Gold Star Awards, February, 2013

Sheesh. After falling four months behind on my “Hall of Fame” posts, I finally got caught up back at the beginning of February. Of course… I never got around to doing FEBRUARY’S and now here I am, four months later, and I’m four months behind again! So I’m going to use the next couple of day to get up to speed again, and hopefully keep that going.


We’re up to 1984 – a big year – with three Gold’s and two Silvers:


The Luis Aparicio GOLD STAR #62: The Good Men Project

This Blog (?) offers “a glimpse of what enlightened masculinity might look like in the 21st century […] fostering a national discussion centered around modern manhood and the question, ‘What does it mean to be a good man?’” And I have to say that they have a far higher quality of product to offer in that regarding than so many of these Maxim-wannabe sources out there. As in most things, I cannot say that agree with everything they post, but the generally offer a very progressive, enlightened outlook on everything from chivalry, gender roles, sexuality, politics, career, marriage and so many other things that are important to [us] “good men,” but which so often draw the short stick when it comes to coverage in the media and representation in the popular culture.


The Don Drysdale GOLD STAR #63: The Illustrated Guide to Law

This incredibly simple website is part-blog, part online-resource and part-webcomic, and serves as an excellent font of understanding of the law presented in a format that the lay-person can absolutely understand and appreciate. It remains a work in progress, but already covers a wide ranges of topics including rights, police procedure, trials, the roles each person plays, explanation of existing laws and legal concept, precedent, etc… It is not [as far as I can tell] written with any political or social agenda in mind, other than to give people a better understanding of how the law works, why things are the way they are, and what rights you do and do not have under the law. An excellent resource for anyone who wants to better understand the way thing work (or don’t) particularly if they wish to speak on, or advocate for, reforms within the legal system.


The Harmon Killebrew GOLD STAR#64: Scholars & Rogues

“Scholars & Rogues is a diverse band of thinkers, social analysts, activists, grousers, jesters, and troublemakers. We’re all different in a variety of ways, but we share a general belief in progress, a conviction that smarter is better, and a passionate distaste for convention.” A diverse collection of writers from a variety of backgrounds and political schools of thought makes S&R an excellent source of both balanced and contentious commentary on a wide range of issues relating to politics, the media, social progress, the environment, the economy and so much else. They do a fantastic job approaching things from angles, and while everyone id likely going to find something they disagree with, they will absolutely be given something to think long and hard about after reading it. You can’t ask for any more than that.


The Rick Ferrell Silver Star #59: The Worst Things for Sale

In one of the earliest silver star awards, I had honored a similar site about “Things found (for free) on Craig’s List” or some such thing. It went defunct years ago, and has since been replace by another site, but I’ll never forget the writer’s hilarious commentary, and all of the absurd things he was able to find. (A “free” row boat that was absolutely FILLED with yard-waste still sticks out in my mind.) Well this blog is a lot like that – funny and biting commentary on really stupid shit. Only this time? People are expected to PAY for said shit! (And the worst thing? I’ve BOUGHT some of this stuff!) Check it out. You WILL laugh.


The Pee Wee Reese Silver Star #60: Pleated Jeans

Yet another collection of funny videos, pictures and meme’s. What can I say? I’m a junkie for this kind of thing! But seriously, add them your list of sites like FailBlog, Metapicture, AngryToro , Chive, etc… As they themselves claim: No Filler, just funny. Absolutely.


(And I'll be getting these caught up through May over the next few posts.)