David Dimbleby Time

So we await the final results due in the Blogpower Awards.
If you've not yet voted today, or you want to do some more vote stacking before polls close, do so now and then come back and finish reading this. Of course if polls have already closed, don't bother.

It's been an interesting week. Whether James Higham regrets undertaking this, I don't know. I suspect not, deep down. There were some negatives, but there have been many positives.

On the negative side, it does seem that every loophole that can be taken has been taken, and some elements have tried to exploit this ruthlessly. Fortunately, there does seem to have been a fightback from supporters of deserving bloggers.

In my opinion, yes there has been some unfair goings on, but the fact remains that once this was noticed, popular support, in it's own mysterious way, seems to have evened things out. I really would like to see a Single Transferrable Vote next time over say, five days, with votes genuinely kept to one vote per person as far as possible.

On the positive side, many bloggers have realised that the best way to campaign is not by over publicising their own candidature, but by showing people daily why their blogs deserved the merit they were in line to win. I don't want to bring James up again- you'll think I'm his agent- but he demonstrates the point. So does Sicily Scene.

It's also good to see some new faces gain recognition, like Captain Smack. It's good that bloggers of the succint wisdom of Bel get the applause they deserve.

For my own part, it's worth me saying that I am very touched that so many of you- many more than I thought possible- have showed that you do appreciate this blog. It's worth me saying that I was bright and early getting my nominations in, and actually only nominated long established bloggers.
My nomination for Best Little Blogger and Most Underrated Blogger was actually the Blogpower member who made the first ever comment on this blog. I won't embarrass him now, but I really hope he gets back into blogging in a big way, because I miss his wit.

When I set up this blog, it was only as a home to visit other blogs from and pour out the occasional strange thought I had.
But then you guys started coming to visit and it developed a life of it's own. I don't regret that. This blog has grown in ways I never thought it would.
For that many of you deserve thanks.

I know that there has been a little behind the scenes campaign to support this blog in these awards and I'm not going to embarrass those involved.
I can safely say that those who were rooting for me have fought pretty fair, for which I am very grateful.

Now let's all sit down, with David Dimbleby in the studio, as those long awaited results come in.