ABA ENDORSEMENTS (Part 1)

As earlier promised, here are some of my choices for the 2004 Asia Blog Awards (ABAs). This is a first in a series, in which I am mostly endorsing my old favorites.

Best HK Blog: I had voted for Simon for the world weblog awards and would do so again for best HK blog had he not disqualified himself. I had been voting for the Gweilo Dairies for best HK blog in ABAs. However, as Conrad's site has been missing with no indication of when (or if) it will return I have switched horses and am now voting for Hemlock.

Best Mainland China Blog: Dan Washburn's Shanghai Dairies deserves this one. However, as a Good Beer Blogger and a Canadian, I feel obligated to endorse and vote for my compatriot the Yellow Frog.

Best Korea Blog: There is strong competition here, but The Marmot remains my favorite.

Best Singapore Blog: Mr Brown has the most local content, a loyal following, and is possibly the funniest of all of us finalists. He deserves the prize. However, I endorse myself. Vote Myrick!

Best Malaysia Blog: Two words: Rajan Rishyakaran.

Best Thai Blog: 2Bangkok is a shoe-in and is a great one-stop for Thai news. However, again torn by Canadian patriotism I'm backing Agam's Gecko.

Best Indonesia Blog: I am guilty of vote splitting here and have been single-handedly trying to engineer a tie. Daily, I look at the tallies and vote for either Macam-Macam or Jakartass, depending on who is ahead at that time. A bribe, or other incentive, would help me stop fence-sitting.

Best Philippine Blog: The Sassy Lawyer in Philippine Suburbia has long been a must read for me and remains my choice.

Best India Blog: Glenn Reynolds has said that you should never use a blog as an exclusive source of news. Screw that. If you relied solely on Nitin Pai's The Acorn for news and opinion on India, it probably wouldn't be a bad thing.

Best Pakistan Blog: Venial Sin because any blogger who gets death threats from Islamists is a friend of mine.

Best Central Asian Blog: The Argus takes it for having the broadest view of the region. Although this category again demonstrates - as does Jodi's Asia Pages - that the Peace Corp produces some great bloggers

Best Designed Blog: Simon World

Funniest Blog: Because I'm voting for myself in the best Singapore Blog Category, I feel obligated to vote for Mr Brown here. Were Mr Brown unavailable, Chase Me Ladies... would narrowly beat MasaMania.

Best Non-Asian (Foreign) Blog: Carl gets this for his regular SE Asian news roundups at FriskoDude.

Best Journal/Diary: As earlier noted SPG

Best PhotoBlog: The Java Jive

End of Part one: I will decide on my favorites from the remaining categories before the end of the contest.

Now, Go Vote!