Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Another Beauty Contest

The American Bar Association (that's not the real link -- the ABA is merely worthless rather than sinister -- but it's entertaining nonetheless) is hosting another blawgers' beauty contest. Kevin O'Keefe writes about it here. The heart of Kevin's excellent post (hat tip to Anne Reed):

Law blogs represent disintermediation of publishers and gatekeepers. No more are those in supposed power and control going to screen and serve up what they think is important. A lawyer in a town with a water tower, an old grain elevator and 3 four way stops is on equal footing with a lawyer who clerked for a Supreme Court Judge. The democratization of publishing and dialogue we get through law blogs is at the very heart of what we stand for in America.

Kevin sees the ABA's poll, and its publicization of the poll, as "shallow, at best".

Indeed. If other things were judged by such polls, Toyota would be recognized as the best carmaker, ground beef as the best cut, Gallo as the best wine, and Thomas Kinkade as the best painter. China would be accepted as the best country, Christianity as the best religion, Windows as the best operating system, and ignorance as the best mental state (coincidentally, George W. Bush would be president).

6 comments:

Kevin OKeefe said...

Thanks for the mention of my post Mark. That last paragaraph in your ppst great - expect to see it on my blog in a couple days.

Also love your characterization of the ABA - 'merely worthless rather than sinister -- but it's entertaining nonetheless.'

Anonymous said...

So does that mean you're not voting for me? After all, I'm so darned pretty.

Mark Bennett said...

Kevin, thanks for the comment.

Scott, if I thought the contest meant anything I'd vote for you. I think we criminal defense bloggers know which is, hands-down, the best criminal defense blawg. But instead I voted for Grits, as you suggested.

Anonymous said...

I gotta tell ya, it's the right thing to do. I'm not the beauty queen type and can't even figure out why they put Simple Justice in these things. This is way more a Grits thing.

But, it's kinda creepy reading your comment with you staring at me from your photo. Could you at least blink once in a while?

Anonymous said...

Best criminal defense blawg? That's mine right? Yes? Say yes. Please. Say yes.

Anonymous said...

And who was it, dear Gid, that reminded our good friends at Capital Defense Weekly that they left one particularly important blawg off their list of blawgs (like Defending People) that should have been on the list.

We are the practical blawgosphere, and we either support our synergistic existence or fade into oblivion. Of course yours is the best. As is Marks. In my world, everyone who deserves it gets a superlative.