FNORD Awards Result 2008

[Behmanesh FarzAn]

[Speech by Iain de Vembria, who never had time to post himself]

The FNORDS exist to praise and reward the best examples of the excellence produced by both micronations and micronationalists within the community that makes up our sector. Over the past seven years, well over a dozen of the most respected and experienced micronationalists in our community have deliberated passionately to choose those of our peers who deserve recognition for a variety of accomplishments.

At times, the results are not without controversy. Yet there can be no doubt that those who win FNORD Awards are highly deserving of such an honour. It might be easy to be caught up in squabbles caused by sore losers in recent years, but it is important for each of us not to forget that there are individuals of real merit within our community. These individuals make real contributions that ultimately produce a better micronational community, and in doing so, they are able to rise above the politicking and squabbling to answer a higher duty to the community. They have earned both the respect and recognition of their fellow micronationalists.

This year is no different, with accomplished individuals and community leaders receiving recognition for their outstanding devotion to the betterment of micronationalism. Without further ado, it is my great honour to announce the winners of the 2008 FNORD Awards!


The Odlum Award for Individual Achievement

Named for Shane Odlum, the founder and leader of the micronation of Blackrock, this award is the most prestigious of all FNORD Awards. It is typically given to a veteran micronationalist in recognition of years of service to the community at-large.

And, with the unanimous consent of the judges, the award goes to Enrique Portela.



The Abbas Namvari & Charles Beard Award for Conflict Resolution

This is the annual award for diplomacy, named in honour of two of our greatest diplomats.

This year the award goes to two micronationalists who promoted diplomacy in the face of potential conflict over the Eura continent on Micras – Hesam Jahandar of Babkha and Josh (Dr) Spangle of the CIS. Yet, the judging panel could not ignore the diplomatic impact of the Gralan Confederacy, and it shares the honour of receiving this award.







Best Revolutionary Concept

This is awarded to the micronationalist, or organization, that has brought forward a new concept in the past year that has benefited the micronational community. It primarily focuses around the adaptation of new technology/internet applications for improving the community, not theoretical concepts.

And this award goes to the Kingdom of Hanover’s Second Life Colony.



The Bill Dusch Award for Micronational Cultural Development

This is awarded to the micronationalist who, or organisation that, has contributed the most to the development of a specific culture in the micronational community over the past year.

This year's winner is the Tokidoki Magic System.



The RIMA Award for Excellence in Micronational History 2008

This award is not decided by the FNORD Judging Panel but is instead the decision of the membership of the Royal Institute of Micronational Antiquities. The award is given to the person considered to have made the biggest impact on micronational history in the past year (RIMA management excluded).

And this year's winner is Jacobus Kahuneamea for his dedicated work in contributing to the documentation of our community’s history on not one, but three micronational wikis.



The Norton Award for Excellence in the Field of Journalism

The Norton Award is awarded to the micronationalist, micronation or media service that makes the most significant contribution to journalism and news media in the community during the year. Another unanimous decision of the judges, this year’s award goes to Liam Sinclair in recognition of his Coprieta Standard publication and dedicated career in micronational journalism.



The Peter Little Award for Excellence in Micronational Literature

This is awarded to the micronationalist who, in the past year, has made a significant contribution to the development of micronational literature (of the non-historical prose); this award is primarily considered for those who write works of fiction.

For the second year in the row, the award goes to Jeremy Bellamy for his latest literary work, entitled “King Under the Mountain."



And finally ....

Best New Micronationalist

Awarded to the micronationalist who, having joined the community in the past year for the first time, has made a considerable impact on the micronations in which they have participated and the community at large.

The Best New Micronationalist Award goes to...

Liam conDoin!



Congratulations to all the winners, every one truly deserving in the awards they have received.

I would also like to thank the judging panel, of which I was honoured to be a member of for another year. Each judge conducted themselves with the highest honour and integrity, upholding the finest traditions of the FNORD Awards. The other judges who dedicated time out of their busy macronational schedules to sit on this year’s panel were King Alexander of Hanover, Ari Rahikkala, Ardashir Khan, Edgard Portela, and Liam Sinclair, who filled in as Chairman of the Panel on very short notice.

Once again may I extend my congratulations to all the winners. They can be proud of their achievements, as can everyone nominated for a FNORD. For all those other nominees, your contributions deserve no less and everyone is commended for the energy and enthusiasm. Until next year!

[Guido Zambelis]

Out of eight awards, three go to judges. It's been worse

No, seriously, well done - all of the winners deserve it this time.

[Andreas the Wise]

Thankyou very much (accepting the Gralan and Toki awards cause I had a hand in both).  They all seem to be to well deserving people.  The only problem I see is Liam getting Best Micronationalist.  Not that he isn't deserving, just that he joined about the same time Craitman did, and certainly before me, and I thought you'd disqualified us two
Their original forum may not be accessible any more, I'm not sure, but he joined the MCS one 05 Jul 2006.

Sorry if that stuffs up your awards just a little ... you may already know that and have decided to give it to him anyway, he's certainly well deserving of it.

[Liam Sinclair]

When the check was done, no evidence could be found that conDoin was active in the intermicronational community prior to January 2007. Yourself and Craitman, on the other hand, were active in the intermicronational community in 2006 according to the background check. It what you say is indeed true, then the error is regrettable, but given that the FNORDs are four weeks behind already, it doesn't look like it's going to be easily correctable.

Thank you for pointing out the error now and not at a time when we could have done something about it

[Andreas the Wise]

Sorry, I didn't even know he was nominated.  If you found when I joined MCS, I don't see why finding when he joined was hard (apart from the slight change to his name, from Lyam of Tokidoki to Liam conDoin, but anyway)

[CraitmanPellegrino]

Liam conDoin joined the micronational cummunity before me. Toketi (as Tokidoki)'s original forums were started before Cräiteland's. If me and Andreas couldn't win this award, then how the hell can someone who's been in the community longer than the two of us win it?

Farce

I might have a rectification for the award, though...

[Hesam Jayatar]

"I would like to thank a few people for their support of me in earning this presitigious award. First, I'd like to thank Hesam Jahandar. I'm sure there are so many others I couldn't possibly name them all. Thank you"

[Liam conToketi]

As much as I appreciate the honor, I must decline this award. Toketi was put on the MCS map in September of 2006. I was active on the MCS boards periodically starting in June of 2006. Toketi was formed May 21st of 2006. I have gone through many name changes, so there may have been a confusion there (Captain Cheese, President Cheese, Lyam conDoin, Liam conToketi).

I apologize for the inconvenience, but I cannot accept this award.

[Liam Sinclair]

I imagine the name changes are what caused the confusion. Your declination is noted; the award will go unawarded in official record.

If everyone maintained or created their Micronations.net Wiki biographies, things would be much easier when confirming appropriate dates.

[Sfeir Jahangir Zsharri]

If the judges voted that Liam was the most worthy nominee to get the Best New Micronationalist award, then he deserves it, regardless of a few month's difference. But that's a moot point now that he himself has declined it...

[CraitmanPellegrino]

Liam, you didn't even hear me out.
I was going to suggest the award to be shared between the three of us (in. Andreas)... 

[Guido Zambelis]

Why should you get it? (not a loaded question)

[Liam Sinclair]

Out of eight awards, three go to judges. It's been worse

No, seriously, well done - all of the winners deserve it this time.

Actually two went to judges, each of whom were in full compliance with the requirement to abstain from voting.


As for the Best New Micronationalist award; as the judging panel has been dismissed (as the FNORDs are over), it's easier said than done to restart the process to consider a joint award. We are considering to build in more flexibility for this award next year, since it seems there's never a "best new micronationalist" to be found in the year past anymore

[nonette]

What the hell does FNORD stand for anyway?

[Alexander R.]

All,

On behalf of the Kingdom, thank you so much for this recognition.

The colony has been developing for some time, and things are really starting to come together as a community.  Recently We had the pleasure of hosting His Majesty King Vincent from Morovia in our colony.

The community continues to expand.  We now have a Royal art gallery and a University project headed by energetic and diligent folks who do what they do for the love of the experience and in the process add to the community in ways that have heretofore been impossible with simple forums.

The next Royal Ball is scheduled for March 14th, my birthday, and all of you are invited to attend, or otherwise to visit the colony as opportunity may present itself.

Thank you again,
Alexander R.