dillon
Conor O’Neill
Creative Imagination - Ken McGuire
Donncha O’Caoimh
EdenWeb Blog
Firstpartners.net
Francis Shanahan
Ina O’Murchu
IQ Content Blog
James Corbett - Eirepreneur
John Collins
John Naughton
Justin Mason
Michele Neylon for IrishBlogs.info
Mobileblogr.com
Pat Phelan
Red Cardinal Blog
Robert Burke
Tom Raftery
What Will you see next?
Your Tech Stuff - Adrian Weckler

Best Designed Blog - Sponsored by Equisoft

5 Pieces
Ach go hairithe
Beaut.ie
BifSniff
Clamnuts
Creative Imagination - Ken McGuire
ElBlogador.com- The Voice of Irish Nationalism
From Ireland to Kansas City
Fustar
Ginger Pixel
Inside the mind of an idiot.
IrishElection.com
Jason Roe’s blog
John Handerlaar’s Blog
Kind I Like - Things that look like people
Leigh ar mo T-leine e!
Letter to America
Magooo
Nialler9
Pretty Cunning
RedFly Marketing
Soundtracks for Them
Spoilt.ie
Stunned.org
Team Geared Up
The InFactah Blog
The IQ Content Blog
Twenty Major
UnLaoised

Best Sport & Recreation Blog - Sponsored by Boards.ie

ArseBlog
Billy Lyons
Fustar’s World Cup
In Fact Ah
Irish Go blog
Laois Talk
Liverpool Access
On the Ditch
PaddyC Movie Reviews
Piranha Triathlon Club
Rebel BMX
Sligo Rugby Football Clun
SportCrazy.net
Team Geared Up
The Kop Blog
Tom’s Sporting Almanac
Wiffy Blog

Best News/Current Affairs Blog - Sponsored the Sunday Tribune

Adam Maguire
Alive in Limerick
An Spailpin Fanach
Best of Both Worlds
Dublin Opinion
IrishElection.com
Public Inquiry
Road Deaths.ie
Sarah Carey
Skinflicks
Stephen Spillane
The Limerick Blogger
The NewsWire
The Story

Best Specialist Blog - Sponsored by iQ Content Ltd

4Basra
An Irish Craftworker’s Good Life
Ask Direct
Ball*istic
Beaut.ie
Bibliocook
Burma Review
Clear of Cloud
Clerical Whispers
Graham O’Maonaigh
Green Ink
Howth Coastguard
Ice Cream Ireland
Ireland 16 Days
Irish Go blog
Irish KC
KC Irish Fest
Lean Healthcare Services Blog
Lexferenda
McGarr Solicitors
Munster Pubs
Myers Watch
One Breast Less
PR Matters
Random Grub
Siopa Eile
SSIA Watch
The Good Life
The Waiting Game
Wearie
Whois Ireland
World Debate Website

Best Newcomer - Sponsored by Edelman

4Basra
Alan in Belfast
An Irish Craftworker’s Good Life
An Saol
Arse End of Ireland
Beaut.ie
Betty the Sheep
Blogorrah
Bock the Robber
Dario Sanchez’s Angry Dome
Elly Babes
Fastlad
Harry McGee
Head Rambles
Ireland 16 Day
Ireland from a Polish perspective
Kav’s Blog
Lexferenda
Linkmap
Michael Flangan
Notes on the Front
Peppermint Tea
Skinflicks
Style Treaty
The Cedar Lounge Revolution
The Great Wee Azoo
The Midnight Court
The News Wire
The Waiting Game
What will you see next?
Where’s the Salt?
Womens Aid

Best Business Blog - Sponsored by logic+intuition

Allagi Blog
Argolon
Ask Direct
ATP Blog
Barry Walsh
BH Consulting Blog
Biz Growth News
Bubble Brothers
First Partners
ForestHill Blog
Ice Cream Ireland
ImageFile Blog
Inter-Actions
James Corbett - Eirepreneur
Keith Bohanna
Kevin Kelly Unlimited
McGarr Solicitors
Michele Neylon
Piaras Kelly
RedCardinal
Roam4Free Blog
Voicesage Blog

Best Music Blog - Sponsored by Clubbing.ie


Cumann Carad na Gaeilge
Faoi dhein an dorais
House is a Feeling
In Fact Ah
Kilkenny Music Blog
Magoo
Mp3Hugger
Nialler9
Sinead Gleeson
Soundtracks for Them
Spudshow
The Torture Garden
Una Rocks
Wearie

Best Podcaster - Sponsored by Microsoft

2 Irish Geeks and a TV
An Lionra (Removed on Request)
An Saol
ArseBlog
Cumann Carad na Gaeilge
Doop Podcasting
EdgeCast (Conn O Muineachain)
Faoi dhein an dorais
Kevin Kelly
Letter to America
Okey Doke Football
Oldbones
Open Source Podcast
Podcasting.ie
Podleaders
Richard Delevan
The Persuaders
Twenty Major
Wargeek.net

Best Podcast - Sponsored by Newsletter.ie

An Lionra - 06 12 06
Arseblog - Episode 1
Arseblog - Episode 10
Arseblog - Episode 12
Cumann Carad na Gaeilge - Podchraoladh Caoga a Naoi
IT@Cork - Eddie Hobbs
Letter to America - Chapter 29 - The Lift 2.0
Letter to America - Chapter 43 - The Date
Letter to America - The Irish Blog Awards Podcast
Oldbones - The Favour
Podleaders - Dan Bricklin
Twenty Major - Pizza Delivery
Twenty Major - Scientology

Best Videocast - Sponsored by Cork Internet eXchange

Aine Chambers Dooney Rock, Sligo
Allyn Quigley - DWIC - X-mas No#1
Allyn Quigley - Size Matters
Brody Sweeney on why he decided on politics
Disappear by JP Pagano
Minister to Nowhere - Simon McGarr
PD Election Video
Technolotics #44 - Flying Naked
Technolotics #29 - ZZ Fops
Uisce In New Hampshire
You pay taxes so we don’t have to

QUICK, PANIC! ONLY A FEW HOURS LEFT!

Until the deadline for voting in the Irish Blog awards closes. So vote for me in:

• Most Humourous Post
• Best Arts and Culture
• Best Political Blog
• Best Specialist Blog

Damien Mulley will give you a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium* if you do.

*Damien Mulley may not give you a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium if you do. He will enter you into a draw if you vote for anyone at all. But vote for me right?

Bush Finally Tells it Like it is...

I'm Loving It

Search Engine Optimisation, or Red Cardinal- He Gone Crazzzzah!

I can't pass up the offer of a free anything, and as Richard has offered a search engine optimisation to all nominees of the Irish Blog Awards I'm going to take him up on it. So, Richard:

• category you are nominated: Most Humourous Post, Best Political Blog, Best Arts and Culture Blog, Best Specialist Blog.
  
• your blog’s topic or niche: Satirical Cartoons on Irish Politics and Culture.
  
• your target audience: those with a specific interest in the above.
  
• how long you’ve been blogging: October 2006.
  
• how old is your domain: It's a blogspot.com and it's been active since October.
  
• the names/URLs of a few other sites, competitors or friends, in your niche: nearest would be Bifsniff (for a while there it was nearly turning into a mutual admiration club).

What do I want from SEO? To influence so many voters with my cartoons that FF and the PDs are flipping burgers for the next 20 years and FG, Labour, the Greens, SF and all the rest that get in there BEHAVE LIKE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE IRISH PEOPLE AND NOT THE CORRUPT LACKEYS OF FOREIGN POWERS.

Right, I look forward to your bloodshot analysis!

Visit the other finalists...

Don't have time to link to all the other finalists, but you can randomly skim through them here. Big up to the NewBrowne blog for it.

I'm a Nominee!

I've been nominated! Most Humourous Post, Best Arts and Culture Blog, Best Political Blog and Best Specialist Blog.

It's my first time being nominated, having only started this in October. What do I do? Am I supposed to sleep with someone now? Is there a cheque?

Full list of nominees here. You may vote here.

Go on, give us a stroke.

Right Guard

What Bertie Meant...

Stumbling Oaf Saved by New Irish

From the Connacht Sentinel. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

Drug Test Dail Eireann

Drug Test Dail Eireann via Bifsniff. Love it.

Michael McDowell- The Last Sting

McDowell is Losing it

Murder Probe Follows Fatal Dublin Shooting

Watch Your Well-Intentioned but Ultimately Fucking Shit Website

I don't usually blog about web design but this is exceptional. Look out kids, the Bogeyman is going to get you through Bebo! But it's okay, the National Centre for Technology in Education will save you with their illegible website complete with edgy, down with the kids courier font and clashy colour scheme! Another storm in a teacup passes with a token gesture by a government agency! I'm sure Minister Hanafin ate lots of nice sandwiches and froze obligatory photo-op children to death with her charisma at the launch yesterday (actually I must check Blogorrah on that count...).

SFPSNI