As we say back in the ‘hood, vote early and often!
Have your voice heard in the Janeite world by voting in the Jane Austen’s Regency World Awards for 2008. We shall not tell our Gentle Readers to vote for a Certain Publication that has been nominated for an award, but only encourage you to use your own discretion.
(Psst! Dorothy! Start giving out the chocolate.)
While we’re in a voting mood, let us draw your attention to a post on Laurie Viera Rigler’s blog in which she claims that Jane Austen is the best choice in this year’s U.S. Presidential elections. We’re down with that. We already have our Austen ‘08 button courtesy of Dee Dee’s wonderful Janeite Supply Shop and are ready to mow the grassroots for votes! People Powered Jane!
And further speaking of voting…
Watch this space. 
March 13th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Oooooo!! The Golden Cluebat! Huzzah!
March 13th, 2008 at 9:31 am
The Golden Cluebat! I’m going to melt from excitement. I feel like Mrs. Bennet and her nerves.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I wonder why AustenBlog isn’t nominated for Best Website…
Looking forward to voting for the Golden Cluebat!
March 13th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I agree with Franka! It’s criminal that Austenblog wasn’t on that list, it’s much more interesting than any of the nominated sites. But I did enjoy voting for a certain publication, ahem, that was nominated elsewhere. (Where’s my chocolate?)
Too bad the vote was done in SurveyMonkey. That means anyone who uses a screen reader or device-independent navigation on their computers can’t even see it, much less participate.
Golden Cluebat vote, bwa-ha-ha-ha … (said in best satirical “scare Catherine Morland to death” menacing voice).
March 13th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I took the survey, but now I’m sorry, because I think it was a limited and self-serving tool–had I been able to see all the questions at the beginning, I would not have answered any. For example, the list of sequels published that year was only 3-deep, when, as we all know, there were many more Austen-related books published last year. I also felt that some of the blogs (such as this one) should have been on the list of web sites–especially since votes will be coming in from web-savvy people, who are probably reading blogs, rather than daily visiting a more static site like JASNA.org.
I think that if the organization plans to do this annually, it had better pull up its socks and make the list of movies/publications/websites, etc. more comprehensive. Otherwise it will face charges of favoritism and elitism.
My final complaint–and I’m not a statistician, but I’ve read enough results of surveys–is that there were no response choices for “don’t know” or “hate ‘em all”. In other words, this is not a valid survey.
Yes, I recognize that the survey was meant to be fun, but I think it was “badly done. Badly done indeed.”
March 13th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I have to agree with Allison T., in part, there were several questions that needed a “Didn’t like any.” or “Thought they should have left well enough alone!!!!” And where was Austenblog? *sigh* It was fun to see a something Austen related, after all the talk of voting.
Anyway, I like the Golden Cluebat!!!!
March 14th, 2008 at 1:06 am
I agree with those who were slightly dissatisfied with the survey. I truly wish that there were many more choices in the areas that we voted, especially books written and websites listed such as this one and a few more of my favorites.
Regardless of the survey quality I have added a blog about it at my blog to ensure that the word is out for everyone to vote.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:19 am
THERE IT IS!!!!
THE GOLDEN CLUEBAT!!!
Can’t wait to vote for the recipients of it.
THAT would be PROPER voting, when we vote for the ‘worst’ etc, category.
Can you imagine my confusion in having to choose the ‘Best’ film, actor etc. in the current voting facilities provided at the Regency site.
I did vote for the choice of best Jane related book though
March 14th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I agree that the categories and nominations were less than inspiring. I ended up skipping questions because I did not like any of the nominees. I was also disappointed not to see Austenblog in the survey. What were they thinking? Still, I happily voted for “a certain publication!”
Bring on the Golden Cluebats!
March 15th, 2008 at 2:46 am
The Austen 08 button inspired me to create this:
March 15th, 2008 at 2:47 am
if the image didn’t show up, go here:
http://homepage.westmont.edu/lmartens/vote-for-jane.jpg